Yom Ha'atzma'ut

HG celebrated her first Yom Ha'atzma'ut in style - festive davening, nice dinner, fireworks, concert, barbecue, tiyul up north - the works. Well, OK, so she wasn't awake for all of it, but Abba and Ima pretty much managed to cram in all the traditional Independence Day pursuits.

Walking home from shul HG was curious to see the new little baby Ima's friend was cradling in her arms, the very same baby who was only 2 days old at HG's first seder. In fact HG seemed a little more interested in the baby than in the throngs making their way down the hill to the festivities in the park.


Ima and Abba only stopped briefly though, as they were rushing home to have a special little family dinner before heading out into the hurly burly of Modi'in's Yom Ha'atzma'at extravaganza. Heading up the road to go home HG and parents were caught unaware by the first lot of fireworks - apparently this year the municipality decided to do some early for the little kids.

Though HG's home isn't too far from the firework display, it was far enough, or rather there were enough apartment buildings between her and them, that the noise and full display were a little muted. She seemed a little stunned at first by the noise, and bewildered but curious about the sudden bright flares in the sky. Aside from Modi'in's fireworks there were the distant bangs from neighbourings towns too. She pretty much took it in her stride.

After a hasty but tasty dinner (including HG's first taste of brie - she loved it), everyone went back to the park to see the main firework event. She was a bit overawed by the huge crowds, bright lights and music her head constantly swiveling to take it all in. Then suddenly the fireworks started and took her totally by surprise, at first she was just a little agitated, then clearly scared by her first encounter with fireworks at such close quarters.

Perching on Abba's shoulder she cowered and reached for Ima. Once safely tightly ensconced in Ima's arms she relaxed a bit and began to enjoy the show, snuggling onto Ima's shoulder and angling her head for a better view. Once it was over she kept checking the sky for more flashing lights in the sky...


HG seemed to finally be getting tired after the fireworks, so Abba and Ima decided to take her for a drive to see if she would fall asleep - which she did in the space of about five minutes, a little less than it took to drive to a neighbouring suburn for their annual old style kumsitz sing along.

The tent was so crowded that folks were sitting outside along the hillside, so Ima and Abba did the same, setting out a blanket in a clearing, close enough to join in the songs, but with enough space for HG to keep schluffing in her car seat. Slept through the whole thing, just as well as it went on into the wee hours of the morning.


On the day itself the family went to a rooftop barbecue party, an annual reunion for Abba's college friends in Israel. HG was asleep upon arrival and was a little stunned to wake in a room full of people and children of all ages whom she had last met as a three week old at her simhat bat!
She soon became curious about the new place, new people, different toys and popcorn someone had spilled on the floor - keeping Ima busy chasing after her.

She had her first taste of steak and a little of Ima's hamburger, and had to be kept away from the watermelon which so far is one of the few things that gives her tummy trouble in large quantities.


In the afternoon Abba and Ima as is their custom drove up to Mt Gilboa for a little Independence Day nature walk. HG was again dozed off in the car, waking a couple of hours later to find herself out in the Gilboa countryside. She seemed very excited to arrive somewhere so different, laughing and smiling as she looked around with interest at the colourful landscape and bright late spring wildflowers - her first up close look at wild irises and hollyhocks.

High up on the Giloba towards sunset she looked out at the view over the valley, her caught apparently by the glinting fish ponds below, and by the wind-tattered Israeli flag flapping furiously in the evening breeze.Upon returning to the car she seemed to notice for the first time that it too had a flag, and she spent the drive down craning her head in the failing light to watch it waving elusively over her window


The busy day ended with dinner at a nearby diner where she crawled around and explored, then wolfed down carrots and peas. Such vast quantities peas didn't agree with her but she loved them at the time, as she hasn't eaten them very often. HG, a little gourmand, savoured the chance to try a relatively new food - a little too enthusiastically as it turned out.