Sound And Light On Jerusalem

Damascus Gate, Jerusalem Old City

One of the mothers in DD's class had the great idea of us all meeting tonight at the sound and light show at The Old City of Jerusalem. So off we went. There were at least four families there from DD's class but we only met up with one of them - on the bus on the way home. Lol. It was packed.

I joked that there were so many of us we had to split into groups. We were Group 1 of course and we had the best time. For one thing it was just nice to be out in the cool evening air.

It was better after dark but we got there early. 

There are three different trails you can follow. We took the green route from Damascus Gate around the outside of the city walls to Jaffa Gate where we bought sustenance to continue on our pilgrimage. Then we followed the red route which winds through the Arab Shuk inside the Old City towards the Christian Quarter and out of the New Gate (which is between Damascus Gate and Jaffa Gate).

I'd like to do the blue route which goes south around the city walls passed Zion Gate to Dung Gate. It's the longest route but I reckon it's the most spectacular and least crowded. And there are short cuts back through the Old City if you want to just do some of it. Sounds like a plan for next year.

I call this one: On the Red Route with Popcorn

All that's left is to say - enjoy the photos from #Rubbishphotograher.

And...Woman Without Popcorn.

Artists' Class Finale 2019

Yesterday we had the closing even of the Artists' Classes. I wrote about last year's fabulous event here.

To remind you, this is a small class of up to 15 pupils who have a passion for art. They do weekly art sessions in school and every couple of months they go to the Israel Museum for a special tour or project. There are about 50 primary schools in Jerusalem who take part. Contrary to folk 'wisdom' in the rest of the world, the programme includes Jewish, Arab, and 'Other' schools; secular and religious. We don't need Madonna to tell us how to work together.

There were about 500 dioramas.
This was the best one. 😜

Yesterday we went to the Israel Museum well prepared with our own bottles of water and summer clothing but the weather was mild, even a bit chilly. We already knew the drill. Daphna from the Museum made a short opening speech in Hebrew and in Arabic. She welcomed 43 schools and reminded the children that there is no 'right' or 'wrong' in art. Whatever you create is your truth.

Each school had an area of the sculpture garden. We had a tree-top previously painted by our wonderful art teacher, Moriya. And each child had a box in which to draw a background and then make a sort of diorama. The boxes would then be stuck onto the tree and displayed with all the other trees in a forest of artistic creativity.

This was our school's finished tree. 

The backgrounds were supposed to be a view or sculpture from the museum but our children mostly opted for sunsets or country scenes. DD did a beach. But by the time all the diorama's had been completed with all sorts of incongruent additions, very few of them were specifically identifiable as Israel Museum based.

Unlike last year, the children really didn't need our help. I gave DD a couple of ideas at the end and helped her cut out the birds and the boat. Mostly I walked around spying taking an interest in other schools. The school where I teach was there with three of my own pupils so I hung out with them for a while and chatted with the parents. Like last year there were loads of people I knew who have children on the programme from other schools. Jerusalem is like that. Still small enough to know people.

Here are some of the other trees from other schools You can click on the photos for a bigger picture:

I loved this background on the tree.

I liked the way this school used real branches and leaves.

These guys decorated the outsides of the boxes to great effect.

This school really used the Museum sculptures.

The most tree-like.

We didn't stay for all the speeches at the end. We learned something from last year. We slipped away and came home on the bus. On the way from the bus stop we stopped to buy half a watermelon for today's event in school. It never ends. It's that time of year.

R2BC - Summer Choices

Culture is cool peeps. 

This week's Reasons 2B Cheerful are back with Becky as Michelle is away. You can find the linky at Lakes Single Mum.

1
Hans Christian Anderson
We went to see the musical last night. One of my 5th Grade girls is in it so we've been looking forward to it for a long time. Being Jerusalem, I knew four of the cast and another four of the crew. We only knew three other families in the audience this time - it must have been a slow night.

We danced home afterwards, singing The King is in the Altogther and Wonderful Wonderful Copenhagen. We picked up pizza from the new favourite pizza shop that just opened near us. DD went to bed at 11.30 and neither of us got up for Stupid Friday at school this morning. (Friday school finishes at 11.45. I should say here that I don't teach on Fridays.)

