NOTE: Hello all. Sorry for the spotty postings. While our timeshare apartments have been great, we don't have easy access to internet. Here is four days of posts, which means we are only 2 days behind. More soon!

Day 26: More in the North. The Shapiro family woke to a beautiful sunny day, ate a quick breakfast in and left to meet Raz. Once together we headed to Mt. Gilboa, the location where King Saul and three of his sons were defeated by the Philistines. This was also the location where soon-to-be-King David declared that the mountain will remain barren as a curse due to the defeat of Saul. After walking around Mt. Gilboa we headed to Bet She’an to view the magnificent remains of an ancient Roman City. Be sure not to miss the picture of the Shapiro family in the communal bathroom. With the weather quickly heating up, we finished our walk, viewing the Cardo, bathhouse, and some other ruins, ate a picnic lunch and some ice cream, and then left for our next destination.

To our delight we ended the day with another water walk, or in this case a water swim. On Raz’s recommendation we had purchased a raft, which came in very handy for this water walk. We entered the refreshing water and quickly placed Esti and Avi on the edge of the raft while we towed them down this river. The water was deep, requiring us to swim much of the distance. During the swim, on two separate occasions, we came upon two culverts connecting the water on either sides of intersecting roads. The best part of the swim was going through the culverts on our tushies (maybe not one of our finer parenting moments-but we all came out unscathed and laughing). After a few minutes of relaxing in the water we headed back to the hotel for dinner and a movie in the room.

Day 27: A Quiet Day. With no schedule for the day, we all slept in – as many of you know for the Shapiro family that means we were all up by 8:00 am. After a quick breakfast and school work in the room we headed downstairs for a day at the pool. The best part of our time at the pool was the games played by the pool staff. Using what looked like old gymnastic mats floating on top of the water tied to each end of the pool, the kids ran on top of the mats until they fell off. Avi won the game running a whopping 18 laps. The games continued with having the kids stand in the middle of the pool on a round piece of wood tied to an inner tube on which the kids were asked to jump rope. Scott found much humor, imagining the dialogue between the hotel’s legal department and the recreation department as the recreation department described the Rube Goldberg nature of the floating jump rope platform. The evening continued with dinner at Avi’s Restaurant - a restaurant we located during one of our earlier walks in Tiberias. With much excitement our Avi met the owner - whose name is also Avi. The owner Avi was very nice and gave our Avi many souvenirs with Avi’s Restaurant written on them, including postcards, a key chain, and a magnet. Our restaurant service continued as our waiter walked with Scott across the street to assist Scott in getting a haircut. He later came back and checked on Scott. The evening ended with a little shopping; ugghh, the lines at the market were crazy. We did learn an Israeli technique for shopping - once you arrive at the market get in line, leave the cart on line, and then shop.

Day 28: Finally, the Alligator Farm! With much excitement we headed to Hamat Gadar-The Alligator Farm. Avi had been waiting fopr this for months. We arrived and quickly headed to the parrot show. The birds were beautiful and did some amazing stunts. We continued our visit walking around and looking at the many alligators. Before heading to the pool at Hamat Gador we spent a great deal of time at the petting zoo. The kids picked up one-day-old chicks, rabbits, and guinea pigs. Of course, the conversation as we left the petting zoo sounded something like “when we get home after we get a new dog can we also get a rabbit, turtle, guinea pig, etc.” We continued our visit at Hamat Gadar with a quick dip in the cold water pool and finished our visit with a relaxing soak in the 100 degree mineral springs pool. Other then the sulfur-like smell we all enjoyed the soak. With some time before Shavuot we headed back to the hotel to complete some school, eat some lunch and relax a bit. After a quick shower we headed to the car for a drive to Karmiel where Scott located a Masorti connected synagogue for us to spend the evening. We arrived and were warmly greeted by the Rabbi and his family. We enjoyed the service and shared in the communal meal. Scott and Monica spent the evening talking with lots of congregants while the kids played with other children. Everyone enjoyed the evening.

