Shana Tova - Happy New Year

Shana Tova U'Metuka - A happy and sweet new year to all celebrating today.

Tonight starts Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year and one of the Jewish year's most important holidays. As we do for all three of the big holidays, Rosh Hashana, Passover and Thanksgiving (that last one obviously big only for us, not for the rest of the country), we will be celebrating with two other families, both very old and dear friends who have truly become our surrogate family here in Israel.

We will be minus one tonight though when we sit down at the holiday table. My dear friend B has just received word that her father is extremely ill and is flying back to Australia right now to be with him. Please spare a thought for her, that she makes it all the way home in time.

Spare too a thought for Gilad Shalit, Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev, whose families have been waiting so very long without even a small sign of life from their kidnapped sons.

May this year bring only good things to all.

Robin

PS I would have put up the cute picture of my kids and sweet New Year's greeting (Israel's answer to Christmas cards), but again this year I didn't have the chance to make one. Story of my life. Hope you all have a wonderful holiday and a new year full of peace and joy anyway.