The Changing Landscapes of Israel, by our neighbour Laura Ben-David

The Changing Landscapes of Israel
From: Laura Ben-David, Neve Daniel. E-mail: laura@lbwx2.com
The landscape of Gush Etzion has changed. Its Neve Daniel landmark,the huge grey structure on the mountaintop that appears to have aflying saucer parked on top of it, was actually the shell of itslong-unfinished synagogue. It is no longer just a shell. Slated to befinished "by Rosh Hashana" almost every year since we've been here, italmost came as a shock when, seemingly overnight, the grey cement wascovered in gleaming white, and shortly before Rosh Hashana, it wasactually completed enough to hold services. The Shabbat before RoshHashana marked the inaugural prayer service in the long-awaitedsanctuary. The usual five-separate Friday night services combined intoone for this special, momentous service.
And so, the Friday night before Rosh Hashana, I made my way to the topof the mountain that is Neve Daniel. I, along with my family, andevery other family in the neighborhood, more than 1000 people in all,joined together at our new, old landmark. Even knowing what to expect,I couldn't know what I was really about to experience. It was alreadygetting dark as we turned the corner that suddenly put the shul in ourview. We were stunned to see the familiar silhouette suddenly bathedin light- from the inside! Strategically placed windows that werehardly noticed before, cast a beautiful pearly glow on the wholestructure. It was truly a sight to behold!
As we neared the synagogue, strains of "Lecho Dodi", my favorite ofthe Friday night prayers, carried to our ears from within. Thebeautiful singing emanating from the sanctuary along with the lightfrom the windows made for a truly magical experience; and all thisbefore I even made it inside the doors.
Of course the timing of the completion of our beloved synagogue wasnot lost on anyone in our deeply Zionistic community. While most ofthe uprooted families from Gush Katif still linger in uncomfortabletemporary living arrangements, their destroyed synagogues lying indesecrated ruins, we were celebrating the bittersweet dedication ofours. Unfortunately this irony could become something much more. Itseems that the landscape of Gush Etzion is about to change again- thistime, much more drastically. The change may give us something incommon with the former fenced-in lives of our brothers and sisters whowere removed from Gush Katif.
The famous, much-debated "Security Fence" is suddenly to be built inGush Etzion. "Suddenly" because though we knew it was going to bebuilt, there was never a specific timetable given nor a specificroute. Shortly before Rosh Hashana we were told that "right afterSukkot" they will begin building and only then were we told the route.And what a terrible route it is. The fence will literally cut offparts of Gush Etzion from the rest, place an unsightly fence allaround, and protect us from exactly nothing.
In fact neither us, nor the Arabs around us have anything to gain fromthis fence in the short term. For all of us it will be cutting intoproperty, cutting us off from areas, and turning the places we live ininto ghettos.
Of course the route is not a fait accompli. Many lawsuits will almostguarantee at least a variation of the planned route. But whatvariation will actually improve the situation? Currently there areclose to a quarter of Gush Etzion neighborhoods that are on the "wrongside" of the fence. South of Gush Etzion finds Hebron, one of the fourholiest cities to Jews, containing the burial place of the Patriarchsand Matriarchs of Judaism, along with neighboring Kiryat Arba where mytwo daughters go to high school (and many thousands of Jews live)which will all be on the "wrong side" of the fence. Putting them allon the "right side" of the fence will be putting thousands of theArabs who they are trying to protect Tel Aviv from on the "right side"of the fence. Yes, Tel Aviv.
One may wonder why we are fighting a fence that is presumably beingbuilt to protect us, but that is not the purpose at all. It isdesigned to protect Tel Aviv by keeping the Palestinian Arabs behindthe fence. Because of this there are those who suggest that we avoidthe feeling of living in a Gaza-like compound and ask for the fence tobe built along the Green line which does not intersect the Gush atall. Serious objections to this are that once a fence is built it canbe used all-too-easily as a future border with Israel potentiallysacrificing anything on the other side - MY side. The more immediateconcern is that a fence is a psychological border, much more so thanthe "invisible" Green line, and, as such, people will neither visitnor invest in areas beyond the fence.
Other options being discussed are TWO fences- one on the Green line(to protect Tel Aviv...) and one around the Gush Etzion communities.The second fence, which is actually being considered as an alternativeeven without the Green line fence, would criss-cross Gush Etzion,making it a scary and unsightly place to live.
None of these options are appealing. In the meantime we are relying onthe leftist-Israelis who are sure to sue the courts in support of theArabs to move the fence in their favor. For whatever its worth, atleast it will delay the building of it.
As the High Holidays came to a close this year, there have been mixedfeelings along with great turmoil of emotions among the citizens ofGush Etzion. While praying in the relative safety and security of ourbeautiful new synagogue, many of us weren't even exactly sure what weshould be praying for. We can only hope and pray that the One we werepraying to will guide us to decisions that will bring safety, securityand prosperity for the entire land of Israel.
From: Laura Ben-David, Neve Daniel. E-mail: laura@lbwx2.com