2
English Summer Camp
The summer holiday is long here in Israel - 9 weeks for 1st to 6th Grade and 10.5 weeks for High School. 1st to 3rd Grade get a free summer school for the first 3 weeks of  July so thus far we've only had to deal with 6 weeks at home.

There  are all sorts of camps and programmes for 1, 2, or 3 week periods. There are sports camps, art camps, cooking courses, sewing, science and computer camps, drama, music, and just plain all round fun. Some children are booked solid from July 1st till the end of August.

As we have August pretty much covered with visitors and short trips, I told DD she could choose one Summer Camp in July - I didn't mind how long it was. Some of the camps are very pricey and can cost hundreds, even thousands of shekels. But I only have one child so I was happy for her to pick whatever she wanted. She didn't pick anything. She wanted to do a self-defense course, which I am in favour of, but the courses for her age group are all in August overlapping with dates that we'll be away.

Then she came home from school and said that all her friends are going to the English Day Camp at school. I asked about it last year and I was told that it wasn't suitable for children who already know English. This year they changed their minds and decided that it is suitable for English speakers. It's 3 weeks, Sunday - Thursday, 8am till 1pm, total cost 600 shekels. Woohoo! Sorted. And as it's just down the road from  us at school, DD can go and come home by herself. She can even let herself in if I'm held up at my college where I'll be teaching a Summer Course.

3
Five Weeks Left
Only five weeks to go until the summer holidays start on July 1st. I'm counting the days. OK, I still have loads of work to do, reports to write, my summer course to prepare, and run it during July, ... But you know, always good to have something to look forward to. And I actually like the pressure of finishing everything off in a set amount of time. The Panic Monster and I are old friends.

4
Healthy Choices
With the undeniably summer weather that's upon us, DD and I agreed that instead of the weekly allowance of sweets and chocolate for her on Shabbat, we are buying a whole watermelon instead. To be eaten in place of snacks thoughout the week. The watermelon actually costs more than the sweets and chocolate but it also lasts longer so, "Yeah Us!"

Why I Hate The Derech Bet Lechem Street Fair

Last night we went to the annual street fair that happens two blocks from our house. They close the road and rent out tables to merchandisers - mostly food and cottage industry crafts. Then everyone comes because there's nothing else to do and it's "free". However the idea of it, from the organiser's point of view, is to get you to spend as much money as possible. The idea of it from my point of view is not to spend any money at all.

As we approached I could see that the road was packed. I told DD that we'd mosey all the way up to the end, then we'd mosey all the way back, and then we'd go home. "What's mosey?"
"It's walking very slowly and seeing everything along the way. Let's see if we can meet more than 10 people we know," I suggested to make it a bit more fun. We met about 20 people we knew before we even got to the entrance barrier.

Two seconds in I got a phone call from a friend from out of town. "I'm at the street fair. Are you here?"
"Yes we're here."
"I'm by the Waffle Bar."
"We'll be there in two secs."

I dragged DD along to the waffle bar. "Hey! This isn't moseying. I wanted to see something over there. Why are we running?"
"Were going to meet my friend."
"Oh no! And then you're probably going to want to stop for a conversation. Correct?"
"We'll talk and mosey at the same time."

It was lovely to see my friend and her husband. We moseyed a bit together and chatted. DD saw a 2 nis key chain with a tin koala and wanted to buy it for 15 nis. I told her we should see everything and if she still wants it we can get it on the way back. She was disappointed and there may have been some whining involved and the tiniest hint of an argument.

Suddenly we saw DD's best friend standing at the side of the road sobbing. We stopped to learn that they'd lost her three year old brother and her father was running around frantically trying to find him. I spotted him and he was indeed frantic. DD's friend was distraught. I apologised to my friends but we had to help look for the boy.

We were just before a dense crowd watching a band playing. It was almost impossible to get past but we pushed our way through and hurried right up to the end of the road and the exit barrier. The music stopped and they made an announcement about the missing child. I gave his photo to a policewoman who shared it on the police whatsapp (or whatever they use). Meanwhile the father had found him holding hands with another policewoman at another barrier.

