Have You Seen My Lizard?

We got home around 10:30 from our Yom Ha'Atzmaut activities (post coming soon). I was in the kitchen making tea when I heard a light "thwack." I looked at the counter and saw a small lizard like creature. Maybe it was a chameleon or something. It wasn't a velociraptor. I think he was more scared of me becasue he kept hiding behind things on the counter. Eventually I trapped him in a container. This was easy because I simply asked him to get in. As he worked his way to the sink I put the container in the sink and let him fall in. I covered the container and took him outside. The walk was uneventful and I let him go with a stern warning. this doesn't happen so much in suburban NY/NJ.

Chag Sameach! Happy Birthday Israel

Today was great. Our first Yom Ha'Atzmaut as Israelis was fun. On Tuesday night we went to friends in Armon HaNetziv (East Talpiot). We decided to stay close to home. I went to the shul for maariv. There is a special tefilla for Yom Ha'Atzmaut and I haven't been to one of these services in years. It was cool.

I also met Ayelet's grandfather's brother, Uncle Simon. He was excited to meet me. We schmoozed for a while and will try to get the whole family to meet him.

Then I went back to the party we made. After the bbq we went down to the Mat"nas (community center) to join in those festivities. The kids got light-up thingies and we walked to a good vantage point to see the fireworks. We learned that the 10:45 show was coming off of that building. So we got good seats and waited. Finally, a little after 11 they started. We got a few minutes of fireworks and that was it (video coming soon). Netanel fell asleep right before they started, but he woke up for part of it. Odeliya was quite impressed by the show. We got home and plopped the kids into bed. Then we spent an hour online before falling asleep.

Today we went to Herzliya with the Berkey family. they Berkeys are long time friends of Ayelet's. There was a nice group of people, most of whom I had never met. We went to the beach for a while and then back to the boat for the rest of the party and bbq. There was good food and good people. What else do you need? As per the Berkey's custom the party was at their boat. Since it is currently in drydock for repairs we ate on the ground, but the kids went onboard to watch a movie. We were promised that next year things would be back to normal.

We paid for the good times with travel time. The trip to Herzliya was uneventful, but involved a bus and 2 hasaot (shared taxis). We also met someone that lives in the Golan who is happy to help us in our search for a moshav. The trip home was crazier. We got a ride tothe train station. We had to wait about an hour for the train to Tel Aviv for a 10 minute trip. The next train to Jerusalem was about an hour and half later. We had fun on the platform, and made some friends, but we were all done with travelling. I got the kids to fall asleep on the train to Yerushalaim. It was not hard. After this long day they were exhausted. Upon arrival at the Malcha train station we had to wait and jockey for a cab home. Basically, we realized that we need a car. But the travelling was worth it for a great time.

Something occured to me last night during the special tefillah:
In the tefillah for Yom HaAtzmaut we read the psukim from B'ha'alotcha about the trumpets for war and the shofar for praise. Blow it over your todot and zevacim. It is known that a korban todah is meant for pirsum. You have to invite others to your meal to help you finish it before the deadline. This is a modern day bbq. Friends, family, and meat. As such, mongal is the original Jewish food: roasted meat shared with others. And it is fitting that this is the national pastime on Yom Ha'Atzmaut. When we celebrate Israel's birthday we also must thank God for the miracles surrounding the creation and continued existence of this state. As we eat meat and celebrate we should blow or remember the shofar and give credit to the true Source. It wasn't Herzl or Ben-Gurion that gave us a state. Rabin, Peres, Sharon, Yoni Netanyahu, etc. all helped. But God made it happen. Thank God for giving us back our homeland, such as it is. To paraphrase Rabbi Jonathan Schwartz of Hillside, NJ, Israel is not perfect, but it's ours. It's ours to fix." Which is why we moved here. We want to be part of the process. The future of Am Yisrael is here, and we're getting in on the ground floor.

For those of you that think that Israel is too messed up to be worth keeping I am reposting something I wrote via email a few years ago. This was written right after the girush, the explusion of Jews from Gaza. Here it is:

It seems that a lot of the dati leumi community are disheartened and are not sure if we should still be celebraying Yom HaAtzmaut. I'd just like to put it into a Biblical perspective:

After Yetziat Mitzraim Bnei Yisrael spent 40 years in the midbar. The generation that entered the land had spent all, or most, of their lives living under God's direct care. And still they sinned.

After conquering the land, Bnei Yisrael became a loose confederation of tribes, but they were centered around the Mishkan. They had the benefit of a navi and kohen gadol to lead them. And yet, Tekufat Shoftim was not a high point for the nation. Nationalistically, we were constantly reconquering our land. When we weren't fighting a civil war.

Finally, after 40 years in the midbar and 400+ years in the land, the Yishuv HaAretz seemed to sprout into a geula. We were a united people as one nation with a strong, religious (dati leumi?) king. We had neviim, kohanim, and leviim. We also had the Beit HaMikdash, where even the other nations came to pray.

