Final Days and Return Home

Monday was another day for wine tasting.  This time we were going to stay in the area between Modi’in and Jerusalem.  This is our most often visited location due to its proximity. Since Rob’s desire to see if we could find the dry Gewirtztraminer at Tzora that was our first stop. Vicky joined us.

            Tzora Winery is on the Kibbutz of the same name and is not far from Bet Shemesh. Across the street is Teperberg but they have no tasting room that we know of. Shula greeted us as we came in and gave us the tasting along with bread, cheese and olive oil. There was a couple from California who heard about Tzora on the plane. They were finishing their tasting and ended  up buying well over a case to be shipped.  Unfortunately I find shipping a bit pricey so I have never shipped wine on my own.  The way to get some of the good Israeli wines is through various websites such as Israel Wines Direct or J Wines.

            To Rob’s disappointment they no longer make the dry gewirtztraminer but do make a sweet dessert wine with Gewirtz, called Or. They do make a lovely dry white blend that is easy drinking and quite tasty. Their reds, Judean Hills, Shoresh and Misty Hills are also very good and especially good at the price they charge. After a lovely visit we purchased a few bottles and made our way to the new Barkan Wine Experience.

            We arrived a bit late for our appointment but we were still able to taste.  Barkan is one of the large producers in Israel and recently opend a large facility for tasting, sales and events. The two people who helped us were very nice but none of us really liked the wines. Segal Wines are also part of their stable. Perhaps after enjoying the Tzora wines so much this was more of a disappointment than expected.

            In the evening we drove up to Jerusalem to meet George and Hasmiq Kahvedjian for dinner. I  have been friends with George since 1970 and Rob met him soon after. We met at the Ambassador Hotel in East Jerusalem where they often dine.  The service was great.  The salads were great and the main dishes pretty good.  As usual we started off with Arak.

            George mentioned a book that his brother wrote about their father, Elie. George was glad the book was written but disappointed, even angry, that even though he supplied his brother with most of the documents, it was as if he and his family didn’t exist.  Their relationship has always been a problem for as long as I can remember. He said he’d send a copy of the book with Vicky when she comes to the shop.

            The drive home was less than 30 minutes door to door.

            On the final full day, Tuesday, we planned one more day of tasting.  We returned to Tulip Winery in Kiryat Tivon and this time having called ahead we were welcomed warmly.  The young woman who told us the last time we could not stay was thrilled we returned.

 Besides the wines which are in and of themselves very good, the story of the winery and its connection with Kfar Tikvah, a village created for adults with mental disabilities is worth our visit.  The owner Roey Yitzhaki (I think) put the winery within the village and they employ 35 residents. We met a few as we entered including one man who asked why we came in a different car that day.

            Rob ended buying 6 bottles and I bought a bottle for Vicky to give them the business.  I already had the bottles for my suitcase. Vicky bought an additional bottle for herself. This is a place I think I should bring a group in the future, both to taste the wine and learn the story.

            Our final winery was Recanati.  It was in an industrial section north of Netanya.  It too is a larger producer and a big exporter to the US. The locale was less than beautiful and one can hardly see the entrance gate. There is a fairly small tasting room.  The young woman who helped us was very nice and engaged to be married to a wine writer David Rose. I ended up explaining to her that there is no such thing as civil marriage in Israel that would be recognized by the state. Too do the wedding she was planning she also needed to get legally married outside of Israel.

            The Recanati wine was decent as I expected.  Their Special Reserve red was excellent but pricey. I am still surprised that such a large company has such a small tasting facility although perhaps their large exporting business doesn’t really require it.

            After returning to Modi’in we went to a final dinner together in Rehovot. From there Rob took off for the kibbutz and Vicky and I returned to Modi’in so I could pack and get ready to depart in the morning.

            No problem at the airport. Once again I was annoyed at the behavior and rudeness of many passengers on this El Al flight, but that’s not surprising.

            One last footnote: Since returning home I was notified that they did get 15 boys from Modi’in to play baseball with 15 Arab boys from Ramle. Perhaps there is hope, at least for baseball.

