At this point, our lives are still unsettled. When we were gone our landlady was supposed to have the problems with our house fixed…roof leaks, mold on ceilings, cracked walls. painting, reconstruction of outdoor drainage system that has leaked slowly into the house. It’s been ten years since any major work has been done. The contractors did all the outside work and started on the inside, but stopped because they didn’t know what we wanted them to do. They started moving some furniture, but then stopped. No tarps or plastics had been put down. The whole house was covered with a layer of fine white dust upon our return.

This week, Max moved the entire contents of the past four years of university life – both dorm and apartment – back home. He is currently sorting through all his things. What to store. What to donate. What to throw away. What will fit in all of two large suitcases and a duffel bag. He leaves next Thursday night for Kings College London where he’ll be getting his Masters in Public Policy. So that entire part of the house in in upheaval.

Next Thursday the construction workers return to finish the job they started. But we are responsible for moving furniture and tenting the parts off so that the whole house won’t get covered in shmutz. They say they will be finished by Friday afternoon. Seems like an impossible task to me. The week after that, on the 11th of September, our American friend (hockey coach) moves back in with us into Max’s old bedroom where he will stay until the end of December. He coaches ice hockey in Metulla (which is now completely abandoned as it’s on the Lebanese border. The Canadians built a multimillion dollar ice complex there. I hear it has not been hit). Marc also coaches the Nazareth Tigers, a group of talented kids from the Galil: Christians, Muslims, Druze and Jewish, who play roller and ice hockey. It’s a yearly job for Marc, who lived h3e for nine years before moving back to Virginia. He will stay in Max’s torn apart room, so the whole area will have to be cleaned and ready for him. I feel as if a bomb has already hit the house. It’s just nothing has been broken. Which is a good thing.

We are still waiting day by day to hear news on John’s father, who is in a hospice-like rehab facility/nursing home in Florida. Things are pretty touch and go with him. So we all remain on notice to fly back. John and I pray for his brother and sister who are faced with making major decisions and the brunt of the care. Family members are still flying in to see Poppa who is 97.

A few thoughts on the United States. Some observations and differences we made while we were there. We saw and spoke with family and friends from across the States from the West Coast to the East. Cape Cod to Alabama. We spoke with people in stores and with neighbors and friends of family. Most were either unaware of the true events that transpired in Israel since 7 October or were vastly misinformed. Many thought another unnecessary war was taking place in the Middle East. More than quite a few people held the idea that the Israelis were ‘genociding’ and torturing Palestinians. That the Israeli army just attacks churches and Christians, mosques and children. It seemed many younger people believe that for no apparent reason other than Israelis don’t like people who are not Jewish, so they imprison people unjustly, steal their land and kill them. It’s what they learn in school and on social media.

Several family and friends tried to persuade us to leave Israel. “Just get the hell outta there while you still can.” John and I tried our best to explain that we are home now. We love this land and these people. We feel a connection through the ages. Through the Bible. Through the generations. We have a congregation here. We have made friends here. We are able to travel relatively inexpensively to Europe, something we had always dreamed of doing together. We feel we can make real, true contributions to society here. Most Israelis, even though we tend to disagree on some political or religious topics, work together as a unit. It is a society that supports one another.

I noticed a lot of divisions in the United States. I was surprised to hear more women than I could have ever imagined saying they could never support a misogynistic woman-hater who was a horrible businessman, bankrupting innocent people for personal gain and who would cheat repeatedly on wives, was a warmonger and threatened the decency of the nation. There was no mention of important issues that threatened the true nature of the republic like mass, unknown immigration or pouring money to launder and enrich oligarchs into Ukraine. They couldn’t concede that there are more wars and threat of war today than there was just five years ago. That China is becoming a superpower threatening a weakened U.S. militarily, economically and educationally. That the morals of American society are so upside down that it’s almost irreversible which will lead to a demographic free fall in just a couple decades.

When we went grocery shopping, John and I were floored to see how much prices have skyrocketed and how much package size has decreased. I am always taken aback upon return to US grocery stores to see the wide selection of choices for similar products on the shelves. And how much the food is processed and contains corn syrup, chemicals, and fillers. Ketchup is not just tomatoes, vinegar, sugar and spices. Bread is not just flour, yeast, salt and water. Colorings. Additives. Preservatives. It’s truly shocking, now that I’ve been away for a decade.

In Israel, most of what we buy is farm to table. I buy most of my produce from the produce market, straight from the farms. The fish is caught wild from the Galilee. The beef is grass fed from Angus grazing on the Golan Heights. My neighbor sells us 30 farm fresh eggs every week from his grandfather’s kibbutz. Our dairy is mostly sourced from local goat farmers and artisanal dairies. Olive oil is procured from our local olive orchards. However, I do miss the rotisserie chickens and easy pre-packaged meals I bought in America. There’s not much of that around here. Even though in Israel, there are larger grocery stores (only one here like the mega stores of the States), most people get their baked goods and pastries from the local baker. The spices and produce from the shuk. The butcher. The fishmonger. It’s very wholesome.

I noticed that while we were in the States, many people were reticent to actually say anything that would be too controversial. That people were quick to tone down anything that could be seen as too opinionated. How often did I hear someone be a bit critical of an occurrence, and then add “Not that there’s anything wrong with that.” I heard a lot of “But then what do I know?” And a few “Well good for you. You do you.” statements. Especially when it came to Israel and what is happening here, I got so many, “Well. I’ve never heard that” responses.

In my husband’s family and circle of friends, sports is a main issue. We watched the ending games of the Olympics. (I saw parts of the closing ceremony. Israeli athletes had left due to security threats, but the Palestinian team got a ten minute standing ovation). Football season was just starting up, and the first games were being aired. There were golf games, both guys going out to play a round and on the television. And, of course, summer baseball.

I heard about Meghan and Harry. Are they still a thing? Apparently in California, they are still royalty. Of course, I was caught up on all the latest of Taylor Swift and found out that the Kardashians are still “a thing.” And that Jennifer split up with her latest…. I had forgotten that part of California folk that we had left behind. And of course. “I think it’s just great. Kamala is a woman of color and she’s also Jewish by Doug.” “It will be good to finally have a woman in charge.” “She’s just so energetic!” “We’ll have a rockin Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa at the White House.” Not all of the conversations were that way. As I said, we interacted with a wide range of people from waitresses to staff at the nursing home and hospitals.

As far as antisemitism, I really didn’t feel or see any except when one fellow told me that when we went get Poppa’s car serviced, we’d have to Jew down the man at the garage. I silently took offense at that one, but figured the guy probably lived in Florida all his life and had heard and said it forever without really knowing any context. Other than that, people were very friendly.

It’s getting close to Shabbat. I’m way behind schedule and have not covered any news at all. Next week, hopefully I can give an update on the news. Always a lot happening here. Until then, have a restful Labor Day weekend. May there be peace soon.