I am so sorry I've neglected you! Okay so let me tell you about the bowl as promised. I made it here on kibbutz in Colin's ceramics studio. The studio was one of the first things we ulpanists discovered when we arrived almost four months ago, and it exists in exactly the way all of you want to imagine it does. There are a few cushy, worn-in chairs right outside the doorway and rickety tables to match. Bowls and pots and funky little figures made by the littler students line the walls and there's a big table covered with works in progress that takes up almost all of the central space. There's clay dust everywhere. In one back corner are the all important wheels and in the other are the even more important fridge, koomkoom (electric kettle) and coffee.

Colin is the fascinating creature that reigns over this quaint little kingdom, but he makes very little effort to govern it; everyone is welcome, the door is always unlocked and if you can't find him in the studio you can go knock on his door at home, which is about three and half minutes away.

But, after finishing his kibbutz duties as the official lawn mower of this establishment, he's very reliably in the studio every afternoon either giving a lesson or shooting the shit with John, Itamar and Andrew. Colin is almost 66.6 year old, and if you ask he'll make sure to add the .6 so he can weeze and cackle about his age being the devils number. He trimmed his wispy white hairs and substantial beard for the first time since I met him last week for a bar mitzvah, and even put on a cleaner button down and trousers. He wore the same faded, blue shorts, rolled up just once at the cuff, until it was officially winter here and he switched to a longer version of the latter.

There are two things that catch and hold your attention from the first: his distinct and immediately obvious Manchester accent and his burned, toasted, sunned, brown, leathery, elastin deficient skin. His gestures are vigorous and, when he hears you, his reactions are quick, but he moves from one place to another with care and laughter turns, more often than not, into fits of coughing. I’ve discovered a new awareness of the world, many peoples worlds, defined by ‘pre- post- or mid- cigarette’.

** I started this piece about a week ago, but hesitated to post it because Colin had a stroke before I got the chance. It was a blow. He’s currently in the hospital in Netanya, he is recovering, regaining the use of his right side and speech. We’re hoping he’ll be back home soon. **

More to come, sooner rather than later.

CHAPPY CHANNUKAH!

MERRY CHRISTMAS

SHOUT OUT TO MY TWINSIES ON THEIR B-DAY!
Love your curly haired jew friend