Some days are good, thank G-d!

I got great rides today to work and managed to get to Jerusalem afterwards and then quickly back home. When in Jerusalem, I even found most of what I wanted to buy.

On the way back home, I heard a good synopsis of the Winograd Report and a revealing interview.

I'll give my 2 cents on Shiloh Musings after I eat dinner.

but now I'm starving!

Best of Jblogging

I don't exactly know what's happening in JIB Awards, but I do know that Soccer Dad posted a very, k'neineh haraa, full 114th Havel Havelim! There are a lot of great posts to read, link and pass around. It's our very own alternative Jewish media, and we really should take advantage of the wealth of talent among us.

I do want to thank everyone for their nominations and votes. I did not come in dead last this time. Of course, I was also very far from the prize categories, finals, run-offs and all that. I didn't sticky-post reminders to vote for me nor write letters to everyone and every list begging for their votes.

The important thing is that maybe there are more people who will read my blogs, this and Shiloh Musings. And when I see comments, I visit their blogs, too.

And please remember that there are two other jblog carnivals, the bi-weekly jpix and the monthly Kosher Cooking Carnival. There also are a number of bloggers who post, what can be termed "mini-carnivals" linking posts from other bloggers. That's a good way of broadening our community.

Feeding the neighbor

Contrary to what the papers said here in Israel, I have no doubts that we had a lot of rainfall. It should have been enough. Just look at high the plants grew all over the nieghborhood, and everyone in my "country village" says that they can't remember a year with so many weeds and wildflowers.


It must be that in our very modern country, we waste water by growing grass, and using hosing as a cleaning method. Whether washing cars, or power-hosing buildings and even cemeteries, much too much water is wasted. Israel is really a desert country. It only rains here in the winter, and there aren't natural water sources. We should be saving every drop.

Well, I've agreed to use the results of rainfall to feed my neighbor.

What's the point of leaving all the green weeds to dry out?


Look at how flat it now is.


Look a little closer...


And here's the happy neighbor!

f2f with a Jewish flybaby!

Yes, I can't believe it!

I used to be a very active and vociferous member of the Jewish Flybabies. Then I reached the point where I needed to reduce my email/computer time, and I cut out both that and the Israel Flyladies.

It was hard, because I had really developed close relationships with the other women. The Israeli group even met a few times. I wonder what's happening with everyone now.

From the title you can guess that I met someone from that group! Thursday I got a phone call from someone who said that she and her family would be guests of my neighbors and that we had known each other from Jewish Flybabies! So I invited them for a meal, and we got along great.

I'm happy they're in Israel and hope to see her again!

There are a few lessons to be learned.

MIT, one of America's most prestigious colleges, has just discovered that the Dean of Admissions lied when she applied for her first job there 28 years ago.

It's one of those could have been a book nightmares. Everyone's embarrassed, not only the unlucky dean. Apparently, she really was a dream dean, who did a lot not only for MIT, but for high school students all over.

Could she have gotten her original job sans degree? Nobody remembers. I mean, 28 years ago was a long time ago. If her entry job was secretarial, there's a chance that she could have, but considering the competition we baby-boomers had in those days... It was hard to get jobs without degrees.

But considering that nobody checked and she needed no proof, then how much of a requirement could it have been?

Another point.
In terms of doing a job well, are university diplomas all that important? Some people just have natural smarts and pick up lots more on the job. One of my cousins became a Vice President of a big company, and she was originally a high school drop out. School was a bore for her.

When she began working in that company, she started studying in college part time, since she understood that she'd need an MBA to be promoted to where she wanted to go. Then she was promoted above it before she finished studying. There was nothing she had to learn in college. She learned quicker on the job.

I only got my teachers license after teaching for a couple of years.

I wonder what will happen to that woman....

Itching to shop, must get the tickets!

I just discovered that this year, I won't be able to get my tickets to NY with a Nefesh B'Nefesh return trip. I did it two summers in a row, and now I'm not eligible.

