Day 6 in Israel

Shalom,

The days are passing toooo fast! All of the teachers enjoyed every moment of Shabbat with their host families. Their experiences included attending worship services at Yozma (reform congregation) or Yachad (traditional egalitarian), taking a tiyyul (touring trip) to Caesaria, the Dead Sea, Zichron Yaacov, or just around Modiin, and of course the lovely Azrieli Mall in the evening after Shabbat. I myself attended Kabbalat services at Yozma where I met old friends and acquaintances - Beth Atar, Yuval Newman, Rabbi Nir Barkin and my Aunt Vicky. Elliot also came with his host, Gila. Aviva served no less than 10 main dishes and salads for Shabbat dinner with her whole family - sons, daughter-in-laws, and delicious grandson, Matan. I proudly earned the name of "doda (auntie) from America." Shabbat day for me - lunch at Vicky's along with cousin Natan and his three children. Later in the day Aviva and Amos took me to Herziliya, playground of the rich and famous, especially along the marina where I dined on "botz" (lit. mud - thick, black Israeli coffee) and coffee ice cream along with Aviva and Amos had cheese melton on a bagel measuring about 8 inches in diameter.

Today, Sunday was long and satisfying. We began our day with a two and a half hour ride north to Tzippori, excavated city (mostly Byzantine) with exquisite floor mosaics, including a face called "Mona Lisa." From Tzippori we traveled to Rosh Pina outdoor strip mall for "free lunch time" - meaning we all chose what and where to eat. Since our dinners are all at dairy/vegetarian restaurants, meat eaters ran for the shwarma. I dined with Debbie and Marcy and our guide at the local humus dive, highly recommended and quite authentic (although no quite up to par to Abu Shukri). From lunch we traveled to Tzfat, alway a thrill ride up through the steep hills and hair pin turns. Our guide, Benna, took us first to the Abu-av and Ari shuls (sephardic and ashkenazic respectively) and then we had an hour for guess what - shopping, including the famous Safed candle factory, which, by the way, completely burned down a year ago and was rebuilt immediately. With ample purchases we boarded our mini-bus and rode the one and a half hours to the Kinneret cemetery just in time for sunset at Rachel's and Nomi Shemer's graves. The water in the Kinneret is so low at present. Most of our Israeli friends are (or have) completely drying out the grass in their gardens to save water.

A mile or so from the cemetery is the fresh date and spice store we remembered from our last trip. Of course we stopped, sampled and bought. Viva our contributions to the Israeli economy! From this store appropriately called "Tamar ba'kfar" (date tree in the village) we drove another hour and a half to a magnificent restaurant in the ruins of Caesaria on the water. Yehuda Gohar, Education Bridge Chair in Modi'in, joined us for dinner as well as our guide and driver. We arrived back in Modi'in after 10 p.m., full of food, full from the experience of the day, and anticipating tomorrow.

Laila tov,
Jan