Alternative Transportation, NY and AZ

During my recent visit to the states I noticed that bicycles are more common.  I don't remember seeing anyone ride them in the super hot Phoenix-Tempe-Scottsdale, Arizona I visited, but I saw something I had never seen before.

At least some of the buses had a special place for the bikes.  My sister helped me with this photo by trying to position the car just right.

And while walking in Manhattan, I noticed bicycle lanes.

We have them in Jerusalem and other Israeli cities, too, but I've never seen anything like the bus attachment before.  I have seen people stuff their bikes in the luggage compartment under the buses.  Bicycles aren't permitted on Jerusalem's lightrail.  There just isn't enough room.

And I Found Myself in...

I'm no expert in downtown (versus midtown where I had lived as a college student and always visit) New York City-Manhattan.    I went downtown to find a certain bank near the City Hall area and found myself by the wrong branch.  And I was suddenly in a neighborhood I hadn't been in for many decades. 

Yes, Chinatown.  I remember going there are day camp trips.  We would go into some stores and buy tiny paper parasols which broke very quickly.  I didn't buy anything this time.  I just took pictures.

It was nothing like my memories.

For the First Time Ever, I Was Really Late for Work

Ever since I was old enough to have control over my comings and goings, around the Second Grade,  I've been an absolute fanatic, compulsive about being on time, just to be safe--early.  I was always the first to every birthday party, considered "tardy" the worst thing that could be on my report card etc.  Considering that I travel by tremp  and public transportation, that I sometimes have absolutely no control over the timings of my arrivals, it's pretty amazing how seldom I'm more than a couple of minutes late to anything.

When I have late shift at Yafiz, Sha'ar Binyamin, I take a bus over an hour and a half before I'm to start, even though the trip by bus is barely half an hour.  The next bus would make me an hour late.  I used to leave after that earlier bus and try to get there by tremp, but even though I was usually on time, the stress wasn't worth it.  My usual routine is to go shopping in the Rami Levy discount supermarket before signing into work, without any moral problems concerning taking personal time during my work day.  We are allowed breaks, but I'm a fanatic about work ethics.

Well, as you can guess from the title, yesterday held some unexpected events.  Just at the beginning of Wa'adi Charamiya, a few kilometers south of Shiloh where a number of terror attacks had happened and there is no telephone reception, we found ourselves stopped.  There was a major traffic jam.

I'll let the pictures speak for themselves:

I finally made it Sha'ar Binyamin two hours after I should have and signed in to work an hour late.  I couldn't even call them until about fifteen minutes before I finally arrived.  It took over two hours to get past the site of the accident.

PS Luckily I took the front seat for that trip, because I knew that a friend would be sitting with me.  The bus was comfortable and air-conditioned.  And as you see, I had a great view of the road.

Breaking a Cardinal Rule

I always say that there's one very important rule to follow if you're tremping aka hitchhiking. 

• You must know the route to where you're going and where it is.

I broke that rule this week when I went off to pay a shiva condolence call to rickismom.  She lives in Bnai Brak, which is near Petach Tikvah.  I know where Petach Tikva is, how to find it, but I don't know my way around it.  I certainly don't know how to get to Bnai Brak.  I had set up to meet a friend at Tzomet Geha, and I still don't know where that is.  I had been told that it's "after Tzomet Morasha," and I think that's someplace after Tzomet Yarkon. 

Now, I do know where Tzomet Yarkon is, because you make a right to get to my cousin's, if you're coming from Ariel.  You need to go straight or to the left to get to all those other places.

But since I was off to do a mitzvah, a holy commandment, I was confident that somehow it would all safely work out.  And of course, being that I was counting on miracles, yes tremps/rides, I had now idea how much time to give myself.  I just had to forge ahead...

My trek started well when a neighbor picked me up.  She was on her way to Ashkelon via Ariel and then the Number Six Highway.  The question was where to let me off.  Two teens were also in the car going to Tel Aviv.  They were told to help me out, and we got off at the machsom, border check just before Elkana. They quickly caught a ride and I was on my own.  After a bit of a wait, a young woman joined me and she was also on her way to Tzomet Geha.  I announced to her that she had arrived to help me and would share n the mitzvah of nichum aveilim, comforting the mourners.  She accepted the responsibility the the patience of a long-time trempisitit. 

After a bit she, being young and pretty (and perfectly modestly dressed with a lovely married woman's head scarf) convinced a driver to take us a bit out of his way to Tzomet Geha.  It wasn't so simple and we ended up someplace else where there was a bus stop to Tzomet Geha.

