I forgot to mention that on my vacation, we also went to the Safari in Ramat Gan. THat was really cool, as we got to drive through the safari, and then go to the zoo in the middle. It was a really good day, and Avidan came too. At the zoo, we got a cart, so my parents didn't have to do so much walking, as the heat was intense. As we drove out, one of the animals walked right up to the car, as if he was saying hello. We also got to drive through the Lions, which was like driving through Jurassic Park.
The week after my vacation, we dog sat for a family that lives on Shimon, near Glen and Gila. THe dog's name was Chetzi. We had a really good time, especially Ilan. Gali was a little afraid at first, but then warmed up to her. Tiki was very afraid if the dog came to her, but if she came to the dog, she was fine. Eitan just kept saying dog all the time. I definitely see a dog in our future.
My boss is away in England this week, so work is a lot more bearable. Rumor is she is picking out apartments. LEt's home the rumor are true.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Thursday, August 26, 2010
One Year Anniversary
It has been one year since we arrived in Israel. It's hard to believe that it's been that long. Since our last update, All the kids finished school in the end of June, although Ilan, Tiki and Eitan continued going to the same place in July. We had a vist in mid June from Uncle Joe and Auntie Erica, which was great. The kids got very attached to them very quickly, and it was a good opportunity for Uncle Joe and Antie Erica to get a glimpse of our daily life. The following Friday, me Caryn, Jonny and Diane went to Kibbutz Gezer to celebrate Uncle Joe and Auntie Erica's 18 year anniversary. It was a wonderful party and a very enjoyable afternoon. I also had the pleasure of driving them back to Jerusalem, so I got to spend extra time with them, which was nice.
In July, the kids went to school/camp, although the school was more camp oriented (except for Eitan, as when you are a baby, everything is camp oriented). Gali also went to camp in July, that was heavy in the arts and crafts ,and so much on physical activity, which suited her fine. Overall, the kids seemed to enjoy it, and they were all home by 1:30 and didn't have camp on Friday, so it was a more relaxing month for them.
July was also a more relaxing month for me, as I banged my head walking into a bomb shelter on July 4th, and since it is reinforced with concrete, I essentially walked into concrete. Not my finest hour, as there was a low clearance and I was reading my newspaper, and not paying attention. Ironically, I was on my way to Daven (pray) Mincha. In any case, the next morning I was throwing up, with dizziness and headaches. I got my first taste of an Israeli emergency room, which was quite an experience (although one I hope not to repeat). I ended up taking two weeks off of work, while I was recuperating. It was not an easy month for Caryn, as I was useless lying in bed, and the kids were home all afternoon. Somehow, she survived. We also celebrated TIsha B'Av, which was the last of the Jewish Holidays that we celebrated for the first time in Israel. Although fasting for 25 hours doesn't really count as much of a holiday, I did get the day off from work, so it was worth not eating or drinking. July seemed pretty hot, but it was nothing compared to August.
On August 1st, we had a one day retreat at work, which was a lot better than working, although I sprained my thumb and had 3 blisters on my fingers. The day after started my two week vacation, which was great. My parents came in, along with my niece Ariana. Most of Jonny's family was spending the summer in the states, so his house was empty. As a result, my parents and Ariana slept there for most of the time. It was really nice to spend so much time together, with my wife, kids, parents and Ariana for two weeks. I had planned a lot of activities, although it was a daily struggle to get everyone out of bed and dressed. We did manage to go to the beach, amusement park, several jumping places, plenty of playgrounds, plenty of malls, bagels, slushys, and I got to play basketball again, since I had given that up as I was now working on Friday or out with a concussion. I also discovered a Beit SHemesh poker game, which has become a weekly occurrence for me.
It was difficult to say goodbye to my parents and Ariana, and then also go back to work. I am just about now completely settled back into work, and back to the daily grime. This week, there is no train service, as they are doing maintenance on the tracks, so I have had to drive in, which has been a pretty positive experience as the roads are a lot less crowded, since half the country is on vacation.
The kids start school next week, and Caryn registers for Ulpan again. The Chagim (holidays) are almost here, so the kids get to ease in to school, with only half days or vacation days the first month. Ilan is going into first grade and has been acting out a bit, as he is nervous. He had his orientation today, and seemed to be pretty excited about it. Gali is repeating Kindergarten, as she was the youngest one in her class, and not ready for first grade. Tiki is going into the state run preschool, where she will learn Hebrew, so that should be an experience. EItan is going to a new private gan for one-two year-olds.
Overall, we have accomplished a lot this first year, but we have had our difficulties as well. Most people tell us it takes at least two years to fully adjust, although we'll see about that. Our plan is still to move to Modiin, some time in the first 6 months of next year.
We wish everyone a sweet, happy and healthy new year.
Kol Tuv,
Zumi
In July, the kids went to school/camp, although the school was more camp oriented (except for Eitan, as when you are a baby, everything is camp oriented). Gali also went to camp in July, that was heavy in the arts and crafts ,and so much on physical activity, which suited her fine. Overall, the kids seemed to enjoy it, and they were all home by 1:30 and didn't have camp on Friday, so it was a more relaxing month for them.
July was also a more relaxing month for me, as I banged my head walking into a bomb shelter on July 4th, and since it is reinforced with concrete, I essentially walked into concrete. Not my finest hour, as there was a low clearance and I was reading my newspaper, and not paying attention. Ironically, I was on my way to Daven (pray) Mincha. In any case, the next morning I was throwing up, with dizziness and headaches. I got my first taste of an Israeli emergency room, which was quite an experience (although one I hope not to repeat). I ended up taking two weeks off of work, while I was recuperating. It was not an easy month for Caryn, as I was useless lying in bed, and the kids were home all afternoon. Somehow, she survived. We also celebrated TIsha B'Av, which was the last of the Jewish Holidays that we celebrated for the first time in Israel. Although fasting for 25 hours doesn't really count as much of a holiday, I did get the day off from work, so it was worth not eating or drinking. July seemed pretty hot, but it was nothing compared to August.
On August 1st, we had a one day retreat at work, which was a lot better than working, although I sprained my thumb and had 3 blisters on my fingers. The day after started my two week vacation, which was great. My parents came in, along with my niece Ariana. Most of Jonny's family was spending the summer in the states, so his house was empty. As a result, my parents and Ariana slept there for most of the time. It was really nice to spend so much time together, with my wife, kids, parents and Ariana for two weeks. I had planned a lot of activities, although it was a daily struggle to get everyone out of bed and dressed. We did manage to go to the beach, amusement park, several jumping places, plenty of playgrounds, plenty of malls, bagels, slushys, and I got to play basketball again, since I had given that up as I was now working on Friday or out with a concussion. I also discovered a Beit SHemesh poker game, which has become a weekly occurrence for me.
