50 REASONS TO MAKE ALIYAH

I just made a new post this morning about Menachem's visit, but got this in an email today.
Sooooo. AFTER you read this one continue to the next post.

Enjoy Israel = IS-REAL

50 REASONS TO MAKE ALIYAH

A few people challenged me to list 50 reasons to make aliyah. No
problem. Here it is. Like I mentioned, from now on, I'll be blogging
at the JewishPress.com, so after your daily fix at NBN, if you want
an Israel injection straight into your veins, I'll be sharpening my
needles there.

50 Reasons to Make Aliyah
1. To get closer to G-d.
2. To fulfill the Torah commandment to live in the Land of Israel.
3. To perform the mitzvot in the place they were meant to be
performed, and not in a place where we do them as reminders, so that
will still remember how to perform them when we return to the Land.
4. To live in the Land of our Forefathers.
5. To live in the Land of Prophecy.
6. To live in the Land that Hashem promised to the Jews.
7. To break free from being a despised stranger in gentile countries.
8. To escape gentile cultures and the spiritual pollution of the
Diaspora, which clouds and distorts pure Jewish thinking and prayer.
9. To play a part in the ingathering of the exiles.
10. To play a part in Israel's Redemption.
11. To play a part in the rebuilding of Jerusalem.
12. To actualize our daily prayers to return to Israel and thus be
true to the words that I say.
13. To make my wish, "Next year in Jerusalem" a reality.
13. To have a government of Jews.
14. To have a Jewish army.
15. To live in a country according to the Jewish calendar.
16. To live in a country where the official language is Hebrew.
16. So my children won't intermarry.
17. So my grandchildren won't intermarry.
18. So my great grandchildren won't intermarry.
19. To forget about Xmas.
20. To erase the Chillul Hashem of living in a foreign land, where the
gentiles mock G-d, saying that He doesn't have the power to keep His
People in Israel.
21. To live amongst Jews.
22. To live in the place here prayer ascends to Heaven.
23. To live in the place of the Shechinah, the Land that Hashem
watches over from the beginning of the year to the end.
24. To live in the Land where Avraham, Yitzhak, and Yaacov lived and are buried.
25. To live in the Land where every place I walk earns me a higher
place in the World to Come.
26. So my children will grow up to be proud Jews.
27. So my children will grow up without dual identities and
schizophrenic complexes.
28. Because Israeli women are the real thing, not trying to be like
shiksas, and Israeli men aren't teenagers who never grow up.
29. Because Israeli mothers still cook meals for the family.
30. Because there is more Torah in Israel than anywhere else in the world.
31. Because there are more Torah Gedolim in Israel than anywhere else
in the world.
32. Because there are more frum communities in Israel than anywhere
else in the world.
33. Because there are more yeshivot, heders, Talmud Torahs, religious
colleges and schools for girls in Israel than anywhere else in the
world.
34. Because the Kohanim bless the congregation each day.
35. Because of the extra mitzvot you can only do in the Land.
36. To become a bigger Jew, ready to give up "the good life" in the
Diaspora in order to become a building of our Nation in our Land, even
if it means sacrifice, rather than living a small private life
motivated by my own personal interests and pleasures.
37. To live in a place where my taxes support yeshivot, Tzahal, Jewish
charity organizations, terror victims, Jewish hospitals, the city of
Jerusalem, the ingathering of the exiles….
38. To be near Jerusalem.
39. To be near the Kotel.
40. To be in the place where the Jewish holidays are natural to the
climate of the Land.
41. Because of the beautiful biblical scenery.
42. Because the food is great with the most delicious kosher pastries
and cakes in the world.
43. Because you can get bagels there too.
44. Because radio broadcasts begin in the morning with "Shema Yisrael."
45. Because of the modern apartments and fantastic villas.
46. Because of the thriving economy.
47. Because Israel's an international leader in high-tech.
48. Because of the excellent medical care.
49. Because of the respect for the elderly.
50. Because that's where I truly belong and where G-d wants me to be.

Menachem's Here!