Farewell to the Teacher Delegation - Time for Wine Tasting

Shabbat morning allowed me to take it easy with no obligations to be anywhere at any particular time. I had a leisurely breakfast and did some reading and writing.  A little after noon I rode over to Gezer to spend the afternoon with David Leichman and Rabbi Miri Gold. We talked and ate and of course had ice cream.  When I returned to Modi’in I had a few hours before I had to get ready for the evening's final get-together for the teachers and others. The host was Ya’el who lives in a new house in the village of Shalavim right outside of Modi’in.

            It was a lovely evening with a lot of food and good feelings and the bittersweet realization for the delegation knowing they were returning to the US tomorrow (Sunday). I got to chat and catch up some more with my counterpart David (Dudu) Sharbi. There was a surprise when an old friend from Rochester to many especially Jan, , Idit Shapira,  who moved to Modi’in because of the partnership and hearing about one of our matched schools, Yachad, came to the party.  When I returned to Modi’in  my brother Rob was there.  He arrived earlier so we could spend the next few days together.

            On Sunday morning we ate some breakfast and headed to the first of our winery visits. For years Rob wanted to visit Tulip winery. First, he liked the wine. Second, he knew that the owner hired special needs adults from Kfar Tikva (Village of Hope) which is next to the winery. The winery originally was not kosher and when they applied to be kosher they were denied approval for 4 years unless they fired the disabled works.  They finally had one rabbi who gave them a “heksher,” kashrut approval.

            When we arrived there was a tour group and we were told the group had reserved the tasting room for most of the day and hopefully we could come back later. We were unable to do this but took some recommendations from the young women for other wineries not too far away. We drove less than 30 minute to a place called Kerem Maharal where we found the Amphora Winery. 

It was not on the top of our list originally but the wines were lovely, with a couple being quite good.  The only drawback was that the tasting fee for 6 wines was 100NIS per person. We did get a little cheese.  There was no savings even after Rob bought a bottle but it was a pleasant visit and we enjoyed it. 
            It was time to grab a bite for lunch so we drove to the Arab town of Faradeis.  We parked and found a small hummus joint. We had one hummus with ful ( beans) and one with garinei hummus (the whole chick peas). The hummus came with felafel, tomatoes, onions and of course pita.  I was so full I did not finish my plate. Next we made and appointment to go to Somek, a small boutique winery behind a home in Zichron Yaakov, down the hill from the giant Carmel Winery which is the largest in Israel. Since we arrived in town 45 minutes before our scheduled appointment we went to the center of town and had coffee at the  NILI Wine Bar and Café. NILI was the name of the WWI spy group of the Aronsons whose house was just up the street.

            At Somek we met Barak the winemaker who is the 5^th generation of his family to grow grapes in Zichron.  He is the first, with his wife and family to produce wine.  Neither Rob nor I loved the wines but he told stories that were quite fascinating. The original inhabitants were from Romania during the First Aliyah in the early 1880’s. When they started to have failures and needed help first Baron Hirsch came and said he would assist them on one condition.  That condition was that they move to Argentina.  They refused and turned to Rothschild who had 2 conditions. (Can’t remember the first) The second condition was that they sign over all the land to him.  The community argued. Some were desperate and wanted to sign immediately.  Others wanted to hold on and not turn over the land. They finally gave in. When they were handed the contracts to sign they realized nothing was filled in and Rothschild’s representatives told them not to worry that they would fill it in later. For years they worked for Rothschild and when he decided to pull out they bought back the land that they had originally bought.  Barak described this as buying their land two times. (There are other ways to look at this.)

            The second story he told was how the community was divided at the time of the NILI spy ring because the Turks knew something was going on and tortured and imprisoned members of the community. Many did not think the Aronsons should continue and they were held in such low regard and not seen as heroes in the community. When the entire generation died out finally a new mayor had 2 streets named after  them, although ne was called Aaron and the other Sarah.

            While tasting the wine we also met a man who works for Israel Wines Direct, which imports a number of wines from boutique wineries such as Somek.  Rather than privately shipping from Israel, if you like these particular wines, you can purchase them on line in the States.

            For dinner we met Aviva and her husband Amos and went to an Italian restaurant by the sea in Rishon L’tziyon.