Day 29: Bees and Shabbas. After arriving home late everyone slept in - again in the Shapiro family that means about 8:00 am. Our plans for the day included a tour of the Honey Farm which specializes in teaching people how to make honey. We were pleasantly surprised to have the owner himself provide us our tour, which included three stations. The first station talked about the process of collecting the honey and a taste of the delicious honey, the second station talked about the bee boxes and the jobs of the worker bees and the queen bee, and in the last station the owner suited up and went into a room with many bee boxes, and picked up and showed us individual bee screens within a bee box. He spoke about the importance of wearing proper clothing when handling the bees. We enjoyed the tour and purchased some amazing bee hand lotion. With some time before Shabbas we headed back to the hotel for a quick swim, some school work, and a bite to eat. After a quick shower we headed to the village of Shorirshim. Once again Scott located this synagogue on the Masorti web page. The village began 26 years ago by a group of Zionist from California and now consist of about 70 families. We were pleased to be invited to someone’s home for Shabbat dinner. The family had a daughter age 9 and also invited were their neighbors who had a son age 9, a daughter age 7, and a younger son age 2. The kids had an amazing evening filled with game playing, rubiks cube, puzzles, and of course a long discussion about pokemon. Scott and Monica enjoyed the conversation and learned a lot about the community which is surrounded by many Arab communities. The neighbor’s son attends an Arab/Israel school which focuses on co-existence. Before we knew it, it was well after 10:00 pm and time to go. Unfortunately, we had a hard time leaving the gated community because the gate would not open when we arrived at the exit. Singing the chorus to Hotel California, we drove around the community looking for anyone who would buzz us out. With some luck and patience we found someone nice enough to let us out of the community. We arrived back very late with three sleeping children.

The Saga Continues

Day 24: Goodbye to Nilli and Rosh Pinna, Hello Upper Golan Heights. We awoke on Sunday with some sadness that we would be leaving Rosh Pinna. The food hand company had been great, and the apartment and spacious yard had allowed us to stretch out. After breakfast Raz joined us and we headed off the Hermon Stream (Banias) National Reserve. This beautiful park is located in the upper Golan Heights and the Banias River (which feeds the Jordan River) runs through it. We started by visiting a Roman Reststop where Romans could prey to their god-of-choice for a safe passage to the north. We then took about an hour and a half hike, which included some ancient flour mills, ending at one of the largest waterfalls in Israel, Following the hike we headed up to Nimrod’s Fortress National Park. This fortress was build by the Muslims to protect the road to from Israel to Damascus from the Crusaders in the 12th century. The Fort is HUGE! The complex architecture coupled with the massive size was truly impressive. In fact, historians believe it took an earthquake to finally topple the Fort.

After Nimrod’s Fortress we drove to a Druze Village where we found a restaurant off the beaten track. We ordered a “salad” platter which included hummus, falafel, babaganoush, tahini, pita, cheese, and about a half dozen other salads. At a whopping $20 it provided excellent lunch for the six of us with food to spare. After lunch we headed to a bunker and informational area at the Syrian Border where we came just a few dozen yards from the border and also learned about the acts of the local soldiers in the 1967 (Six Day) War and the 1973 (Yom Kippur) War. The former base included a coffee shop called Coffee Anon – a play on words recognizing the name of the former UN Secretary General, but also Hebrew for Coffee in the “Clouds.” Following a quick stop to see the Jordan River, we dropped of Raz and headed into Tiberius to our next address.

The Club Hotel in Tiberius is part of our timeshare chain and it turned out to be perfect for us. The room, though tight, sleeps the five of us fine. It also has a little kitchen and a beautiful pool. We look forward to making this our home for the next week.

Day 25: The Lower Golan Heights. We awoke, ate a quick breakfast in our room, and met Raz on the road. We started at the old cemetery in Tiberius which is the most important secular cemetery in Israel. Buried at the cemetery are Israel’s two most famous poets, some of the earliest settlers in the north, and most of the Israeli leadership from the 1970’s and 1980’s. We then headed to Gamla Nature Reserve where we had a chance to see about eight vultures that are protected within the reserve. After seeing the vultures we had a picnic lunch and then headed to the Bet Zayda Nature Reserve. In this Reserve we were able to walk in the river (feeding the Sea of Galilee) for about an hour. The kids had a great time. The adults enjoyed it too, though the experience was a little overwhelming in light of the more than 20 busloads of Israeli students that walked along with us. The students were singing and splashing the entire way.