Chol HaMoed - Part 2

First of all, wow. We have been getting such a wonderful response about our blog.....for us it just feels wonderful to be in touch and that you can know what's going on with us without us having to repeat it over and over. This is a very exciting time in our lives and we are just so happy to share it with you all!
I forgot to write about the simchat Beit hashoeva here on our yishuv. It has been somewhat cold here, although I thought it would have been perfectly fine in the sukkah, it was moved indoors. It is very funny, when the weather turns the tiniest bit cool children are suddenly bundled up in winter jackets and parents can be heard all over begging their children to keep their warm clothes on. I see these bundled kids and sweat just looking at them. Anyways, there was the announcement on the PA system to make your way up to the simchat beit hashoeva, and so we did. There was a band playing as people arrived and dancing began. Here the women don't stand around watching and the dancing was quite leibedik and fun. There were familiar faces, and some new, some english speakers and some hebrew speakers. It was nice. I peeked into the mens section to see what was happening and was pleasantly surprised to see Yonatan into the dancing! I can't tell you what it does to me to see him into all this stuff. There were snacks and then there were introductions. All the new families were called up to the mike and had to introduce themselves and tell a little bit about their family...IN HEBREW!!!!...the first few families went...I looked at Darrell...you go Darrell I'm not going up , you're the man go, if you're not going I'm walking out and then you'll have to go up by yourself..(very mature of me don't you think)...Darrell just sat their shaking his head no. I soon realized that I was going to be going up to the Mike....Darrell if I talk would you atleast come up with me...no response...."MISHPACHAT SHERMAN!" I look at Darrell go please, go he nods his head no...then the crowd sensing my apprehension starts that fast clap supposedly encouraging thing that Israelis like to do...I have no choice...up I go and introduce myself, my wimpy husband Chaim and our children, I explain where I come from etc.etc.....everyone applauds. Yonatan was laughing at me, what , did I say something wrong....did I embarrass us all by changing one letter in one word to mean something completely different and mortifying...no, no they reassure me it was fine. The rest of the evening went well, it was nice to meet some of the hebrew speakers. If you keep going to these events, then you get to know the hebrew israelis, they are harder to meet and I see that we will have to make effort to befriend them...but they are all lovely and so supportive of us moving here.
Sunday afternoon we head out to meet up with a group from the Israel Centre (OU) to visit an army base for another simchat beit hashoeva. The base is located in the area of Binyamin, north of Jerusalem, not far from Beit El. We arrive and are ushered into the auditorium where an army band is playing. We are greeted by some of the leaders who welcome us and invite us to dance. This was a mixed group of soldiers, some dati (not many) some women, some men......it was clear that many did not know how to approach this dance thing. The men had it easier in that some of their fellow soldiers were dati and lead the way. It was interesting to watch, some of the secular soldiers got so into it and really hooped it up with their fellow dati soldiers. The women soldiers really didn't know what to do with themselves and in the beginning they just pulled up chairs to watch, there were no religious women soldiers as they mostly do sheirut leumi. The group from the Israel Centre was all dati so the women began dancing, no problem, with some encouragement some of the women soldiers joined in and within a few moments were also seemingly having a good time. I thought about some of the Israeli secular weddings we have been a part of and remembered how there was not one hebrew song let alone even a traditional hora. It was shocking to us as in chutz even the most secular weddings always had a hora and everyone got into it. It struck me how uncomfortable and out of place these men and women felt and how out of touch with even a basic hora they were. What also struck me was how quickly the music and dancing moved these guys and woman, and once they got into it how they enjoyed it. Yedidya Atlas was the leader of the event and spoke to us and to the soldiers about achdut and the purpose of lulav...it was nice, I'm just not sure how much of it they got. No matter this is the way to start, making connections and breaking down stereotypes. We head out to the sukkah and there is a whole spread waiting and we enjoyed with the soldiers. Yonatan tried Moroccan cigars (spicy food) and enjoyed. At one point one of the American men came into the sukkah announcing a great "PHOTO OP" outside, the soldiers were letting them sit in their jeep and take pictures. I thought this to be somewhat inappropriate and felt uncomfortable watching it, tourists taking pictures in army vehicles, there was a long line up..these kids had to use these jeeps for army business probably sometimes unpleasant business and it was suddenly a photo op. A young women soldier took Avital and I to the barracks to use the washroom. Well, that was an eye opener....I could not believe that the soldiers had to live in the conditions they do. It was upsetting to see although they did not seem bothered by it.
We head back to yerushalayim as the sun set we got in our car and begin our drive out of yerushalayim and over to Chashmonaim for our Toronto aliyah reunion. We all met at Nicky and Alan Halperts beautiful home , had a bbq and a great time. Their home is really nice and I was so happy to finally see it with all their stuff unpacked. Nicky and I went through so much of our preparing for aliyah together, so that I felt emotional seeing them settled in here. Who was there?...The Goldbergers, the Bienenstocks, the Brudners, us and the Halperts. It was nice to see everyone and hear all the adventures, trials and tribulations. Overall, everyone is doing well, all agreed that we would not be turning back and the only thing we really missed in Toronto was our family and friends! We sit in the sukkah, nice and warm and talk while the kids all ran around and played in the yard and on the street. It was nice to be among old friends again. Finally we all start to pack into our cars..the goldbergers head to Modiin, the Bienenstocks to Beit Shemesh, the Brudners to Yerushalayim and we of course to the Gush. It's amazing how we all live in different places but still managed to get together for an evening and get home, that is one advantage of the short distances here. Brian and Simmi call on our cell on the way home, it is amazing how the world is so small. It is great to speak to them, and their words are so encouraging full of warmth and love.....we miss everyone so much and are so thankful to be keeping in touch with such a great chevra! Thank you for not forgetting us!
Monday we spend just hanging around the yishuv. We have some grocery shopping and getting ready for chag. The kids are in and out of the house all day just hanging with their friends....sort of the way a Sunday in the old country might have been. Our Toronto line rings quite a lot today, it is wonderful to speak to you all, your encouragement is helpful and appreciated. Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah will all be one this year, yet another new thing to get use to. I'm not sure how I'm feeling about simchat torah here....I really loved this chag at the Bayt...standing in the balcony most usually with Shayna looking at our kids and everyone else's kids down below. It seems like a short time ago when I stood there (actually only last year) and realized that i would not be standing there with Shayna in the year to come. I would not be looking at all the familiar children and admiring how they each grew up this year! I would not be seeing the beautiful chuppot designed and painted by our own youth. I loved watching chattan torah and chattan bereishit and seeing our rav being danced to the torah. I loved watching the candies fly and the kids scramble and then the beautiful Hamalach. There was a sense of belonging and family in our shul on simchat torah....I will miss that! I'm sure the chag here will have it's own special moments but I will miss my old familiar ones..atleast for this year and then we'll see!Chag Sameach.

