Noodles

Today we watched an Israeli film called Noodles in Ulpan. It was not only one of the best movies I have ever seen, it was an emotional roller coaster and left me feeling everything on the spectrum of which I am capable of feeling for about an hour afterward. I was crying, laughing, covering my eyes, sighing, talking to the characters, and gasping throughout the whole thing. It was in Hebrew with subtitles, which was nice, because I got really excited whenever I knew what they were saying without reading, but it was also very easy to follow the plot that way. And even translated, the dialogue was poignant and realistic and sardonic and beautiful. The way it centered around human relationships and yet contained a completely gripping plot was just what I look for in good movies.

In the afternoon, we built sukkot! I was super helpful in construction because I was not in the mood to create decorations. Aaron actually wondered what a woman would be doing constructing as opposed to decorating but that moment of wonderment did not go over well and he was severely punished. Not actually though. But really, Aaron and I got over it and decided to scale the wall of the building where we live, which, upon further inspection, turned out to be the wall/barred window of the synagogue here. We climbed up surprisingly and dangerously high, and then we walked along a banister without much to hold on to. It was really thrilling though, and totally enhanced my sukkah building experience, as did Josh's speakers and the extra poles lying around which made good dancing partners.

I have my final for MiniMester Ulpan class tomorrow, so I really must get to sleep. Wish me luck!

PS. did you see the previous post about how famous we are??? so exciting!

15 Minutes of Fame!

This was in the Jerusalem Post today!!! http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1254163544524&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

SOME SIXTY members of Nativ, a youth affiliate of the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism in the United States, who are here on a nine-month study and leadership program, organized a Kol Nidre night happening in Jerusalem, by way of a kosher Woodstock at the conclusion of Kol Nidre services. Taking advantage of the absence of traffic, the youngsters sat in an enormous circle in the Agron-Keren Hayesod intersection and lustily sang Hebrew songs. People heading home from nearby Orthodox, Conservative and Reform congregations were attracted by the sound, and enthusiastically surrounded the singers who occasionally got up to dance in voluntarily gender-segregated circles. Smiles registered on the faces of the spontaneous audience, many of the people who stood around tapped their feet and clapped in time to the melodies, and some even joined in.

Especially delighted were Holocaust survivors Michael and Lea Klein for whom any sign of Jewish continuity both in the ideological and the physical sense is a cause for joy. Michael Klein, who became a highly respected physicist in America before moving here, owes his survival to Oscar Schindler. The Kleins were still enthusing about the contagious spirit of the Nativ youth the following day.

Currently Seeking Meaning

Today was fairly routine--an intense Ulpan session (although today it took place in the Rothberg building, which was a nice change of scenery, buuuut that scenery included a clear view through the classroom window of the security wall that always makes me feel a little uneasy), a dairy date with Shara and friends, a poorly air conditioned bus ride home, a little napping here and there, and a good run. The run was a new route today, and I ran to the edge of the Old City and did a steps workout at the Mamilla Mall and then I ran up the hill to go home. It was glorious.

Erev Nativ was interesting tonight because we had a lecture on the Conservative Movement by Rabbi Joel Roth. He asserted that the Conservative Movement is the most authentic religious movement and he proceeded to explain four reasons why that is true and how the Conservative Movement is different from Reform and Orthodox movements. I soaked in a lot of what he was saying, and a lot of people took notes which I may borrow and then relate to my blog followers (I've secretly started calling all of you Jordana-junkies). I mainly felt that the talk was informative but not as persuasive as the speaker would have wanted it to be. I was not prepared to totally drop my 18 years of understanding of what kind of Jew I am just because this man is an authority on the subject. I definitely agree with a lot of what he was saying though, and I learned a lot from tonight. There were many mixed reviews from Nativers afterward-some people slept through the whole thing, some people disagreed, some people are like me, and some people agreed whole heartedly.

A main point that I really like tonight was the fact that observant conservative Jews are not Orthodox just because they pray regularly, keep kosher, keep Shabbat, etc. My grandmother has a very hard time understanding this fact, but I feel that it is very important to note now while I am still finding my religious niche here in Israel and then for when I return to America and want to continue with some of my new practices. For instance, my ideas on gender "equality" have changed tremendously in the month I've been here (I put "equality" in quotes because I hardly see it as an equality issue anymore, more of a question of spheres) and I definitely love the feeling of keeping Shabbat, something that I never quite got around to at home. I will say though, keeping Shabbat in Jerusalem is a totally natural, easy thing, and it is not even an issue to walk and rest and everything, whereas in other places (like Tel Aviv, I just learned) it is not as easy.

I am at a spiritual crossroads right now. I'll keep ya posted. Feel free to comment with insight!

For the Love of God

The most meaningful and fulfilling Yom Kippur I have ever had began with a disappointing meal at Agron, but there was a good part that cheered me greatly, and that was when Razie happily cut my chicken for me. Unfortunately I couldn't eat much of it, but it was really sweet of her.

At 4:40, a large group of us left for Yakar. There was no room but most of the girl managed to get seats, and I did by chance as well, right up front by the mechitzah. The service was absolutely beautiful, and it was exactly what I wanted. I had my friends around and yet I was totally alone to talk to God and look within myself. We also had the added bonus of hitting the cute kid jackpot, today as well, and I will not be surprised if I accidentally steal children from shul next week.

After Yakar, Razie and I were determined to begin singing in the middle of the street, so we stole some Bkol Echads (songbooks) from Beit Nativ (we returned them!) and some friends and we plopped down in the middle of our five way intersection! Our circle grew and grew until almost all 80 of us were sitting there, singing at the top of our lungs and smiling at each other because of the incredible moment we created. At least a hundred people stopped on their walks home from shul to stand around us (I know because our circle was about 80 people in circumference and there was at least one person deep behind each seated Nativer) and people were coming up to us and thanking us/complimenting us/asking us about what we were doing and they were singing along and at one point, although we tried to keep the mood Yom Kippur appropriate, we started singing very upbeat songs and strangers started to dance with us in the street! Ohhhhh my goodness it was a beautiful moment. It ended with the singing of Hatikva and then we all hugged and retired to our sleeping quarters.

I woke up so so early this morning (6:15!!!) because a small group of us were very determined to get into the most popular shul in Jerusalem, Shira Chadasha, a Modern Orthodox minyan with a cotton mechitzah straight down the middle. The shul is a big community center, and it is not ornate but instead it is just open and clean, and the main draw is the great singing. I didn't like the voice of the woman who led Shacharit, but the Chazzan and the woman who led the Torah service both had very beautiful voices. Women did everything in the service except for read Torah, including Haftarah, Gabbi, Shacharit, etc. I sat in the very first seat in front of the ark and next to the Mechitzah, so I was front and center when about a dozen little girls came up to sing responsively before the Torah service. It was so cute/perfect/adorable!!

I ended up not going back in after Yizkor because I was just too freezing cold, so I did Mussaf by myself-plus Shara-in the courtyard (the windows were open so I could hear the congregation while doing my own thing), and after we were finished we walked home with John and Meir. The traditional Yom Kippur nap called out to us, and we could not resist the temptation, so then we slept.

