The Western Wall & A Dip in a Natural Spring

Shabbat Shalom!

I wanted to write a quick blog and post some pictures simply because I got to experience two really cool things.

The first is that I went to the Kotel (Wailing Wall) with Gal yesterday. I just wanted to stop by, say a quick prayer and maybe go out for drinks after. Sounds simple enough, right? Remember I told you about Slekhot...well let me tell you - if there is anywhere to go for repentance - it's the Kotel!!! Gal and I got there around 11:45pm....AND IT WAS MADNESS!!!!! SSSOOOOOO many people. It took about 10 minutes to get through security and into the plaza because the line was so long. Once there my jaw just dropped. There were people EVERYWHERE. It looked as if the ground was swarming! Women, men, children, elderly - all at the Kotel - praying, hanging around, singing, clapping, hugging, crying. It's truly an incredible sight.

I decided that I was going to try and get to the wall just to touch it and then leave. Call me crazy or stupid, but I went for it! It took me about 15 minutes to get through the ridiculous crowd. Women were pushing, shoving, elbowing...oi! Not going to lie - I DID have a moment of weakness where I thought of just turning back and getting the hell out of this outrageous crowd. But I was sooo close I decided to stick with it and did in fact, manage to touch the wall!!! hahaha. It sounds so silly but I'm really glad that I did it. Gal and I actually ended up staying for about 2.5 hours - just hanging out, people watching, praying a bit, and listening to people blow the shofar! It really was great! Oh, and by the time we were getting to leave (2:00am) - believe it or not - the crowd got EVEN BIGGER!!! I have before and after pictures for comparison! ahha.





So that's that. The other little cool thing that I did today, is my recently aquired friend, Avi, invited me to go with him and his friend Aryeh to a natural spring. There are actually 200 different natural springs all over Jerusalem that you can go and swim in. It was REALLY great to take a dip before shabbat, hang out in the warm sunshine and have some good laughs. Pictures of this as well.





That's really it, but I just thought that it was too good to pass up writing in the blog. Now I gotta run to get ready for shabbat :)

Shabbat Shalom!!!!!
<3

Rosh Hashana, Tour of the Supreme Court & Early Morning Slikhot

For those of you who celebrated - hope that Rosh Hashanah went wonderfully for you! I spent most of the weekend in Tel Aviv visiting my friend Amir who I haven't seen in about 6 years! He just finished his army service as a Golani (which is the rival of the paratroopers - both of which are very hardcore)! Tel Aviv is much warmer and more humid than Jerusalem and the water is absolutely incredible. There isn't a whole lot to speak of in terms of the weekend because it mostly consisted of swimming in the ocean, drinking, bumming around, and swimming some more! honestly! So that's about it on that front.


Monday we were back at the BC, with the usual packed schedule:
8:45-12:00 – Ulpan as usual – Begin Center ground floor.
12:00-13:00 – Lunch.
13:00-14:30 – The first decade in the history of the State of Israel (1948-1958) – with the one and only, Mr. Paul Gross. This will be the first in a series of lectures where Paul will present and discuss the history of the State of Israel, decade by decade. In his lectures, Paul will be putting emphasis on political developments, and how they shaped the direction and character of the State of Israel. (seminar room).
15:00-16:30 – Professor Avraham Diskin from the Hebrew University, will deliver a lecture in which: he will analyze the nature of Israel's democracy – making some comparisons to other democracies in the world. In his lecture, Professor Diskin will put emphasis on the formative years of the State of Israel. (seminar room).

Tuesday was somewhat of a special day because after our morning Ulpan class, we got to go on a tour of the Israeli Supreme Court. This tied in with Monday's lecture quite well, as we learned about the basics of the court systems and such. The building itself is relatively new (built int 1986) by a brother and sister by the names of Ram Karmi and Ada Karmi-Melamede. The building itself is quite beautiful with large windows which let in lots of natural light, high ceilings, and vast open space. It's not a particularly big building, but its architecture carries many metaphors and symbolism. We also got lucky enough to sit in an court room and see lawyers at the tables preparing for the judges after a recess. Courtroom proceedings are open to the public and press (unless it is an exceptional circumstance - i.e. sexual crime, mentally ill, high security topics, and other subjects requiring sensitivity).




