Holy moly, you guys--We've been here for a month! I feel like its been two years, but also like its flown by. Life here feels pretty normal, but I always have the feeling like we are going to be going home soon. Alas, we literally do not have a place to live in the States, so we are home, and thats a good thing!
Though this is our home, (metaphorically and literally), there are a few things about this country that are frequently catching me off guard. The biggest of which, is the notion that this is a country governed by a religion. Of course I've always known that (Jewish State, of course), and its one of the things (THE thing) that makes the Middle East so volatile. But I never really put myself into the mix and thought about how I feel about it. It just seems so ingrained in me that religion and government should never mix.
For example, restaurants here must pay extra to remain open on Shabbat and other Jewish holidays. ------Can you imagine Perkins having to pay extra to be open on Christmas?
Jewish people have priority in becoming citizens.
There was just an election for Chief Rabbis.
Gender equality is still being debated-- in 2013!
I hope it doesn't seem naive or ethnocentric, but simply put: It feels weird. I am proud to be a Jew, and I believe its important to have a place thats ours, but I still feel uncomfortable with the idea that religion still holds so much power over here. Especially when the spectrum of Jewish theology is so giant. OY.
On a lighter, albeit more yucky note, I have seen something happen twice that has made me feel as if I am in a whole different world. While walking down Ben Yehuda street the other day, Adam and I saw Grandmother holding her child over a tree. Cute, you say? Nope. The child was not wearing pants, and the child was pooping. On a tree. In the middle of the busy, touristy, public street. And this was the second time we saw someone doing this. I know that in many countries it is perfectly acceptable to use the street as your toilet--mainly because there is not access to toilets, and when a kid has to go, they gotta go. But here? Plenty of toilets to use! Even dog owners pick up their dog's poop with a baggie! I didn't stick around to see if they bagged it, but I doubt it. I am fascinated by this. Not only because its pretty yucky, but also because it seems like Israel is very intent on projecting itself as a First World Country. We were specifically told that we shouldn't barter with merchants in the shuk because its offensive and Third World. Maybe I'm just easily offended? What do you guys think?
Okay, we are off to see a movie on this fine Shabbat afternoon! Shavua Tov!
Melissa
Saturday, July 27, 2013
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
Camp Israel
Being here is a little bit like being at a Jewish summer camp. Its super hot, you have to walk EVERYWHERE, there is constantly something new to see or do, the days go by quickly but feel verrrry long, everything has a Hebrew name (duh), and you run into people you know on the street all the time.
Since being here I have had the pleasure of seeing several friends that I knew were in town, and Adam and I have run into people on the street that we know from our various Jewish life activities. It makes sense, though. Israel is our homeland. Seeing other Jews on the street just means we all came home! There is a saying here, "rak b'Yisrael", only in Israel. Every time I see someone I know I think, "Rak b'Yisrael!"
Adam and I have both been busy getting acclimated to our new routines. Adam started school, and is doing homework in the kitchen as we speak! He comes home exhausted, and I am so proud that he is finally immersed in what has been his dream for so long! I will make him write a post about his classes as soon as things get more regular. Several HUC events include S.O.'s (Signifacnt Others, thats what we are called), and I have loved meeting all of the students that make up this talented class. Whenever we run into a fellow student, I laugh because the conversation inevitably turns into what I call "Geeky Rabbi Mode".
Example conversation in which I totally make things up:
"Did you know that the Talmud forbids you to eat hummus on a Friday, but you should eat twice as much on Thursday?"
"No way! I heard that Moses ate Hummus daily and that's why his beard was so long. It's in the 2nd tractate of Nashim."
"Sure, but its very important to eat hummus in a spiritual way, just like Rachel did when she went to a well and found a serpent with a wart on it's back and that's why we celebrate Purim."
...Okay, so it's a good thing I am not here for Rabbinical school.