Menachem Walfish came to visit us! He was on a trip with a group and his Rebbe, Rabbi Leible Kellerman. Besides learning about midos mind and the soul, they learn about the body as well.
They had to get into shape for a few months to run 10 kil. I am impressed to say the least that Menachem stuck to it and got into shape to do so.

On Fri we went to Eitz Hachaim cemetery to visit, Opa & Oma, Uncle Davi Srulowitz and Aunt Ani

It's a popular place, people are dying to get in there.

Then we got back to RBS to go for a bike ride and to show Menachem what some of us do here.
I broke some ribs Apr 1 riding my bike on the road when I hit a curb and flew off and slammed into the guard rail. B"H it's now much better, and I have been ridding easy to get back into it. Now I'm trying to commit to 3 rides  a week. Mon Wed and Fri.
We will see how it goes. We have 150 other bikers in RBS mostly mountain biking, which is way nicer then the road, better exercise and safer. We have a yahoo group where we post rides, http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/rbsbiking/ and we all track our rides with a GPS program called http://www.endomondo.com We can share our past rides and keep track of tracks, speed distance, calories burned, and see other riders in real time.
Menachem rode with Yosef and me on Fri and had a nice 1st ride.
You can see our ride mapped on the interactive map here:

 

We road right before Shabbos when is was cooler. We then had a nice shabbos. Sun Menachem came to Mishna Shiur with me in the morning, than when to Beit Guvrin to see some ancient underground caves and cities. We then came back to RBS picked up Yehuda from Gan and took him to another local hike to Khirbet Qeiyafa know in the Tenach (Shmuel) as Sharayim (2 gates) this is a fortress about 10 min from RBS that dates back to before the 1st temple and was part of Dovid Hamelechs kingdom. It's one of the oldest walled in cities in Israel. Amazingly a lot of the wall is still there. You can see RBS Gimel from it See http://qeiyafa.huji.ac.il/

Menachem then had a great week. Unfortunately when he was running He lost his  bag with his passport and camera so lost lots of photos of the trip.
He was in Yerushalaim for Shabbos and stayed by Ali and Rechi Motzei Shabbat and sun night.

Mon. morning he got a new passport from the US consulate in Jerusalm then came to RBS. We toured RBS Gimel and saw them building a new city then went home and rested. We then went for a nice ride though Emek Haaela, where Doivd and Goliyath had their battle.

We road though apricot orchards with thousands of trees.

Menachem was amazed at how much wheat was grown in the fields.

 We stopped for mincha under a tree which was likely where Dovid Hamelech hung out.

After practicing some downs and ups.

We were ready for the Big downhill ride!

We road till the sun came down. Then called Elkie who was so kind to come pick us up about 15 kil away.

Then I drove him to the airport. Next one the comes here can get the same tour, you just have to start getting into shape. Who's NEXT???

Reuniting with part of your soul

I wasn't sure if I should write about this, but if it can help anyone it's worth it.

I haven't blogged in a long time, but this is about a major event for me and perhaps worth the time.

So here it goes:

Last Sunday night I had a wedding in Einat about 5 miles from Petah Tikva.

View Larger Map

As you may be aware, my family came to Israel from 1980 -1983 and lived in Petah Tikva. I was 11-14 year old and Bar Mitzvah in Israel. My father was working on the Lavi Jet fighter the most sophisticated air to air combat fighter created in it's time. We had a plan to stay for the duration of that project.

I was in 6-8th grade and B"H adjusted pretty quickly. I had a very good childhood and life during those years. It was very simple real and pure. Although most of us liked it very much, when the three years were over we ended up moving back to the USA

I had a gig Sunday night that ended at 11:00PM. The wedding in Enat was for a very close friends daughter who said the wedding will go to 1:00AM. I was in my car at 11:04PM moving it to Einat. B"H there was no traffic. I took route 6 Israels only toll road and was there at 11:40PM. Very nice wedding I got to dance and hang out a bit and left about 1:30AM.

I decided to take route 40 back, the FREE road and was heading towards my old home town Petah Tikva. I was thinking of stopping by my old apartment but it was late and I wasn't sure how to get there...