It was difficult to say goodbye to my parents and Ariana, and then also go back to work. I am just about now completely settled back into work, and back to the daily grime. This week, there is no train service, as they are doing maintenance on the tracks, so I have had to drive in, which has been a pretty positive experience as the roads are a lot less crowded, since half the country is on vacation.
The kids start school next week, and Caryn registers for Ulpan again. The Chagim (holidays) are almost here, so the kids get to ease in to school, with only half days or vacation days the first month. Ilan is going into first grade and has been acting out a bit, as he is nervous. He had his orientation today, and seemed to be pretty excited about it. Gali is repeating Kindergarten, as she was the youngest one in her class, and not ready for first grade. Tiki is going into the state run preschool, where she will learn Hebrew, so that should be an experience. EItan is going to a new private gan for one-two year-olds.
Overall, we have accomplished a lot this first year, but we have had our difficulties as well. Most people tell us it takes at least two years to fully adjust, although we'll see about that. Our plan is still to move to Modiin, some time in the first 6 months of next year.
We wish everyone a sweet, happy and healthy new year.
Kol Tuv,
Zumi
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Update from June 14th that I never finished
I was rereading the last update and noticed all of the spelling and grammar mistakes. I guess being around Israelis who don't use prepositions is starting to impact me. Unfortunately, my Hebrew does not seem to be getting that much better, so it's only having a limited impact. The good news is that my job is starting to improve, as I adjust to my new surroundings. I am getting used to what is expected of me, and although I still am pretty far removed from the day to day operations of the Units that I manage, I am learning to adjust to not being in the thick of things. The big thing was I finally decided that I was going to do what I thought best regarding my development here, instead of what my boss thinks. Overall, a definite improvement since last month. I also have a really good friend at work, Noam, who helped me get this job, which makes the environment a lot better, as we each have someone that we can confide it about all the craziness in the Israeli-Citi environment. But enough about me.
We had a 10 day streak of no one being sick, which unfortunately came to a messy halt this morning with Gali throwing up all over her bed. On the [plus side, Gali is very happy about staying home from school, and does not appear to be really sick. Eitan was getting sick every other week, so hopefully we can go this week without him getting sick again. Speaking of Eitan, he is up and about and walking all over the place. He is still at that stage where he walks with a wobble, which is really cute. The other kids seem a little more interested in him, now that he can walk.
We had a 10 day streak of no one being sick, which unfortunately came to a messy halt this morning with Gali throwing up all over her bed. On the [plus side, Gali is very happy about staying home from school, and does not appear to be really sick. Eitan was getting sick every other week, so hopefully we can go this week without him getting sick again. Speaking of Eitan, he is up and about and walking all over the place. He is still at that stage where he walks with a wobble, which is really cute. The other kids seem a little more interested in him, now that he can walk.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Update # 9
Hi everyone,
It doesn't seem that long since the last update, but almost a month has passed. Amazingly, we have been in Israel now for almost nine months. It seems like a lot longer. I am continuing to adjust to my new work environment. It is going slowly, but I'm sure that sooner or later I will adjust. The thrill of taking the train every day has worn off, and the 1 and half hour commute each way is starting to annoy me. On the plus side, in a few months I will be changing my work schedule to Monday through Friday for at least a few months, so I am looking forward to that. Caryn is taking a hiatus from Ulpan for a little while. She has also been sick the last three weeks, but is on antibiotics now and hopefully will be better soon. I forgot to mention in my last update that we got our permanent car, which is a 7 seater call Citroen. It takes some getting used to, but it's a nice car or Minivan or SUV. Not really sure what it is. IN any case, we can all drive together now, so that is nice.
Caryn and I met with Ilan's teachers last week and got a good report. While he was initially very resistant to learning Hebrew, he is a lot more motivated now, and making good progress. He is starting to read in Hebrew and doing pretty well. He has also entered into a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Phase, so our lives have been revolving around that. Gali has followed Ilan, and is also enjoying the Turtles, and even Tiki sings the theme song continually, which I have to admit is catchy. Besides that, Gali is also doing well, although we never hear her speak Hebrew, but she has a few friends who only speak Hebrew, and she can communicate just fine. Tiki is very cute and very engaging, which can be a lot of fun and also be very tiring, as she is like the Energizer Bunny. She is also generally the last of our children to fall asleep and often pays us several visits in the middle of the night (unless I am too tired, then she just pays us one visit and ends up staying). Eitan had Strep throat a few weeks ago, and after having a runny nose for two months, was like a new baby after taking antibiotics for a couple of days. He stopped being clingy, and was happy and playful most of the time. He also continues to be a good eater, eating everything in sight. We think he might have been a dog in a previous life, as he likes to fetch, eat food off of the floor, and chew on socks. Unfortunately, he is not housebroken.
Caryn and I spent the last Shabbat in April in Modiin. We had a really nice time, and we davened in a small minyan (prayer quorum), that was housed inside a school. It was a very kid friendly environment, which we really liked. On the down side, it is not financially feasible for us to by anything in Modiin at this time, so it does not appear we will be moving there this summer. Ilan has also expressed some reservations about moving out of Beit Shemesh, so we will likely stay in Beit Shemesh, although we may decide to move within Beit Shemesh.
On Saturday night,May 1st, we celebrated our first Lag Ba'omer in Israel. This was quite an experience, as this does not really exist as a holiday for the most part in the states. I still had to work on Sunday, but the kids were off from school, so it definitely was not a holiday for Caryn. Anyway, from the second night of Passover, we count every night for seven weeks, until he holiday of Shavuot (Pentecost). On the 33rd day, there is a mini holiday, as our tradition recalls that a plague that had killed 24,000 students of Rabbi Akiva ended on that day. I won't get into the historical aspects of this, but suffice it to say, there is more to the story than that. In any case, this holidays is the pyromaniac's dream. Everywhere throughout the country, people are lighting bonfires. Some of them are actually quite large, and they are all over the place. In a mile radius from our house, I would say we saw about 40-50 separate bonfires. The whole city smelled like smoke. I'm not really sure why we light bonfires, and I would not let my kids participate, only watch, as it seems really dangerous, as some of these fires are 10 feet or more high. From nearby by Ramat Beit Shemesh, where the Charedim (Ultra-Orthodox) live, you could say an orange glow emanating from the area. While it was cool to see, it was also a little disturbing as the smell of the air reminded me of NY after 9/11.
