Learning Arabic is confoundingly difficult. I have learned languages in my life – Spanish, French and Hebrew – but Arabic is something completely different. I have never invested so much time and effort, with such meager results, as in my study of Arabic. The rules of grammar, the vocabulary, the accent – each of them … Read More »
kfar manda
Pining for Fakus
Summertime – and fakus are in season. Fakus are like a downy, zucchini-skinned cucumber but tangier, crunchier and more refreshing than your average cuke. They are eaten raw, without peeling – their fuzz is as inoffensive as that of a peach. I first encountered fakus in the “baal” vegetable field of friends – who grow … Read More »
Pure Gold
One Friday morning a few weeks ago, I arrived at Kfar Manda for my weekly Arabic lesson, and as I climbed the stairs to my teacher, Malek’s apartment, on the porch/roof I noticed piles of wheat laid out on a canvas drying in the sun (where was my camera when I needed it?). Um Malek … Read More »
Olive Harvest Fund-Raiser
The olive harvest in the Galilee usually starts after the first serious rain, which rinses off the dust and plumps up the fruit. In the one year on, one year off cycle of olive trees, this is an off year, and the price of oil – more than $150 for a 16-liter container – reflects … Read More »
Sesame Revealed
From a recent discussion with a friend, I realized that there is a general lack of awareness about how sesame grows. And since I recently became enlightened on the subject, it seems proper to share my insight with the curious. While sesame is a crop that was traditionally grown in the Galilee, these days most … Read More »