And from that bus stop we had to walk under a bridge and keep going until I found the spot where my friend was waiting for me.

Baruch Hashem, thank G-d, I arrived safe and sound and only seconds after the time we had set to meet.

And yes, I guess there are exceptions to my rule.

Not Quite The Blogger F2F I Had Been Thinking Of

Last week I mentioned trying to put together a jblogger f2f get-together on facebook.  A number of people responded enthusiastically.  G-d willing, we'll still organize something within the next couple of weeks or so. That is before we become too busy with the pre-Rosh Hashanah rush.  Last summer we had a great one at the Lion's Den, HaGov, when Hadassah of  In thePink came to Israel for a visit.

Yesterday, there was a less festive f2f when a few of us paid a shiva call to Rickismom.  Ricki had passed away in her sleep just the day after I had mentioned a get-together on facebook. 

This was not quite the f2f I had been thinking of, but it was very, very special. 

A few months ago a friend of mine, a non-blogger who reads this blog, mentioned that there's one blogger she'd really like to meet in person and that's rickismom.  Many of us have always felt that way. 

Beneath the Wings  This blog is basically a diary, journal, and notes of observations. It deals mostly with the topics of special needs, especially a real view of what life is like with (and for) a teen with Down syndrome. Additional topics are interpersonal relationships, life in Israel, and dieting. Also an occasional get-on-a-soapbox-and-tell-it-like-it-is personal opinion.

Yesterday, under very difficult conditions I met her.  Hannah, A Mother in Israel, another fb friend and I went together to לנחם linachem, to comfort Rickismom, and we received so much more.  Meeting her in person was an amazing experience.  We were also lucky enough to be there at the same time as an Ezer Mitzion worker who told us how much Rickismom has done for other parents of Down Syndrome children.  None of it surprised us.  Reading the posts on her blog made it clear how modest she is.

I generally don't go to shiva, mourning homes when I'm not personally acquainted with the mourners or the dead, but I didn't feel that sort of apprehension that maybe I'm being presumptuous in visiting a stranger who doesn't want voyeurs invading her private moments.  My feelings about rickismom were confirmed when she told me that she recognized me immediately.  I didn't need to introduce myself.

I've been blogging a very long time, and among us jbloggers there are f2f and cyber only relationships.  Many of these relationships are very strong.  We're a community, and sometimes it's good to meet up in person, even at the saddest of times.

"Aspiring Mekubal" to The HH Rescue

Michael, An Aspiring Mekubal has been very generous with his time by offering to host a lot of editions of Havel Havelim recently.  This week, again, he's the host.  Thank you!  So, please click here and read the latest edition of the oldest Jewish blog carnival in the cybersphere...

Havel Havelim is posted every Sunday, though not on Jewish Holidays, and more information can be found on our facebook page.  You can send in suitable links, any blog post of the previeous week about Israel or Jewish topics.

There are other Jewish blog carnivals, the Kosher Cooking Carnival and JPIX.  KCC comes out monthly according to the Jewish Calendar, and JPIX comes out a few times a year.

As you can see, we Jewish bloggers are a community.  We almost never meet up f2f in person, but many of us know each other very well.  Join, please.

Brought Back Memories

I love walking in Manhattan.  This past visit took me to places I hadn't been for decades.  I had almost forgotten that there's a zoo in Central Park.

I'm not a zoo lover.  I never was.  Animals are not my thing, and animal smells are a total turnoff for me.  Even as a kid I hated going to the zoo and would stay home when there was a camp or school trip to one.

I must admit that I didn't smell anything walking along Fifth Avenue when I spotted the Central Park Zoo.  I guess things have improved in the zoo-keeping profession.

Lots of Good Food at U Café, Upper East Side, Manhattan

I ended up eating in the same kosher restaurant about four times  this past visit to the states.  It was convenient and the food is delicious.  I'm referring to U Café on Lexington between 93rd and 94th Streets.  I ate there with a friend, family and even all alone.

I ordered their eggs, Israeli style.

And I had fish and dessert, which I shared.

Their salads are fantastic, as are everything on the menu.

U Cafe LLC1436 Lexington Avenue
(Between 93rd & 94th Streets)
New York, NY 10128

Tel: (212)-427-8223
Fax: (212)-427-8825
Email: info@ucafeny.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
HOURS:
Sunday - Thursday: 11:30

Avoiding Jetlag, I Did It!!