Besides that, we celebrated our niece, Amalya's birthday. Actually, her family celebrated and we crashed the party, but they didn't seem to mind. Since we missed so many of our nieces and nephews birthdays over the years, we try to wish them happy birthday in person. Amalya was effusive with her praise for every present, and I remarked how she was the anti Uncle David (family joke). Amalya's birthday coincided with Yom Yerushalayim, were we celebrate the liberation and reunification of Jerusalem that occurred in 1967. I have to say that the country seems very confused over the day, with most of the non-religious outside of Jerusalem not celebrating. Apparently in 1998, the Knesset (Israeli Parliament) made it a nation holiday, yet if that's the case, I can't really figure out why I had to go to work, along with everyone else. To be it's not really a holiday if you have to work. Overall, I was a little disappointed with it, as the day passed very quietly. I will definitely need to take off one year and be in Jerusalem for the holiday. Speaking of holidays, Shavuot starts in 5 hours, so I need to wrap this up. I got to work half a day today, which is still exciting, and tomorrow I am off. I hope every one is well, and if you are Jewish, have a Chag Sameach.
Kol Tuv,
Zumi
It doesn't seem that long since the last update, but almost a month has passed. Amazingly, we have been in Israel now for almost nine months. It seems like a lot longer. I am continuing to adjust to my new work environment. It is going slowly, but I'm sure that sooner or later I will adjust. The thrill of taking the train every day has worn off, and the 1 and half hour commute each way is starting to annoy me. On the plus side, in a few months I will be changing my work schedule to Monday through Friday for at least a few months, so I am looking forward to that. Caryn is taking a hiatus from Ulpan for a little while. She has also been sick the last three weeks, but is on antibiotics now and hopefully will be better soon. I forgot to mention in my last update that we got our permanent car, which is a 7 seater call Citroen. It takes some getting used to, but it's a nice car or Minivan or SUV. Not really sure what it is. IN any case, we can all drive together now, so that is nice.
Caryn and I met with Ilan's teachers last week and got a good report. While he was initially very resistant to learning Hebrew, he is a lot more motivated now, and making good progress. He is starting to read in Hebrew and doing pretty well. He has also entered into a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Phase, so our lives have been revolving around that. Gali has followed Ilan, and is also enjoying the Turtles, and even Tiki sings the theme song continually, which I have to admit is catchy. Besides that, Gali is also doing well, although we never hear her speak Hebrew, but she has a few friends who only speak Hebrew, and she can communicate just fine. Tiki is very cute and very engaging, which can be a lot of fun and also be very tiring, as she is like the Energizer Bunny. She is also generally the last of our children to fall asleep and often pays us several visits in the middle of the night (unless I am too tired, then she just pays us one visit and ends up staying). Eitan had Strep throat a few weeks ago, and after having a runny nose for two months, was like a new baby after taking antibiotics for a couple of days. He stopped being clingy, and was happy and playful most of the time. He also continues to be a good eater, eating everything in sight. We think he might have been a dog in a previous life, as he likes to fetch, eat food off of the floor, and chew on socks. Unfortunately, he is not housebroken.
Caryn and I spent the last Shabbat in April in Modiin. We had a really nice time, and we davened in a small minyan (prayer quorum), that was housed inside a school. It was a very kid friendly environment, which we really liked. On the down side, it is not financially feasible for us to by anything in Modiin at this time, so it does not appear we will be moving there this summer. Ilan has also expressed some reservations about moving out of Beit Shemesh, so we will likely stay in Beit Shemesh, although we may decide to move within Beit Shemesh.
On Saturday night,May 1st, we celebrated our first Lag Ba'omer in Israel. This was quite an experience, as this does not really exist as a holiday for the most part in the states. I still had to work on Sunday, but the kids were off from school, so it definitely was not a holiday for Caryn. Anyway, from the second night of Passover, we count every night for seven weeks, until he holiday of Shavuot (Pentecost). On the 33rd day, there is a mini holiday, as our tradition recalls that a plague that had killed 24,000 students of Rabbi Akiva ended on that day. I won't get into the historical aspects of this, but suffice it to say, there is more to the story than that. In any case, this holidays is the pyromaniac's dream. Everywhere throughout the country, people are lighting bonfires. Some of them are actually quite large, and they are all over the place. In a mile radius from our house, I would say we saw about 40-50 separate bonfires. The whole city smelled like smoke. I'm not really sure why we light bonfires, and I would not let my kids participate, only watch, as it seems really dangerous, as some of these fires are 10 feet or more high. From nearby by Ramat Beit Shemesh, where the Charedim (Ultra-Orthodox) live, you could say an orange glow emanating from the area. While it was cool to see, it was also a little disturbing as the smell of the air reminded me of NY after 9/11.
Besides that, we celebrated our niece, Amalya's birthday. Actually, her family celebrated and we crashed the party, but they didn't seem to mind. Since we missed so many of our nieces and nephews birthdays over the years, we try to wish them happy birthday in person. Amalya was effusive with her praise for every present, and I remarked how she was the anti Uncle David (family joke). Amalya's birthday coincided with Yom Yerushalayim, were we celebrate the liberation and reunification of Jerusalem that occurred in 1967. I have to say that the country seems very confused over the day, with most of the non-religious outside of Jerusalem not celebrating. Apparently in 1998, the Knesset (Israeli Parliament) made it a nation holiday, yet if that's the case, I can't really figure out why I had to go to work, along with everyone else. To be it's not really a holiday if you have to work. Overall, I was a little disappointed with it, as the day passed very quietly. I will definitely need to take off one year and be in Jerusalem for the holiday. Speaking of holidays, Shavuot starts in 5 hours, so I need to wrap this up. I got to work half a day today, which is still exciting, and tomorrow I am off. I hope every one is well, and if you are Jewish, have a Chag Sameach.
Kol Tuv,
Zumi
Monday, May 17, 2010
Column: One Nation "Peace or Piece of Paper"
This is the first of what I hope will be a monthly column on various issue affecting Israel and the Jewish People. I have chosen to name my column, One Nation, as the unity of the Jewish People is primarily what guides my beliefs, be they religious or political. While I have my own beliefs on many different issues, the consensus of those Jews committed to the Jewish People on any given issue will heavily effect my viewpoints. In Israel, I consider the overwhelming majority of Jews to be committed to the Jewish People, regardless of their political or religious beliefs.
