THE STAR Wednesday, Mar 10 2010 

1 , , , intoisrael 10:10

Star Film Ranch, San Antonio, 1911

Dear Into Israel Readers,

This week has me starting a new job, of sorts.  I guess I should really call this a project, but I like calling it a job!  This is a perfect job for me, but dear Into Israel readers, it has a couple of drawbacks.

I do so very much want to find permanent employment here in Israel, and the job I desire would hopefully factor in two main components.  One is that it would be a paying job, and second is that my Hebrew fluency would increase on said job.

Well, this is volunteer job, and it is with the AACI, American Canadian Association in Israel.  English is only spoken there!  Oh well, it is a start.

I had been advised many times before I made Aliyah about the AACI, and how helpful the organization is to new Olim from North America.  Just a few days after arrival, I scheduled my first appointment.  Unbeknownst to me when I rented my apartment, the AACI was only a couple of blocks over from my apartment in Talbiyeh.

Located in a grand old home, I took to the organization right away, and it became my home away from home.  When I would walk up the rather steep hill from the German Colony on my way back to my apartment after shopping, I always looked forward to my rest stop there.   My routine was that I would get several glasses of cold water, chat with new Anglo friends, and check out a good book to read.

The home has that aura of history that even in Israel is often diminishing. In this historic home, the ceilings are tall, the floors mosaic, and all the doors creak.  When you sit alone for a while in the cool main room that looks over the surrounding hills of Jerusalem, you feel time standing still.

AACI on the right, New Condo High Rise on the left

One day while visiting, I casually inquired why they didn’t have a DVD library in addition to their book library, and before I had a chance to catch my breath, I was ushered into the program director who loved the idea and then shortly contacted me saying everyone at AACI loved the idea! So, I am now heading up a new DVD library.

I named the new DVD library The Star after the Magen David—Star of David, since this is the City of David.  Privately, though, I named it after the Star Film Ranch, a story that is very, very dear to my heart.  And soul.  And mind.  And body.  And everything that is or could be for me in this World.  In essence, in some way mystical and even romantic, it brought me here.

The Star Film Ranch is the story of Texas’ First Motion Picture Production Company that produced movies in and around San Antonio in 1910-1911.  They were wildcatters in the emerging film industry before Hollywood even existed.  Throwing caution to the wind, the troupe boarded a ship out of New York for Galveston.  They risked it all, and followed their Passion.

Much to my dismay,  since I loved the AACI building and location, they recently moved to the popular Talpiot area.  It was going to be too expensive for them to renovate, and the new space was custom designed around their specifications.  I didn’t want to like it, but I did.  It is gorgeous and expansive with a wrap around terrace.

New AACI Grand Opening

A few days ago the grand opening was held, and both David Horowitz, editor of the Jerusalem Post, and Saul Singer, author of Start-Up Nation spoke on the importance of North Americans here. Israel wants and needs you, and your Passion.

The evening was fun; I had a good time.  I sat next to Ulpan friends and to a new AACI friend, Susan Roth, who is going to help me with The Star!  If you haven’t read Start-Up nation yet, this is an amazing book.

In closing, I am most appreciative of any DVDs that you are able to donate and send for The Star.  The mailing address is AACI, P. O. Box 53349, Jerusalem, 91042, Israel. Please include your email address in your package so I can send you a note to inform you of its arrival.

AACI Terrace View

Shalom,

Barbara

 

THE GOOD WIFE Monday, Mar 1 2010 

1 , , , intoisrael 12:12

Rembrandt, Queen Esther's Banquet, 1660

Dear Into Israel Readers,

She is the Star of the Purim show, and we are emphatically told of her shapely beauty, but her exquisiteness wasn’t what made her a Good Wife. Queen Esther rose to that distinction solely because of her spiritual character.  As a result King Ahasuerus rewarded her plea that her people, the Jewish people, would not be killed by Haman and be saved.

It’s Purim now in Israel, and the shops are filled with gorgeous gift baskets and the traditional cookies, Oznei Haman—Haman’s Ears.  There is an extensive variety of Hamantaschen here, and I’ve enjoyed sampling to find my favorite, chocolate, filled with almond Halvah.  We have been instructed by Queen Esther to observe Purim every year just at this time, and indeed each generation of Jews throughout the world have continued this decree.

Oznei Haman

Recently, I have been watching, via my computer, episodes of the new television show, The Good Wife, starring the stunning Julianna Margulies.  I’ve read that it has been greenlit for more episodes, and I am glad about that because I have found myself engaged in the comings and goings of Alicia Florrick, played by Ms. Margulies.

