"When G-d will return the captivity of Zion, we will be like dreamers. Then our mouths will be filled with laughter and our tongues with glad song." Psalm 126
So yes. To answer several of your many questions: I am seeking counsel. I am seeking a trustworthy confidential, nonbiased clergy in the U.S. to speak with about touches of PTSD and to discuss information I have uncovered (to publish or keep hidden? That is the dilemma).
And yes. John and I do have lives. Besides researching and writing (news and features articles as well as articles on religion for other media outlets), we do have other things we do. I love to garden and grow my own heirloom, organic vegetables. We both try to spend at least an hour a day keeping up with the yard and garden.
Rainbow carrots and radishesYellow summer squash and eggplantRainbow chardCarrot harvestRadish, heirloom tomato, chioggia beets, carrotsRed lettuce, rutabaga(Swede), cherry tomatoes, beets, red dragon carrots
Also, I study both Tanya and Scripture with the wife of the chief rebbe of Tsfat every Monday and Thursday morning. It gives me perspective on life, and I love to study. I lead a Torah study on Thursday nights through Partners in Torah. It deepens my faith and I love to share all the interesting and relevant tidbits from the Hebrew. My partner is amazing and she challenges me to do better in my life as well. John and I have another group on Tuesday evenings and once a month we facilitate a couples group (international group). This next meeting we will be discussing combatting antisemitism. So that takes care of some of our spiritual life.
Every Monday-Thursday I try to spend 60-90 minutes in the pool to keep mobile and flexible. Every community in Israel has its own community swimming pool. Most have Olympic sized swimming pools. Because we live in a larger city, the municipality has built the “Country Club” (Jews allowed) with tennis courts, workout/fitness rooms, sauna, steam room, indoor Olympic pool, huge outdoor pool, jacuzzis, spa/massage rooms and classroom for Pilates, Yoga, Feldencrais, Karate, Spinning, and other classes. Classes are offered throughout the day and evening. Membership is a nominal fee. All classes included. Lockers and spa treatments are extra.
Mid afternoon means no crowdsMorning aquasize class for the ladiesExercise roomOutdoor swim before it opens for the families
We just ended the worst heat wave of the year (I hope), so our activities were quite limited all last week-
But when the weather is good, we like to go for hikes in nature. Another great thing about living in Israel is the appreciation and love for nature. The JNF has planted so many forests, which are always within a few minutes drive. There are hiking trails everywhere. Mountains, gentle hills, forests, lake trails, beach trails and trails that follow wadis (canyons), streams and rivers. We have our favorite places, and love to find new trails close by where we can walk the dog. We especially love the trails leading to spectacular views! And those are abundant!!
Most trails are well clearedOthers are notThe pristine וUpper GolanGreat views from trail 15 minutes from our houseAt the top of the mountain, we met kids doing it the hard wayAn older picture of our favorite hike in Banias (Golan)Shady trails are great -this one led to secret cavesAnother view hikeHiking in nature is extremely popular here!Flat hike in the Jezreel ValleyOverlooking the Jezreel Valley (the next valley over from us)
Our latest project has been another fun one. Back in the States, I had an antiques shop for over 25 years. I sold mostly China, crystal, silver, jewelry and smalls, but also had furniture and art. It was a fun and productive outlet. I would occasionally find or buy old furniture, refinish and then resell it. Just a couple weeks ago, John found a mid century modern china cabinet on the side of the street. People throw away some amazing things here. He rescued it and shlepped it home. Nice piece, but it had a huge and ugly bright orange base that had to go. We decided to paint the entire piece white and replace the door knobs. I’ve ordered some gorgeous blue and white toile wallpaper to go on the back wall. Can’t wait for it to arrive!
Removed the horrid base and will put in new “feet”Primed and ready to paint!Waiting for the wallpaper for the backI found a space for it…The back will be wallpapered like this
So those are just a few of the things we do. There’s lots more. There are always new things to see and new places to discover here. Especially in the archaeological community. We try to keep abreast of the new digs with exciting findings in our area. The locations are usually within an hour drive. We have nearby wineries and local farms where we can get honey and produce. Artisanal dairies are a popular place to visit here for different cheeses, yogurts and other dairy products.
Plus cooking. Unlike in America, where there is plenty of pre-prepared food (everything from elaborate salad mixes to side dishes and entrees), in Israel – at least up here in the periphery- it’s much harder to find. There are a couple places that offer pre-cooked meals to pick up on Friday morning for the Shabbat. That’s about it. So I do all my cooking from scratch, which takes longer, but is fresher and healthier.
I’m always learning new ethnic recipes from the many cultures that are here. The Israeli palate is entirely different that the Western palate, the spices are very different. It took me awhile to get used to cinnamon andcloves to be used with meat; turmeric in everything; pickled everything; sumac and zata’ar. But I’ve learned to incorporate flavors of the Middle East into much of my cooking. I’m really hoping to get some Ethiopian recipes in the near future, as I’ve just made friends with some lovely Ethiopian women.
Another benefit of living here is that it has proven to be the perfect launch for trips to Europe. For us, flying to Europe from Los Angeles was cost prohibitive. In Israel there are flights and cruises across the Mediterranean. Since moving here, we have traveled to Italy, Czech Republic, Hungary, Switzerland, the Netherlands, France, England and Scotland. We try to get to the U.S. once a year to visit family. In September we are going to England, Amsterdam and maybe a stopover in Italy before we return. Our son in London graduates and we have that adorable new grandbaby to visit with our daughter’s family in the Midlands. We will be gone for almost two months.
So for the curious, and for those who have urged me to “get a life,” we have one here. Whether getting together with friends or volunteering to pick vegetables and fruits or just driving to discover new places, it’s all been part of this wonderful adventure.
View of the Sea of GalileeLake Kinneret which you know better as the Sea of GalileeFun summer hike in the GolanMore Golan viewsSummer fun on the Jordan River/ha YardenRafting is a popular summer pastimeYardenit on the JordanNatural swimming holes (maya’an) -Horeshat TalAncient Roman aqueduct near the beachDog walking at Achziv BeachI can never get over the colors of the Mediterranean AchzivSummer sunsets on the beach are the best!Caesaria BeachHaBonim Tel Aviv, baby!!
The religious Jewish people count the days between Passover and Shavuot, the Feast of Weeks. It’s a Biblical mandate in Leviticus and Deuteronomy. Seven weeks of seven days of the Children of Israel traveling from Egyptian liberation under Pharaoh until the entire entourage arrived at the foot of Mt. Sinai. There, on Day Fifty, Moses received the Ten Commandments from G-d.
Every evening after sunset the count is called out. A blessing is said. Each day there is a meditation on a virtue like kindness or patience or wisdom. During the time of the counting of the Omer (a measurement of barley), there are no marriages. It is a time of seriousness, like the Christian Lenten season, in a way. No parties. No haircuts. No frivolity.
In Israel, for Shavuot, the more Orthodox visit the Kotel, the Western Wall in Jerusalem. A visit to the tomb of King David is part of the tradition. People stay up all night (Jewish people all over the world) studying Scripture. The reading of the book of Ruth is a custom as it takes place during the barley harvest. And in synagogue, the Ten Commandments are read. Oh, and people gorgeous themselves on dairy products.
Yes. Dairy. For the observant Jews, the Bible or the Torah is compared with dairy or milk which nourishes infants. Also Israel is the Land of Milk and Honey. For the more secular, Shavuot is the beginning of summer. The farm animals have had their baby lambs and kids and calves and the milk is literally flowing. And the harvest has just come in. Barley. Fruits. Vegetables. In Biblical times, Shavuot was a mandatory pilgrimage holiday when all the people were required to bring in their tithes to the Temple in Jerusalem. This is a huge agricultural festival, the First Fruits, or Bikkurim.
I am currently studying Scripture each week through Partners in Torah. Can’t speak highly enough about this organization. My partner, Shari, and I meet weekly by FaceTime. She’s in New York City, and I like her so so much. She challenges me often. And I rose to her Shavuot challenge. I’d always wanted to spend Shavuot at an agricultural kibbutz. It’s one of the most incredible truly Israeli experiences, or so we had heard. So I did something quite presumptuous.
Sunday morning, I called up a friend from Kibbutz Ginosar (Genesseret) on Lake Kinneret (Sea of Galilee) and asked her what she was doing; the kibbutz activities; and swiftly inserted myself into the middle of her family. In other words, I invited myself and John at the very last minute. Complete Chutzpah for this reserved American. “Evelyn, I’ll even bring a huge dairy savory cheesecake with vegetables. Anything.”
