2014 is winding down and what a year I have had. Let me
explain…no there is too much…let me sum up. My dream date came true (nuf said),
I broke my arm and got it fixed, my stuff went under water and I flew home from
Okinawa to salvage what I could…and back again, I have a grandson and now I am studying Hebrew in Jerusalem. It may not be everybody’s perfect year but I have absolutely no complaints. I am really graced. Since my last writing, Dad and Betsy returned to Tennessee, I have moved to my new place and my host has been great. He even loaned me to a couple of Haredi men to tutor them in 
English, which has also been awesome. He invited me to his English class on Friday mornings and I try and offer a bit of help and maybe support these guys as they deal with the English language: Things like rough, cough, though and through do not rhyme; or that What looks like it should rhyme with That but rather it sounds like But which doesn’t rhyme with Put. And why Each and Deaf both have the “ea” but sound completely different. Add to that possessive pronouns and making possessives out of a plural words when they end with S. It is a wonder anybody can speak English! Well…that’s a subject for another day. Back to life, I have made a few cool friends whom I hope to be 
in touch with for a long time to come. Going out for falafels or coffee is just nice to do. Language skills are growing but I am deeply saddened by the fact that upon Ulpan gradation, I will have to turn in my Hebrew skills for Japanese skills. Not sad about returning to Japan…I love that part, but leaving HaAretz (The Land) and my Hebrew learning, is already making me a little sad. So as Chanukah comes to a close and Christmas is soon to be over and a New year begins, I can only say that I hope next year is as wonderful (but less disastrous) as this one was. I have this nagging aggravation about the 
fact that I will be in Japan exactly four years since the last time I was in exactly the same place outside Tokyo for the big earthquake and ensuing tsunami. Not that I believe I am a harbinger of doom, but I do have this track record of causing catastrophic events. Maybe I should just not be saying those things out loud or putting them into print. Nah just kidding. I don’t believe in that. I believe in love and peace and hope and faith and that’s all I have to say about that. Now to make it to Bethlehem for Christmas and then survive into 2015. I got a text message from my Mosad contact that there’s gonna be a monster party for New Years…but he can’t tell me where it is. Bummer. the pix are from the top 1 the foundation stone of the first temple in the tunnels, me at Galilee, sunset at Galilee, Absalom's pillar and Zechariah's tomb, the Old City from where I live, Chanukiah above the tunnel, the view of the Dead Sea from the roof of where I stay, people at the Kotel (the Wall), ...and the Western Wall/The Wailing Wall/ the Kotel tonight.
English, which has also been awesome. He invited me to his English class on Friday mornings and I try and offer a bit of help and maybe support these guys as they deal with the English language: Things like rough, cough, though and through do not rhyme; or that What looks like it should rhyme with That but rather it sounds like But which doesn’t rhyme with Put. And why Each and Deaf both have the “ea” but sound completely different. Add to that possessive pronouns and making possessives out of a plural words when they end with S. It is a wonder anybody can speak English! Well…that’s a subject for another day. Back to life, I have made a few cool friends whom I hope to be in touch with for a long time to come. Going out for falafels or coffee is just nice to do. Language skills are growing but I am deeply saddened by the fact that upon Ulpan gradation, I will have to turn in my Hebrew skills for Japanese skills. Not sad about returning to Japan…I love that part, but leaving HaAretz (The Land) and my Hebrew learning, is already making me a little sad. So as Chanukah comes to a close and Christmas is soon to be over and a New year begins, I can only say that I hope next year is as wonderful (but less disastrous) as this one was. I have this nagging aggravation about the fact that I will be in Japan exactly four years since the last time I was in exactly the same place outside Tokyo for the big earthquake and ensuing tsunami. Not that I believe I am a harbinger of doom, but I do have this track record of causing catastrophic events. Maybe I should just not be saying those things out loud or putting them into print. Nah just kidding. I don’t believe in that. I believe in love and peace and hope and faith and that’s all I have to say about that. Now to make it to Bethlehem for Christmas and then survive into 2015. I got a text message from my Mosad contact that there’s gonna be a monster party for New Years…but he can’t tell me where it is. Bummer. the pix are from the top 1 the foundation stone of the first temple in the tunnels, me at Galilee, sunset at Galilee, Absalom's pillar and Zechariah's tomb, the Old City from where I live, Chanukiah above the tunnel, the view of the Dead Sea from the roof of where I stay, people at the Kotel (the Wall), ...and the Western Wall/The Wailing Wall/ the Kotel tonight.
