When we last left the hitchhikers across the COVID/Israeli Galaxy, they were welcoming hordes of Mazers arriving from near and far to spend Shabbat in Netanya. All together we were 13; 6 from Efrat (Shoshana went to a Shabbaton with her friends), 5 from Petach Tikvah and us! We were able to use a neighbor’s apartment for Elan and Nomi’s family to sleep in, and otherwise had meals and playtime here. Lots of kids, lots of movement, lots of activity! But amazing. We had great meals, lots of quality time, trips to the parks (timed to not be at the peak of the heat) and all in all a terrific Shabbat together. 

The excitement does not end there! On Sunday we went to Petach Tikva to help out with Gila and Ariel’s children, as Gila is an educational counsellor and teacher and had in-service sessions on the days prior to school starting. So, Sunday and Monday were spent in the company of Elisha, Ora and Adi. Highlights included completing a complex robotics building project with Elisha (now I know why I did not go into engineering), playing hide and seek in giant slides in the playground; going to the mall to escape the heat, playing on the rides and eating pizza, and lots of stories as well as a little screen time to chill. The kids were great; Adi, 20 months, has really only met us virtually, though we were here last year. However, she just went with the flow and if Ora and Elisha seemed to tolerate us, so she would too! 

The rest of the week was much quieter. We had to spend some time enjoying the beautiful weather, but still had responsibilities back in Montreal. So mornings included some great walks, and afternoons and evenings were for teaching, meetings, writing and keeping the avalanche of emails at bay. Plus, as the holidays are coming, preparations are key: we did some large scale shopping and Barbara cooked up a storm including her signature cabbage rolls! 

This coming Monday night is the beginning of the Jewish New Year. I am sure everyone who is reflecting on this is saying the same thing; last Rosh Hashana we prayed for an end to the pandemic and were sure that this would not drag on for another year. Yet, it has. In the last 12 months we have had 3 more waves of Corona virus infection, the launch of vaccines that were released in record time, amazing optimism as the vaccines clearly worked in the very short term, and then the sobering realization that the virus had some tricks up its sleeve. So here we are again. I believe all New Year’s celebrations have at least one common theme; to bring people together. No matter how you celebrate, doing it alone just does not cut it.  The Rosh Hashana construct is rooted in two things; that G-d created the world on Rosh Hashana, and that every Rosh Hashana begins a period that we as individuals are judged on the merit of our deeds. Yet, the liturgy that we use in synagogue is not at all about personal prayer. It’s not beseeching for our individual continuance or even about our own deeds. It’s about community, nation, and even global outreach. It’s a call to unity, to say that when we hear the clarion call of the Shofar (the ram’s horn; check this out if you have not heard one      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNNGB-Py5dI) we are all huddled together as one body that needs to work together to be successful. 

The success or failure of a society is based on individuals working together for the greater good and keeping their eye on the needs of others. In a situation like the pandemic, when we are often more isolated from each other than we wish, we can still reach out; a phone call, a video chat, an Uber eats gift certificate; a kind gesture, a helping hand. This is the take home message. Whether our contribution is big or small, everyone contributes to the collective. Whatever the next year brings, only through all of us contributing to our fellow persons will we continue to have unity, safety and collective success.

We wish you an amazing Shabbat Shalom and Shana Tova Umetuka, a Sweet and Happy New Year!

Barbara and Bruce 

We wish a Refuah Sh’lema (Speedy Recovery) to Rochel Etta bat Dobrusha 

We wish a Refuah Sh’lema (Speedy Recovery) to Tuvia Moshe ben Perl

Shabbat Shalom Week three: Hitchhikers take a break in Netanya!

Some weeks have lots of twists and turns, and some just seem to fly by. This one flew by. Perhaps it’s because we did a bit less driving and stayed in one place for most of the week. Perhaps it’s the fact that we are living in two time zones, covering beach and kids in the morning and early afternoon, then doing student presentations, meetings, and monitoring our projects from afar, but things are non-stop, in a fun but fairly exhausting way. Without a doubt, the positives outweigh the negatives. 

