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August 25, 2025

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Antisemitism, AntiZionism, Christianity, culture, Europe, History, Hizbulla war, hostages, israel, Israel Gaza war, israel news, israeli hostages in Gaza, Israeli-Gaza War, Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, MidEast, Politics, religion, Uncategorized, War stories

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Weimar 1935. War Stories. Day 689. 25 August, 2025.

These next two features will be my last postings for the next couple months…unless something happens, which I pray it does not. John and I are going to England to be with our son as he graduates (I’ve never been to London!!). Then the three of us will head up to the beautiful English countryside to spend time with our daughter, son-in-law and their two little ones. We shall make day trips, a weekend in the Netherlands and an excursion to the Peak District in England. It should be fun. I can’t wait. Castles. Manor homes. Antique stores, charity shops, local farms. potteries and museums, tiny villages and giggling children whose tiny little hands fit into yours. And British accents. And afternoon tea. Hopefully, it will be a peaceful and welcomed respite from the troubles of the world.

For me and for my fellow Jews, it’s beginning to feel like history is in repeat mode. It’s 1935/36 Weimar (Germany) all over again. We have all heard the slogan, “Never again.” Never again to the antisemitism. To the exclusion from restaurants, hotels, shops. Never again will our jobs be restricted. Will our properties be defaced. Will our children and our own bodies be beaten up. Will we be hunted down. But it is happening all over again. Friends from California, New York and New Jersey and Boston are writing me that they no longer feel safe. My neighbor’s family has just made Aliyah to Israel from South Africa. Even in Praetoria they were beginning to feel the unsettling. The storm clouds are gathering. And history seems to be repeating itself with very few people standing up for the Jews.

Antisemitism is reaching a point of no return. Hundreds of thousands of haters are marching through the streets of Sydney, Melbourne, Berlin, London, Paris, Frankfurt, Vienna, Malmo, Bruges, Madrid, Barcelona, Manchester, Leicester, Dublin, Montreal, Los Angeles, New York, Minneapolis and Detroit…disguising themselves as human rights activists who just care about the plight of the poor Palestinians in Gaza. It seems to be becoming a daily occurrence.

In the grandest of all ironies, the media is pushing the line that the Jews have become the modern day Nazis. They feed the world lines about how Israel intentionally starves little children and drops 2000 pound bombs on the oldest church in existence. The IDF shoots civilians lined up for aid indiscriminately, as for sport. They burn down churches. The Jews target Christians.

They are all pedophiles. Like Epstein and Weinstein. As the Rothschilds, they control the world’s banks and they run Hollywood. It was the Jews that were responsible for 9/11….and they control your life. The Jews are behind the random canceling of certain news pundits, musicians and artists.

Netanyahu is Hitler. He is a Fascistic dictator who is prolonging the war. He does not seek compromise or negotiation. He just wants to hold onto power. He dictates to Washington. He will lead us into World War III. The Jews are bent on taking over the world in a grand cabal. Just look at their flag. The Jewish star is actually a satanic hexagram and it was invented in 1886.

Israel is merely a political state founded in 1948 by the British with no actual legitimacy. It has no right to exist. Israel is a colonial and apartheid state. The Jews claim Biblical basis for settling in ‘Isreal’, but actually the Church holds the claim since Christianity replaced Judaism when the Jews rejected and killed the Messiah. They lost their claim to land or people. They are the perfidious synagogue of satan.

Maybe this week I shall post some of the notes I have received personally.

These are all 100% claims I’ve been keeping track of. I seriously have them in files. Written files and video files. The articles and voices come from high up government and church officials. Prime Ministers. Ambassadors. Patriarchs and priests. World renowned pastors and evangelists. Pundits and news commentators. Rock stars and celebrities. Authors. Mayors. And then comments from the masses. I have thousands of them. Literally. It’s a documentation of history.

I spend a lot of my time paying close attention to politics and what is being said. I’m a watcher. Things are reaching a critical point. Jews are being openly assaulted with impunity in the streets. New York, London, Los Angeles, and throughout Europe. What we are seeing now is Germany, 1937. From Palestinians supporters. The pro-Gaza people. Not just Muslims and Islamist fanatics but progressively woke Europeans and Americans. Regular folk. University professors. School teachers. Even the LGBT2spirit+ crowd.

Last week, in Paris, an olive tree planted to commemorate the life of Ilan Halimi, was cut down. It was planted 14 years ago to remind the world of the Jewish man, kidnapped and tortured for 24 days in Paris. He was found naked, handcuffed to a railroad track and died on the way to the hospital. His body gave out. Now his tree is no longer.

Also, just this past week, the Jewish Community Center, Temple, and walls just off the Woodland Hills/Reseda, California (my old neighborhood!!!!) were spray-painted with swastikas, anti Israel and anti Jewish graffiti. Parents are afraid to walk their children to school. It’s in the Wilbur area, for those of you who are familiar…also, in Seattle, a synagogue was vandalized with swastikas and the word ‘gas’ in red spray paint.

Earlier this month, 50 Jewish children coming home from two weeks at summer camp were kicked off a Veuling Airlines plane for quietly singing. Their 22 year old counselor was handcuffed, thrown to the ground, kicked and arrested.

