Gracias Damas!

I met a wonderful group of women this past week.

But let me backtrack. Last year, my mother was taking Hebrew lessons (ulpan) in Jerusalem. The teacher somehow heard about my hat project, and she asked if I could come speak to her class one day, which I did with pleasure. Some of you may know that ulpan class is always a wonderful melting pot of cultures and nationalities. In my mother's class was a lovely Mexican woman named Celia who really liked what she heard about the hats...so much so that the next time she visited Mexico, she recruited some knitters...

and some more....

and some more....

This week, a minibus filled with women of all ages from Mexico City pulled up at the Pina Chama, a local spot where volunteer Gush Etzion residents serve free coffee and homemade cake to soldiers. The women all piled out of the bus, and started unloading little plastic bags from the back of the bus. Each bag held 6 hats and in the bus were almost 300 hats, knit by the senior citizens of Kol Hanisayon, a Jewish association in Mexico City that provides activities for the elderly.

The hats were beautiful, and accompanied by lovely, sweet notes to the soldiers.

The enthusiastic women of Mexico City gave hats to the soldiers who had stopped at the Pina Chama, took lots of photos with them, and I took them on a quick tour of the modest but meaningful little facility.

I have to say, it was a busy week, mostly work, and this little pause in the action was a major highlight. The joy and faith that these women exuded, their excitement at being in Israel and doing something for their fellow Jews was truly heartwarming. As they climbed  back on the bus, I was able to say to them with complete sincerity that I was so glad I got to meet them and so sorry they were leaving.

Gracias Damas!