‪#‎morningcoffeehaiku‬ A Daily Treat

Here are some of my more recent ‪#‎morningcoffeehaiku‬'s and photos to match. How about contributing to the facebook page, or visit and comment...

this muggy morning
perked coffee to the rescue
not enough sleep, sigh...
#morningcoffeehaiku

Morning at Matan
Not my usual breakfast
But it hits the spot
#morningcoffeehaiku

The week's first coffee
Rain, drizzle or dry today?
To launder or not?
#morningcoffeehaiku

Slept for eight hours,
sun's up, sky's already blue
and coffee is great!
#morningcoffeehaiku

Friendly coffee's good
Yes early in the morning
Slept very well too
#morningcoffeehaiku

today perk'd coffee
strong, hot, tasty hits the spot
will it rain or not?
#morningcoffeehaiku

Back to EFL Remedial Teaching: Better Than Ever!

I really can't believe it. Yes, I am overwhelmed by how well I'm doing back in what's considered one of the most difficult teaching "specialties." My students aren't retarded; it's not a school for that sort of "special education." The students in Yeshiva Tichonit (High School) Ahavat Chaim are average and above average intelligence, but they have various issues and learning problems, like dyslexia, dysgraphia etc. My sons both studied there and are grateful that I discovered the school when it was in its infancy, when nobody including my older son's 8th Grade Guidance Counselor.

Just like when I first began as an English Teacher close to twenty years ago, this year, too, I was asked to take the very weakest students in the 9th and 11th Grades. Then I hadn't a clue as what to do, but this time, after a very long break from teaching, I discovered that my reputation was still excellent, even though I hadn't left under the best of circumstances.

I accepted the offer, because I really wanted to leave Yafiz, the clothing store where I had worked for almost six years. The night shifts which had become my regular "gig" were just too late for me, and the store manager said that her bosses had insisted that was my main shift. I'd get so hyper in order to work well, that I'd fall asleep very late. Also, there is no salary raise or extra bonus for veteran workers. A seventeen year old high school student got exactly the same salary. But I really loved the job. It was fun seeing lots of old friends, former students etc.

It was pretty traumatic getting back in the classroom, and I still haven't gotten my salary stuff taken care of. The Education Ministry insists I never existed, have no file, and my degrees aren't any good. My students started off as students in name only, and I had to use a form of threat/bribery to get them to bring even a pencil to class. With the agreement of the Principal, I was able to make a rule that anyone who shows up without minimal writing implements and book is considered "absent."

Luckily they hadn't yet been assigned textbooks, so I started off checking their levels and teaching by my own methods. For the 9th Grade I did find a good book, UPP's Entry Point 2, which they got after I taught them to read all of the letters, but the 11th grade ended up on too low a level for the simple A Bagrut prep books I offered them. So, began giving them much easier work, and they are having fun and working hard.

My biggest challenge was keeping their attention during the last lesson of the week. The principal told me to "play games." Honestly, I was never a "game person." I hadn't a clue of what to do with them. But I've always been creative, so I asked for ideas and made up games.

They taken turns pulling out from a bag either a word, or letter, depending on what I've prepared, and then they have to read and translate if it's a word, or say a word that has the letter.  If they don't know the answer, someone else gets a chance and the paper. The one who has the most when we finish gets a bigger prize, but they really don't care and just have fun. And I've discovered that these games are the best reviews, better than a quiz, and the kids are overjoyed at getting a couple of inexpensive candies.

Believe it or not, the kids are actually thanking me for teaching them! I don't remember that ever happening before!!!!

Would You Believe a New Phone? J7

Well, I took the plunge. I bought a new phone. Actually two, since my husband got the same model, Samsung J7. The J series is more affordable Samsung line. So, we have the most advanced of the less expensive phone they put out.

We aren't wealthy and don't need the most expensive and advanced phone on the market. To be honest, I'm almost more excited by the hot pink case I found for it in the Golan agent's store in Sha'ar Binyamin. I never liked the blue one I had on my old phone, though it did its job for three years.

I got the phone from a store in the Golan Heights, Zip Tech. I asked my gazillion questions on the phone and placed the order, that way, too. He sent the phones by registered mail and charges less than I had seen for them in Jerusalem.