A couple of weeks ago, I was still traveling.  I flew from Israel to Newark, NJ, USA, and a few days after that I flew from there to Phoenix, AZ, and a few days later back to NJ and then back to Israel. 

The total time for the entire trip was just fifteen 15 days.  That doesn't give much time for my body to adjust to the seven, then ten and then seven again, hour time differences.

I generally suffer terribly, from all the switching.  I remember only miserable times in both directions.  I've read about special diets and cutting out coffee for days before the trip, but I didn't do that.  I was too busy before traveling to do anything special, except for packing.

My coffee drinking routine is to drink the day's worth early in the morning.  And I do drink a lot then, this very minute.  I'm too sensitive to the caffeine to drink later in the day.  But when I travel west and get tired, I use a strong cup of coffee to get me through the latter part of the day, when it's night in Israel and my body needs strong persuasion to stay up.

I've had a slightly easier time with jet lag in recent years.  One reason is that I can now fall asleep in airplanes, and the other must be that I eat a low carbohydrate diet.  It must have done something to my body besides reducing weight.

I flew nights whenever possible; that included the "red eye" from Phoenix to NJ.  The only flight I couldn't do at night was from Newark Airport to Arizona.  That made it a very long day.

My general principle was never to rest.  I immediately forced myself to function according to the time wherever I was.  If I needed a pick-me-up late afternoon, I had some strong coffee.  Many times I'd just ask for their "jet lag special" and trust that I'd be served the right kind.  There are too many choices in the coffee bars nowadays.

I went to bed at my usual 11-12pm and didn't even use an alarm clock. (If you have to be someplace at a difficult time, then use one.  I normally do at home, but I didn't on the trip.)   I slept until 6-7am each morning, similar to my regular schedule.  In no time I appeared to be functioning.

When I got home I also forced myself on a regular schedule immediately, though I did use my alarm clock so I could get to the pool on time and not sleep too late.  When I sleep too late I can't fall asleep the following night.

PS I'm not young, so don't attribute my success fighting jetlag to youth.  I also ate well.  When I couldn't get proper meals I had fruit and nuts.  I tried to keep my days "normal" to fool my body.  Thank G-d it worked.

Happy Birthday 92!

It's my father's 92nd Birthday today.

Here's a picture I took of him two weeks ago when I was in Arizona where he now lives with my mother near my sister.

He was born in Brooklyn, NY and spoke only Yiddish until he went to school.  My grandfather was from Neshelsk, Poland and my grandmother from Rogotshov, Belaruis. He served in the United States Navy during World War Two as an officer, radar technician. Even though he was never a Torah observant Jew, he was a proud Jew and was called "The Jew."

He got his accounting degree from City College before enlisting and later passed the CPA exam.  He has been in love with my mother ever since he first met her over seventy years ago.  He's a happy man.

AZ Kosher, Phoenix

This past visit to Phoenix, AZ, I ate fine.  Although I wasn't staying in a kosher home, I had a pot, cutting board and knife to use to prepare my own food.  First thing of course was a shopping expedition.  I was able to find all of the fruits, vegetables and some certified kosher vegetable* patties in the supermarkets I needed.  Kosher dish soap and olive oil weren't problems either.  I generally cooked myself all the meals I needed to eat.

I ate one meal out.  It was "Mexican day" at the  King Solomon's Pizza place.  Is that an  only in Phoenix custom?

The food was good and a nice break from my homemade fare.  I should have asked for extra salad instead of the rice.  Since they don't serve coffee, I went to my friend's house for some afterwards.

*PS I as in Phoenix during the "Nine Days" when one doesn't eat.

People Were Very Helpful, Even in The States

The older I get, the more help I need, even though I'm in pretty good shape for someone who travels senior rates according to many criteria. 

Schlepping a suitcase, even if it's only half-full can be a challenge.  Schlepping the suitcase, plus a full backpack after a very long flight (from Israel to Newark Airport) and a full day of touring in Philadelphia and the trip to there and then to New York City by train and then taking the subway from Penn Station to the Upper East Side... Well, the last leg of the trip almost did me in.  That's when I...

There was no way I could get up those stairs and I didn't see an elevator.  I had already walked further trying to find the shuttle than I would have walked on the street from the West Side to the East, or so it seemed.

