Eye on Zion 1

Eye on Zion 1

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Licence to DRIVE! (part 1)

The wheels on our car go round and round,

round and round, round and round,

The wheels on our car go round and round, all over Israel!

(Just to get a license, registration and plates!) I'll get the car soon but 1st.

For those of you who don't know by now,

We found a cute orphan baby puppy in the Merkaz (Shopping Center) we couldn't resist it so decided to take it home. Elkie did not want him in the house but named her "Shoko" (Chocolate Milk). The kids all loved it and wanted to keep it. We tried to keep it by some neighbors and let the kids play with it after school.

But after a few days the kids saw that they could not take proper care of it, so we gave it away to the family who was caring for it. Since they live down the block the kids can still visit and walk it.

At least they got the need for a puppy out of their system and learned how big a responsibility it is to care for one.

Wed. night I had a Bat Mitzvah Gig and Shulchan Dovid that's on הר ציון Mount Zion, where the name Zionism comes from. It's right outside of the Old city in Jerusalem. I hired a Drummer by the name Shlomo Deshet who works with a band Esta and people like Gad Elbaz. The last time he worked with Aish was in NY about 12 years ago, before he returned to Israel. I am very picky with Drummers and Shlomo can follow whatever style I play and synchronize with all the little embellishments lines and groves I create. It was nice to work with him again. B"H the gig went great, most of the guests were from the 5 towns NY. (Woodmere) When it was over I decided to go to the Kotel. It was only a 5 min. drive there with NO traffic at all. At about 12:30AM I pulled into Shaar Yaffo. The parking lot at the top is for residence of the Old city, but the Guard was very nice and let me park for an hour free. I caught a late Maariv, then headed back to RBS. In NY I used to go to Duncan Donuts after gigs. Going to the Kotel for Maariv instead is a nice change.

Ok now the car. I waited to write about the car until everything was done to avoid Ayin Harah. To get a drivers license and a Car registered in Israel is a MAJOR task. B"H it is now done after about 3 months of working on it. If I wrote about all the details I could probably right a book about it. But instead I'll give you a summary of the experience. Maybe print this and read it on Shabbos.

Ok here we go. 1st the Divers License:

We decided to Ship our 1998 Chevy Astro from NY. Nefesh B'nefesh does not recommend shipping most cars, but we felt in our case it made sense since it is a large strong minivan (8 passengers) in good shape that we like, plus it’s the least expensive option for us. Now that everything is all done I think it was worth it, although not for everyone it depends on your needs and finances. In order to release the car from the port you need an ISRAELI driver’s license. Unless you are a tourist or diplomat, then you can import a car temporarily. To get the license you 1st go to a registered location to have you picture taken and get a “Green From” (Tofes Yarok). Most people we spoke to from Beit Shemesh do this in the Jerusalem Mall. Since we did have the car it's a bit of a schlep to get there. I looked at the Nefesh B'nefesh (NBN) website and they did not have and locations for Beit Shemesh. Being the son of Shirley Walfish I decided to call them Just to make sure. As it happened Zev from NBN checked the ISRAELI government website and found a location in Beit Shemesh called "Optica Speed" GREAT! so he gives me the number but sorry NO ADRESS listed on the website. I call the number and there is a machine stating the times they take pictures for licenses GREAT! but NOT stating their address, I try finding them in directories to no avail. I ask around no one knows of this place. We just know it's in the Merkaz Mischary (Shopping center) of old Beit Shemesh. Fine we jump on a bus head to Old beit Shemesh about 30 min later were there looking around town for the store. Low and behold we find "Optica Speed" GREAT! and their open! there is a bit of a line so Elkie waits there and I head over to "Bituach Leumi" (National Insurance) to straighten out something. Government offices close early like 12:00PM or 1:00PM I call Elkie to tell her to tell the woman I am almost done and to wait till 12:00PM the official closing time. I am done 11:53AM and RUN!!! to "Optica Speed" with great “Speed” I get ther 11:58AM 2 minutes before closing time GREAT! think again, the woman had to pick up her daughter from Gan so sorry. Well at least Elkie got her Green form. I had to come back the next day and got it then. Back on the bus to RBS.

Next Morning I take the bus to Beit Shemesh. They take a picture and check your eyes, in the same place! In the Jerusalem Mall you need to do that in 2 separate stores. Ok, Now we have to go the physician who has to fill out this holy green form to say that we are physically fit to drive. Like our NY Drivers license is not good enough or the upcoming road test for that matter. OK we get to a doctor back in RBS he fills out our Green forms, GREAT! But wait there’s a problem my Green form has the wrong address on it. It’s the address of my friend that I must have given 5 years ago when I became on Oleh. I don’t want the wrong address on my license. So I go back to Beit Shemesh to “Optica Speed” she tells me go to Misrad Hapmin “The Interior Ministry” and have them correct my address, then everything will be updated. B”H Misrad Hapmin is across the street. I show them my Teudat Zehut they tell me Shlomo Walfish doesn’t exist. I said that’s nice well please tell me who am I??? They say come back in 10 min. 10min later I come back they are on the phone trying to straighten it all out. Apparently my records are all messed up, I guess they missed me for 5 years. 10 min later they print up a new address paper for my Teudat Zehut and everything is now fixed and correct. GREAT! Now we can go to the Misrad Harishoy (License Office) or DMV.

