Blogs from Haifa District, Israel, Middle East - page 4

I started work at 6 am writing up step-by-step instructions for the data prep work that needs to be done in Haifa. Breakfast was a surprise. The Dan had already koshered its main kitchen for Passover so there was no Hametz, bread. All around me I could hear guests complaining. In Israel, Passover is a big deal. Schools are closed for a week before Passover so women can clean their kitchens. Having school closed so much is a real problem for working Moms. I thought I was going to work through lunch, but the best laid plans…..Jack, Hilla and I went back to Silgan’s for more salad. Israelis make the best salads! I ended up working until 4 and as I departed I was given a small gift made by the parents and children of the ... read more

Day 2 was another full morning of training, receiving feedback and making changes to the system. In the afternoon we were joined by Moshe Goldman, a retired banker who is involved in the project and a couple of other folks to talk about implementation of Quick Books. Jack is responsible for that. After the discussion wrapped up, it was back to working with the application. Dinner that night was with Moshe and his wife. They are about 10 – 15 years older than us with 3 children and 10 grandchildren. Their oldest grandson just went into the IDF in the tank division. The IDF had wanted him in intelligence since he speaks Arabic, but you don’t always get what you want. The evening started off a little stiff, but everyone ended up engaged. Shared liberal politics ... read more

Today we left our bucolic place on the mount of beatitudes and drove to the church of the annunciation. It is a beautiful big modern church to which they asked each nation to send a mosaic. I have included a few photos of ones of interest. We celebrated Mass at a church believed to be over Joseph’s shop, obviously there were huge prayers for my Son named to honor the man of great faith. Exploring down stairs, I discovered a spot, with the help of Msgr. Foynes Latin translation, which is where Joseph & Mary were betrothed; it is amazing that neither our guides nor the books mentioned this spot. My inclination to wander off finally paid off. From Nazareth we drove the narrow twisting road that the bus could not navigate to Mount Tabor, The ... read more

Caesarea is a small, very well-to-do town and extensive archaeological site on the Mediterranean coast of Israel, located some 50 km north of Tel Aviv and several km north of Hadera. The current population is 4,200. Beyond the ancient remains, Caesarea is a town devoted to tourists and to luxurious living. Some of Israels’ finest homes are located here and it is also home of Israel’s only 18-hole golf course, a luxury hotel, a vacation village, miles of sandy beaches, and a series of attractive restaurants, galleries and boutiques. And, of course, visitors marvel at its extraordinary archaeological attractions, not least of which is the Roman theatre, where concerts, entertainment extravaganzas and the annual International Opera Festival are held. I love to visit the city which offers ancient Roman ruins and Israel's only golf course. Golf ... read more

The Baha'i World Center is located in Haifa, and the glorious Baha'i Gardens that surround the Shrine with its golden dome are a major addition to the natural beauty of the city. The Gardens are maintained by a group of young volunteers, Baha'i who come from all over the world to perform a year or more of service at the Center, often before beginning university. They and other volunteers are housed in a number of residential buildings that Baha'i owns around Haifa, or in apartments owned by the Center in other buildings. ... read more