Home at Last

So I am a bit behind on updating this thing.

My last couple weeks in Jerusalem were a bit hectic. In between finishing classes, studying for my Hebrew level exam, trying to get some of my papers written and final sightseeing, there wasn't a lot of time for much else. And truth be told, I wasn't in the right mental frame of mind to post. I was dealing with the normal end of the semester stress but also was having mixed feelings about leaving Israel.

I had been counting down the weeks, days, hours until I would be on a plane home, but as the end neared, I started thinking about what I would be leaving behind. Yes, there was so much to look forward to at home - family, friends, a decent mattress, home-cooked meals, my church family, and of course, my godbaby and her first birthday - but there were also things in Israel that I would miss - starting with my new friends and the beauty of the place, with the feeling of the holy so thick it was smothering at times.

At church this morning, worship centered on celebrating creation and its goodness. I couldn't help but think about Israel, about how holiness oozed out of every atom. There, the holy is inescapable. But the truth of the matter is that Israel is no more holy than Ohio, not really. What makes Israel holy is its connection to God. God created it, and God settled God's people in it. But God created everything, and all people are God's people, so every place is holy. We just forget it because we become so accustomed to our surroundings. But Jerusalem is by nature a disorienting city, and I think that is why we find it to be so holy - and yes, because we have imbued it with so much religious meaning.

In my final days in Jerusalem, I did do something I had not yet done: I waded through Hezekiah's Tunnel in the City of David. It is a pretty cool (and cold!) experience. The tunnel is longer than I imagined - I mean, I knew it was long, but when you are walking through it, it seems so much longer! And you can see where the workers chiseled away and even where they met in middle. I really enjoy the City of David, and it was nice to have extra time to wander around and see everything again and from new angles.

I left Israel on Monday (June 13). I will spare you the horror stories of El Al security, but I will say I had all my luggage searched, wasn't allowed to carry my laptop on the plane with me and was literally strip-searched. And then the flight was delayed. Originally we were supposed to fly out at 10:40am, but a few days before, we were notified that the flight was changed to 11:50am. By the time we actually left it was more like 2pm, which means I missed my connecting flight. Actually, I probably could have made it, if El Al would have printed my boarding pass for me. And it was a total nightmare getting my flight re-booked and then the voucher for a hotel and dinner. I finally made it home Tuesday around noon.

As I told someone at church today, I am glad I went and that I had that experience but it was not an experience I plan on repeating. Of course I will return to Israel, but not for an extended time like that. I learned so much and grew so much as a person. It was something I needed to do for me. Despite all the health problems, despite how much I disliked city life, despite how ridiculously expensive Jerusalem is, despite the nightmare of El Al security - despite it all, I am glad I went and if I could go back and do it all over, I wouldn't change a thing.

So with that, "Experiencing Jerusalem" comes to an end. Of course, I will continue to "experience" it for many months and years to come, to live with the memories and, of course, to process all that happened.

The End is Near...

Lost three of my four roommates this weekend, so now it is just me and Annie, like it was in the beginning. Becky had been with us for a week, but she went back to her base this morning, so I had to say goodbye to her - she won't be coming back until after I leave. So sad!

Rothberg is a whole lot quieter now that the undergrads have all went back home. No annoying kids conversing in the middle of the stairs or yelling across the cafeteria and leaving messes - not to mention no more inappropriately dressed girls running around! Hopefully that means the kfar will be a bit quieter as well. There are Israelis and Arabs living in the kfar, but it seems to be the undergrads who are loud and partying at all hours. Not that I don't enjoy having a good time, but as every grad student will tell you, there is so much work to get done in the next couple of weeks!