So far everyone is pretty nice. That’s about to end. Let’s call the woman there “Miss Nasty”, think of her like a big black nasty Shvartzas at DMV in NY. We show her our licence and Green form, she says do you have a photocopy of your license? I said NO! She said well get me one. I said don't you have a photocopy machine??? she said NO! go to Office Max by the shopping center (a 7 minute walk X's 2 ways) This is the country that invented Intel and about a million other things and they don't have a photocopy machine in the DMV which apparently need one everyday! I walked into Supersol next door and asked them if they had a copy machine and could they please make a copy at 1st they said yes then when they saw was for the Misrad Harishoy they said NO! I offered to pay them they said we told them to get their own machine and people should stop bothering us. Shimmy said if Supersol had any brains they would install a pay copy machine in the store and make a mint. So I run to office Max make copies then run back. Miss Nasty screams at me that I went to Supersol, apparently they came in and yelled at her to get a machine and stop having people come to them. I feel like we are in 1st grade here. Miss Nasty looks at my Green form then my teudat Oleh and tells me I am not an Oleh since I became and Oleh when we bought the house in 2003. You have 3 years to convert to an Israeli license and have them recognize a foreign one, otherwise you are like an Israeli teenager who has to take a written test 23 lessons, $$$$$, time, pain in the NECK, yada yada. Well as far as I know I was only in Israel for 10 days in 2003 then came back to the US for 5 years so basically my Oleh rights Froze and I have a Teudat Oleh reinstating my Oleh rights to prove this. The Absorption ministry (משרד קליטה) recognized this. Miss Nasty couldn't care less she just yelled a bunch of stuff in Hebrew and said next. Well Elkie had it and yelled at her that we are Olim and she can try to be helpful instead of being a "RASHA" boy that got here attention. She made a face and said (אני לא עזרת) "I am not a personal helper or assistant", Elkie said thats right (את לא עזרת) "You are not helping us" then some nice guy explained she can't do anything. This is NOT good, no Israeli license NO car, I did not have time for this. The car is in my name to I need so release it. I call Zev at NBN he says he will speak to a top guy at Misrad Harishoy in 2 days. I cross my fingers and pray. I started looking for info on this written test called “Mivchan Teoria” (Theory Test) and find out they just changed it and even though you can take it in English there is no book to study for it. NOT good! I speak to a woman in Beit Shemesh she tried to read the book in Hebrew but failed the test 7 times NOT good! More praying!

After 2 days I speak to Zev, NO good his contact to Misrad Harishoy can't change this technicality so I have to take the written test. The main rule in Israel is NEVER give up. In either case you need to take 1 driving lesson before the road test. So I post a message looking for a good road instructor. I get a bunch of names and the same name from 3 people and older guy David in Talpiyot Jerusalem. Sounds like an honest guy who doesn't want you taking 10 lessons with him. Ok I call him and tell him my problem. He tells me to go to the "S'gan Menahel" (assistant supervisor) in the Misrad Harishoy in Talpitot and tell him my problem. At this point I'll try anything, even the Ari's Mikva. (Brrrrrr) I find the location and even number for the main Misrad Harishoy office and call to make SURE they are open and that this Guy Michael is in. The woman puts me on hold checks it out gets back yes Michael is in today. Some guy Matt shipped stuff with us and came to pick it up from Jerusalem. So I get a ride with him there to catch the 2 evening hours on Wed. Ok off to Jerusalem I get there on time get to the office look around for him, guess what??? he is gone to the day. Great! They told me come in the Morning Ahhhhhhh, thanks for telling me this Miss Secretary on the phone. Back to RBS by Bus.

The next morning I had the Levi bris in Jerusalem, B"H I found a ride there. When it was over Uncle Ali Thee drove me to Talpiyot, since they close at 12:30PM I didn't want to take ANY chances of being late and got these 10:50AM GREAT! Right?

NOT!!! There is a sign on the door today we are closed at 10:30AM. This is not happening. It's like landing in Chelm or a bad dream. Could you imagine the DMV in NY closing their door with a note, we are closed at 10:30AM today we just worked too much. Back to RBS on the Bus.

I post a message looking for a ride to Jerusalem tomorrow, no concrete answers. So next day I go to the back exit of RBS and Hitch a ride to Talpiyot, GREAT! the woman driving is going straight there. I get there real early, walk in find Michael's room it's open a crack, I knock and walk in he looks at me, I ask if he is Michal's he nods. I told him my instructor David sent me to him, then tell him my problem that my car is at the port and I need an Israeli licensee to get it out and they want me to take the written test and I don't have the time for it, yada yada. He said you need to speak with a "Pkida" (clerk). So he walks with me to the main waiting room with clerks, cuts the long line, and briefly explains it to a clerk, then he tells me she will tell you what you need to do. I think oh nooooo he is just passing the buck to her now. She was Russian and understood the situation she asked for proof that I was only in Israel 10 days not 5 years. I showed her my Stamped American passports. So she said the clerk in Beit Shemesh didn't know that you don't need the written test. Good going Miss Nasty. She then said she will erase what the Miss Nasty wrote on the Holy Green form and correct it. Home Run! She fixed it all, and stamped it. I thanked her and told her she was a BIG help and made my Chag Sukkot. I am Now officially off the hook for the written test and have clearance for the road test GREAT!

My instructor gets me a test set up next week right before Shukkot. The road test is called מבחן שליטה literally translated (control test) In Israel if you want to drive a Manual you need to take a test on one, then they indicate it on your license. Since I can drive Manual, I want the test on one. The instructor recommends 2 lessons then the test to get used to the Manual. OK... considering he got me out of the written test I'll do whatever he says. I meet him next week give him the Holy Green form, he writes some stuff on it. I start driving around Talpiyot. Talpiyot is VERY hilly and has lots of curves and turns, this is not where you want to be taking a road test, but this is where it is for me. He is a good instructor and tells me what to do to pass the test like keeping the car in Gear even when costing downhill, instead of my habit of putting it in neutral. Ok 1&1/2 later he thinks I'm ready for the test. We go to the Post Office to pay about 60NIS (Shekel) for registering for the test and then wait a bit. In Israel you pay for just about every Gov. fee at the Post office. They should start selling Bagles and coffee there.

We now go and meet the Tester. He gets in and says Shalom, doesn't crack a smile and said "Sa!" (Drive!). OK I'm diving so far so good. Right, Left, up down. This guy is looking for something. Go straight, all of a sudden BAM the car stops, he jammed on the brake since the lane I was in just became a left tuning lane. There were no signs indicading this so there was no way for me to know. He yells "Asur Lehiyot Po." You are not allowed to be here. Although there is nothing illegal about being in a left turning lane, you just have to make a left turn, which I could have done. Ok I move to the right lane and continue straight, I even stop by a crosswalk to let a woman cross even though Her foot was on the curb so I still had the right of way. Everything else was perfect, it was about 10 min. of driving and almost over. I was turning back into the testing lot parking, we were at a Red light going uphill, I was the 3rd car things are looking pretty good, the light turned Green 1 car went straight the next cab made a right turn into the Licensing parking lot which is where I was going, then I moved up BAM!!! he jammed on the break, and yelled “follow the light not the cab.” The light had just changed. It happened real fast only 2 cars went so it must have been a very short light. I did not run the light I was in Gear moving uphill in a stick shift. He did not even give me a chance to stop. I said I was pulling up, I would have stopped at the light. He said tell that to me next time. NO Good! at 5PM the instructor called me with the results. "NECSHAL" Failed!. I am diving 23 years I drove pretty darn well in curvy hilly Talpiyot, but not good enough for this guy. I had to pay 600NIS for the lessons and test anyway.