In Chatel, France, vacationing Jewish families awoke to find their cars graffitied with the words “Free Palestine” and other slurs painted across their vehicles. When the person who rented the 4 families their vacation homes found out that a Jewish group was “congregating” in one of the homes (there were 9 adults and 13 children having a Shabbat service), she evicted them all from the properties immediately, refusing a refund.

Just this week, a woman in Leeds, England was accused of striking a Jewish man with a metal pole and throwing hot coffee in his face. “This is because you killed babies in Gaza,” she was heard screaming.

My son was going to take his girlfriend to Athens in two weeks to propose to her. They have, thankfully, cancelled that trip. You see, in just the past weeks Israeli families have been forced out of their hotels for being Israeli. Young Jewish men wearing kippas (yarmulkes) have been severely beaten. Greece is no longer a safe vacation spot for Israelis or Jews. In several countries, soldiers who served in the IDF are being doxxed and ejected. A couple of former soldiers on vacation have been arrested for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Greece, Brazil and Malaysia.

So long as the Free Palestine movement refuses to denounce their violent tactics, and so long as government officials and peoples of the world stay silent, Jews will continue to be open targets of violence and hatred. Hamas, Hizbulla, ISIS and others are truly terrorist organizations. Praising these groups incites more violence against Jewish people.

Anti Zionist/antisemitic/proPalestine vandalism in France

This past Saturday, a Jewish man and his friend sat in a local pub in Manchester, England. discussing politics. The man was not visibly a Jewish, but was overheard defending Israel. Another man came up and spat on him. He then proceeded to punch the Jewish man in the face, leaving him with a black eye and two broken teeth. Also in Manchester, two men drove around “shooting” visibly Jewish families with a water gun. This is not just playful sport. It is targeting people because of their religion. The videos went viral online. Authorities interviewed the two and called it a “harmless joke.”

Six days ago, a London hospital was plastered with posters reading “Zionism is Poison.” They were only removed after one patient’s complaint. This was at University Hospital, and spokespeople say they acted quickly to dismantle the inflammatory protests in order to ensure the safety and feelings of well being for all patients. UK Lawyers for Israel are demanding a full investigation. UCLH Chief Executive, David Probert issued a swift apology, reaffirming the hospital’s dedication to inclusivity for all. Security personnel were instructed to remain vigilant in order to provide a safe atmosphere.

In Vienna, Austria, an Uber driver attacked a Jewish family last week. The occupants were the two parents and their children, ages 10 and 13, and their 76 year old grandparents. They were en route to a birthday party. When the driver heard their Israeli accents and found out they were, in fact, visiting from Israel, he began shouting “murderers” and “child killers!” He refused on the spot “to transport child killers,” forced the family out and physically beat the father. Uber temporarily suspended the driver and the family is filing criminal charges. “ If decisive action is not taken against this, by politicians and the rule of law, as well as by civil society, by individual activists on the streets or in social media, in editorial offices and by cultural workers, by teachers and others in our society, then there will soon be no place left for Jews in Europe,” Oskar Deutsch, president of the Jewish Community of Vienna wrote on Facebook.

On 8 August (this video has gone viral), Montreal multiple onlookers stood idle and filmed the incident as a Jewish man was severely beaten in broad daylight in front of his children. He was pushed into a fountain and his kippa kicked beyond reach. Antisemitism in Canada is out of control. For some, the anti Israel, anti Zionist rhetoric has spilled over into anti Jewish vitriol. In Canada, even the very conservative, Catholic author and podcaster, Mark Mallet, has fallen into this. I will address this particular case later in the week.

Three firebombs were thrown at a synagogue in Obninsk, Russia, just over a year after it was targeted in another arson attack. That was 12 August. Last month, a Melbourne, Australia synagogue was firebombed with 22 .families inside. Thank goodness the fire was contained at the door. It could easily have become deadly. Only over a mile away, that same evening, an Israeli restaurant was attacked as protestors stormed in, overturning tables and shouting “Death, death, to the IDF.”

Saturday, a 65 year old man wearing a kippa was brutally beaten by three men in Paris. He was on his was to synagogue at 10am when a car stopped in front of him. Two passengers got out pretending to ask for directions and began brutally beating him with kicks and punches and metal rods. His Star of David necklace was torn off his neck and he was doubled up on the sidewalk. The attackers are still at large.

Two months ago in Alexandria Egypt, a Canadian/Israeli dual citizen was gunned down as he was touring the land. Egyptian authorities claim it was a robbery gone wrong, but a militant group claimed responsibility. They claimed they “killed the Jewish man in retaliation for Gaza” and posted images of the shooting as proof (way too graphic to display here).

Yesterday, German activists were doused with red paint as they held up posters of Israeli hostages in a Frankfurt park. Sasha Stawski, a 55 year old real estate agent, and president of the antisemitism league was hosting a public demonstration to raise awareness of the 50 captives still being held by Hamas. 20-30 people, some wearing Friedrich Merz masks over their faces, pushed the germ up aside violently. Anti Jew and anti Israel chants erupted and four women doused the activists with cans of red paint. Frankfurt police were called in to disassemble the crowds. They said they would be increasing their presence in the area. No arrests were made. The Jewish community in Frankfurt and throughout Germany has been seeing an uptick in anti Jewish violence since 7 October.

