Better late than never!

  Jerusalem, Israel
Sunday, October 21, 2007

September 27-October 18, 2007

As some of you know, this time of year in the Jewish religion is holiday after holiday starting with Rosh Hashanah, which was on September 13th and ending with Simchat Torah which was on October 5th.  So, after Yom Kippur, which is one of our most solemn holy days, we moved into Sukkot, which is one of our most joyous.  Sukkot is so joyful that it is commonly referred to in Jewish prayer and literature as the Season of our Rejoicing.  It is quite a drastic transition. The Festival of Sukkot begins on the fifth day after Yom Kippur, which was from Sept. 27-Oct. 5.  Sukkot has a dual significance: historical and agricultural. Historically, Sukkot commemorates the forty-year period during which the children of Israel were wandering in the desert, living in temporary shelters. Agriculturally, Sukkot is a harvest festival. 

You will dwell in booths for seven days; all natives of Israel shall dwell in booths. -Leviticus 23:42   

In honor of the holiday's historical significance, we are commanded to dwell in temporary shelters, as our ancestors did in the wilderness. The temporary shelter is referred to as a sukkah (which is the singular form of the plural word "Sukkot").  The sukkah is great fun for the children.  The commandment to "dwell" in a sukkah can be fulfilled by simply eating all of one's meals there; however, if the weather, climate, and one's health permits, one should spend as much time in the sukkah as possible, including sleeping in it.  They are usually decorated very festively, using dried fruits, pictures, lights, beads, crafts, etc...  It was cool walking around & looking at all the different Sukkot.  I'd guess that 8 out of every 10 homes built a sukkah for themselves.  Even in high rise apartment buildings, hotels, & restaurants; almost every balcony & yard had one. 

It is a tradition & an honor to eat meals in other people's Sukkot each night.  We did this 5 out of the 7 nights.  One night we were at the sukkah of one of Evette's warmest connections in Israel; her teacher David Levin-Kruss from Pardes.  He just loves Evette & has really taken a liking to me.  I thought it was a school event & that other students would be there.  But he invited just us to share a meal with his family.  How lovely!  The next day we went to Danny Landes', the Director & Rosh HaYeshiva of Pardes in Abu Tor.  In Jerusalem, a city of deep divisions between Jews and Arabs, Abu Tor is a rarity: a neighborhood that embraces both, side by side.  This neighborhood sits on the very urban edge of Israeli West Jerusalem.  He had about 16-20 students.  I was as little intimidated because he is such a Bigwig, but it was a very nice event.  While chatting with him, we discovered we are cousins on the Rivlin side.  Small world, eh?  Then one night we went to the Rabbi Gail Diamond's, the Assistant Yeshiva Director at the Conservative Yeshiva and RRC graduate.  The next night we went to Amy Klein's, the Israel Coordinator's for RRC & also RRC graduate.  She lives on a kibbutz.  The 5th time in a Sukkah, was at Cup of Joe, our favorite coffee place.  Rascal got to experience it too.  They allow dogs if you sit outside. 

October 2nd

We called a taxi to take us to pick up the car we had rented.  We were supposed to go camping with Rascal.  We have a tent & sleeping bags & we borrowed the Israeli equivalent to a Coleman stove.  We ended up not going camping because Rascal told us quite clearly that he did not want to go camping.  He just was not ready for the challenge.  He was afraid that if we spent 2 nights in a tent with him, on an inflatable mattress, that we might not love him anymore & we would leave him in the woods or let a wild animal eat him for lunch.  So, because we did not want him to live with the angst of feeling like this camping trip could do him in, we did not go.  However, we had the car for 3 days, so we made it worth our while.  On the way to pick the car up, we couldn't figure out why we were seeing 1000's & 1000's of people in groups with matching shirts, flags, etc... walking down the street.  It was literally endless.  I investigated later that day & discovered that it was a Christian-led Feast of Tabernacles March.  There were reportedly 80,000 people of both Christian & Jewish background. 