After the court, I went to my local coffee shop to study Hebrew for a few hours (supposedly I can count to 100 now), went out to dinner with my new friend Avi. We went to this sushi place 2 minutes from my apt - and you know - it wasn't half bad. I'll admit that I have been rather reluctant to try 'ethnic' foods here (not counting mediteranian) because...well...i just can't imagine Israeli's getting it right. But the sushi was nice and something tells me that it might become my little spot of comfort when I miss the bay area and the incredible sushi there. (By the way - I hope everyone will take a momment to appreciate how incredibly ecclectic our food is in the states!)

Post dinner with Avi, I met up with a girl from IGF - Daniella. She is from Venezuella, is incredibly laid back, and totally fascinating given her background and political activism. So we met up and went over to another IGFer's place, who'se name is Gal (he's Israeli). Gal is yet another incredible individual who will be working in the President's office, has the most remarkable family, and is also unbelievably friendly and intelligent. (ahhhhh!!!) While Daniella and I are in the cab on the way to Gal's she tells me that her friend's dad is doing this 'Slikhot Tour'.

**Note: The 10 days between the end of Rosh Hashana and the beginning of Yom Kipur are called the Slikhot. These days are very special because it is the time when you ask for forgivness for all of your sins. These prayers take place very early in the morning. More info:


So this tour is from 3:30am - 6:30am (since the prayers are so early). To make a long story short - Daniella, Gal, and myself decide to GO FOR IT! We went to bed around 1:00am, woke up at 3:00 and took this tour. Normally the idea is that you go from one temple to the next, experiencing the different atmospheres, different neighborhoods, ect. We really only toured two old and rather famous neighborhoods: the Buharian neighborhood (which is Sephardi) and Meya Shearim (this is not the correct spelling but I'm too tired to look up the proper spelling right now)- which is Ashkenazi. These are two ULTRA religious places, worth looking up and known for their radical inhabitants. (i.e. if you are not dressed properly you WILL get spit on, egged, hissed at, ect ect). It's very controversial, there is much news comming out of these places, and all together intruiging. (again - i'll post pictures soon).

We got back around 6:30 am, slept for 2 hours, and started yet another day (today) exhausted and looking like zombies but happy for having the opportunity to experience something unique and special. I really want to go back to one of these neighborhoods, simply because it is so interesting. The idea of Jews being completely against the state of Israel, being anit-Zionist (living in Israel none the less) - it's all very complicated and sparks intense debate ;-)

Oi - that's about it. So, I've more or less gotten' 9 hours of sleep in the past 9 days, managed to see quite a few interesting things, and in general - am overwhelmingly satisfied with life! There is just SO much to learn, to see, to experience, to taste, and to fall in love with. It's truly incredible!

...okay, enough out of me. I REALLY need to get some rest (preferably for more than 4 hours) so on that note...

laila tov everyone!
<3

First Week of IGF and a Few Adventures

Shalom Anashim! (people)

It's hard to believe that the first week of IGF is already done - feels like I have been here for so long already! The reason why I was not able to write sooner is because the program has kept me unbelievably busy. Our days start at 8:45am and last until (at least) 5pm! We are talking 3 hours of intense Ulpan, lunch break, and then several lectures. Upon leaving the Begin center what do we do? --- Go home to STUDY!!! Yep, that's more or less how my days have been going. The Ulpan is coming along (slowly but surely).

I'll admit that for me, personally, it's a lot of work. Maybe it's because I haven't studied like this (raw memorization/quizez) since high school and my brain is out of practice. Maybe I'm just slightly retarded. What ever the case may be, I've been spending at least 3 hours a day studying Hebrew. Sitting at the bus stop, getting to class early, waking up early in the morning - most of these activities are done with vocabulary flashcards in hand and hebrew language audio tracks playing on my iPod. It's pretty nuts but I like that I'm getting pushed. The harder I work the sooner I will be haggling with Israeli's at the shuk (market). So it's all *sababa* (cool).

However, with all of the work that is required of me, I have managed to sneak in a couple fun things here and there. ;-) Two days ago, there was a street fair for the upcoming holiday- Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Years). The entire street, called Emek Refaim, was closed off. There were vendors selling all sorts of knick-knacks, jewelry, paintings, food, ect ect. There were also about 5 different stages with live bands playing a variety of music - everything from electronica, to jazz, to traditional Jewish songs. It was just really nice to walk around, hear some good music, and hang out with a couple of my fellow IGF'ers.