Since the birth of the State of Israel, there have always been foreign powers who have placed varying degrees of pressure on Israel to follow their dictates or the will of the International Community. In some cases Israel withstood this pressure, while in other cases Israel has agreed to follow a course of action that it did not perceive to be in its best interest, I.E. the withdrawal from Sinai after Sinai Campaign in 1956. Over the past year, Israel has faced pressure from America and the International Community over the peace process in general, and specifically on the continued building in what the International Community refers to as the Occupied Territories.
As a result of this pressure, last November the Netanyahu Government agreed to a 10 month building moratorium in Judea and Samaria, also known as the West Bank. The moratorium did not include any part of Jerusalem, which according to Israeli law is part of the sovereign State of Israel, as opposed to West Bank, which has never been formally annexed to Israel by any Israeli Government. Recently, there has been speculation that Netanyahu has agreed temporarily to halt building in East Jerusalem, although no official statement has been made to that effect.
Since taking office, the Obama Administration has tried to get the moribund Peace Process between the Israelis and Palestinians restarted. Recently, there has been some cautious optimism, as apparently both parties have agreed to “proximity talks”, even though there is no agreement on what exactly those talks entail. It is fairly obvious to most that these talks will go nowhere, but at least having the talks gives the appearance that things are moving in the direction of peace. Forgetting for a moment Palestinian demands, there is a fundamental difference between the views of the Obama Administration and the Netanyahu Government as to the final result of the peace process.
The Obama Administration, like those before it, sees peace between the Israelis and Palestinians as one between representatives of those two Peoples. They see Palestinian leaders, like P.A. Prime Minister Salaam Fayyad, who appear to be reasonable, and will to work towards a two state solution. As a result, the efforts of this and previous administrations has been to work out a political deal that would be acceptable to the Palestinian and Israeli leadership. While I’m sure the Obama Administration sees this as a difficult task, it does not believe it to be impossible.
However, for the current Israeli Government, this is not the final peace they envision. They envision a true peace among the Israeli and Palestinian People, where a Jew can live in Palestinian controlled territory in safety and not have to fear for their life. It is obvious that the world would never accept a situation in which Israel expelled its Arab Citizens. If that is the case, why is it then assumed that for Peace to occur between Palestinians and Israelis, Settlements would need to be removed? If Arabs can be citizens of Israel, like they should be, then why couldn't Jews be citizens in a Palestinian State or have dual Israeli/Palestinian Citizenship?
When viewed from this perspective, the Settlements are suddenly removed as the obstacle to peace. Unfortunately, what is left is the realization that Jews would likely not be safe at this point in time, living in a Palestinian State. Until the Palestinian People are educated for peaceful co-existence with the Jewish State of Israel, this type of peace will not be possible. It is for this reason, that we often hear from the Israeli side that they have no partner for peace. While Fayyad may be more pragmatic than his predecessors, he has not demonstrated the leadership required for true peace to occur.
This leaves the Netanyahu Government in a difficult position. On the one hand, it does not foresee any peace agreement in the immediate future that would guarantee its long term security interests, but on the other hand its closest ally will be pushing for a different type of peace, which may compromise Israel's long term security. I believe the following analysis provides the best advice to the Israeli Government: “Israel is dependent on the U.S. as no other country is on a friendly power. Increasingly, Washington is the sole capital to stand by Israel in international forums.…..It takes a special brand of heroism to turn total dependence into defiance, to insist on support as a matter of right rather than as a favor; to turn every American deviation from an Israeli cabinet consensus into a betrayal to be punished rather than a disagreement to be negotiated. And yet Israel’s obstinacy, maddening as it can be, serves the purpose of both our countries best. A subservient client would soon face an accumulation of ever-growing pressures. It would tempt Israel’s neighbors to escalate their demands. It would saddle us with opprobrium for every deadlock.”
These words, as quoted by Yehuda Avner in his new book, “The Prime Ministers: An Intimate Narrative of Israeli Leadership”, were written forty years ago by then US National Security Adviser Henry Kissinger. Amazingly, those words are as true today as they were back then. If Israel is to have true peace some day, it must hold firm to those positions which it knows to be correct, and not sacrifice them for an elusive piece of paper that will not will not bring true peace.
Since the birth of the State of Israel, there have always been foreign powers who have placed varying degrees of pressure on Israel to follow their dictates or the will of the International Community. In some cases Israel withstood this pressure, while in other cases Israel has agreed to follow a course of action that it did not perceive to be in its best interest, I.E. the withdrawal from Sinai after Sinai Campaign in 1956. Over the past year, Israel has faced pressure from America and the International Community over the peace process in general, and specifically on the continued building in what the International Community refers to as the Occupied Territories.
As a result of this pressure, last November the Netanyahu Government agreed to a 10 month building moratorium in Judea and Samaria, also known as the West Bank. The moratorium did not include any part of Jerusalem, which according to Israeli law is part of the sovereign State of Israel, as opposed to West Bank, which has never been formally annexed to Israel by any Israeli Government. Recently, there has been speculation that Netanyahu has agreed temporarily to halt building in East Jerusalem, although no official statement has been made to that effect.
Since taking office, the Obama Administration has tried to get the moribund Peace Process between the Israelis and Palestinians restarted. Recently, there has been some cautious optimism, as apparently both parties have agreed to “proximity talks”, even though there is no agreement on what exactly those talks entail. It is fairly obvious to most that these talks will go nowhere, but at least having the talks gives the appearance that things are moving in the direction of peace. Forgetting for a moment Palestinian demands, there is a fundamental difference between the views of the Obama Administration and the Netanyahu Government as to the final result of the peace process.
The Obama Administration, like those before it, sees peace between the Israelis and Palestinians as one between representatives of those two Peoples. They see Palestinian leaders, like P.A. Prime Minister Salaam Fayyad, who appear to be reasonable, and will to work towards a two state solution. As a result, the efforts of this and previous administrations has been to work out a political deal that would be acceptable to the Palestinian and Israeli leadership. While I’m sure the Obama Administration sees this as a difficult task, it does not believe it to be impossible.
However, for the current Israeli Government, this is not the final peace they envision. They envision a true peace among the Israeli and Palestinian People, where a Jew can live in Palestinian controlled territory in safety and not have to fear for their life. It is obvious that the world would never accept a situation in which Israel expelled its Arab Citizens. If that is the case, why is it then assumed that for Peace to occur between Palestinians and Israelis, Settlements would need to be removed? If Arabs can be citizens of Israel, like they should be, then why couldn't Jews be citizens in a Palestinian State or have dual Israeli/Palestinian Citizenship?
