Pishers' Guide to Jerusalem #6, Bring Your Own Paper

This is a continuation in my ongoing series about public toilets in Jerusalem. See #5, Saved by The First Station aka #4a, #4, #3, #2 and #1.

Last week I visited the Public Toilets in Safra Square, the Jerusalem Municipality for the first time in quite a few months. It had always been a favorite of mine. Even when showing up at 7:15am, I never had any complaints about them. That is until last week...

Yes, bring your own paper. I checked a whole bunch of stalls; there wasn't a single "square."

It's a good thing I had brought tissues and actually found them! A woman wandering around there, and it's a nice large facility with two long rows of stalls, asked me if any were clean. Actually, the place didn't smell, but it's due for renovations, especially considering the stained toilets.

At least they had lots of soap. Not every public toilet can brag about that. And the wastepaper baskets were empty. That meant that the public restrooms had been serviced recently. Or did it just mean that there hadn't been any paper for a long time.

If you have any connections with the Jerusalem Municipality, please find out why one of my all time favorite loos has gone downhill. The location makes it very popular, since it's right near a light rail stop and the Old City. There aren't any other public toilets nearby. You would have to go to Jaffa Gate, in a restaurant or the Mamilla Mall, which may be too far in some cases.

Was this just a fluke? If you've been by and had a different experience, please let me know, thanks, whether better or wrose. These Pishers' Guide to Jerusalem posts are meant to be a public service. What is more important than knowing where the closest WC, OO, the loo are?

Wonderful Rosh Chodesh Tammuz; Prepare for Av

We had wonderful Rosh Chodesh Tammuz Prayers at Shiloh Hakeduma, Tel Shiloh. So now's the time to prepare for Rosh Chodesh Av, which will be Friday, August 5. Please make plans to join us.

Women's Prayers at Shiloh Hakeduma

Tel Shiloh Rosh Chodesh Av

Friday August 5, 2016

1st of Av, 5776, 8:15*am

Hallel and Musaf for Rosh Chodesh

Tour of Tel Shiloh

Dvar Torah, Short Torah Lesson

Please come and invite family, friends and neighbors

תפילת נשים ראש חודש אב

בשילה הקדומה, תל שילה

יום ו' 5/8 א' אב, תשע"ו *8:15

הלל ומוסף לראש חודש

יהיה דבר תורה קצר וסיור בתל

כדאי לבוא ולהזמין חברות, משפחה ושכנות

There's lots more to do at Shiloh Hakeduma besides our monthly prayers, so I suggest that you contact them and visit. For more information call 02-994-4019. 

Archaeologists are digging and discovering more about Ancient Shiloh. I find new things everytime I'm there.

PS If you'd like to organize transportation, then contact Ben Levine of Awesome Tours. He has a supersized van, a bus that has room for fifteen 15 passengers comfortably. He'll help you arrange a truly inspiring Rosh Chodesh (or any day) in Shiloh.

*כצת מוקדם בגלל החום של קיץ
A bit earlier because of the summer heat

Ladies: Escape The Heat!

I found myself with just too much time on my hands the other day, when I was in Jerusalem. Of course, only later that night did I remember what I should have done and had planned on doing... Well, since I had finished studying Bible/Tanach Al Haperek, the Matan program, with my study group, near Mamilla Mall around 12:30, and had an early dinner date in Piccolino with another friend, it made sense to stay in Jerusalem.

Of course, I wanted to burn as many calories as possible and rev up my metabolism before eating out. The only real problem was the strong summer sun/heat. Of course, I could have just taken a bus to a mall and marched around, but I did not want to spend money.

The Old Jerusalem City Walls beckoned me, and I remembered that it was always much cooler and comfortable in the Old City, so I decided to go there and also pray at the Kotel. By the time I got to the Kotel, after a nice side-trip to our old haunts, where we had lived as new immigrants and newlyweds, I was exhausted, drenched and probably more than a bit dehydrated. The idea of sitting outside under the scorchingly hot early afternoon sun did not seem like a good idea. Luckily I remembered "the room."

On the right side of the wmn's Kotel area you'll see a few steps and a door to a small room. Decades ago, when I was in Israel as a student, I loved to sit there to pray and reflect. The only downside was the size, rather small, and the fact that there always seemed to be a mildew smell to it. But it did seem to be the best option, so I went in. NO SMELL! Also, it wasn't crowded. Since I'm not a "Kotel fan," I had no need to sit close to the Wall. I prefer praying in nearby Tel Shiloh!

"And the biggest surprise by far...*"

On the wall there was an air-conditioner!

So, not only is the Kotel the only place in downtown Jerusalem where women can pray and say Tehillim, Psalms, with dignity, but now we have a "weatherproof" protected room where we can escape the sun, wind and rain.

