creative jewish mom

Israeli Mediterranean Coast Just South of Lebanon, Gorgeous Achziv

Ever been somewhere without really knowing where you were? When I spied this coastal spot last year just across the street from our short stay on the Moshav of Lemen (just north of Nahariya) I made a mental note to return. Last week we decided to take a little family outing and I said to my husband, "head to the coast" with this spot in mind. We found a nice fairly private little lagoon for swimming and enjoyed watching the fisherman. It was wonderful to finally sit on the edge of the mediterranean, and though the sun went down way too soon, we were happy that we all listened to the voice in mommy's head that said "we need to see the water!" Ahhhhhh.

This is the view looking north, and you can see the white limestone cliffs of Rosh HaNikra (which we visited here) in the upper right hand corner. And amongst that group of people swimming in the next lagoon over happened to be a family that used to be our neighbors, small world!

One of the highlights for me, was coming upon these interesting wild succulents! Wow, wild succulents, who would have thought! There were tons of them growing in huge bushes, so I hope it was okay that I gathered a few specimens that I will try to root and grow in my garden. (But first I've been enjoying those specimens as part of my succulent centerpiece!)

Here it is my friends, the sun setting over the Mediterranean. And oh how I miss the ocean sometimes, though now I realize that this spot is really quite accessible in times of need, just about an hour's drive from our home, and just a bit longer by bus on a very lovely scenic route along the border of Lebanon and Israel.

And about that idea of being in a place without really knowing where you were, well I looked up Achziv, and it turns out to be an important historic site! Oh, that's why there was a parking lot filled with cars! Okay not where we were exactly but just down the road is a national park with an entrance fee, and within that area are the ruins of a crusader castle! (As well as a beach with a lifeguard apparently.) Achziv was a station on the ancient coastal road that linked Egypt and Phoenicia, and Nahariya which is just to the south has been home to Jews since the Second Temple period! Wow, that is history for you. And I'm happy to say that we created a little happy family history on this gorgeous site as well. We'll be back for more.

 

Wooden Tulips

We are in the midst of the busiest time of summer vacation, so though I have some crafts to show you I don't have the time to photograph them! So instead I'll share with you some inspiration from my outings with friends and family. Yesterday we came upon the sweetest little store in Rosh Pina, called Pashoot V'Yaffe, Simple and Beautiful. Filled with lovely colorful things from Europe and a collection of simple decorative wooden items made in Israel, like these wooden tulips. Love their not too literal shape and the washed looking paint colors. I am so very inspired to try crafting with wood! One does need a jig saw and some wood and a bit of knowledge, but it really does seem within reach.

Simple little sail boats, wooden animals on wheels, simple wooden boxes with tiny painted details, all very much in keeping with the Scandanavian look I've been loving lately........and my kids were enchanted too!

I thought I'd show you the front of the store to just give an example of how with some color and a few wooden details (the awning and the windows) one can transform even the most basic structure. Not too long ago this was a black and silver hair salon! That's all for now, I'll be back soon with some gorgeous details from my favorite Moroccan store!

Teaching Children About Architecture In Berkeley, CA

I love architecture, and had a wonderful time sharing this interest of mine with my kids last month in Berkeley, California. Berkeley has some amazing, even jaw-dropping, examples of architecture, from Victorian to Modern with lots of style in between. So if you happen to be somewhere where good design abounds, do take advantage of the opportunity to talk to your kids about architecture, and all that is involved in the process of planning and construction! (And if you have no idea yourself, well, just wing it!)

Here are two examples of wonderful architectural styles which are numerous amongst the homes in the North Berkeley hills: French Normandy inspired fairy tale type homes from the 1920's (love the little turrets!) and California Mission Style, very elegant stucco homes, with Spanish/Mediterranean inspired details. And hey, look at that tree, it's actually a humongous Yucca, (from the Agave family) we have some in pots at our house!

There are so many little details that may be obvious to us, but really need to be pointed out and talked about in order for children to appreciate them. 