Rosh Chodesh Adar and erev Shabbat

          Friday was the final day of planned programming for the teacher delegation.  I awoke in the morning to no heat and temps in the mid 40’s.  Instead of returning to our match school Dorot, I was invited to an Orthodox Religious public school, Netiv Zevulun, which is matched with the Hillel School. Upon arrival I was warmly greeted by the principal, Menachem, as well as a number of teachers involved with the “Bridge.” 

          The school day was going to begin with a special Shacharit service that had 2 additions.  The first was because it was Rosh Chodesh Adar, the Fist of the month of Adar the service would include Hallel prayers and a Torah reading which is not regular on any given Friday morning. The second part was explained to me when I asked why so many adults were in attendance were. In Israel they do not celebrate Mothers’ Day. Last year I learned that the Arab’s do celebrate a mothers’ day. Rather, they celebrate Yom Mishpacha, Family Day. Menachem said they made the entire week family week.  The parents were there with their children and at the end of the service they sat together to study about Purim.

          The service was Orthodox with a mechitzah, set up in the gym. The women and girls could not see or hardly heard the men and boys. Menachem offered me a seat in the front row but no siddur.  I also did not bring my tallit or tefillin. During the Torah reading the first aliyah was for a Cohayn, the second for a Levite, and the third and fourth for the general public, Yisrael.  Menachem motioned to me to come up for the 3^rd but I shook my head no.  I explained that I am a cohayn, often connected with my name, Katz, and therefore did not come up for those aliyot.

          After the service there was coffee, cookies and cereal for the kids and guests.  It was wonderful to see the small groups gathering for conversation. We then reconvened in the library where the teachers brought in food for the guests.  Besides me there were also teachers from the Hillel School as well as the principal Tracie Glazer. It was very lovely and they displayed their pleasure for our presence.

          Menachem asked if I then wanted to just walk around or go into a class. After saying I’d do what he thought best.  He brought me to a 6^th grade boys class and introduced me as Rabbi katz from Rochester and told them I would talk about the different streams of Judaism. This is the third time he told the students that they would be exposed to something more than Orthodox Judaism. Later at a final meeting with his teachers and the Rochester teachers I thanked him for being so open and positive. I emphasized that my congregants and others like to know that there are these positive relationships between Orthodox and non-Orthodox since they often only here about the tensions and struggles.

          In the class I spoke about Rabbi Sapowith being a woman as well as Elise in her cantorial role. I told them that girls have Bat Mitzvah at 13 like the boys and surprising for them, girls are called to the Torah and lead the service. I explained that even though I fast and pray on Yom Kippur I do drive to services.  In Israel even most of the secular do not drive on Yom Kippur and the roads are empty. They asked lots of questions and couldn’t quite get either the equality issues or the reason we choose not to do many of the ritual practices. The teacher was helpful and explained that it was a different way to practice Judaism, making no judgments.  After class she told me the boy who did the most challenging earlier had questioned her why they only get one opinion and do not bring other opinions on various subjects.  I not only taught but continue to learn from the students from the questions asked.

          At the concluding discussion in Menachem’s office there was an exchange of gifts between the two schools and his statement of a strong commitment to the Partnership and the educational bridge.

          From there all the teachers gathered at the Modi’in municipal library for lunch a final assessment of the trip. There was a mixture of opinions in regards to the schedule of the program as well as to the new perspective of the pilot program of Standards and Benchmarks. Some felt more preparation was needed before the teachers arrived.  Some wanted more time in the classrooms to which they are matched. A few who have been to Israel before felt the touting was not necessary.  There was even a suggestion that to make the pilot program and connection between individual teachers stronger that perhaps delegations would go not for one but for two years. All were appreciative of all that was done for them and the graciousness of their hosts both at the homes and in the schools.

          Vicky and I went to YOZMA for the tefillot for Shabbat.  Rabbi Nir Barkin lead the service and Vicky’s granddaughter, Noam, was one of the three talented musical accompanists.  She plays the guitar and sings. Once when she visited Rochester she helped with music at a summer service.  I was greeted by many congregants I have gotten to know over the years as well as from Rabbi Barkin.  He welcomed me and the delegation officially and honored me by calling me to open the ark for Aleinu, along with Carol Greer.