*Who knows where this line is from?

Water for 52Frames

Yes, the latest 52Frames theme/challenge was "Water."

"Water for Coffee!"
No water would mean no coffee, which would mean foggy brain. Most mornings I write coffee haikushttp://me-ander.blogspot.co.il/search?q=coffee+haiku 
52Frames shoot-
every week a new challenge-
this week is water-

Camera: Canon Canon IXUS 145
Location: Shiloh, Israel

PS Just that you know I did this, meaning took the picture without any assistance. That means that one hand was pouring boiling water into the French Press, and the other was holding the camera and shooting!

Forget Antibiotic Cream: Ichthammol is Better!!

Decades ago when one of my daughters had a bad skin infection, the old hareidi nursery school teacher told me to buy "mishchah shechora," "black cream." So that's what I did, and in a few days the infection got better. I used it for years, and it has always been more effective than antibiotic creams.

The real name of the cream is Ichthammol, and in the 1970's I didn't need to learn the real name, since all the pharmacists knew what I meant.

Ammonium bituminosulfonate or ammonium bituminosulphonate (synonyms of ichthammol, CAS#8029-68-3 brand name: Ichthyol) is a product of natural origin obtained in the first step by dry distillation of sulfur-rich oil shale (bituminous schists). By sulfonation of the resulting oil (or purified fractions thereof) and subsequent neutralization with ammonia Ichthammol results as viscous, water-soluble substance with characteristic bitumen-like odor. It is used in medicine as a remedy for treatment of different skin diseases, including eczema and psoriasis (see below). Ointments containing 10% or 20% Ichthammol are most common. They are sometimes called "black ointments" or "drawing salves". Ichthammol's dermatological action was promoted by German physician Paul Gerson Unna.^[1] Wikipedia

Just recently I used it on myself when the antibiotic cream was ineffective and I was tempted to make a doctor's appointment to get antibiotics. Suddenly I remembered our old standby and found quite a few pretty full tubes.

Now, why don't I use it automatically, instead of even bothering with the antibiotics? It stinks. Yes, literally so. It smells like tar. For all I know it could be tar or related to tar.

Who cares, because it it really clears infections that nothing else other than maybe taking ten days of oral antibiotic can do. And a few years ago I had an awful infection, took a couple of rounds of antibiotics and then finally finished it off with Ichthammol and cabbage leaves. Yes, cabbage leaves, but that's another blog post...

Women's Prayers on Rosh Chodesh Tammuz

As our custom, we'll be gathering in Shiloh Hakeduma, Tel Shiloh, on the first day of the Jewish Month of Tammuz, which falls this year on Thursday, July 7, 2016. We pray, as did the Biblical Chana, silently-without fanfare/media and directly to Gd. We do sing Hallel outloud. Please join us!

Women's Prayers at Shiloh Hakeduma

Tel Shiloh Rosh Chodesh Tamuz

Thursday July 7, 2016

1st of Tammuz, 5776, 8:15*am

Hallel and Musaf for Rosh Chodesh

Tour of Tel Shiloh

Dvar Torah, Short Torah Lesson

Please come and invite family, friends and neighbors

תפילת נשים ראש חודש תמוז

בשילה הקדומה, תל שילה

יום ה' 7\7 א' תמוז, תשע"ו *8:15

הלל ומוסף לראש חודש

יהיה דבר תורה קצר וסיור בתל

כדאי לבוא ולהזמין חברות, משפחה ושכנות

*כצת מוקדם בגלל החום של קיץ
A bit earlier because of the summer heat 

Here in Shiloh, there is plenty of space, and the shechina Gd's presence remains from days that the Mishkan Holy Tabernacle rested for 369 years, from Joshua to Samuel the Prophet.
Chodesh Tov!

There's lots more to do at Shiloh Hakeduma besides our monthly prayers, so I suggest that you contact them and visit. For more information call 02-994-4019. 

Pishers' Guide to Jerusalem #5, Mamilla Mall Where Modern Stinks

This is a continuation in my ongoing series about public toilets in Jerusalem. See Saved by The First Station aka #4a, #4, #3, #2 and #1.

Jerusalem's upscale Mamilla Mall has the strangest toilet seats I've ever seen. Obviously they were designed and purchased by a male, since there's no way any female would find them comfortable or attractive.

Apparently, the restaurants have their own out of the way, rather hidden, toilets for their customers, but on the most part, mall visitors are expected to use the main Public Toilets in the mini-mall towards the King David Street end of the main walkway. That's where you'll find FOX, Bugg, , The GAP, Doreen Frankfurt and lots of other nice stores. For now there is also a free Lego play area for kids.