Yesterday, after the ‘work day’, the IGF staff organized a little toast for all of the current IGF participants as well as IGF alumni. There were little glasses with wine and lots of yummy sweet munchies (to symbolize a sweet new year). Mr. Makov gave a small toast wishing us success in this upcoming and very exciting year ahead of us. After a bit of schmoozing, we had a ‘lecture’ by a young guy named Ben. He basically talked about the significance and meaning of Rosh Hashana, the dual (and sometimes contradictory) ideas of repentance and forgiveness. It was good, but just a bit late in the evening for any of us to fully appreciate the gravity of the things he was talking about. In short – we are all a bit tired!

Following the talk, we were ‘free to go’ and I got lucky enough to be invited to a concert. The band playing was this famous Israeli band called ‘beit habubot’ which translates to ‘dollhouse’ or ‘house of puppets’ (not sure which one is more correct). I am not really familiar with their music (except for one song) but let me tell you guys – the show was REALLY GREAT!!!! It was a small crowd, I was LITERALLY at the from (if not on) the stage, and the musicians are genuinely talented! I was invited by a couple of the guys who I met on Shabbat (as mentioned in a previous blog…I think) and I also invited this girl named Mor who is basically interning at the Begin Center and works with the IGF staff. We had a GREAT time dancing, singing along (at least those of us who knew the lyrics), and went out for drinks afterwards.


By the time I got home, it was around 2:30am. It was sooooo good – to do something new, hear some good music, participate in ‘local life’, and just be with great people! AKH!!! Life is treating me too well – it’s almost making me nervous, but I’m not one to complain ;-)

So starting from today until Sunday we have a short ‘vacation’. I am on my way to Tel Aviv to spend the New Year with some family, go to the beach, and study Hebrew (remember I told you that wherever I go, my flashcards follow with me). I guess it has just been one adventure after another – I love every minute of it! Oh, and I’m actually meeting up with a friend today who I haven’t seen since Freshman year of High School. His name is Amir (lots of Amir’s apparently) and he is originally from Israel. His parents moved to the states, but freshman year he decided to move back to the Holy Land, and has been here ever since. I’m really curious to see how he has changed and the kind of person he is. He was a sweetheart in high school, so I’m sure that much hasn’t changed ;-) Only one way to find out right? Should be good. I’ll be sure to post pictures and write a new blog with news of how this weekend goes.

Okay, I’m out for now – but I just want to wish everyone (Jewish or not) a wonderful, fulfilling, and prosperous Rosh Hashana. May the new year bring you only the best which life has to offer (and there sure is a lot)!

Shana Tova!
<3

*Example of my Weekly Schedule*

Sunday - (all at the Begin Center):
8:45-12:00: The first Ulpan session in groups (begin center ground floor - 1).
12:00-13:00 – Lunch – ground floor.
14:00-15:00 – Meeting with Mr. Salai Meridor: Former Israeli Ambassador to the US (up until a few weeks ago) and also the former Head of the Jewish Agency (among other things). We are honored to have the opportunity of meeting Mr. Meridor who will greet us as we begin the 4th session. (seminar room 4th floor).
- The rest of this day you will all have for your various personal arrangements (we will be available for assistance).

Monday (all at the Begin Center):
8:45-12:00: Ulpan session in groups (Begin center ground floor - 1).
12:00-13:00 – Lunch – ground floor.
13:00-14:30: Mr. Yisrael Meidad from the Begin Center will deliver a lecture on: The continuous Jewish presence in the land of Israel. (seminar room 4th floor).
15:00-16:00: Session and discussion with Tamar. (seminar room 4th floor).

Tuesday (all at the Begin Center):
8:45-12:00: Ulpan session in groups (Begin center ground floor - 1).
12:00-13:00 – Lunch – ground floor.
13:00-14:30 Professor Edward Brauer from the Hebrew University will deliver a lecture on: The transition into modernity, and the reactions to modernity in the Jewish world.
15:00-16:30 – Mr. Yisrael Meidad from the Begin Center will deliver a lecture on: the "Aliyot" – the settlement in Eretz Yisrael in the last 120 or so years.
16:30-17:30 – Meeting with Ms. Freda Surki – the director of the post college programs division at MASA. She will cover some of the activities they will offer throughout the year and some more details about MASA.