After napping, it was time for a little reading up on Jonah and the like. I didn't feel like going out for Mincha, so I read over the Torah and Haftarah in my bed and found it enlightening. I love the idea of a forgiving God! After my reading, Shara, Becca and I walked to the Cotel for Neila. There were no organized minyans on the women's side, but that was fine with us, and we prayed by ourselves in the whipping wind. With moments to go, we went up to kiss the wall and the Shofars erupted and we celebrated! We walked home through the Old City swiftly, although I wasn't even that hungry. It was the easiest fast of my life, and I was so fulfilled by the holiday being everything I could have dreamed, and food didn't even seem like a necessity at the time.

That isn't to say that the cake when we got home went unappreciated. After the break fast meal we hung out and debriefed and now it is late so I must say good night!

Wide Open Spaces

I feel bad sometimes that I can't express myself as well as the Dixie Chicks, but since they do such a good job, I might as well be resourceful. On the Sherut ride (a van type taxi for which we overpaid) to Tel Aviv, "Wide Open Spaces" came on Adina's iPod and I was fortunate enough to have one of her headphones in my ear and we shared a beautiful moment as we sang along to these words:

Many precede and many will follow
A young girl's dream no longer hollow
It takes the shape of a place out west
But what it holds for her, she hasn't yet guessed

She needs wide open spaces
Room to make her big mistakes
She needs new faces
She knows the high stakes

This turned out to be a great theme song for Shabbat, especially if you see Tel Aviv as a place out west, in relation to Jerusalem. And we made a few mistakes, like overpaying for transportation and lodging and getting sunburnt like lil lobsters. Our new faces were the most beautiful faces I've ever seen-the seven girls that came and the five boys who joined us at the beach. We had pretty much all just met on September first, so they count as new faces, even though I feel as though we have been friends since infancy. The high stakes mainly came in the form of all the potential dangers we faced in Tel Aviv and hostel life. Nothing happened though!

And of course, last but not least, the wide open spaces. The haunting, dramatic coastline of the Mediterranean Sea, the coastal rocks a quarter of a mile off shore, the waves chasing one another, the sun setting over the water. What more could we have dreamed of? We spent all of Friday afternoon on the beach, swimming and frolicking and taking pre-shabs pics. Then we grabbed a bite of pizza (which, like grilled cheese, tastes even more amazing after a withdrawal) and then we returned to the beach for Kabalat Shabbat. The seven of us girls sat in a circle in the sand and sang songs after the service and looked out at everything and held onto each other. It was miraculous.

After our evening on the beach, Razie and I decided to head back to the hostel while the other girls met up with the boys to hang out. We were both dreaming of sleep and trying to keep Shabbat, so the arrangement worked well. We also bravely put aside our FOMO, a phenomenon sweeping Nativ. FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) seizes everyone once in a while, when it is time to go to bed but everyone else thinks it's time to party, or when it is time to stay with a friend in need but everyone else thinks it's time to have a grand adventure. It always feels like the right decision after putting aside our FOMO, it is just such a difficult decision to make at the time! Razie and I were so pleased with our quality night's sleep, though, and I am grateful she was there to risk missing out with me.

We woke up at a lazy hour on Saturday and headed to the beach after breakfast at the hostel and sunscreening up. I immediately headed out to the rocks with Jesse and we had quite the experience with our crab friends and the rocks. Just as we swam back to shore, all of our friends decided to go out to the rocks, and of course we joined them, and we sun bathed there and bonded with everyone. The rocks felt so nice to sleep on and then the sun abuse really began. I didn't realize it until later, but it was a disaster!

We ate lunch at the kitchen in the hostel-the best peanut butter and jelly sandwiches known to man. We returned and I napped in the shade of a lattice beach structure for hours, read a bit of Jane Eyre, played with my friends, took a few dips, and then it was time for the sunset. Razie had been dreaming of watching the sunset from some rocks at the edge of the beach, and we were all set to go when the sun suddenly started to sink at a rapid pace. No one thought they would make it, so the entire group stayed back on the sand while she and I ran full speed along the length of the beach. It was the most exhilarating feeling to finally reach the rocks just as the blood red sun was slipping below the horizon! We really earned our sunset.

The super fun of the trip was when all the girls joined the Huri Kushna dance circle! They were just jumping around and playing music and we were totally down to celebrate with them and it was a beautiful Israel moment.

We eventually got our acts together and got on a bus at the central bus station and took it home to Jerusalem (but not after getting another piece of pizza for the ride!). Returning home was the best feeling-I felt so fulfilled and peaceful and content. To see the golden clusters of lights coming from Jerusalem and knowing that is home...my goodness! We are just the luckiest.

Now I am preparing for Yom Kippur and our meal is starting shortly! May you be sealed in the book of life!

My Cup Runneth Over

So many things to celebrate and retell have occurred in the past few days! I have been so high on my own adrenaline that I have been forgetting to sleep and my face hurts from smiling so much. I feel as though any more happiness would cause me to explode!

Tuesday was a regular school day with Ulpan in the morning, a nice dairy date with Shar-Shara-Sharim-Sharot (the present tense conjugations of "to sing" for anyone not up on their Hebrew and also my favorite nickname for my roomie because it rolls off the tongue so nicely), and instead of Jerusalem class (JOY!!!), we had our orientation at Hebrew U for the real semester. We got a packet with an overwhelming amount of cool courses to take, along with the Hebrew three times a week and Freshman Writing Seminar that we have to take as well. I am considering a class in Israeli Art History, Intro to Talmud (word on the street is that the teacher is fantastic), and an Israeli Society and Politics Class. It was sooo hard to narrow down my options!

Tuesday evening we had Erev Nativ, so there was group programming in the evening. We started off with a lecture from someone advertising a program for camp counselors here, but he also gave us an interesting message about living in Israel. He said, "Be mindful of when you start saying and writing we instead of they while discussing Israel." Now that I have the thought in my head, it may be less spontaneous and telling when it finally happens here in my blog (an example would be if I said "we engaged in settlement freeze talks today") but I will still be interested in watching out for it. I kind of wrote "we" in my notes from Jlem class on Wednesday but I don't think it quite counts because I was half-dictating what David Keren was saying and he always speaks using "we" so it wasn't entirely authentic.

Speaking of Wednesday, it was a long day in Ulpan and then in our last lecture period of Jerusalem class. A word on Ulpan: Morah Shifi is the single most patient human being I have ever encountered. She will listen to the same question asked exactly the same way three times in a row and answer it with sincerity and gentleness each time (while I scratch at the walls...but that's a different story). I am just so amazed by the Ulpan program-it's exactness as a science and also the quality of the teachers. Jerusalem class on the other hand, is a far less precise art, and we were all rather frustrated with the lecture on Wednesday for contradicting previous lectures and recreating history in whole new ways. I was displeased.