I don't go to NY to shop, just to visit my parents. Though I must admit that I do shop. I mean, how can one not shop in New York? One of my favorite places is the MOMA gift shop, the discount display, of course.

And I also look for children's clothes for the grandkids, discount of course. No sale, no shop! Last year I got myself some great comfortable shoes. Actually, that's all I had bought for myself. Why did I end up with the double the suitcases on the flight back?

Still grey

It's still a horrid whitish-yellow-grey outside. Yesterday I never even hung the wash. It'll have to go through an extra rinse. If the air doesn't clear, I'll hang it inside, in one of the bedrooms, since the kids aren't coming home for Shabbat.

True spring here in the Holy Mountains of the Holy Land isn't the green and bright flowers which inspire poets to praise nature. Not that we don't see that, too. But part of the change in seasons is an eastern wind filled with dust, sand and allergens.

Yesterday some of my friends and I took a walk, not quite the pace of a "power walk," but faster than a stroll. The air was horrendous. Besides the dust, sand and pollens, the odor of the flowers, so heavily blooming was like in a cheap perfumery after a display shelf crashes breaking bottles and spilling the contents all over the place.

I hope it ends with a cleansing rain.

Shabbat Shalom U'Mevorach

I prefer visiting, not contests!

I've been getting all sorts of emails from bloggers begging for votes, but I'm not going to do it. That's right; don't expect a letter from me. I'm very flattered at getting nominated, and I really do appreciate the votes, but I'm not actively campaigning. My hope is that some of the people, whether they vote for me or not, who have checked out my blogs, will decided they like them enough to visit again and again. Nu, you can even comment, so I know what you think. Disagreements are accepted, too. I certainly don't expect everyone to agree with me. Even better, if you quote and link my blogs, just like I'm going to do now...

First, sad news from Emah S. Her grandmother passed away. I always found that it was hardest for me to miss the sad occasions, rather than the joyous ones. HaMakom y'nachem...

If you will it gives us "Festive Coke" Only in Israel!

Counting the Omer Part V - - - posted by Reb. Nati on Mystical Paths.

More from my neck of the woods, Ben-Yehuda has some interesting ideas in Yom Ha'Assma'uth: Some Suspicious Observations.

And something very different from Modern Uberdox: Doing with what I don't enjoy doing Yes, it's different, but a great post.

NYC Educator has serious complaints about his mayor.

Da Jew is all excited about JIB; it's ok, he nominated me! Good luck!

Gorgeous picture on Kumah!

Nuch a chosid asks what we're reading.

Torontopearl knows Hebrew.

Rafi G. calls his "visiting," "lazy links." And the Jewish Blogmeister is visiting, too.

A junkfood rant by Orthomon. Wow! We only had apple machines in my day, but that was a long, long time ago!

That's it for tonight!
Shabbat Shalom

Late spring blooms!

Let the pictures speak for themselves!

If there aren't any pictures, it's a photobucket probem.

Hard to title this one*

*I planned a very upbeat post, but it ended up explaining a Jewish funeral and cemetery customs.

I would have loved to post this crowned with a picture of today's dawn, but it's grey and overcast in the Holy City of Shiloh.

Instead I'll give you another perspective of Yossi's funeral. That's because I'm announcing that Baleboosteh has done it again with a superb edition of the JPIX Carnival. So how can the post be without illustration?

This picture is what I saw when he was being buried; though it's not immediately clear from the picture. Traditional Jewish funerals are kinestetic; I can't think of another word. You can see members of the Chevra Kadisha, Burial Society, in the grave to make sure the wrapped body, not in a casket, is gently placed. Then mourners add the dirt to bury the dead. Afterwards, everyone goes by and places stones on the fresh grave. Actually, our tradition is to place stones on graves as a "tribute."

When I was a little girl, my father once took me to his father's grave. I never knew that grandfather, since he had died before my parents even married. The cemetery was very green, and there was bushes growing on the grave. I remember so clearly that my father explained that there were plants, because Jews don't bring dead things to graves.

