A restful day (Israel, Day 10)

Today was Shabbat, and once again we spent it quietly here in Efrat. This morning I was asked to lead the shacharit service, which I was honored to do. It went pretty well; one difference from what I'm used to is that the priestly blessing is actually done by the kohanim here every day.

Last night, Tani started chanting, to a tune much like the conga line melody, CE-le-BRATE the TO-RAH! DANCE the HO-RAH! LIGHT the me-NO-RAH! And he got the other kids to start, too. Non-stop for most of Shabbat. Oy.

In this afternoon's Torah reading, Jacob tells Joseph: And as for me, when I came from Paddan, Rachel died unto me in the land of Canaan in the way, when there was still some way to come unto Efrat; and I buried her there in the way to Efrat. Very odd to be hearing that in situ.

H and I went back to Burgers Bar for dinner, as we had done last week. Tonight, the TV was showing the latest news from the front. An IDF jeep pulled up out front, and two soldiers came in to the restaurant, with their machine guns slung over their shoulders; they placed a large to-go order. Others from the jeep went into the pizza place a few doors down, presumably to do the same. One of the soldiers struck up a conversation with another man who was wearing a baby in a front-carrier. The juxtaposition of the baby, the gun-carrying soldier, and the night-vision images of exchanges of fire was surreal. We finished our meal and left before the soldiers' order was ready, but one assumes that they were on Shabbat leave and were heading back to their base, and were picking up dinner on the way.

A restful day (Israel, Day 10)

Today was Shabbat, and once again we spent it quietly here in Efrat. This morning I was asked to lead the shacharit service, which I was honored to do. It went pretty well; one difference from what I'm used to is that the priestly blessing is actually done by the kohanim here every day.

Last night, Tani started chanting, to a tune much like the conga line melody, CE-le-BRATE the TO-RAH! DANCE the HO-RAH! LIGHT the me-NO-RAH! And he got the other kids to start, too. Non-stop for most of Shabbat. Oy.

In this afternoon's Torah reading, Jacob tells Joseph: And as for me, when I came from Paddan, Rachel died unto me in the land of Canaan in the way, when there was still some way to come unto Efrat; and I buried her there in the way to Efrat. Very odd to be hearing that in situ.

H and I went back to Burgers Bar for dinner, as we had done last week. Tonight, the TV was showing the latest news from the front. An IDF jeep pulled up out front, and two soldiers came in to the restaurant, with their machine guns slung over their shoulders; they placed a large to-go order. Others from the jeep went into the pizza place a few doors down, presumably to do the same. One of the soldiers struck up a conversation with another man who was wearing a baby in a front-carrier. The juxtaposition of the baby, the gun-carrying soldier, and the night-vision images of exchanges of fire was surreal. We finished our meal and left before the soldiers' order was ready, but one assumes that they were on Shabbat leave and were heading back to their base, and were picking up dinner on the way.