I have started working and volunteering, which is a huge relief to me. When we first got here, I struggled a lot with my role, and how I can make the most of this year. Its incredibly disconcerting to be working full time, go to grad school, earn an income, and then just totally stop. Luckily, my mother's name is Sherri Rutman, so I inherited an inability to sit still for very long! I started volunteering at the Gan at HUC, and it has been a very complex and educational experience. I am working in a classroom that is made up of children of refugees and foreign workers, a group that is often overlooked in Israel. I have gotten better at communicating with them, and have had to employ a lot of nonverbal techniques. I realized quickly that my skills in education are often verbal, so I need to know the correct words to say, and how to use body language to get across what I mean. It would be easy for me to yell commands in Hebrew, like, "Sit Down!" or "Stop hitting him!" but I know thats not developmentally appropriate, so I am learning how to say things like "We all play together here, we are all a community" Or "Hands are not for hitting. If you need to take a break, please take one, and think about how you can play nicely." Thats tough, so for now I just do a lot of sign language and meaningful looks!
I have also had the great opportunity to earn some money while babysitting for two wonderful families! One is a for a Rabbi alumna of HUC and her Israeli husband's two cute kids. They speak English, but have very cute Israeli accents! The other family is a fellow student at HUC and her husband, who is working long-distance from Israel to the States. Their son is THE CUTEST kid ever, so funny, and babysitting him allows me to go play in parks and not be stared at like I'm crazy! Its nice to have a purpose and things to do, and to feel accomplished.
Today was Tisha B'Av, a Jewish day of mourning. It commemorates the destruction of both Temples that stood in Jerusalem, and is observed with a fast and traditional mourning rituals, like sitting on the floor and not listening to music. Last night, we had a beautiful HUC service, and walked as a group to the Kotel (Mentioned in my earlier post), which is but a small remnant of the second Temple that was destroyed. It was incredible to be right there, where it all happened thousands of years ago. Thousands of people come to wall to pray and sit on the ground in mourning. It was a once in a lifetime experience, and it only reiterated how special it is that we have this time here.
We miss you all....XOXO
Melissa
Since being here I have had the pleasure of seeing several friends that I knew were in town, and Adam and I have run into people on the street that we know from our various Jewish life activities. It makes sense, though. Israel is our homeland. Seeing other Jews on the street just means we all came home! There is a saying here, "rak b'Yisrael", only in Israel. Every time I see someone I know I think, "Rak b'Yisrael!"
Adam and I have both been busy getting acclimated to our new routines. Adam started school, and is doing homework in the kitchen as we speak! He comes home exhausted, and I am so proud that he is finally immersed in what has been his dream for so long! I will make him write a post about his classes as soon as things get more regular. Several HUC events include S.O.'s (Signifacnt Others, thats what we are called), and I have loved meeting all of the students that make up this talented class. Whenever we run into a fellow student, I laugh because the conversation inevitably turns into what I call "Geeky Rabbi Mode".
Example conversation in which I totally make things up:
"Did you know that the Talmud forbids you to eat hummus on a Friday, but you should eat twice as much on Thursday?"
"No way! I heard that Moses ate Hummus daily and that's why his beard was so long. It's in the 2nd tractate of Nashim."
"Sure, but its very important to eat hummus in a spiritual way, just like Rachel did when she went to a well and found a serpent with a wart on it's back and that's why we celebrate Purim."
...Okay, so it's a good thing I am not here for Rabbinical school.
I have started working and volunteering, which is a huge relief to me. When we first got here, I struggled a lot with my role, and how I can make the most of this year. Its incredibly disconcerting to be working full time, go to grad school, earn an income, and then just totally stop. Luckily, my mother's name is Sherri Rutman, so I inherited an inability to sit still for very long! I started volunteering at the Gan at HUC, and it has been a very complex and educational experience. I am working in a classroom that is made up of children of refugees and foreign workers, a group that is often overlooked in Israel. I have gotten better at communicating with them, and have had to employ a lot of nonverbal techniques. I realized quickly that my skills in education are often verbal, so I need to know the correct words to say, and how to use body language to get across what I mean. It would be easy for me to yell commands in Hebrew, like, "Sit Down!" or "Stop hitting him!" but I know thats not developmentally appropriate, so I am learning how to say things like "We all play together here, we are all a community" Or "Hands are not for hitting. If you need to take a break, please take one, and think about how you can play nicely." Thats tough, so for now I just do a lot of sign language and meaningful looks!
