Shabbat January 23-24

Well, we roared into Shabbat last week with Nadav and Aryeh in tow, having crossed the country to bring them from Efrat to Netanya. The drive is as little as 1hr 22 minutes, and as long as 3 hours  😒  depending on the highway traffic. Fortunately, Friday is the quietest day of the week, as people are preparing for Shabbat, so driving was relatively painless. We were invited to Friday night dinner at Lori and Alvan’s down the block and then came home to play rummy cue, read books and spend quality time. Shabbat morning, we attended our local synagogue (with Nadav leading part of the service!) and came home for a great lunch and more games and a walk. Saturday night was movie night with our world famous Mac and Cheese, made with Bothwell’s aged Canadian Chedder! No complaints on any count. 

One of the purposes of the Shabbat away with the boys was to give them a day with grandparents, so we had them “play hookie” (an outdated term if there ever was one) and after breakfast Sunday we went to an escape room! We were tasked with finding a bomb planted on the London Metro that was going to destroy the underground, but the authorities had decided that they would try to abort the explosion by flooding the Metro with icy water! We had 60 minutes to disarm the bomb, or we would die like frozen rats! OK, I know it’s a game, but it still gives you a rush. The other thing that’s important to keep in mind is that going to an escape room with an 8 year old and 11 year old is a very humbling experience, since they are always way ahead of the adults in understanding the subtle things in the game or observing things that adults really don’t see (like handcuffs and codes during the intro video @Nadav!) Thanks to Aryeh and Nadav, we escaped at minute 59! Otherwise, I may not be writing this….

Fresh from the Metro adventure, we headed back to Efrat, but not before a stop at Big Apple Pizza for a quick lunch. We dropped off the kids, then went to pick up Eitan in the pouring rain. When he saw his Savti (Barbara) he started dancing around the nursery! His reward for that amazing greeting, we took him for ice cream and some one-on-one time! Then, knowing that we were to return the following afternoon to take care of their after-school activities we dropped off Eitan and snuk off for a secret evening in Jerusalem, a night at a hotel and dinner out. Where did we go? Well, wouldn’t be a secret if I told you, would it!

Consumer Alert!!  What’s a trip to Israel without a story from Machanei Yehuda, the “Shuk” or Market in Jerusalem? So, Monday morning, after an amazing breakfast at the hotel, we took a 30 minute or so walk to the Shuk. It’s a very fun, high-energy place, and you don’t have to be vegetable shopping to enjoy wandering by the vendors, stalls and restaurants there. One item that we were asked to bring back for Daniella in the US was a special MSG-free onion soup mix recommended on Instagram by Danielle Renov of Peas, Love and Carrots cooking fame. We received an approximate location from Lori and were walking down the aisle when a spice vendor jumped out and tried to get us to taste his tea. I innocently asked if he had MSG-free onion soup (mistake #1) and he said absolutely and he is in a Danielle Rehov Instagram post because he is the absolute exclusive carrier of the soup mix. Barbara was very suspicious, but I gave the guy the benefit of the doubt (mistake #2). So, we went into the shop and in a 5-minute encounter he measured out soup mix but also tried to sell us every spice and tea in the store! In the end we paid a ridiculous amount (mistake #3) for soup mix and tea, just to extricate ourselves from the store. THEN, Barbara checked out the Instagram post, and we found the actual place a few stores down. The owner was very pleasant, the onion soup mix was a quarter of the price, and we (well I, sheepishly) felt taken! So, here is the tip: Avoid at all costs a spice store called Tavlinei Rambam (Rambam’s Spices). You will know it by the hyperactive vendor trying to get you to try his tea! The man lied about being in the Instagram post and who knows what else!!!

The proper vendor is manned by two older quiet, pleasant men (their Receipt said Abraham and Yehezkel) and the sign over to door is about coffee (which they roast themselves). That is the place to get MSG-free onion soup mix and chicken soup mix too! We have a picture to prove it!

