Trip to Golan for Shabbos

The Rebbe was invited to Yeshivat Golan for Shabbos, and with Ima coming back from the States on Wednesday, we decided to join the Rebbe. The Rebbe rented a nine passenger van so that we could all drive up together. It was a long 2+ hour drive, up the Bikah road #90, but manageable. There were enough things along the way to keep the kids busy, looking for camels, cows, etc. We had Ezra count the kilometers as we passed the small signs on the side of the highway. We stopped in Tzemach for some last minute Shabbos shopping at the grocery store up there, which luckily was still open.

The directions Ima got sent us up Route 98 which made it a little hard for our big van to go uphill on this crazy curvy one-lane highway, but Baruch Hashem we made it to the top of the Golan plateau and cruised from there to Chispin. The kids enjoyed the roller coaster ride.

We got the Rebbe settled into his apartment and then headed to our guest house, which we would share with the Flomenbaums and Yerushalamis. There was plenty of room for everyone, and we planned to make Shabbos lunch there for everyone.

The yeshiva was about a 5-10 minute walk, and the Yishuv was small enough that you couldn't really get lost. There was a beautiful grassy area with tons of playgrounds near the main shul across the street from the Yeshiva. This is where the kids spent most of the weekend

We ate Friday Night and Seudah Shlishis at the yeshiva with the Rebbe, and we moved on Motzei Shabbos into the Rebbe's apartment, while the other Shabbos Guests, Shalom and Rabbi Book went back to Yerushalayim with the Flomenbaums.

The Rebbe preferred to drive home during the day, and hoped to go swimming on Sunday morning, although that didn't exactly pan out. Abba drove the Rebbe in the morning to the Mikvah in Nov and we davened Shacharis there. We met briefly with Effie Eitam after Shacharis and he invited us to come to Nov for a Shabbaton next year.

When we got back to Chispin, Abba took Noam and Elazar for a walk to pay all the people in town that we owed money to for Shabbos, and to look at the horses

We also stopped by the Makolet to get provisions for breakfast, lunch and the trip back home.

Instead of going directly home, we decided to tour Tevaria a little. We went first to the Rambam's burial site. There were picnic tables in a park nearby where we all had lunch. The Rebbe, Abba and the boys also davened Mincha there.

We dropped Ima with the rest of the kids by the Kinneret for a quick dip in the water, while the Rebbe, Rebbetzin, Abba and Ezra went to the Kever of Rebbe Meir Baal HaNays.  Our only other stop on the way home was Beit Sha'an for some ice pops - Rebbe's treat.

Shabbos back in Har Nof

With Ima away for Shabbos, we took the opportunity to go away as the five of us all fit in the car. We thought about Molly and Yechiel, but Yechiel was recovering from surgery. We thought about Modiin, but Abe and Esti had family over in honor of Miri's bas mitzvah. We thought about a few other places, but we ended up deciding to go back to Har Nof for a Shabbos.

It was funny how only Elisheva and Ezra really recognized where we were, whereas Noam and even Elazar didn't remember Har Nof after only one year in Mitzpeh. I told Elisheva and Ezra not to say anything, and we walked right past our old building. I asked Elazar where our old house was, and he had no idea.

The Weiss family was going away for Shabbos for a Sheva Brachos, so they gave us their apartment on Ruzhin to use. We stopped off at Rami Levi in Givat Shaul to pick up some Shabbos treats and then got to the apartment early, dropped our stuff and went around the neighborhood to visit some old friends

Our first stop was Morah Chani, Ezra and Elazar's former nursery school teacher. We also stopped by the Nadel's and the Rebbe's before heading to Gan Ovadiah. I found it so interesting how when we lived in Har Nof the kids would always say they were bored at the park, because they used to come to the same park so often. Now they were so excited and were all over the playground. Mental note: when the kids stop playing with certain toys because they are boring, instead of buying new ones, put them away for a year and see how  excited the kids are about them a year later. I call this parental strategy "Toy Rotation"

We also visited Nancy's house for a while, and then came back to the building and visited Morah Sorah Leah, Noam's playgroup from last year

Abba already davened Mincha in Mitzpeh, so Abba went to Rav Romm for Maariv, Ezra and Elazar went to Dati Leumi, and Elisheva took Noam to the Vogels, where we were all met for Dinner. After a nice long Shabbos meal with the Vogels we borrowed their jogging stroller to transport the sleeping children back to the apartment

Abba davened Shacharis early while the kids slept, and set up their cereal bowls before leaving. When Abba returned the kids were at the breakfast table partaking of their Shabbos cereal - perfect timing. Elisheva went to her friend, Ezra and Elazar returned to Dati Leumi and Abba stayed home to play with Noam. We all met downstairs at the Ruzhin playground at 11 and headed to the Gittlemans for lunch.

Not sure what happened on Shabbos afternoon when I was napping, but by the time I woke up, Elisheva was home with Elazar and Noam and complaining she wasn't feeling to good. I took Noam to Mincha and Seudah Shlishis at Derech Etz Chaim, while Elisheva stayed home with Elazar.

Noam fell asleep and Abba found a wayward shopping cart from Supersol on Ibn Denan and used it to transport Noam back to Ruzhin. I dropped off Noam at the apartment and took Ezra to Maariv at Beis Yechiel. After Kiddush Levana, Abba went back to the apartment to pack and clean up. We thanked the Weiss family for giving us the apartment for Shabbos and then headed back to Mitzpeh for Havdallah.

Elazar's Shabbos Play

Ima was in the States with Tali, so it was Abba's job to attend Elazar's Gan function and take pictures. This 'musical' was about Shabbos. Elazar and his Gan had about a dozen little skits with a tape recorder playing in the background, led by the typical over-zealous drama teacher who thinks that the next stop for this group is Broadway.

Here's a cute one from early on. Elazar and other boys had their baskets to buy food for Shabbos from the other boys who acted as vendors of fish, meat, etc.

Elazar was seated right by the door, which was nice that I could stay right next to him and make a quick getaway when I had to leave. The problem was that I had a very bad angle to take pictures. I had to literally call Ezra to turn around in the middle of his performance just so I could snap the picture.

I also had to watch Noam who doesn't have playgroup on Friday. He was hungry, so I moved over to the other side, where Noam could grab some of the refreshments for afterward when everyone was watching the show.

I don't claim to be the best picture-taker, especially with my cell phone. By the time I got this picture off it was too late

but Elazar was the one who put the tablecloth on the table to start the skit. Each child helped to set the Shabbos table with something else. The drama teacher broke out her accordion for this number.

I gave Elazar a kiss, told him he was wonderful, but told him I had to go home and finish my work. What more can a working Abba do when Ima is in America . Elazar took it well and even managed a quarter smile for the picture as I was heading out the door.