I fly home two weeks from today, which is super exciting but also super distracting. Even with the extra time we have to write papers after the semester ends, I am still feeling the end-of-the-semester stress. For one thing, I know I am not going to write 5 papers after I get home, so I am trying to get at least 2 of them written before I leave. I have one of them mostly written - 8 1/2 pages out of 10. I have also been slacking on my Hebrew studying, although Kristin and I kicked butt on our oral exam. The only real thing I have left before I leave is the Hebrew final on June 12th. I will also probably give a presentation in one of my classes, about the paper I have almost finished, but that is dependent upon how much the prof talks today and who (and in what order) presents next week. Oh, I guess I also have an oral exam in my methodology class - I guess I better schedule that and review the texts! Hard to believe a week from today is the last day of class! Today is the end-of-the-year party, with Ben & Jerry's :)

As you can probably tell, I don't really have a lot to report - but am desperately avoiding paper-writing!

A Confession and a Whole Lot of Reflection

I have a confession: In addition to my blog, I have also been keeping an old fashioned journal. My first semester, I was very diligent about writing in it every night, recording even some of the more mundane aspects of life abroad. But this semester, I have been rather lax. Perhaps I got out of the habit when my parents were visiting back in January and just never got back into the groove. As it is, I am lucky to get to it weekly, and sometimes weeks or even a month (or more!) goes by without a single entry.

And there are many weeks that I struggle with posting an update here.

The problem is not that as time goes on I have less to say but rather that I do not know how to put into words what I am experiencing, what I am feeling. It's been a rough semester - been sick a lot, haven't been able to sleep, lacking energy, missing home - and that's just what is going on with me personally. There were all the rockets Gaza launched into Israel, the bombing in downtown that killed a Rothberg student, Israel's return-fire on Gaza that not only killed terrorists but also innocent children, the assassination of Bin Laden, the death of an Palestinian teen at the hands of the IDF, and most recently, the events of Nakba Day (the day the Arabs mourn the establishment of the State of Israel, which usually includes some form of violence). And that, I know, is just a short list of the highlights.

Perhaps I should be afraid, and maybe I am a little bit, sometimes. But for the most part, fear is not part of my daily life. I go to class, study, buy groceries at the corner store once or twice a week, go to synagogue. Occasionally, I take the bus to the center of town, to go to dinner with friends or to make a trip to the shuk. I watch TV, talk to Mom, miss my Gabby-girl and play with Sierra instead.

Sometimes I feel numb, like I am just going through the motions. Sometimes I forget that I am in Israel; other times, I wonder how the hell I ended up here in the first place. Why in the world would I ever choose to move halfway around the world to Jerusalem?!? (And perhaps more importantly, why did my parents allow me to do so?!?) And yet I know that I have grown more in these past 7 1/2 months than the rest of my life combined. I know that I needed to come here in order to become the person I need to be, the person I want to be. I thought I came here to learn at Hebrew U, but the most important lessons I have learned have mainly been outside the classroom walls.

And despite it all, despite how excited I am to be leaving in three weeks, I can hardly believe that the school year is almost up, that I will be re-packing my life into 2 suitcases and moving back home, leaving all this behind. I have no desire to stay in Israel - as one of my friends here said, Israel quickly loses its appeal, especially if you are not Jewish - but I will miss the friends I have made, the people whose lives have touched and affected mine, who I would have never met if I didn't decide on a total whim to apply. And I know that home is not going to be the same home that I left. Many of my friends at MTSO graduated yesterday; most of them I will not see again. My goddaughter will turn one three days after I return, and another friend just had a baby on Thursday. I will not know most of the student body come fall, since I did not have a chance to meet any of the 2010 new students. My friends will have new friends, and I will have to learn how to adjust. A whole year will have went by, a whole year of which I was not a part.

And yet, I know that somehow, everything will be just fine.