Last Saturday in Cologne, Germany the wheel chair basketball championship was underway. The team from Great Britain all turned their wheelchairs around in protest of the Israeli team. One of the Israeli players stated, “It felt like they were humiliating us and bringing unrelated issues onto the sport court.” Antisemitic slurs are being hurled at football games across Europe. German Düsseldorf football league unsigned Jewish athlete Shon Weissman after fan backlash over his hiring. That was August 9 of this year.

These are merely a few of the hundreds of reports I’ve been keeping track of. All are downloaded or perinted out and filed away for safekeeping and documentation.

Qatar is funding the educational systems and universities (yes, along with China) in the U.S., across Europe, Canada, and the Middle East. Mufti Hamid Patel, head of the Office for Standards is the Chief Education Minister in Great Britain.

In New York, a new police patrol system has gone into effect complete with official squad cars and uniformed officers. It is the Salaam Aleikum Patrol of Muslim police. Mamdani, an anti Israel, anti Jewish, Communist Islamist is in the lead for New York mayor. Most of the mayors and regional council officials in England, France, Belgium and Sweden are Islamists. In the Belgian city of Antwerp, 26 Jewish homes were marked with red paint, red handprints and triangles. Just last week, a Muslim woman went out in the hot weather with her shoulders uncovered. A group of ‘Muslim brothers’ passing by, surrounded and brutally beat her. Many parts of London and Paris are now “no-go zones.” Enter at your own risk. Sharia laws strictly enforced. And it is coming to cities like Dearborn, Michigan.

So few people throughout the world are taking this seriously. Jews are being targeted globally. it is being proclaimed by protestors, political figures, pastors and pundits that Jews are genocidal thriving colonizing pedos with no claim to a homeland or history, who are hell bent on controlling the world. Then people cannot seem to figure out why in the world Jewish property is being defaced and Jews are being beaten and disembarked and refused service on the streets of Europe and America? The crimes are being ignored and normalized and the Jewish people are downright scared.

In my next posting on Wednesday or Thursday, I will be discussing modern day blood libels. These are actual complete fabrications, made-up stories against Jews in order to promote violence and eventual extermination of that ‘pernicious race.’ It is an article that traces the history from the early 400’s to modern times. It has resurfaced today through modern outlets and is a warning sign of things to come-

Tomorrow we are traveling down to the Gaza Envelope for a story I’ve been commissioned to write on the 3rd anniversary of 7 October. I will be also visiting one of the kibbutzim that was attacked as well as shelters and the Nova Festival site. We will conclude the trip by spending time at “Hostage Square” in Tel Aviv. I have four interviews set up and will do one special remembrance blog post on this. I will interview a member of the regional council, an IDF soldier in the reserves who has served five tours in Gaza, a resident of Nahal Oz Kibbutz, and a paramedic.

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twdunbar2015

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August 1, 2025

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culture, food, Holidays & Feasts, israel lifestyle, Uncategorized

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And Now for Some Diversity. 1 August, 2025

In Israel, many people who are elderly, infirm or recovering from severe illness or surgery have a live-in mittapellet, a care giver. Trained and certified caregivers come here from India and the Philippines. These lovely, self-sacrificing women leave behind families for a period of 1 to 5 years for gainful employment here. Most of them have very small children back home.

Here, they take care of their patient, do housekeeping and shopping and learn to cook in a kosher home. Many learn to speak Hebrew as well. All of the ladies were fluent in English. It is so interesting, and they are all the most amazing women. They are vetted, hired and placed through an agency. All that I’ve met are very loyal to the family they care for. They get paid well and all room and board is included. They have days off and also get a two-week leave to visit family back in India.

On October, 2023, many communities along the Northern border were evacuated due to the threat of Hizbulla invasion. And the fact hat Hizbulla were making sniper shots and RPG attacks made these kibbutzim and border towns completely unsafe for habitation. So they moved with their patients or host families, kit and kaboodle, to safer communities. They stayed in hotels and other kibbutzim that took them in. And that is where I got to meet a charming group of Indian women and we became fast friends.

Last April, as some of them were preparing to leave, we decided to get together in their dining hall and have an Indian feast. It was amazing as authentic and delicious Indian food is hard to find here. And feast it was!!!! I’ve been preparing daal (yellow split peas) and aloo gobi (potatoes and cauliflower), curries, chutney and many other dishes. But now I got to watch as naan and biryani and other amazing foods were prepared. Just as I bring ethnic foods (corn tortillas, salsa verde, flavored coffees and cans of mandarins and albacore) with me to Israel, these ladies brought lovely containers of Indian spice with them.

The kitchen was kosher and because meat and dairy products don’t mix, the chicken was bathed in coconut milk and exotic spices. We listened to and danced to Indian music. It was basically Bollywood on the kibbutz.

John has a friend, too, Rathin, who was here on his residency/internship. Rathin and Steffi both live in Tamilnadu province in the very southern tip of India. John, who always admired Rathin’s clothes, was gifted two gorgeous silk shirts. And I received the most beautiful sari. In turn, the Indians do lots of shopping for religious and holy objects, dates and dried fruit, techineh and MiddleEastern spices and trinkets to take back home with them.

In India, there is much hatred and persecution between the Hindus and the Christians. We’ve heard some incredible stories of the pogroms that happen to the Christian communities. But here in Israel, something magical happens, and everyone seems to get along splendidly.

