Swimming's Medicinal, Therapeutic and More, So...

... in recent years our local swimming pool has been open during the 9 Days, though restricted to adults.

The 9 Days, which falls during the heat of the summer (in the northern hemisphere) is a period of mourning in the Jewish Calendar. We mourn the destruction of both the First and Second Holy Temples. The period of annual mourning is actually Three Weeks, from the daytime Fast of the 17th of Tamuz until the 25 hour Fast of the 9th of Av.

Just a few decades ago the idea of swimming, even for health reasons, during the 9 Days would be unthinkable for Torah Observant Jews, but nowadays it's the norm for many of us who regularly swim or do water exercise. Until a few years ago, our local Shiloh swimming pool was closed during that time of the year, but then one of the neighbors explained to the rabbi that, at least for adults, it wasn't a matter of fun and games. He then agreed that the pool could open, but adults only. So now we have special hours each day, separate male/female as is our custom.

Not everyone who normally swims in the pool takes advantage of the new psak/decision, but there are many who are very grateful for the chance to exercise in the water daily. Yes, I'm one of them.

Blogging Isn't Dead

My Desk-"Multi-Tasking" 52Frames weekly photography challenge

Bloggers, am I the only one who has noticed a downward trend in page/post views? I wonder if it's personal, or maybe the anti-spam check has kept the fake views down...

I do blog a bit less than previously. No longer do I skirt the OCD daily posting on both blogs, even when it's done by writing in advance and setting up the post to be published on a future date. Now I blog less frequently and rarely on both blogs, this one and Shiloh Musings, on the same day.

Blogs for me are the ones we publish on our own "sites," not when using the "blog" option on conventional mainstream news sites. That's another genre completely.

Havel Havelim

Over a decade ago, bloggers from all over the world developed a community, visiting, commenting and even promoting each other's blogs in a few different "blog carnivals." There were some Jewish ones which I was involved in, and I'm still friendly with other bloggers I met through these "carnivals." Havel Havelim was the biggest of all and continued for many years. I still use the name when posting blog "roundups."

Very few of the blogs from way back when are still active, but there are some interesting, well-written blogs. Here are a few posts for your reading pleasure. Please read, comment and share. And if there are some blogs you'd like to recommend, then list them in the comments here with full links, thanks.

Listed below are titles of blog posts about Israel and Jewish topics from a variety of blogs. Click to read and enjoy.

Gala World Betar Reunion
Thank You
An Idolater Complains
Israel: Where We All Have Something to Give
Four Generations
Attractive, Easy to Make Healthy Shabbat or Anytime Food
The Unthinkable is Happening in The USA
Amazing New Poll Exposes that Israelis Are Vastly Against the Two-State Solution
Finally, Farewell to Tsipi Livni, Failed Politician
Purim, Two Weeks After Rosh Chodesh Adar Bet
A Lion taking care of kitties
Has the Peace Process ‘Prevented Palestine’? Joel Singer vs. Seth Anziska
Hurry to The Israel Museum Before Israeli Fashion Exhibit Closes

Enjoy, and keep on visiting and commenting on blogs.

How Time Flies, Rosh Chodesh Adar I Next Week

The other night, I looked at the sky and saw the moon. It was just a half circle, and we know what that means. There's only a week left of Shevat. Rosh Chodesh Adar Alef is a week away. This year is a Jewish Leap Year, meaning that we have two months of Adar, an "extra" month of winter before the late winter holiday of Purim.

The Jewish Calendar is a totally brilliant combination of lunar and solar calendars. The solar calendar divides the year into four basic seasons, while the lunar calendar follows the cycles of the moon. There are twelve plus a bit of those lunar cycles in the 365 day solar calendar. That causes seasonal chaos. If, like the muslims, you strictly follow the lunar calendar, not only will your holidays move from season to season, but you'll find yourself "older" than your solar calendar birthday-mates.

Since Judaism is intrinsically connected to living in the Land of Israel, our Jewish Holidays must fall in the correct season. So, unlike Islam, Judaism found a way to celebrate holidays at the right time. It's one of those simple proofs that This Land is Ours, not theirs. There's a carefully calculated formula which adds periodic days to specific months, so there are thirty 30 instead of twenty-nine 20, and some years an additional Adar, winter month, is added, so that Pesach, Passover will be in the spring.

