Israel Today

Israel Today Upside Down in the Holy Land

By Mrs. Barbara Deutsch

Only in Israel.

We have been here a week, and the days are beginning to blend into each other. It always begins with a long walk, a fun lazy breakfast, and an afternoon at the mostly deserted pool.

Hard as I try, I cannot seem to slow down the clock and hang onto every moment.

It’s nighttime, 9:30 p.m., and for a second night in a row there is some kind of free concert blasting heavy metal music across Rechavia. Today in the elevator, my husband overheard a tired young couple complaining about how the noise kept their kids awake for hours. I can’t say that it was easy for us to fall asleep either.

In Israel, the days are upside down. On my way to a weekly Torah class that I enjoy with my daughter, I decided to get a cup of good coffee for both of us from a corner stand. This place is a tiny hole in a building next to a bus stop; it sells nothing but coffee. I was shocked when it was still closed at 9:00 in the morning.

When do people drink coffee?

The streets of Yerushalayim are very quiet in the early morning. Walking anywhere, there are schoolchildren waiting for their buses – yes, school is still in session for the boys – and a handful of dog walkers and pedestrians. At night, the town explodes with late night diners, people coming home from work, shoppers, and those looking for an adventure.

The other day, while walking along Keren Kayemet, I watched as an enclosed golf cart drove on the sidewalk; not in the street. Upon closer inspection, I saw a bewigged little woman at the wheel. I immediately recognized her as a former high school classmate; that’s more than 55 years ago.

I called out her name, Aviva; she responded without an ounce of recognition. She clearly had no idea who I was. I am not going to say that I look the same as I did then – who does? She does; I realized that she looked like an old lady as a teen, and now that she is one, she looks the same now.

Upon reflection, she must think I’m nuts.

We have lifelong friends living in Israel who made aliyah over 18 years ago. When the last of their three kids married and moved to Israel, they sold their house and joined them. We hold them close and never miss an opportunity to meet them for a catch-up dinner when we are here.

Usually, it would be with another couple whose kids have also made aliyah. The three couples call the meal our

“whine and dine.” We would sit for hours sharing crazy stories about our shared experiences about our kids’ adventures raising our grandchildren in Israel. Our kids do not follow the parenting protocols that they had experienced growing up in America.

No matter the crazy story, this couple’s ever-expanding family, one daughter expecting her 11th and a 7th great-grandchild on the way, they won for the best one. Their stories were stories about the mistakes of wearing khaki pants to a siddur mesibah, playing Hatikva on the car radio when with their grandchildren, or moving a big family from a new and spacious place to a smaller apartment with no fridge; their story always won.

We agreed to meet out front; Bob and I waited in front of our hotel for 15 minutes before wondering where this usually very punctual couple was. Worried, I checked my phone. Sure enough, they were waiting out front, too; outside the restaurant.

We were both waiting in front.

As they have a car and have always picked us up for our adventures, we assumed they were driving to get us. It seems that the restaurant we chose is

very close to their apartment and we had no idea where it was, so they simply walked over.

We hopped into a cab and enjoyed our usual great time.

When I showed a draft of this to my friend she commented, “The really funny part is, that one might think you’re exaggerating in order to make it more interesting, but those of us living in Israel know that you’re not. The fact that they stopped the music at 11 is surprising, since there are times that they play all night long. You were lucky.”

“I might add that Osher Ad, the big supermarket, first opens at 10, and your granddaughter’s store – she is 17 and works in a children’s clothing store after school and sometimes instead of school – stays open till 10:00 pm.”

Upside down.

Before Covid, a group of us would go to the gym at 5:00 a.m.; Jan, Nicole, Autumn and Debby. We would walk miles to nowhere on the treadmill while sharing our trials and tribulations. Yesterday, my dear friend Nicole lost her beloved mother, BDE; may she rest in peace. This morning, I was greeted by the wonderful news of a granddaughter born to Debby’s son and daughter-in-law, mazal tov.

Autumn’s son and his new wife moved to Israel for a trial year. He is meeting us to pick up a package we brought from his mother. Jan’s daughter and her new husband are here for the last leg of their honeymoon.

Jan will be in New York to make sure that everything will be taken care of for Nicole.

Even though I’m much older than my former gym cohort, we are there for each other. I have no sisters, but I do have sister friends.

Hashem is always there to right the upside down.

The band stopped playing at 11:08 p.m.; only in Israel.

Shabbat shalom and stay safe.

The three couples call the meal our “whine and dine.”

Barbara Deutsch is currently the associate principal at HANC 609 and a longtime reflective educator, parent, grandparent, and new great-grandparent. Even after all these years, she still loves what she does and looks forward to working with kids every single day. She is vacationing in Israel for the summer.