Written January 21, 2010

 

To my dear Mishpacha, friends& neighbour, hello & Shalom.

How are you all ?? long time has past since last I wrote my "community" letter. I am doing well. I was told to start to use the food from the pantry. That mean, soon enough, I will have to pack back to the USA.  A real "Wondering Jew"....

I just returned from a week long volunteering in a army base kitchen in the north Galilee.same base I served in,  last year. The enlisted personnel has been change, mostly noted in the Kitchen. Many of the "Old timers" greeted me with joy. They remembered my soup and I tried my best for a repeat performance... The kitchen was on a tight budget, so, when I suggest to have my Tuna salad for supper, I was told :'too expensive, 40 Shekels a kilo" (About  $11 for 2 lbs.) When I heard that one of the soldiers is going into the near- by town (Chatzor Haglilit), he bought 5 cans, & the next eve. I made the most delicious  tuna salad, without Mayo. (Health reason, no Mayonnaise).All was GONE, they loved it.  Because the base is an "Open Base", (a 8:00 - 5:00 )  The kitchen, for supper, prepares food  for about 12-16 soldiers who are the guards.  The usual is, mostly, cold food, such as cheeses, Humus, hard boiled eggs, Shoco & pudding in prepacked containers etc. However, cold food was not served on my time..... I  made macaroni's without baking ,(Butter, garlic, salt & pepper), Potato salad Passover style -( Nothing left,). Fried eggs with tomato mixtures,(Gone). French fried with scrambled eggs. (The pot was cleaned with bread....) .

It is raining in Israel for the past week. No one is complaining. The water is much needed.  What is wonderful, is the rain that came down in the Negev. Ground -Water is being replenished. The sea of Galilee got 62cm (5 ft,) of water in the last few days. We are still 72cm(6 ft) below the 1st red line. Now they hope the fish will survive & multiply.

The Glazier on the main Jabotinsky Rd. is caring for the most beautiful & adorable cats, name  Tolstoy and Svetlana. Being a cat lover, I stop at the shop, often, to see them.The Glazier asked me if I know any one who like to adapt them. I answered that I will ask Gerry, my dear neighbor, who takes care of my cat, Finef, in NYC, if he would like to come to Israel x 8 month and care for Tolstoy & Svetlana......      When I stopped at the place again the Glazier asked me:  "What did Gerry said ?"  So now Gerry has 2 virtual cats......

I am knitting, reading, visiting, going to concerts, theater,museum, entertaining and all and all doing a lots of "NOTHING". I must admit, some times I miss my work, in a way looking forward to Rte. to work.

regards to you all, I miss you, love to you.

Ima, Savta, The Shvig, Estherika, Ludmilla, that's me, Esther.