An English Speaking High School in Jerusalem!

"Rabbi Samson said that his Jerusalem high school, YTA, was perfect for families making aliyah from English-speaking countries with high school age children." Read more here.

Rabbi David Samson: Why NOT Aliyah?

Rabbi Samson's Yeshiva On Wheels

This article appeared on INN over a year ago:

A new Israeli yeshiva high school embraces young men who have dropped out of the conventional educational system – and brings them on the ride of their lives.

The school, called Yeshivat Lech Lecha (meaning ‘You shall go out’ –G-d’s words to Abraham telling him to sojourn from his birthplace to the Land of Israel) is based in Jerusalem’s Lifta valley - but is also on wheels. Twice a week students and teachers board Land Rover jeeps and embark to a different part of Israel for a study expedition.

Read the rest. The article has a lot of pics. I also found a video about the Yeshiva:

Women's Hats

I was in the Geula neighborhood today when I snapped this one:



Why do married Jewish women cover their hair? See this article by Rabbi David Samson.

Mystery Tree Number 3

Okay, I know that this one is not easy. Click on the pic for an enlargement:



Update: That Zman Biur guy sure knows his stuff! Yes, it is a caper bush. In Hebrew it is called Tzalaf or Nitzpah (see Demai 1:1).

The caper bush is mentioned several times in Talmudic literature. For instance there is a discussion of what blessing to recite before eating different parts of the tree (Berachot 36). Our sages say that the caper bush is the boldest tree (Beitzah 25B). Rashi comments there that he doesn't know what is bold about the Tzalaf. Tosefot says that its boldness is in that three different parts of the tree can be eaten and that it provides new fruit every day. In Rabbi Rafael Halperin's Encyclopedia LeBeit Yisrael it is written that the caper bush's boldness is in that it is hard to destroy: If you burn it or chop it down it will quickly regenerate. I remember Rabbi David Samson telling me many years ago that the Tzalaf is bold in that it can take root in nooks and cranies, something that most trees cannot do.

In the Jerusalem Talmud (Shabbat ch. 15 halacha 3) there is a story where our caper bush plays a major role:

Once a pious man took a walk on the Sabbath in his vineyard and he saw a breach (in the fence that surrounded the vineyard). He thought to himself how he was going to repair it when after Sabbath. (Then) he said, "Since I thought to repair the fence (during the Sabbath, when he was usually careful not to think about mundane matters), I will never repair it."(This he did to atone for thinking about this on the Sabbath). What did the Holy One Blessed Be He do? He caused a caper bush to grow there and it filled the breach. From this caper bush he ate and it provided him with sustenance all his life.

Here is another caper bush in bloom in the Jerusalem neighborhood of Givat Shaul:

What Do You Do With Yeshiva High School Drop Outs?

Click.