Shalom M'Tel Aviv! Hi from Tel Aviv!

Wow, I've been in Israel for 3 days and I've already done so much! After spending quality time with Daniela, Roy and Naomi Bar on Sunday, I checked into the Carlton Hotel in Tel Aviv. It is right on the beach...I mean, I can see the Mediterean Sea from my balcony. A truly amazing view! (I'll try to post pictures later). On Monday, I woke up in time to have a great Israeli breakfast at the hotel. I sat outside and gazed out at the Sea as I ate...a wonderfully beautiful site!


I then relaxed a little before meeting up with some of the other rabbis on my trip. I had the chance to take a nice walk along the tyelet(like a boardwalk) with my friend Rabbi Geri Neuberg. As we were walking, I heard someone call my name... Emily, Emily Losben, EMILY LOSBEN! At first I thought, "oh my gosh, I must have dropped a credit card or my id or something..." Instead this couple comes running towards me and said, we knew it had to be you because you look just like your Dad." Here in Israel, on my second day, I ran into one of my dad's high school friends who has known me since I was born! That is a typical Israeli story...you never know who you will meet or where.



I left Geri and took a cab to the "shuk," a real "Israeli Market" where you can bargain for just about anything from fruit to souvenirs to socks! I met up with Lauren Joseph, who is the daughter of my former Rabbi. My family has known Lauren since she was a little girl and it was very exciting for me to spend some time with her. Like my brother-in-law, Levy, Lauren made Aliyah (meaning, she moved to Israel). I'm so proud of her and the work she's doing! More on that later...

Today was an amazing and jam-packed day and I'd love to tell you about it, but I'm off for a quick walk with another dear friend, Rabbi Riqi Kosovske, of Northampton, Massachusettes (she and I have been friends for over 10 years and not only is her synagogue selling our "Meshuga Bands, but I even just spoke about her in my Confirmation Class because she was quoted in the book we are reading...).

I hope to tell you more about what we did today from going to a famous cemetary, seeing a "Better Place" (where we learned the future for Electric Cars and I even got to drive one), visiting the new Rabin Museum, touring Jaffa and once again seeing "Not By Bread Alone."

Ok, off for that walk before bed...
Lilah Tov (Good Night)...