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Ima is full of songs, this one about a flower we saw.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Atl least I'm doing laundry while uploading these videos...
Here's two videos taken at Aba and Ima's during Friday Shabbat. The first is Moysh saying the blessing over the wine. The second is his blessing over the bread. (Yes, now I think you were trying to tell me about the manna from heaven, right Moysh?? English is hard for me sometimes!)
I should be packing for the weekend...
Here's some videos I took. Couldn't upload them earlier. These are from the wedding. First one is of Amir and Liat's grand entrance into the wedding. Second is during the wedding. Third is at the very end when Amir crushes the glass under his foot (hang on!)...
Leaving Israeli culture
I'm awake a bit too early this morning, so I'll post a couple of thoughts I've had in mind.
Here's the first. The night before I left Israel, my mind was in competition with my sleeping pill. I went to bed at Orna's house near Tel Aviv (great meal, Orna, and good to see your home and girls at gymnastics). It was 9:30 and we were getting up at 3 to catch the 5:30 am flight. But my brain just wouldn't shut off. It kept hearing Hebrew conversations and I couldn't stop attempting to make sense out of them. I probably wasn't really hearing all Hebrew, of course, but just familiar language patterns and voice intonations. But my brain amazed even me in its attempt to capture the language. I had been in an intense "Hebrew language listening mode" for so long, I just couldn't let go of it. Finally by around 10:30 the drugs won.
I so wish I could have had enough time to become fluent, but I'm still stuck at a very slow pace of conversation. (Thanks for your patience, Elyashar family!) Words were still popping up in my brain up until the end, but all this must go back into the recesses of my mind for now. Perhaps the next visit...
Here's the second thought. Because I was trying to get some sleep on my Tel Aviv-Amsterdam flight, I didn't realize until it was too late that I was leaving Israeli culture and people completely behind. But the last couple of exposures were memorable. Since we were beginning a new day on the plane, some religious Jews wanted to pray. (I didn't see many religious Jews this trip since the snow kept alot of people home in Jerusalem the day I was there.) The guy sitting on the aisle 2 seats away from me had a friend standing next to him helping him wrap his arms and head with the Tephilim for his prayers (if you are unfamiliar, google tephilim). I would have loved a photo, but I thought I would have been rude so I didn't. All the supplies were laid out on the tray table in front of us as they worked to wrap him up. Interesting. Yes, it did occur minutes before landing and the Israeli guy sitting right next to me and I exchanged glances and smiles as the stewardess tried to get the helper friend to sit down for landing. The last Hebrew conversation I would hold came when we deplaned and I said shalom to my neighbor. The last Hebrew conversation I would hear was in an Amsterdam airport restroom when I heard a little girl and her mother talking. And then all the exposure to Hebrew and Israeli culture came to an end. I only realized what was happening after deplaning, so the echo of one last tender little voice was a nice note to end on.
Soon after, I was on another flight from Amsterdam to Detroit, seated next to a sweet, innocent teenage girl returning home from a 2 week missions trip to Tanzania with her Christian high school . This was my first reexposure to an American accent in 10 days. Too familiar. I avoided a conversation with her, because I didn't want to dilute the memory of what I had just left behind.
Now that I'm home again, here's some thoughts:
First off, Israel and Florida have similarities-- the palm trees, the snow birds, the terrazzo or tile floors/no carpeting. Probably others.
Florida has some great humidity, though--your hair doesn't get static in it nor does your skin need lotion.
Life went on without me nicely, while Ray scrambled from one responsibility to the other. I was fortunate to miss 2 throw up cleanups and numerous bedtime routines. Though life is forcing me otherwise, I hesitate to throw myself mindlessly into the endless details of life that Franchesca (Meryl Streep's movie character) and I used to drown in. There seems a neverending list of things to do to keep us on the run. Perhaps I was completely spoiled this past couple weeks, living like a teenager again, so carefree.
I am deeply appreciative that I have a husband willing to send me off like he did. He is a good guy. He even seemed genuinely appreciative of all the souvenirs I brought home...ha! (you can ask him what)
I am extremely fortunate to have the Israeli family that I do, ready with open arms to take me in any time.
David loves his dad alot. I don't think he missed me that much. Jonathan has made lots of new gains on his favorite video game. Natalie works or goes to school constantly and I had to email her the note I was out of town. LAUREN missed me!