Wednesday (all at the Begin Center):
8:45-12:00: Ulpan session in groups (begin center ground floor - 1).
12:00-13:00 – Lunch – ground floor.
13:00-14:30: Mr. Yisrael Meidad – The underground movements in Eretz Yisrael before independence, and the ideological and political trends that followed. (seminar room 4th floor).
15:00-16:30: Dr. David Mendelson from the Hebrew university will deliver a lecture called: "a spectrum of the classical Zionist movements". (seminar room 4th floor).
19:30-22:00 – a special evening with IGF alumni as well as Jewish text study with Mr. Ben Reis.

Start of IGF, Herzeliya & Shabbat in Rehavia

Shalom all,

Sorry about the lag since my last post. Things are starting to ramp up over on my end, so you'll have to forgive me if my blogs are not quite as consistent as they were when I first started out. It has only been a couple of days but I feel like it's going to take pages for me to catch up in writing. ;-)

Okay, lets start with the fact that the IGF program has OFFICIALLY begun as of September 9, 2009 (which was a Wednesday). Got to the BC* (Begin Center) at 8:30am, dressed in business casual and pumped with excitement. I finally got to formally meet EVERYBODY in our group as people and at 8:45 - the day officially began. We all went into one of the conference rooms where the chairs were arranged in a circle and the entire staff of IGF, as well as Herzl Makof were seated at the head of the room.
Tamar (the director) began with an opening statement and then Mr. Makov took some time to tell us about the BC, the IGF program, and his high expectations/standards for us. We were also given folders which had various forms and information inside for us to look through./sign. Then Tamar took about an hour to go through a power-point presentation which was a more detailed explanation of what the program will consist of, how our days will look, rules/regulations, ect ect. Then lunch (which was provided to us) and then we went outside for some 'bonding/getting to know each other' activities.
In short, the first day was exactly what you would expect it to be - exhilirating, inspiring, and basic information.

There isn't much to speak of for the second day, except that we met with the Ulpan (hebrew training) people, who assessed our hebrew skills, provided us with some books/audio material and......I FINALLY GOT A CELLPHONE!!! This means that as of Thursday, all of the main necessities for life (apt, internet, bank account, and cellphone) have successfully been established! In 8 days, I would say that's pretty good :)

Right after I got my cellphone, I came home to quickly change/shower and then meet my highschool friend, Amir, in Herzeliya. Herzeliya is very close to Tel Aviv (North of JLem) and is beautiful, on the waterfront, and a rather wealthy area! I was meeting Amir because I was invited to his sister's 'hina' ceremony (http://www.jewcy.com/post/henna_ceremony). Turns out that Amir's uncle is a very well know and incredibly wealthy entrepreneur who has an UNBELIEVABLE 6 story house on a cliff overlooking the ocean. His uncle is next-door neighbors with the Israeli embassador to the U.S!! seriously! Everything took place in the 'back-yard' (which could host a small country), with open bar, live band, a belly dancer, delicious bouffet and traditional dance! If that's not crazy enough. - get this - Amir's uncle has two sons...his eldest's name is Ori. ORI and I went to 2-4th grade together when they lived in the states. So after 13 years, here I was - in Ori's house, invited by his cousin!!!! RIDICULOUS!!! only in Israel - seriously!!! The whole thing was totally insane, lavish, and on the whole - entirely unbelievable!

And so we get to today - Friday. I didn't really have any set plans for Shabbat (nor do I have any food), but Netanel told me about this Shul (temple) very close to me, where there are a lot of Americans and good vibes. So, I decided to check it out. Maybe get lucky and get invited to go eat somewhere (since my apt is barren right now). Before I even stepped into the temple, I met a couple and a young guy who were walking to the same place, and the young guy (Egal) immediately asked if I had any plans for dinner and invited me to spend shabbat with him and his friends!
The service itself left me speechless. I have never heard the prayers sung the way that they were at this temple. The singing honestly almost brought me to tears - it was *that* beautiful! Needless to say, I am DEFINITELY going to that shul for shabbat services when ever I am staying in the area!
And so, I joined Egal, his flatmate and other buddies for dinner. The food was delicious, the atmosphere was friendly and inviting, and the conversation was intelligent, funny and engaging!