          One of the teens who was there from the youth group is among the students coming to Brighton High School in March. Two of the adults have sent children on an earlier exchange and two adults were part of our Partnership’s Ramim, adult exchange program.

          After dinner we went to Vicky’s son Natan and Sigal’s for dinner across the street from the synagogue.  At dinner Noam had a friend over who participated in Journey for Identity in 2013. The dinner was highlighted by a tremendous downpour of hail.

A Bit of Touring Outside of Modi'in

          Today was to be a day of touring north of Modi’in especially in the lower Galilee.  The weather predictions were not great and we started out with a bit of rain and cold, which only increased as the day went on.  Our first stop was the gas station on Route 6 to pick up coffee. This is a common Israeli custom.

 

          A little further on and we met our guide for the day, Amitai. From there we went to Qiryat Tivon to visit the burial caves at Beit She’arim, I think that this is a site I have not visited since my initial trip to Israel in 1965. It is strongly believed to be where Judah HaNasi the editor of the Mishna and head of the Sanhedrin is buried. 

 It is full of caves and sarcophagi showing an influence of Roman culture on the Jews during the 2^nd and 3^rd centuries C.E.  We also saw beautiful flowers, both anemones (kalaniyot ) and cyclamen (rakefet).

 

          Our second visit was to see the work of Project TEN at Kibbutz Harduf.  First we stopped at the nearby Bedouin Arab village and school to meet the volunteers, some of the young students and a few teachers and coordinators.  One of the parts of Project TEN is to teach the children English and get to know the local residents to gain better understanding of their particular culture and build more coexistence. Most of the volunteers were from other countries although there was one Israeli. They live at Kibbutz Harduf adjoined to the Sha’ar L’Adam program which is involved with ecology, conservation and sustainable development.  This is a Jewish Agency, MASA sponsored semester program for volunteers.

 

          We were given an outline of the program as well as a peek into the Bedouin community of the Galilee which differs from those in the Negev.  We were told by Faiz that they originate from different locations and have some cultural differences. Many of the men serve in the Israeli army and at times are caught between being loyal citizens of Israel and being viewed as traitors by other Arabs. When asked why their schools are not up to par with other Israeli schools they said the money they are supposed to receive is not given directly to the schools but to the municipal authorities who use the funds for other needs and purposes that aren’t educational.

          The participants in Project TEN do other volunteer work in the area such as working with special needs students, students at risk and sustainable agriculture and living. This was another important glimpse into the good work that is done in Israel.

          Off to lunch and then on to the Museum at Atlit.  This is the site of a camp that was used to keep illegal immigrants (by British standards) before Israel became a nation.  In the wind and the rain one could imagine how difficult life could be in these simple wooden barracks.  Psychologically it was also devastating to come from Europe, perhaps as a survivor from a Nazi concentration camp and be put in this setting with Barbed wire fences and military guards.  The newest addition to this place which I had not seen in my previous visit was a multimedia experience of a reconstructed ship of the genre of those that brought the immigrants (mapilim) to Israel.  Some ended up here and others were deported to Cyprus.

          My first visit here with my cousin was because her parents came here after Israeli independence.  These barracks were used as temporary housing to help give shelter the many immigrants who made aliyah after the establishment of the state.

          On to the Haifa Mall for an hour of shopping.  Then we had dinner at a fish restaurant in Atlit, Ben Ezra HaDayag (the fisherman).  On the ride home we encountered heavy rains and hail but made it back to Modi’in by 8:30.

 

 

 

Rochester day in Modi'in

The schedule has become so full it is very late before I return to the apartment and am able to write and recall the activities. The days have been full and new experiences occur before I have a chance to catch my breath.

          Wednesday started with a return to Dorot School to welcome part of the Rochester Federation Mission to Israel.  Before they arrived I sat with the principal Vered Albo and Yonat Stav a teacher and a coordinator in the school for the education bridge.  These two, as champions, along with other teachers, make the connection with Temple Sinai a prime example of what we can do to connect the two communities. Five wonderful students who speak English came to greet the delegation and help show their school.