DD wanted to go back and see that her friend was ok. So we ran back to the concert crowd and DD pushed through, dragging me behind her. A lady tapped me on the shoulder and said, "we're following in your footsteps."
"You'd better hold hands then." I gave her my free hand and we pushed on. I noticed that she had another four people behind her all holding hands. We were a train of seven with DD in the lead. Eventually we made it out the other end and were all able to uncouple.

DD's friend had gone home. I think her father probably needed a stiff drink. I offered DD something to eat. There were 9 mini doughnuts for 20 nis (4 pounds something) - we only wanted one. Or there were thin crepes with a shmeer of Nutella also for 20 nis. I said we'd eat at home. The koala key ring had been sold.

DD lost it and I don't blame her. We'd been out less than an hour. We'd run up and down the road hardly stopping to look at anything. She didn't get anything. Her legs hurt. She was fed up and so was I. I said we could stop at the 24/7 grocery on the way home and she could buy whatever she wanted. "Can I buy Fanta?" I bit my tongue and said, "just this once." And then obviously I had to buy some food for myself that I didn't need to eat.

We spent 60 nis at the 24/7. Grrrr. I should have just bought the doughnuts. Then we came home armed with a load of junk food and I had to spend the rest of the evening playing Rat-a-tat Cat to make up for everything.

(I just want to add that in previous years the fair has been much much better with loads more street entertainment, lots more participatory art, and many more stands with real artists selling real art.)

ALEH: All People No Limits

Before most of the guests arrived, Rubbish Photographer strikes again

This post wasn't supposed to be about ALEH. It was supposed to be about how my lovely friend Sally-Ann invited me to a charity dinner organised by the committee she's on.

Before I got there I couldn't even remember which charity it was in aid of.

This post was supposed to be about arranging for DD to stay overnight with a friend, getting all dressed up for a mid-week dinner at the King David Hotel (very pish-posh), meeting lots of people I know there (I think I've explained about the Anglo community in Jerusalem before - we're mostly all friends or friends of friends), a fabulous buffet supper (ok, turns out it wasn't a dinner), amazing entertainment by Nimrod Harel (Master Mentalist - OMG he was incredible!) and basically a thoroughly enjoyable evening.

Then I came face to face with ALEH. I knew about ALEH of course, like you know about loads of prominent charities - RNLI, RSPCC, RSPCA, Oxfam, etc.... ALEH.

Thirty-five years ago a group of families in the centre of the country (that means near Tel Aviv) who each had a severely disabled child, clubbed together to rent an apartment, hired a special education teacher, and amassed a group of volunteers to help give their children the quality of life they deserved, but that is so hard to provide and sustain at home on your own.

This was the beginning of ALEH. Today ALEH has four campuses around the country providing medical care, rehabilitation facilities, education, and above all, a warm and safe home in which each child can reach his or her full potential. Today over 700 children are under the loving care of ALEH.

On Monday night we heard from Shirat Malach whose 18 year old son, Tuvia, has lived at ALEH for the past 15 years, since he was four years old. One poignant memory she shared was about Tuvia's eighteenth birthday. The family discussed how they should celebrate but in the end didn't run with any of the ideas. Shirat said that on the morning of Tuvia's birthday she couldn't get out of bed. She couldn't bring herself to paint on a smile and pretend that everything was wonderful. The family stayed home and did nothing. However, in the evening they were sent photos of Tuvia enjoying a lively birthday party at ALEH, surrounded by his  friends and carers. "They did what we could not do at that moment," Shirat told us. There were few dry eyes in the room.

We saw this video about ALEH:




I spent much of the evening thinking of my blogging friend Candi in Dublin, and wishing that her family and all families who need such a wonderful organization, could have an ALEH.

Thank you Sally-Ann and Tony for inviting me. It was a memorable evening and so important for the continuation of a vital service, saving children and their families from desperate situations.

If you would like to donate to ALEH please visit the ALEH website.

Click on the photos below to enlarge them and read about some of the ALEH family in Israel.

A Whole Summer In One Day - R2BC

Walking into Narnia through the wardrobe

Except for the fact that we didn't swim or go camping, today felt like a mini summer holiday all squeezed into one day. We visited friends, went on the train, shopped, lunched, went to a show and a concert. And on top of that I had a day of free taxi rides.

