Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Friday, April 18, 2008
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Friday, April 11, 2008
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
This is a test of the emergency broadcasting system
If this had been real, I would have been screwed.
At 10 a.m. across the nation, an air raid... well, I'm going to call it an air raid siren drill, rather than an air raid drill, took place. It seems they're only testing the sirens themselves and not citizen readiness to an actual attack since no one I know received any actual "in case of an attack" instructions.
And frankly here on the settlement, there's precious little we could do.
Oh sure, we have bomb shelters. We have 4.. maybe 5.
Of the approximate 100 houses and additional 20 trailer homes, maybe 20 of these houses (all built after the first Gulf War) have actual 'safe rooms' built into the house. It's a room made of reinforced concrete with a heavy fire door and metal plates for the window.
The rest of us poor schlubs have to make use of the 4 (or 5) bomb shelters. Which in theory is great, but in practice would doom us.
2 of the shelters are used for the Gemachim here. One is packed with clothes and the other has clothes as well as whatever else is available for loan - dishes, tables, cribs, etc. 1 shelter is being used by the physiotherapist and the fourth is the 'music room' and hang-out for the kids. I have no idea where shelter number 5 is or if it even exists (I think it's in the center, where the original 20 trailers are). If it does exist, there's a better than good chance it's unusable as a bomb shelter.
I have no idea when the plumbing in any of them was last checked or if they even have serviceable toilets. They're certainly not stocked with emergency essentials or rations.
So yeah, they were testing the sirens.
At 10 a.m. across the nation, an air raid... well, I'm going to call it an air raid siren drill, rather than an air raid drill, took place. It seems they're only testing the sirens themselves and not citizen readiness to an actual attack since no one I know received any actual "in case of an attack" instructions.
And frankly here on the settlement, there's precious little we could do.
Oh sure, we have bomb shelters. We have 4.. maybe 5.
Of the approximate 100 houses and additional 20 trailer homes, maybe 20 of these houses (all built after the first Gulf War) have actual 'safe rooms' built into the house. It's a room made of reinforced concrete with a heavy fire door and metal plates for the window.
The rest of us poor schlubs have to make use of the 4 (or 5) bomb shelters. Which in theory is great, but in practice would doom us.
2 of the shelters are used for the Gemachim here. One is packed with clothes and the other has clothes as well as whatever else is available for loan - dishes, tables, cribs, etc. 1 shelter is being used by the physiotherapist and the fourth is the 'music room' and hang-out for the kids. I have no idea where shelter number 5 is or if it even exists (I think it's in the center, where the original 20 trailers are). If it does exist, there's a better than good chance it's unusable as a bomb shelter.
I have no idea when the plumbing in any of them was last checked or if they even have serviceable toilets. They're certainly not stocked with emergency essentials or rations.
So yeah, they were testing the sirens.
Monday, April 07, 2008
Sunday, April 06, 2008
Dawn's early... flight
Sunrise this morning. The bird flew into the frame just as I snapped the photo.
Friday, April 04, 2008
Thursday, April 03, 2008
Wednesday, April 02, 2008
Hillel opens doors to non-Jews
By Ben Harris (comments in bold italics are my own)
Original article can be seen here
Published: 03/31/2008
WASHINGTON (JTA) -- Hillel centers on university campuses were viewed not long ago as little more than the local Jewish hangout, a place where students could come for kosher meals or socialize with other Jews. (and that's bad.... why?)
But in a move that Hillel leaders say has been forced upon them by this generation's altered social landscape, the organization is throwing open its doors to everyone, designing programs that appeal to Jews and non-Jews and hyping its contribution to university -- not only Jewish – life. (Ah, thank you Barney.. I love you, you love me and we have to welcome anyone and everyone regardless of whether or not they fit the criteria of the group's dynamics)
Examples of the shift are abundant.
Rabbi Joshua Feigelson, the self-described "campus rabbi" at Northwestern University, has designed a campus-wide program called "Ask Big Questions" that stresses the value of Jewish wisdom in addressing contemporary challenges. Other Hillel chapters are organizing interfaith programs, like Jewish-Muslim coexistence houses or trips to rebuild the Gulf Coast. And it's becoming more common to find non-Jews serving on local Hillel boards or as regular attendees at Shabbat dinners. (nothing wrong with programming which allows interfaith interaction, it's allowing them to dictate rules and such that problems may arise)
The shift is even evident in Hillel's changed mission statement. Prior to 2006, the organization sought to increase the number of Jews "doing Jewish with other Jews." Now it seeks to "enrich" Jewish student life, the Jewish people and the world. (ah yes, the whole 'tikkum olam'... repair the rest of the world while your own house falls down around you. it also reminds me of many secular Israelis 'searching for spirituality' in the Far East religions, rather than look inwards to Judaism)
"Most of the students that we have are not interested in doing Jewish with other Jews," (is it me, or do you feel the urge to check The Joy of Sex to see what position that is every time you read that phrase?) Feigelson told JTA. "They're interested in doing Jewish with their friends who are doing Catholic and Puerto Rican and Turkish -- their friends and their family. The challenge for us is how do you create expressions of Jewish life that students will deem to be authentic at the same time as they are not exclusive or tribal." (there's nothing wrong with introducing or teaching Jewish traditions to people of other faiths. It's when it comes at the expense of teaching Jews about their own faith, I being to have a problem. And why is exclusive and tribal such a bad thing?)
Beginning under the leadership of Richard Joel, Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life sought to expand its reach beyond the minority of students with strong Jewish identities who naturally gravitated to the local Hillel chapter. (oh I see, so instead of using those with a strong Jewish foundation to bring in those with a weaker one, just bring everyone in? how does that help a Jew with a weak knowledge of Judaism?)
But Hillel leaders say increasingly that to reach the majority who might view the organization with anything from disdain to indifference, it must actively counter the perception that its chapters are "Jews-only" venues. (uh... but isn't Hillel the "Jewish club", so to speak? Isn't their main purpose to attract the Jews?)
As it attempts to do so, Hillel finds itself negotiating a tricky line between Jewish particularism and universality, between the twin imperatives of creating uniquely Jewish programming and protecting the fluidity of personal identities that today's college students see as their birthright. (again, there's nothing wrong with pluralistic programming, unless it comes at the expense of the Jewish identity, which in this case, seems to be the case)
"We're in a world that has no boundaries -- no boundaries and infinite choices, literally," said Beth Cousens, Hillel's director of organizational learning and the author of a 2007 monograph, "Hillel's Journey: Distinctively Jewish, Universally Human," which lays out guiding principles for Hillel in the coming years.
