Home in Tzfat

New Year 2012 in Safed

2012-01-01T04:27:00.000-08:00

My niece gave birth in Jerusalem and the brit was Friday morning. Thank goodness that I had the opportunity to take off Thursday -- I did all of my Shabbat preparations, even setting the table, and got on the bus on Thursday night to sleep overnight with my daughter who has an apt in Jerusalem. Having my cousins living downstairs from me is very reassuring in such cases -- my 15-year-old didn't

Safed Chanukah

2011-12-28T06:02:00.000-08:00

It's been a pleasant week of Chanukah. Very low key but all the kids were home in Safed at some point or another, so I enjoyed the pace and interactions. It always amazes me that after years of living on the edge of WWIII, my children not only get along but actually like each other, as adults/almost adults. We had a restful (and delicious) Shabbat -- I made the Khachpuri which I had been looking

Chanukah, o' Chanukah, come Light my Menorah

2011-12-21T05:55:00.000-08:00

For a relatively minor holiday, Chanukah always sparks (pun intended) something in me. I get a kick out of watching the glow of the candles (oil wicks don't work well for me) and imagining all of the mushy phrases, like "a single candle can light up the world." One of the nicest events of the holiday is walking around Tzfat after candle-lighting and seeing everyone's candles burning outside

Chocolate for the Dogs

2011-12-07T05:22:00.001-08:00

If my neighbor's dogs, whom he let out at 5:30a.m. this morning to run around barking throughout the neighborhood, die because some dog-hater left some big bars of chocolate sitting outside their gate.....well, i will have known nothing about it. 'nuff said

Hetro, Homo, Single, Double.....

2011-11-30T23:11:00.001-08:00

Someone posted this on FB today.....evidently this young man was raised by two lesbian parents and turned out to be the kind of young man that any parent would be proud of. Now I'm not exactly what you'd describe as "liberal." But it's pretty much escaped me as to why anyone would care what other people do in their bed. If they have issues about religion or any other theoretical or philosophical

Housework pays

2011-11-30T06:04:00.001-08:00

Swept out Hagai's room today and I found my lost gold chain! I'm the world's worse housekeeper but sometimes, cleaning a bit is worthwhile. Hagai had his ceremony today for the end-of-year-one-in-the-army. He's in the Israeli Army Corps of Engineers which, in any conflict, is the first group of soldiers over the border, as they are the ones responsible for dismantling minefields, roadside

Fire and Jealousy

2011-11-27T23:15:00.001-08:00

In addition to the regular round of requests for people who are going through horrible life situations (a father of a large family who can't work because he has to stay at home due to his wife's chemotherapy treatments -- how old could a mother of babies be?; a family of 12 kids that's always begging for money for the basics, etc)we've had two incidents of fires in Safed in the last two weeks

Lazy Days

2011-11-15T22:18:00.001-08:00

I'm taking a few days off this week, mostly to work on articles that I'm writing for web-content freelance work. Some of it is dry but I'm creating content for a new site now that's basically history, and it's very interesting. I spend, probably, more time that I should doing the research -- probably why I'd starve if I relied on freelance work long-term. But it's kind of fun. What's even more

New Immigrants

2011-10-27T09:51:00.000-07:00

I had to go to an office near one of the new supermarkets today. The supermarket is located near the Tzfat Ethiopian Absorption Center which, I had recently heard, had just absorbed several hundred new immigrants recently arrived from Ethiopia. So after I finished my appointment I went into the supermarket to pick up something, and the local ulpan (Hebrew language) teacher was standing next to

Gilad B'Bayit

2011-10-18T23:51:00.000-07:00

I could hardly function yesterday. I simply kept watching the news like everyone else in the country -- couldn't get enough of seeing the few pictures and video clips that they provided of Gilad Shalit. We have a Prime Minister who is not afraid to make hard decisions. And he made the right decision. Bring our captive soldier home and God will take care of us. There's nothing that we can do to

Post Yom Kippur

2011-10-08T13:10:00.000-07:00

Had a very quiet Yom Kippur. At the last minute someone called to rent the guestroom, so I went down to clean. Three loads of laundry later (hagai came home from the army so I had his army stuff to add into the equasion) and a lot of cleaning and setting up, we were ready. VERY nice young couple came, and since it was Yom Kippur they didn't eat there or even spend much time in the room, leaving

Rosh Hashana 5772

2011-09-27T07:30:00.000-07:00

Took the day off work to prepare for our 3-day no-cooking-lots-of-eating Rosh Hashana/Shabbat. when I started out today, I almost didn't know where to start -- there was so much to do! It's 5:00p.m. and, even after a half-hour nap, I'm starting to see light at the end of the tunnel. Ariel came up from Tel Aviv and took her sisters to Haifa to shop, so I have some quiet time to get everything

