a balloontwister’s aliya saga

Chol hamoed… continues.
Yesterday it was Neut Kedummim.
Its a huge park near modi’im where they have “seasonal” exhibits.
For succos they have all the succahs that are mentioned in the mishna.
Over 20 amos.
Succa on another succa.
Succa on a boat.
Succa on a camel.
Its alot of walking and it was a nice place to go for a short visit.
WE went with Dovid’s family and our cousins, the Reich’s.
They live in Nof ayalon and we hardly see them so it was nice for the kids to see their Israeli cousins.
After that we went to the Carlebach festival in Nevo Modi’im.
A real hippy joint.
It is where the people that Rev Shlomo was mekarev live.
The big acts were there:
Chaim dovid, Reva lsheva, moshav band and others.
I didn’t see much of it as I was on my stilts and twisting balloons.
It was a different experience than the beis shemesh festival
For one thing.
When I was wearing a tye dyed shirt when balloontwisting in Beit Shemesh, I stood out,
LAst night I fit right in.
Also, the beit shemesh was a “concert with vendors”
This was a Festival. THe vendors were just as big a part of the action as the music. Art vendors, food, crafts, “holistic” healers… etc.
I polled the kids as to which one they liked better.
SOme said This. SOme said the other.
Penina liked this one better.
THe music was also more “carlebach” where the beit shemesh was more “rock-israeli” style and “carlebach”..
Either way it was a great way to cap off an exciting Chol Hamoed.
Today is a quiet day being Hashana rabbah.
DOvid is busy though.
He has to bake 6 kugals for the Chabad Minyan.
He gets off cheap.
The other shuls are asking for whiskey.
Today is also the last day for succa so I have to look around for a kosher one that is still standing.
Ours didn’t quite make it.
This also marks the first succos that I didn’t work on Chol Hamoed.. in a long while.
Here, bec. the kids have school every day you HAVE to go on trips and most people get off or take vacation. There are no off days for a long while. Kids are in school everyday until Chanukah and Penina is already planning for that…
Back to today.. sorry…
Tonight and tommorrow is simchat torah… and shmini atzeres rolled into one.
I hear tommorrow is a huge balagon.
Hakafos, Aliyos, and GESHEM. I hear its an all day event.
With the daf at 3:30ish and mincha at 4:30ish…. I don’t think I’ll even be home.
I think there will be a smaller break than our 20 minute Yom Kippur break.
oh well, its a new experience and I’m really excited.
I may start off hakafos at Aish Kodesh and then end up at Carlebach.. those guys are a fun group.
I keep running into them at the different events… Festival, Simchat Beit Hashoeva, Kumzits for the Gush Kafiv people.
well, I’m going to sign off. Its almost 12 and I think I have to take the kids to lunch somewhere.
I already did the daf. The stories with Adam are over… back to pasim and cows… oy..
Oh, Almost forgot…
I saw Sy Fertig this morning at the Carlebach minyan. I guess they have enough ba’al korehs this Yom tov on the Island.
Moadim Lsimcha!!!!
U.D.