In the previous generation, it was not uncommon for women to have five and six children. That is now frowned upon by the Indian government/health authority. Two of the women were forcibly sterilized after the birth of their second child. It’s just the way things are there. And there is so much poverty that they come to Israel and send the money back to their families. Thank goodness for modern technology, that we all share something in common – longing for our families (children and grandchildren) and the ability to reach them frequently by FaceTime and WhatsApp.

I asked the ladies what their favorite thing that they’ve seen or done here was. Resoundingly, the Catholic ladies all chimed in that to be living in the Holy Land and getting to see the many Biblical sites enriched their faith. All thought it excellent that so many people here do yoga and meditation. India is a popular spot for Israeli tourists and for kids to go after their army service. It seems there is quite the lively exchange.

John and I love the diversity here…being able to learn about and share in the different cultures. We have both been invited on a trip to India next year. It’s a huge country, so besides Kerala/ Tamil we hope to go to Bangalore and Mumbai. I don’t know if we can even get to the Taj Mahal, but at least we can experience the country authentically and first hand. I am so hoping this trip will come to fruition. Until then, I shall enjoy a few new “pen-pals.”

A short, but uplifting post as I must now prepare for the Shabbat. May the coming week bring peace and joy to all-

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twdunbar2015

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April 18, 2025

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Biblical sites, catholicism, culture, Holidays & Feasts, israel, israel lifestyle, israel news, israel. nature. spring. galilee., Passover/Pesach, religion, spirituality, Uncategorized

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Holy Week in the Holy Land. 18 April, 2025

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.

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!!!!

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February 7, 2025

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israel, israel lifestyle, israel news, israel. nature. spring. galilee., israeli hostages in Gaza, Israeli-Gaza War, MidEast, spirituality, Uncategorized, War stories

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Feel Good Friday 7 February,2025

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).

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.

https://youtu.be/rgSvk335zis?si=ogmmUMcIm-gJxijz

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.

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twdunbar2015

Posted on

July 28, 2024

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culture, Daytrips Israel, israel, israel lifestyle, MidEast, Uncategorized

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Repost of my July, 2017 feature on The Druze of Israel

I wrote this feature seven years ago, before Hizbulla was truly a threat, in the days when one could actually reach the border fence. Today it is a huge wall of block, metal and razor wire. Because it is right up against Lebanon, most of Hurfeish has been evacuated except for a few Druze men who guard the homes against enemy invasion. Unfortunately, over the years we have lost contact with our friends, Rami and Dalia. I hope they are well….

When I made my pilot trip to Israel three years ago, I first encountered differently dressed people shopping in the Karmiel mall. I had no idea who they were, but I was quite intrigued by them. The women were all dressed in black with perfectly pressed, white headscarves trimmed in lace. The mustachioed men (think Sam Elliott, actor) also were dressed in black with wide-crotched pantaloons and white knit beanies (Amame) on their heads.

After moving to the North of Israel, I’ve begun to learn more about the Druze. The women set up long tables at the local malls on Thursday and Friday mornings selling food. I have never bought any, but it looks and smells delicious! And I’ve asked these women about their cooking –

A few weeks ago John and I had the unexpected opportunity to meet a Druze man. John and another friend stepped in to intercede in a small, but decidedly racist altercation between a Druze and another man. After the situation was diffused, Rami thanked us heartily for clarifying what had been misconstrued, and invited us to his town, Hurfeish on the Northern border with Lebanon. What a great opportunity! So, to prepare myself, I started studying up on these people and their culture.

The Druze are a people, a culture, and a monotheistic religion. Around 1000 AD, in Egypt, two men, Hamza and Darzi, felt that the Muslim religion had strayed too far from its basic tenets and its emphasis on violence and inequality and needed major reform. They formed their faith upon Abraham, Jethro (father-in-law of Moses and their great patriarch), and the Prophets of the Old Testament as well as Jesus, El Hakim, the Greek philosophers, and various teachings of Hinduism. The religion was called Al Tawheed. It was a Gnostic religion, with only a few having access to the complete knowledge of the writings. Open to adherents for only fifty years, the religion became closed. There are no converts. One has to be born into the Druze faith. They believe in theophany, or the transmigration of souls – not reincarnation. When a Druze person dies, they believe after a very short period, the soul of the deceased enters into the body of a newborn baby Druze. They have no set houses of worship, but rather, holy sites on mountaintops, usually at the tombs of their prophets. After a period of intense persecution by the Muslims in Egypt at the beginning of their formation, they fled to the mountains of the Galilee in Israel, on Mount Carmel near Haifa, and to the mountains of Lebanon and Syria.

The Darzi, or Druze, are centralized and organized into large family units. They are monogamous, with the women held in high esteem in their society. Very seldom is there divorce, and in the event of a couple who feel they are unable to live together, the husband and wife appear before a panel of elders who try to settle and make amends in the family. In the rare circumstance of infidelity or completely irreconcilable differences, the marriage is annulled – the man must move to another community, the women always maintains custody of the home and children and receives support from the husband. Neither are allowed to remarry. All of the Druze follow a strict moral and ethical code. They do not drink alcohol and follow the Scriptural Levitical food laws forbidding the consumption of unclean animals (pork, shellfish…). They are people of their word. They do not gossip and strive to tell the truth at all times. Their word is their bond.