Eat, Love, Pray

2011-09-25T23:30:00.000-07:00

Am reading the book "Eat, Pray, Love." I'm right at the end, but by 11:30p.m., I just couldn't make it through those last few pages, so one more night should do it. Anyway, it's a well-written touching book and I can see how it inspires people. One particularly touching scene involves Liz "letting go" of her ex-husband. He turned on her in their divorce and all the venom came out. She (Liz)

Kupat Cholim Again

2011-09-25T00:56:00.000-07:00

Month go by, even years, when I don't step foot into my local branch of Kupat Cholim. The location of the Health fund office, right down the block from me in central Safed, is convenient enough that I can leave my house five minutes before my appointment (to which I walk). Which is lucky because, when I do need them, it seems as though it happens in waves. I've been visiting them almost weekly

Taking for Granted

2011-09-22T05:22:00.000-07:00

Just saw a video clip that describes how Jews smuggled shofars into the Western Wall area, pre-1947, in order to be able to blow them at the end of Yom Kippur, contrary to the laws of the ruling British. The British didn't want to anger the Muslims who saw shofar-blowing as a "provocation." They wanted to appease the Arabs and, in doing so, basically stripped the Jews of all rights. Jews end

Pre Rosh Hashana Thoughts

2011-09-20T08:39:00.000-07:00

Why is it that, just when you get yourself organized and stock up on grapes, which have gone down in price, all the family members who, a week previously, couldn't eat enough grapes, suddenly have no appetite for grapes. Peaches. Ditto. Why do I have the attention span of a puppy? ADD? Talk about a late diagnosis! Why, when you mention to someone that you'd like to do something different

2011-09-19T03:25:00.000-07:00

The number of guests houses in Tzfat exploded this year with several DOZEN opening their doors to visitors. The tourist business has taken off in Tzfat due, mainly, to private initiative. More and more properties are being bought with the goal of building and operating guest houses, small boutique hotels and other tourist accommodations. I should really leave my house for a year or two, rent a

La Kamsanita

2011-09-12T03:15:00.000-07:00

I periodically peruse the various websites that are devoted to saving money, looking for tips and ideas on how to save money.And I almost never find any ideas that I haven't been doing for ages.So here, absolutely free and with no kickback (affiliate advertising, they're called today) links or other thoughts of personal benefit, are some of my ideas for saving money.1. Give up the car. If you can

2011-09-12T03:03:00.000-07:00

You'd think that, age age 53, I would no longer be terribly concerned with what my mother says about certain things. Well, I am. And as time goes by, I see that she's very often right. One of my mother's most outstanding characteristics is her ability to keep her mouth shut. It used to annoy me -- you never really knew what she was really thinking. On the other hand, her ability to refrain

Meeting People

2011-09-11T01:08:00.000-07:00

In the last two week's I've left Tzfat twice, which is unusual. First time, last week, I headed to Tel Aviv to visit my daughter on my way to an evening wedding in Jerusalem. At the rest stop in Zichron, the bus left me while I was buying my coffee (I wouldn't have been the last in line if someone else hadn't pushed ahead of me, but that's me......wimp). I ended up hitching to Tel Aviv and my

Blood Pressure

2011-09-11T00:47:00.000-07:00

As Thursday draws to a close, I look forward to 50-something hours of homelife....catching up on errands, cooking nice Shabbat food (why not? I don't cook during the rest of the week) and generally winding down. This past Thursday my daughter, 24-years old and should-know-better, called me to notify me that she was about to head into the operating room for a nose-job. Partly medical and partly

Tel Aviv

2011-08-30T12:01:00.000-07:00

Trip to Tel Aviv yesterday to see Ariel, eldest daughter and one of Tel Aviv's biggest fans. I started off being impressed that the bus driver delayed the bus's departure while a young woman ran to the bathroom. That was nice of him, I thought. Ha. Halfway to Tel Aviv, we stopped at a rest stop to use the facilities and get some coffee. I was the last one in line to get my coffee (I wouldn't

Gam Zu L'Tovah

2011-08-30T11:51:00.000-07:00

I've spent the last few days looking for evening work to fill in the Demand Studios gap. And the more I look, the more I realize that Demand Studios was a complete, well, waste of time. There's plenty of work out there and it's a lot more interesting and fulfilling than writing articles like "How to clip your Boxer's toenails". Really. I guess that before, I was just resigned to making peanuts

Visitors

2011-08-25T04:06:00.001-07:00

My brother, wife and their two boys have come to visit for a few days. Really sweet kids, though I simply don't remember that kind of energy and endless....um....enthusiasm(?) from my kids when they were little. Maybe because they're too BOYS, close in age, but they're too little bundles of energy. The dogs, who have gotten used to a rather staid house of quiet (mostly) don't seem to know

2011-08-19T04:20:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I made a nice roast beef for Shabbat dinner in honor of Hagai's return from the army for Shabbat. He fell asleep shortly after candle-lighting and we didn't see him again until Saturday afternoon. So I froze the roast. This week, after 3 weeks, he was scheduled to come home, so I unfroze the roast for tonight's dinner. Yesterday evening he got a call to return to base because of