Post and beam wooden construction is quite common in Berkeley, having originated in this area in the late 50's, and seen in this Japanese inspired home probably built in the late  70's or so. Don't forget to talk about how things are built, like this fun red gate for example also inspired by Japanese garden design and quite simply constructed using 2x4s.

I love this stream-lined mid-century modern home with its flat roof, set amongst the trees, and of course we just had to talk about this nicely preserved Volkswagen bus, since my kids had never seen one!

On the UC Berkeley campus there are some amazing examples of architecture, including the Hearst Mining Circle Building designed by the architect Julia Morgan, and Bowles Hall (I think?), a dormitory that looks like it was lifted right out of an English boarding school!

And of course, the Campanile on the UC Berkeley campus is a wonderful site to behold on a clear day, and especially since its chimes are real bells that play a concert every 1/2 hour! What exactly is the purpose of the Campanile? Well that's something else worthy of discussion, right? Ask your  kids to think of three reasons why, for example, someone would build a tower like this one.

Start talking to your kids about everything and don't stop, they'll benefit immensely! And in fact, in many cases children would much rather have conversations with you than do craft projects, alack alas, so do rise the occasion and help build your children's future by encouraging creative thinking. I'm with you, I'm going to try just a little bit harder too!

A Return Visit To Bat Yaar—A Dude Ranch Of Sorts In Northern Israel

Oh how I love Bat Yaar, a kid friendly spot between Tsfat and Amuka, with some nice outdoor activities for the kids, and an absolutely breath taking view of the Hula Valley, and the Jordan mountain range beyond. Yes, that would be the actual country of Jordon, not your next door neighbor's child! I know many of you imagine Israel to be a dessert country, but here in the North the topography and plant life are very similar to Northern California! You can see my photos and post about our first visit to Bat Yaar here.

I just adore these little covered wagon replicas which are actually mini dining cars for the restaurant there!

And the main attraction is the horses—a few times around the paddock for little ones, and trail rides for those looking for a little adventure. This time the smell of the horses brought me back to my summer camp days and my love for horses, which has long since been replaced with crafts!

This time, the rabbits were in their hutch, but my boys were happy petting this sweet old farm dog, and my very brave 7 year old (see him way up there?) tried the wooden Swiss Robinson style obstacle course high up in the tree tops. Not recommended for kids under about ten unless there's an adult there to lead them through the scary parts! And yes, he's wearing a safety belt attached to a cable running above him during the whole course. His question last night was "when can we go back?"

This time we spent a few more moments interacting with the horses, and my daughter just loved the simple monkey bars in the little park just beyond the paddock. We brought a Passover picnic lunch, and also played a game of forrest bowling with wooden discs. A wonderful time was had by all, which is fortunate, since today it is raining! And I'm off to cook once again for Shabbat.....and to enjoy the remaining three plus days of this wonderful holiday. All the best to you all!

Another Visit to The Hula Valley Nature Reserve!

Yesterday I took my three youngest out of school for a long awaited return trip to the Hula Valley Nature Reserve. You see, now the migratory birds from Northern Europe are making their way down to South Africa, and many stop by this swamp land for a much needed rest in their treacherous journey. So while we called ahead to enquire whether now was the best time to come, apparently the birds knew we were coming, and chose not to be photographed for this blog. We did see some black commorants from the Black Sea region, who actually spend their winters here, having rightfully realized that it's just a wonderful place to be, and the winter temperatures are really not that cold. Who needs to go all the way to South Africa? Well, if you are a flamingo, then apparently you do, to accompany your friends the cranes, the egrets, the pellicans and others. (Don't get me wrong, I have some lovely blog readers from South Africa, and I'd love to go there myself, just I could fly in a plane! You probably never thought about it, but tens of thousands of birds lose their lives migrating!)

 
Not many birds, but a beautiful tranquil morning, with the place virtually to ourselves (until the flocks of schoolbuses started to arrive around 11am.....) Somewhere on those hills beyond (looking East) is the border between Israel and Jordan—I'm quite sure my "middle east" isn't exactly how you imagined it, is it?

