I'm On My Way to See the Largest Simhat Torah Flag

Shalom Girls & Boys:
It's Rally Round the Flag time. The Simhat Torah flag. We're all going to dance and sing, and wave our flags. But first I'm flying over to the Eretz Israel Museum in Tel Aviv where they have a really cool exhibit of Simhat Torah flags through the ages. The coolest flag of all is the largest Simhat Torah flag ever.

This got me thinking: How and when did we Jews start the custom of making special Simhat Torah flags to hand out to kids like you and me, so that we can march (or fly) around the synagogue with them? Sometimes I can be serious (not often, it's bad for my image), so I did a little research and here's what I discovered. The tradition of making flags goes all the way back to 17th Century Ashkenaz, which was in Eastern Europe. I even found sample flags. Maybe they'll be some of the flags I'll see today!

I must be getting really serious (Oh, oh, time to take my temperature!). I even found a historian at Tel Aviv University named Dr. Chaim Grossman who researched Simhat Torah flags. He says the flags created in Ashkenaz were made out of such thin paper that there was no way kids like you and me were going to take good care of them. So sorry, there are no flags going allll the way back. Dr. Grossman also doesn't know exactly how the custom began, but he thinks it was probably taken from a different culture.

So, you know what I did? I looked up the history of flags.  I gotta be honest. It just wasn't fun enough. So I found something better. How to make a Simhat Torah flag  and a Youtube clip of Simhat Torah in Israel.

Gotta go. But first a quick quiz: what flies? Answer: Simhat Torah flags and Zvuvi.
Le-hit-ra-ot.....

Photo credit

We Just Had Our First Serious Rainfall

We had a surprise visitor yesterday -- Mr. Rain.
Sounds funny to you, but rain in September is almost unheard of in Israel. A huge downpour like the one we had yesterday -- that's a miracle! Do you think it means we're going to have a good year? I hope so. After all, Rosh Hashanah is only a few days away and we don't start praying for rain until Shmini Atzeret/Simhat Torah.

Why do we pray for rain? Because Israel has a dry climate with a short rainy season that begins in October and ends in April.

October's rain is not really rain -- more like spitting. A few drops and poof, it's over. November is a little bit better. December-February are the 3 months we count on. If it doesn't rain we're in trouble. We have very few water resources and our population is growing, making us one thirsty country. Our main water source is Lake Kinneret. We constantly measure its water level to check if we're O.K. Unfortunately, very often it only reaches the red "Danger" line or under it, which means we're having a tough time.

So the fact that it rained soooo early and soooo much -- that's BIG TIME news for us.

The importance of rain is not anything new to the Land of Israel.
Hey, I have an assignment for you. Find out how many times rain is mentioned in the Bible....where, when and why. Once you have the results, write and tell me.

Shana Tova...a sweet, wet year
Zvuvi


Photo Credit

We Should All Be Schooled in Tolerance

Shalom Yeladim from Grades 4, 5 & 6:

I don't usually speak to specific grades, but this time I've got a problem that I want to share with you.

The school year started in Israel and schools opened as usual – that is, most schools. Many parents of children attending the Ner Etzion school in the city of Petach Tikva refused to let the school doors open. Why? Because this school is located in a neighborhood where everybody comes from Ethiopia and a lot of these parents want their children to be integrated into schools outside their neighborhood, attended by all types of Israelis.

Here's the thing – not all parents sending their children to Ner Etzion agree to send them to other schools. There are some who want their children to stay together in this school because they feel it is easier to learn in a place where everyone is alike – physically, financially and with the same educational background.

What should an Ethiopian parent in Israel do? What should the schools do? It's a tough choice with no simple answers, but maybe you can find some creative solutions.

Here's what I want you to do. First of all, learn all about Ethiopian Jews -- their history and how they came to Israel. Teachers, you can use this link to help you.