East Jerusalem, An Alien City

I came to Israel with my trusty Tanakh as my only book, though I have since acquired a kindle. My roommate Annie, however, somehow managed to pack an entire bookcase. Annie, being her generous self, has lent me several books throughout the school year, most recently The Amos Oz Reader, a collection of essays from many of Amos Oz's books. A week ago, I read "An Alien City" from Under This Blazing Light, published in 1968. It is mostly reflections on Jerusalem prior to the Six Day War, ending with the reunification of Jerusalem after the 1967 war. While things have changed a lot in the past 63 years and especially in the past 44 years, much of it is still a relatively accurate portrayal of life in Jerusalem today - especially life in East Jerusalem, and the life of an international student.

Thus, I would like to share several quotes from the essay, along with my reflections.

First, on life prior to 1967:

I knew that Jerusalem was surrounded by forces that wanted me dead.

Later I moved away from Jerusalem. I still love the city as one loves a disdainful woman. Sometimes, when I had nothing better to do, I used to go to Jerusalem to woo her.

I liked Jerusalem because it was a city at the end of the road, a city you could get to but never go through, and also because Jerusalem was never really part of the State of Israel: with the exception of a few streets, it always maintained a separate identity, as though it was deliberately turning its back on all those flat white commercial towns: Tel Aviv, Holon, Herzlia, Netanya.

And there was fear in Jerusalem: an inner fear that must never be named or expressed in words, but that gathered, accumulated, solidified in winding alleys and isolated lanes.

All my childhood years were spent in the proximity of streets that must not be approached, dangerous alleyways, scars of war damage, no-man's-land.

And, life after 1967:

My dreams had deceived me, the nightmares were unfounded, the perpetual dread had suddenly been transformed into a cruel arabesque joke.

Jerusalem is mine, yet a stranger to me; captured and yet resentful; yielding, yet withdrawn.

Living in Jerusalem today, one still has this sense of fear, the fear that "the Other" is out to get you. For the Israelis, the fear is of the Palestinians; for the Palestinians, the fear is of the Israelis. Whether or not the fear is founded is another issue. I have lived through a bombing in Jerusalem at the hands of Palestinian terrorists that killed one of my classmates, but I have also lived through the Israeli revenge air strike that took out innocent children in addition to terrorists. I live within walking distance of the security wall. I see how the Israelis have forced the Palestinians out and how they can make their life a living hell just because. While I do not live in fear, I see others around me who do, and the longer I am here, the more muddled the issue becomes. I still support the Palestinians, but I also realize that they are not without their faults, that they have indeed things to warrant, at least on occasion, Israeli fear. And still today, even though the city is "reunified," there is still a sense that there are certain places in the city to which one must not go. Of course, I am stubborn and think that my Americanness will spare me any real harm, so I tend to ignore these unspoken rules, especially when the reasoning is "you can't go to such-and-such place because it is Arab." I fear the Old City vendors more than I fear the Arab neighborhoods.

Even today, I get the sense that Jerusalem is in a league of its own, the capital of Israel and yet still not part of Israel. To be sure, Jerusalem is in its own way a microcosm of the state, a place where the ultra-religious and the wholly secular meet, a place that is sacred to all the monotheistic faiths. It is an interesting city, to be sure, one that I still don't seem to have a handle on, but I always feel this sense of relief when I manage to get out of the city, even just for a few hours. Perhaps it is because I have never really lived in a city. Its very hugeness can be oppressive at times. On a few occasions, I have went out on my own, to the market and once to the Old City. It is a surreal experience. For one thing, riding the bus by myself has always been unsettling, trying to figure out what stop I need, forced to sit by a stranger - or worse, forced to stand and be thrown about like a rag doll. And then knowing how to interact with people, both on and off the bus. Do I say "shalom" to the ultra-orthodox man or do I avert my gaze? Do I make room for the Arab family to pass or do I just ignore them? (Will my politeness be interpreted as a form of racism?) Do I try to speak Hebrew or just ask in English? (For the record, almost always when I ask a question in Hebrew it is answered in English.) While a simple outing can be refreshing, it can also be mentally exhausting.

