111111 The 11th Day of the 11th Month of the 11th year of this century. Shabbat Shalom A tragic incident took place today as Rabbi Dan Martzbach was driving home to the settlement of Otniel at five in the morning and he saw what he thought was an ambush. He drove as fast as he…

111104 4th November 2011 Shabbat Shalom dear friends. I hope this letter finds you well. I am so excited this Friday morning since I awoke to the sound of rain, heavy rain, glorious, life giving rain! Admittedly I am equally thrilled that it didn’t rain yesterday or the day before which gave me the opportunity…

111031 31st October 2011 Halloween, for real. 30 rockets were launched by Islamic Jihad yesterday and the day before. All 30 created the terror intended among Israelis in the South sending them running for the bomb shelters and closing schools. 30 rockets over a short period; the 28th caused great joy in Gaza and horror…

111028 28th October 2011 Shabbat Shalom dear friends. How are you? The weather here in Israel is so glorious that “Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness” keeps running through my mind as the sun’s rays become warm and welcoming rather than glaring; the pomegranates are red and ripe, bursting with health giving juice, the oranges…

111021 21st October, 2011 Shabbat Shalom dear friends In case you are wondering, for us Simchat Torah (Celebration of the end of the reading of the Torah and the beginning of the new reading from Genesis) was yesterday, today is a friday with all the normal cooking and preparations for Shabbat. Life has been so…

111018 18th October 2011 Simchat Torah…………… Gilad is home. Dearest Friends This has been a week of joy, anger, delight and compassion. We are a schizophrenic country at best – we smile during times of terror and we stand tall when the world tries to make us bow down………… today our schizophrenia reached its height.…

111012 12th October 2011 1935, 1935 days – Will he come home for Simchat Torah? Will Aviva and Noam Schalit have reason to dance? Will Hamas perform yet another turn-around breaking the hearts and spirits of this family that fought so hard to bring their son home? Israel is on tenterhooks. We all want Gilad…

111007 Friday 7th October 2011 Yom Kippur is almost upon us. Hopefully we have all spent time in contemplation of our own actions and the actions of those around us to seek ways to make our world just a little better. This week one Israeli made me so proud I could burst and others made…

110927 27th September 2011 Shana Tova dear friends This has been a strange year of wonderful achievements and unbearable lies. It has been a year of revolution, rebellion and renewal, but little sign of democracy in those countries where the people reached out for it. Riots in the East and the West yet it seems…

110923 23rd September 2011 Shabbat Shalom and Shana Tova (Happy New Year) to all of you, each and every one, whether near or far, t our friends and family, we wish you a joyous year and for Israel a little taste of the honey without the inevitable sting. Last night I flew back from a…