The Zohar Family
 

Israel - Ladino Festival February 17-21,2025

This, like all of mom’s ideas was an excellent one. Our trip did not start on a good note while with our visit of Bath Sheva who it looks like at the end of her life; the emotional Hostages Square demonstration and the fact that I did not get to meet my brother though I sure did have the time. Also our visit of Mazal was depressive. Victor has advanced Parkinson and Mazal debilitating Osteoporosis. The visit to the tombs of our respective parents and Omama was actually quite, respectful and connecting. By contrast to all that depressing, few words can describe our appreciation for Tali and Sharon’s hospitality. You need to be or married to a Bulgarian to understand how natural it is as part of their DNA. Before we left Rehovot, mom had a chance to make amends with her best Israeli friend Dvora, a burden that weighed on her for a long time.

The Ladino Conference was a smash hit. It was as close to an overdose of nostalgia. It was not a conference. There were no lectures or speeches. It was a music festival. With excellent musical performances by know Israeli singers, narrators and bands. They covered not only Ladino music, songs and folklore, but also Greek, Turkish, Bulgarian and of course Israeli music and song that we remembered from our early days in Israel. We filled the tank with memories of early and better days. A dose of renewed patriotism and a rekindling, especially for mom of her heritage and traditions. Today as we leave is a day of mourning in Israel. The bodies of the Bibas family: mother Shiri and her two red headed beautiful boys Kfir who was the youngest kidnapped at only 9 months and his brother Ariel only 4 who were murdered by the Hamas animals and an 84 years old all members of Kibbutz Nachal Oz. By contrast, this coming Saturday 6 live hostages will be returned to answer the prayers of their family. All together the Israeli national is in pain, trauma, divided, politically inept. Cheering Trump the messiah, as the saviour of the nation. How low can you go?