We drove down to the lake Sunday afternoon. It was absolutely gorgeous and very peaceful, as usual. Ginosar is one of the older kibbutzim, celebrating 88 years this year. It’s moderately sized, mostly agricultural, but they also run a large resort hotel on the side. The families are all very close and everyone knows everybody else.
Evelyn greeted us at the entry gate. Her father-in-law knew we were coming and made me this gorgeous harvest bouquet of barley and wheat stalks, figs, pomegranates and lavender- all grown on the kibbutz. It was the most welcoming introduction. As is traditional, everyone wears white, and as it is a harvest festival, it is customary for people – young, old, male, female – to wear a lovely floral wreath on their head.
We arrived shortly before the festivities. Many of the kibbutz folk, mostly the older people, gathered on the main square to watch the tractor parade. Tractors pulling carts filled with hay bales and families.
And the celebration began, first with the presentation of all the babies that were born on the kibbutz in the past year, 38 in all, a new record! So cute to see all the families. It is such a healthy thing to see a vibrant, happy, growing population. This was followed by a dance put on by some of the moms with babies on their front packs (or twins on front and back). It was adorable. The song, in Hebrew, was about how the mom can get no more sleep as the baby keeps her up all night and all day.
Notice the mom in the green shorts with twins!
The little children of three age groups all put on song and dance routines and little skits. The all the three year old boys were brought up for their first haircuts. It’s a very big, and very fun, deal here. There was a lot of remembrance of the war, those lost in battle, friends still in captivity. It was an incredibly hard year for all the kibbutzim. Many of the men between 18-50 have been doing military service. Pensioners took up the slack and planted and harvested all the crops.
Kibbutz Ginosar is a tremendously large and productive agricultural kibbutz. They own hundreds of acres along the Kinneret. The number of dunams (acreage) of each crop, and tonnage brought in was read aloud. I was stunned. Mangoes, bananas, pomegranates, wheat, barley, dates, apricots, peaches, avocados, almonds. Phenomenal.
I was even more surprised to see the teen involvement. They worked as ushers, MCs, and organizers. And several groups of teens put on choral and folk dance numbers. Did I mention wholesome yet???? This was followed by folk dancing, first by the women, the couples and finally, the plastic chairs were taken away and the entire field turned into one big folk dance fest as the sun began to set.
Rows and rows of tables and chairs had been set out for the communal kibbutz Shavuot dinner. Candles lit. Blessings set. There was a booth for Israeli wine and tables groaning under the weight of food. Quiches, salads of all kinds, vegetable dishes beyond belief. Hummus and techineh, and every kind of cheese and dairy one could imagine. It was super abundant and glorious! Folk dancing lasted until late in the evening. And there were small groups of instrumentalists. The wine flowed freely.
Evelyn, originally from Argentina, met her husband when he traveled to South America after his army service. She followed him back to Israel where they married. Yoav’s grandparents were some of the original residents of Ginosar, and her father-in-law was the one to find the famed sunken “Jesus boat,” a 2000 year old fishing boat. Evelyn is an ElAl flight attendant and Yoav is a farmer. They’ve lived at Ginosar for 19 years.
I tell you all this because Evelyn and her family took us in like we were one of the family. After living ‘in the city’ for ten years, I’d totally forgotten and missed that amazing aspect of Israeli life. Everyone is “mishpocha.” We met the brothers, the in-laws, the kids, and cousins. Young couples had driven up from Tel Aviv and central Israel to be with their family. And somehow there was room for all.
It was not extremely religious. In the morning some of the older folk went to the community synagogue. Children, with bathing suits on since 8am were eager to swim in the Kinneret. Others went sailing and jet skiing. The morning breakfast on the kibbutz dining room offered myriad dairy from cheese-filled bourekas and blintzes to fish. Fish is very typical for breakfast in Israel. There were fruit salads and vegetable salads over the top and freshly baked breads, homemade jams and freshly squeezed juices.
I must say, last year e spent Shavuot praying in Jerusalem. Most years, we spent at home very low key. Not particularly Israeli. This year, the Zionistic and patriotic spirit, albeit a bit subdued from what I was told (due to the fact we are still at war), was one of the most incredible experiences John and I have had here. Thank you, Evelyn!!! We had a blast!
If anyone were to tell me there was a holiday featuring cheesecake- and all dairy products, I’d swiftly sign up. Well, the Jewish holiday of Shavuot is not QUITE that, but it makes for a great excuse to go off one’s diet for a day.
Shavuot was the fairly forgotten Jewish holiday in the States, for the most part. It came right at the end of the school year with exams and graduations; summer vacations were just beginning; there was Memorial Day weekend; Mothers’ and Fathers’ Days; weddings and birthdays… and Shavuot for us was very minor indeed. My mother served blintzes and cheesecake, but that was about it for us.
Not so in Israel. For one thing, it is one of the three major pilgrimage holidays in the Torah (the first five books of Scripture). Everyone was commanded to go up to Jerusalem to the Temple where they would bring their offerings. It was a celebration of the first fruits or bikkurim. Today in Israel it is a complete holiday, day of rest, national day where all public transportation, government offices, clinics, schools, stores are closed. It is a true holiday.
After counting 49 days from Passover, the 50th day (the root of the Christian Pentecost) marked the anniversary of the giving of the 10 Commandments on Mt. Sinai. The Children of Israel had been liberated from slavery under Pharoah in Egypt and had just begun their desert wanderings. On Day 50, they had purified themselves and were gathered at the foot of Mt. Sinai. The entire mountain started quaking. There was thunder and lightning and wind and the people could hear the blast of heavenly shofar (trumpets). Fire came down out of the clouds, and in that dramatic movie cut, the finger of G-d wrote the commandments on two tablets for Moses to give the people. They were set to receive the Law.
O.K. All that is great but cheesecake???? In some of the more poetic passages of Scripture, the words of Torah (and the Bible) are often compared to milk. As food for growing infants, Words of Scripture nourish our souls. Also, Israel, the Promised Land, is known as the Land of Milk and Honey. Some Jewish people say we eat dairy because it was before the kosher laws came into existence and dairy is acceptable (this doesn’t really make sense to me, but whatever-). In any case, it’s a dairy fest.
Also, Shavuot marks the first great summer produce and barley harvest. In the agricultural kibbutzim, the day is marked not only with the reading of the 10 Commandments, but with agricultural parades and county-fair like vibes. The produce is abundant. Big, beautiful and a wide variety of fruits and vegetables and grains are coming into market. Another family day, people dress in white and many wear floral wreaths on their heads. There is much singing and dancing and it is a time where the little three year old boys get their haircuts for the first time (upsherin). The schoolchildren put on skits and songs for their families. And there are communal picnics everywhere.
Shavuot festivities on the kibbutz
This year, I will start off the annual Shavuot (Feast of Weeks) recipe blogpost with a couple of my own. The first is a super easy, light and healthy Roasted Beet Salad. You can use crumples of feta or blue cheese for that creamy, slightly pungent burst of flavor. I use yellow and white beets (from my garden) as they have a marvelously sweet and nutty flavor, especially after roasting.
RoastedBeet Salad
Serves 4. Halavi/Dairy/Milkhig
Ingredients:
4 -6 medium yellow or white beets (can use red also), peeled and topped
2 TBSP olive oil
Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper
1/3 cup crumbled feta or blue cheese
1/4 cup candied pecans
1/4 cup pickled onions (recipe follows)
1/4 cup Brianna’s Blush Wine Vinaigrette (I bring back from US, but available from iHerb)
Preheat oven to 400*F/200*C. Cut peeled beets into quarters or bite sized wedges. Coat in oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper (I add a sprig of rosemary and a sprig of sage). Wrap tightly in aluminum foil and roast for about 40 minutes or until tender. Remove from oven and let cool. When room temperature, place beets in serving dish and top with remaining ingredients. Serve cold as a side dish.
Pickled Onions
Easy to make. I always have these on hand to add to salads and sandwiches.
In a small covered jar, slice a red/purple onion quite thinly. Cover with white wine vinegar. Add either dry herbs or pickling spice (1 tsp). I prefer the pickling spice- Can also add a slice of orange or lemon rind to boost the flavor.
Because all of the stone fruits are just coming into season and the weather is getting warmer, I usually make a big pot of fruit soup which I chill and serve ice cold as an appetizer, especially for Shavuot and Shabbat. It’s refreshing, popping with sweet flavor and loaded with antioxidants.