Every time I have to use their facilities, I enter hopefully. I keep hoping that they will replace those very masculine and uncomfortable rectangular toilet seats with classic ovals, which fit our bottoms. But since they are the only game in town, we have no choice but use them.

And that gets me to another of my pet peeves:

Women who not only won't sit on public toilet seats, but they don't raise them up either!

They leave us messes like this! My message to those ladies:

If you won't sit, then please leave the rest of us with clean, dry seats!! You can cover your hands with toiletpaper to touch the seat to lift it up and then wash with soap afterwards. I trust that if you're that fussy, you'd anyhow use lots of soap. 

Was this post helpful? Which Jerusalem public toilets do you recommend or hate? Please let me know in the comments, thanks.

Picture a Siddur That is Also A Coffee Table Book

That's the Nehalel beShabbat siddur! Yes, it's a beauty!! I know that it came out a few years ago, and now there's one for weekdays, but since I had to choose which to review, I asked for the Shabbat one.

I generally give away the books I get to review, and I felt that the Shabbat one would be more suitable. But when they put out one for the Jewish Holidays and if they offer it to me, I'll probably keep it, since I do need a good Holiday one.

The Nehalel beShabbat siddur is gorgeous, easy to use and follow. The davening instructions are clear enough for someone not very experienced in Jewish Prayer. I also consider the English translation excellent.

And even though I was afraid that the exquisite photos would be too distracting, I did manage to doven from it on Shabbat. I took it to shul with me, and friends sitting nearby insisted on taking a look. It's that irresistible.

I guess you can call it a "labor of love" by Michael Haruni, his friends and staff. I went through all of the names listed and discovered that I even know some of them.

Conception and development of Nehalel, as well as its new English translation, are the work of Michael Haruni. Haruni’s academic research background in Philosophy led him to examine the nature of kavanah (the directing of thought) in prayer. He is the creator of the innovative Nevarech bencher, while his stage plays, especially The Stonemason and STa”M, have explored the relation between faith and identity. He lives in Jerusalem with his family.

Not only would the Nehalel beShabbat siddur be a wonderful gift to give someone else, but it would certainly be a wonderful gift to give yourself. Enjoy! For purchase information, click here.

Title: Nehalel beShabbat
Editor/Translator: Michael Haruni
Publisher: Nevarech, distributed by Urim & Ktav
Pub Date: January 31, 2013
ISBN: 978­9655556575, hardcover, 681 pages, $29.95

As if Time Stood Still

Yesterday at the pool, I noticed that I was the only one in the pool and saw the clock said almost 9:30am. That meant that any second youngsters (under 18) would be allowed in. I wanted to savor every last second of peace and decided that I'd wait to leave the pool until the children entered the gated part. I would leave as entered.

I was just a could of meters, about six feet, from the ladder at the deep end. I kept on treading water, moving my hands and feet rapidly, yes, exercising, looking at the clock and then looking towards the girls. I could feel my muscles straining, but I didn't stop, didn't go  under, didn't relax and float on my back, didn't dive under. The clock said 9:31, then 9:32.... maybe the clock was slow. Could be. I kept watching the girls, the clock, moving constantly, keeping my head up, my body active.

The girls got closer, and they got closer. The clock already said 9:33 or was it 9:34, when the girls finally entered the pool area. I dove under, towards the ladder. Then I grabbed the bars and pulled my feet almost to the top and climbed out just as the first girls jumped in.

Those extra minutes were glorious and good exercise! And I had a wonderful time in the pool.

Of course, you must understand that I can't show you anyone in the pool...

Such heaven, bli eyin haraa, living in Shiloh.

Yes, The Shiloh Swimming Pool is Open!

I was away in New York for the Grand Season Opening of the Shiloh Swimming Pool. I try not to miss pool days, since our season is terribly short, barely three months. And it's closed for what is considered pleasure swimming from the 1st of Av (Jewish Month) until the 10th of Av aka "the Nine Days." But for various reasons, I had to go when I went, so I did. And I must admit that Gd was with me on that and still wanted me to exercise in the water, so He arranged for me to stay with a friend who has a swimming pool in her building that can be used by guests, which I did very happily. In my modest bathing-suit, and the fact that at the hour my friend and I went, there was hardly anyone there but the lifeguard, and the fact that we were there for health reasons, I don't consider it problematic. 

Once I returned home, I got out the outdoor pool gear, yes, as you can see, the dark plastic glasses, hat and a bathing suit which looks more like an outfit I could wear on Shabbat or a trip to Jerusalem. It has a flowered top, 3/4 length sleeves and a regular-looking skirt with "built-in" shorts.

