Shabbat time

It's been two months since I moved to Israel. The first culture shock for me was Shabbat, when everything is closed from Friday afternoon to Saturday night. On our first Shabbat, we didn't exchange money and had no cash. On our second Shabbat, we didn't buy food and had to settle for cold cereal for lunch. But then we began to prepare. First physically - we had enough food and cash, finished all the chores, and were sure to be home before transportation stopped working.

And now I feel like I'm mentally prepared as well. I'm not a religious person and don't belong to any denomination, but I feel that Shabbat is the time to pause. It's the time to look at my loved ones. It's the time to fully engage with my family.
In our hectic lives, I need time where we can go to the park, talk, have a quiet dinner and watch family movies. I like those quiet moments and try to find them not only on Shabbat, but also during the week.

Talking to my kids on the way to/from school, going for a walk in the evening, holding hands. These are the moments that enrich my life, they give me courage and strength to face challenges and support others.