Israel

New Site

2010-11-22T10:52:00.000-08:00

I've moved my blog to a new site... please visit me there for updates, articles, information, pictures, and videos.

www.snealinisrael.com

Thank you for the continued love and support!

Shalom,

Sarah

Betach, Lama Lo?! - Sure, Why Not?!

2010-11-14T05:36:00.000-08:00

Only 7 days before I head back to the US and 10 days until I'm back in Bakersfield. Then I start another whirl wind tour trying to see everyone before I make Alliyah and immigrate to Israel. Yes, you heard me right. I, Sarah Neal, am planning on becoming an Israeli citizen. I'll be in the US just under 2 months. In that time I'll be visiting family and friends, and selling or shipping my belongings to my new home in the Holy Land.

I spent some time reading some of my old blog posts, especially from the beginning of my time here in Israel. Woah. Things have sure changed in such a short amount of time. I caught a glimpse of myself in a window's reflection the other day and thought, 'who is that Israeli woman that keeps looking at me?' Wait, that's me! The way I dress, the way I walk, the way I speak, the way I interact... to me seems so Israeli. To Israelis I probably seem sooo American, but to me I'm hardly recognizable as the California Jewish American Princess I once was.

Don't worry though, I am still me... a more clear and self aware version of me, but none the less me. My soul has not changed, my purpose in this life is just more clear and to me living in Israel and feeling Israeli feels like the true me. I was talking with my sister Alisa a few weeks ago and we were joking that before we know it she'll be all country and have a nice southern accent, and I'll be all middle eastern and Israeli before either of us knows what happened. Ya know what... I like that idea.

I like that when I come back to Eretz Yisroel in January I'l be coming back as a citizen. As a Jew, what better place is there for me to be? Now I have the task of figuring out where I will live. My heart is in Tekoa and my soul is in Jerusalem. My mind tells me that there may be better opportunities to buy a home if I decide to move north to the Golan Heights, Tiberius, or the Kinneret. I don't know where specifically I'll be yet, but I do know that as much as I'm looking forward to my trip to the US... I am equally (if not more so) excited about coming back to Israel afterwards.

I reread one of my first blogs from when I first came to Israel ad I sound like such a different person than I am today. I was so scared and so unsure of what I was doing and why. I couldn't imagine spending another day here, let alone another week... month... year... That was such a hard time for me and I was second guessing my decision to come here. Thanks to the love and support from my family and friends at home, coupled with the love and support from my family and friends in my new home... I stuck it out. I can't even express how grateful I am for staying through the hard times and making it to now. I know that this doesn't mean it won't or can't be hard again, but I feel read and able to face it now.

I've lived outside of my comfort zone for so long that I can't remember what "comfortable" is. Comfortable is uncomfortable. Comfort is pushing myself to try something new, talk to someone I wouldn't have before, take a new bus, carpool with a neighbor, take a hike off the beaten path, walk all day instead of riding at all, exploring, praying, thinking, believing, dreaming, finding myself, finding truth. Fortunately for me I have an amazing support system. My friends from jewel, my friends from Tekoa, and my family from all around Israel have been so great for me to lean on. I couldn't imagine doing this with any amount of sanity if it wasn't for them.

So much of what I have been studying revolved around free will. We have the opportunity to make free will decisions everyday. I choose life. I choose to live. I choose to choose. One of the classes I took entailed a great analogy that i'd like to share with you. If you got on a bus and 15 minutes down the road realized you were going in the wrong direction, what would you do? Would you say to yourself, oh well... I've already paid so I may as well stay on for the ride. Or would you say, stop the bus! I need to get off! I want to encourage everyone that is riding the bus (of their life) in the wrong direction to have the courage to stand up and say "Stop, I need to get off the bus!" Get off the bus. Stop, gather yourself, and go in the direction you choose. Walking back might not be easy at first, but where you'll end up is going to be beautiful and wonderful and amazing.

So, I stopped... got off the bus... and started walking back uphill to get to the Promised Land. The view is amazing. I hope that some of you find the time and energy to come and visit me here someday. I hope to someday have a home and family for all of you to visit here. The Holy Land... Eretz Yisroel... the Promised Land... Israel... my new home.

Let's get Spiritual

2010-11-07T04:51:00.000-08:00

The soul of a person is their true essence. The way someone looks and the clothes they wear is not who that person is. That's a physical manifestation, a vessel for their true self. A person is their emotions and feelings... their soul is as unique as a fingerprint. You should not change your personality. It is who you are. Your unique soul is meant to serve a very important purpose in this world. The purpose of this existence is to harness the soul and your insides in order to find true happiness and contentment.

There is a term in Hebrew called T'Shuva which is the process of coming back to who you really are... your personality coming back to your inherent nature of both body and soul. First you have to be natural with yourself and then you will see where your Neshama (soul) is and wants to go. That is how you find your purpose in this existence. Turn off the sights and sounds and distractions of the world around us and see the inner beauty and passion and desires that your soul has been trying to scream at you. For me I've found writing. I can have a stream of thought come to me faster than I can type. My soul through my conscious mind expresses itself in a way that I could have only hoped it would before. We as people crave spirituality. Our job is to take our spiritual desires and use it to fuel and harness our physical ones. Our body and soul should be working in harmony with each other.

Every time you go to sleep it works like a proverbial reset button. You wake up each morning to a new dawn and a new day. An opportunity to connect with yourself and with others in a deep and meaningful way. When you purify your body and soul TOGETHER you are enabling yourself to find the highest levels of purpose and meaning in the short existence in this world.

I want you to know how holy the body is. Know how to relate to your body. It is the vehicle that is used to elevate your soul and you only get one! The story of our souls is one of our bodies and our personal struggles through the Yatzer Hara (an inclination to choose what your mind knows isn't good). The balance between those is what brings happiness. The connection to your soul. I wake up each morning and am embracing each moment of life. I connect to my soul and my body moves me through the day.

This past weekend was the beginning of a new month in the Hebrew calendar. The start of each month is a holiday called Rosh Chodesh (head of the month). This is a holiday for women and I use it as a chance to celebrate womanhood and our unique purpose in this world. Women are the vehicles that take potential or thought and make it into reality. We take a single seed... potential for life... make it into a human being. Potential into reality. Subconsciousness into consciousness. Each month we get to celebrate the fact that much like the Creator of the universe we have a unique ability to create through cycles... much like the lunar cycle and the new moon.

So to celebrate Rosh Chodesh I went to a party in Tekoa Dallet. For those of you who have been following my blog for a while you'll know that this is the second one I've gone to in Tekoa Dallet. The first one was right before Jewel. This one felt fitting since it's right before I head back to the States for a visit. Like wonderful bookends for my trip out here. Tekoa Dallet never fails me. There are beautiful people out there on the outskirts of Tekoa. We drove into the mountains and Judean desert to a great host's home. The celebration was a bonfire with music and lots of friends and family.

As I sat by the fire looking up into the vast star filled moonless night I took a moment to remember how grateful I am to be here. My soul was and is happy. The entirety of me is happy. I sat with my friends from Tekoa, a few friends from Jewel, my cousins & their dog Bamba, and neighbors from all over Tekoa and watched and listened to them sing about Jerusalem and Eretz Yisroel (the land of Israel). There were drums, guitars, a flute, and even a guy beat boxing (which made an interesting dynamic).

This past Shabbos was by far my favorite since coming to Israel. I felt so lucky to be surrounded by people that I love and care about and that care about me... all celebrating Shabbos together... all celebrating Rosh Chodesh together. Throughout the weekend I went from one family's house to another chatting and laughing and enjoying our day of rest as a family and as community. What more could one want?

I highly recommend that one day a week you break yourself from the routine monotony of life. Spend that time fine tuning your essence. Your soul. Reflect on the week. What did you learn? What did you do? Sleep and indulge in yummy meals, a good book, and good company. You work hard. Treat yourself to one day. A whole day. A day of rest. Trust me, both your body and your soul will thank you for the gift.

I wish you all a Chodesh Tov (Good Month)!

5 months in... 3 weeks to go

2010-10-31T06:41:00.000-07:00

Life in Israel is so fascinating... intriguing... different. I live 10,000 miles away from my family, friends, loved ones. I live 30 minutes from the Temple Mount on the West Bank in a town called Tekoa. How did I wind up going from Bakersfield, California to the West Bank? I wake up some mornings and can hear the Muslim call to worship. I think to myself... how did I get here again? The pull of living in Israel overcame me and still overcomes me. Everyday that I spend living in Israel makes me feel more and more connected to my heritage, culture, faith, and nation. I have personal and spiritual clarity here that I could never find at home. Things that used to cloud my mind and make me unsure of life's purpose and why I am even here are now becoming more and more clear to me. The mundane life of animalistic instincts has no appeal to me. Get up... get ready for work... eat... work... eat... work... eat... see people... maybe do something outside of the norm... maybe not... sleep. Routine monotony had taken over my life. I was marginally happy. Mostly happy that I was surrounded with wonderful people... family and friends. I was successful. I never had a problem working hard and making my way to the top of any endeavor I took on. On the surface, things were good. On the inside I was screaming for meaning... purpose... connection.

With 3 weeks left in Israel before I head back to the states I spent my Shabbos in Tekoa (like I do most Shabbats). On Saturday, Shabbos day, I was hanging out with some friends and talking. We spoke about the history of Israel, politics, and religion. Interestingly enough religion and politics were two things that I would steer clear of in conversations back home. When you're the only Jew that most people know AND happen to be a bleeding heart tree hugging liberal, who happens to live in a predominately Christian community of right wing Conservatives... well, there's not much to say when it comes to religion and politics (as I'm sure you could imagine). Here the leftists and the right wings talk and talk and talk. Their insights and reasonings are so intriguing to me.

One of the people I was talking with last night said something that was truly impactful to me (and I'm paraphrasing this): 'You know the secular and the religious Jews might not agree on much, but one amazing this is how they unite without division on the big issues.' For example, 'the boat that tried to deliver "aide" to Gaza was 100% deemed wrong and it was within the rights of the IDF to stop them.' Let me expand on this statement a bit. Gaza is a section in the south western coastal region of Israel that was given to the Palestinian government during a peace talk negotiation less than 5 years ago. Gaza is currently governed by Hamas which is an extremest branch of Islam and is one of the dominate terrorist organizations right now. Gaza has been under blockade to stop imports into this small section of land. The blockade is meant to ensure that no materials are smuggled into Gaza that could potentially be used in bombings or terrorist attacks. The flotilla ship that was attempting to deliver aide to Gaza was outright defying Israeli blockade and knew they would be stopped by the IDF. Instead of this "humanitarian organization" attempting to deliver aide appropriately through the Israeli Defense Federation, the flotilla ship decided to take matters into their own hands and were ultimately stopped. How do Israelis feel about this? They were all behind the IDF. From the secular to the religious and everything in between... agreed. Could you even imagine if Americans had such unity on the important issues? Hash out the minor details on a day to day basis, but complete unity when it comes to the big rocks. I found myself completely intrenched and engrossed with the information. Here it is, Saturday night... Shabbos just ended and I'm sitting on the patio at my friend's house talking about all of the things I always avoided talking about at home.

I had a bit of a cold this Shabbos, but initially I had thought of going to Hevron the weekend. My friend's family went for the entirety of Shabbos and camped out near Machpelah. Machpelah is also known as the Tomb of the Patriarchs. This is where Adam & Chava (Eve), Abraham & Sarah, Isaac & Rivkah, Jacob & Leah were all buried. In case you were wondering Rachel's plot is between Jerusalem and Bethlehem... she's the only one not buried in the family plot. This past week was the portion of the Torah where Sarah Emanu (the mother of the Jewish people) passed away. To honor her Yartsite (anniversary of her passing) thousands gather in Hevron to spend Shabbos. It rained on and off all of Shabbos, so since I was trying to kick a cold I'm glad I wound up staying home.

Hevron is a highly disputed area of the West Bank. Muslims and Jews claim the holy land of the forefathers as their own. Our cousins, the Muslims', father is also Abraham... their mother is an Egyptian princess (who left to become a maidservant for Sarah) named Hagar. The tension is very high in Hevron. Extra IDF and police is brought in for the weekend's festivities. Jews celebrate the life of Sarah together while camping out. Yes, there are Muslims that live in Hevron. A lot in fact. Is it brave that Israelis go there to spend Shabbos honoring Sarah? I think so. It is our land. Of course there are precautionary measures in place and of course I wouldn't have gone alone even if I was feeling up to it. Next year... I'll give a full first hand report of what it's like to spend a Shabbat in such a holy and coveted place.

I did go to the Kotel before the sun came up on Friday morning. Into the tunnels as close to the Holy of Holies as you can get. I brought my cousins with me and showed them the special place that women can go to pray that is the closest to the holiest spot on the Temple Mount. Yes, the women have a special place that the men don't go too.

There's so much I want to do before I go back to the states. I've been taking an incredible seminar in Nachlaot (a section of Jerusalem) for the past week. One of the assignments for the seminar was to do something out of the norm of what I would normally do. My dear, and slightly crazy, friend came up with an amazing idea. There is graffiti in Nachlaot that says (er said), "Love Israel Hate the State" and another that says (er also said) "Love People Hate the Police". So she got some spray paint and the 2 of us took out the "Hate"... did I mention it was 4pm when we did this? Traffic time! This was also the same day as my participation in the first Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure in Jerusalem. Soooo I raised some money and then wiped out some graffiti! Pretty productive day if you ask me. The tagging now says, "Love Israel [White Blob] the State" and "Love People [White Blob] the Police". People were thrilled that we did this. They were chatting us up and telling us how happy they were about what we were doing. A M A Z I N G ! ! Spray painting is fun, but don't worry I'm not about to go be a tagger or anything.

I'm also going to be learning how to make short pro-Israel videos this upcoming week and am so thrilled to have the opportunity to learn a different form of media that I know absolutely nothing about. I feel like I'm burning the candle at both ends, but I am so excited to be able to be learning so much and doing so much and experiencing so much. Classes. Seminars. Writing. Traveling. Only 3 weeks to go and then I'm back stateside. Lehitraot! (See you later.)

A normal day

2010-10-15T12:00:00.001-07:00

Life has fallen into another sort of routine since starting school at Neve. I wake up every morning at 5:30am to give myself enough time for morning blessings, shower, and little yoga before dashing out the door around 6:45am to catch a ride into Jerusalem. I usually make it to the bus stop on the main road on the south side of Jerusalem called Derech Hevron around 7:05am and wait for the 74 bus to come. Usually by around 7:12am the bus pulls up and if I'm lucky I get a seat. The traffic at this time of day with students going to school and adults heading to work is intense. I, along with everyone else, am looking forward to the day that the light rail finally opens in the city hopefully lightening the traffic load significantly. I've been downloading audio classes for the Aish.com website so for the next hour I turn up my iPod, settle in and take an audio class while slowly making my way across town. My trip is about 13 km once I hit Derech Hevron and it takes me at least an hour to get to Har Nof on the other side of town. The 74 bus ends in Har Nof and from the Tachana (bus stop) to my school is an additional 15 minute walk. (Although I did just learn the secret short cut hike that cuts my walk in half.) So assuming traffic is forgiving I can make it to my 8:30am class on time. Typically, traffic is not forgiving so I've been making it to class about 20 minutes late. Thursday I tried leaving home at 6:30am and for the first time I was 15 minutes early, and I even stopped for a Cappuccino!