Just for some perspective in case you forgot, our home base in Israel is Netanya, a medium sized city of 200,000 about 25 minutes north of Tel Aviv. It’s right on the coast, built up on a cliff. So, easy access to beaches, if you don’t mind climbing stairs (154, I think!) This is an attraction to say the least, and can keep the kids busy for hours. Of course, it is August, so the usual approach is to take them out early in the AM before the sun is straight overhead, lots of sunscreen and lots of time in the water. It’s very warm at this time of year, and perhaps another sign of climate change is the tides are much higher than when we first started coming here 10 years ago. The waves and wake are super fun for jumping in and can entertain anyone who likes to get splashed on; just make sure you have a buddy as some of the crashing waves can pull you along!

The week started on Sunday at the Jerusalem Zoo with Shlomo, Nadav and Aryeh. The zoo is very spread out and they have made ticket purchases on-line only, to monitor reservations and keep the place much less crowded than usual. Still, there were a lot of people, and the day was warm, in the low 30’s, so hydration and shade was important to be able to see the lions, gorillas, and especially the elephants.  Everyone enjoyed and despite Corona there were lots of families, although people appeared to be mindful of keeping near their own groups.  

Overall, it appears Israel’s population is adapting to the current wave of the pandemic. We walked along the pedestrian mall that makes up the center of Netanya, and there are lots of people in the streets. Due to the travel restrictions that have been imposed, there are probably a lot less tourists than normal, but by sunset the restaurants are packed on their terraces, with few people in doors, and people are enjoying the last days of freedom prior to the start of school which is September 1st. Or perhaps the freedom starts when the kids go back to school? A good question for debate. 

Back home, I understand there will be an election. (Don’t act so surprised). We registered for voting by mail this week, and hopefully the ballot will arrive and return on time. Watching the polls, it’s interesting to see the polarization: Jagmeet Singh is the most popular leader, yet his party is firmly third; Justin Trudeau is the incumbent who called the election to solidify a majority based on his Pandemic performance, and is slipping in the polls daily; no one seems to know Eric O’Toole and yet the Conservative party is now neck and neck in the polls with the Liberals. We won’t have the sidesplitting entertainment of a Trump-Biden debate (Trump made Don Rickles look like a pussycat), but I suspect there will be a few good stories in the political sphere over the next 3 weeks before the vote. 

So what else is there to do in Netanya? As I mentioned, the city center is a pedestrian mall with large fountains in the middle. One morning, the activity for Elisha, Ora and Adi was to play on the fountains with a few dozen other children. Then dry up and lunch on the beach. In the evening, there are street vendors and rides, bouncing equipment and even a motorized bike track which Elisha thought was the most fun thing he has ever done! So, yes, lots to do; yet as we walk into the house, Ora, age 4 yells “everyone wash their hands!!” and Elisha told me that 7 is the age you have to wear masks in stores, and since he is 7, he brings a mask with him whenever he goes out. The pandemic has definitely been an education for all and made kids grow up and see the world a little less innocently than before. 

But, there is nothing quite like a big bunch of cousins getting together, which is what is happening here this Shabbat; both our Israeli families are here in Netanya for Shabbat so we will have a lot of action. We spoke to Daniella, Tali and Ezra this morning and can think about having us all join together very soon!

We wish you a fun and rewarding Shabbat Shalom!

Barbara and Bruce 

Refuah Shelema to Rochel Ettel Bat Dobrusha

Happy Birthday to Wesley!

Welcome to Israel Rhona (and soon Haim)  

Shabbat August 20-21: The hitchhikers emerge from quarantine!

When we left off last week, we were hurling through space and touching down in Petach Tikvah, to spend Shabbat with Gila, Ariel, Elisha, Ora and Adi. To be honest, despite that last frenetic post, due to the frantic week, to just be able to relax with the little ones climbing all over us was positively refreshing. After months of relative isolation, made very bearable by all our great friends at home, just to hang with family was quite awesome. This will be the main highlight of the weeks that we will be spending here, and we have something to look forward to when we get home, which is to visit Daniella, Monty, Tali and Ezra in their new home in Cleveland. 