But still, after seeing God's revelation, seeing the miracles of conquering the land, overcoming the lull during Tekifat Shoftim, the high point of unity and observance seemed to last only 40+ years.

My point is that if they had trouble building the perfect Jewish society based on Am Yisrael, Torat Yisrael, and Eretz Yisrael after 400+ years of trying, who are we to get disheartened after only 61. We lack the guidance of a Navi or Kohen Gadol. We do not have a clearly annointed king approved by God and country. So really, things could be worse. At least we're not mailing prostitute parts to the Galil to prove a point.

Of course, we need to keep trying. The State is not perfect. But it's ours to improve. We should celebrate the miracles involved in getting it, and be grateful it is still ours.

Hoping for the speedy coming of Mashiach and a time when we can all celebrate together,
Yoram

Hail the Victorious Dead

Today was Israel's Memorial Day. It is a very different affair from the American version. Their are no sales to coincide with the memorials. People go to work (at least for part of the day). Everyone knows someone that died fighting for this country. It may have been in a war or from terrorism, but everyone here is connected to someone that now lies in a military cemetery. So it is a solemn day. There are 2 moments of silence, one in the evening before Memorial Day (Yom HaZicaron), and one at 11 a.m.

We did not make it to a ceremony today. There really aren't many geared for children. But we did make a point of being outside. We were on a terrace overlooking David Raziel Street in our neighborhood when the siren started. I stood there with Netanel standing at attention beside me and I thought of the boys and girls, men and women that have died. I thought of the funerals shown on the news, in pictures, on YouTube. I saw in my head the proud soldiers in neat uniforms crying on each others shoulders over the loss of a dear friend and comrade. And I cried.

When the siren started a bus winding upt he hill pulled over. On eor two other cars stopped as well. But many other cars continued on their way, most of them cabs. Maybe they were driven by Arab cab-drivers who don't care about Israel. But it made me mad. They have more freedom to drive their cabs here than they would in Jordan or Palestine. They get more rights and liberties. I don't care if one of the mourned soldiers killed their brother. Let them pull over and cry for their own family. But stop your car and pretend to show respect. That's my feeling as a proud Jew and Israeli.

We remember the fallen and hope that we need not have any more sacrifices. May God grant us peace speedily with security and faith.

Back Home

We've been back for a week and a half. Pesach was nice. It was good to spend time with my parents and the kids enjoyed their cousins too. Now, after a week back in the absorption center we realize that we need to get out of here. It would be more bearable if we could open the windows at night. Unfortunately, the lights being on attracts a huge number of flying things of all shapes and sizes (no locusts yet). Screens seem to be not int he works for this institute.

We are still working our plans to move up north. We'll be going to Moreshet for Shabbat. It's a lovely yishuv (town) of about 200 families in the Western Galilee. We had fun there on our first visit and are looking forward to it. Here's to getting settled in a nice place... and hopefully the right one too.

Today we went to the zoo with my parents. It was awesome. I am always impressed with the Tisch Family (not only) Biblical Zoo here in Jerusalem. The kids also had a blast; climbing, running, looking at animals, etc. Video will hopefully be posted to YouTube (and Facebook) soon. the bears were quite the show-offs. Also, the (I think) new walkway over the anumals of the savannah is really cool. We were about 5 feet from a giraffe, at eye level. Odeliya dropped her pacifier into the ostrich and rhino pen. After replacing it with the spare (always carry a spare) she and Netanel tried to get the ostrich and giraffe to go get it back for her. The ostrich tasted it and moved on. The giraffe just ignored us.

At one point the giraffe did his business and Odeliya commented that he needs a change. Maybe she's ready for potty-training.

After the zoo we went to the mall for dinner. It's so cool to be able to eat int he food court at the mall. I don't know if I'll aver fully get used to it. I hope not.

So to sum up, it's good to be home.

Shabbat Shalom.

Round trip from Israel

We have made our first round trip flight with Israel as the base. It was sooner than we had expected, but for years Ayelet and I had talked about the day when our flights would have Israel as home. It's was a very cool realization as we landed at ben Gurion airport.

Our trip to the U.S. was caused by my brother-in-law's wedding. We stayed for the first days of Pesach, since my in-laws would not let us leave so close before the holiday. they miss us too much. We did manage to spend the end of Pesach here in Israel. We were with my parents in Katamon. It was the first yom tov we spent together in several years. It was also our first yom tov as Israelis. It was cool to keep one day, especially since the kids were strung out enough at that point. My sister, also back from a tour in the U.S, was also there. 5 jet-lagged kids is a lot.

But now we are back and it's time to get to work: nose to the grind-stone seriousness. The people in Yonatan want to meet with us (yay!), Ayelet is moving her business along (http://www.wholebodybirth.com), and I am calling in contacts for my ideas as well. I hope to launch several new products over the coming months. Anyone want to help? Email me if you do.

Now I need to do a little unpacking and get back to the kiddies.

Shavia Tov and Shabbat Shalom.