A special place, and definitely worth a visit. It is a swamp, but a truly gorgeous one. The waters are filled with giant catfish whose photos I will omit here, as these fish are well, quite "icky" I must say. And if you drop some pretzels or rice cakes into the water, you can have quite a show, as they open their mouths and crawl all over each other. Yuck, believe me.  Now back to the beauty, lest I digress.....

Part of the boardwalk trail, which spans the largest body of water is covered, so that when those huge flocks of birds land here, you are protected. Hmmmm. I was just happy to be protected from the sun, and there are even benches inside for sitting, since you'll want to enjoy all the action. Or in our case the memerizing silence, occasionally broken by the distant cackle of birds. (You know, the ones that were hiding from us!)

Amazing swamp grasses....The sign said in English that they are Cyprus, I think they are more likely Papyrus, but I'll have to check into that. (Note: We're both right! The scientific name of the plant is Cyperus Papyrus!) In any case, it is forbidden to pick them as they are an important element in the ecosystem of the Hula.

Oh, and there's a fun wooden observation tower that kids will enjoy, giving you a nice vantage point of the swamps below, and the opportunity for more bird watching.....

And for the 30 shekels adult/18 shekels child entrance fee you also get a really nice multi media/taxidermic presentation of the history and wildlife of the area. The end-all is the 3D movie with special effects (chairs that move, etc. I won't spoil it for you.....) that tells the story of the bird's migration and shows amazing footage of what the Hula looks like when there are tons of birds there. This was the second time I've seen it, and it was still interesting, and thrilling. If you happen to be the only ones in the theater, so you can request to see it in English (or Arabic) if you like, an unexpected surprise! Just take note that it might be a bit scary for any children under the age of say four or those who are sensitive. My eight year old daughter refused to watch it with the glasses on, but she was also scared that that boardwalk might cave in so...... too much crafting and not enough nature expeditions?

Fostering An Interest In Vegetables: Visit A "Vegetable Museum"!

Ever been to a grocery store that stocks over 35 kinds of apples from around the world?

Have you heard of white eggplant?

Do you know how to prepare taro root and Yucca?

Ever seen orange tomatoes, yellow and purple cauliflower, multicolored chard?

What about New Zealand horn melon? (Note to my readers from New Zealand: do you eat this?)

Let's face it, most of us, including myself, are really quite uninformed when it comes to all the amazing types of fruits and vegetables that are grown and eaten around the world. Fortunately for us, my mother finds things like this very interesting, and on our trip to Northern California this summer, she wanted to show her grandchildren the amazing selection of produce available at The Berkeley Bowl West, even though it was definitely out of our way.

So taking a pointer from my mother, I though I'd write about the idea of finding a local (or not so local) "vegetable museum" in your area and sparking some interest in your kids by introducing them to many things they've never dreamed of. You know, things that grow in the ground and on trees! Seems like a good way to encourage healthy eating, don't you think?

Lessons Learned In Revisiting My Childhood Stomping Grounds with My Own Kids!

I am the person that I am today as a result of many life experiences— and especially those which occurred before the age of 12 or so (as I've started to realize lately!) So I found it particularly interesting to visit some of the places we used to frequent when I was a child, but with my children. Their childhood in Israel has certainly been quite different than mine was in Northern California, but I'm happy to say that they loved all the same things I did! Here's a little peek, which may be helpful to some of my readers (nearly 25% who live in California!) and hopefully an interesting (and possibly humorous) break from crafting for the rest of you?

First stop is The Little Farm in Tilden Regional Park, still sweet and well maintained. A nice introduction to real live farm animals. Just make sure to go in the morning or early afternoon, as the animals are put to bed very early. Lesson: If going to bed early is good for farm animals, it's probably good for our kids too!