After the walk we headed back to Tiberius for a walk around the Shuk (market) and then dinner at an outdoor restaurant where the kids had a chance to try (and like!) Shwarma. As usual, Scott and Monica feasted on a myriad of Israeli salads while Avi ate his beloved falafel.

Crusader Hall (underground!) at Akko:


Storage building and hotel (about 800 years old) at Akko:


Lebanon Border at Rosh Hanikra:


The cliffs at Rosh Hanikra:

Kids at the Lagoon near Rosh Hanikra:

Synogogue at Sefat:

First water hike:


Monica overlooking at the Hula Valley:

Kids in Nilli's pool:


Esti in Nilli's pool:

Old Synogogue at Rosh Pinna:

Rebeka in Zues' Temple:

Raz and the Family on a break during the hike:

Portion of Nimrod's Fortress:


Rebeka with IDF soldiers at Gamla National Reserve:

Second Water Hike:

Second Water Hike:

Shapiros in Rosh Pinna

Day 22: Upper Galilee. The morning started with another great breakfast with Nilli and another affordable car repair: Five dollars for the local shop to bend back the piece of metal that was making the bad news. Then we all got in the car with Raz and drove around the lower Galilee. This area of Israel is quite beautiful agricultural land, with a number of small mountains providing great views. We started at the Rimon Winery which makes wine from pomegranates; great health benefits and pretty good to boot. We then saw the Hula Valley and learned of its history from swamp to producing row crops. We picnicked by the river and then drove past Quiriat Shemona to Metula, the northern-most part of pre-1967 Israel, which is literally a dozen yards from Lebanon. The scene was remarkable in its stillness and peacefulness, and absent watching the UN trucks patrolling you would never know you were standing in an area subject only to a cease fire.

The day ended with a treat that we all loved. We went to a nature area in what was Syria prior to 1967 called Ein Tina. We drove on a road which we are sure the rental company would not have appreciated, and then hiked just a few minutes to a small stream. We then all entered the stream and began hiking through the water upstream. The current was strong, giving the kids a run for their money, and the water was up past Esti’s waist. As we moved upstream we then reached a hill and continued to hike up the stream, climbing under a low and extensive canopy of wild fig trees, eventually reaching a bit of a waterfall, in which the kids played. Then, we went back down almost the same route. All in all, it was refreshing, fun, and a great way to end the day!

Day 23: Shabbat in Rosh Pinna. Shabbat came at a good time – we were ready for a break and did not want to rush off for touring. We slept late (or at least Scott and some of the kids did!) and then met Nilli for a leisurely breakfast on the balcony at 9:30. After breakfast we did some school work and then everyone jumped in the pool. The water was great and refreshed. After breakfast we hopped into the car with Nilli and drove a mile or two to visit a friend of hers that owns a ranch. We visited with horses, puppies, roosters, and doves, and then saw the custom wine cellar and walked through vineyards and orchards. After the visit we returned home for some lunch and more swimming. Then some more school work and more visits with Nilli. We think she has adopted our children and we wonder whether we will be allowed to leave tomorrow!

In the evening we decided to walk around old Rosh Pinna. It was built about 14o years ago by Romanian Jews that were hoping for a new life. As we walked past the original synagogue, we notice a few orthodox men hanging around the door looking anxious. We guessed correctly that they needed another participant to make a minyan (in Judaism, it takes 10 Jews – for Orthodox 10 men – to be able to say certain prayers). Scott volunteered to join them and he made the minyan. In return, he was honored with the first Torah blessing for the afternoon (Mincha) service. After services we walked around some more, enjoyed the views and the weather, and then returned to Nilli’s to pack for Tiberius.