Chol Hamoed - Israel Style

When Eitz Chaim changed its yearly calendar to be more in sync with the Jewish Calendar I was quite upset. Not that I disagreed with the thought and theory behind the change, I actually agreed that we should all live according to our own Jewish calendar and timeline. So we made aliyah! Now when my kids are off on Sukkot, Chanukah and pesach time and not over "winter break" time , we also will be and actually so will most of the country. I won't be grappling to find child care while I have to work and I won't be sitting home alone when I have time off in December and my kids are in school. We are now off as a family and will spend the chag together exploring and discovering our country.
Well I already described what first DAY was like and it was absolutely wonderful. Motzei Chag came and the phone was ringing and arrangements being made. Avital's tzevet was organizing a "mangal" , a bar-b-que. What was refreshing for me was the way it was put together. Her friends have what they call a phone chain, anytime they arrange to get together they start the chain. One calls the other and so on until everyone is in on the plans. So this week the kids were planning a mangal at someone's sukkah. Avital gets a phone call asking if she can bring one of four or five items to the mangal. I look in the freezer, yes we have meat, you can bring hot dogs. She crosses hot dogs off the list and calls the next person and asks if they can bring any of the next items. They all meet at the hosts sukkah and have a great time. Wow, I say again, no parental involvement, no planning and running and organizing just a quick call bring what you have, no big deal and NO PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT in the planning. I love the youth here, they really are a unique bunch!
Our first day of chol hamoed is spent going on a Yishuv Tiyul. We all meet at the gates of the yishuv in our personal vehichles and head out to the hills near Tekoa. i had not been to Tekoa yet, Darrell had gone with the kids to their outdoor pool. It was a beautiful drive out behind Efrat and through the many Arab villages. The little Arab kids on the side waved to us and were so thrilled when we waved back. It was a weird sensation looking at the people and wondering about their thoughts or even involvement in "activities". I thought it might be similar to when one would meet Germans or Poles of the "right age group" and wonder. Sara screams out that she needs to go to the bathroom "RIGHT NOW!!!!" Well sweetheart, we can't go right now, we are in the middle of an Arab village. OOOOOOH I need to go right now, right now, it is hurting me. Well you are going to have to wait. Finally, right outside the gates to Tekoa, we stop the car at the side of the road. I hold her and wait for her to go. Go Sara, we're in the middle of nowhere, at the side of the road. "GO, GO, GO , GO SARA!" the kids chant from inside the car. Stop it you guys it's too much pressure for her. GO ALREADY SARA! I yelp out as I hold her in mid-air. The Frankls pull up behind us...everything okay they call out....oh yeah, we're just waiting for ...SARA! Ema it won't come out, I don't need to go anymore, let's go! She hops in the car, Darrell and I look at each other, and off we go up the hill to Tekoa.
In Tekoa, we meet our guide, we are standing at the edge of a waadi we are about to hike down. He takes out a tanach and starts reading pesukim and explaining who walked here before us and what happened here. I look around at my fellow yishuvniks and I chuckle. I remember being amongst North American tour groups and we would see these Israeli groups come through with their tanachs, their hebrew guides and their many children......WE are now THEM. I am very proud to be a part of the Neve Daniel group! We hike down the wadi to enter and explore the caves. It is absolutely gorgeous and so wholesome and fun.....This sure beats the mall with the indoor playground. We see the cave where the two young boys were killed while wandering and exploring the beautiful surroundings. My heart aches, how could something so awful happen surrounded by a place of such beauty. And how could any human being kill two young, innocent boys so brutally , so close to their homes....I turn and walk on trying to move on to the tiyul at hand.
After the caves in Tekoa, we head off to Herodian, where we eat lunch in the sukkah at the bottom of the hill. We meet the Brauer family, who were on shlichut in Toronto many years ago. Their son has a scorpion he has trapped in a bottle....my boys are fascinated. His mother tells me how he knows every tree, plant and animal....it's amazing. We do the Herodian thing and head back home. It was an awesome day, and it just felt great being outdoors and enjoying eventhough it happened to be cold, windy and even rainy.....it was still yom tov in chutz! We head home and are getting set to go to Bet Shemesh for the evening music festival when we hear it is cancelled. Oh well.
The next day, I need to shop and cook for Shabbat but Darrell and the three younger kids head off on an organized tiyul from a shul in Efrat. They go to Neot kedumim (near modiin) where they get to see all kinds of interesting sukkot and learn about the halachas of sukka building. There is also an orchard where the arba minim are grown...and they saw "massive , huge etrogim!"There was a sukkah on a boat, a sukkah on a camel, and even a two storey sukkah. On the way back they stopped at shlomo carlebachs moshav and enjoyed some songs and stories. I think it was a good time. We met up in Efrat and enjoyed some Burgers Bar in the sukkah!
Friday, was a quieter day, cleaning up and getting ready for the sabbath. This was our first shabbat having two meals at home. Chaviva Mittleman came with Penina Cohen. It was a nice shabbat and we enjoyed having the girls. The Kodeshes (our future next door neighbour) came for lunch and we just relaxed and enjoyed. Shira Persoff (Shauna and Jerry's daughter) dropped by with her daughter EMuna (who my kids adore). oh yeah and of course.....Chaim was standing guard duty with his M16 Rifle today (see previous blog entry). I tried to imagine what I would feel when I saw him with his gun in front of the shul...would I laugh or cry? In the end I mostly felt proud of him...proud and grateful.... proud that he was protecting us, our community and our homes and grateful that hashem had brought us to this place where we are able to protect ourselves and not rely on foreign parties to do it for us. How many times in Jewish History were we persecuted and executed and we could not defend ourselves?
Last night Darrell and Yonatan went to a melava malka at tzomet gush, where three young lives were shot down. Today we are going to a Simchat Beit Hashoeva at an army base and tonight we head over to Chashmonaim for a reunion with a few of our fellow former Torontonians at the Halpert's. We'll update you on all that later!