I had gone to the Sha'ar Binyamin place, which is now in the new "mini-mall" across from the optician and furniture store, to have my sim-card cut to the right size for the new phone and get a new case and holder. It ended up that the Golan sim-card came pre-cut and didn't need cutting. But  I'm so glad I went there, because the young man working there did all of the complicated copying things from one phone the other. He really was a sweetheart and also answered my questions.

The most complicated thing to get for this was a new case to hook/loop onto my pouch "belt." The guy in Sha'ar Binyamin had a really nice one, but it I couldn't get the latch/buckle of the pouch through the loop. I finally found one in Jerusalem on King George Street, near Jaffa Street in a store that specialized in "cases." It also had great prices, and the guy was very helpful.

The phone takes great pictures. I used a couple of the photos for the new internet photography group I just joined, 365 Project.

Today in Jerusalem, 365

Raining! Day 4

Yes, I have a new "toy" to play with.

A Different Perspective for 52Frames

As an out of the box thinker and person, "a different perspective" is the norm for me.

A Different Perspective

"After Hours in the Market"In Jerusalem's iconic Open Market, as the food stall close, bars and restaurants begin to fill and it takes on a totally different atmosphere. You can see people cleaning and others rushing off to party.

52Frames

Pishers' Guide to Jerusalem #10, At Least There were Toilet-paper and Soap

This is a continuation in my ongoing series about public toilets in Jerusalem. See #9,  #8, #7,  #6,  #5, Saved by The First Station aka #4a, #4, #3, #2and #1 

In downtown Jerusalem, on Jaffa Street between the Zion Square area and Machane Yehuda, there aren't too many public toilets. One location is that rather unsuccessful "mall" aka the Clal Building. In its early years you could use almost all of the W.C.'s near the elevators on each floor.

But then they decided to restrict "walk-ins," meaning those who didn't work in the building, to the Restrooms on Floor "E." That means that either we walk up a few flights of stairs in zigzag through the mall, or in the spooky inner staircase between the elevators but near the public toilets. Or you can take the elevator.

To be honest, I never know what awaits and how many stalls are available. But I wasn't too happy with what I saw:

That's right! No seat. It was almost a urinal. It's a good thing my leg muscles are pretty strong. But at least there was toilet paper, and the soap dispenser was full and easy to use. And it seemed to be clean, because there was none of that old public toilet smell that was once so common here and in the NYC subway toilets... OK with all my complaints, its not as bad as it once was, B"H.

But still it's worth making sure you have tissues and some sort of cleansing stuff, since there's no guarantee that the public toilets will have all the necessary requirements.

Enjoy in good health...

Caption This!

I haven't posted a "Caption This!" photograph for a few years. I think you'll have fun trying to come up with just the right caption.

OK, get ready, and take a look.

Please post your captions in the comments, thanks.

Delicious, Attractive, Easy Turkey Breast and Veggie One-Pot Meal

Last week when I was shopping in Rami Levy I saw that they had a special discounted price for Turkey Breast, so I got a package. It weighed just under a kilo, meaning just over two two pounds, 2 lbs.

One of the great things about the Turkey Breast is that there is absolutely no waste. No skin, bones or globs of fat. It's like buying a good piece of fresh fish filet for a fraction of the price, at least here in Israel where fish can be very expensive. According to the experts, turkey is healthier than chicken or beef, and has more natural flavor than chicken according to most people.

So, I took out one of my baking dishes and filled it with all sorts of vegetables and topped it with pieces of the Turkey Breast, which I cut with my poultry shears, and then placed some large whole mushrooms.

Vegetables:
onion, carrot, sweet potato, zucchini, pumpkin, garlic and mushrooms

I poured on some oil and lightly covered with foil, stuck it in a hot oven and baked until the turkey had changed to a light/cooked color.

I served it for Shabbat Lunch, and it heated nicely on the electric food warmer. We had three guests, and everyone loved it. Even though we all ate plenty of it, there is still some leftover. Of course, it wasn't the only food I had served. I made a large tossed salad, rice and an additional vegetable dish which had eggplant and Jerusalem artichoke, among other things.