Catching up on photos:

The family at the Bahai Gardens:


The Hall of Records at the Bahai Gardens:


Avi at the Bahai Gardens


2000 year old mosaic at Sephori:


Kids in the Crusader Fort at Sephori:


Tomb of Rabbi Hanassi (writer of the Mishna) at Bet Shera'rim:

Image from a tomb:


Abraham sending away Ishamail (Doll Gallery at Castra Mall):

Kids on a sculpture at Ein Hod:

Couple in a Sardine Can (Ein Hod Artists Colony):

Some more photos

The ampitheater at Cesearia:

Rebeka and a piece of antiquity:

The family at the Crusader Fort at Cesearia:

The Bahai Gardens in Haifa


ALL of our luggage (we travel light for five people):

Some more pictures tomorrow - we promise!

Continuing North . . .

Day 19: A visit with history around Haifa. Based on a phone call from our tour guide we followed his recommendation and headed to Zippori National Park. We spent many hours walking around the park and looking at beautifully excavated mosaic floors built by the Romans. We were amazed at how well preserved the floors were and the intricate designs on each floor. In addition to the Cardo (market) and many houses we got to see an ancient synagogue and the many designs on the floor. The kids also got to go inside a Crusader fort where they learned the importance of the size and shape of the windows. The day continued with a quick lunch - you guessed it: falafel. At this time we think Avi can write a guide book on “Where to find the best falafel in Israel” and we have only been here for 3 weeks.

We continued our day with a trip to Bet Sher’arim to look at the catacombs. Bet Sher’arim was one of the premium places to be buried from about the fourth through 15th centuries. We quickly walked the trail and read the many signs explaining what was located in the catacombs based on the inscriptions found in the caves. We were able to go into some of the catacombs and see some of the tombs and artwork, and although a bit creepy, it was also very interesting. The weather was beautiful and the kids enjoyed some time playing tag on the grass.

We finished our day with a nice walk around Ein Hod, looking at the art and visiting some of the studios of the local artists. The kids watched one of the artists paint a plate, and they also played with the dog of another local artist. The community is peaceful. We ate a nice dinner prepared by Scott on the patio overlooking the beautiful mountainside. All in all, our visit to Ein Hod was fast but lovely. We spent the rest of the evening packing and relaxing.

Day 20: We Meet Our Tour Guide. We awoke from our last night in Ein Hod, packed the car, and headed to the train station to pick up our guide. We had decided to work with a guide for some of our time in the North, plus a few days in Jerusalem, Massada, and the Dead Sea. Raz (our guide) turned out to be an experienced guide who is working on his masters in Jewish History and who immediately bonded with the kids. We drove directly to the ancient city of Akko (often called Acre in English) to see the ancient Crusader City located below Akko. Much of the Crusader City was not even discovered until the last decade and sections were not excavated until this year. While Monica and Scott had seen Akko 11 years ago for our honeymoon trip, the city was now completely different. It was an incredible experience to climb down steps to 20-25 feet below the current city level and enter huge halls previously occupied by the Crusaders. The largest hall uncovered thus far has 20 foot high ceilings and it stretches for dozens of yards in each direction. We then walked through long, narrow tunnels to travel the escape routes used by the Crusaders.

For lunch we ate at a local restaurant that served only hummus – three types of hummus, but only hummus. Avi of course ate his millionth meal of Falafel. We then got in the car and went to Rosh Hanikra on the border with Lebanon. We rode in a cable car down to the sea and walked through natural caverns formed by eons of waves crashing against the soft limestone cliffs. We also had a chance to see the old railway tunnel dug by the British that has been closed since the War of Independence. We then ended the day with an hour or so at a small lagoon on the Sea, giving the kids a chance to get out some energy and look for sea creatures. In the evening we arrived at our next apartment, a small B&B in Rosh Pinna. The accommodations are great: a two bedroom apartment with a living room and balcony run by an Israeli grandmother names Nilli. But the best part of the B&B is the brand new pool which we promised the kids they would get to use tomorrow.

