a balloontwister’s aliya saga

Whew…. finally… a free moment.

Penina is off to visit a friend who had a baby girl (Benovitz, if you must know) and I have an hour to pick up Tamar from her Gan chayot.

If you’re still wondering.. I’m in Israel.

Instead of starting my new project yesterday, it was pushed to Monday… so I get a few more days in Israel.

Well, Pessach has come and gone. We spent the 7 days in the Masada Guest house which is located at the base of the mountain. This was our second pessach in Israel and our second at a hotel for pessach. Being a balloon twister I bartered some of the costs in exchange for 2 shows. Last year I commented that in israel the weird pessach moment was the finality of finishing the seder.

The 1 seder.

When its over, its over.

This year I remarked how the food made things a bit freaky.

If you mention pessach food to people. The first thing you think of is the yummy cake and macaroons. At the masada guest house there was more food than a regular day / yom tov. Huge meals. Huge salads. Desserts. You can decide whether that is good or bad. Im just making the observation.

It was a different scene than laast year.

Up north you have a wide range of activities and tiyulim.

In the judean dessert and Dead sea area your choices revolve around ein gedi, hiking, jeeping… more hiking….masada.

We went to nahal arugot which is a nahal like ein gedi, we hit masada in which Michal walked up with me. The dead sea where we spent out time with our arab cousins, nahal Og which was hiking…. AND enjoyed the pool at the guest house.

The hotel despite being relatively inexpensive, had entertainment as well. A simon and garfinkel “sound alike” duo, an Israeli Pantomine show, Chinese acrobats, a mentalist and U.D. Ballooney. I ALMOST made the biggest mistake.

EVERY entertainer showed up late.

I was NOT going to make that mistake.

I delibrately started 1 minute laate each time.

Starting on time is amatuer hour. I’m Yudie Ballooney. Or Youdini as richie from Modi’in called me.

The interesting part is the fact that the mentalist got LOST getting to the hotel.

Um…. aren;t you supposed to KNOW these things…..er…

This year was a bit different in that we knew more families so the kids had friends to play with. We also had a almost famous.. or soon to be famous person.

Jeff Mor.

Who?

A beit Shemesh resident who will be the only Beit Shemesh resident on the new Beit Shemesh Blue Sox team for the NEW israel Baseball League.

6 teams will be starting in June.

Jeff was on our softball team last year and has a HUGE arm. He was our shortstop and will be a pitcher in the new league.

The only huge controversial event that took place was on chol hamoed.

The ba’al shachris BROKE tradition and did NOT use the Mah Ashiv tune during hallel.

After hearing it for the past 5 years EVERY time hallel is said. He just went on his own.

Well, half the shul walked out and the rabbi wanted to throw him out of the hotel.

I decided to make a stand.

“If he goes, I go”.

shockingly, we were allowed to stay.

I commended him. To not bowing to the pressure.

He made believe he didn’t speak english and backed away from me… slowly I might add.

Speak to you soon.

U.D.