David In Israel . דוד בישראל . داوود في اسرائيل 

Shavuot is the holiday that reminds us of when God revealed to us His Torah.  Because of the kosher laws that were established from that, Jews around the world eat only dairy (no meat), and many stay up all night reading from the Tanakh (the Bible), especially the book of Ruth. People also wear something white - which doesn't work out to well when you spill tomato sauce all over yourself.  I spent Shavuot eve with my cousin Tuvya's in-laws, and then the next day we went up to Moshav Liman where my cousin Clarissa lives (Tuvya's parents).  It was a great time.  There were all sorts of activities for the children, and as always, good food! 

Alot has happened since I posted last time in the beginning of May.  Obama met with Netanyahu, Iran has tested rockets that can hit Europe, and I have moved houses - gone to several conferences on Middle Eastern Relations, met a long-lost relative, and threw a housewarming party... Let me go into detail...

I had the pleasure of traveling around Egypt and Israel with my brother Jonathan this month.  He came for his spring break, and we had an absolutely blast exploring most of Israel, along with parts of Egypt!  Check out these Photo Videos:

Egypt:

Northern Israel (Haifa, Carmel Mountains, Druze and Zikron Yaakov):

Tiberias and Nazareth Village:

Pesach = Passover:

Masada & the Dead Sea:

Ashdod, Tel Aviv Port, Shabbat with Nola, Qeasarea, Rosh haNikra (border with Lebanon) and family in the North:

Jerusalem:

I had the pleasure of being invited to my cousin Clarisa and her husband Rueven's 40th Anniversary picnic, which involved stuffing way too many people in way too few cars and driving to some unknown forest in the North-Central Israel.  IT WAS A BLAST.  The whole event revolved around feeding, and of course, taking photos.  Clarisa explained to me that, though Israel is small, it is hard to get everyone together except on holidays, so this was a treat for her.  She was absolutely in her element the whole time... Both she and Rueven were loving every minute of it.  And I was too.  I especially enjoyed hanging out with Rueven's elderly mother who survived Auschwitz and has the tattoo to prove it.  I also had the opportunity to learn to dance "Debka" because I was invited to do so by an Arab family that was nearby.
I feel so blessed to have family here, and it was a fabulous experience.  

This week, my History of Islam professor brought us to North Israel on a field trip to visit the Crusader Fortress in Akko (Arco).  It was so fascinating to study that period in history, when the Europeans tried to set up a Fiefdom in Eastern Mediterranean.  Akko was their capital. The fortress is undergoing a major renovation, but it is already incredibly preserved.  We had a wonderful time exploring the Tunnels, Arches, Hospitals, Halls, and all then had a chance to visit the Shuk (market).  I asked if I could have an anti-Israel propaganda poster which was posted on the wall, and a store owner ripped it off and gave it to me after giving me a 7 minute lecture on how bad Israel was and how good Hamas was.  BUT - I got the poster (I obvously don't agree with what it says, but I felt it would be cool to have a piece of palestinian propaganda).  
After the fieldtrip, I realized I was only 3 km's from my cousin Clarissa's house.  It just happened to be her husbands birthday, and I stayed the night there - we stayed up late talking and she loaded me up with a dozen avocados and sent me on my way after breakfast in the morning.

My cousin Ofek Kfir, who lives in North Tel Aviv, just turned 7 and he insisted that I come with him and the family to one of his favorite places: Luna Park.  It is a children's amusement park not far from my school.  We had a wonderful time.  There was also a great view of Tel Aviv from one of the rides.  I've posted some photos.  

My cousin Clarissa and I worked on organizing our family tree this weekend. Click on the PDF file below to see a diagram of the Linhard/Hymovich family tree (see if you can find me).  There are several other branches that I just didn't have time to complete.
Pictured above is Clarissa's grandfather and grandmother, Avram and Eva Linhard.  They were my grandma's great-uncle and great-aunt!

linhard.pdf
File Size:	595 kb
File Type:	pdf

Download File

---

This last weekend, I had the wonderful pleasure of traveling up to the border of Lebanon (on the Mediterranean Sea) to a village (near Acre and Nahariyya) called Moshav Liman.  I was visiting my grandma's second cousin, Clarissa Kfir and her family.  The place was beautiful.  There is a mountain separating the two countries (with a military base on the top), so you feel very safe.  Their house, or 'plantation' was built in the 70s, and is very comfortable.  Clarissa grows olives, oranges and avocados for a living, and Rueven (her husband) works in technology.  I was able to visit Inbar and her husband Gidon's new home that they are still building, and also hang out with Daniel their 5-year-old son.  Dov (27) is Clarissa and Rueven's youngest son is dating a really nice girl named Bina.  Rueven's mother was a holocaust survivor.  His father, now deceased was married with a family before the holocaust and lost everyone, then later married Rueven's mother and had to start over.  She shared their story and it was very moving.  Overall, I had a spectacular time eating, conversing, playing games, eating, looking at photos, mapping out our family trees, (did I say eating?!?!) and just enjoying my new-found-family!


Below: a 'Shalom' from Clarissa!

Thurday, the day after an exhausting week - I slept through my alarm clock and woke up at 8:25... My classes start at 8:30 and I live 45 minutes away... You do the math!  I ended up having to hire a taxi, and I got to class about an hour late... FOR A HEBREW TEST!!! Anyway, I was a bit frazzled, so the teacher allowed me to finish the rest of the test at home (a huge blessing).  That set into motion what was a bit of a down day.  Maybe it was the crash after the rush of the GA and an awesome weekend traveling, but I was pretty blue - I even went home and took a nap, but my bad day faded quickly when I was invited by my cousin Tuvya to spend the evening when his family.  When I got to his home, there was a lady there that I didn't know.  She said "Dah-vid? I am your relative, Clarissa!"  I was so happy!  We talked for a couple of hours and had an amazing dinner and then Tuvya and his wife made me stay over so I could play with the kids in the morning... and then they made me come to dinner for Shabbat!  I'm having so much fun with my newfound relatives in Israel!


Oh - and Tuvya and Ifat set me up on an arranged marriage style date.. it wasn't successful!

Last night I had the wonderful pleasure of meeting my cousin Tuvya (Klarissa and Rueven's middle son) for the first time.  IT WAS A BLAST... Tuvya invited me over to his art and toy-adorned apartment in Northeaster Tel-Aviv and prepared dinner for all of us... He lives there with his wife Ifat, and his three children Shahar 8, Ofek 6, and Tal 3.  We had dinner, laughed alot, played Wii, listened to music, told stories, laughed some more, and when Ifat got home from work, we ate more... Oh, and she tried to set me up on a Jewish-Arranged Marriage/Date... It was so funny... She asked if I wanted to meet someone special "She is tall, blonde, 21 and from the Kibbutz (commune farm)."  What was I supposed to do? Refuse her?  SO... I let her invite the neighbor girl over to meet me... Thankfully it wasn't too awkward... 
Later, after 'I' tucked the kids into bed, Tuvya brought me home - but first we made a detour to his favorite Schwarma shop... It was really good!
Overall, I feel like I fit right in... Their is definitely a connection there... They feel like family.  I am very thankful.