We took a lil tiyul to a few lookout points-Samuel's grave and French Hill. From these places, we could see the divide between Palestinian neighborhoods in Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria/West Bank where the people are not residents of Israel. It was a rather weird concept-this Jerusalemite business, wherein the residents have ID cards that allow them to work in Israel and vote in local elections (but they don't anyway, because that would mean they approve of Israel having governing rights over their area) but they can't vote in national elections or call themselves citizens. The grave of Samuel was a cool excavation site because it was actually IN Judea and Samaria (not Israel...I guess) and the ruins go back to the time of the Bible. It is an important place for both Jews and Palestinians and they share it nicely as far as I could see and there were lots of Hasids there because they like to pray to God in open spaces so the lookout point is a perfect place for it.

Wednesday evening was a night of studying for all. I felt prepared but I wanted to go over things with the group and we had a really cute study hall. I ended up staying awake late because friends were writing essays and other such nonsense that I do not have to deal with presently.

Thursday was a glorious, glorious day. The day was already bound be to a good one because it was Roomie Becca's birthday! It started with an MVP shacharit performance by Reuben and then a not so terrible breakfast. I beasted on my Ulpan quiz and then there was the classic dairy date complete with a green salad and croissant and kitties and sunshine. Then we had to take our Jlem test and I again beasted. The test was a bit patronizing and I am too embarrassed to even say the "big essay" question.

After school (which ended early!) we went straight to the shuk for Caparot, the weirdest thing I have seen so far with my 18 year old eyes. The idea behind this is to cleanse yourself of sins before Yom Kippur by swinging a live chicken around your head several times and then having it schected and then I guess eating it. There were just chickens and chicken shit and chicken parts everywhere and it smelled and it was bizarre. Little kids were having chickens waved over their heads and then watching the man break their necks and drain their blood! A lot of boys did this from our group and I was upset by the treatment of the chickens during the swinging (they are held by their wings as if they were shoulder blades). It was an enlightening cultural experience but it's definitely not happening again.

I walked through the shuk to get back home and then we dined at home (it may have been chicken, but we're not sure) and we lounged and celebrated our freedom from Jerusalem class and Becca's birthday. My floor of girls got ready together and so many of us went out. We went to a bar and one of our people is friends with one of their people so we got the whole basement of the bar, which was a very cool lounge with booths and tables and room for dancing. SO MANY Nativers came for the dance party! I was very glad that it was strictly Nativ because it completely eliminated the creepy Israeli guy factor. A definite highlight of the night was when I came upstairs to get some air (it was a rather stuffy area) and I found two of my girlfriends dancing on the bar. Not wanting to miss out on a great opportunity to make a fool of myself, I joined them, found the experience incredibly exhilarating, and continued to do so for several songs.

I walked home around one and napped til around 3:30 and then we went on a Selichot tour!!! A few of the hearty souls here followed Elkana around Nachlaot (I think), a beautiful old neighborhood with a lot of character. We went to several Sephardic shuls to watch the Selichot service, which they perform every morning around 4:30. It was particularly interesting to see the small women's sections, which were all up a set of highly treacherous stairs. The women also did not sing or participate, but they seemed to enjoy their role. That is the interesting thing here-it is not a question of equality to these people, it is a question instead of spheres. Women have a sphere, men have a sphere, they do not cross, and everyone is happy. That is how I see it at least, and of course there is a great deal of discussion amongst the women on the topic. I will update throughout the year with my opinions on the gender equality issue.

Another observation was the large numbers of people like us who were on Selichot tours to watch the Sephardic services. We actually had to wait outside of one shul for the women's section to clear out of Tzahal women who were on a tour. It was interesting to see them clanking down the stairs of the shul in their boots and guns. The army presence here is still boggling my mind.

Now I am off to Tel Aviv with my girlfriends (and a few boys too, I guess, who are copycats) and we are going to spend a beautiful and restful Shabbat on the beach. Muah!

I See The God In You

The trials of living together continue-last night my sweet Becca, the fellow top bunk mate across the room, came home feeling sick and continued to feel that way all night. Shara and Tali were freaked out and vacated for the evening, so I did my best to take care of Becca. There is only so much you can do though, at these points in life, and I just tried to love her because I did not have the means to cure her physically. The whole time I was just thinking of the kindnesses she showed me when I was sick and it made me want to do everything I could to help her!

Ulpan took a long time today, and I was tired because I was up playing nurse. I napped during our break, but it was overall a successful class. Then I had a lovely dairy date with Shara and we had croissants and salads with the kitties playing at our feet. Then Jerusalem Class...it focused on Islam today and it was, if I may so opine, a rather controversial and biased lecture. I was not pleased with the slant and direction of the information. We visited the Tower of David along the Old City Walls and we went inside a mosque/museum which was pretty cool.

I had a super fun afternoon playing with friends and snacking on my Cini Minis. I walked to Mamilla with Miri and Shara and we went into all these really cool expensive stores and then the best thing happened! There was a big circle of people dancing to Ad Lo Ahavti Di-an Israeli dance I know from home at the JCC on Sunday nights!! I joined them and did another one with them that I knew as well. My friends were amused and I had a great time. This is just one of ten thousand reasons why I wanted to come here; there is literally dancing in the streets! And everyone is so welcoming.

I ended the evening studying in Ariella's room, and she wasn't feeling that well either. We were both doing our own thing, but just being with her was a great feeling. This brings me to the title of this post, which is also the title of one of my favorite India.Arie songs (check it out!). I feel like I see the shard of God in people so easily here, and everyone is just so loving and spiritual, and we are all so happy together. Even though I really missed home on Rosh Hashana, I feel like I have a home here and a family on Nativ. God just oozes out of every crack here. You should try it sometime.

Not Clock Watching

I decided to try something new this year for Rosh Hashana-no watch, no clocks, no counting down the hours. I was a crazed woman searching for a meaningful spiritual experience, and I found it in a few places, and I found that ignoring the boundaries of time enhanced my journey.

On Friday night, we davened as a group in the negative third level of Beit Nativ. This was probably the most beautiful service I have ever attended. Yossi led the service and everyone was so participatory and I just kept smiling (to the point where my face was completely distorted and unrecognizable) because there was so much joy and feeling in our community. I really understand the importance of community in relation to worship because I no longer have the comfort of my home shul/congregation/mother right beside me while I pray. Our group has such a strong family feeling though and I felt that every person was an integral part of our kehila. On another note, I had never viewed Yossi as a spiritual leader before, because he is the one who tells us not to drink ourselves silly or get pregnant and to be on time to morning shacharit, but he really was a powerful spiritual force and he has a beautiful voice.

We had a nice(r) dinner at home on Friday night, complete with fish heads on the table. I did not have any part in the fish head extravaganza, but it pleased the boys greatly. After dinner, a large group of us decided to walk to the windmill at Yemin Moshe overlooking the Old City walls. We sang ningunim for hours (I think, as I said, I wasn't clock watching) and it was fabulous. I sat near Judah and his voice just touches my soul-the Celine Dion lover in me really relates to the wailing quality in prayer. Not that Judah wails, but there is a just a twinge of wailing to God and it is really pure and beautiful and he is really creative with harmonies and I like it.