So, what went on? Well, shabbat was fun, with some COVID twists. The synagogue services were outdoors. We avoided crowded parks, opting to take the kids early in the day when there were not a lot of people. Sunday, we went to see Elan, Nomi and Co; they had a wedding and we babysat their two youngest, Aryeh 3.5 years and Eytan 3 months. Lots of fun; we decided to stay at their home in Efrat till Tuesday and then went back to our apartment in Netanya with Shoshana and Shlomo for the next few days. That was lots of fun; a balance of beach, walks, and then working on Canadian time in the late afternoons and evenings. We got to eat out at a beachside patio restaurant and get some sun and sand. The idea is, stay with those who you know are safe, and stay out of crowds. 

Meanwhile, in Israel, the numbers are climbing. In fact, they are as we speak at the same peak as they were exactly a year ago, when the country closed down for the Jewish Holidays. There were nearly 8000 new cases today and almost 600 in hospitals. But the relatively good news: of the 220 serious cases, only 18 are among the vaccinated. On top of that they take contact tracing and quarantine seriously here. There is an office of the ministry of health called Quarantine Exit that tracks all those who were infected or travelled to the country.  We learned all about their email address and had to follow up all of our paperwork to get the letter “ending” our quarantine and getting us GreenPasses. So even before Barbara and Bruce have the Quebec Vaccine Passport, we have the official Israeli GreenPass!

After an afternoon on the beach with Elan’s kids yesterday, we have welcomed Ariel and Gila to Netanya for a week holiday and went back to Efrat (with great herring and wine) for Shabbat this week. So more stories to come as we keep crisscrossing the country!

Wishing you a wonderful Shabbat shalom and a great last week before school starts!

Barbara and Bruce

Happy Birthday to Yayi!

Happy Birthday to Aiden!

Happy Birthday Hailey!

Happy Anniversary Mara and Andy!

Shabbat August 13-14: The hitchhiker’s guide to a rapid escape to Israel

Welcome travel fans! With apologies to Douglas Adams, I am thrilled to bring you a very quick (as it’s Shabbat soon) blow by blow account of why you are receiving this amazing Shabbat Shalom from Petach Tikvah on August 13, 2021! It may be a surprise to many of you, but we are in Israel to visit the family. The question is, when did we plan this trip and how did we pull it off?

So, the answer lies in a major geopolitical global pandemic, known to all of us a Corona-Virus. In general, going anywhere takes tremendous planning. For Israel that includes a special entry permit, COVID PCR test, Antibody blood tests, and good fortune. We planned a trip that would allow us to see all the Israeli grandchildren prior to school starting and then stay for the upcoming Jewish Holidays. That meant leaving August 25th; in order to do that we needed to apply for a permit at least 30 days in advance, which we did. The days passed and no permit. The Israeli press described hundreds if not thousands of people who were also applying to be reunited with loved ones for the holidays. Meanwhile, very unfortunately, Israel’s COVID case numbers have increased steadily (more on vaccine and the Delta variant next week when I have more time). This has made the Israeli ministry of health nervous about accepting so many newcomers and visitors (rightfully so). So, after 12 days of no response about our permits, we contacted Dov Lipman, a former Israel Member of Knesset who runs an organization that helps bring people together with their families who have emigrated to Israel (like our kids!)

Dov and Ariella from their organization suggested we apply from within Israel. Elan took on the challenge, filled out the paperwork, attached the huge dossier we prepared confirming vaccination, insurance, employment, shoe size and lots of other details and, a miracle happened. We had a permit in 24 hours! However, it came with a caveat: rules were changing and we might be unable to come if we waited too long. 

So, caught in a spell of excitement over the permit and fear over never using it, we looked at the available flights. From a financial point of view, a flight the next evening was the best option. This only meant packing, rearranging schedules, getting PCR tested (assuming it would be negative) and then actually getting on the plane. Exhausting to think about it, but, we barreled ahead (with the help of Biron’s Rapid PCR test, shout out to Linda L). We could not actually believe we got onto the plane; just the document check at Air Canada took 35 minutes!

