A Quick Visual Post

As many of you told me, my aspiration of writing weekly succinct and interesting posts has been hard to achieve. Of course I have many incredible stories and adventures to share... to make sure I share at least a few highlights I will start with a few photos. I finally got a cell phone about a week and a half ago and therefore now have a camera that takes quite decent photos!

Last week was Tisha B'Av, literally the ninth of the Hebrew month of Av. This is an intense and complicated "holiday" to explain so if you are truly interested check out the link. But in a nutshell it is a fast day in which Jews commemorate the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem, both in 586 BCE and 70 CE, as well as many other unbelievable Jewish catastrophes. I spent the day at Pardes studying the many aspects of observing this day and the significance of such a day for Jews in our time.

After a long and very meaningful day, I broke the fast with Dana. She was one of the counselors on my very first trip to Israel in 2000! Yes we reconnected 12 years later and enjoyed a lovely meal at an outdoor cafe. I drank a half liter of Hoegaarden beer which looks huge in the picture but is really only 16.9 ounces. This street is close to my school and not too far from my neighborhood. It has a few very cute cafes with outdoor seating, as well as lots of shops, like a produce store I love, beauty salons, dry cleaners, and more.

After Tisha B'Av I had the last day of classes at the Pardes summer program. The following day in the evening I went to the Annual Israeli Wine Festival held in the sculpture gardens at the Israel Museum. Incredible views, fifty Israeli wineries, olive oil, chocolate and other artisan booths, jazz music and lots of people, including Shimon Peres, the president! I could go on and on about this evening and all the wines I was sober enough to enjoy. Yes I had a bit too much to drink, but overall it was awesome, and I will be better prepared for next year. I will eat dinner first :)

  

The next day I went on my first real hike since I arrived in late June. I went with Rina and her friend Avishalom to the Jerusalem forest, located not far from my area, just west of the city. It was hot, of course, hiking at 3:00pm but not unbearable. We had lots of fun and I took lots of pictures, including the one of me riding a sheep... yes this is indeed a statue. Gullible ol' Cara thought they were real from a distance!

This hike will take you to three springs, called mayanot in Hebrew. There were about 10-15 people hanging out around the first spring. We didn't go in but enjoyed a rest near the spring. Unfortunately everywhere I've hiked/walked in Israel there is always some trash lingering... gross.

We then had a discussion about littering in Israel. I shared how in Oregon we are nice to nature :) yeah northwest pride! The landscape and vegetation here is simply amazing. I wish I could incorporate smells into the blogs! Za'atar grows everywhere! When we returned to the car the sun was beginning to near the horizon and the magical Jerusalem sunset light was starting to grace the hillsides.

The following day I went to an IKEA for the first time! Rina and I took in the massive store, full of Jews, which you think would be normal for me now, but its still not. After only about two and a half hours, we left the store with some major deals, including a desk for my room, some kitchenware and of course purple organizing bins! Yeah organization! I seriously love all their modern, simple designs, and affordable too. Wow, can't believe I've lived this long without a visit to IKEA. After an exhausting but stimulating shopping adventure we drove to a beach in Rishon Letzion, which is near Tel Aviv.  There is a boardwalk-like promenade and tons of chairs and umbrellas decorating the sandy beach. The weather outside of the Jerusalem area is so different- much hotter, extremely humid and just stifling! It was the first time I'd seen the Mediterranean since I arrived, besides from the window of the airplane, and it is so magnificently radiant. We had a lovely dinner of small salads and fresh fish before driving in "rush hour" traffic back to little ol' Jerusalem.

I spent Shabbat at two of my teachers from Pardes' homes in Alon Shevut, which is near Efrat where the cousins live. It was a lovely, interesting and educational experience being in their observant, warm and welcoming homes. I went to services in both an Ashkenazi and Sephardic synagogue for Erev Shabbat and Shabbat morning, and was so happy to happen upon a Bar Mitzvah chanting the very Torah portion I had tutored the fabulous Kirtner twins!

After the service, the father of the Bar Mitzvah, also a Pardes teacher, gave a talk, a teaching really, all in Hebrew. I was pleased to grasp the gist of his message, discussing the Ten Commandments and different commentators interpretations and codifications of the various commandments. I enjoyed amazing food, great family energy, singing and just a wonderful Shabbat atmosphere.

After Shabbat ended, cousin Shoshana picked up my friend Tammy and I from Alon Shevut and we went to Efrat for a short social session. April and the kids had just returned from the states and uncle Cal is visiting so it was fun to spend some time with everyone. Of course Bruce opened two delicious Israeli wines, and Rina brought out some local chocolate, and some tasty olive oil also purchased at last week's wine festival. I feel so blessed to have family that I genuinely enjoy spending time with, not to mention, family with really good taste in wine and food!

Sunday afternoon I began my intensive Hebrew class, which is Sunday through Thursday for three hours every day. I love, love, love it! Next post will include some stories of new words I've learned, including some fun slang. This evening I had an incredible dining experience... photos to come!

Tomorrow morning I'm going on an outing, a tiyul, with my fellow student (yes there is one other student in my group!) and a Hebrew teacher. We're exploring the shuk, which is the main outdoor market that anyone who visits Jerusalem must see. It will be an adventure that I will be sure to recount in the near future. Sending love and well wishes to all my amazing friends and family!!!