Neighborliness

Several days ago, our next-door neighbor stopped by the other evening with a plate of brownies to welcome us to the neighborhood.

The hospitable shopkeeper

In Ramallah yesterday, we were resting for a bit when the owner of a café across the street offered us water. At first we demurred, thinking he was selling it to us, but he insisted we take it. “You are not in the West – here when someone offers you a gift you take it!”

The Haredi Superman

Hannah was playing on the monkey bars at a nearby park when a c. 50 year-old Haredi man with a big white beard came along. He smiled at us, took off his long black coat and black hat, and limbered up. He then proceeded to do way more pull-ups than I would expect to crank out. He said, “There!” Have a good day!” put on his hat and coat, and walked off.