Even though the storyline is not similar to my life, there are moments I can relate to.  I know what it is like to live in an expensive home in a wealthy neighborhood while married and raising two young children, and then one day that life is over, and there is a transition into the world of the less affluent.

Starring Julianna Margulies and Chris Noth

Alicia is also on this same path, but unlike me, she has chosen not to divorce her husband and this is where our stories diverge.   Her husband is in jail after being found guilty of using taxpayer money to fund extramarital affairs.  He is appealing his verdict.  The show has met with success because the story is quite current with the all too familiar news stories these days.

We’re gripped wondering just what Alicia will do about her marriage.  We’re obsessed when the famous fall, and their marriages disintegrate. We’re consumed to detract from our own quiet anxiety.  Extramarital affairs and divorce rates are high.  When you factor in the “happiness quotient” to the remaining marriages and the percentage of people who retreat from nuptials altogether, the situation is serious.

My definition for what “Happiness” constitutes in a marriage is that it should be a loving and respectful relationship.  Unkind words and controlling behavior are the rare exception.  How good-looking a husband is or his net worth is not an indicator of happiness in a marriage.  It also doesn’t refer to the private topic that slowly crept into women’s conversations and then took off like wildfire on how good in bed he was.

It would be easy to turn all the blame to modern society for the marriage stats, but that is simply the symptom and not the origin. For that, dear Into Israel readers, goes way back to the beginning of time to the first wife, Eve.

Adam and Eve started off as One, but as soon as they split and became two, it was soon clear that she was the more dynamic of the pair.  Her role, amongst many, would be to bring him into his humanity.  Yet Eve strayed from this course and disobeyed God.   After eating from The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, she made a bad situation worse by setting up her husband to take the fall with her.

We know Eve did not do this intentionally; she was tempted.  How on earth could the “mother of all the living” be tempted?  We also know that this act of temptation had nothing to do with love because she was in love with her husband.  Adam was glorious!

In that one moment, though, she felt invincible.  Enthralled with her new found power being married to the greatest guy in the world, which in her case she was, she forgot just whom it was who brought her to Adam, and dissociated from God.  She reached for the fruit that she was forbidden from eating.

Not coming forward to take responsibility for their actions, Adam and Eve were punished, but she more so, because now Adam would rule over her.  Talk about transition; they were banished from Gan Eden.  No more of the good life for them. Adam, Eve, Cain and Abel became the World’s first dysfunctional family.

Enraged with shame, she was furious and instead of taking the opportunity to do Teshuvah, repentence, she distanced herself further. There would be no holiday celebrating Eve. Yet there would become one for Queen Esther.

When Esther beseeched her husband for her peoples’ safety, she understood she could die when he found out that she was Jewish, but she perceived she had to take the risk.   The devotion King Ahaseurus felt for his queen was so great that he would have granted her every wish, which he did.

Esther never had the high and mighty attitude that the former beauty Queen Vashti did.  She didn’t drop her spirituality at the bridal threshold once she herself became Queen, but carried it with her into her marriage and as a result, she had her husband’s love and was blessed by God.

It will be interesting to see as the show The Good Wife continues whether Alicia will forgive her husband, and heal emotionally. I hope she does because I like the actor Chris Noth, who plays her husband, and I hate to see him written off the show.

The episodes I am viewing are behind the States so I’m not sure what has recently happened, but in one of my latest episodes, Alicia was representing a Hasidic couple as their attorney. In a brief shot, Alicia glanced at them as they were facing each other, not touching, but the unique closeness between the husband and wife was captured for us on screen.

It might be asking too much, but I hope the writers will follow a storyline that allows Alicia to begin to explore the spirituality of her marriage, not just the physical and emotional dimensions of it.  Now that would be innovative programming really worth watching.

For it is the elevated intimacy of Holy Matrimony that goes beyond the heightened sensation of the sexual and emotional embrace that lovers actually yearn for.  After all, it is only in that pure state arranged by God, that they can momentarily return again to be One.

Chag Purim Sameach & Happy Anniversary,

Barbara

This Never Happened Before

 

TENDER HEART Saturday, Feb 20 2010 

1 , , , , , , intoisrael 11:11

Tender Mercies

Dear Into Israel Readers,

Still stir crazy from the cold weather, I decided to watch the movie Crazy Heart this week.   No sooner that I made the decision, though, warm weather was ushered in as if on cue on Adar Rishon, a time for gaiety in Israel.  The forecast indicates it won’t last, but it’s more than welcome now.