Shomer Yisrael

Yesterday I had the honour to have shmira (guard duty)on our Yishuv for the first time since our arrival. The closest I had come to such work was being an usher at the BAYT. Shushing ardent talkers in shul I think is ultimately more dangerous work than guarding against terrorist infiltrations.
Several weeks ago the head of security on our yishuv took the new residents to a shooting range on a nearby army base to receive training on the use of an M16. After learning all about the various parts of the gun we each shot 10 rounds at a target located about 15 meters away from us (5 from a standing position and 5 from a kneeling position). While shooting it was difficult to see if and where you hit the target as the main thing you saw was puffs of dust going in the air from the dirt piles located directly behind the target. However we finished I was able to see that somehow almost all my shots were in a tight circle around the centre ring on the target. Maybe it was beginners luck. After having some time to reflect I felt a mixture of dread and empowerment knowing I now had the ability of taking a human life if, God forbid, the need arose. I also thought about the participants in the last mission to Israel from our shul in Toronto who went to the same shooting range to shoot rifles. To them it was just a fun activity to do between their visits to communities in Yesha but for me it was vital training necessary to defend my fellow residents.
Shortly after my training I received the monthly notification of my shmira duties. My first shmira was to be on Shabbat Chol Hamoed from 8:30 to 11am. My friend Yarden (with a Y) had the shift prior to mine but he was going to Efrat for Shabbat so I agreed to do his shift as well from 6am to 8:30am. Shmira can consist of 3 different duties -
1. Standing in the Boodka (the booth) located at the gate to the Yishuv and checking the people entering the yishuv including Arab workers.
2. Patroling the Yishuv which includes the perimeter and all the streets of the yishuv in the security vehicle. This duty is only done during the night (including Shabbat and Yom Tov) and is done together with another person.
3. Finally on Shabbat and Yom Tov a foot patrol is done in the yishuv during the daylight hours. From 8am until davening finishes this shomer stands outside the shul. This type of shmira is often done throughout shuls in Israel regardless of their location.
Now before I continue I will digress to talk about my views on the security situation in Israel. I have always believed that a person's death is not a function of their physical location but rather occurs at a time when God decides, regardless of where they live. Of course, prudence in conduct is necessary and under current conditions I would not go to Ramallah unescorted or jump out of an airplane without a parachute. I often tell the story of my trip to Israel in March 2003 immediately prior to the US invasion of Iraq. In Israel, all residents were given new gas masks but they were not yet issuing them to tourists upon their arrival at the airport. If they desired they could go to distribution centres to pick them up but I didn't bother as I was only going to be in Israel for a few days. As we now know, the masks were not needed Thank God , however upon my return to Toronto I was met with the sight of many Torontonians walking in the streets with masks on - due to the SARS outbreak.
Without diminishing the terrible pain that terrorism has caused to too many people in Israel and elsewhere, one of the "achievements" of terrorism is to create fear in society that outweighs the actual danger the society faces. Although far more people die from other causes (56 people were killed in Israel by terrorism in the last year) we worry much more about terrorism than other bad things that can happen to us. So despite the many tragedies in Israel over the course of the current intifada, we do not live in a state of continuous fear. We deeply mourn the loss of life by murderous evildoers but, far more importantly we celebrate life. Last night, a melave malka was held at the Tzomet (junction) where 3 precious young Jews were murdered on Sunday. Yonatan and I stopped there for a few minutes on our way to a movie in Jerusalem. There were hundreds of young people (and older ones) dancing and singing with joie de vivre and simchat Yom Tov on their faces.
but I digress,
I awake at 5:30am on Shabbat and the security Jeep stops in front of our house at 6am. They hand me a walkie-talkie and an M16 rifle. Although visitors to Israel quickly get used to seeing soldiers walking around with guns in the streets, for me it took longer to get used to seeing my neighbours walking around on Shabbat with these weapons. The incongruity between the peace of Shabbat and the beauty of the voices singing in prayer with the sight of the weapons of war was quite jarring. And here I was carrying these devices both of which one is not normally allowed to move on Shabbat. Yet regarding our obligation to perform mitzvot , the Torah states " we should live by them" , hence the dispensation to carry guns on Shabbat - to ensure our safety. Thank God, no enemy has ever attempted to enter our community, perhaps in part to their knowledge that we are willing and able to defend ourselves.
I spend most of the time outside the shul, greeting friends and neighbours as they arrive for shul, playfully asking some for their identity cards and patting them down for any concealed weapons. Although the gun is not too heavy, it does become a burden after a few hours. I am glad when it is time to pass the radio and gun on to the next person.
The task was not difficult but I do have a sense of pride in making a small contribution to the safety of Jews in Israel and, by extension, to Jews worldwide.

Sukkot In Israel

Well, I must say, all you have to do is spend one sukkot here and you know that we are really all suppose to be living here. I am not saying this in a preachy kind of way, more factual. Although, the day before sukkot was so heavy here the chag entered and life went on. We were invited to one of the ulpan teachers homes...Ilana. She lives near us and her son is friendly with Yonatan. They are a lovely family, very israeli really only our second invite to an Israeli home ( by the way there still has not been a shabbat without atleast one invite). They lent us their old sukkah, we did not want to invest in one until we are in our own home. Anyways, there sukkah was on their mirpeset and beautifully decorated with the art work of their seven children. Five of the seven were home. In the middle of the meal one of their sons begins singing and gets up and starts dancing around in the sukkah. He soon convinces his brother to join, then his father, then another brother and even Sara. It was really something else. The whole meal was in hebrew, Ilana tried to talk to the kids in English, but I can see that the boys are beginning to understand more and more.....not a lot but more. We had a lovely meal with lots of singing. You should see how these boys help their mother to serve and bring whatever is needed to the table! We definately see a difference in kids helping out here, hopefully it will rub off a little!
Around 8:00 the smaller kids quickly bentched and off they all went to the sukkah hop. We were getting ready to leave when Yarden showed up with a bottle of wine and his usual good humour. We sat back down, had some wine and laughed a lot , sang a little and headed home. Yarden and his kids would be sleeping over in our sukka tonight as they live at the top of the hill which is very, very exposed to the wind. We began walking home Chaim, myself, Sara, Yarden and his daughter Rifka. It was then that we heard the absolutely most beautiful singing you could imagine. What is that? We all froze to listen, is someone playing a CD?..impossible. We took a few more steps and heard it again...it wasn't coming from the Arab villages, sometimes we hear their weddings and music from their 'simchas'. We were walking closer to home and I pointed to a sukkah it's coming from in there. We were literally drawn into the sukkah, we happened to know the people who lived there but it would not have made any difference if we had not. We poked out heads in, Chag sameach...that is the most beautiful singing we have heard...chairs were brought in, come on in , I'm sorry to disturb you I say, but there was no resisting your singing. The Porath family has young adult and teenage children, they and their friends were sitting and singing. We stayed and listened to the melody and harmony, we sang along and sometimes just swayed to the beautiful songs. I looked around at these young adults and their parents and their parents friends....what a unique and special group of people. Two generations just hanging out together and singing! It was spectacular. Our younger girls were getting tired, we thanked everyone and were off again. We walked out of the sukkah and down the stairs in silence. When we hit the road Yarden said "This guys, is why we all moved to Israel". We looked around and saw the sukkots at every single house...some small, some big, some plastic, some cloth, some wood..it was a sight to behold.
We arrived home and got the mattresses and blankets into the sukkah. The singing continued as I tucked in Chaim, Yarden, Rivka and Sara. All the big kids were still out...I got ready for bed and climbed into bed, it was 11:00pm, I had no idea where Yonatan and David were and I was not in the least bit worried. It was bizarre, I really was not worried. They came in around 11:30 happy as could be. They had gone to some fun sukkot and collected some good junk. They went to the Rav's sukkah and of course the hirschorns and they listed off a few others....there are certain sukkot Ema that just everyone goes to. They climbed into the sukkah and quickly fell asleep. Wow, they never could have experienced it like this in Toronto. It was a wonderful chag and it was over in 24 hours or atleast the yom tov part of it. It felt right just being one day and while you are all in shul on second day , we will be out as a family (we don't work here on chol hamoed) on a tiyul with our yishuv. We will be going to some caves and to Herodian! we'll blog you about that later. Chag Sameach, moadim b'simcha

