"It's a Beautiful Day!"

בס''ד
   In Memory of my Friend and Mentor. 

photo: Hhaalumin Hamilton Facebook page




As the school bell rang to start the new day, Rabbi William Zev Eisenstein z”l, principal of Hamilton Hebrew Academy stood at the front door with a warm smile.

 “It’s a beautiful day”, was the Rabbi’s catchphrase as he greeted all the children. And with a little bop on the nose, the school day started.

On November 26th, after a very long and difficult illness, our beloved Rabbi returned his soul to his Maker. His funeral was held at Adas Israel Synagogue in Hamilton and burial was in Bet Shemesh, Israel.

We learn that every person is given a purpose in life. Rabbi E., as I called him, together with his lifetime partner Esther a”H, lived their lives fulfilling their purpose.  The many neshamas [Jewish souls] they woke- up to the true calling of a Jew is countless.

Rabbi E. was a principal, a teacher, a father figure, a mentor and a friend. He loved his students and many a recess you would find Rabbi E. outside playing baseball or some other game with the kids.  Every June, Rabbi E would escort the grade 8 graduation class on a camping trip.

He was a wonderful story teller. Rabbi E.'s Shabbat groups were the highlight for many children. For some, coming to the groups was their introduction to Yiddishkeit. Today, these children are all grown-up and many live a religious life.

And what would a simcha be if the Rabbi didn’t do his broom or bench balancing act to the delight of all the guests. 

photo: memorial page






In 2011 the Hamilton Hebrew Academy made a tribute dinner honoring Rabbi Eisenstein. Tribute dinner

On the memorial Facebook page former students and teachers posted their warm memories of their days at the HHA and their relationship with Rabbi Eisenstein.
Facebook memorial page

I posted on the page: Baruch Dayan HaEmet

Dear Chani, Chaim, Bitzy and Shayna

You Dad z"l was a beautiful man who lived his life caring about everyone. He was never without a smile and a nice word. From the first time I spoke to him when we moved to Hamilton in 1977, I saw how special he was. 

Your mom a"H and Dad z"l were a guiding light for our family. Both your parents were very special and were my friends and my mentors.

It is so hard to believe he is gone and now is joining your Mom in Gan Eden.

May your good memories be a source of comfort to you on these dark days and may you be comforted among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem and may you know no more sorrow.

To do justice for Rabbi Eisenstein, volumes would have to be written.  

From his earliest days growing up in the lower east side of New York, to the turning point in his life, his relationship with Rav Moshe Feinstein z”l, as a yeshiva student rescuing children who were placed in monasteries and no family to claim them. 

To his motorcycle days, his university days, his marriage to Esther a”H and the beautiful family they raised. Life in Israel, Seattle, St. Louis, and Hamilton. And much, much more.  

Chani, Chaim, Bitzy, Shayna, your spouses and to all the grandchildren, your loss is tremendous. I personally will never forget your parents.

Your father was so proud of each of you. He loved being a Zeidy and visiting you in New York and Israel. 

He once told me when he visiting in Israel that he didn’t realize how much fun it was to take the eyniklekh [grandchildren] to school and to babysit.

I know that your parents are watching over you from Gan Eden and shepping nachas from their beautiful family.

On January 5, 2010, I wrote a blog called Friends 
dedicated to Rabbi and Esther z”l. I have reposted this blog.

We made Aliyah [moving to Israel] from Hamilton, Ontario, fifteen and half years ago. Although making Aliyah is the start of new beginnings, we left behind family and many good friends.

One couple in particular that we said good-bye to was Rabbi Zev Eisenstein ad120 and his dear wife Esther z”l.

Rabbi Eisenstein is the principal of the Hamilton Hebrew Academy, the day school that our three children attended and where I worked in the preschool for seventeen years.

Esther was the Balanit [in charge of the mikvah] for our city and she looked after the mikvah with love and devotion. She taught many kallahs [brides] the Halacha [Jewish laws] of Tahara HaMishpacha [family purity] and introduced the beauty of using the mikvah to women who were becoming Baala Teshuva.

Her kind words, warm smile and gentle eyes made the mitzvah very inviting. Esther respected everyone and she never considered herself better than anyone else. 

Although we keep in touch by e-mail, the other day I had the opportunity and pleasure to speak on the phone to Rabbi Eisenstein, who was visiting his children here in Israel. It was very nice to catch-up.

We moved from Chomedey [suburb of Montreal] to Hamilton, Ontario in the summer of 1977. This is when we met the Eisenstein family, Rabbi and Esther and their children Chaim, Chani, Bitzy and Shayna who was just 6 weeks old. Today all the children are married and Rabbi E. is B”H the Zeida to many grandchildren.

Our daughters were enrolled in the day school and we came to have a look around. Rabbi Eisenstein gave us the tour of the school and spoke about its qualities. He welcomed our daughters so warmly that they were really excited to go to a new school.

Since this is a small world, I must mention that both the Rabbi and Esther were mentors to my sister-in-law Esther when she was a teenager in St. Louis Mo. Rabbi E. was my sister-in-law’s principal and he married my brother Yitzchak and Esther in St. Louis.

For several years, once a week a group of women would meet at the Eisenstein home and the rabbi would teach us Chumash. [5 books of the bible]

Every Shabbat afternoon our daughters loved to go to 'the Rabbi's Shabbat groups.' They would come home and tell me, "we heard the best Shabbos story today."

