International Edition: The Ode to Gila

How's this for confusing? My last blog post, about America, was written in Israel. Now, I am writing about Israel, but I am back in America.

No, that's not confusing? I always knew you were smart, dear readers.

Anyway. I am recently back from a week in Israel, which is not nearly long enough, but better than nothing. The main purpose of my trip was to visit my dear friend Gila, as well as her delightful family (who you will meet below.)

This is Gila:

Gila and I met when I was teaching elementary school after college, before I realized that I would rather learn Talmud than teach multiplication. I was her assistant teacher. At first glance, we were not a likely pair. I had grown up in a secular prep school. Gila had grown up in Bais Yaakov. She wore a sheitl and had two kids, despite being only a few years older than me. I had none of those things. But dear readers, in an important life lesson, it is best not to make assumptions because lo and behold, we fell in love.

After two always interesting years together, we both left the school. I went to study Talmud full time and Gila made aliyah (aka moved to Israel) because we are both such mitzvah girls. But we have always stayed in touch via gchat and WhatsApp, and every couple of years I save my pennies so I can go visit. While I am there, we eat waffles and go to the mall and she works while I pretend to the do the same. I always spend some time in Jerusalem (and this time, briefly, in Tel Aviv too), but Modi'in, where she lives with her husband Donny and their kids, is the home base. (Despite the fact that is not dissimilar from deciding to go on vacation in New York and then spending most of your time in Teaneck, NJ. But sometimes you do what you have to do.)

Some pre-Shabbat hiking, after which I got to be in the family selfie!

Yes, you counted correctly. Gila and Donny have five kids now. Five! But don't worry. As she writes on her blog, twins are easy. (Also, even though her blog is not updated so often these days, I highly recommend.)

And since I promised you an ode, here you go:

Every few years I get on a plane
And fly 'round the world to see a great dame
Her name is Gila, she gives great advice
She might sometimes be skeptical but she's always nice
Her husband is Donny, whose humor is dry
And he claims that I function as his rabbi
Every time I come we have to eat waffles
And she introduced me to the world's greatest falafel(s?)
She has five lovely children, including some twins
She knows where to buy sandals, and so the blog wins
I could keep telling tales of an affection so deep
But it's nighttime in Israel and soon she must sleep
(And I want to finish before she goes to bed, so as to embarrass her in real time.)

Lest you think there are no sights to see in Modi'in, which would be unacceptable to Donny who claims it is the greatest city in the world (clearly he has not listened to Hamilton), here are some sights around town:

What, you didn't know Israel was known for its dinosaurs?

Oh wait, you came here to read about my outfit? I forgot! Here it is:

The view from the balcony

Not my most exciting, although I am wearing my Stitch Fix skirt which has become one of my great loves. Also, I had fun mixing blue stripes and stripes, so let's call that today's excitement. Like Modi'in, sometimes the fun is subtle, but that doesn't mean it isn't there...

Love you, Gila!

What I'm wearing: Jones New York shirt via TJ Maxx (similar here), Gilli skirt via Stitch Fix (similar here), Toms via Zulily (similar here)