22nd November 2025

Choosing and mixing spices to make our own curry

We were looking forward to visiting the Victoria Street "Indian" market in Durban on our cruise vacation. We were told that it was not advisable to visit the Victoria or Warwick African markets on our own, so we went with a guide. We both remember on previous visits, going to the Indian market and asking (for example) for a mild fish curry and seeing the seller choose and mix the required spices. This time, Doreen with the help of the seller, chose the spices while tasting and adding more of this or more of that until she was satisfied. We'll have to wait until we get home to taste the results.

Our guide Ruth also took us to the clothes and 'muti' (traditional medicine) parts of the African market. We were advised not to take pictures of the muti market.

15th November 2025

With cousins Charles and Sheenagh at Cafe 1904 in Hermanus.

We flew from Johannesburg to Cape Town where we stayed in our friend Eleanor's Cape Town apartment. (see last week.) The apartment was fabulous with a view of the coastline of Cape Town's Mouillie Point.

The day after my release from hospital Charles and Sheenagh picked us up and drove us, via a visit to Vergelegen wine estate, to their home in beautiful Hermanus. We spent a delightful few days with them. We saw them earlier this year in Larnaca and we so enjoy being with them. We enjoyed walking along the splendidly beautiful Hermanus coastline before being driven back to Cape Town via Stellenbosch. See pictures.

• Apologies for last week's late posting of this site. Unfortunately I took ill with a gastro-intestinal infection and spent 3 days in hospital.
  
• We sometimes say: It goes without saying for something that is obvious. Nevertheless some of these obvious actions do need saying. So to my wonderful wife Doreen: Thank you for looking after me so well and doing all the right things when I was sick.  You were a beacon of light and of inestimable help and I knew that I could count on you when I was so weak, confused, vomiting and with acute diarrhoea. As if that were not enough you took care of dealing with the hospital and paperwork. I don't know how things would have turned out had you not been so caring and there for me . Thank you too to my daughter Vered who took care of everyhing connected to my travel insurance in her usual highly efficient manner.
• Today we boarded  the Azamara Pursuit to begin our 2 week cruise. Our stateroom was a most pleasant surprise - spacious with a verandah. We are going to enjoy this!
  

8th November 2025

The Bacher Family
Willie, Shira, Ali, Musha, Doreen, Irene, me

We are in South Africa on our way to our cruise. In Johannesburg we were delighted to meet family we have not seen in years, The realization ion that this will be our last trip to South Africa gave special meaning to our meetings. 9m
We were also delighted to again meet Doreen's cousin Vanessa and her husband Georgio Tarazza (see Glasser tree), and my relatives Allan and Lama Klotnick (Matz tree)

In addition we had the pleasure of  meeting long time friend Eleanor Pines and her companion Dennis Feinberg.  She arranged for us to spend our time in Johannesburg and graciusly let us use her flat in Cape Town.

• Daughter Vered sent us this delightful picture of her skippering.
• The Rons are in USA and sent us this picture on a graffiti tour.
  
• The Segolis are continuing their celebration of Mikhal's 50th

1st November 2025

The Durban Gang
from front, clockwise
Mike Levine, David Rothschild, Maureen Fain, Errol Sapir, Estelle Rothschild Sapir, Jackie Metzger, Johnny Landau, Frankie Silberman Klaff, Doreen, me

My "cousin-in-law" Frankie Klaff and David Rothschild return home tomorrow after their visit to Larnaca with us and to Israel. David's sister Estelle invited us and some fellow Durbanites  to a mini reunion lunch at a restaurant in Abu Ghosh. We don't see Estelle, Mike, Jackie and Johnny very much but it is always a pleasure to see them and talk about the 'good old days' in Durban. (see another mini reunion from 2009)

• Congratulations to granddaughter Lotem Segoli who celebrated her 20th birthday last week.
• Next week we fly to South Africa for a short visit and then a 13 day cruise along the southern Africa coast to Madagascar, Reunion and Mauritius. We are both looking forward to this highly anticipated experience.

