Musings

We are leaving in 1 hour for Russia, where we will be spending Passover helping lead seders in two different cities in Siberia- Chelyabinsk (near the border with Kazaksthan!) and Tyumen (the second wealthiest city in Russia because it has so much oil). After spending 5 days with these two communities, we then fly to Moscow where we have 2 days to sightsee and also will be celebrating my 29th birthday in Moscow. Crazy crazy on all fronts...Siberia here we come. We are going with other students as part of the HUC Pesach Project, where 40 students are traveling all over Belarus, Ukraine and Russia to help lead seders.

Linda (Evan's mom) was just here and we had a wonderful visit with her. The flowers are all in bloom and springtime brings such an amazing energy to Jerusalem. We will post pictures soon.

But life hasn't been all roses either - our (rental) car was broken into last week when Linda was visiting. Losing stuff is annoying. Losing stuff that costs money is upsetting. And losing my journal felt like losing one of the best parts of this year. But alas, I will write again and start anew. But it's been a rollercoaster of a few days.

It looks like we are moving to LA...we are trying to get excited about it and dream of the beach and endless good sushi. I imagine LA to be a new sort of promised land...or at least that's one of my coping mechanisms for dealing with our extreme disappointment.

Vicious Kitten is turning 18 next week. I still remember the day she was born on Landershire Lane in Plano, Texas. I feel so blessed to have had such a wonderful kitten in my life all these years. I've always remarked that if everyone in the world got half as much love as Vicious gets the world would be such a better place.

It is crazy to think that when we return from Russia, we'll only have 1 month left. A month where Grandma Shirley is coming to visit - which we're very excited about, a month of very important Israeli holidays- Yom Hashoah (Holocaust and Heroes day); Yom Hazikron (Memorial Day -which does not mean sales like it does in the states and is a very real and solemn day or so they say) and Yom Haatzmaut - Israeli Indepence Day, where Israel is celebrating her 60th birthday. A lot of excitement, and a lot going on. A lot of transitions, beginnings and endings. Yes it's that time again.

Have a wonderful Passover and happy springtime.