When viewed from this perspective, the Settlements are suddenly removed as the obstacle to peace. Unfortunately, what is left is the realization that Jews would likely not be safe at this point in time, living in a Palestinian State. Until the Palestinian People are educated for peaceful co-existence with the Jewish State of Israel, this type of peace will not be possible. It is for this reason, that we often hear from the Israeli side that they have no partner for peace. While Fayyad may be more pragmatic than his predecessors, he has not demonstrated the leadership required for true peace to occur.
This leaves the Netanyahu Government in a difficult position. On the one hand, it does not foresee any peace agreement in the immediate future that would guarantee its long term security interests, but on the other hand its closest ally will be pushing for a different type of peace, which may compromise Israel's long term security. I believe the following analysis provides the best advice to the Israeli Government: “Israel is dependent on the U.S. as no other country is on a friendly power. Increasingly, Washington is the sole capital to stand by Israel in international forums.…..It takes a special brand of heroism to turn total dependence into defiance, to insist on support as a matter of right rather than as a favor; to turn every American deviation from an Israeli cabinet consensus into a betrayal to be punished rather than a disagreement to be negotiated. And yet Israel’s obstinacy, maddening as it can be, serves the purpose of both our countries best. A subservient client would soon face an accumulation of ever-growing pressures. It would tempt Israel’s neighbors to escalate their demands. It would saddle us with opprobrium for every deadlock.”
These words, as quoted by Yehuda Avner in his new book, “The Prime Ministers: An Intimate Narrative of Israeli Leadership”, were written forty years ago by then US National Security Adviser Henry Kissinger. Amazingly, those words are as true today as they were back then. If Israel is to have true peace some day, it must hold firm to those positions which it knows to be correct, and not sacrifice them for an elusive piece of paper that will not will not bring true peace.
Friday, April 23, 2010
Israel Update #8
Hi everyone,
It has been an eventful month, and I should have sent an update a long time ago, but things are hectic as usual. I am continuing to adjust to working at Citi again. The most difficult part for me is the hours, as I am away from the house from about 7 AM till about 7:15 PM (on a good day), and that doesn't leave much time for the family. Besides that, things at work are going pretty well (although I can't find a good pizza place). My boss told me this week that she wants me to go to India at the end of the year or the beginning of next year. I am not too excited about that, but I guess I'll deal with it and bring a lot of captain crunch in order to survive. Caryn has been continuing her studies at Ulpan, but I think she is nearing the end. She enjoys it (to some extent), but she has no free time, so she will probably make a change. Ilan and Gali's Hebrew continues to improve, and Ilan is insisting he speaks better than me. Tiki seems to have reverted back to the terrible twos, as she has been very mischievous lately. Eitan is almost walking, but is very attached to me and Caryn, and is quite fussy when we're around. He is very cute though.
We experienced a lot of holidays over the past month. For Passover, we were in a hotel in Acco in northern Israel for the entire 7 days. I as able to get off from work, so we got to spend quality family time. Even better was that my parents, all my brothers and sister in laws, and all their children were there, so it was truly a magical week. Our extended family numbers 22 people, and it was great to be together for an extended period of time. They came the week before Passover, and they each did their own things for the first week. On the Friday before Passover, some of us went on a family trip to Jerusalem, and it was really nice guiding my brothers around and telling them which buses to take, where to get off, etc. It was one of those moments where I was excited to be living here. On Shabbat, we were all in Beit Shemesh, and we got to spend some time together, which was nice.
On Monday, the day before Passover, work was only a half day (another perk living in Israel), so I was able to leave the office at 1 Pm and take a train up to Acco. It was a nice train ride mostly up the coast of Israel. That night, we had a private room for the Seder, where all 22 of us celebrated together. It was a great night, and all the kids really contributed (especially Raphael). Our pace was a little slow, compared to the rest of the Israelis and we finished about 1 AM, which by Israeli standards is quite long (not that short by American standards either).
The first day of Passover, was nice and relaxing, although it was difficult to get up for Shul in the morning. The food was pretty good also. In the afternoon, I got a small nap, and the family hung out, talked, threw the football around, and spent quality time together.
The hotel we were staying, Palm Beach, is located on the beach, so we relaxed and went to the beach on the first day of Chol Hamoed (the intermediate days of Passover when you are allowed to work, use electricity, etc.) The kids also went swimming in the pool, and it was a generally relaxing day. I drove around Acco in the morning with Eitan looking for a newspaper (I didn't find one). In the evening, i took my nieces, Eliana and Ariana, and Ilan on a shopping expedition. I have not been shopping with teenage girls before. Suffice it to say, I plan on letting Caryn to the shopping when Gali and Tiki become teenagers. Wednesday night we had a family soccer game, which was a lot of fun and very entertaining. Just about everyone got hurt at one point, but nothing too serious. The best moment was when my nephew Raphael was playing goalie and my brother Bobby kicked the ball high in the air towards his direction. His reaction was to scream and duck, which caused everyone to laugh hysterically.
On Thursday, the whole extended drove to Maalot to go paddle and row boating. That was mostly enjoyable, but not without it's share of whining. Around the lake was like a carnival atmosphere, except that almost all of the food was not Kosher for Passover, so that was a little disappointing, especially for Gali who really wanted cotton candy. The kids also got to jump on some inflatable jumpy things, which they enjoyed. On the way back we stopped at a mall in Nahariya, which was also nice. We had the best meal of the trip Thursday night, as they had barbecued food, with steaks, so I was in heaven. On Thursday night, I convinced my parents to watch Eitan and Tiki, and we went with Ilan Gali, and about 10 other family members for a family bowling trip in Haifa. We all had a lot of fun, although our bowling skills could use some improvement.
On Friday, Me Eitan, Tiki, my parents, David and Michelle and their kids all drove to Nahariya to walk around the City. It was a very pleasant afternoon. Shabbat was very nice, but I was already starting to think about how the vacation was going to be over soon. On Sunday, we went back to the beach and swimming pool, and Monday we celebrated the last day of Passover. Overall, it was a truly magical Passover, and one that we will remember for ever. Naturally, we are all very grateful to my parents for bringing us all together.
It was difficult to say goodbye to everyone, but it was a little easier because my brother David and his family were staying through Saturday night, so we got to spend another few days and Shabbat with them. It was really nice to spend that extra time together.