25th October 2025


Doreen and I with Frankie and David at the Natural Bridge in Aya Napa

We returned yesterday from a 10 day trip to Larnaca. We were joined for 4 days by Frankie Klaff and her husband David Rothschild.  Although it was only a short visit we saw a lot and enjoyed their visit. (See pictures).
Frankie was married to my late cousin Vivian Klaff and has been Doreen's good friend since their school days in Durban. Dave is also a friend from our Durban days.

• On each of our visits to Larnaca we try to do or visit something new. This time we visited the Costas Agyrou Museum in Mazotos, found a wonderful new fish  restaurant Mamas and visted an olive oil producer. See pictures.
• After their visit to Cyprus, Frankie and Dave stayed a few days with us, and we enjoyed Friday night dinner at the Rons.
  

18th October 2025


Aviv, Moran and Ilay

Last week son Aviv Levy had a tiring 2 days. On Thursday the morning he and his son Itamar left Eilat, popped in to say hello to us in Netanya (and pick up some papayas), continued to Haifa to see the apartment Itamar will be staying in while studying at the Technion and dropping him off. The next day south to Holon to pick up daughter Ilay who would spend the weekend in Eilat, and then to visit his brother Moran Segoli at his work at the Research and Development Centre. While Moran was showing Aviv and Ilay his place of work where they had a special 'treat' - they saw a large snake in the desert sand. Then off again southwards to Eilat. I'm sure he slept very well that night, after 1000 kms of driving. 

• We are in Larnaca. Frankie Klaff (Goldberg family tree) and David Rothschild will be visiting us here on Monday. We return to Israel - with them - later this week.
  
• The 4th Larnaca Biennale is taking place for the next 6 weeks. During this time artists from 42 countries will be taking part with over 100 exhibits and performances.  Today we visited one of the sites.

11th October 2025

(Picture copied from CNN)

Hostage Square this week

The picture above with smiling faces, taken after the approval of the Trump agreement, captures the change in spirit among most of Israel's population.  We went today to a rousing performance of Missa Creole and everyone's joy was clearly evident. Smiles and politeness were the order of the day. I only hope this feeling and the agreement last.

• Special congratulations to 2nd cousin Leon and Jennifer Matz on their 60th wedding anniversary.
• And special congratulations too to daughter-in-law Mikhal Segoli who celebrates her 50th birthday. The Segolis celebrated at a family weekend. Mikhal gave a lecture about her research and her favourite foods were prepared. Mazaltov!
• Among all the happiness this week we didn't forget the sukkot holiday. Daughter Vered and Aviv and their daughter Danielle, and Doreen's sister Louise joined us for a sukkot meal under our improvised sukka of the branches of our Afghan Berry tree.
• In response to the picture of Doreen and Joanie smiling other family dogs sent me pictures of them smiling.

4th October 2025

Alex and Tamir Klaff, Caryn and Rhetick Sangupta

Congratulations to Caryn, daughter of Frankie and my late cousin Vivian Klaff, on her 50th birthday. She organised a trip for her brother Tamir and some friends biking and hiking for a long weekend.

• Congratulations too to our eldest granddaughter Danielle Ron on her 30th birthday this week. She celebrated at a party with her friends. Son Moran and Michal Segoli with their daughter Lotem joined us on Friday night to wish her happy birthday.
  
• Granddaughter Lior Ron took a great picture of Doreen and our dog Joanie smiling together!
• We were delighted that good friends Colin and Louise Kessel, Geoff Bethlehem and Tamara Rabinowitz could join us today for a thoroughly enjoyable meeting and a delicious lunch.

27th September 2025

Rosh Hashanah 2025

After Charles and Sheenagh left we were joined for a few days with the Ron family, Vered, Aviv and Danielle. We celebrated the New Year in style with a delicious and traditional multi-course menu with some food brought from Israel and some bought in Larnaca, including a round Rosh Hashanah challa from the local kosher shop. In the absence of Lior (on holiday in Thailand with Gal), Aviv easily won the shofar blowing competition.

