Eli visits us in Mitzpeh Yericho for Shabbos

Cousin Eli came for Shabbos, he looks a little different from the last time he was featured on our blog shana bet as our Shabbos guest, but then again so do the kids. Noam wasn't around then and Ezra and Elisheva also look just a little bit older.

Now he is shana....what number are we up to? He is in the Mir now and currently available (read:actively dating).

Shabbos was nice. The kids always like when Eli comes by. Eli learned how to hitchhike in from the Mitzpeh Yericho Trempiyada spot. Now the we have the new house, Eli enjoyed his own guest room with private bathroom, instead of crashing on the couch the way he did in Har Nof.

Abba and Eli started Makkos together when Eli visited shana alef, and try to learn a little bit every Shabbos that Eli visits. They hope to finish this year with a few more visits...

More Chol HaMoed Tiyulim

We recently bought a yearly family pass to all the national parks in Israel. There happen to be a bunch right near us. This one we went to on Chol HaMoed is called  Einot Tzukim (עיינות צוקים), about 20 minutes from our home in Mitzpeh. It is basically what used to be the Dead Sea, but due to the continual shrinking of the Dead Sea over the past 35 years, the park keeps getting bigger and bigger.

There are signs throughout the park stating, this is where the shoreline used to be in 19XX. There are even 'lounge chairs' and 'stairs' left behind just to show that this was where the Dead Sea 'beach' used to be.

There were many pools for the kids to bathe and swim in, as well as trails with the local flora and fauna.

Ima also decided to take the plunge with Elazar and Noam. Abba was all too happy to stay back with baby Talia on shore

Even in the middle of nowhere in this National Park you can find a Sukkah on Sukkos (only in Israel). You can see the cliffs in the background which are on the other side of the highway. Masada is down the road, approximately 20 minutes south.

Tashlich by the Dead Sea

Since we live in the desert, Tashlich is a little hard to come by. People will say Tashlich by a sewer drain, a sink, or by nothing at all. So even though the widespread custom is to do Tashlich on Rosh Hashana, Abba usually waits until Aseres Yimah Teshuva so he can drive to a body of water, relying on the commentaries that hold Tashlich is meaningful until Hoshana Rabbah

I actually thought I would go with the boys up to the shore of the Dead Sea, but entrance to the beach was 50 NIS ($12.50) a person. So we may do with this view from the parking lot.

On the way there we stopped off in Almog on the way to get gas. The boys wanted to go on the live camel that just sits at the rest stop 24/7 with its Arab owner. Thankfully, the camel was sitting on his legs with his eyes close, so I told the kids, "the camel needs his rest - we shouldn't wake him", but I let the kids get a good close up look from inside the car

Thankfully, there was a playground by the reststop with a cafe, and bunch of tourist traps. Noam was thrilled to "drive the car" and "fly the helicopter". That's what I love. Kids with imagination.



But Elazar at 4 years old seemed to lack 'imagination'. Instead, he exerted his 'intelligence'. After playing for a little while happily, Elazar explained to Abba that he thinks if we put money in the rocket it will work. I suggested that maybe the rocketship was just broken, but Elazar repeated that he was pretty certain if I would put a coin in the slot, the whole thing would start to move. I showed Elazar that I only had bills and no coins. So Elazar said I should get change from the man at the kiosk nearby.



That was when I looked at the clock on my cell phone and said, "It's getting late, we should get back in the car and continue on our trip..."

Horseback riding

Over Chol HaMoed we went to the local Horseback riding stables. The two younger kids have really got into horses. They have a bunch of Playmobile horses and like the movie Secretariat that Ima shows them sometimes

Noam was very excited and wanted to go first, but after one time around was afraid of the pony and wanted to come down


Elazar originally was scared and would not get on the horse, but after one time around with Ima he was OK

Then the older kids got some of the bigger horses. Here is Ezra on his "stallion"

 

Elisheva was even allowed to take the pony around by herself