Leaving and arriving

We left New York late Sunday afternoon. We did what would normally be an easy trip taking the subway to Penn Station and then taking the train to Newark Airport. Sunday was, however, Comic-Con. The trains were crazy crowded with people carrying giant plastic swords, and wearing
capes, wigs fake ears and painted faces.

Eventually, we did get to the airport and  boarded our  flight. 

We landed in Rome and headed to our hotel in Ostia. We chose the hotel because it was close to the airport. We didn't realize that it included a kitchen so after we checked in we walked to a supermarket to buy dinner.

The vegetables were spectacular. We bought some tomatoes, zucchini, red pepper and a tender carrot. We also bought some fresh ricotta cheese and a tiny wedge of delicious provolone cheese. I chopped the tomatoes and cooked them down in a large frying pan. Then I added the rest of the chopped vegetables .once they were cooked  I topped the vegetables with the cheeses. It was a satisfying meal .

We woke up early the next morning for our flight to Israel. 

When we landed we were met by Ronna. I can't remember the last time we had seen one another. It may have been in the early 1980's.

Ronna grew up in my father's congregation. Her little brother was about my age. Both Ronna and her parents made aliya quite a while ago. There is a long and fond connection between Ronna's family and mine. 

I was overwhelmed and touched when Ronna offered to put us up. My husband and I assumed we would take the train to Jerusalem. Ronna insisted on picking us up at the airport. 

When I was a little girl people took care of me. Once I became an adult more of the time I take care of others. While my mother was still able, well into my adulthood my mother would fuss about me and take care of me. My mother has been dead for three years. During the years before my mother died 

she was diminished.

It has been a long time since I have been fussed over as Ronna fussed over us.

Our  visit was all about old connections and memory and for a moment  recreating a world that no longer exists.

I feel like I got  a booster shot of love.

We met dear friends for lunch at a felafel place they insisted was terrible, but in fact wasn't bad at all.

After lunch our dear friend Hedva needed to deliver meds to the child of a mutual friend. If you didn't already know that Hedva was someone you would want as your friend, you would when I told you that the recipient of the package of meds lived over an hour away. Our next stop was sort of along the way, so Hedva drove us. We had hoped to chat on the trip but we both were overwhelmed by jet lag and kept dropping off. 

Our next stop was to visit my friend Racheley. We had met when she lived in Boston for four years while her father went to grad school. 

The school I went to was in many ways not a particularly good fit for me. I didn't have many friends and certainly didn't have many close friendships. While Racheley was in school with me we both knew we had each found a kindred spirit .

At the end of seventh grade, Racheley went back to Israel with her family. We may have written a letter or two, or perhaps not. We got back in touch a few summers ago via Facebook. 

Yesterday Racheley and I met again. It was extraordinary. I have been trying and failing to post the beautiful photo my husband took of the two of us. ( Now that I am home I was able to post it. Here we both are, delighted to be together---in the supermarket)

You will have to believe me when I tell you that we both looked incredibly happy.  There will be many more conversations between the two of us.

This trip for both me and my husband has been about past and present.