December 5-12

With only 8 more shopping days till Hanukkah (I know there are actually 10, but 2 are Shabbat!) this period is just another of the amazing contrasts between living in Jerusalem and elsewhere. It is definitely unique to this city and a few other areas of the country. Interestingly, Elan and I were in Haifa 2 years ago in December, and the stores were decorated for Christmas in several areas, and certainly in Tel Aviv and other places there is more of a presence for the upcoming New Year’s celebration. Even then, compared to living in the US and Canada, with the proliferation of decorations right from Thanksgiving until weeks after New Years, with the Holiday music everywhere and of course with the cold and snow, it is really a huge contrast to be here. Hanukkah is very understated; there may be a display in a grocery store or a gift shop, olive oil may be in the main display, but there is very little else going on. The major exception is in the bakeries. As you know, Jewish Holidays are made for eating, and Hanukkah is no exception. It’s just that typical Hanukkah fare is a heart attack or stroke waiting to happen. Deep fried donuts called sufganiot are everywhere. They are stuffed with jam and powdered with sugar. And every place has dozens. Today I went the bakery were I buy our Challot and they had a huge display with a giant Sufganiah that proclaimed in macho fashion “Ours are the biggest!” I wasn’t sure if they were the biggest health hazard or donut. Places make caramel versions, chocolate, lemon cream, you name it. It doesn’t seem that potato latkes (pancakes) have as big an attraction in Israel as sufganimania.

We think we have gotten to know our area pretty well, and can pretty much navigate the streets on foot to get to most places easily. However, driving in Jerusalem, with its dead ends, one way streets and circuitous routes is another story. This was driven home particularly well this week when Our friend Robert (Reuven) Sutnick came to pick us up for dinner. Robert and Barbara live in Tekoa and we’ve been friends since they were a young rabbinic couple in Montreal. Anyway, Robert needed directions to get him from our area to the south of the city. After I sent him down 2 dead ends and a one way street, I thought it was better to just close our eyes and point. It could not have been worse!

Our week as usual had many highlights. Shabbat dinner was at the Inbal Hotel at the Israeli Allergy Society meeting. Honestly, if you are a Jewish allergist, you’ll always have good company. We hosted two ‘newlywed’ couples on Shabbat Fishel and Sarah Leah Stark and Gary and Charlotte Ginsburg. Phil (Fischel) and Charlotte are probably familiar to may of you. Ariel and two of his yeshiva mates joined us. We got together with Karen and Robert Goldberger on Monday, and saw a terrific show. Every year the Koby Mandell Foundation holds a series of comedy shows to raise funds for victims of terror. (kobymandell.org/comedy) They brought in 4 great stand up artists; two Jews (Avi Lieberman, no relation) and Modi, Chris Spencer and Mike Loftus. Hysterical. The crowd was completely caught up and falling off their seats laughing. Great fund raiser. We also found out that Elan and Nomi’s close friend, Sarah and Avi Lifshitz, had a little boy! So we have a Sahlom Zachar tonight and perhaps a brit on Sunday. I saw the baby at Hadassah when he came for a check up and he is very cute!

On the other hand, sometimes being away is not all it’s cracked up to be. As many of you may know, Monty and Daniella had a pipe burst in their apartment this week. It caused a lot of damage, but no injuries, thank G-d. We spoke to them a lot and of course our house is being well used as a temporary shelter, but felt bad that we could not help more. Kudos to the Wagner’s for flying in and helping out a ton, and the Fiters and of course my parents for providing shelter and a shoulder or two. Monty and Daniella sounded really composed and in full problem solving mode throughout; really impressive. Hopefully they will be able to join us here as planned; no doubt they need a vacation now!

It’s hard to believe that in just a few days the Fiters are arriving, then the Wagners, Mazers, as well as the Liebermans, Teitelbaums, Abitbols and many others…..Jerusalem will be inundated with friends and family to visit. We’re even seeing Yaacov Fruchter tomorrow. And in an amazing coincidence, Joel Moss has moved in on our street for his 10 month stint on the refugee board. Time is flying!

Have a great Shabbat and get that Hannuka Gelt ready!

Barbara and Bruce