Rosh Hashanah Fruit Head 5780

This 5780 year's "may you be a head, not a tail" looks a bit like a 1960's hippy. In 5779 I celebrated my 70th birthday, and I guess I'm still partying. The "crown" is the security bracelet from the very first United States 4th of July Celebration in Jerusalem.

May 5780 be filled with joy, health and wonderful surprises for all.

Don't let Holiday preparations stress you out. Take the easy path, so you can enjoy yourself. Love to all, and Gd willing see you next year...

Winter, Finally?

Here in Israel winter means rain. It only rains here from about October until March, rarely any other time. Those of us who live in the mountainous regions where it gets relatively cold, and occasionally snows, the lightweight raincoats I grew up with in New York, for spring and summer rains, aren't needed. By the time we get the succah stored away, early to mid-October, we're usually in waterproof winter coats and carrying umbrellas.

Unfortunately this year, it stayed warm and dry, with the exception of a day or two. This was fun for the kids and great for drying clothes outside, but my little vineyard was getting very confused. You can see that fresh new leaves began to grow months before spring. A neighbor of mine who works in agriculture told me a while ago, that without sufficient periods of cold, many fruits won't grow properly. And he also insists that the purified water which is touted by the government as the perfect solution to drought does not produce the same sweet fruit as rainwater does. No doubt that is the reason I'm not able to get myself to eat oranges yet. They taste awful.

Thank Gd, the last couple of days have been cold and rainy, although with enough sun to still get out a bit. A truly blessed winter would provide Gd given rain in great quantities every night and then mixed rain and sun during the day.

For that we need to obey Gd. Our rain is not due a scientific technique like seeding clouds.  This is the Holy Land where things work very differently from any place else.

The quantity, timing and location of rain are the barometer of the Jewish People's following of Gd's Mitzvot. This dry, unseasonably warm weather makes it very clear that we have a long way to go in improving ourselves.

Winter sky in Jerusalem yesterday

Sign of Winter

Here in Israel there's a plant that flowers when winter is beginning. Even though it has hardly rained and only from today, the 7th of Cheshvan, do we say the full prayer for rain, I noticed the flower over Shabbat.

As much as we need the rain, I wish it would only rain when I don't need to go out or hang laundry. There are years that the rain really gets me down. Traveling is so much harder in the rain. We don't have a car, and getting to work in the rain is much more complicated.

It is said that the rain is an extra blessing when it falls at night, when people are home snug in bed. Gd willing, we'll have that sort of winter.

Sweets from Gd and the Neighbors

Some of the neighbors have sent out messages, that we're all invited to pick fruit from their garden "orchard." I haven't gotten there, but they really must have a lot of fruit if it's more than they, their kids and grandchildren, too, can use.

Other neighbors left out some grapes for passers by to nosh. The note says:

בתאבון

בורא פרי העץ

הופרשו תרומות ומעשרות

BITEI'AVON

Borei Pri Ha'etz

Hufrishu Trumot u'Masrot

HEARTY APPETITE (ENJOY)

...Creator of the Fruit of the Tree (appropriate blessing before eating)

required "tithes" were taken

It Rained So Hard That...

When I went out the other day for a couple of errands and to help a neighbor, I didn't think it would rain much. It wasn't raining when I left the house, but by the time I left errand number one, it was raining. Considering that it was a short distance to my next stop, I mentioned to a friend that "this rain should be a blessing." She agreed and then we both went out together.

Complaining about the rain seemed pretty pathetic, considering that the neighbor I was talking to is a bereaved mother, and getting wet is "small potatoes" compared to what she has been through. 

After that next errand, the rain hadn't stopped, but I didn't have much time, and there was some blue peaking out between the clouds, so I told everyone, that the rain will stop soon. Oops! Was I wrong!

It Rained So Hard That...

...when I got to my friend's house, just a few minutes later, she had to give me an entire change of clothes I had gotten so wet!

This rain should just be a blessing. Last year we didn't have enough rainfall, and that includes the great snowstorm.

The Ground is so Dry

We should have had lots of these "winter is here" flowers and lots of rain by now.  It was announced that from today on we must add a prayer to request rain from G-d.

This sort of drought happens every frew years.  Here's an announcement including the text of the prayer from a few years ago.

from Kumah

Remember that only a rainy day is a "nice day" in the winter. May G-d give us sufficient rain, even if we don't deserve it.

An "Only in Israel Story," At The Bank

credit

Yesterday I finally made it to downtown Jerusalem aka "Jerusalem Center" as it's called on the lightrail.  One of my stops was the bank to open one of our small savings to pay for a few wedding expenses, since a son is G-d willing getting married soon.

It's possible to do these things by internet and other impersonal ways, but I'm just too much a "people person" and just like to deal with real live breathing talking listening people.  I guess that's why I enjoy working in a store.  I just can't understand how people buy things online.  I have to feel the fabric, even if I don't try it on. Though I must try on shoes or I can never know if they will be comfortable.  Back to the story.

Our bank branch always has these things changed, like who and where and how to find the clerk to handle such matters.  I went to where I had taken care of things just over a year ago.  The clerk there sent me to the other side of the bank.  Over there they told me to go upstairs.  There a cute little "helper guide" told me to tap in my number onto a computer screen.  Well somehow my "taps" weren't strong enough, so she did it for me.  I was given a receipt with my "number."  I was told to wait until I was called. 

A minute later I heard my number and was told to go up to "the express bank clerk" who was right next to where I was waiting.  I told her what I needed to do. Of course I couldn't remember the name of the sort of account I needed to open, but she knew.  This is done all the time here.  And since I had, with the help of the young helper, typed in my number, she knew who I was and all my bank business etc.  At least it was on the screen in front of her.

"No problem," she said.  "It'll be in your account tomorrow.  My neighbor has daughters still single.  Maybe you have sons for them?"
"I also have single daughters."

just as an example of  a Jewish wedding

None of the ages/sexes matched up. And then we began talking and blessing each other.  I was in tears by the time I left the bank.  Such blessings, G-d willing...