"It is just dumb, it's counterproductive for us to create boundaries," Cousens said. "The way to make Jewish life vibrant, and help people fall in love with Judaism and discover who they are Jewishly, is not to be afraid." (so basically... rules and regulations are dumb and counterproductive? The way to make Jewish life vibrant is to dilute the issue with multiculturalism? and who is your target audience for falling in love with Judaism? catholics? buddhists? or Jews who have a tenuous idea of what Judaism is about and need more immersion in Judaism, not less.)
Much discussion at Hillel's recent summit here focused on the peculiarities of so-called millennials, the generation born after 1980, and their unique set of cultural dispositions: globally minded, skeptical of institutional authority and unwilling to have their identities narrowly defined.
At the summit's opening plenary, Robert Putnam, the Harvard University professor who authored "Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community," described how he could name the religion of every person in his high school class because faith defined the limits of his generation's dating pool. High-schoolers today, he contended, couldn't perform a similar feat.
"It's not that people have stopped being religious, it's just not that big a deal anymore," Putnam said. "That line has been somewhat deconstructed."
For those who worry about the threat of intermarriage to Jewish continuity, the rise of the millennial generation, and Hillel's response to it, is likely to keep them up at night.
Hillel responds that it simply has no choice, that if an intermarried couple doesn't meet at Hillel, they will meet at a party or in the classroom where the organization will have no influence on them. (oh... so how is meeting your goyish girlfriend or boyfriend at Hillel supposed to prevent them becoming your goyish spouse? By opening their doors to non-Jews for socialization, are they saying "You're good enough to hang out with, but not good enough to marry", or do they honestly think that after a couple becomes romantically involved with one another is a good time to explain that intermarriage is a Bad Thing for Judaism?)
"Hillel is acknowledging that we don't live in a Jewish bubble," Cousens said. "If we don't do this, we'll be irrelevant." (by diluting Judaism, you're becoming extinct.)
Putnam has written extensively on the decline of community in America, and he urged the 675 summit participants -- most of them Hillel professionals -- to look for ways to create social connections that stretch across the boundaries of race or ethnicity.
In interviews with JTA on the sidelines of the summit, evidence emerged to suggest that process is already well under way.
At Syracuse University, the election of a non-Jewish student to the Hillel board occasioned some opposition. But while a meeting must sometimes pause to explain a particular Jewish phrase or practice, student leaders mostly say the addition has been positive.
"I think it's been a mutually beneficial experience for not only him and the board, but for also the community at large to see that we've reached beyond the Jewish student, that we've reached beyond what Hillel's stereotype is, and to bring in other types of people, and to really let ourselves realize that Hillel isn't just for one type of person," said sophomore Jillian Zarem. "It's for as many different people as we can reach out to." (silly me, and here I thought Hillel was supposed to be the campus JEWISH organization)
At the Jewish University Center of Pittsburgh, a Korean student who regularly attended Shabbat dinners at Hillel managed to recruit his Jewish roommate who previously wouldn't set foot inside the building.
"How did he do it?" asked Aaron Weil, the executive director of the Pitt center. "He said, 'John, I'm a Baptist. I'm Korean. I'm going to Hillel. Don't you think it's a little bit odd that I'm willing to go to Hillel and you're not?' He didn't have a comeback for that, and he came in and saw the open community." (yay. and if Hillel was doing a better job in OUTREACH towards their Jewish audience, instead of trying to become 'all reaching, yet reaching no one", maybe this guy would have shown up for Shabbat lunch beforehand)
"The benefit to us," Weil continued, "is by making ourself a place that is open to all, Jews are going to feel more comfortable to go there because they're not going to a place that is Jewish only. Jews are looking today, in general, for opportunities to be Jewish but not to be separate." (and the way I see it, it will just become another place where Jews have to defend their right to be Jewish)
Original article can be seen here
These are the people that you meet
Yesterday while waiting at the central bus station for the bus home, a Russian woman sat next to me and of course NS began flirting with her.
His sock was falling off, so I fixed it, saying "Your feeselach* are going to get cold!"
Aha, I could see it in her eyes and she asks me in Yiddish if I speak Yiddish.
I tell her just a little... feet, hands, cheeks, teeth, eyes, head... basic body parts I learned either growing up or remember in that one year of Yiddish class we had in high school.
She asked me what his name is and I of course reply "Netanel", to which she responds "That's not a Yiddish name!"
I told her that the more Yiddish version would have been Yonatan (Jonathan) which although is also Hebrew, means the same as Netanel and in the Yiddish-speaking crowd is used.. although for her sake I pronounced it with the Ashkenazis inflection of "Yoi-nosson".
She nodded, as if giving her approval and went back to being flirted with by a 10 1/2 month old.
Last week, was a different experience altogether.
So there we were, three lactating Mommas (me with my 10 1/2 month old, another woman with her 1 1/2 year old and the third with her 6 month old) enjoying a warm day in Jerusalem, sitting at the outdoor tables of a felafel joint.
Us with our bottles of water and our babies discretely at our breasts.
When I noticed a woman (secular Israeli) sitting at a table down from us take out her camera and turn it in our direction...
Do I give her the benefit of the doubt that she snapped a photo of the street traffic behind me? Even though she had this shocked look on her face and I didn't hear the squeal of tires and crunch of metal from some horrific car accident on the street behind me?
(And just for the record, the three of us are Orthodox Jewish women... skirts, my two friends in long sleeves, I was in a tshirt and had the baby in his wrap and we all wore our hair covered - me with a head scarf, another with a snood and the third in a (obvious) wig).
His sock was falling off, so I fixed it, saying "Your feeselach* are going to get cold!"
Aha, I could see it in her eyes and she asks me in Yiddish if I speak Yiddish.
I tell her just a little... feet, hands, cheeks, teeth, eyes, head... basic body parts I learned either growing up or remember in that one year of Yiddish class we had in high school.
She asked me what his name is and I of course reply "Netanel", to which she responds "That's not a Yiddish name!"
I told her that the more Yiddish version would have been Yonatan (Jonathan) which although is also Hebrew, means the same as Netanel and in the Yiddish-speaking crowd is used.. although for her sake I pronounced it with the Ashkenazis inflection of "Yoi-nosson".
She nodded, as if giving her approval and went back to being flirted with by a 10 1/2 month old.
Last week, was a different experience altogether.
So there we were, three lactating Mommas (me with my 10 1/2 month old, another woman with her 1 1/2 year old and the third with her 6 month old) enjoying a warm day in Jerusalem, sitting at the outdoor tables of a felafel joint.
Us with our bottles of water and our babies discretely at our breasts.
When I noticed a woman (secular Israeli) sitting at a table down from us take out her camera and turn it in our direction...
Do I give her the benefit of the doubt that she snapped a photo of the street traffic behind me? Even though she had this shocked look on her face and I didn't hear the squeal of tires and crunch of metal from some horrific car accident on the street behind me?