B"H the car was not here yet since there was a strike at the port, so I still had some time left to get my Drivers licence. Over the Chagim there is no testing, the next test available was for 2 weeks later. On the day of my 2nd test my instructor wanted me to take another lesson, OK... if I fail this one, I have to take the WRITTEN test! PRESSURE!!! PRESSURE!!! I go to the Back road in RBS hitch a ride to Talpiyot, take another lesson. OK my instructor thinks I'm ready. We pick up a young frum woman I go in the Back and She takes a lesson, 45min later we pick up a young Kollel/Yeshiva guy and he takes a 45min lesson. The 1st test I was wearing dress clothing, now I decided to wear Jeans and a T-shirt. You never know what matters! All 3 of us are taking the test together. The tester gets in She is a Woman this time. She smiled and said Shalom. The Young frum woman was up 1st. The Tester wished her good luck. She was VERY nervous, at one point did not switch gears smoothly and the car was jumping. Then she went down a hill was in the left lane and stalled. No Good! we knew she failed. She pulled over and the tester said ok who wants to go next? I volunteered I just want to get it over with. I got in and boy was Hashem with me I drove Perfect! smooth turns no stalling, GREAT! very short test maybe 3 minutes. The next guy got in and also did pretty well. I paid another 600NIS At 5PM the instructor called I PASSED! and it only cost about 1600NIS that’s about $400. Back on on the bus to RBS. Next day I went to the Misrad Harishoy in Beit Shemesh and had Miss Nasty print up my temporary license (Zmani) the permanent one comes in the mail (Kavuah). At least Miss Nasty is good for something. The next day I get a call from my Shipper Avi your car has arrived in Israel did you get a license yet? I said of COURSE! :)

Stay tuned for Part 2. How I got the car registered.

Chanukah and winter update

It's been a while since out last post. B"H things have been real busy.

Since the last post both Elkies parents the Blumenreich's and my Mom came for a visit and returned to the states before Chanukah. We wanted to change a lightbulb that was real high up on the outside of the house and hard to reach. I asked Yosef how he would change it and he said he would climb up a rope and change the bulb. Well that got me thinking and I remembered we brought a fire latter with us. So I dug it out, brought to our bedroom Mirpeset and dropped it down to the ground. Then I went downstairs climed the latter and changed the bulb. What we do for our guests.

The Blumenreichs took the kids to the Safari and hung our here a lot, we went shopping for some new things and Mottie fixed some odds and ends in the house. When My Mother came, she took the kids to the Time elevator in Yerushalayim and had a good time in RBS. She took Yehuda to Gan and checked out Yosef in Yeshiva learning in the Zilberman method. For those of you who never heard of that, they basicly learn the entire "Tenach" (Torah) and Mishna by 8th grade. Quite an accomplishment!

Yosef in Talmud Toras Moshe (Click to Play)

Frimmy and Yitzchock Yehuda and Channah came over for Shabbos. We all had a good time. They can take a GREAT! Egged bus from their Apt. Straight to RBS to a bus stop thats about a 2 min walk from our house. There is a Bus to Jerusalem from RBS about every 20 min. That's very convinient and they did not even have to go to the "Sachono Merchozis" (תחנה מרכזית) 

Chanukah was Great! most people in our block light outside with the Chanukiya (Menora)  in a special enclosed glass box. We didn't have the setup yet B"H next year we will join the block lighting outside. One nice thing about lighting inside is that when we finished lighting we opened the Mirpeset door I played the piano and we all sang chanukah songs. Apparently the people on the block enjoy the free nightly concert. On the 24th I looked at Elkie and said isn't it X'mas??? she said "ooooh yeeeeah! I forgot about that thing". There are no trees and lights and santa clowns anywhere in sight. With that in mind and part of the exile still in us, I proceeded to play a bunch of Holiday season songs. Like the ones I've heard in Dunken Donuts the entire December for years in the US. As a musician I can tell you some of those songs are truly lovely although the lyrics may be coocoo. Being the considerate new olim on the block, I closed the door so that we don't Undue the "Persume Nisa" of Chanukah. After a good few minutes of plowing though some of the HOLIDAY songs, we hear a knock on the door. Ah Ow...! It's our neighbor Yitzchok Montal (Mickey Montal from Bagels and More's Brother). He said "Shlomo, your supposed to leave that stuff in the exile"  Trying to come up with some good excuse I said well most of those songs are written by Jews... He said "I'm lighting the Chanukiya and trying to concentrate and have Kavana on saying some tehillim but it not easy to when I hear Jingle Bells on the block" Elkie told him don't worry Shloime got it out of his system. We all had a good laugh. The funny thing is if we had Israeli neighbors they probably wouldn't have even know what those songs were! 

  

Sivivon Sov Sov Sov  סביבון סוב סוב סוב

 

Yehuda is always helping Abba & Mommy around the house. He wants to be Bob the builder and B"H is very mechanical  and handy. I can be on a later or under the sink and ask him to go to my Red tool box and get a wrench, he will go running and come back with a wrench in a minute. I just taught him the difference between a wrench and needle nose pliers. 

When the sink needs fixin, who you gona call? Yehuda the fixer

I just picked up a new Computer Keyboard at "Ace" for about 27NIS that's about $7 it has english and Hebrew on it so I can now type in Hebrew much easier. Perhaps that's one item that you want to bring from Israel to the US if you want to type in hebrew עברית.  I don't have spell check so expect spelling mistakes.

So many funny things happen all the time it's hard to keep track of them. We will try to remember to post some more often. Like the other day Elkie and I went to the מחלקת גביה "Machleket Gvia" the department for taking your money, in charge of "Arnona" Municipal taxes, B"H we worked things out, when we got out we saw a car blocking us and REALLY had to leave. Then I noticed a Nachman sticker on the back. 

That's a sticker that says   נ נח נחמ נחמן מאומן 

It's pretty much impossible to be in Israel for a few days and not notice it. It is a message from Rebbi Nachman of Breslav. There are thousands of cars with stickers of them, they are on phone booths, bus stops, buidings, Overpasses, Mountains, the street. It's holy graffiti. You can get the full scoop on its meaning here. So I told Elkie. She said she just saw a breslav guy walking into the building with a "Na Nach Nachman Meuman" Kippah on his head. So she ran in found the guy and asked if it's his car, he said yes without even asking how we figured out it was him, apologized and came out to move the car. Only in Israel.