Chilled Fruit Soup with Vanilla Yogurt
Serves 6-8. Vegan/vegetarian/parve or dairy
Ingredients:
1 cup fresh blueberries
1 cup fresh cherries, pitted
4 red plums, pitted and halved
4 peaches, pitted and quartered
1 cup fresh raspberries
1 1/2 cups freshly squeezed orange juice
1/2 cup (coconut)sugar, maple syrup, honey or agave syrup
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves.
3 cups water.
Optional 1/2 cup sparkling white wine
1 TBSP orange peel
Combine the orange juice, water and sweetener in a medium sized pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and add the fruits. Let cook for 20 minutes on medium flame, but do not boil. When fruits have softened, taste and adjust for sweetness. You can add more sweetener if you like. Remove from heat and let cool, about 15 minutes. Add in the mint leaves. Using an immersion blender, purée the fruit mixture until it is all blended together and velvety smooth. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Serve cold with a large dollop of vanilla yogurt to mix in at table. Garnish with mint leaves and orange peel. I add about 1/2 cup sparkling sweet white wine just to juj it up even more. After all, it’s a celebration!
My rooftop garden is beginning to produce now. Large quantities of squash, Swiss chard, radishes, carrots, green beans and heirloom tomatoes. This year I’m growing 4 varieties of cherry tomatoes and 5 different heirloom tomatoes. The herbs in my baby bathtub are going bonkers. I’m ready to cook!
🍅 Tomato Ricotta Pie 🍅
Serves 4-8. Dairy/Vegetarian
Ingredients:
3-4 large beefsteak type meaty tomatoes
1 pre-made pie crust dough sheet
Olive oil
500 grams (2 cups ricotta cheese)
1 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1 egg
4 large cloves garlic
2 TBSP dried oregano
Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper
2 TBSP balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
Preheat oven to 350*F/170*C. Spray a large quiche dish with olive oil. Fit the pie crust sheet inside, press down, trim edges. prick the shell with fork tines. Place some dried beans inside as a weight. Bake until golden brown, about 12-15 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside to cool. In a medium bowl, combine cheeses, egg, salt, pepper, crushed garlic cloves, balsamic vinegar and dried oregano. Mix well. Add to cooled pie crust. Top the cheese layer with fresh basil leaves. Slice the tomatoes about 1/2 inch thick. Cover the cheese/basil layer with tomato slices in concentric circles. Sprinkle with dried oregano, salt and pepper. Bake in oven about 20-25 minutes until cheese is bubbly and tomatoes are juicy/soft. Remove from oven and let set for about 30 minutes. Can be served hot or cold.
The next recipe is a type of Israeli “cheesecake” which is way different than the typical American version. It’s from the family of Shlomo Mantzur. Shlomo in the late 1940s, was a survivor of the Iraqi equivalent of the Holocaust, the Farhud. He made his way to Israel. As a young man, he helped found Kibbutz Kissufim on the Gaza border. He was known by all on the kibbutz as grandpa and planned social activities for the community. As the kibbutz carpenter, he taught shop at the local elementary school. They say the smile never left his face. Children loved him and his open arms invited everyone right into his heart. He always had a pocketful of pistachios or halva to spoil the children with. Always there to lend a hand with his hammer or screwdriver, Shlomo was ready to fix anything. He loved watching the old American Western cowboy movies.
At 86, Shlomo was the oldest hostage taken by Hamas into Gaza. He was brutally killed and his body was held by the terrorist group for 509 days before being returned to Israel. His wife Mazal used to make this delicious old school crumb cheesecake. It was his favorite dessert-
Shlomo Mantzur’s Favorite Crumb Cheesecake
Ingredients for the dough:
7 oz (200 grams) soft butter. 1 cup
4.25 oz (120 grams) sugar – little over 1/2 cup
2 medium eggs
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
Grated peel of 1/2 lemon
1.75 oz (50 grams) ground almonds – 1/4 cup
For the cream:
500 grams (2 cups) sweet cream
1 package (80 grams) instant vanilla pudding
120 grams (little over 1/2 cup) sugar
500 grams ( 2 cups) sour cream
Grated peel of 1/2 lemon
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350*/170* on convection/turbo. In the medium bowl or stand mixer with paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar. Add the egg and beat until integrated. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix until a uniform dough. Be careful not to overmix.
Spread a third of the dough on a small parchment paper lined sheet pan. Spread the remaining two-thirds uniformly and evenly in a parchment paper lined springform cake pan. Bake the sheet pan and cake pan for about 20 minutes until golden and fragrant. Remove from oven and cool completely.
In another bowl whip the sweet cream with the sugar and instant pudding mix until almost firm. Fold in the sour cream, cardamom and lemon zest until completely combined. Pour evenly over the baked cheesecake. Crumble the third that you baked separately. Sprinkle it over the cream and put in fridge for four hours or overnight. At hour before serving, out in the freezer. This makes the cheesecake easier to slice and hold together.
The next dessert is one that John loves. I don’t make it terribly often, but it’s great for Shavuot. He likes to mix lemon curd in with his cottage cheese in the morning which gave me great inspiration for this simple pie.
🍋 Lemony Cheesecake Pie 🍋
Ingredients:
1 pre-made graham cracker pie crust
2 cups cottage cheese
1 cup sour cream
2 cups lemon curd
1 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup toasted almonds, sliced
In a large bowl, gently fold together the cottage cheese, and lemon curd. Pour into pie crust. Leave about 1/4 inch at top. Smooth out. Place in freezer 1-2 hours.
Remove from freezer. Spread a thin layer of remaining lemon curd over top. In a medium bowl, whip the sweet cream until stiff peaks form. Spread over pie or spoon in dollops around edge. Scatter toasted almond pieces over the top before serving. Keep in fridge until ready to serve. Can refreeze for about a half hour prior to slicing for ease in cutting and removing to plates.
This is an unusual year here in Israel. For the first time in many years, Passover, the Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Coptic, and general Christian population celebrate concurrently their Holy Week. It is an exciting and special time to visit the Holy Land. This year, convents and hostels are filled with Christian pilgrims – many of them have traveled from Poland, the Philippines, Mexico and South Korea. Jewish people from the United States and Canada have come to celebrate Pesach with family living here. Still, the recent war has kept the multitudes away for the most part.
For the Jews, last Shabbat led right into the Pesach/Passover Seder. Families gathered together. Army units had their Passover Seders in dining halls and in the fields. Everyone celebrated the story of the liberation from Egypt under Pharaoh, the crossing of the Red Sea by Moses and the Children of Israel in Exodus, and ate the festive meal. During the seven days of Chag ha Matzot (the Matzah holiday) or Khol ha Moed, the intermediate days, Israelis head to to the hills and mountains hiking and to the shores of Lake Kinneret (Sea of Galilee) camping. For those that stay in the cities, museums are all free.
As the Seder feasts wound down in the wee hours of last Sunday morning, Holy Week started for the Christians. Thousands gathered with palms for the traditional Palm Sunday walk. Tens of thousands of pilgrims came from all over the world. The crowds were still not as large as in most years, but the festivities started at BethPage at the top of the Mount of Olives, Har Zeitim. The Latin Patriarch and the Franciscan Custos of the Holy Land blessed the palms and the participants in the walk. The Arab Israeli Scouts from Jerusalem, Nazareth and Ibillin led the procession.
Arab Israeli Scouts lead the procession with drums and bagpipes
The walk starts at the top of Mt. Olives and winds its way down through East Jerusalem. Spectacular views of the Temple Mount, Old City and all of Jerusalem are one of the high points of the walk which traces the path of Jesus from the starting point to its finish within the Holy City. The entire walk is about 3 miles. As in the Gospel accounts, people wave palm and olive branches and sing Hosannas and great Hallels. Security is tight with armed soldiers ready against any act of terror. Helicopters circle overhead for added protection for the walkers.
Mexican pilgrimsInternational throng with palmsThe Franciscans A group of nunsFr. Francesco Voltaggio with the NeocatechumensThe Hebrew CatholicsSweeping views of JerusalemKoinonia John the Baptist from ItalyA procession of Hebrew Speaking CatholicsThe pilgrims enter the Lion Gate into the Old City
And even Jesus showed up for photo ops…
On Wednesday, Maronite Catholics, indigenous Arameans and Lebanese and Syrian Catholics living in the Holy Land, celebrated the blessing of the Holy Oils and the lighting of the Blessed Candles. Their congregations are mostly to be found throughout the North, where the majority of the Christian population is either Maronite of Orthodox Christian. Their population centers are Nazareth, Fassuta, Jish, Me’ilya, Tarshicha, Ibillin and Sh’faram.