Home from the Army

2011-08-18T12:24:00.000-07:00

It's Hagai's first Shabbat home from the base in three weeks. He got home this afternoon and now, because of the terror attack in the south, has been called back to base. Aside from the disappointment -- his entire rucksack of clothing that he'd been wearing for the last three weeks is in the washing machine. Now what? I find myself unable to concentrate on doing anything whenever there's an

Chili

2011-08-14T12:02:00.000-07:00

Chili for the Frum Vegetarian 2/3rds meat 1/3rd vegetarian 1. Make your tomato sauce. One nice big sauce for everyone. Divide -- 2/3rds and 1/3rd. Set aside. 2. Boil red beans which soaked overnight. 3. Boil white beans which soaked overnight. 4. Put white beans in a food processor and puree. Set aside. 5. Find two more pots (actually, all these containers is the hard part) 6. Put your

Big Breath

2011-08-09T11:40:00.000-07:00

The Tisha B'Av fast ended and it's time for Ben HaZmanim, the big Israeli vacation time. And where does everyone come? You guessed it....Tzfat! OK, maybe not everyone. Some people head to Italy or London. But it certainly SEEMS like everyone comes to Tzfat. I'm hoping for a few good guest room rentals for the next few weeks. I have one more big job that really needs to be done on the house --

Strolling down the street

2011-08-07T04:27:00.000-07:00

And there I was, just walking home from work and minding my own business.....and I saw this guy. OK, maybe it was a girl.....I didn't ask.

New Business?

2011-07-31T01:23:00.001-07:00

So, I've been racking my brain, trying to think about something that I can do to add to my income. Anyway, I'm considering doing something on EBay. Maybe try to market some of the local jewelry? Set up a "Tzfat Jewelry" store and market some of the hand-made jewelry that the local artisans make. I wouldn't have to buy anything, just take pictures and, if someone is interested, buy the jewelry

Dog Days of Summer

2011-07-19T05:29:00.001-07:00

Tomorrow is July 20th, so I'm hoping that the possibility that we'll see the heat of last summer is receding. It's hot, but not unbearable as it was last year. Nevertheless, I did go through with my plan to put in air conditioning. So I'm ready for all possibilities.I went with a friend yesterday to the Beit Din. It was her last meeting with the Beit Din before conversion and I, as well as about

Old-New Olim

2011-07-16T15:09:00.000-07:00

A friend had a "50th anniversary of aliyah" party tonight and invited her friends to come and join her for a celebration. She came in 1961, a very different time in the country. I find it touching that people still want to come and live in Israel as much as they did years ago, when it still seemed "romantic' and "challenging". It still is, of course, and olim today have that same sense of

After a short hiatus.....(OK, it's been a year....)

2011-07-14T00:47:00.000-07:00

Not that I don't have things to write about, but I spend all my free time writing content for money....no complaints, since I just installed an AIR CONDITIONER yesterday in my house! Paid for by my content writing.On the downside, the content writing mainly concerns titles like "Roller Skating in Ekert Park Montana", "and "How to care for your muskrat during the summertime". Eh, what the heck, it

Development

2010-07-13T05:51:00.000-07:00

The building across the street from where I work is building, expanding, developing, constructing, everything possible to bring more tourists around to encourage them to spend more of their money. I give them credit....instead of the standard microcalligraphy and jewelry, most of which isn't produced in Tzfat, they have sculptures, herbal cosmetics and creams and a lot of Tzfat crafts with the

Schizophrenic Israelis

2010-04-20T08:24:00.000-07:00

Well, you know that I had to spell check that one, eh?There are a number of times during the year that I'm sure that the Jewish religion actively promotes schizophrenia. We have so many sad and/or somber holidays or rememberance days, followed immediately by days of wild rejoicing. The current month, to my mind, encapsulates the phenomena. First you have Pesach with seven (eight for all you

End-of-Pesach-Musings

2010-04-03T22:39:00.000-07:00

I am SO ready to not hear anymore "isn't there anything to eat around here?"I wonder whether kids whose families don't eat gebroichts (matza or matza meal mixed with anything) on Pesach are just better behaved, more tolerant or better eaters than my kids. Or, maybe they simply starve for the week.Best photo moment of the week was seeing an Arab vendor eating a matza sandwich at the shuk (open

Haiti

2010-01-18T13:28:00.001-08:00

My thoughts these days are rarely far from what's going on in Haiti. The people have gone through the hell of a catastrophic earthquake and are in the midst of a second disaster, this one won't end with in a few moments.What I also can't stop thinking about is why, a week after the disaster, the world rescue effort is so completely unorganized and inefficient. If the word "bumbling" didn't