(And just for the record, the three of us are Orthodox Jewish women... skirts, my two friends in long sleeves, I was in a tshirt and had the baby in his wrap and we all wore our hair covered - me with a head scarf, another with a snood and the third in a (obvious) wig).
Monday, March 31, 2008
Sunday, March 30, 2008
An office of monitors
This office* of feral monitors seems to have displaced the cats for rights to this dumpster.This particular office most likely started off domestic, but when their owners upgraded to purebred flatscreens, these poor monitors were released without a care.
* A pride of lions, a herd of cattle, a murder of crows, an office of monitors.
Friday, March 28, 2008
FITNA
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Today's Photo
One of the few things I'll miss with spring/summer more or less here, are the clouds. I think they give so much character to the sky...
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Today's Photo
Sorry for the lack of photos, but they've been of the baby for the most part... Here's today's.
Jerusalem is getting a light rail system installed throughout the city. At one particular point, it's supposed to go over a bridge and the City Planners decided a grand sculpture/ monument/ something or other was needed to decorate the bridge.
I kept hoping the winning design would look less like a giant erection once the steel cables were strung, but... to say I don't think "penis" when I see it would be a.. yes, you know I have to... it would be a phallacy.
Jerusalem is getting a light rail system installed throughout the city. At one particular point, it's supposed to go over a bridge and the City Planners decided a grand sculpture/ monument/ something or other was needed to decorate the bridge.
I kept hoping the winning design would look less like a giant erection once the steel cables were strung, but... to say I don't think "penis" when I see it would be a.. yes, you know I have to... it would be a phallacy.
Do we say "Shehechiyanu"?
As this is a new experience for us...
TC just got her initial paperwork for the Army in the mail today. She has to show up on May 21st.
You know it's weird. Here I've been so focused on the fact that when I was 16 1/2, I was a mere 2 years away from being married and 3 years from becoming a mother, I totally lost sight of what it means to be a teenager in Israel.
I don't think she'll opt for the IDF, but rather National Service (NS) which many religious girls choose to do instead of serve in the Israeli Armed Forces.
However rumor says that NS jobs are getting scarce and will only get more so since Yuli Tamir decided on cutbacks in the program and to have Arabs participate as well. Add to the fact that it's a two year service so companies and institutions are more prone to hiring girls entering their second year rather than first year young ladies, there's no guarantees.
We were also told that the way many universities work (although the person telling me this is in Bar Ilan), if you don't serve in the IDF or NS, you can't go to university. Period. Doesn't matter why you didn't do it, doesn't matter if it's through no fault of your own.
So. Yeah.
TC just got her initial paperwork for the Army in the mail today. She has to show up on May 21st.
You know it's weird. Here I've been so focused on the fact that when I was 16 1/2, I was a mere 2 years away from being married and 3 years from becoming a mother, I totally lost sight of what it means to be a teenager in Israel.
I don't think she'll opt for the IDF, but rather National Service (NS) which many religious girls choose to do instead of serve in the Israeli Armed Forces.
However rumor says that NS jobs are getting scarce and will only get more so since Yuli Tamir decided on cutbacks in the program and to have Arabs participate as well. Add to the fact that it's a two year service so companies and institutions are more prone to hiring girls entering their second year rather than first year young ladies, there's no guarantees.
We were also told that the way many universities work (although the person telling me this is in Bar Ilan), if you don't serve in the IDF or NS, you can't go to university. Period. Doesn't matter why you didn't do it, doesn't matter if it's through no fault of your own.
So. Yeah.
Friday, March 21, 2008
Today's Photo
Hubby, Babyzilla and our movie theme Mishloach Manot (click on image to enlarge).Purim Sameach everyone!
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Today's Photo
31.5 lbs of flour + 12 hours of work = 40 loaves of bread and 30 rolls.
And one exhausted me.
These weren't even for my Mishloach Manot. I made them for a neighbor and her daughter for their Mishloach Manot.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Today's Photos
I've been trying for weeks now to get a clear shot of this guy.Since he favors the far side of the pole, it's been difficult - as soon as he hears me coming he flies away.
But I managed to catch him today.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Where Pesky gets annoyed
My oldest is in Ulpana (girls' high school) in Beit El.
They are notorious for not providing Yishuv-to-Yishuv transportation.
Today is the last day of a 3 day trip and my daughter has just called me to let me know that while buses will be going to Eli and Shiloh, it will NOT be coming to Maale Levona.
We're talking a 15 minute trip up the hill and back down again.
Granted, it's for 2 girls, but that's not the point. How the heck are they supposed to get home tonight?
They are notorious for not providing Yishuv-to-Yishuv transportation.
Today is the last day of a 3 day trip and my daughter has just called me to let me know that while buses will be going to Eli and Shiloh, it will NOT be coming to Maale Levona.
We're talking a 15 minute trip up the hill and back down again.
Granted, it's for 2 girls, but that's not the point. How the heck are they supposed to get home tonight?
Monday, March 17, 2008
Where Pesky offers an opinion
There have been a couple of this which have been setting folks a'talkin' and like any person (especially a female, Jewish, mother formerly from NY), I've got my opinions about the buzz.
The first item is that whole top Haredi Rabbi banning Arab labor thing.
While I think it's a good thing, I also think it's about damn time. And it's a terrible insult to all the families of victims of previous terrorist attacks especially when the murderer(s) turns out to be a current or former employee of his victims.
But wait, there's more.
With all due respect to Rabbi Kanievsky, he further loses points because of this: Rabbi Kanievsky went even further, saying that Jews should refrain from employing any non-Jews, not just Muslim Arabs, and instead grant livelihood to Jews, unless there exists a huge disparity between the labor costs.
For those not familiar with how things usually work here in Israel, Arab labor is ALWAYS cheaper than Jewish labor, sometimes significantly so.
And finally, I see it didn't prompt him (or anyone else) to say that buying produce that is Heter Mechirah, rather than BaDa'atz (which comes from Arab farms - often in Gaza) should now be enforced.
The second tidbit that's got some folks waggin' their tongues is the fact that an Israeli court handed off a case to the "Sanhedrin".
Is it me, or does no one else see the potential for a lot of problems?
Yes, I realize that by passing off judgment to this "Sanhedrin", the Israeli government can then save a huge amount of face by saying that they gave the girl a chance at a fair hearing and that they are only following the judgment passed.
The thing is, they're giving authenticity to something that is not recognized by much of the Orthodox world. Every year, they're the group that tries to bring a Korban Pesach on the Temple Mount and every year they've been turned away. Wonder what will happen next month when they try again....
The first item is that whole top Haredi Rabbi banning Arab labor thing.
While I think it's a good thing, I also think it's about damn time. And it's a terrible insult to all the families of victims of previous terrorist attacks especially when the murderer(s) turns out to be a current or former employee of his victims.