The following week on Sunday night was Yom Hashoah U’Gevura, which is the annual Holocaust Remembrance day in Israel. Even though the Holocaust ended 65 years ago, it is still a very emotional day for all of Israel, and it was especially meaningful to be here on this day. There are approximately 220,000 survivors of the Holocaust still living in Israel, so it is especially important to hear their stories first hand, while we still have the opportunity. There was an emotional candle lighting ceremony, and in the most moving part of the evening, a survivor of the concentration camp Auschwitz, movingly retold her story while lighting the second candle. This was right after a moving reading from Elie Weisel’s book Night, regarding his experiences at Auschwitz. She spoke how everything that wzas just read was true, as she had personally experienced it. This was not planned and she spoke from the heart. It was very emotional for everyone, especially when she concluded by saying that she had 22 grandchildren and that was her revenge on the Nazis. She concluded with the words Am Yisrael Chai (the nation of Israel lives), and those words never meant more to me than they did on that night. We concluded with the singing of Hatikva (Israel’s National Anthem), and it was again an extremely moving moment for me, both because it is song of triumph that we survived the horrors of the Holocaust, and moved to Israel to rebuild the Jewish People. It was also the first time that I had heard Hatikva sung publicly since we made Aliyah. The following day, there was a siren throughout the country at 10 AM, and no matter what everyone is doing, they stop for two minutes, and stand quietly at attention. Even on all the highways, all of the cars and buses stop, and people get out of their cars and stand at attention. I got to witness this looking out my window on a busy Tel Aviv street.
The week after that, was Yom Hazicaron (Memorial day for fallen soldiers, security forces, and victims of terror). That was also on Sunday night, and I went again with Jonny and his children to the ceremony for the City of Beit Shemesh. There was even a government minister there, and a member of Knesset (Nachman Shai). It was a moving ceremony as well, although not like Yom Hashoah. During the ceremony, they show every single person who was from Beit Shemesh that we are commemorating. That makes it a lot more personal. This ceremony was entirely in Hebrew, so it was a little harder to follow. We again concluded with Hatikva, which no matter how many times I hear and sing it, always moves me when it’s sung publicly.
The next day, on Monday, was a half day at work. There was another siren at 11 AM, which coincides with ceremonies at all the military cemeteries across the country. It was also a moving event. Amazingly, in the evening, the country shifts from mourning to celebration, as at night Yom Ha’atzmaut (Israel Independence Day) begins. I went to ceremony where the first part still deals with memorializing those who have fallen in defense of Israel, and the second part of the ceremony celebrating Israel’s rebirth. It is amazing how Israelis can switch emotions so quickly.
Tuesday was a day off, and like America, everyone barbecues on Independence day. We went to Jonny’s for a very tasty barbecue, and we all enjoyed the one day of the year where everyone has off, and there are no extra religious requirements. Essentially, it’s our only Sunday of the year. It was really nice just spending time with the family.
That’s about if for now. Caryn, I and Eitan are going to Modiin for Shabbat, while the older three kids are going to Jonny’s for Shabbat. Hopefully it will be very nice. I hope everyone is well and I look forward to hearing from you. I apologize if I do not respond timely or ever, but I will try.
Kol Tuv,
Zumi
It has been an eventful month, and I should have sent an update a long time ago, but things are hectic as usual. I am continuing to adjust to working at Citi again. The most difficult part for me is the hours, as I am away from the house from about 7 AM till about 7:15 PM (on a good day), and that doesn't leave much time for the family. Besides that, things at work are going pretty well (although I can't find a good pizza place). My boss told me this week that she wants me to go to India at the end of the year or the beginning of next year. I am not too excited about that, but I guess I'll deal with it and bring a lot of captain crunch in order to survive. Caryn has been continuing her studies at Ulpan, but I think she is nearing the end. She enjoys it (to some extent), but she has no free time, so she will probably make a change. Ilan and Gali's Hebrew continues to improve, and Ilan is insisting he speaks better than me. Tiki seems to have reverted back to the terrible twos, as she has been very mischievous lately. Eitan is almost walking, but is very attached to me and Caryn, and is quite fussy when we're around. He is very cute though.
We experienced a lot of holidays over the past month. For Passover, we were in a hotel in Acco in northern Israel for the entire 7 days. I as able to get off from work, so we got to spend quality family time. Even better was that my parents, all my brothers and sister in laws, and all their children were there, so it was truly a magical week. Our extended family numbers 22 people, and it was great to be together for an extended period of time. They came the week before Passover, and they each did their own things for the first week. On the Friday before Passover, some of us went on a family trip to Jerusalem, and it was really nice guiding my brothers around and telling them which buses to take, where to get off, etc. It was one of those moments where I was excited to be living here. On Shabbat, we were all in Beit Shemesh, and we got to spend some time together, which was nice.
On Monday, the day before Passover, work was only a half day (another perk living in Israel), so I was able to leave the office at 1 Pm and take a train up to Acco. It was a nice train ride mostly up the coast of Israel. That night, we had a private room for the Seder, where all 22 of us celebrated together. It was a great night, and all the kids really contributed (especially Raphael). Our pace was a little slow, compared to the rest of the Israelis and we finished about 1 AM, which by Israeli standards is quite long (not that short by American standards either).
The first day of Passover, was nice and relaxing, although it was difficult to get up for Shul in the morning. The food was pretty good also. In the afternoon, I got a small nap, and the family hung out, talked, threw the football around, and spent quality time together.
The hotel we were staying, Palm Beach, is located on the beach, so we relaxed and went to the beach on the first day of Chol Hamoed (the intermediate days of Passover when you are allowed to work, use electricity, etc.) The kids also went swimming in the pool, and it was a generally relaxing day. I drove around Acco in the morning with Eitan looking for a newspaper (I didn't find one). In the evening, i took my nieces, Eliana and Ariana, and Ilan on a shopping expedition. I have not been shopping with teenage girls before. Suffice it to say, I plan on letting Caryn to the shopping when Gali and Tiki become teenagers. Wednesday night we had a family soccer game, which was a lot of fun and very entertaining. Just about everyone got hurt at one point, but nothing too serious. The best moment was when my nephew Raphael was playing goalie and my brother Bobby kicked the ball high in the air towards his direction. His reaction was to scream and duck, which caused everyone to laugh hysterically.
On Thursday, the whole extended drove to Maalot to go paddle and row boating. That was mostly enjoyable, but not without it's share of whining. Around the lake was like a carnival atmosphere, except that almost all of the food was not Kosher for Passover, so that was a little disappointing, especially for Gali who really wanted cotton candy. The kids also got to jump on some inflatable jumpy things, which they enjoyed. On the way back we stopped at a mall in Nahariya, which was also nice. We had the best meal of the trip Thursday night, as they had barbecued food, with steaks, so I was in heaven. On Thursday night, I convinced my parents to watch Eitan and Tiki, and we went with Ilan Gali, and about 10 other family members for a family bowling trip in Haifa. We all had a lot of fun, although our bowling skills could use some improvement.