I have also had the great opportunity to earn some money while babysitting for two wonderful families! One is a for a Rabbi alumna of HUC and her Israeli husband's two cute kids. They speak English, but have very cute Israeli accents! The other family is a fellow student at HUC and her husband, who is working long-distance from Israel to the States. Their son is THE CUTEST kid ever, so funny, and babysitting him allows me to go play in parks and not be stared at like I'm crazy! Its nice to have a purpose and things to do, and to feel accomplished.
Today was Tisha B'Av, a Jewish day of mourning. It commemorates the destruction of both Temples that stood in Jerusalem, and is observed with a fast and traditional mourning rituals, like sitting on the floor and not listening to music. Last night, we had a beautiful HUC service, and walked as a group to the Kotel (Mentioned in my earlier post), which is but a small remnant of the second Temple that was destroyed. It was incredible to be right there, where it all happened thousands of years ago. Thousands of people come to wall to pray and sit on the ground in mourning. It was a once in a lifetime experience, and it only reiterated how special it is that we have this time here.
We miss you all....XOXO
Melissa
Monday, July 8, 2013
Rosh Chodesh, With The Women of the Wall
As Adam and I walked to the bus this morning to pray with the Women of the wall, my heart was beating out of my chest. I thought, "This is not right. I should not be scared to pray. I should not be out of breath, have a knot in my stomach, in anticipation of...praying." I guess that growing up in the Conservative and Reform movements in America, I take it for granted that prayer is the one thing another person can't take away from you. I have prayed in egalitarian services my whole life, and I had always taken for granted that it was my choice and obligation to pray freely. Here in Jerusalem, the struggles are still raw and real.
We rode the bus with many of Adam's new classmates, and we were all excited and nervous to be participating. With a police escort, about 5 busses arrived at the gate to the Old City. Afterwards, I read about how many thousand Hareedi Jews were there in counter protest. (I only say protest because that was their agenda. Our agenda was only to have a prayer service.) I didn't notice that there were thousands of others. We were our own group, and we had peace on our side. Sadly, we did not make it to the actual wall. Hareedi leaders had called for thousands of young girls from seminaries all over Israel to come to the wall a half an hour before us, so that they would block us from going in. So they could deny us the right to pray at the Kotel. Not their Kotel, not my Kotel, but OUR Kotel. The Kotel that belongs to the Jewish people. They didn't want us there.
We used beautiful Women of the Wall prayer books to daven Shaharit, and read excerpts from the Torah in honor of the new Jewish month. Unfortunately, we were not able to read from an actual Torah scroll, as even the Women of the Wall have not won that battle--yet. As we prayed, we did our best to ignore what was happening around us.
The most beautiful moment for me was when a tiny 12-year-old girl stood on a chair to read the Torah blessings. She was the third generation in her family to become a Bat Mitzvah at the wall. My eyes filled with tears as this courageous girl was lifted on the chair in celebration of one of the most profound moments for a Jew. Thousands of Jewish men and women on the other side of our minyan jeered. But the 350 of us stood proud and strong to support her, cheering. I hope she could only hear the cheers.
The difference between us and them is that we came there to pray, and they came there to spew hate. Its impossible for me to wrap my mind around the thought of someone feeling so strongly that women should not be heard, that they would actively drown out the prayers that they themselves count as the most holy. We were saying the words of our people, in the language of our people. Singing in beautiful harmony, praising and thanking God. But they were yelling, blowing air horns, blowing whistles, shushing us, throwing eggs, laughing, shaming....as we sang and praised God. Not their God, Not my God, but OUR God.
As I prayed, I kept noticing that I was feeling the hot Jerusalem sun shine down on us. I felt the sun and the beauty of the city and our people driving the ruach (spirit) in our circle. I wonder if the other Jews there could feel the sun shining down on them as they screamed and shouted. Could they feel the beauty of God as they condemned us? I hope so. I hope deep down, in some small part of them, they felt it. That they felt the light of the Women of the Wall.
Our Hope is not yet lost.
The hope of two thousand years
To be a free people in our land.
The land of Zion and Jerusalem.