But wait, there's more.
With all due respect to Rabbi Kanievsky, he further loses points because of this: Rabbi Kanievsky went even further, saying that Jews should refrain from employing any non-Jews, not just Muslim Arabs, and instead grant livelihood to Jews, unless there exists a huge disparity between the labor costs.
For those not familiar with how things usually work here in Israel, Arab labor is ALWAYS cheaper than Jewish labor, sometimes significantly so.
And finally, I see it didn't prompt him (or anyone else) to say that buying produce that is Heter Mechirah, rather than BaDa'atz (which comes from Arab farms - often in Gaza) should now be enforced.
The second tidbit that's got some folks waggin' their tongues is the fact that an Israeli court handed off a case to the "Sanhedrin".
Is it me, or does no one else see the potential for a lot of problems?
Yes, I realize that by passing off judgment to this "Sanhedrin", the Israeli government can then save a huge amount of face by saying that they gave the girl a chance at a fair hearing and that they are only following the judgment passed.
The thing is, they're giving authenticity to something that is not recognized by much of the Orthodox world. Every year, they're the group that tries to bring a Korban Pesach on the Temple Mount and every year they've been turned away. Wonder what will happen next month when they try again....
Today's Photos
There are these tiny red wildflowers growing around the house. In full bloom, they're almost as big as my thumbnail.
The Purim Story, Part the Second
2 Chapter Two -- The Beauty Pageant
Narrator: After a few months, the king finally ran out of wine. This was a sobering experience.
King: Bring me another bottle of Ravenswood Zinfandel.
Servant: Sire, all that remains is this bottle of Chateaux de Mille Dieux, scarcely enough for one day. And it will take us at least eight days to bring in more wine.
Narrator: And so a great miracle occurred. The king regained possession of what, for lack of a better term, we will refer to as his wits and realized that he actually kind of missed Vashti.
King: I miss Vashti. Oh, whatever shall I do?
Servant: Sire, we will arrange a great beauty pageant, and all the virgins in the kingdom will come and parade themselves before you.
King: I don't want to just look at them!
Servant: You marry whichever one you find the most beautiful.
King: But won't their parents have something to say about that?
Servant: You are the king, Sire. You can do that sort of thing when you're the king.
Narrator: And so a great beauty pageant was held. Girls from all over the kingdom were brought in, including Esther, a young Jewish girl raised by her uncle, Mordecai, son of Jair, son of Shimei, son of Knish. Fortunately, no one remembers the father of Knish, or this could go on all night.
Mordecai: And remember, tell no one that you are Jewish.
Esther: But Uncle, won't the king figure it out when I refuse to eat pork, keep separate dishes, and light candles on Friday night?
Mordecai: They don't say "King Dumb" for nothing, kid.
Narrator: And so Esther went to the royal castle to await her turn before the king. Meanwhile, the beauty pageant wasn't exactly going according to plan.
Servant: And what is your greatest desire?
Girl (in a high, overly cheerful voice): I want to be a veterinarian and work for world peace.
Mother-in-Law: She wants to be queen, you chowderhead. Why do you suppose we're here? And another thing, I expect my daughter to well treated. I hear the king gets drunk as a lord, and that's no way to treat a nice girl. Furthermore...
Guards remove mother and daughter. Mother continues diatribe while being removed.
King: That's the 432nd prospective mother-in-law so far. I don't think I can take much more of this. One more, and you're dead.
Servant: Have no fear, Sire. The next girl is an orphan.
Narrator: And so it was that Esther found favor in the king's eyes, and he married her and made her his queen. Meanwhile...
Enter Mordecai
Mordecai: Oh my, two plotters against the king. I must hide myself lest they find me. I know, I shall disguise myself as a tree.
Mordecai stands, arms akimbo. Enter Bigthan and Teresh, ignoring Mordecai.
Bigthan: The King is a fink.
Teresh: We shall poison his drink.
Bigthan: With India Ink.
Teresh: It'll turn him pink.
Bigthan and Teresh exit.
Mordecai: This plot surely does stink; I'm off in a wink, to tell the queen what I think.
Narrator: And so it was that Bigthan and Teresh were apprehended, tried, and sentenced to death by a jury of poetry lovers. Mordecai's name was recorded in the King's big book of "People To Whom I Owe a Favor, But Because I'm King I Can Forget All About It." Stay tuned for our next episode, "The Evil Wazir Was Here," or "Haman Eggs."
Narrator: After a few months, the king finally ran out of wine. This was a sobering experience.
King: Bring me another bottle of Ravenswood Zinfandel.
Servant: Sire, all that remains is this bottle of Chateaux de Mille Dieux, scarcely enough for one day. And it will take us at least eight days to bring in more wine.
Narrator: And so a great miracle occurred. The king regained possession of what, for lack of a better term, we will refer to as his wits and realized that he actually kind of missed Vashti.
King: I miss Vashti. Oh, whatever shall I do?
Servant: Sire, we will arrange a great beauty pageant, and all the virgins in the kingdom will come and parade themselves before you.
King: I don't want to just look at them!
Servant: You marry whichever one you find the most beautiful.
King: But won't their parents have something to say about that?
Servant: You are the king, Sire. You can do that sort of thing when you're the king.
Narrator: And so a great beauty pageant was held. Girls from all over the kingdom were brought in, including Esther, a young Jewish girl raised by her uncle, Mordecai, son of Jair, son of Shimei, son of Knish. Fortunately, no one remembers the father of Knish, or this could go on all night.
Mordecai: And remember, tell no one that you are Jewish.
Esther: But Uncle, won't the king figure it out when I refuse to eat pork, keep separate dishes, and light candles on Friday night?
Mordecai: They don't say "King Dumb" for nothing, kid.
Narrator: And so Esther went to the royal castle to await her turn before the king. Meanwhile, the beauty pageant wasn't exactly going according to plan.
Servant: And what is your greatest desire?
Girl (in a high, overly cheerful voice): I want to be a veterinarian and work for world peace.
Mother-in-Law: She wants to be queen, you chowderhead. Why do you suppose we're here? And another thing, I expect my daughter to well treated. I hear the king gets drunk as a lord, and that's no way to treat a nice girl. Furthermore...
Guards remove mother and daughter. Mother continues diatribe while being removed.
King: That's the 432nd prospective mother-in-law so far. I don't think I can take much more of this. One more, and you're dead.
Servant: Have no fear, Sire. The next girl is an orphan.
Narrator: And so it was that Esther found favor in the king's eyes, and he married her and made her his queen. Meanwhile...
Enter Mordecai
Mordecai: Oh my, two plotters against the king. I must hide myself lest they find me. I know, I shall disguise myself as a tree.
