Recent Photos

Thousands of people together dancing in the street to celebrate 55 years!

Yeshiva boys sing with great spirit

Yom HaZikaron -- Memorial Day
May 6, 2003


Family friend, Gil Shachar, dances in a Memorial Day program at his school.	Memorial Day and Indepence Day are closely intertwined here

Yom HaShoah -- Holocaust Remembrance Day
April 24, 2003

During the country-wide siren eveyone stops to observe the memory of those lost in the Holocaust

Russia!!
April 15 - April 27, 2003


We finally learned what "babooshka" means -- it's the Russian word for Grandmother. We found these three babooshkas sitting on a bench in the city of Tambov and enjoying the chilly afternoon.	Some things work in all langugages! Rach had a great time doing the hora with this spirited group of Jewish friends in the city of Lipetsk.


Ibrahim, the leader of the Lipetsk Jewish community, on the left and our translator and great friend, Slava, on the right	Mark and Slava leading one of our 4 Passover seders


Mark and Rach spent a morning in Tambov with the Sunday School kids and made seder plates as an art project	Raya, an 89 year old woman from the city of Ryazan, showing Rach her history... and quite a history it is. Raya was a ghetto prisoner during the "Great Patriotic War" (as WWII is referred to there) and told us amazing stories about her experiences.

On our first day in Moscow a beautiful
rainbow appeared over the Soviet Exhibition Hall.
Great timing...


Mark and Rach at the site of a future Jewish Community Center in Moscow. The spirit continues!	We think Putin was the cause for this procession in front of the Supreme Soviet inside the Kremlin


Rach, Mark and friends at Lenin's tomb in Red Square. There were statues and pictures of him eveywhere (still), which was a surprise to us.	Mark imitating the statue to one of his favorite writers, Dostoevsky, in front of the main Moscow library

Mark on the steps of the Jordan Staircase,
just one tiny part of the grand and famous
Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg.

Visit with the Ayale Family
April 7, 2003


Woovenesh loves to dress Rach in Ethiopian clothing, it's the weekly ritual -- what fun!	Teaching the kids about "dog piles"


The clothing worn in the Ethiopian culture is undoubtedly the most beautiful I've seen	I was surprised (and very excited) to see Aboohai wearing a t-shirt from the Israel Tennis Center, an organization my Grandfather helped found that brings together kids of all backgrounds to play together.

Volunteering with the famous Rabbanit Kapach
April 10


The Rabbanit (hard to miss, in the center) is a hero around Jerusalem. In addition to providing those in need with food for Shabbat every week and running a clothing distribution center, she also organizes a project which provides Passover food to 5,000 people every year! We had a great time working with her.	Working hard and feeling great

Around Jerusalem


The outdoor shuk is full of beautiful colors, scents, and people	An Ethiopian Jew with a happy smile

We recently spent some time in the Old City, where the four quarters of this ancient place ensure a diverse experience every visit

Bat Mitzvah in Netanya
April 5, 2003

Rach and her dear friend, Avital Botzer, on the occasion of her bat mitzvah.
Avital is the daughter of Aharon and Miriam Botzer, the founders of Livnot U'Lehibanot

Visit with Mark's cousins
April 4, 2003


Mark and his cousin, Donna. Mark's Mom was a first cousin to Donna's Father. She lives just outside of Tel Aviv with her husband and triplets.	Rach with Donna, the triplets, and their friend, Michael. From right to left: Donna, Dee-Dee, Gali, Yuvi, Michael and Rach

Purim at Hebrew Union College
March 18, 2003


There's something we've been meaning to mention...	Stacey and Joel (aka Max and Nellie)


Although you can't tell from this picture, our friends, Erica and Karen, are sporting yarmulkes on these afros!	Rach (complete with ice cream and a pickle) smiles with good friend, Matt. Matt was a little confused by what it meant to "dress up."

Purim Party With Our Ethiopian Families
March 10, 2003


Mark and Rach happy to be in Israel for Purim	Woovenesh, the 8-year-old in Rach's family, takes a look at the results of her first face painting experience


Mark and a few classmates helped with the festivities	Rach and Taganta, an incredibly sweet 11-year-old who moved to Israel just five months ago and has already learned Hebrew


Rach and 10-year-old Aboohai	Mark and his buddy, Justus, getting Purim crazy

Purim Around Jerusalem


The Purim spirit on Emek Refaim, a steet with fabulous restuarants, jewelry shops, coffeehouses, and plenty of Israeli culture	Rach's friend, Nili, and her boyfriend, Omer, all dressed up for the fun holiday


It's a tradition on Purim (actually, it's a mitzvah) to deliver Mishloach Manot, gift packages, to friends. This is something mentioned in the story of Purim, the Megillah Esther. Mark and Rach had a great walk around town as they made their deliveries.	Spring shows its face in Jerusalem! Beautiful tulips have arrived...