200 years ago Rebbi Nachman said his light will be burning  when Mashiach comes. It's on fire in Israel and all over the world. Rebbi Nachman was truly unique. While most Mussar books focus on the bad things people have done, Rebbe Nachman gives specific advice and solutions on how to deal with just about everything. 

His big thing is  עבדו את השם בשמך "Serve Hashem with Joy" so much so, that he says being sad is worse then eating pork! since depression is a rejection that Hashem is running the events in your life and the world, and like Idol Worship. He claims that if someone can dig himself into the lowest place on earth, he can surly dig himself back out. For more on Rebbi Nachmans teaching I like to read R. Lazer Brody's daily blog. He is an AMAZING person, nick name Rabbi Rambo. since he served in the "Sayeret Mankal" Israel special forces. You can check out his blog at www.lazerbrody.net He lives in Ashdod and is under daily missle attack it is amazing to see how he responds to it with Emunah.

As you all know there is a war going on here. Even though nothing has happened in RBS or most of Israel B"H, everyone knows what's going on and know soldiers who are risking their lives to protect us. Rabbi Avi Weiss says Israeli Soldiers are the holiest Jews we have. I believe he is right without them there couldn't be all the torah learning in Israel as well as a normal and safe life for Millions of Jews. The Medrash states that Yisochor learned and Zevulan supported him, but Zevulan is greater for if it weren't for his support Yisocher could not learn freely. I think we can apply that Medrash to the holy Chayalim.

When driving around every now and then they announce on the radio "Azhara" warning in Ashdod or some other town in the south literally as a Missile is launched. Even though Most people in the country don't have to run to a מקלת Bomb Shelter B"H you feel connected to the people of those towns who you know ARE running to the Bomb Shelter. There are miracles every day both when these missiles land and for the Chayalim in Gaza. Hashem should continue to protect Am Yisrel. What you can do is say Teffila and have us in mind. I was playing at Reuvane Speigle's now Shefi-Gal (שפי-גל) daughters Sheva Brachot last week, when the choson got a call in the middle that his good friend Dvir Emanueloff was just killed in Gaza, he was the 1st soldier to fall in this war HY"D

This past Friday Elkie was inspired to do something for the חיילים (soldiers), so we planed to go visit some of them on an Army Base and give them some home cooked food. Arriella had her class make some nice colorful letters Yosef and Yehuda made one as well. When the kids were all home from school we went to the Army Base at the Check point of Gush Ezion, about an 18 min drive from us. We went with some neighbors  and had lots of food. After checking us out, they told us to park outside the base and let us in. It was a small base we went to a room that they were hanging out. They were happy to see us, and loved all the food. They were reading the letters we handed them from the children and you can tell it meant a lot to them. We asked then if they want to go to Gaza and they all said Yes. Amazing! they actually want to Kick some A...@#$%^&*

I thought it was really cool when we stepped into the lunchroom and saw that they keep a Kosher Kitchen. But thats what things are like in Israel we have a Kosher and holy Army.

 

   

  This guy is the commander 24 years old

For all you single Girls in the US check out these guys (made in Israel). You'd have a hard time finding guys like this anywhere else! For all you Married woman your Married! send your single daughters here.

Yesterday I went to Herzliya to get a form for our car, Today I went to Cholon to get another form, then I went to Yerushlaim to get the process of registering the car, then they told me Elkie need to be there to sign. So Tomorrow it's back to Yerushalim. I'll try to make a post just on getting a license and getting the car.  It's a story.

Till next time.

Don't forget to pray for the soldiers.

והשיב לב אבות אל בנים

It says in Malachi 4:6

והשיב לב אבות אל בנים ולב בנים אל אבותם

"And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers"

This week we saw a part of that beautiful prophesy. 

Mom (that's Elkies Mom) and Grandpa Mottie are visiting their/our homeland. They arrived last night on ElAL so far so good. They brought tons of goodies from Disney Land, I mean America. We got cereals, soaps and of corse lots of Marbles. That's a hot commodity here. Kids are playing and trading Marbles all day long. If you don't bring marbles to Israel when you visit you are definitely missing some marbles. We hope they love it so much that they come more often and for longer periods of time (or permanently). Next week it will be my Mothers turn we are all looking forward to seeing her and the rest of you as well. Rabbi Wein says we are living in a time where we see Bible prophesies being fulfilled every day. That's for sure.

We just got back from Shopping in town Fri. 

I saw the Monit (cab) driver had a tehillim open on the front seat. When I got in to sit down he closed and picked it up. So I asked him "what tehillim we are up to today?" he then started singing that entire chapter by heart with a Sefadic Nigun. We had a free concert on the way back home, along with a good shmooze. I asked him if he can sing the whole tehillim by heart, he said  "should I start now?" so I said we'll have to take a rain check. Many Cabbies learn Tenach while waiting for their next pickup. Bette then smoking cursing and drinking  booze.

This week we got a TV Tax bill. 

In Israel the Government controls all the media. So basically they can indoctrinated you towards whatever their agenda is, then they charge you a tax for being indoctrinated. Only Jews can come up with such a genius idea. Since we don't have a TV we don't have to pay the tax. How they know who has a TV and who doesn't is beyond me. Perhaps if you have cable, they get the subscriber list from them. Big brother is watching, but at least it's our Jewish Big brother.

Basic internet speed here is slower then in Woodmere NY. In NY Optonline started at 15MG download and 1.5MG upload. Bezek and Netvision here start at 1.5MG  download and 150K upload. That's 10 time slower. We tried the basic and the Vonage phone routers cut out to often. We just upped it to 4MG download. It's a bit better but we may up it to 5MG for a bit more NIS (New Israeli Shekel). Someone told me if you live in certain locations you can get up to 8MGs down. Israel is working on increasing internet speeds.

Israel needs Ebay. Perhaps one day someone will set it up here. I like to shop around and get the best deals.  Before internet I used to do it by phone and car, now it much easier to do it online. I needed an HP printer cartridge at a local store they wanted 175NIS for it, thats $43.75 at today good rate of $4 per 1NIS. I got it Band new on Ebay for half the price. The tricky part is to get it here. Hopefully Mom will bring it.

Finally! we had a CLATH TWIP THITH WEEK. 

