Matchmaker, matchmaker...

I have been slacking on my posts...again.

A few months ago (I know, I've been slacking), I attended an IDF ceremony for my cousin, a paratrooper. The ceremony was where, after an 80km overnight trek, he was awarded his red beret (upgrading from his green). It was really powerful to attend and I'm grateful my cousins invited me to come along. A funny thing happened at this ceremony: an an Orthodox Israeli woman asked if I was looking for a shittah (match)! I have to tell you I was dressed pretty conservatively because my cousins are Orthodox and I wanted to dress appropriately for the ceremony. As a result, this woman thought I was Orthodox too. I was so caught off guard by her question that I (perhaps a little too curtly) said, no, I wasn't interested. However, I didn't go so far as to correct her misconception of me as a non-Orthodox Jew! Well, a few minutes later, she decided she clearly needed to investigate why I wasn't interested (it's a mitzvah to make a match...three matches puts you in heaven according to Jewish "custom"). The conversation resulted in her learning that I wasn't engaged but had moved to Israel for my boyfriend. A TOTAL horror. She said a prayer for me and proceeded to give my cousin her telephone number in case things don't work out for me because she needs a shittah for a young man. It was so entertaining, and a little scary.

Shuk Cart Elbow

I have diagnosed myself (thanks to Ethan's medical know-how) with shuk cart elbow. Web MD does not discuss this particular ailment. So, here's the definition: Shuk cart elbow develops as a result of overloading your shuk cart and pulling it for too long with an extended arm.

Symptoms: Soreness in your elbow.

Recovery process:

1. Switch pulling arms frequently.
2. Flex your elbow often.
3. Ice, if necessary (fortunately, it wasn't)
   

Planning for the future:

• Think about how much food is too much to buy in one shuk shopping.

• Don't go to the shuk alone. Always make sure Ethan is available to pull the cart.