Chatting

2010-01-13T00:21:00.001-08:00

Every once in awhile some of the birthright people who pass by the street where I work come in to look around. Yesterday I got into a conversation with a couple of them, twentysomethings from South Florida. Both are grad students, bright and articulate. They were having a great time on their trip but expressed the view that, if I'm repeating this correctly, Judaism is something that it's nice if

2010-01-04T22:45:00.000-08:00

This is Mica, a lovable mutt that was brought to us by my son and his then-girlfriend (now his wife) last year when they found her huddling in a bomb shelter doorway. They asked if we'd keep her until the wedding when they'd be able to take her. That didn't work well -- a young couple that's never at home can't do much with a young active dog, their landlord wasn't interested in having a dog

Musings on the first day of the new (Gregorian) decade

2009-12-31T22:34:00.000-08:00

I really like the way my house looks on Friday mornings when I come back from my errands. What I DON'T like is the fact that, to get it that clean, I have to clean BEFORE I go out. The segula (good luck charm, so to speak) of going to a gravesite of a tzadik (righteous person) for 40 days to pray really works. I did it this year and my request was answered, much to my surprise. Maybe a business

2009-12-31T00:31:00.000-08:00

Just saw this for people who are looking for help with marketing through Social Networking, or just administrative help with their business:Are you tired of tweeting? Wouldn't it be great if someone super smart could Tweet posts for you (just how you would post)? Good news--now you can have an American virtual executive assistant tweet your posts (and more) thanks to Secretary in Israel.

Wednesday mornings

2009-12-30T01:26:00.000-08:00

Made my regular shuk-walk this morning. I had originally said that I wouldn't go because my fridge is packed (new diet, lots of vegetables....sigh)but then I remembered that I need to get Gal some socks so I figured that I'd make a quick zip in and out. Ha. Half an hour later I staggered into work with all the stuff that I don't find (cheaply anyway) anywhere else....avocados, artichokes, green

Merry Y'all Know What

2009-12-23T07:34:00.000-08:00

I've lived in Israel for 26 years, and for 26 years December 25th (and all the craziness leading up to it) has come and gone and I hardly notice it. If I do notice it, it's to think to myself "wow, December 25th and I hardly noticed it"This year I'm doing evening work for an American website, writing articles. As I submit each article this last week, I've been writing to the editor who will be

Wednesday mornings

2009-12-15T23:23:00.001-08:00

I left the house this morning while Gal and Hagai were still sleeping. Louie had just come in from a night of carousing (Louie is the cat) and Mica and Jenny (dogs) were curled up on the couch. So even though I left at 8:00a.m., relatively late, I felt virtuously early. Is that a sentence?I did make it to the shuk (open-air market) first thing. I prefer to go in the late afternoon, after work,

Lights and Inspiration

2009-12-12T09:16:00.000-08:00

Never let it be said that people are not becoming more aware of health and the environment.Example: I went to the local bakery yesterday to buy donuts for Chanukah (a traditional Chanukah treat in Israel). This year there are baked donuts in addition to the fried ones, and the seller said that he's selling more baked donuts because people don't want to eat so much fried food. Example: I had some

Back to the Basics

2009-12-09T03:07:00.001-08:00

Readers of this blog might remember (2005?) that I did a successful diet several years ago, dropping about 15 kilos (30-something pounds). It was a weight-watchers plan which I was able to do on my own, since I have no time to go to meetings or self-help groups. I just got a copy of the plan and managed on my own.Over the last few years I see the pounds creeping back on, although I try to

Come Together

2009-12-04T01:54:00.000-08:00

The weekly preparation for Shabbat can be quite exhausting, especially when, like me, you're trying to please everyone (except for myself....unfortunately I'll eat anything). Shopping starts early in the week with a fill-up of vegetables that I don't find in the supermarket at Wednesday's shuk (open air market). This week I found some nice juicy artichokes which, thanks to writing in this blog,

Building my Website

2009-11-29T01:19:00.000-08:00

Website Building for BeginnersA Technological Novice If you would have told me, fifteen years ago, that I'd be able to work with basic computer skills, I would have laughed. For me, changing a light bulb is about as technical as I can get, and my entrance into the world of computer literacy was accomplished with much kicking and screaming. Slowly and surely, however, I became competent on the

Saturday Nights

2009-11-28T14:43:00.001-08:00

There are some habits that are hard to break.One of which is Saturday Night's bedtime. All week I wait for Shabbat to catch up on my sleep. So what do I do as soon as Shabbat comes? Sleep late, take a nap, and then on Saturday night....go to sleep at 2:00a.m. And what happens on sunday morning? I'm tired again. Go figure.The other ritual is food--I start out on Friday thinking "wow, I still

Payments

2009-11-01T04:13:00.000-08:00

Just saw this:The US Federal Trade Commission requires full disclosure in blogs, review postings and comment postings if the writer has received compensation, including free products. Failure to fully disclose can result in fines up to $11,000 per posting.So, I will declare now that NO ONE IS PAYING ME BUBKES TO WRITE THIS BLOG. My ramblings are uncompensated. Though, if someone wants to

