Hanging out on the New Year

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Hanging out. This cat , photographed by Y and a resident of his building, spends most of his time hanging out on the handlebars in the front drive. There's no accounting for taste.


The rooftop has really proved its worth over the long Rosh Hashana - Shabbat break, proving yet again that the best place to be on a major Israeli holiday is at home. While much of am yisrael (the part that doesn't go to beit knesset) has been 'relaxing' in theme hotels in Turkey, clogging the nature reserves in the Galil or fighting for a piece of herring in the breakfast line in a hotel in Eilat, the rooftop has been our sanctuary. Here we have celebrated rosh hashana and a birthday with family and friends (the pomegranate in the picture was sacrificed for the the festive table) , read copiously, played sheshbesh, dozed, birdwatched, talked on the phone to our sons in two different continents, listened to the '67 Summer of Love marathon on 88FM (what a year!) and so on and so forth. And it was to the privacy of the rooftop we returned after a brief trip to the beach or a restaurant. On the rooftop all was quiet, the roads were almost completely empty and an air of peace and tranquility (however illusory or transient) accompanied the start of the new year. Tomorrow the race begins again but never fear, Yom Kippur is on its way.


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