February 2007 (Part 1)

Little Women first. But see the big surprise about Judy and Michael at the end

Elisheva (2) is adorable. On my return from work, daily she grabs my trouser leg and shouts "Toilet! Toilet". At first I thought she wanted me to change her nappy, conferring on me the dubious privilege of preferred parent in this sphere. (By the way, when Elisheva needs a nappy change she smiles a wicked smile and announces to us "eechsa peechsa" – an onomatopoeic phrase that requires no explanation). Next I thought she might be recommending that I pay a visit to the smallest room, perhaps based on some unpleasant odour that accompanied my entry into the house. It took several days till I realized that "toilet" was her rendition of the Hebrew word "makolet" (grocery store). She wanted to go to the makolet.

Abigail (5, and very proud of it), Elisheva and I are regular and warmly-welcomed guests in the store. My girls' antics bring cackles of light relief to the bored cashiers. They boisterously roam the makolet like scavengers, piling into my cart every product they can reach, and toppling the ones they can't. Occasionally, they suddenly appear giggling and dusty. How? Don’t tell Judy, but they have this game of crossing from isle to isle scrambling underneath the shelves on their bellies.

Abigail is rightly proud to be 5. Christopher Robin had it wrong when he tutted dismissively "When I was five I was just alive". According to Abigail, the reason she draws nicely is because she is five. The reason she sings nicely is because she is five. The reason that she brushes her teeth is because she is five. The reason she likes meat is because she is five. In short, an update to the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, the Answer to Life, the Universe and Everything is not 42; it's 5 (at least for the next twelve months).

Orly, now 12, has attained her religious majority. With the perspective of a few months, how has this influenced her? Well, she grows taller by the day. She spends more time on the ICQ than before, and more of her correspondents are male. She met up with several of them, and judging from what we hear, she'll be fighting the boys off. (Not sure how to swallow this piece of information.) Her dancing lessons and visits to the shuk and shopping malls are her compensations for the monotony of school.

Naphtali (14) drums. I think that comprehensively rounds up everything of significance about Naphtali that has happened in the last few months. The rest is details - how many hours a day, how many lessons a week, when to use the hi-hat, snare, tam-tam or bass drums. A drummer in the house is not quite as melodious as a pianist. Our comfort is that the non-ending noise is at least rhythmical.

Naphtali has also drummed his way into the role of chief motivator of the Elitzur Elkana fan club. Elitzur Elkana is the local basketball team that is managed by the one and only Ralph Klein, who 30 years put Maccabi Tel Aviv on the map with their first European basketball title. Under his expert eye, the team has won all 21 games played so far this season, due at least in part to the active fan club whose cheering for Elkana, and distractionary tactics for opponents, all beat to Naphtali's drum. Elitzur Elkana and Naphtali will be progressing to the A league next year.

Elon (16) woke up with me and my brother in law David on January 4th, and without any training whatsoever, ran a sub 5-hour marathon. His father, (the sucker) ran 3,000 kilometers over the last two years, and drove his family mad, to successfully run a sub 4-hour marathon. 3,000 kilometers is approximately 300 hours sweat, to save one hour on the big day. I think Eloni has the right order of preferences. And next year he'll probably beat me.

Ari (almost 19), as previously announced is attending an Academy for Jewish Leadership in Ein Prat, near Maale Adumin. It is a fantastic place and Ari has grown and learnt a lot over the year. In addition to studies of Israel, Zionism, Judaism and topical issues, the students do volunteer work. One day a week is fully devoted to working with underprivileged and handicapped children. They also have special extra-curricular activities. For example, during the worst of the shelling from Gaza, they spent a week in Sderot helping to occupy the children in the bomb shelters. They initiated an apolitical protest march from Sderot to Jerusalem that was widely covered in the press. Following the second Lebanese war they volunteered in the north for a week to help clean up the destruction. They organized a Chanukah camp for 200 Ethiopian children in Mevasseret Zion Absorption center and more. Beats the army, right? Or at least, delays it for a year.

On his sadly infrequent sorties home, Ari is torn between wanting to spend time with his younger brothers and especially his younger sisters on the one hand, and the need to run up as much mileage as possible on Daddy's car. (Thank the Good L-ord above and Amdocs for the "pazomat").

Chick Chack Czech
Judy and I are within sniffing distance of our 20th wedding anniversary, an occasion I had been looking forward to marking with an extravagant outing to Sbarro for a super-sized pizza with all the extras. Then two weeks ago, something snapped. Can’t explain what or why, but after 19 years of physical devotion to her offspring, during which time Judy has kept her children at umbilical distance from the home, Judy expressed a desire to sever the cord for up to six (but preferably four) days and take a break, so long as it was for a skiing holiday in Europe.

Long-term acquaintances and readers know that when Judy gets an idea into her head, it's going to happen. In a characteristically Judyish whirlwind of Internet surfing and low-tech phone calls Judy found the only skiing package deal in the world that is for less than seven days. So, early Sunday morning (Feb 8th) Judy and I are off for four days skiing, to Volendorf in the Czech Republic. It's both our 20th anniversary and the honeymoon we never had (Judy's Dad was ill). Many well-wishers have thoughtfully wished us "break a leg". We took out insurance.

I don't actually believe this is going to happen. But if it does, PG I'll update you in the next newsletter.

Lots of love from us all

Judy, Michael, Ari, Elon, Naphtali, Orly, Abigail and Elisheva Isaacs