At The Little Farm your children can hone their goat feeding skills with celery and lettuce (only) that you bring from home. Very good skills to have as an adult as apparently this left a big impression on one of my brothers and he now owns some goats (and now my children and I want some too, yikes!) Lesson: If you don't want your kids to own farm animals when they grow up, so don't expose them to the joys of goat feeding.

After you've had your fill of farm animals, so why not take a fairly short nature hike to Jewel Lake, just down the road from The Little Farm. While you can walk down the road to the lake with a stroller, the more scenic hike around the lake is great for little kids, but not stroller friendly. I don't think I ever really knew why this little lake was called Jewel Lake until we paused here— look at those amazing reflections! My kids almost didn't understand what they were seeing it was so beautiful. I remember saying "doesn't it look just like a painting? Lesson: Take the time to point out to your children how nature often reflects art!

The next logical stop might be a trip to the Tilden Park Historical Merry Go Round. I grew up hearing the faint music from this merry go round on clear summer days.....The merry go round was built in 1911, and all the animals are original and restored beautifully. There's a fantastic selection of horses, a zebra, a frog, a dog, a lion, a stork and more. I do miss the original organ which has sadly been replaced by taped music, nonetheless, it's still wonderful. And yes, I don't usually show photos of my kids, but this one of my daughter was taken 6 years ago at the merry go round, and I just couldn't resist. Lesson: Teach your kids that if they take care of something it will last—these animals are nearly 100 years old, and because they were treasured, and well cared for, we can still enjoy them today!  And just in case you hadn't thought of this, if you're going to treat your kids to more than one ride (and why not?) have them take a break between rides and just enjoy watching the merry go round while trying to decide which animal they'd like to ride next.

Now if live animals are more interesting to your kids than wooden ones, or if you happen to have another day in Berkeley,  you might want to consider a visit to the Lawrence Hall of Science (very near one end of the sprawling Tilden Park) located on the UC Berkeley Campus. The museum and education center has a planetarium and all sorts of interesting things to look at, but we got caught up in the petting lab, so we really didn't get to see too much else! But that's okay, since holding a spotted gecko, an unusual Iguana and a Mexican garter (?) snake, and petting a tarantula and cuddling a dwarf rabbit was a great experience. I'm so proud of my kids for not being afraid or squeemish! Lesson: If you plan to take your kids to the Lawrence Hall of Science, first raise them in the country side so they won't be afraid to touch the animals!

When they kick you out of the museum at closing time (5pm, too early for us!) your kids can have fun climbing on the giant DNA model/play structure in front. There's also a nice fountain and a breathtaking view of the city of Berkeley and the San Francisco Bay. If you sit for a while you may witness the interesting phenomena of watching "the fog roll in" until there's no view left to see! Lesson: Bone up on your own basic science knowledge before taking your kids to a science museum. That way when they ask you "What's DNA?" you may have a chance at explaining it to them!

On The Banks Of The Jordan River: An Idyllic Picnic Spot!

During our family outings this Pesach, we finally got a little bit acquainted with the Upper Galil, in the far north of our beautiful country. And I'm happy to say that areas that were once totally unknown are now like familiar friends. Like this gorgeous spot on the banks of the Yarden (Jordan) River which we enjoyed on not one but two holiday afternoons!

There's nothing like some water, a little shade and a flat clean place to spread out your blanket! I'm sure you know that, so for those of you who live in the Galil or will be traveling here, I'd be happy to point you in the right direction!

Find this old green bridge "Gesher Joseph" on a road heading east towards Kfar Bloom, (a right turn just before Kiryat Shemona), and you're there! This park is on the east side of the bridge, but there's parking just before the bridge, and on the parking lot side of the river you can bar-b-que and even pitch a tent, but you won't have any grass, so take your pick!

The water was gorgeous but certainly not tempting for most of us. Though there was one teenage boy who just couldn't resist ......

We had such an amazing time that the guard had to kick us out at park closing time! So we said goodbye to this lovely spot just as the sun was setting over the Manara mountain range.

