Myla Katzav

Shabbat starts at sunset of Friday uon the appearance of three stars and ends sunset of Saturday. That is why Friday is the start of the weekend in Israel while Sunday is a regular working day.

In a traditional household which may not be religious, Shabbat is celebrated by a gathering of families with a sumptuous meal: variety of salads, meat/poultry and/or fish cuisines.

In a religious household, it is a totally different scene: the house is cleaned and the mothers of the house start cooking for hours..some even start cooking two days before. Just before Friday sunset, everyone takes a bath and wears their best outfits. It officially starts with a prayer and the lighting of candles done by the woman of the house which is kept until it dies out.  

There are many things or tasks not allowed during Shabbat.  For example, once the candles are lighted, it is no longer allowed to start any fire so most households keep hot plates (these are big rectangular plates that can hold 4 huge pots or casseroles) all through the night until Saturday lunch. Cars or any vehicles are not allowed to be driven that is why in Jerusalem or in some religious communities in Israel and America, the roads are empty and quiet.  Electrical equipment are not allowed to be switched on that is why lights in important areas of the household like the bathroom are kept on the entire time. No work is allowed to be done hence, shops and any other commercial or business institutions are closed. There are still many more laws of Shabbat and I will not list all of it here as it needs further explanation and faith to understand and accept it.

I attended a Shabat dinner at the Rabbi's house in the Philippines and it was a grand ocassion.  The table, covered with white linen, was set with a wide spread of food.  However, before the food was served, there were prayers said and one of it touched me the most.  It was a prayer said for the woman of the house who toiled the whole day to cook all the food and make sure that everyone is ready and the house is cleaned. Then all the guests were requested to wash their hands with a prayer so the Rabbi can start with the blessing of the bread and drinking of wine. With these done, dinner was served. I was already full with the appetizer!  During the course of the meals, there was singing and story-telling by the Rabbi as well as healthy discussions between him and the guests about the lessons of the Torah.  It was an intimate and special ocassion.

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Categories: Religious Holidays and Traditions

 

Mt. Hermon is the highest peak in Israel at the Golan Heights territory.  At 9,230 feet, it is at the border of Syria and Lebanon.  Covered in snow during winter and spring, it is the only ski resort in Israel. The waters from the melted snow become a source of the Jordan River. It is approximately a 4-hour drive from the center. 

The way to Mt Hermon is just as breath-taking. The landscape seems endless and picture perfect where green, green plantations roll out to hills and mountains nourishing cattles and holding all sorts of trees and plants that take root from ancient times. At the foot of the mountain, you see vineyards and pinetrees in abundance.  The road going up to the mountain is winding and the air is at its freshest and purest!

 

We were at Mt Hermon on a Sunday and it felt like a reunion.  Working-Filipinos by the hundreds were all over the place because it was their day-off.

There are many activities for beginning skiers to intermmediate and advanced.  Cable cars would bring you to the other peaks of the resort.  Restaurants are open both at the foot of the mountain and on the resort itself. We stayed mostly at the sledding area where it is the most safe and fun for the kids. 

 

 

 

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Categories: "Unholy" Sites

 

I experienced both having a yaya  or nanny taking care of my baby and doing everything myself.  Rachel had a yaya until she was 1 year and 6 months old while Ben didnt even see a shadow of one.  Instantly, as a mother, I would say it was a big surprise and an eye openner to realize that not having a yaya was the best thing that ever happened to me..and I'm sure my kids agree to that!!!

With a yaya around, your motherly instincts are not fully fired up because you know there is someone who will take charge when you don't feel ready.  And there is a build-up of jealousy and irritation when you see your child acting exactly the same way as he is with the yaya and with you. And the best part..and all moms will agree to this, is you get to witness every change, every development, every character build-up in your baby.  And he goes out to the world feeling confident because every mistake he makes, every fall and accident, is all right because you take pains in explaining it to him.

When Rachel was born, I couldn't give her a bath until she was 3 months old! She had her yaya and so I didnt push myself to try. I thought what's in a bath, really? With Ben, from the moment he arrived home, I put him in his tub and bathed him like I was doing it for a lifetime! With him, I studied, I observed , I focused...because I didnt have a fallback. And the result: amazing mommy-baby bonding! I didnt know how enjoyable it was to feel his soft skin and cleanse him.  It did me good more than him. And this is just a sample of what the whole scenario that you go through being a full-time mom.