So, we picked up the car, which is always a long drawn out affair & drove to Netanya, about 2 hours away to IKEA!!!  It felt like home!  It was actually very comforting to be there.  It was just like home.  They even had a sukkah in the parking lot!    
    
October 3, 2007

Today, we took advantage of having the car.  I dropped Evette off at synagogue & I went grocery shopping, which was a real treat with a car.  Later in the afternoon, we drove back to Netanya to have dinner at her cousin's house.  It was enjoyable.  We ate outside, in their lovely yard & had a great visit.  Evette entertained us by trying to juggle devil sticks.   It was quite entertaining.  Her cousin was a master at it. 

October 4, 2007

Today, we woke up early & drove to Ein Gedi National Park and Nature Reserve.  It is located on the eastern edge of the Judean Desert, on the shore of the Dead Sea, the lowest place on earth (approx. 400 m. below sea level).  The reserve covers an area of 3,587.5 acres and it was designated a protected Nature reserve in 1972.  We hiked up and down the mountain to David's Waterfall.  It was such an awesome experience!  We saw all kinds of flora and birds and mammals that we never saw before.  We saw Rock Hyrax, also known as Conies.  They live in rock crannies or in thickets.  They have a natural instinct for one to watch all the other's young ones while the parents go gathering, almost like a kindergarten.

We also saw lots of Ibex, some pretty close up.  Ibex live in herds and are known for their ability to climb steep hills that provide them with refuge from predators.  The male is larger than the female, is bearded and has horns that angle back.  For many years, Judean Desert ibex were hunted and their population dwindled until they were on the brink of extinction.  The Natural Protection movement in Israel rescued the ibex population with the Wild Animal Protection Law in 1955.  As a symbol of recognition for these efforts, the bust of the ibex has become an integral part of the emblem of the Israel Nature and Parks Authority.  While we were walking, 2 of the ibex right above our heads were pushing large boulders down the mountain.  We had to duck & yell to the people below, because it was like an avalanche.  Someone could have been seriously injured or possibly killed. 

After the tour, included in the admission fee, we were able to tour the Antiquities National Park.  During an excavation, a synagogue has been completely uncovered.  This synagogue was built at the beginning of the third century C.E. It was a trapezoid-shaped structure with 2 entrances in the north wall, facing Jerusalem.  It contained a portable Holy Ark and was paved with a mosaic floor.  The Jewish community and its synagogue were destroyed by fire, signs of which were evident during the excavation.

On the way to Ein Gedi, we saw this guy at a rest stop.  On the way home, I saw this guy & wanted to just take a picture & ended up hopping on.  We drove home into the sunset, which was quite lovely.     

October 5, 2007

Today is Simchat Torah.  Simchat Torah means "Rejoicing in the Torah." This holiday marks the completion of the annual cycle of weekly Torah readings. Each week in synagogue we publicly read a few chapters from the Torah, starting with Genesis Ch. 1 and working our way around to Deuteronomy 34. On Simchat Torah, we read the last Torah portion, and then proceed immediately to the first chapter of Genesis, reminding us that the Torah is a circle, and never ends.

This completion of the readings is a time of great celebration. There are processions around the synagogue carrying Torah scrolls and plenty of high-spirited singing and dancing in the synagogue with the Torahs.  As many people as possible are given the honor of an aliyah (reciting a blessing over the Torah reading); in fact, even children are called for an aliyah blessing on Simchat Torah. In addition, as many people as possible are given the honor of carrying a Torah scroll in these processions. Children do not carry the scrolls (they are much too heavy!), but often follow the procession around the synagogue, sometimes carrying small toy Torahs (stuffed plush toys or paper scrolls).   I remember, as a child, that this was 1 time I was excited about going to synagogue.  They would turn out the lights & pass out glow sticks to the kids & at the end of the service, all the kids got candy apples...Yummy!!!

October 6, 2007

Shabbat Shalom.  Today, after Shabbat, Evette & I walked to the Cinemateque to see Hairspray.  Have you seen it?  John Travolta in drag!  He was great, especially coupled with Christopher Walken.  It was great.  Evette & I laughed so hard.  If you haven't seen it, I definitely recommend it, although I'm sure, back in the US, it's probably on DVD already. 