On a personal note, the Eisenstein’s were good friends of my husband and myself. Esther and I spent many hours on the phone [Bell Canada must have loved us]. We spent many Shabbat afternoons enjoying Seuda Shlishi [the third Shabbat meal] together. Since we lived in an apartment building and didn’t have a sukkah, for years they would invite us to their home on the second night of Sukkot.

We celebrated together their sons Bar Mitzvahs and our daughters Bat Mitzvahs, Chani & Moishe’s wedding and when our son’s adoption was finalized, his bris and seuda mitzvah. 

Rabbi, you and Esther are in many ways responsible for who I am today and I will always be grateful to you both.

Our family wishes you many more years of nachas and simchas from your children and eyniklekh.[grandchildren]

Come home sooner than later!

That's all for now. Feel free to comment and share.

Miriam                 

My Blessing in Disguise…… Diabetes!

בס''ד
November is Diabetes Awareness Month. I decided to blog about diabetes because I’m a diabetic. If you are on Facebook, you may have seen this photo. 

And in the beginning, when I was first diagnosed there was shock and fear. I shouldn't have really been so surprised because my late father and my brother both were diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. 

But since I never showed any symptoms, I thought that this particular gene didn’t pass on to me. Boy was I wrong!

Now let me backtrack a little. That Sunday morning started off pretty routine. Among the many other things I had to do, my first stop was to the health clinic to do a routine blood test to check my cholesterol. 

Monday morning, I had an appointment with the doctor to get the results.

Although my cholesterol was high, he was much more concerned and very shocked to see how high my blood glucose was. “Must be a mistake,” he said to me. And with that he sent me to the nurse’s office to recheck my blood sugar with her glucose monitor.  My reading 410. Anything over 126 spells trouble.

Suddenly, my world came crashing down. “You have diabetes” he said “I don’t know where it came from. These reading are from out of nowhere.” 

My doctor is very kind and soft spoken. He called the diabetic counselor to come to his office and told me she will be my best friend.

Dalia, was wonderful. She gave me the ins and outs, showed me the glucose monitor and taught me how to use it and arranged for me to see the dietitian and the diabetic doctor.

Truthfully, when I went home, I couldn't remember one word she said.

After moping around the house for 3 days feeling very sorry myself, I decided to go to war with my diabetes. 

What exactly is diabetes? How did I get it? Is it really hereditary? Is it a virus? Do I have to stay away from sugar forever? Do I have to give up all my favorite foods? Am I going to have to stab myself for the rest of my life? So many questions that now require answers.

I parked myself in front of the computer and started my research. The Israeli, British, American & Canadian Diabetic Associations were my first stops. So much information was available. I printed out information that I really wanted to remember and made myself a handbook. 

Did you know that over 400,000 Israelis have been diagnosed with diabetes and the estimated number of undiagnosed Israelis with diabetes is 200,000?

In Hebrew, diabetes is called sukeret. The Israel Diabetes Association link is:http://www.sukeret.co.il/  
and in English:
 http://www.sukeret.co.il/EN/enInfo.asp?info_id=39832

The association has a symbol on foods that are safe for me to eat. 

The truth is as opposed to many other illnesses, diabetes can be controlled. Proper nutrition, close and individualized follow-up, physical activity and an appropriate drug regimen can prevent complications and offer people with diabetes a better quality of life.

In other words follow your doctors instruction, do research, the internet is full of information, just be careful to take your information from reliable sites. There are loads of ‘quacks’ out there who want to sell you everything from A to Z and promise if you take their medicine or buy their product you will be cured of diabetes. 

Just remember, if the advertisement or information sounds too good to be true...take it with a grain of salt. 

Some hospitals have support groups for diabetics. Talking is a great way to learn and to deal with your diagnosis. 

Another way to find other diabetics in your community is to post a note on your community e-mail list looking for other people with diabetes to get together once a week or even once a month to talk, share recipes or share a shoulder. Keep a journal or write a blog. You will see your progress first hand.

Having diabetes is just one more thing that Hashem has put on my plate, but I see His Hand everyday helping me. 

Everything fell into place. The diabetic counselor was in her office the day I was diagnosed, the dietician had an opening for the next day. The diabetic doctor who only comes twice a month was going to be in his office a week later.

Baruch Hashem, my diabetes has been in complete control for the past 5 years and I am off all meds.

I am a very spiritual person and I believe that everything happens for a reason. And the reason for me being diagnosed with diabetes was to give me a wakeup call to get healthy, so that I can be around for my husband, children and thirteen grandchildren...And this week we will celebrate at our granddaughter’s engagement party…

That’s all for now..feel free to share and comment.

Miriam    

Shepping Nachas

בס''ד
Baruch Hashem, my husband Avraham and I have been blessed with thirteen precious Sabra grandchildren.

Since the day they were born, we have enjoyed their lives…the ups and down.. our little babies growing and becoming toddlers, the first haircuts, a preschooler, elementary school, Bar and Bat Mitzvot, Ulpana, Yeshiva, Sherut Leumi, chayalim, and higher education.

And this past Moetzi Shabbat we had another first in our lives as Saba and Safta…our first grandchild to get engaged and become a Kallah.