Mordecai stands, arms akimbo. Enter Bigthan and Teresh, ignoring Mordecai.
Bigthan: The King is a fink.
Teresh: We shall poison his drink.
Bigthan: With India Ink.
Teresh: It'll turn him pink.
Bigthan and Teresh exit.
Mordecai: This plot surely does stink; I'm off in a wink, to tell the queen what I think.
Narrator: And so it was that Bigthan and Teresh were apprehended, tried, and sentenced to death by a jury of poetry lovers. Mordecai's name was recorded in the King's big book of "People To Whom I Owe a Favor, But Because I'm King I Can Forget All About It." Stay tuned for our next episode, "The Evil Wazir Was Here," or "Haman Eggs."
The Purim Story, Part the First
Narrator: Good evening and welcome to the Book of Ester. There are many tales of how the Book of Ester got its name. According to one story, it was written several thousand years ago by an infinite number of gorillas. According to this theory, the Book of Ester was named for the leader of these gorillas, Megillah Gorilla.
Another theory observes that the Book of Ester opens with a description of a party that lasted for 180 days. As anyone who ever organized a party knows, this is quite a megillah.
In any case, our story begins with Ahasuerus, the King of Persia and environs, and 126 other provinces, throwing a party that lasted for six months. The rabbis are still debating why the party lasted that long; the most common theory is that the Persians had had their fill of Mede, and were trying to avoid a hangover.
After the big party was over, the king threw a second, smaller party for everyone who was still standing. This party only included everyone in Shushan, the Capital. At the end of a week of serious drinking, the king ordered Vashti, his queen, to come and display her beauty before the royal court. Realizing that she hadn't a thing to wear, Vashti refused.
When Ahaseurus finally sobered up enough to realize that he'd spent the night alone, he was furious. For whatever reason, it never occurred to him to ask wherefore this night should have been different from all other nights. Thus, he called together his wise men, the seven princes of Persia and Media to seek their advice. The princes of Media were particularly upset since they had lost heavily in the ratings when Vashti didn't show.
Poor Vashti was sent into exile with a giant honeycomb upon her head, for, so claimed the wise men, the law decreed that she who disobeyed the king must be exiled and bee headed.
And that was the end of Vashti's story until, so the Talmud teaches us, the Rabbis chose to reexamine her case and found her guilt far greater than it had first appeared. Let us now return to the days of that fateful conversation between those three great Talmudic Scholars, Rabbi Larri of Mysogen, known as the Mysogenist; Rabbi Josef of Chauvan, known as the Chauvanist; and Rabbi Moe of Saxony, known as the Saxist.
Rabbi Larri: Wherefore can one show that the sin of Vashti was, in fact, composed of two sins? For it is written that the refusal of Vashti was an affront in the eye of the King, but before the royal court it was said that her sin was most grievous in the King's eyes. If we may assume that the King had, at most, two eyes, then was her sin composed of two sins.
Rabbi Josef: How can one show that each sin of Vashti was as 32 sins? For it is written that the refusal of Vashti pained the King as the loss of a tooth, but before the royal court it is said that her defiance was like unto a kick in the teeth. Thus it was that her sins may be seen to be 32-fold.
Rabbi Moe: How may one show that the sins of Vashti are innumerable in number? For it is written that the refusal of Vashti was like unto tweaking the hair of the King's beard. But before the royal court, it is said that her defiance was like unto the pulling of his beard. From the use of the word "hair" we can conclude that but a single hair was meant, whereas the word "beard" alone implies all the hairs of his chin. As no man can count the number of hairs upon his chin, it can be seen that Vashti's sins are beyond counting.
Rabbi Larri: Unless the King had shaved recently.
Rabbi Josef: Or was too young to have a beard.
Rabbi Larri: Or had had an unfortunate accident involving a lawn mower.
Rabbi Josef: That would explain why he was always hanging gardeners.
Rabbis exit, arguing.
Narrator: The three rabbis went on to form a famous Jewish rock group. Surely you've all heard of "A Band of Evil Angels?"
What will King Ahaseurus do when he realizes that he's just lost his wife? Will he seek out a new queen? Find out in our next episode, "The Royal Beauty Pageant" or "Fine Silks and Polyesters."
Another theory observes that the Book of Ester opens with a description of a party that lasted for 180 days. As anyone who ever organized a party knows, this is quite a megillah.
In any case, our story begins with Ahasuerus, the King of Persia and environs, and 126 other provinces, throwing a party that lasted for six months. The rabbis are still debating why the party lasted that long; the most common theory is that the Persians had had their fill of Mede, and were trying to avoid a hangover.
After the big party was over, the king threw a second, smaller party for everyone who was still standing. This party only included everyone in Shushan, the Capital. At the end of a week of serious drinking, the king ordered Vashti, his queen, to come and display her beauty before the royal court. Realizing that she hadn't a thing to wear, Vashti refused.
When Ahaseurus finally sobered up enough to realize that he'd spent the night alone, he was furious. For whatever reason, it never occurred to him to ask wherefore this night should have been different from all other nights. Thus, he called together his wise men, the seven princes of Persia and Media to seek their advice. The princes of Media were particularly upset since they had lost heavily in the ratings when Vashti didn't show.
Poor Vashti was sent into exile with a giant honeycomb upon her head, for, so claimed the wise men, the law decreed that she who disobeyed the king must be exiled and bee headed.
And that was the end of Vashti's story until, so the Talmud teaches us, the Rabbis chose to reexamine her case and found her guilt far greater than it had first appeared. Let us now return to the days of that fateful conversation between those three great Talmudic Scholars, Rabbi Larri of Mysogen, known as the Mysogenist; Rabbi Josef of Chauvan, known as the Chauvanist; and Rabbi Moe of Saxony, known as the Saxist.
Rabbi Larri: Wherefore can one show that the sin of Vashti was, in fact, composed of two sins? For it is written that the refusal of Vashti was an affront in the eye of the King, but before the royal court it was said that her sin was most grievous in the King's eyes. If we may assume that the King had, at most, two eyes, then was her sin composed of two sins.
Rabbi Josef: How can one show that each sin of Vashti was as 32 sins? For it is written that the refusal of Vashti pained the King as the loss of a tooth, but before the royal court it is said that her defiance was like unto a kick in the teeth. Thus it was that her sins may be seen to be 32-fold.
Rabbi Moe: How may one show that the sins of Vashti are innumerable in number? For it is written that the refusal of Vashti was like unto tweaking the hair of the King's beard. But before the royal court, it is said that her defiance was like unto the pulling of his beard. From the use of the word "hair" we can conclude that but a single hair was meant, whereas the word "beard" alone implies all the hairs of his chin. As no man can count the number of hairs upon his chin, it can be seen that Vashti's sins are beyond counting.