This morning I had to go to a shiva across town and out to one of the satellite suburbs of Jerusalem. It was either going to be three buses in the heat of the day or, so I thought, about 200 nis (45 GBP) in taxis there and back. But I've know my friend who lost her mother since we were 10 and 11 years old, and I'm also friends with her sister. We don't often see each other now as lives get in the way but we do manage to meet for coffee occasionally. Anyway, it was important to me to go to the shiva.

We headed for the bus stop with the intention of getting a bus if one came quickly. But it didn't so we hopped into a taxi. I was also watching the time because it was already 10.30 and some shivas take a lunch break in the middle of the day.  Added to that it was the Gay Pride Parade in Jerusalem today and they were closing the roads near us from 2.30.

The taxi driver 'invited' me to join Gett Taxi and he talked me through downloading the app on my phone. This gave me 100 nis in rides as a gift for joining up and 20 nis off the first five rides until August 24th. He also told me their rates to the airport and other longer distance journeys I sometimes take and they were very favourable. Our journey this morning only cost 60 nis and I paid 40 plus a tip.

For the home journey another shiva caller gave us a ride to the light rail station that I didn't even know went out that far. We got the train back into town where DD and I both got new bags (me for everyday and her for school with a matching pencil case) and we picked up felafel and chips for lunch. We got the bus home and ate in comfort on the balcony as it was close to 2.30 and I didn't want to get caught behind the closed roads.

DD sitting next to Mr & Mrs Beaver's younger brother

At 6.30 we left to go to a performance of Journey To Narnia. We made our first booking with Gett Taxi. My screen told me that there were seven taxis in the area. One of them accepted the fare straight away and I was given his name, his car (make and colour) and registration number, his phone number, how far away he was, and how many minutes it would take him to get to us. I looked to find out what he'd had in his sandwiches for lunch but it didn't say. He arrived in seven minutes. The journey cost 30 nis and we paid 10 nis plus a tip.

Journey To Narnia is an original play based on, but adapted from, The Lion The Witch And The Wardrobe. It was performed by the children in the JELLY (the people who publish KIDS READ) Summer Drama Workshop. Of course we know Narnia intimately. I was impressed by the creative set, the costumes, and also the added humorous scenes like a Miss Narnia Pageant and a Beaver-Faun Rap. It was a lot of fun and DD giggled in all the right places. We were very honoured to be invited. Of course we met friends there and we knew two of the cast, welcome to Anglo-Jerusalem.

I could have danced all night... and other songs from musicals and the 1960s

We came out at 8.15 into a cool Jerusalem evening. It was so pleasant we decided to walk home via the First Station. This is a sort of Covent Garden type place on the site of the original Jerusalem railway station. We arrived just in time for the beginning of a free concert by the Harel Orchestra - The Jerusalem Municipal Orchestra. We found friends and sat with them and we even knew the tuba player, we're still in Jerusalem remember.

I thought it was going to be classical music so I promised DD we'd only stay for 10 minutes if she was bored. But turns out, it was more Big Band than concert hall. They played classic sing-along Hebrew songs, songs from the musicals, The Beatles, The Beach Boys. We stayed for almost an hour. People were singling along and dancing. There were lots of families with children even though we didn't leave till about 9.30 pm.

Then we walked the 20 minutes walk home with lots of reasons 2B cheerful and, as usual I'm joining the R2BC linky which is back with Becky on Lakes Single Mum for the month of August.

A Night Out On The Town - R2BC

Flea market finds

On Thursday evening we were summoned to visit my youngest nephew who's touring Israel with a group of other 16 year olds in the summer after their GCSEs. It's a sort of rite of passage for Jewish kids. They call it "going on tour" and everyone knows exactly what you mean.

35 years ago, when his mother and uncle (my twin sister and brother) were on tour (although it wasn't called that then and it wasn't such a thing), I was finishing my gap year on a kibbutz in the middle of nowhere. They had a free Shabbat so the two of them left their group in Tel Aviv on Friday afternoon, took the bus to Bet She'an where I met them (all prearranged via pay-phone obviously) and they spent Shabbat on the kibbutz with me.

Shabbat, which goes out at sundown, finished at about 8.30 pm and they insisted on leaving that night. They got on the bus that came into the kibbutz at 9 pm and headed off into the darkness, to somehow arrive in Tel Aviv and then find their way back to wherever their group was staying.

