Almost Eden

Having made Aliyah from Cleveland, Ohio, I receive the CHAI (Cleveland Hometown Association in Israel) newsletter periodically. The most recent issue opens with a holiday message from Jerusalem Rabbi Shalom Bronstein who has kindly granted me permission… more »

I remember feeling overwhelmed (in a suffocating sense) by the over-commercialization of the December holidays in America (that seemed to begin earlier every year) to the point that I would stock the pantry and freezer, and be sure to buy all the winter… more »

E-mail, blogs and social sites like LinkedIn and Facebook have had an incredible impact on connecting us with hundreds and thousands of people - this is both a blessing AND a curse because on Erev Yom Kippur I am now faced with the task of asking forgive… more »

I can't believe another year has flown by so quickly! I planned to select a photo from my gallery and make a Rosh HaShanah greeting card out of it for you but I can't decide which ONE to choose. Since I'm running out of time, I decided to share with you… more »

My personal blessings to all my friends in the galut: May Hashem grant you the understanding to break out of the gilded cage of self delusion that one can be a "good" Jew even in the communities of chutz la’aretz, and the courage to follow in the footst… more »

At 20:00 (8:00 PM) sirens cried throughout all of Israel in memory of the 22,570 who have been killed during their service in the IDF. In my many decades living in the US I never experienced an American Memorial Day celebration as emotional as the cer… more »

5769 has proven to be our best Pesach ever! The food, friends, weather, the Holy air we breathe... We thoroughly enjoyed the seder at the home of our friends Ron, Esther and Sarah, who provided an entertaining evening and delicious meal. Then we walk… more »

I attended Birkat HaChama in Ma'ale Adumim this morning - it was beautiful, but I suspect our 1st seder in the Holy Land will surpass that! Here are some photos I snapped. This is the view of the sun over our house this morning. And here… more »

I am so used to being price-gouged in America for Kosher L'Pesach foods that I didn't even think about the prices as I did my holiday shopping here in Israel. I guess I just expected to be taken advantage of, so when I sat down to share my Pesach shoppin… more »

Pesach is coming and along with concerns about friends who do - or do not - consume gebrochts (a Yiddish term referring to mixing matzah with any liquid), the debate about consumption of kitniyot moved to the top of our list. Some of our readers may a… more »