This weekend the beat doesn't slow down. Ray and I are headed off tomorrow, Friday, with our student council students to a state convention in Gainsville. We're staying in hotels, so I'm very hopeful to get to bed early and catch up on sleep!
One more posting yet to come with comments on the professions the brothers have chosen and a few last pictures to upload...
Later.
Here's the first. The night before I left Israel, my mind was in competition with my sleeping pill. I went to bed at Orna's house near Tel Aviv (great meal, Orna, and good to see your home and girls at gymnastics). It was 9:30 and we were getting up at 3 to catch the 5:30 am flight. But my brain just wouldn't shut off. It kept hearing Hebrew conversations and I couldn't stop attempting to make sense out of them. I probably wasn't really hearing all Hebrew, of course, but just familiar language patterns and voice intonations. But my brain amazed even me in its attempt to capture the language. I had been in an intense "Hebrew language listening mode" for so long, I just couldn't let go of it. Finally by around 10:30 the drugs won.
I so wish I could have had enough time to become fluent, but I'm still stuck at a very slow pace of conversation. (Thanks for your patience, Elyashar family!) Words were still popping up in my brain up until the end, but all this must go back into the recesses of my mind for now. Perhaps the next visit...
Here's the second thought. Because I was trying to get some sleep on my Tel Aviv-Amsterdam flight, I didn't realize until it was too late that I was leaving Israeli culture and people completely behind. But the last couple of exposures were memorable. Since we were beginning a new day on the plane, some religious Jews wanted to pray. (I didn't see many religious Jews this trip since the snow kept alot of people home in Jerusalem the day I was there.) The guy sitting on the aisle 2 seats away from me had a friend standing next to him helping him wrap his arms and head with the Tephilim for his prayers (if you are unfamiliar, google tephilim). I would have loved a photo, but I thought I would have been rude so I didn't. All the supplies were laid out on the tray table in front of us as they worked to wrap him up. Interesting. Yes, it did occur minutes before landing and the Israeli guy sitting right next to me and I exchanged glances and smiles as the stewardess tried to get the helper friend to sit down for landing. The last Hebrew conversation I would hold came when we deplaned and I said shalom to my neighbor. The last Hebrew conversation I would hear was in an Amsterdam airport restroom when I heard a little girl and her mother talking. And then all the exposure to Hebrew and Israeli culture came to an end. I only realized what was happening after deplaning, so the echo of one last tender little voice was a nice note to end on.
Soon after, I was on another flight from Amsterdam to Detroit, seated next to a sweet, innocent teenage girl returning home from a 2 week missions trip to Tanzania with her Christian high school . This was my first reexposure to an American accent in 10 days. Too familiar. I avoided a conversation with her, because I didn't want to dilute the memory of what I had just left behind.
Now that I'm home again, here's some thoughts:
First off, Israel and Florida have similarities-- the palm trees, the snow birds, the terrazzo or tile floors/no carpeting. Probably others.
Florida has some great humidity, though--your hair doesn't get static in it nor does your skin need lotion.
Life went on without me nicely, while Ray scrambled from one responsibility to the other. I was fortunate to miss 2 throw up cleanups and numerous bedtime routines. Though life is forcing me otherwise, I hesitate to throw myself mindlessly into the endless details of life that Franchesca (Meryl Streep's movie character) and I used to drown in. There seems a neverending list of things to do to keep us on the run. Perhaps I was completely spoiled this past couple weeks, living like a teenager again, so carefree.
I am deeply appreciative that I have a husband willing to send me off like he did. He is a good guy. He even seemed genuinely appreciative of all the souvenirs I brought home...ha! (you can ask him what)
I am extremely fortunate to have the Israeli family that I do, ready with open arms to take me in any time.
David loves his dad alot. I don't think he missed me that much. Jonathan has made lots of new gains on his favorite video game. Natalie works or goes to school constantly and I had to email her the note I was out of town. LAUREN missed me!
This weekend the beat doesn't slow down. Ray and I are headed off tomorrow, Friday, with our student council students to a state convention in Gainsville. We're staying in hotels, so I'm very hopeful to get to bed early and catch up on sleep!
One more posting yet to come with comments on the professions the brothers have chosen and a few last pictures to upload...
Later.
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