The Israel Museum


Mark in front of one of many beautiful pieces in the sculpture garden. The Hebrew letters spell ahava, love.	Mark, Rach, and two HUC classmates spent an afternoon at The Israel Museum, one of Jerusalem's lovliest spots.

Birthday Parties Galore!


We had a blast celebrating with a surprise party for three of Mark's classmates. Arriving a half an hour apart, we had it down pat by the third surprise!	Our wonderful family friend, Loren Shachar, just turned 50. Mazal tov, Laurie!

T'chelet Tying

According to Jewish tradition, the fringes of the talit (prayer shawl)
should include a blue string otherwise known as t'chelet.
Nobody knows for sure what the source of this color was originally,
but recently a scholar found a small sea mollusk that works to provide the dye.

Mark and some of his classmates recently got together and learned how to tie the t'chelet on their talitot

Snow Glorious Snow


Snowy view from our apartment balcony	Mark overlooking the white Western Wall


Rach and Nili in front of the Cardo in the Old City	Don't go that way, Mark, school is canceled!

Home Sweet Home
January 26 - February14, 2003


Home just in time for the big celebration -- Rach's Mom's birthday! Go Frankee!	So happy to be among family and friends


A couple of our favorite friends, Maria and Nacio, had this little miracle just after we left last June	Tiare and her loving Daddy, Nacio


Rach and her great friend, Maria	South High girlfriends


Mark with our old Encino neighborhood gang -- Noah, Zack, and Moses	Loving Mo-Mo on his 7th birthday!


Phaedra, one of Rach's closest friends, gets into the birthday spirit for her little guy	Rach and da boys


The last part of Rach's stay was spent in the beautiful Sonoran Desert with her Dad and Stepmom, Jan	Father and daughter and always a smile

Trip to the South
January 24-26, 2003


Rach and Mark -- first time at the Red Sea	Zim and Mark after scuba diving


Mark having fun at the Dead Sea	Rach with Jordan in the background

Beauty in the Negev Desert (the sunset and hills :)

Trip to the North
January 22-24, 2003


Mark and Zim at a playground built by Livnot participants in the Old City of Tzfat	Zim in front of the small warning sign where the Good Fence Metulla used to be at the border with Lebanon

Josh Ladon and Joel Simon
January 16, 2003

Great friends!

Tu B'Shevat Seder with our Ethiopian Olim friends
January 20, 2003

Dancing to Am Yisrael Chai -- the people of Israel live

Tu B'Shevat Seder at the Lifeline for the Old
January 16, 2003


Mark and Rach talking with one of the residents at Jerusalem's Lifeline for the Old program. She was excited to share with us the projects she was working on.	Rach watercolored a tree in honor of Tu B'Shevat and Mark read the first Psalm, which was written in Hebrew on the back

Mea She'arim
January, 2003


Rach and her "sister," Leah	Boys in Mea She'arim

Sushi in Jerusalem!
January, 2003


Mark and Rach with good friends from LA, Michael and Ella, who are set to be married here in Israel in June!!	The whole WBT Camps gang

The Ayale Family
December 23, 2002

Taganta and Woobanesh braiding Rach's hair, while Awage struggles to get some real estate in the picture

40th birthday party our friend, David
December 19, 2002


Rach setting up for the party with good friends, Jay and Joel	L'Chayim!

Motek
December, 2002


This dog can get air! She gets a little excited when she "smells" a walk	Mark tried to get Motek to study for him (Tam and Les, you always wondered how Mark got through school without studying much -- it was Rustee who was doing all the work!)

Chanukah Party
December 5, 2002


The Ayale Family with Erica (HUC student) and Rachel Ann	Woobenesh and Rach

Shabbat in Tzfat at Livnot
December 6-7, 2002


Rach and Ateret Botzer, daughter of the founder of Livnot	It's traditional to put the Menorah in the window during Chanukah


Mark and Aharon Botzer. Aharon and his wife, Miriam, started Livnot almost 25 years ago	Rach with her very special friend, Avital Botzer

Chanukah with the Shachar Family
December 2, 2002


Our family friend, Gil, with Crembo all over his cute face (See below for Crembo explanation)	Mark and Rach with Yair and Gil Shachar

Trip to Northern Israel


We learned about an ancient water source at Tzippori National Park, an archaeological site in the Galilee	A short rest on our hike through some old water tunnels


Mark at the famous candle factory in Tzfat	Oops -- a 20-year-old mosaic (Rubik's Cube) meets a 2,000-year-old mosaic at Tzippori


This great poster in a Reform Jewish community reads, "There is more than one way to be a Jew"	Looking up at an old candelabra in a Tzfat synagogue


And you thought eating an Oreo was a cultural phenomenon -- our cousins taught us all about the famous "Crembo," a chocolate covered biscuit with marshmallow. Wow!	One of the highlights of this year is spending time with our cousins, the Cnaan Family, in Haifa