From now on I will look for more Turkey Breast to buy when on sale and keep it in the freezer.

Formica Table of My Childhood, They Don't Make Them Like They Used To!

When I was a little girl, in the mid-1950's, my parents had their "blonde wood" dinette table covered in Formica, which they wisely realized would stand up better to the use of a family of five, including three little children.

We lived in a small garden apartment in Bell Park Gardens, Bayside, NY, and there was no "family room" or large kitchen for the type of normal activities, arts & crafts etc that were part of life for us. Also, we didn't go to preschool, and my mother had to keep us and our friends occupied when we couldn't be outside playing. We used the table for lots more than formal meals. The kitchen wasn't large enough for a table either.

The table came with us to the house in Great Neck, but it wasn't used there much, except maybe downstairs in the "playroom."

And then when my husband and I moved to Israel and sent "a lift" which had a few things we hadn't brought when we first came to Israel, my parents added the table. That became our dinette table. Yes, it fit into the small dining area in our Bayit Vegan, Jerusalem apartment, and then came with us to Shiloh and later was demoted or promoted to the status of "desk" for some of our kids.

In recent years, we've had it stored in the basement, very rarely taken out. Some neighbors did borrow it for a few months.

Now my son has moved and decided to rescue it and give it a place of honor in his new apartment.

I can't get over how new and unscathed it looks. This Formica is at least sixty 60 year old.

Formica was first invented just over a hundred years ago, but it wasn't until after World War Two when it became a popular top and cover for furniture.

This table has been used by two active families, lots of children, guests, meals, parties, games and crafts. It has survived a lot better than any newer furniture. I had it longer than my parents actually did, and now it has gone to a third generation. What stories it could tell....

More Garden Cleaning, Should Make for More Roses and Grapes

I think when it comes to vines, less makes more. Let's see if this great pruning really works. For a decade or more the grapes and roses were mired in a mess that prevented both from flourishing the way the should have. So, a neighbor took the initiate and offered, OK for money, to do this massive pruning which we really should be doing annually.

I'll keep reporting as the winter progresses on the roses, and then in the spring we'll see the beginnings of the grape clusters, Gd willing.

More in My Car-less Traveling Saga

Cross-posted on Shiloh Musings.

As most of you certainly know, we don't have a car. My husband's travel needs are relatively simple, so like many in the modern world he has no big problem commuting to and from work and other activities by public transportation. He actually enjoys the quiet time for napping and whatever. My travel needs are sometimes more complicated, but since there's no car on the horizon at all, I find myself enjoying periodic adventures.

Wednesday is my most complicated day of the week. Of course, it starts off simply enough, because I usually sleep at a friend's apartment Tuesday night. She's one of my "learning buddies," aka chevruta, so we travel together to Matan in her car, where we meet the rest of the group for our Al Haperek studies. After that we stay for Yael Ziegler's class,  "Kings, Prophets and Hurban,"  and then I rush to catch a bus plus in order to get me to Kochav Hashachar to teach on time.

In theory, it's possible to just catch the bus on Eshkol Boulevard if it's slightly delayed, though I frequently miss it. Last week as I rushed out of the light-rail (which I caught on Jaffa Street after getting off the 77 bus) at Ammunition Hill, I spotted the bus already standing at the traffic light. So I took a bus (after waiting a bit) to Sha'ar Binyamin and stood there for at least twenty minutes with a sign saying כוכב השחר KOCHAV HASHACHAR in my hands to attract drivers to that community who wouldn't have thought of stopping for me. It did help,and I got a ride and arrived on time.

So, yesterday, I decided to stay on the 77 until Eshkol Boulevard, although I knew I'd have to run a couple a hundred meters to a bus stop. As I caught my breath at that stop, I saw the 949--yes the bus to Kocahv Hashachar-- approaching. I signaled and got on very gratefully, thanking Gd for my great luck. I paid, sat down and relaxed. Everything was fine until about a half a kilometer from the city-line, the Jerusalem-Hisme border. The bus died.

So, I went out with another passenger to try to hail a bus or a ride at least to Sha'ar Binyamin or Hisme. The other buses wouldn't pick us up, because they are Egged Tavura and the 949 is Egged, so since it wasn't a proper bus stop they couldn't stop for us. Finally a young bearded man stopped, opened the door and said:

"Batya, come on in."

