ושבו בנים לגבולם

For a while I have been mentally composing my farewell blog world post, then a week like this comes along and I have many and "only in Israel" moment or something blog worthy to share. Not having a working computer at home right now makes it more difficult to share my news with the world, but I'll try summarise while I boil eggs in the background.

Sunday was a day of bureaucratic monsters, sorting things out with the university and my ishur [permission] for study from the army was not so straight forward. By Sunday I will know what my plans are for the coming year, or at least I hope. How many times have I said that? One great thing did come out of Sunday, I met a reader. It was lovely to meet S, who studies at Hebrew U ulpan with my mate Josh2, and she gave me some very positive feedback about my blogging and may even have given me the wind I needed to carry on posting. Aliya is difficult, and I wish you Mazal Tov on getting here and the best of luck with it all, call if you need anything.

The work week was long. The product I am working on goes to beta on Monday and there is a lot to do. Not getting into the office at all on Sunday did not help either, but I caught up with a week of long hours. Never before have I seen Lod before 8am! I enjoy my job, I really do, it's another one of those small blessings that could easily go un-noticed if I didn't look around.

As Thursday came around, I was falling asleep at my desk, the twelve hour shift I pulled on Wednesday was followed by a commute, four hour sleep, commute and return to work, but as the weekend rolled in on Thursday afternoon, I headed to Tel Aviv for the Hafgana for our missing boys.

It is close to seventy days since the first kidnapping and the world is doing nothing to aid the return of the soldiers. It reminds me of the UN video tape of the last kidnapping that wasn't released until faces were disguised beyond recognition. Standing in Kikar Rabin at a peaceful demonstration gave me time to think about the land I live in. A country where tens of thousands will give up their evening for three young men. A country that cries the same tears bleeds from the same vein. ושבו בנים לגבולם. I have uploaded a handful of pictures from the demonstration and you can check them out at www.BritishYosef.com

A tiring week has been punctuated by all sorts of good news, so Mazal Tov to David Orenstien, Sharon Widdowfield, Natalie Taylor and Devorah Leah Efune, their "s.o.'s" (and families) who all got engaged recently. In addition, the long wait is over and it is a pleasure to wish dotcodotil and his wife a hearty mazal tov on the birth of their first born daughter, Yakira.

May this good news soon be followed by the return of *all* our soldiers that are held in captitvity, and may you have a Shabbat Shalom.