Written November 11, 2009

Hi, to my dearest family, my friends, neighbor, and all who care to listen.
how are you ?? All is well here. I miss you all, but very happy to be here.
Today, I was invited for lunch at my neighbor, Bertha Eini. Bertha came to Israel with the large immigration of Jews from Iraq in 1952. This immigration was called "Oley Bavel". The Babylonian immigration. At the end of the 50th, they received an attractive invitation from the then, mayor of Ramat-Gan,Krinitzi, to settle in town. The town planted thousand of Palm trees to make the place familiar, as in Iraq. The Iraqi Immigration was a very successful one, because of the educated population, and their desire to achieve. Now , back to Bertha. from the age of 6 she was trained in sawing & embroidering. She became a known seamstress in the area, making wedding dresses, suits for man, coats pants all to order one of a kind. Last year, she sawed a beautiful top for me ,that I wore at my grandson's, Jacob's, Bar-Mitzvah. Today, she prepared lunch. If Bobby Frey, from the Food channel would of come to challenge her, he would loose ! ! !.
Bertha invited me for her "Kitchtrie", but in addition she served, most delicious Eggplants, Fish, Salad, Amba & fresh mango. Now, Kitchrie is a rice & red lentil dish, she prepares in a large pot with out handles. Bertha does not use measurements, adds hot water "as needed" in midst cooking, sprinkles salt & pepper with 2 fingers & her thumb, mixes & toss the rice while cooking and always its taste the same. No matters how many times I saw her cooking, my Kitchrie does not resembles hers...
Bertha served all the dishes on her coffee table , the center of her life, amongst the threads, the needles, the TV remote control, her amplifier, the land line telephone & a bottle of water.
Best of all, while eating we watched a Turkish Soap-Opera, with a Lebanese Arabic voice. Bertha translate for me . What a story, even the men were crying.... So, food was delicious, company a pleasure, ambiance unique.
Shalom to you all. Love, Ima, Savta, The Shvig, Estherika, Ludmilla, That me, Esther.