Crazy Heart with Jeff Bridges

Crazy Heart has received good reviews, yet after reading the synopsis I had to go through a sort of internal prep to see it.  Cliché addiction stories about messed-up minstrel cowboys move me to tears, but not for the right reason; they bore me to tears.  Then, there was the actual storyline that tended to strike too similar to Tender Mercies, the compassionate 1983 Best Picture film.

Tender Mercies Robert Duvall & Tess Harper

Tender Mercies had a Horton Foote original screenplay, which is akin to finding the Ark of the Covenant with the original tablets still intact; it doesn’t get any better.  Mr. Foote, a Wharton Texas native who passed away in 2009, had an incomparable instinct for creating a character arc that carried the viewer alongside the experience from beginning to end.  He accomplished this no-small feat through the craft of his words, and he appositely won the Oscar for this film, as he also had for his screenplay adaptation of To Kill a Mockingbird.

Initially, Crazy Heart was intended to be distributed direct-to-video release; it wasn’t and should have been. Jeff Bridges, who is nominated for Best Actor, is a good actor, but this is not an exemplary performance.  As hard as I tried, I could never get past that in this role Mr. Bridges appeared to be none other than grown-up Duane Jackson, from The Last Picture Show, who still had not recovered from Jacy.

A Must See Movie!

Yet Mr. Bridges is set to win the Oscar for Crazy Heart, and I can only reckon that many voting members either have never seen Tender Mercies, or don’t remember it.  It’s probably the former.

Yes, I know addiction is no walk in the park, and it is reasonable that portraying an addict would be excruciating.  Society has evolved to the point that the audience is obliged to see someone vomit or urinate on screen or the performance is not Oscar worthy.  To me, this is an addiction in its own right.

The most captivating aspect of Crazy Heart is that Robert Duvall is in it, who won the Oscar for Tender Mercies, and is the best actor in the whole shebang!  Since he also was a producer, I am curious as to what attracted him to the script?  Was he trying to relive the experience of Tender Mercies, or did he forget to do something and wanted to do a remake?

There’s nothing inherently in the wrong about a remake of a movie.  Often they are better; Crazy Heart just wasn’t.  I pray there never will be a remake of To Kill a Mockingbird, for the scene when the character Boo Radley, who Robert Duvall played in his breakout role, is discovered, might now run to the front porch to take a leak.

Arthur Boo Radley

Recovering from addictions is basically a remake, a second chance at life, and there’s plenty good in that.  Too many addictions encompass our world, debilitating the inside and outside pureness of a life.

Obvious addictions such as food, drugs and alcohol are easier to detect. Emotional, physical and sexual abuse go undetected and unreported, but there, it is the intended victims who sadly, often tragically, who if they don’t turn to drugs or alcohol for escape, withdraw from love to protect themselves.

As an attempt to guard my own precarious existence, at a distance I’ve nonetheless been drawn to people who live on the margin.  Some of the finest people I know either have been in rehab, are in rehab, or need to be in rehab.

Eternally, there is the hope that we can free our self from the affliction of the addiction.  We all have within ourselves that achievable character convexity, and the potential to be pure again—Our Own Arc.  Ultimately, the craftsmanship of the Ark of the Covenant was all about that, too.

Shalom,

Barbara

 

A Cool Place to Shield the Cold Sunday, Feb 14 2010 

1 , , intoisrael 11:11

Dear Into Israel Readers,

Around this time of year the memories of the previous summer heat have faded, and yet spring’s recreation hasn’t begun.  It’s a melancholy time.

I really should have known that it was going to be cold in Jerusalem in winter.  When I arrived at summer’s summit last July, I was so busy with my Aliyah paperwork that I didn’t notice that I was rarely overheated.  Afternoon temperatures did reach the high 80’s°F and a few days, into the 90’s°F, but the mornings and evenings were pleasant. No time in Texas in August could be described as pleasant, tolerable perhaps, pleasurable, no.

Jerusalem sits at an elevation of 2,500 feet and the buildings are not built with insulation.  They use cement blocks to frame and then the inside walls are plastered, so this leads to the cold winter air being trapped in.  Confused as to why the apartments were advertised with heated floors, being this wasn’t Alaska, I now know why.  Frigid to the touch on cold nights are the stone floors of the City of David.

Staying close to home during these chilly days, I am busy on a new project, and one that I hope to finish soon so that I will be able to travel around once those first signs of spring are announced.  For those of you who remember that I am a project person, I have been working on my own How to Learn Hebrew book.

Considerable time I have spent researching the current theories on how one learns a new language, and also Israel’s Ulpan program.  Since I have studied two other languages, Spanish and French, I have reflected on them, specifically, at what point did they go from being easy and enjoyable to learn, to when they ceased to be.  My premise is that it is exactly the point that hinders most people from ultimately becoming fluent in the new language.

