TU B'Shevat Festivities Cancelled in Shiloh

Last night, instead of getting together to celebrate TU B'Shvat and 38 years of renewed Jewish life in the Holy City of Shiloh over wine and fruit and nuts and cakes, we mourned. And we gathered together in the large sports hall and then slowly marched under the cold, weeping sky at a funeral.

A young man, born and raised in Shiloh had been killed in a terrible road accident, only minutes from home. His family, friends and the soldiers he had led all gathered together to bring him to his resting place, until the Moshiach arrives and tichiyat hamettim, resurrection of the dead. May it be soon in our time...

Shiloh Cemetery, photo taken a few months ago for 52Frames, Theme: Future, titled "We Will All Die"

המקום ינחם

HAMAKOM YINACHEM

MAY GD COMFORT THE MOURNERS

Please Don't Predict Snow!

All of these are photos I took at earlier snows.

It's much easier on me to just wake up and be surprised by all the pristine white.

Granted I'm decades past the age when I'd risk freezing my hands and fingers to do sculpture aka snowmen like these.

I leave such art projects to others, like my neighbors.

And besides photoshoots, I'd rather not take a walk.  And although the pool can look pretty full, it's not for swimming.

One thing I wish you is safety, walking and traveling.  Riding in the snow I'll never again feel secure after having been in an accident a number of years ago.

So, if it's going to snow, fine, just please don't keep harping on it days in advance.

Stay safe
Warm and safe 

The Game of Life, G-d is Good

Last week was one of those extraordinary examples of how G-d is behind the game board. Life is like one of those games. Depending on which decision you make, a whole new set of possibilities opens up, and we really don't know at first what the smallest decision or change in plans may bring. I'm still trying to figure out and remember all that happened last week...

Early in the week, while waiting for a ride out of Shiloh, I mentioned to a friend that we ought to visit a very sick neighbor on our day off. She agreed, and we made plans to meet on Wednesday after my weekly "swim."

In the evening I got a call from someone who had invited us to her daughter's upcoming Bat Mitzvah. She wanted to make sure we'd be there. It was for Friday morning, and since I no longer tutor, and my married daughter and family weren't coming for Shabbat, I told her I'd be there.

Wednesday morning, my day off, I felt an urge to rush down to the bus/tremp stop, even though I had waited a very long time for rides to Jerusalem on previous weeks. After a few minutes a car came, and as I was getting in, I heard another honking, and the driver was trying to tell me something. I got out and discovered that she was off to the pool. While we were traveling I mentioned my plans to visit the sick neighbor, and she said that she wanted to go, too. When we got there, we were told that the neighbor had been taken to the hospital. I understand that if you innocently give tzedaka, charity, to a con man, it's still counted as a mitzvah, good deed. So is a visit to a sick person, who was transferred to the hospital also counted as a mitzvah?

The next day, Thursday, on the way to work, it began hailing, snowing, raining--all at once. Between Ofra and the T-junction to Beit El, the driver lost control of the car, and we kept spinning and spinning and spinning, until we crashed into the guard rail. Baruch Hashem, thank G-d, we weren't injured, though the car was slightly damaged.

Friday, I was determined to get to that Bat Mitzvah. Since I don't get to Jerusalem all that often, it seemed a good idea to do at least one other errand. My mother had asked me to get her a new batch of medications, which are less expensive here than in New York, and someone going for Pesach offered to bring them.

No great surprise, when I checked the bus schedule I discovered that one bus would get me to Jerusalem too early, and the other one would be too late, so I had to "tremp." "Tremping" is hitchhiking, which I do very frequently to a from Shiloh, since no only aren't there enough buses, but there aren't the routes I need. I waited in Shiloh for a ride out, in the direction of Jerusalem.

After quite a while, I got a ride to Ofra, one-third of the way I needed. There I waited some more with just a few people, a mother and her son and two young women, one who is blind. Eventually, a large, family-size van pulled up with enough room for all of us. The mother asked for bus directions to Talpiyot, which I gave. I explained that I'd also be changing buses to go there, so I'd show her the route.

When we were getting off in Jerusalem, the young woman helping the blind one asked if we could assist her friend to the bus she needed. It was the first time I had ever guided a blind person. We had to cross some streets, and imagine my horror when I looked up at the traffic lights and discovered that they weren't working!! Generally, when the lights are out, traffic is totally snarled and blocked, and it's bad news for pedestrians. Miraculously, we succeeded in crossing the streets quickly and easily. All the while, I kept telling the young woman how amazing it was. Honestly, she was amazing, walked quickly and confidently. Her bus came, and I helped her onto the bus; she was on her way. In Israel, people are very helpful, and she wasn't worried about traveling alone.

While waiting, the mother and I talked, as people do. You guessed it. Didn't you? We discovered that we were going to the same Bat Mitzvah! So we decided to share a cab back to the "trempiada," bus stop in order to catch a bus or ride back home. We just couldn't get over the coincidence.

Conveniently the Orah Pharmacy is on the bus route to the Bat Mitzvah and considering that every time I buy my mother's medications, I have have to return for more, since there is never enough in stock. As expected, I was told to pick up some of the order next week. The pharmacist said:

"You'll pay for it all now, since it has to be on today's bill. Today is the last day the prescription is valid. It expires tomorrow!"

I couldn't believe it. If the Bat Mitzvah girl's mother hadn't called, and I hadn't decided to attend, I would have discovered too late that I couldn't buy the medications for my mother. And my mother isn't in New York right now near her doctors, so she couldn't have gotten new ones to fax to the pharmacy, which is taking for granted that they would accept the faxes!

Hodu l'Hashem ki Tov
Thank G-d for He is Good!

Chodesh Nissan Tov
Have a good month!
It's the Jewish month of Nissan this week, the month of miracles!

May this be l'ilui nishmata shel Chasida Rut bat Avraham 'Sarah and for a refuah shleimah l'Gnaidel Malka bat Michleh.

Driving in the Snow, It'll Never be the Same

Dashing through the snow
In a one horse open sleigh
O'er the fields we go
Laughing all the way
Bells on bob tails ring
Making spirits bright
What fun it is to laugh and sing
A sleighing song tonight

Sure wasn't "Jingle Bells" this afternoon on the way to work!

There had been peculiar weather all day, snow, sleet, rain, sun--everything you can imagine!

The snow/sleet/slush became very heavy between Ofra and the T Junction to Beit El. Suddenly, the teacher who was driving said:

"I can't control the car."

At first I didn't quite realize what he meant, then I realized that it was sliding and sliding some more! We were turning around and going to the other side of the road... I closed my eyes, leaned back into the seat and began to scream:

"No, no! Nooo!"

And then we stopped after banging into the guard rail. Baruch Hashem, thank G-d, we were OK. Someone came over to check. I called work to say we weren't going to get to Beit El. The secretary didn't understand. She didn't know that the road was full of snow, ice, too dangerous, and I was afraid of getting stuck there. I was in no condition to teach. I just wanted to get home.

The driver was able to start the car, and slowly, very slowly we continued in the direction the accident brought us, which was homewards.

Yes, it was frightening, but there are worse things. This afternoon was the funeral of Chassida Rut bat Sarah v'Avraham, Z"L, and yesterday Gnaidel Malka bat Michle was operated on. Pray for a Refuah Shleimah for her, please.