Misc2025

EVENTS & PICTURES 2026

February 2026 - Sushi lunch

We were delighted that son Aviv Levy and our granddaughter Amit could spend the weekend with us. Amit helped Doreen in the kitchen, while Aviv busied himself cleaning and fixing the many things that needed doing around the apartment and in the garden. To round off the weekend we enjoyed a delicious sushi lunch.
sushi

Hair!

Moran found an opportunity to catch Aviv and me at an embarrassing moment - not with our pants down but with our hair up.

February 2026 - Gershwin concert
What a great evening. Two Met opera singers, soprano Latunia Moore and baritone Brian Major joined the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra and the Tel Aviv Collegian Choir in entertaining us with the songs from Porgy and Bess. The singers' obvious joy in performing the wonderful songs affected even the choir and orchestra who swayed and visibly reacted to the music.
Porgy

February 2026 - Dinner at Paris-Texas

When we bought our apartment in Kiryat HaSharon, about 15 years ago there were very few facilities in the area and only one restaurant, Chinese, which closed soon after our arrival. Today we have within easy walking distance three malls, restaurants (Asian, Italian, Meat), Shawarma, Israeli, fast food, ice-cream parlours, cafes and bakeries, and numerous shops selling everything from fresh fish, to toys to office equipment. And also four supermarkets, medical clinics, pet shops, hairdressers etc. etc.
Parisw-Texas

We tried out the newly opening Paris-Texas steakhouse.
Although the steaks were tasty and the service good we felt
were a little disappointed with the the ambiance.
.

February 2026 - Doreen needs an iron transfusion.

Doreen had not been feeling well, and the doctor prescribed an iron transfusion for anemia, which she had at the local Laniado Hospital. The transfusion took about 3 hours but at least she was compensated (?) by being served breakfast.

February 2026 - Ilay cooks us a meal.
We were happy that granddaughter Ilay Levy could spend a few days with us. We enjoyed the Chinese Stir Fry she prepared with Doreen.
Ilay stirfry

February 2026 - A family dinner

As it turned out, a least one child of each of our children was with us this week. We enjoyed dinner at the home of the Rons (Vered, Aviv, Lior) with the Eilatis (Aviv and Itamar) and the Segolis (Maayan).
dinner vered

A few days later we again enjoyed the Ron's hospitality with granddaughters Dani and Lior Ron and Ilay Levy.

January 2026 - the Eilatis

Now that the Eilat Levy children are spread out over Israel, dinner with all present is not so common. Here all, with some friends, are enjoying dinner together.
Eilatis

January 2026 - Dinner with Lotem

Children get older and move out of home. Six if our 8 grandchildren are no longer staying with their parents even though for all of them "home" is still with their parents. We are lucky as some of them are now closer to us and we can see them more often. We enjoyed an excellent meal with granddaughter Lotem at the Najma Restaurant in Haifa.
.
Lotem

January 2026 - A visit to Sydney Lossin
Sydney

We spent a lovely morning with 97 year old second cousin Sydney Lossin at her home in Asseret where we shared reflections on life, old age and of course papayas. (see Matz family tree)

January 2026 - A visit with Ziona Glassman
We have been close friends with 97 year old Ziona Glassman for over 50 years. We enjoyed a visit to her and reminisced about the good time we shared with her and her late husband Dovvie Glassman.
Ziona

January 2026 - Raphael and Dina are married
Congratulation to Raphael Klotnick and Dina Gross on their marriage. Mazal Tov to happy parents Ian and Talya Klotnick and grandparents Joel (my second cousin) and Beryl Klotnick.
(See Matz family tree.)

Klotnick-Raphael

January 2026
Mother Yahel and Aunt Denise Braverman celebrated Raphael Dvir's seventeenth birthday. Doreen is Raphael's great aunt. (See Glasser family tree).

January 2026 - A visit to the Faneromeni Crypt.

The Ancient Tomb is about 2 kms from our apartment in Larnaca. Originally it was tomb hewn in the rock and built in 1200BC. Later it was transformed into a crypt and then a place of worship for the early Christians .The Agia Faneroment church is situated next to it.

January 2026 - Three girls meet again
Our granddaughter Lior Ron and her 2nd cousins Yarden Levy and Amit Nickel were inseparable when they were young, but have not met for many years. They were delighted (and so were we) when they met again.

Yarden, Amit and Lior

December 2025- Frankie is 80

Frankie Klaff (our good friend and 'cousin-in-law') celebrated her 80th birthday with husband Dave, children Tamir and Alex and grandson Kyle. Sorry for the late picture, Frankie. (See Goldberg tree)..
frankie80

January 2026 - Dimona Hebrews

The Vert Hotel where we stayed for the bridge festival had a performance by two of the Arad Black Hebrews who sang and performed classic songs from way back, some from 60 years ago! They were excellent and we enjoyed the performance and of course the nostalgia.
hebrews

January 2026 - Gabi the Wrestler
gabi

Thanks to parents Melodie and Mark Nathan, daughter of Doreen's
cousin Lucille Melamed (see Nickel tree) in Florida for sending us these
pictures of their daughter Gabi who has just graduated from High
School. Gabi is an All America wrestler at the national level, and as
can be seen has won numerous awards.

White strawberries
We went for lunch to a fish tavern in Zygi, a seaside village about 45 minutes away along the sea road. It's a beautiful drive passing through lovely green agricultural areas. We stopped at a small farm shop where we bought WHITE strawberries. It's the first time we have seen white strawberries and they were delicious!

January 2026 - Morris Kahn

Morris Kahn 1930 - 2026

Our dear friend Morris Kahn has passed away at the age of 96. Morris was my boss for many years and we became good friends. We spent many happy times with him at his home and travelling with him to China, the Galapagos, Seychelles and sailing with him to many destinations. Despite his wealth he was modest and approachable and exceptionally generous and well known for his philanthropy. We extend our heartfelt condolences to his sons David and Benjamin, his grandchildren and his family. See Wikipedia and Doreen's Column for her her personal tribute.

Some of the places we visited with Morris in his yacht:
Corsica
Sicily and Aeolian Islands
Sorrento, Elba and Villefranche
Croatia

December 2025 - A visit to Deryneia and Paralimni
We took a short trip to Deryneia and Paralimni in the Famagusta region north of Agia Napa. We had hoped to see the Deryneia Christmas village but it is only open in the weekends and holidays.
The Cyprus city Famagusta was the main port in Cyprus and a very popular tourist destination. In August 1974 the Turkish forces in Northern Cyprus attacked the town and occupied it. A UN resolution prohibited the the settlement of the town by anyone who was not a legal owner. Northern Cyprus did not allow any Greek Cypriots to enter the town so the UN determined that Famagusta would be occupied by a Peace Keeping Force and Famagusta became and remains to this day a No Mans Land. The former bustling city is now referred to as a Ghost Town.
We visited the town of Deryneia which is now the capital of the Famagusta region and went to a museum and view point situated on the border between Greek Cyprus and Famagusta city, overlooking the deserted hotels.

Lake Paralimni is a fresh water lake that is dry in summer.
The lake is not a salt water lake but it is brackish and is also
visited by the migrating flamingos.

We had read that this year the number of Flamingos at
Paralimni lake had greatly increased and were not disappointed
by the large number of flamingos there.

December 2025 - Louise

Louise

Doreen's sister Louise Braverman sends
New Year greetings to all family and friends.