News and Reflections
Tragedy in Brosh HaBika – October 15, 2013
A terrible tragedy occurred on Friday. Sraya Ofer, a 61 year old retired colonel in the Israeli Army was axed to death by Arab terrorists in his home in the Jordan Valley. His wife Monique managed to crawl towards the highway and call for help, but it was too...
Reflections on the Hebrew Language
To me, part of the thrill of living in Israel is the language. Until I moved here, Hebrew was the language of my prayer book, the language in which the Torah Portion of the Week was read aloud in synagogue, the language of the Bible. Granted, when I went to Bible...
Reflections on Prayer: U’Netaneh Tokef Kedushat Hayo
It’s hard to believe that it’s been only three days since the High Holy Days passed... Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, and ten days later, Yom Kippur, the Day of Repentance, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar. In just two days the Feast of Tabernacles...
Israel’s Choice – Then and Now
The news in Israel is focusing on two subjects right now: Syria and Yom Kippur. Yom Kippur, otherwise known as the Day of Atonement, is the holiest day of the year when Jews all over the world spend the day in fasting and prayer. This year, though, marked the...
Reflections on Rosh Hashanah
I hosted a crowd at my home for the Rosh Hashanah holidays. Add that to me, my husband, kids and grandkids, and we were quite a house full. Lots of people to house, feed, and keep happy. The basement was set up with guest beds and a crib. My daughter offered to...
Reflections on Hitchhiking
I just dropped my son Avraham off at the main entrance to our community. He groaned when he saw the crowds standing near the guard booth, knowing he had a wait ahead of him for a ride. He was on his way back up north to his Israeli yeshiva program combining...
Being a Grandparent – Joy and Traditions – August 20, 2013
We have just returned from our annual summer vacation with our children and it was wonderful! We hiked in the rivers and valleys of the Galilee and the Golan Heights, splashed in the streams and springs of the North and just enjoyed our time together. When the...
Reflections on Family Vacation
I’m happy that my children are busy with day camps, National service, schoolwork and part time jobs, but I’m frustrated. I have not found one day this summer that everyone is available for a family vacation. My husband Kuti and I finally decided this past Thursday that everyone will make themselves available and we’re going away.
Confusing Democratic Process for Democratic Values – July 9, 2013
For the past week, Israel's news broadcasts have focused on the situation in Egypt. Just over a week ago, millions of Egyptian citizens took the streets in Cairo and all over the country, calling for the resignation of President Mohamed Morsi. Morsi is the head...
Lies and Propaganda versus Truth – June 11, 2013
I remember as a young child, when the Six Day War occurred, we heard Arab reports on the television and radio that were diametrically opposed to the reports coming out of Israel. The Arabs boasted ongoing victory while the Jews reported ongoing defeat of their...