Both Ian and Rachel are kind, down-to-earth people, and our boys had fun playing with their 4 children. When we were invited over, we asked what we could bring. Rachel said we didn't need to bring anything, but if we were going to bring something anyway, it should be something that we like to eat. Pentheus and I checked with the boys and ended up bringing Creme de Banana liqueur, a box of Lindt truffles and gummi bananas. (Hey, we were told to bring what we liked!) I must admit, all 3 went over pretty well.
While we were finishing dinner, there was thunder and lightning, and it started to pour. It's the first time I have ever heard thunder in Jerusalem. Although the sukkah is covered to a large extent, one is supposed to be able to see the stars from inside. Because we could see the stars, it also meant that we could get pretty wet while sitting at the table! At some point, everyone came inside where there were a ton of desserts, including fruit, chocolate, cakes, ruggelah, and even some Ben and Jerry's ice-cream (plus gummi bananas and Lindt truffles). The dinner guests started dessert and, little by little, some other congregants came by, though not too many because of the rain.
Many Jews in Israel live in the sukkah throughout Sukkot. The Pears had moved all of the sofa cushions and a bunch of mattresses into the sukkah so that they could sleep there as well. Once it started raining hard, everyone grabbed a cushion or mattress to move them inside, so that they didn't get wet. After all of the company left, the Pears moved the cushions and mattresses back into the sukkah for the night.
I have to admit that I have always had some discomfort with the holiday of Sukkot. I get the idea of the sukkah as a temporary tabernacle, and I understand the connection and symbolism to the Jews wandering for 40 years. It's the lulav and etrog part (i.e., the shaking of the four species) that throws me. While I understand why we do it (once the second Temple was destroyed, the rabbis decreed that all Jews should wave the lulav and etrog all seven days as a remembrance of Temple days) - it's so, well, pagan. When I remarked to Pentheus about the pagan nature, his reply was "Duh, of course it is." That being said, it was actually beautiful and moving to be at synagogue yesterday morning to see 100 people shaking the lulav and etrog while praising G-d. I think it's fascinating that Jewish law specifically notes that everyone should "own" his/her lulav and etrog; it's not enough to be at synagogue and watch others wave the four species. The commandment is only satisfied by an individual's actions, and it cannot be done, for instance, as a family.
The boys had their first Hebrew tutoring session this morning! Rafi was here for about an hour. The first thing she told the boys was that she was going to speak pretty much all in Hebrew and that if they didn't understand, they needed to ask her, in Hebrew, to translate into English. ("Ehfshar l'targem l'engleet"?) When Rafi was leaving, I asked her how she thought the boys were doing in Hebrew. Rafi commented that the boys read in Hebrew better than she had expected, but that their comprehension was less than she had expected. I don't mind spending the money on a Hebrew tutor for the kids - I think the more Hebrew they know and use in Israel, the better. Rafi comes again on Sunday morning. After that, we'll try to figure out a schedule from there, and we hope she can meet with them at the school.
My father arrived this afternoon to visit us for the next couple of weeks! (OK, as Pentheus commented, it's more like 17 days that my Dad will be with us.) :-D The boys and I took a cab to the airport to meet him. I'm kinda weird in that I like airports. Airports make for great people watching. I loved being at "Arrivals" and seeing how happy people are to greet their family and friends, and I think it's especially poignant in Israel. Before we saw Dad, there were a couple of flights coming in from Kiev and Moscow, and many of the passengers were older people. You wouldn't believe the emotional reunions with the tears and kissing on both cheeks.
We're psyched that Dad is visiting, and my sister is coming, too, in about 10 days! We have a bunch of trips and tours planned, and we hope to show them a bit of what our daily lives are like. The boys are out of school until 10/10 because of Sukkot, so Dad planned his visit around being able to spend a lot of time with the boys. My sister hasn't been here before, and I am excited to show her around!
For those who are interested, the airport is outside Tel Aviv, in Lod, about 45-50 minutes from our neighborhood in Jerusalem. The cab ride there was 250 shekels and the ride home was 256 shekels (plus 14 shekel fee). Both are flat fee rates. The alternative is taking the shuttle service to the airport; the shuttle service is 62 shekels/person and makes numerous stops on the way from Jerusalem. While we splurged a bit on the way to get Dad, we only paid about $16 extra (250 shekels instead of 186 shekels for the 3 of us). Because there were 4 of us on the way back, we paid an extra $6 to take a cab (270 shekels instead of 248 shekels). The total sheirut time is about 60-75 minutes.
To be honest, while we were waiting for Dad, I thought about how we'll be back at the airport when we leave Israel to return to Cambridge, and it made me very sad. Despite how tough it has been, I am very glad that we are here, and I am not sure I can explain why that is. It feels wonderful to see the boys do "Jewish things" that everyone else is doing, too, like eat in a Sukkah, wear a kippa on Shabbat, and even try to speak Hebrew. When we are in restaurants here, we don't think about whether we can order meat because we know it's kosher, and we know we can take home leftovers. While we have a great Jewish community in Cambridge, it's different to be in the majority for once. My Dad got choked up telling me that when the plane landed and they walked off the jetway, there was a big sign that said, "L'shana tova" (Happy New Year) for Rosh Hashana. That just doesn't happen in Cambridge or in Kentucky.
I love that the boys are so much more independent here (although the the WK has been too independent lately and not coming home from the Moshava Park when he's supposed to come home) and that they like the Israeli lifestyle. It's great that we all like Shir Chadash. I don't really mind the mecheetzah so much (certainly not nearly as much as I thought would mind) because it doesn't feel like the women are relegated to "the back of the bus". I keep joking about how much more we can like Shir Chadash when we get to know the people better.
We hung around the dira with Dad this afternoon, and then Dad napped while the boys went to Moshava Park. After Dad woke up, we walked to the Emek and went to Ryu, an Asian restaurant, for dinner. It was funny because at Ryu, we ran into 2 different sets of people whom we knew. The first couple was Janet and Ken Gordon, the couple at whose home we had Shabbat lunch that first weekend we were in Israel. I often see Janet at Shir Chadash. Then we saw the family from London who is renting the dira above ours on Yordei Hasira. They are here only for Sukkot but plan to come back to Israel in December. I think my Dad was impressed that we knew people in the 'hood.
Boys are in bed now, but not sure if they will be able to sleep. The CK has been attacked again by the "yetushim" (mosquitoes) and he is pretty itchy and uncomfortable. We gave him Benadryl and hope that works. The WK is excited because he broke his sushi-eating record tonight - 34 pieces.
Tomorrow we plan to go do some touring stuff with Dad, and then having a family over to eat with us in the sukkah. Pentheus is making panko chicken, at the CK's request.
How lucky are you to be able to "show off" to Dad and sister. They will and should be impressed. Enjoy them!
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