Before our sages compiled/computed pre-computers a set calendar, I guess the decision for an extra Adar was made in the years when the almond trees had no flowers on TU B'Shvat, or something rather similar.

So, even though next Rosh Chodesh is Adar, we aren't supposed to party to prepare for Purim yet. There's another month to wait.

Ladies, please join us at Shiloh Hakeduma, Tel Shiloh, for Women's Rosh Chodesh Prayers.

30th of Shevat, 5779, Tuesday 5-02-2019, 8:30am.

כולן מוזמנות, תפילת נשים, ראש אדר א' , ל' שבט, יום ג' ,5/02/2019 , 8:30, בשילה הקדומה, תל שילה

We sing Hallel out loud, but the rest of the prayers are said silently and as individuals. There will be a tour of the Tel and Divrei Torah, Gd willing, in both Hebrew and English. If you'd like more information, please contact me [email protected] with "Rosh Chodesh Prayers" as subject.

Shiloh Hakeduma, Tel Shiloh, is a recognized Israeli tourist and archaeological site. Archeologists agree, that Shiloh is the Shiloh of the Bible, where Chana prayed for a son. Later, when her son Samuel had been weaned, she took him back to Shiloh, so he could be educated by Eli, the High Priest.

The archaeological site of Shiloh Hakeduma is open on weekdays, offers guides and special activities for the entire family. For more information, contact them directly at [email protected], 02-5789111.

Havdala Spices, Cloves and Etrog

We needed new besamim "spices" for Havdala, the ceremony that separates Shabbat from regular days.

Shabbat havdala consists of:

1. Beverage: Wine, Grape Juice, or Chamar Medina

1. Wine is always the preferred beverage for all havdalas because it is prestigious.

1. Spices

1. The extra soul we are given on Shabbat leaves after Shabbat is over, so we sniff a pleasant odor to cover for that loss.

1. Flame

1. The Shabbat havdala flame commemorates that Adam HaRishon (the first man) created fire after the first Shabbat.

The jar of "spices" had begun smelling absolutely awful, at least in my opinion. So, my husband assigned me with the job of finding a replacement.

Over the years I'd heard of using cloves and the etrog from Succot. Since we still had this year's etrog lying around, I bought some cloves and decided to make clove-etrog besamim. Of course, I hadn't the vagues idea how to do it.

Sticking the cloves into the already hardening etrog wasn't easy. I had to poke holes first. But as you can see, I did manage somehow to do it. This may not be your ideal etrog-cloves besamim,  but it's better than we had before. I do have a feeling that I need to make a box for it, to keep it fresh. That's another project... 

Suggestions and corrections very welcome, thanks.

5779 Stepping Onto The Plate, May You Never Be Alone...

Cross-posted on Shiloh Musings.

For those of you waiting for my annual Fruit Head to greet the New Jewish Year, here he/she is! A few decades ago, during my quarter century, yes, 25 years, as a vegetarian, I adapted our Rosh Hashana table to the reality that nobody in the family wanted to eat a fish head, or even look at one. So, since then I've decorated a fruit, usually an apple, in honor of the New Jewish Year.

I bless you with a year of comfortable companionship. May you never be alone.

The 5779 Fruit Head is joined by a רימון rimon, pomegranate, one of the fruits which has much spiritual significance in Judaism, read 9 Jewish Things About Pomegranates.

One of the principles of Judaism is that Gd is all over, not just in the synagogue, not just when you're praying or remembering Him. Judaism is a "full-time" religion, and we don't need an intermediary to pray to Gd. Gd also sees us all the time, what we do and what we think. We can't hide from Gd.

At the same time, Judaism is divided between the קודש וחול Kodesh v'Chol, the Holy/Gd and Ordinary People/things/everyday. That's why in Judaism it's not considered enough to just pray to Gd, even saying all the words ourselves, it's preferable to pray with a proper minyan, ten men prayer group, with a leader.

Judaism isn't a solitary religion; it's a community. We need other people, other Jews. We need family, even when the family isn't all biologically and legally related. We need the support of other people, and we must help and support in turn. Yes, there is a time when we give and when we receive. That concept is repeated in the book of קהלת Kohelet, Ecclesiastes.