We rode the bus with many of Adam's new classmates, and we were all excited and nervous to be participating. With a police escort, about 5 busses arrived at the gate to the Old City. Afterwards, I read about how many thousand Hareedi Jews were there in counter protest. (I only say protest because that was their agenda. Our agenda was only to have a prayer service.) I didn't notice that there were thousands of others. We were our own group, and we had peace on our side. Sadly, we did not make it to the actual wall. Hareedi leaders had called for thousands of young girls from seminaries all over Israel to come to the wall a half an hour before us, so that they would block us from going in. So they could deny us the right to pray at the Kotel. Not their Kotel, not my Kotel, but OUR Kotel. The Kotel that belongs to the Jewish people. They didn't want us there.
We used beautiful Women of the Wall prayer books to daven Shaharit, and read excerpts from the Torah in honor of the new Jewish month. Unfortunately, we were not able to read from an actual Torah scroll, as even the Women of the Wall have not won that battle--yet. As we prayed, we did our best to ignore what was happening around us.
The most beautiful moment for me was when a tiny 12-year-old girl stood on a chair to read the Torah blessings. She was the third generation in her family to become a Bat Mitzvah at the wall. My eyes filled with tears as this courageous girl was lifted on the chair in celebration of one of the most profound moments for a Jew. Thousands of Jewish men and women on the other side of our minyan jeered. But the 350 of us stood proud and strong to support her, cheering. I hope she could only hear the cheers.
The difference between us and them is that we came there to pray, and they came there to spew hate. Its impossible for me to wrap my mind around the thought of someone feeling so strongly that women should not be heard, that they would actively drown out the prayers that they themselves count as the most holy. We were saying the words of our people, in the language of our people. Singing in beautiful harmony, praising and thanking God. But they were yelling, blowing air horns, blowing whistles, shushing us, throwing eggs, laughing, shaming....as we sang and praised God. Not their God, Not my God, but OUR God.
As I prayed, I kept noticing that I was feeling the hot Jerusalem sun shine down on us. I felt the sun and the beauty of the city and our people driving the ruach (spirit) in our circle. I wonder if the other Jews there could feel the sun shining down on them as they screamed and shouted. Could they feel the beauty of God as they condemned us? I hope so. I hope deep down, in some small part of them, they felt it. That they felt the light of the Women of the Wall.
Our Hope is not yet lost.
The hope of two thousand years
To be a free people in our land.
The land of Zion and Jerusalem.
| עוֹד לֹא אָבְדָה תִּקְוָתֵנוּ, | ‘ | |
| הַתִּקְוָה בַּת שְׁנוֹת אַלְפַּיִם | , | |
| לִהְיוֹת עַם חָפְשִׁי בְּאַרְצֵנוּ, | ||
| אֶרֶץ צִיּוֹן וִירוּשָׁלַיִם. | . |
Saturday, July 6, 2013
Culture Clash
As I sit down to write, I am having a hard time processing all of the things I want to write about. Though it feels like there should be a thousand new things to say, life here is starting to feel a tiny bit "normal", so that doesn't necessarily lend itself to blogging.
I'll start with saying we have had a few experiences that made me think "there is no way this would happen in Chicago." The first one happened on our way to Tel Aviv last week. As we were leaving our apartment, we decided to take a moment to explore the building we are living in. We thought that behind the building there was a shared courtyard for all of the inhabitants of the building to use, and when we moved in, we had specifically asked our landlord if this was the case. She had said yes, so we decided to open the gate on the side of the building (literally three feet from our entrance) and look in the backyard. The gate was unlocked, as we expected, so we walked to in to take a look. We saw a small yard, and the entrance to an apartment on the right. Suddenly, a loud alarm went off! We looked at each other and walked back out the gate, unsure of what to do--Should we call someone? Wait for something to happen? Run away? As we were standing there feeling helpless, a woman came out of the apartment door screaming, "Whats going on? What are you doing here?!" We stood there apologizing profusely, explaining that we had just moved in, and thought this was a shared courtyard. The woman was not amused, and clearly very upset. I can understand her surprise, but we were very apologetic and had made an honest mistake. She told us, "Your story doesn't add up! Didn't you see my gate? Why would you come in to my private property?!" She spoke very clear English, so this was definitely not a language issue, but she still didn't want to hear our apologies. Finally she went inside, and Adam and I felt terrible--we have to live under this woman all year, and she thinks we are thieves! We called or landlord to explain, and she ended up talking to our disgruntled neighbor. It turns our there was a misunderstanding of where the "shared courtyard" was, and there really isn't one. Oops. Now every time I come home I cross my fingers that I won't see her again!