Another important facet is your baby's meal time. With Rachel, I didnt really make an effort to learn how to make her love fruits or vegetables once she discovered chocolates and anything sweet!...a common problem among mothers.  Now I learned that if you mix freshly cut tomatoes  with white soft, spreadable cheese, they love it!!! Or to feed them with fruits everyday that it has become a staple. A freshly cut cucumber, melon or apple is immediately devoured once they feel hungry in the middle of playtime. 

Lunch and dinner calls for careful prep time.  Usually chicken soup with vegetables does it.  Mash the potatoes and carrots and serve it with a slice of soft chicken meat..and viola! you end up with empty plates.  I sometimes boil broccoli and other leafy vegetables and mix it together with the chicken soup...the taste is still there but with added nutrition.  Baked sweet potatoes topped with powdered onions and a little olive oil is a favorite.

My babies never had problems with mealtime (knock on wood..thrice!!!) Maybe because they feel no pressure and that its still bonding time with mommy. They also get to learn to feed themselves and discover the texture of the food once they're done feeling hungry!

No one will have the patience to go through this length like a mother. 

However, I also think that it all depends on the culture or situation you are in and more importantly on what you believe is best for you and your baby. Being a full-time mom is a luxury.  Nowadays, mommy needs to help daddy put food on the table.  And of course, of course, mommy needs time to grow on her own, to continue living in her world with her friends and at work.

We are not wealthy but my husband and I just feel that this arrangement is the best for our kids that is why we take great care in watching our expenses by foregoing some or all (just kidding!) of our luxuries and keeping it within our means.

Soon, I will have to go to work.  But then I would feel a sense of fulfillment that I have done and given, at that time, the best for my children.

 

Tags: with nanny, wihout nanny, baby mealtime, baby bath, full-time mom, working mom
Categories: Being a full-time "IMA"

  

 

 My husband found a job at a multinational company in HongKong.  We lived in a paradise called Discovery Bay (DB) in Lantau Island.  It is only about 20 minutes from the airport by bus and 23 minutes to Central via ferry (open 24 hours), which brings you straight to IFC Mall, the tallest building in HK (heard there's  much taller building being constructed). Walk  a few minutes and you will find other ferry stations that will bring you to other islands or destinations like Tsim Tsat Tsui which will only take you about  5-6 mintes to get there. There are two other ferries stationed in different areasof DB that will bring you to nearby islands like Mui Woo (10-20 minutes) and Peng Chau.

DB is surrounded by mountains and two bays.  It boasts of a golf course on one of its peaks where a residential area of private houses was built for the more affluent. It is organized perfectly that every residential area or village (there are 19) has its own playground/s and park/s nearby.  The bigger parks were a blend of well manicured gardens abloom with flowers, water and rocks.   It is also the only development in HongKong that allows pets to roam freely.  Every afternoon, you see high-breed well-trained dogs  roaming the parks/grounds without leash, following their masters.

  

 No cars were allowed in DB.  There were buses that had specific routes and time to go from one village to the DB plaza where all commercial and entertainment activities were located and where, the ferry from Central is stationed.  Special buses ply the route to the airport every 20 minutes, to Tung Chung which will take you to a huge outlet mall, the cable cars to Tung Chung Village (a tourist attraction where the largest Bronze Buddha can be seen from a mountain top) and to Sunny Bay Station that takes you to Disney Land.  There were taxis too that goes within the community and if residents want some privacy and more freedom to move, they can buy or rent golf carts.

I think half of the residents of DB are foreigners that is why, aside from the Chinese School, an International School was also built. There were many programs for mothers, babies and toddlers combined as DB is a community of young families.  Its Club House even has swimming pools for babies as young as 3 months old.  It has soft rubbery ground and giant water toys. There were 5 pools in the clubhouse, mostly for chidren.

  

The DB Plaza is the meeting place for residents and visitors alike. It is also the heart of the parties and happenings.  The main and only grocery of the whole community is located there as well as numerous restaurants (Indian, Chinese, of course!, Japanese, Seafood, Brazilian, American ,etc), shops, pharmacies, bookstores, pet shops, beaty salon, medical and dental clinics, dance school, etc.  The most attractive part is the latest line of restaurants overlooking the bay.  

   

 We had fantastic view of the place where we lived.  We can see the bay stretching to Central HongKong with big ships and ferries both modern and typical Chinese. At night, it is more spectacular because of the multitude of lights from the vessels and the community itself.  At the back of our unit were the mountains.