On Friday, Me Eitan, Tiki, my parents, David and Michelle and their kids all drove to Nahariya to walk around the City. It was a very pleasant afternoon. Shabbat was very nice, but I was already starting to think about how the vacation was going to be over soon. On Sunday, we went back to the beach and swimming pool, and Monday we celebrated the last day of Passover. Overall, it was a truly magical Passover, and one that we will remember for ever. Naturally, we are all very grateful to my parents for bringing us all together.
It was difficult to say goodbye to everyone, but it was a little easier because my brother David and his family were staying through Saturday night, so we got to spend another few days and Shabbat with them. It was really nice to spend that extra time together.
The following week on Sunday night was Yom Hashoah U’Gevura, which is the annual Holocaust Remembrance day in Israel. Even though the Holocaust ended 65 years ago, it is still a very emotional day for all of Israel, and it was especially meaningful to be here on this day. There are approximately 220,000 survivors of the Holocaust still living in Israel, so it is especially important to hear their stories first hand, while we still have the opportunity. There was an emotional candle lighting ceremony, and in the most moving part of the evening, a survivor of the concentration camp Auschwitz, movingly retold her story while lighting the second candle. This was right after a moving reading from Elie Weisel’s book Night, regarding his experiences at Auschwitz. She spoke how everything that wzas just read was true, as she had personally experienced it. This was not planned and she spoke from the heart. It was very emotional for everyone, especially when she concluded by saying that she had 22 grandchildren and that was her revenge on the Nazis. She concluded with the words Am Yisrael Chai (the nation of Israel lives), and those words never meant more to me than they did on that night. We concluded with the singing of Hatikva (Israel’s National Anthem), and it was again an extremely moving moment for me, both because it is song of triumph that we survived the horrors of the Holocaust, and moved to Israel to rebuild the Jewish People. It was also the first time that I had heard Hatikva sung publicly since we made Aliyah. The following day, there was a siren throughout the country at 10 AM, and no matter what everyone is doing, they stop for two minutes, and stand quietly at attention. Even on all the highways, all of the cars and buses stop, and people get out of their cars and stand at attention. I got to witness this looking out my window on a busy Tel Aviv street.
The week after that, was Yom Hazicaron (Memorial day for fallen soldiers, security forces, and victims of terror). That was also on Sunday night, and I went again with Jonny and his children to the ceremony for the City of Beit Shemesh. There was even a government minister there, and a member of Knesset (Nachman Shai). It was a moving ceremony as well, although not like Yom Hashoah. During the ceremony, they show every single person who was from Beit Shemesh that we are commemorating. That makes it a lot more personal. This ceremony was entirely in Hebrew, so it was a little harder to follow. We again concluded with Hatikva, which no matter how many times I hear and sing it, always moves me when it’s sung publicly.
The next day, on Monday, was a half day at work. There was another siren at 11 AM, which coincides with ceremonies at all the military cemeteries across the country. It was also a moving event. Amazingly, in the evening, the country shifts from mourning to celebration, as at night Yom Ha’atzmaut (Israel Independence Day) begins. I went to ceremony where the first part still deals with memorializing those who have fallen in defense of Israel, and the second part of the ceremony celebrating Israel’s rebirth. It is amazing how Israelis can switch emotions so quickly.
Tuesday was a day off, and like America, everyone barbecues on Independence day. We went to Jonny’s for a very tasty barbecue, and we all enjoyed the one day of the year where everyone has off, and there are no extra religious requirements. Essentially, it’s our only Sunday of the year. It was really nice just spending time with the family.
That’s about if for now. Caryn, I and Eitan are going to Modiin for Shabbat, while the older three kids are going to Jonny’s for Shabbat. Hopefully it will be very nice. I hope everyone is well and I look forward to hearing from you. I apologize if I do not respond timely or ever, but I will try.
Kol Tuv,
Zumi
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Update # 7 Out of Debt
Hi Everyone,
I am happy to report that I got the job at Citibank and have left the world of Debt Collection behind. I have completed my first week of work and overall things are going well. About a week and half after I sent the last update, they scheduled a meeting to make me an offer, which I happily accepted. The position is a management position, and I actually manage directly 4 other officers, who all supervise smaller staffs. It is exciting to be working again, and especially exciting to be working in Tel Aviv surrounded by Israelis speaking Hebrew. The job is essentially in English, which is a requirement, but I told my staff that I wanted to speak to them in Hebrew and have them correct me, which they were happy to do in the staff meeting. My direct boss, was there on my first day, but then away for the rest of the week, so that made it a little easier. I hear she is very demanding, but being a veteran at Citi, I'm not too worried about that.
I had a lot of meetings this week with other department heads, and was very warmly received. There are about 130 people working for Citi here, on 4 floors in two different buildings that are side by side. I am on the 13th floor in my building, and actually have a real office, with walls and everything. Having said that, a closed door means nothing to Israelis so they barge in whenever they feel like it, which I have already gotten used to. Also, everyone always answers their cell phone, regardless of what else is going on. But the really cool thing is that it is a corner office, not that it is huge, but I have two different view points of Tel Aviv, one to the Southwest, where I can see the Mediterranean, and one to the Southeast, which overlooks Tel-Aviv. The other cool thing is that there is an unlimited supply of Coca Cola, which I found out after I brought a bottle in and after half a day it was gone. Another perk to the job.
Speaking of perks, the position does come with a car, which is on order and we should get in about a month. In the meantime, they have rented me a car, a Volvo, which is really nice, although a little to small to fit our family, even though it is a pretty big car. My office is about 7 minutes and 24 seconds (if I make the light) from the train station, and since I prefer the train (you can see DBF has influenced me), I am happy to leave the car in Beit Shemesh, so Caryn's life can be a little easier. Of course since I am out of the house from about 6:51 AM until about 7:12 PM, that makes Caryn's life more difficult, but we both knew that sooner or later that would happen. The really hard part for me is that Eitan wakes up after I leave and goes to bed before I get home, so I don't see him at all. That would mean on a normal week, I would go from Saturday night until Friday morning without seeing him.
