Throwing Your Sins Away

It is a Jewish tradition to throw one's sins away on the holiday of Rosh Hashana. Most people search for a fish pond, a nearby lake or stream, sometimes a fish tank. (I'm not kidding.) When we lived in Brooklyn many years ago, we walked for miles to Kings Highway to stand in a crowd 15 deep, looking kind of at a little hole in the ground that supposedly had water in it. Um, not, really the best way to observe the ceremony of Tashlich (throwing our sins to the fish).
On Saturday night after Rosh Hashana, my clients from Ashkelon called to share what an amazing Rosh Hashana experience they had. For the first time in their family's collective life, they did Tashlich in a b-i-g way. They walked five minutes from their apartment to the Mediterranean Sea. And there, they threw all the sins that they could think of right out to the fish. They really felt that they had celebrated Rosh Hashana in a special way this year.
That's what owning a home in Israel is all about - experiencing Jewish life to its fullest. I was so happy for them, and I was even more pleased that I was part of making everything feel special for them. When they arrived at their apartment in Ashkelon, everything was set up the way they like it, and the fridge was filled with everything they chose (even Arizona Ice Tea).
Owning a home in Israel is a dream come true.
Wishing everyone a happy healthy new year, peace and all good things.

Kitchen with a View of History

An Efrat apartment that I manage for absentee owners recently received a new kitchen. I dropped in on the work every day to make sure it was done exactly as the owner had requested. One day I arrived just as the workman was cutting the hole for the sink. Aghhhhhhhh! He had placed the sink just left of the kitchen window. The sink was supposed to be exactly under the kitchen window, so that when someone was standing at that sink, doing the Shabbat dishes, or every day pots, s/he'd be able to look out on the hills of Gush Etzion, hills of history and inspiration.
I was able to stop the saw before the marble was cut, and the sink was placed, exactly where it had been intended. Phew!

The Hills of Gush Etzion

The Hills of Gush Etzion really are laden in history. We learn that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob walked on a path parallel to Efrat, called Derech Avot (path of the patriarchs). Our mother Rachel was buried right near here, because she died "Derech Efrata", only a few kilometers outside the Efrat city limits. There are many Bible tales from Efrat and Gush Etzion. Even one of the Chanukah stories took place right across the road.

Efrat is not only one of the most beautiful towns in Israel. It is made up of the nicest people around. And it stands on hills of history.