Our granddaughter Batel and her chatan Chanan announced their engagement. The happiness and excitement their announcement brought to our family cannot be expressed in words…

Last night was the vort. A vort is a Yiddish word that means ‘word’. At the vort 2 people traditionally give their ‘word’ and formally commit to marry. 

Our daughter and son-in-law, parents of the Kallah, invited the chatan’s parents, his siblings and his Saba to their home and we had the opportunity to meet Chanan’s wonderful family. 

The gathering was so relaxed and beautiful.  My daughter cooked up a storm and everything was delicious.  Around the table, brachot were showered on the happy couple.

Yesterday was my Hebrew birthday. Naomi announced it at the table and a chorus of Happy Birthday in Hebrew and English was sung. Without a doubt this was the best birthday gift I could have ever asked for.  

In a couple of weeks we will enjoy the engagement party and then look forward to the chuppah and dancing at their wedding.

Mazal-Tov Batel and Chanan! May Hashem grant you both a life filled with Brachas, happiness, good health and much nachas.

To the parents of the Chatan and Kallah, we wish you both Mazal-Tov and may you only have nachas and simchas from your children.

That’s all for now. Feel free to comment.

Shabbat Shalom
Miriam   

Traditions, Traditions, Traditions.....

בס''ד
Traditions are wonderful and very important. We have personal and family traditions, religious traditions and country traditions. 

Israel is no exception. Come October, the chagim [Jewish holidays] are all over and life is getting back to a regular schedule with no more mid week days.  

Starting in November, we pray for an abundance of rain in Eretz Yisrael and on the grocery store shelves everywhere in Israel, a tradition is happening. Colored boxes of 10, 12 or more Krembos are appearing. 
                             
If you are not from Israel, I’m sure you are asking yourself, “What is a Krembo?” 

Krembos are a very popular winter treat. It comes wrapped in a colourful aluminum wrapping. Krembos have a round cookie base on the bottom and marshmallow cream on top, coated with a thin layer of chocolate. Krembos also come in vanilla and mocha flavour.

The "krembo season" is very short, from October / November to February. More than fifty million krembos are sold each year. Krembos are a part of winter as ice-cream is a part of summer.

According to a study funded by Strauss, Israel's leading krembo producer, 69% of Israelis prefer to eat krembos from the top down (starting with the cream), and only 10% start with the biscuit at the bottom; the rest had no preference. 

In the Hebrew version of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, the character Dumbledore’s favorite sweet is a Krembo, rather than a sherbet lemon. The Krembo has become a national icon. While considered a children's favorite, researchers have found that it is eaten and enjoyed as a comfort food of Israeli expatriates in the United States.       
                  
Krembos are so popular that they have their own Facebook page. KREMBO

And within the next day or so another tradition will be making an appearance to let us know that Chanukah is not far away.

This year, Chanukah begins on December 16th, and Jews observe the custom of eating foods fried in oil to commemorate the miracle of the Temple Oil lasting 8 days when there was only enough oil for 1 day.

In Israel, the tradition is to eat, sufganiyot [doughnuts.] Sufganiyot are sold from November up to and including the 8 days of Chanukah. The most popular doughnuts are the ones filled with strawberry jelly and have powder sugar on top.  

                    
                                









Bakeries and grocery stores sell sufganiyot individually and by the box, and they have become a favorite for school and office parties. One of the largest bakeries in Israel, fries up more than 250,000 sufganiyot every day during the eight-day Chanukah festival. Each batch uses 100 kilograms of dough and makes 1,600 sufganiyot. That’s a lot of doughnuts!

There are many homemade doughnut recipes. If you want to try your hand at making sufganiyot at home, just Google ‘sufganiyot recipes’ and dozens of recipes will open.

So whether you fancy krembos or sufganiyot, or both, relax and enjoy the sweet taste.

That’s all for now. Feel free to comment and share.
Miriam   

Oh Canada....What is happening to you?

בס''ד

Oh Canada, our home and native land, is the first line of the Canadian national anthem. Canada, what is happening to you?

Although my family and I have lived in Israel for the past twenty years, Canada was the country that I was born, raised, got married and had my children in.

I refer to myself as a Canadian Israeli. When Israelis hear that I am from Canada, many say to me. ”You are so lucky. Canada is wonderful. Why would you ever leave”?

My answer is: “Yes, I was privileged to be born in a country that allows me to live my life as I wish, but Israel is our G-D given homeland and where my heart is.”

Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his government have proven to be Israel’s true friends and we appreciate all this support. 

Last week, when I heard about the two separate terror attacks, my heart sank. 

The first attack was in Quebec on Monday [Oct. 20th], when two Canadian soldiers were hit by a car driven by Martin Couture-Rouleau, a 25-year-old Canadian who, as The Globe and Mail reported “converted to Islam recently and called himself Ahmad Rouleau.” One of the soldiers died, as did Couture-Rouleau when he was shot by police upon apprehension after allegedly brandishing a large knife.

In the second attack two days later in Ottawa Canada's Capital, an unarmed soldier, Cpl. Nathan Cirillo from the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders died after being shot while on sentry duty at the National War Memorial guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Once again, a recent convert to Islam, Michael Zehaf-Bibeau from Quebec was the shooter and after he attempted an attack in the Canadian Parliament building, he was killed by the sergeant-at-arms of the parliament Kevin Vickers, who was called the hero of the day. 

