The signs are in the air: the summer is coming to an end as the children's song says. Mornings are even a bit nippy and cool, and larger and larger clouds float across the sky - hopefully a promise of rains to come.
The year ended with the lovely wedding of Ofer and Nava, an evening that started off with a session throughout the reception and ended with us all frolicking on the dance floor with flashing lights and irridescent bracelets. It's been a year of celebrations, the loss of two former Adamit members,and many other events. The new year will be marked with many exciting changes for me, including the arrival of Itai and Hilla's baby girl in December.
Reflecting on the past year and what is to come, I feel personal optimism mixed with trepidation for what is in store for the country. Will we be any close this year to achieving what we have been hoping for? Touring the checkpoints last week with several representative from the delegation of the European Commonwealth, I was asked, "Do most Israelis feel that there should be no settlements?" I answered that many Israelis are against the settlements, but all too many are totally unaware of what is going on in the West Bank. The two women - Virginia and Suzanna - asked intelligent and relevant questions, while Jean Martin's main role seemed to be to urge us on from one checkpoint to the next with, "I think we've seen enough here, let's move on." Perhaps this was prompted by the fact that he must have frelt extremely uncomfortable in the 35+ degree heat in his jacket and amazing bright orange tie!
And so, I will wish us a year of better leaders, greater awareness, tolerance, and understanding, an less apathy and complacency - a year of turning around and returning to the values that this country was founded upon, and abandonment of fanaticism and ideology that does injustice to Jewish values and Zionist ideals, and a year of broader horizons for all of us.
Shana Tova!
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