181214 14th December, 2018 Shabbat Shalom dear friends. Christianity has begun the countdown to Christmas, today is the second day of Advent, looking toward the season of goodwill to all mankind. Sadly in Israel this has been far from the season of good will and most certainly none coming our way from our neighbours. Strangely enough I don’t believe that this wave of terror…

7th December 2018 Shabbat Shalom from incredibly rainy Jerusalem. Glorious rain is one thing but this is crazy! Last night was Zvi’s (ours) grand-daughter Amit’s Bat Mitzva Party in Rishon le Zion. Zvi left early to help in the preparations and I went with Rachel, Talia and Ayala. The party was delightful, lots of children and only the required number of…

181130 30th November 2018   Shabbat Shalom! How are you doing? I would love you to tell me what  is going on in your family or town or city! It thrills me every time I hear from you!!   I know it isn’t number one on the world news stations but it is absolutely marvellous for those of us who…

23rd November 2018 Black Friday! Shabbat Shalom dear friends. How are you this week? I almost missed the boat on writing this week, sorry but it may be a short missive. So much has happened, some wonderful and some depressing. Gerard Butler is an actor who is very open about his visits to Israel and recently took…

16th November 2018 Shabbat Shalom dear friends. I hope you are well and that life has been kind to you this week. Horrific and tragic fires spread through California. This is the season of forest fires in that beleaguered State but I cannot remember anything as dreadful as this year. I know that the popular…

9th November 2018 Shabbat Shalom dear friends. I hope this past week has not been too traumatic for you. Yet again an act of senseless killing, this time in a sleepy Californian town called Thousand Oaks, has shaken the country to its roots. A former Marine with PTSD obtained a gun, legally, and in a…

181102 2nd November 2018   Shabbat Shalom dear friends. I know I abandoned you for a few weeks but I wasn’t well and spent 10 days in Shaare Zedek Hospital, but I am home now – tired but recovering. While in hospital I was yet again reminded of the incredible rainbow of humanity that makes…

181012   12th October 2018   Shabbat Shalom one and all. I hope you are well and that life is being kind to you.   We have been watching the progress of Hurricane Michael with a sense of horror for those caught in his path. I am not sure I could cope with living in…

Friday, 5th October, 2018     Shabbat Shalom and, as they say here in Israel “Moadim le Simcha acharey ha chagim” Gratitude and joy that we are after the festivals!! Apparently the festivals and the level of cooking and entertaining involved, exhausted me and caused my back to complain severely – which is why I…