Tzfat Stone Mezuzza Covers

2009-10-29T22:18:00.000-07:00

Mezuzzas and Kabbalah The Kabbalistic Explanation of the Commandment of "Mezuzza" The cornerstone of Luranic (Tzfat) Kabbala is the concept of “tzimtzum” or the concealment of the Divine Light. When God chooses to withdraw his light from the world a

2009-10-29T22:11:00.001-07:00

Cat is neutered. I've slept for two nights straight without being woken up by him and his friends "arguing" on my porch, on the wall of the yard or in the yard. Best 200 shekels I've spent in a long time. November hasn't arrived yet but the rains have, which is a good sign for our drought-stricken country. It's early to celebrate, but there does seem to be hope for the Kinneret, our

Tzfat and Mezuzzas

2009-10-29T21:48:00.001-07:00

Cats

2009-10-26T00:24:00.000-07:00

Seems to me that these days, whenever something happens everyone wants to let the world know about it. D'ja get up on the wrong side of the bed? Twitter it. Did you have an especially great peanut butter and jelly sandwich for lunch? Status update on Facebook.Three of my kids are my friends on Facebook (I'm actually surprised that they befriended me) so I'm hesitant to do ANYTHING there, besides

2009-10-18T04:46:00.000-07:00

I had been expecting my cousin for Shabbat. She and her husband, from Toronto, are in Israel for their first-ever visit. She's actually my father's first cousin. She has been in tons of places throughout the world, usually some far-off village in South America or Africa doing aid work. My father's whole side of the family is very into "social justice" and "human rights" and this cousin, now

Vacation Days

2009-10-08T01:39:00.000-07:00

According to my contract at work, I'm entitled to half of the intermediate days of the holiday as vacation days (Chol HaMoed). This year, Chol Hamoed is the whole week, from Sunday - Friday, so I get 2 1/2 days off. These vacation days are a problem, because I get used to getting up late, having my coffee leisurely, wandering around to the stores that I want to go to, making myself a yummy

2009-10-06T13:18:00.000-07:00

Succot. Succas all over the city, every walkway, every sidewalk, even on some streets.As one walks along the street, you pass by families who are eating their meals in their succas, kids who are playing games with their siblings and friends in the succas, and even sometimes you can see someone snoring away in their succa. Very different from America, where everyone's succa is in their backyard..

Afterward

2009-09-20T12:25:00.000-07:00

"Why did you make chicken? Nobody likes chicken except for you.""You need to move the furniture in the living room around. The room looks disgusting""Did you wash your hands before you made the food?"Who washed these dishes?"Are these sheets clean?""You could easily fix the enamel on the bathtub with a special paint"."There's so much wasted space here. I'll show you how to rearrange the

Erev Rosh Hashana

2009-09-17T23:09:00.001-07:00

1. Shop2. Bake baked goods (including b'day cake for Ariel and Hagai)3. get tofu for veggies4. drinks5. Bake chicken6. cube meat and cut vegetables for meat dish.7. grill red peppers for same8. make potato puff mixture for same9. cut potatos, sweet potatos, and apples for tzimmis. Season and bake10. Challah dough11. molassas cookies (since no one eats honey cake here)12. rice (sauteed

Rosh Hashana in Tzfat

2009-09-17T02:25:00.000-07:00

Rosh Hashana is tomorrow night, and the amount of shopping, cooking and cleaning that still needs to be done is staggering. One daughter is bringing her roommate (and the roommate's father) and another daughter may be bringing a friend as well. And, of course, my son is coming with his wife! I also invited some neighbors and friends for a few of the meals, so between everything, there's quite

If You Will It.......

2009-09-03T00:31:00.000-07:00

Theodore Herzel famously said, when talking about creating a Jewish homeland, "if you will it, it is not a dream" (or something like that....I get fuzzy about these things).I'm sure that that's not true 100% of the time, but I noticed that it worked for me, when I was faced with a dead bird in my yard the other day.I have to back up and say that of all the things that I find to be difficult to

Passing along emails

2009-08-31T00:10:00.000-07:00

I'm generally not a fan of passing along emails, but every once in awhile, someone sends me something that's especially worthwhile. The following message is one that everyone should take seriously:Please read!!!If you are an owner of a dog that belongs to a 'dangerous breed' category and you also have a child or a visiting small child please take this as a warning.Don't leave your dog with a

Resolutions

2009-08-30T00:57:00.001-07:00

For a full year, I've been using my son's upcoming wedding as a border, as in "we'll xxxxx After The Wedding".Well, the wedding has passed, and I need to regroup and:1. Diet2. Do some home repairs (I mean, com'mon, a bit of paint would make a big difference on the walls that have had posters torn off of them, and after that, I can worry about polygogging -- patching -- the roof. It won't rain

Mary Mary, Quite Contrary, How does your Garden Grow?