It ended up being a guy who had grown up in Shiloh, was my son's madrich, youth movement counselor, and my daughter had been his. He was on his way to visit his mother and was disappointed that he couldn't take me all the way home.

I asked him if I was crazy to get off at the Alon Road turnoff from Road 60, where there's a proper hitchhiking stop, with barriers and all. I've been asking many about it since there are many more possibilities for rides to Kochav Hashachar than Hizme and Sha'ar Binyamin. So that's where I got off.

Finally a young woman picked me up who was going to Kochav Hashachar and told me that it's a fine place to wait for rides. So now I know that I must find a tremp willing to drop me off there when I have to get to work.

And don't think that getting home from Kochav Hashachar didn't cause stress, too. There is no direct way, so I have to speak to other teachers and get a ride somehow.

Kochav Hashachar is just north of Rimonim and southeast of Shiloh. They are on the Alon Road, and Shiloh is on #60.

The best rides are when I'm taken via Kida/Shvut Rachel which at its worst will leave me a mile or kilometer and a half from my house. But recently, after hectic stressful searches for a ride out, which leave me with little patience to teach my difficult students, I end up with a ride that drops me off at Givat Asaf, the Beit El junction. When there I whip out my שילה SHILOH sign to attract drivers going north. That's what happened yesterday. I caught a ride, thanks to the sign of course, to the Shiloh Junction, where I got a ride to the Shvut Rachel-Shiloh Junction, then another ride to the middle of Shiloh where the stores and Kupat Leumit clinic are. And there I got tired of waiting, started walking up when a neighbor stopped to give me a ride to my door, B"H, thank the Good Lord!!

Black & White Minimalism in The Israel Musuem

The name of this week's 52Frames theme is Black & White Minimalism, but my photo is much more white than black.

"White Chairs and Mondrian"
When I walked by these chairs in front of the painting by Piet Mondrian in the Israel Museum, I knew that I had found my Black Minimalism subject. 

Once while in New York's Museum of Modern Art I ended up listening to a gallery talk about Piet Mondrian, so I recognized the style of his painting right away. And I must admit that I was quite proud of myself for guessing correctly!

The perfect white minimalist props for the painting are these two chairs. They almost fade into the background, and you can't get more minimalist than that.

What do you think?

Best Salad Deal in Jerusalem!

After enjoying that spinach knish from "Coney Island," the taste of Brooklyn on Jaffa Street by the light-rail stop, a few steps from Zion Square, I just had to try something more dietetic. Maybe one day when I enter with a few friends, I'll share one of their gorgeous cupcakes.

I took a tuna salad, which kept eyeing me... As you can see, the container is full of goodies. It only costs NS19- In other take out places a similar salad would cost more, well over twenty shekels.

Actually, I didn't eat it immediately, and it was still nice and fresh when I did. And it looked even better when I finished it off in a nice fancy bowl at a friend's apartment.

Israel's Coney Island is more than an inexpensive food place, it also does catering and has totally separate dairy and meat kitchens. And they also do strictly parve catering and takeout. Contact Avi 054-569-6135 or Yael 052-668-4005

Craving Compote

The other day I got back from Jerusalem with a slightly upset stomach and a strong craving for apple compote. The craving may have begun a few days earlier when I thought of making baked apple for dessert. In the end I didn't, because the last time I did, my husband wasn't very enthusiastic. If I were to make baked apples, I'd have to supply him with a cake, so I ended up not having the apples.

But then I really found myself seriously needing cooked apple, so I made myself compote.

raw ingredients

There are just three ingredients besides water, as you can see in the photo:

• pieces of apples
• cinnamon
• fresh ginger

While it was cooking I had some nice mild tea, also with a bit of fresh ginger. After smelling that it was cooking, I turned off the flame and waited for at least ten minutes. And then finally I had the Apple Compote, and it hit the spot. Suddenly I felt so much better. I finished every single drop.

PS Correct, no sugar at all. It is so sweet on its own cooked/stewed in minimal water.

