Shalom Uvracha Meha’aretz! Things are good over here and thankfully there haven’t been any major incidents. Just a few things worthy of bullet points:

• Security going to Israel went by much quicker than I thought it would. Perhaps this is an Iberia Airlines thing. We’ll see about going back.
• The airport in Madrid is stunning with its mountain views, but is far too large and inefficiently built.
• I sat across the isle from someone I dated and had absolutely no recollection of her. None. Complete black out. Normally I can remember at least one quirk or minimally a name or I could remember actively repressing a memory. Totally blanked on this one. I’m either getting too old or I’ve dated too many people. Possibly both. Thankfully I blamed lack of sleep
• Walk The Line was a decent but thoroughly overrated movie (as was Reese Witherspoon’s performance)
• Despite the changing planes in Madrid, Iberia did not lose the luggage. Yes, this deserves a bullet point
• I need to start a new series here called You Make the Pesak for all those times where you need to make a halakhic decision on the spur of the moment. More on the impetusfor this when I get back.
• Ben Gurion’s new airport is nice and all, but frankly I do miss holding on for dear life as bus traverses the tarmac. It was part of the charm
• Israeli Moment 1: Despite the new and improveness of Ben Gurion, the luggage conveyer belt broke. Rather, the belt which goes around in that big oval broke. The belt which drops the luggage on the larger one was working fine, as evidenced by the major backup and avalanche of luggage onto hapless passangers. Of course the best way to solve this problem was not to fix the larger belt or even to switch to a different one, but to mill about and send more bags on top of each other. Gotta love Israel.
• Amazingly, the Orange Big Talk phone I bought when I was in Gruss, *still* works (though they added a random 4 to the number), had 75 shekel left on it from the last time my parents were there, and the phone book was still intact including several people I dated when I was in Gruss (most of them married – one just got engaged last week). On the down side, it now has a battery life of roughly 7 minutes.
• I really miss talking to Haham Faur.
• Raising kids is easy – just give them food and make sure they don’t kill themselves. It’s raising *good* kids that’s difficult, but a whole lot more worthwhile.

I’m planning on being in Alon Shevut for Shabbat and yes I’ll send generic regards to random strangers. In the meantime, Hag Kasher V’Sameach again, and enjoy your sedarim!
Heh. Sedarim.