A few things we may do to rectify that is to move his bedtime back a little, which is more difficult to Caryn. That could be a short term solution. In the long term, Caryn and I have started looking for a new place closer to Tel Aviv. At this point, our most likely place is Modiin, which is a relatively new City in Israel, and only 30 minutes from Tel Aviv by train. It is also only about 23 minutes by car to Beit Shemesh, so we would still be relatively close to our extended family. We drove through Modiin this past Friday, and even looked at a house (although it was way too small). While Modiin looks really nice, and is a planned City (which is unusual for Israel, as Israelis don't seem to understand the planning concept), it is somewhat pricey so we still need to see if it is doable. If it is feasible, we would probably try to move during the summer, before the next school year.
Speaking of the train, the train rides to and from work, are uniquely Israeli). In the morning, morning services are held in the last car, so I am able to daven(pray) with a minyan(prayer quorum), without going anywhere. It was strange at first, but I am getting used to it now, plus it is quite a time saver, since I don't have to daven before I leave for work, and we are never short of a minyan. On the way home, midway through the train ride, in the same car, we daven Maariv (evening Services). That is really cool too, and I am enjoying that aspect, although it is way too crowded. For Mincha, they daven in the bomb shelter of my building at 2PM, but it is done in the Sephardic (I don't have enough energy to explain that right now) way, so it takes twice as long. I had to miss that half the time this week, not that I missed it. The times that I missed it, I davened in my office and locked the door. The funny thing was that after I finished, I instinctively went to take my Kippa off, and had to stop myself realizing a was no longer working in a non-Jewish environment.
Most of the people in the office, and all of my staff, are not ritually observant, so when I showed up, all the observant people got very excited. On the one hand, I can understand that, but part of that really bothered me, as I don't want to be stereotyped into a specific group and separate myself from everyone else. I will have to work on that, not just in the office, but the whole country.
Clearly I am rambling, so I will wrap up now. Caryn has instituted a points system for good behavior, which the kids to varying degrees respond to. Obviously, this will be difficult on everyone in the beginning. On the plus side, Passover is in a little more than two weeks, so I will have some time off, plus my parents, and both my brothers and their families from the states are coming, so that should be really great.
I wish everyone Chag Kasher V'Sameach and just remember. If Passover seems too long, make Aliyah and you can shorten it by a day.
Kol Tuv,
Zumi
I am happy to report that I got the job at Citibank and have left the world of Debt Collection behind. I have completed my first week of work and overall things are going well. About a week and half after I sent the last update, they scheduled a meeting to make me an offer, which I happily accepted. The position is a management position, and I actually manage directly 4 other officers, who all supervise smaller staffs. It is exciting to be working again, and especially exciting to be working in Tel Aviv surrounded by Israelis speaking Hebrew. The job is essentially in English, which is a requirement, but I told my staff that I wanted to speak to them in Hebrew and have them correct me, which they were happy to do in the staff meeting. My direct boss, was there on my first day, but then away for the rest of the week, so that made it a little easier. I hear she is very demanding, but being a veteran at Citi, I'm not too worried about that.
I had a lot of meetings this week with other department heads, and was very warmly received. There are about 130 people working for Citi here, on 4 floors in two different buildings that are side by side. I am on the 13th floor in my building, and actually have a real office, with walls and everything. Having said that, a closed door means nothing to Israelis so they barge in whenever they feel like it, which I have already gotten used to. Also, everyone always answers their cell phone, regardless of what else is going on. But the really cool thing is that it is a corner office, not that it is huge, but I have two different view points of Tel Aviv, one to the Southwest, where I can see the Mediterranean, and one to the Southeast, which overlooks Tel-Aviv. The other cool thing is that there is an unlimited supply of Coca Cola, which I found out after I brought a bottle in and after half a day it was gone. Another perk to the job.
Speaking of perks, the position does come with a car, which is on order and we should get in about a month. In the meantime, they have rented me a car, a Volvo, which is really nice, although a little to small to fit our family, even though it is a pretty big car. My office is about 7 minutes and 24 seconds (if I make the light) from the train station, and since I prefer the train (you can see DBF has influenced me), I am happy to leave the car in Beit Shemesh, so Caryn's life can be a little easier. Of course since I am out of the house from about 6:51 AM until about 7:12 PM, that makes Caryn's life more difficult, but we both knew that sooner or later that would happen. The really hard part for me is that Eitan wakes up after I leave and goes to bed before I get home, so I don't see him at all. That would mean on a normal week, I would go from Saturday night until Friday morning without seeing him.
A few things we may do to rectify that is to move his bedtime back a little, which is more difficult to Caryn. That could be a short term solution. In the long term, Caryn and I have started looking for a new place closer to Tel Aviv. At this point, our most likely place is Modiin, which is a relatively new City in Israel, and only 30 minutes from Tel Aviv by train. It is also only about 23 minutes by car to Beit Shemesh, so we would still be relatively close to our extended family. We drove through Modiin this past Friday, and even looked at a house (although it was way too small). While Modiin looks really nice, and is a planned City (which is unusual for Israel, as Israelis don't seem to understand the planning concept), it is somewhat pricey so we still need to see if it is doable. If it is feasible, we would probably try to move during the summer, before the next school year.
Speaking of the train, the train rides to and from work, are uniquely Israeli). In the morning, morning services are held in the last car, so I am able to daven(pray) with a minyan(prayer quorum), without going anywhere. It was strange at first, but I am getting used to it now, plus it is quite a time saver, since I don't have to daven before I leave for work, and we are never short of a minyan. On the way home, midway through the train ride, in the same car, we daven Maariv (evening Services). That is really cool too, and I am enjoying that aspect, although it is way too crowded. For Mincha, they daven in the bomb shelter of my building at 2PM, but it is done in the Sephardic (I don't have enough energy to explain that right now) way, so it takes twice as long. I had to miss that half the time this week, not that I missed it. The times that I missed it, I davened in my office and locked the door. The funny thing was that after I finished, I instinctively went to take my Kippa off, and had to stop myself realizing a was no longer working in a non-Jewish environment.
Most of the people in the office, and all of my staff, are not ritually observant, so when I showed up, all the observant people got very excited. On the one hand, I can understand that, but part of that really bothered me, as I don't want to be stereotyped into a specific group and separate myself from everyone else. I will have to work on that, not just in the office, but the whole country.
Clearly I am rambling, so I will wrap up now. Caryn has instituted a points system for good behavior, which the kids to varying degrees respond to. Obviously, this will be difficult on everyone in the beginning. On the plus side, Passover is in a little more than two weeks, so I will have some time off, plus my parents, and both my brothers and their families from the states are coming, so that should be really great.
I wish everyone Chag Kasher V'Sameach and just remember. If Passover seems too long, make Aliyah and you can shorten it by a day.
Kol Tuv,
Zumi
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