I'm not going to apologize for not blogging the last week. We were kicked out of Tzuba and we'd been staying at a youth hostel in Jerusalem for 5 days which didn't have any Internet. Hard life I live.
The Goldstein youth village, otherwise known as the Zionist Youth Farm, is another New Trier aka PRISON! It was boring beyond belief, we still had school, the food was inedible, a rooster would scream it's head off at 6 am, old people partied until 3 am blasting 90's disco music in the building next door, it was just sheer horror. Never going back. The good things happened only when we left the hostel.
My friend from school/camp was in town and broke us out of jail to go to J-town and get some candy. We took a טיול (trip) last week to a community called נחלאות (Nach'laot) where we saw the orthodox cleaning all their dishes before Passover started. We took a slight detour to FINALLY go to מחנה יהודה (Machaneh Yehuda)! for those of you goyim who don't know what that is, it's Israel's busiest, craziest, yummiest food market in Jerusalem. I got tea, cheese, apples, cookies, nuts, and pomegranate juice. The perfect pre-Passover meal.
Yesterday I came to Tel Aviv for פסח at my aunt and uncle's and it was another Thanksgiving. There'll be leftovers to last them for months, no joke. What was interesting was that we reading from a feminist Hagadah, which was different to say the least. 12 hours later and I can't eat breakfast because I'm still full from last nights Seder. You can just never avoid getting fat here.
להיטראות!
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Sunday, March 17, 2013
Israel has made me completely forget about St. Paddy's Day. No one here cares really.
On Thursday we went to a Mosque literally down the hill from Tzuba in Ein Rafa. A Muslim woman originally from London told us the jist of how Islam works and what their beliefs are. Ladies had to wear Hijab head coverings, ankle-length skirts, and wrist-length shirts in 90 degree weather while sitting behind the men who were simply in T-shirts and shorts. The trip made me reflect back to Freshman year World History when we learned all about Islam and the 5 pillars: fasting, pilgrimage, belief, worship, and charity. It was refreshing.
I've spent the week with my family in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. There was shopping, beaching, and SO MUCH EATING! Noodles, burgers, pre-seder dinners, odds are I've gained my Gadna weight back.
Next Week I look forward to Passover and Hiking from the Sea of Galilee to the Med. Sea!!
On Thursday we went to a Mosque literally down the hill from Tzuba in Ein Rafa. A Muslim woman originally from London told us the jist of how Islam works and what their beliefs are. Ladies had to wear Hijab head coverings, ankle-length skirts, and wrist-length shirts in 90 degree weather while sitting behind the men who were simply in T-shirts and shorts. The trip made me reflect back to Freshman year World History when we learned all about Islam and the 5 pillars: fasting, pilgrimage, belief, worship, and charity. It was refreshing.
I've spent the week with my family in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. There was shopping, beaching, and SO MUCH EATING! Noodles, burgers, pre-seder dinners, odds are I've gained my Gadna weight back.
Next Week I look forward to Passover and Hiking from the Sea of Galilee to the Med. Sea!!
Monday, March 11, 2013
Back at good ole' Tzuba. The 11 hour classes and shnitzel are as refreshing as ever. So is a wake up door banging from my parents. Remember when everything was fun and peaceful in Eilat? Let me recap...
Arrive at Youth Hostel, settle in, get a shower after 5 days, head out to the boardwalk, shop, go on the fireball bungee, long walk on the beach, sleep.
Next day: Wake up, hot as an oven outside, beach, snorkeling, Red Canyon, SHABBAT, dead-bed.
Shabbat: Tea, coffee, cake, services, boardwalk/mall/beach, packing, BEDOIN TENTS! Best meal of the week (rice, chicken, potatoes, pita, humus, pickles), bonfire song session, cold, cold night.
Sunday Funday: Breakfast of chocolate on chocolate, Camel riding on Sari, שבין הסלט (Between the Salad Farm) Found my love for kumquats, had the best strawberries of my life, white, purple, and yellow carrots, Habanero peppers, hours of bussing it, Tzuba, unpacking, sleep.
Arrive at Youth Hostel, settle in, get a shower after 5 days, head out to the boardwalk, shop, go on the fireball bungee, long walk on the beach, sleep.
Next day: Wake up, hot as an oven outside, beach, snorkeling, Red Canyon, SHABBAT, dead-bed.
Shabbat: Tea, coffee, cake, services, boardwalk/mall/beach, packing, BEDOIN TENTS! Best meal of the week (rice, chicken, potatoes, pita, humus, pickles), bonfire song session, cold, cold night.
Sunday Funday: Breakfast of chocolate on chocolate, Camel riding on Sari, שבין הסלט (Between the Salad Farm) Found my love for kumquats, had the best strawberries of my life, white, purple, and yellow carrots, Habanero peppers, hours of bussing it, Tzuba, unpacking, sleep.
Thursday, March 7, 2013
צבא הגנה לישראל
Well I thought about the army... What a long strange trip it's been. I'm finally in a luxurious bed in the comfort of a youth hostel in Eilat relaxing after a type 2 fun kind of week.
Tonight I'm going to be dreaming of the phrases "Eser Sh'niot" (10 seconds) "Cain Mefakedet" (Yes commander) "Tom Hazman Acshev Hamefakedet" (Time has ended, I'm listening commander) and not running into 2 lines or a Chet shape (ח) with our water bottles in a perfect order. I won't have to wear any more vomit colored clothing that was once a man's. I won't have to have a bed with a bar in my back. I won't have to wake up at 5:45 to screaming Israelis. I could go on and on about why you shouldn't join the Israeli army, but lets focus on the pros...
... Chocolate on chocolate, making your commander laugh, M16, mud, tree disguises, your own bathroom (mostly), placing bets on what we think our commander's name and age is, skipping an hour long jog because you screwed up your knee along with at least 4 other people, planking and army crawling competitions, singing and washing dishes, bringing your own toilet paper to the bathroom because there is none, ever, comparing bruises, not showering for a week. getting punched with respect, and the guy with the chocolate croissants.
It was a good week in the army and I learned many things. I'm left with memories, 2 pictures because my phone died, bruises, survival tips, a sea shell from field day, and a burnt face in a helluva lot of pain.
This week I can look forward to snorkeling, shopping, and relaxing in the Vegas of Israel with my friends. Then them old folks come... Then it's back to school, back to school.
Tonight I'm going to be dreaming of the phrases "Eser Sh'niot" (10 seconds) "Cain Mefakedet" (Yes commander) "Tom Hazman Acshev Hamefakedet" (Time has ended, I'm listening commander) and not running into 2 lines or a Chet shape (ח) with our water bottles in a perfect order. I won't have to wear any more vomit colored clothing that was once a man's. I won't have to have a bed with a bar in my back. I won't have to wake up at 5:45 to screaming Israelis. I could go on and on about why you shouldn't join the Israeli army, but lets focus on the pros...
... Chocolate on chocolate, making your commander laugh, M16, mud, tree disguises, your own bathroom (mostly), placing bets on what we think our commander's name and age is, skipping an hour long jog because you screwed up your knee along with at least 4 other people, planking and army crawling competitions, singing and washing dishes, bringing your own toilet paper to the bathroom because there is none, ever, comparing bruises, not showering for a week. getting punched with respect, and the guy with the chocolate croissants.
It was a good week in the army and I learned many things. I'm left with memories, 2 pictures because my phone died, bruises, survival tips, a sea shell from field day, and a burnt face in a helluva lot of pain.
This week I can look forward to snorkeling, shopping, and relaxing in the Vegas of Israel with my friends. Then them old folks come... Then it's back to school, back to school.
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