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.