When I got back on Friday night, I sat in the courtyard with a group of boys but they were being gross so I went up to my room but I was feeling antsy so I went on a midnight stroll with Miri. We really got to talk and get to know each other and it was a great little tiyul. After the mini adventure, I was ready to hit the sack and woke up bright and early on Saturday for services!

I did not like services on Saturday. We were at a Conservative shul and it just felt weird and the place looked like a swimming pool that had been emptied of its water. The kiddush was well earned though, and I enjoyed that part greatly. It was just long (we got there before it started...around 8 am) and the congregation was small and I didn't like the voices of the leaders. I also took lil mini naps during the torah service and woke up at the end of each alliyah. I feel bad saying all of this but it is the reality of the situation and I won't name names (of the shul).

After the service, we were hosted for lunch by a kind family nearby in Talpiyot (speaking of Talpiyot-the walk there was actually a camelbak/closed toe shoe/hat required kind of hike, all of which I did not have) and they were very welcoming and the food was good. They had additional guests, most of whom I liked very much, and they all had made alliyah from America at some point so they spoke perfect English. I went with Miri and Tyler and I was glad they were there because although the family was very nice and hospitable, they were also a little strange, and the man was a convert from the Mormon faith and they had adopted the wife's autistic grandchild as their own child and he was seven and so adorable and they were so good and patient and loving with him. I was glad to have met these people because they had been through a lot in life but they are living their dream in Israel and they have such a positive outlook on everything.

Then it was back to shul for Mincha, which of course included Torah and anything else God could have thought of to make praying last longer. Then we hiked for another forty years through the desert to get back home just in time for Maariv! Another service! This one took place at the Conservative shul at the Fuchsberg Center, which is a nice .5 second walk from my building. Then we had another dinner which was edible and then we were service free for a few hours!

I took an evening adventure walk with Seffi and Josh and we covered a lot a lot of ground. We found a playground that overlooked the Knesset building and we sat there and talked about our Rosh Hashana resolutions and just about everything. We got ktzat lost but not that lost and Madrich Seffi's excellent Hebrew skillz got us going in the right direction. We got home eventually and the night was stamped a major success. Then there were massages to be massaged and snuggles to be snuggled and hugs to be hugged and then I went to sleep.

I woke up early this morning with the intention of having a good day with God. I went to Kedem with sizable group of Nativers today and the services were really nice. There was a lot of ruach and singing and cool melodies. During the Yi Ni Ni's, the energy was so powerful that Adina actually turned to me and asked me to write about it in my blog. She also carried a very baby sized torah and it was very cute. A lot of Nativers got to participate in the service and it made me feel like we were an important and contributing members of the congregation. The culture here is interesting-shul is not a fashion show like it is at home, no purchased seats, no sermon, no appeal except for a quick shout out at the end, and the synagogue we went to today was just a mid size room with plastic lawn chairs set up in rows that we had to bring upstairs after the service was through. I took a break (first by myself for a little introspection and then with LeeAnn because I adore her) during the repetition of the Amidah to sit outside and listen to someone practicing classical piano. Normally I wouldn't be a fan of instruments on chaggim but it was good today because I couldn't do anything about the fact that someone was playing some really good piano with open windows right next to the shul.

It was raining on the walk home and we celebrated that fact while privately whining about the wet and slippery conditions. Lunch happened and then I napped (even though it is against halacha to nap or waste time on Rosh Hashana!) and then I showered (which really is an event here, because we get dirty) and then we did Tashlich in the park and then we had Mincha and dinner and Maariv.

The night concluded with another adventure in the form of walking aimlessly around Jerusalem. Meir and I ended up in the park where we had a barbeque three weeks back and we saw a lot of dogs and cats and runners. On the walk home, we found a really kick ass playground that involved a spinny tea cup thingy and a log running contraption and swings and a rolly slide.

Now it is late and time for bed. Lihitraot!!

The Best Surprise

Yesterday was a fun day to be alive. We started off with early services, a half decent breakfast, and a sleepy ride to Hebrew U. Ulpan class was fun because we got to take a break from learning to sit in an auditorium with all the other summer Ulpan classes (real people, not just Nativers!) to sing songs for Rosh Hashana! It was a good way to split up the day, and everything went by quickly. After the singing, we went to a new classroom just to finish up the lesson and the windows were open and we could see all of East Jerusalem and hear the Muslim call to prayer from the minarets. It was a very interesting, Jerusalem-unique experience.

Jerusalem class was unusually engaging yesterday, as we focused on Jesus Christ and the advent of Christianity. We took a field trip to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which was just as unexpected inside as it is spelling-wise. We started off with a walk through a church held by the Ethiopian Christians and then we went into the place where Queen Helena of Constantinople declared the crucifixion of Christ to have taken place. It was very ornate and overwhelming and it felt very ancient. I went into a 2,000 year old tomb and I didn't like it at all and wanted to leave the moment I stepped inside the small cave/tunnel/tomb. On a more positive note, the mosaics there were just incredibly beautiful and detailed, and the architecture is really amazing, especially when one considers its age. I did feel out of place in the Church, but not unwelcome.

After all of this, we walked home from the Old City through the Mamilla Mall and I purchased wine at the supermarket for my Rosh Hashana host family! We are going to be given a meal by a host family and were instructed to bring a gift, and I just put the wine on the conveyer belt right next to my raisins and Cini-minis and I didn't even get carded! It was a very exciting experience. I think that I accidentally purchased a cheap wine, but hopefully they will appreciate the effort!

The day got better when Chen, my staff from last summer's visit to Israel, called to tell me she was outside the gates of Beit Nativ!! I ran downstairs to greet her and ran across the street despite lack of a crosswalk or break in traffic and threw myself into her arms. There is something about an Israeli greeting a friend that is unmatched by every other nationality I have ever encountered. It was the best hug I have quite possibly ever received in my life. I have noticed this phenomenon when friends greet each other in shul on Shabbat, but I had never experienced the sweet bliss of this salutation myself. It was great.

Seeing Chen was really the best surprise I could have ever dreamed of. She took me to a nearby cafe and we ate Shashuka outside (on her recommendation!) and it was the most delicious night. We talked about everything that had happened to us since last summer (she staffed Nativ 28 this past year) and it felt as though no time had passed. Chen just IS Israel to me, and I love her so dearly, and I am so happy whenever I am with her!

Then it was time for the proverbial "going out." We dressed to the hilt, spritzed and sparkled, made up our faces and perfected our hair. I wore my black stilettos and a mini skirt and a beautiful shirt that Samantha gave me and it was a really good decision because I felt like approximately 4,000,000 NIS. There was a group of Nativers that were playing pong in the park across the street, so we all started there with a big party in the park, which involved a lot of Lil Wayne and dancing and jubilation. At one point, a cop started lurking near by and we decided it would be best if we moved on from the spot, even though we probably weren't doing anything illegal (though I'm not sure and neither was anyone else so it was a good idea to veer on the side of caution), so we headed to Ben Yehuda. I ended up just hanging out outside with a bunch of friends for a few hours and it was great because I don't really like the bar scene here. Don't quote me on that in two months.