Rabbi Larri: Unless the King had shaved recently.
Rabbi Josef: Or was too young to have a beard.
Rabbi Larri: Or had had an unfortunate accident involving a lawn mower.
Rabbi Josef: That would explain why he was always hanging gardeners.
Rabbis exit, arguing.
Narrator: The three rabbis went on to form a famous Jewish rock group. Surely you've all heard of "A Band of Evil Angels?"
What will King Ahaseurus do when he realizes that he's just lost his wife? Will he seek out a new queen? Find out in our next episode, "The Royal Beauty Pageant" or "Fine Silks and Polyesters."
Friday, March 14, 2008
Bonfires
Originally posted Wednesday, May 16, 2001
Thursday night was the start of Lag B'Omer (33rd of the Omer, the period between Passover and Shavuot (Feast of Weeks), when the Hebrew slaves left Egypt and traveled to Sinai to receive the 10 Commandments and become the Nation of Israel).
(In the time of Rabbi Akiva, who witnessed the destruction of the Second Temple and who was the greatest Torah Sage of his generation, twenty four thousand of his disciples died in an epidemic. The underlying spiritual cause of the epidemic was the students' lack of respect for each other. This sad event and others took place during the Counting of the Omer. As a result, the Omer period has become one of semi-mourning in which we don't hold weddings or festivities, nor do we shave or get haircuts. But because the epidemic was suspended on the 33rd day - Lag B'omer - Lag B'omer has become a joyous day of celebration.
After all his students died, Rabbi Akiva "started over" and began teaching other students. One of his foremost students was Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, the author of the Zohar. The Zohar, which means "The Shining Light," is the basis of the secret teachings of the Torah. Some people light bonfires on Lag B'omer and sing songs in honor of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, who revealed the teachings of the Zohar to the world on Lag B'omer.)
Anyway, Thursday night the settlement had bonfires...one special for the kids and then families did their own. My girls went to the settlement's bonfire, where they roasted hotdogs, toasted marshmallows, made tea and pita...and had a general kumzitz. At 10 p.m. I left them with friends and went to an 'adults' BBQ. We drank and ate, played records (remember those) of 60's, 70's and early 80's music and had a great time. I got home at 1 a.m. and my girls were asleep in their bed. I kept the dog out for the night and we all slept late since I didn't have work and the kids didn't have school.
My youngest daughter awoke with her usual strep/tonsillitis combo (actually if it's tonsillitis/strep, she may have them removed in the near future). She ran a fever all weekend and on Sunday I took her to Jerusalem to the doctor instead of going to work. We got back around 4:15, and my oldest came home around 5-ish.
At 5:30, my neighbor was shot driving up the road. His car was hit 10 times and he was wounded in the arm.
At 8:00, a caravan of cars, vans and trucks from the settlement made their way down to the spot where our neighbor had been injured. We left as cars filled, rather than as one cohesive unit so only the first 5 cars made it passed the surprised soldiers waiting at the crossroads. I was in the 6th car.
Those of us not able to pass blocked the crossroads and just stood around, talking. About 45 minutes later, the first 5 cars returned. I won't tell you what they did. Fifteen minutes later, a few cars from a nearby settlement came to lend their support. One of the guys told us that if/when the police show up, we offer only our name and ID number. Then he started talking about arrest, and prison, about judges and hearings. A few of the men from my settlement left at that point. I stayed.
I stayed because I'm tired of the apparent inability of my government to act.
I stayed because another of my neighbors was injured.
I stayed because it could have been me.
We decided to stage a protest the next day in front of the Prime Minister's residence, with our neighbor's bullet-riddled car, each bullet hole circled in blood-red paint, right on the lawn.
Unfortunately it was canceled at the last minute, as we were told the IDF went into the offending village and 'did something'.
Yeah, I saw what they did. They cut down three olive trees in a grove of 20. Whoopy.
If anyone is worried the men in those 5 cars hurt any Arabs, don't worry. They found a more effective way to get back.
After all, you can't make a martyr out of a cement and brick factory.
Thursday night was the start of Lag B'Omer (33rd of the Omer, the period between Passover and Shavuot (Feast of Weeks), when the Hebrew slaves left Egypt and traveled to Sinai to receive the 10 Commandments and become the Nation of Israel).
(In the time of Rabbi Akiva, who witnessed the destruction of the Second Temple and who was the greatest Torah Sage of his generation, twenty four thousand of his disciples died in an epidemic. The underlying spiritual cause of the epidemic was the students' lack of respect for each other. This sad event and others took place during the Counting of the Omer. As a result, the Omer period has become one of semi-mourning in which we don't hold weddings or festivities, nor do we shave or get haircuts. But because the epidemic was suspended on the 33rd day - Lag B'omer - Lag B'omer has become a joyous day of celebration.
After all his students died, Rabbi Akiva "started over" and began teaching other students. One of his foremost students was Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, the author of the Zohar. The Zohar, which means "The Shining Light," is the basis of the secret teachings of the Torah. Some people light bonfires on Lag B'omer and sing songs in honor of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, who revealed the teachings of the Zohar to the world on Lag B'omer.)
Anyway, Thursday night the settlement had bonfires...one special for the kids and then families did their own. My girls went to the settlement's bonfire, where they roasted hotdogs, toasted marshmallows, made tea and pita...and had a general kumzitz. At 10 p.m. I left them with friends and went to an 'adults' BBQ. We drank and ate, played records (remember those) of 60's, 70's and early 80's music and had a great time. I got home at 1 a.m. and my girls were asleep in their bed. I kept the dog out for the night and we all slept late since I didn't have work and the kids didn't have school.
My youngest daughter awoke with her usual strep/tonsillitis combo (actually if it's tonsillitis/strep, she may have them removed in the near future). She ran a fever all weekend and on Sunday I took her to Jerusalem to the doctor instead of going to work. We got back around 4:15, and my oldest came home around 5-ish.
At 5:30, my neighbor was shot driving up the road. His car was hit 10 times and he was wounded in the arm.
At 8:00, a caravan of cars, vans and trucks from the settlement made their way down to the spot where our neighbor had been injured. We left as cars filled, rather than as one cohesive unit so only the first 5 cars made it passed the surprised soldiers waiting at the crossroads. I was in the 6th car.
Those of us not able to pass blocked the crossroads and just stood around, talking. About 45 minutes later, the first 5 cars returned. I won't tell you what they did. Fifteen minutes later, a few cars from a nearby settlement came to lend their support. One of the guys told us that if/when the police show up, we offer only our name and ID number. Then he started talking about arrest, and prison, about judges and hearings. A few of the men from my settlement left at that point. I stayed.
I stayed because I'm tired of the apparent inability of my government to act.
I stayed because another of my neighbors was injured.
I stayed because it could have been me.
