NO THANKS ALL THE SAME

Today Israel is mourning our dead...soldiers...terrorist victims. Last night the siren went off for one minute and the country came to a halt as one and all stood at attention to remember lost friends and family and strangers who became family.

There are no movie theatres open on Yom HaZikon. The restaurants are closed. There is only a country remembering. And what a country!!!

As I stood at the window watching the traffic come to a halt as people got out of their cars to pay their respect and thank the fallen for the terrible price they paid for us, I cried. And prayed. And cried again.

Then there was the opening ceremony at the Kotel. Peres spoke...the Rabbis spoke...the head of the IDF spoke...all to the point...all eloquently. Yizkor was sung by the Head Hazan from the army. A young man with the voice of an angel brought even more tears to our hearts. Israel mourns her dead and does not take one life for granted.

This morning the siren went off again for another two minutes. But this time as I was standing at attention...for the first time...I realized that my four year old and six year old grandchildren were standing at attention too. That thought took my breath away. Israel is a marvellous country.

If you want to know what Israel really is like come here for two weeks. Start out with Yom HaShoah where we mourn our lost brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles, mothers and fathers who were butchered in the Holocaust. Then just a week later we have Yom HaZikaron...today...where...well you know...and tonight we go into Yom HaAtzmaut...Independance Day. Only Independance Day can break the belt of sorrow that clamps around our heart. They were smart, whoever they were, who figured that out.

All the streets around my house are blocked. I live five minutes away from Har Herzel...Mount Herzel and next to it is the military cemetary. All of Jerusalem has gone to visit their fallen loved ones.

That is one club I never want to join. Thank you God for all my blessings. Please watch over Israel. May we know no more sorrow.

Have a great day...stay safe...and thanks for dropping in.

I'M LEAVING ON A JET PLANE

Well...it has been so long since I wrote...but the truth is it has taken me this long to come to terms with Bubbie Channah's passing.

It isn't so much that she is gone...and that is really hard. It's just the way she went and the trauma involved.

My brother David says it is the price of the ticket. I think it was a very high price. In my opinion, the elderly...oy I am the elderly...wait...wait...the old people should just be allowed to pass over in their sleep.

That brings me to Pessach or Passover. Tricky,no? What a strange holiday it was this year. First of all I love Pessach. But, this year I wasn't ready for it. Wasn't ready for the excitement of the family gathering...for the work involved changing over the house...for anything. I didn't think I had the energy to even be nice.

You know that's true. Sometimes it takes all your strength to smile and pay attention when people are talking.

But our seder was lovely. The immediate family all gathered at my oldest son's house. And for the first time Sweetsie Tootsie read from the Hagaddah! He's in first grade now you see and can read. Our kids have a great advantage as they understand what they are reading. Big help!

Then the middle portion of the holiday or hol ah moed was only two days instead of a week. Why? Because right after seder we went into shabbat...and the second part of the holiday was the following Tuesday and Wednesday...then again shabbat. Seems like a whole lot of work and before you turn around it is over.

I miss my Mom. I still can't erase her phone numbers from my phones. I still want to call her and share things and tell her stuff. I miss her love and gentleness and intelligence.

So...my youngest...Joe College and I are going back to our roots...Windsor/Colorado/Florida!!!

When? Well between all our busy schedules we can't seem to manage getting away until September. The only problem with that is that Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur are the last two weeks of that month this year. But we're still going. We'll be with the Guv in Windsor...my brother and sister-in-law in Boulder...and my Aunt and Uncle and cousins in Miami! Family. Is there anything more important than family? I don't think so.

My heart is lighter knowing that we are going. I need to be with these people. And add to the mix Maeshey and Donna and everyone we know in those three cities and yahoooo LOVE IS IN THE AIR!!!

I will try to write more...and last night the devil made me join Twitter. Don't ask... now I can jot down all my ramblings in little sentences...my new diary. If you want to come visit I am marallyn or I think @marallyn...but what do I know...I just pushed this and pushed that and there I was!

I'd love to hear from you either here or there.

Have a great day...stay safe...and thanks for dropping in.