Coming Events:
Purim!
It's PURIM time! We're giving the holiday a big send-off at Beit Canada. Write this down – Monday evening, March 1 at 7:30 p.m. is partytime . Eat supper at home but bring a dessert (and lots of good cheer) to share with everyone else. Hey – entrance is free so bring something nice. Call to co-ordinate your dish with Rona at 08-8558357. We'd also like each one of you to bring your favorite joke or jokes. And by the way, you HAVE TO come in a disguise on the theme of "Heroes (or heroines) and Villains (or villainesses)". You can be a good guy or you can be a bad guy – but be sure to be as crazy as you like – we all are.
Winery Tour
Did you ever wonder where wine comes from? If you said "Grapes" then you're only half right. Because from the grape to the bottle takes a lot of work, and we're going to see how it's done. We're meeting at the Ad Halom train station on Thursday April 15 to catch the 10:15 train up to Binyamina (so get to the station before 10:15). You can get to the train station by bus #66 or #17 from the Central Bus Station. On arrival to our destination we will take a short walk (about ten minutes) to the Binyamina Winery for a one-hour tour of the facility to learn about making wine (including, of course, tasting). You can grab a bite to eat at their restaurant if you want. From there, if time permits, we'll take a stroll into the lovely little town to look around before returning by train to Ashdod. The tour costs NIS 20 (NIS 15 if you're a senior citizen) not including transportation.
Please note that ESCA is not liable whatsoever for any accidents incurred by a participant on any of our excursions or get-togethers. You should personally have proper insurance for any accidental occurrences. Private companies such as bus and train, hotels and other public places (including municipalities) should have their own accident and liability insurance.
You must sign up with Anita by April 9.
Possibly in May – Visit to "Casa Shalom" in Gan Yavneh, the Institute for Marrano-Anusim Studies.
Past Events:
ESCA and China
ESCA representatives were in evidence to greet the Chinese Ambassador to Israel, his Excellency Zhao Jun, at the opening of a photographic exhibit at Monart Museum celebrating eighteen years of diplomatic relations between Israel and the People's Republic of China. Mayor Yihiel Lasri and Minister of Welfare and Social Services Yitzhak Herzog also attended the gala event. We learned that Minister Herzog's late father Chaim was the first president of Israel to visit China officially. In addition it was revealed that Ashdod has a sister city in China – Wuhan – which, with a population of 10,000,000 (more or less) is definitely the BIG sister.
Annual Chanukah Food Night
It was a joyous bash – friends, frolic and food galore. Participants were greeted with a lavish table festively decked out in holiday frills provided by Susan. After preliminary refreshment – all of it donated by our participants and all of which was delicious – Yigal Spector officially opened the evening by lighting the Chanukah menorah. Rabbi Shmuel Gutman bestowed some choice words about this most-celebrated Jewish holiday. A round of songs led by Anita and an entertaining Chanukah-trivia quiz efficiently conducted by Susan and Paul capped the evening. We thank Rona for her organizational acumen. And lots of gratitude to all those people who helped to set up and serve up and clean up the good victuals.
First annual Poetry Night
It's been said that poetry is like a sea creature that has crawled up on the shore – and is now gazing at the birds. And we had a soaring evening of literary panache opening with Chana reading humorous limericks followed by Vita's more down-to-earth Yeats. Anita offered some haiku selections. Haiku, for those of you who aren't familiar with the term, is a poetic form developed by the Japanese. It adheres strictly to a three-line structure, the lines having 5 – 7 - 5 syllables. Rebecca offered some Willliam Blake and Samuel Coleridge poetry, although she preferred to read it in Hebrew translation. We mellowed out with some Kahlil Gibran then topped off the evening with two original haikus:
Rebecca wrote:
Winter in Ashdod
Warm sun, calm seas and blue skies.
When will the rains come?
(Since that was written we have had a bit of precipitation.)
Anita's haiku offering summarizes the evening:
Poetry eve'ning
Tea and cake at Chana's house
ESCA dines and rhymes.
Thanks to Ruth Szmarag for donating the cake and to Chana for her warm hospitality.
Give A Kid A Break
We're still going! Our "Give A Kid A Break" Fund received a Century donation from Ruth Szmarag in fond memory of Yitz Hochstein, ob"m. And we have another Century donation from Flory Shimoni to provide the basics so children will have a better chance to succeed. The kids still need, so you can still give. If you want to give call Chana (08-8557115).