2009-08-26T09:04:00.000-07:00

In my case, it's not my garden that's growing (though the window box with the mint is doing nicely, thank you). It's my family, and not only are new sprouts sprouting, but old branches and tangled leaves are becoming intertwined with the trunk that we once thought that we knew pretty well.Growing up, my father's maternal side of the family was pretty tight. Seven siblings had come from Belerus

One Down, Four to Go

2009-08-23T02:20:00.000-07:00

So, did I mention how great the wedding was? I can hardly believe that it's over!To recap, my son, Avishai, married his young lady, Leibat, on Wednesday, at a lovely garden wedding hall just north of Tzfat. The couple organized everything, choosing the place, food, 3-piece group that played during the reception....everything. So I didn't know exactly what to expect, just that I was responsible

Wedding

2009-08-17T22:22:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is my oldest son's wedding. I've taken the week off to get ready. Most of the work involves preparing for the Shabbat after the wedding -- the bride and groom are leaving for a week away, but many guests will stay over and we'll do Shabbat together. So I've been madly cooking and freezing for weeks, and ony hope that everything works out well. I don't know if there's just so much to

Klezmer etc

2009-08-16T22:38:00.000-07:00

By Friday of last week, I was almost delirious in anticipation of a Shabbat when I could do zero. Between work (the 3 weeks following Tisha B'Av are the major vacation time for the religious public; August is the major vacation time for most Israelis, and Klezmer week brings thousands of extra people to Tzfat, where the Festival is held -- at the Tourist info Center where I work, I didn't stop

Henna

2009-08-07T03:54:00.000-07:00

I've lived in Tzfat for 24 years, and have heard, often, that so-and-so is going to a "henna". But I never had much of an understanding of what it was until last night, when my son's in-laws-to-be hosted a henna for their daughter and her intended (my son).We were invited to a local restaurant where we (the families of the hatan and kallah -- bride and groom -- took the obligatory pictures, and

Ah-h-h-h-h-h-h

2009-07-30T21:42:00.000-07:00

The culmination of the 3 weeks of mourning in the Jewish calender is Tisha b'Av, a fast day, and by the evening, when we sit down to eat, we really feel like we've been through the wringer. The last 9 days are no-meat days (not hard for us, because we mostly eat dairy anyway), no pool, no showers (for some -- we have never been able to get through that), no laundry......so right after the fast,

For Fun

2009-07-27T04:48:00.000-07:00

Sometimes, for fun, I make lists. Mostly they're lists of what bills need paying, but sometimes, they're wish-lists. I'd like to upgrade my computer (which I can justify, since I do a good deal of work there), upgrade my camera (not as justifiable, though if I tried I could figure out a way to explain it -- mostly it's that we have one camera that 5 people use, drop, lose, overcharge, etc),

Getting (and Staying) Organized

2009-07-25T15:31:00.000-07:00

A constant source of conversation among my friends is how to manage a household while working. I thought that, after 24 years of being a working mother, I had found most of the tricks of the trade, but an interesting book with some ideas and and helpful suggestions is JewishLifeOrganized by a "Jewish Organizer". A lot of it is common sense. I'd always prided myself on having figured out what's

Walking in her Sleep

2009-07-20T21:26:00.000-07:00

Every morning, I come to the living room with trepidation. Our still-technically-a-puppy-but-should-have-grown-out-of-puppy-like-behavior, Mika, gets busy at night, destroying shoes, my hats and scarves, and periodically other clothing. We've learned to keep shoes on a high shelf at night, and I'm trying to remember to keep my hair-gear away from her, but somehow, she often finds new projects.

The 'hood

2009-07-15T12:23:00.000-07:00

I was privileged to raise all of my children on a quiet street where they could easily walk to friends, to town, to stores....anywhere that they wanted to go. They all had friends in the neighborhood, and all of them are still good friends with many of the kids that they grew up with. My 21-year-old daughter in Tel Aviv rooms with a girl who grew up down the street from here, and my son, who is

Guests

2009-07-11T13:34:00.000-07:00

Shabat lunch guests were really pleasant and interesting....a couple who lives nearby, and 2 young women who are doing the Livnot program. One of the subjects that we touched on was the way that young Jews see Judaism, and Jews, in America. The girls spoke about what I've heard so often....young Jews see Judaism as boring, and see Jews as JAPS (Jewish American Princes and Princesses) who flaunt

Everyone gets to be a sucker sometimes

2009-07-08T12:20:00.000-07:00

When I made aliyah in 1983, the process was relatively easy and painless. I came with a group that was making aliyah together, and we were welcomed warmly, rushed through immigration paperwork, and met by a representative of the Association for Americans and Canadians in Israel (AACI) which made us feel rather....well, wanted.Fast forward to 2009, my 26th year, when aliyah from North America is

