During Sukkot holiday I traveled to Egypt and Eliat with a few of my friends. On our last day in Eilat, my friends’ Ipod Touch went missing. We filed a police report but not really expected to ever get the item back. This weekend my friend gets a Facebook message from the Eilat Police Department saying they found his Ipod! Someone at the police department even contacted one of his friends living in Israel to see if they could locate my friend. The police department is wiling to ship it to his current location in Yokneam! Unreal! This kind of occurrence has happened numerous times to fellow Otzmanikim who have lost wallets, laptops, and jackets. Ever heard of finders keepers, losers weepers…clearly that does not apply to Israelis. Talk about honesty.
(Me, Shulah, and Gabby at the Women's Center)
Back to my weekend, Gabby and I were invited to a Shabbat dinner with one of the women we teach at the Women’s Center. Shulah does not speak much English but her daughter does and wanted to practice English with us. Thursday night plans were finalized for Shabbat; We would attend dinner and lunch at their home. Well that soon became dinner, BREAKFAST, and lunch. At 5:30pm on Friday, Gabby and I walked over to Shulah’s home. We got lost (of course) and then we bumped into one of the Ofek guys who knew the family (of course) and helped us find our way. Soon after arriving at the home, we welcomed the Sabbath Bride and said the respectful prayers. Dinner included over 10 types of salads which could barely fit on the long dining room table. This was followed by spicy fish and soup and then the meats and grains. By the time the main course arrived Gabby and I were already filled to the brim. Dessert included homemade cake, nuts, and ample servings of tea and coffee. As the evening came to a close, Shulah walked us all the way to our home. To preface this, Shulah is no spring chicken but has the energy of someone half her age.
(English Class at the Women's Center)
When the morning came around, Gabby and I were still full from dinner but excited about having our first Yemen breakfast. Shulah’s daughter, Hagit, is Morocan but her husband, Daniel, is Yemen. The Yemen breakfast included a MASSIVE dark bread/cake straight from the oven. The bread is then dipped into various sauces, creams, and cheeses. The fresh bread topped with the homemade sauces was AMAZING! I couldn’t even imagine eating lunch in a few hours after stuffing my face with such incredible Yemenite food. We spent the rest of the morning talking and playing with the kids. At 2pm, we had the traditional Shabbat Morocan lunch which includes ample salads, cracked wheat, cholent (my favorite!), couscous, rice, chicken, beans and more. Another wonderful homecooked meal! Daniel mentioned how he gained 10 kilos from his wife’s cooking and I am beginning to understand how. It's incredible how you can meet someone for the first time and truly feel like one of the family. The food would not be half as good if it did not have good company to accompany it.
No comments:
Post a Comment