I reluctantly admit that I should probably be calling it Sukkot by now, but that challenges my allegiance to family tradition. I can’t be fully Israeli, you know? Besides, I practically bargain on my groceries at this point, so I feel like I passed the Israeli test. It was so beautiful to see all the preparations for the Yom Tov going on all around me. (These pictures are from the Sukkah Shuk [market] down the block from me.) I made a little video for you of what it looked like: https://youtu.be/rJiJ3dXlp3A Beginning the hour after the Yom Kippur fast ended, hammers … Continue reading On Sukkah Skylines and Moving On

I asked my teacher if everything that we saw on the cancer would be on the test. She looked confused. That’s when I learned that sirton (film) and sartan (cancer) are not the same thing. Earlier this year, I accidentally … Continue reading How’s Your Hebrish?

You know those people who drive you mad in the morning being all cheerful before you’ve had your coffee? I’m afraid I’ve joined their ranks. Pesach has come and gone, and I can honestly say that I feel freer. My … Continue reading The Art of Map Drawing

My heart has been pumping on gratitude these past few weeks, and it’s been on my lips at night before going to sleep. I am bad at receiving. On top of that, I’m fiercely independent and tend towards people-pleasing. Giving … Continue reading Being Brave

I got to spend shabbos with the Werners, close family friends who I’ve known since age 7. They had a really difficult aliyah, harder than most people can imagine. Everything unexpected that could have happened did, and there were many … Continue reading Surviving or Thriving?

It’s been just two days since my last post, but things changed so immediately. Sometimes I wonder if surprise and spontaneity are part of the building blocks of Israel; maybe they’re just part of developing faith. Or maybe I’m growing … Continue reading In the Blink of an Eye

I spent Friday night with an old Moroccan couple down the block from me. Their house looked like it hadn’t been renovated for hundreds of years; there were domed ceilings and narrow doorways, and old menoras hanging on the wall. … Continue reading Moroccan Shabbos, Jobs, and the Gift of Friends

I think there’s no way to define insanity, because everyone has their own version of it. I always thought I was somewhat insane. Thank G-d, now I have the clarity and maturity to know with certainty that I am. I … Continue reading Settling Down, Finding Silence, and Other Updates 🙂

This jet lag is wacky! It’s 4am and you’d think I just drank 5 espressos. I got back from the states two days ago, where I was visiting for my little sister, Hadassa’s, wedding. It was not in the plans … Continue reading Wedding Celebrations and New Perspectives

The next big move of my life came suddenly and unexpectedly, but I guess that’s what I needed to push me past my fear. It was Thursday night when the call came in. “Hi Batya, it’s Hadas, from Mayanot (school … Continue reading Back to School and Inner Peace