That's right! Our Ulpan class had a Tiyul (trip) to Yerushaliam. Elkie could not come since she was getting ready for her Shabbos and getting Mom from the airport. We went to the High Court the Knesset, then the Menachem Begin Heritage Center Musium. http://www.begincenter.org.il/english/home.asp

It's very well done. You can lear a lot about Menachem Begin. Unquestionably Menachem ben Zev Begin born on Shabbos Nachamu was a great man and leader. No doubt he was brought into this world to bring some Nechama (Menachem) to the Jewish people. He was humble lived simple and and in his own words after he won he said he wanted to rule as "A GOOD JEW" He was a fighter and into Freedom from persecution and ideas. After hearing Zev Jabitinsky he was inspired and considered him his Rebbi and leader, although he disagreed with him later on on certain topics. 

On Menachem Begins Actual Lounge Chair

He headed the Irgun which was responsible for kicking the British out of Israel. He clearly stated that there will never be a Palestinian State since it would be a grave danger to Israel. He courageously bombed Iraqs nuclear program even though the entire world including America condemned him for doing so. 

However he did sign a piece agreement with Egyptian president Anwar Sadat. I thought that there was an underlying agenda in the museum to promote the piece agreement as if it were one of Israel's greatest achievements. I would have liked to see pictures of the Irgun Hanging the British soldiers in response the British hanging of Urgun soldiers. That was one of Beigins finer moments which led to the exit of the British and the creation of Israel. From the moment you walk in you see tons of pictures of Begin, Sadat and Carter all shaking hands and smiling. Although Sadat may have been a good man, he was assassinated, and today Egypt is letting Hamas smuggle tons and tons of ammunition and explosives into Gaza to be used against Israel. Egyptian sponsored Media and schools teach Passover Blod libels and Hatred of Jews and Israel. I don't think this is the kind of piece Menachem Begin envisioned. 

In last weeks Parsha Avraham Avinu made a piece agreement with Avimelech. The RAMBAN states that Avraham had no right to be making these kind of deals and was wrong for doing so. We need to learn from our forefathers good deeds as well as from their mistakes in order to prevent us from repeating them again. The only way this can happen is if we have leadership that looks to the Torah for guidance and uses Jewish values exclusively to lead Israel. With Hashems help, we sill see leadership like this soon.

That's all for now folks, if you have real estate or stocks SELL SELL SELL.

Shabbat Shalom

Dippi'n 500

What is Dippi'n 500???  You'll find out pretty soon but first.

We were in Efrat last Shabbos by Elkies old friend Yael and Mark Struel, since we do not have our car yet Mark was a real gentleman and picked us up from Efrat and Drove us back to RBS after shabbat. It's gota be 20 degrees F cooler in Efrat what a difference. Efrat is real close to RBS using the back roads about 22min. Our house is 2 minutes from the main back road. On the way we said tefillat Haderech we heard some Arabs were making trouble on one of those roads. Although there are Chayalim around and a check point, you do drive past Arab Villages. In America I never really related to the words "protect us from our enemies" when saying Teffilas Haderech, but I guess living here gives you the opportunity to have more kavana in praying to Hashem. 

Big News! Google has now Mapped Israel. Now everyone can make Aliya

Tuesday we went to Dovid Thees son Netanels Bar Mitzva in Moshav Nachalot not far from PETHAH TIQWA we got a ride with Chavie's (Dovids wife's) cousins in RBS to their other cousins Eitan Himelstein in Beit Shemesh, then all 6 of us went together. Both cousins learned in Yehiva Chorev, Eitan was in Menachem Walfish class. Even though they have been in Israel since they were little kids they ALL spoke in English which was nice for us. Bentzi Thee played the music, of course it's not AISH! but he is very good.

Ok Now Dipp'n 500

Now that Yehuda is in Hebrew Gan, Elkie and I take turns walking him to and from Gan which is about a 3 minute walk from our house. As it turns out, when a local Kabblan (builder contractor) was digging up to lay a foundation on Nachal Raziel the block of the Gan he unearthed an ancient Mikvah. As far as I've heard it was created and used at least 1500 years ago. Which means people were Dipp'n in the Mik in the year 500 down the block from us, way before the Indians landed in America and before Britain France and many other countries were founded . I found the spot and took Yehuda up for a tour, now he wants to check it out every day on his way back from Gan. I guess it's better then going to the Mall.

This must have been the prep room or something.

The floor has very small stone tiles all hand made

They even had style.

The floor is sloped in a way so the rain water drains into the Mikvah. It's considered and archaeological site and no one is permitted to build there, although people (probably Arabs) threw some garbage down the Mikvah. It makes you appreciate flat ceramic tiles and running water. If someone came up with the funds, it could probably be taken care of and kept for proper display.

There's a new Rav in town, and Bar Haim is his name.

Last night Wed. Myself and an RBS friend, who I've previously only met and known though cyber space, arranged the 1st in a series of Shiurim given by the One and Only "Harav Dovid Bar Haim". I had never met the Rav in person but have heard many hours of his Shiurim and consider him a VERY fresh breath of Air. I was in touch with him via email a few times and was looking forward to meeting him. To put is simply he is NOT! your typical Rav. It says in the Gemora "Ein Torah Kitoras Eretz Yisrael" After hearing him many times I REALLY! came to appreciate this Gemora. He Promotes Torahs Eretz Yisrael in theory AND practice and takes a hands-on approach to furthering the Geula. He is very original, creative and makes people think. Everything he says is backed by Chazal, and he is very forthcoming in answering questions. He studied at Yeshivat Merkaz Harav for 10 years and has a very unique approach to understanding Minhagim and Halacha.

He has given Shiurim in the past in RBS but it is tough to get a crowd out on a weekly basis so my new friend Binyomin Lemkin and I took it upon ourselves to bring in as many people as we can to kick off the season. B"H it was a small but respectable tun out, we brought some refreshment to feed the body and the soul. The Shiur was given in Rav Salevetchicks shul (R. Yosef Beir Rosh Yeshiva of YU's great-nephew) who is apparently more open minded then other Rabamin in town. Not every person or Rav is ready to agree with what he has to say, but I am a big believer in using this thing on my shoulders called a head and the Brain Hashem has placed in it for myself.

His teachings can be found at www.machonshilo.org

He lives in Yerushalaim and came in with Benyamin. They picked up an older man then me on the way. I Shook his hand and told him it was an honor to meet him. In the car I said this is quite different then the US, I never got a ride to a shiur in Rabbi Wein or Rabbi Weinbergers car with them driving. (Although I did drive Rav Goldvict to his Shiur once). He set up 2 computers one to record the other had his notes and I think the whole Torah on it. People asked him good questions and he is quite amazing he clicked his computer a few times and gave answers quoting verbatim the RAMBAM, Gemara and sources all over the Torah. 