As I passed the entrances to Petah Tikva from route 40 I said, what the heck I'm 5 min away and I am never here. I made a right turn off 40 pulled over where I got some WIFI, loaded the map of Petah Tikva in my iphone and found my old street Rechov Hanisiim.

I followed the GPS and got there in 5 min. I noticed the shul we used to davened in Munkatz which was VERY dirty and black on parts of it, in the need of a major paint job. I remember it white and new looking from 29 years ago.

I parked across the street from the apartments and looked at it for a minute or so.

I wasn't sure if I should get out, but said hey I'm here what the heck. So I got out crossed the street and walked into the Driveway of building 24

For the first 2 years we lived in 24 then moved to the building next door 26. Those 2 buildings and 28 share a pool in the back which was a nice arrangement. I and my brother Naftoli learned to swim there.

It was now after 2:00AM and I was walking around downstairs just checking out the outside. The door was locked so I could not get in. My brothers Naftoli Shimmy and I used to play outside a lot and I was trying hard to remember what it was like.

I remember playing marbles outside with Naftoli and wasn't quite sure exactly where we played. After a few minutes I headed to the pool in the back which was locked and over to the next building 26. I really wanted to remember and connect to the past, so I asked Hashem to help me remember that little boy. When I got to the side of the building I saw a patch of fresh looking dirt which looked like the spot we played marbles.

I knelt down to the ground and touched the soft dirt where I was certain now that we had played many hours of marbles, trying to get them from one ditch to the other.

At the moment Baaaam! I felt this pulse of energy go though me. It's hard to describe but it was a very powerful sensation. I started to tear a bit and continued to think about the little boy who use to play there for hours.

I got up and headed back towards the car across the street, got in an closed the door. I started to cry and cry and cry some more. It kept getting more and more intense until it was completely out of my control. I did not understand exactly what was going in why I was crying so deeply. After about 15 minutes I looked in the mirror my facial muscles were all contracted extremely tightly, tears were flowing and flowing out of my eyes. I found a roll of toiled paper B"H and kept unrolling it more and more.

My first instinct was in the negative, that perhaps I did not achieve what I could have in life and along those lines. After a good 1/2 hour of this. I tried my wife Elkie once and got the voice mail. Then again a few minutes later and she picked up. I was hardly able to talk and was still crying, she asked what going on thought I was in an accident, and wanted to know where I was.

I told here where I was and slowly started to tell her what happened so far. I still wasn't sure why I was crying and so intensely. What I did know at that point is that it hurts. I kept telling her over and over it hurts its hurts so much... But it was not a physical pain in any way.

After going though the 29 years since the last time I lived there, I realized that there were plenty of accomplishments in my life, and that's not what what this was about.

When I left Israel in 1983 I did not think much about it, I was just a fact of life. We all came back to America and life went on. I went to one bad high school and another bad one. At least I had good family and friends and got though it all. I created a successful business got married had children and generaly things seemed ok.

But apparently they were not ok for that little boy. Even though I was unconscious of this for 29 years, that little boy that was once me, never got over the move away from Israel.

It's like I left a marble there looked for it and found it, but instead I was looking for that little boy and found a piece of my soul in that place. It's like it was stuck and abandon there for 29 years. B"H I never mourned for a close one, but this felt like that and more.

I eventually calmed down a bit stayed on the phone with Elkie checked out my old school and made it back home early in the morning.

The next day I spoke with a very smart Rabbi I know who has written seforim about souls the 5 parts of them and how they work. He essentially concurred with me and helped clarify the experience. I was not regretting 29 years of my life. Apparently the ages that I was in Israel 11-14 are very important years in the spiritual and mental development of a child.

The way he explained it is, I and probably my younger brother, established strong ROOTS in Israel and in that place. When we were taken away from there to America it was literally like ripping a tree out of the ground severing it from the roots still in the ground.

Apparently I was not aware of how traumatic this event was, I never felt it consciously or likely I ignored it and put it out of my mind so as not to feel the pain.

As 29 years elapsed the pain piled on interest. What I was feeling now was the intense pain of being spiritually disconnected from a place that I took strong root compiled with interest. I had never properly mourned for it before.

