Jacky Levy et al. et al.

Noticing a last-minute poster, we went to Beit Avi Chai to see Jacky Levy and company (Kalabat Shabbat) doing their T"U b'Shvat program (two weeks after the holiday). "Why do Jews like T"U b'Shvat (new year's day for trees) so much? Because it has nothing to do with anyone trying to destroy us. The trees never had anything against us." Probably only in Israel would you get a humorous take on people's reaction to terrorism. ow that I think about it, that monologue was a variation on the "When I came to Israel," or "When I was your age."

We went early to try out Beit Avi Chai's newest version of its cafe. Not much, but fine for coffee or a soft drink or beer with a small cold sandwich or pastry. Israeli sandwiches are almost always good because the bread is excellent and the ingredients extremely fresh.

Along the art-display corridor where they've put the cafe, we noticed a guitar and violin on two chairs, next to their cases, and chairs set around. Someone was going to play. And they did, original works played and sung for 45 minutes before the event we'd paid for.

Beit Avi Chai also supports TV shows on channel 20 -- a sort of Modern Orthodox channel. I've seen several episodes from a travel series about Jewish communities around the world and three soap operas. Chabad undoubtedly did not get started in Katmandu the way the soap opera tells it, but the show is fun to watch.

Copyright 2016 Jane Fox