Once I complete my Hebrew book, and more precisely, put it into practice, I will share my findings with you, dear Into Israel readers.  In the meantime and till spring has sprung, I enjoy wandering around in the immediate neighborhoods that border my neighborhood of Talbieh.

When I was in college in Austin, I found an artsy bohemian group to hang out with. The Alternative movement did not exist then, but even if it had, we would have shunned it kinda like we did the hippie style which was still very much the rage. Avant-garde is what we strived to be, yet most of us evolved into Bobos, although, I am trying, albeit slowly, to extradite myself from that mindset.

It seems ridiculous how I once spent so much time appraising beautiful slabs of expensive granite or Carrera marble simply to implement in a kitchen where I would be slicing scallions.  Those slabs are better suited for special spaces and places such as a table.  I do believe, or at least hope, we are entering a time when many values we once thought were chic will now appear unenlightened.

Anyway, in this group of friends was Jimmy, who was absolutely adorable, and he found an apartment in the Montrose area of Houston.  The rest of the group back in Austin would crowd into a car and drive to Houston to see him.  Jimmy was ahead of his time; he understood Light.  His apartment was lit with low wattage light bulbs and candles.  Of course, we all thought it was so cool!

Yet, the coolest thing about this pied-à-terre, and one that we giggled endlessly on about, was that Jimmy could walk to his favorite bar; no need for a car.  I always secretly wanted an apartment like Jimmy’s, not so much that I could walk to a bar, but that I could merely get out and walk to a store, and not be secluded in a suburban environment.  It took me coming to Israel to finally get it.

I think that is one of the reasons why cities like New York and London are so popular; they are pedestrian cities, and so is Jerusalem.  My neighborhood, Talbieh, was established in 1923.  It is a quiet elegant enclave, graced with a mix of Mandate-period buildings, and renovated Arab houses.  Much to the dismay of everyone, except the people living there, are new upscale high-rises that offer panoramic views of the Old City.

There’s not much shopping in Talbieh, but the neighborhood only a few streets to the north, Rehavia, has a lot of cafés and stores, so I venture there.  It is also convenient that my Bank Leumi branch is there that provides my needed Kesef!  Rehavia is charming with small tree-shaded parks that one can pause to take a rest.

No one that lives in Jerusalem takes it for granted; everyone is thankful.  Sometimes I will see a person sitting alone on a bench, and I wonder what they are thinking or praying, is it how blessed they feel, as a Jew, to be here?  I ask that of myself, because often I am that person.

At Cafe Rehavia with Aliza

So it is in Rehavia that I will meet a friend for a late lunch, or an after dinner glass of wine.  Then, I might stop in at the bakery for a loaf of fresh bread or some pastry.  It is amazing that just in my few months here how many people I run into that I know while walking along the streets.  We always stop and visit, and subsequently I continue, bundled up against the cold, on my way Home.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Love,

Barbara

 

Big Picture Award Friday, Feb 5 2010 

1 , , , , , , , intoisrael 11:11

Coen Brothers, A Serious Man

Dear Into Israel Readers,

The 2010 Oscar nominations were announced this week, and drum roll please, A Serious Man, is up for Best Picture.  I loved, loved, LOVED this movie.

Now, it has no chance of winning, ain’t gonna happen, none whatsoever.  The odds that it could win are about the same as the chance that there could be Peace in Israel by Purim.

That’s really okay with me, because I don’t pay a lot of attention anymore to the Oscars.  It I were running the show, I would create a new category named, Big Picture.  Make no mistake about it; the highly talented Coen Brother’s, A Serious Man, would definitely win this year’s Big Picture Academy Award!

If it were not for the fact that this year the Academy decided to nominate 10 movies in the Best Picture category, it wouldn’t be on the roster at all; it wouldn’t have made the cut.  So, how then, and more importantly why, did it get nominated in the Best Picture category?  The reason is that A Serious Man is a seriously good movie.  I haven’t seen any of the others, well, I tried to watch a little of Up in the Air, but was bored so I stopped it, and never went back to it. Yet I suspect that A Serious Man is the best of the bunch.

The Academy and its members cannot give the Oscar for Best Picture to A Serious Man, and to explain that in depth is complicated.  Just suffice it to say that this would not be an example of a dark horse Indie movie coming from behind to win, which has, of course, in the past occurred.

What is unusual is that it wasn’t nominated for anything else, such as Best Actor/Actress, Cinematography, Directing, etc., till the Writing—Original Screenplay category.  So the film was nominated in the Best Picture and Writing categories, and from the title we know it’s about a man, who was in virtually every scene, yet this amazing actor, Michael Stuhlbarg, wasn’t nominated for Best Actor.  It doesn’t make sense, but then again it does, but that goes back to the complications that exist in Hollywood.