I have 4 classes at Neve that last from 8:30am to 12:45pm. Twice last week I attempted to take second half of the day classes at the Aish Center in the Old City. The first day my trip took me an hour and half so instead of taking 3 classes, I only made it on time for 2. The second day I took a different bus route and wound up making 3 afternoon classes. So my day ranges anywhere from 4 classes (which are mandatory at Neve) to 7 classes depending on what I'm interested in at Aish. My classes have a tendency to end around 6pm. Yes, it does make for a long day. Yes, it's totally worth it.

Having friends in and around the city has continually made the world of difference for me. I'm still meeting with them once per week to check out a new restaurant for dinner. Last week we went to a place called "Fish and Olive". It wasn't as exciting as the Moroccan feast we had last week, but it was the largest turn out of girls we've had so far. The core group consists of girls from Jewel from this past summer. We've each been involved with different programs and activities since then so the group has a tendency to expand and include new roommates and friends from all the new programs we're all involved in. This past week there were roughly 10 of us at dinner. Great food and 2 bottles of wine (for our half of the table) later, we were chatting away and comparing commentaries about life in Jerusalem.

I have to share a small triumph I had this past week. I went to grab some Felafel and Schwarma with some girls after class and I, Sarah Neal, was able to decipher the menu on the wall in Hebrew... by myself. Woo hoo! I know that Mair (my teacher) and Ulpan Aviv would have been proud of me. I was even able to order primarily in Hebrew. Guess the Ulpan worked.

After classes the next bus back to Tekoa doesn't leave the central bus station until 8:45pm (arriving at 9:30pm) so I wind up meeting with friends for a cup of coffee or a light dinner. Needless to say, I'm usually pretty tired so I read a little... write a little and by about 11:00pm I'm officially done for the day.

This next week I'm going to cut down the afternoon classes so I can focus more on my Hebrew and my writing. There's so much to know that I need to remember to pace myself before I just crash out in exhaustion. A few late nights in Jerusalem is amazing, but for sure... not everyday.

I've found that the more I've been writing the more I really love it. Writing and studying is like pure bliss for me right now. I can't think of any other way I'd rather be spending my time. So, I'm going to be changing up my blog in the next few weeks. I want to give more information about what it's like to be here; personally, religiously, and politically. I really feel like there is so much misinformation out there and what I'm experiencing can hopefully give everyone else a glimpse of what it's really like to be living in Eretz Yisroel. The challenges and the triumphs.

I have found that being 10,000 miles away from all that used to be important to me has helped me to gain clarity and insight to myself and to what's truly important. When people at home are hurting I can't just go and give a hug or even head in the other direction to avoid it. I'm privy to exactly what the information is that is filtered to me and I choose to respond in the best way I can. It's hard. Strength is a muscle like all the others I'm trying to develop over here. Strength, courage, intellect, patience, love, kindness.

As I'm sure you all have gathered (by way of all of my blogs) I spend a lot of time at the Kotel. I find clarity there. If I'm in the neighborhood, I like to stop by just to be able to spend a moment of time. Fortunately the Aish Center knows me now and I can go up to the roof and typically there are no more than 5 people up there doing the same thing I'm doing... thinking, praying, taking pictures, watching life go by in the Kotel Plaza below. The army does boot camp graduations at the Kotel and Thursday I got to see one from the roof. Night time at the Kotel with so many soldiers celebrating their graduation was outstanding. It is by far my favorite place to be and I hope that someday as people hopefully come to visit me I get to share this special place with them.

This week's Torah portion talks about Abraham leaving and going to the land of Israel which Gd promised to him. Lech Lecha. Go. Go for yourself. I first learned about this portion during Jewel and it really touched me then. When Abraham left his home he went first without knowing the destination. He knew it was time to go. I knew it was time to go. When I left Bakersfield I know that it was time to go. Go for myself. Lech Lecha. I want each of you who read this blog to know how much I appreciate all of the support, challenges, ideas, surprises, and love while I'm on my journey. I may not know my destination, but figuring it out is the most incredible part. Abraham's wife Sarah teaches us that internal development leads to strength of character. You don't have to sway on your values or self confidence. Sarah was a model of internal development, strength, and beauty. So do I hope to become the same.

Picture 1: I'm pointing to Tekoa on the map. The Dead Sea is the body of water to the right, Jerusalem is north past 2 blue dashed lines in larger block letters. See, now you know where I am.

Picture 2: The best dessert... chocolate milk. Yes, it's served in a bag not a box here.

Picture 3: IDF Soldier graduation at the Kotel

Picture 4: The model of the Temple with the Dome of the Rock in the background (which is where the Temple stood and will one day again stand).

Picture 5: The path where the girls are walking up is the route of my new short cut hike up to Neve.

A Crash Course about the History of the State of Israel

2010-10-15T03:18:00.000-07:00

I've realized my own lack of knowledge about the history of the land which is now called the state of Israel, and our capital city of Jerusalem. Over the past few months I have begun doing research on the subject and I think that it's important for those of you reading this to know and to understand why we (the nation of Israel) are here and what the factual history is about this land compared to our cousins (the nation of Islam) that surrounds us.

This information is based on the many classes I've been taking here and the countless books I have been reading. The majority of the information I will be sharing with you is based on and thanks to Rabbi Ken Spiro from Aish HaTorah along with the Max Dimont book called, “Jews, Gd, and History”. With these sources in mind I have complied a short review of why we're here. (Thereby showing you more reasons why I am here.)

First, why do the 5 books of Moses start with creation of the universe as opposed to the Exodus from Egypt and the receiving of the Torah? Rashi, who was a great Rabbi in the 11th century of France, answered this question and what he determined is that 'down the road it will be said that we [the Jewish nation] stole the land.' The Torah... explains the history. Today, archeological and scientific evidence backs up all claims as far back as 2000 years. More and more is being discovered ALL THE TIME.

This "crash course" is going to begin with the 3^rd portion we read of the Torah: Lech Lecha. This is the section of the book of Genesis teaching us about when Abraham leaves, what is now called Turkey, and migrated to the land of Israel. This trek happened in the 18th century BCE (before common era). Abraham left for Israel (then referred to as Canaan) after which our nation had to leave the land of Israel. Abraham's grandson Jacob left due to a famine and wound up in the land of Egypt. There, as the story goes, we were enslaved for hundreds of years. Then with the leadership of Moses, we were liberated from slavery. After we left the land of Egypt with Moses, we wandered in the desert for 40 years eventually leading us to Mt. Sinai where we received the Torah. Shortly thereafter Moses died and his brother Joshua led us into Israel.

Joshua led us to the conquering of the land in 1272 BCE. We were then in the land of Israel for 440 years until the end of the 1st Temple period. There was a period of nearly 860 continuous years in the land which will take us from 13th century BCE all the way through the 5th century BCE. Between the 1^st and 2^nd Temple periods there was a 70 year exile. The 2^nd Temple period lasted 420 years ending in the year 70 CE (common era). There were 1270 years of occupation in total (so far). 1400 years of total presence ended and lead to a period of diaspora, which is the period we're in today. You should know that archeological evidence dates back to the divided monarchy period, which was roughly 1000 BCE.

Now that we know Jewish history, let's talk a little bit about the Arabic presence in Israel. Islamic year 1 is the Common Era year 623. This was when Mohammed makes his journey from Mecca to Medina. Mohammed dies 10 years later in the year 632 CE. In the year 638 CE a man by the name of Omar, takes over Islamic leadership for Muhammed. Omar conquers Jerusalem from the Bizantines and then from 638 CE to 1917 CE was the time of Arab/Islamic rule (roughly 1300 years). The nation of Islam call this land the "Providence of Syria" and the time period is known as the “Islamic Dynastic Time”. In this time there is no capital city. The only break in Islamic control was from 1099 to 1187 CE which was the time of the Latin kingdom (which had no Arabs). On a side note, Crusaders were the only other people who had a capital in the land of Israel besides the Jewish nation.

The Palestinian Authority (PA) wants an Independent state with Jerusalem as a capital. So what is the significance of Jerusalem? For the Jewish people the location of a capital city has to do with spirituality and the connection to Mt. Moriah. The Western Wall is a retaining wall around Mt. Moriah which is where the Temple stood. This, we believe is the holiest place in the world. This is where Abraham & Isaac went for the sacrifice which led to the “binding of Isaac”. It was the place of Jacob's dream. Isaac and Rebecca met here, and the list goes on.

There are 349 mentions of the city of Jerusalem in the Bible, 148 mentions of Zion, and 750 mentions of this exact spot. This is the only place we can build our holy temple. Therefore it is the only place that can be considered our capital city.

For the record Christian Churches face eastward to represent the rising sun. Conversely Mosques will be facing towards Mecca which is their holiest city. An example of this is shown by where the Al Aqsa Mosque was built on the southside of the Temple Mount. This location would be opposite from where our holy Temple would have stood. It was built precisely so that there would be nothing standing in the way of the direction of Muslim prayer... in the direction of Mecca. The Koran never mentions Jerusalem. All synagogues face towards Jerusalem, specifically towards the Holy of Holies.

The Islamic connection to Jerusalem happened during the 7th century CE. The Umayyad Dynasty lasted from 650 to 750 CE, which is also referred to as “Omar's Dynasty”. During this time the Umayyad's loose control of both Mecca and Medina, which are both located in Saudi Arabia.

In the religion of Islam there are 5 pillars of faith, one of which is to make a holy pilgrimage to Mecca (called a Hajj) at least once in their lifetime. Jerusalem was only considered a holy site at the point after the loss of control of Mecca, as an alternative point of Hajj. In the year 691 CE the gold dome was built as a shrine to a dream Mohammed had. In 701 CE the black dome, called Al-Aqsa, was built as the house of worship and the actual Mosque in Jerusalem.

80 - 85 % of Sunni Muslims consider Jerusalem their 3rd holiest city (all the while still praying in the direction of Mecca, Saudi Arabia). The other 15 - 20% of Muslims are called Shiites and don't even consider Jerusalem their 3rd holiest city. (They consider Karbala, Iraq to be choice number 3.) The PLO claims that Jerusalem is an only Islamic city.

Let's now talk about the past 100 years of history. The last Muslim rulers were in the 16th century CE and lasted through the year 1917 CE. At that time Ottoman Empire was ruling Israel and had an alliance with Germany and Hungry during WWI. As history shows, the Ottomans lost their empire at the end of the war. England was the biggest "power house" at that time and they wanted Palestine. The Suez Canal was the point of British interest and they wanted a revolt against the Turks. 1920 was the Treaty of San Rimo which divided up the Middle East. In 1922 Abdallah was given the land called Trans-Jordan.

Here's where the disagreements in the land dispute gets heavy: In 1937 the Appeals Commission made a land treaty accepted by the Jews and rejected by Muslims. In 1947 the UN votes 33 to 13 to partition separate Jewish and Arab states. The Jews say yes, the Muslims say no. 1948, Israel becomes a state and the 1st Prime Minister of Israel Ben Gurion calls on the Arabs to “make peace for the greater good of the Middle East”. The reaction: 1967 war of Independence. The '67 war was a miraculous victory in which prior land called Israel had not included the West Bank or Jerusalem. Arabs launch a war, and the Jews win another miraculous victory in 6 days tripling their territory with minimal casualties. Land acquired included: West Bank, Gaza, and Jerhico (to say the least). The Jews say, make peace and we'll give you ALL of this land back. Arabs say no. 1973 the Yom Kippur war follows in “response” to the '67 war. 1993 the Oslo process begins. The first offer that was made to the Arab nation was for the “return” of territory taken in the 50s and offered 100% of the West Bank, a redivision of Jerusalem, and the internationalization of the Temple Mount. Arabs say no.

Remember that Israel is the ONLY democracy in the Middle East which includes human rights and free press. It is the only country in the Middle East who's existence is a "threat". Costa Rica, Micronesia, and El Salvador are the only countries that accept Jerusalem as our capital. Since 1967 there have been over 1000 anti Israel resolutions in the UN and 2/3 since 1990 have been anti-Israel.

Jews must realize that anti semitism is on the rise. Anti semitism doesn't care if you're religious, secular, left, right, or whatever. They will come after us all together. Israel may be the front line, but the whole Jewish world is under siege. What should we do with this information? Have unity. Abraham Lincoln said, "a house divided against itself cannot stand." Israel and the Jewish world is under attack. This is the time for the Jewish people to come together. If we're not for each other than we have no chance for the world at large. Israel is the national homeland for the Jewish people whether you live here or not. We (the Jewish people) have a deeper and a PROVEN connection to our real estate, more than any other country does in the world.

I heard a great example from Rabbi Ken Spiro that I wanted to share with you, “Imagine if Mexico launched laredo shells into Texas. 2 hours later, there would be no Mexico. Americans would be in the streets waiving their flags and cheering... and the whole world would be on board. It would be justified. Israel is responding with a level of self restraint that is unprecendented in human history. We have nothing to apologize for. We only should be proud... We've outlasted the greatest empires in human history; Babalyonians, Greeks, Persians and we'll continue to be here.”

One door closes and another opens

2010-10-05T14:46:00.000-07:00

The hustle and bustle of the holidays in Israel has finally subsided. Things are slowly returning to normal. People are going back to work and school. A sense of "regularity" is back in the air. Now when I say 'normal' and 'regular' please understand that there are few things about living here that are (compared to how I was living at home) both normal and regular. There was a term that we learned when I was in Jewel: "Chavaya". Its closest English meaning is adventure. My life here is an adventure. You have to be able to go with the flow, be adaptable, and ready for anything. That is the biggest difference between my life at home and my life in Israel.

My friends and I have decided that the food in Israel is so amazing that we're going to try out a new restaurant every week. Expect a little more information about the food scene here in the coming weeks. So this past Sunday we went to a Moroccan Restaurant called Darna. I got in early and decided to go to Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf before dinner to work on my Ulpan homework. Yes, I did say Coffee Bean. Oh how I've longed for a half mocha half vanilla ice blended. Yum! While I was finishing up my Ice Blended I got a call from a friend of mine who was at a restaurant with her family across the street. I love this part about Jerusalem. You can walk down the street and run in to people you know anywhere. So I met the family and then the rest of the girls showed up to head to dinner. Darna was incredible. It turns out that it was the same place that my Uncle Bob, Aunt Doris, and I went for dinner when I was in Israel last January. It was just as good this time as last time. We had a great spread of salads to start, followed by Couscous, sweet Cornish Gamehen, and Veel/Lamb Stuffed Artichoke Hearts. We finished off the evening with a "cookie platter" and Moroccan tea. I've also included some pictures of the wonderful meal.