Having faced tremendous persecution in Syria and Lebanon in recent years, many have escaped to refuge in Israel. The Druze are a noble warrior culture in the absolute sense. They only fight in defense of their country. There are many communities of Druzim scattered across Northern Israel. They are absolutely Zionistic, believing that G-d has given this land to the Jewish people, and that they have the right to return to their homeland. They enjoy full rights of citizenship here in Israel. Many Druze communities are right upon the borders of Lebanon and Syria forming a first line of defense for us. They have sworn an allegiance to defend the land of Israel, and most Druze men serve in the Israeli Defense Forces. They have risen to the highest ranks of command, and after their service, many Druze work as guards in our schools, banks, public institutions, synagogues, and even as guards for members of Knesset.

Despite their strong agrarian ties to the land, many are highly educated, and are doctors, pharmacists, judges, members of parliament, and other professionals. So it was with a great sense of honor and pleasure that we joined Rami one afternoon for a tour of his town. Druze take pride of ownership. Their villages are well kept and very clean, with lots of greenery and flowers everywhere. They are proud to hang their multi-colored flag along side the Israeli blue and white.

We met Rami at one of their holy sites, the mountaintop grave of Nebbe Sabalon (their prophet, Zebulon, founder of one of the tribes of Israel). From the top of the mountain, we could see all the North from the Mediterranean to the mountains of the Golan, and into Lebanon to the North. It was breathtakingly gorgeous, but for me, quite sad, as just a few miles to the North between two mountain peaks, I could see Ayta alShab, the Lebanese town where Michael Levin, a Lone Soldier for the IDF from Philadelphia, was killed by Hizbollah forces in the Second Lebanese War (2006).

After taking in the view, Rami drove us through his town of Hurfeish, pointing out the home where his grandparents and parents were born, and showing us other various landmarks. We then made our way up the hill and onto a dirt road where we saw his brother’s chicken farm, and family fields of olives, pomegranates, goats and cows. The spring day was beautiful and the trees were abloom with pink, white and yellow. Fields full of flowers with the fragrance of Spanish broom and sages hung heavy in the air. We had made it to a military service road on the border. “Do you see the fence? That’s the border of Israel. See the outposts? And the military bases? And that fence over there? Right past that fence is Lebanon. The dirt was piled up to keep stray bullets from hitting us on the road here…” Never did I dream that he would nonchalantly take us right up to the border. The place where Hizbollah has its arms build up. Yet the day was so peaceful – the only sounds were the breeze and the twittering of songbirds. When we turned around, Rami pointed out the tracks of tank treads in the dirt. Haunting.

We were then privileged enough to merit a visit to Rami’s family museum in Hurfeish. A war memorial to his cousin, Nabi Meri. In 1972, Meri joined the IDF with hopes of becoming one of the elite paratroopers. At that time, the Druze were put into a special minorities brigade, but with the help of Moshe Dayan, Defense Minister, and David Elazar, Commander of Forces, he was able to realize his dream. After fighting in the Sinai during the Yom Kippur War, Nabi Meri became commander of Herev, the minorities units, lobbying to change the name to generate more pride. By 1978, he had become Deputy Commander of the elite Givati Fighting Brigade; then as full colonel, headed up the Arava Battalion – all while getting married, having a family, and receiving bachelors and masters degrees in Political Science and National Security. After serving as Commander of the Northern Gaza Brigade, he was promoted to Brigadier General Commander of the Gaza Division. I 1996, Nabi Meri, age 42, was killed in action by a Hamas sniper while trying to give support to his soldiers during a Palestinian attack. His younger brother showed us the museum in the first floor of his home. It was filled with memorabilia, including pictures of Meri with many Israeli and foreign officials – prime ministers, diplomats, generals – as well as his weapons, flags and uniforms from his various posts, and the bulletproof vest he was wearing when he was killed. The bullet hole was a mere 2mm from the ceramic deflectors on his breast.

It was late in the afternoon, and Rami drove us up to his home to meet his wife and family. Such a gracious, kindhearted gentleman. When we arrived, his lovely wife, Dahlia, had fixed us a Druze platter – all homegrown and homemade. Olives, humus, vegetables, goat cheese, pickles, tabbouleh, labane cheese with olive oil and the herb blend, zata’ar (she gave me her recipe and a huge jar full of this AMAZING blend of hyssop, roasted sesame seeds, lemon salt, and sumac. It would have been an insult to their hospitality to say no, so we sampled a bit of each of the delicious and healthy goodies. Dahlia made sure to tell me she had honored all the Kosher laws and there was no meat or anything that was unclean. It was so nice of her to think of honoring us in this way. She had made wonderful cookies filled with cinnamon and dates, and the signature Druze soft flatbread. Their specialty is coffee – home roasted over an open fire. Strong, but very delicious.

We ate on the patio in front of their house under the shade of a tree that held a “shrine” – a remnant of a Lebanese-fired Katusha rocket that had come down next to their home and split the branch of a tree in 2006. Afterwards, the couple warmly invited us into their home. It was lovely. Dahlia had her own very feminine parlor, with the first wall-to-wall carpeting I’ve seen in Israel. Their main living area had intricately carved wooden beams across the ceiling, and low sofas lined with pillows against the walls. We sat and talked for quite a while, listening to their history and promising to get together soon. We have since hosted them in our home, and have formed what I hope will be a strong and lasting friendship. They are lovely and gracious people – we have been invited to their extremely handsome son’s wedding when he finishes his IDF service next fall. His fiancee is equally gorgeous and is in university studying urban planning and architecture. We are so blessed to have been given the opportunity to experience a new culture first hand and to have been given this gift of friendship.