DB is also open to tourists as some condo unit owners allow short-term stays.  When I go back to HongKong, DB will definitely be my destination to stay.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tags: discovery bay, hongkong, lantau island
Categories: My own "Exodus"

My journey to Israel started with…EL AL.  I was  7 months pregnant with Ben while Rachel  was 1 year and 7 months old.  Of course, Haim was with us.  The flight from HongKong was close to 11 hours (which should have been shorter if they have friendly relations with their neighboring countries!)  but already, I got stressed out without even boarding the plane from all the questioning we got from the staff.  By the way, this is very unique only to El Al.  Before checking in the luggage, there were tables set up  for the staff  to check your suitcase in case they feel you are a "threat' to the flight.  They ask you questions pertaining to the luggage.  The queu can be quite long specially with Fiipinos like me who brought an entire life's possessions (I didn’t want to pack it together with the container that was coming via sea).  The next round of interview came when we entered the boarding area.  Even during the luggage check, they were very cordial, even apologetic specially when they have to check each and every item (this didn’t happen to me at that time). The staff do explain to you that this is for security purposes and we all know that Israel is one of the highly secured countries because of their "sensitive" location and "un"friendly neighbors. 

The airplane was new..spacious, clean, modern not unlike the previous trip I took when I swore a twin engine plane to Palawan was better!!! (just kidding!) The stewardesses/stewards were all young and good looking…and I suppose friendly because they interacted a lot with the locals in Hebrew.  The nice thing about being in El Al was, aside from feeling safe, that there was a certain warmth that I have never experienced in other airlines.  People moving from their seats to check out on friends, people making new acquaintances like they were friends for a very long time and their food bar was open all the time for anyone to get drinks, food, heat water, make coffee….i mean, you will never go hungry with El Al! The food bar even became a meeting place for mothers and fathers who regularly needed to either fill up the baby bottles or heat water. It has also become a social area because passengers flock not just for food but to chat. And you can sense almost instantly how accommodating they were to mothers and babies and this did not come from the staff alone but even the passengers!  

The interiors of the Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv is made of the famous limestone blocks from Jerusalem.  It is one of the most beautiful and modern airports I've been to.

It was a breeze going through the immigration officer as compared to some "not-so-nice" stories from other travellers.  Perhaps its because I am married to a citizen of the country. 

The best part was the arrival area.  You see people holding flowers and balloons in anticipation of the arrival of their loved ones. We got balloons and flowers too.  

Tags: el al
Categories: My own "Exodus"

  

Pronounced Metzada in Hebrew, Masada is declared a UNESCO Heritage Site in 2001. It is just a few minutes drive from the Dead Sea and 1,300 ft high.  From the station, you either take the cable car which takes you to the site in a few minutes or the more treacherous and physically challenging walk along the snake-like path.

Masada's remarkable story dates back to 73 CE when the Romans seiged the fortress finding all of its 960 Jewish inhabitants dead.  Accroding to verbal accounts passed through generations, the inabitants did not commit suicide because it is prohibited in Judaism, rather they took turns to kill each other until only one man remained and thus, committing suicide.

The site is rich with ancient structures..from the Roman-style bathouses, to the synagogue, storehouses, living quarters of the settlers to the barracks of the soldiers. Overlooking this plateau on cliff is the wide stretch of the Dead Sea.

Tags: masada, metzada
Categories: "Unholy" Sites

 Before

  Put her in the tub, give her ice cream

 Shave her hair!

 

 Cool summer babe!

Tags: child, summer
Categories: Being a full-time "IMA"

 

"Ima" is the Hebrew version of mother, mommy, mama, nanay, inay.  It is my favorite name even if it is uttered by only two small individuals...Rachel and Ben.

Unbelievable as it may sound, motherhood to me is when a physical part of you is being extracted and formed into another human being...and that part of you is actually your heart.  You will never be the same again, ever. Somehow, while you were giving birth to your child, you were also being re-born and this time with new sets of traits that will level up to the many challenges awaiting you. Below is a personal experience...

Ben was only 3 months old when Haim left us for the first time on a business trip to Asia.  On the night he left, Ben was hospitalized.  He had high fever, no appetite and haven't made "poop" for more than 48 hours. With infants, this calls for immediate medical attention.