So for the past 2 weeks I have been learning Hebrew intensively at an Ulpan in Rehaviya called Ulpan Aviv. Ulpan Aviv is a one on one training program where I spend 10 days trying to absorb as much Hebrew as I possibly can learn. Mair, my teacher, was phenomenal. For 10 days I was able to slowly slowly grasp more and more understanding of conversational Hebrew... although I can't always get the words out of my mouth to respond, I can understand more though. My reading and writing have increased drastically too. It's amazing what 3 hours a day for 10 days of one on one lessons can do. Now I just have to make myself use it. I'm at the point where I can walk down the street and think about stuff in Hebrew. Again, I just need to push myself to get the words out of my mouth. Just about every time I open my mouth a mixture of Spanish and Hebrew comes out! I'll get there though. I told Mair on my last day that I know I'm harder and more impatient with myself than anyone else. He agreed and reminded me how far I was able to come in such a short time. Thank you Mair. Thank you Ulpan Aviv. I've attached a picture of my certificate of completion (I couldn't figure out how to flip the picture right side up so you'll have to head tilt) from Level Alef along with a picture of Mair and I during our last class together.

Now ulpan is over. Free range learning is over. Onto a bit more structure and a set schedule of classes for the next 6 weeks. Today I started at Nevey Yerushaliym which is located in a section if Jerusalem called Har Nof. To get to Har Nof I usually carpool into to Jerusalem (20 minutes) with a neighbor and then take the 45 minute bus ride to the very end of the line and then have to walk about 15 minutes more to the campus. It's quite a trek, but I'm feeling like it's going to be worth it. Har Nof is beautiful and has sweeping views of the Jerusalem forrest. The campus is like an Oasis with lots of trees and grass which is a big deal for me. Tekoa is a desert so I'm not used to having so much greenery around me. Very beautiful. I only took 2 classes today; Ethics - Pirkei Avot and Connecting with People & Gd - Mishna Torah by The Rambam. Tomorrow I'll be adding; the Mystical Hebrew Alphabet - taught by the Rabbi who led Yom Kippur services in the Old City and the Logic of Faith - taught by Rabbi Katz who was one of my favorite (and most dynamic) Rabbis from Jewel. Next week I'll also be taking classes on Mitzvot (good deeds) and a class on Contemporary Issues. It's a pretty action packed and stellar line up if you ask me. Oh and there's also a History of Israel class that I think I'll take once a week that also starts next week.

I'm sure that the next 6 weeks are going to fly by like a blink of an eye. Once Nevey ends on November 17th I'm going to come back to the States for a West Coast visit. I'll be flying out to California after Shabbat on Saturday, November 20th. I'll be in LA for a few days before heading up to Bakersfield to spend the following few weeks. Thanksgiving and the start of Hanukah will be in Bakersfield. After that I'll be heading up to Portland for a few weeks to finish out Hanukah. As of right now, I'm planning on being back in Israel in mid December. After which I plan on making Alliyah (the process to immigrate and become an Israeli citizen)! If you're in California or Oregon during the 4 weeks I'm home please feel free to email me so we can find some time to get together. I look forward to seeing you all soon!!

Women in Judaism

2010-09-29T13:54:00.000-07:00

*Warning: There are a lot of Hebrew words and terms used in this blog. I decided to not do as much explanation as I go as I usually do. If you need help understanding what I'm talking about please feel free to email me and I'll be sure to help you out. Otherwise... please enjoy my rant.

I've been asked a lot of questions lately on my feelings about a women's role in Judaism and something happened today that really pushed me over the edge. You might be wondering which edge I'm referring to... Reform or Orthodox? Before I answer that question I want to let you know a little bit of how I've been feeling lately. I've been on the fence... wavering back and forth as to how I feel about different "branches" of Judaism. Am I Reform? Conservative? Reconstructionist? Orthodox? Modern Orthodox? Haradi? Religious? Spiritual? Traditional? I've come to the conclusion that labels are a problem and I don't see myself fitting in to one category or another.

I am currently as observant with my faith and beliefs as I can be to the best of my knowledge and understanding. My background is Ashkenazi, so other than potentially having rice on Passover I'm not particularly drawn to Sefardic traditions.

If you are reading this blog than you know me in one form or another. If you don't then know this: I am relentlessly inquisitive, open minded, progressive, and am currently seeking nothing but truth. Truth for me. I am not going door to door checking Mezuzas and announcing candle lighting times. I'm not forcing anyone to wear teffilin, tzit tzits, or a tallis. I'm not even asking anyone to acknowledge that there is a higher being, something greater than us, something outside of space and time... I'm not even asking you to place a name on that all knowing presence that I feel is only Chessed and Rachamin. Truth for me. Understanding for me. That's what I'm searching for. Torah knowledge and understanding in order to live a full filling and meaningful life FOR ME. Don't take this as a way for me change anyone's belief systems.

I've learned over the past few months how incredibly special and wonderful it is to be a Jewish woman. If being a Jew is being a part of the chosen people, than being a Jewish woman must be the magic ticket to elevate that feeling to the next level. We as Jewish women are innately more spiritual and connected to Divinity than anyone else. We are beautiful and wonderful and have been the ticket to the ongoing survival of the Jewish people for several thousand years.

Look at the history of the Jewish people and know that our ability to "make it" has been thanks to Jewish women. Moses's mother was one of the women who refused to let Pharoah's decree of murdering Jewish babies stop her from wanting to help create the next generation. Her courage was rewarded with being the Mother of the liberator of the Jewish people from exile. That's just one of the most famous stories, and is surly not the only one. Sarah was one of the most beautiful women (inside and out) in history and is also known to have received more prophecy than Abraham himself. The father of Judaism and later off shooting to Christianity and Islam wasn't as connected to Gd as Sarah was, and Abraham was a holy man. Sarah had an instantaneous connection and Abraham had to work at it more. Together they chose to become the parents of hardcore monotheism.

So let's talk about a few specific issues that have been brought to my attention lately. Dress code. I hear a lot about how women dress. Modest attire. I, albeit unintentionally, have begun dressing more and more modestly since coming to Israel. I wear skirts past my knees most days and am never in anything sleeveless or low cut outside of the house. This began as a sign of respect for the community that I've been studying and living in, but has truly become a way of life for me. I am an intelligent woman and I don't want someone thinking of anything other than my mind and the ideas we're discussing when we're having a conversation. The words "my eyes are up here" should not be something I should have to say. NOR do I want to invite that sort of attention. The last time I wore pair of jeans and a tank top on a bus I was suddenly very aware of the difference in attention I was getting. Put on a knee length skirt and blouse and the world changes.

I have a cousin here that said something very interesting that has really stuck with me. "Why would I let a man touch my body, when he hasn't even touched my soul?" That's a VERY Jewish statement and one coming from the Religious world. I took a class during Yom Kippur that addressed this issue to some degree. We, as people, are built in a very specific manner. Our head is on top to remind us to make sure that we have an intellectual connection with people. That's the main foundation of a good relationship (friendship or significant other). From there we have a narrow opening (our neck) leading down towards our heart. Not just anyone can surpass the head to get into the heart. The heart unlocks emotional connections and love. From there we move further south towards physicality. How many of us have a tendency to work from the bottom up? If I'm attracted to him and want to be physical with him then maybe I'll love him and oh wait... let's try to have a conversation and an intellectual connection along the way. What's wrong with this picture? People are built with a purpose. Head to toe there is a reason for all of it. Animals are built horizontally. A level playing field for everything. There is no prioritization with an animal and that's ok. They don't have a soul. They're not people.

I want a deeper and more meaningful connection with people. Connect with my intellect, my soul, and my heart before we move forward. Dressing modestly helps to remind me and those around me where my priorities are. Sorry but, if you dress like a you don't care what your priorities are than you'll be treated as such. I've gone through the whole sex, drugs, and rock and roll phase of my life. Who would have thought that a change in wardrobe could start such a profound change within myself?

This change of clothing was just one of the many minor steps I have taken and has started to open my eyes to what I didn't know. It made me start asking deeper and more meaningful questions than I have in a long time. I have to say that I'm angry about what I don't know. I'm angry about the shaky foundation of Jewish knowledge I have. I came home from a class about the Messianic age and was fuming about all the knowledge I don't have. So I'm here in Israel learning from people who are willing to teach... no matter what my background, beliefs, or prior knowledge is. Let's open a book and find the answer together.

Today I wrote a blog and touched on middle eastern politics and the current climate of peace talks including my views on some of the hot bedded topics. One of my Christian friends wrote to me saying (and I paraphrase this) that "[she] prays that America will stand up with Israel and not loose sight of it's importance. It is amazing to [her] that Israel has survived all of these years and compared to the rest of the world is such a tiny place." She continues by saying that she "knows why it is so and it is because Israel is Gd's chosen people, His race. Israel has Gd's protection and that those who wish it ill will never have." Amazing. Beautiful. Thank you.

Before I continue I want those of you who are reading this to know that I have had more unconditional support from non-Jews than from my synagogue back home. I don't say this as exclusive information, there are a few of you who have been supportive of me and I really thank you for that. I am hurt that as I've been learning at the embryonic stages that I've been catching flack. Not getting a letter of recommendation was one thing, but the outright push back of knowledge is another. I ask you this... what are you afraid of? Me becoming more Jewish? Me becoming more knowledgeable? It's a problem to me that my non Jewish friends know more about Judaism than I do. It's a problem to me that my non Jewish friends accept that we are the chosen people and we as Jews don't even accept that. Assimilation is the most detrimental thing we can do to ourselves as a nation. I had assimilated myself to the point I couldn't recognize myself as a Jew as anything other than name. We are more than that.

This is not an either you're for me or against me statement. Again I reiterate that I am finding truth for me. I'm not asking anyone to come along for the ride. I'm not even calling anyone less Jewish than me. I'm just in shock and awe that as I personally continue to learn and grow I am hit with sarcasm and distain.

I also touched on in my last blog about Jewish tolerance of other faiths and being a light unto the nations through judiciary and moral codes. To which I received a note publicly posted on my facebook page from Mrs. Cheryl Rosenstein of Temple Beth El saying, "Would that Israel's "religious freedom" extended to acknowledgement and acceptance of liberal Judaism, sanctioned rites officiated by Reform and Conservative rabbis, and allowed women to carry and read Torah scrolls at the Wall without fear of being (literally) stoned or arrested." Her statement is in reference to the following article which you are welcomed to read: http://www.haaretz.com/weekend/anglo-file/police-call-for-pressing-charges-against-torah-carrying-activist-at-western-wall-1.315396

Here are my thoughts on the subject. A Torah is sacred and the most important part of our nation. A woman, due to her own MERITS, has no obligation to read directly from it. (There is nothing saying that we can't study it.) Women in Jewish history have MERITED leniency when it comes to certain Mitzvot since we have been the key to the ongoing success and long life of the Jewish people. If a person... ANY person... is going to read from the Torah I believe that they should do so with conviction, knowledge, understanding, and belief in what they are reading.

This woman who went to the Kotel with a Torah is nothing more than a media and spotlight fanatic. If she truly believes in what she is reading AND wants equal rights to do so than she should have shown up wearing tzit tzit, tfiliin and a tallis. She should have shown up, opened up the Torah, and started reading. Instead she egged on the men and made a mockery of herself and the "rights" she's suppose to be fighting for. Do you want equal rights and equal mitzvot? Than do them! Take them on and do it RIGHT. You can't say that you want "equal treatment" but not do the leg work to deserve it. I would not touch the words inside of a scroll of a Torah right now because I don't feel as though I am ready to do that. I was more ready to read from a Torah when I was 12 at my Bat Mitzvah than I am today. Honestly, I'm glad that I don't have the pressures, obligations, and restrictions to do so! I can learn Torah for me. I'm so happy to be able to take a copy of a Torah off my shelf and study the Parsha once a week with my sister. Together we will learn and try to understand the depths and the meaning of Hashem's written words.

Do I want to put on tefillin? No. Do I think it would be cool for a woman to bring a Torah to the Kotel to study it? Yes, but ONLY if it's done right. What right do we have as women to demand "equal rights" but not to "equal obligations"? How hypocritical. Equality means just that... equal. Do you even see how absurd the idea of equality is within those terms? Choosing what to be equal in? It's all or nothing ladies. Otherwise, what are you fighting for? Women are fully capable of learning Torah as much as a man is, but what gives us the right to be lazy to pick and choose which Torah commandment to follow while studying it?

So today was a big push for me to become a Torah observant Jew. This blog will probably mean that I won't be welcomed in Temple Beth El anymore. It will probably mean that I've opened up a whole can of worms that will have people seething at me for a long time. Understand this... I am the same person I always was. I just have a better understanding of what is important to me and to the nation of the Jewish people. Our greatest enemy is going to be ourselves. The Orthodox community has received me with open arms and have been open minded enough to answer any question I have brought to the table. They have opened their homes and hearts to me.

I love and value the foundations that I received at Temple Beth El. I appreciate the day of my Bat Mitzvah and my Confirmation with my peers. I cherish those memories very much. I committed to studying Torah and shortly there after I stood up in front of my community and told them that I didn't believe in Hashem. I publicly denounced the creator of the universe and never once did I have someone try to teach me anything different or how to find my way back to a connection to Gd. That's ok though. I found Hashem myself. I've learned that if I was searching for something it wasn't Gd that went away... it was me.

I've asked to be able to address the congregation again when I come back to the states at the end of November and I'm sure that's no longer a possibility for me. I wanted to do T'Shuva for saying there is no Gd when I know now... for a fact... that there is one. You don't have to agree with me and that's ok. Do what is right for you. I'm doing what is right for me. That's the beauty of free will. Hashem gave us free will in order to be able to choose a connection with Him (or not). Let me tell you... as soon as I made that choice, Hashem connected right back with me. From the depths of my soul to the inner most chambers of my mind and heart I know.

To the Reform movement. You have a crisis on your hands. The future of the Reform movement is dying. Look at your numbers. Your children are either finding truth and becoming Religious or inter-marrying. Is inter-marriage what we want? If you want to know how to capture the hearts and minds of the next generation you have to be willing to teach them and help them to find truth. It wasn't supposed to be personal. It wasn't supposed to be harsh. It wasn't supposed to end like this. I was raised a Reform Jew in a prodominantly Christian community. Guess what... we're not Goiym! Our ancestors fought to the death and stood up for our Torah and our nation. Would anyone in the current generation be willing to do the same?

I've cried a lot over this concept and I don't have the answers. There is greater truth and understanding to even the smallest concepts in Judaism. Does anyone know the real meaning as to why women light Shabbos candles? Why do we put a Mezuzah on our doorpost? Who can do Kiddush and what is special about baking Challah? These are the classes I'm taking. This is what I'm learning. These aren't "ancient traditions". They are beautiful and applicable and I'm willing to take on as much Torah as I can. Are you?

Mrs. Cheryl Rosenstein if you want to carry and read a Torah at the Kotel... at the Holy of Holies... I think that's amazing, but I warn you that if you want to take on Torah obligations in a Religious neighborhood you should be willing to do it fully and whole heartedly. You can't take what you want out of a Religion to make it work for your personal beliefs. That's not "liberal"... that's manipulative. If you want equal rights you need to take on equal Mitzvot and have equal knowledge. You can't pick and choose what works for you and then call the "other side" wrong. Orthodox Judaism opens the doors, opens your mind, your heart, and your soul. It's a shame that I had to move 10,000 miles away just to get answers.

Jewish women are more special than I ever knew in Reform Judaism. If Hashem is the King, than we are Gd's Princesses and Queens. We are Royalty and through vast kindness, compassion, and wisdom Hashem has created us. How can we fight amongst ourselves as Jews when the whole world seems to already hate us so much? How can we expect peace when we can't even have it within ourselves?

