The school year is winding down here and wow what a whirlwind. While my peeps back in the Motherland are struggling with their kids final exams, we here in Israel (Okay, maybe not the collective we, but we as in me) are handing out money left and right for class parties, sending snacks to school (AKA, my kids raid my cabinet daily) and attending school events.
It all started last week. My girls' school has been in a frenzy preparing for their first Evening of the Arts. This meant lots of practicing during the school day for my girls and every girl in the middle school. And frantic texts from my girls. "Mom, I need a white skirt, please get me one" (two because you know, twins) Followed by me stopping at store on my way home, only to find that the store has a daily siesta which coincides with the time I'm actually driving. Well, it was fate because the next text was. "Mom, don't buy a white skirt. We are all wearing all black for the show." Ummm, okay. We don't have that either. So this precipitated me handing the girls more money to buy black shirts.
So finally, the big day arrives. I make several trips back and forth to the school because my girls are playing instruments, so we need to lug a bass guitar and a snare drum. (they did have to take those on the city bus when I was in class!) I drop them off for the final time of the day.
And then I take child #4 to baseball. Because who doesn't like a random weeknight baseball game? Watch baseball for a while, them head over to the school when the game ends. (picture is from sunset at the field)
The Evening of Arts was really nice and surprisingly professional. We saw some skits, and especially enjoyed the ones poking fun at Americans who come to Israel for the year. (all in good fun) we saw some dances, songs and finally our girls and their band went on last. We had one sleeping child wearing a baseball uniform, two very happy girls and me, who then even survived speaking with two teachers who really just speak so quickly. By survived, I mean, they said a lot of stuff. I understood a fraction, due to the speed, the music blaring in the background, and the five hundred other people around. I did a lot of nodding and smiling and asking my girls to fill me in on what I missed. So yay, that craziness was over.
Skip to two days later. I again give ride after ride to my eldest child. His school has their sixth annual Evening of the Arts. The other kids didn't know if they wanted to come or not. So I pulled a genius parenting move out of my bag of tricks. I just said, "guys, you don't have to come. But FYI, I am having dinner in the mall food court before the show, so anyone who comes is welcome to have dinner there." Well, wouldn't you know it, the who family showed up! Also, the entire mall food court is kosher.
Moving along. The boy's show was also really well done. They did skits (which had the same themes as the skits from the girls'school, complete with "American tourists" showing up in the skit.) The skits were really well done and very funny. My Hebrew is ready for a few jokes, so that was exciting. And of course, la piece de resistance (French inspired by my many French ulpan friends) my kid and his school band. They are just so cute. I know that a bunch of fifteen year olds don't want to hear that, but they just are. They are also really good and have improved so much since the fall. I also just love his band because it has really helped him to adjust to life in Israel and it has given him a group of peers with similar interests.
We missed the beginning of the girls' school show because we were at baseball and they told me that they were going on last. So I missed the opening remarks about the evening. But at the boys school, we heard everything. We didn't understand everything, but we heard it. And I know that I've said this before, but it's worth repeating. The principal again mentioned how important the arts are, and that school is not just study study study. There is more to life than just passing your exams. You need art in your life.
We were told when we made aliyah, that the schools in Israel are really interested in developing the whole child and not just academically. They want you to be well rounded. And we have really found that to be true. There is so much going on in school, and you can really find your place and shine in the things that you love.
And now, to wrap this up, I shall give you a short run down of what else has been going on.
#1 My ulpan is seriously never ending
#2 More baseball. We won and then we lost
#3 Unfortunately, that wasn't the end of the season
#4 Never fear, my neighborhood is still doing communal fun
#5 Communal fun=dessert and ice cream parties in the same week
#6 Now we are planning a trip abroad together (by we, I mean they)
#7 My fifth grader went on a field trip that started after school and ended at midnight
#8 He still had school the next day
#9 Oh yeah, field trips are included in the cost of school
#10 I'm not paying $75,000 in tuition
#11 Went shopping with a friend for teacher gifts. She said, we will ask for a volume discount. The American in me said no way. The Israeli sales clerk preempted us and gave me half off! #winning
So finally, the big day arrives. I make several trips back and forth to the school because my girls are playing instruments, so we need to lug a bass guitar and a snare drum. (they did have to take those on the city bus when I was in class!) I drop them off for the final time of the day.
And then I take child #4 to baseball. Because who doesn't like a random weeknight baseball game? Watch baseball for a while, them head over to the school when the game ends. (picture is from sunset at the field)
The Evening of Arts was really nice and surprisingly professional. We saw some skits, and especially enjoyed the ones poking fun at Americans who come to Israel for the year. (all in good fun) we saw some dances, songs and finally our girls and their band went on last. We had one sleeping child wearing a baseball uniform, two very happy girls and me, who then even survived speaking with two teachers who really just speak so quickly. By survived, I mean, they said a lot of stuff. I understood a fraction, due to the speed, the music blaring in the background, and the five hundred other people around. I did a lot of nodding and smiling and asking my girls to fill me in on what I missed. So yay, that craziness was over.
Skip to two days later. I again give ride after ride to my eldest child. His school has their sixth annual Evening of the Arts. The other kids didn't know if they wanted to come or not. So I pulled a genius parenting move out of my bag of tricks. I just said, "guys, you don't have to come. But FYI, I am having dinner in the mall food court before the show, so anyone who comes is welcome to have dinner there." Well, wouldn't you know it, the who family showed up! Also, the entire mall food court is kosher.
Moving along. The boy's show was also really well done. They did skits (which had the same themes as the skits from the girls'school, complete with "American tourists" showing up in the skit.) The skits were really well done and very funny. My Hebrew is ready for a few jokes, so that was exciting. And of course, la piece de resistance (French inspired by my many French ulpan friends) my kid and his school band. They are just so cute. I know that a bunch of fifteen year olds don't want to hear that, but they just are. They are also really good and have improved so much since the fall. I also just love his band because it has really helped him to adjust to life in Israel and it has given him a group of peers with similar interests.
We missed the beginning of the girls' school show because we were at baseball and they told me that they were going on last. So I missed the opening remarks about the evening. But at the boys school, we heard everything. We didn't understand everything, but we heard it. And I know that I've said this before, but it's worth repeating. The principal again mentioned how important the arts are, and that school is not just study study study. There is more to life than just passing your exams. You need art in your life.
We were told when we made aliyah, that the schools in Israel are really interested in developing the whole child and not just academically. They want you to be well rounded. And we have really found that to be true. There is so much going on in school, and you can really find your place and shine in the things that you love.
And now, to wrap this up, I shall give you a short run down of what else has been going on.
#1 My ulpan is seriously never ending
#2 More baseball. We won and then we lost
#3 Unfortunately, that wasn't the end of the season
#4 Never fear, my neighborhood is still doing communal fun
#5 Communal fun=dessert and ice cream parties in the same week
#6 Now we are planning a trip abroad together (by we, I mean they)
#7 My fifth grader went on a field trip that started after school and ended at midnight
#8 He still had school the next day
#9 Oh yeah, field trips are included in the cost of school
#10 I'm not paying $75,000 in tuition
#11 Went shopping with a friend for teacher gifts. She said, we will ask for a volume discount. The American in me said no way. The Israeli sales clerk preempted us and gave me half off! #winning
