March 22, Shabbat Hagadol

Welcome to the latest installment in Passover in Israel series!  We embarked on our visit via Zurich, which is apparently a popular route for Montrealers coming to Israel; we shared the flights with no less than 4-5 other families that we knew, including the Matarassos. Drazins, Zukers and Yampolskys Sr. The advantage of flying through Zurich is that you get a break from sitting on a cramped plane (of course, we were in economy, unlike a few fortunate others); the airport is not huge, and the lounge is great. We are also told that there is a great play room for kids but we haven’t had the pleasure first hand yet!  The disadvantage, of course is that neither flight gives you enough time to really sleep. Since neither of us are great sleepers on planes (I can rarely do more than nap) the break is pretty welcome. In fact we did sleep a bit on the way, which makes the day go much more smoothly!

We arrived in Israel in mid-afternoon and schlepped our usual assortment of bags with personal stuff, stuff for the big kids (like Starbucks coffee and Tasters Choice), stuff for the little kids (clothes, toys), assorted Passover implements, and a few Passover foods you can’t find in Israel, like good mayonnaise, margarine, and a couple of other products that are distinctly North American. We also bring a whole assortment of home-made brownies and cookies, nut-free of course, to be enjoyed by all (allergic or not!). So, we packed a bit heavy, but will bring back less than when we came, so that is OK.

We took off for Netanya and started to set up the apartment. Since our kitchen is smaller and not widely used, kashering for Passover is not as big a chore as at home in Cote St. Luc. However, the annual “Shop for Pesach foods excursion” is never dull! Now, a bit of explanation about Passover customs. On Pesach, we don’t eat any wheat product that is leavened (bread, rolls, etc. ) which includes things with yeast or that have been allowed to rise more than 18 minutes. Eastern European Ashkenazi Jews have an additional stringent custom which avoids legumes and many seeds (called Kitniyot) which may have been grown with wheat in the fields; these can be used by Sephradi Jews from North African or Spanish origin. As we have explained in past years, back home the Passover sections as well marked and clear, and the vast majority of the products can be used by Ashkenazim, or are clearly marked if they contain Kitniyot. In Israel, the Passover products are not always clearly distinct from the regular ones, Kitniyot and Non Kitniyot distinctions are only found in the fine print of the products! So everyone needs to carefully scrutinize everything! Picture dozens of people in every aisle, jostling for position; and pouring over products to see if it fits your custom. Just a little crazy! We survived unscathed, and proudly came home to tell the tale!

Passover is a very special time; it is the holiday that celebrates the birth of the Jewish Nation, as we remember the Exodus from slavery in Egypt to the freedom in ancient times. And although this took place over 3500 years ago, we relive the events annually in the celebration of Passover. We eat Matza, unleavened bread, for 8 days (7 in Israel) to remind us that the Jews left Egypt in haste and did not wait for their dough to rise, we recount the story of the Exodus at the Seder, the festive Passover meal, and we integrate a multitude of symbolic foods and actions into the Seder to underscore the importance of the event. The key is to remember through education, which is the primary theme of the holiday. Next week we’ll actually talk about the Seder and you’ll see how it all comes together.

What’s new in Israel? Well, a visit from the American president seems to be causing a bit of a stir. The roads around Jerusalem are more heavily patrolled, the media is omnipresent, and there is a political buzz in the air. While we were in transit, there was a news bulletin that the Presidential limousine had broken down in Jerusalem. I guess they didn’t make it to Vickers (an in-joke from Denver; Google it!).   So far it has been a positive trip. He was (perhaps uncharacteristically) hard on Hamas, told jokes, was nice to Bibi, and even spoke Hebrew. The new “centrist” government may be more conducive to peace negotiations, but there still remain lots of questions: who do you negotiate with as long as there are two entities running the West Bank and Gaza? Also, although the Israeli government represents more ‘centrist’ leanings, the Bayit Hayehudi Party, which represents a more modern Orthodox Zionist constituency, strongly represents those who live in Judea and Samaria. So, things are complex, as usual. It appears for most to have been a ‘feel-good” visit.

We had a special visit Thursday night, with Monty, Daniella and Tali visiting and joining us for dinner. Tali is a very smiley, chatty 15 month-old, with lots of curls and terrific expressions! It was lots of fun to see them and we look forward to spending more time next week.

Shabbat before Passover is being spent in Netanya in the company of Ariel and Gilah, who have been co-opted to help us do the major preparations of the apartment. By Monday, Elan, Nomi, Shoshana and Shlomo will arrive, as well as Daniella, Monty and Tali! So we will have a full house and the holiday should be tremendous! Stay tuned!

We wish everyone a wonderful Shabbat and Chag Kasher V’Sameach and a Happy Easter!

A special Chag Sameach to our family, Len and Yayi and Co. in Montreal, Andy and Mara and the boys in Toronto, and my Mom visiting Roanne and David and the girls in Edmonton. Enjoy!

We wish a refuah Shlema to Zisle bat Bella

We wish condolences to George Farkas on the loss of his mother, Valerie Farkas.

We wish condolences to Joy Rothenberg on the loss of her mother. Hamakom Yerachem Etchem b’toch sha’ar aveli Tzion v’Yerushalyim. May you be spared further sorrows.