After the escapade in the Shuk, we headed back to the Tamar subdivision of Efrat for a series of afternoon activities. I am sure as parents we did similar runs, but I give Nomi credit for doing this week after week. We picked up Eitan from nursery at 4, then packed everyone up, drove to another subdivision, the Te-enah to drop off Nadav at 4:45 for Tennis, then took Aryeh and Eitan to the Zayit subdivision for Aryeh’s 5:40 swimming lesson. Then back to get Nadav, pick up their dinner at a local Burgers Bar, and get Nadav to the pool for his 6:20 swimming lesson, during which the younger kids ate. You get the idea? Tired yet? Good thing we were two grandparents to divide and conquer.

We drove back to Netanya that evening to prepare for a much quieter Tuesday. This was catch up day, including a bit of shopping and walking in the centre of Netanya, topped off by dinner at HaYekev with Ruth and Itamar Maliach. They shared news of their son Yoel’s engagement, their daughter Odelia’s baby and stories of their other kids, including Yonatan who moved to Warsaw with his family for a 3-year position and now are spending time in Gao, India.

Wednesday brought a special Denver Reunion, with Zev and Debbie Kessler who live in Jerusalem, joining the Netanya gang (Lori and Alvan Small and us) for brunch and a day along the water. 

We have planned a special Shabbat for this week, taking Nomi and Elan’s family and Ariel and Gila’s family to the Dead Sea for Shabbat. Thursday thus was preparation and travel day, as we finally settled into the Vert Hotel in the early evening. After a dinner at a local shawarma place, the younger kids went to bed and the older kids (adults and children) hung out and enjoyed being away and prepared for the next day, a planned trip to Masada. 

The Hotel Vert Ein Bokek (Dead Sea Area) seems to be the more desirable hotel for people from Cote St Luc, based on a very unscientific survey. The hotel used to be known as the Crown Plaza, but most Crown Plaza’s in Israel have been ‘converted’ to the Vert brand, I guess to look like an energy conserving hotel chain. The setting for the hotel is beautiful; we can see the sea (say that 10 times fast) right out our window; the other rooms have a gorgeous view of the craggy hills, characteristic of the dessert landscape. The hotel itself is under renovation; the rooms are a bit dated, but functional, and a new spa will be opening soon. However, it was 24C, and sunny, so we were fine with the outdoor pool and the beach! As this is being written, we have the news on and they are talking about the -16F temperatures, the storm and the ice cancelling hundreds of flights on the east coast. Montreal is not much better, so you are invited to join us here!

Ein Bokek is 15 minutes from Masada, the famous fortress in the desert built by King Herod who ruled Israel as the Roman Protectorate and was responsible for the elaborate re-construction of the Second Temple. Herod’s fortress had great cisterns and storehouses, bathhouses and swimming areas, all the comforts of home in the dessert with enough provisions to last months. That came in handy following the Roman destruction of the Temple and all of Jerusalem. One of the last stands against the Romans was a band of refugees and soldiers who holed up in Herod’s Fortress. Unfortunately, the strength of the Romans was too great and; rather than be captured, the last stand colony committed suicide the night before the Romans were to attack. The ruins have been preserved and some reconstruction was performed by archeologists, meaning it is a fascinating and exquisite historical site to visit. 

Bruce accompanied Elan’s family plus Elisha to Masada, while Barbara stayed with Ariel Gila and the girls to check out the beach and the gorgeous pool. The water in the dead sea is extremely salty, so not for swimming but amazing for buoyancy. Meanwhile the pool, while a touch chilly, was very fun for the kids!  

Shabbat will be at hotel and so I suspect we will have some good meals and family time. We can update you next week!

 We wish you a safe and peaceful Shabbat Shalom!

Barbara and Bruce

We wish Michelle and Eddie Schwartz condolences and much comfort following the passing of Michelle’s mother, Vickie Kampler. May her memory be a blessing for the family. 

Happy Birthday to Linda!

Happy Birthday to Roanne!

Happy Birthday to Jacob!

Happy Birthday to Ezra Bern!

Happy Birthday to Barbara, the best Savti, Mom, Sister, but most of all the best partner in life anyone could possibly want!

Refuah Shelema-we wish Shmuel Yosef ben Alexandra Ariella a speedy recovery

Refuah Shelema-we wish Avraham Ephraim ben Kayla Shoshana a speedy recovery