He said that most people who have similar traumatic events will never really relive it face to face like that. I was very fortunate to have this happen and that I can now deal with it since I am aware of what happened.

The interesting thing though is that, I did not have this experience the last times I was there, 2 and 3 years ago. I suggested that perhaps that little kid was in such pain for such a long time that being in Israel now so many years later for a year or two was not enough to let him open up to the adult me. But now that I am here for over 3 years more then he was here, it's like I made this unconscious statement I am here in Israel to stay and will never abandon you again.

I confirmed all this with another amazing Rabbi who also wrote many seforim on similar topics and now found a new friend.

I hope this event can help others face their traumatic events face on and use that very painful experience as an opportunity to heal and grow from it.

B"H I am now back in Israel reunited with my 13 year old root soul after 29 years.

What can be better then that:)

Har Habayit REVOLUTION 9th of Av 5771

It's Been a YEAR since the last post and A LOT has happened in that time.

Perhaps I will add some photos and videos of the past year highlights.

But for now the 9th of Av Just ended and I just finished a great meal made by my wife to break the fast.

Today I believe something historic and revolutionary happened.

I decided the most appropriate action to take on 9th of Av is to Assent to the Har Habayit.

After all it's the Beit Mikdash that Jews have been crying about and fasting for, for 2000 years.

I could just get in my car drive 30 min. Go up to Har Habayit and do whatever I can to show that I really want there to be a 3rd Beit Mikdash by taking some practical action not just praying and expecting the 3rd Temple to fall out of the sky.

I ran to the Mikva 6:00PM before the fast went to sleep. Next morning 9th of Av I picked up my friend Paysi Gulumb from Kehilot Tehilla in Beit Shemesh and zoomed to Har Tzion. We parked and joined Rabbi Chaim Richmands group of about 20 people at 7:15AM. We walked around the left side of Har Habayit as should be done when in Avelut, and met Haggai Yekutiels group of about 20, we then all walked together some more and bumped into Moshe Feiglins group of about 20, Now it was quite a crowd. Which the police usually do NOT allow. We all wanted to hear something inspiring so the leaders of the groups each spoke, Moshe Feiglin, Rabbi Chaim Richman from the Temple institute, Haggai Yekutiel. We were then joined by ANOTHER group and were about 80-100 Jews on Har Habayit on Tisha B'av. This has not happened in 2000 years and I was proud to be there. We continued our walk and met Rav Ariel the founder of the Temple institute and one of the paratroopers who liberated the Temple mount in the 6 day war, one of the Great Gedolei Hador, and then heard from Noam Federman another proud Jewish activist.

When I have been to Har Habayit before they usually let us stay from 20-30 minutes tops, today we were there for FOUR HOURS.

Had the police and Muslim Wakf NOT been there we could have built the Mizbeach in that amount of time with the people there.

The overall consensus on the Temple mount was "Stop Praying Stat Building!" The interest in the Third temple is increasing all the time, please join us and together we can make it a reality.

R. Chaim Richman (Mechon HaMikdash)

Moshe Feiglin

R. Chaim Richman (Mechon HaMikdash)

Haggai Yekutiel

Rav Ariel (Mechon HaMikdash)

Noam Federman

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WELCOME HOME NAGEL FAMILY!

There's a lot to catch up on since I haven posted in a while, but being that this is an Aliya blog the most significant thing that has happened in a while is that Yitzi and Aviva Nagel and family made Aliya yesterday Aug 3 2010. B"H

WELCOME HOME NAGEL FAMILY!

Apparently Yitzi's new name is Itzik. Perfect for an Israeli name, he'll fit right in. Yitzi's mom Shirley is my fathers 1st cousin, that makes us 2nd cousins. Aviva's family Silber lives in Israel in Neve Alisa in Karne Shomron. Of course they were there to greet them as well and were very excited and emotional.

I'm sure it was hard for the Nagles in America to bid farewell to them, however now they will have a great reason to come to Israel more often. Yitzi and Aviva have fulfilled the dreams of the Jewish people for close to 2000 years and are changing the destiny of their children to be a part of Jewish History in the Amazing process of Kibbutz Galuyot. The Nagles should be VERY proud of Yitzi and Aviva for making this courageous and bold move. Our Ariella made a welcoming sign for them and Yehuda finished coloring it in in the car on the way to the airport.

