From Super Bowl to Olympics

After being up all night for the super bowl, we only go out to pick up hummus, eggplant, cauliflower and a salad for dinner. The local staples of hummus msabbaha, shakshuka, salatim and falafel are so good and healthy that we keep going back for more. We came here because of the Israeli food we had in Paris and we have not been disappointed.

Wednesday was another sculling lesson, this time with Alex as Dror is in Aspen. Different instructor, different pointers and more learning. We are loving it.

After the sculling, we walked about three miles to the Museum of the Jewish People which is in the middle of the University of Tel Aviv campus.

We encountered these enterprising jugglers at a very busy intersection. Click the arrow for video.

Yitzhak Rabin research center — Yitzak Rabin Research center which we passed on our walk.

This museum was established to convey the fascinating narrative of the Jewish people of the diaspora and the essence of the Jewish culture, faith and purpose while presenting the contribution of world Jewry to Humanity. We enjoyed two different exhibitions, one was their spectacular permanent exhibition of synagogue models representing various Jewish communities from around the world.

This is the oldest synagogue in the US that is still active in its original building. Newport RI.

The only synagogue designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in Elkins Park PA.

The second exhibition was a retrospective on the life and work of Chim, one of the greatest photojournalists of the first half of the twentieth century. His depictions of the Spanish Civil War, Europe devastated by World War Two, and the first years of the State of Israel are quite moving. He also took portraits of leaders, artists and intellectuals that appeared in the world’s leading magazines. Ironically he was a victim of war being killed in 1956 while covering the Suez crisis.

Thursday morning February 8 we went for a two mile run to the old port area and had breakfast at an outdoor cafe overlooking the Mediterranean. Our very weak running seems to be improving incrementally with Jim’s stamina coming and going and Sandy’s speed increasing as she is going for an age group win in the Tel Aviv Marathon 5K race on February 23. Late in the day we walked to a fund raising sale that Sandy had read about. Turns out it was in a private apartment on a residential street. Signs led us into a back patio with racks of clothes both outside and in. While Sandy shopped Jim struck up a conversation with one of the few men there and found out that he was the father of the owner of the home who was the sponsor of the sale. Proceeds were being used for no interest loans to low income persons. It turns out that his daughter is also co-anchor of a local morning TV show called Orly & Guy.

Guy on the left, Orly on the right. We met her at her home.

Sandy did purchase a blouse at this sale by an Israeli designer. From this sale, we took a bus to Rabin Square and watched Tetris being played on the facade of City Hall which occurs every Thursday evening.