Many years ago, on July 4 1976 an elite commando unit of the Israeli Defense Forces stormed the Entebbe, Uganda airport and freed the 102 Israeli hostages held there after they were hijacked on an Air France Flight by terrorist palestinian organizations. Read More »

At 321 Woodmere Blvd., in the Five Towns of Long Island, New York, there stands a mansion-like building. It is an attractive, red bricked edifice with a large circular driveway leading up to its doors. On either side of the entrance are some bushes that flower in the spring, but are rather boring the rest of the year. Read More »

I’ve been thinking alot, since the beginning of the month about 9/11. I can’t wrap my head around the fact that ten years have passed. I have half a mind to take this Sunday off from work so I can stay home and watch the memorials and just feel, rather than the day being lost in the hustle-and-bustle of life. Read More »

The Chofesh HaGadol has come and gone and I thought I would blog about it every week, but well, you see how that worked out. Truth be told, there wasn’t much to write about. Sure we did have our arguments about curfews and the like, but nothing out of the norm. Read More »

The “Chofesh HaGadol”, or “long vacation” is the term given for the summer vacation that Israeli school children have every year. All elementary schools here finish on June 30 and begin on September 1st, thus leaving two full months for vacation. Read More »

I was definitely a late bloomer when it came to men.I knew alot of guys through Bnei Akiva, which I became active in after high school. And they were all great friends, but that’s where it ended. All around me my friends were dating seriously, but not me.I didn’t mind that much because I was having fun with the single girls. Read More »

You all know I have honed the doom-and-gloom thing to perfection. Horrific things await us, I know it and that’s why I think it’s important to try to find joy in something everyday, to see good in everyone I meet, and to try to be thankful for all I have. What can I say? It’s a basic philosphy of my life. Read More »

Because it’s Yom Yerushalayim! Or Jerusalem Day. It’s the 44th anniversary of the day Jerusalem, our capital, the holiest city in the world was liberated and united. It is a day of joy and pride for us. I’d like to remind everyone that in 1967, Jews were denied access to our holy sites, then under Jordanian rule. Read More »

Those of you who know me, know that I love to read. When I was a kid, we were allowed to take out ten books at a time from the Brooklyn Public Library. My mother would take us there every Friday, so I pretty much read ten books weekly–sometimes more when I read the books my siblings took out.As an adult I continued to read voraciously. Read More »

I never heard of it until a few years ago, but the Naqba thing is definitely growing. Naqba (in Arabic) means tragedy. It is the day that Israel received Independence, our Yom Ha’atzmaut that the Palestinians commemorate their Naqba Day. For them it is a day of mourning the destruction and occupation of their land . Read More »

Today, instead of having the traditional mangal , or barbeque with friends, we decided, together with those friends to take the mangal to an army base.I’ll explain. Read More »

Four years ago, Liat was recovering from a severe infection and was just moved to a regular bed from the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. Every morning nurses or doctors would come around to take blood and Liat quickly became an advocate for herself, not allowing just anyone to stick a needle in her. Read More »

Eight years ago I visited Israel for a week together with my friend Carol and her family who were celebrating her son Ilan’s bar mitzvah. It was my first trip to Israel in 12 years and I was thrilled to be here and drinking it all in.Our first night here we strolled along Ben Yehuda Street in Jerusalem, talking and laughing. Read More »

1. Wiped and cleaned down display shelves; walked to various places around the house putting things where they should go (books in their owner’s rooms; sunglasses, too; assorted wires and chargers in his junk drawer). 2. Cleaned 8 dining room chairs and the accompanying table. 3. Read More »

A few weeks ago, in the Jerusalem Post I came across an ad splayed across two pages from Supersol EXTRA Deal (emphasis on EXTRA because the Supersol I usually shop in is just plain “Deal”; nothing extra about it). The ad said, if I remember correctly, “Costco in Israel”. Read More »

I know that many of you (readers and facebook friends who sometimes tune in to the blog) may not be aware of what has happened here in Israel over the weekend.I just wanted you to know. On Friday night, in a place called Itamar a “yishuv” in Judea and Samaria* at least one terrorist infiltrated this place; that is they cut through the fence. Read More »

In Israel, there is a very nice custom in which the birthday person gives special blessings to those around her. I happen to be celebrating a special birthday (no not an even number, I just think all my birthdays are very special). In this tradition, I bestow my blessings upon you. Read More »

I don’t know what to say.I have no excuse.I still write blog posts in my head. I still get inspired.I just don’t feel like putting it to the screen.I’ve thought of bowing out gracefully, ala my old friend SuperRaizy .But I don’t want to let it go. I feel like I’ll be back. Really.I still read blogs. Occasionally comment. Read More »

The fires that have raged through the Carmel Mountains and Forest area are apparently coming under control. This has been a devastating blow to us. Thousands of dunams destroyed, millions of trees, wildlife, homes, and of course the highest price paid, the lives of 41 men and women. Read More »

There’s an interesting discussion going at A Mother in Israel regarding a trend where fearful parents are promoting the young marriage of their children (young being 19-22 years old, presumably ages where these young men and women are not finished with army service or university, and likely not yet in some kind of profession). Read More »