Shana Tova!

I just completed my third week here as an olah chadash. I have no idea if my ATM card is ready because I don't want to disappoint myself by trying. Yesterday I finally tackled the challenge of figuring out how to use my oven. My brownies came out burnt on top and raw on the bottom (but still taste amazing) and finally on a different setting I successfully made a honey cake. Well... we'll see how successful it is when I take it out of the pan. After Nishmat yesterday I went to the marketplace which was a madhouse. The produce looked unbelievable. I wanted to sample a little of everything. Makes it that much more frustrating that next time I go there I will have to keep in mind the rules of shmitah that apply this coming year in Israel.

I am about to go get challah, which will probably be another madhouse. I can't wait.

So far this year I've been good and I've made it to selichot every night. It help that there's an old men minyan around the corner from my apartment that davens at 10pm every night (as opposed to the traditional 6am). Really it's old men and people my age who are just as lazy. Rosh Hashanah will be a breeze after selichot every night... or maybe not. Guess I am a real Israeli if I'm also overwhelmed by the thought of three days straight of long davenning.

I am spending Rosh Hashanah at the Fischers! Who else could I spend three straight days with? Pesha and I will be switching off between shul and playing with the kids. Pretty good deal if you ask me. THREE DAY PLAYDATE WITH RAPHI! Woohoo!