Had the terrorist made his way in the parliament chambers where all the members of parliament [MP] were, this terror attack could have been much more tragic.

Times of Israel published this report on the attacks:

http://www.timesofisrael.com/canadian-jews-shocked-angered-by-ottawa-shooting/

All I could think of was… Canada what is happening to you?  Why are you allowing radical Islamic applicants to come to your shores, learn in your universities and set up secret terror cells.  

They are brainwashing misguided and troubled Canadian youths to convert and become homegrown terrorist.

Canada, I fear for you.  I have a friend who lives in Ottawa. The day of the terror attack at the Parliament building, I sent her a note asking if she and her family were okay. She answered me, today, we in Ottawa experienced what you in Israel experience on a daily bases….a terror attack on our capital building, soldier murdered in cold blood , another injured, schools and universities on lockdown and in general the information changing from minute to minute.   

My dear Canada, I read that you have now raised the terror alert and that the Royal Canadian Mounted Police [RCMP] calls for more powers to restrict movement of terrorist suspects.

Canada, the land of my birth, the land that my father a”H served during WW2, please stay safe…………

That’s all for now. Feel free to comment and share.

Miriam           

Thirty-Four Years, Gone but Always in our Hearts.....

בס''ד

Tonight is my father Louis Small [Eliezer David ben Chana v’Yitzchak] HaKohen a"h 34th yartzeit and in his memory I would like to dedicate this blog to him. 

My father left us and this world on September 9th,1980 / 28th Elul 5740.

My dad was a wonderful man. He was a great husband, a super father and a loving grandfather. He was kind. He was good natured and he really cared about the next person. He would give you the shirt off his back, if that was what you needed. 

Our family was the most important part of his life.

My father cared about the community we lived in. He spent countless hours working on fundraisers for the shul [Young Israel of Chomedey] that our community wanted to build.

My father was a food chemist and would love to look at new products on the shelves in grocery stores. 

When my brother and I were children, he was always there for us. No matter the situation. He would do anything for his children.

My dad would speak softly, but directly to us, never down at us. When I had a problem we would go for a walk or a drive in the country and talk all the way. He made every problem seem not so bad.

My dad and I did the dishes together every evening. He would ask me about my day in school. I cherished those few minutes. My dad taught me to work ‘clean’ and always have a clean kitchen.

My daddy would help me with my homework. One time, when I was ten years old, I had a geography project from school. I had to make a scrapbook about each province in Canada and write what it was known for. Now I had weeks to get this project done, but I procrastinated and before I knew it the project was due. I had information only on one province.

It was late at night and I couldn't sleep. I was so worried about the trouble I was in. At ten o'clock in the evening, I finally told my parents my problem. My father was really upset with me, but he told me that he would try and help me out and that I should go to sleep. 

A few minutes later he was out of the house and drove to the train station. Since we lived in Montreal, The Canadian National Railways had a very large station underneath the Queen Elizabeth Hotel that was opened all the time. My father was able to get me great information on every province. 

Five o'clock in the morning, he woke me up and said, "here is your information, now get to work." I worked like I never worked in my life. By eight thirty, when I had to go to school, my project was more than half finished. I told my teacher that I would hand in my project after lunch.

In those days, we came home for lunch. I finished my project while munching on a sandwich. I couldn't believe it. My project was completed. I thanked my father a million times for getting me the information that I needed. I promised him that I would never procrastinate again. To this very day, I never procrastinate.

And when I was a Kallah, just before the badeken my dad asked me if I was sure Brahm was the man I wanted to spend my life with. When I told him I was sure, he and my mother made us a real prince and princess wedding.

I still remember when Brahm called my dad in the middle of the night to say I was in labour and that he had to take me to the hospital because he [Braham] was too nervous to drive. And when Naomi, their first grandchild was born, my dad was the proudest Zeidi in the world.   

Daddy, even though so many years have passed, I remember our last days together, as if it were just today. It was Moetzi Shabbos, the night of Selichot. For some reason I just felt the need to cook for Yom Tov. I went to Selichot, and when I came home I just couldn't go to bed, so I cooked all night. 

Eight o'clock Sunday morning Mommy called and said that you had a heart attack during the night and that I should come to Montreal. I told her I would get the next flight out. I then understood what I was feeling all night. By Sunday afternoon, I was at your bedside. Yitzchak arrived from Detroit a couple of hours later. We spent as much time as the hospital would allow us to visit with you and talk to your doctors. 

Tuesday morning you told Mommy that you wanted to speak to each of us alone. You somehow knew you were dying, but you didn't say so. You told me to go home and be with my family for Yom Tov. Yom Tov was Wednesday night. When I protested that my family was in good hands, you told me not to argue, and that I could come back after Yom Tov. What I didn't realize was that you were saying good-bye.

With a heavy heart, Yitzchak and I returned to our respective homes. From Montreal to Hamilton the flight is a little over an hour. I arrived in Hamilton in time to go and pick up the girls from school.

As we entered the hall of our apartment building, I could hear the phone ringing. It was Mommy, saying that you had just passed away. Two hours later, Yitzchak and I were on our way back to Montreal.
Your funeral was the next day, Erev Rosh Hashana. 

