I must say that one of the advantages of blogging
is taking stock of my experiences, especially the “wow” moments that enrich my
journey and make my time in Israel all that more meaningful and impacting. If
anything, the awareness enhances my gratitude even more.
Here are my November’s highlights.
Ruthie
in Israel
My long-time Vancouver friend Ruthie spent
three great weeks in Israel. Her visit brought me much joy, fun and
entertainment. Her musketeers included her nice Michal, Yaffa and her friend
Yardena, and myself. On her arrival we went
to the movies to see the Israeli film “The Women’s Balcony.” The film tackled
subtly the issue of male religious dominance and the plight for gender
equality, but overall the footage did not impress me. I thought that at least these issues are
slowly coming to the fore, something that in the recent past would not happen.
I hope for progressive thinking, gender equality and a pluralistic Israel.
During Ruthie’s stay we visited Yafo, Holon,
and Ruthie’s childhood neighbourhood in Rishon Letzion, an experience that made
her very happy, especially when she connected with some of the neighbours that
still remember her as a child. One day, Ruthie, Michal and I had lunch at a beachside
restaurant called Pepe. Although the weather was starting to turn, we sat
outside and ate our meal as the sun was setting. I loved every moment.
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| Yaffa, Ruthie and I in Sarona |
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| Ruthie, Yardena, Yaffa and I in Yafo |
The most enjoyable time together was when four
of us, Ruthie, Michal, Yaffa and I visited Eilat. We got there by car, thanks
to Michal’s offer to drive. As to accommodation, Ruthie booked us a condo
reasonably priced. Driving through the desert was an awesome experience. I
never got tired of the golden sandy landscape. To my amazement, on our way to
Eilat we visited Timna Park, one of the most spectacular places in Israel. The
park has a fascinating history, as it houses the world’s most ancient copper
mines dating back to the time of Pharao Ramses of Egypt. The park covers over
60 square kilometers and is surrounded by three cliffs overlooking magnificent
landscapes.
In Eilat we met Ruthie’s friend Tziky, who
is a sailing master and owns two sailing boats.
Tziky and his wife Diane were very welcoming. The icing on the cake was when
Tziky got us aboard his sailboat to cruise the Eilat coastline. The scenery,
ocean breeze and good company were a gift. At the distance we could see the
Jordanian shoreline, the flag of Jordan wavering at a distance. I found it
incredible to find myself on the water and be able to see the Israeli flag on
one side and the Jordanian on the other. I realized how close Israel is from
its Arab neighbors. May G-d keep Israel safe, Amen, as the proximity is damned
scary.
In Eilat we had two great meals out, one
girls only, and the last night we treated Tziky and his wife Diane to dinner,
as a small token of appreciation for taking us on his boat.
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| Eilat Sunset |
The rest of Ruthie’s time in Israel was
sweet. She and I were able to find some alone time, reminisce about good times, and reconnect
in a meaningful way. Before Ruthie left
was happy to host the girls over at my home, making sure to serve guacamole,
the dip that Ruthie loves.
On the last Shabbat we were all invited to
Michal to bear farewell to Ruthie. I was happy to meet Michal’s husband Moshe
and their three sons. I felt amongst family. It was sad to say goodbye to
Ruthie, after such a meaningful and sweet time together, yet I was grateful for
the good times.
Family
Canvas
In my new home, I yearned for family
photographs. I wanted a collage, and rather than doing patchy work, I decided
to create a professional canvas. To lower the costs, I taught myself to design
it, with the guidance of an art shop recommended by my landlord. It took me a
while to learn the ropes of collage-making, but at the end I succeeded. I am
happy to share with you my creation, now hanging on my living room wall, a constant
reminder of my greatest joy, seeing the faces of my daughters, Carol and Nadia.