I think if this had happened at home, the neighbor may have been a lot more polite and willing to hear our story. Here, people are very much on the offensive, and are quick to yell. There is no time to explain yourself, and everything automatically goes to yelling and accusations. For example, we went to the grocery store yesterday, and went to wait patiently in line, which is something I teach young children how to do quite often. There were two lines that were awkwardly merging to get to the cash register. In the States, if two lines are merging, people are generally cordial and try to accommodate one another. You might hear, "Oh you go ahead." "No you go", "I insist! Have a great day!"Not here. Unfortunately my language skills are not good enough to truly understand the brawl that happened as these two lines tried to get to the register, but I think it went something like this:
Woman A: You were not here! Wait your turn, lady!
Woman B: Oh no no no I have been here the whole time! I am going first!
Woman C: Seriously?! No No no I was here first. get out of my way, bitches!
Man: Let (Woman A) her go first! We have all been waiting for so long! Just go! Go!
Everyone in line" YELL YELL YELL BLAH BLAH BLAH! Angry Yelling!!!"
** Another line opens next to this one. A and B rush to get there first. Woman A puts her things down on the conveyor belt. Woman B picks them up and put them behind her own things.***
Woman A: No! NO No NO! I was here first what is wrong with you!? Don't touch my stuff! How dare you!?
Woman B: How dare YOU?! (Other woman reaches for her things, she grabs her hand up and moves it out of the way)
This went on for about five more minutes, until they were done yelling and seemed ready to go on with the day as if nothing interesting had happened. Basically, it was any episode of Real Housewives of New Jersey. The best part was, it ended with "Shabbat Shalom! being yelled passive aggressively as they left. I think I have some toughening up to do!
On a more lighthearted note, we have had a wonderful Shabbat! Last night we met some friends for services at Kol Haneshama, a progressive congregation just down the road. The service was all music, and many tunes that I could sing along to. The bast part was that it felt as though every single person in the congregation was singing. Everyone knew the words, and sang with true ruach (spirit). Afterward, we went to dinner at a new friends home, and shared discussions and spirited conversation with other HUC students. I have a feeling there will be a lot of spirited discussions at the Shabbat table over the next year!
Today we were invited for Shabbat lunch at the apartment of a Rabbi who is here for the summer. He is a graduate of HUC, and works in Peoria, Illinois. AS we sat around the table, each of the 10 HUC students and spouses had a chance to tell their story, and how they ended up here. It was a great way to get to know people on a more personal level.
I am excited that tomorrow I am going to the Gan (Kindergarten) at HUC to do some volunteering. There aren't any academic programs in the summer, but I am excited to feel useful and productive. Adam starts orientation on Monday, so I'm sure there will be more tell by next week!
Well, I guess I did have stuff to write about! If you guys have any questions or things you thin might be interesting to write about, let me know--I don't want to run out of steam.
Shabbat Shalom!!
Melissa
I'll start with saying we have had a few experiences that made me think "there is no way this would happen in Chicago." The first one happened on our way to Tel Aviv last week. As we were leaving our apartment, we decided to take a moment to explore the building we are living in. We thought that behind the building there was a shared courtyard for all of the inhabitants of the building to use, and when we moved in, we had specifically asked our landlord if this was the case. She had said yes, so we decided to open the gate on the side of the building (literally three feet from our entrance) and look in the backyard. The gate was unlocked, as we expected, so we walked to in to take a look. We saw a small yard, and the entrance to an apartment on the right. Suddenly, a loud alarm went off! We looked at each other and walked back out the gate, unsure of what to do--Should we call someone? Wait for something to happen? Run away? As we were standing there feeling helpless, a woman came out of the apartment door screaming, "Whats going on? What are you doing here?!" We stood there apologizing profusely, explaining that we had just moved in, and thought this was a shared courtyard. The woman was not amused, and clearly very upset. I can understand her surprise, but we were very apologetic and had made an honest mistake. She told us, "Your story doesn't add up! Didn't you see my gate? Why would you come in to my private property?!" She spoke very clear English, so this was definitely not a language issue, but she still didn't want to hear our apologies. Finally she went inside, and Adam and I felt terrible--we have to live under this woman all year, and she thinks we are thieves! We called or landlord to explain, and she ended up talking to our disgruntled neighbor. It turns our there was a misunderstanding of where the "shared courtyard" was, and there really isn't one. Oops. Now every time I come home I cross my fingers that I won't see her again!
