Israel: Northern
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A Visit To The Nahariya Boardwalk In The Winter!
Now that my 14 year old son is in sleep-away yeshiva high school in Nahariya he only comes home every other shabbat, which means that every other week we go to visit him. And I have to say I am certainly not complaining as it forces us to visit the Mediterranean Sea, and the drive across the North of the country heading west is indeed quite lovely. Yes it is true it is an hour there and an hour back, but staying connected with our son is of the utmost importance, and at times I feel so very fortunate that his yeshiva is located just ten minutes or so from…
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A Visit To Rosh HaNikra, Israel On The Mediterranean Coast
Once every two weeks or so, my husband and I drive about an hour west to visit our 14 year old son who is in sleep-away Yeshiva in Nahariya. Fortunately Nahariya happens to be on the Mediterranean, and so after years of being starved of the ocean views that I crave, I am now happy as can be, as each visit we generally go for a drive and visit a site somewhere in the vicinity. This time we decided to visti Rosh HaNikra, which is less than a 15 minute drive (10km/6 miles) from the Yeshiva, and one of my very favorite places in Israel. Rosh HaNikra, “head of the…
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Low Tide At Achziv On The Israeli Meditteranean Coast
We are very very busy preparing for the seven day holiday of Succot, (followed by another holiday called Simchat Torah) but I’m just popping in to share with you some recent photos of one of my most beloved spots in Israel: the rocky yet accesible coastline just above the city of Nahariya in a place called Achziv. As it turns out my fourteen year old son is now going to high school/Yeshiva in Nahariya, so while we miss him terribly, as least when we visit (on the weeks he does not come home for shabbat) this lovely spot is just about a ten minute drive from his yeshiva. So, while…
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Pomegranate Trees In Bloom In Northern Israel
Yes, dear readers, if you take a walk around my neighborhood you too can witness the transition of the flowers on the pomegranate tree to that of tiny fruit! There is something so very special about the yearly cycle of all of the holy seven plant/tree species that grow here in Israel, but those that we can observe in our very own backyard, namely pomegranates, grapes, figs and olives are near and dear! And the pomegranate tree is especially lovely as its blooms are bright red, and currently dotting the landscape all over town. When the trees become filled with nearly ripened fruit, towards the end of summer, well that too…
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Sunset Over Mount Meron On Rosh Chodesh Sivan
Chodesh tov, wishing you a joyful new month, dear readers! Every month on the Jewish calendar has its own special qualities, and the first day of the month, rosh chodesh, is a mini holiday of sorts. We have a special affection for the cycle of the year and the numerous celebrations it includes as well as the periods of mourning and fast days to remember the sad times. As it turns out, the month of Sivan contains the special holiday of Shavuot, on which we celebrate the giving of the Torah, and receive the Torah each and every year. The four days between the beginning of the month of Sivan…
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The Ancient Cemetary Of Safed Covered In Yellow Wild Flowers
The fields of Northern Israel are indeed a world unto their own, and I just love to watch the progressive show as wildflowers and maidenhair fern and thistle, to name a few, each bloom during their own special time slot, only to dry up and be replaced by the next species in line. It really is truly magnificent, and while of course this show has a general theme that is the same year to year, this year I noticed that a particular yellow dasy-like wild flower seems to have really taken over, and the hills are golden and lovely, well at least they were two weeks ago when I took…