See another picture here.

THIS WEEK'S NEWS

• Moran and Maayan Segoli have just returned from their Vietnam visit. While there they also (sort of!) celebrated Rosh Hashanah. They came over this afternoon with daughter Lotem for a quick meal, and to give Doreen a present .

20th September 2025

13th September 2025

Charles and Sheenagh at Chantara Waterfall

We are delighted that cousin Charles and Sheenagh Levy have joined us for a visit to Cyprus. We've visited and enjoyed many places so far, enjoyed swimming in the sea including at our favourite Fig Tree Beach and have, of course, made sure to be well fed.

Some more pictures

6th September 2025

With Itamar at an Asian restaurant

We were delighted that grandson Itamar Levy could take a break from his army reserve duty and spend an evening with us.

30th August 2025

23rd August 2025

Ilay and friends in the "communa"

Granddaughter Ilay Levy will  start tomorrow a year's voluntary National Service (שנת שירות).  She will be in a group ("communa" ) with other volunteers. This week she attended a seminar to get to know the girls she will live with for a year.

Click for another picture
.

• Good luck to granddaughter Lotem Segoli. Lotem begins her basic army training on Thursday after finishing her voluntary National Service. Doreen and I went to wish her well and we enjoyed brunch  at Karmei Avdat, a winery in the Negev near to where the Segolis live.
• On the way back from brunch we dropped in to say hello to 2nd cousin Sydney Lossin and see her pawpaw trees which she has lovingly cared for. We were glad to again see her daughters Michal and Yonat. Picture. We also popped in to say hello to Doreen's 2nf cousin Yaakov Bortenstein who lives near Sydney.
  
• This has been a family week. We also had lunch with cousin Shirley Kansky and daughters Cheryl, Wendy and Ruth.

16th August 2025

The Segolis releasing threatened turtles into a lagoon in the Amazon

Son Moran and family, Mikhal, Lotem and Zoe returned yesterday after a month-long trip to Ecuador. Maayan had to stay home to finish his exams)
As requested by the 'girls' the trip was divided into four parts:

• A hike to Quilotoa lake, a volcanic caldera;
•  an adrenaline-packed visit to Baños;
  
• volunteering with animals at Yannacocha Wildlife Rescue Center
• visiting the Amazon rainforest.
  

 From pictures we have seen the trip was amazing, a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Click here for a few of these pictures and Moran's short description of their trip.

9th August 2025

Louis Nickel and his mother Laura
at Meir Hospital

We wish a speedy recovery to Laura Nickel who fell and broke her hip. Laura is Doreen's aunt, who was married to her uncle the late Julius (Yudel) Nickel/

Click here for a picture of the Nickel 'clan' taken on Julius Nickel's 80th birthday.

THIS WEEK'S NEWS

Mazaltov to cousin Jonathan and Dina Levy and family on the engagement of their daughter Yarden to Aviv. (see picture of the happy couple).

The decisions of our government headed by Bibi Netanyahu with support from fascist, racist and messianic members have gone from disastrous to catastrophic. There are large demonstrations against the government and Doreen and I demonstrated tonight. I don't know if this will have any effect but we cannot sit still and ignore the erosion of democracy.

---

2nd August 2025

With Shirley, Ruth and Wendy Kansky

We were in the area so we popped in to say hello to my cousin Shirley Kansky (see Levy family tree) and were pleasantly surpised to find that her daughters Ruth (on holiday from South Africa) and Wendy were also there.

• Together with Doreen's sister Louise Braverman and second cousin Yaffa Loew (see Shank familly tree) we enjoyed delicious hamburgers at Agadir Restaurant.
• Our nieces Yahel and Denise Braverman (see Glasser family tree) with Yahel's son Rafael relaxing near the summer home of Fenella Bishop, their father Mellie's former companion. Every year there is a a family reunion of the Bravermans with Fenella, her daughter and her grandchildren at Gorge du Verdon in the south of France. This year Melly was ill and could not join them.

