and a Happy New Year to YOU too!

For Rosh Hashana I went to Maalei Amos to spend the high holy days with Leora Gershaw and her family, who so graciously welcomed me into their home, with open arms and open hearts!! Leora and Aryeh Gershaw were friends with my parents when they were living in Yerushalym nearly 19 years ago.

Maalei Amos is a Yishuv on the West Banks. Around the Yishuv were barbed wire fences and soldiers keeping guard from their arab neighbors. The scenery in and around the yishuv is beautiful. Flowers, fruit trees, and exotic plants grown in abundance in the middle of what seems like a total dessert.

The community is small but very warm and welcoming. Indeed I felt at home there. They have a beautiful shul, both a boys and girls elementary school, and several parks. In summary, I would say that the community is thriving, and the families seem to be very close.

I got the opportunity to join the yom tov meals of some of the other families in the yishuv in addition to the Gershaws (thanx to Leora) and met some really wonderful people. Some of whom knew my parents and some of the most important people in my life... like the Hochstadt, and Stern families.

I had an amazing time with Michal and Rochel Gershaw and some of the other warm and accepting girls on the yishuv.

I hope I will get the opportunity to go back many times and create lasting friendships there. All in all, it was a wonderful Chag and a beautiful experience.

A very warm and special thank you to the Gershaw family for having me and taking care of me in every possible way!!!!!