I’m continually astonished when I meet someone here in Israel that his or her English is so good.  When I comment to them that their English is quite proficient, their reply is “Oh no, it’s not really.”   But it is, dear Into Israel readers, Israelis speak excellent English, and they learn it from American movies and television shows.   Actually, they learn it in school as a second language, and they perfect it from American movies.

American media is cycling and streaming around the globe, it is one of the United States leading exports.  I know most of you know this, especially those of you who have traveled, but you don’t really get the impact of this until you live abroad.

As I walk along my pathways in Jerusalem, I sometimes wonder what it would be like if a handful of America’s exceptional Jewish filmmakers could make their way here to live and to work.  That this would be their home.  Israel’s film community is growing; this is the third year counting that Israel has a nomination in the Best Foreign Film category; this year for Ajami.  Israel needs these gifted American filmmakers to join the ranks to take the Israeli film expertise to the next level.

When I was in film school in Austin, at The University of Texas, I developed a schoolgirl crush on Steven Spielberg.  We were both young then so it seemed innocent, and since we never met it remained an on again off again unrequited infatuation till finally it was transferred one day out of the blue to a real love that came to me in the form of a handsome director of Jewish documentaries, who was also an interviewer for the Shoah project.

Still, one never forgets those early loves, and so it was with utter delight when I learned of Mr. Spielberg’s recent decision to produce a new reality TV series at Shaarei Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem.  No, he’s not moving here, but yes, his production company is coming and filming here.  It’s a beginning.  Maybe, Woody Allen will not be far behind him, and even one day, Ethan and Joel Coen.

Naturally, the Big Picture Life Achievement award goes to none other than God, who has complete control of our life, yet also gives us free will.  I once saw a movie that probably left the greatest impression of any movie of my life, yet I barely can remember the plot!

I saw the movie during HemisFair ‘68.  Located on each armrest of every seat in the theater was a panel with two red buttons.  From what I can recall, in the first scene there was a man and a woman talking and walking over to a taxicab.  As they approached the door to the cab the movie stopped, and then asked the audience to choose whether the man would get into the cab with the woman—Button A, or not to choose to get into the cab—Button B.

The results were tallied before our eyes on a big screen with red buttons flashing.  If Button B had more results, then the movie switched to the man not getting into the cab and walking away.  They had edited different scenarios; hence it could proceed differently, pending each new audience’s selections.  This process continued throughout the film.

Thus each scene would start then stop, the audience would be asked to make a choice, the results were counted, and then the movie would start again.  When the movie was finished the producer walked out to talk to us, and explained that it didn’t matter what direction the movie took with each individual audience, because there was only one first scene and one last scene.

The intended outcome was always known by the filmmakers.  It’s intricate for us to see God’s Big Picture for us when we stay focused on the here and now.  Don’t forget this when you are watching the first scene in A Serious Man, and by all means, don’t dismiss this for your life!

Lights, Camera & Action,

Barbara

 

LAND OF MILK & HONEY Saturday, Jan 30 2010 

1 , , intoisrael 11:11

Rugelach at the Marzipan Bakery in The Shuk

Dear Into Israel Readers,

I’ve been looking forward to this post for sometime, and now that the time has arrived, I’m not so sure.  I will explain momentarily.  I love the food in Israel.  It is outrageously ta’im—tasty, and I usually eat at home.

I have never seen a fast-food, drive-through restaurant here.  Maybe, they are here somewhere; I just haven’t seen them.  Tiny pizza and felafel enterprises are numerous, and when I’m up near King George Street or down in the German Colony, I sometimes stop in for a felafel or shawarma.

Ultra Fresh Produce!

The produce is fresh, actually quite fresh.  When I went on the bus to Haifa, I was shocked at the banana fields, just rows and rows, and acres and acres of bananas.   These bananas taste like the way a banana is supposed to taste.

Ultimate Organic Bananas

Then there’s the hummus, especially the hummus from Abu Gosh.  I know I will never be able to eat the hummus from Central Market or Whole Foods ever again, both grocery stores I love.  And miss, oh, I miss them so very much!  But I don’t miss their hummus, no way, never again, not now!  There, the hummus tastes like some form of mashed potatoes hummus.  The one from Abu Gosh is smooth and creamy with oil and chickpeas floating on top.  It melts in your mouth, just melts, dear Into Israel readers.

They bring the right from the oven bread in on trays!

If I time it right at one of the multitude of bakeries in Jerusalem, the whole-wheat pita is hot from the oven, the steam still escaping from it.  Once I have my base of pita and hummus, I can stuff it with a variety of veggies.