I think Amos Oz captures the essence of Jerusalem, at least for me. "Jerusalem is mine, yet a stranger to me," and "I still love the city as one loves a disdainful woman." This place has been my home for the past 7+ months, and even though I am counting down the days till I am back in Ohio, back to my real home, I know that I will miss Jerusalem. As frustrating as the city is, there is something about it. Maybe there is something in the water, but the city seems to get in your blood. My heart never quite left Ohio, but I have a feeling that my heart will never quite leave Israel either.

Life and Death, Joy and Sorrow

Monday morning, shortly after 8:30am, I was sitting in Hebrew class, my first class after the nearly 2 1/2 week Pesach break, wishing I was still curled up in bed. The teacher was asking us something in Hebrew, but I didn't quite catch it. I looked at my friend Kristin, who was sitting beside me, and she whispered "the news." I shrugged my shoulders. I tend to take an "ignorance is bliss" approach to the news. I thought maybe the teacher was referring to something about Holocaust Remembrance Day, which that day was. One of the Korean students responded, and the teacher repeated her answer so we could all hear it. (Half the class is Korean, and they all speak so softly, at least in Hebrew, that no one can hear what they say.) I heard her say "bin Laden," and I was a bit confused. What did bin Laden have to do with the Holocaust? (Clearly, I was only half-paying attention.) Then, to make sure we all understood, the teacher repeated the news in English (an extremely rare occurrence in Hebrew class). Bin Laden was dead? The classroom broke out in a buzz of English and Korean as we all processed the news. I looked at Kristin again, and in disbelief, I asked her, "Haven't we already killed him like ten times?" (I was actually thinking about Hussein and the public airing of his hanging which interrupted my Friday evening TV viewing a few years ago and how later there were rumors, maybe even confirmations, that we actually killed his double.) Kristin shrugged.

Bin Laden was dead. In a split second, I was back in sophomore honors English, where at around 9:45am on 9/11/01 our teacher took us to the library to watch the news coverage of the attack on the Twin Towers. We watched in utter disbelief and complete terror as they re-played the footage of the planes hitting the buildings over and over, as if it was on some sort of loop. We could see little specks falling to the ground - people jumping to their deaths. And then, one of the towers collapsed right before our eyes, live on TV. Most of us had just come from Chamber Singers, and someone suddenly said, "What about our trip?" Our choir was scheduled to go to NYC in just a couple of months, right before Thanksgiving. My eyes were still fixed on the TV, waiting for the scene to change, for someone to say it was just part of some cruel movie. Even when I realized it was indeed a terrorist attack, my 15-year-old brain couldn't understand what that meant. Why would it affect our trip plans? Why would it affect anything? Al-Qaeda, Taliban, bin Laden, Hussein - these weren't part of my vocabulary. At best, I had a vague recollection of what they were. I'm not so sure I even knew what the Twin Towers were before that day.

By the time my thoughts had returned to the present, just a few seconds later, the teacher had already moved on. It was as if she had just announced the date of the oral exam, not the assassination of the US's most wanted man.

I wasn't able to get online to check the news until a few hours later, after Hebrew class and after the Holocaust Remembrance Ceremony hosted by Rothberg. I skimmed a few news stories reporting the ambush on the compound and the DNA confirmation that it was indeed bin Laden. I found a link to the text of Obama's speech. And then I turned to facebook to see what the reactions were of my friends back in the US. Since arriving in Israel, I haven't really followed my newsfeed; it is pretty much impossible to keep up with everyone half a world a way so I don't really try. But that day, I wanted to see what people were thinking and saying, mainly because I wasn't so sure how I felt. I found mixed responses: many were joyously celebrating the death of bin Laden, but others were denouncing the death of anyone, even someone as evil as bin Laden. While I was disturbed at the sort of enjoyment some seemed to get out of the news, I was equally appalled by the sense of righteous indignation that others seemed to be displaying. I don't mean to criticize anyone; we are all entitled to our own thoughts and feelings, especially in response to something like the death of bin Laden. But as someone who is currently living in the Middle East, I can tell you that we (for the most part) feel neither joy or sorrow at the death of bin Laden. While some of my friends here have joked about it now being safer to live in Israel that the US (although I still maintain that Ohio is pretty much the safest place to be - I mean, who is going to attack a bunch of cornfields?), the truth is, none of us see the point behind it. Yes, bin Laden was a bad man and the world is probably better off without him. His death, however, does not solve anything. Al-Qaeda still exists and will continue to exist. A new leader will emerge and vengeance will be taken, most likely on US soil. We're supposedly fighting over "there" (the Middle East) so we won't have to fight over "here" (the US), but the assassination of bin Laden will probably lead to bringing the war back home, even if it just momentarily.

