A test, three concerts and a funeral
Since coming home we have been exceptionally busy. A few days after returning I went to Assuta Hospital in Tel Aviv to have a heart stress test with radioactive thallium. This is a standard test after suffering chest pain, but so far thankfully all previous tests were negative. This is a very modern hospital, fully computerized. The test lasts about 5 hours, so I had to hang around most of the day. What I discovered outside the hospital is a man-made brook, a small stream with waterfalls, stocked with hundreds of beautiful koi (Japanese multi-colored carp). Also there was typical Asian foliage, and nearby both Chinese and Japanese restaurants, very pleasant in the concrete jungle just adjacent to the major Ayalon Freeway.
A few days after returning there was also a free concert put on by Moshe and Judith Shamir, the organizers of the "This Land is mine" charity, that helps poor immigrants to achieve their goals. Two of the acts were notable, a beautiful young woman with a powerful soprano voice who sings for the Israel Opera, and who was helped in her initial stages by the Fund. Also, two young boys aged 17, who are both virtuosos, one on piano and the other on the cello, who played superbly, both of whom now work with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. Of course, not all recipients of scholarships achieve such levels, but hundreds of young people have been helped in this way.
Then we had a special evening concert organized by Shearim, that puts on the weekly Monday noon concerts. This concert was a "Comic Opera and Operetta Festival" and featured the four usual singers we have seen before and it was organized by Nadia Friedkovsky, a brilliant pianist. It was an enjoyable evening and was very crowded (I estimated over 300 people in the Beit Israel Hall). My favorite singer Julia Masti participated, she has to be seen to be believed, she is gorgeous as well as having a great voice and personality. There were also balalaika, domra and piano solos.
On Friday we drove down to Gan Yavne near Ashdod for the memorial service for Leslie Mound, husband of Gloria Mound, the Director of Casa Shalom, the Center for Marrano-Anusim studies. He died suddnely last month while we were away. Luckily the weather was excellent, and it was so hot, about 80 deg F.
Then, yesterday, Monday, we had the usual Monday noon concert, but this time with Adrian Justus, the exceptional violinist, just back from a tour in Japan, who always comes to back to Shearim because he regards it as his home base. He was originally from Mexico before making aliyah with his wife and 5 children. He plays divinely, this time on a Guaneri violin.
We are too busy, not only with the above, but catching up with many chores. We need to go on another vacation!
A few days after returning there was also a free concert put on by Moshe and Judith Shamir, the organizers of the "This Land is mine" charity, that helps poor immigrants to achieve their goals. Two of the acts were notable, a beautiful young woman with a powerful soprano voice who sings for the Israel Opera, and who was helped in her initial stages by the Fund. Also, two young boys aged 17, who are both virtuosos, one on piano and the other on the cello, who played superbly, both of whom now work with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. Of course, not all recipients of scholarships achieve such levels, but hundreds of young people have been helped in this way.
Then we had a special evening concert organized by Shearim, that puts on the weekly Monday noon concerts. This concert was a "Comic Opera and Operetta Festival" and featured the four usual singers we have seen before and it was organized by Nadia Friedkovsky, a brilliant pianist. It was an enjoyable evening and was very crowded (I estimated over 300 people in the Beit Israel Hall). My favorite singer Julia Masti participated, she has to be seen to be believed, she is gorgeous as well as having a great voice and personality. There were also balalaika, domra and piano solos.
On Friday we drove down to Gan Yavne near Ashdod for the memorial service for Leslie Mound, husband of Gloria Mound, the Director of Casa Shalom, the Center for Marrano-Anusim studies. He died suddnely last month while we were away. Luckily the weather was excellent, and it was so hot, about 80 deg F.
Then, yesterday, Monday, we had the usual Monday noon concert, but this time with Adrian Justus, the exceptional violinist, just back from a tour in Japan, who always comes to back to Shearim because he regards it as his home base. He was originally from Mexico before making aliyah with his wife and 5 children. He plays divinely, this time on a Guaneri violin.
We are too busy, not only with the above, but catching up with many chores. We need to go on another vacation!
posted by Jack Cohen at 7:29 AM
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