When the Inevitable Happens

knew that I would one day have to sit down and write about "our first pigua", I just didn't think it would be this soon and this close to home. I had just gotten off the phone with Ottawa when our regular phone rang, it was our dear friend Stu in Yerushalayim....."where is everybody?" , "what happened" "there was a pigua near tzomet Gush"!! My mind was flying..Darrell is on his way home from either Beitar buying schach or from beit shemesh to Beitar, he should be okay. Avital is on her way home from Beit Shemesh with a teacher, I'm not sure which one, did she go through Alon Shvut, if she did she could have been in the area. Quickly I call Darrell's cell, it's the machine either the lines are flooded or his battery went. I'm not really scared and I feel that everyone is okay, maybe I can't think otherwise, but I just want to hear everyones voices and tell them how much I love them...later another woman on the yishuv tells me her family was nowhere near the tzomet and despite this she waits anxiously to hear everyones voices. Stu calls back, "were the victims in a car or standing at the tzomet?" I ask. Stu thinks they were pedestrians at the tzomet. I feel somewhat relieved, but I know that someone else's loved ones were standing at the tzomet and my heart is sick! I hear the sirens now and go to my living room window, I see the ambulances racing out to tzomet gush, one, two , three, four I stopped counting. I try Darrell again..nothing. Please Gd. just get everyone home! Some of the ambulances begin to head back to Yerushalayim, as each one passed in front of the yishuv I say a little prayer whoever is inside be allright. Avital walks in the door and I hug and kiss her very energetically! What's up with you Ema? I take her to the window and tell her what is going on. We stand at the window together and watch the flashing lights in the distance and the ambulances going up and down. Yonatan picks up that something is going on so I tell him, he joins us at the window. What is he thinking? I ask him, he says he's not sure..are you scared..yeah, a little , it was right there ema! What can I say?
We head to the computer to get whatever info we can. 2 killed , 4 injured, later turns into 3 killed...the initial reports don't give much info. I look at Darrell...now what?.. we just hope and pray and wait. Supper has to be made, laundry finished, it's chag tomorrow...I get started, but I feel numb and angry, very , very angry! How can people do this, these people were heading home from their jobs, school just leading their lives doing what we all do. Everyday, after ulpan, we drop our teacher Sara off at the same trampeada to catch a ride to her home in Kiryat Arba. Has Avital ever stood there to wait for a ride or a bus? I don't think so but many many children, mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers and grandparents do. Okay, let's finish the sukkah, the banging all around the yishuv continues, does everyone know ...but life continues on. Avital is very busy looking on the internet trying to find information...when will they release names ema, after the families are notified honey.....how long does that take....I think she's worried she may know someone.
We turn back to our tasks at hand, Darrell works on the succah I putter around cleaning etc. The boys get invited out for sleepovers and Avital is meeting her friends to say tehillim. I think we are just numb. The reports begin to emerge two cousins Kinneret Mandel z'l afe 21 and Matat Adler z"l 21 both from Carmel, one married only three months ago,and a boy all of 15 years old Oz Ben Meir z"l, one year older than Avital. I keep looking out our living room window. It all happened at tsomet gush, on the corner where you wait to go south to many other yishuvim. It was a driveby shooting, the palestinians opened fire with automatic weapons spraying the crowd with bullets. They fled and are somewhere in Bethlehem. It has only been a short time since the army removed checkpoints as a "gesture" to the palestinians. Why are we making gestures to a people that can do this? This is what our gestures get us! And what would have been the response had a carload of angry jewish "settlers" sprayed a arab bus stop with deadly bullets? Then I begin with the rationalizations, we never use that corner, Avital only takes lifts from inside the yishuvim not on highways...but it doesn't really make a difference, these people were doing nothing wrong, Avital should be able to stand wherever she wants to get a lift and these people were doing nothing wrong!! I feel guilty about my rationalizing, Stu reassures me that this is the normal reaction of many Israelis which gets them through these "events". You know, when I was in canada during the height of the intafada and this was happening all the time, we would also look on the internet and feel sad and angry......it is just not the same as now, I cannot describe the difference. Yes, acheinu kol beit yisrael, but there is a difference when you are here and this is really your home. It is weird, but somehow I understand Jewish History much better now, I feel connected to Jews of Days past who also lived in times of oppression and aggression. I thought jews in chutz l'aretz felt anti-semitism harder, but I now see that I feel it here in a way I never could there. Bottom line, this was an act of anti-semitism.
At 9:30 this morning, the morning after, there is an announcement on the yishuv's intercom, the funeral procession of the two young cousins will be passing the yishuv in one half hour. People begin to head down our hill, to pay their respects to the girls and their family and friends. We go down with Sara, who finds a little Israeli flag in our car leftover from the B'nei Akiva party. People are trickling down the hill, and congregating at the highway, there is an army jeep there and more and more people keep coming. Someone tells me how this custom of the yishuvim descending to the highways for victims of terror has given families much comfort. We wait on the side until the army signals us that the procession is nearing. We cross the highway forming two lines on each side and wait in silence. Then the procession arrives, I look at the faces in the cars, red eyed grief stricken faces of regular people, older, younger, really young, soldiers, mothers,fathers, cousins, friends ...some acknowledge us with a nod or a hand up...some seem to be overcome with emotion when seeing us...I am overcome with emotion on seeing them....three or four buses loaded with people from the victim's yishuv come through....I look in the buses, it seems as though everyone on the bus is staring straight forward, I imagine there is silence on those buses. I look at Darrell and down at little Sara standing with her flag held straight out for the cars to see. The procession takes a while to pass through, the crowd begins to cross back over the highway and we all head back up the hill, I don't know most people here , a few faces here and there, but somehow we are all connected, I feel connected to them after sharing these brief moments. People will go home now, resume their cooking, cleaning , sukkah preparations. There are families who will return home today to an only too short shiva, they will head out to their sukkahs and do what they have to do...really the thought is truly unbearable, so awful! May hashem comfort them amongst the mourners of Zion.....and may he guide our fellow citizens and government to make the right decisions to prevent this.....no other country in the world would put up with this!!!! Remember these souls and pray for them and their families!!!
Chag Sameach, Ruth