26th July 2025


A delicious dinner at Nishi Restaurant
Me, Ilay, Aviv, Lior and Doreen

Son Aviv and his daughter Ilay needed to be in the central area tomorrow, and granddaughter Lior had to pick up the dog we babysat, so we took the opportunity to invite two granddaughters to a dinner at the Nishi Restaurant in Netanya.

• We wish a speedy recovery to second cousin Susan Nathan (see Levy family tree) who fell and broke her ankle.
  
• While daughter Vered and Aviv are sailing in Greece for a few days and their daughters Dani and Lior are not at home  we are dog sitting their dog Alma this weekend.
  
• We were delighted to receive a note from Caryn Sangupta who had tried a recipe from Doreen's cookbook.
• We've received many pictures from the Segoli's trip to South America showing what an amazing and unbelieving time they are having. In due course we will post the best of these  pictures. But in the meantime - at they beginning of their holiday they ate at a KFC in Banos, Ecuador and of course couldn't resist the mini tradition of sending us a picture.

19th July 2025

Grandson Maayan with his pet snake - October 2011

(This is another picture from October 2010 to February 2012 when this site was not updated)

Most people keep pets like dogs, cats, rabbits, birds, gerbils and whatever. The Segolis taste in pets is, to say the least, unusual, and have included a kangaroo and a possum when they lived in Australia. When they were living in Davis, California their pets were Madagascar cockroaches and a boa constrictor which was kept in a glass terrarium in their lounge. They regularly bought mice at a local pet shop to feed the snake. Doreen and I were terrified by it. When Zoe was born a few months after this picture was taken we finally persuaded the Segolis that having a large boa constrictor in the house was not perhaps in the best interests of a 3 month old baby.

12th July 2025

Lychees
Daughter Vered with  granddaughters Lotem, Zoe and  Lior.

  After a couple of disappointing years we are having a bumper crop this year with lychees and were able to share the delicious fruit with family (and thanks to Lotem for climbing the tree to pick the high bunches.)

5th July 2025

With Amit at McKenzie Beach, Larnaca

  We are in Larnaca Cyprus with granddaughter Amit Levy. She'll be with us for the next few days. We are enjoying her being with us and she is  enjoying herself - some shopping, lots of beach and swimming and an "amazing" boat trip in the Agia Napa area.
Click for some pictures.

• We enjoyed an evening marking the end-of-school year for granddaughter Zoe.
• Granddaughter Lotem Segoli had her closing ceremony for her Mechina. 
• On Monday Amit returns home and we depart on Wednesday.

28th June 2025

Happy Birthday!

Happy birthday today to our eldest child, Vered, who has succeeded so well in the corporate world.

Doreen writes: When Vered was born I was 22 and Eitan 24. We had moved to Israel to start a meaningful life. We knew nothing about how to look after babies, never mind how to bring up kids. I had never even baby-sat back in South Africa

Thank goodness for Tipat Halav that taught me the basics. And thank you to our three children, enabling us to learn and grow as you grew up. We are proud of all 3 of you.

And I remember that Aviv's brit was on Vered's second birthday. She was so excited thinking all these people had come to celebrate with her. She wore a pretty dress and her hair was short and curly. She had a slight problem with her feet so over her long white socks. she wore white boots, the left shoe on the right foot and right shoe on the left foot. That's what they did in those days. She had a wonderful birthday. I made a cake in the shape of a little girl.

I hope she has a wonderful birthday today.

• Last week I wrote 'the war with Iran doesn't look like ending soon' and I'm glad I was proved wrong even though it's still only a cease fire.
  
• Daughter Vered and Aviv Ron, and granddaughter Lior Ron managed to get a flight from USA and are back in Israel.
  