I almost don't know how to describe the familial, open and inviting mentality that envelopes Israel (Jerusalem especially). There has not been a moment since I've come that I have ever felt truely lost, lonely, or helpless - simply because I know, that if I really need to, I can stop anybody on the street or knock on a neighbors door, or grab a passenger on a bus or, or, or... that's just normal here! Maybe after some time I will be able to describe it better or find some kind of explanation for it - but for now - I'm just blown away and grateful for everything and everybody I have come across.

With that said, I was invited to one place for kiddush tomorrow and then lunch at Egal's. The best part, is that all these places are within 10-15 min walking distance from my flat! Life is so good sometimes! :-D

I know it seems a bit short for a couple days worth of info, but that's really the bulk of it. Tomorrow is just lunch and studying Hebrew. Sundays are work days here, which means that Ulpan officially begins and my task is to know how to WRITE all of the hebrew letters in script by Sunday morning, 8:45am. I'm REALLY excited to be starting Hebrew and am especially motivated! The sooner I start speaking Hebrew the better! I can't wait!

Alright then - it's 2am for me here and I am in dire need of sleep. I'll be writing again soon :)

Shabbat Shalom!

Special Trip to Hebron!

Shalom all!

So yesterday was quite the day. First of all, my roomie - Rebecca (Becca for short) - arrived yesterday and is slowly settling into the apartment. After she put her things down and what not, I walked her down to the Begin Center so that she could pick up her info packet, meet the IGF crew, ect ect. While she is getting her stuff done, I was hanging around with a couple other IGF'ers - when the head of the Begin Center (Herzl Makov) came up to us. He said that there is a special memorial service taking place in Hebron commemorating the 1929 massacre of 67 Jews in the city of Hebron. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1929_Hebron_massacre). Basically this was a once in a life-time opportunity to safely go to Hebron, witness a very special event, and ask questions! And guess who got to go?! ;-)

So on the drive to Hebron we (there were 4 of us) got to ask Mr. Makov lots of questions - about the massacre, the economic situation in Hebron, the tensions between the Jews and Arabs there, settlements, ect ect. One thing I should mention is that Mr. Makov(http://www.jewishagency.org/NR/exeres/804B5B5B-81D7-4AC7-B33C-0333CE7B9DDA) is a man of few words, *incredibly* well connected, exudes intelligence and commands respect! It's not that the car-ride was uncomfortable, it's just that nobody wanted to make an ass out of themselves in front of him! One of my collegues was even calling him 'sir' ;-) In any case, he was very patient with us and answered any/all questions.

The drive to Hebron was fascinating in itself. Hebron is a *very* special place as far as the Judaism is concerned, because that is where the Matriarchs and Patriarchs of ALL religion (Abraham, Sarah, Rebecca, ect) are burried. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hebron). We did not go into the grave site, however, I did see it from the outside. This city is, for the most part, controlled by the Palestinian Authority. However, there are two Jewish settlements which are protect by the Israeli army. There is much tension between the Jews and Arabs of Hebron, and in general, both sides are pretty radical/fundamental. Many of the Arabs who live there support Hamas, and many of the Jews are extremely religious and radical in their own rights. What is interesting, is that the Jews are aloud to carry guns, and the PA police carry guns as well. Right now is a pretty calm/quiet period between the two groups, however there were times (particularly during the 2nd intifada and what not) where violence took place. Many of the Arabs who live there are unemployed and agriculture is one of the primary forms of work/export. The actual city center of Hebron is closed off so you cannot go in there (nor should one particularly want to).

The ceremony was nice (though all in Hebrew). It took place at the Jewish cemetery, in which the victims of the massacre are burried. What is special about this ceremony, is that this year was the first year in which the State of Israel actually sponsored/took part in the ceremony. This means that there were major representatives from the IL government who took part in the ceremony. The key speaker was the Speaker of the Knesset - a man by the name of Reuven Rivlin (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reuven_Rivlin). After the opening statements, lighting of a commemorative flame, and the reading of the names of the victims, Mr. Rivlin gave his speech. Though I cannot tell you directly what it was about (as I did not understand it) - there is an article in todays JPost in which it discusses his position, his criticisms, and remarks during the ceremony. (http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1251804514265&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull)

Okay, for the next part, I hope you are all sitting, because what I am about to tell you is pretty darn exciting (at least for me anyway). After the ceremony, we met up with Mr. Makov and were standing near the v.i.p exit (so to speak). The 'important people' were being escorted by security and walking right past us. As it turns out, Mr. Makov knows Mr. Rivlin on a close personal bases. Get this: we were introduced to him, shook hands, and all of us took a picture with the Speaker of the Knesset!!!!! This is a big deal guys! I mean, think about it, it was only my 6th day in Isreal, and already I am meeting important political figures! How cool is that?!?! Hopefully we will recieve copies of this picture - and I can guarantee you that as soon as i get it - it is going up on the blog (and maybe in a frame). haha. We also shook hands with Supreme Court Justice Elyakim Rubenstein (who is mentioned in the JPost article reffered to above). (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elyakim_Rubinstein).

