MUHLBAUMS IN ISRAEL

My dear, dear readers.

I have to apologize. The semester has been flying by without a moment to breathe. I have absolutely been neglecting my blog. Don't blame me--talk to the 2nd century rabbis. They basically occupy all of my time these days.

Okay so while I would love to update all of you about school, that will wait for the next post. Because we have business to attend to.

In December, I received the best Chanukah gift of all time.

The Muhlbaums came to Israel to visit me.

Not just my Muhlbaums, but the New York Muhlbaums as well! 9 of us together in Israel. What an amazing blessing!

We did a million and a half fun things. Mostly what we actually did was walk around and eat basically everything in this country.

I'm going to write a list of highlights, but what you really want are the photos. Collectively we took over 7 gb of photographs. Here are some highlights:

• The Muhlbaums [OH] arrive. They stayed in the King Solomon Hotel (approximately a 12 second walk from my apartment) which was super convenient. I met them in the lobby and got to hug all of them for the first time since June. Mark this day as a win. After a yummy dinner we gathered together and lit the 6th candle of Chanukah together. Yay!
• The next day we went to Yemin Moshe for some beautiful views of the Old City. We went to Machane Yehudah (the shuk) for some foodie fun and sufganiyot, and then my dad's cousin Eli came down from Haifa to reconnect with my family--he hadn't seen my dad in 40 years!
• Next day brought the Israel Museum and more fun in the Old City (the 5 Muhlbaum men together at the Western Wall was particularly awesome)
• We went to the Haas Promenade (aka the tayelet) for some awesome sight-seeing
• The 9 of us prepped for a Jerusalem Shabbat. Cooking together with the family was so incredible, and we just generally had an awesome shabbat.
• The next day, we went up north to Haifa for more family time and New Years! We saw Rosh HaNikra and even went through the prison in Akko where some of my favorite Muhlbaum legends were born.
• With so little time left, we had to fill up the days! We went for Uncle Joel's favorite hummus at Abu Shukri, and then wandered into the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
• Sadly, it was almost time for the Muhlbaums to leave. But not before going to the Time Elevator.

I feel so unbelievably lucky to have a family who is so supportive of me stateside, but it was really just an incredible experience to have them here with me and to get to play tourguide for all of my favorite people. I'm a lucky lady!

Muhlbaums in Israel! - make slideshow