Klezmer Festival

2009-07-06T08:24:00.000-07:00

Every year for the past 10 years, I've unofficially translated the Klezmer Festival schedule for the city. I do it as part of my work for the Tourist Information Center which, while not officially part of the municipality, is run in conjunction with them. So I usually spend a few hours figuring out how to write the names of the bands and musicians in Latin letters.This year, I called the city

Birthright

2009-07-01T12:09:00.000-07:00

Spent a good part of the day looking down into the wadi, watching the forest fires burning. There were 3 different points, so it was pretty clear that it had been started by someone. The news also noted fires in other areas of the country....purely depressing. The one outside of Tzfat was put out by evening, but the destruction is awful. I had a guest who stayed in my guest room last night from

The Divine

2009-06-30T13:26:00.000-07:00

One might ask why I am awake at 11:30pm. when1. I'm tired2. I need to wake up at 7:00a.m.I decided to "get ahead" a little bit by cooking the Shabbat chicken early (Tuesday) and freezing it. I do that whenever I am organized enough to think about starting Shabbat preparations early in the week so that I'm not frazzled on Thursday -- especially when I know that I'm having company.I haven't

Return visitors

2009-06-27T13:26:00.000-07:00

I hadn't had guests for a Shabbat lunch for quite a while, but today we had a full table. Margalit invited several of her friends, and there were some grown-ups too for me....an old friend who came with his daughter and lady-friend, 2 people who are presently doing a Livnot-volunteer program, and a Tzfat neighbor.In the afternoon, I took the dogs out for a long walk around town. When I'm

Dog Days, Dog Nights

2009-06-25T12:39:00.000-07:00

Shortly after we moved to the Artists Quarter, we got a dog. Sparky was a little terrier that I found wandering outside the city, and I brought her home. We became the only people in the neighborhood with a dog, and our reputation was "the family with a dog".Fast forward 20 years, when there are more people around here with dogs than not. Aside from our two (Sparky and her sidekick Angora are

Swine Flu

2009-06-21T22:33:00.002-07:00

Sometimes, I can't believe what a baby I am. Yesterday I felt lousy, and the lousy feeling increased as the day wore on. Fluey, you know. Feverish, stomach churning, no energy, achey.....in short, I had the flu.Which, when you read it, sounds like "ho hum". Except that when you're used to feeling fairly good and energetic, like I am, is kind of a sign that the world is ending. By the evening

Wednesday Wednesdays

2009-06-14T10:34:00.000-07:00

I suppose that everyone has certain rituals that they get stuck with.I shower in the evenings, never the morning. I look forward to my main meal of the day in the evening, rather than the afternoon -- that's how it was when i was growing up. And every Wednesday morning, when i wake up, my first thought is 'shuk day'. A 'shuk' is an open-air market, and Safed's shuk runs every Wednesday, rain

City of Kabbalah

2009-06-07T12:13:00.000-07:00

The three most common questions that I'm asked, as coordinator of the Tourist Center of Tzfat, are:1. Where are the bathrooms2. What is there to see here?3. Are you a Kabbalist?The first 2 are pretty straightforward. The bathrooms are down the street, up the stairs, and to the left. Sites to see are noted on the map. And "am I a Kabbalist?" Well, no, not at all, really. I understand

Puppy Mill

2009-06-05T07:28:00.000-07:00

Tzfat seems to have a different sort of puppy mill...at least in my neighborhood, where the proliferation of formerly-abandoned dogs who now have homes has skyrocketed over the past year.At one time, we were the only family on the street with a dog, Sparky (z"l), who we found while driving out near the Ein Zeitim park one afternoon. Sparky was rather a curiosity, a lively terrier-type who

Website Building for Dummies

2009-05-25T03:27:00.000-07:00

LunarPagesIf you would have told me, fifteen years ago, that I'd be able to work with basic computer skills, I would have laughed. For me, changing a light bulb is about as technical as I can get, and my entrance into the world of computer literacy was accomplished with much kicking and screaming. Slowly and surely, however, I became competent on the computer, learning to navigate the internet

The Omer

2009-05-18T12:02:00.000-07:00

The 50-day period between Passover and Shavouth holidays is almost over, and it's time to start thinking about Shavouth, my favorite holiday.I usually fall asleep before the traditional all-night learning takes place, but the idea is wonderful, and I love hearing people walk up and down the street on their way to classes, and hearing my own kids coming in late after learning a bit. I enjoy the

Mid-May

2009-05-15T06:06:00.000-07:00

Up until now, the weather has been a cool spring, but this week, a bit of heat crept in. Nothing to make it seem like mid-summer, but a reminder that it's not far away, and arrangements have to be made soon for pool usage. We have a hotel nearby, the Rimonim Hotel, with a pool, and the last few years I bought a summer subscription for the kids (I don't really swim, though if thrown into the