After meeting these people and metaphorically peeing my pants with excitement, Mr. Makov calmly took us back to the Begin Center.....yes....so that's that! *I will try to attach some pictures here, however if not today, then check back in a couple of days and they should be up*

In other good news - my roomie was able to negotiate with our landlord, and he will be bringing her some more furniture today as well as a table for our living room :) I also recieved my very own Israeli credit card today (woohoo!!) and the internet is being installed tomorrow!!! Only thing left is a cell-phone which will hopefully be done by tomorrow or Thursday at latest. :-D

So life is pretty good right now - I really can't complain about anything. I *love* my apartment, my life is coming together, and I am already having some incredible experiences!

Tomorrow is the first day of the program. We have to be at the Begin Center at 8:45am dressed in business casual and diving in head first! :-D I'm excited to have a busy schedule and to really get things going.

Wish me luck!

The Amazing Abras Family

If you have been keeping up with my blog, you would know that I spent my first shabbat with my friend, Natenel's family. Let me tell you - they are some of the sweetest, kindest, and most wonderful people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. Natenel has 5 other siblings: 4 sisters and 1 brother. His youngest sister, Moria, and her husband (both 23) picked me up from my apartment and took me to his parents place. Right from the start they were very friendly, asking me how i'm doing, what am i doing, ect ect.

Moria is pregrant with her first child, and is due in a month! As i mentioned before, I had met Natenel's parents a month or so ago, so they greeted me with hugs and kisses on the cheek. It was very nice to be in a loving and warm enviornment. I also met Natenel's younger brother (27) who is very much like Natenel is many ways, but squirrlier and a bit of a rable-rouser. He cannot seem to sit still! haha.

From this point onwards, there isn't too much to say, simply because Shabbat is a day of rest. Here is what we did:

1. eat
2. sleep
3. go to temple
4. eat
5. talk
6. eat
7. sleep
8. get yelled at for not eating enough
9. EAT!

hahah! Jews definitely knowhow to relax! It was wonderful. I have to say, unplugging yourself from the world for 25 hours is really something. no staring into the computer, no checking constant emails - just great food, good company, and 100% pure, guilt free REST! I dare you all to try it! ;-)

After shabbat ended and we said the closing prayers, Natenel's parents and his brother took me to this street called 'Mamilla' in city center and the Kotel (the Wall). Mamilla is almost the exact equivalent of 'Santana Row' - just not *quite* as stuck up. But it's a lot of American shops (Gap, Billabong, NorthFace, MAC) with some pricey Israeli boutiques also. Not a good place to go shopping (unless you are loaded) but pleasant to walk around. We also walked to the Kotel (about 5 min) and took about 15 min to pray. You know - it's still pretty unbelievable to me that the holiest place on Earth (especially for Jews) is so close to me!! I can go there when ever I want!!! I don't know what I will be saying in 10 months, but right now, it's not something that I am capable of taking for granted. It's just too big of a priviledge!

** Let me take a moment to say - that when my parents come - if you want to send them with notes to the wall or anything like that, please feel free to do so. I am more than happy to put them in the wall! seriously! **

In the end, I was dropped off at my apt with a bag of food, a BOX full of dishes/silverware, and more hugs and kisses!!!! If I'm not one of the luckiest girls, I don't know who is!

Speaking of silverware - I guess I should mention (since this is a blog and I'm supposed to tell you everything) - I decided that I am going to try to keep a kosher kitchen. *this is where my parents start to freak out that i am becoming one of 'those jews'!!!* ;-) But really, all this means is that I will have seperate stuff for meat and dairy - that's it! It really can't be that bad. I already don't mix meat and dairy so this isn't too big of a leap. Don't worry people, I am NOT wearing a wig, covering the entirety of my body, or running to the wall to marry a Chassid! haha. I promise. I just want people who keep kosher to feel comfortable in my home. No biggie :)

Okay, I leave you all on that note, so that you can freak out and get it out of your systems now. I'll most likely be back sometime tomorrow withmore news and updates.

