Tzora Dairy Farm

My sister-in-law, her son and a weird cow in the background

My sister-in-law is visiting us from Toronto and I thought that she and her 2 boys would enjoy a visit to a local dairy on Kibbutz Tzora. Well....it seems that neither she or her sister (my wife) exactly share my enthusiasm for the refreshing fragrance of cow. Lots of cow.

Despite that minor issue, I and the kids (except for my daughter who help her nose the whole time) had a bovine blast.

We got to watch as the cows filed into the milking station, were milked and then returned to their lovely, "sparkling clean" pens (or whatever you call the place they stand/lie/eat/etc. in).

Room with a view

We also got to see the Tnuva truck come and fill up with fresh milk for delivery to their processing plants. The driver took samples to check for various properties to ensure that the milk met Tnuva standards.

The best part in my mind is that this little trip is only 5 minutes from Ramat Beit Shemesh (Kibbutz Tzora is off of Highway 38-right next to BIG), it's totally free and highly educational (now my kids know where the milk comes from-YUM).

Milk cow on Kibbutz Tzora near Ramat Beit Shemesh, Israel

Next time you are looking for something to do with your really bored kids, hop over to Tzora to check out the Dairy. (Milking is daily at 12PM.)

Siyum Torah in Ramat Beit Shemesh

This past Thursday evening was a special night for me and all of Ramat Beit Shemesh.

Although I really plan on making this blog a community focused one with events and activities that are relevant to the greater public, I feel that this relatively private event was important for all of us.

The event truly deserves a longer post, but in short Talmud Torah Toras Moshe celebrated the completion of Chamishei Chumshai Torah as well as Mishnayos Seder Moed for 3rd and 4th grade respectively. What a huge accomplishment. All of Chumash...and all of Seder Moed!!
As one other father commented, "we adults have barely completed this material" and "what were we doing in 3rd or 4th grade?!!". We are very fortunate that our children are getting educations far beyond what we received.

I have a son in each class, so the Siyumim were of particular importance to me. But I believe that all of us gain from having a growing population of children in RBS who are all receiving stellar Torah educations.

I hope and pray that these boys and all the children here in the neighborhood, grow and develop to ultimately embody all that the Torah has to teach us and make our community a light unto the world.

Baseball in Ramat Beit Shemesh

Friday afternoon in Ramat Beit Shemesh. It might be 37 degrees Celsius (98.6 Fahrenheit), or cold and rainy, but no matter what, Rabbi Lavey Freedman is in Ayalon Park playing baseball with the neighborhood boys.

Rabbi Freedman made Aliyah 11 years ago and brought his passion for baseball to Israel. Recognizing a need for wholesome, healthy outlets for the local kids, he started the popular, weekly baseball chug.

Kinda like little league baseball, the games help the boys learn the rules and fundamentals of the sport, along with teamwork and sportsmanship. With expert and relaxed instruction (and pitching), Rabbi Freedman keeps the games going smoothly, ensuring that no matter what, the boys have a good time, improve their skills, and develop good Middos (character traits). Check out the short clip below!!




The 9 inning game is open to boys aged 7-12, just about every Friday and Erev Chag, throughout the year. For more information, contact laveyfreedman@gmail.com .

Biking into the Past Near Ramat Beit Shemesh

Since my first tricycle, I have always felt that a good bike story should start at the end. Take the ride I recently did to the Elah Fortress near Ramat Beit Shemesh. By the time I came home after the 2 hour ride, I felt awesome. High on endorphins, totally relaxed and historically inspired, I was ready to take on a whole platoon of Philistines and even Goliath himself.

OK...now with the ending out of the way, I can get started on this really great bike adventure into the past.

I was reading the local Connections magazine and they had this article about an ancient fortress that was recently excavated — apparently from the time of King David or earlier. The site is referred to as the Elah Fortress and overlooks the Elah valley where young David felled the giant Goliath.

Double gate structure

The author of that article (Chaim Friedman, a local, licensed tour guide) suggested that perhaps this fortress or small city could be the as-of-yet unidentified Sha’arayim mentioned in the episode with David and Goliath. The reason for this theory is that the fortress has a double wall as well as a double gate — apparently an uncommon feature back then. And guess what…Sha’arayim means “double gate” or two gates in Hebrew.

To make a long ride short, we rode from RBS A out into the hills, past some nice Bedouins, down some insane, kamikaze hills and up some really steep, slippery single-tracks. After about an hour of fun we finally made it and walked around the ruins. We had great views of the Elah valley, Tel Azeika (where the Philistines were camped out)…and all in all, it was truly amazing to blend a good workout while getting in touch with our ancient past.

Some random biker with a green leaf on his nose for natural sunscreen (Tel Azeika in background)

Special thanks to Mike Kashnow for the photos. For more info on how to get there by bike, leave a message here on the blog and I’ll get back to you with the info. You can also have a look at the satellite photos of our ride.

Best Market in Ramat Beit Shemesh Aleph

Everyone I know likes good food. However, for many people, shopping can be less than fun. We won’t go into too much detail here, but some shops can be hygienically challenged, crowded, unorganized, and sorely lacking some of our favorite foods.

That’s why there was dancing in the streets when Dil V’Zol Makolet (grocery store), opened Best Market — a full-service supermarket in the new Park Center on Dolev street. OK....maybe not dancing, but it sure was a party in the aisles for me. I made my rounds throughout the whole store, taking in the cleanliness, the beautifully displayed fresh produce, baked goods, and just about anything I might need in terms of food (or other household goods).

Everything was organized and relatively easy to find. There were also plenty of familiar products from the US alongside top-quality Israeli ones. The variety and selection sure helps me get whatever I need — all under one roof.

They even have mini-shopping carts for kids...keeping them happy while we shop (although it can be a bit tough at checkout when we need to return all the candy the children loaded up on).

One of my favorite parts of the store is the meat section. With the famous butcher Alon Frank providing friendly and expert service, it’s a pleasure shopping for my carnivorous tendencies. (Just as a note, the fresh chicken is under Rav Auerbach supervision and the fresh meat is from Rav Machpud.)

Alon Frank behind the meat section display

For years, the only time I could get real filet mignon with a Mehadrin hechsher was at El Gaucho in Ramat Gan or some other similar restaurant. Now with Alon at the helm of the meat department, Rav Machpud’s filet mignon or sirloin steaks are readily available...folks...if you don’t have a grill...now is the time to get one. With these great cuts of meat at our local butcher, you don’t need to go out to a restaurant anymore.

Anyway, I can go on and on about meat…but I realize some of you might be vegetarian….so let me just say, shopping at Best Market is a very pleasant experience in all regards. They even have “baggers” who help put all the groceries in bags and then into your cart. It’s really great.

In terms of parking, they have some spots right outside the entrance, but there is also an above-ground parking garage with easy access to a giant, clean elevator where you can easily wheel your cart, into and out of the store.

Next time your pantry is bare….check out the Best Market in Ramat Bet Shemesh.