Well, I just stood there staring, feeling smaller and older and weaker by the second.  When some total strangers offered to help, I did the Israeli thing and said thank you.  I could barely keep up.  There were a lot of stairs!  My "New York head" wondered if I'd ever get my suitcase back. Can people be trusted?  This was New York, not Shiloh nor even Jerusalem!  I thanked him again when he handed me the suitcase.  And I did the same at a later point in the trek when others assisted me schlepping the bag up stairs. 

When I finally made it to my New York daughter's place she chastised me for not taking a cab:

"It would only have cost you $15!"

OK, I'm not that dumb.  I took a cab from her place back to Penn Station at the end of my trip.

Just Curious, How Kosher is This?

Next to the very crowded and not so tasty "Kosher Delight" on 46th Street between 5th and 6th Avenues I found a lovely looking cafe` that had a sign in the window saying it's kosher.  Does anyone know anything about it?

Eating Kosher in Philly

Living in Israel and visiting New York mostly when abroad, I'm pretty spoiled when it comes to kosher restaurants.  During my Phoenix, AZ visits I mostly cook for myself using a pot, cutting board and knife specially kept for kosher only visitors. 

When I enthusiastically agreed to visit relatives in Philadelphia this USA visit, I wasn't quite sure what food they'd find for me to eat.  An internet search showed that kosher restaurants do exist, but I had no idea if they were convenient or not.  It ends up that there are a few kosher places not far from the historic area we toured.

We had lunch in Hamifgash.  The food was good and even included a salad.  I got a kick out of the fact that none of us left even the tiniest morsel of food on our plates. 

We're all descended from my grandmother.  My mother is a "theirs" from a "his, hers and theirs" family, so on my maternal side I have some cousins who are only from one mutual grandparent.   I guess our hearty appetites are genetic.  Nobody complained about the food.  Hamifgash is a meat restaurant.  I ate a parve, (tuna fish) salad, because I didn't know what we'd be eating for our early dinner.

Unfortunately, I had to veto the planned dinner venue after we discovered that is isn't shomer Shabbat, closed on Saturday.  We discovered two other options.  One, if I'm not mistaken, is burger dot com, but it's very small.  We peeked in and saw one table which would barely hold the cousins who were expected to meet us. 

The other option was Momma's, if I remember the name, right. Nobody complained to me about the food, even though I could have done with less oil.  At least it included a salad, as you can see.

In all honesty, the food was the least important part of the day.  I was so happy to see so many relatives; some I had never even met before.  And nobody complained that they were "suffering" because of my Kosher requirements.  I definitely have wonderful cousins, thank G-d.

Havel Havelim #371, Mekubal, Received

Michael, of Aspiring Mekubal has hosted another excellent Havel Havelim, the floating internet magazine, aka blog carnival, which includes all sorts of posts about Jewish life, Judaism and Israel.  He also answered my call for a volunteer for next  week's edition, making him the most reliable HH host we have recently.

I highly suggest that you take a look at Michael's latest Havel Havelim, share it and do the same for the posts he has included.

We have a facebook page/group for coordinating who's hosting etc.  Hosting blog carnivals is a good way of promoting your blog and getting to know others.  It's also where you'll find information where the next edition will be and how to submit your posts.  Please join our community.

In Black and White

I'm always with a camera, no, not a smart phone. My phones are very dumb.  All they need to do is to be phones.  I still, bli eyin haraa, not to tempt the "evil eye," use the same digital camera, Canon 620, I bought a number of years ago.  It can be used, and feels like, an old-fashioned film camera with a view-finder and all.  It's in the pouch strapped to my waist, and I whip it out in seconds, aim and shoot whatever strikes my fancy.

During my recent trip to the states, in Philadelphia and New York City I spotted some interesting "black and white scenes" I just couldn't resist.

No Need to Be A Kvetch

I don't know about you, but I like to sit in an aisle seat when flying.  That's partially because I've heard from many sources that it's good to walk around a lot.  Sitting in an airplane isn't good for our health.  And considering how crowded the planes are, if you want to walk, you're best off on the aisle, even though the windows can be very compelling.

Even though I had ordered/requested an aisle seat in all of my flights, I was assigned a window seat for the flight home.  I didn't fight it.  I hate being one of those passengers complaining and nudging the staff.  The last time it had happened, the men I was sitting with were very willing to get up whenever I requested it.  The man in the aisle seat said he preferred it to getting my seat in the middle.  I could understand that.

