5 Month Anniversary!

I can't believe that I have been in South Africa for 5 months, time really is going by so fast. 

Purim is over! I had a really great experience. Shani and I worked really hard, so it is nice to finally be able to cross Purim off the list! 

Thursday night we had an event for the middle school up to the high school, an Oscar themed party.

It was a really great event! The turn out wasn't as big as we had expected but the kids that did come had a really good time. Our hardest target here in Cape Town is the middle school. They don't like to be involved in anything, so when we have events for them we struggle to get a big crowd. The Madrichim (counselors) decorated with a red carpet, a place to take your picture, and set the table really nicely! It was really fun!
At Shul on Shabbat we had a treasure hunt for the little kids followed by a beautiful Havdalla (the blessing we say after Shabbat to separate between the holy Shabbat and week-day) and a fun parade in our costumes!
When Shani and I got to South Africa everyone called us Thing 1 and Thing 2. So we dressed up as them for Purim- Thing 1 and Thing 2 from Doctor Seuss- The Cat in the Hat! Everyone loved it! We had a nice little Purim party for our age group- cocktails and karaoke! Was a great party!! We really got all the ages covered this Purim! The preparation was a lot of work but so much fun!

It was hard to miss out on my amazing Purim Seuda at home. It is something we all look forward to every year. I did enjoy this new experience, I know I am here for a reason and I am making other people happy so in the end it was worth missing.

Our next big project is coming up in 2 weeks. Our first Shabbaton for grades 3-6!! We have an amazing turnout, no one imagined it being so big so I will update about that next time!!!

Shani and I with the 4 Israeli boys who are here learning with the Yeshiva of Cape Town.

Just having fun!

Group Oscar photo!

Thing 1 and Thing 2!!

Getting ready for the Purim play at school!

So much to do!

This past week I was in Johannesburg for Shabbat. We went up for the yearly conference for Bnei Akiva. It was very nice to be in the community for Shabbat. So many Jews!
It's weird how different Joburg is from Cape Town. Its not as beautiful and you can feel that it's a more "dangerous"area. The walls are much higher, more electric fences and much more security.
Besides that, there are Jews everywhere! Kosher supermarkets, kosher restaurants and just a bigger Jewish feeling all around. I got to see my campers from camp which was so much fun, most of them live in Joburg so I don't get to see them often, it was a nice visit!
I love that I can go visit Aunt Shari and Uncle Mathew and the kids! SO nice to have family so close.

Sunday was the conference, it really was just a long and boring day of talking. What I liked most about it was that you had a group of kids ages 18-24 who really care and are passionate about Bnei Akiva. It was nice to see them thinking of ways to improve and build up the movement. Was nice to see that the work I am doing here is for a group of people who care.

There is a lot going on now- we are working on "Mini Mach" which is a Shabbaton (weekend) in March for grades 3-6. So far we have more kids than we thought we would get and are moving to a bigger camp site. No one thought Bnei Akiva could get more than 30 kids and at the moment we are on 35!!!

Purim is coming up, we are having a few events that weekend. Pesach, Yom Hashoah (Holocaust remembrance day), Yom Hazikaron ( fallen soldier remembrance day), Yom Haatzmaut (independence day!) So many events happening around the same time.

We are busy and working very hard! Thank god we have a great team full of power!!

Wake up call!!

On Sunday, I had an experience that hopefully will be the first and last time it will ever happen.

An African man (to be politically correct) came to our door and asked to come in. Shani and I hesitated because usually we don't let strangers into our house, but the man said he needed to check something that had to do with the neighbors. In my head it was a legitimate story. The man also didn't look too sketchy, so we let him into the garden area and he checked what he needed.
His story was that he wanted to cut down the branches that were in between our houses so that the next day when his telephone company comes they can put up a cable... Doesn't that sound legit??
Then he asked to come into the house because he needed an extension cord so that he could plug in the machine in order to cut down the tree.
I walked to the back office to plug in the extension cord and put it through the window in order for him to be able to work, I told Shani to keep an eye on him.
As soon as the man asked us for our numbers in order to call and confirm about the neighbors, we decided we don't want to deal with him, told him to come back when our secretary is in, and she will decide what to do.
We escorted the man out of our house, but as he was leaving I saw my IPHONE in his back pocket!!!!!!!
From the very beginning of our stay here, we were told that if someone is trying to steal something from you, to let them. Otherwise you never know what could happen.
Without even thinking twice, and in the nicest, most innocent voice, I asked the man:
"Before you leave the house would you please give me back my phone?"
He looked at me and said:
"No, you see my phone is broken so I need yours to call for tomorrow"
So I said again, "No, please give me my phone."
I think I caught him off guard. The kind thief then handed me my phone and I escorted him out of my house.

Everyone here is SO surprised that I got my phone back!
Apparently that is what these guys do, they make up a story, come in, take the first thing they see, try to distract us, and run... But we had locked the gate behind him...He had nowhere to go.
Somehow Hashem made a miracle and I saw my phone in his back pocket.

I honestly am not sure what emotion I felt after?? Afraid, stupid, confused,stressed, happy, thankful, nervous, paranoid, SO many thoughts were going through my mind.
Thank God this story has a happy ending and I can tell it and laugh!!! Definitely was a smack in the face and a wake up call!
MORAL OF THE STORY N-E-V-E-R OPEN THE DOOR TO SOMEONE YOU DON'T KNOW!!!!!