Nefesh Bnefesh organizes a great welcoming party as usual. They have food, cappuccinos, iced coffee. Apparently all the summer welcoming ceremonies for the 13 Nefesh Bnefesh chartered flights are booked, I guess it's good we registered a while back when we did.

We saw the Mayer of Beit Shemesh Moshe Abutbol there as well to greet Olim. Apparently 13 family's on the flight are moving to Beit Shemesh. We heard the there are 180 new Olim Children coming to Beit Shemesh this summer. That's enough for a new school!

Moshe Abutbol Mayer of Beit Shemesh (in sunglasses and suite)

There were about 85 singles on the plane who are joining the Israeli Army the current Israeli President Shimon Peres was at the bottom of the plane to greet the Olim soldiers. He shook every boys hand and kissed every girl.

We saw some other people we know on the plane. Rabbi Dovid Gottleib the young Rabbi of Shomrei Emuna in Baltimore left his promising and Prestigious pulpit and was on the flight with his family. Kol Hakavod Rabbi! They will be coming to RBS. The most effective way of teaching people in CHUL about Israel and Aliya is by example. Rabbi Gottleib joins at least 10 other pulpit rabbis who made Aliya this past year. The Rabbis are starting to lead the way.

R. Dovid and Ilana Gottleib and family

Stuart Katz and family were in the flight. They are friends from Woodmere. Their daughter Dafna was in our Ariellas class. Stewart got us a great deal on tickets with Israir a few years ago for the trip before we made Aliya perhaps the sefer torah was the one they used to use in the Israir flights. They are moving to Chashmonayim.

Stuart Katz

Our friends Shuli Germans last sister and family in the US were on the flight. All their siblings are here, now it the Parents turn. Each Aliya brings the possibility of a whole family living in Israel much closer, but someone has to make the 1st move.

Yitzi Aviva and family will be living in Ariel the largest city in the Shomron. We hope they come to us for a Shabbat and or a BBQ and wish them a GREAT and successful Klita. Perhaps we can bump them up from 2nd cousins to 1st cousin status. We hope to see more family from the US joining us here in Israel real soon. You can watch the Nefesh Bnefesh video of the Aliya at http://www.nbn.org.il/live

Marvin and Tirtza Jatkowitz from Monsey are the next Olim coming B"H at the end of the month. Tirza's mother Bubby Sarah was married to my grandfather Paul, stay tuned.

We had a VERY Special Shabbat guest, Jessica Myers from Lawrence. She is Danny and Frimmy Dalia Myers daughter and uncle Heshy and Aunt Esther's granddaughter. She is in Israel for the summer on a trip with "Mach Hach Baaretz". She had one Shabbat off from the program and decided to share it with us. We are very honored and happy she came. She came early on Fri. and never saw Beit Shemesh, She was curious to see town. I asked her if she likes Sushi and she said yes. So we decided to go shopping for sushi ingredients.

Elkie and Jessica

I took Jessica and Yehuda along. 1st we went to the fish store and got fresh salmon. Then we went to Shefa Shuk (the supermarket) on the OFF chance they would have avocados. I explained to Jessica that they are now out of season and very hard to find. They are normally 10-12NIS a kilo and if we are lucky enough to even find them they would be about 25-28NIS a kilo.

We walked into the store and saw avocados, as I was looking for the price, a woman standing there said they just announce the avocados are 6NIS a kilo. I said REALLY???

she said no kidding. I guess Jessica brought Mazal with her. We picked out 3 good and soft ones for shabbat and got another 4 hard ones for the next week.

When we got to the cashier a funny thing happened, she rang up the avocados and saw 6NIS a kilo. and said really is that the price, I said yes they are on sale. She checked us out, closed her register, and told the people behind us she'll be right back, she then ran to the avocados to get some for her family for shabbat. We were laughing only in Israel. We went home and made great sushi for shabbat. I showed Jessica some new sushi tricks, watch out Supersol of 5 towns, you now have some competition. Jessica helped before during and after Shabbat, she is very friendly and has excellent Midot, great job Lawrence Walfish's.