Despite the news of bin Laden's death on Monday, we were all reminded that murder doesn't solve anything as we observed Holocaust Remembrance Day. Hilter and the Nazis celebrated the death of 11 million people - 6 million Jews and 5 million Roma (gypsies), homosexuals, developmentally delayed persons, African-Germans, Jehovah Witnesses and others - but in the end, life triumphed over death. On Monday, we mourned the loss of those 11 million people, but we also celebrated their lives. Most of them will remain nameless, faceless to me, their stories never reaching my ears, but that does not mean I can't cherish their lives, each as an individual. I remember one day in the Holocaust class I took in undergrad wondering, "What if Einstein had died in the Holocaust?" Einstein was, after all, a German-born Jew. Suddenly, almost in a panic, I realized that dozens, hundreds, thousands of Einsteins did die in the Holocaust. Who knows what those who died might have accomplished if they had lived? Many had already made important contributions before they were murdered. And so I celebrate their lives, not just what they did for society but also for who they were as children of God. And I mourn their deaths, the potential that was snatched away from them, the potential that we as a society were denied, the love that they had to share.

On Monday, I chose to celebrate the lives and mourn the deaths of those 11 million souls, and to celebrate the anniversary of the birth of my father. I chose not to celebrate nor mourn the death of bin Laden. I chose them over him.

Old City Vendors, Hiking & Sleepless Nights

Today is my last day of the break, although classes did resume today for those who had class. After a 2 1/2 week break, you would think I would be ready to return to class, but no, I really am not. I have rather enjoyed the laziness of sleeping in (when my body would cooperate) and the freedom to do whatever I felt like.

The past week has went by rather quickly. Pesach ended Monday at sundown, so Annie and I decided to celebrate in style and had our favorite, Focaccia's, for dinner. It was hametz-filled goodness. I spent some time with the baby on Tuesday, while her momma prepared for her 1st birthday party the next day. On Wednesday, I ventured into the Old City to do some souvenir shopping. I was intending to buy presents but ended up only buying for myself. And of course, I overstayed my welcome, meaning that I did not leave before the vendors started getting to me. I know they need to make a living, but they are so pushy! After the Old City was the birthday party, with Beth's amazing homemade cake & cupcakes, complete with homemade icing! The little one is all but walking now. I can't believe I am missing my godbaby's 1st birthday, even if it is just by 4 days. :-(

Annie and I visited En Gedi on Thursday, which was an adventure. First, Annie almost didn't get on the bus - she had to go to the ATM and by the time she got back and back in line, the bus was full. I couldn't get off because I already had my ticket punched. But somehow, by the grace of God, Annie was the very last person that was allowed to board the bus. It meant that she had to stand for a good chunk of the trip but at least we arrived together! We had no problem getting into the national park (even though my temporary pass has technically expired and I never called in to get the permanent one...). We hiked up to the waterfalls, which I had seen with my parents back in January, and then continued on to the Chalcolithic Temple (c. 3000 BCE). That hike all but killed me. It was steep, with a loose gravel/sand path and uneven steps. At one point we had to climb these steps that were between a cliff and a rock-wall. Instead of having a rail to keep us from falling down the cliff, there was a steel cable attached to the rock-wall. I was literally pulling myself up by the cable, all the while hearing my mom's voice freaking out in my head. We had to make frequent stops, mainly for me, but in the end we survived, even if I am still a bit sore! After we finished the hike, we visited the ancient synagogue, which dates to the 4th-6th c. CE - Annie's period. I saw it with my parents but there was school children on a field trip so we couldn't see it as much as I would have liked. But it was just me and Annie, so we took our time and I may have climbed on things I probably shouldn't have to take better photos, but I promise I didn't climb on anything too important...