Hope things are going well and that everyone is enjoying the weekend!
Love from the Holy Land!
<3

First Shabbat in the Holy Land

Shalom Everyone!

Well, it is Friday afternoon which means that Shabbat (the Sabbath) is right around the corner. For those that don't know - Shabbat is from Friday evening until Saturday evening and it is a day of rest. This means that you are not supposed to work, use electricity, use money and so on. Believe it or not, it is the second most important holiday in Judaism (Yom Kipur - the day of atonement- being the first). So essential - we have a holiday every week! Pretty nifty! This also means that unlike the U.S. the weekend here is from Friday - Saturday, and Sunday marks the beginning of the work week. :-D

I will be spending this Shabbat with my friend, Netanel's family. His sister (Moria - whom I have enver met, but is my age) is picking me up around 6pm and we are going to his parent's house. Not going to lie - I'm a little nervous, but I have met his parents before and they are incredibly sweet and kind people. They keep Shabbat (meaning that they follow the rules), so most likely I will be spending the night there and will not have access to a computer and what not. Not to worry though, I'll be back here writing in 2 days guaranteed.

In other news - I have gone to the grocery store twice now (once yesterday and again today) and that is quite an experience as well! The 'supers' (super markets) are nothing like in America. The spacious isles, friendly checkers, people putting your groceries in bags and helping you out.......YA....forget about it!!! It's a jungle in there and it's every man for himself! No joke! Football players would do wonderfully in the stores because you have to push/shove/elbow/argue your way to the cash register. Shoulder pads would be an excellent accessory in this scenario. haha. On Friday's it's especially nuts as people are running around buying everything they need for Shabbat. With that said, the food is delicious and the freshly baked Challah (special bread eaten on Shabbat) smells *incredible*! I haven't bought any for myself yet, but maybe next week.

Mmmm, aside from that - not much else. My roomie lands in IL on Sunday around 10:30pm (which means that she'll probably be at the apt. by midnight if not later). I've ben chatting with her on and off and am pretty excited to meet her. She seems like a really sweet girl. Hopefully I will have this place in order and looking good for her arrival. I've already started cleaning most of the kitchen and will probably wash up the bathroom today as well.

Speaking of which, I am going to start on that. Thanks to all those who are reading all this nonsense. Come visit so that you can experience this maddness first hand! :-D

Will write again in a couple of days.
Shabbat Shalom!
<3

My Apartment - 5 Pichman

Okay - i haven't been able to upload the rest of the pictures, but basically -

top left: living room

top right: bathroom (shower is opposite the tub)

bottom left: my bedroom view from doorway

My Official First Day in IL

First off -guess where I am sitting (and don't say "in Jerusalem")...give up....ON THE ROOF OF MY APARTMENT! As I am starting to realize, in order to make it in this country, one must be willing to get creative. haha. I don't have internet set up at the apartment yet, and it was too late to get lost looking for an internet cafe - so, here I am sitting on the roof, happily mooching wifi off of some poor, unsuspecting Israeli. :-D Hooray!

Okay, so yesterday was my first full day. Much to my surprise, I woke up and still found myself in Jerusalem. So, I guess the only option is to start figuring things out. This translates to hours of walking! I dropped my things off at the apt, took a quick shower (water is *expensive*), and laid out three missions for myself:
1. Find the 'Menachem Begin Center' where my program is based out of
2. Get an Israeli bank account
3. Get an Israeli cell-phone (so that my parents can pester me as much as they want-haha)

Mission 'ehad' (1) was a 'great success'! The center is about a 20ish minute walk (I was only taking the main roads) and is very easy to get to. Once there, I made friends with both of the Russian security guards and met the entire IGF team (director, organizer, ect). Great people, ready and willing to help. I was given a folder with a packet of info about cell phones, banks, ect ect, a map, a monthly bus pass (sweet) and a card with emergency phone numbers. After shmoozing for a bit, I decided it was time to go after mission #2!

Mission 'shti'im' (2) was yet again, a great success! The IGF program worked out a deal with one of the banks here (called Leumi), so that IGF'ers get some discounts and what not. The lady who is working with all of the IGF'ers is Russian (surprise!), so that was not a problem.