On Wednesday I'm going to start learning at a Seminary in Jerusalem called Neve Yerushaliym. I'll be there for 6 weeks of intensive Judaic studies. Before anyone says anything let me ask you something... Have you spent a fraction of the time learning the depths about your own Religion as you spend fighting it? You can't claim to be against anything if you don't understand it. Crack open a book and learn it. Make an educated decision. Trust that the people you love and know (me) are truly in it for truth and understanding. I hope it's evident that I'm not easily swayed, manipulated, or brainwashed. Again I am relentlessly inquisitive and am consistently saying, "prove it."

That's why I'm here. Why are you here?

"May Hashem bless you and safeguard you. May Hashem illuminate His countenance for you and be gracious to you. May Hashem turn His face toward you and establish peace for you." - An excerpt from Numbers 6:24-26 (the 4th book of the Torah) which is said during the Bedtime Shema.

Chag and a Wake Up Call

2010-09-27T23:33:00.000-07:00

Talk about a major "Holiday Season"... Woah. The Chaggim (holidays) in Israel are intense, long, exciting, fun, exhausting... That's not even to mention the on going "peace talks" that have been escalating and added energy in the air. You can feel it when you walk through the streets.

There are Succas (pronounced sue-cah) built all over the city. A Succa is a "thatched hut" that is meant to serve as a representative of the mobile dwelling places that the ancient Hebrews lived in for the 40 years we wandered in the desert before reaching Mount Sinai and receiving the Torah. It's considered a "Major Mitzvah" (big time good deed) to build one and to spend as much time as possible in one for the entire week. People eat, sleep, and spend time together in their Succas. Hotels decks, restaurant patios, back yards, front yards, apartment balconies, you name it are all converted into Succas. Watching them be built in and around Jerusalem was incredible. Whole families are together hammering and drilling and "thatching" their (sometimes not so) little huts. Palm branches and bamboo and ply wood are strapped to the tops of cars and driven home for the makings of the perfect dwelling place for their families for the next week.

After Yom Kippur we are in a state of spiritual purity and are able to easily strip away the physicality and materialism of the outside world and live with our families in simplicity for a whole week. I've been invited to some pretty cool Sukkot (the name of the holiday which is pronounced Sue-Coat) parties and festivals over the course of the past week, and have had the pleasure to see some of the most unique and beautiful Succas. I spent the beginning of the Chag and Shabbat with the Brill family in their Succa. We ate and talked and enjoyed each other's company in their lovely Succa.

My friend, Elyse (from Jewel) came for Shabbat and we were able to walk around Tekoa admiring Succas after Shabbos dinner. The Brill's Succa is big enough for a table some beautiful decorations and to be to sit around comfortably and enjoy the meal together. Whereas the Siedner's Succa was big enough to include an enormous table for easily 12 people as well as 2 couches. Then there's everything in between. Big, little, ornate, modest... you name it... you've got it.

The director and Rebbitzen from Jewel invited any alumni who was in Israel to a luncheon at her home in Ramat Shlomo this past Sunday. Rabbi and Rebbitzen Eisenbach hosted about 15 or so girls in their Succa. It was really wonderful to see familiar faces and to meet other alumni from the program (which really touched me and so wonderfully changed my life). From there a few of us left and took a bus back towards the city since there were more Succas to visit. Leora, Ilana, and I decided to walk from the Central Bus Station back to Rehaviya. As we were walking we noticed a festival at Gan Soccer (a park near the Kenesset - Israeli parliament building). Of course we decided to walk through and check it out. There were thousands of people camping out (remember the thatched huts) and BBQing and listening to live music. After our quick walk through we went to Leora's place to freshen up and get ready to go to dinner in Nachlaot at Rabbi Glaser's Succa.

Rabbi Yom Tov Glaser and his family hosted an Asian themed meal that evening complete with sushi, egg rolls, and most important... Saki! Their Succa is big enough to seat about 40 people as well as having enough space for their family of 12 to sleep there at night. Wow. Talk about a major sized Succa. The Rabbi and Rebbitzen were very generous hosts. After dinner Rabbi Glaser, a few friends, and a few sons plugged in their instruments and microphones and had a small concert for us (complete with fog and light machines). A dance party followed, but since it was already passing my bed time I left with my friend Olivia to get some dessert and then call it a night.

The next morning I had my Hebrew immersion classes called Ulpan in Rehaviya. On a side note: as you can see I spend a lot of time in the neighborhood of Rehaviya. It's a beautiful area with an amazing central location in Jerusalem.

Back to the situation at hand. As I was walking to my Ulpan a copy of the Jerusalem Post caught my eye, enraged me, and I quickly bought a copy after reading the headline "Olmert urges 'int'l trusteeship' for Holy Basin, which would involve relinquishing sovereignty over Western Wall, Temple Mt." Another headline read, "PA [Palestinian Authority] may not bolt talks after all when freeze ends". So let me make clear my opinion on some of these issues. First and foremost there has been a lengthy hold on construction on "settlements" (including Tekoa) to encourage the PA to come to the table to engage in peace talks. It wasn't until the last 2 weeks of the "freeze" that the PA finally agreed to come to the table and resume negotiations. Why wasn't any of the time before used to engage in peace talks? So the deadline has passed and we [Israel] are supposed to elongate the freeze on construction for...? I'm sorry what am I missing here? We [Israel] have been ready to talk. We want peace. How long and under who's conditions are we supposed to wait? I read an article online this morning saying that the US is pressuring Israel to extend the freeze. Let me just say that like a parent you can't cave to a child's temper tantrum for missing a deadline. There was an agreed upon date and the PA waited much too long to start negotiating. That is the fault of the PA government... Not Israel.

Second... the Temple Mount. There is no way that East Jerusalem will ever become the capital of Palestine. This idea seems absurd to me. We must understand that the nation of Islam doesn't even consider Jerusalem to be their holiest city. Remember Mecca? That's their focal point. When they pray, they face Mecca with their backs to Jerusalem and the Temple Mount... literally! Every Jew (and Christian) in the world knows that Jerusalem is our holy city and it has been for 1000s of years. It would be catostrophic for peace and for the sanctity of all religions to allow the nation of Islam to have joint control over the Western Wall. Did you know that Judaism is one of the only nations that allows religious freedoms? We don't care if you're Christian, Catholic, Buddhist, Hindi or whatever. We offer a moral code to all nations (the Noahide laws) and still allow religious freedoms. We are a light to the nations and have been the creators of judicial law, ethics, and morality. Also, did you know that King Solomon prayed that not only Jews would be able to go to the Western Wall and pray... and have their prayers answered? Gentiles (non Jews) are invited to the Wall as well. We promote tolerance and peace as a core to our beliefs. If you read a daily prayer book there is included a prayer for peace. What is the evident message of the Koran? To assimilate the nations of the world to Islam or to kill those who won't convert.

So I present this as we finish up the holiday of Sukkot and approach Simchat Torah. Simchat Torah is the day to commemorate when we received the Torah at Sinai. We finish reading the book of Deuteronomy and start again with the book of Genesis. The nation of Israel, the children of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, has had a bit of a rough (to put it mildly) several 1000 years. Yet we still survive as a peaceful people with a rich history and culture. Do you want to know the root of your faith? Pick up the 5 books of Moses, the Torah, and study. Remember that Christianity and Islam are off branches from the root of Judaism. Don't convert and be us. It's hard to be a Jew. Learn love for all of mankind, morality, ethics, justice, compassion, charity, and how to live a good life from a good Jewish book.

Don't be swayed by what the majority of society and media says is right and good. You know in your heart what is right and good. It's called your "Yatzer Tov" (pronounced: yay-tzer tov) which is the inclination to do good. Your "Yatzer Hara" (pronounced: yay-tzer hah-rah) is the little voice in the back of your mind telling you to think and to feel what you know in your head, heart, and soul is wrong. Much like the little angel and devil sitting on either shoulder in old cartoons. The media is going to make Palestinians look like the under dogs and the people who need saving from "big bad Israel". Palestinians only need help from their own government and from Hamas. Terrorism is rampant coming from the nation of Islam, not from the nation of Israel. We're a small country and a nation that only takes up .2% of the world population, a few hundred million at best. We're up against about 2 billion Arabs in about 22 countries, most of which surround Israel. Who's the underdog here?

By the way... I battle with my "Yatzer Hara" everyday, but like my Dad says "I'll never let the bastard win." I, Sarah Judith, am not loosing myself, nor changing the core of me... I'm REFINING who I am aaannndddd who I want to be. Mentally, emotionally, spiritually, physically, intellectually... all of me.

Picture #1: Rabbi Glaser's cosmic Succa

Picture #2: Rabbi Glaser and family concert

Picture #3: Gan Soccer Festival

Picture #4: Rebbitzen Eisenbach's Succa

Picture #5: Gilad Shalit encampment's Succa (I pass by this on my walk to Rehaviya almost every day)

The big day - Yom Kippur - in Jerusalem

2010-09-22T05:43:00.000-07:00

When you think about a good movie... there's always a climax. Sometimes it's a trial, a hardship, a battle, a fight, lovers finally finding each other, etc. Typically the height of the action. That's what Yom Kippur felt like to me... the height of the action. The classes and the build up was all leading up to this day.

So let me first describe a little bit of what led up to the holiday. As you all know I've been taking classes pretty much constantly since Jewel ended. The time between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur is called Slichot. "Slicha" in Hebrew means "excuse me" so Slichot is your last 10 day push to tell people excuse me and I'm sorry for what I've done. I had some big revelations during that time and made some apologies to people that I didn't even realize that I had wronged. I shed a few tears and gained even more perspective on my life. I had some long conversations with myself realized that I don't always know what I'm doing and the most important thing in life is to learn and grow and be open to knowing that you don't know everything. I've always been a confident person, and I still feel like I am. Just confident in a different way. Confident to study, learn, grow, and try to find answers to questions that I haven't even thought about for a long time. Who wants to "wake up" and have it be 20, 30, 40 years down the road and say, "how did I get here"? I'm still not sure who I want to be, but I'm content being compassionate and experiencing as much as I can along the way.

So let's go back to the day before Yom Kippur. I was taking classes in the Old City and a friend told me that Aish was offering a "beginner's service" and that I was welcome to come. So I'm not a beginner, but I was looking for something meaningful and something that would get me close to the Kotel. So I was sold... "I'm in! Aish Yom Kippur, here I come." So I guess that settles the internal struggle I was having about where to go and what to do. There are soooo many types of synagogues in Jerusalem that finding one to connect with get overwhelming. Aish has become comfortable for me and I knew that I would have friends from Jewel and Essentials (the other program I've been sitting in on) there.

Before Kol Nidre (the night leading in to Yom Kippur) I went with my friend Olivia to meet up with Elyse, Leora, Rachel and a few other Jewel alumni for a pre-fast meal. Yom Kippur is a very long fast. It starts when you light candels on one night and ends 25 ish hours later after sundown the next night. Leora was an incredible host and made a fantastic, healthy, and very filling meal. The 8 of us ate and ate and drank tons of water over the course of the next few hours.

When we took a break from eating to stretch and walk around a bit we looked out the balcony of Leora's apartment and saw the most beautiful scenery. To the left was the Kenneset (Israeli parliament building) with the sun beaming through the clouds over it. Straight ahead you could see all the way to the central bus station with Nachlaot in the foreground. To the right you could see all the way to the Old City walls which was the only place with direct sunlight (since it was such an overcast afternoon). It made the Old City look like it was glowing! Gleaming! Radiant and beautiful. A few of us screamed saying, "Oh my Gd! It's so beautiful!" Check out this video of the double rainbow... this guys reaction was pretty much our reaction to the amazing scenery we were seeing: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/07/04/hilarious-hiker-guy-freak_n_634861.html?ref=fb&src=sp

After an amazing dinner, Olivia and I walked roughly 25 minutes to the Old City. The services were great. There was explanation around each important section of the service, familiar songs, and even classes available if we got bored and needed a change of pace. We stayed for half the service and then joined the class for the other half. Around 10pm when everything was ending Olivia and I went up to the roof of the Aish building to look at the Kotel. Let me reiterate the proximity of this building to the Kotel. The address is One Kotel Plaza. Does that paint a picture? Night time at the Kotel is the most amazing time. The wall glows and people were in the plaza singing and dancing. (Enter the double rainbow reaction here too) A-MAZING! Finally we decided to walk down to the actual Kotel. I, again, went straight up to the wall and put my forehead against it. I closed my eyes as tight as I could so as to momentarily block out the world around me and I just let my thoughts flow. It was a beautiful and moving moment for me. After we had enough we made the walk back to Rehaviya. No one and I mean no one is on the road for this holiday and most people walk in the middle of the street. There was even a group of people outside of the Conservative Synagogue on Keren HaYesod literally sitting in the middle of the road and singing together. We looked for my Mom (seemed like something she'd be in to) and when she wasn't there, we walked home.

The next morning I woke up and leisurely got dressed and ready to walk back to the Old City. I got to services around 10am (they started at 7am). Same format. Lots of explanation and classes. Very open form and we were encouraged to do what we felt we could, but not to overwhelm ourselves. So I went back and forth between the service and classes. By about 1pm ish I was feeling a bit overwhelmed and decided to head back up to the roof for a break. It was really cold inside the building and the temperature outside was perfect. I found a chair, propped my feet up, took my hair down, and almost instantly fell asleep facing the Wall. It was the best nap. When I woke up I decided to go for a short walk around the Old City. Just what I needed. I went back to class and before I knew it I fell asleep again! Oy. By then it was almost 4pm and I didn't want to walk all the way back to Rehaviya just to turn around and come back for the last service. (By the way I wasn't the only one who fell asleep in class... but I was the only one who fell asleep on the roof!) The last service was the climax of Yom Kippur. The music gets more intense and everyone is starting to feel light headed and hungry. The purpose of Yom Kippur's fast is to strip away the animal instinct of eating... having this meal just to immediately start thinking about the next meal and the next meal... You wear white and all of who you are is in a pure state to just focus on your connection with Gd. It was an intoxicating feeling. The last part of the service was concluding... the shofar was sounding... and the commotion outside the window at the Kotel was building. I tried my best to soak in every moment of it.

Finally at 6:18pm we did Havdallah (the ceremony to conclude the Sabbath since our holiest day of the year fell on the holiest day of the week.... double whammy). Time to break the fast! I grabbed a cup of water and rugalach and took off out the door. My sudden burst of energy enabled me to maneuver my way around people and out of the city and back to Rehaviya. Dinner, here I come. Amazingly the incredible meal I had before the fast kept me from even getting hungry until around 430pm or so. Thank you Leora!

What a day. It was the most intense 25 hours I've spent. The first time I've ever made it through a fast (including with no water). AAANNNNDDD... I feel great. Yom Kippur makes you feel lighter and brighter and truly like a huge weight has been lifted. If you ever decide to let go and ask for forgiveness my biggest advice (and my biggest struggle) is to be able to also forgive yourself. You can ask Gd to forgive you... or your fellow man to forgive you... but do you forgive you?

