Old City, Bowling, Tel Aviv and more!

Fireworks and singing are two things that happen often in Israel, though are rarely associated with the celebrating of American Independence Day. Last Saturday evening, the first-year students of HUC gathered in the garden on campus for some BBQ and eventually some nice American folk-song singing led by myself and fellow Rabbinical student/songleader Andrew Terkel. We ended with Havdallah and thus concluded our second Shabbat here in Israel and our first of many holidays from home to be celebrated differently this year in Israel.

Sunday is a week day here in Israel, and thus began our second full week here in Israel. After our tour of the HUC campus, a group of 10 of us decided to tour the Old City of Jerusalem and get lost in it's walls. While we didn't necessarily get lost, we did have a nice adventure, learning the ins and outs of some of the places in which our own history lives on today, and ending our adventure at the Kotel (the Western Wall, the last remaining wall of the old Temple). I've been many a time, and though each experience is different, it's a place to which I enjoy returning over and over again.

We have spent the last 2.5 weeks as a class trying to keep ourselves entertained while awaiting the start of classes. One might think we're crazy, that there are so many things to do in Jerusalem and we are so lucky that we are here, how could we ever be bored?? It is DEFINITELY possible. So, this past Monday evening, a small group of us (30 or so) decided to try out bowling in Jerusalem. Not only was the bowling alley painted as though an American flag had layered its walls, it was a great setting to get to know one another in a casual, fun place and to have a good time and get away from the normal night scene of Americans on Ben Yehuda Street. Team #2 from bowling night is pictured here to the right. From right to left (Israeli style): Yoni, Me, Hannah, Andrew and Rachel.

Tuesday was a truly SPECTACULAR day. In our needs to escape the Jerusalem craziness for a day, a group of 9 of us took a trip to the beach in Tel Aviv. We had lunch at an Israeli restaurant right on the beach, and then from lunchtime until sunset, we relaxed on the beach, tanned, read, swam, got stung by jelly fish, played card games and other games.

Bess (from Kansas City) built her first ever sandcastle (sort of), pictured with us to the left. (from left to right: Molly, Rachel, Hannah, Bess, Yoni, Jeremy, Me, and Andrew)

We ended the evening with pizza and a cloudy but beautiful sunset on the Mediterranean Sea, and hopped on the bus home, relaxed, rejuvenated, and excited again about living in the fabulous city of Jerusalem for the next 10.5 months.

We celebrated a classmates birthday (and Sasha's birthday as well for sure!) on Wednesday and Thursday with dinner (twice) and drinks in downtown Jerusalem. On Thursday, the HUC interns led a tour along the Ramparts Walk, a walk along the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem (that's a picture of HUC in the distance from the walk - it's the building with the glass pyramid on the top). And yesterday, after welcoming Shabbat for the 3rd week in a row at Kol Haneshama, a progressive synagogue in Jerusalem, we took 5 of our HUC friends to the Regev's home and had a wonderful Shabbat dinner there with Garri and Liron (who is back in Israel for 2 weeks!).

Shabbat services this morning at HUC provided a wonderful, comforting experience in the place we are going to call home for the next year.

Orientation begins this Tuesday, and Ulpan a week from tomorrow. So for now, I say Shabbat Shalom m'Yerushalayim (Shabbat shalom from Jerusalem)... next time, I'll be one day away from officially starting Rabbinical School!