Going back in time, Yehuda had a party for his gan which was very nice.

Yosef gets a big Mazal Tov! he made a Siyum on Chamishe Chumshie Torah. (the 5 books of Moses) His yeshiva made a BIG siyum event and the big rabbis in town came to celebrate with them as well as Mayer Moshe Abutbol. It makes you feel like you really belong here when the Mayer of your city comes to honor 3rd grade making a siyum on the Torah. Well it's now official Yosef learned more by 3rd grade then I did by 8th grade! Next year they start Mishnayos and finish Navi.

And finally:

Since we have been here 2 years, I was looking for a good air show to bring the family to. When I was in Camp Sdei Chemed in 1982 they took us to a spectacular air show which I will never forget. Although we went to the Tel Nof air base on Yom Haatzmaut to see planes and 1 or 2 flying, that was not a full air show, and I could not find one anywhere else.

In the beginning of the summer I was looking and the Nefesh Bnefesh yahoo group and saw a message that they have tickets for the air-force graduation ceremony which hosts a full air show. I immediately signed up for the FREE tickets at the Nefesh Bnefesh website. Good thing I did that they got rid of the 200 tickets they got right away. I had to drive to Jerusalem in Fri to pick up the exclusive tickets for the show in Sun. Apparently this was a full dress and flying rehearsal for the actual graduation later that week.

Exclusive tickets thanks Nefesh Bnefesh

Sunday we drove to the Hatzrim Air Base in Ber Sheva and saw a spectacular Air-show. Security was very tight there were soldiers everywhere, and you were NOT getting in without those tickets.

Before the show we checked out some of the planes helicopters missiles and equipment. Yehuda only wanted to where his Chayal uniform. He was the hit of the air base everyone loved him.

Soldier Boy

Hercules

Sikorsky

F16 fighter plane

Many planes were flying in unison in tight formation doing incredible stunts. If you have never seen an F16 flying at about 500 miles an hour right over your head, you haven't seen speed! we had to hold our ears for that it was very loud, and very fast. I tried filming the F16 flyover but it but it was to fast for the auto focus to catch it clearly. Of course when the show was over, we got a minyan in the parking lot and davend Mincha and Mariv.

Lots of people

Till next time have a great summer.

Shlomo

The US Walfish's are here.

It's been kind of busy here the last few weeks.

First, as you all know we had the honor of hosting cousin Ari for a week. What a week it was!! Shloimie and I picked him up with his Savta Pittsburgh from the Bet Shemesh train station. they came back to our house for some lunch then Savta went back to her Mother. By the way, i forgot to mention that when we first saw Ari he gave me the BIGGEST hug- it was so great to see him. he grew so much. He is almost as tall as me! and he looks so mature in his new glasses, and boy can he do such cool tricks with those glasses!!

So, we waited anxiously for Yosef to get home from school. I watched for Yosef down the block and when i saw him coming, Ari stood behind the front door to scare him as he walked in. it was so nice seeing Yosef's face when Ari jumped out from behind the door! It was as if they've never been separated! Shira and Ariella were just as happy to see him come in, i don't know if it was him that they were happy to see or if it was the Entenmann's donuts that he brought!!

That was on Tuesday. ..On Wed, Ari and I went food shopping together. I showed him around the store.I bought him some tic tacs and he liked to see the Fruity Pebbles written inn Hebrew.

By the time we got home, Ariella and Yehuda were getting home so he was busy with them for the rest of the day.

Thurs. i had some things to do around the house so Ari hung out and did some reading/hw. Then Shloimie and I took him to the candy store in town. He saw a sour spray candy that he said his Mother would NEVER let him have that. so I, being the good aunt that I am, said "Great, let's buy it!!!" so we did and i think he enjoyed it.