Wonderful Events in our Community

We recently were privileged to be a part of some momentous occasions in our new community. Firstly, the week before Rosh Hashana, the whole yishuv was invited to join the b'nei akiva kids (which is all the children in Neve Daniel) in the opening of their new headquarters or "snif". The caravans had been sitting up at the top of the yishuv and we had watched over the last few weeks as they were covered up in Jerusalem stone and a central area was paved over for mifkad. The kids went on a parade with music, flags etc. all around the yishuv we joined them near our house and headed up to the new snif. The kids were singing and dancing with their respective groups. There was a mifkad in which the leaders spoke of the youth groups new homes and the history of b'nei akiva in Neve Daniel. They sang their b'nei akiva songs and then the Rav spoke. He talked about the history of the yishuv and youth in our yishuv and how momentous this time was that our youth had outgrown its previous accomodations. He also talked about at a time of recent destruction in Gush Katif the building of institutions and centres was so much more significant. I must say that our rav speaks beautifully and he has a special connection to the youth in the yishuv. He holds one day of "Shiur HaRav" in which kids of the different ages come together for one half hour per grade to meet with him and hear his shiur. He also comes to the ganim on Fridays and spends one half hour with each class doing parsha hashavua. He put up the mezuza as he said the bracha everyone, all these kids, answered amen in unison. It was so touching. There was a sign on the fence "shehechiyanu, vehigiyanu lazeman haze" which they lit with fire and we all watched and sang as it burned. Everyone headed to the ulam smachot for a big party and more words from the kids. One of the boys who spoke was overcome with emotion and his father had to finish his speech for him.



No sooner was the party over that men and boys of the yishuv headed back to help move our shul to its brand new headquarters. Darrell went along with Yoni and David. Neve Daniel had been in the process of building a beit knesset merkazi (central shul) for oh , about 9 years. It was really the issue of money that kept the process going. They would build until the money ran out and only begin building when more money came in. When you look at our yishuv from the highway or from Efrat you will see the tallest structure at the top of the hill which is now officially the highest shul in Israel. It looks like a juicer or some say a space ship, Sara thinks it sort of looks like a kippa. One day after the opening of B'nei Akiva our shul opened its doors for the first time to the kehilla. As we walked up to the shul light poured out of the many windows of the shul and produced a beautiful sight to behold. People were pouring in from all over the yishuv as all the other minyans were closed tonight to allow everyone to gather together in our new shul. I didn't even realize how diverse our community really was until I saw everyone at once. Many people commented on how there had not been a gathering of this size in a long time. Kabbalat Shabbat began and needless to say it was absolutely beautiful, so many voices singing together one of the most beautiful of the prayer services in my humble opinion. There were of course some technical difficulties such as acoustics and the fact that the women's balcony had not yet opened (it will open in a couple of months). For us it was incredible to be a part of such a momentous occasion and to be making history in Neve Daniel. We were beginning to realize that we were making our own history on the Yishuv, we were being a part of events in the building of the community. We could tell our grandchildren how we remembered the night the shul first opened or the bnei akiva moved to their new home etc. We also witnessed the excitement in the eyes of the vatikim , those who have been here for years and who had waited for this day to come. I also heard the words of the rav from the night before about the destruction in Gush Katif and I remembered the pictures and images of their beautiful synagogues, I prayed to hashem that he not let that happen again and that we would always be here in our beautiful shul!It just so happened that our good friends the Steinmans in Ottawa, were also celebrating Noam's aliyah barmitzvah this same shabbat. It's always hard to miss simchas of close friends back home so it helped me to link the two simchas together. When Noam comes for his barmitzvah in December we will show him the shul that opened on his barmitzvah parsha. Our shul will have its chanukat habayit in December (chanukah time) and we will update you then.



Last week we once again found ourselves in the midst of a most beautiful and momentous celebration. The boys school, Orot Etzion in Efrat, was celebrating 18 years with a hachnassat sefer Torah. For weeks, there was build up to the event, at parent meetings fathers and sons were asked to write a letter in the sefer torah. The day of the hachnassat sefer torah, all the boys were to wear blue pants and white shirts,and they were served a hot lunch (which of course my boys spoke about all week). We the parents were to meet up with the school in a central park in Efrat. Darrell, Sara and myself drove to Efrat and walked to the park. When we arrived we were greeted by a beautiful sight, a park full of young boys and girls (there is a boys branch and a girls branch of orot etzion) dressed in blue and white with music blaring , dancing and singing! Well needless to say we were overcome with emotion. We bumped in to our new friend and neighbour and fellow olah chadasha, Stella Frankl whose eyes were welled up with tears and could only keep saying "this is so incredible". I really couldn't say anything for fear of you know, losing it. There were speeches given by Rav Moti Alon and Rav Riskin, children performed and there was a very beautiful and moving video of the history of the school. At the end the music began blaring and kids cheering and singing , it was a song about shorashim and the rav behind the speaker was telling us to look around at our shorashim our beautiful children...it was really incredible! Then the walking or dancing of the sefer torah began from the park back to the boys school. There was a magen david Adom ambulance in the front , then the boys school , then the chupah and torah, then the torah crown mobile ( a van with a most tacky, lit up crown/torah and loud music blaring)then the girls school. The boys in the front were carrying torches and the effect was spectacular. I kept wondering to myself is this just regular, will I still appreciate an event like this in a few years or is this just olah euphoria. I bumped into Dennis Klein, also oleh from Toronto, who has been here about five years I think. This is unbelievable I say or sort of ask him, wondering if it really is so special. " Yup, you don't get events like this in TO, nope, this is amazing.....there are no highs like the highs in Israel he explains, then as an aside there also no lows like the lows here, but the highs get you through the lows!" We arrive at the school where the boys go down to the basketball field and the girls stay up in the higher yard and the band plays and the dancing really gets going. I am looking to see if the boys are participating. Oh , yes I find them in yonatan's classroom which is a mobile caravan wolfing down the treats and coke....boys. They head down to the basketball field and I watch as my son Yonatan is dancing away with his new buddies to "Ha'aretz hazot", he was having an amazing time and I was so happy to see him so happy, well liked among his new friends, dancing at a beautiful hachnassat sefer torah in the Judean hills ...our new home. wow, it was incredible. Darrell and David joined him on the dance floor and I could have watched all night. They escorted the sefer torah to its new home and the evening was over. Another event in our new history , and one which was so moving and so beautiful I will definately not forget.
In two short weeks, we witnessed three beautiful events which built up our new home and school communities. We pray that hashem grant us many more events in which to build and be a part of the development of the wonderful Gush Etzion communities.