We sat shiva for 1 hour and in that hour I heard so many stories from people I didn't know about your generosity and how you quietly helped so many people. 

Daddy, I know you and Mommy are watching over us from above. I want you both to know that your grandchildren have grown up to be wonderful parents. Baruch Hashem, you have over forty plus great-grandchildren.  

We love you and miss you! 
__________________________________________

I would like to wish everyone L’Shana Tovah. May this new year be a year full of brachot, good health, happiness and nachas.
G’Mar Chatima Tova
Miriam                         

A Summer not to Forget...............

בס''ד
Looking at the calendar, I see that we are almost at the end of the secular month of August and the Jewish month of Av.  September 1th and Rosh Chodesh Elul will soon be upon us.

Where did the summer go?  Back tracking to May, my husband and I planned the summer projects we wanted to do.  Paint the outside alcove of our house. Work in the yard. Paint the metal bars of our sukkah frame.  And in general finish up small projects that we started but never completed.

I had friends who wanted to come and visit with me, spend the day roaming Netivot and going to the Baba Sali. Didn’t happen, much too dangerous.

Would you like to know how much we accomplished during the summer? Zero, zlitch and why you ask….because Hamas decided to ruin our summer and everyone else’s summer by firing rockets at us. Pretty hard to work outside when you have only 15 seconds to get to safety.

What can you do in 15 seconds? Not so much but believe me, I’m not complaining…..those who live around the Gaza belt have 7 seconds to seek safety.

Our Regional Council [Moetz] in Sdot Negev helped make the summer vacation somewhat pleasant for the children.  They organized and subsidized many field trips: to the zoo in Jerusalem, hands on children’s museum in Tel Aviv and a variety of other programs.

In my family we had the additional worry of a grandson chayal, serving in a tank unit in Gaza. And just before one of the many ceasefires, we had another grandson mulliumnik called up on a Tzav 8 [emergency call up].

Two weeks ago, I believe, we were in the middle of one of our ceasefires. My husband and I took advantage of the quiet and went to Netivot to do some shopping.  The southern businesses have really suffered during the war. The streets have been deserted and the stores had no customers. On this day, Netivot was alive. The traffic was heavy, shopping center parking lots full and people were out enjoying the quiet. Teens were hanging out at falafel stores and the outside cafes were busy.  It was just wonderful to see.

Netivot is a great city, it is so sad to see how it has suffered.  I posted about our shopping trip and I had several interesting comments on the same theme ‘Don’t get use to it….rockets are coming’. 

I replied with this comment on my Facebook status:

I have been reading different postings from people who live all over the country. I have come to the conclusion that the residents of the south see the ceasefire in a different light. This ceasefire is a breather for us. The people are out doing everyday things. Children are playing outside. Stores are busy. Traffic is heavy. Parking lots are full. Teens are hanging out. Whether or not the ceasefire holds is another question, but for now it is good and positive.

As everyone knows, the ceasefire didn’t hold and 24 hours after it expired another ceasefire was called. And once again last Tuesday Hamas fired rockets, this time to Beer Sheva and the ceasefire was broken. Since Tuesday, over 200 rockets have been fired at Israel.

This past Erev Shabbat our yishuv in the south was the recipients of 3 Grad missiles within a 2 hour span. 

Today we are in our 48th day of this round of terror and war. This is the longest war our country has known except for the war of Independence, which we are still fighting.

Our IDF and IAF have done a marvelous job defending our nation with pride. Our chayalim and chayalot are the best. May Hashem continue to watch over our army and may Hashem give our leaders the ability to make the right choices to bring security and quiet to our nation.

That’s all for now
Feel free to comment and share.
Miriam

Want an Experience...Go Shopping at the Shuk......

בס''ד

As I have written many times my family and I live in the Negev. One of the cities in the Negev is Netivot. Now if this name sounds sort of familiar to you, it is because Netivot has been the recipient of many Grad missiles fired by Hamas. Netivot is 9km [about 5 and 1/2 miles] from Gaza.

In Netivot, like many other cities in Israel, one or two days a week is shuk day.

Tuesday is shuk day in Netivot.  In Hebrew, shuk means “marketplace.” For hundreds of years, Jews from all over the world have vended and shopped in marketplaces. Merchants would travel by ship to sell their spices, fine perfume, material etc. My ancestors going back to the early 1700’s traveled by ship from Spain to Romania, where they eventually settled, selling all their wares along the way.

In biblical times, Avraham Avinu, met with caravan merchants on the very land where Netivot and the surrounding moshavim and yishuv stands today.

Every Tuesday, merchants and farmers from the moshavim and kibbutzim in the area set up their wares, fruits and vegetables in the open air market. You can buy almost anything in the shuk from fruits and vegetables, clothes, toys, Judaic, cheap costume jewelry, paper products, plastic ware and there is always a surprise or two.

The shuk in Netivot is on a large piece of land in the industrial area. Shopper’s crowd onto the bus with their shopping wagons and hand held baskets.  Young mothers with babies in carriages and a toddler or two trailing behind are a common sight. Everyone is going to the shuk to look for bargains. And if you are patient and have the time to really look carefully, you will find the bargains.