But wait, the fun is only starting! Next Monday, all visitors to Israel will have a mandatory 7-day quarantine if your PCR is negative twice. However, this week, Canadians (but not Americans) can avoid that if they can prove antibodies from COVID (infection or vaccination). So, we arrived sleep-deprived, underwent the mandatory PCR test at the airport, then drove to a storefront doing antibody blood tests for COVID! More about that again next week, but it’s complicated and very expensive to do that in Canada, but for a very reasonable price we had an answer in time to have all our paperwork in order well before Shabbat. So, now, better rested and ready to see some of the kids, we have arrived in Petach Tikvah to spend time with Gila, Ariel, Elisha, Ora and Adi!

So, now you have detailed instructions on how to apply and get to Israel in under 48 hours. Good luck trying to duplicate that!

More stories, pictures and updates next week

We wish you an amazing and safe Shabbat Shalom!

Barbara and Bruce 

This warm Shabbat Shalom is in Honor of the upcoming Yahrzeit of our father and grandfather and great-grandfather, Sid, Shlomo Henoch ben Mordechai Chaim. His memory is a blessing to all and I can picture him smiling watching all the great-grandchildren run around!

Shana Tova 5781

Let’s go back in time for one year. Of course, it will be from my perspective. At this time, the eve of Rosh Hashana, we were in St. Louis, getting ready to spend the holiday with Monty, Daniella, Tali and Ezra as we had for the previous two years. We were headed to Israel for Sukkot to see the rest of the family. Corona was the beer we had at Red Burger on the beach in Netanya…so much has changed. Yet as we move from the Jewish Calendar Year 5780 to 5781, there is a lot to reflect on, so let’s get started.

Of course, what brought us here for this trip was Shoshana’s Bat Mitzvah celebration. Need I say that it was amazing? Despite the limits of the pandemic, we celebrated in an idyllic outdoor setting, with pretty reasonable social distancing in bubbles or capsules as they say here (school classmates together, family, other friends from their neighborhood). Shoshana had worked hard to prepare a full class on some pretty intense concepts in Judaism, including how the Torah views how we should approach agricultural pursuits, how this can strengthen our relationship to G-d, and how these lessons should be applied to relations between people as well. Shoshana delivered this with confidence and had prepared a powerpoint presentation to illustrate the important points. It was terrific and my summary does not do it justice. There was also a slide show about her life, some beautiful words from Elan, and a lot of awesome food! It was a moment that made us extremely proud. She’s an intelligent, articulate, thoughtful, and caring young woman. As the first grandchild, one of the fun things I like to do with Shoshana is to show her this series of blogs which actually began when she was 3 months old. It’s almost like the story of her life in words and pictures (as it is for all of our grandchildren!) We are blessed with wonderful grandchildren and are so happy that we can share these milestones with them.

The bat mitzvah was last Sunday night, and we returned to Netanya. The initial plan was to have Ariel and Gila and the kids join us for Rosh Hashana here. So, now for the COVID-19 in Israel update….The number of cases continue to climb, hitting 5500 in one day on Wednesday this week. The government decided that to curb the spread, they would place the country in lockdown for the entire Jewish Holiday period. That meant no intercity travel, including fines for anyone caught returning home from another city after Rosh Hashana, no gatherings of more than 25 people, no walks from your home of greater than 500M, all restaurants and non-essential businesses are closed, etc. So, we are here all by ourselves! Kind of ironic, but it's for the greater good. Our local synagogue is making all kinds of provisions, including Shofar blowing at various intersections where community members live, but like everywhere in the world this will be a Rosh HaShana that is marked by the pandemic, with many, many fewer people attending services and people celebrating with their nuclear families.

