A Busy Thursday and into Erev Shabbat

After very productive meetings at Pardes Institute in Jerusalem, the road to Tel Aviv awaited with a planned stop about half way in Modeiin to visit my friends and fellow UTJ list-server, Rabbi Aaron and Rona Michelson. Aaron and Rona told me about their guided tours and Kosher trips to the Far East. Far out!

An unplanned detour caused by another crazy in a tractor (READ: Terrorist Maniac that attacked a police car yelling Allah-Akhbar) caused a delay as many streets were closed due to the Pigua. The two policemen were slightly injured; The bulldozer idiot was filled with holes. He's done. Kol HaKavod to Police officer Eldad Bin Nun and the un-named taxi driver who assisted the wounded cops and filled this moron with lead.
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If you ever find yourself in Modeiin with a few extra minutes and a hunger pain, stop by the House of Hummus on an obscure unpaved side street, next to a clothing shop of some kind. The schnitzel was excellent. Should you need to use the restroom, however, it is in a side building of sorts, and probably shouldn't be your first choice of "conveniences" (as restrooms are called in Hebrew), unless you really have to go!

Quick! When was the last time that you visited a friend whom you haven't seen in thirty years? For today, I will just tell you that should you not see a good friend in thirty years, shame on you - (yes- shame on me!) - Doing just that needs to be on your "Must do in my lifetime" list. Thank you Gross-Storch-Levavs. I look forward to seeing you again over Shabbat.
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I am headed shortly to Haifa to participate in a Memorial Service for Tal Kehrmann. Five years ago yesterday, the pretty and spirited High Schooler was among 17 people murdered on Egged Bus number 37 by a terrorist homicide bomber. The Finish Tal's Camel Project has become very special to me. My students at The King David School and students of the Religious School at Har Zion Congregation in Scottsdale stepped up to the plate and hit a home run for Tal, as I will be delivering over 100 completed camels to Tal's father, Ron this afternoon. More on Tal, this project and One Heart (http://www.oneheartglobal.org/) later.
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Tel Aviv is one of the World's most exciting and vibrant cities. I am thrilled to be here to help my friends, the Zweigs celebrate Hannah's Bat Mitzvah. YAY Hannah. Mazal Tov!
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As Thursday night turns into Friday in this wonderful country of ours, I look back on the past eight days here and on the past twenty-five years away, and wonder--- How could I have been away for 25 years? I am truly blessed to be here, and I thank my family for allowing me this time away from them to be home.


Wishing you a Great Erev Shabbat Shalom from Tel Aviv.


Ahavah u'Vrachot...

Love and Blessings...



--Alan