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twdunbar2015

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May 31, 2024

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art, culture, Daytrips Israel, israel, Israel Gaza war, israel lifestyle, Israeli-Gaza War, Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, MidEast

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Sliding into the Weekend

First, I want to thank you, my dear readers. You are the best!! I collected several heartfelt notes and letters both in my messages and direct email for our neighbors, the Aviv family. They lost their son, a beautiful peaceful windsurfer, who fell while on reserve duty in Gaza. I took them in a lovely ribbon-tied envelope last week. Emmi, Ido’s mom, was overwhelmed to tears. Both Emmi and Mark were absolutely shocked to know that people across the globe stand with them and support Israel. Every single Israeli I’m talking with feels so alone now. We all cried and I hugged both Emmi and Dasha (Ido’s fiancée- the wedding was supposed to be next month). We held each other close for a long while. I’ll be taking them another meal next Thursday, so your letters of comfort and encouragement are still wanted.

Speaking of neighbors: it’s time you met a few of my neighbors. Aryeh and Leah are 94 and 92 years old. They were born here and their passports and documents from pre-1948 label them as Palestinians. They were born under British mandated Palestine and their families have been here since the 1800s. They have been married 73 years. Every evening, Aryeh and Leah go on a long neighborhood walk, which is how we first met them.

Leah loved my hollyhocks, so I gave her some seeds. She gave me a gorgeous red amaryllis. I shared my baby Italian and Native American tomato plants with her. Turns out Aryeh was an engineer just like my husband and he worked for years at Raphael, which is very much like Teledyne where John worked. Leah was a school teacher for decades. They are still avid hikers, and have traveled the world with their children and grandchildren. And…… they, too, are “collectors of found objects.”

It’s been a hobby/obsession of mine to pick things up from our travels and walks: flowers to press, shells from the beach, coral (leading to my arrest here the first year), pinecones, fossils and rocks. My kids used to make fun of me. John has gotten used to it and has become a pretty good “picker” himself. So, last week when we visited our neighbors, we were amazed. Geodes, rocks, fossils – each from a special place with a unique history and a story.

This past weekend was the Jewish holiday of Lag b’Omer, a celebration of the Light of Creation, holy Light, the Light of the World through the Scriptures, which is sometimes compared to fire. It also commemorates the life of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai (Rashbi) and the miracles associated with him. Lag b’Omer is always a huge holiday here in Israel. Whether religious or secular, it’s a fun family festival where huge bonfires are lit. Kids sing and dance around the bonfires and families roast potatoes and eggs and meat wrapped in foil in the hot coals. The ultra religious make a pilgrimage to Mt. Meron, Rashbi’s tomb. This year, because of the war, everything was cancelled. No bonfires. No large gatherings. Especially Meron, which is a closed military area. It’s quite depressing.

Wednesday, John and I decided to drive up to Tsfat, about 30 minutes away. Nestled at the top of a mountain, it’s one of my favorite cities. This is the usually-busy tourist season. We would be having guests and taking them there this time of year. Big Bar Mitzvah and wedding parties would, in normal circumstances, be processing with musical fanfare down the already bustling cobblestones alleyways. Tsfat – sometimes transliterated Safed or Tzfat or Zefat, dates from Biblical times and is one of Israel’s four Holy Cities.

Tsfat was the home of the mystics and kabbalists. Today there are still many ultra Orthodox, but also there the hipsters, the hippies and the artists. Galleries line the streets of the Old City displaying high quality professional artwork like weaving, sculpture, painting, incredible jewelry and various crafts. They are known for their pieces of Judaica. And it’s a great place to shop for presents. We had an engagement party coming up and two weddings, and an anniversary.

The drive up, although always gorgeous scenery-wise, was somber. Much of the area is so close to the border, people are not traveling there. We get drones and missile attacks from Lebanon several times a day. The city was a ghost town. No tourists. Empty streets. Most shops are closed. In Israel, when a person dies, a black and white notice goes up informing the public of who died, where the funeral and where/when house of mourning will be held. This time in Tsfat, posters were plastered throughout the city. Death notices. A sad but also clever way of saying the city and its businesses had died.

Luckily, the candle shop was open. Safed Candles are amazing handmade, all-beeswax candles…for Shabbat, Havdalah, Chanukah and every day use. Plus this business, open for over 50 years, has lots of other beautiful Judaica. And now, because there is no business, everything was on sale. To fulfill a request from my oldest daughter I bought 6 pairs of long golden beeswax tapers for only about $15. She’ll be delighted. Plus I scored a few other colorful handmade gifts. One other gallery was open. We felt so sorry for the shop owner who had four small kids and no income for nearly eight months. So we bought a few items: Roman glass earrings for my daughters, an engagement gift and anniversary gift.

all-beeswax candles…for Shabbat, Havdalah, Chanukah and every day use. Plus this business, open for over 50 years, has lots of other beautiful Judaica. And now, because there is no business, everything was on sale. To fulfill a request from my oldest daughter I bought 6 pairs of long golden beeswax tapers for only about $15. She’ll be delighted. Plus I scored a few other colorful handmade gifts. One other gallery was open. We felt so sorry for the shop owner who had four small kids and no income for nearly eight months. So we bought a few items: Roman glass earrings for my daughters, an engagement gift and anniversary gift.