He started by explaining that a Kizayit, is actually the size of a Olive! WOW WHAT A CONCEPT! Which is about 3 or 4 grams and NOT 60 grams as some other Rabanim claim with out any proof. He explained that there are Olive trees in Israel over 3000 years old from the time of the Tenach still producing Olives that are the same size as todays olives. Perhaps the Rabanim in Bavel and European counties were not aware of the size of an Olive since they were not grown in those climates. So they compared them to eggs, which also vary in size, and so confusion and distortions set in. He is of the opinion we should now clarify things, since Halacha and the Torah have to make sense in reality with reason and logic. There never was, and never will be an Olive the Size of an Egg like the ones that we buy at the Makolet. This is the approach of the RAMBAM and Kuzari. I guess that means less time in the rest room on Pesach.

His nick name is the "Ba'al Hanusach" since he is at the forefront of writing a new nusach teffila based on the Geonim that is more appropriate and relevant to the reality in Israel TODAY. He already published a Sidur and other Teffilot. A simple example is in the current version of Ashenazik Benching. We ask Hashem to "Break the Yolk from our necks and quickly bring us to Israel". That's a fine teffila for people living outside of Israel. But how can one honestly and sincerely ask Hashem to bring him to Israel when he is already there!? At least I  know I can't. The Rav gave me a business card that contains Birchat Hamazon with the new/old Nusach Eretz Yisrael. It fulfills the Halachik requirement of "Veachalta Visavata Uverachta" (Eat, be satisfied, and give thanks/blessings) with the 4 brochos as indicated in the Gemorah. It's MUCH easier to say and I find it conducive to having more Kavana using this Nusach. Perhaps when more and more people in Israel start using this Nusach at some point it will become standardized.

That's all for for now, gota get back to fundraising for Moshe Feiglin, we NEED to get him in the Knesset. The Likud Knesset Slate/List vote is in about 30 days from now.

All the best Am Yisrael Chai and Shabbat Shalom.

ObamaNation

Make sure you read the next post Elkie's update "Hectic Week"

Just a quick note about the US elections;

(Because he WON!)

I told you so, I told you so...  

I'll try not to rub it in. (rrrrrggggg... boy this is tough)

I have a list of people who said "If Obama wins, I'm making Aliya"

Some of those people are reading this blog.

On a serious note many people are saying lots of things about this. 

Like Rav Lazer Brody: Obama and Aliya and Good News for Geula

The 1st thing that saddens me (but I am not surprised) is that 80% of US Jews supported him financially and electorally (if that's a word). 

But the main point I want to make is that I believe Hashem communicates with us even today though events in our lives. (That's what Chazal Says). The trick is to be tuned into those events, it's timing etc. and be able to hear and understand the message. 

When we say Shema Yisrael Hashem Elokeinu...  Shema means Hear AND Understand.

Barack Hussein Obama won the election on the week of Parshat Lech Lecha.

That is the Parsha where Avram אברם receives the 1st Mitzva given to the 1st Jew. Aliya! 

"Lech Lecha" - Go for your own good

Upon completing this difficult and rewarding test, Hashem gives him the Hey ה for Hashem in his name AvraHam אברהם

Hectic Week

Well, we've had a pretty hectic week with different things going on.

Last Friday we went to Oma's kever for her Yahrtzeit. we borrowed a car and took Yehuda with us since we had no one to watch him.

we arrived at the parking lot of the cemetery and met Ali, Rechi, and some of the relatives. we then walked together up to the Kever where we all said some tehillim.

it was a little hard for me since Yehuda thought it was a playground and i had to go chasing him around the cemetery, not something that you really want to be doing. so i learned my lesson that it really was not the place for him (he was the only child there) and i cannot bring him there again for many years but i really did want to be there. it was "nice" to be there and it certainly bought Nachas to Oma & Opa having so many of their grandchildren and great-grandchildren there.

Motei Shabbos Shloimy played at the Hilula

(Memory gathering) of the Aish Kodesh with Shlomo Katz. They also had a Cornerstone ceremony for the new Shul they are building. The Aish Kodesh is the Rebbe of Piazeczna, Harav Kalonymous Kalman Shapiro, zt"l, who wrote the inspirational sefer, "Aish Kodesh" during his all too brief tenure as the Rebbe of the Warsaw Ghetto. Shortly before he was murdered by the Nazis HY"D and the Ghetto was liquidated, the Rebbe buried his writings beneath the Ghetto's ruins with the hopeful plea that, after the war, the manuscript be taken to Eretz Yisrael. Rav Weinberger from Aish Kodesh Woodmere was inspired by this sefer and decided to name the shul after it.

A lot of people from Aish Kodesh Woodmere daven in Aish Kodesh RBS. In RBS the Rav is Rav Shapiro the great Nefew of Harav Kalonymus Kalman. He is a REAL Tzadik. The 1st time I saw him I was waiting outside on Simchas Torah and saw some man bringing out Kugel and Barekas for people to eat. Then Shloimy Came out and introduced me to that man who was Rav Shapiro the Rav of the Shul! He will not sit down at Seudat Shlishit until everyone has a seat and food WOW!

On Monday Shloimie went to Yerushalayim to take his road test. he felt that the test went well and got a call from his instructor later that day saying that he passed!!!! so on tues,. he went to Beit Shemesh to get his driver license. he thought it would have taken a lot longer but it wasn't too long and he finally got his license so now we can get our car when it arrives. he then called our Shipper to see what is happening with our car since it should have been here already. the shipper said that it just arrived in Israel!! he asked Shloimie if he got his license yet so Shloimie said "Of course i have my license, i'm waiting for you to call me about the car!!!". anyway, he said that he will let us know next week when we can get it. i hope it won't take too much longer till we get it.

Tues. night i had a bat mitzvah for Sora Baila Akselrud's daughter. the women were invited for dessert and dancing at 9PM. at about 5 pm there was a knock on our front door and it was judy and Aaron Akselrud. they came to say hello and brought us a housewarming gift, a beautiful challah cover. it was so thoughtful of them. they are the nicest people. they stayed for about 15 minutes bec. they were on their way to the Bat- Mitzvah. i didn't have to give them a tour since they've been here MANY times already but they noticed that the house was painted.

the Bat Mitzvah was very nice. the girls all had a good time and i really enjoyed some of those desserts!