Jews don't have the tradition to bring wreaths and bouquets of flowers to graves, and it really bothers me that the Israeli government and the IDF have adopted the goyish custom of placing wreaths. Yes, you can add that to the list of things done here which are really Christian customs.

Like a tourist, uh, ok, not exactly, but...

It wasn't my usual day in Jerusalem.

I did start by waiting for a ride, so I could go to the pool. Finally a neighbor was on his way to... Beit El, but on my day off and not my teaching hour, so I got in and got off at Ofra.

While waiting to cross the street, to be a good girl and wait inside, suddenly I saw another neighbor pass by. I waved; he kept going, and then... I saw that he was backing up. There was room, and I got in. A bit further on, we saw a car stopped, and then we saw some Arabs coming to help push it, so it would go.

What do you think? Well, my neighbor stopped his car, where I was sitting in the backseat, and got out to help. You can't really see him in the picture, but he was there... helping.


He returned safely, and we went to Jerusalem. I got out and caught a cab to the pool. The water, steam room and sauna were all great. Baruch Hashem!

Then I met a friend who needed some dental surgery and went with her to Hadassah Ein Kerem. Things have changed since I was last there when my younger granddaughter was born two years ago. There's now a nice mall.


I had lunch in the newly Kosher Aroma.


I figure that if they've made the effort to "go kosher," I should make a point to patronize them. I had an enormous tuna salad for only ns31.

They have a "smoking corner" on the way to the Dental Department.


It was a nice day!

Yom HaAztma'ut Menu

Nu, so what did you eat? Post your menu and send it to me for the Kosher Cooking Carnival!

First of all, we didn't picnic. Every year we go to my cousin's house. Her husband and sons, now led by son #1 barbecue in the back. There are lots of salads, too.

• green this year mostly tomatoes and cucumbers--very Israeli
• cole slaw
• potato salad--NY style
• chumus and stuff like that

We drink wine, yes wine, red and even white wine. There's also water and juice and some soda.

And of course all sorts of meat and poultry, well-marinated and perfectly grilled.

• chicken wings
• spicy-hot somethings (don't really know what they're called; they never had such things in the NY delis of my youth)
• not quite kebabs, or the sticks were taken out of the interesting meatballs, which weren't beef
• "unbreaded" schnitzels, after 25 years of vegetarianism, I'm having trouble with the carnivorous vocabulary
• stir-fried rice
• there were probably other things, which I can't remember

And we ate indoors at a couple of tables set out in the large livingroom-diningroom.

And if I didn't mention it, everything was delicious!

I missed the Bible Contest

I usually get to my cousin's home during the last round of the International Bible Quiz on Yom Ha'Atzma'ut, but this year I didn't. Too bad, since there was a very interesting little incident.

The winner seemed upset, so upset that he was called to the judges' section. What bothered him so? As he was going over the questions and answers, he had already given, in his mind he realized that he hadn't answered something 100% correct. Therefore he wanted the points to be deleted from his score.

The judges tried to explain to him that according to their criteria, his answer was acceptable. I admire that level of moral standards.

I spent the day at my cousin's and I enjoyed seeing the younger generation getting along.



I bought them all little arts and crafts kits, consisting of an unlined notebook, crayons and sparkly glue. As you can see, our granddaughters played together beautifully.

Watching our own children getting along and the next generation was the best way of celebrating the holiday.

Nu, so where are the pictures?

I got this link from #198 of the Weekly Gantseh Megillah. It's a fashion review alleging that a bigshot designer seems to be designing for modest women, like me. The only problem is that there aren't any pictures of the clothes.

The only picture is for men, with a certain flair. I can't imagine anyone else wearing such a thing.

just a bissel visiting

graphics copied from the Jerusalem Post

I have a few minutes, so I'll try to visit a couple of blogs.

Dry Bones asks a good question.

Sarah's mother is still in need of your prayers.

swfm has to find the right school for her daughter, not easy!

