FINALLY!!

Guess what everyone?!? After almost a month, I FINALLY have my laptop back, and it WORKS! It's truly a miracle. And, iTunes was nice enough to allow me to re-download all of the music that I've bought for FREE, so I can have some music on my computer besides the Jewish music CD's I've collected in the last 9 months. I was also able to finally add the pictures that had been piling up on my camera for the last few weeks, including some random pics and the pictures from our amazing to the Negev. In honor of this glorious event, I've decided to post a blog featuring some of my favorite pics from the last few weeks. Since I'll be posting a lot in the next few days (there's a lot to catch up on!), I won't write a lot on this post...just enjoy the pictures!

Our Shabbas Table, including the candle sticks that Steph's friend Molly gave her, the kiddish cup that I painted, and a freshly baked challah from the shuk.

The note I wrote to Steph the night before the service we did together in February. It reads, "Dear Stacy (Steph's nickname),
Our service is TOMORROW- :) :) :)
Let's create some amazing t'fillah together, and remember the most special and important reasons why we're here. We'll be WONDERFUL!
B'hatzlacha v'yashair kochech (Good luck and may you have strength),
<3 onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkmvAn1U8CYtAvFaJ-9a8SVaC7HIg7afRMcm_VGRmLY8wbVWhMx7LfdwDq40xutLGvzmcneVtQLgjOEKB5H4sRIhaYJUEknLr729tP4ofK0CVxOV0KhfU-2F_VlOICXCJgifqzzXInWZo/s1600-h/winter+2008+149.JPG"> A gate from the synagogue of Narbata, the ancient Jewish village that is now Kibbutz Ma'anit.

View of Uhm al Fachum, the small, beautiful Arab village we visited.

The dome of the biggest masque in Uhm Al Fachum

Tel Aviv Steph, Jerusalem Steph, me, and Dina, toasting in St Patrick's Day in Tel Aviv. The girls threw a party for St Patty's Day, and they also surprised their friend Adam, who had a birthday a few days before.

Shari (Steph and Dina's roommate) and I. I was very happy to be at this party, can't you tell? :)

The newest member of the HUC community, Dov Daniel Zanardo, on the day of his bris. He is so beautiful, and so tiny, and so sweet...it took a lot of energy to not bundle him up and run away with him, but I managed not to. The night before, his parents Sara and Andrea held a Mishmara ceremony, which is a Sephardi custom the day before the bris. It was a really special and lovely way to welcome Dov (or, as I like to call him, Doobi) into our community.

Jonah (the Sandek, the person who holds the baby as the deed is being done,) Andrea, Sara, baby Dov, and the moyel (the guy who does the deed...) right after the bris.