Israel Adventures
Jerry’s adventures in Israel beginning 11 April 2024
Letter To Alexandria
I composed a letter in my head to Alexandria while I was walking along a busy highway – lost, of course – somewhere between Afula and Pardes Hannah. The ordeal of getting lost in the Israeli bus system was getting to my head. It all vanished when I met a soldier who was proud to show me pictures of a Passover Seder.
Sderot: A Town With PTSD Keeps Growing
I traveled to Sderot, on the Gaza border, where I once lived. For over 20 years Sderot has been terrorized by Gazans who have frequently launched rokets at Sderot. Nevertheless, only a few people have abandoned Sderot, while the city has grown.
Passover: A Hope For Freedom
I could not, with complete honesty and compassion, wish my friends and family a happy holiday this year. Not while Israel is at war, and so many soldiers are away from their families. Not while more than a hundred of our tribe are being held hostage
Volunteering – Of Hope And Love
I have been doing volunteer work at Meir Panim in Or Akiva. It is a a non-profit organization that aids low-income / no-income families. The number of clientele picked up dramatically when the war started. There are, today, thousands of refugees who left their homes in the northern part of Israel.
Getting Around
I didn’t sleep much last night. I waited for a drone and missile attack that didn’t happen in Pardes Hannah. To begin my volunteerhood, I had to go to Or Akiva. So that was the first adventure. I had to learn which was the right bus to get on, and I had to learn how to use the Rav Kav card to pay. With help from good people all around, I got to the destination.
What A Way To Start An Adventure
What A Way To Start An Adventure: It’s only two days since I arrived in Israel, and I am stilling feeling jetlagged. It’s Saturday, Shabbat, the Sabbath. I managed to wake up early, and go to a synagogue that Shai (my airbnb host) and I found yesterday evening. There was a bar mitzvah. So the synagogue was not overly crowded, but a lot of people were there. Except for one segment, the bar mitzvah boy read the entire parashah. And he read it well.