A reminder from the baleboosteh to get posts in for jpix. I hope she got mine. I sent her a lot.

Marallyn posts a yummy menu on "WELL THERE GOES THE DIET" .

Nuch ah chosid has a great post "Tell Me What You Want.. What You Really Really Want ?!"

My favorite student in Israel debates "The Yoms" .

Great joke on Mystical Paths.

from inhjo "Nice Guys Finish Last?" ?

and the sultan knish "Yom Hatzmaut - The Redemption of Israel - Part 1"

enough

JIB, voting

I'm not sending out emails to everyone begging or even politely asking for votes in JIB. I'm not even sure for how many and which categories my blogs, me-ander and Shiloh Musings, have been nominated. I don't think they're competing against each other, Baruch Hashem. But I do know that they're competing against some of my own favorites.

Of course, I'd be flattered and pleased to get votes, and I hope that I won't come in dead last, which happened to me the first year.

Besides an ego trip and sparkly graphics for the sidebar, there is no real prize. For me the best prize would be more regular readers, especially those who comment--even if you disagree with what I've written-- and quote/link me in your own posts.

Unless something earth-shattering happens, I won't be mentioning the competition again, bli neder. OK, I know that halachikly we're supposed to say the "bli neder" before the statement. But this isn't the "real world," is it? We're in the cyberworld, with our virtual newspapers and magazines, where anybody with internet access can join the medium and become instant stars and pundits.

Just enjoy it, please, and don't take it all so seriously. Too many visits to the cemetery and mourners recently remind me that it's not a life and death issue.

Chag Atzma'ut Sameach

Let them eat cake!

Yes, Marie Antoinette (actually she didn't coin the phrase, but since she wasn't very popular in France, she got the credit) is alive and well in Israel's largest bus company, Egged.

Yesterday when I went down to catch a ride to work before 12:30, I saw a mob of people. Some of them had been waiting since 11, figuring they could always catch the bus that was to leave Ariel at 11. It shouldn't have taken more than 45 minutes for the bus to have gotten to Shiloh, but it hadn't arrived. The driver from the other direction told them that he hadn't seen it.

I made some calls to officially complain to Egged. Then I waited along with them, getting more nervous by the minute, since I had a class to teach, and there were no rides at all going south, towards Jerusalem and Beit El.

Baruch Hashem I eventually did get to work on time, and just a few minutes ago I checked my computer and saw a response to my complaint from Egged.

Simply translated:

Dear Mrs. Medad,
I received your complaint.
On the eves of holidays, like Israel's Soldiers Memorial Day, there are special schedule changes. That bus from Ariel was cancelled.
You should remember to check the internet before traveling.

Well, yes, I, personally, do go online everyday, but many, if not most of the bus travelers don't even have computers. Instructing them to always check the internet before traveling is comparable to telling those without enough money for bread, to eat cake.

And, yes, that's what I replied to Egged:

• We didn't get any prior notice.


• It was a regular work day.


• Not everyone has a computer.

It does pay to complain, regardless of the response.

Can't be two places at once

It wasn't all that long ago, when there was only one ceremony on Israel's Soldiers Memorial Day. It was at the local school. I remember watching it from my friend's backyard, which overlooks the basketball court where all important large outdoor events took place. There were also years when I stood with the parents and teachers, since I played both roles.

Then Shiloh joined the "family" of communities with Arab terror and war victims in our cemetery, and we began having ceremonies there, too. Each year the ceremony gets larger and larger. More and more people attend, including the adult children of Shiloh, who were once students in our school.

All over Israel the cemeteries with military sections and special military cemeteries are the location for the ceremony commemorating the dead soldiers and victims of Arab terror attacks.

I wish we hadn't joined that club.

HH #113

Soccer Dad has taken the reins again for Havel Havelim.
It's the veteran of the three Jewish Blog Carnivals.

The other two are the Kosher Cooking Carnival and JPIX Picture Carnival.