Yesterday, the Orthodox Christians (Greek, Russian, Eastern) and the Roman Catholics celebrated Holy Thursday, the beginning of the Triduum, or three-day holy period, concurrently. Eastern rite/Orthodox priests and patriarchs led the procession through their churches with the carrying of the cross for their congregation to venerate.
Cardinal Pierbatista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch, commenced the Catholic liturgies at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. There was a solemn procession from the place of the crucifixion to the stone where Jesus was wrapped and then throughout the church to the tomb where Jesus was interred. The faithful gathered to reverence, kiss and touch objects to the holy stone slab.
As soon as the Roman Catholic rite was finished, the church was cleared so the Orthodox worshippers could celebrate their liturgy. This is scheduled to happen throughout the weekend.
For the first time, in order to to accommodate all branches of the faith, the Roman Catholics will hold their Easter Vigil at the Holy Sepulchre very early in the morning – 06:30 am on Saturday morning. “Catholics must enter the New Gate between 05:30 and 06:00 am. After 06:00 am, the gate will be closed for entry to the Vigil Mass. Entry into the Basilica will be difficult due to extensive security apparatus in place on this day for the Orthodox Holy Fire ceremony. All those participating in the Latin Mass, will be obliged to leave the church after he Mass. No one will be permitted to remain, as the entire church will be cleared for the Orthodox worshippers.”
The Orthodox Holy Fire is the oldest recorded continual miracle. It has occurred in the Holy Sepulchre…the tomb where Jesus’ body laid… for 2000 years. The Orthodox priest enters the sepulchre at midnight with the Paschal candle and waits in darkness as the worshippers congregate throughout the basilica with their candles. A blue fire comes down and miraculously lights the candles. The flames burn cold for about 10 minutes afterward. This will be the eternal flame from the pascal candle that burns throughout the year in Jerusalem. You can view the entire spectacle onYouTube. It is quite fascinating!
Passover ends this Shabbat for the Jewish people. Saturday night, as the Christians celebrate the start of Easter, Jews in Israel will be celebrating Maimouna. This party at the conclusion of Passover, comes from Morocco. But it has taken hold of the entire Jewish population here. It is a time of great merriment as pastries and tea and candies are piled high on golden trays. The revelers wear bright colors and lots of gold jewelry. There is music and dancing and fun to be had by all.
I wish all of my readers a meaningful, holy and happy feast. Next year I Jerusalem!!!!
Have I told you yet how much I absolutely love this country? Its customs and traditions? Today is New Year’s Day! For 🌳 🌲🌴🌵🌳! Yes. TREES!!!! How cool is this? It’s the Hebrew month of Shvat – also amazing because who else has a month Shvaaaahht??? Even saying the word makes me laugh. And the 15th of the month, during the full moon, we celebrate nature. It’s the original Earth Day without all the political hype. And of course…. We eat and drink. But more about that later.
So to quote my friend, Arky Staiman, we have this holiday where we celebrate the blossoming of the trees. They are just beginning to sprout forth right now. Here in Israel. Now listen, for those Ashkenaz Jews in the US (hello, Chicago, NewYork, DC, St Louis and Seattle), in Canada (you out there freezing your tuchuses off inMontreal and Toronto), in France, Germany, England….this holiday makes little sense. For those in the extreme South (yes, you in Tasmania! In Argentina and Brazil, even in India) you are in the throes of summer. But here in Israel, the rains have come and everything is green and the buds are shooting forth from the ground and the bushes and trees. Judaism only makes sense here in Israel.
No where else does this make sense. The trees know it’s time to blossom their beautiful flowers and it’s all connected to one place, right here, in the Land of Israel, where Judaism is connected and the holidays are connected to the Land and Nature and the People. It’s the time when people go out and the earth is soft and fruit trees (and other trees) can be planted. The early settlers in the 1800s and early 1900s took this opportunity to restore the ecology and verdure of the land by planting forests and groves.
Groups of schoolchildren were out today planting bulbs and trees in the neighborhood park. Whole congregations go out together and plant – avocados are becoming increasingly popular. A friend lives on Kibbutz Ginosar (Gennesaret) where they are planting dunams/acres of bananas this week.
Did you know fruits can be really really Kosher? That Jewish trees in Israel are circumcised??? That’s another weird one. Let me explain. A fruit tree is planted about now…15 Shvat. It is cared for and grows. The first year comes and fruit pops out. Leave it alone! Do not touch the fruit! It is not ready yet. Why? Leviticus 19:23 states
When you enter the land and plant any tree for food, you shall regard its fruit as forbidden. Three years it shall be forbidden for you, not to be eaten.
In the fourth year of fruit bearing, the farmer would bring the fruit from those trees to the Holy Temple in Jerusalem as an offering…on Tu b’Shvat. Then the tree is circumcised, holy, set apart for eating, Kosher. Who knew? From year five onwards, the nuts, the fruits, the seeds are all good to go. Pretty wild, eh? Many farmers still abide by these Biblical laws today here in Israel – except they offer the fruits and nuts to the poor because there is no longer a Temple.
In the 1500s and 1600s, the Jewish mystics of the city of Tsfat (only 20 minutes from here) created a Tu b’Shvat Seder which has come into real popularity in Israel today. It was modeled after the Passover Seder, where different foods are eaten in a certain order, blessings said, and everything has a symbolic, deeply spiritual meaning. We have our own lovely Seder. Here’s what I do:
The table is set with a lovely bunch of fresh flowers I just picked from the neighborhood park. There is no requirement to light candles, but as this is a festive celebration I light the two candles and say the holiday blessing. We have four small glasses of wine set out – white wine, a light rosé, a darker rosé and a red. We take turns reading just like at Passover. I fill a large pitcher with rose scented or lavender scented water. There is a basin. Each person recites the prayer for handwashing and washes his hands individually.
The First Cup of Wine
This glass of white wine symbolizes winter. For a mystical twist this is the energy G-d used in creation to create the trees and flowering, seed bearing plants. We read Deuteronomy 8:7-10 and then lift our glass, say the blessing and drink the wine.
Barukh ata Adonai, Eloheinu Melekh ha-olam borei peri ha-gafen.
Blessed are you, Source of all life, Creator of the fruit of the vine.
Reader: For Adonai your God is bringing you into a good land. A land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths springing forth in valleys and hills, a land of wheat and barley and vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive trees and honey, a land wherein you shall eat without scarceness, you shall not lack anything in it; a land whose stones are iron and out of whose hills you may dig brass. And you shall eat and be satisfied, and bless God for the good land, which is being given unto you (Deuteronomy 8:7-10).
The First Fruits
Did you know a nut is also considered a fruit? At this point we eat a fruit that is hard and inedible on the outside but with a softer flesh on the inside, like coconut, pecans, walnuts, almonds. The hard shell is strong like our covering and protection by G-d when we walk in His ways. We become strong spiritually, but in the inside we are still tender and yielding. Today as a first course, I serve walnuts in the shell, almonds (indigenous to Israel. Aaron’s staff had budding almond flowers) and also some feta cheese.
Barukh ata Adonai, Eloheinu Melekh ha-olam, borei peri ha-etz.
Blessed are You, Source of all life, Creator of the fruit of the tree.
The Second Cup of Wine
The second glass of wine is a light pink rosé. It stands for springtime. It is also a mystical symbol of mercy (the white wine) mingled with a little bit of justice (the red grape juice or wine), two attributes of the Creator. We read Deuteronomy 28, the blessings and the curses for obedience and disobedience to G-d’s commandments. Then the blessing over the wine, and drink the second cup.
Reader: Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the field. Blessed shall you be in the fruit of your body, and the fruit of your land, and the fruit of your cattle, and the young of your flock. Blessed shall you be in your basket and your kneading trough. Blessed shall you be when you come in and blessed shall you be when you go out (Deuteronomy 28:36).
Barukh ata Adonai, Eloheinu Melekh ha-olam, borei peri ha-gafen.
Blessed are You, Source of all life, Creator of the fruit of the vine.
