My beloved family, my dearest friends, my loyal neighbor, and to all who are interested to read. 

Hope all is well with you all. ( to my dear friend who is under the weather at present, I wish a speedy recovery.As we say in Hebrew : Refu'a Sh'liema.)

I am fine, enjoying the "cold' weather of Israel. 

Long time has past since my last letter, I must start practicing my English... within about 5-6 week I will be returning to the USA.

This time in Israel, I am doing a lot of learning and absorbing culture. On a regular basis, I visit the Israel Museum,weeklyon Friday. Attending wonderful lecture and exhibit related to the weekly portion read from the Torah on Shabbat, given by Professor Avigdor Shinan. Because we read now, the book of Exodus,and the redemption of the Hebrews from Egypt, the stories gave a full arena and vision for artist to paint and sculpt. While professor Shinan enriches us with stories of our sages related to the portion of the week, the curator of the exhibit, we are attending at, enlightens us with explanation of the art in front of us. 

Every Friday, the lecture takes place in another area of the museum with another curator as a guide. Attendants are at full, standing room only. One must come one hour early just to secure the hard metal, pancake size seat, allotted for the occasion. ( I, usually, pad the chair with my coat....) 

A few weeks ago, with the encouragement of my dear sister in law, (in Arabic B'raat A'chuii,) I met with my good friend Limor in Atlit, a small community, about 8 miles from the city of  Haifa, on the Mediterranean beach. Atlit played a very significant part in the history of then Palestine and later Israel. 

In the early years of 1930, Europe was in turmoil, Palestine was closed for Jews as the British prevented immigration. Many young men and women, left Europe and attempted arrival at the shores. Some were successful, but the majority of the "illegal" boats were intercepted, and sent to the detention camp, surrounded by watch tower and barb wire, in Atlit.  After second world war ended, intercepted boats were directed to Cyprus, as seen in the movie Exodus. Today, the camp is a museum to commemorate the "illegal Immigration" to Israel. 

But now start my story. My dear sister in law Shlomit's father, Moshe Nachum Yerushalmi, played a significant part in this era of immigration. Moshe, was a Gid'oni.

An organization involved with assisting immigrants to arrive to Palestine at the time. 

As a Gidoni, he was a kind of "chairman of the boat" directing boats coming to Palestine. In 1946, his boat the Josiah Wedgwood, was intercepted with 1259 men women and children, and sent to Cyprus. Moshe was reliest by the English and return home to continue other heroic actions.  

The museum data base contains all peoples name arriving, as illegal immigrants, from 1934 to 1948, who was intercepted, and detained in Atlit or later sent to Cyprus.     Shlomit, sent a history information about her father I wanted to see. While our guide was locating on the computer Moshe's name, Limor asked if possible her father name will be found. 

Within a click of the mouse, Limor's father, Yigal Avraham came on the screen with her mother. Limor's father, a young man and his girlfriend,( later his wife, Limor's mother.)  left Romania,in 1947  with other 7557 non certificated people, arrived at the shores of Israel on the Pan-York.( later name Kibbutz Galuyot.) While on the boat, this young man, at the age of 18, was the the father, the mother, the doctor, the one you go for advise.

The Pan York was intercepted, and sent to Cyprus. In 1948, after the establishment of the state, he came to Israel and was one of the founder of Kibbutz Magen in the Negev, where he live all his life. ( Yigal Avraham died in his Kibbutz last year.)

Limor will be providing the museum with picture and other information about her parents, to be documented and place in the museum's data base. 

Now, to the wonderful things that is happening to me. 

Due to some medication I am taking, I started to experience cramping in my legs, especially at night. To you who are familiar with this "malady", know how annoying it can be those awakening and painful hours. In talking with Oria, Shlomit's Sister, she told me her girlfriend told her, (etc, etc,) to place a bar of soap under the bed sheet, at the foot of the bed. Needless to say I was laughing. Cramping continued, and while in Israel one night, it was impossible for me to find a relief. I just gave up, went to my supply closet, took two bars of soap, (if one is good, two are better.) and placed them as was directed six or seven month earlier. Miracle of Miracle, no cramps since. 

About three weeks ago my left knee started to move in her own direction, causing me pain in walking, at times, to the point I was unable to walk without a cane. Oh well, I am an old car.....One of the days as I went to my local vegetable/supermarket place, supported by my cane, picking up red and yellow peppers, a lady who was picking potatoes,approached me and said: "Geveret, ( Lady), get a large white cabbage".

When I looked puzzled, she continued, "tonight, wrap your knee in cabbage leaves".

So, I did. Now that I have bars of soap in bed, what so bad to sleep with a cabbage ? 

And then, Ruthie, my cousin from Boston, ( Who is presently visiting Israel,) sent me the latest article from a medical magazine about some kind of milk and Turmeric to cure Psoriasis......this I must explore, before I will be getting all yellow in front of all of you. 

Only in Israel.

I miss you all, See you all soon.

with much love, Ima, Savta, The Shvig, Estherika, Ludmilla, me, eem Esther.