By the time my older nephew did this same tour three years ago, the once six-week tour had already been reduced to a month and there was no free Shabbat. In our day the groups spent a week on a kibbutz volunteering. Nowadays kibbutzim don't need volunteers as there are foreign workers, much more automation, and much less agriculture, not to mention fewer kibbutzim that operate like traditional kibbutzim.

Older nephew (though not oldest who did a two-week tour without any visiting opportunities because he'd spent a whole school term here when he was 14) had a visiting couple of hours whereby Israeli relatives (everyone has Israeli relatives) met them in a shopping mall and were permitted to walk around with them and buy them supper. They were not permitted to leave the mall.

DD and her cousin
(the floodlights are the athletics stadium #MacabbiahGames)

Youngest nephew, on his three-week tour, is staying at a youth hostel in Jerusalem. We were summoned to visit them at 20.00, after their supper, and stay for an hour. They were not allowed to leave the building. Luckily there was a kiosk selling coffee and a large terrace with uncomfortable chairs and tables. We had a lovely visit for an hour and then we left. He's having a great time and I didn't tell him about 35 years ago when 16 year olds on tour could just leave the group and find their way around the country on buses to visit relatives for the weekend.

It was unbearably hot on Thursday and DD and I had both fallen asleep at 4 o'clock and slept until 6.30 when we got up, had showers, and dressed to go out. By 7 pm it was cool in Jerusalem and by 9 pm it was positively chilly. We weren't tired of course and we felt like the evening needed finishing off.

First we crossed the road from the Youth Hostel and were able to watch some of the athletics taking place at the Hebrew University stadium. This is my second encounter with the Maccabiah Games (the Jewish Olympics with over 10,000 athletes competing in events all over the country) and I don't even do sports. We couldn't make out the running but we watched the javelin throwing in the centre of the track.

Then we got a bus into town where DD had pizza and I had felafel for supper. We found a flea market and music and people dancing on top of buses. It was all very street party. (Shame we couldn't share it with Youngest Nephew.) We left town at about 10.30 and went home after a very satisfying night out on the town.

We were this close #MacabiahGames

I'm linking to Reasons 2B Cheerful over at Michelle's Mummy from the Heart.

A Book And A Cup

Jerusalem people will know that I'm referring to the iconic bookshop Sefer VeSefel (A Book And A Cup), a second-hand English bookshop in the heart of downtown Jerusalem.

I'm not sure when it opened but it was here when I came in 1988. For over a quarter of a century Sefer VeSefel has been one of the famous places for Anglos to book themselves out (well you know what I mean) whether they be students, gap year participants, new immigrants, or veterans. And I've been all of these in my time. We all have Sefer VeSefel books in our bookcases.

Sefer VeSefel

The book part is obvious but what of the sefel (cup)? It was once a bookshop-cafe. Years ahead of its time. Decades before every trendy bookshop had an in-house coffee shop, we would go to Sefer VeSefel for a cup of tea, a pastry, and a good read. Of all the famous hang-outs of our youth, Sefer VeSefel is perhaps the only one that has stayed constant and survived. Except that at some point the cup of tea part stopped.

Everyone knew Uri Rucham the resident book mavin and confidente. So it was an enormous surprise to read that not only is Uri retiring but that good friends of mine, going back 25 years, have bought the bookshop. (I don't want to brag but the owners of Sefer VeSefel are old friends of mine...)

Zia and Michael Rose are the new proprietors. I went in today to visit and of course to buy some books. I cannot describe the excitement of seeing my friend owning the shop. It's like if one of your friends owned the cafe in 'Friends' and you were one of the friends.

I'd brought in three books from my shelves to exchange. I say 'exchange' as they don't buy your books but rather give you credit towards a book purchase. If you bring in enough books you could in theory do a straight exchange with no money involved. In practice this is impossible for any real book lover.

I took in three books and I left with five books (although two of them were from the bargain boxes outside). It was sort of my housewarming gift to buy a few extra - I won't always buy five books. My three books would have been an exchange for one new book if I added a few shekels.

