Chapter 34, Nahal Alexander

If you were looking for a romantic place where you can take your girlfriend or wife at night, or even a place where you can take you your kids for a quite relaxing afternoon on the water you would go to “Nahal Alexander.” A river named after Alexander the great. It was a bout ½ hour bus ride north of Netanya. A short walk from the station would bring you to an interesting restaurant on the northern bank of the river. It had a big aquarium filled with a shark in formaldehyde. Yes, a real dead shark. I remember looking at it mesmerized every time we stop there and wonder; how can anybody eat with that smell of formaldehyde in the air. Next to the restaurant was a nice wooden dock with wooden rowboats lined up for rent. Some were for two and some for four or even six. Depending on the size of your group. Further away at the end of the dock was a smaller extension where fishermen stood and tried to catch some fish.

Mom, Dad, Avi and I went to Nahal Alexander on one afternoon. We rented a boat, but Mom didn’t go on it. She insisted on staying on the dock. Mom didn’t swim and wasn’t comfortable on little boats.

“I have to set our spot closer to the shore so we can have a place to eat,” she said. But we all knew she was afraid to go on the shaky boat. Maybe it was the bad experience she had when they came on the boat to Israel and got seasick. 

After half hour of rowing up the river we docked and joined Mom at the shore. Avi and I took a walk to see where the river drains into the sea. The water was shallow, very shallow. We could see the fish swimming between the sea and the river in the brackish water. We crossed the river to the other side and started running all over the place. Both of us loved that stretch of clean sand dunes. This area was not developed, all it had was some tumble weeds. We could see the village far away to the south with the small houses of the farmers. Avi and I would climb to a small sand hill and roll down toward the beach. Until we heard Mom calling us to get back for dinner.

Dinner was light, tuna sandwiches and watermelon for dessert. As Mom and Dad were packing up, I found a glass jar and picked it up. I went back to the river and with a few swipes I was able to catch a small fish in the jar. It was small, a little bigger than a tadpole.

“Can I take it home?” I asked.

“Yes,” Said Dad, “this one will survive if you feed him and make sure the jar is clean. Unlike saltwater fish who die quickly in captivity. So, this will be your responsibility.”

“Thanks Dad!”

On the way back I was holding the jar close to my body making sure it doesn’t splash all over the bus. At home we kept the jar on the windowsill in the kitchen, right above the sink. This way I can see it every day and change the water when needed without making a mess. Fish, as I called him survived and lived with us for a few months. I was changing his water weekly and feeding him breadcrumbs daily. 

One day, Lea, my favorite teacher asked us to bring something to show and tell from home. Everybody brought a toy or a book, but I brought Fish. I was very careful walking all the way to school, walking slowly to make sure I don’t spill the water and when I arrived at school, I put him on my desk for all to see. 

We all had our chance to show and tell and I told the class how I fished Fish and how I have been taking care of him. Everybody came to look at the fish closely and was very impressed. 

Unfortunately, Shlomo Yarhi wanted to look at it too many times. I had to put it in the shelve under the desk, but he kept on creeping and puling it out to look at it.

“Today we will learn about two visitors who come to Israel. One in the winter and one in the summer. These are two birds. The wagtail who comes to visit us in the winter all the way from Siberia. Would you please put that fish away!” Yelled Lea in the middle of her story. “This is the last time that I am telling you, Haim! The other bird,” she continued, “Is the hoopoe bird. It comes to us all the way from India and stays here for the summer.”

You might think that Shlomo would listen to the teacher’s warnings. Well, you are wrong. Again, he creeped and pulled the fish out of the shelve and this time put it on his desk. Lea walked fast, grabbed the jar and poured it out the window. 

I didn’t stopped crying, all the way home and all night after that. Mom, for the first time had to come to school with me the next morning and confront the teacher whom as you might guess was not my favorite person anymore, even after her apology.

 

 

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Fish Balls

 They Look like falafel, even taste a little like falafel but they are “Fish Balls”. If you don’t want to have the flavor of the chickpeas, you may replace the chickpeas with more fish or bread crumbs.

 

Ingredients:

1 Can Tuna or Salmon

½ Can Chickpeas

½ Onion 

1 Celery Stalk 

¼ Cp Chopped Cilantro

1 Egg

2 TBSP Flour

½ tsp Salt

½ tsp Garlic Powder

Preparation:

   Drain well the fish and chickpeas. Mince the Onion and Celery. Mash the chickpeas and crumble the fish. Mix with chopped cilantro, onion, celery, egg, flour, salt, and garlic powder. Let it sit in the fridge for ½ hour.

Make balls and deep fry in 350F until lightly brown. Serve warm or cold.

 

 

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