Link to Arutz sheva broadcast of the Landing of Our Aliyah Flight from Toronto

This is a broadcast of the landing of our flight - during the 3rd or 4th minute of the broadcast you will hear from some of our family. The microphone was in our faces only moments after stepping off of the stairs. You are hearing us at the peak of emotion, we were really just completely overwhelmed. Hearing this broadcast brought back strong memories of only a short time ago, it feels like a long time ago! I also think of all of you who were there and made our arrival extra special....you will always be a part of our aliyah memories.
www.israelnn.com/metafiles/asx/shows/IsraelNationalRadio/nefesh-3.asx

Rosh Hashana

One week after the kids went to school, Chaim and I packed up our book bags with notebooks, pens, pencils and highlighters (Chaim didn't pack highlighters as that would be uncool), and off we went to school in Alon Shvut. We have a carpool with Yarden and Stella Frankl and Aleeza Stavsky. We all drop our little ones off to gan and meet in the middle of the yishuv between 8:00 - 8:15. We usually stop at Shiffon, the delicious bakery that has put Neve Daniel on the map. We load up with goodies and coffee and off we go. Yarden, Gd. bless him, usually starts warming up for ulpan with his hebrew only policy. He speaks in his New York accented, somewhat loud hebrew and if we are lucky he gets the sentence out before Alon Shvut. Don't worry Yarden, Chaim also has this thing about yelling when he speaks hebrew. Do you guys think we will understand better when you yell the broken hebrew?! The truth is both of the yeller's hebrew has improved because they keep plugging away and speak it NO MATTER WHAT!
Our teacher is Sara.. a very short, Yemenite, Apple doll sort of figure who happens to be a powerhouse. The first day she went on and on about what a Z'chut it was to teach olim and how special it was for her and the country that we joined them. She believes it is our job to fix what ails the country and bring seder to the holy land. She is a wonderful teacher, I must say that I have never learned as much hebrew in other ulpans. She has a systematic method that just works. I wasn't sure in the beginning if I was going to stay as I didn't think the level was high enough for me. Sara, pointed out that my hebrew was high but that it was missing some basic grammer and it might be worthwhile to stay and rebuild so to speak. Her dramatic teaching style and zest for the language convinced me to remain and I am glad I did. Sara is a very smart and wise woman and we have all learned much from her and not just about hebrew. Her stories about when her family came from Yemen and what happened to all her aunts, uncles and cousins upon their arrival are fascinating. She is passionate about Israel and Yahadut and I really admire her. She lives in Kiryat Arba, previously she lived in Chevron, so you can imagine where she lies politically, and she is not shy about sharing her viewpoint. We all chuckle when she makes up sentences to demonstrate usage of a verb form or to define a word...she's very, let's say....creative!
I was put in a class with ...you got it..Chaim!! Has anyone here ever gone to school with their spouse? Chaim and I share a desk and let's just say it has been an eye opener. First of all his notes drive me crazy.....some here some there a page here, a page there...wow! Then there is the shaking thing, leg shaking pens tapping...Just stay still Yonatan, I mean Chaim!!! Remember I told you chaim wouldn't take highlighters , you know to highlight and organize notes with ...well since we started binyanim, he borrows all my colours all the time!!!! Once Chaim was bothering me in class and I had to tell on him...Mora who mafrea li! She said she thinks it is time to separate us, but only at school she added. I told the kids and they thought this was absolutely hysterical. When it is my turn to read, speak or answer and I have any difficulty chaim tries to whisper the answer which is not only annoying but usually the answer is wrong! Have I told you about the homework, we get a lot of homework. Now this is in addition to the homework we have to do with the kids. The truth is the homework is to solidify what we learn in class and put the information words, verbs etc. at the front of our head and tongue so we can access them readily. There is just so little time to do it. I get home in time to collect Sara from Gan, do housework, lunch, supper and the kids are home before you know it, homework , clean up from supper, more homework and suddenly it is 10:00 and I still have to do lunches and then HOMEWORK. I don't get much done and it is a pity because I would learn more. Chaim got in trouble once for not doing homework. Chaim, efo ha avodah shelcha? uh, uh, Chaim, chaval, ata sarich leasot hashiurai bayit shelcha! Beseder Mora. I told the kids, they thought this was also hysterical.
We have a new student in our class. She's cute, sweet, bright and she happens to be our daughter! Yes, Avital has joined our ranks. She felt her school ulpan wasn't efficient, she saw what we were learning and asked to join our class. She got permission from her school and now there are three Shermans in our class...Avital is my classmate. She comes to ulpan the four mornings and we drive her to school afterwards...in Bet Shemesh! She sat with Chaim on the first day and kindly requested that it not happen again. She sits with me now and Chaim sits behind us. We still lend him our colours and when there is group work we let him be a part of ours. Avital and I like to see who writes nicer, neater and more organized notes...it's close!! It has been most interesting being in class with Avital and has given me a whole new perspective on her. I am very proud of her!! She pursued this class in order to progress her learning in school, she was not intimidated by being with us or other adults and really only wants to learn. I guess this is what happens with maturity. Israel and the challenges of aliyah have really brought out the best in her! Thank G.d.
Our ulpan is made up of mostly new olim, some are already here a few years and want to improve their hebrew, there are young folk like avital, and golden agers who couragously try to improve their language skills. We all share an "old country" from which we came and the "new country" in which we are trying to integrate. We have similar struggles, frustrations, triumphs and "only in Israel" wonderful moments. We have all left behind family and friends we miss desperately and at chagim we all have that spot in our eyes that says it all! Before Rosh Hashana we had a little ulpan party. We sang songs. Hashana Habaa was one of them, neshev al hamirpeset be nispor tziporim nodedot...Avinu malkeinu was another...I looked around the room at the students' faces and really I had to catch my breath....here we were sitting next to derech avoth , the path where Avraham and Yitzchak walked, singing about our all forgiving father , our king amongst people who had left perfectly wonderful lives for hopefully much better lives and really what is there to say. We sang about the coming year, and really there is so much up in the air here now, and it is OUR now, decisions and events are no longer there , they are here in our backyard and effect our everyday life! I had to stop singing and once again blink rapidly to prevent the downpour (I do that a lot here). I once again found myself thanking hashem for the z'chut he has given Chaim, myself and our children (I also do that a lot here)!