But you need patience when you arrive at the shuk. The traffic on the street of the shuk and around the entrance is always crazy. Early bird shoppers block the entrance putting their purchases in the trunk of taxis. Bus drivers honk their horns wanting to pass. Venders are unloading produce and merchandise and security is checking each car as they drive into the parking lot.

As you walk into the shuk, you are entering a very interesting and entertaining place to shop. The noise level is very loud. Vendors are hocking their produce and wares.  Knowing how to bargain is part of the game. The secret is knowing prices and know how much you are willing to pay.

After you ask the vendor how much, he / she will usually give you a high price, figuring you are going to bargain.  I usually say too expensive and walk away. The vendor will call you back “gaverette, gaverette” [literally Mrs.]   and give you another price. If it is a fair price, you buy, if not, say no and as you leave he will say how much. Give your price [it has to be fair, no cheating allowed] and in most cases you have a deal.

The moshavim and kibbutzim in the areas have a bus that takes its residents for an “outing” to the shuk. The older women love to meet and smooze. For many, it’s their only time away from home.

As I started this blog, I told you that Netivot has had many rockets fired at it citizens. Because of this, Pikud Oref, Israel’s Home Front Command, has ordered that the shuk be closed during the war. It is just too dangerous. Shuks, in other southern cities have also been closed.

Many vendors travel from city to city, setting up their wares.  With the shuks closed, the vendors are suffering. Their income has been taken away because of rockets.

If you are visiting Israel, the famous  Mahane Yehuda in Jerusalem and Carmel Market in Tel Aviv are a stop for every tourist.

No matter if you are a native Israeli or a tourist, if you have never shopped in 

the shuk, you owe yourself the experience.

Happy shopping!

Postscript. One of the farmer families that sell their produce in the shuk lives in my yishuv. They decided that since the people can’t come to the shuk, the

shuk will come to them.  Every Tuesday they have set up a veggie shuk 

on the lawn outside of their home. Many residents come to buy and 

appreciated their efforts.

That’s all for now.

Feel free to comment and share.

Miriam                

Toda Raba Dear Soldiers.........

בס''ד
Thank-you dear chayalim and chayalot
of the Israel Defense Force.

Thank-you
for your service
in defending our nation.

Thank-you dear reservist
for answering the call
to serve
so that our country will not fall.

Many have sacrificed their life
So that we can live in our homeland
Baruch Dayan HaEmet
May your blood be avenged.

To those who are serving
all over our precious land
our prayers are with you
for success and good health.

May the Hand of the One Above
watch over you
night and day
and bring you home safely
into the arms of your family.


May Hashem watch over and protect all our chayalim and chayalot.
Feel free to share.

Miriam            

And What About the Animals..........

בסייד
During this rain of missiles a segment of Israeli society that the media is not reporting about are our four legged pets and farm animals.

Living on a Yishuv we have many dogs and cats.  The cats hid under cars and the outside dogs howl. These poor creatures are terrified.

There are residents of the south who have left their homes because of missiles and have unfortunately left their pets behind to fend for themselves.

My friends who have dogs all say that their pets are suffering and that their behavior during this time is not their norm. Some have stopped eating, they need and want extra attention and others just bark morning, noon and night.

We have a sweet 3 year old Beagle mix that lives in the house. Patches is traumatized, suffering from anxiety from all the noise. Move a chair, she barks.  Patches barks like crazy whenever there is a siren, but knows that she must run to our safe room and can’t leave until I tell her “okay, you can go.”

Across the street from us is a Moshav that has farm animals. Usually they are very noisy only in the early morning and at dusk. During the day we rarely hear them. This week, we hear the sheep and goats all day long. They too are suffering from the terror. This past Erev Shabbat, my son and I were sitting outside when we saw the  sheppard bringing his heard back to the Moshav from grazing in a field across the way.

The wailing sound of the siren went off. We ran into the house. When we could go back out we saw the sheppard chasing a couple of baby sheep and heard them crying.  They were petrified.

Last week, a missile exploded when it hit a barn and cows were killed and injured. The milk sold from these cows was someone’s parnassa [livelihood].

Why did I write this posting? Because I would like you to see that every segment of society, men, women, children, the young, the elderly, our pets, farm animals and strays are suffering one way or another from terror. Enough already….this is not the way to live.

We have a well trained, highly motivated air force and army that are defending our nation with pride and doing whatever necessary to STOP THE MISSILES.

They need to be allowed to finish the job for once and for all and not be pulled away before that.

Am Yisrael Chai!

Miriam            

And Talia Wanted a Piranha

בס''ד
Next week, our granddaughter Talia Bracha will G-D willing become a Bat- Mitzvah.

My husband and I asked her what she would like for a gift and she answered,“ a piranha in an aquarium”. After, shaking my head in amazement and asking why, she said “that’s what I want.”

Talk about strange requests from a bat-mitzvah girl.

Her mother, our daughter Devorah added, “she asked us for the same gift and we said no.”

And then I asked her if she wanted jewelry and Talia very politely, almost apologizing said “I have enough jewelry Safta.” “Would you like a watch, I asked, “I don’t need one. Safta, why don’t you just get me a surprise.”

And so, what to buy was back in our lap. We started to rack our brain as to what to buy our granddaughter who appreciates what she has and is not a princess.

