Chag Orim Sameach (article# 67) 12/6/2007

After all of the activity and emotion of the past few weeks, it was nice to have an off week for a change. Nothing momentous happened – just regular life.

We started off the week with the arrival of Goldie’s sister Esther and her husband Daniel (Yormark) who came in for the Hakamat Matzeiva (unveiling) by the grave of Daniel’s mother and to visit their daughter Sarah who is in seminary here for the year.

We saw them at the cemetery and drove them to their hotel (so we could visit together in the car as well as pick up the suitcase of goodies that Goldie had arranged with her mother) in Yerushalayim. It was their first visit to Israel in over 18 years and they both commented how different things were.

We also attended the Bar Mitzva of Yehuda Brown, the son of Marc and Stephanie Brown (Mazal Tov to them again) who made Aliyah from the 5 Towns a month after us.

Chaya and I went to an American style Channuka boutique one night to try and buy some gifts for the extended Katz clan’s kids (we are having a Mesiba (party) together at my brother’s house on the second night) and maybe some other things for our own family members. Our admission fee included a raffle ticket and we got a call the next day that we (Chaya – even though I paid for the ticket) had won a raffle prize.

We attended another night of Chamshushalayim festivities in Yerushalayim. This week we went to the Israel Museum and toured the Shrine of the Book where the Dead Sea Scrolls are kept. This was Goldie’s first time seeing the scrolls, so that added a little flavor.

Midway through our tour, a special A capella group came into the central area of the Shrine of the Book and performed for about 30 minutes. With the design of the room, the acoustics were amazing and we enjoyed the performance immensely.

On Friday the kids’ Mesibot Channuka season started with a special performance at Moshe’s Gan (preschool). The other kids all have their own parties, either in or out of school, but this was the only one that Goldie was invited to, all the other parties are all “kids only”. Thank G-d.

Our kids enjoyed a terrific Shabbat with their Aunt and Uncle and we added a special treat for Chaya – a surprise birthday Seudah Shlishit. A bunch of her friends came over (as well as Brana Hertz, a 5 Towner who is in Seminary here this year) and we had a cake and a nice time.

All in all, a very plain week. With Channuka beginning and the start of a new vacation week for the kids, I am sure things will liven up soon. Chag Orim Sameach (Happy Festival of Lights) as they say here – to everyone.