So this time I told the women sitting in the middle and aisle that I would just ask them to get up when I needed to get out.  The first time it happened was awful.  The woman in the middle scrunched herself in her seat, hugging her legs like a contortionist.  Her friend in the aisle seat quickly volunteered to switch with me.  I was able to sit in the aisle seat.  They slept almost the entire way back to Israel from Newark, NJ, Airport.

Barurch Hashem, thank G-d  it all worked out.

The USA versus Israel, Cultural Differences

A few years ago, when I was visiting the states and on my way, by bus, to see relatives in New Jersey, I was chastised by the driver for talking in my cell phone.  He told me that it's forbidden to talk at all.  I was in trouble because I had to inform my husband's uncle about where I was and get information on where to get off to be picked up by him. 

The instructions I had been given was to call when I got going for the most accurate time estimation.  It's not that I had been having a long conversation, not at all.  Israeli bus passengers frequently talk and talk and shout and say the most personal things when sitting on buses.  Israelis are also sometimes give the impression that they're certifiably insane, walking around holding animated discussions with themselves. At least that's how it looks to others, when we can't easily see the earphone and microphones.

I didn't see too much of that during my recent visit to the states.  The longest, loudest and most animated one-sided discussion I did observe was davka a young man jabbering in American accented Hebrew, no surprise.

Americans seem to like their quiet.  I noticed quite a few of these, and similar, signs:

Public Transportation, Never Dull, Part 1

Since we're carless, not car owners, I'm dependent on public transportation and the chessed, good will or mercy or kind deeds, of others.  For my past trip to the states I took public transportation to and from all of the airports, except in Arizona, though I could have used their lightrail between my sister's home and the airport.

Especially since I'm now a senior citizen for both Egged buses and NJ Transit, the price is right for sure.

Going to Israel's Ben Gurion International Airport, aka NaTBa"G, I was unpleasantly surprised to discover that davka when I needed to transfer from my Shiloh bus to the one to the airport at the Jerusalem Bus Station, the buses didn't let us off inside.  We had to get off outside the building and climb down all sorts of steps to get to Jaffa Road and the main entrance to the bus station. 

To make matters even more complicated, my suitcase had slid to the other side of the bus, and I had to go around the bus to retrieve it.  Luckily my big suitcase was rather empty, so with the carry-on strapped to my back I made my way down the stairs and up the street.

Just to let you know, it's really a three buses ride.  There was the one from Shiloh and then the Jerusalem to NaTBa"G only goes to a junction nearby where you take another bus.  All of the drivers were helpful and patient.  I'm not sorry that I traveled this way.  It was definitely doable for me and saved me a lot of money.  When you have more time than money, it's worth it. 

I probably could have found cheaper flights, but I'm glad that I didn't.  I was comfortable on the flights I took, more comfortable than on some of my other travel experiences.  You have to know where to do the saving.

PS On my return, the bus did enter the bus station, so it was no problem getting to my Shiloh bus.  But you should know that unlike the shuttle on the way to the airport, which is the same stop, when going to Jerusalem, there's a bit of a walk and a wide street to cross in order to get to the bus to Jerusalem.

B"H, Home Sweet Home

Yes, thank G-d I'm home in Shiloh.  It was a busy two weeks.  I spent a lot of time with family and a couple of friends who are like family to me.  I flew United (Continental) for the first time.  I must admit that it was a comfortable flight.  On the international legs there was such a choice of movies, tv shows and games, that it was hard to resist and get needed sleep.

Unlike last year's flight home when I had to call for assistance when the man sitting behind me kept shaking my seat and hitting my head whenever he stood up or sat down, this time I wasn't disturbed.  I think that one of the reasons is that the United seats are better padded than the Delta and El Al.  And there's more space by an inch or so at least.

I always request aisle seats and was assigned aisle for all but the last of four flights.  I decided to consider the opportunity to look out of the window a treat instead of fighting politely asking for one.  The two women sitting in the other seats near me wanted to sleep, so the one in the aisle seat voluntarily switched with me.  Now that's a great way of solving the problem.

I also decided to go home by bus, taking advantage of the senior fare.  From airport to Shiloh, like the reverse trip is just ns24 total.  That's maybe $7 or $8.  OK, I had to walk a bit with the suitcase.  My carry-on can be wheeled or worn as a backpack, which made it doable.  I couldn't have had done it with two wheeling bags.  I do need a new one, but that will have to wait for the next trip.

And it ended up that my suitcase weighed much less than the maximum.  I could have had bought more.  Maybe I should have taken the $400- offered to take a later flight and gone shopping....