Blog/August 2009/Aug 21st
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Aug 21st (See this week's devar torah)
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Hi again!
Yet another busy week in our humble household just east of Jerusalem.
Since grandpa Victor was returning to Argentina this week, I took two days off work so I could spend it with him, as well as with Daniela whose last shabbat with us is today. We went to Herodion and spent a couple hours looking at the cisterns and (perhaps) seeing Herod's tomb (we weren't sure we saw it, but it is apparently there). That would be the famous "Herod the Great" (the "not so great", according to us Jews).
Sarah completed her first week of paid work. She is helping at an ulpan, which is a kind of course to help people learn Hebrew more quickly. Her job is assisting the teacher take care of the kids, and to help teach. It was a rough week for her ... she's not used to working.
Daniela is abandoning her family for the golden shores of America. Again. We will have a quiet shabbat, just the nook-u-lar family. She's been upset she can't find the celphone she used in the US -- a pre-pay "disposable" phone -- but since she has Skype as do the rest of us, it's not too important unless she needs someone in NYC to call her directly. Anyway, for a "starving student" using a pay-phone for the occasional call is much less expensive than paying for a regular phone.
I had my first appointment with a nutritionist to help work out what my diet should be (to help control diabetes and to lose weight as well). Nothing really different from what I've been doing for the past two months, but she said I wasn't eating enough -- and that I should cut out the yoghurt in the morning. Bummer, 'cause I enjoy my yoghurt! Anyway, I'll let you know if the new regimen makes any significant difference.
Last week I mentioned that I had received some updated family tree information from a long-lost relative. After updating my data, I contacted some of the family who had helped me out the first go-round. I also incorporated Esther's family tree. So now for your enjoyment, I present the current state of the continually updated Aaron/Escaba Family Tree. If you want to contribute to the effort, just sign up for an account -- and you can help make history too. Well, you can if you have any useful family information for me.
And for my rant: the US seems to be confused. It thinks the consulate in Jerusalem is its embassy to the Arabs. It should be noted that the consulate's website has English and Arabic -- but no Hebrew -- even though it sits in the sovereign territory of the only country in the world whose principal language is Hebrew. Also note that it is located in West Jerusalem, not the supposedly "arab" East Jerusalem! It is yet another outrageous act of American imperiousness (or more particularly, State Department intransigence). The US Congress passed a law in 1995 that the embassy in Israel belongs in Jerusalem 14 years ago! -- and yet every administration since then has found a reason to not move the embassy! I say, eject the Consul and the Consulate and let them set up in Ramallah if they only intend on treating the Arab population. Feh.
Until next week,
Shabbat shalom!
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