I think if this had happened at home, the neighbor may have been a lot more polite and willing to hear our story. Here, people are very much on the offensive, and are quick to yell. There is no time to explain yourself, and everything automatically goes to yelling and accusations. For example, we went to the grocery store yesterday, and went to wait patiently in line, which is something I teach young children how to do quite often. There were two lines that were awkwardly merging to get to the cash register. In the States, if two lines are merging, people are generally cordial and try to accommodate one another. You might hear, "Oh you go ahead." "No you go", "I insist! Have a great day!"Not here. Unfortunately my language skills are not good enough to truly understand the brawl that happened as these two lines tried to get to the register, but I think it went something like this:
Woman A: You were not here! Wait your turn, lady!
Woman B: Oh no no no I have been here the whole time! I am going first!
Woman C: Seriously?! No No no I was here first. get out of my way, bitches!
Man: Let (Woman A) her go first! We have all been waiting for so long! Just go! Go!
Everyone in line" YELL YELL YELL BLAH BLAH BLAH! Angry Yelling!!!"
** Another line opens next to this one. A and B rush to get there first. Woman A puts her things down on the conveyor belt. Woman B picks them up and put them behind her own things.***
Woman A: No! NO No NO! I was here first what is wrong with you!? Don't touch my stuff! How dare you!?
Woman B: How dare YOU?! (Other woman reaches for her things, she grabs her hand up and moves it out of the way)
This went on for about five more minutes, until they were done yelling and seemed ready to go on with the day as if nothing interesting had happened. Basically, it was any episode of Real Housewives of New Jersey. The best part was, it ended with "Shabbat Shalom! being yelled passive aggressively as they left. I think I have some toughening up to do!
On a more lighthearted note, we have had a wonderful Shabbat! Last night we met some friends for services at Kol Haneshama, a progressive congregation just down the road. The service was all music, and many tunes that I could sing along to. The bast part was that it felt as though every single person in the congregation was singing. Everyone knew the words, and sang with true ruach (spirit). Afterward, we went to dinner at a new friends home, and shared discussions and spirited conversation with other HUC students. I have a feeling there will be a lot of spirited discussions at the Shabbat table over the next year!
Today we were invited for Shabbat lunch at the apartment of a Rabbi who is here for the summer. He is a graduate of HUC, and works in Peoria, Illinois. AS we sat around the table, each of the 10 HUC students and spouses had a chance to tell their story, and how they ended up here. It was a great way to get to know people on a more personal level.
I am excited that tomorrow I am going to the Gan (Kindergarten) at HUC to do some volunteering. There aren't any academic programs in the summer, but I am excited to feel useful and productive. Adam starts orientation on Monday, so I'm sure there will be more tell by next week!
Well, I guess I did have stuff to write about! If you guys have any questions or things you thin might be interesting to write about, let me know--I don't want to run out of steam.
Shabbat Shalom!!
Melissa
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
Shabbat, Tel Aviv, and Sunburn
Its hard to know what to write, because so much happens each day. I feel like we've been here for weeks, but I know that must be because there is so much to do, see, and learn. Since I can't possibly remember everything, I will try to give the highlights!
We had our very first Shabbat in Israel, which is something both Adam and I were excited to experience. Though we've both been here before, there is something very different about being independent and able to explore everything, as opposed to being shuttled around in a bus and having everything planned out for you. After at least an hour of walking (uphill!) we went to services with a group of Adam's classmates. We went to a progressive congregation that ended up being a very good place to be for the night! Rick Jacobs, the president of the Union for Reform Judaism was there, along with some other prominent Rabbis. The services was very nice, and both the congregational Rabbi and Rabbi Jacobs made beautiful speeches. Afterwards, the HUC students gathered around Rabbi Jacobs like groupies, so excited to shake his hand and meet him--it was very cute!
