Lunar Halo

Simha and I were out for a walk tonight when we looked up and noticed this unusual phenomenon that we observe every few years, always in winter. After our walk I returned with a digital camera to take this picture. (I had to adjust the balance in Photoshop for the ring to appear in the photo, but I did not retouch the photo in any way.)



The "ring around the moon" effect (or "lunar halo") is caused by the refraction of moonlight by ice crystals in the upper atmosphere. The regular hexagonal shape of the crystals results in a focusing of the light into a ring. The angular size of a ring is generally either 22 or (more rarely) 46 degrees - ours tonight being the latter. (Very occasionally there may be two rings, one within the other.) In our experience the effect always happens at near full-moon (tonight is 14th Shevat).

To the naked eye the moon actually looked smaller than it appears in this photo, and the halo was brighter. As the moon was almost directly overhead, the effect was of a huge, cathedral-like dome in the sky, with the round moon being a Pantheon-like opening to a bright sky (or heaven) beyond. Note that the inner edge of the ring is distinct, while the outer edge is blurred, which contributes to the dome illusion. Magnificent.

I have written a little more about this effect on Uncle Jonathan's Blog.

Bowling on Hannukah

Although our tech. writing company is a virtual one, and most of us meet each other only occasionally if ever, Miriam our manager arranged a "company" bowling outing during Hannukah. Here's our gang at the bash.

Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Bean

Tim and Bola sent us a jumbo bag of Gimbal's Gourmet jelly beans from America with an incredible 41 flavours and a key on the back! Unlike Bertie Bott's beans (from Harry Potter), there were no earwax or vomit flavours (though we did discover what seemed to be a Listerine flavour, which was almost as bad).

Seriously, they were great - and a nice (typically American) touch was the "recipe" section with suggestions such as:
Banana Split: 1 French Vanilla, 2 Banana, 1 Cherry, 1 Chocolate
Mocha Latte: 1 French Vanilla, 2 Java, 1 Wow Chocolate

Here are some of our young adults poring over their options (though don't think the older adults didn't pore too)!

Tea in Herzliya

We had tea with Simha's cousins Sophie and Rose in Herzliya during their short visit to Israel.

Our first home-made sushi

We celebrated the 4th day of Succot with our first attempt at making sushi. We bought the ingredients for making sushi in Jerusalem in the Summer - including kosher nori (seaweed) guaranteed to be seahorse-free - and used smoked salmon (no raw fish thanks). It was great fun and we were quite proud of the results.






The yellow rectangles are thin omlette (but admittedly not paper-thin as a professional sushi chef would make).

Big Apple Pizza

With Shlomo and Masha and kids, on Motsai Shabbat. (Well actually this is just the girls isn't it?)

Wohl Rose Garden and Mamilla Mall

We got together with Simha's brother David and Clara, and family in the Wohl Rose Garden.

A few days later I happened to learn that the famous philanthropist Maurice Wohl, who we knew of vaguely as the brother of a neighbour in Golders Green, actually went to the same school as I.

Later that evening we had dinner in the fantastic new Mamilla Mall, overlooking the old city.

Walking the Ramparts of Jerusalem's Old City

We walked around the ramparts of the Old City with Michael and Devora and their kids, taking in the view and the history.



These caps are the latest thing in Meah Shearim. As Tzipporah would soon be going to Gateshead Sem., we got Uncle Michael the one that reads "I can't afford a Borsalino because I sent my daughter to seminary".

English Cake (my foot)

We found the "English Cake" cafe irresistable, and returned again and again - like moths to a flame - even after we knew beyond any doubt that they could provide nothing remotely English, not even a cup of tea.

Here we are are towards the end of a light brunch with Grandpa and Granny, Michael and Devora and their kids. We found their French (sic) broccoli quiche excellent.





And here were are later in the day, at the Botanical Gardens, moments before the wheelchair got two flat tyres due to the rough terrain.

Summer in Jerusalem

During the summer holidays, we rented a small (tiny actually) apartment in the picturesque Bet Hakerem neighborhood of Jerusalem.

Shaw's visit Netivot

Our cousins Moishe and Sarah Shaw were here from England with Yonina and Mendy, and their eldest, Shmaya - an IDF volunteer - joined us for Shabbat.

Hezki's 21st Birthday

Hezki was 21 on Pesach. Here's Grandpa wishing him "Happy Birthday" as only he can.