Back at home, I finally shooed the boys out of my room and I was left with Shara and Razie and we fell asleep. I was half awakened about an hour later by Ariella crawling into my top bunk with me and pleasantly surprised to find her still tucked under my arm at 7:30 in the morning. As a note for future snugglers-I am not usually willing to take on the role of big spoon. Ariella has a special power over me and it just makes sense that she is the baby spoon. But usually that is my job.

That takes us to this morning-services and three study sessions. I learned so much about Rosh Hashana! And now I am going to prepare physically for the holiday by washing and scrubbing and lotioning and making sure I am sparkling clean to bring in the new year!

I wish you a happy, healthy, sweet new year!!

The Health Triangle

The wise Alanis Morissette once said, "I've never felt this healthy before, I've never wanted something rational. I am aware now" and this precisely describes my current state of existence! In fourth grade health, we learned about the equilateral triangle of health, completely dependent on the lengths and strengths of each side-emotional, physical, mental. This day has been all about health (except for the last five minutes during which a few Pringles were consumed) and the different components.

We started off as usual working on our spiritual health with early morning services led by Rebecca. I just love how she davens and her voice is very beautiful but it doesn't command the service, it just guides it. There is a little competition and tension in the air over which siddur is the best siddur to use for your tfillah experience here, and it is making me uncomfortable because I just want to stick with "plain old Sim Shalom" but I really like it! Here is my favorite passage: May it be your will, Lord my God and God of my ancestors, that Your compassion overwhelm Your demand for strict justice; turn to us with Your lovingkindness. Have compassion for me and for my entire family; shield us from all cruelty. Put false ways far from me, turn me away from visions that lead to futility. Lead me on a proper path, open my eyes to the wonders which come from Your Torah. May I not be dependent on the gifts of others; forsake me not as I grow older. Bless me with a wisdom that will be reflected in all that I do. May kindness, compassion, and love be my lot, from You and from all who know me. May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable to You, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.

Then came my mental health exercise! Four hours of Ulpan-four glorious hours of understanding and speaking and learning Hebrew. It is starting to feel so natural! And class went by quickly today. The only difficulty for me is all the different learning styles in the one class. The material is challenging because it compounds, and a lot of people are used to reviewing yesterday's material from high school. It is a good experience for me though, to learn from other people and also to work on my patience.

I then worked a lot on my physical health because I had a great dairy lunch again at Frank Sinatra made of everything green and delicious (plus a croissant) and then when we got back to Beit Nativ, I went on a run again! I am really perfecting the art of this running business-the timing has to be just right. The sun needs to be in the specific position that occurs around 5:30 pm, so that it is light and bright and yet the buildings create shadows so the whole street is in shadow. I ran further today than I have for the other two days, and it felt great. I was really red afterward, but it was totally worth it. Then I showered and read Jane Eyre in the courtyard.

After dinner I had my interview for the Magen David Adom (ambulance) and although I couldn't speak in Hebrew (I know words like shower, study, kitchen, and other things that have no use in an interview for an ambulance training program) she said I was a very special person at the end and that she was glad to have met me! I told her I wanted to participate in the program because in the immediate future, I see that I won't be joining the army or making alliyah, but I still want to directly impact and help Israel, and a first response/life saving occupation volunteer work opportunity is the perfect venue for my make-a-difference-in-Israel goal to take place.

After all of this, I went to Cup O' Joe with Adina and Debbie and we had such a classy coffee shop night. The topics covered in conversation weren't totally classy, but it definitely looked classy to people looking at us from the windows. There were hurricane force winds on the walk home, but it was worth it. This part of my day falls into emotional health, because I really just have the healthiest relationships with people here. Truly amazing friendships that make me a better person, just for knowing someone. Everyone wants the best for everyone else and we are a great support system for each other. It feels SO GOOD!

The last thing to mention is our evening program with the girls. We had a great discussion about decision making, self respect, friendship, consideration, trust, and healthy relationships. Our staff, Cori and Shosh, led the talk and we covered allllll angles of 18 year old girl life. I feel a lot closer to the girls now and it was a great little pep talk just to remind us to be our own best friends.

This is my resolution for the new year: to be my own best friend, and to be the best friend I can be to others.

Just another day in paradise

Waking up this morning was rough because of my late night energy yesterday, but I made it on time to services, unlike everyone else. Then we had breakfast and got on the bus and went to school! School was really great again today and Ulpan is sooo miraculous. I am learning so much so quickly and retaining it. We had another new teacher today named Shira, so that brings up the count to three-Shira, Shifi, and Shirli. They are all beautiful Israeli women and they are all so patient with us!

The day got better when I had lunch at Frank Sinatra and didn't have to go to Jlem class AGAIN afterward! We walked back to the bus through the botanical gardens on campus (each section of the garden has flora from each region of Israel) and it was very scenic and agreeable. The bus ride back home was really fun because I was in a very bizarre mood and I was saying really weird things but my friends are really nice to me and I definitely feel like they were laughing with me instead of at me, though you can't be sure.

After school we had a lot of time on our hands so I brainstormed ways to make a fireman's pole from my third floor window using banisters but that didn't work so I turned my attention to creating a pulley system to transport goods from the ground to the top floor but that also required more work than I was willing to invest at the time so when my friend suggested a walk I took the opportunity to wander more around Jerusalem. I went to a Jewish bookstore with Meir because he needed Machzorim for the High Holidays. It was a trove of Jewish knowledge and I was overwhelmed with happiness in this two floor bookstore (with rare and out of print editions on the second story!!).

Soon after, I prepared for my second run! This time, Shara and Ilana joined me and we were quite the trio in our white Hanes V-necks and Nikes. The run was very nice and we felt so accomplished afterward! It is a great way to experience the city as well-no camera, no touring, no stopping, no shopping. After the run, I showered and went down to dinner, which was worse than usual but the company made up for it. We had a program following dinner that focused on a certificate in Israel given to restaurants who treat their workers fairly and abide by all the labor laws. It was interesting and I fully plan to support these restaurants because I can't keep eating here!

Then Ally and I helped Seffi and Josh clean and organize their Pirates' Cove Dorm Room and we were named honorary roommateys!!! The clean up was quite the affair and I was really glad that Ally was there because there were some crazy boy-mess moments that I couldn't handle on my own.

While I was cleaning, Adina found me and I realized that we had scheduled a lil date for the evening so I took a break from cleaning and went on a really nice walk with her. We walked down to the new Mamilla Mall, a really new and beautiful and fancy schmancy place with all kinds of expensive American and European stores and cute outdoor cafes. The mall is right on the edge of the Old City, so it is a really striking contrast in cultures, between the in-your-face Westernization and the ancient religious sites. Adina and I had a satisfying heart-to-heart on this walk and it was a really successful bff date fo sho.