If you're interested in hosting any, then contact Soccer Dad for HH, me for KCC and Mr. Bagel Blogger for JPIX. And we all appreciate it when you send us links for the carnivals.

Enjoy and Chag Sameach

Marallyn's Mother-in-Law, Z"L

I was very sad to hear that Marallyn's mother-in-law passed away. I recommend reading the post to learn the Jewish Laws of mourning, which are different from those of other religions.

Following is the comment I left:

I'm so sorry. I had a feeling that's what happened when you became incommunicado.My husband and his sister sat here for their parents, and their father was here the first time when my mother-in-law passed away.

I think the Jewish laws of mourning are the best and most suited for the needs of the mourners. That has also been what converts to Judaism have told me.

The Baleboosteh's 17!

You must take a gander at the 17th Kosher Cooking Carnival at the Baleboosteh's. It is the best ever, the biggest and the best designed and tasty for sure!

If you're interested in hosting a future KCC, please let me know. And of course, don't forget to send links of any post about kosher food.

• traditions


• memories


• halachik points


• menus


• tips


• cookbook reviews


• and, yes, recipes

ANYTHING KOSHER!

Please send your kosher food links and any you find on the net to shilohmuse at yahoo dot com or via blog carnival, since this carnival is based primarily on submitted contributions, not searches.

Thank you and Shavua Tov!

Israeli Flags this 59th part 2

Here's Part 1
Most are my photos, except those I've labeled differently.


"Blue and White" in Israel is also the traditional "formal dress" on special occasions. Little children must have their "white shirts" to wear to ceremonies. Decades ago, when I was a young mother in Bayit V'Gan, Jerusalem, one of the grandmothers who took her grandchildren to the same park I frequented, told me how during the difficult days in the 1950's, soon after the State of Israel was established, when she had to get one of her children dressed for Independence Day, she couldn't buy a new clean white blouse. So she took a well-bleached white pillow case, cut a openings for the neck and arms, did a little sewing and some embroidering, resulting in--a perfectly pretty, new white blouse!




by Fred




Machon Shilo

Israeli Flags this 59th part 1

Part 2 here

I think it'll be best just to post a series of pictures of flags. The vast majority are my photographs. If a picture isn't mine, I'll label it with the source.

from Tzvi Fishman's blog.

Remembering...

Tomorrow night begins Israel's Soldiers Memorial Day.


Every community has its ceremonies and customs. It's a sad day, and all sorts of activities and services are closed, including some swimming pools.

Television is filled with moving programs about the dead soldiers. It certainly feels like the best were killed. In recent years, victims of Arab terror are also included as "casualties of war," just like soldiers. It gets very depressing.

Then, after twenty-four hours of talking about the dead, suddenly, everything changes and we celebrate Yom Ha'Atzma'ut, Israeli Independence Day. It's an acquired skill, suddenly switching gears, but it teaches us a lesson. There wouldn't be a State of Israel without the IDF and its brave soldiers.

thanks cby for letting me photograph your display

Now for the voting, I think?

If I understand correctly, nominations are closed at JIB Awards. If I'm wrong, maybe you can find another category and nominate one of my blogs for something else, please.

Of course, the next step will be voting for the blogs. I hope I don't end up dead last in every category nominated, again.

I'm curious. Besides the graphics for the sidebar, what's the prize? Maybe a festive dinner, like this one!

Pleasant things

I love this picture!



The dust and sand had been washed off by the rain, and the day's last sun was shining through the greenery. So I pulled out my camera for a memento.

And for something very different:

"The effects are comparable to those achieved with blood-pressure-lowering medication."
German researcher Dr. Dirk Taubert, whose study shows that chocolate has healthy side effects. Newsweek

Now, you don't have to feel guilty! It's medicinal, and I had thought that the caffeine was a no, no!

Strange weather, but...

...that's how it always is this time of the year.

The past few days has been very sandy and dusty. I was hoping a nice clean rain would come down to clean off the solar heating panels, which heat our water via sunshine. When they're too dusty, they don't work. By the end of the summer, they're always a mess, but at least we need to start the summer getting the maximum from them. They aren't cheap.