Day 21: The Curse of the Mazda 5. We awoke, showered, and rushed out onto our balcony where Nilli placed before us a traditional Israeli breakfast: salad, four types of cheese (two homemade), homemade strawberry jam, hot rolls, and omelets. Nilli was an absolute doll and her food was as good as we hoped. After breakfast we picked up Raz and headed off for Mount Moron (MORE-own), the highest point in pre-1967 Israel. On the way Scott hit a pothole and then we heard a woosh-woosh-woosh sound. Upon stopping, we discovered two bent rims with two flat tires. We changed the first with the spare, and then Raz left to hitch-hike into the nearest village with the bad tire. While he was gone we jacked up the car and took off the second bad tire. Upon Raz’s return with the first fixed tire, we replaced it for the second bad tire, and limped into the village where we had the second tire fixed. While the whole episode was an inconvenience, the kids got to learn how to change a tire (twice!) and our spirits were renewed by the village repair shop which only charged us 30 Shekels ($7.50).

We then headed out to Mount Moron and had a wonderful hour and a half hike during which we were able to see Lebanon pretty close, and the kids found ten different plant species and identified each from a field guide. Following the hike we headed for Peki’in, the only place in Israel to have been continuously populated by Jews for the last two thousand years. But on the way, we noticed a new scrape-scrape-scrape sound from the front tire. A bit of investigation allowed us to decide that it was not dangerous, and that we would visit a repair shop tomorrow. We ate lunch in Peki’in at a local shop where the kids made their own pita and we feasted on lentils, rice, beans, falafel, Israeli salad, and tabouli. Following lunch Scott dropped off Raz, Monica, and the kids at the top of the hill where they proceeded to walk through the village seeing an ancient synagogue and a cave inhabited by a Rabbi Bar Yohi centuries ago. After Scott picked up the group at the bottom of the hill we all headed to Sefat, where we toured some ancient synagogues and learned some of the folk lore. Then a quick trip back to Rosh Pinna, a jump in the pool for the kids, and off to bed for everyone.

The adventure continues

Day 17: Leaving Tel Aviv. We packed up our belongings and left Tel Aviv with some sadness. Scott is going to miss his daily trips to the Shuk for fruits and veggies and the kids are going to miss their own rooms. But, the fun continued as we headed to Ceseara for a day of exploration and excitement. We spent the better part of the afternoon walking around the ancient ruins of the once thriving town of Cesaera. The kids walked around an ancient amphitheatre still used today, a Hippodrome, Bath House and more. The coolest things to see were the extensive and elaborate mosaic and marble floors. The kids even got to keep some of the shells and rocks they found. We learned about King Herod and the many civilizations who conquered the town. Let me not forget the two lizards Avi spotted and watched in the bathroom for an extended period of time; we tried to convince him they were ancient lizards – not sure if he believed us. We left Ceseara and headed to our next sleeping destination En Hod.

We arrived in En Hod and located our apartment, which is a little studio apartment on the lower level of a residence. The view off the balcony is breathtaking and the owners of the house are lovely. The kids settled in and quickly chose their sleeping space. We had a quiet dinner in went to bed.

Day 18: Haifa and Surrounds. Today we awoke to very hot weather: we were told they were predicting 100 degrees – yikes! But, we forged forward, ate a quick breakfast and drove to Haifa. The drive to Haifa was quick and we easily located the tourist center. We visited the Dagon Grain Museum, where we learned about the history of the caring of wheat from ancient times to current. The tour was short and informative and also included a neat book about the history of wheat. Our day continued as we headed to the Bahai Gardens for a twelve o’clock English Tour. We started the tour at the top of the Gardens and finished with a movie about the Bahai Faith about ½ way down the Gardens. Visitors are not allowed to go any further. The Gardens were beautiful and the tour interesting. The kids did a great job walking down the many stairs. Unfortunately, we did not end the tour anywhere near our car, so Scott (the adventurous-type) boarded a bus with the hopes of finding the car, and only one bus ride and one taxi ride later the car was located.