The most exciting part of this whole great day came when I entered my building and found Marc in his room on the first floor admiring his new sandwich maker. I had bread and bowls, he had cheese and utensils, and we combined forces to make the most scrumptious grilled cheese sandwiches that have ever touched my lips. You have no idea how amazing grilled cheese tastes after two entire weeks of grilled cheese withdrawal. Incredible. Just incredible.

Jordana Tries New Things

Today was a shehechianu kind of day. Ulpan was pretty standard, but things are really starting to click!! It is so exciting to be able to read entire pages of our textbook in Hebrew without vowels! I always feel accomplished after class in a big way. Then I got a dairy meal at the Frank Sinatra Cafe on campus and that was new because usually I get a really heavy meat meal and the dairy was super delish...or taim m'od, I think. And then the best part of the day is that we didn't have Jerusalem History, which is always informative but not my favorite and it also just makes the day very long.

When I got back from Hebrew U, the fun really started. I did LAUNDRY!!!!! 'Stasia and I combined forces/loads and played some Kanye and made the cleaning happen like no other. THEN WAS THE MOST AMAZINGLY RESOURCEFUL MOMENT OF MY LIFE SO FAR. I was like, wow, all them Israelis have these handy dandy clotheslines. I want me a clothesline. Sooooo I went up to my roof balcony with Stasia and got some duct tape (not exactly sure if this is allowed here and the management probably doesn't know so I hope I don't get in trouble for this, but it is definitely temporary don't worry, management!) and taped it around one side of the balcony and made two right triangles and folded the duct tape in half and created a clothesline!! Then I hung my clothes on it and now they are all dry! The even BETTER part of this story is when I went to creepy storage place and found a tent frame that no one was using so I removed the metal rods to expose an elastic cord that was holding the frame together and threaded my undies on the cord and tied one end to one bunk bed and the other end to the bunk bed across the room. Then I needed the sun and its fabulous antibacterial properties so I relocated my undies line to the roof and it all worked so well! Everyone was appropriately amazed and marveled a good amount. I enjoyed that.

THENNNN I WENT FOR A RUN! I was so proud of myself and all the girls were like, oh wow, I'm jealous, you really have your act together. So I went on this great run through the park and up Ben Yehuda and all round mah hood and I just loved being outside by myself (I checked with the staff first and got a thumbs up for daytime solo runs) and experiencing the city that way. I loved dodging through people on the streets because I felt like a dog in an agility course because those always looked like fun to me. It was all really successful except for one creepy old Chasid who was staring at my spandexed body disapprovingly but that only made me run faster and no trauma ensued! Jubilation!

After my run, I went to dinner in my work out clothes so everyone could see how motivated I am and they were all impressed. Dinner really sucked, I'm not gonna lie, but I did eat healthy foods, just not a wide range of food groups. I supplemented with Cocoa Puffs in my room.

Then I cleansed in the ritual bath I like to call my shower and it was delicious (even though we have to choose hot and no pressure or cold with pressure-oh well, you can't have everything) and I was so scrubbed and dried and great!

Then Shara and I went to Emek Refaim (the entire rest of our program was there too, but Shara and I just walked together) for a STREET FESTIVAL!! Honestly, there were two concerts per block. The street was blocked off (security at the entrance but of course) and there were so many people and kiosks and street performers dressed up in really bizarre outfits and lots of food smells and it was just the best experience. I love seeing people out and about and doing weird things like dressing up like the tin man in silver air conditioning tubes and wearing stilts. Or like a mermaid but a drag queen or I'm not really sure what that was all about but it was interesting. The festival was all I had hoped for and more and now I am just so ready for bed (although I'm really bouncing off the walls...I must be overtired?) and I am going to bed with such an excited feeling in my bones and I can't wait for another shehechianu day tomorrow!!!!

I wish the last 48 hours had a unifying theme worthy of a cute title

I am only going to post ever so briefly because I am le tired and it is late and there is Torah tomorrow baboker. You should know:

Shabbat was beautiful. I went to Friday night services at Yakar with Shara and I just loved it. The melodies, harmonies, passion, expression, excitement, rawness, awareness, hospitality-it was perfect. Then I was still recovering for the rest of Shabbat so I got to sleep a lot and just rest. We did yoga in the park and stretched out together and it was all great.

Saturday night, everyone returned from their families or trips and we all went to Selichot services together to get ourselves in the High Holiday mood. I went to a cool shul with instruments, visualizations, and a lot of intensely spiritual people in a small and oddly sponge painted area. I don't know if I would go back, but I enjoyed the time I spent there. I was trying to think a lot about how I want to improve myself in the coming year but since it was late at night and I was getting dizzy from standing up and I couldn't follow the Hebrew that well (no English in the books here!!) I didn't succeed all that well in my introspective quests. That will be my goal for the coming weekend.

Today we got up early of course and went to school and learned so much Hebrew and got a tour IN HEBREW of the University and then we went to Jerusalem class and we had a long lecture on several parts of Jerusalem history that still don't really seem like a cohesive unit and then we went to the Southern Wall and learned cool things about the buildings and ruins there which I liked. The best part was that there was a mule just straight up chillin in the sidewalk as we walked back to our bus and I made friends with the mule.

Thennnnn after dinner a bunch of us walked to the Kotel for a swearing in ceremony for Tzahal. It was a very crowded big-deal kind of experience. It really affected my friend and me because there is a certain sense of obligation that comes with caring about Israel so much and also the ultimate question of that could me be because the people getting sworn in to the army are our age. That all makes me wonder about what my role in supporting Israel is and what it will be in the future and if I ever decide to make Israel my permanent home, what it will be like to go to one of these ceremonies for my own children or whatever the case may be depending on where my life takes me.

The attitude about the army is so different here than in the states. The army is ubiquitous and expected and normal. I am tired right now (maybe my ten thousand run-on sentences hinted to that fact) so I can't really articulate my opinion about what it all means to me but know that I am on the edge of something profound so be ready.

Do Unto Others

I am going to try to relate the past 24 hours as accurately and appropriately as possible. I promise I'm getting to a point too, when it seems like the details are irrelevant. Also, although I feel very cliche posting a "soundtrack" to this particular post, I kept thinking about the words to this song, Indian Moon, by State Radio, "If you ever lose your way, you can call upon this family, you can call upon this day." Now here is the story:

Last night, after a really great day of school, we had a quick dinner and then a 9/11 memorial program. We watched United 93 and my basic reaction was just TOO SOON. I really didn't want to relive that day moment by moment. The suspense was awful, the dramatic irony (for all of you who weren't paying attention during Mrs. Bonadonna's 10th grade English class, that is when the audience knows something that the characters do not. So in this case, it was really heartbreaking to watch someone run through the terminal because he was late in order to board a flight bound to crash) was painful, and watching the crash was just horrible. Horrible. A lot of people were crying, and I found it very touching, but I didn't want to cry. Many people have personal connections, etc, so it was hard in that way too.