By this time, it was around 2:15pm, so I made my way back to the Begin center to report on the ease of setting up an account (I was the first to do it) and send my parents a quick 'still alive' email. I didn't want to go home, so I figured I would try to make it to city center to check things out before dark....this is going to require a new paragraph.

All this time that I am walking around, I have a map and stop to ask for directions every now and then. How hard can it be to get to city center right? As I quickly learned - the Begin center is right on the border with an Arab town. I'm not saying 'terrorist heaven' - because it's more or less okay to be there during the day, but nightime is not such a good idea. Anymoo, after figuring out that I am not in the right neighborhood, i went back and tried again. This time, I managed to get myself to the Jaffo gate.

**Quick clarification for those that don't know: the Old City is surrounded by a wall which you can enter via different gates. The Jaffo gate basically opens into the Armenian/Christian quarter**

By this point (as I was noticing that there were less and less Jews around), I kind of started to feel uncomfortable. So I sat down on a bench trying to figure out where I am and if I should just head back or keep trying to be adventurous. This big white guy starts walking past me and I go to ask him where I am. Turns out he is an American cop from Missouri on a 'Security Tour' with a bunch of other cops, FBI, ect ect! I asked if he would mind if I tagged along with him, he said no problem, and so I entered the old city with my very own personal security guard. We walked through the tiny streets with all of the vendors. Within just a minute or two, we were in the Christian quarter and lo and behold - we get to Jesus Christ's crucifiction and burial site!!!!! Yeah, I guess I forgot to mention that Jerusalem is one of those places where the most amazing historical/religious sites are, quite literally, easy to stumble upon. My security guard was really into it, as he is a believing Christian, and was telling me a few things here and there (he took a tour the day before). We heard the priests chanting and it was pretty incredible to see people kneeling to kiss the holy site of JC. We walked out and Mr. Missouri wanted to keep going around (towards the Moslem quarter) but I decided that I had had enough for the day and needed to catch a taxi back to where I felt comfortable and knew my way around. After some hesitation, I flagged down a mercedes benz and prayed that I wouldn't get *completely* ripped off or kidnapped. Turns out, my driver was Russian (Uzbekestan), didn't rip me off one bit (17 NIS = $4.25), gave me his card (his name is Dimitry)! AAAAAAHHHHHH

So, after 7.5 hours of walking around, I called it a day and made it back to my flat. Took a shower, unpacked what ever things I could, got my room in order, and scrambled on to my roof where I made my great WiFi discovery!

Other tid bits:
* Ate my first felafell - yes, you should all be drooling
* Met one of my neighbors from upstairs - funny and slightly shleppy guy named Tal
* Decided that Israeli's are way too good looking (men and women)
* Weather is fantastic (not too hot and pleasant evenings)
* There is still much to be done!!! Oi!

On that note, it's about 7:45 am here for me, which means that I have to start the day and get moving! On today's agenda - go back to the Begin center, go back to the bank to get a credit card, and try to get a cellphone again. Wish me luck!

First Day in the Holy Land

Shalom Everyone!

Well - believe it or not - my new life in the Holy Land has officially started! After 17 hours of travel and a bit of a bumpy ride on the 'sherut' (shuttle) into Jerusalem, I made it to my apartment and was met by wonderful family friends and the very friendly landlord, Asaf.

The apartment is great (I will post pictures a.s.a.p): nice kitchen (though I need to buy EVERYTHING for it), welcoming living room, lots of windows, 2 balconies, in home washer/dryer and the bedrooms are just fine! I really can't wait to turn this apartment into a home.

After getting everything settled with the flat, my friends took me to the store to get some paper plates, showed me where the banks are, and then kindly took me into their home. I was fed, hugged, reassured and put to bed.

As for how I am doing...well...the honest truth is that I am overwhelmed, completely in shock, and for the most part - cannot believe that I am in Israel right now......FOR 10 MONTHS!!! I don't know about you guys, but this is definitely a bit nuts! However, thanks to family and friends, I am doing my best to stay calm and not cry all of the time. haha. I'll get it, slowly but surely.

On today's agenda: setting up a bank account, getting a cell phone, and checking in to the Menachem Begin Center where my program is based out of.

That's about the most of it for now. I will write again next chance I get (not sure when that will be - as I do not yet have any internet in my flat). But hey... I'll figure something out! :-D

Hakol Beseder (everything is okay)!
Lots of love!