The Whirlwind of Second Semester

Shalom readers!

What can I say? School really picked up this semester, and my time in Israel is evaporating before my very eyes. Time is moving so very quickly so I'm just working on soaking up as much Hebrew as humanly possible for the next couple of months.

Israel is still very cool. I'm finding new places in Jerusalem, even right here in my own neighborhood, that are filled with beautiful pathways and historic sites. In a city that's always moving and crazy and tense, there's such an incredible and important history to be learning from. I'm really making an effort to read all of the signs I've been largely ignoring; signs that mark terrorist attacks from the intifada, or signs dedicating neighborhoods to famous Israeli poets, etc. are everywhere, and they add a real richness to just walking around in the city.

Since my last post, a lot has happened here.

• Helping Leah with her World Read Aloud Day initiative in Jerusalem

• A visit to Beit Shearim and Tzippori to learn about the early rabbis and see some really incredible ancient mosaics (including one in a synagogue that includes zodiac imagery!)

The Mona Lisa of the Galilee--Tzippori

• Representing HUC at a Jewish Agency event with the theme "Haredim and the Jewish Collective: Engaging with Voices from the Field." We got to meet with Natan Sharansky and hear many different perspectives on the diversity of religious observance in Israel.
• It SNOWED IN JERUSALEM. That's right, friends. And not just a little bit. Well actually just a little bit but it seemed like a lot, as I live in JERUSALEM.

Snow at the Kotel! Whoa!

• We had a fake shabbat dinner one Thursday. Roasted chicken and all. Totally random, totally awesome.
• We celebrated a semester of dedication to American television shows by throwing a Top Chef finale party. Highlights include the actual viewing of the episode, the right person winning, and some tasty homemade treats.
• Purim in Israel! More on that below.

Happy Purim!

• An educational tiyul (trip) to the North where we explored the issues of Israel as a Jewish Democratic state, and what all of those adjectives mean to different people. Highlights include raindrops on flowers, some very interesting speakers (including Arab high school students), and an extended weekend in Yoqneam with the mishpacha (משפחה=family)

The monastery of Elijah (Mukrakah) with Vlad, Michael, and Jessie

• An Israel Seminar day at the Maglan Army Base! Very cool, impactful experience.
• More fun with the Hallel Choir, a group that I sing with here.
• We took Foxy Woxy (a fox puppet/our mascot) to the Kotel

Abram, Todd, and Foxy

• A bunch of Buckeyes came to Israel on Alternative Spring Break--they had a week filled with service projects and I got to share a few delicious meals with them in Jerusalem. So great to see familiar faces, and to know that there is a regular life somewhere back in America.

Leo, me, Brian, and Stacey!

Those are some brief, abbreviated highlights. For more details, feel free to ask!

As far as Purim is concerned...

Haman and Joel/Jeremy. [Vlad and Benjamin]

First of all, Purim in this country seems to last for two weeks. It's hilarious seeing the surplus Halloween costumes mosey their ways over here from America. In the center of town there were several costume shops that opened just in time for Purim, where you could really buy any random assortment of hats, wigs, and other disguises in order to hide yourself from the evil forces around. The kids always had the best and cutest costumes, but there were some clever grownups out there, too. Since Jerusalem technically counts as a walled city, here they celebrate Shushan purim. This is all very complicated but basically it means that you have a bonus day to celebrate and people watch. For the first night, we went to Modi'in, where the cantorial students did a lovely job reading from the scroll of Esther (מגילת אסתר) and where we watched a group of feisty students try to beat up Haman. The next night, we had a Purim fiesta at school where we heard Esther again and got to have our own HUC-themed celebration. That night, my roommate Becka even saw a girl get her hair caught on fire on Ben Yehuda street because of all of the fireworks people were shooting off. It was really a crazy night. The next day, my friend Jessie and I went to people watch at the Kotel (Western Wall) and then in the Jewish quarter. We saw a man dressed as Spiderman at the Kotel. It was a successful day.

Spidey at the Kotel

All in all, it's been a really fabulous semester. My Hebrew is getting better, I'm loving the change in seasons (all the trees are blossoming--it is GORGEOUS), and I'm just trying to take advantage of the next few weeks because the end of May is rapidly approaching!

Where we had morning services on our tiyul!

Thanks for reading!!!

Only in Jerusalem.