Last week when I led our pre-High Holiday book club discussion on  קהלת Kohelet, Ecclesiastes, I asked if anyone knew why the writer, the son of King David, generally believed to be King Solomon, gave himself the name קהלת Kohelet. We couldn't think of a reason.

Maybe we're supposed to see ourselves as part of a long, complex Jewish History of Jewish People. There are repetitive cycles and lessons to be learned, and that is what King Solomon who is described in the Tanach/Bible as very wise is trying to tell us in קהלת Kohelet, Ecclesiastes. We are a very unique community קהל Kahal from the same linguistic root as קהלת Kohelet.

To survive we need both ordinary people and Gd. Even when things look bad, they are just part of the normal cycle, and we mustn't allow ourselves to wallow in depression. Reach out to others, humans and Gd. Don't be alone.

שנה טובה ומתוקה

גמר חתימה טובה

Vacationing at Home

When we chose to live in Shiloh thirty-seven years ago, there weren't too many yishuvim, communities to choose from. And conditions in most, if not all, were pretty difficult. But there was something that drew me to Shiloh, and still keeps me here. I love the people and the spiritual tie I feel with the entire Tanach, Biblical significance...

But please don't forget that Judaism is a synthesis or more exactly a harmony between the body and the soul. And I love the "orchestration" here in Shiloh. Just a kilometer and a half, about a mile from the Biblical site, which is a very well developed and developing archeological park, we have our community swimming pool. The pool is just a couple of minutes' walk from our house. We take out an seasonal membership, so we can come for frequent swims. On rare occasions, like when I'm with one of the granddaughters, I relax in the shade there.

There's no reason to "go on a vacation" in the summer. My "vacation" is here at home in Shiloh.

Taking A Laundry Break

Or should the title be "Taking Break From Laundry?"

We're having one of those ugly spring days today and maybe tomorrow. It gets all sandy, like in sandstorms, and rains mud. It's time to close the windows. And if I need to launder, there are folding dryers which can decorate the house. Or I can use the electric one, which isn't all that great.

The week-long Passover Holiday begins Friday just before dusk, and the custom is not to launder during the "intermediate days," aka Chol Hamoed. So, I really try to empty the hampers out beforehand.

We really need the rain, so I'm not complaining at all.

Mosaic Havdalah Plate in Use

Since I have a pile of abstract mosaics waiting to be given as gifts or whatever, I began making purposeful mosaics in the senior citizen craft class I go to. The last one I completed before the Passover break is a שבוע טוב Shavua Tov, Good Week for my son-in-law, to be used for the post-Shabbat Havdala ceremony.

I was so happy when they sent a photo of it in use!

Mosaics Rough Edges

My latest mosaics projects are still in need of finishing. Polishing and ridding rough edges are harder than any other stage for me.

I am happy to have discovered Judaica for my mosaics theme.

Have a Wonderful Week

According to Judaism the day starts at nightfall. Shabbat begins as the sun starts to set and ends at night when you can see three stars in the sky. The Havdala ceremony which separates the Sabbath from the rest of the week includes a candle with multiple wicks.

And many people light the Shabbat candles again, after Shabbat as a "Melave Malka" for a good week.

Blessings to all of you.
May there be good news, good health and many joyful events and news...

Shavua Tov

Winter, Finally?

Here in Israel winter means rain. It only rains here from about October until March, rarely any other time. Those of us who live in the mountainous regions where it gets relatively cold, and occasionally snows, the lightweight raincoats I grew up with in New York, for spring and summer rains, aren't needed. By the time we get the succah stored away, early to mid-October, we're usually in waterproof winter coats and carrying umbrellas.

Unfortunately this year, it stayed warm and dry, with the exception of a day or two. This was fun for the kids and great for drying clothes outside, but my little vineyard was getting very confused. You can see that fresh new leaves began to grow months before spring. A neighbor of mine who works in agriculture told me a while ago, that without sufficient periods of cold, many fruits won't grow properly. And he also insists that the purified water which is touted by the government as the perfect solution to drought does not produce the same sweet fruit as rainwater does. No doubt that is the reason I'm not able to get myself to eat oranges yet. They taste awful.