This morning (thurs.) we had another Akselrud Simcha. our former tenants, Yudi & Penina made their son's bar mitzvah at the Kotel. they had a big breakfast after davening at a catering hall right outside the Old City. it was a really nice place and the food was good. Shloimie got a lift straight to the hall since he was playing the music. he had all his equipment with him and i went with a few neighbors after everyone's kids left for school so we also went directly to the hall. we felt bad that we missed the davening but we just couldn't leave any earlier. The Akselrud's also knew that most of the women would miss davening. we ate, danced, saw a video of the Bar Mitzvah boy and then we came home. luckily Shira got out of School early so she was able to pick Yehuda up from Gan so i didn't have to rush home....

Speaking of Yehuda's Gan, we finally decided on a gan for him. (for those of you who read the previous blog, you know what i'm talking about). we were debating where to send him and we settled on a Hebrew speaking gan for him. the Morah speaks fluent English so that made me feel a lot better since i know that he will be understood. i also asked Morah Tirtza to please repeat in English to him, whatever she tells the class so that he can understand what's going on.

On a side note, it is very important to understand what people say to you. my friend told me a story that happened to them on chol Hamoed.... Her family was in the car going on a trip and they had their son's friend in the car with them. this friend is Israeli and didn't speak english. so they are on their way and this boy, who was about 8 yrs old ( i think) said in hebrew, "ani tzarich lihaki." so they didn't understand him and just continued on their way and he said it again and again and again. they didn't know what he was saying so they basically ignored him and with that, this little boy threw up all over their car. so they said "Oh, we just learned a new word...lihaki must mean to throw up!!!" and they said that they will never forget that word again!!! my point is that i want Yehuda to understand and to be understood in gan so we chose this gan and we heard wonderful things about it.

when we picked him up the first day the Morah said he was great, he didn't cry at all. there are about 5 or 6 other kids who speak english so she told me that he found the english chevra, not to worry!!!

then on Monday, when he came home i asked him how they speak (since they speak hebrew and he doesn't know hebrew yet) so he said "mommy, they say cha cha cha, la la la cha all day." we were hysterical laughing from him that we just couldn't stop! then yesterday i asked him who did he play with. since i don't know the kids names except for 2 or 3 so he said "i played with chachi, moo moo, fufi, poo-poo, luli..." i guess he hasn't gotten their names down yet.

This morning i was getting him dressed and i was singing some song to him ( i don't remember which one) and he said shut up, which is a favorite word of his. but i very often choose to ignore it when he says it.(is that the correct parenting technique, Yael??) anyway, i continued singing and he said it again so i told him that i don't want to shut up! so he says to me "Mommy, SHEKET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" so with that i basically shut my mouth!(maybe tomorrow i'll pick a different song to sing to him).

so for the most part, he likes Gan and is happy to go. this morning he put on his knapsack at 7:30 AM and said "ok mommy, i'm going to my new gan now." i told him he had some time and that he can go back to making more trouble!

Speaking of trouble, the other day yehuda was playing on our mirpeset(porch) with our neighbor, yaakov, from across the street and he saw the hose. so he decided to try it out and he went over to the hose, turned it on FULL force and proceeded to DRENCH Yaakov (who's only 4 years old). we couldn't stop laughing! Shloimie and i were inside watching poor little Yaakov stand there dripping wet from head to toe, literally. the good thing was that Yaakov was laughing with us! so we tried telling yehuda to turn it off but he was so busy spraying the whole neighborhood from the Mirpeset that he didn't even hear us. he was shooting water EVERYWHERE!! we couldn't stop laughing but then i said that i hope Yaakov's Mother, Aliza, won't be upset with me. all of a sudden i see Aliza coming outside her front door and i opened the mirpeset door a crack so we won't get drenched and i told her that i can't open the door and she was hysterical laughing when she saw her son!! it was one of the funniest things ever!!! Finally, Shloimie decided to take charge. he took the umbrella and ran onto the mirpeset trying to catch the terrorist. During all of this Shmuel Sackett walked in to our house with two of his daughters. they were coming for a Manhigut Yehudit meeting with Shloimie, not even me this time. so in walks Shmuel and sees what's going on. he was dressed in a nice,clean white shirt bec. he was on his way to a wedding. i think he almost ran out of the house but luckily shloimie decided to step in. then i explained to Shmuel, why i CAN"T work! i think he understood very well and decided not to even ask me when i want to go back to work.

What a week it was in the Walfish RBS Family.

Tomorrow we are going to our good friends, Yael and Mark Struel for Shabbos. they live in Efrat. i met Yael in Seminary many years ago. she is originally from England and we became very close since then. we stayed in contact for many years then lost touch for a few years. i always knew that she was going to make Aliyah and last summer when we came on vacation with the kids i met a woman from England who lives in RBS if she knows my friend Yael. she said that she lives in Efrat. we happened to be going to Efrat on Monday (this was shabbos) so on the way to efrat to visit other friends, i called my friend that we were going to and i asked them to look up Yael's phone number in the Efrat phone book and i got the number. i then called her and she knew who it was right away and we went to see her. we were hugging in the street at about 11PM like two little kids! so since last summer we kept in touch again and we are going to them for shabbos. they made a Bat Mitzvah about two weeks ago in Efrat and we went to that so we saw them already but we are looking forward to spending some time with them. her husband is very nice and he offered to take us there and back so we took him up on his offer.

then Monday night we have another bar mitavah. this time it's for Dovid and Chavie Thee's son, Netanel. we haven't been to a real israeli style bar mitzvah so it should be interesting!!

Hope all is well at your end of the world.

Now that you have a lovely new President, we are taking reservations for our hotel. don't worry, we won't charge too much and you can stay as long as you want. we really want you all to visit. i don't know if you should all come at the same time but if that's what happens, then just bring a toothbrush and a pillow and we'll squeeze you in.

love you all and miss you all, some more than others but we won't mention names!!

keep in touch and I MEAN IT!!!!!

good shabbos and Lehitraot for now,

Elkie

Aliya to the Temple Mount

Moshe Feiglin Ascends to the Har Habait (Temple Mount) every month on the 19th. This month it came out on Sunday Col Hamoed Sukkot. As soon as I heard about it I decided I wanted to join. This Sukkot is the one after Shmittah and there is a special Mitzvah to read from portions of the Torah on the east side of the Har Habaiyit facing the Kodesh Kodashim. It is between the place the Kohen Gadol prepared the Para Aduma on Har Zetim and the Kodesh Kodashim. When preparing the Para Aduma, they open all the gates and you can see straight though to the Kodesh Kodashim.

