Living the Dream, Israel 2016 - 2018: January 2017

December 2016 Highlights

I can’t believe January is gone! I seem to be running behind the calendar, especially when it comes to sitting down to write my Israel experiences. Writing requires an alert and calm mind, a creative mood, and most importantly, a commitment to ignore and avoid distractions. Having all three ingredients for the letter soup is a strike of good fortune, a momentum that can deflate like a balloon if I don’t tie the knot tightly. For some reason, my mind resists certain activities, almost as if it prefers to wander without direction, rather than focus on a task that requires reflection. When I finally sit down to write, I ask myself – “what was the big fuss all about?” As my thoughts start coming together, I start experiencing the pleasure of reliving my experiences, identifying what was meaningful, and, in anticipation, enjoying the communion with my readers, especially those of you who are keen on getting a glimpse of my world.

Here is a summary of my December highlights.

Winter in Israel

I am cold! I did not anticipate Israel being this cold in the winter. During the summer months I could not envision wearing sweaters and coats ever in Israel. As soon as November ended, the cold hit me at night as I tried to cozy up in my apartment. I had a couple of sleepless nights waking up to get yet another layer of clothes. I quickly realized that I did not come to Israel prepared with a good winter pajamas socks, blanket, sleepers, etc. My basement suite was so cold... brrr... that I almost ran out to buy an electric heater. Luckily, when I ran into my landlord, he pointed out that the same magic air conditioning machine that throws cold air in the summer (masgan in Hebrew), heats up air in the winter. Oh my! That was the best news of my week. By then I had already bought myself fleece pajamas and socks that are far from sexy looking. Who cares, I was finally able to sleep and enjoy my evenings, at times listening to the wind and the rain. One night a thunderstorm woke me up. The thunder and lightning was pretty dramatic, as if the sky was trying to crack open and G-d was angry at the world. Interestingly, I did not feel scared. I listened trusting Him, bundled in, as an animal in winter that knows it has safe shelter. It is now almost the end of January and the temperature is still low for this part of the world, but during the day the sun is out and sitting under it makes me feel immersed in a bath of life. However, when the sun goes down, temperatures drop and people run indoors. Today I heard the rain pounding on the ground, a sound that keeps me in and gives me a sense of sweet hibernation. When it rains hard, the roads get inundated, and drivers pass by flushing water all over. One thing is for sure; the rain does not stop Israelis from going to malls and filling up restaurants and cafes. Umbrellas sell like hot cakes, and on the street I spot a display of coats, hats, mittens, umbrellas and scarves in stores and on people. Whereas in Vancouver one tends to have too many clothes for the short months of summer, in Israel people tend to buy too many clothes for the short months of winter, apparently, never more than three. Above all, women try to keep up with the fashion, more than with the season. The Israeli rain is strong, constant and cleansing. The morning after the sun always comes out again.

Nefesh b’Nefesh Tour of Sarona

In early December I joined the Tour of Sarona organized by Nefesh b’Nefesh, the organization that supports potential Olim (immigrants to be), and new Olim (immigrants that are already here, like me.) I love Sarona. I have been there numberless times, but I had never explored its rich history by means of a tour. The visit included a catered lunch from a Café called “Roladin” (great baking and coffee), followed by a guided tour of the Sarona Museum, and the Sarona wineries and cellars. The history of Sarona is quite remarkable, dating back 140 years.

https://www.touristisrael.com/sarona-tel-aviv/13761/

http://www.roladin.co.il/

The tour changed the way I look at the place now. Besides it being a desirable tourist location, it is a landmark that holds a part of Israel’s history, its independence and its survival. I can say that after the tour I got to appreciate it more, in the same manner that one discovers another person’s good attributes, many that can get lost in translation when we fail to focus our attention in the other. In the tour I met a nice couple from South Africa who invited me to visit their home in Zichron Ya’acov (I have not followed up yet), and Francine, a pleasant English woman, also my contemporary, with whom I have connected and recently visited the Tel Aviv Museum of Art.

Berlitz Spanish, Level 1 Graduation

On December 26^th, while my Vancouver community was enjoying Boxing Day, I taught my last class of Level 1 Spanish at Berlitz. Like always, I over-extended myself. I made guacamole for my students, which took time and effort to prepare and carry on the train to Tel Aviv, and was disappointed when only two (out of 6) students showed up. Regardless, I completed a cycle and felt proud of my first teaching experience in Israel. Believe me, things work different here, and I consider myself a good trooper surviving in this culture by learning to go with the flow, even though shocking behaviours. I learned that in Israel, informality is the name of the game, and having expectations can lead to tremendous disappointment. “It is never about me,” I tell myself every time I am about to utter an ugly word.