The Shiloh Swimming Pool, as you can see, is actually two pools, a regular swimming pool and a wading pool for toddlers. There's lots of grass for sitting, plastic chairs and playground toys for the kids. In addition, there's a snackbar in which you can buy all sorts of treats and food. And of course, there are toilets and showers.

There is "separate swimming" only at the pool. Children under five (or is it six?) can be with the opposite sex.  Also, children under a certain age must have an older person along to watch. And the best thing is that the first hour and a half and the last hour before closing are "adults" only. That makes it much more pleasant.

PS I don't "swim." I exercise, do my version of water aerobics.

Another Great f2f, Perfect in Piccolino!

My "closed facebook group" of great women from all over the world, mostly here in Israel, had another of our face to face f2f events. This time we chose a favorite restaurant of mine, Piccolino. The fact that I had recommended it made me a bit nervous to say the least. I didn't want my friends to be disappointed, since I've been praising the restaurant since it had opened. I'm a very loyal customer.

But thank Gd, my friends were impressed with the food, service, prices, ambiance, everything! Yes, even though the food served in Piccolino is many grades higher than in your typical dairy restaurant, the prices are very reasonable and the portions very generous. Pictured here are the Antipasti and one of the Pasta dishes. The staff was very accommodating in making changes/substitutions (for special diets and food sensitivities) when requested.

At other f2f luncheons of ours in different venues, our orders had been served staggered over such a long period of time, that some of us had finished eating before others had even gotten food. And we had ordered all at once! In Piccolino, the very professional, cooperative and polite staff had everything under control, so we could all dig in to the irresistible food at the same time. And our perfectly bilingual waiter also doubled as photographer of our group shot!



The private room they had saved for us, a group of twenty women, was exactly what we had wanted. Of course, we had made reservations. For brunch and lunch, reservations are only needed for groups, but it's definitely recommended for dinner. Though they are pretty good at finding a free table or a chair at the "bar."

Piccolino is located at 12 Yoel Solomon Street, easily accessible by public transportation or car. Sunday to Thursday 10:00 – 24:00, the kitchen is open until 23:00. On Fridays and holiday eves starting from 9:00 – 15:00, the kitchen is open until 14:00 Saturday from an hour after Shabbat ends until midnight, the kitchen is open until 23:00. Reservations are recommended: Call 02-6244186

Photo-Editing on My New Computer

Never say never...

I had always considered myself a purist as photography goes and would put down those who did too much beautifying of their photos. In  a sense I still consider it cheating, but I now realize that I'm at, or more precisely-- I've been at a terrible disadvantage, because many other doctor aka photo-edit their photos a lot, while I rarely did more than simple cropping.

Sometimes on the 52Frames page on facebook a member would post the "before and after" of a photo, and I'd feel miserable. It's bad enough that their expensive camera takes much sharper pictures, but then they have these fancy advanced photo-editing program that gets just the right colors and effects I couldn't even imagine.

Now I still have the same relatively simple and inexpensive Canon IXUS 145, but my new computer has a better photo-editing tool. I'm not quite sure what it's called...

Last night I took one photo and just kept changing it. What do you think?

5am for 52Frames

Am I insane? There I was still jetlagged in the eastern direction,which is the hardest to recover from, and I still set my alarm for 4:56am in order to grab my robe, scarf and camera in time to shoot a 5am photo for extra credit. Crazy for sure. But I'm going to let you in on a secret... remembering to shoot at 5pm is sometimes more difficult, even after setting the alarm for 4:56pm. I can get so quickly distracted and waylaid in the afternoon.

52Frames can sure make me do the strangest things.

"5AM!"
I set my alarm to get up and shot this early morning photo!

Camera: Canon Canon IXUS 145
Location: Shiloh, Israel

Critique: SHRED AWAY! I feel no pain.
This photo qualifies for the "Extra Credit" challenge: "In the Morning"

Finally Found My "Best Friend!"

Less than a year ago, I wrote a blog post, Dancing Memories, in which I mentioned that I had been looking for my childhood "best friend," Margie Gruen who is standing next to me in the photo. I had already found Lisa, who is at the other end of the picture. We have met up and are in touch. I do not remember the other two girls at all. As children we had been inseparable until she had moved away from Bell Park Gardens, Bayside, NY, at the age of eleven. We saw each other a few times after that, but by the age of fourteen we had lost touch completely.

I guess it's one of the aspects of getting older when you feel the need to reconnect to your past, complete the circle, whatever, because apparently Margie had also been looking for me. Yes, she found me to be exact. Thank Gd for the internet and my busy public life. It was just after I had, davka, been to New York, where she lives. So we had to make do with emails and phone calls until last week when we finally got back f2f together for the first time in over half a century!!

We just found ourselves back with the same easy rapport as if we had always been in touch, as if those fifty-odd years had been together. I guess that in some ways we never really separated...