Thank Gd, the last couple of days have been cold and rainy, although with enough sun to still get out a bit. A truly blessed winter would provide Gd given rain in great quantities every night and then mixed rain and sun during the day.

For that we need to obey Gd. Our rain is not due a scientific technique like seeding clouds.  This is the Holy Land where things work very differently from any place else.

The quantity, timing and location of rain are the barometer of the Jewish People's following of Gd's Mitzvot. This dry, unseasonably warm weather makes it very clear that we have a long way to go in improving ourselves.

Winter sky in Jerusalem yesterday

"After the Holidays," אחרי החגים

Here in Israel and in some of the Jewish World, there's a frequently heard phrase:

"After the Holidays,"
Acharei hachaggim... אחרי החגים

The "Holidays" referred to are Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Succot and Simchat Torah. From beginning to end, not counting all the preparations, mostly in the kitchen but spiritual, too, this is a period lasting a minimum of three weeks plus to almost two months.

Jews out of the Land of Israel who observe traditional Torah Judaism don't have the twenty-three hour break before Shabbat that I have. They are now in the third week, out of four, in which a two day holiday is immediately followed by Shabbat. We, here in Israel, just had it once with Rosh Hashanah.

sukka partially undone

Since we're not supposed to do any "unnecessary work," like laundering, we have a backlog of dirty wash. I asked my husband to take down the sukkah walls, so I could hang wash easily this morning. So now one wash is already hung to dry in the sun, and a second is being laundered in the machine.

Today, I'll do the side dishes for our Shabbat meals. The meat and poultry were cooked before Simchat Torah.

This coming week begins more of my study schedule. Matan's regular classes will begin, though my senior citizens study program in the Ofra Girls High School began at the beginning of the regular school year with the teenagers.

When I was a high school remedial EFL teacher, this part of the year, from after to holidays until Chanuka, made up the bulk of the time we had to teach all of the year's curriculum. TU B'Shvat was sometimes too soon after Chanukah, and then, if there wasn't an extra Jewish Month of Adar, Purim took over the kids' time much too quickly and lasted a lot longer than you'd expect. Don't forget that almost immediately after Purim comes Passover, and by then the school year is well over, considering how many Bagrut, Israeli Matriculation tests the kids must be prepared for. Honestly, I'm glad to be out of that high pressure wringer. Yes, sometimes retirement has its advantages.

Looking Forward to 5778

A version of this was also posted on Israel Blogger as New Jewish Year, 5778, Reflections.

In just a couple of days the Jewish People will be celebrating a new Jewish Year, 5778. It occurs just as the summer is coming to an end. Every year at this time, we hear how the Kineret aka Sea of Galilee is lower than ever before in history.

Kineret aka Sea of Galilee at Sunset, mid-winter

All but the trees and well-watered plants have dried out. We live with fear of wildfires, whether lit by carelessness or Arab terrorists. It's definitely a time of the year when drought and starvation seem to be our future, Gd forbid. But davka now, when prices of local agriculture is highest, summer fruit and vegetables are hard to find and most expensive, we make great feasts to celebrate a new year.

It reminds me of the fact that we start our new day at night. That is how Gd commands us.

The Jewish Calendar and Jewish Day require a faith in Gd that darkness will become light, and rains will fall. And also to survive uncontrollable personal difficulties and troubles, we all must learn how to see the good, thank Gd and trust that we can and will survive.

With all the imperfections of the State of Israel, when I take a good look and compare today with the past, I see amazing improvements. Actually, it's good not to be satisfied with today, because that makes us strive to make it all even better. But we must never give up.

May Gd bless us all, individually and as a People in the Jewish Year 5778.

Partying in Shiloh, Ladies Only

Last night was a big party for the women of Shiloh to thank one of the neighbors for doing an amazing job for decades. She had been the "balanit," the mikvah lady ever since the first mikvah was constructed in Shiloh over thirty-six years ago. 

Think about it. She worked six to seven nights a week all those years. For twenty-something of those years she had a replacement one night a week. She missed weddings, meetings, social events and more. Every night she was busy, rain. shine or snow, war or peace. During the Gulf War, since there wasn't a "safe room," tvila" was by appointment so she wouldn't have to sit there alone.

