2 cups ripe tomatoes finely diced
2 cups Persian cucumbers finely diced
½ cup red onion thinly minced (never overdo the onion!)
2 tbsp fresh Italian parsley
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
½ tsp sea salt and black pepper (optional)

I can taste you, Israel
Travel thousands of miles
On a single mouthful.
Feel the breeze of the Jerusalem hills
See the sunset over Tel Aviv
Recall the Shabbat table in Hadera
Of strangers
Who have become friends.

A table festooned with food to feed 17
Though we were only 5 –
Omri, Sigal, Yael, Joe, Nina —
Salmon marinated in silan
Roasted cauliflower
Israeli salad (with avocado!)
Broccoli-feta-olive salad
Marak katom (soup)
Chopped fruit
Freshly-baked bread.

All this made by hand
With love
In the Spirit
Of Shabbat
And peace
And welcome.

Every time I make Israeli salad
I return to your table
And the laughter we shared
An oasis in troubled times.

Every time I make Israeli salad
A part of me comes home to you,
ישראל