The Second Fruit
The second fruit(s) we enjoy are soft on the outside with a seed or pit in the center. I use olives, as they are one of the seven Biblical species indigenous to the Land. They grow everywhere throughout the Galil. It has become a sign of home. You can also use any stone fruit like cherries, apricots, peaches. I also use dates, because they grow here around Lake Kinneret (Sea of Galilee) and in Hebrew, the date palm is Tamar. These fruits remind us of the spiritual and emotional strength within us.
We read Psalm 1. We say the blessing over the fruit again. Now eat the olives or dates.
The Third Cup of Wine
The cup of late spring early summer. The wine is a deep pink rosé. It is more judgment than mercy. It is a season of growth and development. Life is always changing, but G-d remains the same.
The Third Fruit
This fruit symbolizes the first harvest. We eat fruits that can be eaten whole without peeling. What you see is what you get. It also stands for G-d’s omnipresence. Blueberries. Tomatoes. Apples and pears. Grapes. I use grapes as that is also one of the seven species. We read Genesis 1:29-31, say the blessing and consume the fruits.
28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
29 And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.
30 And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so.
31 And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
The Fourth Cup of Wine
The last glass is red wine. We are judged for our actions. As the fall comes and winter sets in, it is time to plow under the soil. The land rests. We become introspective and make things right between ourselves as people and with G-d. This glass, all red, also stands for fire, burning, purging, but not consumed like the burning bush, or the fire of the Divine Spark within us. We read the story of the burning bush in Exodus 3, say the blessing and sip the wine.
The Fourth Fruit
The fourth fruit has a touch, protective skin on the outside, but sweet, soft flesh within like avocado, citrus fruits, mangos or bananas. It symbolizes the mysteries of the world and the hidden mysteries in Scripture. We are constantly seeking to uncover deep truths and are nourished by her fruits.
This is just a tiny bit of our Seder. We sing songs and eat lots of great vegetarian (and I serve dairy) foods between each part of the fun ceremony. There’s a lot of deep spirituality that goes with each part and, as a result, lots of discussion.
I know it’s a bit late for you this year, but here are some recipes that we will be enjoying.
Tu b’Shvat Israeli Salad
Ingredients and Directions: Chop a variety of fresh vegetables into small diced chunks… Tomato, Cucumber, Yellow or Orange Bell Pepper, Red Onion, Carrot. Add crumbled Feta Cheese. Dress with juice from 1/2 fresh lemon and a drizzle of olive oil. Gently stir in roasted, salted sunflower seeds.
Tamar’s Sweet Israeli Tabbouleh
Serves 6-8 as a side dish 4 as a lunch entrée. Vegan. (Pareve)
Ingredients:
1 cup bulgur
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1/4 cup pickled red onion (onion pieces swimming in vinegar with pickling spice)
1/2 cup parsley, chopped very fine
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped very fine
1 cup toasted walnuts, chopped
1/2 cup pomegranate arils
2 persimmons, chopped into small cubes
1/4 cup yellow raisins
1/4 cup chopped dates
Dressing ingredients:
1/2 cup extra Virgin olive oil
Zested rind and juice of 1 large naval orange
2 TBSP apple cider vinegar
2 Tablespoons honey
2 Tablespoons pomegranate syrup/molasses or carob syrup, if available
2 tsp sumac
I tried to use all things indigenous to the land and/or part of the seven species in this cold salad. Wheat, dates grapes (raisins) pomegranates and honey for the Land of Milk &Honey. It’s so healthy, light and addictive! Very Israeli with a twist. I really do hope you make and enjoy this one!
In the meantime, plant some bulbs or a fruit tree. If you desire to bless Israel, go to https://shop.jnf.org>collections>plant-trees and plant a tree in the Land of Israel for only $18. You’ll get a gorgeous frame able certificate and can plant the tree in memory of someone who has passed away or honor someone having a special event like a birthday, anniversary, wedding or Bar/Bat Mitzvah.
It’s Friday and I should be busy cooking and preparing for Shabbat, but I thought I just might leave you all with a few feel good stories from Israel.
Thank you, G-d, for another gorgeous day in the Galilee!
Amidst so much bad news, it seems like an awful lot has been accomplished for the good the past couple weeks, so we’ll focus on that to slide into the weekend. In the States, the swamp is being rapidly drained as the plug is being pulled from the foul tub and the scum is being exposed as the water goes down. That’s a good thing. The meeting between Trump and Netanyahu was quite productive – the US and Israel have pulled out of the UN Human Rights Council and the WHO. The International Criminal Court is being sanctioned. And “deals” are being announced that could have interesting effects and bring peace to war torn nations.
We are beginning to see the return of the hostages…the American, Keith Siegel came home last weekend, as well as two other men, Ofer Calderon and Yarden Bibas. (Hopefully we will have good news soon as to the fate of his wife, Shiri, and two young children)) And the five surveillance soldiers from the Nahal Oz base were returned from Hamas hands. It was a tearful and joyous weekend as we watched the girls hugging their family and friends.
US Israeli citizen, Keith Siegel hugs daughters after 479 days in captivity
Agam Berger, Naama Levy, Liri Albag, Daniella Gilboa and Karina Ariev all returned from their being held in Gaza after 15 months. The came back as lionesses, showing courage and faith and radiating joy. Videos have surfaced of them hugging, dancing to music, holding signs that thank G-d, the IDF and all those who supported them during their captivity. The Azrieli Mall in Tel Aviv completely shut down one day last week to allow the girls a shopping spree. They have received pampering spa days and concert performances by the Israeli Philharmonic. They are being kept out of the public eye, for the most part, to respect their privacy and help them heal. All were released from the hospital yesterday to celebrate Shabbat with their families.
The five girls make an ‘I Love You’ to the photographers at the Azrieli Mall
A hearty MAZAL TOV to released hostage Daniella Gilboa and her boyfriend, Roi Dadon! Roi, the devoted boyfriend of the captured IDF lookout, exemplified unwavering love and faith throughout her 477 day captivity. The couple, who have been together since the 7th grade, redefined the term ‘long-distance relationship’ during the harrowing ordeal. In December, 2023, Roi dedicated the writing of a Torah scroll in Daniella’s honor. During the emotional ceremony, while dancing with the Torah, he looked to the sky and shouted, “Daniella, marry me!” That evening he proposed to her symbolically by asking her parents for her hand in marriage. Last weekend, Daniella was finally freed and Roi had the chance to fulfill his promise. Roi’s Hope never faltered, even after witnessing a heartbreaking video of Daniella being carried off by Hamas after being shot in the leg. (courtesy Jewish Breaking News).
December, 2023 Roi asks G-dFebruary, 2025 She says ‘YES!’
The number one song here for the past two months have been a song which in Hebrew means, “I am blessed by G-d. I know he wants only the best for me. He loves me and everything will be better and better.” It’s amazing. You hear it played everywhere. People are shouting it and singing it from every restaurant, market, mall and car radio. Soldiers are dancing to it. It has pumped our nation like nothing else. Lyrics include lines, “G-d hears my prayers. He wants for me well-being, health and healing, livelihood, friendship, a good way, joy, safety. He is always with me and He loves me always.” I love the video in that it captures the people of Israel perfectly. The young spending time with the elderly; the diversity of ethnicities; the collective joy and spirituality; the love for life.
Also, everywhere I go I see this poster. It hangs from balconies and overpasses. A constant reminder that G-d alone is King. There is no other. With a spirit like that, you can’t lose.
My doctor has instructed me to be as active as possible….I’ve gained far too much weight since the lockdowns and it’s mandatory for me to shed the kilos immediately. Besides being on medication now, and the most super-strict diet ever, I’m getting out of the house and walking 2-3 miles a day. Oy!!!! I’m so grateful that around every (Jewish) city and village, walking/nature trails have been put in. Sometimes we drive to nearby moshavim and yishuvim (hamlets and villages), but there are some spectacular views from our hikes.
Earlier this week, we kicked through the other end of the wadi below our house. It took us through olive groves and lots of cows. One charged at me. Our usually protective little dachshund ran the other way. John picked up rocks to throw at her. Because I can’t run, I just stood my ground and spoke softly – she just stood and stared at me. So I slowly walked away, but she followed us, bellowing loudly. OK. I was a bit frightened, but eventually, she turned back. Another fun day….
So all in all, things are looking up. I pray we all have a safe, quiet and blessed weekend. Shabbat shalom.
Late last summer, the war front in Israel moved up here to the North. Hizbulla began firing missiles at us every day, multiple times a day (and night). Each salvo contained anywhere from 20-60 missiles. When the red alert siren sounded, we had only a few seconds to find shelter. Thank goodness we had the Iron Dome Missile Defense System which intercepted most of the rockets. But then there was the vey real danger of falling shrapnel.
