Hag Sameah for the HANNUKAH!!

We always send greetings to friends and family when approaching Christmas and I thought I'd write a little about our customs and thoughts of celebration of Advent and Christmas.

Outside a friends house in Norway 2014

outside my friends house Christmas 2015

The Jews celebrate Hannukah and we celebrate Advent, both are light-parties. We enjoy the memories of Hannukah- celebration in kibbutz Nahal- Oz a year ago. I remember I was very afraid that the whole building would start to burn when all the lights stood and burned in the nursery. But it went well and we got some great memories.

I always notice that we have so many common religious celebrations and I think many Christian holidays are rooted in Judaism. After we got home, I learned that it is a Christian symbolism in igniting Hanukkah lights too and that I think is nice: The light that we use to light the other with is a symbol of the Messiah that ignites us people so that we can shine for Him and for our fellow man.

Advent means waiting or coming and we are preparing to celebrate that the Messiah came to earth, but more importantly; we are waiting for the Messiah to come fore the second time. Symbolically we are preparing by cleaning the whole house, in all nooks and crannies, for we are waiting for "the king of kings"!Moreover, we make a lot of good food. tradition says that we must have at least 7 different cookies in tins until Christmas rings out, and we give each other gifts as a symbol of the great gift we have received from God. 

Exodus North - information about the organisation - and B&B

Exodus Norths work:
- Helping Jews in immigration phase of Israel.
- Helping Jews during the establishment phase in Israel.
- Has built 9 houses in Ashalim, Negev, and helped with the construction of another 10 houses.
- Helping needy Jews in Israel.
- Informs about Jewish culture, destinations in Israel and the situation in the Middle East.
- Cooperating with Negev community and disposes of one of the houses in Ashalim.

Homepage (use google to translate if necessary):

http://exodusnord.org/english/front_page/

B&B:

Prices:
220 shekel one night
200 shekel more than one night

To book call:
00972 5423 08 681 (from abroad) or 05423 08 681 (from Israel)

Grethe Tangen Olsen, the leader of the organisation

At the Egypt-border, Nizzane

The house is constructed  in an old way

outside the beautiful "White house in Ashalim"

with a small pool

the new olive-garden

view from the ceiling 

 

Back to Norway is the autumn and the nature explode in different colors, two total different worlds. Have a look:

Ashalim - our last night in Ashalim for this time. We feel that the time has gone too fast! It is hard to believe we have already been here for one month!! We could have been here much longer, but our family and special our grandchildren is longing for us. 4 years old Evelyn said to me today: Now I should stay in your house as long as you have been in Israel....she is so cute!

Thanks to all the wonderful people we have met and all the good experiences you gave us! It is really a hard time for the Israeli people nowadays and we can only pray for you and try to comfort you. You are not alone although you feel like you are. Many people support you, also in Norway!!

Lots of security in Beer Sheva today

 But we feel peace and relaxed in the Exodus North garden

The first lemon this year

The garden is full of Biblical plants

This is named Louisa, like people in Israel call me because I have too difficult name

passion-flower.. The hummingbird loves them as well. There are lots of cute hummingbirds in the garden.

The garden got lots of tiny sweet flowers because of  some few raindrops.

The gardener in duty

Today was the day of preparing the olives so I went out in the garden and found all I needed of herbs. What a garden!! :) Have a look what I found:

-and what I made!!

I am so proud - my first home-made olives!!!

The last "project" was to prepare and paint the cozy chairs outside - look at Alv's fancy gloves

I had to harvest olives to take with me home tomorrow. I hope I will get them with me on the plane!

Visit from friends
Today we got a visit from our dear Jewish son Yadi and his two cute and beautiful friends. One had traveled all the way from Haifa to visit us! It was a great honor to have them here in Ashalim. The first time we met Yadi was when he hitchhiked with us 9 years ago and after that we had contact and are very close. He also visited us in Norway two years ago. We usually say that Yadi is our dear Jewish son !! He has given us so much and taught us so many things. We are very grateful and proud "parents".
The same can be said about the friends he had with him here yesterday. You teach us so much and it is so exciting to be with you !! Thank you for your beautiful songs!!Thank you for taking the time to spend a whole day with us taking this long trip to visit us. It was also really nice and funny to get to "guide" you!!
I want to share with you some words given to us - and I send especially those words to all the Israeli people today: 
 Exodus 14.14:

יד  יְהוָה, יִלָּחֵם לָכֶם; וְאַתֶּם, תַּחֲרִשׁוּן.  {פ}

14 The LORD will fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.'

and from Jeremiah 29.11:

יא  כִּי אָנֹכִי יָדַעְתִּי אֶת-הַמַּחֲשָׁבֹת, אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי חֹשֵׁב עֲלֵיכֶם--נְאֻם-יְהוָה:  מַחְשְׁבוֹת שָׁלוֹם וְלֹא לְרָעָה, לָתֵת לָכֶם אַחֲרִית וְתִקְוָה.

11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.

O se shalom bimromav.......

it was quiet at the bus-station today but we honored the Israelis who died

our dear friends at "the white house"  - "the prayer house"

 visiting Shivta for the first time...

with the magnificent church, one of the first churches might be

surprise, surprise - we found Lars - Alv's cousin, hidden in Shivta-camp..... 

of course we had to go to Ezuz to see the fascinating paintings

 We met our first snake today!!! -But of course - it was not dangerous!!

amazing stones

teem-work at the white house....

I felt like we always had worked together!! - Together with our two new daughters!!

bet-a-von...vegetarian  Israeli food, the most healthy in the world!!