So now is the beginning of Sukkot. The "thatched hut" and "cosmic vegetation" holiday (as Rabbi Yom Tov so eloquently puts it). I finished up taking classes at Aish this week and started up my Ulpan. It's been a lot of long days. It's been very cool to see the "thatched huts" being built around the city. Everyone and I mean everyone has one. The whole of Judaism should be moving their lives out of the material world and into their Sukka. Stripped down to what is meaningful. I'll go more into Sukkot after that holiday, but you should know (and look forward to) that I have some pretty cool Sukkot parties I'm going to and I can't wait to tell you all about them!

Until next time Chag Sameach and all the best wishes for 5771. Find yourself. Forgive yourself. Connect with something greater than you... It's quite eye opening and uplifting.

Ok, so I just realized right before I was about to publish this post that I skipped a major event. My Mom and I went down to Be'er Sheva 2 days before the Chag to see a family friend Shimron (Roni) Tubman and his wife Annie. Roni and Annie had a baby boy and we got to be there for the bris! All of Roni's family is outside of Israel so my Mom and I got to be Roni's family for the afternoon. Erez Gordon Tubman is a beautiful baby boy. I got to hold him for a long time and see the pride and joy and love Roni and Annie were feeling about their son... their firstborn. They have a beautiful home and were surrounded by great friends. It was very moving and great to be a part of a new family. Roni and Annie, I am so happy for you and your son. Thank you for having us and letting us be a part of your special day. Mazel Tov!

Spending a Chag in Israel

2010-09-12T22:29:00.000-07:00

I've made it through my first major holiday in Israel and there are many more "biggies" to come in the next few weeks. Rosh Hashana was really wonderful filled with family, friends, and lots (and when I say lots... I mean LOTS) of great food. This holiday and I decided that I was going to try to find a Synagogue that I liked. So literally I went service hopping. Here's a bit of a run down of what I experienced.

Wednesday night I went with my cousin, Abbie, and my Mom to check out the Nachman Breslov Shul here in Tekoa. Breslov are the "party guys". They love to sing and dance while they pray. Some of you may have seen them around with their van that they seem to randomly jump out of and start singing and dancing. There is a tradition to go to the grave of a "righteous man" for Rosh Hashana, so the majority of the Breslov community was in Uman, Ukraine at the grave of their Rabbi Nachman. They could barely get enough people together to start services here in Tekoa because of their tradition. I only recently knew about the whole grave thing and I'm not really sure how I feel about it. So, since I don't know enough information here is me saying, "my opinion on this subject will come at a later time, right now it's just a little weird." I might give them another shot for a Friday night service, which my cousin tells me is really fun. More details to come soon.

Thursday I went with my Mom and her friend Marylin to a Reconstructionist service in Modiin. Reconstructionist is like a mix between Reform and Conservative Judaism. It was nice and it felt like a little taste of home to me. The songs were familiar and there were mixed men and women's seating (which is a rarity in Israel). The synagogue was absolutely beautiful. I was very glad to have spent the main service with them. A little piece of home.

Friday Marylin was so generous and said that I could borrow her car to drive in to Jerusalem to go to the Kotel. I'm consistently drawn there. I just love being in the Old City and at the Wall. It's such a magical place and has a very special energy. My Mom decided to go with me and we headed in to the city in the afternoon. It was hot out, but I went straight up to the Wall and put my forehead against it and just started reading my Siddur. I could hear the Shofar blasting at different services around the Kotel. Eventually I sat down and started reading out of my book of Psalms. Apparently I had crossed my legs (didn't even realize I did that) and some lady came by and smacked my leg down and said something in Hebrew about me not crossing my legs at the Kotel! What?! Please don't touch me lady. I didn't mean to offend or upset anyone, honestly I didn't even realize I was doing it. So, I recrossed my legs calmly and went back to reading. It's a time for forgiveness right? Breathe in. Breathe out. I'm in a foreign country. Don't be offended by her. (Is what I was telling myself.) After about an hour and a half at the Kotel we headed back to Tekoa.

Friday we ended off the day's prayers at Marylin's house and fish pond doing Tashlich. For those of you who are unfamiliar, it's a small and very short service where you go to a body of water with fish in it and cast away your "sins" from the prior year. Typically the sins are in bread form and it's yet another opportunity to reflect on yourself and what you have or haven't done. A chance to decide what you want to do in the year to come.

Friday night I decided I wanted to check out one more place. So we (Abbie, my Mom, and I) went to the Ashkenaz synagogue here in Tekoa. I was by far the largest synagogue I have been to so far. It was beautiful and there were lots of familiar faces of people I've met here on the Yishuv. I brought my own Siddur (just like I did to all the other places) so that I could follow along in English and Hebrew if and where I could. Friday night services are FAST. Very very fast. Maybe 35 minutes (or at least that's all we caught of it). It was very welcoming and was really nice to be a part of the local communities main house of worship.

Between all of these major events we ate a lot. Have I mentioned that before? We, the Jewish people, eat a lot during holidays... and Shabbos for that matter. We did a major meal (for you Americans think Thanksgiving sized) at Marylin's on Wednesday night, Vivian's on Thursday night, and my Mom's on Friday night. By Saturday we were all so stuffed and tired that we went to the pool and ate left overs pic nic style poolside! One major meal a day is enough to fuel you for pretty much the whole day and don't worry I did a lot of walking to help burn off the mass consumptions of amazing home cooked meals.

Sunday was a new holiday for me to learn about. The Fast of Gedaliah. Gedaliah was a governor in the time of the 1st Temple of Jerusalem. Much like in Ceasar, Gedaliah was murdered. The unusual part of the story was that Gedaliah was murdered by a Jew which is a true rarity and was a preempt to the destruction of the first Temple. So we fast to honor his memory and the loss of the Temple. Let me tell you that after all the food I've had, fasting was NO problem. I didn't even think about eating until around 4pm. So that evening, to break the fast, I went in to Jerusalem to meet up with some girls from Jewel are still in Israel. Olivia, Leora, Elyse and her friend from her new program Bracha and I went out for Chinese food. Yum. How Jewish! Break the fast with Chinese food. Another tradition from home.

Now, Yom Kippur is coming up this weekend. The day of Atonement or as one of my Rabbi's says: At One Ment. Another fast day and day of reflection. After Yom Kippur comes Sukkot, which I am really looking forward to! I hear that it's a major holiday here and is a LOT of fun. I've been invited to lots of parties and am really looking forward to sharing about it. Lastly is Simchat Torah which celebrates the giving of the Torah to the Jewish people. Again, supposed to be a great party. Yay for holidays in Israel!

All the best for a sweet New Year. Eat some apples and honey would ya?

"Free Range Learning"

2010-09-08T02:15:00.001-07:00

I have such a different life than I thought I would coming to Israel in such an amazing way. I was emailing with my Grandma this past week and she used the term "Free Range Learning". I thought that was the most appropriate and best description of what I have been experiencing here in Israel. I have been trying to think of the best way to describe the direction my life is going and what I have been experiencing, and it's almost hard to articulate so please bear with me as I try to put it in to words.

The past week or so I have gone back to Aish HaTorah and have been taking classes everyday in the Old City. The classes that I choose to take start at 10am and end around 4pm. I've been fortunate to have a friend from Jewel, Olivia, taking classes with me. It's great to have someone to talk to between classes and during lunch. This past week we found a great cafe that overlooks part of the Kotel and the Mount of Olives. So we sit and recap our fears, frustrations, excitements, and joys about what we're learning as we look out on such an amazing view. Yesterday I skipped the 2pm class and spent about 40 minutes at the Kotel just sitting, thinking, digesting information, and praying. Then I went back at 3pm for one last class before the break for Rosh Hashana.

On a side note this past week I have had some of the most phenomenal meals around Jerusalem and I've included some pictures for you to enjoy. For all of the amazing food I'm eating I am doing outstanding amounts of walking. My walking around Jerusalem usually starts near Rehaviya and the continues on to the Old City. From there I sometimes walk back to Rehaviya. Last Monday, I then walked to the Shuk (which is an open air market) and from there to the Central Bus Station. It was roughly a 5 mile walking day but with Rosh Hashana traffic my feet were moving me faster than the crowded buses were moving!

Meanwhile back to the subject at hand... September into October in Israel (especially Jerusalem) is similar to Thanksgiving to New Years in the States. People are cleaning and cooking and preparing to host family and friends for the holidays. Pulling together plans for meals and services. Should I go here? What about there? What would be the optimal experience to have while living in Israel? I've opted to stay in Tekoa for Rosh Hashana and Shabbat to spend time with the Brill family. I'm going to be checking out at least 2 different Synagogues this week in a effort to find a connection and perhaps a draw back to community prayer.

I've learned a lot about Rosh Hashana in the past few weeks and hopefully I can relay some of the information I've learned back. As many of you may or may not know Rosh Hashana is the Jewish New Year. Year 5771 to be exact. I thought that this was the celebration of the creation of the world, but it's not. It's the date that the Adam received his soul. We are celebrating the birth of the Adam, the end of an A-Moral civilization... a change from cave man to modern man. Yes, I said caveman. There were cavemen before the Adam was spoken about in Genesis. Dr. Gerald Schroeder (of M.I.T.) taught an amazing class about the transition of humanity from caveman to man as it is illustrated through the book of Genesis. If you're interested in Dr. Schroeder's works he has a website and many books about Science and Gd. www.geraldschroeder.com

As we are in the final moments leading up to Rosh Hashana the holiday dictates that we look back on the past year and reflect on what we did and didn't do... who we may have hurt (intentionally or not)... what we may have accomplished (or not)... etc. (you get the idea). So let me tell you all that 5770 (or 2009) was a very difficult year for me physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. I was very depressed and was searching for a way out or a leg up or whatever you want to call it. I was feeling like I had hit bottom. I didn't like who I was nor did I like who I was becoming. I'd like to relate this to the class that I took about 'why bad things happen to good people'. I felt like I was a good person who was trying very hard to have good things happen, and nothing was working out. Then I got a phone call from my Great Uncle Bob and Great Aunt Doris inviting me to come to Israel with them. I never had a desire to go to Israel. Honestly, I didn't care anything about Israel at all. I took them up on their offer and decided to go, afterall I am Jewish and it IS Israel. I went with an open mind and an open heart, not knowing what to expect. I had a great time with them and every day that I am here now, I think about what an amazing gift they gave me by opening my eyes to the world outside of what I knew. When I came home after the 10 day trip I knew my life was changed forever.

On Rosh Hashana it is written. Who will live and who will die. Who will prosper and who will struggle. Who will find love and happiness and who will endure heartbreak and sadness. I know that I experienced the heartbreak, sadness, and depression of last year as a result of the choices that I made and the manner in which I decided to react to them. You see 'bad things' are all relative to those who are experiencing them. I wouldn't change a thing about my past. My past has made me who I am today and has afforded me the 'good things' that I am experiencing now. I just had to be willing to open my eyes and look around to feel the difference and be willing and able to experience the change.

So with that being said I am offering my T'shuva and asking for forgiveness from anyone that I may have hurt in the past. I am sorry if my personal struggles affected anyone negatively. The purpose of life is growth and understanding to the best and fullest of your individual potential. So here I am, in Israel. Growing and learning and searching for understanding and meaning. I want to wish you all a very happy and healthy year filled with all of the love and blessings that you are searching for. Shanah Tova!!

Picture #1 Salad plate at the cafe in the Old City

Picture #2 "Jerusalem Syndrome" salad and the House Tea made with lemon, mint & ginger

Picture #3 On the walk from Rehaviya to the Old City you see the display honoring Gilad Shalit

Picture #4 A Bar Mitzvah celebration as they were heading to the Kotel

Current Happenings

2010-09-03T02:15:00.000-07:00

So life hasn't been as "glamorous" (and I use that term loosely) as the last few blogs, but I'm still trucking along doing my Israel thang. After my last Chavaya (experience or adventure) in the desert I spent Shabbat resting, relaxing and deciding what to do next. My answer was... I don't know. Oy. Perfect timing though, I got an invitation from my friend Elyse (from Jewel) to meet up with her and her family in Jerusalem. I spoke with Olivia (also from Jewel) and we were excited to see Elyse and hear about her adventures traveling with her family around Israel. Most important, I should say, Elyse and her sister Allison were Bat-Mitzvahed together in the Old City. So we walked to dinner and celebrated their special day. Elyse's family is great and it was fun getting to know them.

The next day I left Jerusalem and headed to Haifa to see Judy. Judy is my Grandma's first cousin... so what does that make us??... 3rd cousins or something removed??... I can never figure that stuff out! We chatted and caught up and stayed with Judy's friend in a great apartment with an amazing view of the Mediterranean. The next day, Friday, we drove to Tel Aviv/Shoham to see Judy's sons and their families. I stayed with Henry and his family for Shabbat. Almost right away we hoped in the car and drove to the port in Tel Aviv to the beach. A little sun, a little sand and sea, and a beautiful sunset later... I was a happy camper. We packed up our beach stuff and walked through the port to find a restaurant to have dinner at. There was a nice Kaballat Shabbat on the port with the Mediterranean as the back drop to the great Shabbos music. We stopped and enjoyed a few songs along the way.

Saturday morning, Henry, his wife Hannah, the dog Brandy, and I went back to the beach for more sun, sand, and sea. It was a beautiful morning and while Henry played with the dog, Hannah and I read our books and enjoyed the water. That afternoon we left for Ely's house where we were meeting up with his family for a BBQ for Gilly (Ely's daugther)'s 13th birthday. Great food. Great fun. Lots of family time. It was great seeing everyone and catching up. Saturday night, I was back on the bus to Tekoa. Whew. What a whirlwind few days.

This past week I decided it was time to start taking classes again. I've been "dropping in" to classes all over Jerusalem trying to find a good fit for me. My cousin (I have lots of cousins here), Keren, goes to Neve Yerushaliym and invited me to check out her seminary. Abbie (her sister) and I went together for the ride. The school is beautiful and lo and behold one of the best Rabbis from Jewel was teaching a class on Rosh Hashana and prayer. Of course, I stayed and dropped in to his class. Of course, I loved it.

I spoke to a few girls from Jewel that are still in Jerusalem and we decided to visit the Aish HaTorah center again and drop in to a few classes this past week. Every time I go there it re-instills my excitement and connection to studying in the Old City. So now it's Wednesday morning and the 4 of us, Jewel graduates, walk in to a classroom and... wait... no way... it can't be... it IS... There... teaching the class that I was randomly dropping in to was a friend from Bakersfield that I grew up with, Jeremy. Now I knew that Jeremy was living in Jerusalem. I knew that at some point I would see him and meet his wife and new baby. Did I think that I would finally get to see him at a random spur of the moment class in the Old City? No way. There he was though. Apparently things like this happen all the time in Jerusalem. The most random and inexplicable run ins are not so random and are totally regular and natural. After his class we caught up a bit and soon... very soon... I will get to see his home and meet his family. Only in Jerusalem.

My friends and I stayed for a few more classes after Jeremy's after which I left for Tel Aviv to help Abbie move her stuff to Tekoa. Yay for Abbie living in Tekoa! It's so great to have her as a neighbor, so I was happy to help her move. Yesterday, Thursday, I was back at it again. Olivia and I went back to Aish for more classes. Our classes consisted of defining the meanings of the words that begin most Hebrew prayers we've only gotten through 3 of the 6 words and that took 2 days. Judaism, Zionism, and the Messiah was another one that BLEW MY MIND! Jewish history with a Rabbi who's book I have on order and can't wait to read. Then finally Ethics which was more a class about why 'bad things happen to good people.' Very heavy and intense stuff, but like I've said before I just can't get enough of it! I'm going back for more next week.