Soon after, concrete bunkers – small shelters called magenit, or little shields – started popping up on highly trafficked street corners. They were placed in parks, near schools, kindergartens, shopping center parking lots. Hideously ugly, they did the job. But they also proved to be the perfect blank canvases. Enter Australian artist, Justin Andrew Hook.
John and I had the good fortune of spending a day with Justin last month, hearing his story and getting to know this amazing human being. Justin, whose, stepfather is Jewish and mother who is Christian, worked for a while in the luxury hospitality industry in Sydney, even serving members of the government and foreign dignitaries. Everything changed for him during COVID, when his jobs ended. This led to some intense soul searching.
“G-d placed certain gifts inside me that needed to be honored. Art was my currency that actually became my identity. When I started to acknowledge and use that, things began to shift for me,” explained Justin. He began to show his paintings at exhibitions and galleries, and then became a curator and manager of an art gallery in the heavily traveled Bondi Junction suburb of Sydney. Opening nights attracted many different kinds of people from all over the world.
Because many Israelis travel the globe after their army service, Justin soon made many new Israeli friends. He began to bump into Israelis everywhere, and a desire to visit the Holy Land grew within his spirit. He now comes every year. “I absolutely love Israel! The culture is so attractive, fast-paced and super inclusive. The people are warm and inviting: the lifestyle and food is amazing! It’s like you become instant family with everyone here! Despite all the severity here, Israelis know how to live life, prioritizing G-d, family and friends. They live life to the max and know how to get the most out of life.”
Totally extroverted and exuberant, Justin has met a wide spectrum of people in Israel from Orthodox Jews to seculars; from Arabs to Druze; Christians and Messianics. His experiences are different each trip. In 2022, he was commissioned to paint a huge mural on a prominent wall in the village of Mesilat Zion outside Jerusalem. A short documentary was made and put on YouTube which opened up many more opportunities for him.
During his 2023 trip, Justin happened to be celebrating Sukkot in a village outside Haifa when the 7 October Hamas invasion into Israel took place. Thousands of rockets were falling on Tel Aviv and the center of the country. The Australian government put a notice out to all travelers that they must return home immediately. There was no choice and a military airlift was scheduled to depart. Justin was in no way fearful. He even wanted to stay and help anywhere he was needed, but the government was insistent that he leave.
In the months that Justin was home in the Land Down Under, it seemed that everything had truly turned upside down. The narrative of the situation in Israel as told by the media was nothing but half-truths and outright lies. This deliberate anti Israel propaganda resulted in the growth of the pro-Palestinian movement, marching and chanting and vandalizing the larger cities of Australia. The media was playing upon the good Will of innocent, well-meaning people – stories of genocide and IDF atrocities against the people of Gaza was a complete deception. Immediately, Justin knew he had to become a voice for truth and for the people of Israel. He was well connected to the Land and the People and knew firsthand the reality of the situation on the ground.
At the very last minute, this past September, he knew in his spirit that it was time for his return. Justin booked round trip tickets for a 2 1/2 week stay during the Feast of Sukkot. He was led to travel the country, bringing a message of hope and support to his friends. When he arrived at Tiberias on the shores of the Kinneret (Sea of Galilee), the doors opened wide for him to put his artistic talents to work.
Despite continual bombing by missiles from Hizbulla in Lebanon and suicide drones, those ugly cement shelters were calling out to him. Justin reached out to an Israeli friend, who immediately and miraculously received instant approval from the mayor of Tiberias to decorate the blank boxes. Not only that, but Justin’s Jewish friends who run NGOs throughout the Galilee would help support the project. There was just one hitch: it had to be done now or never.
A new dilemma arose: Justin was scheduled to fly back to Australia in less than a week. There was no way he could attempt to complete such a project in so little time! Justin walked along the Kinneret, praying and seeking G-d’s direction. Everything was happening so quickly, but if this was part of the Divine Plan, all the little details would come together. In Israel, there is a saying: “There are no coincidences. It is all by HaShem (G-d).” And so it was, that at the very last minute, Justin’s non-refundable plane ticket was changed and paid for by his very own travel agent who also had a deep love for the people of Israel. Both of them knew that Justin had been handed a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
“I also set up a last minute page (on his social media) showcasing this opportunity. It included a Go Fund Me link so people could help contribute to my living expenses. My visa was good for three months. Amazingly, after posting a few videos, generous people from all over the globe caught on to the vision and funded my ability to stay in Israel.” The various cities paid for all of his art supplies and he was able to focus on the project and complete the first season of shelters. The. L-rd provides and guides.
“It was during this time I learned spontaneity. I just rode the wave and flowed with the Spirit. I knew G-d wanted me to be a bridge builder with love and the desire to help these people in need.” For the next three weeks , Justin painted his first shelter, right in the center of downtown Tiberias, an extremely important Orthodox city, one of the four holy cities of Israel.
On the outer walls of the bomb shelter he painted the most gorgeous mural of the Sea of Galilee in the full bloom of springtime. The painting wraps around the entire magenit. The mountains of the Golan and lower Galil region encircle it. Butterflies ands birds symbolize new life. The red poppies are a remembrance of the hostages still in captivity. Working with a medium of spray paint, Justin captured the fishing boats on the sea and the migrating birds overhead. The morning sun over the mountains depicts the verse from Malachi 4:2. “The sun of righteousness will arise with healing in his wings.” It was truly a project of healing.
But this was not all. Missiles flying overhead and the thunderous booms as Iron Dome intercepts the incoming rockets can be terrifying for many people. Little children, especially are easily traumatized by having to run for cover. Through Justin’s gift, fear, trauma and ashes could be transformed into beauty and hope.
Justin was inspired to paint a large tallit, prayer shawl wrapped over the entrance to the shelter. It was a sign of G-do’s abiding presence. People were beginning to take notice as he painted. Rabbis stopped to admire his work. Justin painted a verse from Psalm 16:1, a Psalm of David, in Hebrew: Preserve me, O G-d. You are my shelter.”
Stepping inside, instead of being greeted by cold, gray walls, Justin painted the seven-branched menorah that stands in the Old City of Jerusalem, its flames almost alive, glowing brightly. It was truly an inspired vision and a way to share the message of hope and G-do’s love and mercy to His people. It is the national symbol of Israel and has become his signature inside each bomb shelter. “The menorah is a sign of the victory of the Jews over their enemies. It is an eternal symbol that proclaims ‘I am with you always,” explained Justin.
The chief Chabad rabbi of Tiberias sent a video of the finished shelter to the chief Chabad rabbi of Sydney. It was shared with the public on the last night of Chanukah, giving a loving message of perseverance to the Jewish people of Australia. The video soon spread throughout Jewish congregations worldwide:
After this first shelter project, 50 more quickly became available throughout the Galilee, in Tiberias and he Holy City of Tsfat. Justin has received a commission to decorate magenit at playgrounds, skate parks, bus stops and schools. Thus far, six have been completed.
Returning to Jerusalem, Justin bumped into wildly popular social media influencer and Jewish/Israel activist, Zack Sage Fox at the Kotel (Westen Wall). He was visiting from the States.The two did an interview on the spot and Justin’s fame spread like wildfire. I met up with Justin a couple days thereafter. He is totally a bridge between Australia and Israel, the Christian Zionists and the Israeli people.
Justin had to leave as his visa was up, but is praying that the Australian and Israeli governments will grant him a long term visa which will enable him to see the new art project to its completion. “We are all called to be light wherever we go,” he told us over coffee. “We embody His living Torah; we are to do good works and serve others in love, to bring joy and hope to those we meet. We are each given specific gifts and talents that make up our unique identity. If everyone used the gifts given us, for the betterment of the world, this would be a better place.”
Always such drama. And the temps keep rising. We found out just before we went to Jerusalem on Monday that our “host” was unaware of our even being invited – it was a third party invite – so we had to scramble like the dickens to find anything available on the evening and day of a major holiday. Crazy, no? Pressure, no? Luckily, there were none of the usual tens of thousands of tourists that flood the city during a holy time, and we managed to find a gorgeous room right at the Old City Walls for an incredibly cheap price.
I was smart enough to bring our own food from home as EVERYTHING closes around 2pm from markets to transportation on the evening of a holiday or Sabbath. And to bring my all-white clothes, as is customary to wear on Shavuot, the Feast of Weeks or the Giving of the 10 Commandments to Moses at Mt. Sinai.
