2nd Shabbat

We are really liking this place. What an excellent Shabbat!
We were invited out for dinner, lunch, and seuda shlishit (or shaaaaaaluh-shuuudis for you guys back in the U.S. of A).
Had dinner with the neighbors downstairs who also invited their cousins who have the son Amitai who's in Gan with our Amitai. We found out that the Amitai's have the same Hebrew birthday as one another!!! Sent chills down my spine when we realized that...this might sound a little kooky, but I feel like there's a reason we happened to move into the building next to theirs. I wonder if they'll grow to be good friends. We might have to wait a bit for that because the other Amitai speaks only Hebrew!
One of the shuls had a kiddush in honor of all the new olim in Ma'aleh Adumim. The shul is actually located in Ami's Gan. It's nicknamed "The Happy Minyan"--they sing Carlebach nigguns for much of the davening. Rich really liked it (it sounded good from outside in the playground too). The kids had a blast running around outside and made a few friends who "speak English!!!!!", as Gali was excited to find out. People are so friendly and down to earth and most were English speakers (as I was excited to find out :)
Had lunch at another great family. Later, one of the families in the community hosted seuda shlishit, also in honor of the new olim. I've heard that there are about 15 families who made aliyah to MA this summer! Met a whole bunch of people...and again, kids had a blast running around outside.

By the way, thanks so much for all the well-wishes...My foot is almost completely better. It really doesn't hurt anymore. Still has a pretty rainbow of colors, though.

Pics are of the kids on Friday, right before Shabbat, outside the apartment. There are huge winds that start almost every day at around 4pm...notice Gali's ponies blowing in the wind!