I told some friends I am planning on going, a few were interested in joining me. 2 ended up on coming with me. One is Daniel Michael who also made Aliya this summer from Brooklyn with his family, they live near us, the other was Spencer a single British guy the brother of a neighbor. Going to the Har Habaiyit is controversial many Rabbis disway people from going all together. 

The Chief Rabanut of Israel even has a sign saying it is forbidden by Torah Law to go on the Temple Mount. While Technically the rabanut of Israel is correct that there ARE areas of the Temple Mount that one is not supposed to go on, Like inside the Azara if one is Tamay Mess, their statement is misleading. The area around that, one can walk on even is he is Tamay Mess after following certain Halachas like going to the Mikvah, wearing non leather shoes etc... One can read a response to the Ban by Rabbi Chaim Richman of the Temple Institute at:

http://www.templeinstitute.org/aliya_temple_mount.htm

Or see what the RAMBAM and Rav Moshe Feinstein had to say about it: 

http://www.templeinstitute.org/rambam.htm

http://www.templeinstitute.org/harav_moshe.htm

I explained to my friends that you have to go to the Mikva 1st and forwarded them instructions in english http://www.kumah.org/harhabayit

They both are NOT frequent visitors to a Mikvah, Spencer was never in one and was quite nervous and perturbed about the whole thing it did not seem PROPER, but he was a good sport and we all went. We shared a cab to the Kotel Sun Morning and got there at 8:00AM just on time. We found the Manhigut group waiting online and joined them. 

Apparently a LOT of people wanted to ascend as well, and there was a VERY long line. The police do not allow Any NON Muslims to pray on the Temple mount or even bring a sidur or move your lips in prayer. So basically Jews can Pray in Auschwitz, but not at the Holiest site for Jews in the World. The police decided to let 2 groups of about 20 people go up at a time with an Israeli Security escort and 3 Jordanian WAKF arabs to make sure no one moved there lips in prayer.

We were waiting and waiting an waiting, in the hot sun. Some secular looking Jew with a pony tail wanted to cut the line since he claimed he does not NEED and escort so we should let him go before us. We told him we don’t NEED and escort either but that’s what the police want to do. Then he said well we (Kippah wearing Jewish Looking people) have and agenda and he doesn’t. So I asked him why he wants to go, he said to visit and tour around, so I told him so do I, maybe we can join you and we all won’t need and escort. He sort of backed off a bit. 

Then a bit later some dude wearing a Black Hat saw us from the exit ramp, and started SACREAMING at us that we are defiling the Har Habait and it’s because of people like US that Moshiach hasn’t come etc...  We all smiled and said CHAG SAMEACH loudly and started singing Yibone Hamikdash. Boy EVEYONE in Israel has an opinion.

After waiting almost 2 hours we went though a metal detector and had 29 people in our group with Moshe. 

Moshe explained that even though we will see Arabs looking like they own the place Mocking us we should not be depressed it is still the Chag and we should be Happy and smile.

From the moment we entered the Har Habayit the Arab WAKF was watching us intensely to make sure we don’t move a lip in prayer. Moshe was talking the whole time in Hebrew as our tour guide explaining where we were and what we were seeing. 

He 1st showed us residue of Gold that was on the pillars from the Beit Hamikdash. 

We then moved to the southern part of the mount and Moshe showed us HUGE pieces of wood that were found as the WAKF dug under the Temple Mount (Illegally) They were tested and were Atztei Shitim and other kinds of wood used in the 1st and 2nd temple. 

They were 2-3 thousand years old, in any country in the world they would build a museum just for those items, but under the current Israeli leadership the WAKF gets away with discarding these priceless items as rubble.

We then headed East and North, at one point Moshe stopped to show us something and the 3 Arab guards sat down and were talking LOUDLY the Israeli police was not near us. Moshe looked at them and said “Excuse me I’m talking here, please be quiet”. One guy said we can talk, and continued talking. 

I saw a twitch in Moshe face and he did not like that answer. He was thinking for about 10 seconds then dropped down to the ground and Prostrated himself fully on the ground with his head towards the Kodesh Kodashim. (This is only permissible to do ON the Har Habaiyit) I never saw guys jump up so fast, the Arabs Jumped out of their seats and started running towards Moshe SCREAMING, then before they can reach him he stood up. They continued yelling and the Israeli Police came, they started complaining to the Police... The police look at Moshe, and Moshe said “Hu Mafria Le, Ani Mafria Lo” - “He was bothering me so bothered him”. The police looked at the Arabs and said stop bothering Moshe looked at Moshe and walked away.  Moshe brushed of his shirt from some dust and continued the tour. It was AWSOME!.

We then went to the East side of the mount this time the Arabs where watching our lips VERY closely. Moshe explained that we were at the spot were they perform Hakel and said this is where the Kohen Gadol would read from the Torah and say thing like Shima Yisrael etc... Looking at us with hand gestures, he continued saying the entire Kriat Shema out loud right in front of the Arabs and they had no idea what he was doing. Then Moshe asked if there was a cohen among us, and one guy said yes, so he called him up, and said this is were the Cohanim said there blessing, do you REMEMBER what the TEXT is??? (wink wink) so he had the Cohen face us and say Birkat Kohanim as Moshe was counting the Brachos with is fingers. 

We all receive Birchat Cohen on the Har Habayit on Sukkot after Hakel, in front of the Arabs and they were clueless.

We then headed North and were walking. I explained to Spencer that the Arabs definitely would NOT be happy if I said Shir Hammaalos MiMamakim etc... and said two chapters of Tehilim to him by heart. 

We then saw and Arab school at the Northern part of the mount with kids playing ball, some of them came up to us staring at us fearlessly, I looked at them and smiled. Then some guy came and told them to move away.

We exited the mount at the West side going into the Arab Shuk, That is the Closest side to the Kodesh Kodashim. as were were all walking backwards, most of us said prays like “Shema” Hashem Hu Haelokim” etc... 

We were leaving anyway so there was little fear in them kicking us out.

When we were out they closed the door and we all made a circle and sang and danced to Yibone Hamikdash. Tourists were staring at us and taking pictures. 

It was a very moving and Happy and Sad experience one I will never forget. I hope to go again with family and friends.