• We celebrated their return and Vered's birthday at our home last night.
• The Iran war caused many events, meetings, appointments and other activities to be cancelled. Fortunately today we were able to attend a concert by our favourite Baroque Ensemble and then enjoy a meal in Abu Ghosh. The opera that was cancelled, Turandot, has been rescheduled for this coming Tuesday and I hope my missed dentist appointments will take place soon.
• End of June = end of school year. Granddaughter Ilay Levy dressed up for her prom. Next week we will go to granddaughter Zoe Segoli's end of school year  celebration.
• Also next week - unfortunately for proud grandparents on the same day as sister Zoe - granddaughter Lotem Segoli will have her closing ceremony for her Mechina.
  
• On Wednesday we fly to Cyprus with granddaughter Amit Levy for a week for a much needed break.

21st June 2025

Happy Birthday!

Happy birthday today to our son Aviv, the Curator and technical director of the Coral World Underwater Observatory in Eilat.

One of Aviv's many talents is underwater scuba diving which he does for fun and not only for work. See how Aviv wished his mother 'happy birthday'

• The war with Iran doesn't look like ending soon and we are continuing to sleep in our strong room shelter so we don't have to wake up and move in the advent of sirens.
• Granddaughter Danielle is with our son Moran and the Segolis in Midreshet Ben Gurion while her parents and sister are overseas waiting for flights to get back to Israel. So a siren in the Midrasha means a sardine experience in their strong room.
• In spite of the situation we believe that life must go in as usual as possible and today we enjoyed (as usual) a lunch at our home with our relatives Shuli and Eitan Haberman.

14th June 2025

Family pictures taken at home January 2012
Ziva and Yaakov Bortenstein, Yaffa Loew
Andy Loew ז"ל, Sheryl Tal, Braham Kansy, Denise Braverman
Jonty Levy, Malia Levy ז"ל, Sharon Leibowitz, Joe leibowitz

(These pictures are from from October 2010 to February 2012 when this site was not updated)

While going over some old pictures I saw that in January/February 2012 we had met many of our family that we don't see too often. These pictures were all taken then in our apartment here in Netanya.

• We are going through some difficult times. This is being written while expecting a warning siren any time soon. Last night we were woken up a few times by a siren signalling a possible missile attack in our area.  Tonight we will sleep in our strong-room shelter so we don't have to move rooms in the advent of sirens.
• We celebrated Doreen's birthday during the week by trying out a new Asian restaurant that has just opened near us. The food was good and tasty but the service was slow as they not expected so many diners so close to the opening.

7th June May 2025

June Birthdays
Aviv 21/6                                                  Doreen 11/6                                            Vered 28/6

Happy birthday to my wonderful wife and friend Doreen whom I love so much even after so many years and whose birthday is this week. Click here and here for pictures and more of super-active Doreen.

June is a birthday month for our immediate family. Doreen, Vered and Aviv were all born in June. An expensive month for presents!

• We finally decided to make some repairs/changes to our apartment. We removed the toilet in the store room which in effect increases the space available.
  
• We also dealt with our vegetable garden trough which leaked water into the downstairs area of our building. This involves removing all the soil and most of our growing vegetables from the trough and waterproofing it before returning the soil.
  

At about lunch time today there was a knock on our door and Doreen asked me to see who it was. Surprise! My wonderful family had come to celebrate my 85th birthday. It was moving, so wonderful to see them all, and once again marvel at the fantastic relationship that our grandchildren have with each other and with us. We had a lovely time and enjoyed a delicious sushi dinner.

More pictures here.

• Granddaughter Lotem Segoli spent a night with us this week and she and Doreen enjoyed an icream together.
• We and Doreen's sister Louise enjoyed lunch and the company of relativesYaakov and Ziva Bortenstein and Yaffa Loew at a very good restaurant in Gedera.
• After sending her Pesach message last week  Doreen was asked by an overseas friend to explain why she had written what she had. See her reply.

• My former boss and now good friend Morris Kahn celebrated his 95th birthday at an event organised by LEAD, an organisation he established and finances.
  
• Our daughter-in-law Mikhal visited Maureen Fain's portrait exhibition and and found it "amazing". See Picture.