Chodesh Tov! It's Shvat, So Have Some Fruit!

Yesterday I was in the shuk/shuq Jerusalem's Machane Yehuda.  You can tell it's Shvat -two weeks to TU (the 15th of) Shvat from all of the fruit being sold.  Here are some pictures.

This can be my favorite holiday.  I love fruit even more than any candy.  The only thing that can turn my eye from fruit is Hagen Daz Mint ice cream...

Celebrating TU B'Shvat

I had some errands to do in downtown Jerusalem on TU B'Shvat. I heard music coming from Ben Yehuda Street.






Yes, it was quite a celebration. Maybe I'll put more up on my youtube. I'm amazed at what I took pictures of, since I couldn't see clearly. I had just been to the eye doctor and the drops he put in my eyes made it all blurry. I just pointed the camera and hoped for the best.

Saturday night, Shiloh had a big 31st anniversary celebration. The "powers" brought in an "improv" group, known as "play back." They request stories from the audience and then make up skits based on the stories. Here they are showing a young mother, fed up with living without paved paths and roads, being the only occupied house in a new neighborhood. She shlepped her two babies to the office to complain.

Grandmothering

Oooh, that sounds old. But I am pretty old, and I'm a grandmother.

Today, after getting up at some ungodly hour, so I could get to the pool for some exercise, I supplemented the arts and crafts supplies I had brought from home with some pretty stickers I bought in Jerusalem.

The grandkids needed to do something other than watch TV under my guard. So I told them that I need TU B'Shvat signs for my door. All three worked hard. When the baby got tired of drawing on the paper, he decorated his high chair tray. The girls were very creative and artistic.

Next I have to hang them on the door.

4 Cups of Wine! On TU B'Shavat!

Here in Shiloh we had a series of "TU B'Shavat S'darim."

This year TU B'Shavat was on Shabbat, so Friday night, after the meal we went to a TU B'Shavat Seder. The ceremony is new/ancient, based on all sorts of Kabbalistic insights and customs. About 15 years ago, we went to one for the yishuv and all of the new immigrants from the USSR, who were living here at the time. It was led by our neighbor, Rabbi Dov Berkovits. That had been my only experience with the ceremony. There was lots of wine, and everyone, including kids drank.

After that, I tried to get something going other years in the house, but "no customers." It's not the sort of thing you can do alone. At least it's not the sort of thing I enjoy alone.

This year there was a neighborhood Seder in our synagogue, which is right near the house, so I went. Ha Rav Dov led it, like before. Well not exactly the same. There were mostly adults there and the middle-aged and plus variety, since I think those with kids couldn't get out. The room was full; all chairs taken. We didn't finish the food.

All sorts of Kabbalistic things were explained about life and wine. And the four cups were small. The first cup was white wine, the second was white with a little red wine. The third cup had half and half, and the fourth was mostly red, with just a little white. The wine mavens at the women's table complained that the combined wines were horrendous. So I suggested drinking them "separately." First pour half a cup white, drink it; then pour half a cup red and drink it. I don't know what the Kabbalists would say about that.

While sitting, I polished off most of the candied citrus peel on the table. Please, don't tell me what that's made out of!

Must blog quickly. We have a big 29th Birthday for Shiloh tonight!