Pesach in Israel with Family & Friends
On Sunday we (Marian, Ranana, Micah, Alyssa, Ezra, Shiri and I) decided to visit Herodium, which is near Efrat. Herod was known for his...
Odds and Sweet Ends
This may be my last blog (or next-to-last) from Israel -- my abridged 3-month Sabbatical is coming to a close and Pesach is near. Marian...
Israelis - Hot, Cold or Somewhere In Between?
Israelis are by-and-large “reserved.” In St Louis, people usually wave, say hello, and respond with a smile. Some Israelis stare a bit...
Israeli Politics
I take this opportunity to explain Israeli politics as I see them. Recently Israel’s police department recommended that the chief...
Tu Bi-Sh'vat & Purim, Israeli Style
I wasn’t sure what to expect. How would the yeshivah in particular, and Israel in general (at least in Efrat), celebrate Tu bi-Sh’vat...
Haifa, a Taste of Moroccan Jewry, and Religious Pluralism
This past Shabbat I traveled north to Haifa for the Bar Mitzvah of Moshe, a cousin of Shiri (Ezra’s wife). Shiri’s Moroccan family is...