Ulpan Aviv

Well as you know, things are rarely dull here in Israel and this week was no exception… Two days ago, there was the vote at UNESCO (United Nations Educational and Cultural Organization) concerning the request from the Palestinian Authority to be admitted. Despite them meeting none of the educational and cultural criteria for admission, the result of the vote was still positive. We are waiting with baited breath to hear the results of the UN Security Council vote on the 11th of November…. In the meantime Mahmoud Abbas has been encouraging Palestinians to kidnap Israeli soldiers with North Sudan giving people the added incentive of offering 1 million USD to the person who successfully captures an Israeli soldier. The first known attempt was made to kidnap a young female soldier yesterday evening in Pisgat Ze'ev (one of Jerusalem's neighbourhoods). In the Gaza region, rockets and mortars have been coming in thick and fast to the Israeli towns of Beersheva, Sderot and Shaar Negev, killing one man, causing a lot of damage and resulting in all the local schools being temporarily closed down in order to prevent any harm to the local children. It really feels as if it is 'open season' on Israeli citizens at the moment. Not a very comfortable time…

On a personal note, I haven't been in to the Ulpan at all this week although I have been overseeing things from home. No! I haven't been ill this week….. On Monday evening, my wife gave birth to our fourth child, a little boy. We are absolutely delighted and thank G-d for his safe arrival. The labour was a long one, but both mum and baby are doing well. The Brit Mila (circumcision) will be on Tuesday next week (we go according to the 8th Hebrew days) and so at the moment all my time is taken up with arranging that and the special Shabbat that we have on the first Shabbat after the birth. I'll let you know how things went next week!
I wish you all Shabbat Shalom and a peaceful and blessed end of the week.