After Scott picked up everyone else we headed to The Germany Colony where we enjoyed a delicious Kosher lunch. Yes, the Shapiro children ate meat again. With the hour late and the children tired we headed for a quick visit to the Castro Mall for a little food shopping and viewing of a Minature Doll exhibit consisting of 55 dioramas depicting different stories from the Bible and the history of Israel. The exhibit was very interesting and kept the kids excited. We arrived home around 6:30 and worked on some homework. The owner of the apartment is a glass blower and he invited us to watch him work. The kids were fascinated by his talent and Avi got to assist by blowing some glass. We were pleasantly surprised to learn that the beautiful swan he made was a gift for us. Unfortunately, the swan only survived unscathed for a short time. With his excitement while telling Scott about his glass blowing experience, Avi accidentally knocked it over, breaking off a small part. But not to worry as with many items in our house, it can be easily fixed with crazy glue, or better known in our house as silly glue. The evening ended with a light meal and a late night movie.

Stay tuned for more Shapiros in Israel as the days continue and some photos from these two days when we have a better internet connection.

Quick update and then (potentially) going off line

The last few days (Day 14, 15, and 16) have been "take it easy days;" lots of school work, parks, and beaches, several trips to the Shuk (market), and lots of walking. We even walked back to Jaffa (about two miles) for lunch. We ate at the famous Dr. Shakshuka restaurant where we had a chance to taste the dish as it is supposed to be made. Scott is convinced his is better! We also enjoyed a potluck Shabbas dinner at the same Shul we visited last week. The food was good but the company was better. Tonight ended with some ice cream on the streets of Tel Aviv.

Just a quick note that we leave tomorrow for Ein Hod (3 days) and then Rosh Pina (4 days). Not sure what the internet situation will be, so we may not get any posts up for a few days.

Best wishes to all.

Pictures to go with our last post

Burial of Matisyahu (you may be familar with the rap star by this name):


Rebeka and her friend Ziv:


Esti at the Petting Zoo:



Watching the cows be milked:

The Sorek Caves:

The family overlooking the Judean Valley (with our trusty Mazda 5 in the background):

The Challenger Monument:

Tel Aviv Continues

Day 11: A light day. Following breakfast we ventured back to the Carmel Market (Shuk) for some more fun shopping. Actually, fun for everyone except Monica who like sthe goods but dislikes the crowds and the haggling. We bought more fruits and vegetables and a huge bagful of bread --we only wanted five pita, but when the woman selling the pita didn't have change we ended up with a bit more than we "bargained" for ;~). Following the shuk we did a few hours of school work and a quick lunch, then jumped in the car and headed for Modi'in, where our friends Michal and Ilan live. The plan was to drop Rebeka off for a sleepover with their daughter Ziv. On the way we visited several forests planted by the Jewish National Fund. What foresight, to have created national forests in a country that was formerly just sand and rock. We stopped at some playgrounds and a few historic sites (e.g., burials!) and made our way leisurely to our friends. We went out to dinner with them, Avi played a little Wii, and then minus Rebeka we headed back to Tel Aviv. All in all, a nice but light day.

Day 12: Winery, Petting Zoo, Cow Poop, and Spice Shop. Following a more leisurely morning without Beka, we heading off to Kibbutz Tzora in the Bet Shemesh area. On recommendation from our tour guide, we decided to try out the winery and farm. We started with the petting zoo, which had been created decades ago to teach the kids from the Kibbutz to appreciate animals and how to work with animals. Now the zoo is an attraction for outsiders. It was small and simple, but still fun for Avi and Esti. They both got to hold rabbits and guinna pigs, touch goats, and see other animals. After the zoo, we went to the dairy where the kids got to see the cows milked by machines and Scott and Monica got to hold their breathe because of the cow poop smell. After the cows, we visited the winery and tried a fantastic Cabernet Savignon rose (we know, sounds weird). Anyway, the wine was good enough for us to buy a bottle. After the winery we looked for some lunch and stumbled across a great spice shop. It smelled great! However, instead we ate at a local restaurant and then went to Modi'in to hit a grocery store and play at the park for a few hours. That evening we picked up Rebeka and heading home for some sleep.