We decided to stage a protest the next day in front of the Prime Minister's residence, with our neighbor's bullet-riddled car, each bullet hole circled in blood-red paint, right on the lawn.
Unfortunately it was canceled at the last minute, as we were told the IDF went into the offending village and 'did something'.
Yeah, I saw what they did. They cut down three olive trees in a grove of 20. Whoopy.
If anyone is worried the men in those 5 cars hurt any Arabs, don't worry. They found a more effective way to get back.
After all, you can't make a martyr out of a cement and brick factory.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
And the song remains the same
Originally posted Thursday, April 12, 2001
Well, it's Passover and the good news is that for 5 days I didn't read/hear any news. I don't have a tv at home and I no longer have internet at home either. I can't listen to the news on the radio in Hebrew because I don't understand enough to understand the whole story. And just getting the gist of it isn't enough because I want to make sure that the bombing they're talking about was the one from 3 weeks ago, and not a new one.
The immediate area, thank God has been quiet-ish this holiday. Seems the Arabs are concentrating in the 'Gush', southwest of Jerusalem. Mortar attacks from the Arabs, the IDF retaliates by returning fire.
I'm sorry but this is really getting old, annoying...a band-aid on a sucking chest wound.
The week before Passover is usually a very busy time at the Shuk. People buying not just food but housewares for the holiday.
This year the week before was depressingly empty. Of course that week there were bombs and attempts every day and since the shuk is generally a favorite place to blow up, people were naturally afraid. The girls were already off from school and I had some chicken to buy, so we walked through the shuk and I did my shopping. The butcher admonished me and told me this was no place for children. We walked out quickly and went home. He was right.
The good news is, this week, the week OF the holiday, the shuk is crowded. It could be the increased security.
The shuk is an experience. It is an explosion of color, a riot of scents and a myriad of sounds.
Stalls of fruits and vegetables, deep green of parsley and dill, bright yellow of lemons, the gradation of rosy red tomatoes to brilliant orange carrots and citrus and the blue-black eggplants sit side-by-side with the fish mongers. Frozen salmon and tuna steaks sit in freezers with huge Nile perch fillets. Tubs of live carp, spraying water rest by cases of fresh fish nestled on crushed ice.
Scattered among the produce and fish stalls are the butchers (no live animals here) with display cases of chickens, beef and lamb in all their assorted forms (whole, ground, pieces), and an occasional turkey. There are also stalls that sell cheeses, smoked fish and a staggering variety of pickled vegetables. No less than 10 types of olives, 5 kinds of pickles, spicy pickled mixed vegetables, pickled baby eggplant (which are a surprisingly brilliant magenta), pickled turnips in a beet juice, pickled baby lemons (which look more like some gourd than a citrus) and pickled hot peppers.
There are a few stalls that offer fresh spices, quasi-burlap sacks of fresh teas and herbs, meter high cinnamon sticks and a large variety of dried hot peppers. Interspersed among the stalls are places to buy by the kilo dried split peas (green and yellow), lentils, 10 different types of rice and dried pasta of all different shapes. There are the bread bakers, where you can buy fresh pita and 'lafa', which are a cross between a pocketless pita and a flour tortilla.
And finally there are the housewares and clothes stalls...pots, pans, glasses and silverware. Dresses, shoes, pants and socks. Even shopping carts and oversized bags to buy to put all your purchases in.
There's nothing quiet about the shuk either. Shopkeepers, primarily the produce vendors, not content to write out on cardboard the price of their products, shout out their enticements... "Strawberries! 4 shekel a kilo!" (US$1 for 2.24 pounds) "BananaBananaBananas!"
Man, I love this place.
Well, it's Passover and the good news is that for 5 days I didn't read/hear any news. I don't have a tv at home and I no longer have internet at home either. I can't listen to the news on the radio in Hebrew because I don't understand enough to understand the whole story. And just getting the gist of it isn't enough because I want to make sure that the bombing they're talking about was the one from 3 weeks ago, and not a new one.
The immediate area, thank God has been quiet-ish this holiday. Seems the Arabs are concentrating in the 'Gush', southwest of Jerusalem. Mortar attacks from the Arabs, the IDF retaliates by returning fire.
I'm sorry but this is really getting old, annoying...a band-aid on a sucking chest wound.
The week before Passover is usually a very busy time at the Shuk. People buying not just food but housewares for the holiday.
This year the week before was depressingly empty. Of course that week there were bombs and attempts every day and since the shuk is generally a favorite place to blow up, people were naturally afraid. The girls were already off from school and I had some chicken to buy, so we walked through the shuk and I did my shopping. The butcher admonished me and told me this was no place for children. We walked out quickly and went home. He was right.
The good news is, this week, the week OF the holiday, the shuk is crowded. It could be the increased security.
The shuk is an experience. It is an explosion of color, a riot of scents and a myriad of sounds.
Stalls of fruits and vegetables, deep green of parsley and dill, bright yellow of lemons, the gradation of rosy red tomatoes to brilliant orange carrots and citrus and the blue-black eggplants sit side-by-side with the fish mongers. Frozen salmon and tuna steaks sit in freezers with huge Nile perch fillets. Tubs of live carp, spraying water rest by cases of fresh fish nestled on crushed ice.
Scattered among the produce and fish stalls are the butchers (no live animals here) with display cases of chickens, beef and lamb in all their assorted forms (whole, ground, pieces), and an occasional turkey. There are also stalls that sell cheeses, smoked fish and a staggering variety of pickled vegetables. No less than 10 types of olives, 5 kinds of pickles, spicy pickled mixed vegetables, pickled baby eggplant (which are a surprisingly brilliant magenta), pickled turnips in a beet juice, pickled baby lemons (which look more like some gourd than a citrus) and pickled hot peppers.
There are a few stalls that offer fresh spices, quasi-burlap sacks of fresh teas and herbs, meter high cinnamon sticks and a large variety of dried hot peppers. Interspersed among the stalls are places to buy by the kilo dried split peas (green and yellow), lentils, 10 different types of rice and dried pasta of all different shapes. There are the bread bakers, where you can buy fresh pita and 'lafa', which are a cross between a pocketless pita and a flour tortilla.
And finally there are the housewares and clothes stalls...pots, pans, glasses and silverware. Dresses, shoes, pants and socks. Even shopping carts and oversized bags to buy to put all your purchases in.
There's nothing quiet about the shuk either. Shopkeepers, primarily the produce vendors, not content to write out on cardboard the price of their products, shout out their enticements... "Strawberries! 4 shekel a kilo!" (US$1 for 2.24 pounds) "BananaBananaBananas!"
Man, I love this place.