The Crucial Stir-- French Press Tip

One needs patience, a timer or some sort of busy routine when making coffee in a French Press. There's the first step when you pour boiling water over the coarsely ground coffee. It must sit and soak and brew for a few minutes. Some say four minutes, but I don't time it. I've just developed a routine that uses time. I take pictures of the sunrise or however the sky looks for my #morningcoffeehaiku on Facebook. I also get the sugar and milk ready.

By then the coffee and boiling water look like in the photo above. So, I give it a good stir, so it mixes extra well and can even look foamy, like the photo below.

I guess by then four or enough minutes have passed, so I can push down the plunger which filters the coffee liquid up and keeps the grounds on the bottom for a perfect mug of coffee.

Enjoy!!!

Absolutely Delicious: Meatloaf Plus!

For Shabbat lunch I made something that's more meatloaf than moussaka. It's so easy to make and great heated on the electric hotplate. And you can make it for any occasion, and of course you don't have to be Jewish...

Very simple:

• Layer the bottom of the baking dish (diameter of mine is about 26cm = 10inches*) with slices of eggplant.
• Mix 2 lbs or just under a kilo of chopped/ground beef/chicken/turkey or a combination with a diced onion, tomato paste/concentrate, a couple of eggs and garlic.
• Spread the meat mixture on the eggplant, and then decorate with more eggplant slices and some sliced tomato.
• Bake in hot oven loosely covered with foil until you can see that the meat has moved from the edge of the pan, and liquid is visible, like a moat. 

It also freezes well and has no carbohydrates at all.

*Adjust quantity to the size of your baking dish.

May It Be For A Blessing...

Here in Israel, the Jewish Holy Land, we take our rain very seriously. There are all sorts of prayers about rain and references to rain in our prayers. This part of the world was not created with an automatic yearlong sprinkler system or reliable irrigation and water sources. More than half the year it doesn't rain at all, and the few natural springs can easily dry up. With proper watering, precipitation, this can be a very fertile piece of real estate.

When we were on shlichut, doing Jewish/Zionist youth work in London, I'd get a kick out of the newscasts which reported on how many minutes of sunshine in London and other cities. Here they report how many millimeters of rain fell in the previous few hours.

The greatest fireman in action!

Heavy heavy rain across Israel now especially in Haifa area where the wildfires were at their largest. #MoridHageshem, Facebook

And after a dry spell, we don't want a long, heavy rain, because there are always lots of car accidents on the suddenly slippery roads. Rain, dust, sand and oil are a bad combination. Also, too heavy a rain on parched soil just wipes away the top soil and causes damage. So, the way the rains have fallen this week is good. First we had a bit of rain, just enough to soften the earth and wipe the dust off of our roads and solar panels, without flooding all the bad stuff (potential pollution) from the fires and now we've received a heavier rain to water the crops, refill fresh water springs and the Kinneret, the Sea of Galilee, Israel's major water source.

Also here in the Holy Land, our timing and quantity of rains/precipitation are a blessing or punishment from Gd for our, as a People, behavior. Sins cause droughts and floods, while living according to the mitzvot Gd commanded us will bring rain in its season and the best quantities.

And one of the lessons/reminders from Gd about these recent aishtafada fires is that although with modern technology we can purify enough water for agriculture and even drinking, but we can't protect our forests and homes from fire without enough rain. Too many times recently I've read rather sacrilegious stuff about our no longer being dependent on rain for sufficient water. All the damage was a reminder of how much we need the rain that only Gd can give.

As much as I hate having the clothes drying in the living-room, it's a small price to pay for the needed rain. So, let your smile be your umbrella, thank Gd, bundle up and enjoy.

Shabbat Shalom u'Mevorach!

May you have a Peaceful and Blessed Shabbat!

Sunset on Way to the Israel Museum

One of my favorite places to photograph, let's say #2 after Shiloh Hakeduma, Tel Shiloh, is the Israel Museum. The other day I ended up walking in just as the sun was setting, and here are some of the photos I took:

It's also the location of a very good and reasonably priced dairy coffee shop/restaurant, Mansfeld, in the entrance area; no need to pay entrance fee to eat in the restaurant. Parking is free, and there are a few bus lines that go there.