Pesach

Hi everyone,
Well here we all are again after the Pesach break. Pesach evening turned out to be a very warm evening and so everyone had their windows open during the Seder meal. It felt as if you could hear the whole of the Jewish people here in Israel remembering, as Ha Shem commanded us to do. Through the open windows drifted the sounds of the families around us telling about the events and miracles that brought us out of Egypt and in to this Promised Land for the first time. There was the smell of the festive food and the melodies of traditional songs that bring familiar memories and emotions flooding back, although through it all it was hard for us to forget, the miracle and the suffering that brought us back out of the nations to this Promised Land, a very moving moment. Yom Ha Shoah starts on Sunday evening this week and is a time when we remember the 6 million people, amongst them 1.5 million children that were exterminated under the rule of Nazi Germany. Special ceremonies will be held, as they are every year, at the Holocaust Memorial Museum, “Yad Vashem”, here in Jerusalem. Last year over 56,000 holocaust survivors died, leaving around 206,000 here in Israel. Time is running out for these brave individuals, and it is only right that the legacy is passed on to the next generation, that we promise those that were there that we will remember.
Here at the Ulpan, things are busy as usual, although after the break both our students and ourselves are having a hard time getting back in to the swing of things. Such is life!! My article on ‘agreement’ was published on the 'English Hebrew by Subject' website, receiving positive feedback from the people who contacted us after reading it. If you would like to see what I wrote, look under ‘blog’ on the 'English Hebrew by Subject' website (http://www.engheb.com/htm/blog.htm ).
Our new website is well underway and looking amazing as it really starts to take shape. Although unfortunately, it’s taking rather more time than anticipated, we are really looking forward to launching it and are sure that all our readers and all of students present and future will appreciate the effort that has gone in to it. After all, they do say that good things are worth waiting for!
Our advertising campaign in the Jerusalem post is continuing and is based on introducing our core team to the JP readers. It has been great fun putting it together and we have even seen that one of our competitors here has begun to use phrases etc., surprisingly close to our own….. tut tut! Ze be emet lo yaffeh!
Unfortunately, during the Pesach period, there was another tragedy in the Territories when a 24yr old father of 4 was shot dead in an ambush after praying at Joseph’s tomb in Shechem. We would like to offer our sincere condolences to his wife, children and all the family and friends.
To end on a happy note however, Tamara, our former secretary has coerced me in to congratulating the British Royal couple, Prince William and Kate Middleton on their wedding today. We wish them much health and happiness in their future life together. (These Brits, it’s in their genes!)
Take care all and have a wonderful week.
Gil Pentzak
Ulpan Aviv- director