כִּי רָאִינוּ אֶת-הָאָרֶץ וְהִנֵּה טוֹבָה מְאֹד / Seen in Israel

We’ve been pretty busy this past week.  Right now we’re in the middle of a busy tourist season: I got to meet up for lunch with Amy Bigman, who was in town for a rabbinical program, Sheryl got to see her childhood friend Erit Gill (who actually lives here in Israel), Michelle Sider is finishing up her sojourn, Ilana Sherizen was in town and we got to see her briefly (see below), and we got to spend some time with a couple of Hannah’s old Nishmat classmates Tova Perlman and Arianne Schwartz who were in Israel for a wedding.  A bunch more people are expected over the next few weeks, and hopefully we’ll be able to give them all at least a shout out.  So, we’ve been too busy having fun to write; just a short post this week, sharing with you a few things we’ve seen out and about recently.

Not that you see so many stretch limos at home -- they're rare enough that one tends to stop and gawk a bit when you do -- but somehow seeing one here seems even more unusual.  Saw this couple in front of our building about a week ago. We actually live next door to a wedding planner of sorts, so every once and a while we see a beautiful bride getting ready to celebrate, but this stretch was definitely a first.  (More on Autos in Israel in an upcoming post!)

Speaking of firsts, I had my first sighting of the year for hamentaschen. Snapped this photo at one of our local grocery stores last week.  If you are keeping track, that’s about two months before Purim.  To put this in perspective, (though "להבדיל" works better here than "in perspective") that would be like seeing xmas decorations in the States at Halloween.  I’m more of a hamentaschen fan than a sufganiyah fan (and also more of a Purim fan than a Hanukkah fan (Related?) so I’m looking forward to this extended season.

For those of you brought up on the notion that hamentaschen were connected to Haman’s three-cornered hat (anyone remember this song from Hebrew school?!) you might be interested to know that in Israel they are not called hamantaschen but oznei haman/Haman’s ears.  For those who care to know more about which is the “correct” terminology, you can read a fun little article here.  And for those who want to know way more than you ever thought possibly could be written about a pastry, you can read this piece.

OK, no visuals; you’re going to have to use your imagination for this one. Hannah was coming into Jerusalem on Wednesday.  She’s settling in and sees this kid board the train, carrying a lulav case. “OK, a little strange for this time of year,” she thought, but she felt to had to give him props for a really serious commitment to the mitzvah.  Then she saw he was using it to carry his light saber.  Nice!

(On the topic of Star Wars, Hannah and I finally saw Rogue One on Thursday, and we were both blown away.  Great job, Disney!)

And for those of you who didn’t know, Zoe turned sixteen this week. On Shabbat we are celebrating her Jewish birthday with the Kashuks.  (Can pretty much guarantee there won’t be any photographs there.)  Her secular birthday was on Wednesday and we went out to Tzidkiyahu Steak House with the Pollocks, Ilana Sherizen, and Michelle Sider.  

A great evening made even more fun by the guy at the next table who made to sure to sweep us into the simha his family was there celebrating, his daughter entering the army the next day.

What happens in Israel...

(Outside of Israel, and outside our immediate lives, there is this cause you might want to get involved in.  It will take you three minutes, if you are interested.  Hope you don’t mind my sharing.)