Article Published in Jerusalem Online
I could not believe it when Jerusalem Online published my article in the blog, op-ed section. I truly enjoyed writing it and did not anticipate it being so well received by many. The positive feedback I got from many acted like fertilizer to my expressive soil. There is nothing more fulfilling than doing something and seeing it come to fruition. Here is the link.
http://www.jerusalemonline.com/blogs/violeta-esquinazi/op-ed-israel-and-aliyah-a-match-made-in-heaven-25261

Hanukah Home Celebration in Israel and in Canada

During Hanukah I had the pleasure to host my wonderful friends, Dvora and Eli, and Miriam and Avi, as well as Yael, our young, beautiful and inspiring friend, who speaks Spanish and decided to make Israel her home. The evening was filled with great chatter, memories, laughter and sharing. I regretted not taking photos, as I was too distracted being the hostess and did not have my beautiful daughters to give me a hand, like they always do in Vancouver when I have guests.

The beautiful thing is that Nadia honoured the family tradition inviting several of our friends over. It warmed my heart to know that my little hostess took on such a big responsibility on her own and entertained single-handedly several friends who later raved about the food and the good time. Her natural hospitality and joie de vivre is always a blessing.

Trip to Jerusalem with Sucat Shalom

For the last lights of Hanukah I joined a retreat in Jerusalem organized by an Englishman whose divorce inspired him to found Sucat Shalom, an organization that targets Jewish singles. I had tried to join Sucat Shalom’s previous retreats in Hertzelia and then Tzfat, but didn’t because I deemed them too costly. While I made the most of it, I was very disappointed with the retreat. We were mostly women, program planning was mediocre, and the food terrible, and overall I felt that the organizer was taking advantage of his guests, charging them a lot and giving so little. The best part was visiting a Moshab in the hills of Jerusalem and getting a private tour by the owner, who worked the land from scratch and built his own farm where we saw a newborn goat, as well as other farm animals. In the farm there were lots of fruit trees, and we ate mandarins (clementinas in Hebrew) off the tree. We also visited the Moshab's synagogue, where a handful hold regular services. Unlike other synagogues in the big city, this one spoke of humility and raw spirituality. The hills of Jerusalem are uniquely expansive both to the eye and the soul. It was an experience after all, and I am grateful to the two women who hosted me overnight without hesitation. Oh my! Jerusalem was wet and cold and during Shabbat and we had to walk several kilometers. Believe me, I was happy to come home.

Debbie Havusha in Israel (Nov through Jan)

I must say that my unexpected connection with Debbie during her Israel visit brought me tremendous joy. I have known Debbie for over 25 years, and have always admired and respected her for her leadership, stamina and energy in the community. Debbie’s name in the Jewish community is well known, not only because she and her husband Yossi launched the much needed Yossilinks network that keeps the community in synch, but also because Debbie made strong waves advocating for individuals with special needs. She launched a transformative awareness campaign, vis-à-vis those who are created differently, and in my opinion her work enhanced community awareness and influenced the provision of programs, resources and networking support for individuals with learning differences in the Lower Mainland.

It all started the day that Debbie, Yaffa and I met for lunch at a trendy café in Neve Tzedek called Suzana. From that point on, our connection rode on wheels, or better said, it flowed like a river.

At Debbie’s suggestion during Hanukah we travelled to Tzfat with her cousin Arlene and her daughter Dalia. Arlene was a trooper driving to Tzfat, and getting us safe and sound to our destination on an unusually stormy, windy and wet morning. All of us stayed at Ascent, the Kabbalah Center that offers affordable accommodation, classes, friendship and inspiration. The stay was wonderful, in spite of the rainy weather, the frozen bedroom and the off-season, low-key atmosphere over the hills of mystical Tzfat. While Arlene returned a day early, Debbie and I attended several engaging classes and mingled with like-minded individuals. We were also lucky to get invited to the home of Rebbetzin Haya Bracha Leiter, founder of Ascent, whom I had met in my previous summer visits. The idea was to join a group of young women, coming together to make homemade sufganiot (doughnuts), under the guidance of the Rebbetzin. Debbie and I were invited for dinner ahead of the doughnut-making frenzy, and when the young women arrived I could not believe how the hostess could remain so calm when she entertained 20+ women. Imagine all these women hanging out in her large kitchen, taking turns to fry their own batch of dough using different fillings and toppings. During the evening Chaya Bracha led a sharing of light circle. As the women shared a glimpse of their heart, Debbie and I exchanged looks of awe and inspiration, for we were hearing an outpour of life journeys, joys, sorrows and tremendous insights. We felt blessed to be part of the experience.

Debbie and I share our love for Israel, Jewish learning, family and community, so it is no wonder that we see eye to eye. I am grateful for having met Arlene, Debbie’s cousin, also a Canadian, who now lives in Israel, and I believe that we too share a lot in common. Arlene is a lovely person, gentle, intelligent and sensitive, and I look forward to spending time with her.

Before her departure, Debbie organized a little get together in her daughter's cozy apartment. I had the pleasure to meet the twins, Shani and Sivan, and Sivan's boyfriend, as well as other relatives. The day before Debbie left Israel, Debbie, Arlene and I visited Beit Hatfutsot, the Museum of the Jewish People, another of my favourite attractions. I thought this was a lovely way for Debbie to say “au revoir” to Israel. When Debbie left I felt sad, yet happy for having connected with her in such a meaningful way. G-d bless Debbie on her journey.