On a side note, I had a small unique revelation yesterday. My cousin Abbie was going to join us for the Ethics class in the Old City, but didn't know where the building was. I realized that all of the sudden I knew my way through the Old City without a problem. I was speeding through the walkways and was able to, fairly quickly, find her and make our way back to the Aish Center for the class to begin. Did I ever expect to be able to say that I can maneuver the Old City without a tour guide? Nope, but I was very proud of myself for another minor accomplishment.

So Rosh Hashana, the Jewish new year 5771, is upon us. Less than a week from now actually. I am contently taking classes as much as I can through Aish and looking in to Ulpan (Hebrew language emersion) classes. I feel like this is the best and happiest I have felt approaching the New Year and ending the Hebrew month of Elul that I can remember. I have been in Israel for almost 3 months now and sometimes it feels like a lifetime. Shana Tova. Have a happy and sweet New Year.

I realize that my pictures have been fewer and further between so I am going to try to be better about not just taking my camera with me, but actually taking pictures with it. What a concept right?

Party in the Desert

2010-08-21T11:47:00.001-07:00

Just when I thought I was going to spend some time resting, relaxing and deciding what to do next... I had one final adventure before Shabbat that I have to share.

My friend from Tekoa, Brian, told me about a "party in the desert". So I invited a friend from Jewel, Mara (and her 2 friends) to Tekoa and was expecting the sort of party I described in an earlier blog. Let me just say that it's important to be specific when asking Israelis questions about parties. This was so not what I expected, but in an awesome way. We drove out into the middle of the desert to an old British fort where there were hundreds of people at a real DJ type of dance and bonfire party. Inside the fort was the dancing and DJ music. Outside, people set up small encampments and bonfires for their smaller circles of friends.

We chopped veggies and drank wine before going back inside to the music that was rhythmically intoxicating... we danced and danced. At some point during the night, I just couldn't take the heat any more, so I asked to borrow a pocket knife and cut my jeans off into shorts. Miracle of miracles I cooled down tremendously.

When we went outside we lied back on the mats and blankets to see more stars than I have ever seen before. I was mesmerized by the milky way and closed my eyes and fell asleep under the stars for a little while. When I woke up, stew and tea were being served hot off the fire. We ate and drank and went back in for more dancing.

The party went on until the sun came up. Someone brought a Shofar which is a ram's horn that's blown during the month of Hebrew month Elul (leading up to Rosh Hashana) and High Holiday season. Sunshine started to come up over the desert skyline and with the Shofar blowing someone yelled "Boker Tov" (good morning)! The dancing was still going. We watched the sunrise, and around 730am we were packed up to head back to Tekoa.

In the day you could see the beauty of the desert and we drove through the West Bank. In the distance I could see Hevron and we drove through Efrat and Gush Etseyon. Just so you know, Hevron is where Abraham, Isac, and Jacob were buried and is considered one of the holiest places in Israel. Hevron has a very large Arab population and is a key disputed area in the land debate of the West Bank.

At the suggestion of our wonderful host and impromptu tour guide we decided to stop and do a short hike down the side of a hill to see a natural water spring. As we got half way down we realized that there was no spring to be found. We stopped for a moment and the silence was such a deafening contrast to how we spent the rest of the night it was amazing. The air was still and crisp and you couldn't hear a sound. The desert looked painted and the Wadi was beautiful. We hiked back up the mountain and decided to check out another place with a water hole.

When we got to the new destination on the highest point in the Gush we walked down a short distance to the water hole to check it out... eventually half of us jumped in. The other half, me included, put our feet in instead. Side note: I wanted to go in, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it. I knew the water was only green because of the moss that was kicked up, it was just too green for me to want to jump in to. My legs and feet were happy dangling in. So, we stayed for a while and drank coffee, enjoyed the view and cool water in the early morning hours.

Our grand adventure ended shortly thereafter and we finally made it back to Tekoa at 1030 in the morning. What a night. What an adventure. An amazing time was had by all!!

Jewel ends, the next chapter begins and... now what?

2010-08-21T10:02:00.000-07:00

I am so glad that I took a chance and decided to participate in this summer program. I've learned so much about myself, what I want & don't want out of life, Judaism, and life my head is still spinning.

During my last post I was back in Tekoa on a break for a free Shabbat weekend. When I went back to Jewel I jumped back in... full force. My classes ranged from "Science and Torah", "Why Pray", Textual Torah lessons, "Essential Jewish Concepts", Jewish History, Mastering Freewill, and more. I was lucky to have connected with so many wonderful young Jewish women, Rabbis, Rebbitzens, and Professors. I learned so much in such a short amount of time that my notebook seems to be bursting at the seams (thank you Barry & Jan for the notebook by the way).

I've learned that "belief" is not a Jewish concept. Knowing is what to strive for. Isn't knowing half the battle? If it doesn't make sense to you, then don't believe it. Ignorance shouldn't be an excuse though. Judaism encourages a thirst for knowledge and understanding in it's purist form. Everywhere I've turned I've been encouraged to learn more, ask questions, and really find a true understanding for myself... understanding that makes sense to me. I understand the importance to learning and really understanding my history, heritage, and values. I appreciate everyone involved in the Jewel program for helping to open my eyes to making me want to learn more.

We also took an amazing trip last week to Tel Aviv and went to the "Blind Museum". If you've never been... I encourage you to go. We were split into 2 groups and slowly walked into a room of complete darkness. What is a person's first reaction when they're put into a new environment and they can't see anything... Fear? Frustration? Tension? Our tour guide was an expert and she guided us through several different rooms. She taught us how to "see" with our hands and ears. We shuffled from room to room feeling, smelling, and hearing our surroundings. One room was a simulation of a boat ride. We could smell the salty air and feel the slow rhythm of the waves. We sang Hebrew songs that we learned in Ulpan and I could picture the ocean in my mind. We shuffled into an "open air market" and felt around for fruits and vegetables, "crossed the street", and helped each other to "find" and figure out our surroundings. One room that I loved was the one simulating a classical music concert. Our tour guide encouraged us to sit against the wall or lie down and enjoy the concert. I decided to lie down... and I felt the music in the most incredible way. It was like the music was surrounding me. I was completely focused. There were no distractions for a moment I was a part of the most beautiful composition. I couldn't help but cry a little bit, I was so moved. At the end of the tour our guide brought us to the last blacked out room, sat us at a table and opened up for questions. It turns out that our guide is blind from birth. She is fluent in Hebrew, English, and Russian. She has been a teacher (in regular schools) for the majority of her life and is married with children. She gets to work each day by bus and knows the route to get there without any problems. She prefers her cane to a guide dog, but said that was a personal preference. She also taught us that when you notice a blind person who might need help crossing the street, it's ok to ask them if they want help. She laughed and told us that some people just assume that she wants to cross and just start helping without asking what direction she's wanting to go in. Some things that you don't appreciate as a person with sight, is colors. You can't describe color to the blind. She knows that bananas are yellow, the sky is blue, grass is green, but that's all (excuse the pun) blind information. She has systems to help her pick out her clothes, but the smallest thing that we, with sight, forget about is color. It was definitely a moving and inspirational trip and I loved every moment of it. By the end of the tour, the initial feelings of fear or frustration had dissipated. I am in awe of all that can and has been accomplished by the blind or visually impaired... and I was only in the darkness for 30 minutes, not a lifetime.

The last trip I took was after our last day studying in the Old City, to the Kotel Tunnels. I took this tour with my Uncle Bob last January and it felt just as moving this time as it did last time. I posted a video of the beginning of the tour on my facebook page. If you have a chance to watch it, I'm sure you'd enjoy it. The Kotel Tunnels are an archeologists dream come true. In one site, digging straight down, there are layers upon layers of history including both the 1st and 2nd Temple, Roman periods, Babylonians, etc. The tour runs underneath the Old City and Arab quarters to a point that brings you as close as you can get to where the Holy of Holies was kept. The Ark of the Covenant, the Torah, the tablets with the 10 Commandments. If there is ever an opportunity to take this tour... do it. You will never look at the Western Wall (Kotel) the same way.

After the tour, several of us walked from the Old City down Jaffa Street to the downtown area. There, we met up with friends we had made around Israel and celebrated birthdays together. It was so great to be together and have a wonderful time celebrating. A beer and shot of Arak later, laughing so much my face hurt, and smoking some hooka... I looked around and saw men on the patio where we were with Kippot (men's head coverings) on and thought to myself, "and this is Israel."

This leads me to my next point. I love... love... love... the fact that everywhere I go, I am a part of a majority. I can't help but smile when I see so many Jews together. Whether it's at the Kotel in the Old City, at a museum or the flea market in Tel Aviv, or a bar lounging and laughing together. I heard a great quote from one of my cousins last night when we went for a Shabbos walk and were talking about Arab/Israel relations. She said (and I loosely quote this), 'most Arabs and Jews don't bother each other, it's just the small amount of extremes on both ends of the spectrum that get splashed all over the news. Most Arabs and most Israelis are peaceful people "who want to just live their lives".

Our last Shabbat with Jewel, we went to Ramat Beit Shemesh for a Shabbaton with some of the program administrators and coordinators. I stayed with my Liverpool friend, Sara, at the home of the Soltz family. We got to know Cheryl (who is the person who admits candidates into Jewel) and her beautiful family. They hosted a lovely Shabbat dinner of nearly 20 people. Cheryl's husband used to teach on the Jewel program and did a small lesson for us at Rabbi Friedman's house after lunch on Saturday. Every family opened their doors to us and with open arms welcomed us to celebrate in their family traditions and customs. It was so welcoming and inviting. After Shabbat ended, Rabbi Friedman arranged a concert at his home for us! It was a great Jewish hip hop band that played for us called Shtar - Infinity. It was a great way to end Shabbat and right after the concert we boarded the bus back to Ramat Eshkol.

So, my program has ended and I truly miss it. I miss seeing my girls every day and discussing life and what we've learned (both what we liked and didn't like). I never thought I could have such a deep and meaningful connection with complete strangers from around the world in such a short time. After our farewell banquet, we went upstairs to our dorm room and sat on the floor drinking wine and relishing the fact that the program was over. Stacey went back to NY, Sara went back to Liverpool, Elyse went to travel Israel with her family, Olivia moved into an apartment in Jerusalem, and I went back to Tekoa. I know that those who left will be back soon to visit, and those still in the country I will see soon! You ladies are wonderful! Thank you for an amazing Chavaya together!!

Picture #1: Shtar - Infinity's private concert at Rabbi Friedman's house

Picture #2: Jacer, Ahron, Brian and I in downtown Jerusalem

Picture #3: The men's side of the Kotel before our tunnel tour

Picture #4: Me on top of the Aish Building

Picture #5: Me, Elyse, Huvi, Stacey, Sara, and Olivia at the final banquet dinner

A week and a half into Jewel

2010-08-07T08:46:00.000-07:00

I feel like there is so much to say that it's hard to know where to begin. So let me start by saying this: I love this program. It's absolutely and exactly what I was wanting and hoping for. I have learned so much about so much in such little time that it has left me spinning and ready for more at the same time.

This program that I'm studying with has been able to incompass a broad range of deep, insightful, relevant, and historic topics. Each day we (there's 40 of us in this program) get up for breakfast together and then start classes around 9am. The day is packed with classes back to back that are taught by the most phenomenal women, brilliant Rabbis, and scholars.

Let me back up for a moment. The idea of studying and living with 40 young women in dorms for 3 weeks scared the hell out of me. For those who know me, you know that I don't have many women friends and I have never lived in a dorm. So I, in part, picked this program to learn to live with different people and experience things outside of my normal comfort zone. I am lucky to have incredible roommates and that the program split the "older girls" from the "younger girls" into separate buildings. Thank you Jewel for not rooming me with an early 20 something girl since I think this experience would have been totally different for me! Haha. I try to wake up early to hit the shower first and do some stretching since the tiny bunk bed I'm sleeping on is less than comfortable. It helps to set the tone for a good day ready to absorb information.

One of my favorite parts of the program is studying in the Old City of Jerusalem. The building is owned by Aish HaTorah International and is about 75% of the front facing property of the Western Wall (Kotel). So here I am in a beautiful and modern building, faced with ancient Jerusalem stone, looking out the window onto the Kotel plaza. Breathtaking. We enter the Old City and walk up a few flights of Jerusalem stone stairs to get to the main entrance of the 5 story building. As we walk, we can hear drums and Shofar (a ram's horn) blowing as boys come to read Torah and become Bar Mitzvahed at the Wall. It's surreal and at the same time, feels like home.

One of my absolute favorite day's was last week during a seminar we took at the Aish Center. The seminar was called "Discovery" and proved to be one of the most interesting (and mind blowing) days. Discovery's seminar is a full day class where Science and Religion meet. As you may or may not know, I am a VERY rational and analytical person and am consistently on the search for proof and concrete fact surrounding Religion and (of course) particularly Judaism. This seminar was just the answer to my long lasting question... Prove it. The seminar was taught by Rabbis, a Physicist from MIT, and Mathematicians. If you're at all interested in what was said I encourage you to go to http://israel.aish.com/discoveryisrael/home.html and attend a seminar. Also there are book's written by Physicist (not a Rabbi) Gerald Schroeder about Gd and Science. His portion of the lecture was incredible. He spent an hour explaining how creation in the book of Genesis and the Big Bang theory are scientifically proven to be one in the same. It was incredible. The information was far to intense to explain in a blog, so if you want to know more I'd be happy to set up a skype date and tell you about what I learned. A great quote from the class was, "You can have faith"..."We [Jews] have science."

Other classes have touched on American and Iran relations, the 3rd Jihad, Israel in a Nutshell, along with esoteric, religious, and philosophical topics. I enjoyed a lecture by Rabbi Yom Tov Glaser about finding your true "Essence" and how to manifest that into healthy relationships and personal happiness. You can do a youtube search for him and I believe that class is also available online. Again, I'm happy to skype and reteach the information to anyone who wants. This class was very practical and for my non-Jewish friends... it can totally apply to you too and is good information to know about yourself to be able to find inner peace and contentment.

So now the fun stuff. We went on an overnight trip around Israel this past week and saw and experienced a LOT! We started off by driving south towards the Dead Sea in the Judean Desert for Jeeping and ATVing. My half of the group piled into 3 Jeeps and drove through the desert to an incredible look out point. From here we could see all the way to the Dead Sea with Jordan in the background and the city of Jericho to our left. After this we swapped places with the other half of the group for some ATVing (all terrain vehicles). With 3 in my ATV we zoomed along the dusty Judean mountains and through a Bedouin encampment. From here we piled back in the bus and drove north to a spot south of Tiberius for a water hike. By the way, if an Israeli ever tells you that you're going on a water hike be prepared to get wet. As in mid calf water levels at some parts type of wet on this hike. It was beautiful and we watched the sun start to set as we hiked back to the bus. After the long day we drove up to Tiberius and spent the night.

