A neighbor once offered to take care of my baby when I went out. "Don't worry," she assured me. "His crying won't bother me." Since I don't ignore crying babies whether they are mine or not, I didn't agree to watch the neighbor's baby the next couple of times she asked me. I might have enjoyed a … [Read more...]
Two children go missing from gan; found safely three hours later
November 28, 2007 by
According to the local paper, two children aged 3.5 and 4 disappeared from gan (preschool) without anyone realizing. At around 11 AM, the ganenet noticed that they didn't return to the gan after playtime in the fenced area outside. After a thorough search of the premises failed to locate the … [Read more...]
A Cooking Legacy
May 28, 2007 by
While in college, my friend Tzippy and her family generously hosted me for many a Shabbat and Yom Tov. Tzippy's mother didn't expect her to help in the kitchen; she told her that she would have plenty of time later, and now she should study and have fun. The mother was right; Tzippy did get married … [Read more...]
Pesach scenes
April 5, 2007 by
Like many Israelis, we have spent a good deal of our chol hamoed in traffic jams. As a diversion we spotted this girl, approximately four years old, standing halfway out the roof of a car nonchalantly driving through Bnei Brak traffic. We honked several times with no response. Enjoy the pictures … [Read more...]
Today I spoke to her.
February 2, 2007 by
Today we were invited to gan to shop in a store the kids had set up. My 3yo came with me this time. I bought a challah cover my son had decorated, and two cookies. The money went to tzedaka.I bravely approached this mother with my prepared speech. I had only seen her once before at the Chanukah … [Read more...]
Update on that babysitter. . .
January 3, 2007 by
The babysitter continues to appear at gan without the baby in tow. Today I mentioned to her that it was against the law to leave a child under six alone in the house. "What, for five minutes, asleep in the crib?" She said that the mother knows about it (that makes it all right then, no?) I said that … [Read more...]
“Don’t You Have More Love for a Child than That?”
December 24, 2006 by
I just received the following anonymous comment on my post What's Your Excuse? Leaving children alone, revisited: Hi. I just came across your blog by accident, but then again maybe it wasn't an accident. I just returned from a 12 day trip to Israel with a tour group. I love Israel and the Israeli … [Read more...]
What’s your excuse? Leaving children alone, revisited
December 12, 2006 by
A few weeks ago I had a lovely conversation with a friendly babysitter in the park. She was telling me and another babysitter how she so much enjoyed working for this family and how close she was to all their four children that she had practically raised herself. The youngest, a baby, is with her … [Read more...]
Home Alone
November 8, 2006 by
Vacations in Europe and to more exotic destinations are fashionable in Israel these days. Even when both parents work at demanding full-time jobs, they use their precious vacation days to travel abroad without the children. So who is watching the children? Besides their regular child-care … [Read more...]
Leaving Children Alone
October 11, 2006 by
Apparently a six-year-old boy suffocated from smoke inhalation after being locked inside the house by his mother, who had taken the little brother to gan. In the US, all locks must be openable from the inside. Here in Israel, most locks are designed so a key is needed to unlock the door from either … [Read more...]
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