I haven't really done much of anything the past few days. Just working on a midterm paper and studying Hebrew, and most importantly, trying to catch up on some much-needed rest. I did have coffee with my language buddy Ayana yesterday, at 4:30 in the afternoon, so I couldn't fall asleep last night - and then proceeded to wake up before 7am this morning. It is no wonder I am always exhausted and never have any energy - I probably don't get half the sleep here as I did at home! But I will be home before I know it and will probably wish I was back here.

Sacrifices, Seders and Artifacts

So I didn't get around to updating mid-week as planned, so I have lots to write about and in hopes of not forgetting anything, I'm just going to do a day-by-day report of break so far:

Sunday (17.4) - Beth called and asked if I wanted to go to the Samaritan Passover sacrifice with them. I was half-asleep, so I was sure I heard her wrong but I said yes anyways. (See, Meg, I am listening to you and saying yes to everything - whether or not I actually hear what I am being invited to do!) But we did indeed go to the Samaritan Passover sacrifice at Mount Gerizim. The Samaritans trace their genealogy back to the Northern Kingdom of Israel, defeated by the Assyrians in 722 BCE. Mount Gerizim was where their temple was, pretty much from the beginning. Today, there are fewer than 1,000 Samaritans left (the figures I saw/heard were 600 and 750). They are the only ones who still sacrifice lambs for Pesach (Passover), and the ceremony begins at sundown the day before Pesach begins. [Pesach began at sundown on Monday; the ceremony began at sundown on Sunday.] It was an interesting experience, and pictures will be up on facebook later today. Basically, all non-Samaritans (except some photographers) had to remain outside the temple complex, either in the stands or around the fences surrounding the complex. We sat on the bottom row of the stands, in the right corner, so basically we couldn't really see anything. The stands, as my pictures demonstrate, were also separated from the temple complex by a chain fence. I couldn't really understand what was going on, as everything was in Hebrew, and I couldn't tell who was who. Thankfully, I did not see them kill or skin the lambs, although I was able to see some of the headless, skinless lambs after they had been skewered to be roasted. We left at that point, as it was already past the baby's bedtime and we were an hour from Jerusalem. It is not something I would want to go to again, but I am glad I had the chance to go. The people in the stands were not very polite, and the mood in the stands was not all that holy. I felt more like a spectator than a participant or observer of a sacred rite. That part was frustrating, because the annual sacrifice is clearly a sacred rite, dating back to Moses, and that sanctity was disrupted for me by crowds straining to see and people yelling for those in front to sit down. Nevertheless, it was still nice to experience the religious traditions of another people of the Holy Land.