          The mission arrived and they were brought to the library as it started to rain.  Vered shared a bit about the school and the students participated in the Q&A that followed. Some of the discussion actually moved from the school program to the issue of the separate education of most Arabs in Israel from the Jewish population.  I was actually surprised when Vered said there were a small handful of non-Jews in the school and specifically 2 Arab brothers who are welcomed and are simply part of the community. It was mentioned to me later that they must rent in Modi’in because only Jews can buy homes in Modi’in because the land is owned by the Jewish National Fund, the people who bring us tree planting.

          The group then visited Yonat’s class and this was quite special since this class is matched with our fourth grade class at Temple Sinai where Josh Fenster, who was there at the visit, is the madrich.  I don’t know who was more excited Josh or the students.

          The entire Rochester Mission plus the teacher delegation all met at a fairly new restaurant, Caffit, which overlooks Anebe Park, in the center of Modi’in.  I guided the driver and guide how to get there.  Out one window I pointed out the place where a number of Rochester delegations have planted trees. We then boarded 2 busses to drive around Modi’in-Maccabim-Re’ut so the Rochesterians could get a small sense of the area of our Partnership city.  First we went to Maccabim, the first community in this spot and looked out to the neighboring Palestinian village.  At one time there was easy passage until the Intifada and a fence was built to protect the residents of Maccabim.  Then we passed over to Re’ut where the army built homes for retiring long term officers and their families. In both places there are private separate homes. In Maccabim the residents who built their homes could do whatever they wanted to do.  In Re’ut there were three or four basic plans.  Both are lovely neighborhoods who initially were separate and are now included in the Modi’in municipality.

          We drove past the Buchman neighborhood which has a lot of building to the ruins of an ancient synagogue that probably goes back to the Greek or maybe even the Persian time. From there we drove to Ironi Alef High School. On the way in a student greeted me.  He is from the new delegation of students that will be arriving at Brighton High School on March 15^th.

          First there was a wonderful short performance of 2 songs from a magnificent choir.  After that the assistant mayor greeted the group and was followed by another greeting from David (Dudu) Sharbi the Modi’in chair of the steering committee and my counterpart. Larry Fine then introduced a past participant from the Ramim program who was a retired Brigadier General. He gave an update on the present security situation. This was followed by a chance to purchase items from local artists and crafts people who set up tables around the room.

          The Mission participants from Rochester were then divided up among the many hosts from Modi’in for dinner and personal conversation. The teachers met their hosts and had a free evening. Rachel Kest and I were invited by Dudu Sharbi for dinner in a restaurant in Yahud.  Alon Schmidt, the municipal cultural event planner met us for a lovely evening.

The teachers arrive

There was a 2 hour delay for the Rochester teachers who were flying in from Toronto. They landed about 12:15 and were through customs just after 1PM. We guided them to change money or withdraw from the ATM.  We received sandwiches, drinks and cookies from the Aroma Café and boarded our bus for Jerusalem.

          The first stop was the usual overlook view, this time from Mount Scopus.  Some groups do this from the Tayelet on the other side of the city.  The guide, Avigayil, gave them a quick overview of what they saw.  I was a bit surprised there was no shehechiyanu or wine as we do with tour groups. The time was short due to the delay so we hurried to the Old City where we got off the bus near the Zion Gate. The group was going to the Kotel and the archaeological sites in that area.  Having seen those sites numerous times I ran off to my friend George’s shop to visit with him.  After a quick cup of coffee I returned to meet them at the Dung Gate.  From there we drove to Machne Yehudah.

          We were given an hour and a half to and actually spoke in three different classes wander and shop.  Some of us bought spices and others bought all different things. Back to the bus and on to dinner.  The most fascinating thing was the makeup of the table behind us.  In this strictly kosher table there was a family grouping with three people who looked “hippyish”, a haredi, ultra-orthodox couple, an older man wearing a knitted kippah and two women, one from the US who appeared to be non-religious.

          We returned to Modi’’in where the host families picked up their guests.

          On Tuesday morning everyone in the delegation went to their partnered schools.  I went to Dorot and visited 4 different classes. I taught in 2 of them regarding American Jewish life, heard a beautiful presentation in a 4^th grade class that will be sent home to Sinai. I also had a chance to promote the Baseball program (see earlier post). Hopefully my enthusiasm sold the program to a few.

Carol Greer and I were taken around by four 3^rd graders who speak English to see all parts of the school.