Bright and early the next morning we piled back in the bus and started the day off with another water hike in the Golan Heights overlooking the Sea of Galilee. This water hike was with water mid calf high at some parts and climbing up a trickling waterfall in others. In case you were wondering, yes I did the waterfall climb and no I did not do the mid thigh walk... I walked around since I didn't think my sketchers could take much more under water time. From this hike we drove even further north to the Jordan river and went rafting. Now I was expecting rafting... like white water sort of rafting. This was more like a lazy float down the Jordan, which after all the hiking was a welcomed break. The girls and I decided to lay back and let the current slowly float us down the river. After rinsing off and drying out a little, we hoped back on the bus for Zefat (which is where the Kabbalah was written). We spent a couple of hours, walking around, shopping a little, and having dinner before loading ourselves back on the bus to drive back to Jerusalem.

I've included a few pictures from the overnight trip and, as always, the majority of the pictures are on my facebook page.

I almost forgot... I also baked Challah bread for the first time this past week! So I've included a picture of what they looked like when all was said and done.

10 TOOLS FOR CONSTANT AWARENESS

2010-08-06T06:45:00.000-07:00

I wanted to start off the weekend with some ideas I've found from the Aish HaTorah Center (which is where I've been studying) to begin the following week. This is an excerpt from the 48 Ways to Wisdom by Rabbi Noah Weinberg.

Life has been amazing and I have been loving the Jewel program. Tomorrow morning I'll write a more inclusive update as to what I've been studying, learning, and experiencing. Until then... Shabbat Shalom!

10 TOOLS FOR CONSTANT AWARENESS:

1. Plan out what you want to accomplish. If you know what you're after, you'll pursue it with more vitality.

2. Plan in the evening how you'll get up in the morning. Don't let the snooze button control your life.

3. To start off on the right foot, get up 10 minutes early and say the Shema (or another personal mantra to set the tone for your day).

4. Review your day. See what the obstacles were. Strategize how to avoid them in the future. Review what you learned in the past 24 hours.

5. Catch yourself day dreaming at least once a day and examine: "What am I doing right now, and how could I use this moment more effectively?"

6. Become a student of life. Study wherever you are. Have books, thoughts, etc. ready to keep your mind growing. (No staring out the window like a zombie.)

7. Memorize pieces of wisdom. It will give you something to learn as you walk down the street or wait in line at the supermarket.

8. Pick appealing catch-phrases, to inspire yourself on the spot, and to wake yourself up when you feel like drifting off.

9. Frequently ponder the question: What is the purpose of life? What am I doing on this planet?

10. Plan ahead now. What do you want to study? What do you need to realize your ambitions? How do you want to grow?

By the way... Everyone says that "time is money." But which is more important: five minutes or a dollar? Time is the greatest opportunity of your life. Don't waste a minute of it.

Jewel program begins

2010-07-28T12:46:00.001-07:00

It's now Wednesday evening and I've been in the Jewel program for 3 days. Let me start by saying how happy I am that I chose this program. Jewel is a fantastic program filled with an array of interesting and accomplished women from the age of 19 up to 30. When I found this program online I thought to myself that if I was going to be in Israel for a year then I needed to explore my own Judaism to find truth, understanding, and knowledge for me. I'm confident after the classes that I've been attending that I will be able to find that here.

On the first day of classes we started with a short Torah study in a small setting. We learned about Abraham and the parsha (Torah portion) called Lech Lecha. This class was called "Bringing the Text to Life". From there we took a panoramic tour of Jerusalem and visited the Kotel (Western Wall). I've started to get to know some of the girls and I'm currently rooming with a southern girl from Georgia, a Brooklyn New Yorker, and a girl from Liverpool UK. A few of us went out to Ben Yehuda Street and walked around the shops and sights of the vibrant and exciting area.

Today our first class was "What is Chesed?". I can translate that loosely to charity or good deeds, but it's so much more than that. The hour long class touched on the true meaning of giving on several different levels as Jews and through our culture and faith. We followed that with a phenomenal Rabbi who related current and personal issues to understanding of Judaism. After this, we went to a farm and picked onions for the needy. It was wonderful to be out in the fields helping and working for a great cause. We picked over 3,000 pounds of onions (of which I picked roughly 6 bins) that will be served tonight and tomorrow morning in homeless shelters around Israel. Our final class for the night was about Essential Jewish Concepts with, once again, and phenomenal Rabbi.

Before I continue, let me say that so many of us (myself included) have a very stereo typical idea of what "Religious Jews" are and maybe even what that means in our own minds. This is not saying that tomorrow I'm going to become "Ultra Orthodox", but I feel like in such a short time my eyes have opened and I've met some incredible teachers that truly embody what is important to be as a person and as a Jew. Underneath the black hat or the pretty wig (or hair covering), there are amazing, interesting, and very REAL people who have had real life experiences.

Tomorrow afternoon we're going to be studying in the Old City of Jerusalem at the Aish Ha Torah building near the Kotel. For Shabbat (our Sabbath) we'll be having dinner in the Old City.

I am moved, honored, and feel truly privileged to be studying with and learning from such incredible teachers and peers. So as to not innundate with too much information right away please know that I am happy to answer any questions that anyone has about anything I have learned thus far. I have been taking pages of notes and as time allows may send out a separate email with information that I find especially interesting. So let me know if you want to be looped in.

Til next time, remember that your soul is looking for the chance to give to others. That giving doesn't have to be something huge. A smile, a hug, or even listening to your kid's bad day at school can have a monumental impact. You can affect people positively by just being in tune and just listening... or you can pick onions... or both! =)

Picture 1: Onions

Picture 2: Onions

Picture 3: At the Kotel with the Rebbitsen (who is one of the founders of Jewel)

Picture 4: During the panoramic tour

Picture 5: Me!

Summer Program Begins

2010-07-26T00:58:00.001-07:00

I've now been in Israel for 6 weeks and am going to start my summer program today. 6 weeks? I can't believe I've been here this long. Israel has been difficult and very challenging. I feel like I've pushed myself far outside of my comfort zone, experienced new things, gone places I've never thought I would, and been in situations that I didn't think were possible. I cried a lot and laughed a lot. Growing pains, I suppose. Change is never easy, but here I am... in Israel... still pushing forward.

12 weeks ago I was I counting down the days to finish my job and make my move. 6 weeks ago I was boarding a plane to Israel. Now, I'm packing to go spend the next 3 weeks studying with Aish HaTorah's Jewel summer program. Talk about time flying by!

Last night I was invited to go out with a friend to a celebration in Tekoa Dalled (equivalent to the letter D). I currently live in Tekoa Alef (A). Tekoa Dalled is further into the mountains down a tight and curvy road. The celebration was in a one room studio home with other small homes spread out through the hills. There was a bon fire and people milling around to start. I sat next to girl who didn't speak any English and helped her chop potatoes for the stew that was being prepared in the fire pit. When the language barrier is so great you have to find other ways of communicating. We laughed about a little girl dancing, and her big brother trying to play some of the instruments laying around.

While the stew was cooking and the tea kettle was warming on the fire, once again the music started playing. There were several guitars, drums, and keyboards. People singing and clapping while sitting around the fire. The moon was so bright and I sat smiling and thinking to myself, "who would have ever thought I would be here?" Not me. Sometime after 2am, we left and decided to head back home. There were about a dozen or so people still there playing music, enjoying the food, and company... I'm sure it lasted much later into the night. I was told that the celebration was actually much smaller than it usually would be, as we sped back through the hills into the night.

So now I sit here on my bed with my luggage at my feet finishing getting ready for another 3 week adventure. The program I'm starting today is through a woman's seminary in Jerusalem. The program is called Jewel and I think of it as my Israel 101 course. I'll be studying Judaism, Torah, women's studies, relationships, Hebrew language, politics, culture, current events, etc. I will be taking trips around the country and meeting people with similar interests and with similar knowledge and backgrounds.

I'm very excited and a little nervous at the same time. I feel as though this next part is going to be great! Off to finish packing. I'll try to write during this program as much as I can. Shalom!

The last trip before summer seminary program starts

2010-07-15T23:41:00.000-07:00

My trip started in Tel Aviv on Saturday night. Abbie and Chen (2 of my cousins) and I went to meet up with David (another cousin... all of same family) and a few of his friends in downtown Tel Aviv to see a live musical performance. One of David's friends was in the band and the club was called the "Underground". As we walked down the steps of the club I could hear the Israeli Music of the band Tali's Men and feel the heat and humidity of so many people packed into the small room. Tali was the lead singer with an incredible voice and "her men" were great guitarists and pianists. David was called up to play piano on one number, to which of course he had an amazing performance. After the performance and meeting lots of people we went back to Abbie's house in a suburb of Tel Aviv.

The next day we made our way to the beach. Abbie, David, Chen, and I spent the day enjoying the water, a little breeze, and a whole lot of sunshine. The sand was hot and water was perfect. We walked around Tel Aviv for a while before David left for work, and Abbie, Chen, and I decided to go home to get ready to watch the final game of the World Cup (Mundial). Abbie's backyard is set up with the tv, lots of chairs, and a coffee table. We sat outside and enjoyed the fresh air while watching Spain finally beat Holland.

The Moms (as we later started calling them), my Mom and Vivian (my cousin's Mom), took a bus to Tel Aviv early the next morning and we hit the road again to Zichron Yaacov. Zichron is located toward the center of Israel and is less than 20 minutes north of Ceasarea. The community is set on the side of a small mountain over looking the Mediterranean Sea. We checked into our beautiful boutique hotel with the most amazing views of the Sea and then made our way back to the Midrachov (City Center). We shopped and explored before opting for an afternoon nap before dinner.

The next morning we got up early and left to go for a hike around Benyamina park and nature reserve. The park was created in the memory of Baron Rothchild, who was laid to rest there. The Baron was a major contributor to Israel in the late 1800s. He helped to establish some of the oldest cities of Israel, including Zichron Yaacov. The park was amazing. There was a rose garden, a fragrance garden (for the visually impaired), a palm tree garden, and more. The park is incredible and the landscaping was breathtaking. From there we went to the Museum of the First Allyiah. We learned about Baron Rothchild and more about the history of Israel and Zichron Yaacov. The people who decided to leave Europe in the late 1800s that came to Israel were true pioneers. They endured the greatest hardships, poverty, and disease trying to reestablish a great Jewish presence in the Holy Land. The Baron eventually introduced wine making to the area and with time and substantial financial contributions the city of Zichron flourished.

Our final day in Zichron we went to a small Kibbutz to visit an Underwater Archeological Museum. Kibbutz is a site for substantial archeological finds from Roman times to remnants of Nepolianic weapons. The Kibbutz is set directly on the Sea and excavations are ongoing. There are layers upon layers of history packed into a small cove which was a resting point between Ceasarea and Akko. From there we went to Tishbi Winery. We took a tour of the Winery that was established in 1882 under the financial help and guidance of the Baron Rothchild. Tishbi is certified under the highest levels of Kashrut (Kosher) and the wine was delicious. After stocking up on wine and wine jelly (mmmm), we went back to the Midrachov for a Hummus lunch. We finally said goodbye to the beautiful historically fascinating town of Zichron Yaacov and started our drive south. We stopped at a beach next to the ruins of Ceasarea to enjoy the setting sun and the clear blue water. Mediterranean sunsets are breathtaking. Once we had our fill of sand between our toes and the ocean waves lapping at our feet we packed up the car again for the drive back home.

I have a little over a week until my summer program through Aish HaTorah begins, so I'll be staying in Tekoa and Jerusalem for a while to get situated. I feel as though I've seen so much of Israel is such a little time. When I have another break I want to see more of the northern parts of Israel, but until then... it's time to get ready for school!

Picture 1: Tishbi Winery

Picture 2: Ceasarea

Picture 3: the view from our hotel in Zichron

Picture 4: the rose garden

Picture 5: at the beach in Tel Aviv

The Red Sea & Eilat

2010-07-10T00:32:00.000-07:00

My Mom and I drove down to Eilat for a few days. We took the route by way of the Dead Sea and the drive was just under 4 hours. For those of you who don't know, Eilat is the southern most tip of Israel. It is the city on the Red Sea. As you're looking at the beautiful sea, you can see Jordan to your left with Saudi Arabia in the far distance and Egypt with the Sinai Desert to your right. It looks like a large cove at the northern most part of the Red Sea.

We drove around a little bit looking for our hotel and commented that there was a certain Las Vegas vibe to city. When we couldn't find the hotel we called the reception desk for directions.

"Hi, my name is Sarah and I'm supposed to be checking in right now. I can't seem to find your hotel. I'm at the corner of Durban and Kaman street, where should I go?"

The receptionist answered, "I do not know street names. You must come to the airport and I can guide you by landmarks."

Me: "What? Are you serious? Ok. I see the airport from where I am, can you please tell me where to go from the intersection?"

Her: "I do not know intersections, only landmarks."

Me: "Well what about anyone else there? I only have a map with streets and I don't know where your landmarks are... Hello? Hello?!" I think she's talking to someone else now!

Her: "Call me back when you're at the airport."

Me: "Is there anyone there that knows street names?"

Her: "No. Only landmarks."

Me: "Ok fine. I'll find it myself."

Nothing seems easy in Israel. We found it, eventually though. Another mini yay for finding it!

We took a cab to south beach and found a nice place for dinner. After dinner we walked around and found a good place to sit and watch the sunset over the Red Sea and the Sinai. A little more walking around and back to the hotel for a little while. Around 9pm we headed out to find a place to watch Mundial World Cup finals. Fortunately Spain won, which was who I was rooting for. We had delicious dessert and drinks and had fun watching the game on the patio of a cafe in the hot night air.

We opted to start second day early. The fantastic concierge helped us to plan out a great afternoon. We started off at the Underwater Observatory with a glass bottom boat tour. You can see the coral from the shore and the color of the water was a breathtaking shade of blue and an iridescent shade of green. The 20 minute boat tour took us around the coral and fish to see the local sea life. After the boat, I climbed to the top of the observatory for a better look. I could see people swimming and snorkeling and boating and parasailing. We were roughly a 15 minute drive from the Egypt border. The contrast of the water being so blue and green against the desert being so brown and white was incredible. It felt like I could see forever. After I climbed back down we walked around the rest of the observatory and looked at all the sea life. Sharks, turtles, jelly fish, sea horses, and more coral and fish than I could have imagined.

After exploring for a few hours we left to go snorkeling and scuba diving. We had a reservation at a place called "Snuba Diving" about 5 minutes down the road from the Observatory. I have never gone diving before and the "Snuba Diving" is perfect for beginners. The tank is left on the raft and the dive is an hour long and with a guide. No tank, no lengthy instruction. I got a quick what's what and was excited to suit up and get in the water. My mom opted to snorkel while I took the dive. Wet suits on with masks and flippers in hand we were off! I have to say that diving was the most incredible experience. My guide was fantastic and he pulled along the tanks on the raft and showed me the world under the sea! If you have never gone diving I highly recommend trying it. I felt like I was flying through a different world. The colors were indescribable and the fish swam straight up to me. We were about 6 meters down and I had to wear a weighted belt pack to keep me from floating to the top. After my hour tour of the underwater world, we resurfaced and I quickly made my way to the shore to trade in my scuba mask for a snorkel. My Mom and I snorkeled for another half an hour or so before calling it quits and heading back to the hotel for a shower and a nap.