Completion
of Ulpan Aleph
The month of November was intense, not only
because of Ruthie’s visit, but also because my three-month, full-time Ulpan
studies came to an end. We had two tests, oral and written. In the oral we had
to tell a story in Hebrew before the principal of the school and a senior
teacher. I did well because I have never been afraid to speak. While I
presented, I shared with my examiners a Powerpoint titled “The Cats of
Israel.” In my story I discuss the
phenomenon of wild cats all over Israel. I state that these creatures reproduce
freely, own the city, and have no boss or owner to report to, a lifestyle that
goes against the vein of territoriality. They liked my story and the many
photographs of cats that I have been collecting since I arrived in Israel.
Before the written test, the Ulpan
organized an all day educational tour in Tel Aviv. The day started at 7:45am. I
cannot believe I made it, having to get up at 5:00am to make it by bus to the
Ulpan on time for departure. The ride was most enjoyable, as students from
various cultures mingled and shared a good time together. I sat with my new
friend Rose, an ESL teacher, born in Toronto, a citizen of Brazil and now an
Israeli addition. She is super kind, and we share a lot in common. The day was long and tiring, but very
enjoyable and educational. The visit
included the Itzhak Rabin Center, the Palmach Museum, the Independence Hall,
the Shalom Tower, and finally, the Yaffo Port.
https://www.touristisrael.com/old-jaffa-port-namal-yafo/1568/
On the last day of Ulpan we wrote a final
test. I confess I was nervous because the Hebrew grammar is challenging, and I
know that I have a long way before I can say I master verb conjugation,
prepositions, and even the passive voice (ughh). The Ulpan took testing very seriously. I
found the process formal and well planned.
Before and after the exam we had to sign in/out. During the exam we were
supervised by a representative of the Ministry of Education. I haven’t yet received my marks, but trust
that I did ok, after all. After the test our class had a party organized by the
Russian crowd. One of the students took it upon herself to bake goodies and
everyone pitched in to make it a festive experience, a Siyum (conclusion) of
many hours of Hebrew instruction.
Halleluya!
After the Ulpan I slept and slept. My body
needed to catch up on rest and relaxation. I really don’t like to hassle any more.
Berlitz
Two-Day Training to Teach English to Children
Before the Ulpan ended, I was urged by the
Berlitz director to attend a two-day training for English instruction to
children. She said that there was more and more demand for private English
instruction for children, and she thought that I was the right person. While teaching
children is not my forte, I thought that the more experience I put under my
sleeve the better prepared I will be to welcome future work opportunities.
Israeli
Folk Dancing at the Beach in Rishon Letzion
The last weekend of November was
particularly enjoyable. On Friday night Yaffa and I attended services at Ahavat
Olam, the Reform Congregation in Rishon, given that they had a musical Kabbalat
Shabbat. This happened during the forest
fire crisis in Israel, and acknowledging the devastation and loss of life in
synagogue was called for. I was happy that Rabbi Shiffrin acknowledged Yaffa
and even invited her to read a passage. Yaffa loved it and was grateful.
On Saturday we both went to the beach in
Rishon, as during the Winter months there is folk dancing outdoors. did
not know what to expect. The sun was still shining, even though the wind was
cool. I watched approximately 100 middle-aged people dancing under a blue tent;
the familiar and unfamiliar Israeli tunes, and the park-like beach setting threw
me into a state of romance. In the surrounding area, children played in
playgrounds, and others sat on benches to observe the dancers and take in the
last warm days of fall.
Barbara
and Michael Heller’s Visit
My friend Barbara Heller from Vancouver, a
magnificent weaving artist, also a congregant of Temple Sholom, alerted me on
Facebook on her upcoming visit to Israel in the hopes that we could meet. I was thrilled to see her and Michael on
their last day in Israel. I cannot
believe that they made time to visit before their departure. I enjoyed very much seeing them both,
learning about their plans to create a home-base in Israel, and catch up on
Vancouver and Israel news. I have much
admiration for Barbara for the magnificent artwork she is creating, loaded with
narrative. I invite you to take a look at her website. I think she needs to be
famous worldwide!
http://barbaraheller.ca/the-artist/
Thank God, the month of November brought
good endings and promised new beginnings.
The end.
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