They said it
Originally posted on Monday, April 2, 2001
Quote of the decade
"Stop being afraid. There is no danger that these guns will be used against us. The purpose of this ammunition for the Palestinian police is to be used in their vigilant fight against the Hamas. They won't dream of using it against us, since they know very well that if they use these guns against us once, at that moment the Oslo Accord will be annulled and the IDF will return to all the places that have been given to them. the Oslo Accord, despite what the opposition claims, is not irrevocable."
- -Yitzhak Rabin, March, 1994 on Mabat ITV, Channel One.
This and many similar remarks have mysteriously been erased or "disappeared" from Israel TV archives. How convenient.
Quote of the decade
"Stop being afraid. There is no danger that these guns will be used against us. The purpose of this ammunition for the Palestinian police is to be used in their vigilant fight against the Hamas. They won't dream of using it against us, since they know very well that if they use these guns against us once, at that moment the Oslo Accord will be annulled and the IDF will return to all the places that have been given to them. the Oslo Accord, despite what the opposition claims, is not irrevocable."
- -Yitzhak Rabin, March, 1994 on Mabat ITV, Channel One.
This and many similar remarks have mysteriously been erased or "disappeared" from Israel TV archives. How convenient.
And which bombing were you referring to?
Originally posted on Sunday, April 1, 2001
It seems that lately we need a scorecard to keep track of everything that's been going on here.
Last week seemed to be particularly bad.
One day alone, there were 4 bombing attempts, only one was successful and it killed a 14 year old Israeli boy and a 15 year Israeli old boy on their way to school. This was two days after Shalhevet Pass, the 10-month old was killed.
The day after her death, two bombs went off in Jerusalem, one was right in front of where I wait for a bus to go home. Only 3 hours after it happened I drove by...and you couldn't tell anything had happened. It was..annoying...and sad...We're so good at cleaning up after a bus blows up....
Wednesday, when the IDF shelled Gaza and Ramallah, I heard it...two or three faint...booms in the distance. When I drove past the outskirts of Ramallah the next morning, there wasn't even a building smoking...how disapointing.
The IDF may have to do something about the Arab town right next to the settlement I live in. It's become quite a hazard. Thursday, snipers shot at a schoolbus on it's way to the settlement. No one was hurt, but the roads were closed for a while.
I'm tired.
It seems that lately we need a scorecard to keep track of everything that's been going on here.
Last week seemed to be particularly bad.
One day alone, there were 4 bombing attempts, only one was successful and it killed a 14 year old Israeli boy and a 15 year Israeli old boy on their way to school. This was two days after Shalhevet Pass, the 10-month old was killed.
The day after her death, two bombs went off in Jerusalem, one was right in front of where I wait for a bus to go home. Only 3 hours after it happened I drove by...and you couldn't tell anything had happened. It was..annoying...and sad...We're so good at cleaning up after a bus blows up....
Wednesday, when the IDF shelled Gaza and Ramallah, I heard it...two or three faint...booms in the distance. When I drove past the outskirts of Ramallah the next morning, there wasn't even a building smoking...how disapointing.
The IDF may have to do something about the Arab town right next to the settlement I live in. It's become quite a hazard. Thursday, snipers shot at a schoolbus on it's way to the settlement. No one was hurt, but the roads were closed for a while.
I'm tired.
Just a quick note
I've changed a setting for leaving comments. Now you have to type in the random letters. I apologize, but I've been getting weird comments left with links and I'm worried about viruses and such.
If it continues, I'll have to go to moderated comments as well.
If it continues, I'll have to go to moderated comments as well.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Today's Photo
Sunset in Jerusalem yesterday. My younger daughter caught this yesterday with my camera as we were leaving my cousin's son's third birthday party.
Monday, March 10, 2008
Saturday, March 08, 2008
Today's Photo
Taken on our road trip Thursday. The Sea of Galilee, west side, at Ginosar which is a bit north of Tiberias.
Friday, March 07, 2008
Today's Photos
It is too beautiful a day to be burying our children.
Photos taken at Tel Shiloh (the Shiloh archaeological site). They have a women's prayer group meet there at the beginning of each Jewish month. Unfortunately most of the women were preparing to go to the funeral of one of yesterday's victims.
Thursday, March 06, 2008
Today's Photo
I've shown you the oil drum fields of Israel
and I may have also posted about the lightbulb greenhouses in the Jordan Valley.
Today I bring you the bag plantations of the Jordan Valley. Shown here are both the plastic and paper bag varieties.
Ok, you caught me. Those aren't bag plantations, it's one of the many banana plantations along the Jordan Valley. And since bananas are actually herbs, those really aren't trees in the 'tree' sense of the word. (Further down were fields of trees dried and dead. Come next year, new ones will have grown in their place)
So why are the bunches of bananas wrapped in bags? Well, bananas produce ethylene gas to ripen. By wrapping the bunches in bags, it contains the gas and the bananas ripen quicker.
and I may have also posted about the lightbulb greenhouses in the Jordan Valley.
Today I bring you the bag plantations of the Jordan Valley. Shown here are both the plastic and paper bag varieties.
Ok, you caught me. Those aren't bag plantations, it's one of the many banana plantations along the Jordan Valley. And since bananas are actually herbs, those really aren't trees in the 'tree' sense of the word. (Further down were fields of trees dried and dead. Come next year, new ones will have grown in their place)
So why are the bunches of bananas wrapped in bags? Well, bananas produce ethylene gas to ripen. By wrapping the bunches in bags, it contains the gas and the bananas ripen quicker.
Wednesday, March 05, 2008
Today's Photo
In a true, "only in Israel" moment, I give you... "Bible study booklets vending machine". As it advertises, daily learning for every Jew... AND an experience for the whole family!
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
Today's Photo
The aftermath of NS's new game - "dropping Cheerios one by one to the floor before Mommy stops giving me more".
On the plus side, he'd pick them up one by one in his right hand, transfer it to his left hand and then drop it over the side of the highchair.
When I actually started paying attention to him (which is probably what he wanted the whole time, bad Mommy!), I'd put my hand out under his and say "Can you give to Imma (Mommy)?", take it and say "Todah (thank you)!" I'd pretend to eat it and then give it back to him. A couple times he actually made a sound like he was trying to mimic my "Todah" and then he'd eat it.
Monday, March 03, 2008
Sunday, March 02, 2008
Saturday, March 01, 2008
Today's Photo
There's just something so delicious about baby feet. Especially when they're all wrinkled from a bath.
For the most part, the subjects of my "photo of the day" tend towards scenery (mostly things right outside my window) and my family (mostly of my 9 1/2 month old son since we spend our days together and he's there and mostly always a willing subject).
Until now all my photos have been of the scenery. Whenever my son is the focus of the photo I just haven't posted it because it's generally some adorable facial shot and well... I'm not sure I want to share that here just yet. So here's a compromise.
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