When I saw Ben being hooked up to the IV looking weak and fragile, I cried like crazy.  We were asked to wait in a corner while the doctors decided on whether to keep him for the night depending on the results of the tests. So, I had Ben in my arms and Rachel lying on my lap. At 11 pm, the doctors decided to keep Ben so I asked my mother-in-law and brother-in-law to take the sleeping Rachel with them.

Ben didnt want to sleep on the hospital crib so I held him in my arms and stayed that way the whole night.  Right after midnight, he cried and started to eat and pooped! I was the happiest person! I didnt sleep that night.  I just wanted to hold him and feel him in peace.

The following day, we got our release order and by the middle of the afternoon, Ben and I were home. So it was just the three of us 24/7 for a week. 

A few days after, Rachel had an accident.  Our shoe cabinet, which is more than twice her height and her weight, fell on her.  The moment I heard a loud thud on the floor, I ran to her.  In a few seconds, I lifted the cabinet with my left hand while my right hand hauled her into my arms.  It takes two people to move this cabinet!

As pitiful as it may sound, my experience above is far from that.  It has proven a mother's inner strength...that when it comes to her children..the heart of her life, nothing and no one is unbeatable!

 

Tags: ima, mother
Categories: Being a full-time "IMA"

 

 

"Yam Ha-Melah" means Sea of Salt in Hebrew and this is referred to by the rest of the world as the Dead Sea.  It is the lowest point on earth being 422 meters below sea level.  It is one of the saltiest bodies of water that no living thing can survive there.  Because of its very high saline content, it makes one very bouyant...hence we see pictures of people reading newspapers while floating on the Dead Sea. During winter, the salt solidifies and makes various formation. These formations melt as summer comes.

The Dead Sea is about 2 hours drive from Jerusalem.  It is farther south in the desert so the temperature specially during spring and more so in the summer can be very, very uncomfortable.  It can reach up to 42 degrees celsius! I felt like I can get a tan in 10 minutes there! 

Aside from the very salty waters, people flock to the Dead Sea for its mud.  It is believed to have medicinal properties that make the skin healthier and younger.

The way going to the Dead Sea is breath-taking because you can see the change in landscape as the greenery gives way to the grandeur of the desert.  I have never seen such clear, blue sky! You pass through mountains of desert then a vast space of flat and dry land.

From the road up the mountain, you can see the Dead Sea opening up to you from below... 

We went to the Ein Gedi Resort.  You have a choice of either staying at the in-door hot water pools and get a massage as well or you can go out, take the cart and either proceed to the "mud" station where people strip to their barest and cover themselves with mud.  Going down further with the cart will bring you to the Dead Sea. 

   

   

 

Tags: dead sea, desert, ein gedi
Categories: "Unholy" Sites

         

The first time I went to Jerusalem I was trembling with excitement. Finally after many, many years of hearing about it and looking at pictures from books and travel brochures, I am now able to see it with my own eyes.  My mind was only on one site..the Wailing Wall.  Approaching the Old City of Jerusalem where it is located gave me goosebumps like I never experienced in my life.  And walking along the ancient stone pavements towards the wall was just as dramatic as when from a top, I got a glimpse of one of the holiest places in the world.

The wall is divided into two sections: for men and women.  The section designated for men was much bigger.  There you see rabbis, religious men wearing their black suits and black hats, regular men with kipas (head cap) holding the torah, moving back and forth, in prayer.  Some would touch the wall with eyes closed while others would touch their foreheads and kiss it while still, some would raise their hands to the sky .  I can hear men praying out loudly.

I went to the women's section, said an intense prayer and just like so many, placed a note in between the cracks on the wall.  When leaving the Wailing Wall, it was encouraged to walk backwards, facing the wall.

Just standing and watching all the sounds and activities around, I felt close to God physically.

We took the tour of the famous wall.  Apparently, the walls go below the plaza we were on.  Its total length is 105 feet and  the ones which were exposed were only 62 feet high. We were brought to the underground section of the walls, sometimes passing through narrow walkways.  The stones that make up the walls were gigantic weighing between 2 and 8 tons. The walls were the only surviving section of the Temple of God which was destroyed twice and rebuilt once by King Herod. 

   

There were many people taking the tour, some in groups while others, like us went without a guide.  Finally, we found ourselves exiting the underground section and out to the Palestinian side of the wall. We had to walk back towards the Jewish territory. 

Tags: wailing wall, jerusalem
Categories: Holy Sites