Nativ 26 comes for a visit

O.K. so it wasn't all 81 kids in fact it was only 5 but it was 5 of our favorites. First they were known as Bubbies boys

Daniel, Fox, Bubbie, Yoni and Sherman

and we had such a good time with them when we were in Israel.

It was a great way to start the year... and it was even more fun when Morgan called the house and we let Sherman answer.... why was it funny, well besides being a friend of Samantha... Sherman had the pleasure of being one of the Staff people for Moran and Ashleigh this summer.

We would have called Ashleigh but it was 5:00 in the morning in Israel so Sam just kept him for herself... until Morgan called.

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Bubbie, Barry and I had a good visit with all the kids.... listening to them debate the finer aspects of a "good education" but it was Shomer who really had a good time.

On Tour with Ashleigh and Morgan July 13

Sunday, July 13th:Group 8 left Jerusalem and headed south this morning. They first stopped in Lachish to go grape-picking and made grape juice with their feet! From there they went to Be'er Sheva, where their staff members did a presentation on Nativ, USY's post-high school program in Israel Sam was on that Program. Then they drove to Eilat, Israel's most southern city. Tonight they had free time on the boardwalk and in the mall to hang out and go shopping!

There are new pictures...

go back to the begining to see the girls!

Samantha is in the press

I know I have been less than diligent about my blogging... but I wanted to put this up before I lost it.... Sammie is in the news.

it was a wonderful trip and I know I I you all some of her pictures and as soon a Bubbie's Bat Mitzvah is over I will get them up.....

She's Backkkkk!

I can't tell you how long we have waited for today... who would have thought back on August 30st last year that today would come so quickly, but it has. And just as we waited to hear that she had arrived in Israel we waited and watched for the that Jet Blue Flight to arrive back to Long Beach Airport (yes, I know she left from Burbank).

But it was not a bad drive down for this one time and being able to see all the kids arrive. Now some of them left with Sam Like Ariel and David

but this time we had so many others come back with them: Daniel, Joey, Julia and Corrine.

I honestly don't know how Ashleigh kept herself together she had waited so long for today, for her Sammie to come home and for her world to be complete.

But the moment was finally with us and we saw the kids start to come out of the airport... First Corrine and then Daniel and then after all that waiting Sam came off the plane first she saw Bubbie and stopped for a good long hug and then she saw her ............

the sister that had missed her so badly and that she had missed and get out of her way cause she had a sister to hug (you will have to ask her about the Sombrero)

So lets see can you tell which picture was taken on August 31 when she left and May 29th then she got back.

Here are a few more pictures of the momentous arrival.

And now they are all home

The last call from Israel

Well it came.... with a tear in her voice she told me that she was at the airport and that they were going to take her phone away.....and in 27 hours we will be in Long Beach waiting to hug her. The end of a wonderful year and the beauty of it was that it ended almost as it started.

Samantha was the first one to receive mail and in meeting her new roommates in room 301 and they end the same way Cynthia, Marlee and Sam in room 301 and just as they were leaving she got the last package that I sent (3 1/2 weeks ago).

So we will wait for her call at 2 in the morning our time and then at noon on Tuesday we will leave for the airport.

Its a Bitter Sweet thought

it's wind down time in Be'er Sheva... This will be Keheil 1 last shabbat together and then it is off to Jersualem for their last week.... you read that correctly Sammie is on her way home. We (those of us not in Israel) are all very excited and counting down the days...(12) but Sam is torn, she is ready to come home to see us and get started on her next adventure, but she is not ready to part from her new family of Nativ 26.

So without too much explenation here are a few pictures of what she has been doing on her last few weeks in Israel.

Send your questions and we will have Sammie explain what she was doing, when she gets home.

Daniel

Daniel

has a long history with Sam ... for our part of the trip though he was just a great tour guide.

We saw Daniel many different times over the trip but on Tuesday Jan 16th and Wednesday Jan 17th he traveled with us to many different places.

who is Mumbles and ...

Boy does he get around.

Celia sent Mumbles with us as a Hanukkah present for Sam. He is a cute little penguin with a pocket on his but for Sam's I-pod. Little did any of us know that Sam's i-pod had died the week before. But Mumbles (I

named him) was so cute that everyone donated their i-pods so Mumbles would not go to waste.... Not only did everyone want their I-pod to be in his pocket they also wanted to take their picture with him.