 

I was pleased to run into teachers I knew from past delegations.

          We then met with all the teachers from Rochester and their counterparts from the different schools. Yael katz from the Jewish Agency (Sochnut) worked with the teacher partners and that was followed by those partners working together.

          I chose not to go to Tel Aviv for dinner with the group.  I made arrangements to go into Tel Aviv and meet with a dear friend of my son Ben, go to dinner and plane his wedding for next December when I will return to perform the ceremony. I was dropped off at the train an took the 30, minute ride back to Modi’in in comfort.

Baseball in Israel

          Today provided a different twist and another possible project. David Leichman and I were going to go for a long walk and the weather turned cloudy, cool and with a bit of a drizzle.  I am not complaining after reading about the weather in Rochester and all the Northeast U.S. David decided we wouldn’t go.

          After receiving a phone call David came to me with a dilemma he had.  He thought I might have connections that be of help. He is involved with a project of the Israel Association of Baseball along with Play Global, “an organization that teaches baseball to coaches and youth in developing countries and areas of conflict.” They are calling it Baseball LeKulam, Baseball for All.  They are trying to get 15 Arab Israeli boys from a Christian school in Ramle from grade 6 (ages 12-14) and 15 Jewish Israeli boys of the same age from Modi’in.  So far the Arab Israeli boys have been recruited but that is not the case in Modi’in.  We met with one of the organizers, Ira Moskowitz, to talk about strategies for recruitment which must happen this week.  David thought my connections in Modi’in, especially in the schools might help.  I will speak to some of the people here but already tried to recruit my cousin’s son and perhaps a couple of his friends. Later in the evening at a different meeting when I mentioned this to Ketzele (Yehudah Katz) a friend I met 10 years ago in the Partnership committee, who at one time served as an Israeli shaliach, an emissary to the US, he laughed at the idea of Israeli kids being interested in baseball.  Never the less the idea is to take boys who have never played before and teach them a game while having them meet and interact with boys from another background, with whom they might have never met.

          To go to this meeting we drove from Gezer onto a dirt road and ended up behind the Yishpro Center in Modi’in. It was the shortest route and cut the driving time almost in half. After a lunch at the Modi’in mall David and I returned to Gezer where I packed and drove back to Modi’in, stopping at my favorite wine store, Derekh HaYayin, to pick up wine for dinner.  I wanted the Recanati Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2012 that was rated in the top 100 for 2014.  The owner told me he only had ½ bottles but he had the 2013 which he liked better. I bought one of each so I could taste both at dinner to try and compare.  My palate is definitely not fine enough to describe the differences.

That evening I drove over to Ironi Aleph High School to meet with the delegation of students who will be coming to Brighton High School on March 15^th. This is an outgrowth of the partnership but is run independently between the high schools. I spoke to them about some of the things they might encounter on their visit. I knew some of the host families and shared that in mid-March they might still get to see snow.  Later Ketzele spoke to them giving a presentation he presents to many delegations of Israelis that come to the US about American Jewry. He spoke both of the vibrancy and strength of the community as well as the challenges we face based on assimilation and inter-marriage.  Tomorrow the Rochester teacher delegation will be arriving and I’ll go to the airport with Aviva to greet them.

A Restful Shabbat and Visit with Shalom Tzvi

On Shabbat about midday David, my brother Rob and I went for a Shabbat brunch in Tel Aviv at Cerveceria, a bar restaurant with a wonderful chef, Einav. I had eaten there last year with David and enjoyed it.  It is in the heart of Tel Aviv and caters mostly to a young very Tel Avivian crowd.  We had to wait a while for a table, as it is a small place.  They came around to both those waiting and those already dining with complementary drinks of either vodka or a sangria made with vermouth. They call these shot glass drinks “chasers.”

Only in Israel will you go to a restaurant on Saturday afternoon where people are not observant and eat all types of foods and when they get their drink orders people toast each other with Shabbat Shalom.

 

After lunch we walked down to the tayelet near the water before returning to our car.  It was nice to look out at the sea and think about being away from the bitter cold and snow of Rochester.

 

After Shabbat I drove up to Jerusalem to see Shalom Tzvi.  I was able to find a parking lot behind his hotel and then went to the lobby to meet him.