Here's today's bounty - the five and the four

As I was choosing which books to take in, not an easy task after I'd decluttered my bookshelves for the Yedidya Bazaar in March, I decided that I'm going to read all my books again and only keep those that I absolutely love. The rest can go to to Sefer VeSefel in an ongoing downsizing exercise whereby every three books out equals one book in. This could take a few years.

Meanwhile, as I approached my building on the way home, I found a pile of books sitting on the wall outside. This is another traditional way to get rid of unwanted books in Jerusalem (possibly throughout Israel). No one wants to throw away books. Books are sacred, So we leave them out for the taking. I took four. LOL, I came home with nine books!

The Famous Photo

Last week, On Thursday evening, 4th December - DD's birthday, the dusk looked like this. I think everyone in Jerusalem and surrounding areas has these photos, I've seen at least 6 postings on fb. It was, in the real sense of the word, simply awesome.

Notes From The Back

I'm nowhere near the front so here are some notes from the back...

1. Last night at about 10pm the air raid siren went off in Jerusalem. I grabbed a sleeping DD and my door keys and we ran down three flights of stairs to the communal bomb shelter. We didn't stop for shoes or dressing gowns but the neighbours were similarly undressed so we just laughed and bonded. We heard the booms, waited the 10 minutes, returned home, and got on facebook (obviously).

2. Whilst downstairs, one of the neighbours started arranging the chairs and talking about bringing down boxes of bottled water and food. So I guess we have a house-mother. :)

3. I don't have tv but my friend told me that they were broadcasting children's programmes at 10.30pm.

4. I went to sleep wondering whether to bother getting up if there were a siren in the middle of the night. I know that some friends with more than one sleeping child couldn't manage it. You only get 90 seconds to find cover in Jerusalem. On the other hand, they say the stairwell is safer than nothing. DD and I are sleeping in a back bedroom with a very small window that is unexposed (faces another wall). And the outside wall is on the east side of the building i.e. the opposite side to Gaza. I left the window open as there is less pressure to implode the window if' it's open.

5. This morning I made sure DD knew what to do if there is siren while she is at day-camp. She does - run to the reinforced room. I also told her that if we hear the siren outside she has to get on the floor and curl up into a ball and I have to lie on top of her.

This photo is from Israel 2012

6. Came downstairs to find all the bikes, buggies and other junk have been moved out of the bomb shelter. I put DD's bike in our storage room for the duration. At school all the shelters had been opened. I received an email from my college saying where all the shelters and reinforced areas are. If you are in the classroom block you are advised to go down to the basement and lie on the floor with your arms over your head.

7.  Diet's out the window. Last night I attacked and demolished DD's crisps. Friends on fb and twitter have reported raiding the chocolate supplies. It seems 9 out of 10 people head for the fridge on returning from the bomb shelters. Hamas has a lot to answer for.

The Expected Jerusalem Marathon, 2014

After last year's unexpected marathon, this year we were up early and looking forward to it. As the weather was (accurately) predicted to be hot, they started at 6.45 am. Most of my friends who were running were doing the half marathon (or the 10k or the 5k but they didn't come through our neighbourhood). We were at the crossroads at the end of the street by 8am, boogieing to the music, clapping and kiffing (fives - high and  low depending on the size of the kiffer).

Kiff!

I wanted to photograph some of my friends but everything was happening too fast. In the end I put the camera away and enjoyed being in the moment.

From 8 - 9 were the serious runners. David Graniewitz we saw you at 8.30 (by Bagel Bite). I clapped, woohooed, shouted "Kol Hakavod!" (Well done!) and your name, but you didn't hear me.

8.40 - Yael Zisquit Gabai joined for a short stretch by her husband and four children. "Woohoo! Kol Hakavod!"

8.50 - Our mayor, Nir Barkat, ran past. I gave him a cheer as, on the strength of one pre-election parlour meeting and seeing him in the street occasionally, I consider him to be a personal friend. He also came to my daughter's kindergarten once and although the parents were invited, I didn't go as DD tends not to join in if I'm there.

Random runner with runners in the background #rubbishphotographer

By 9am we were cheering the fun runners, the dancers, the stop for a chatters, and the huggers.

