Category: Israel Life

Shpilkes is one of those piquant and now quite translatable Yiddish words. Derived from the word siztn, which means to sit, its literal meaning is “I’m sitting on pins,” the cumbersome English phrase “sitting on pins and needles” contracted into one emphatic word. Continue reading “Shpilkes”

Many of us are missing our grandchildren, and sometimes those weekly conversations are just a little repetitive. Can we overcome the restrictions of shielding, and not being able to visit with the kids, by strengthening our relationships and finding more meaningful topics to talk about? Continue reading “Meaningful Conversations with Grandchildren”

Back in March, when the pandemic had not yet lost its terrifying novelty, a couple of aging boomers posted a YouTube parody of the old Simon and Garfunkel hit “Homeward Bound.” Continue reading “Thank G-d for the Vaccine”

In a time of darkness, a time of pandemic, pandemonium and power struggles, a thin ray of light can be seen in the Jewish world. Continue reading “Today, you no longer have to sacrifice your comforts to live as a proud Jew in Israel”

Israel has everything. Even bank robberies.  Continue reading ““Don’t start up with me!””

It was March 17, 2020 and the beginning of the coronavirus outbreak.  Continue reading “Netanya, the Coronavirus and the Cab Driver”

It’s Friday afternoon and I’m queasy. This quarantine is hard enough but the Shabbos brings on additional restrictions—no internet, no telephone and now because of the virus I can’t attend synagogue services or host guests.   Continue reading “Corona Shabbos”

Here in Israel Bibi declared complete lockdown for Seder night, threatening arrest or a fine to anyone found on the streets. No, he wasn’t overreacting and he’s not planning on turning the country into a police state.  Continue reading “Pesach 2020 – No aunts’ fluffy matzo balls to dunk in the soup”