Shabbat Shalom from Israel

Shabbat shalom!
This is how we great each other when the sun goes down on Friday. We wish each other not only peace, but well being. We want everything in their life to be good.

We ate dinner at the hotel and had a special meal.

 There were all kinds of salads, and chicken soup and gefilte fish (Papa calls it fish spam). He passes it up. Nayna explains that it tastes so much better when its fresh made instead out of a jar. Papa just smiles and says, "no thank you." Instead, he filled his plate with beef brisket and chicken, plus potatoes, couscous and vegetables. And just when I thought I couldn't eat another bite, I spied the dessert table. Okay, maybe a little cake and colorful gelatin and fruit.
An attendant sees that Nayna and Papa are taking pictures of each other and offers to take one of them both. Shabbat shalom from Israel.

Waddle, waddle waddle.
We all went back to the hotel room to rest from our busy, busy week.

Saturday was our last full day in Israel. The week went far too fast.
Our plane wasn't scheduled to leave Ben Gurion Airport until 1:30 Sunday morning so we booked our hotel stay for Sunday. That way we wouldn't have to wander the streets of Tel Aviv with all our luggage in tow on Saturday.
One more breakfast to fill our tummies. But it was different. There were no hot scrambled eggs and potatoes, no pancakes or waffles or omelets. And no fresh squeezed orange juice. Everything had been prepared on Friday. It was okay, though, we still had plenty of good salads and hard boiled eggs, cold cereal and breads and cheeses to enjoy. We walked away full and satisfied.
What to do when everything is closed? We took a long walk through Independence Park to the Promenade.

 The path meanders next to the Mediterranean Sea all the way to Jaffa.
 But again, it was a very warm morning and the busy week caught up with Nayna and Papa. They were tired and ready to wander up the path a little ways and then find a bench to people watch.

And we weren't disappointed. So many different people to watch - all shapes and sizes and ages.

On the way back to the hotel, Nayna snapped a few more pictures.


Someone had created a whole apartment in an area where a concrete apartment building had been.

This was our hotel - The Grand Beach.

Remember that funny apartment Nayna took a picture of when we walked to get our rental car on Wednesday? she took this picture from the top floor of our hotel, by the pool, which was a very popular place to be on a Shabbat afternoon.

Before we entered our room, Nayna took a picture of this mezuzah on the doorpost. Actually that's what it means in Hebrew.
There is a small parchment rolled up inside a mezuzah (which, by the way don't all look like this one. There are all kinds). On the paper is written the Shema - Deuteronomy 6:4-9 and the V'ahavta - Deuteronomy 11:13-21. God told His people to write these words on the doorposts of their houses and on their gates. Every Jewish person in Israel has a mezuzah on his or her doorframe.
 Nayna and Papa have one at their house too.

Next blog - the trip back to America.