Abu Dis and Abu Dat...

We live near the Arab SETTLEMENT of Abu Dis...that is what the background to this title (Andy's idea!)...So this post has a little bit of this and a little bit of that...

1. A clear miracle: A few days ago, there was a water main break up near the top of the hill near us and evidentally, this made the road pretty slick. One of the women who lives in the neighborhood (the wife of the Rosh Yeshiva of the High School) was driving in that very spot and lost control of her vehicle. She went through a fence and down into the wadi below (about 100 meter drop!) and with the grace of Hashem and in an open miracle, lived through the experience. (She ended up with a broken pelvis...but she is alive BH!) She was wearing her seat belt and thank G-d had no kids in the car at the time.

2. Chayalim/Soldiers: I had to go into Yerushalayim this morning for a meeting. As I stood by one of the bus stops in Yerushalayim, at the Central Bus Station, I looked around and saw hundreds of soldiers who were heading back to base after Shabbat leave. I stood there feeling a deep sense of pride in each and every one of them. Each one of them is truly out there helping to defend OUR country and doing that which I did not do (I came at an age that is considered ANCIENT and will do no army service. I WANTED to when I was 19, but that is a story for another time.)

3. Rain: It never rains this time of year in Israel...well, almost never. Today, as I headed into town, I saw deep black rain clouds that certainly looked like they were about to unleash their fury on the Holy City. Sure enough, when I got in, the street was wet and the temperature quite cool...for about 20 minutes. I saw people calling others on their cell phone to report this unusual event. Not to be outdone, I got a call from Andy that indeed in Maale Adumim, we had our first "rain" of the season. It, too, lasted about ONLY 2 minutes...

4. Lobby: I had a meeting at the Sheraton (no-longer-Sheraton) Plaza this morning in the lobby. While I had been there many times in the past with groups or by myself during past trips, it was my first time there since making Aliya. It was such a great feeling to sit there in the lobby of this hotel and know that when I was finished, I was going back home to Maale Adumim and not to the airport! It is little things like this that put a smile on my face each and every day...

5. Smoking: One thing I will never get used to is the amount of smoking that goes on in Israel. Not only that, but that it is perfectly legal to smoke in public and private buildings in situations that in the Untied States would be forbidden. This is certainly one area that could be improved as far as health concerns and consideration for other people.

6. Rosh Hashana: It is this coming Shabbat. I still can not believe it is here and that I am zoche (merit) being here in Israel for the Yamim Noraim and Sukkot (our first 1-day Chag...more on that later!!)