Next, I want you to divide up into groups with some of you pretending you are Ethiopians and the rest of you being you, Jews living in the United States, Canada, England and Australia. The Ethiopian children want to be part of your class but they are so different from you. Be honest. Would you accept them as equals? Invite them to your house? Go paint-balling with them? Help them with their school work? How can you help them feel that they're just like you? Because I'm going to be honest with you – I feel that all of us have to stick to the principal Kohl Yisrael Areivim Zeh La'Zeh – All Jews must help and care for each other.

Once you come up with some ideas, write and tell me so that I can pass them on to friends over here in Israel.

Toda Raba...Zvuvi

Image Credit

A Happy Ending to the Summer Vacation

Shalom Yeladim:

Sorry I haven't been in touch for a while but I've been kinda busy buzzing around this summer. Yesterday evening I did the coolest thing. I made a fly line to the Eretz Yisrael Museum in Tel Aviv to see the most spectacular fairy tale sand sculptures. Sculptors from the World Sand Sculpting Academy in The Hague – that's in Holland – came to Israel, took over the museum's courtyard and made gigantic sand sculptures from 700 tons of sand! Two represent Bible stories – like the Tower of Babel. The rest are interpretations of our favorite fairy tales – like The Little Mermaid. I took these two photos on the fly but I found a YouTube clip so that you can virtually enjoy our happy ending to our summer vacation.

Le'Hitraot...Zvuvi

I Just Appeared at The Pittsburgh Folk Festival

Shalom Yeladim:

I was in Pittsburgh last week when they held their 54th International Folk Festival. This year the festival planners decided that every country should be represented by a children's book. Yup...you guessed it. I was Israel's proud ambassador. All the pannels of the Israel pavillion had pictures from my book. You'll see me as well, because hey, I love being a fly on a wall. Hope you enjoy the photos and THANK YOU PITTSBURGH for making me feel so at home.

Le'Hitraot...Zvuvi

Zvuvi Wants to Test Fly An Electric Car at Better Place

Shalom Yeladim:
Finally I will be able to fly behind a car without getting exhausted. That's because the car will be electric and it will be part of an awesome Israeli environmental project created by a man named Shai Agassi. The project is called Better Place – which is exactly what it hopes to make the world.

If Better Place succeeds, almost everybody will be driving non-polluting electric cars that they can charge in their own homes. When the battery has to be exchanged, they'll go to a battery switch station that looks like a gas station but doesn't use a single drop of fuel! Watch Sophie and her Daddy drive to school and work, and you'll understand what Better Place is all about.

Here's a scoop hot off the press: Better Place just announced that the Renault Fluence ZE is going to be first electric car sold in Israel. That is sooo exciting. Right now Better Place has stations in Israel, California, Hawaii, Ontario, Denmark, Australia, Japan and China. Who knows where the next Better Place station will be located? It could be in your neighborhood!

Gotta go. I want to test fly the Renault Fluence ZE.
Zvuvi

Right foot forward, left foot forward, right across back foot...

Shalom Yeladim:
Phew...learning how to dance an Israeli folk dance is not easy, but I'm determined. So what if I have four legs, which makes it more difficult. The thing is I'm an Israeli...O.K., an Israeli fly...and I'm proud of the fact that people around the world are dancing Israeli folk dances. It's unbelievable! Watch how these people in Japan dance Sha'avta Mayim...and women in Berlin, Germany dance an Israeli Debka.

Israeli folk dancing is our biggest cultural export – much more popular than our famous violinists, orchestras and artists who have made their mark around the world. It started decades ago with a simple Hora danced to Hava Nagila, just like these kids are dancing. Today it's that AND MUCH MORE. We do line dancing, choreographed numbers, you name it and everybody loves it. You know what? Israeli folk dancing is a great way to have fun and exercise at the same time. You simply can't go wrong, even if you're a klutz like me.

There's a reason that I'm telling you about Israeli folk dancing. Yom Ha'atzmaut – Israel Independence Day – is a little over a week away. Dancing is part of the celebration and I want you to be ready. So...

Right foot forward, left foot forward, right across back foot...

Zvuvi....(who's trying to get the steps right)