We hope to be back on the banks of the Jordan again, sometime soon! There's nothing quite like it.

A Trip To The Mediterranean & The Lebanese Border!

We were so very happy to welcome my brother and family for a too short visit to our home in Israel! The cousins had such a great time together and we especially enjoyed taking this day trip to visit Rosh HaNikra, a stunning and historic coastal site on the Northernmost tip of the Israeli coast, about 1 1/2 hours drive from my home.

The name Rosh HaNikra means "head of the cave, as there are numerous impressive sea caves at the foot of the cliff, which may be reached by cable car. The stunning white chalk cliffs apparently look similar to the cliffs of Dover, and the  caves were formed by the work of the sea water.

Throughout history these same cliffs were a problem for travel and trade. Alexander of Macedonea (Alexander the Great) is credited for having hewed the first tunnel in 323 BC to create a passageway for his army after besieging Tyre! Later this road was used by the armies of the Seleucids and the Ptolemies. In 1099 AD it was used by the Crusaders. In World War I the British Army built the first road, which had accessible to motor vehicles. The latest and most impressive traffic route through the cliff was the Haifa-Beirut-Tripoli railway, which was built by the British during World War II.

Looking South down the coast of Israel from the top of the cliffs. Ahhhh the sea!

The view from the top, and the tram, which wasn't working on that day, so no visit to the grottos for us. Another time!

Here it is, the actual border between Israel and Lebanon. Lebanon is right through that gate! Israel is a relatively tiny country with a long border running from North to South, but this Northern border point is much more accessible and dramatic.

Here's an interesting  concrete wall sign showing the distance to Beirut to the north (120 kilometers)and to Jerusalem to the south (whoops cut off the distance but I think it's about 200 kilometers.) The funny thing is that Beirut sounds so very Middle Eastern to me! Then I realize that I too live in the middle east, go figure!

Here's a tall army radar tower of some sort (always loved those industrial towers for some reason!) and some wild flowers that my nephew stuck under the windshield wiper.

The beautiful white cliffs and the railroad tunnel built in WWII. 

Another look at the cliffs and the beach, on a winter day! The kids had so much fun just walking in the sand and being near the water, that is until it started to pour!

But they did manage to collect some rocks and shells before we had to head home! Oh and I should mention the huge pile of rocks that we just couldn't gather up and take home with us in the pouring rain, but a wonderful time was had by all, and we look forward to seeing the ocean again soon.

In Search of Fall Color: A Nature Walk With Little Ones

Fall is my favorite season, well it's a tie between Spring and Fall actually, but I just love the cozy Fall feeling after a hot summer! And Fall color, well there's nothing like it! It just so happens however that the lovely area in which I live has very little Fall color to speak of— just a few trees here and there, nothing significant. Nonetheless, I wanted to do some Fall leaves projects with my kids and thought maybe we could find something if we looked! So we took a walk down into the valley near our home, and this is what we saw:

Did you know that cattle crossings are good for developing motor coordination and building self confidence?

Hmmm. Nice view, but no Fall color in site! Maybe we're just too early.

Does this qualify as Fall color? Spooky burned branches and some golden lichen(or whatever it's called)?

We turned the corner and look! Real, actual Fall leaves, phew! My kids didn't understand why I was so excited, so I tried to explain to them that this is what Fall is all about in places like New York where their cousins live. I showed them how fun it is to stamp on dried leaves, but i guess I was a bit too serious, as later my six year old asked me if stamping on leaves is something written about in the Torah (Bible)! Isn't he cute?

And alack alas the leaves were too dry to be useful for any craft project, so we didn't take any home with us.

But guess what? I was so relieved when it turned out that we wouldn't be going home empty handed!  The kids found some gorgeous rocks with iron ore deposits and other interesting colors!  We lugged them all home and I realized that they'll be great for supporting the narcissus bulbs I hope to be forcing soon!

And to be perfectly fair, these beautiful weeds and this sunset certainly qualify as Fall color! A creative mom has got to work with what she has! Right?