HUC was very welcoming and "ouila!" the service was in English. What a bonus. The musical program was inspiring and it was really nice that our friend Rabbi Barry was given an honor for an aliya during the Torah reading.  As an alumnus, he took us back with him to a special oneg and we got to see a little of the building. The music here was lovely. Of all the times to have laryngytis. I suffered so this Shabbat morning, so beautiful in every respect, a bokher or, a day of light...but nothing but squeaks came from my throat. I want to sing soooo badly...but nothing. So frustrating. Travel 6000 plus miles to celebrate with the Shabbes Queen in Jerusalem at last only to be completely without voice. The positive thing, however, was that I did enjoy the singing of others; random voices I wouldn't have heard. So lovely. I am so glad the Malka and Barry invited us along with them. Shabbat morning services at HUC was definitely a highlight of our trip.

The following Shabbat in Tel Aviv was lovely for a variety of reasons. Lori was to become bat mitzvah (at age 43!) and it was my birthday eve and we were just feeling so grateful for our group and really fretting about how little time there was left for us to be with this group. We sat at Beit Daniel (all Hebrew there) focusing our attention to try to decipher the Hebrew...and we found that it was easy to figure out what to do. Just ride along in our liturgy just like at home with a few twists. I thought it was great. Also, our guide sat behind us in shul and favored us with her fine voice. It made me all that much more frustrated about my own lack of voice...I was singing, trust me, with my usual gusto...but nothing was coming out. A few whispers, a few squeaks, a few croaks. Comical the ways the Holy One has to tell me to pipe down and listen. And so I did. Very lovely erev Shabbat...and in the morning I woke up for my birthday demanding two things. 1) The beach and 2), a reasonable cup of coffee. Lori arranged both for me. I had such a beautiful morning (playing hooky from our tour group) wandering the beach and finally sitting down to a good cup of coffee. Hurrah! Then! I got to go shopping for herbs and spices in a grocery store. I carried away a variety of good spices not readily available at home. It was a great day. Big question is, of course, when can we return....?