We stopped to admire the views from Tsfat. Mount Meron, which has been shelled daily (it’s a high point, literally, and a military intelligence installation. The day was so clear, there was no trouble at all seeing directly over the mountains into Lebanon – now all Hizbulla. Thankfully, there was no action, but John couldn’t leave quickly enough.

The highlight of our week happened last night. We were invited to an irusim, an engagement party. John had coached Pri’el in baseball as a kid and now he’s marrying his sweetheart, Bat’El. The cutest couple! But I’d never been to this type of party. The bride is from a Mizrachi Jewish family (Mid Eastern) and they have their own traditions. I was expecting a short, informal religious ritual where a rabbi blesses the newly engaged couple, basically a formal betrothal. I was totally wrong. No ceremony. No religious service.

Once again, most of the women were dressed fairly elegantly. Nope, not me. I kinda stuck out like an American sore thumb… and John in a short sleeve Hawaiian shirt. What were we thinking? We’ve been to funerals and weddings where people wore jeans, but the Mizrachi are different. Or rather we were- the men wore jackets, the women nice dresses. The young friends of Pri’El…. very casual, several in army uniforms.

The bride’s dowry and a gift table was set up for everyone to see. Gifts from the bride’s parents. All beautiful housewares – in white and black and gold. All wrapped beautifully in cellophane with silver or black ribbon. And my rainbow colored gift bag from America that said congratulations with the colorful tissue paper tucked inside. Totally out of place.

The music! Live DJ, drummers, guys singing these melodiously Arabic sounding Hebrew songs. The bride and groom-to-be wore all white. And the food! Hors-doeuvres, salads of the Middle Eastern variety (Baba ganoush, dolma, tabbouleh, humous, lox, pickled fish, cabbage salads, lentil salad….). Then the first course- skewered salmon grilled over a fire. Wow. Then the large platters of meat – kabobs, sausages, brisket, steak pieces). So the party was at 7:30. And I had made dinner and we ate beforehand. Oooopps!

And of course, the dancing. The guys all dancing separately from the girls in circles. The joy. Spontaneous eruptions in different places. And then the young couple and friends sneaking out into the courtyard for a dance together…but never touching. All so pure, and innocent, beautiful and joyful.

After all the food and dance, the father of the bride-to-be presented his future son-in-law with a magnificent gold watch. Rolex??? Then our good friends, the parents of the groom presented Bat’El with gold earrings, a necklace, bracelet and ankle bracelet. It is a tradition in the Mizrachi culture to give gifts of gold.

Then came the next high point. The engaged couple paraded through the room like prince and princess with families behind. Then the bride’s mom and the Kallah instructor (the bride has a special female escort and instructor of the laws of family purity…well save that one for another time) handed a crystal bowl filled with chocolate pudding??? and two candles to Bat’El. They each lit a candle. They then took the bowl of pudding???? with the lite candles and proceeded to wave it in circles over the heads of the engaged couple. So weird. While the chazzan chanted and the people clapped along. PriEl’s friends were dancing on the chairs – it was very very cool.

O.K. So I found out it wasn’t pudding. Or mud. Or a bowl of poo. It was Hannah. And now the ceremony begins as the bride’s mother and grandmother henna’d the palms of the engaged couple. And put a cool seal on to, tying it behind the hand. And next all the women line up to get their hands henna’d too.

By this time, it was getting on to midnight, and the desserts and rest of the festivities were going strong. We were beyond exhausted so John and I took our leave. It was quite the cultural experience- and a lot of fun. But now, preparations for Shabbat begin in earnest, so…more news next week.

Please, if you haven’t already done so, I ask you to write little notes of comfort for and solidarity with the grieving Aviv family. I will present them next Thursday. I can’t tell you how much a little note means to these people. To know they are not alone. Just put them in the comments section. And have a peaceful, relaxing weekend.

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twdunbar2015

Posted on

July 11, 2022

Posted under

culture, Daytrips Israel, food, History, israel, MidEast, Uncategorized

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Diversity in Israel: Meet the Circassians

Circassian Cultural Heritage Center in Kfar Kama, Galilee

Adding to the rich cultural diversity in Israel, we have the Circassians. Mainly living in two communities in the North and numbering approximately 4,000, the Circassians’ history goes way back to pre-4th century. Originally from what is present-day Russia – from between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, they were the indigenous people of the Caucasus Mountains. They lived from Sochi to Baku: their capital city was Nalchik and they were known as the Adyghe (Adiga) people. In their language Ady means highlander and ghe means sea. Between the 4th and the 9th centuries, many of them converted to Christianity. When the Tartars and Ottoman Turks conquered their territory, many were forcibly converted to Islam. The Turks called them Cherkess which was Latinized to Circassian. After many years as dhimmie under the Ottomans, most adopted the Muslim religion voluntarily. 1763 marked the 100 year war between the Circassians and the Russians for access to the Black Sea. Eventually, in 1864, Russia launched a genocidal campaign. 90% of their population were exiled from their land – put on ships bound for the Balkans, Anatolia, Bulgaria and Turkey. From there they were taken to the Middle East and can be found throughout the Levant. Their population is about 1.5 million.

