Spring Has Come

I did something today I have not done in over a year– I met someone for breakfast outside on a restaurant patio!

Yes, Israel is coming back. The streets are beginning to fill with people once again. The restaurants and stores are open, and the light at the end of this tunnel grows brighter every day. Every person in the streets in town today was wearing a mask (a 500 shekel fine for not doing it made a huge difference). With over half the population vaccinated and 90% of those over 60 fully vaccinated, there is a sense of relief, growing safety, and…normalcy.

Last week, I shared with you the struggle of whether or not to go to the U.S. to have Passover with our kids we have not seen in person in over a year. It was a very hard decision, but because of the constantly changing regulations and my husband’s fear of getting locked out of Israel for who knows how long, we have decided to stay.

I must admit I was not exactly happy with the decision, but I have made a choice to focus on the good– and here is my list:

Choosing Shalom Bayit, peace with my husband, an extraordinary man, is always a good choice.

Three out of five of our kids live in Israel (and two grandchildren), and we can spend time with them during the holiday.

Passover in Israel is fantastic– the holiday is in the air!

Spring has come, the sun is out, and being “home for the holidays” is always wonderful.

With the incredible rate of vaccinations, the leader in the world by far, Israel is the safest place to be right now, so why go?

Now it’s time to prepare, both practically and spiritually…let’s make Pesach!