Super Gevaldik Sunset

As we all know, there are sunsets, and there are sunsets. Many are forgettable, just signs that daylight is over, and we'll have to wait until the following morning for the sun to rise. There are even days when dark clouds and rain, hide sunsets, sunrises and even the sun itself.

Or on rare days we're treated to the most Gevaldik and amazing sunrises and/or sunsets. Today's sunrise was one of those beauties.

Honestly, I was taken by surprise. On my way home, sitting quietly in the bus in my favorite front seat, as we were traveling from North to South in Shvut Rachel, lazily I looked westward out of the window trying to see my house. And then suddenly WOW, Super Wow, the most  Gevaldik sunset, bright round orange sun was staring right back at me.

This photo is totally "untouched." I didn't edit it at all.

Gd is Great for sure.

East of Shiloh

I was going to call this post "Great Tremps Home," but then I changed my mind. Yesterday I did make totally fantastic time tremping, aka hitchhiking home from Kochav Hashachar which is southeast of Shiloh.

Today it seems so unbelievable that for years I had never been on the road between Shvut Rachel and the Alon Road, which is a very picturesque way of traveling through the Jordan Valley and to Beit She'an and further north and lots of communities to the south. It's also an alternative road towards Jerusalem.

From my house I can see Shvut Rachel to the east, and to the east of that, both north and south, there are more Jewish communities. It's government land that had never been developed, so it's available for new Jewish towns. The new Amona is slated to be in that general area, too. At present there are about 150 families in the various Jewish communities. They are considered part of the Shiloh Bloc of yishuvim, aka Gush Shiloh. Because the road, though paved, is barely one lane, there's no public transportation. The only buses that go there are the school buses to and from Shiloh.

Yesterday when I finished teaching in Yeshiva Tichonit Ahavat Chaim at 1:15, I rushed out to tremp, hitchhike home and quickly got a ride to the junction of Hakida and Achiya. I waited there just long enough to photograph in all directions with both my phone and camera.

And then I got a ride to the Shiloh-Shvut Rachel Junction, and immediately after getting out of the car another took me to my neighborhood. The whole trip from Teachers Room to right near my house took barely half an hour. So I certainly have no complaints. Some days and directions are easier and quicker than others. It's all in the Hand of Gd. And this is Gd's Land for sure. When you celebrate Jerusalem Day, include the celebration of the liberation of Judea and Samaria, too.

A Walk Down Memory Lane

As I write this, I'm wondering if the pictures will "upload." Last night, I kept trying to post a picture essay on Shiloh Musings about last week's women's Rosh Chodesh Nissan Prayers at Tel Shiloh. After waiting and waiting and waiting, it kept going into some "error." Bloggers, not mine, but who suffers and who wasted so much time? Me, of course.

Now I'm curious to see if the pictures I took when walking to and from Shvut Rachel will upload. We walked in the "valley" between Shiloh and Shvut Rachel. It's actually a short walk, no more, probably less than walking around our neighborhood. I just couldn't bear walking around the neighborhood again. It does get boring, so when my walking friend came over, I suggested a change of scenery.

Yes, it is gorgeous, especially this time of the year. Everything here is gorgeous this time of the year, even when the rainfall isn't massive.

Shvut Rachel is just to the east of us. It's in land which is part of Shiloh's official territory and was established as a neighborhood after my good friend, Rachella Druk was murdered on the eve of the Madrid Conference. The young families who moved there requested/demanded that they be considered an independent yishuv, so some arrangement was made, and they're governed independently.

I can see Shvut Rachel from my windows. When those very first caravans, mobile homes, were trucked in it was hard to look at them through my tear-filled eyes. We were all reeling in shock from Rachella's murder and the serious conditions of the wounded children.

Just last week, a neighbor and I stood at Rachella's grave reminiscing about our friend who is no longer dancing with us in this world. Rachella loved children, and we must take comfort in her children, their children and the children growing up Shvut Rachel, established in her memory.

Baruch Dayan Ha'Emet

Blessed is the True Judge, or Blessed is the Judge of Truth

According to Jewish tradition, that's the traditional opening when announcing someone's death.

The emergency beeper beeped, and I just knew it was bad news. Though I couldn't guess what, and I try not to.

"A tzaddik (righteous person) died," it said. "The Tzaddik, Yosef Chaim Shuker."

Yossi Shuker came to Shiloh to learn in the Hesder Yeshiva here. That's a post-high school religious studies center which combines traditional religious studies with army service in a five year program. He was involved with life in Shiloh and its branch of the youth movement, Bnai Akiva.

Later on he married Ronit. Soon after, Rachella Druk was murdered, and Yossi, together with Ronit, were instrumental in establishing Shvut Rachel in her memory, a yeshuv just to the east of Shiloh. Soon after they took on the challenge of another new community, Givat Achiyah, north of Shvut Rachel.

In Achiyah they started a business producing olive oil. Then tragedy struck, when Yossi was caught in the press and seriously injured, 99.99% paralyzed. After a while it was discovered that he could hear, see and communicate in a very, very minimal way.

Baruch Dayan Ha'Emet