Come September, Talia will be going to the Ulpana in Sedrot. The girls have many trips and spend some Shabbatot together. We decided to get her a suitcase and tote bag.

In Netivot, we have several stores that carry these bags, but I was looking for something special. Devorah told me that Talia likes pink and purple. I wanted a something youthful, in pink or purple and durable.

The last store we went to had just what we were looking for.

Mazal-Tov Talia! You are a very special young lady. May Hashem always be by your side and guide you all your life. We look forward to celebrating with you next week.

Mazal-Tov Devorah and Hagai. You have given us a beautiful family.

That’s all for now
Shabbat Shalom
Safta Miriam                 

Twenty Years........Where Has the Time Gone?

בס''ד
When we told our friends that we were making Aliyah, some were shocked and others said, “You will be back in six months. Life is very hard in Israel. You need a pile of money to survive" and we were broke... Well to all our friends who doubted us....  this week, we are celebrating our 20th year of Aliyah...but I’m getting ahead of myself.

Hamilton, Ontario, Canada: It’s Erev Rosh Hashana 1993 and we [my husband, and twelve year old son] had just gotten off the telephone after wishing our two married daughters, their husbands and our 3 Sabra grandchildren Shana Tova.

The girls were both married to Israeli husbands and had settled in Eretz Yisrael several years earlier. Our oldest daughter Naomi, lived with her family on a kibbutz in Gush Etzion. Our younger daughter Devorah, lived with her husband in the South on a Moshav.

Sitting around our Yom Tov table, the conversation once again was about Israel and us making aliyah. This was our dream.... a dream we had for many years.  Our son, who was going to celebrate his Bar Mitzvah the following year, wanted his Aliya at the Kotel.  His wish came true.

Making Aliyah is a major decision, one that can not be made on ‘one leg’. My husband and I had talked about making Aliyah for years. We visited the Aliyah office of The Jewish Agency and spoke several times to different shlichim. There always seemed to be a reason or maybe an excuse why this particular year was not right.

Time passed quickly, after high school, Naomi went to Israel to study in a women’s seminary. She planned to stay for one year and then return to Toronto to go to university. This was not meant to be.

Devorah followed two years later. Both girls fell in love with the country and decided that they didn’t want to come back to Canada. Israel was going to be their home.

The girls met their Israeli husbands, we made two weddings in Israel and the girls settled down. By the time our third grandchild was born, my husband and I knew that our place was in Israel.

Once the decision was made to make Aliyah, the process went rather quickly.

Right after Rosh Hashana, I called the Jewish Agency office in Toronto and was told by the secretary that she would mail us the application and all the other paper work but there wasn’t going to be a shaliach in Toronto until after all the chaggim.

The shaliach finally arrived in December. Our paperwork was ready to go. We met the shaliach, a very nice man who was a retired Navy Commander and we told him we were anxious to make aliyah as soon as possible.

There are many horror stories about the Jewish Agency, but our experience was wonderful.  Our shaliach worked very hard on our behalf.

Five months later, May 30th 1994, we boarded an EL Al airplane with nine big and heavy boxes, and so started our journey home. [Two weeks earlier we sent the few things I just couldn’t leave behind. The lift was ¼ full.] From the moment that we stepped off the airplane and took our first steps on Israeli soil, we knew we arrived home to new beginnings.

Living in Israel as new olim was an experience in its self. We were warned that the bureaucracy would be unbelievable. It was, but we took it in stride. Our first experience with bureaucracy was at the Passport Control Office at the airport.

As new Olim, we needed to receive a Teudat Olah [immigrant certificate] .  The clerk typed up our information, but instead of writing country of origin Canada, she wrote country of origin Soviet Union. When we pointed out her mistake, she refused to correct it, instead told us that we had to go to the ministry office in Jerusalem. We later found out that a plane load of Russian Jews had landed a couple of hours earlier and the clerk was just used to typing Soviet Union.

Kibbutz Rosh Tzurim, Gush Etzion: Coming from Canada, we exchanged our large hi-rise apartment for a small 55 meter two bedroom kibbutz house in Gush Etzion, near Jerusalem. Our daughter and son-in-law were and are chaverim [kibbutz members]. The kibbutz wanted to open a section of housing for parents of chaverim. And so, instead of going to a merkas klita [absorption center], we chose the kibbutz as our first Israeli home.  It was such a smart move.  We started living like Israelis from day one.

The girls and their husbands surprised us by cleaning and furnishing the house with kibbutz furniture so that we wouldn’t walk into an empty house.

Our three year old grandson, Yoni, drew a ‘welcome home’ picture that was hanging on the front door.  At first, it was a little difficult living in a small house. We were always under each others feet, but after a few days we each found our own space.

Although, we didn’t join the kibbutz, they invited us to use their facilities. We ate lunch in the communal dining room and used the kibbutz laundry service. The novelty of just throwing the laundry into the correct baskets and picking it up the next day, clean and pressed was exciting.

Once in while we celebrated Shabbat in the communal dining room with more than one hundred other people. Welcoming the Shabbat with the singing of Shalom Aleichem, Eishes Chayil and Kiddish, the sounds of young children laughing and running around, made the Shabbat meal a true kibbutz experience.

Each family had its own table. There was a rotation system and every Shabbat several members took turns setting the tables, serving and cleaning up.

