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