We've Got Mail 177

Splashing out was costly, but its been worthwhile on water quality

I found your article by Nachum Jacobs in ESRAmagazine 176 interesting although my own experience with reverse osmosis is very different from what he describes.

While indeed the initial investment, about 15 years ago was expensive, the cost for annual upkeep and maintenance, including membrane and filter changes, has been steady and well worth the rewards in terms of water and system quality. Similarly, I have never found the system problematic as Jacobs claims, nor that tons of water go to waste. On the contrary, I recycle any water drained from the system during annual maintenance, so none is ever lost.

Perhaps Mr. Jacobs just prefers ceramic filtration, while I would wholeheartedly recommend the reverse osmosis system.

Cynthia Barmor

Modiin

A glorious weekend in Jerusalem for the people of Sderot, away from the rockets and the danger

I would like to thank ESRA for sponsoring a weekend for a group of10 families. It gave us the opportunity to leave Sderot and enjoy a wonderful, quiet holiday. About 5 years ago some 10 women felt the need for help in coping with the continuous rocket fire and danger especially as we all have young children. We received counseling as a group but then the renewal of hostilities began. Your organization's offer of a weekend with children and husbands some of whom had been on reserve duty gave us something to look forward to and enabled us at the last minute when firing started again to find a hotel and spend the weekend of August 19 in Jerusalem. On that Friday a house was hit two doors away from one of our participant's home and her children were saved. In the sounds and the sight of Jerusalem we were able to relax, laugh together, and watch the children play outside without fears of falling rockets. So our thanks to all who contributed to our enjoyment of a few days of pleasure and quiet. In the name of the group:

Tzofit Peretz (mother of four young children)

My mother often spoke of her Irish heritage - my mother, my grandmother and her children were all redheads or blondes with blue/green eyes. They were short and round with bubbly personalities. There was one exception - my mother's grandmother, Grandma Hicks - she was tall and thin, had dark hair and eyes with a very serious outlook on life, though kind. My mother would laugh as she spoke of her peculiarities - Grandma Hicks would only allow people to call her "black Irish" not just Irish, and would insist she was different than the rest. She taught her grandchildren to love and support the Jewish people. My mother spoke often of her to me because she always said I reminded her of Grandma Hicks - Irish complexion with dark eyes and a hooked nose and serious since a small child. My daughter has the same features. She was stopped on the street once by a complete stranger and was told "You're black Irish you know!" She looks as Jewish as I do.

Donna

Dallas, Texas 

Reflections on Sabras, and not peelings

I wish to refer to the section you devoted to Operation Protective Edge in ESRAmagazine # 176. I was extremely hurt by the way in which my article was used and for the change of headline. I submitted the article with a carefully chosen title: "Reflections on the Sabra". This was changed to "Peeling the Sabra", which brings the tone of the article to the level of a cookery lesson. My feeling was strengthened by instructions of how to prepare the prickly pear being put on the same page. My article was written from the heart – with reflections and thoughts and understanding of the life I have seen and experienced for 56 years in Israel. It was mainly a tribute to the bravery of our soldiers – the majority of them so young and so affected by the life they have tasted that they have had to form that prickly skin of protection and to sacrifice their inner sweetness in so many tragic ways. My words of love and respect were degraded.

Barbara Abraham

Karkur

Editor's note: No hurt was intended, but we are sorry if any was caused to Barbara, who has been writing excellent and interesting articles for the magazine for many years, and was a valued member of our editorial board. 

 I salute you for getting an issue out in such trying times

I don't know how you were able to put the magazine together this month (August). My admiration to you and all the workers for publishing the magazine in such trying times.

Eli Libenson

Givat Shmuel

I live in London Ontario Canada and I just received some back issues of the ESRAmagazine from a dear friend in Netanya. I was so impressed with the quality of your publication I felt compelled to write and compliment you on such a fine magazine. It is comprehensive, innovative, entertaining and informative and I congratulate you for the service you provide to the English-speaking residents of Israel; if I lived in Israel you can be certain that first thing I did would be to subscribe to this magazine.
I have visited Israel three times and I will do so again this December at which time I hope catch up on even more back issues of ESRA. Keep up the good work.
Don Reid

London, Ontario, Canada

Thank you for your article by Sam Zebba about Anna Wildikann (ESRAmagazine # 152 January 2010), an immensely interesting person whom my husband and I met in July 1956 aboard the S.S. Independence going to Europe. We saw her again in Israel later that summer, and spent many fascinating hours listening to her life story and experiences. She also generously took us on a walking tour of Jerusalem, pointing out many of the sites she had seen and photographed over the years. As we left, she gave us a copy of the Pelican book she had photographed for Schweitzer. Since then, we have often thought of her and wondered what had happened to her. Regrettably for us, the pressure of professional and family obligations occupied most of our time and attention, and precluded our returning to Jerusalem for many years. We wish you well with your continuing work.

Ruth P. Zager, MD
Haverford, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia

Romance? Only on the shelves!

ON PAGE 95 in ESRAmagazine #176, there is an advert for the ESRA Bookshops. I do not know who designed the advert, but it's hard to imagine anyone finding 'romance' in the Raanana ESRA Bookshop! (If only it were so, but we are not a dating agency!). Yes, we do sell romantic fiction, historical fiction, thrillers, etc., but not "comedies." We do however, have a good selection of amusing, funny, comical and humorous books (even children's comics), but NOT "comedies" unless you're looking for The Bard's "A Comedy of Errors" – of which we have a number of copies!

Cynthia Shapiro Volunteer Coordinator, ESRA

Sharon cancer support group launch

A new cancer support group for English-speaking women in the Sharon region has been formed. It will meet every month in Raanana. The group is an opportunity to share concerns, exchange advice and generally connect with others who have similar issues. ■Call Jackie: 054 460 2324 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Jackie Malka, Hod HaSharon