Looking out over David’s CitadelOur window overlooked the Old City wallsAll of a kind familyOn the way to the Kotel, Western WallJohn snapped the photos while I was at the WallOh my word, this outfit!❤️💗❤️
The next day we finally met up with our friends at the Hurvah Synagogue to hear the Torah reading of the Ten Commandments. Two of the men and their wives had been up all night studying the book of Ruth, the Torah and other subjects. This is traditional for Shavuot. Something I used to do a few years ago – I am now sorry I didn’t attend the women’s study sessions. But as young as they were, they were pretty exhausted when we met.
Shavuot marks the birth and the death of King David. I did not realize this. So we went to David’s tomb, which was pretty packed. The Upper Room where Jesus celebrated the Last Supper is located in the same building just above David. I also had not realized this. It was locked, but the roof access was open, so we went up there to pray and to chat. There were a few people already up there, including a group from Hong Kong, of all places. So a lady we spoke with was kind enough to take a photo of us.
Inside David’s tombThe women’s portion. Men are all gathered beyond the partition
Max came home for the day to babysit our doggie (a spoiled rotten long-haired dachshund, Haggis). Usually I don’t answer my phone on Shabbat or holidays, but the buzzing wouldn’t stop and was driving me nuts. By 9:30 I must have gotten more than 50 buzzes, so I finally checked, just to see if Max needed something, or if, G-d forbid, there was another attack.
It turns out the IDF hit a really high level Hizbulla commander on Sunday night. This combined with the hostage rescue in Gaza and Hizbulla’s solidarity with Hamas, and they were angry, angry, angry. And wanted to teach us a lesson. From Tuesday night through Wednesday there were over 200 rockets/missiles directed at the Upper and Lower Galilee and the Golan Heights. Our friends’ daughter served as an IDF nurse at the hospital in Tsfat. When David, Jocelyn’s dad, picked her up at 9, they were dodging shrapnel the whole way home. Our friends in Korazin, in Migdal, in Tiberias spent most of the morning in their bomb shelters. All the people in the Sea of Galilee hotels who’ve been displaced by the war since October were even more traumatized. Katsrin and other locations in the Golan received direct hits as did Metulla and Kiryat Shmona. Fires caused by incendiary carrying drones from Lebanon were burning in many places. Even towns far south like Cana, Tura’an, Mughar (all Muslim), Tavor (as in Mt Tabor), and the Jezreel Valley were hit.
Jocelyn shot this as her dad drove dodging shrapnelJust about 30 minutes worth of missiles
So it’s been pretty incessant for the last two days. The jets and copters are once again nonstop strafing the skies here – all day and all night. Don’t know if it’s recon, retaliatory or just to let Hizbulla and proxies know we’re still in the game? And the outdoor temps are reaching a sizzling 99*/39* throughout the weekend. I feel so badly for the firefighters and the troops out there in all their protective gear. And we just heard the rumor that the IDF got Nasralla’s brother (head of Hizbulla) in an air strike in Lebanon early this morning. So we expect “the temperatures to climb” even higher this weekend.
I went out early this morning to do some grocery shopping. Every morning I recite Psalm 121 It’s become one of my favorites (YouTube Omer Adam singing ‘Esa Einai,’ the Psalm in Hebrew!!!). “I lift my eyes to the mountains, from whence comes my help. My help comes from the L-rd…” So these days as we’re driving I lift my eyes continually to the next mountain ridge over. Except I’m looking for drones and missiles and interceptions. And trying to figure out where the next community shelter is. The International Council of Christians and Jews has placed 24person concrete bunkers on every other corner. Thank you US givers!! It’s become an interesting life for us….but we still feel safer here than anywhere else. So far only four people have been mildly injured from shrapnel here. I think there are angels up there watching over us.
Artists decorate our bomb bunkers so they’re happier Always celebrating life – even on a bunkerNothing incoming despite windshield shmutz
So we are now beginning to hear ‘the rest of the story’ of how the actual rescue of the four hostages earlier this week went down. It was like a Fauda episode, only it was real life. Undercover elite Israeli spies who spoke fluent Arabic, including women disguised in burkas and hijabs, posed as wealthy Gazans, Hamas associates escaping the IDF in Rafiah, rented a house in the Nuseirat neighborhood. They were there to gather intelligence, to confirm suspicions that Noa Argamani was being held in the vicinity. Super-cool, nu?
They confirmed not only Noa, but the three men down the street being held by the journalist. The spies vacated in undercover cars and on foot on 5 June, and Yamam elite began the planning and training that night. The mission was executed the next morning. The captives were all safely rescued, but complications arose due to heavy fire from the Hamas terrorists embedded in the neighborhood. It seemed every home in the area had someone with a gun, an RPG or grenade. Cmdr. Arnon Zamora, 36, fathers of 2, was killed in the melee. Gaza Health Ministry first said 197, then amended to 436, later revised down to 274 innocent Palestinian civilians were killed. There was no specification of how many of these innocents were actually terrorists.
It’s getting late and I must start food prep and last minute cleaning before Shabbat, but let me leave you with a few bits from the North this morning. All non-necessary clubs, activities, shops, classes, religious or other are canceled in Tsfat, Ma’alot, Nahariyya, Rosh Pina, Sea of Galilee communities (see map). Sirens have sounded in Northern towns all day, although now it seems quiet. The smoke makes me feel like I’m back in Southern California during brushfires season. We are thoroughly prepared and as the Brits say, we ‘keep calm and carry on.’ Like, what else can one do? We had volunteered to go cherry picking in the Golan with friends next week, it now, it looks like that will be canceled. Again, this harvest season, much of the produce is going unpicked. Hopefully soon-
Incoming Hizbulla missiles above Tsfat bus station this morningCaption says it allAcross from Ma’alot. Don’t know if it’s in Israel or LebanonIncoming over the next mountain towards Ma’alot/ Kfar Vradim
In the meantime, I wish us all a very peaceful and very quiet, and very relaxing weekend. Until next week💙🇮🇱💪🏼🙏🏻🩵 אם ישראל חי The people of Israel live.
The last few days have been both surreal and restful. It’s truly amazing to what people get accustomed.
Carrot harvest!!Sweet Melissa for teaBroccoli Raab ZucchiniField peasWay too many tomatoes Strawberry 🍓 Fields forever Baby golden & chioggia beetsRutabagas/Swedes & carrots Beans!!Chard!!!
I woke up early on Friday morning to work in my rooftop garden. Everything is growing like gangbusters now. We’ve had surprise rains and the weather has turned warm. Harvested carrots. Planted more radishes and lettuces. Did some weeding. And separated the seemingly hundreds of tomatoes that are growing from last year’s dropped fruits. I’ll be distributing them to neighbors all this week.
Every once in a while as I’m up on the balcony I hear a few thunderous booms off in the distance. Antitank artillery from Hizbulla. This followed by helicopters or jets taking off to strike the launch sites. Life continues as usual as children are outside playing without a care. It’s Friday so the neighbor across the street is washing his car. People are out walking their dogs as if nothing is going on just a few miles North.
John and I take decide to go for a hike before it gets too hot or too late in the day. We take the dog with us and the scenery is breathtaking. We have our favorite spot… a paved walking path two miles around the ridge of a mountain overlooking Haifa and the Mediterranean. And the jets strafe the sky overhead. My phone gets continual dings, alerts of rockets launched from Gaza into the South of Israel.
We stop off at our favorite nursery on the way home. Each roundabout before a village is ringed with Israeli flags and bright yellow flags, a reminder of the hostages still held in captivity.
Different communities have set up “bring them home” displays: posters of the hostages; yellow banners, ribbons and kites; empty chairs. It serves as a stark reminder against the beauty of the Galilee spring.
The nursery is incredibly crowded with families loading up on plants. The days are getting longer and there’s more time for planting. Planting gardens. A sign of hope. A symbol of beauty and pride in the neighborhood. As we are each one of us choosing our herbs, flowers, and fruit trees there are more very loud bombs in the distance. It sounds like a crane that has dropped a load of cement blocks. Plumes of smoke rise from the mountain range in the distance and no one gives the slightest jump. It is all way too surreal. And has become way too familiar. If they stop us from living- going to work/school, shopping, meeting friends, doing our normal activities….then they’ve won. Our enemies cannot stop us.
By the time we got home, I had no time to plant the flowers in our front garden, write a blog, prepare dinner and get ready for the Sabbath, so… I saved the blogging for today.