Her daughters spoke about what it was like to be raised in a home where their mother was never home in the evening. They knew she couldn't make it to school meetings, performances, etc and they put themselves to bed. They were also trained never to ask who was on the phone asking to talk to their mother.

Now two young women, both raised in Shiloh, will be sharing the job that she held on her own. It's funny to think that such an important position will now be held by women the age of my youngest child. But considering that he's a championship American IFL Football coach, so he's not all that young...

Shiloh is a thriving and growing community, thank Gd. It's really thrilling to see that there are so many young families moving here. That is the comfort when I look around realizing that I don't know everyone, and they are so young...

After the speeches and thanks, some women swam and the rest of us allowed ourselves the "treats," manicures, massage, make-up, reflexology and socializing.

Finally Music and Joy After Long Mourning Year

According to Jewish Law and custom, one observes a year of mourning for a parent and thirty days for a sibling, spouse or child. During that year of mourning, one is to refrain from attending joyous, musical and festive events. That is unless it is your profession to perform or teach. Also, with "adjustments" one can attend the wedding or other type of joyous occasion for a close relative.

Even though the year for my father was over before Passover, two and a half months ago, only now have I gotten to attend any "joyous events." And that ended up one night after the next. And if I could have split myself in half I would have been at two events the first night. But since I work late Wednesday, I couldn't make the wedding we had been invited to, so I went to a granddaughter's piano recital.  It was thrilling to hear the improvement, since I hadn't been to one for over a year and a half.

And last night I dressed up to finally attend a wedding, which was great fun, but rather disorienting. I really felt that it was strange to be back at such events. I had missed so many significant weddings during the past year. It really brought me that feeling that my year was different. Israelis generally do rather large weddings, so one gets invited even if not all that close. But during the year I was mourning my father, friends celebrated weddings that also meant a lot to me, and they found my absence sad, too.

That's life. There are times we mourn and times we celebrate.

Shabbat Shalom and Good Health to All

As One Week Fades Into Another

According to Jewish custom, the week begins as Shabbat ends.

For about a week, I'd been using a rose my husband had brought back from some event as part of my morning coffee still life to illustrate my #morningcoffeehaiku on Facebook.

The rose faded after a few days and needed to be dumped.

And that's the end of the rose. But when Shabbat is over, there's a new week, and may it be a much better one than the one before, Gd willing.

And the cycle goes on...

Sounds like 52Frames!

This week's theme/challenge on 52Frames was Sound. I ended up going for the household kind of sound. If you like this photo, then please click its title and like it on facebook, thanks.

"Listen to the Spin"
Even the quietest of washing machines makes noise as it spins. This is probably the most silent washing machine I've ever had. Our previous washing machines could've be used as alarm clocks if they had timers. Yes, it's almost like Science Fiction that this one can be set to finish its final spin cycle in the morning, or whenever I decide... Never could I have imagined such an amazing invention. 

I had to do a lot of laundry the week this photo had to be shot, because it was just before the Succot Holiday, when the custom is not to do unnecessary milachot-a certain type of reality-changing work, even on chol hamoed, the "intermediate days" those between Succot-strict holy day and Simchat Torah. So now that it's decades after I've had to launder diapers, and over a decade since my sons are in army uniform visiting home, I do try to take a holiday from the laundry chore. So, I was hearing that gentle buzz of a spin quite a bit last week. Can you hear the spin?

Sitting Shiva is Very "Macro"

Davka, just the week that 52Frames had "Macro" for its theme/challenge my father passed away. I had a strong feeling from what I had been told by my sister that his time was short, and I rushed submitting my photo, so it wouldn't prey on my mind.

"Flower Power"
This tiny flower, less than an inch in diameter, is from a bunch given by a guest. I don't have a fancy camera with lenses and all, so this is the best I can do.

Camera: Canon Canon IXUS 145
Location: Shiloh, Israel

And now that I'm both "up from shiva," the intense Jewish mourning period, which is usually after the burial,* and I was also about to write my usual weekly post about my the photo I had submitted to 52Frames, I feel a connection between the two.

macro photography
photography producing photographs of small items larger than life size

When one is sitting shiva, one is supposed to concentrate one's energies and conversation on the dead person, the person being mourned, which consequently makes him or her "larger than life size." In death we are equal. Nobody can defeat it.

