ESRA Raanana and ESRA Netanaya enjoying the hoe-down
at the Aviv High School, Raanana

Hi Girls and Guys, welcome to the ESRA Raanana - Netanya 
Barn Dance held at the Aviv School in Raanana.

“You’all welcome” was the greeting hailed by our caller Debbie who came from Jerusalem and is one of the only two barn dance callers in Israel. Debbie, dressed in traditional western costume - long leather skirt, cowboy hat and cowboy boots, played the guitar and fiddle and spoke with a distinct western twang very fitting for the occasion.

Sixty people came to the event all determined to enjoy themselves and all trying to remember the steps. Before the dancing started we had to eat, of course, cowboy style hot dogs with mustard, beans and spicy soup, all served by local cowgirls.

Then the dancing started. Debbie called “partners take your places” like horses to their traces.  We had to remember to heel and toe “do si do” and to promenade. We also had to remember which is our right hand, which is our left foot, which way to turn, and when formed into a square, who were the lead couple, all this time listening to Debbie giving instructions. Debbie had the ability to coax reluctant dancers onto the dance floor and she did very well as the floor was full all evening.

If laughter is the best medicine, we all went home very healthy; I certainly did.  We laughed at ourselves, our partners and everybody in the room.

There were quite a few who really could dance and they were a joy to watch and to see how it’s done properly. We danced for two hours … aching limbs … sore feet … and happy memories of a great night were what we were left with. Congratulations to the two committees, Raanana and Netanya, who put in so much hard work to make this evening such a success.