Everyone in Jerusalem goes to The Shuk.  Maybe not every week, but they go.  I am convinced both Whole Foods and Central Market patterned their stores after Jerusalem’s Shuk.

The Shuk probably has on any given day the highest concentration of Jews from every background all squeezed in together more than any other place in the world!

It is a large, crowded, noisy market selling everything, as in everything Kosher.  It’s an outing for me to go to The Shuk, and when I just want to pick up a few things I walk over to a more traditional grocery store like the Super Deal down by the old train station.

The last time I was at Central Market, they didn't have Kippahs for sale!

I had wanted to do a Food post for quite awhile, and exactly the day I planned to begin this post, I received a Path of the Just post from Rabbi Feldman, and this post was all on how we really shouldn’t to be so concerned with food and eating.  I love food, I love eating, and I love watching cooking shows, so I reread the post several times in hopes that perhaps I could spin the words to my advantage, my love of food advantage.   I thought.  I pondered.  I deliberated with a cool dish of ice cream topped with walnuts and Israel’s delectable whipped cream.  Yes, this is truly the land of milk and honey.  The dairy products are so incredible.  The chocolate milk, the sour cream, the cheeses, the yogurt …

Halvah, a national obsession, one must have a super sweet tooth for this!

Yet what Rabbi Feldman is saying is that we shouldn’t be so consumed by food that it takes time and energy away from our spirituality, and I do relate to that as I was spending too much time concocting meals.  My kitchen didn’t come with an oven for Kashrut reasons, so I had bought a small convection oven that Aaron carried home for me when he was here, and I was enjoying baking ta’im dishes.

Steam your Artichokes and serve with 1 part Israeli Lemon infused Olive Oil, 1 part melted Butter, and Kosher Salt to taste!

Now I will strive to keep my food simple, and not be “seduced by its so-called pleasures,” as Rabbi Feldman states.  I will limit my Rugelach intake.  This will be difficult, as the Rugelach has been known to seduce me so much that Lauren has told me to step away from it!

Tov Appetit,

Barbara

Looking Up

 

DÉJÀ VU Saturday, Jan 23 2010 

1 , intoisrael 11:11

Dear Into Israel Readers,

In the beginning, when I first arrived in Jerusalem, everything was so new.  Even for at least the first two months, I was still a bit disoriented.  I was experiencing Déjà vu, and I could not for the life of me figure out why, so I tended initially to dismiss it.  When it did hit me where the Déjà vu was emanating from, I was very surprised.  It was Mississippi.

Every plot line that could possibly generate a great short story, play or novel is encompassed in such dramatic and heightened orchestration in Mississippi. There is a sense of intrigue, of mystery, behind the shuttered windows and hushed voices.  As a result, the state has produced some of the country’s most beloved authors.  It was this sense of intrigue, that Israel most definitely has as well, that was my first association.

My father, Bobby, my paternal grandfather, George, and his father, my great grandfather, Samuel, were all born in the Delta, after my great-great grandfather, George Roth, from the Alsace Lorraine landed in New Orleans, and then moved up the mighty river to Mississippi.  He had met his wife, my great-great grandmother, Permilla Roth, whom I’m named after, on the boat over, or so the story goes.

My kind paternal grandmother, Ethel Jane Smith, was from Smith County that is in south Mississippi.  So between the Delta and south Mississippi, I am related one way or another to a lot of folks in Mississippi!

My Grandparents, Mississippi, 1919

You hear and read about the different factions here in Israel, and indeed, they do exist on political and religious observance levels.  Yet, aside from these different factions, there is closeness.  You feel it on the streets, in the buses, and everywhere you go.  I felt very loved as a child in my grandparent’s home, and for some unknown reason, this sensation has stirred within me here in Israel.  I feel loved.

I really don’t know if they are indigenous or not, but pine trees cover the hills surrounding Jerusalem.  They are in my back courtyard and along the sidewalks.  Pine trees appear to have been planted all over the country.  Hello, Mississippi.

In Itta Bena, there was a small grocery store around the corner from my grandparent’s house in the uptown section of the town.  Whenever my grandmother needed something, she rang on the phone to place her order, and then a boy on a bicycle soon dispatched the package.  The small grocery store across my street reminds me of this.  Here, the delivery men sit outside and drink coffee and wait for the goods they will take to their customers in Talbiyeh.

Especially in my childhood days, Itta Bena shut down on Sunday.  Everyone, or so it seemed, was religious.  They went to church in the morning, had a big meal at noon, took a nap, and then later they visited their kinfolk or friends.  In Jerusalem, it is 2010 (actually 5770) and not 1968, it is Shabbat and not Sunday, it is Judaism and not Christianity, but it is exactly the same.