9.10 the lonesome ownsomes, the walkers. In a way it was almost more rewarding to cheer them on as they really appreciated it. And if there's only one runner he knows you're talking to him personally. I applauded one runner who stopped, came over to shake my hand and said, "Shalom Rachel." "Who are you?" I asked. Turns out he's the landlord of the apartment downstairs that's rented out. Sorry, Yehoshua Mendel, I didn't recognise you under all that t-shirt and shorts. :~P  "Woohoo! My neighbour! Kol hakaovod!" He ran on smiling.

Sorry we missed you Gershon, Sam, Guy, and Ariella. Emma and Nadia we missed you at the barrier - where were you?

At 9.30 it was almost all over but the music and the street entertainment kept us hanging around a bit longer. Then it was off to the shops to buy food for Shabbat. I would say we did the full 42.2k (where k stands for kiff).

For the less marathon minded

The Jerusalem Marathon 2014 - Kol Hakavod!!

Disappeared From Kindergarten

Tuesday 27th August - DD started back at Kindergarten after a month's holiday (the first month of the holiday I sent her to summer day-camp). 16 children, including DD, were continuing from last year and there were 10 new children starting.

I asked the assistant teacher if DD had forgotten all her Hebrew after the break. She told me that she was a little bit quiet but understood everything. "She's fine. We have one girl who can't speak a word of Hebrew." I asked if she was an English speaker, thinking we might be able to help her. "No, she's Russian."

DD is currently obsessed with long hair (including her own). When I collected her I saw, from the back, a little girl with beautiful long, thick, blonde hair. "Ooh, hasn't she got beautiful hair," I said to DD. She replied wistfully, "Yes, it's beautiful!"

Monday 16th September - After only 2 1/2 weeks the schools broke up again for another two weeks until all the religious holidays are over. DD was at day-camp for the first three days with 20 children from kindergarten to 2nd grade. It was run by a lovely lady called Mira.

I got an email during the morning from DD's teacher, co-signed by the head-teacher of the school. It had obviously been sent out to all the parents in the school. With great sorrow they announced that a terrible tragedy had occurred. A girl from our kindergarten and her brother in 1st grade had died in unusual circumstances. The police were investigating. No names were released.

We were asked not to speak to the media or allow our children to be exposed to the media. We were asked not to discuss it with the children and, should they hear something from another source and ask, we should not give any details but answer them in the broadest terms. The school would be open that evening with staff and psychologists for any parents who wanted to come in and talk.

My mind raced. DD has one friend at kindergarten with an older brother in the school. I was about to do a google search to see if I could find any information when the phone rang. It was a friend phoning to discuss an arrangement for the weekend. I opened my mouth to say hello and instead found myself sobbing down the phone. I could hardly get the words out. "A girl from DD's kindergarten has died and I don't even know who it is." After I'd calmed down a bit and told her what I knew, she told me that it was all over the news. "They're new Russian immigrants," she said. I felt relief that it wasn't someone I know. I hated myself for feeling relieved.

I found all the news stories. You can read one here. I recognised the building as being one undergoing renovations 10 minutes walk from where we live. One of the reports had a family photo of the children. Their faces were blurred out as the names had not yet been released, but I recognised the beautiful long blonde hair.

Tuesday 17th September - A journalist friend wrote a personal piece about how all the mothers in the neighbourhood, including herself, are shaken and upset. One detail was incorrect. It irritated me.

A few local friends on facebook posted heartfelt expressions of their shock. They received comments in reply from their friends expressing more shock and asking if they knew the family. Everyone wanted to be part of the tragedy. It irritated me.

A couple of friends private messaged me. I replied that yes, it was DD's kindergarten. We've been asked not to talk about it. (Well fb is media isn't it?) I was irritated.

A friend of the friend I'd spoken to on the phone the previous day called to see if I was OK. "I hope they're not going to make a big thing about this at school. They're only five!" I was irritated - why assume that the school will get it wrong?

I was easily irritated. It wasn't them, it was me. Everyone was dealing and expressing themselves in their own way. Everything came from love and kindness as well as shock.

On the way to collect DD from day-camp I met another mother, a friend, whose son is in the brother's 1st grade class. She was worrying over what to tell the children. "Don't tell them anything," I advised. "If they ask say 'hu avar lemakom aher.' (He's 'gone' to another place.) In Hebrew the word 'avar' is used for 'moving' and also 'passing'. It sounds like he moved to another school. (Btw - this mother didn't irritate me at all. I now understand the power of support groups for same-situation people.)