October 7-11, 2007

So, now that the holidays are over, life sets into a regular schedule.  I started Ulpan again today.  It will be a short month because of the holidays.  I really like my class.  The teacher is great & will continue with each level for at least 4-5 months.  I'm making some friends in the class too.  There are 2 cantorial students; one from Nebraska & one from New York.  There is a woman from Germany, who has a contact at a Palestinian run domestic violence agency.  I'm not sure if it would be safe for me to go there, but she is going to talk to her to see if we can at least have a conversation via email.  Pretty cool, eh?  It is a very large class, 30 students.  One of the things I love about this ulpan is the diversity.   There are 3 Mormons from Utah, 1 student from Italy, 1 from Transylvania Romania, & more than half the class is Arabs.  For me, the experience of learning here is not just about the language, but in meeting & interacting with people from so many cultural & religious backgrounds. 

Rascal is doing well.  He is getting much better at going for walks.  He loves going to the park & making friends with other dogs.  The best news is, I think we are on the 4th day of no "accidents" in the house.  YEAH!!!  He really is such a good boy.  He has brought a lot of joy to his mommies & we hope we have to him also.

October 12, 2007

Every month, the students who are here from RRC have a mandatory program.  Each month it will vary.  Partners are welcome to participate as well.  Today, we went to the Mount Herzl Military Cemetery.  Mount Herzl, in Hebrew Har Hertzel, is a high hilltop in Jerusalem, Israel named for Theodor Herzl, the founder of modern political Zionism. Herzl's tomb lies at the top of the hill.  It is also the burial place of three of Israel's prime ministers:

  Levi Eshkol who led Israel during its Six Day War victory in 1967
  Israel's only woman prime minister, Golda Meir
  Israel's only assassinated Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin (and his wife Leah Rabin, a peace activist in her own right).

Israeli presidents are also buried on Mt. Herzl, as are other prominent Jewish and Zionist leaders.  Soldiers who fell during battle also are buried here, including those as recent as the war with Lebanon last summer. 

It was the most beautiful, well kept cemetery I've ever seen.  Families can decorate with plants, photos, etc...  We sadly saw a soldier from Philadelphia whose grave was decorated with Phillies & Eagles paraphernalia.  It was a very deep, powerful experience to be there.  There were so many people there who were not from schools or tours.  They were there to visit their loved ones who had fallen during battle.  There was a father sitting by the grave of his son, unable to compose himself.  Two women were singing & playing the guitar by a grave site.  It was very moving.

October 13-18, 2007

Evette is full force in school now.  Two of her schools did not begin until after the holidays.  She is really enjoying most of her classes, despite her very long days. 

Next month, I am registered to take a bread baking class at the Jewish Culinary Institute, which is a world renowned culinary school.  It will be on Tuesday nights for 4 weeks.  I'm very excited about this.  When we come home, you'll all be begging me to bake bread for you!

Next month, I will also begin volunteering on Sunday afternoons at the Clore Library in the town of Ramot Bet.  I will be conducting story hour for children (in English, of course).  When I see how this schedule goes, I may do some volunteer work for Koololev, the organization from which we adopted Rascal.

October 17, 2007

We've been here in Jerusalem for almost 4 months now.  Every day it is sunny, sunny, and sunny.  Nary a cloud nor a drop of rain nor a puddle.  Wednesday, I'm at home waiting for Evette to come home from school & I heard a strange, yet familiar sound.  Was it fireworks?  No.  Was it a shooting?  Of course not.  Was it sheets of metal being shaken?  No silly!  It was thunder.  Lots & lots of thunder & very scary lightning & yes, large drops of water falling from the sky.  It rained for the first time since we've been here.  When it rains, everything (streets, sidewalks, stairs...) become super slippery.  The rain brings the oil in the ground to the surface & it becomes slick like ice...OOOH NOOO!  For those of you who know me well, this covers all of my phobia's all in one place...thunder, lightning & walking on ice.  Oy Vey!!!

Hebrew word of the week-geshem = rain