Day 13: A Visit to Eli and Back to Bet Shemesh. We awoke to another beautiful morning. A quick breakfast and some schoolwork for the kids, and we were out of the apartment by 9:30. This morning we headed to the shelter run by Eli, the Israel Agency for the Protection of Children. Eli is a non-profit that provides extensive services to Jewish and Arab children alike in Israel. We were introduced to Eli through Bill Slaton and Kent Newton of Sacramento. We met with the Director, Dr. Hanita Zimrin, who shared with us some of the issues that Eli deals with. She runs an amazing operation, managing a $2.2 million budget where 65% of it comes from donations.

Following the tour and a quick lunch we got in the car and headed back to the Bet Shemesh area. Today's destination was the Sorek Cave, an amazing cave full of stalactites and stalagmites discovered in the 1960's. The cave has a walking tour and lots of beautiful illumination showing off the formations. As you will see from the pictures, the view was incredible. Though, the 100% humidity did funny things to everyone's hair. Following the caves we drove by the NASA Challenger Memorial and then went back to the Tavlim Spice Shop. Today we actually shopped, buying some coffee flavored Halvah, some fruit extracts to add to tea, and some spice for rice. Another drive back to Tel Aviv, and a quick dinner using the spices we bought ended this day.

We promise to post pictures of these three days soon.

Post #3

Day 8: Climbing on tanks and Kabbalat Shabbat. Friday morning we decided to get in the car and get out of Tel Aviv. We decided to go to Latrun, the home of the Israeli Tank Museum. Everyone

said that it was so far to drive from Tel Aviv, but it actually only took us about 30 minutes (besides the 30 minutes it took us to drive the two miles to the highway through Tel Aviv). When we arrived and indeed the whole time we were there, the museum was empty, perhaps in large part because the museum is only open a half day because of Shabbat. The Museum (technically the Latrun Armoured Corps Museum) is incredible, with tanks displayed from every Israeli conflict, including information on the history of the development of each tank. To stand in the center of the display and see the evolution of the tank is quite interesting. Even more interesting are the tanks captured from the enemies in Israeli conflicts and all of the specialized tanks (such as floating tanks, those with rocket launchers, and those that turn into bridges).

After the Museum we drove back to Tel Aviv and then walked to the Nahalat Binyamin Street Fair, a collection of street performers and crafters who set up twice a week. We started with a quick lunch then walked around, saw the jugglers and magicians, and watched a glass blower.

Then, a quick walk back to the apartment for some dinner, and off we went to our first Kabbalat Shabbat service in Israel. We met up with a havarah (informal synagogue) that meets in a school. The prayers and tunes were the same as in the US, and everyone there seemed to have been born in the US as well. We ended the night blessing the kids and putting them to sleep.

Day 9: Shabbat in Israel. After breakfast Scott took Avi and Esti on a walking architectural tour of Tel Aviv while Monica and Rebeka worked on long division. As you would expect, Avi's and Esti's interest started fading around the time that the Bauhaus began influencing Tel Aviv architecture. To keep peace in the family, we veered off to watch a street performer and Avi even got into the act. In the afternoon, the whole family walked more of the city looking for a park. We instead found a section of the north beach with built-in exercise equipment (Monica is determined to bring this to the American River Parkway) and guys who play volleyball like soccer (no hands allowed). We ended the night with an ice cream run.

Day 10: Natanya and north. We awoke and decided to get out of the city again. We headed toward Natanya (about 30 minutes north) but veered off toward IKEA for a bathroom run for the kids (they sell the same creamed tuna in a tube here). We then went to downtown Natanya,

where the clerk at the local tourist office, in response to our question of what to do in Natanya, gave us a list of things not located in Natanya! We opted instead to go to a park in the city, walk along the beach, and try out some more of the exercise equipment. For lunch we followed the

advice in the Fodor's tour book and went to a local dive. The kids feasted on schnitzel and chicken and beef kabob while Monica and Scott enjoyed 20 different salads with pita and hummus. Following we visited with our friends Josh and Sharon, and their kids Itai, Noam, and Guy, who moved back to Israel from Sacramento last year. We went to a school-sponsored bonfire to celebrate Lag B'Omer, and the kids got to make fresh pita and throw wood onto the fire. It was a long day, and we finally got back to Tel Aviv around 10:00 with three kids asleep in the car.