We walked to dinner at a classmate's apartment, and shared a potluck Shabbat meal. We enjoyed meeting all of the people, and there are even more coming each day. I love that each student comes from a different place, and each have different perspectives on Judaism that will spark some interesting conversations. The highlight was after dinner song-session led by renowned song leader Adam Bellows. ( :)) But seriously, it was both relaxing and energizing to sing Jewish songs in Jerusalem. I never realized how many songs say Israel or Jerusalem in the words--and here we are!
I assumed that on Saturday everything would be shut down, and there would be no cars on the streets. . that is mostly true, but there are definitely a few cars and taxis, as well as about a few shops that stay open. Adam took a long walk to the Kotel (Western Wall) in the morning, and I went on a walk of my own to explore the neighborhood. I ended up walking along a beautiful bike/walking path that led me to an old train station. To my surprise, I heard loud music playing! As I walked in I saw about 100 people milling about an area that looked a bit like a boardwalk. There were tents, a coffee stand, an ice cream stand, a restaurant, and a few shops open. I tried calling Adam to meet me there, but since he was at the wall, he didn't answer. When I got back to the apartment, he called to tell me that he was on his way home and found that same area--great minds think alike! I met him there for lunch and OMG--have I mentioned how good the food is here? We have been trying not to eat out, but every time we do, we discover new things to try that are so fresh and delicious. Amazing yogurt, cheeses, coffee, vegetables..its pretty incredible.
On Sunday, we headed to Tel Aviv for a little getaway before everything starts here. We ended up taking almost five hours to get there, (what should be less than two hours total), with several stops and gaps in between to figure out which bus to take, buy a bathing suit because I forgot, and choose the right streets and paths to take. When we finally got there, we were rewarded with an amazing view of the Mediterranean that we will never forget. We changed right away, and went across the street to the beach. The water was surprisingly warm, and we went crazy jumping in the large waves. I lost my sunglasses, but it was totally worth it! We even got to watch the sunset--it felt like a movie.
We spent the next day on the beach, and got a little too much sun! I need to work on applying sunscreen more often--the sun is pretty intense here! We both needed lots of aloe before bed..ouch. Tel Aviv is a beautiful city, but by today we were ready to get back here--too may transitions in a short amount of time! It only took us 2 hours this time--we learned from our mistakes on the way there, and it was nice to be home and feel like it was home.
In the last week, we've been learning how to get around, and have found it very convenient to use the bus system. Many busses stop right on our street, so we just Google Map the correct route and go on our way! Last week, we were able to go to the kenyon (mall) to buy some needed items for the apartment and and go shopping at "Supersal Deel" (superbasket deal) for food.
I feel much better about my Hebrew, and today we had a long conversation in Hebrew with our cab driver in Tel Aviv, and I understood most of it! I am still not very comfortable speaking, but my understanding had improved a lot, and I don't feel lost. I have noticed that the tone makes a huge difference, and its hard to understand what Israelis are saying because the tone and cadence of sentences are different. Its hard to explain, but for example, In English, our tone goes up at the end of a question, or stays flat for a sentence. -its almost like everything is more timid. Israelis are very, um, assertive, and everything is feels brash and loud. I have to remind myself that it is a cultural difference and not everyone is mad at me!
Tomorrow, we are going on a tour of HUC, and hope to get student ID cards for discounts and a bus card. I plan on going to a few English-speaking schools in the area this week to offer my services, preferably in the form of a job, but maybe just to volunteer. I am also starting Ulpan (Hebrew class) in a couple weeks! I will be going to the Conservative Yeshiva for a three week program that meets five mornings a week! Another HUC S.O. (That's what we are called- Significant Others!) is going there, and I went with her to sign up and check it out! Im excited to have a bit of a routine going eventually, an to feel less nervous about my Hebrew skills.
Alright, I must go now--but now that we are a bit more settled I will try to update as much as possible! -
I also have an album going on Facebook--check it out!Israel! ( I hope that works...)
L'hitraot!
Melissa
We had our very first Shabbat in Israel, which is something both Adam and I were excited to experience. Though we've both been here before, there is something very different about being independent and able to explore everything, as opposed to being shuttled around in a bus and having everything planned out for you. After at least an hour of walking (uphill!) we went to services with a group of Adam's classmates. We went to a progressive congregation that ended up being a very good place to be for the night! Rick Jacobs, the president of the Union for Reform Judaism was there, along with some other prominent Rabbis. The services was very nice, and both the congregational Rabbi and Rabbi Jacobs made beautiful speeches. Afterwards, the HUC students gathered around Rabbi Jacobs like groupies, so excited to shake his hand and meet him--it was very cute!
