The two of us and a few other Workshoppers planned to take a bus from the kibbutz into the Afula bus station early Sunday morning, but the bus came twenty minutes early so we caught rides with Ezra, a kibbutznik that will drive Workshoppers to Afula and Tzomet Gazit--another bus stop--for a price. Once in Afula, Maya and I decided to catch a later bus to Zichron so that we could go the cafe we'd anxiously been waiting to eat at for the past two weeks: Aroma.
We instantly found ourselves overwhelmed with the enormous assortment of delicious options on the menu. As someone who is lactose intolerant, I was disappointed to discover that Aroma's famous iced coffee--Ice Aroma, as they call it--could not be made with soymilk, so I ordered their iced mint lemon drink with an avocado sandwich and Maya ordered the Ice Aroma along with a bowl of roasted vegetables and gluten free bread. The tray also included a sweet surprise: Shannah Tovah chocolates!
After some confusion back at the bus station, Maya and I finally caught the correct bus to Gan Shmuel, a bus stop close to Zichron. The bus was filled with Israeli soldiers--returning home for the holiday, no doubt--and with no seats available, Maya and I sat on the floor for the duration of the ride.
Once at the bus stop, we purchased a bottle of wine to bring as a gift for my cousins, and were then warmly greeted by Leah, who drove us to Zichron. My cousins live at the edge of a hill with an absolutely spectacular view.
A few hours later, Leah, Zvi, Maya, and I piled into Leah and Zvi's car and drove to a moshav (a small community of houses) near Natanya to have Rosh Hashannah dinner with Anat, Leah and Zvi's daughter. Anat's entire family was present--her husband, Erez, and her their three sons, Ori, Shahar, and Ayal--as well as Erez's parents. The Rosh Hashannah meal included various symbolic foods such as apples with honey, pomegranate seeds, dates, white beans, raw pumpkin, and more. The meal was delicious, and concluded with honey cake and a Birthday cake in celebration of Shahar's Birthday the next day.
The following afternoon, Maya and I decided to explore the town of Zichron. We walked down a street of shops and then relaxed for a bit in a park. On Tuesday, Zivan, Leah and Zvi's son, came to Zichron with his wife, Miriam, and three kids: Elad, Li-el, and Eli. Maya and I spent most of the time playing with the kids outside.
Later that afternoon, all of us returned to Anat's moshav to eat and socialize with the family, and then Leah and Zvi dropped Maya and I off at the Chadera bus station so we could get back to the kibbutz that night. Returning to the kibbutz was a wonderful experience--Workshoppers were quite excited to see one another after the long weekend, so the evening was filled with lots of warm welcomes!
The next few days were spent in shiurim with the focus on Jewish Community. A few Workshoppers--myself included--found ourselves sick and spent more time than we wished in bed, sleeping. I'm feeling much better now, and I'm looking forward to a relaxing weekend on the kibbutz!
Shabbat Shalom and Shannah Tovah!
