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A Blue-Chrome Sky | An Israeli Poem

A Blue-Chrome Sky | An Israeli Poem - 27 December, 2025  A blue-chrome sky The rain, or rather the on-and-off deluge,  has polished the skies to a bright chrome.  Large clouds strive to hide our solid sun  but the light pace like a hidden metronome Flood-filled grays tried its best to reign But the blue would often glow through Or at least sent a few bright rays Turning the storm clouds a lighter hue Dark and charcoal and ash-grey colours With loud noise and scary-looking shadows Eventually fracture over our ancient hilltops In Israel the melody of light never stops.  Flood-filled grays tried its best to reign  But the blue would often glow through  Or at least sent a few bright rays  Turning the storm clouds a lighter hue  In Israel the melody of light never stops Zichron Yaakov, 27 December, 2025
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The Glass Museum at Kibbutz Nachsolim

Kibbutz Nachsolim is right next to Hof Dor (Dor beach), one of my favorite beaches here in Israel. I usually walk right past the kibbutz, straight into the clear (and wonderfully cool) Mediterranean sea! The Glass Factory Museum  But a while ago I had the chance to visit the glass museum on the kibbutz and I was surprised at the amazing treasures housed in there. It is not just about glass - even though glass was the reason the building was originally built. The museum took its name from an extremely well-equipped and state-of-the-art glass bottle factory that the Baron Rothschild had built in 1891 right next to the beach. The glass factory was to supply bottles to the wineries in Zichron Yaakov using the sand from the nearby beach. The chemist Meir Dizengoff ( later the first major of Tel Aviv's) oversaw the bottle making process. Not a bad idea one might think - but nobody had bothered to check the sand's suitability to be made into bottles. The glass  facto...
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Meeting the writer Amos Oz

I had the fortune to attend a talk given by the world famous writer, Amos Oz. He is probably the most well-known Israeli writer -  his books have been translated into more than 30 languages and he was won several honors and awards.   The Israeli writer, Amos O Our town's wonderful library staff organized this meeting with Amos Oz as part of the Hebrew Book Week celebrations. I have read a few of his books that have been translated into English but I must admit that I have not yet been courageous enough to read any of his books in Hebrew - the language that they were written in. My children's books, the newspaper and a few websites is as far as I will dare!
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Remembering the Fallen Soldiers

or "The Meaning of the number  22, 993 in Israel " In the Commonwealth fallen soldiers are remembered by buying and wearing a paper poppies but here in Israel people fly the Israeli flag. Copyright: comedynose In South Africa (and other commonwealth countries) fallen soldiers are honored on  Remembrance Day , usually on the 11th of November. Ceremonies are held in a few of the large cities and small paper poppies are sold to raise funds for military veterans in need.
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Haveil Havalim # 356

"Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is  vanity." Kohelet 1  (Ecclesiates) 
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Remembering the Holocaust - The Saddest Day in Israel

People all have their own private saddest days. They may have had their house foreclosed, had to bury their parents or even a child. So maybe I am not speaking for all Israelis when I say that Holocaust Day is the saddest day in Israel. But it really feels like it.
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The Judas Tree of Israel

A Purple Judas tree A month or so after the almond blossoms are gone, the beautiful flowers of the Judas tree show up in loud purple glory in Israel.
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Sending a Child to the Army

Copy right: Goldberg  Some Israeli soldiers - just look how young they are. This week I helped friends of mine give a send-off party for their 18-year old son. He wasn't going to university or work in another city. No, he was off to join the Israeli army.
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Popular posts from this blog

The wild mustard flowers of Israel

The wild mustard is growing yellow and everywhere in Israel at the moment. But not the kind of mustard that you eat with ketchup on your hotdog! Wild mustard as in wild mustard plants! :) I am talking about  Sinapsis Arvensis , a tiny yellow flower that grows in masses in fields, along road sides and abandoned building sites. Up close the wild mustard flower does not look like much - a bit on the puny side actually. But just come across a field filled with mustard flowers and you will be enchanted - just as I am every spring.
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When the almond trees flower

    The almond blossoms have a special place in the hearts of Israelis We are right at the entrance of spring now in Israel. Luckily we had a lot of rain this winter and everywhere is clean and green. We are already enjoying the spring flowers but one cannot talk (okay write..☺) about spring flowers without mentioning almond blossoms. These trees always bloom the first in Israel and is a wonderful reminder that the winter is about to come to an end. One has to really pay attention to see the almond blossoms though. They blossom only for a short time. One blink and they are gone until next year.                               The almond blossoms always bloom the first Even as I am writing this post, I know that the glorious white/pink flowers have already disappeared and the almond trees are already covered in fresh new leaves. Soon the small baby almonds will grow into the nuts that I love to snack ...
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The torch-lighting ceremony of Israel's Independence Day

Screenshot taken from i24News.com Israel's Independence Day is actually celebrated over two days. On the first day we remember all the fallen soldiers who died since Israel declared its first independence in 1948. Officially it is called the 'Memorial Day for the Fallen Soldiers of the Wars of Israel and Victims of Actions of Terrorism'. This day is somber and sad and I always cry my eyes out when the stories of the fallen soldiers are shown on television. There are wreath-laying ceremonies all over the county and every Israeli stands quietly when sirens ring throughout the country to acknowledge their sacrifice. The second day is PARTY time! Just about everyone is either having a barbeque or picnic or going to the beach. The fun is however bittersweet. The sadness of the previous day and the human cost of living in a Jewish country cast a deep shadow throughout the day. When and where are the torches lit? The end of the first day and the start of the second day is bridged...
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