Max, I want to thank you for bringing that beautiful 'Caterpillar' to our attention, with the other products of your patient watching and waiting. During the war it was the time for hastily written but extensive notes, now you seem to concentrate more on this kind of live report. By the way: where is Baruch nowadays? Whe miss him as a writer on everyday's events. Something entirely different: I stated here once, not to find Aramsha on any Israel map made by Israeli's. I know better now and therefore want to admit I was wrong. On the web you can find www.eyeonisrael.com which site has, and probably had for a long time, excellent maps.

Rein Diepersloot Netherlands

Rein thank you for your letter.
I am glad that you (and many others) like the Flickr. site.I try to upload photos from what is happening in and around the kibbutz.
However there are many other pictures,(say from this caterpillar), which I add to the site because I also send them to various groups in Flickr, because I get many comments and feedbacks.
I can post an unlimited number of photos ,that's why you see also images which have no relation whatsoever with Matzuva,they are just nice photos (in my personal opinion)

This message is for Rein Diepersloot. When I was in the ulpan from 9/73-4/74 I was friendly with a Dutch volunteer who worked in the orange groves with me. His sense of humor was similiar to mine, which was not necessarily a good thing. I would be most anxious to hear from him as I considered him a good friend and have seen him since 1974!

Dear Rein
Thanks for your comments. I was out for close on a year with a life-threatening illness including intensive treatment. I'm now OK and besides routine tracking with the hospital I'm back to normal and amazed everyday at how Matzuva has picked up the pieces and is now growing demographically with a new and positive outlook.
Regarding information and news from Matzuva. There is
a new leader on the front page of the website describing highlights at Matzuva during 2007. The idea of a newsletter was difficult to maintain due to lack of a regular flow of items of possible interest to alumni.
Max continues to post photos and I'll post snippets of news when relevant.
Regards
Baruch

Baruch, It's a pity I'm late to react. Your illness is certainly a valid reason for you to be silent for such a long time. You're welcome, despite some silly remarks made here about your (to me) Oxford-style English. That anonymous man's English is bad too, even I can tell you. Try posting on this site whatever might interest newcomers. The first discovery of the Matzuva site is what really counts, never mind the perhaps small number of regular visitors.
Ken, I saw your picture by (happy) coincidence last month and now I see your posting (again: late) and it makes me feel good. You are of all ulpanists the only American whose home city I remember, that was Boston. My email address is rein ''at'' diepersloot ''dot'' com. Thank you for writing!

Dear Baruch,
I came to think about the fact that I didn't know about your illness. The Web is connecting people, but also distracting, even insulating people. Less so in the kibbutz, I might hope, than in apartments like mine, where after months I sometimes notice that a car disappeared - because his owner died. The fact that we were unaware of your life threatening illness, does not give me the impression that things are any different over there! So tell us next time or have Max tell us.