We were supposed to have friends from the middle of the country (Tel Aviv area) for dinner both last Tuesday and last Wednesday, but neither family was able. We were going to have a Tex-Mex American cook-out. I saved the ingredients for when local friends visited on Thursday and for Shabbat dinner.
We had barbecued chicken on the grill, American potato salad, and Texas baked beans in the crockpot. Oh my word! There ain’t no eatin’ like that round these parts. I served a delicious cornbread (made with oil, no dairy) with jalapeño jelly. And pickled corn salad.
We invited our Israeli neighbors over on Friday to share the bounty. But the most different and delicious part for them (besides the Texas ranger cookies I’d baked a ton of ) were the fried green tomatoes!
Leah and Aryeh had never heard of, seen or tried them before and were over the moon!
Fried Green Tomatoes
Serves 4. Pareve (neither meat nor dairy)
Ingredients:
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/2 fresh squeezed lemon juiced
4 drops Tabasco sauce
Sea salt & freshly ground pepper
3/4 cup flour
2 large eggs, beaten
1 cup cornmeal
2 tsp Old Bay Spice Mix
3-4 medium green tomatoes, sliced 1/2 inch thickness (ends off)
1/4 cup vegetable oil (sunflower,etc)
In a small bowl, mix mayo, lemon juice & Tabasco & set aside. In 3 separate shallow dishes place flour, beaten eggs & cornmeal. Season each with the Old Bay. Heat oil in large skillet until shimmery. While oil heating, dip tomato slices first in flour to coat, then egg, then cornmeal. Fry tomatoes in oil working in batches. About 3-4 minutes each side. Transfer to wire rack with paper towels at bottom. Serve while hot with the sauce on top.
(We just got back from taking our dog on a walk as I was writing this….John & I needed a break. As it turns out, two separate neighbors stopped me to ask about that American food… with the tomatoes. And the cornbread and jalapeño jelly…we’ll be having more guests next week!)
This next salad was so so simple to make. Pretty standard fare. Avocados and tomatoes. But the nuts!!!! Took it to a whole higher level! Not only delicious but healthy too.
Tomato Avocado Salad
Serves 4 Pareve (vegan)
Ingredients:
1 large medium ripe avocado
2 cups (1pint) cherry tomatoes
1/3 cup walnuts
Extra virgin olive oil
Juice of 1 small fresh squeezed lemon lime
Sea salt, pepper
(Optional 1 1/2 TBSP pumpkin seed oil)
Cube avocado into small chunks and place in bowl. Halve cherry tomatoes and place in bowl. Toast walnuts until golden brown in olive oil or pumpkinseed oil (highly recommend!!!) Let cool and add to salad. Drizzle lime juice & small amount of olive oil over top . Sprinkle with sea salt and cracked black pepper .
The fact there is a war going on just a few miles from us is surreal. It will curb some of our outings this summer, but we will find new places to hike and new villages to visit. Our enemies will not stop us from living. It’s the Israeli spirit-
Thank you t9 all those who reached out the past few days with your emails, phone calls and direct replies to my blogposts. Thank you for your readership and support.
The past few days have been quite interesting to say the least. To recap, my husband and I came home on a full flight to Israel last Thursday knowing the “threat level” from Iran Anna her proxies was extremely high. My son had been called up to reserve duty again for the last week. Friday, he was released from duty as they were way over staffed in his unit. We spent the day unpacking, shopping, cooking and doing chores (out of control jungle of a garden).
It was really a lovely welcomed Shabbat. We rested. Just slugged around all day, talked about our trip and my son’s plans for being a madrikh/ counselor at a US summer camp and his future plans for grad school next year – he’s trying to decide between two UK universities for the fall. In the evening we got the news from the home front command to stay near our safe rooms/shelters. We decided to watch the last part of the AppleTV series we’d been enjoying. At around 11 pm, we got the news that Iran had launched their suicide drones, but it would take 3-4 hours to reach Israeli airspace.
Max and John thought it was pretty funny that they would have alerted the US and conferred with Turkey days before, basically giving away any element of surprise. That’s not how wars are fought or won. And they were hysterical and cracking jokes about how it would give the airforce time to pick them off one by one. Drones are easily spotted, and very slow. Also not able to maneuver out of the way, so are easily shot down. They said it was a political stunt for the ayatollahs to save face and appeared tough and for ratings boosts in the upcoming US elections.
We heard the IAF jets take off, scores of them overhead as we are in a major flight path. Missiles had been launched. But we have Iron Dome, David’s Sling, and a slew of o the defense capabilities. I made sure all the necessaries were near the saferoom. We prayed and recited our Psalms of protection, and because we were all so exhausted and besides, what else were we going to do? Any missile would take a couple hours to arrive anyway? We put our trust firmly in the L-rd to protect us and went to sleep….missing all the action!!!
After speaking with many Israelis over the past few days, this is the takeaway: only 3 of the 30 or so people I spoke to were concerned or shaken. One has just arrived as a new immigrant from Mexico. She truly thought there would be a war, stayed up and heard loud booms in the sky around 3:30am. She thought it was the beginning (or the end: I couldn’t figure out which). Another friend has two very special needs children. They live in an apartment building in Modi’in in the center of the country between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. Julia’s husband is in the reserves in Judaea/Samaria, which is a hotbed right now). Julia and the children all spent the night in the saferoom (Odaliya’s bedroom) and were scared when they heard multiple sirens and multiple loud booms in the middle of the night.
Most people went to bed, stayed up to watch the news, or sat on the balcony waiting to see the sky show. Some in the Jerusalem area were not disappointed as they got to see several missiles being taken down. That’s Israeli’s for ya. Fearless. Wanting to see the action. And thankful to G-d for His miraculous protection.
Whether it was the fact the United States, the UK, France, Cypress, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Jordan!!!all teamed up to help by letting Israel use their airspace, coordinating strikes, or keeping communication direct and accurate…it was all miraculous that 99% of all that was thrown at us was shot down. It was miraculous that there was little to no structural damage. We are sad that only one little Bedouin girl in the Negev was injured by falling shrapnel (tents, no shelters), and we pray for her full recovery. But look:
This missile is huge!! It fell near the Dead Sea. This one fell closer to us in open space in the Golan. Notice the people upper right for scale.
It’s amazing that more damage wasn’t done. Everything was back on and open for business as usual early Sunday morning. We picked the dog up at the kennel. There was Tai Chi in the park. Kids were horseback riding in the mountains nearest our house at spring day camp. Because the weather was absolutely glorious, we went on a nature hike. Then we took Max back down to the Tel Aviv area. There were tons of people on the beach and out doing Israeli things: sitting at cafés and shopping and working.
The air was redolent with lavender, sage,Spanish broom and rosemary!Can you see the hyrax sunning on the rock?
Last night the rumors began floating in and by this morning it was all substantiated by various articles I trust. The Biden admin and Iran had been in close communication throughout last week. The Pentagon knew there would be an attack on Israel. It was all well coordinated. I will try to post one or two links or articles on this or a follow-up blogpost. It’s from Memri news outlet. I’m not sure of the accuracy, but I will try to find more direct source info. The other is from Arutz 12.
The jets have been flying around nonstop. We are keeping busy gardening – I harvested my lettuces and carrots and beets. I’ve planted my spring veg garden mostly. Cleaning out the cabinets and oven to remove any products with leaven or grains before Passover. This morning John made lactose-fermented pickles…two kinds: garlic dill and one with spice.
Last night he grilled up our Little Gem lettuces and we drizzled techineh on top. Marvelous. I served it with schnitzel (using up the breadcrumbs) and humus (chickpeas are Passover verboten in an Ashkenazi household) with chopped Israeli salad. And rice (also not Kosher for Pesach). It was delicious. Tonight I’ll use up the pasta and we’ll see what else we can consume to clear out the house.
Grilled Baby Gem lettuce and schnitzel
I still haven’t finished unpacking… or mailing off birthday boxes to my daughters… or cleaning… or finishing off two other articles for publication. We are not scared. We live life to the fullest and face what comes squarely (or sleep and miss it all). We put our trust in our amazing military and in our G-d. We are Israelis.
I hope to get in another post before Passover this Monday. There will be an empty place setting at our table in remembrance of the hostages, still held in Hamas captivity in some Gazan hell hole. If anything exciting happens, I shall let you know, but am praying for quiet days. Hopefully we’ll visit friends in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and Ashdod over the holiday. It’s supposed to be very hot and sunny.
Israel Dreams 