 

Yet not all is gloomy in Israel. The news of peace with UAE and with Bahrain has given people here something to talk about that does not start with a Cor….The overall tone is very positive. Firstly, it’s a natural progression of what has been happening since Iran began to flex its muscles. There is a large segment of the Gulf population that is highly westernized and has had considerable exposure to Jews in academia, business and medicine. Just look at medical programs at McGill (and across Canada). These well-trained people return to their countries (unlike expats from other countries who train outside and rarely return). This exposure is very important Hasbarah. I think that all in the region will benefit from the technological and economic exchanges that will happen due to the peace agreements, not to mention tourism. My close friend Qutayba Hamid, who was my director (and mentor) at Meakins Christie Labs for many years, is now dean of the Medical Faculty in Sharjah. He says that their population is very pleased, and in fact has been collaborating with Israel on therapeutics since the beginning of the pandemic. What the world truly needs is for the most effective Sars-COV2 vaccine to be a cooperative effort between UAE and Israel!

Rosh Hashana is a New Year commemoration unlike other new year’s celebrations. It is a happy time, yes, with the sweetness of apples and honey, pomegranates and wine, but a time spent in prayer and one that initiates the period of time on the Jewish calendar known as the 10 days of Repentance. This past year, with the total disruption of the world order, the economy, travel and just simple things like a handshake or a hug, definitely gives us pause. As I was planning this section, I had some thoughts that were then well articulated by our son Elan as he sent out his Rosh Hashana greeting to the Canadian Community he serves as director of Mizrahi Canada. The main theme of Rosh Hashana is not repentance, but rather our relationship with God as King of the world. Whether you are a believer or not, the fact that one virus could throw entire societies into such disarray definitely should humble us. However, the other theme of Rosh Hashana liturgy that Elan discussed was how we should work to perfecting the world. That is a lesson that we can also learn from the Pandemic. I have seen in my own professional life how dedicated physicians have worked to the max. Moreover, on the science side, the focus of our research community on trying to combat this disease was remarkable. People began pulling together in ways that were not seen before and efforts were being focused to find multiple solutions to this problem. In fact, I have now joined one of the Canadian COVID 19 Task Forces, which clearly embodies what this is all about- bringing together people to work toward a common goal, to defeat what is ailing people and above all to improve the world. May 5781 be a  year of health, happiness, an end to the COVID induced disruption, and maybe take away the positive lessons of the pandemic that teach us how to cooperate, how to cherish our loved ones, and how to work together for a better world.

We wish you a sweet and happy and HEALTHY New Year, Shana Tova U Metuka!

Shabbat Shalom

Barbara and Bruce

We send sincere condolences to our friend Rabbi Sorin Rosen on the passing of his father

Refuah Shelema to TGE!

Mazel Tov Shoshana! Shabbat Pre-Bat Mitzvah

Welcome to another eventful week! This week’s writing comes to you from Efrat, just south of Jerusalem, home of Elan and Nomi. We will be there for Shabbat in anticipation of Sunday’s Bat Mitzvah celebration for Shoshana Hadassah Mazer, a major milestone as the first grandchild on both the Mazer and Goldberger sides to achieve such a milestone. More coverage next week of course, but here’s what has transpired since our last chapter….

Last Shabbat was spent in Petach Tikvah at Gila and Ariel’s apartment. This was a bit of a landmark occasion not just because it was our first time for Shabbat in their new home, but because they are now really well set up to host guests after moving out of basically student housing in Givat Shmuel. Their new neighborhood is very well located, near shopping, near lots of parks and synagogues, a great bike/walking path, and people appear friendly (hard to tell behind the masks, of course). Ariel went all out doing his best Michael Salomonov imitation (http://www.zahavrestaurant.com/chef.html) with gourmet Israeli salads and we were entertained by Elisha, Ora and Adi. Despite the 34C heat, we even went to the park a couple of times, and had a soccer and basketball tournament.

With Labor day weekend being a North American thing, and Israeli kids having gone back to school in various forms, what else was there for us to do but…shop for kids things. We had two goals: we are in charge of centre pieces at the Bat Mitzvah and a give-away for the young people who will attend (a candy theme was suggested); plus as good grandparents we were looking to get bikes for some of the kids. First, the bike story. There is a great chain of toy stores in Israel called Red Pirate (Pirat Ha-Adom) and one branch was near our home in Netanya. It was in an old warehouse that looked like it was falling apart. When we arrived, it had apparently closed; we and others knocked on the door but no answer. Suddenly, a hand put out a sign with a new address 10 minutes away. Off we went down the highway and we arrived at their new location, a beautiful new store with an adjacent bike shop! So, when you see the attached pictures, you will see what we found! The centerpieces and prizes will be featured next week but the take home point for everyone is this: if you are in Israel and looking for a store which is a combination of Dollar store, Michael’s and HomeSense, go to MaxStock! We found everything we needed and then some, and it was pretty fun!

