Valentines Day in Israel

Yes, it is a bit strange to celebrate St. Valentine's Day
with a bunch of rabbinic, cantorial and Jewish
education students in Israel.
However, here's a sweet picture of us from a fun party.

Team Liz's Wedding

Here are some highlight photos from our wedding - December 31, 2005.
Ketubah Signing

Cutting the cake.

Saul dancing with his Mom.

Liz dancing with her Dad.

A long weekend in Jordan - October 2005

Team Liz in Petra, Jordan.
Liz and the camels in front of the Treasury, which really wasn't a treasury.


A forty-five minute hike uphill takes you to the Monastery, which you can see over Liz's shoulder. It looks a lot like the Treasury, so if you're not so into hiking, you can skip this one. We liked the views a lot though.

Views from 18 Gihon (our home)

We have a really beautiful home here in Jerusalem. We live in an area called Abu Tor. One of the most amazing parts of our home is our view. We look out on a valley that goes out towards the Judean desert. Off in the distance is the separation barrier or security fence as some like to call it.





Saul hard at work in his favorite spot in the house - his hammock out on our terrace.

The Kaiserparents at the Shuttle launch

I know that this isn't really about Liz and Saul per se, but Carl and Judy look so happy that I just had to post this!

Florida has been good to the Kaiserparents.

A little more about our neighborhood

First of all, let's start by letting you know that the building next door is under construction, so we are woken up every morning by the sound of a jackhammer* (usually by around 7 AM). By around 9 AM, it is quiet again. Apparently, the jackhammer is only needed until it's time for Liz to be at school.

Here's another one of those cool recycling bins in the neighborhood.


You'll recall a few posts earlier I mentioned how fruits like dates and olives are growing in people's yards...here's a pomegranate tree that's just down the block from us.

So, as I was taking this photo of the Greek Embassy, also down the block from us, a car pulls up beside me and starts honking. Hoping that I'm not about to be arrested for photographing an embassy, I walk over and - yes, just like last week - the driver starts telling me how just down the block is a much more interesting photo of the Christian Embassy. You can't make things like this up.


* it might be a piledriver. What do I know?

Signing Reut and Igal's Ketubah

Somehow amidst all of the exitement and confusion at the wedding, one fairly important step in the marriage process never actually took place...

So, Liz and I went back down to Tel-Aviv a few days later to sign and Igal's ketubah (marriage contract).





Saul signed as the M'sader kedushin (wedding officiant). No, Saul is not a rabbi, but according to Jewish law, in order to officiate a Jewish wedding ceremony one must simply be a knowledgeable Jew. Of course, by forgetting about the ketubah signing at the wedding, Saul may have disqualified himself, but nevermind.

Liz, and Igal's best friend Monica, signed as witnesses.

The "newlyweds" with their Ketubah.