Then, there is also the issue of the separation of people.  In Mississippi, it was the separation of races.  Here, it is between Jews and Arabs.  The feeling was then, and is now, that all will be good and well if you respect your designated boundaries.

As I sit and ponder over this, in the end my Déjà vu may have nothing to do with Mississippi, and could rather be Mexico.  After all, I just heard the other day that Israel is basically a Sephardic country.  So perhaps it has to do with my childhood visits to my maternal Abuelita in Texas, or to my Tias’ homes in Mexico.  They were all very pretty, and very demanding!  Sounds a lot like Israel, too, doesn’t it!

Shalom Y’all!

Barbara

For information about Mississippi and southern Jews visit-

The Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience

Temple Beth El in Lexington, Mississippi that was just down the road from Itta Bena

 

MY JERUSALEM Sunday, Jan 17 2010 

1 , , intoisrael 11:11

Dear Into Israel Readers,

Very soon after I had arrived in Jerusalem, a new group for English writers, Writers in Jerusalem, was forming and I went to the first meeting to check it out.  I thought it would be a good idea since I was both posting Into Israel, and it would provide me an opportunity to meet people.  In our monthly meetings at the historic Tmol Shilshom, we provide samples of our work and then the group critiques them.

This past Wednesday we moved to Sam’s Bagels that has a sizable upstairs seating area that looks down on the popular pedestrian street Ben Yehuda, because we invited some well-known authors to join us, and we expected a larger attendance.  Indeed, we had a full turnout, and it turned into a wonderful evening.

I had deliberated on what to share for this special occasion, and in the end, I decided to write a poem.  I had written it as a Word document, but right before I left when I went to print it, I decided to quickly handwrite it instead.  I was searching for a piece of paper, and I came upon an envelope from a card someone from Austin had sent me.  It had taken three attempts for the card to reach me, so I wasn’t too keen on throwing away even the envelope.  I cut open the envelope and wrote it on the inside.

My Jerusalem

I could never leave you, now, my Love

Now that I have held you so close

Now that you have swept me up in your winds

I have walked your streets till I was weak and weary

I have wept in your parks till I felt your forgiveness

I have been stunned and arrested at your reclusive beauty

So my Love is now eternally forever

Precious and Pure, you will soon know the

Peace you seek, your Destiny, your Hope

United, our Love, will hold unbroken

Lo, I will neither leave nor be far away again.

When I got up to introduce myself, I inquired of the crowd if anyone was from Texas.  The audience was quiet, and then one woman said “I was in Dallas for a while.  Does that count?”  I shook my head to say, I’m sorry, no.  Be that as it may, I chatted on how I was in Love with Jerusalem, and like any new relationship, I was in Stage 1 Love.  A very pretty woman came up to me afterwards and told me she was touched by my poem, and that she had made Aliyah 11 years ago, and still was in love!

Certainly I have my own thoughts about love and relationships, and maybe one day I will write about these reflections.  For now, though, I want to share something remarkable regarding my Hebrew studies.

When I was a child at Northwood Elementary School, I always struggled with my handwriting.  It was difficult for me to connect the letters, and my hand hurt after writing.  Most likely I have Dysgraphia, yet at any rate, the moment I was no longer graded on penmanship, the letters flew apart and have remained that way to this very day.

During High School I took a summer course in Shorthand to compensate for this ache and to assist me in my note-taking, and for some reason that I can’t recall, I remember laughing a lot in the class.  It is still very difficult for me to handwrite anything lengthy, and I always prefer to type it.

That is, till I learned Hebrew script.  The cursive letters are not connected; they are made for me, or rather, the other way around.  I love to sit at my table and write; I need no incentive to practice.  My hand never throbs.  I take the circulars that come in the mail that are written in the script form, and copy them word for word.  When someone sees my writing they always ask, “Did you write that?”

I am eager to know just what I am writing, so I have increased my vocabulary knowledge much more than if I wasn’t doing these exercises, and that has lead to a higher reading comprehension.  Now, hopefully, the part of this arduous journey, fluent speaking, is not too far away.  I’ll keep y’all informed …!

Shalom,

Barbara

 

The Pursuit Sunday, Jan 10 2010 

1 , intoisrael 11:11

We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.

From the second sentence of the Declaration of the United States, July 4-1776

Ah, that fleeting emotion of Happiness we seek to find, and when we do, we attempt to hold on tightly to it.  It has been written, that as Americans, this is our Right.  So lives are spent trying to obtain Happiness, never fully understanding that being happy is an emotion, and emotions, by their very nature, come and go.

