Passover – pass over !

Springtime in Israel is short and intense.

If you’re lucky and arrive at the right time to Mt. Gilboa, you can find this rare beautiful wild Iris flower.

It’s special to the region around the mountain, hence the name Gilboa Iris.

Today we celebrate the festival of spring. It’s also the holiday on which we remember the exodus of the Jews from Egypt and their escape from slavery to freedom.

And I cannot help but think of those who were captured more than half a year ago and long for their freedom. How many of them are still alive? How many of them will ever enjoy freedom again?

Differences

Bnei Brak is a different story. O.k. let me rephrase that: it is yet another cultural experience in Israel.

The way it looks here is different from any other place I have come to know in Israel. The amazing thing is that considering the size of this tiny country you would expect it to look pretty much the same everywhere. I am not talking about the landscape or the view, but the urban character. Jerusalem and Tel Aviv are worlds apart, yet less than an hours drive separates them. The towns in the northern part have their own flair and so do the ones in the desert areas. Eilat is a story in its own. And now I am discovering that there is still more.