The kids are off the whole week; therefore I have morphed into an amateur travel agent. Each day is either spent battling the munchies in our sukkah or racing around the country, so race we do!!
If you have ever been to the coastal city of Netanya, you wouldn't recognize it now. The new pedestrian mall is lined with coffee shops and fountains, and not the kind that are only fit for spare change. There the children pounce on the mini geysers, and beautiful lights make for synchronized music and light shows. After a day at the beach, riding huge, frothy waves of the warm Meditterranean waters, we strolled the strip after a fulfilling meal just over the waters edge.
In Israel, there are pluses and minuses to living in a tiny country. One big advantage is that you are never far from people you know and love. An unplanned meeting can end up as a memorable evening for the entire family. Top it off with ice cream and it's hard to beat. Our good friends ended up at our restaurant for dinner after separate activities of the day. Our friend serenaded us in the middle of dinner, in the middle of a crowded restaurant, and his operatic performance earned him applause from the appreciative patrons.
Last night's concert brought the community together for music, food and drink, and holiday spirit under the stars, a rare treat. The week brought us the season's first rainfall, a momentous occasion in the life of Israelis. It brought us tragedy as well, as two beautiful 20-year-old soldiers were murdered in cold blood, one by his illegal Palestinian coworker, and one by a cowardly sniper, as he protected the innocent residents of Hebron. My utopian day in Netanya ended with sobs as we made our way back home that night. Those boys are all of our boys, their deaths cut deep to the heart. Tragedy against a backdrop of merriment is the most sobering experience. Like a light switch, it is impossible to experience pure light and darkness simultaneously.
As two families in Israel bury their boys and close a chapter on hope, we continue our week of holiday joy, as though hearts haven't been irreparably pierced by the tragic losses. Kite festivals, concerts, water hikes and picnics await Israelis all over the country. Our spirit catapults us to the next activity, showing our children that joy cannot be extinguished. It is a life lesson worth learning and worth teaching.
Our children sleep in the sukkah each night, lulled by soft breezes and distant murmurs. Soon we will return to school days and work days, but one last holiday awaits: Simchat Torah. We will celebrate the Torah, our Holy Book, by reading its end and its beginning in succession, while dancing wildly and singing joyfully, as each person receives an aliyah, a reading from the Torah. If our children don't exhaust us by then.......
Chag Sameach!!
If you have ever been to the coastal city of Netanya, you wouldn't recognize it now. The new pedestrian mall is lined with coffee shops and fountains, and not the kind that are only fit for spare change. There the children pounce on the mini geysers, and beautiful lights make for synchronized music and light shows. After a day at the beach, riding huge, frothy waves of the warm Meditterranean waters, we strolled the strip after a fulfilling meal just over the waters edge.
In Israel, there are pluses and minuses to living in a tiny country. One big advantage is that you are never far from people you know and love. An unplanned meeting can end up as a memorable evening for the entire family. Top it off with ice cream and it's hard to beat. Our good friends ended up at our restaurant for dinner after separate activities of the day. Our friend serenaded us in the middle of dinner, in the middle of a crowded restaurant, and his operatic performance earned him applause from the appreciative patrons.
Last night's concert brought the community together for music, food and drink, and holiday spirit under the stars, a rare treat. The week brought us the season's first rainfall, a momentous occasion in the life of Israelis. It brought us tragedy as well, as two beautiful 20-year-old soldiers were murdered in cold blood, one by his illegal Palestinian coworker, and one by a cowardly sniper, as he protected the innocent residents of Hebron. My utopian day in Netanya ended with sobs as we made our way back home that night. Those boys are all of our boys, their deaths cut deep to the heart. Tragedy against a backdrop of merriment is the most sobering experience. Like a light switch, it is impossible to experience pure light and darkness simultaneously.
As two families in Israel bury their boys and close a chapter on hope, we continue our week of holiday joy, as though hearts haven't been irreparably pierced by the tragic losses. Kite festivals, concerts, water hikes and picnics await Israelis all over the country. Our spirit catapults us to the next activity, showing our children that joy cannot be extinguished. It is a life lesson worth learning and worth teaching.
Our children sleep in the sukkah each night, lulled by soft breezes and distant murmurs. Soon we will return to school days and work days, but one last holiday awaits: Simchat Torah. We will celebrate the Torah, our Holy Book, by reading its end and its beginning in succession, while dancing wildly and singing joyfully, as each person receives an aliyah, a reading from the Torah. If our children don't exhaust us by then.......
Chag Sameach!!
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