COVID-19 Update #2: Israel has had a rough week. The COVID wards in the major hospitals are approaching capacity and the number of cases has reached 4000/day. The death rate is still low, and the high case rate is at least in part of the very aggressive testing strategy here: This past week the average number of tests in this country of 9 million was 40,000 daily! A few notables include dorms in schools with a 75% test positive rate (although minimal morbidity), disproportionately high case rate in cities with ultra-orthodox Jews and some Arab towns and villages, and the implementation of a 4 color system (as now in force in Quebec) and an unsuccessful attempt to lockdown the Red cities and towns, which have instead a curfew from 7 PM to 5 AM. The latest news is that there will be a vote in Cabinet Sunday about a country-wide lockdown similar to the spring, beginning next Friday at Rosh Hashana, and continuing till the end of the Jewish Holidays. We will keep you posted; who knows what’s next!

Just to keep perspective, all three of the Mazer inhabited neighborhoods, Netanya, Efrat and Petach Tikvah, are yellow areas and very safe.  The irony: In St Louis, someone in Monty and Daniella’s kid’s school tested positive, so Ezra and Tali were home this week (but no Corona in their house!) What is obviously most important is that people are careful and safe!

Grandparents activity in Israel #2: As noted above, Gila and Ariel moved into a new condo, so part of the set-up is some new furnishings. Ikea (pronounced EE-Kia here) is very popular and well-priced. So, our Wednesday activity? A visit to MaxStock to complete one project and a visit to Ikea for a load of stuff to put some of the finishing touches on the condo! Of course, one of the things we like to do in Netanya is walk along the boardwalk or beach, which we have done twice; but unless you start around 7 AM, the heat and humidity make long walks difficult. Ikea to the rescue! Nothing like 3 hours in their massive store to get your step count up near 10,000 in their air-conditioned interior!

We arrived in Efrat last night and today started Shabbat preparations, shopping, cooking, and hanging with the kids! We are looking forward to seeing Nomi's parents and more family time. 

As we move into Shabbat, Barbara and I want to add a personal note to our close friend Elaine Brandt, whose father Ted Brandt passed away Wednesday. Ted turned 102 in December. He was a master choir-person, with a beautiful voice and fabulous ear for harmony. I had the pleasure of singing with him many times in Beth Zion and we marveled at his 100^th birthday as he did piece in perfect harmony with Cantor Sid Dworkin. He was the consummate gentleman, a wonderful father and Zeida, and was fortunate enough to attend his grandson Brian Hofman’s marriage to Tamara Jedwab in early August (see this amazing piece by Jack Jedwab, Tamara’s father, about Ted). https://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/holocaust-survivor-reminds-us-of-the-will-to-survive-the-need-to-celebrate.

Elaine and her family provided amazing support to Ted in the years since Elaine’s mom, Anne, passed away. We wish the family strength and to be spared further sorrows. Ted and Anne’s memories will always remain a blessing for all members of the Brandt and Price families.

We wish that we all should stay safe and have a wonderful shabbat Shalom!

Barbara and Bruce

Shabbat Shalom From Petach Tikva!