So, I beseech you, my dear Into Israel readers, to ask what Rights our Creator truly endowed us with, and what, just what, should be your true Pursuit?

United States    The Pursuit of Happiness

Eretz Yisrael     The Pursuit of Hashem

Navigation

 

ISRAEL IS THE NEW ITALY Thursday, Dec 31 2009 

1 intoisrael 11:11

Dear Into Israel Readers,

This is a special post, and one that I hope you will enjoy and share.  It’s my end of the year post, and I wish you all a very Happy New Year.  I appreciate so much your encouraging words you have written and spoken to me about my Aliyah and Into Israel.  They have touched me deeply.

I wish I could be there in Texas, if just for a moment, to share in your New Year celebrations.  If I could, I would be with my BFF’s from Temple in San Antonio at a quaint bistro laughing away the hours, or with my family partying down in Port Aransas, or at the Bocachica in Austin with Stephanie as she lights the bonfire while Fred, Majau, and the gang fan the flames, or hidden in a Hill Country cabin with a guy I am in love with, but I can’t, because I am here, and here is where I’m supposed to be, and my upmost hope is for you to come and visit me here. So, let’s get the show on the road; I’m off to an Anglo Party!

Ahavah with all my Heart,

Barbara

Israel is a romantic country endowed with sweeping vistas, charming villages, a Mediterranean coastline, and canyons, caves and waterfalls in the Negev. Italy may have Florence and Pisa, but Israel has Zikhron Ya'akov and Safed. After all, it was the Roman Empire that wanted this Land, and not the other way around. Mystical and mesmerizing, you can't help but fall in love with Israel.

Italy may have Vatican City that dates back to the 1st century CE, but Israel has the Old City from before the 11th century BCE. Here, you will find key Jewish, Muslim, and Christian religious sites, shopping, and cafés that serve dishes with olives and fruits fresh from the hills that surround it.

You can still wear your Capris in Israel. Eilat, perched at the northern tip of the Red Sea, offers camel tours, Bedouin hospitality, scuba diving, bird watching, freefall parachuting, the Eilat Film Festival, and the Coral World Underwater Observatory. With gorgeous beaches and restaurants with food from around the globe, who needs Capri!

So you say, "Yes, but I really want Italian food." Stop, look no further, because Israelis have gone wild for Italian food perfecting it down to the last linguini. The smell of pastas and pizzas stretches from one end of the country to the other. Relax and enjoy fresh baked pizza off a side street vendor or Italian fusion cuisine in the upscale restaurants.

There are so many museums in Israel; her history goes back thousands of years. The sheer number of museums precludes listing them all, but a good reference to study before your trip is ilMuseums.com.

You're now ready to unwind with a nice glass of wine, and Israel abounds in award-winning wineries ranging from boutique operations to large-scale wineries. With a Mediterranean climate like Italy, the Israeli wine industry can be traced to back to Baron Edmond de Rothschild.

With a professional Tour Guide or self-guided, by walking, biking or bus, tours in Israel exist for every location, every desire, every age and everyone. There are Biblical, photographic, biking, bird watching, and hiking tours to name just a few.

No visit to Italy is complete without a cup of their famous cappuccino, and indeed when I had my first cup there, my tour bus waited patiently till I had finished every last sip. I hadn’t tasted a great cappuccino till the day I tasted a cappuccino at Aroma, Israel’s highly loved coffee house with over 73 locations. It was even better than the cup in Italy! Israelis are fanatic about their coffee, and Aroma’s owners take coffee very, very seriously. Photo-Mike Goldberg

Italy has the Colosseum, circa 80 CE; Israel has Masada, circa 37 BCE. The Land of Israel is a treasure of archeological riches from the Neolithic Revolution and the Bronze and Iron Ages to the Classical and Medieval Periods. Archeological and Biblical tours will take you from the pre-historic Carmel Caves to the classical ruins in Caesarea.

The greatest natural Spa in the world is in Israel, the Dead Sea. With its mineral rich water and oxygen rich air, it will be an unforgettable and rejuvenating experience. Both luxury and quality spa packages are available. Or for a more holistic approach, try the warm springs at the aromatic Sea of Galilee, famous since Roman times and a magnet for people all over the world.

If after you’ve toured, eaten and rejuvenated, and are still up for some fun, then there’s Tel Aviv, voted one of the world’s best cities to party in. No, Rome nor Milan, did not make the list. The next afternoon you can always spend a lazy afternoon at the beach, or do a walking tour of the Bauhaus architecture before your trip home.

 

Next Page »