That evening I counted the number of days they'd been in school this year - only 12 actual days of school followed by a 15 day break. I am sure DD won't even remember the girl. I think they will quietly remove her name from her tray and take down her pictures from the wall. She will disappear and kindergarten will go on.

Wednesday 18th September - We came home from shopping in the afternoon to find an email from DD's teacher that had been sent that morning. The funeral for Igor and Mira, may they rest in peace, will take place today at 11am.

At no time did DD tell me that they have another Mira in their kindergarten, which is what she usually does if we meet someone with the same name as someone else we know. I don't think she even knew little Mira's name.

I would have wanted to go to the funeral, if I'd found someone to babysit DD for a couple of hours. I don't know the grieving family or their friends but I feel a bit guilty. It seems like heaping betrayal upon betrayal. Following the ultimate betrayal of  being killed by your own mother, we are now disappearing her from our kindergarten and hoping the children have forgotten about her. I wanted to say, "We do care about you Little Mira. You are not nothing. All the mummies and daddies have cried for you this week and will remember you for a long time. Rest in peace sweet, lovely girl with the beautiful, long, blonde hair."

Richard lll In Motion

This evening we went to see Theater in the Rough's Richard lll In Motion. I was a little unsure about taking my 4yo to see a two hour Shakespeare - and not one with the easiest or nicest of plots. I'm still not sure what exactly happened there tbh. However one friend already said that her 4yo twins were enthralled for the entire two hours so we packed a picnic and went. DD was fascinated from start to finish, as was her 4yo friend who we met there.

It was an excellent performance. Richard lll was indeed a villain but a humorous one and entirely convincing, as were all of the cast. The in motion aspect meant that we moved around the park from location to location following the action. And as we walked, the actors walked with us, playing out scenes en route as if we were all part of the play. This culminated in the entire audience of about 100 people charging into battle for the final scene.

Half way through, DD whispered to me: I love this. (I kvelled). We were so engrossed we didn't have time for our picnic so we brought it home with us and ate it off the coffee table.

We're already looking forward to next year.

My Nooly

This is not a sponsored post. It's a post written out of admiration for my friend Yael Katz. Looking for soft furnishings for her children but not knowing how to sew, she persuaded her mother to lend her the sewing machine anyway. Then she found a sewing teacher and started making soft toys and accessories for children and babies from her spare bedroom in Jerusalem. (You can read a better account of the story here).  My Nooly is now a thriving business selling at craft fairs and online.

Here is Yael at The Tachana last Friday.

DD always goes for the hair accessories. She particularly likes the crocheted butterflies, flowers and chicks.

The most useful item we ever bought was a small beanbag. I thought it was for throwing and catching like we used to do in school. However, Yael told me you can heat it in the microwave to sooth muscle and joint pains. DD sometimes wakes up in the night with growing pains in her knees. The beanbag is like a miracle cure. Instant relief. They can also be kept in the freezer to relieve bruises, swelling and sprains.

My personal favourite item is the tooth fairy pillow. A small pillow with a pocket for your fallen tooth so that the tooth fairy will know where to find it (and to stop it falling down behind the bed in the night). We're waiting a couple of years until we need one of those.

Check out the My Nooly website for more exquisite ideas - she ships abroad if you see things you fancy. Also My Nooly on Facebook, obviously. For Israelis take a look at My Nooly at the Marmeleda Market website.

#ShabbatShalom : The Station

The original Jerusalem Train Station was part of a network of railways that ran from Cairo to Damascus. It was still in use when I arrived in Israel 25 years ago but the trains stopped running soon afterwards and a new station was built elsewhere. The old station has recently opened as an arts and crafts, foody, concert and entertainment venue. We went there this afternoon to taste the ice-cream and play with the constructastraws. It's a good half hour walk each way so we came home tired enough to justify a dvd before supper and bed.

The old platform and buildings are restaurants and a railway museum

The opposite direction

There's a craft market and farmers' market over the old tracks

Tables of creative toys are free for the children

Every so often a concert breaks out

Here begins the long walk home