Friday, Ari went to school with Yosef. I packed him lunch, drink and snack like Yosef and he went off to learn. He said it was fun. He liked the fact that Yosef gets "so much recess." He liked it so much that he decided to go back again with him on Sunday, which was a short day bec. it was Lag Ba'omer. We had a fun time here for LAg Baomer. everyone was making Medurot (bonfires) all over the neighborhood. Motzei Shabbos we all went out to light the one that Yosef and his friends' have been working so hard on. We brought hot dogs, marshmellows... We all had a fun but but boy did we smell like fire when it was over!

Also, on Friday when the boys came home from school, Ali and Rechi came over to visit. They wanted to see Ari. We decided to go on a little tiyul with them to Beit Guvrin. They had fun going thru all the caves. Even Ali and Rechi did it. then they left after a little while bec. they needed to get back for shabbat.

Monday, we gave Yosef the day off so he can spend it with Ari doing something fun.

Shloimie got an email that morning that moshe feiglin was going up to the Har Habayit in the afternoon so Shloimie took the boys to the Mikva in the morning then we took them and Yehuda into Yerushalayim. I took Yehuda to the kotel and they did their thing with Moshe.One of Yehuda's friend's from Gan was having surgery that day bec. they found a brain tumor. B"H she is totally fine now but it was very scary so when Yehuda and i went to the kotel, we said some Tehillim for her. He said Tehillim every day for her in Gan so he knew the whole perek by heart. I hope his davening helped her get better!

After the Kotel, Ari only wanted to go bowling but i explained to him that he can do that in America, he didn't come to israel to go bowling! It was Shloimie who recommended it originally but then when it was a choice of Har Habayit or bowling, we opted with bowling, sorry Ari!!

Then we went to Talpiot to a mall there which had the most incredible ice cream. We've haven't tasted ice cream like that since we're here so we all got ice cream then walked around the mall for a while. Yosef and Ari had fun trying on all different kinds/colors of kippot.

tues, Ari was already going back to his Savta. so Shloimie and i drove him back to his Savta Rabba's assisted living in rechovot. the place is GORGEOUS !! they were all sitting down for lunch and Shloimie only wanted to eat there but we decided not to.

On the way there we stopped off at the cemetary for Ari to see Oma and Opa.

It was very hard saying good bye to Ari and his savta. We had such a great time, We hope he comes back to visit us again soon, hopefully with his parents and siblings. and by the way, whoever else wants to visit, please feel free. we have room for everyone.

Thank you to Yael and Naftoli and Ari for sending all the great presents/snacks.. We LOVE it all.

By the way, i asked Ari what the best part of his trip was..... He said "going to the mikvah!!" i guess he really likes swimming.

On to our next visitors-

Mom and Dad arrived here on Wed, morning. The kids (and us) were waiting eagerly for them to arrive. The kids were all in school when they got to our house and then Savta came with me to pick Yehuda up from Gan. He was SO happy to see her.

when the kids all came home, they all got their goodies that Savta and zayde brought. and they were, of course, so happy to see them.

On Thurs. they spent the day in Jerusalem and then on Friday we all packed into our car and headed up north to Kibbutz Lavi for shabbos. We haven't been away for shabbos in so long that i forgot what/how to pack! and I was the queen of packers in NY!!!

Shabbos was so nice in the hotel. Not having to cook or clean off the table was well worth it for me! The food was very good and plenty of it, the kids went to the hotel's playground on shabbos afternoon with Savta and I took the girls swimming after shabbos.

On Shabbos afternoon, the hotel gave a walking tour of the kibbutz. It was so interesting to see how people live so differently on kibbutzim. It reminded me of when we were in Camp Lavi. I kind of feel that we live like that here but in a little more civilized fashion.

Sunday morning we went on a jeep ride for about an hour. Ariella has been BEGGING us to go jeeping for a while so i'm glad we were able to fulfill her wish- FINALLY! Zayde got to sit in front with the driver and the rest of us sat in the back bouncing around. It was really a lot of fun- The breakfast that we had just eaten also enjoyed it but thankfully didn't come up on anyone:)

We were able to see the land that Dad's Father bought many,many years ago. there was (& maybe still is) a discrepancy as to how much land they really own. Nobody was able to figure it out- don't ask me why. but we took pictures of it and Shloimie only wants to build a tzimmer on that land and make lots of money. Too bad there's no running water or electricity there so I don't know how much of an attraction it will be for vacationers!