For years I've seen the Hebrew word אמת emmet, generally translated to mean "truth," as a verb. The מ ת mem, tof are the root that means dead/die and the א alef when a prefix on a verb is first person future.  So in my way of reading/understanding the word  אמת emmet it means "I will die," and that is the truth for all of us humans.

I don't know of any linguists or theologians who have written in this direction on the word. I am interested in your feedback, thanks.

Links to the posts I wrote about my father, after his death:

Sidney Spiegelman, 1920-2016, 5680-5776

Sidney Spiegelman, Z"L, 1920-2016, As An Israeli

My Father, Sidney Spiegelman, Z"L

Modern Condolence Calls, Not F2F

Re: My Father's Father's Family "Three Minutes in Poland"

Reflecting on Sitting Shiva for My Father

* I guess that I still have to explain at some point, not this post, why I sat shiva before my father was buried. But today that's not the planned post.

Tolerance, Acceptance, Pesach Can Be Complicated

The Passover (Pesach) Holiday is the most complicated time on the Jewish Calendar, in Jewish Life, which is pretty complicated compared to other religions.

We have all these food and cooking rules besides the no fire, drive and buy on Shabbat etc. Most of the year, and even most holidays it's pretty clear. Most who consider themselves Torah Observant Jews aka Orthodox do the mitzvot, keep the Gd Given Laws pretty much the same. Way back when, in the days I was enthusiastically learning all this, it seemed cut and dry. I was given the impression that everybody did it exactly the same.

On Pesach I figured all good Jewish housewives cover their kitchen like this. But I was very wrong. In Israel this sort of covering is more popular with Ashkenazi households, especially if from America or Europe.

While American rabbis took for granted that almost every surfaces or material used for making dishes, pots etc was too porous to be koshered for Passover, necessitating covering everything or buying special "only for Pesach use" kitchen tools, dishes etc, here in Israel many rabbis insist pretty much everything can be koshered.

I'll never forget the most difficult homework assignment my eldest got. She had to answer:

How does your mother kosher the following items:

pots
silverware

and the list went on and on...

All I could tell her was that I didn't kasher any of those things. I had special for Passover ones in the upper cabinets stored away to use on Passover.

Over the decades, as Israelis have become more affluent, there are many who no longer kasher their everyday kitchen items and just take special ones out of storage. There are also many, especially the younger ones, who don't bother buying or kashering dishes etc and use disposables for almost everything. Gone are the days when people thought that it wasn't proper and formal enough to use disposable dishes. Now, instead of having a few miss-matched sets, like I have, they buy gorgeous disposable dishes even with matching serving dishes and impressive holiday wine cups. And they claim that by not having to wash dishes, it's good for the environment. And of course they set an exquisite table!

There was a time, when I'd say that I wasn't willing to go anyplace on Passover that didn't do what I did or more, but that changed. I've changed. I discovered that so many people more knowledgeable than myself, who, unlike yours truly, come from families that had always been religious, don't cover things up like I do. I still cover up my kitchen. And as we're still Ashkenazim we still don't eat kitniyot, legumes. But my now Tunisian daughter and her family bring rice to our house on Passover, and we eat in their house, though not the rice and kitniyot, legumes.

Chag Pesach Kasher v'Sameach!

Have a Happy and Kosher Passover!

Eaks!!! It's Inventory Time!!!! #2

I know that the freezer still looks pretty full, but I did take out a lot of stuff this past week, since it was Purim.

There aren't too many Shabbatot from now until Passover, so I really won't have to cook and shop all that much. As you can see, there's plenty waiting to be consumed and cooked.

And if you compare today's situation with the way it was on  FRIDAY, MARCH 11, 2016 you'd see that I have used some stuff up. OK and there are some new things too....

I just checked the calendar and counted. I didn't want to trust my head and calculations. There are three more Shabbatot. And since the Passover Seder will be on a Friday night, we can start the heavy kitchen stuff and switching right after that third Shabbat.  It would be easier if I knew what we will be doing for the Seder, but that's another story....