Wedenesday, Tel Aviv and en route to Jerusalem

Yesterday (Tuesday) was another "singer day." I spent the morning at a kibbutz (frankly, I am not sure where they delivered me, I just get on the bus) rehearsing the evening show, an outdoor concert in a park with a band and orchestra. I did a set of 4 Ladino (Judeo-Spanish) songs with the band-keyboard, saxophone, guitar, bass guitar and drums. It was a little stressful in the morning, because I was still memorizing words, I wasn't quite sure about the key relationships, and the band also wasn't entirely sure what to do--so in my 7 minutes of rehearsal I had to get all of us on board. Add to this the fact that I am really not used to the whole band and mocrophone situation (though I DO find it very fun), so I was a little off-center. No matter...these were incredible musicians, two of whom I had worked with on the Israel Philharmonic tour last year, so I knew I was in good hands.
I managed to get in some walking and shopping in the afternoon, to the Shuk Carmel and over to Nachalat Binyamin, the outdoor craft fair on Tuesdays and Fridays. Teron and I had some good kabob and salad at an outdoor cafe, then it was time for "pre-game," ie nap, yoga, steam, warm up. The concert was successful--thee were upwards of 1000 people there, and they really enjoyed the program. I had a good time with my songs, which remids me that I think my next project is an album of Ladino songs with guitar, flamenco style.
Several of my friends came out to see me, so the concert was followed by beer and french fries and general good cheer--one of these friends I'd not seen for a year, so it was very special for me.

Not enough time in Tel Aviv! This morning was a scramble to do some more shopping errands, and to retrace my tracks a bit and visit my special places in the city, including a lunch at the sabich stand on the corner of Frishman and Dizengoff Streets. Oh, how many memories of gong there after rehearsal! Sabich is one of those high-on-the-list delicious items (though it does not sound it at all): grilled eggplant, mashed up boiled egg, lots of veggies and amba, a sort of curry sauce. I think it's Iraqi , actually (am I supposed to know this? I was brought up on geilte fish). Oh, was it ever good.
Then we boarded the buses for the journey to Jerusalem, which is only an hour away, but we made a day of it. The first stop was the armory museum in Latrun. In case we were not adequately depressed from Poland, now we learned about and remembered those who have fought in tanks to fight for the State of Israel. It's a beautiful place. We sang hatikvah and laid a memorial wreath down, with the help of soldiers, then we went inside to see the museum and see a movie, which was quite moving and sad. In the gallery there is a dark room--it is supposed to show you how it feels to be inside a tank-- and inside, on the walls, are projected about six at a time, the pictures, names and ages of men and women who have died for Israel. Many various emotions...
From there we went to plant trees (shrublets, really-think, Charlie Brown) at the Kennedy Memorial sight. It was amazing and moving! We recited a beautiful prayer together, and each of us planted a tree. We learned a bit about the incredible innovations this country has made in irrigation and environmental work...it is hard to imagine, perhaps, but this was the highlight of the day.
THEN we went to Mount Scopus....aaaaaahhhhhh, the first views of the Old City.....and did a service for entering/honoring Jerusalem with some great music. The new mayor stopped by to welcome us and gave a great short talk. He is very special.
And finally, to the hotels where we got settled and then saw an amazing one-man show about Janusz Korczak, the Polish pediatrician, educator and writer who ran an orphanage in Warsaw (this entry is missing frmo earlier--I have to fill it in --our day at the Warsaw ghetto memorial)/ He was such a hero, and the show was very special, "10 Matchboxes." It's an interactive show, usually performed at the childrens' theatre in Tel Aviv, about how he gave ten kids matchboxes and how through this taught them morals, ethics, creativity and self-empowerment...and more! It was a very special evening.
And now I am off to bed, tired.
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