We walked to dinner at a classmate's apartment, and shared a potluck Shabbat meal. We enjoyed meeting all of the people, and there are even more coming each day. I love that each student comes from a different place, and each have different perspectives on Judaism that will spark some interesting conversations. The highlight was after dinner song-session led by renowned song leader Adam Bellows. ( :)) But seriously, it was both relaxing and energizing to sing Jewish songs in Jerusalem. I never realized how many songs say Israel or Jerusalem in the words--and here we are!
I assumed that on Saturday everything would be shut down, and there would be no cars on the streets. . that is mostly true, but there are definitely a few cars and taxis, as well as about a few shops that stay open. Adam took a long walk to the Kotel (Western Wall) in the morning, and I went on a walk of my own to explore the neighborhood. I ended up walking along a beautiful bike/walking path that led me to an old train station. To my surprise, I heard loud music playing! As I walked in I saw about 100 people milling about an area that looked a bit like a boardwalk. There were tents, a coffee stand, an ice cream stand, a restaurant, and a few shops open. I tried calling Adam to meet me there, but since he was at the wall, he didn't answer. When I got back to the apartment, he called to tell me that he was on his way home and found that same area--great minds think alike! I met him there for lunch and OMG--have I mentioned how good the food is here? We have been trying not to eat out, but every time we do, we discover new things to try that are so fresh and delicious. Amazing yogurt, cheeses, coffee, vegetables..its pretty incredible.
On Sunday, we headed to Tel Aviv for a little getaway before everything starts here. We ended up taking almost five hours to get there, (what should be less than two hours total), with several stops and gaps in between to figure out which bus to take, buy a bathing suit because I forgot, and choose the right streets and paths to take. When we finally got there, we were rewarded with an amazing view of the Mediterranean that we will never forget. We changed right away, and went across the street to the beach. The water was surprisingly warm, and we went crazy jumping in the large waves. I lost my sunglasses, but it was totally worth it! We even got to watch the sunset--it felt like a movie.
We spent the next day on the beach, and got a little too much sun! I need to work on applying sunscreen more often--the sun is pretty intense here! We both needed lots of aloe before bed..ouch. Tel Aviv is a beautiful city, but by today we were ready to get back here--too may transitions in a short amount of time! It only took us 2 hours this time--we learned from our mistakes on the way there, and it was nice to be home and feel like it was home.
In the last week, we've been learning how to get around, and have found it very convenient to use the bus system. Many busses stop right on our street, so we just Google Map the correct route and go on our way! Last week, we were able to go to the kenyon (mall) to buy some needed items for the apartment and and go shopping at "Supersal Deel" (superbasket deal) for food.
I feel much better about my Hebrew, and today we had a long conversation in Hebrew with our cab driver in Tel Aviv, and I understood most of it! I am still not very comfortable speaking, but my understanding had improved a lot, and I don't feel lost. I have noticed that the tone makes a huge difference, and its hard to understand what Israelis are saying because the tone and cadence of sentences are different. Its hard to explain, but for example, In English, our tone goes up at the end of a question, or stays flat for a sentence. -its almost like everything is more timid. Israelis are very, um, assertive, and everything is feels brash and loud. I have to remind myself that it is a cultural difference and not everyone is mad at me!
Tomorrow, we are going on a tour of HUC, and hope to get student ID cards for discounts and a bus card. I plan on going to a few English-speaking schools in the area this week to offer my services, preferably in the form of a job, but maybe just to volunteer. I am also starting Ulpan (Hebrew class) in a couple weeks! I will be going to the Conservative Yeshiva for a three week program that meets five mornings a week! Another HUC S.O. (That's what we are called- Significant Others!) is going there, and I went with her to sign up and check it out! Im excited to have a bit of a routine going eventually, an to feel less nervous about my Hebrew skills.
Alright, I must go now--but now that we are a bit more settled I will try to update as much as possible! -
I also have an album going on Facebook--check it out!Israel! ( I hope that works...)
L'hitraot!
Melissa
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