Because they were such good fighters, the Ottomans took them in as brother Muslims; and it was the Turks who scattered them throughout the Lebanon/Syria/Israel/Jordan region as a counterweight tothe non-Muslim Jewish, Christian and Druze populations as well as to the Bedouin. Even though they are Sunni Muslim, they are not Arabs. They were brought here in the 1870s as tax collectors for all the other Arab villages in the surrounding area (today, this practice no longer exists).Here in Israel, they maintain excellent relations with the Jewish and Arab populations. The Circassians, although very separate with their own language and educational system, all serve in the IDF. They have kept their ancient phonetic language, Adyghebza, but are fluent in Hebrew, Arabic and English. Their educational levels are very high, their communities, impeccably clean with flowers blooming in every windowbox and garden. There are only 26 family groups or clans within the Israeli Circassian community.

We visited the two Circassian towns recently. Kfar Kama (pronounce Comma) is a thriving village on the upper slope of Har Tavor (Mt. Tabor) in the lower Galilee. The mountain village is walled in, an old form of defense. All of the stone houses are interconnected, sharing a back or side wall. The only way through into the village is from a guardpost/ gate, like a fort. The mosque stands in the very center of the town. And it is the location of the Circassian Heritage Center. Every day, the center welcomes Israeli school groups as part of their educational enrichment program. We were greeted graciously by our docent, Ibek, dressed in a black costume and high fur hat.

After sharing their history with the large group, several members of the village put on a dance exhibition in their native noble costumes. Red and black are their battle colors, turquoise symbolizes the sea and green, the land from which they came.

All Circassians are taught the traditional dances from the time they are young, and all can play at least one musical instrument. The women have much power in their society, and are free to make their own decisions. When a young man comes of age, it is traditional for the Circassian man not to ask permission of the girl’s parents to marry. He asks the girl to marry him directly. This is where the story gets good. Without her parent’s knowledge, the bridegroom and his male attendants, kidnap the beloved at an agreed upon time and place. Two of the bridegroom’s attendants, then go to her family’s home to inform the parents (after she has not shown up). The family must then go out in search of their daughter, but it is the girl’s decision entirely to marry. The parents have no say in the matter. The bride is taken into the groom’s family’s home, and it is they who pay for the entire wedding feast. The families marry within their clans. Sometimes the men travel to Eastern Europe or Turkey where other clan member reside to find their betrothed.

Much of their labor today is agricultural. Olive growing has played a large role in their subsistence . They follow the Muslim dietary laws (refraining from pork, Hallal slaughter) with the exception of fish. Because so many of their people were killed in the Black Sea War, fish and seafood are off the menu in homage to their brethren. They are fairly famous for their smoked meats and hard smoked cheeses. The cheese shop in Kfar Kama boasts of the oldest cheese in Israel: this hard, smoked cheese is shaped like an enormous dagger and is 43 years old!

Today in Israel, about half of the Circassians are devout, the other half fairly secular. There is no pressure to be traditional, although all intimately know the culture and traditions. Observant women wear a white headscarf, like Druze women, but the Circassian style for every day is more like a hijab. Colorful clothes as well as pants are worn by the younger women.

The other Circassian village is Rechaniya, near the Lebanese border, established in 1878 by 66 families. It too is built in the fortified walled village style with a central mosque as in Kfar Kama. Because of their location, the village maintained active ties with their Lebanese and Syrian relations across the border. This proved problematic for the Israeli authorities during the 1967 and Lebanese Wars. Frequent home searches were conducted by the IDF for security reasons. Smuggled weapons were confiscated and some of the Rechaniya townsfolk were temporarily moved to Kfar Kana, 30 miles to the south. Mostly, they preferred to remain neutral during the wars Israel faced. Today, friendly relations have been restored. They pride themselves as being full Israeli citizens and part of the fabric of society. Many Circassians today serve in the police and border patrol units. Several are noted Israeli football stars.

Hani Madaji is the owner of the Rechaniya restaurant, Nalchik. There you can eat like a local, feating on lots of carbs, some baked, some fried, all with different fillings. One of the favorites is Haliva, a fried dough dumpling filled with Circassian cheese, potatoes and herbs. Some variations use beef and leeks.

There are Kalkata, dumplings filled with sheep milk yogurt and paprika; memjak, a savory lentil dish and an interesting type of chicken salad. The shredded, cooked chicken is dressed with a rich, garlicky tehineh and is served at room temperature. Before eating a red olive oil that has been infused with spicy Aleppo pepper and paprika, is drizzled over top. Walnuts, also are sprinkled over (Note: for those visitors keeping Kashrut, this food is definitely not Kosher! Still, interesting to see and learn). Also in Rechaniya is a specialized cheese dairy that has been in the same family for generations. It is an art that has been passed down from mother to daughter for hundreds of years.

Nadi explained to us when we asked how the Circassians fit into society in Israel today that it is a matter of tolerance. They see other people and other cultures as having tremendous dignity and worth as human beings. We are all brothers and sisters, she said. We seek to live peaceably among our own people and alongside the other Israeli citizens. However every Circassian carries deep within him the desire to go back to their original homeland that is today part of Russia. They are all a part of the Great Circassian Diaspora. For them, May 21 is their Genocide Remembrance Day. In both Kfar Kama and Rechaniya there are parades, special services and speeches made. All are welcome to attend.