Dateline: Tu b'Shevat, 5783
Place: Afula, "capital city" of Emek Yizra'el (the Jezreel Valley)
Northern District, ISRAEL
I am actually typing this from my desk in Baltimore, MD, USA but just 24-hours-fresh-off-the-plane from two wonderful weeks spent with our children and grandchildren who have been living in Afula for exactly six months now. (Happy Anniversary, Kids!) What a treat, what a joy. And though we did not manage to be in the holy Land on Tu b'Shevat, I took the following photos this past Friday from the tippy top of Afula, overlooking Emek Yizra'el. At the end of a week of blessed rainfall, there were more greens to be seen than one would find in the Crayola Ultimate Crayon Case of 152 colors. These photos are the backdrop to how we are spending our Tu b'Shevat today. I hope they will enhance your mini-holiday as well.
No Tu b'Shevat photo essay would be complete without a blossoming sh'keydiah (almond tree), this one standing side-by-side with an olive-green (of course) olive tree...
When in Afula, I Remember Jerusalem from a short 57 miles north ("as the crow flies"). Unfortunately, we can't take the shortest route for reasons I might go into another time but we did make the 85 mile drive to spend 24 hours in the holy City. More about that another time as well. For now, while it is still Tu b'Shevat in Israel, best wishes from Yours Truly - and my sweet Tehilla - for a Tu b'Shevat Sameyach!