As our young grandchildren became a little older, it was not unusual for them to bang on our door early Shabbat morning, looking for chocolate milk and Shabbat cake. For some reason, the milk and cake tasted better in Saba and Safta’s house than theirs.

Learning to speak Hebrew was another experience. We joined an ulpan for new olim in Jerusalem and for a few months went everyday. My husband learned to speak very quickly, I didn’t.  Even today, I speak in English whenever possible. Israelis love to speak English. After three months in school, our son was speaking Hebrew like a native.

It didn’t take us long to learn the ropes.  We found out quickly Israelis love to drink mud [Turkish coffee], their favorite expression, no matter the situation is “yehieh beseder” [it will be okay] and politics is definitely the topic of choice. All Israelis have an opinion on how to run the government and everyone is a backseat General in the army.

You can tour and visit many places that are mentioned in the Torah. Israel has the bluest sky and its national flower, Callanit is a beautiful red wild flower.

The country comes together, when the siren rings on Yom HaShoah [Holocaust remembrance day] and Yom Hazikron  [Memorial day for our chayalim and innocent victims of terrorism].

Cars and buses stop in the middle of the street. Drivers and passengers get out of their vehicles, pedestrians stop walking, everyone stands silently remembering the price the Jewish people have had to pay.  It is a breathtaking sight to see.

On Israel Independence day,Yom Ha’atzmaut, we fly our Israeli flag with pride, enjoy the traditional bar b’ que and watch the Tanach Bible contest on television. Our air force, the IAF does a flyover and we get to see a magnificent show of air power.

Today we live on a wonderful, warm, hamish Yishuv in the Western Negev. We have experienced joy, incoming missile siren, war, had Grad missiles exploding not far from where we live and have the sounds of jets, helicopters, loud booms, and the drone buzzing overhead protecting our precious land almost daily.

We have been blessed with 13 Sabra grandchildren, of which 6 are 10th generation Israeli.

Over the years so much has happened with in our family. We have watched our daughters become marvelous parents, experienced the joys of our grandchildren from newborns to toddlers, first steps, first words, first day at gan, [kindergarten], the excitement of kita aleph [grade 1] graduations, bar and bat mitzvot. Two grandsons became chayalim, one is in Hesdar and the other in a tank unit. Our granddaughter served our country doing Sherut Leumi and recently two other grandsons received their first draft notice. Our youngest grandson will G-D willing start gan [kindergarten] in September.

In our Yishuv like many other areas, ten or fifteen minutes before Shabbat, beautiful Shabbat music is played over the loudspeaker. When it is time to light the Shabbat candles a serene atmosphere takes over. For me, the moments before Shabbat are a special time to reflect.

For our family, living in Israel is an honor and a privilege. We are living in our Jewish homeland and full filling our dreams.

Come home...Every Jew has a place!!

Until next time....Feel free to comment and share.

Miriam         

What a Special Day................

בס''ד

This morning my husband Avraham and I left our home in the Negev to travel to the Holy city of Yerushalayim to meet our friends Selma and Lazar from Montreal, who are visiting Eretz Yisrael.

We were so excited... this trip was so special... I have known Selma since I was thirteen years old, more than fifty years from our growing up days in Chomedey. Our families were 'settlers' in this new community...

Avraham and Lazar were friends since high school and hung around together with for years.. 

Selma was my maid of honor and Lazar was Avraham's best man when we were married.

Unfortunately, we lost track of one another for years, but thanks to the invention of the internet, I was given Selma’s e-mail address and we started to correspond and catch-up.

After Avraham and I starting going out, I met his friend Lazar who didn’t have a girl friend. I told Avraham that I knew the perfect girl for him.. Lazar agreed to meet Selma but Selma was another story. I can’t tell you how much I begged and twisted Selma’s arm to get her to agree to go out with Lazar just once.

Finally she agreed if we double dated...

And so from the shidduch that I made, G-D willing, Selma and Lazar will celebrate their 47th wedding anniversary in December, Baruch Hashem.

Our friends were staying at the Dan Panorama and we agreed to meet at the hotel. Besides being a little older, they hardly changed at all. We greeted each other with hugs......

 









We sat in the lobby for sometime and talked, looked at pictures and then I showed them a piece of pottery from the time of Avraham Avinu that my grandchildren found in a National Forest, the original home of Avraham Avinu... that where we live is the same land that we read about in the Chumash in Sefer Bereishis, where Avraham Avinu walked, had his tents, his flock grazed and merchants passed. Our history comes alive everywhere you go.

And then we showed them a piece of metal and pictures of the rocket that exploded a couple of years ago, 2 minutes from my house.  They never saw anything like it. 

Lunch was in a small restaurant on Emek Ephraim in the German Colony. Once again, we took pictures, talked, laughed and just had a great time. 

Walking back to the hotel, we stopped at Blum Park near the hotel to take more pictures.

Since we are all not so young, when we got back to the hotel, we once again sat in the lobby, and again smoozed and took a picture of the four of us. A waiter took the picture and it came out blurred. :(

When it was time for us to leave, we said our goodbyes...I told them that on their next trip, they must come to the South and be our guests and meet our family...

 

This was a wonderful day that we will not forget...Selma and Lazar, thank-you for making it happen.

Tomorrow, our friends continue their touring of our precious country.

Miriam