 

We crossed King George St. and headed down the Ben Yehuda midrachov.  Our first stop was Aldo’s where there was both pizza and ice cream.  Unfortunately there was no pizza ready at that time so Shalom Tzvi decided he’d have ice cream first.

He told me he was really enjoying himself.  The thing he said he liked best was the Museum in the Dark where they were taken around by a blind guide.  He was very impressed.  He also liked the bullet factory at the Ayalon Institute, as well as the tunnels in Jerusalem. We then went shopping and ended up at a shop toward the top of the street where the proprietor was so nice to Shalom Tzvi that he offered him a great price as a blessing. We returned to the hotel where he went back to his group. 

What a great day!

 

 

 

 

Arrival and Shabbat Shalom

          The flight to Israel was uneventful.  I sat between a 14 year old boy from Miami who was going to Israel with his father and brother for the first time.  He attends a day school in Miami and was excited.  On my other side was a young man from Salt Lake City who had gone on a Taglit Birthright trip a few years ago and was going to further explore the country and his own Jewish identity.

          Upon arrival at Ben Gurion before I even got to passport control I ran in to my barber, Bobby Cardaro, and his wife Leslie, who are on the Federation’s Mission.  When I got to passport control I saw others from the mission.  Their flight had arrived a bit before mine and they were off to Tel Aviv.  We will meet again in Modi’in on Wednesday.

          Picked up my rental car and drove to Kibbutz Gezer where I am spending Shabbat with my dear friends Rabbi Miri Gold and David Leichman. 

My brother Rob arrived a bit later and it is wonderful to be together.  A little later I spoke with Shalom Tzvi (my grandson) who is on a school trip.  It was special to hear that he is having a wonderful time. I’ll get to see him after Shabbat in Jerusalem. 

          One more connection from home was receiving a phone call from Rabbi Shaya Kilimnick who is in Jerusalem.  We’ll try to get together.

          I went to Kabbalat Shabbat services with Miri and a family who had come to celebrate the b’nei mitzvah of their son and daughter.  Also with us was a Presbyterian minister, Rev. Dirk Ficca, who is in Israel to try and figure out a way to bridge a gap in the Presbyterian Church between various factions in regards to Israel.

At the Shabbat dinner table besides Rev Ficca, David, Miri Rob and me, was David’s father, his son Arishai and his girlfriend Lauren and cousins Mickey and Linda, who spend ½ a year living in Karmei Yosef. Ficca’s peaceful and thoughtful manner was encouraging.  Most of the Shabbat table discussion centered on the issues of various perspectives towards Israel and the Palestinians. A lot of this surrounds the pro-BDS (boycott-divestment-sanctions) vote by the Presbyterians and the BDS movement in general. We all agreed that there are at least two parts to BDS.  The less offensive to many are those who want to boycott the Occupied Territories, ie. The West Bank, in order to end the occupation and bring about steps towards a peace process.  The other perspective, which is highly resented even by many Jews and Israelis in the “Peace Camp” are those who support BDS in order to delegitimize Israel as a Jewish state with Jewish sovereignty.

          Ficca was also interested to hear of the Jewish-Arab (Palestinian) contacts between people.  He was interested to hear David’s description of his numerous Palestinian Israeli friends including his best friend Samir Dabit.  Besides the stimulating conversation the food was wonderful as well as a bottle of Harel Cabernet Sauvignon 2010, from Clos de Gat. It was all topped off with many flavors of David’s special ice cream, “Leichcream.”  Finally my exhaustion took over.

         

         

On My Way

Tomorrow, February 12, 2015 I depart for Israel.  I can't say I'm sorry to leave the snow, ice and bitter cold of Rochester.  The weather in Israel was reported to me as a terrible dust storm to be followed by a weekend of rain. But who's complaining?
I am calling this latest blog "Rochester in Israel because while I am there I will be joining our P2G teachers mission in Modi'in.  We also will meet with the large Rochester Mission from the Jewish Federation in our partnership city Modi'in-Maccabim-Re'ut.
One of my highlights will be seeing my oldest grandson, Shalom Tzvi, on his school trip in Israel.  I will also connect with family, friends and many more.