Yes, this is not a figment of your imagination! You are actually reading a blog originating from Israel, prepared by Canadians! Even during the most topsy-turvy time in recent memory, Barbara and Bruce have made it back to Israel, Corona Pandemic and all! So, in case you have not heard, although the borders are closed, Israel has been allowing select visitors to come for special occasions: births (and funerals, unfortunately), to attend school, marriages of children, bar mitzvahs of grandsons, and, in our case, the bat mitzvah of our granddaughter Shoshana! This took weeks, if not months of planning, as the laws kept changing and the permit to enter was a very slippery target. However, in the end, the consulate verified all our documents, and provided the permit. Then to add icing on the cake, one week before our departure, Israel adapted the tactic of allowing people from Covid safe, ‘green’ countries to enter and not quarantine for 2 weeks! It was really interesting entering the country and when they saw our passport and declaration of health, we were given a slip that allowed us to enter without the dreaded two weeks with no other human contact. So, that has given us quite a bit to talk about, because instead of being holed up in our Netanya apartment, we have been very happy to spend time with our kids and grandchildren!

 

The COVID 19 situation in Israel is a bit more precarious than in Montreal at the moment. Although Israel did very well at the outset, with a low infection rate and a very low fatality rate, for the past month there has been a steady increase in cases. In the past few days the number of new cases has been nearly 3000 per day. The hospitalizations have increased, but in the past 24 hours there was no mortality. There are some real areas of concentration, and there is a threat to close down those cities and towns (as of now this has not happened). There is even a discussion about closing down the whole country for the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashana (Sept 19-20) to minimize people travelling. I guess time will tell.

All that is to say that instead of our usual roaming around the country, or visiting cool places and finding new restaurants, we have restricted our travels to our kid’s homes. Ariel and Gila moved to a new neighborhood in Petach Tikva, which is about 20 minutes from downtown Tel Aviv. They are in a large new condo with a lot of amenities, a great neighborhood, shopping and schools nearby, and good transport options. Elisha, Ora and Adi are all starting school milestones: Elisa is in Grade 1, Ora in Nursery at age 3, and baby Adi, who we had not seen since January, started a new daycare. Of course, our reunion with Elisa and Ora was very exciting, but the best surprise was Adi followed the lead of her siblings and was super happy to hang with us. We have had the fun of just visiting, going to the park, watching Elisha ride his bike (self-taught in about 5 minutes!) and even spending a couple of days before school kicked in, babysitting so their parents could be productive. We even had a Zoo outing with Ora who enjoyed having grandparents all to herself! This allowed us to be grandparents in the early part of the day, and do teaching and meetings at night (sometimes quite late…!)

Over to Efrat, where we spent several days as well as last Shabbat with Elan and Nomi, Shoshana, Shlomo, Nadav and Aryeh. School there has also started and it’s complex due to the pandemic. Shoshana is in school 3 days and on zoom the others, Shlomo on Zoom Friday but every other day in school; and Nadav and Aryeh also start the milestones Grade 1 and Nursery. Shoshana, the bat mitzvah girl, is absolutely a young lady, a voracious reader, an ace baby-sitter and very social. Shlomo is a combination of creative Lego builder and Chess player, and monkey bar swinger and climber. Nadav is reading two languages and has more friends in the neighborhood than you can count, and Aryeh is super active and smiles all the time. Last Shabbat in Efrat we enjoyed the warm days and cool evenings in the garden on the patio under the gazebo that Elan build during his “Corona time” (Lime not included).

Last night we had the rare privilege (again and pandemic special) of watching not one but two Zoom Weddings (who said you can’t dance at two weddings??) One was Ruhama, Gila’s younger sister, who married Avihu Scheonfeld in Gush Etzyon, and the other was our close friend Haim Fruchter, who married Rona Gubarek. May both couples have nothing but happiness and mazal together!

Now we are an hour before Shabbat, this week in Petach Tikva. We have a mountain of food, and we are ready to shut down. Elisha, Ora and Adi are very happy to have us near, but probably nowhere near as happy as we are to be here. Next week, bat mitzvah Sabbat and weekend, so stay tuned!

Wishing you all a warm (air conditioned!) Shabbat Shalom and a great long Labour Day weekend!

 

Barbara and Bruce

Happy Birthday to Yacov Fruchter!

Mazel Tov to Haim and Rona, ad Meah V’Esrim!

Mazel Tov to Ruhama and Avihu and to our Mechtuan, Geula and Yitzhak Twersky!

Mazel Tov to Brian and Tamara!

Mazel Tov to Daniel and Rachel!