Third time’s the charm?

Israel is set to enter our third lockdown starting this Sunday at 17:00. Restrictions are similar to the October closure – no one allowed to visit anyone’s house, stores closed, restaurant delivery only (no take out this time), and exercise allowed up to 1 km from your house. The biggest change is that preschools, 1-4th …

Spatchcock

Thanksgiving is not a holiday in Israel. There is no school break, no family gatherings. Only American expats celebrate, and many have Thanksgiving on the Friday night after Thanksgiving Day. At the end of October, our friends who we celebrated Thanksgiving with last year, sent a message asking us about our plans for this year. …

Afternoon visit to the Hula Valley

A friend of mine recently posted a poem by Rupi Kaur that reminded me to return to my practice of present moment awareness. With Sarit back in school and Reuben and Kayla still at home on zoom, I have fallen back into the trap of arguing with reality. Wishing that everything would go “back to …

Kayla’s Thursday Tiyul

Another guest blog post by the famous Kayla! So, we were on the beach on Monday or Tuesday this week, and I was just kind of sitting on the beach hanging out, listening to music, you know? My mom turns to me and says“Kayla, this tour guide is giving a guided tour to a small …

October Update

The second lockdown in Israel ended just after my birthday in mid-October, but I haven’t had a moment to sit down and write a new blog. As predicted, our schedule changed significantly after sukkot once the kids school zooms started again. The zoom links mostly work, but constant supervision is required for online learning. We …

From Lockjaw to Lockdown

It was a tough week. We found out on Monday night, while Reuben was already at soccer practice, that on the day we sent him to school the previous week (when all of the Israeli parents kept their kids home) he was in the classroom with a teacher who subsequently tested positive for coronavirus. We …

Whack-a-mole

I got caught up in a storm of WhatsApp messages last night after our school informed parents that a teacher who had been in the classroom with students that day tested positive for the coronavirus. All seventh graders and one eight grade class (not Kayla’s group) were required to remain home today. The notifications arrived …

Anxiety Dreams

We finally bought a new mattress a couple of weeks ago, but I don’t know whether my dreams since the purchase indicate that it has been an improvement for my sleep. According to the Sleep Foundation, we dream every night whether we remember our dreams or not. There is also a clear connection in our …

Getting un-stuck

My neighbors in Zichron moved back to Israel at the start of the coronavirus outbreak, after spending the past 9 years in China. In mid-July, their container of household items arrived for delivery. The movers carried box after box into their small house and then drove away. I finished my online Barre3 workout, and went …

The Trail of Lost Soles

Summer vacation is now in full swing here in Israel. The summer school camp ended last Thursday, and all of the Yeshivot (Orthodox seminaries) started their 3-week holiday. Since no Israelis are traveling abroad, most places are packed with locals trying to find a way to enjoy the end of the summer before schools start …