Lag B'Omer 2

2009-05-12T12:35:00.000-07:00

Lag B'Omer ended this evening. The city was filled with the spillover from Meron....many of the quarter-million visitors who made their way to Mt. Meron, the traditional spot for pilgrimages on this day, spent some time in Tzfat. The day begins with a huge parade in Tzfat, when the Torah scroll is taken from the Abu home and danced to the bus station, where it is bussed to Meron. This is a

Lonely Planet

2009-05-10T12:13:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow night is Lag B'Omer, a holiday which has become a huge celebration in recent years. The festivities mainly center on the nearby mountain settlement of Mt. Meron (the burial site of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai) with the spillover arriving in Tzfat.Rabbi Shimon is believed to have written the Zohar, the Kabbalistic book which sets out the basics of Jewish mysticism. His tomb is a pilgrimage

A Wave of Thefts

2009-05-09T14:31:00.000-07:00

The local papers reported this week that supermarkets have geared up for a wave of thefts. Of what, one might ask? Well, the Lag B'Omer holiday is coming up in a few days, and this is the time of year when little firebugs throughout the country have a field day -- bonfires are lit in every neighborhood, in every apartment complex, on every street corner, in every park, and everywhere where a

Raising a Family -- no work at all

2008-12-29T00:35:00.000-08:00

Since I was recently told that I really don't have too much to do as a single mother, since 2 of my kids are older (one in the army, aged 19, and the second living at home after the army before he starts university next year) and the "minors" really don't take any of my time, I thought that I'd just list a short itinerary of my day. Just kvetching:BEFORE 8:00a.m.1. Get up, get dressed, make up

Family comin' out of our ears!

2008-04-08T05:44:00.000-07:00

There have been years when no family members came...now, in the past 2 weeks, three different cousins have been/are/will be in Israel. When it rains.....One cousin was on an organized tour and didn't have time to spend with me, so I didn't travel to Jerusalem, as I had thought to do, but hopefully, I'll see her in the States if I go for my niece's wedding in June. The second came with his

2008-04-01T12:08:00.000-07:00

Every day, there seems to be more to do than the day before. Sometimes, it's overwhelming, everything that needs to be taken care of, before I start work at 8:00a.m. (today, i got dinner ready before I left for work) and after 17:00, when I come home (today, I finished cleaning the oven and stovetop by 20:00, a job that I dread every year). And every day, there seems to be some items that need

Slush

2008-01-31T08:30:00.001-08:00

The snow has turned to slush, but the day was terrific for the kids. First of all, they were off school, which is always a treat. Secondly, it was a lot of fun for them to head outside to the snow. Hagai went up to the Metzuda, the Citadel, to build a snowman and hang out with his friends. Yochi ventured out to the yard for a few photos, which was enough for her. And Margalit and her gang spent

snow in Tzfat

2008-01-31T05:00:00.000-08:00

Happy Tree Birthday

2008-01-21T11:39:00.000-08:00

OK, I know that these missives are boring, but sometimes, I just have to vent.Woke up at 6:30a.m. Washed the kitchen/living room floor. Woke up Yochi and Margalit. Made myself food for work. Went to work. Worked till 4:00p.m. Stopped at 4 different shops on the way home for things that we need. Came home, washed the downstairs, went to the shops in the southern part of the city for some

cookies enabled

2007-12-18T21:47:00.000-08:00

JoeyI 'd unsuccessfully to upload the video on the previous blog, but was unable to....the message that I kept getting was that my "cookies" were disabled. I often think that I'm several cookies short of a full batch, but still.....I thought that I had advanced enough in my knowledge of computers to stick a video on a blog!Turns out that "cookies" are a device that internet uses to track your web

Chanukah

2007-12-13T09:56:00.000-08:00

Another rainy Shabbat is forecast. No complaints, especially since I don't have to move from the house all Shabbat, so if its going to rain, Shabbat is the best day. I have to keep my eye on the weather forecast because every time rain is expected, we have to take our lightbulb out of the fixture in the living room, which is where it leaks into the house. We've tried numerous times to fix it,

Guests

2007-11-22T22:19:00.000-08:00

Started out Thursday with no Shabbat guests....by Thursday night, I had 3. It's always so much fun to anticipate guests, especially those that I know are fun and good conversationalists. It makes the cooking go a lot easier. Lately, I've been innundated with all sorts of e-mails that give websites for "how to save money". I always look, because, well, I'm always interested in saving some money

Delivery

2007-11-22T10:23:00.001-08:00

I ordered some more shirts so that I'd have a supply of all shirts, all sizes. Even though I only sell about 1 a week....I'm ever optimistic. Anyway, the delivery service called the house yesterday to see if I'd be home, and Avishai answered. The delivery guy asked him if someone would be home 2 hours from then, and Avishai didn't think to tell them to come to me at work...he just said that no