Last night when I was paying a shiva call in Givat Achiyah, just north east of Shiloh, suddenly I heard what sounded like rain, but it hadn't smelled like it was going to rain. So I thought it was just the wind, since it is a windy spot.

But when we went out, boy were we surprised. It was pouring, pouring hard. I was afraid that my hat would get ruined.

When I spoke to my daughter this morning, she was surprised. She hadn't noticed any rain in Ofra, which is just south of us. They usually have worse weather than we do.

Chazal, our Sages, say that it rains, the Heavens cry when a Tzaddik, a righteous person passes away. I guess it was crying for Yossi.

Time for some quick visits

I've been so busy this week, with what--no idea, that I haven't been visiting any blogs. Ok, I was at a funeral and two shiva calls and work and babysitting and a wedding. is that a lot? For some people, it isn't. I've done other things, too.

So, now let's see...

Let's start with Tzu G-D and Tzu Leit from nuch ah chosid.

Dry Bones is just perfect; here and here!

Great pic by cos'.

Chodesh Iyyar Tov from yaak.

My banners-creator, ~Sarah~, did a new one for herself. Wow!

tnspr569 is back home in Israel! It is home, isn't it?

Read Saved by a Song, at yitz's.

Is Yossi Beilin a Nazi or an Arab? An important question by Joe Settler.

Are Your Tax Dollars Funding Terrorism? by west bank mama.

Irina's elected....

See the old farm gates on baleboosteh.

Here's some challah talk from kmelion.

That's it for now.

Chodesh Tov!

A couple of recipes

I'm just trying to catch up on things, and one of the things concerns food. I photographed food I cooked and planned on posting the recipes. Luckily I found them. Now I'm pretty sure I didn't post this yet, though I may have alluded to them.

First of all, before Passover, I had a lot of food to finish, and I didn't want to deal with pots and pans. There's some sort of saying about "desperation" being the seed for inventions or something like that.

1- Well, the situation was that I had kasha, buckwheat, and I wanted to finish the package. I cut up some mushrooms and onions, put them with the dry, hard kasha in an aluminum pan. Then I added some water and a bit of oil. I wrapped it all very well with foil and baked. How long? Exact proportions? Sorry, but I don't measure, but I must tell you that it was the best kasha I had ever eaten!

2- Vegetable Kugel (cake/casserole)

I did this in the blender for Passover. Like all good holiday food, it tastes great all year long.

As you can see, I made a quantity and froze what we didn't need immediately.

Basically, it's done by blending a carrot, squash, onion and potato with an egg or two. (Double, triple, etc the quantity and play with proportions.) Mix the mush, add some salt, pepper (and chopped or dehydrated greens, like parsley or dill if you want.) Add a couple of spoons of oil, then matzah meal (or bread crumbs or flour) to soak up the liquid a bit.

Pour into baking pans, dribble some more oil on top, and bake! They're yummy!

That's where I was!

If you had passed by the Great Synagogue in Jerusalem last night, you might have seen this wedding.


It was nice to take a break from shiva (condolence) calls and the funeral, and I still have a shiva call to make.

I still haven't caught up on emails nor have I done my "visiting," but Baruch Hashem, thank G-d, Ive been busy with good things. Yesterday , conveniently, most of my classes were cancelled, so I wasn't late for the wedding. I got dressed at my son's Jerusalem apartment and must pick my bag up today.

At the wedding I embarrassed him by taking pictures. OK, when the day comes, G-d willing, when he gets married, I won't take pictures. I guess my "punishment" is that none of the pictures I took of him came out well, at least none which show how handsome he is.

Things are getting out of control

Yes, I'm busy, too!

I'm not getting everything done, so I'm closing the computer for a while. Busy day and all that.

Before I forget, take a gander at the latest Carnival of Family Life.

And if you've written to me, and I haven't answered, I'm just behind in my emailing. Nothing personal you see.