After we got out of our funk, we decided that life is too short, and we got dressed up to go out. Thursdays are the new Fridays here, because Shabbat is on Saturday. So a big group of really fun people all went out to the bars in "Crack Square," as it is affectionately called by its frequenters. It was pretty shady, I won't lie, and I think people on my program will grow out of it soon, but for right now, this is the hot spot. It was super crowded with drunk American teenagers on gap year programs and Israelis trying to sell them drinks. I really just wanted to dance though, so I went to a well-known/infamous club called Triple to start dancing. It cost 40 NIS (New Israeli Shekel, about 4 to the USD) to get in, and the admission came with one free drink. While not a big drinker, I wanted to get the most bang for my buck, and one drink couldn't be so bad (if you've been following my blog, this thought is also going to fall under the category of obvious foreshadowing) so I took a shot of something peach with my friends and we went upstairs to start dancing. At first, it was just a few sketchballs dancing near us by themselves, but the club filled up quickly as it got later and it was really an amazing time. They played American dance music for the beginning and just as it got late did they start the Israeli techno, for which I was hoping for more. We danced so much and it was so fun and sweaty and hot and dehydrating (why do teenagers think they are invincible???) and all my friends were there and I was just so happy.

We left the club around two and I walked a drunk friend back home and made sure he made it in all right, and then I said good night to anyone who was up, and I fell asleep around three. I woke up with the feeling that I was going to be sick around 7:30 this morning, and I was, for about two hours. Now, I have made some really incredible friends over the years, at home, in USY, on programs, but no one I know has ever been put to the test like this. My roommate Shara actually morphed into Mother Theresa this morning and took such good care of me I cannot even explain. She wanted to tell a staff member, and I was reluctant because I didn't think anyone would believe me that I only had one shot and I wasn't drunk and I was actually being quite responsible last night, but when Noah came in, he just listened to me and asked me what I needed and was so nice to me. Shara then went to the supermarket across the street to get me some soda and bread and she forced me to drink water. I eventually fell asleep and woke up around two. At this point, my roommate Becca was awake and she was just so understanding and loving and helped me with everything.

Finally I got everything out of my system and took a shower and brushed my teeth. I am still a little nauseous and a little weak, but my heart has never been so full. I was treated like family today by three people that I met nine days ago who just went above and beyond the call of duty. Now I have all of Shabbat to rest and recover and get in touch with my spiritual self. Everything has been magnified in meaning the past few days, and I have never felt so aware or awake or grateful for everything in my life.

SHABBAT SHALOM!!!

Classy Cats

Last night was easily the classiest night of my life. We were such classy cats. I went on a "double date" with Brian, Ariella, and Aaron to the Jerusalem Jazz concert!! It was really cheap and in an outdoor theatre in the park. It was quite crowded but we had really comfortable seats and we could see perfectly and the acoustics were great and the music was just fantastic. Three different groups went on in the two hours that we were there, and they were all different and so talented. Ariella translated a few of the songs for me, which was really nice, and there was just a general atmosphere of fabulosity. What a perfect way to spend a Wednesday night.

To wrap it up, I went to a sups sophisticated bar off King George Street (right by the Fuchsberg Center) with a few gentlemen from the program. I didn't have anything to drink but it was still very enjoyable with the company and ambiance etc.

Today we had so much CLASS. Hebrew class for four hours, Jlem class for three hours. We are legit speaking hebrew now though. It's amazing. Like magic. Or a miracle. And in Jlem class, we went to the Israel museum to talk about the Second Temple Period and look at the model city and the Dead Sea Scrolls.

Also, to address the second part of the title, there are just cats EVERYWHERE. I am loving it of course, but it's sad because some are a bit malnourished and sick but they are so cute and I love the kittens.

Tonight we have dinner (achshav) and a 9/11 memorial program of some sort and then we're going out on the town (hopefully it won't seem inappropriate to go dancing after the memorial service because Friday is the only day of the week we're allowed to sleep in past 6:30!!)

Lihitraot!!!

Adventures in Wonderland

I had my first real adventure today! Actually, two adventures in just a few hours!!! And maybe one more on the way before the moon is high!

My first adventure was during hafsacha, the break during Ulpan Hebrew class. Since the class runs for about four hours, breaks are definitely a necessity, especially on days like today when the class seemed a little more rowdy and distracted. So during this break, I like to remove myself from the classroom and visit the sites of the campus. Yesterday I had found the balcony of the Hecht Synagogue, which is just up two flights of stairs from my classroom, so I decided I would revisit the splendid vista. I did notice that the door was closed today, which should have been obvious foreshadowing, but since it wasn't locked, I assumed it was a great idea to go out. I did a lil yoga, a lil sun bathing, a lil thinking, a lil viewing. It felt great to look out over all of Jerusalem from Mount Scopus and unwind. Figuring it must be close to the end of hafsacha, I went back to the door. There was neither handle nor nob. The door was glass and I started to knock. Several people walked by close to the door but it was in a nook and no one turned to see me. I think noises like obnoxious, repeated banging are generally accepted here as nothing. I didn't want to be late to class!!! and I got frantic. I tried prying the door open with my hands. Too painful. I tried knocking again. Useless. Finally I knelt and pulled the door open with my fingernails from the bottom. I got to class just in time for my spelling quiz!

A side note: From the synagogue, one can see all of

Jerusalem, including the Arab sections, which are

close by. They look significantly less luxurious than

the western parts of the city, although some apartments

are apparently quite luxurious. The whole divide has

been on my mind a lot here, and my politics are very

much in conflict with my religion and the reality here.

Security is taken extremely seriously, and there isn't

the whole concept of "innocent until proven guilty" when

it comes to Palestinians. I feel weird about that, but

I know it's part of staying safe. It is strange that in such

a holy and Godly city there can be so much tension. Our

teacher, David Keren, told us yesterday that he thinks if

peace comes to Jerusalem, peace will come to the entire

world because so much of the conflict in the world needs

to be resolved here. This is just something I've been

thinking about a lot because it is a big part of life here,

and I have yet to decide how I feel or what I think.

The rest of the class was fairly uneventful, but we are getting much better at Hebrew! I've always heard that immersion makes learning a language easier but I didn't really think it would work for me, but I'm picking stuff up pretty well. We also all help each other out and I feel a lot of support around our little table. Our teachers are so patient and smart and everyone just wants to help us.

We were all stressed out during lunch (although the teriyaki with cooked vegetables was amaaaazing at the Frank Sinatra Cafe-fun fact: Frank Sinatra loved Israel so much and gave a lot of money to Hebrew U! It was even rumored that he dressed up as a gardener so he could just walk around the campus) because of the required readings for David Keren's Jerusalem Through the Ages class. While stressed out, I felt relieved that I am only kind of at college. A three week Jerusalem intro class is probably pretty low on the average college freshman's stress meter.

My next adventure happened during the Jerusalem class when we visited Hezekiah's tunnels. This adventure happened to everyone and it wasn't all that spontaneous but it was so crazy and dark and wet and scary that it definitely registers as an adventure on the life excitement scale.