We Go to Ulpan

One week after the kids went to school, Chaim and I packed up our book bags with notebooks, pens, pencils and highlighters (Chaim didn't pack highlighters as that would be uncool), and off we went to school in Alon Shvut. We have a carpool with Yarden and Stella Frankl and Aleeza Stavsky. We all drop our little ones off to gan and meet in the middle of the yishuv between 8:00 - 8:15. We usually stop at Shiffon, the delicious bakery that has put Neve Daniel on the map. We load up with goodies and coffee and off we go. Yarden, Gd. bless him, usually starts warming up for ulpan with his hebrew only policy. He speaks in his New York accented, somewhat loud hebrew and if we are lucky he gets the sentence out before Alon Shvut. Don't worry Yarden, Chaim also has this thing about yelling when he speaks hebrew. Do you guys think we will understand better when you yell the broken hebrew?! The truth is both of the yeller's hebrew has improved because they keep plugging away and speak it NO MATTER WHAT!
Our teacher is Sara.. a very short, Yemenite, Apple doll sort of figure who happens to be a powerhouse. The first day she went on and on about what a Z'chut it was to teach olim and how special it was for her and the country that we joined them. She believes it is our job to fix what ails the country and bring seder to the holy land. She is a wonderful teacher, I must say that I have never learned as much hebrew in other ulpans. She has a systematic method that just works. I wasn't sure in the beginning if I was going to stay as I didn't think the level was high enough for me. Sara, pointed out that my hebrew was high but that it was missing some basic grammer and it might be worthwhile to stay and rebuild so to speak. Her dramatic teaching style and zest for the language convinced me to remain and I am glad I did. Sara is a very smart and wise woman and we have all learned much from her and not just about hebrew. Her stories about when her family came from Yemen and what happened to all her aunts, uncles and cousins upon their arrival are fascinating. She is passionate about Israel and Yahadut and I really admire her. She lives in Kiryat Arba, previously she lived in Chevron, so you can imagine where she lies politically, and she is not shy about sharing her viewpoint. We all chuckle when she makes up sentences to demonstrate usage of a verb form or to define a word...she's very, let's say....creative!
I was put in a class with ...you got it..Chaim!! Has anyone here ever gone to school with their spouse? Chaim and I share a desk and let's just say it has been an eye opener. First of all his notes drive me crazy.....some here some there a page here, a page there...wow! Then there is the shaking thing, leg shaking pens tapping...Just stay still Yonatan, I mean Chaim!!! Remember I told you chaim wouldn't take highlighters , you know to highlight and organize notes with ...well since we started binyanim, he borrows all my colours all the time!!!! Once Chaim was bothering me in class and I had to tell on him...Mora who mafrea li! She said she thinks it is time to separate us, but only at school she added. I told the kids and they thought this was absolutely hysterical. When it is my turn to read, speak or answer and I have any difficulty chaim tries to whisper the answer which is not only annoying but usually the answer is wrong! Have I told you about the homework, we get a lot of homework. Now this is in addition to the homework we have to do with the kids. The truth is the homework is to solidify what we learn in class and put the information words, verbs etc. at the front of our head and tongue so we can access them readily. There is just so little time to do it. I get home in time to collect Sara from Gan, do housework, lunch, supper and the kids are home before you know it, homework , clean up from supper, more homework and suddenly it is 10:00 and I still have to do lunches and then HOMEWORK. I don't get much done and it is a pity because I would learn more. Chaim got in trouble once for not doing homework. Chaim, efo ha avodah shelcha? uh, uh, Chaim, chaval, ata sarich leasot hashiurai bayit shelcha! Beseder Mora. I told the kids, they thought this was also hysterical.
We have a new student in our class. She's cute, sweet, bright and she happens to be our daughter! Yes, Avital has joined our ranks. She felt her school ulpan wasn't efficient, she saw what we were learning and asked to join our class. She got permission from her school and now there are three Shermans in our class...Avital is my classmate. She comes to ulpan the four mornings and we drive her to school afterwards...in Bet Shemesh! She sat with Chaim on the first day and kindly requested that it not happen again. She sits with me now and Chaim sits behind us. We still lend him our colours and when there is group work we let him be a part of ours. Avital and I like to see who writes nicer, neater and more organized notes...it's close!! It has been most interesting being in class with Avital and has given me a whole new perspective on her. I am very proud of her!! She pursued this class in order to progress her learning in school, she was not intimidated by being with us or other adults and really only wants to learn. I guess this is what happens with maturity. Israel and the challenges of aliyah have really brought out the best in her! Thank G.d.
Our ulpan is made up of mostly new olim, some are already here a few years and want to improve their hebrew, there are young folk like avital, and golden agers who couragously try to improve their language skills. We all share an "old country" from which we came and the "new country" in which we are trying to integrate. We have similar struggles, frustrations, triumphs and "only in Israel" wonderful moments. We have all left behind family and friends we miss desperately and at chagim we all have that spot in our eyes that says it all! Before Rosh Hashana we had a little ulpan party. We sang songs. Hashana Habaa was one of them, neshev al hamirpeset be nispor tziporim nodedot...Avinu malkeinu was another...I looked around the room at the students' faces and really I had to catch my breath....here we were sitting next to derech avoth , the path where Avraham and Yitzchak walked, singing about our all forgiving father , our king amongst people who had left perfectly wonderful lives for hopefully much better lives and really what is there to say. We sang about the coming year, and really there is so much up in the air here now, and it is OUR now, decisions and events are no longer there , they are here in our backyard and effect our everyday life! I had to stop singing and once again blink rapidly to prevent the downpour (I do that a lot here). I once again found myself thanking hashem for the z'chut he has given Chaim, myself and our children (I also do that a lot here)!