After the jeep ride the driver dropped us off at the Kibbutz Lavi furniture factory. they made furniture for over 4500 shuls in America, as well as across the world. they make the benches that people sit on in shul. Next time you're in shul check the back of the bench to see if it has a "Lavi" logo. They do beautiful work.

On the way home we stopped off at a place where they show you how bees make their honey and make silkworms. the kids were rather bored and VERY hot and uncomfortable. Dad seemed to have enjoyed it. we ate a small picnic lunch there and Mom and Dad bought us a jar of honey to use for Rosh Hashana-Thanks!

After a nice long weekend, we headed back home and the kids had school on Monday. Mom and Dad went back into Jerusalem and i prepared for shavuos, which was the next day.

Shavuous was very nice. The weather was beautiful. Dad and Shloimie stayed up all night learning in one of the local shuls nearby. Dad was impressed with the Rav, Rabbi Danny Myers, who i happened to go to camp Raleigh with, So i find that funny.

Anyway, when Yom Tov was ending for us, Mom and Dad were preparing for their 2nd day, so we have on video us making havdala and Dad making kiddush.

I guess that's a first in our family. Shloimie and i went out a little after out chag was over and when we came home, the Fass's were here visiting mom and dad. They live in Bet Shemesh now and since yom tov was over for them, they came over to visit.

Isru chag for us (2nd day for them) Yosef went to school for half a day and the other kids were around. We joined Mom and Dad while they ate their lunch. While they were in shul in the morning i did more food shopping for shabbos. we were having Ali, Rechi, Sara Epstein, and chaim Heinemann. So i spent the rest of the afternoon cooking for shabbos,

Dad went to see Yosef learning in Yeshiva

Shabbos was really nice. We were a packed house and B"H we had room for everyone. Chaim slept by his friend who's a neighbor of ours but everyone else slept here and it was so nice getting together with them. We felt bad that ali and rechi have never been to us for a shabbos yet and we hope they will come back again soon.

After Shul, Ali told me that he likes our bungalow colony very much!

Dad sponsored part of the kiddush on shabbos by our local shul across the street since it was his Father's yahrtzeit that day.

Shabbos afternoon Mom and Dad wanted to take Yehuda to the park across the street but Yehuda insisted on finishing his davening. He took out his little siddur and proceeded to daven for about an hour, going thru all the tefillot that he says in gan everyday. He's already got the "RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR" down well, like a real israeli. Dad was quite impressed that he would rather daven than go to the park..what a tzadik!

Motzei Shabbos, some of ali and rechi's kids came to visit Mom and dad. Aviva, Ahron, and Chaiki and their spouses came. We sat outside on the mirpeset, since the weather was gorgeous.

Sunday, mom and dad were leaving back to NY so Shloimie and i went out with them for a little brunch, It was the first time that we had some time alone with them. We enjoyed our brunch except the waitress was having a hard time getting us the water that we asked for about 100 times, other than that the food was delicious. We went to Cafe Ne'eman, which is a favorite of ours.

Mom and Dad left to the airport and B"H had a safe flight home. We hope you come again soon. We always look forward to your visits! and zayde's Hop-a -raytas!!

Now, we are back to normal life (whatever that means.) The heat is slowly creeping up on us. Mom and Dad gave us money towards buying a pool for Yehuda's birthday present. Shloimie decided to upgrade and get a bigger pool that we can all use since it will be a HOT, LONG summer.

Leave it to Shoimie to do tons of research as to which pool to buy and we finally got a nice one that we can all go in.

the kids are enjoying it a lot. It's not as big as shimmy and Rachel's but it's a close second. We put it on our front mirpeset and the kids' suddenly have so many new friends!!!

Yesterday, Shloimie put up a tarp across the front of the mirpeset so that no one can see in.This way the girls and I can go in also.-Thanks Shloimie!!

i think i've just about covered it all until now. Forgive me if i bored you or left any pertinent info out. i've been working on this for 3 days already.

Wishing you all a safe summer. Have fun and stay cool!!

Regards from RBS-

Elkie