We went to Ir David, the City of David, to learn about King David, the First Temple Period, and the 8th Century debacle with the Assyrians (they attacked the Kingdom of Israel to the north so King Hezekiah knew they were coming so he built a tunnel for a water source and they built it from both sides and met in the middle and it was quite a fantastic feat). The main attraction was a walk through ankle-knee deep water in the tunnels, which were about two feet wide and six feet high, at the most. The walk lasted 45 minutes and it was really intense and Josh Sacks' hand hurt afterwards because it was dark and I was gripping. We made it out all right though, thanks to some nice teamwork in the form of "low ceiling!" and some classic sing-along-songs.

Now I am going to try to have my THIRD ADVENTURE of the day! After dinner, I think I'm going to a park where there is supposed to be jazz and swing dancing and who knows what. There is always so much going on here. I want to get cleaned up and do my homework before going out, so...

lihitraot!!!

Rak Po

Only here, rak po, could I wake up to the sounds of Bibi Netanyahu's motorcade sirens. He lives in my neighborhood.

Rak po could I study Hebrew for four hours a day and feel like no time has passed.

Rak po could I walk down Ben Yehuda and stumble upon an army propaganda festival-and love it.

Rak po could I eat the same breakfast every day and not mind because my pudding label is b'ivrit.

Rak po could I do my homework from a second floor patio in the midst of traffic and the Jerusalem rush, protected by our flowering window boxes and beautiful wrought iron gates.

Rak po could I make 80 best friends in seven days.

Rak po could I love a land so deeply and crave the smell of the city and feel of the white stones under my feet.

Rak po could I write a blog interesting enough for other people to read.

Yom Huledet Sameach, Mama!!!!

My new heavenly life

Tonight is my sixth night in Ir HaKodesh, and I still get chills (and not just because of the air conditioning that works really, really well in my beautiful dorm room) when I wake up and see the skyline of Jerusalem out my window before I can even remember my name. Speaking of my beautiful dorm room, I have a spacious quadruple with three AMAZING very high quality, very beautiful (inside and out!) roomies; one from Nebraska, one from LA, one from New Jersey, and of course, Rochester. Like we are actually best friends. It's amazing. I have the top bunk and it's a lil nest for me. I brought sheets and a quilt from home so it is the most comfortable bed ever, and I have a reading light built into the wall and shelves accessible to me without having to climb down the ladder (which is truly an extravaganza every morning at 6:30 am). I am learning so much about living with other people, without my closet, and up many, many flights of stairs. So far it's been an amazing adventure.

Once I exit my room at the ungodly hour of 7 am every day, I head to Shacharit morning services, which take about 45 minutes. It really is nice to pray every morning, even though it's hard before eating to sit down and stand up for the different prayers. Our group of 40 (the entire Nativ program is 80 students-half are in my group, headed to Yerucham second semester, and half are going to live on a kibbutz next semester) prays beautifully together and we have a great community. There is never a time when, if there is only one seat available, I do not want to sit down next to the people on either side. I always want to sit. It's a great feeling.

Then we have breakfast. Meals here are an experience because they are the same everyday (which I don't particularly mind, but many of my friends do), but they are free with the program, and if I choose well, I can eat a balanced diet. I'm still working on cutting my own chicken, but I do eat eggs with every meal! Baby steps.

The first few days were less routine-we went on a beautiful hike through the Jerusalem hills, ate lunch at a mall, got a neighborhood walking tour, and learned a lot of rules (we are not allowed to get pregnant and then get hit by a car because we were skydiving because those things are not covered by our insurance policy. but other than that, there's no curfew, we are legal for everything here, and boys are finally, finally allowed in girls rooms after four years of behaving very well in USY).

Then we had Shabbat, which was really the most spiritually fulfilling experience of my life thus far. My Yerucham group prayed together at Yemin Moshe, a field near a windmill that overlooks the Old City. As the sun set behind us, the moon rose in front of us, and it was glowing pink and it was huge (yuuuge, for anyone who makes fun of me for that and misses it) and it was the most serene feeling to pray with my friends facing the most holy place for three major world religions and literally just feel GOD everywhere around. After services we had a nice dinner (meaning there were tablecloths and Shabbat chicken, as opposed to placemats and shnitzel), sang some Birkat Hamazon, and then we had Nativ-a-Tisch!!!! This was just the greatest. We gathered in a small room, probably fifty of us, and just sang Jewish songs at the top of our lungs. We sang songs about Israel, songs about friendship, songs about God, and even just melodies without words, ningunim. Everyone had so much ruach and we bonded (fun fact: the same bonding chemical released when a woman gives birth is released when people sing together-source: http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2009-08-06/just-the-fact/). The next morning, I went to Yakar, a modern Orthodox shul about 15 minutes walking from the Fuchsberg Center where I live. I went with my staff member Cori, who grew up in Queens, went to U Delaware, and then picked up and moved to Israel and served in the army. She recommended the shul to me and because I like her and I like Karlbach melodies, I decided to try it. Well, there is someone up there after all. The service was so filled with meaning and passion and harmony and learning and everything that you could ever want from organized religion. It was a small shul, not showy at all (people don't join synagogues here like they do in the states-the shuls are supported partly by the state and partly by donations so the politics are a lot different/less here), and it didn't feel like a performance by the hazzan, who had a really unique and middle eastern sounding voice, exactly what you would want from a small modern Orthodox shul in Jlem. The women sat behind the men and there was a shortish mechitzah of white cotton cloth. I could see through it though, and the bima was next to the mechitzah instead of in front by the ark. There was a study session in the middle of the service with a rabbi who spoke English and he did gematryia and it was really cool! (Gematriya is where ever letter has a number value, and numbers can be turned into words, and all kinds of cool connections are made that way-it's a secret code in the Torah!!). I even cried a little bit (not hysterics, I promise!!) during a particularly harmonious melody as they returned the Torah because it was so full of love and cavanah. The rest of Shabbat was restful, of course, complete with eating, singing, studying, and walking around to a park to watch the boys play basketball. I read a book and warmed myself in the sun (whilst wearing no less than 30 SPF. Not to worry, Ema!!) and even threw up the opening toss successfully!

Sunday was orientation at Hebrew University. We are taking a "MiniMester" because real classes don't start until after the festival of Sukkot in October, so we're just getting extra learned in the mean time. I am taking a four hour Ulpan (learning Hebrew from scratch...in Hebrew) every day and a two hour "Jerusalem Through the Ages" history course a few times per week. Today was my first day of classes and I loved everything! I am in the most basic of basic Hebrew classes, which is nice because I already know reading and writing so I can just focus on vocabulary and conversation. Both my teachers are awesome and the Hebrew University/Rothberg Intl School is gorgeous! There are botanical gardens on campus, an amazing view of all of Jerusalem and also the West Bank/East Jerusalem, and a great student center and oh just everything you could want. There are also feral cats EVERYWHERE (see my new profile picture on facebook)!!! They are not my kitties but they are good replacements because they are very cute and abundant.

Now we are tiiiired from walking around the neighborhood after classes and being so popular and social and learning so many new things. My roomies are asleep, except for one who isn't home yet, and my pillow is calling to me. More later!!!

Love from Eretz Yisrael!