That night we walked to south beach and walked around. There is an outdoor shopping area sort of like the Venice Beach promenade. We found a restaurant for dinner near the water and sat outside. On a side note, I ordered nachos to go along with my dinner. Nachos in Eilat were tortilla chips with a side of salsa and a side of guacamole. Haha. No cheese, no nothing. Just chips. Oh my inner So. Cal girl misses great nachos. The salad was great and the margaritas were strong. We walked around a little more and got some frozen yogurt.

It was about 10pm and the people were out in the masses. The litter on the ground and amounts of people completely unaware of their surroundings frustrated me. They push and shove and bump into you like you're not even there. One girl pushed into my Mom and I yelled after her to stop being a bitch and just say "Slicha" (excuse me) and we'll move for you.

My Mom told me that upon her arrival in Israel a year ago, the keynote speaker at her arrival made a very interesting remark. He said as people make Alliyah (which is what it's called if you decide to move and become an Israeli citizen), Israel should learn and try to take the best qualities from each nation. Of American's, he said, "We can learn politeness." I didn't understand that statement until walking around that last night. I don't think I would have characterized American's polite before my "experience" walking around in downtown Eilat. So congratulations and thank you America for being the polite people. Oh, and for not littering nearly as much as the people there. Keep your country clean!

The final morning we had breakfast, took a few more pictures, and hit the road home. I made it back this time in 3 1/2 hours. I walked through the door of my Mom's house and promptly took a nap followed by a hot shower. I woke up in time to light Shabbat candles and head to Vivian's house for dinner. The night was cool and breezy. The company was great, and I even made a new friend. Yay.

The Dead Sea and Ein Gedi

2010-07-05T06:29:00.000-07:00

This past week I took a trip to the Dead Sea and Kibbutz Ein Gedi. The Dead Sea is a little over an hour south of where I'm staying and Ein Gedi is about 20 minutes past that. My cousins Abbie and Chen, along with my Aunt Vivian and my Mom all came along.

We stopped at a place called Mineral Beach and decided to spend the afternoon there. It was beautiful. We staked out a good umbrella area and started enjoying the sun.

The Dead Sea is just what it's described as. It's very dense, SOOOO salty, and filled with rich minerals. The Sea is so salty that literally nothing can live it and it's impossible to sink in it. So we floated around and enjoyed the sun.

After we felt sufficiently salty and wrinkly we went to find some good mud to lather on. We stumbled and fumbled through the water, before finally deciding to just float over to a good spot. What you do is grab a handful of mud from the ground (in the water) and start lathering. Once we felt we were covered enough we went back to our umbrella area and let the mud bake on our skins. After the mud is rinsed off your skin feels silkier and smoother than ever.

My arms, legs, face, all felt fantastic. I went back in and filled up a few bottles of mud to take back with me for an at home mud mask.

After showering we loaded back up and drove to Ein Gedi. We walked around the Kibbutz and looked at the botanical gardens. I realize as I'm writing this that I feel like this day is better served by pictures than stories. So here is a link to my facebook account which has all the pictures from the day.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=58394&id=1072533536

The day was so much fun. I came home drained, a little sunburned, and could still taste the salt on my lips. In a few days I'll be heading to Eilat with my Mom for snorkling and enjoying the Red Sea. More to come!

Tid Bits...

2010-06-30T10:33:00.000-07:00

So nothing major has happened as of lately. I have some trips planned for the next few weeks and will be sure to write after each one of them. Until then I just wanted to share some of the funny instances and tid bits of information that I've learned while being here.

Top Interesting Things (so far that is):

Where I'm currently living is in a place called Tekoa (pronounced T'koa). We (the US) think of Tekoa as a "settlement". Here, people don't seem to like the word "settlement". It seems to have negative connotations. The word that they prefer is "Yeshuv" (pronounced Yee-shoove) or Village. I have family here who were part of the initial founders of the Yeshuv. It's located less than 10 minutes outside of the Jerusalem city limits and you can see the Jordanian mountains from here, and on a clear day you can see all the way to the Dead Sea.
Bethlehem is an overwhelmingly Arab populated Village (80-90% in fact). I don't know much about Christianity, but I just assumed that Bethlehem would be a place where Christians wanted to live. I just learned that Bethlehem was not only the birthplace of Jesus, but also of King David! I'm not sure why Palestinians want to be there other than to help populate the "disputed territories". I pass by it on my way to Tekoa. I'm guessing that it's maybe 5 minutes from the Jerusalem border.
It's common for people in Tekoa to hike to the Dead Sea from the Yeshuv on the night of a full moon. There is a "Wadi" (pronounced wah-dee) that looks much like the Grand Canyon that people will hike down and then walk 8 hours along the dried up river bed to the Dead Sea. From what I understand it's "an easy walk". You get there when the sun comes up and then take a bus back to the Yeshuv. I'm thinking about trying it during the next full moon. =)
Gas is roughly $7 per gallon! I put gas in my rental car the other day and for 3/4 of a tank of gas it cost me 270 Shekels. I did the math and that's $70! For 3/4 of a tank of gas?! Holy crap that's outrageous. You would think that in the "prime location" of the middle east that gasoline would be cheap! No import fees perhaps? Let me tell you, I'll never complain about putting $3 gas in my hybrid car again. Boy, I feel spoiled.
Our Yeshuv has a pool. That is a big deal here considering the fact that there is such a draught. When I was sitting at the pool today with my Mom and reading a book my ears suddenly were caught by the song playing on the stereo (over the pool's loudspeaker I suppose)... "We don't need no water let the Muther F***er burn!" Yes, they said it. Loud and clear, "MUTHER F***KER". I looked at my Mom with an expression of shock and wonder. Did I hear that correctly? Did they really say those 2 words? During "Family Swim Time"?! There's little kids running around! I guess no one here knows what that means, because besides my Mom and I NO ONE reacted. At least we got a good laugh out of the irony of the situation and song lyrics. Too funny.
The work week is Sunday through Thursday. Friday and Saturday are the Sabbath and therefore the day of rest. I learned from one of my cousins, who works in a restaurant in Tel Aviv, that working on Friday from sundown to Saturday earn you special pay. Time and a half! I think about all the Saturday shifts I had put in working in retail for so long and I wish that I would have been paid time and half! A nation that works together, ideally, would like to rest together. It's not required, but if you work on your Sabbath you are paid accordingly.
My Mom made a great (and funny) point to me the other day. She said, "Israel is a great country in a bad neighborhood." She's right it is beautiful here and has so much to offer by way of historical interest, culture, and religion. It also has great wineries, beach cities, scuba diving, hiking, bars, restaurants, etc. Too bad we have such shitty neighbors. You would think that Gd would have put the "Chosen People" and the "Holy Land" someplace like... Hawaii or Maimi. Shoot, even given us the part of the dessert with all the oil! That would have been nice. =)

The "belly button" of the world could be anywhere, but it's here. The history and root of mankind is here. In the Holy Land. In Israel. A Jewish nation.

Well that's all for tonight. Tomorrow we're going to the Dead Sea and Tel Aviv this weekend, next week we'll be in Eilat, and then Zichron Yaakov (wine country) after that. My summer seminary program begins on July 25 and we'll be taking more trips and learning more about Judaism and Israel.

Israel is nothing like what I thought it'd be. It's intensely difficult and overwhelmingly interesting at the same time. So much to do, so much to experience, and so much to try.

Thursday in Tel Aviv

2010-06-25T13:34:00.000-07:00

Things are starting to get better and I'm starting to feel a little like myself again. Hmmm... like myself again... it all seems so different now. I've only been here a little over a week and in such a short amount of time I feel like I've gone through so many emotions and feelings of excitement, doubt, regret, apathy, happiness, contentment, and back around again. For myself who is someone that generally keeps that range of emotions personal it's been overwhelming at times to embrace and accept feeling so much. Especially all at once. I received some wonderfully supportive and encouraging emails after my last blog that really helped me to pick myself up and try it again. Thank you for helping me to not give up!

So on to the fun stuff! My cousin called me this week and invited me to come to Tel Aviv on his day off to check out the city, hang out, and meet people. We had so much fun. First and foremost I must say that I drove myself there and DIDN'T GET LOST or have any run ins with Palestinians or the cops. Mini yay!!

We walked for miles and miles all around Tel Aviv. We started in Yafo and grabbed a few beers and found a good spot to chill out, watch the water, and just talk. The ocean, errr I mean sea (still trying to get used to that) is like Soul Food for me. I've always said that if being a beach bum were a job I would be a professional! I love the smell of the water and its salty breezes. The sounds of the waves mesmerizes me, calms me, relaxes me. I find clarity there. The warm sun and the cold beer was a great combination too. There was the old city of Yafo on our left and the new city of Tel Aviv on our right. It was nice to sit and talk and get to know family that I haven't really known before. Before the marvels of facebook or myspace it was more challenging to keep in touch with cousins 10,000 miles away.

We walked all through the flea markets and shopping centers. We looked at cool and interesting stuff and a lot of crap too (as you'll see in the picture below). As we were walking through one of the markets my cousin, David, bought a kilo of mixed cherries and another fruit that I had never seen or heard of called... ok so I can't remember the name, but I'll ask and I'll comment later. It was red and roughly the size of a strawberry. You peel the skin off and eat the inside which looks like a large white skinless grape. It's sweet and juicy and absolutely delicious. You can get fresh squeezed juice everywhere in Israel as well, so we order up some fresh juices and kept walking. (I ordered half apple and half orange and David got carrot and ginger I think).

After we walked quite a ways (my whole sense of direction and distance is off here) we came to large intersection which had the pizza place where David works. It was slow there so David hoped behind the counter and made exquisite gourmet style pizza. Mmmm. We sat outside and ate and talked with his coworkers and friends while watching the world go by. His manager made me a delicious caffe au lait (or misto for all of us Starbucks junkies) with beautiful foam art on top (picture included). They wanted my "professional opinion". It was delicious. Perfect compliment to the meal.

From there we walked back to David's apartment and started talking about music. What do you like? What do I like? Common interests across the world for both of us are BB King, Eric Clapton, Led Zepplin, Alicia Keys (well now for him after I had him listen to it), etc. After a while David took out his guitar and started playing. Whatever it was that the mood struck for him. I have to say, my cousin David is an extreme musical talent. He has an ear for it and singing and playing come easily for him. So I got a mini concert while we sat on folding chairs in the kitchen. One friend came by who is taking classes about how to make rhythm through your body, sort of like the people who perform in "Stomp". That friend left and his roommate came home and without barely a word, he grabbed his guitar and the one man show turned into a jam session... with an audience of one. I loved it!

The sun went down and we decided to have some more coffee (turkish this time) and venture back out. We walked around to Florentine (the name of the area we were in) and met more people. Every where has big tvs or projection screens playing the current soccer game. Bars and restaurants are overflowing into the street with people cheering and enjoying the game. What has now turned in to a small group of people went and got more freshly squeezed juice and waited for the crowds to subside a little bit. When they did we found a cool pub and grabbed a few drinks. By now it was nearly 2am and no where near last call. We decided we had enough and walked back to the apartment to call it a night.

After being little buzzed... a little sunburned... and by now having some somewhat large hair from the wind and humidity... I was ready to knock out, which I promptly did.

It was a long day, but a wonderful day. A great way to end the week and I felt ready to welcome in my Sabbath and day of rest. After getting up and started on the day around noon, I drove back to Tekoa (again without incident.. mini yay again).

Shabbat Shalom. Have a peaceful and restful Sabbath.

So I can't seem to get the pictures in the order I want, but you get the idea...

Picture 1: Latte art

Picture 2: The market where we found the great fruit

Picture 3: David and I leaving the beach and heading into town, with Yafo in the back

Picture 4: The Mediterranean Sea

Picture 5: The Flea Market

My current feelings of being here...

2010-06-22T11:35:00.000-07:00

I haven't written in a few days because things have been really hard here and I've been having a very difficult time adjusting. I stopped writing my blog for a while cuz I had nothing to say. Some of you know how I get... if I don't have anything nice to say I just don't say anything at all.

This transition has been really difficult. I feel like every day is a new roadblock instead of a new challenge. I keep telling myself that it's part of the process... new country... new language... new everything.

I'm trying to stay positive, but today was not a good day. I got screamed at by a cop today. I was so lost and couldn't get where I needed to be. This lady cop was screaming over her PA system at me in Hebrew to pull over (as I eventually figured out). I don't even know what law I broke! I didn't get a ticket, she just yelled at me some more (thankfully I had my sunglasses on to hide my tears). I apologized over and over for whatever I did and asked her to point me in the direction of where I needed to go.

A few days ago I was almost run off the road by a Palestinian truck that cut me off. It scared the hell out of me. So I keep thinking, "do I need a car?" "Should I just take the bus?"

Here's my dilemma: Buses running from the settlement here are few and far between and it limits where I can go and when. When you do get a bus, they're very old and it's sometimes seems like they might break down on the side of the road. The last thing I want is to get broken down somewhere between here and Jerusalem. People hitch hike here too. As if it's normal or something (although I guess to them it is).

I promise each and every one of you... I WILL NOT HITCH HIKE nor will I pick anyone up.

On the other hand drivers here are crazy! They make NY taxis look like world class cautious drivers. I pride myself in the fact that I can jump behind the wheel of ANY vehicle and drive it well. I AM a good driver. I have no doubt about that. So my thought is to keep the car until school starts on July 25. I'll be living in the city by then and will be more willing to take a bus or walk as needed.

I am open to suggestions and opinions about the car by the way.

I expected to not have "stuff". I expected my life to be different. I even expected it to be hard... The problem, to me at least, is that I don't know the language and my classes don't start for at least a month. I can't seem to get ANYWHERE I need to go and can't seem to get anything done that I need to get done.

I'm enormously frustrated that all I've done is wait... for a fax... for an email... for a phone call... for anything... etc... etc... etc

I sit here everyday and I don't understand why I keep trying and keep failing. Can't anything work out?? Just a little bit?? Anything??

I will try to be patient... I wake up every morning and tell myself that I can do it.

I got some great advice from family and friends the past few days and I wanted to share my 2 favorites that I'm going to try to apply while I'm here and adapting:

1. One person said, "Never let the bastard win!" I am determined. My confidence is shaken tremendously and every morning I have to talk myself into getting out of bed and trying again. It comes down to the fact that I don't want an asshole cop, a terrible driver, or a fax that I just can't seem to get be the deal breaker.

2. Another said, "In order to be brave you have to be scared," the email continues to say... "We both know things don't go as we picture more often then not. That's our bravery, making a plan and going for it. When it twists, turns or bottoms out, thats's the scary part. Plan B and C have to come into play - even when they suck (scary part)." Truth be told, I am scared. I'm 10,000 miles away from everything safe. I felt brave coming here, but that whole confidence thing comes back into play.

I was talking to a wonderful friend on skype yesterday and I told him that I felt like I lost my mojo. My confidence and determination have seen me through a lot. I'm tired though. I'd love for "Plan A" to take effect any time now. It would do a world of good for me.

I want to end this one by thanking those of you who have been emailing and skyping (is that a word?) me. Your words of encouragement and faith in me have really helped me the past few days. Due to your relentless support I'm going to keep trying. Don't think coming home didn't cross my mind, but I'm NOT GOING TO LET THE BASTARD WIN!