Monday (18.4) - Pesach officially began at sundown. The seder I attended was actually rather short; it started around 7pm and I was home by 12:30am. We skipped and/or summarized many parts because they wanted the children to experience as much of the seder as possible before they fell asleep. (Unlike many seders, no one tried to keep the children up through it all!) I had never been to a seder before, so I didn't always know what was going on, but I really enjoyed it. There were 14 of us: the host couple; their daughter, son-in-law and three grandchildren; two other relatives of the hosts (cousins or neice/nephew...not sure); a guy doing a gap year before college (as was the male relative); two young people who had recently made aliyah; and myself and another Rothberg (undergrad) student. The food was good, and there was so much of it! Appetizers, soup, two kinds of potatoes, two kinds of meats, couscous, at least two vegetables, fruit, and two different cakes for dessert! Lots of singing, too - both traditional Pesach songs and some written by various family members. We also incorporated some feminist elements to the seder. The seder plate included all the traditional items plus an orange. Apparently back when women were not allowed to lead synagogue (I'm not sure if they meant lead anything or just to be a rabbi), there was a saying that women belonged up front like an orange belonged on a seder plate. So, of course, women started including oranges on their seder plates. Also, in addition to the Elijah cup, we had a Miriam cup. It is traditional to have an empty chair and a wine cup for Elijah; but instead of pouring Elijah his own cup, we passed the cup around and we all poured some of our wine (or in my case, grape juice) into it. We did the same with the Miriam cup, but with water. It is a means of recognizing the importance of Miriam in the Exodus story (after all, she did kinda help keep Moses alive!). Another tradition is hiding a piece of matza for the children to find. Whoever finds it gets a prize, but of course, like every good grandmother, our host had a gift for each grandchild - and each of us young people! All in all, it was a wonderful evening.

Tuesday (19.4) - First day of Pesach. Pretty much everything was closed, and I didn't really do a whole lot, other than reading for classes. Also took a walk around French Hill (the neighborhood the kfar is in).

Wednesday (20.4) - Another low key day.

Thursday (21.4) - Went to the Bible Land Museum and the Botanical Garden, both of which were free for Pesach, with my friend Rebekah. The museum contains artifacts from periods and areas relating to the Bible (go figure!). It's not a very big place - we saw everything in about an hour and a half - but I was impressed with the quality of the artifacts. Some of it was even better preserved than what they have next door at the Israel Museum. After we finished at the museum, since it was nice out, we decided to walk down to the garden, which took a little while to find.There are two Hebrew U campuses in Jerusalem; Mount Scopus, the original campus and the one where the international school is located, and Givat Ram, which was built after 1948, when the original campus was inaccessible due to the outcome of the 1948 war. Both schools have botanical gardens. At Mount Scopus, our garden contains plants from all over Israel. The garden at Givat Ram, however, contains plants from all over the world and is huge. It was pretty, and Rebekah and I felt at home when we wandered into the section with plants from North America!

Friday (22.4) - The lovely miss Becky (Annie's little sister) joined us for the weekend. Becky made aliyah after high school and has been here almost two years now. The three of us had a laundry party - what else do you do on a Friday night when everything is closed for Shabbat? Other than that, I just did more homework.

Saturday (23.4) - More homework. And dinner with Annie and Becky. After Shabbat ended, we caught a bus to the center of town and ate at Spaghettis, a kosher restaurant that is also kosher for Pesach (כשר לפסח). So for the first (and probably last) time in my life, I had noodles (Alfredo) without hametz (literally, "the dough"). I am glad I went and experienced such cuisine, but it's not something I am hoping to repeat. The noodles were an interesting texture and were kinda chewy, but I got two meals out of them. Another staple during Pesach is, of course, matza. Apparently, there is some sort of unwritten rule that only non-Jews actually like matza (probably because we are not forced to eat it every year and can supplement it with other hametz-y foods). So, of course, I do indeed enjoy matza and ended up buying a 2.5 kg (~5.4 lbs) box of it at the store.

Today (24.4) - Easter! I figured since I am normally a heathen and don't go to church (other than Christmas Day), I should at least go on Easter. I went with Beth's family to St. George's Cathedral, an Episcopal Church. I had never been to an Episcopal (or Anglican) church before (at least not that I can recall), so that in itself made it an interesting experience. The bishop was there, along with several priests and a couple of what appeared to be priests-in-training (seminary students?). For Easter, they combine their English and Arabic speaking congregations. All the songs and responses were done simultaneously in English and Arabic, but it seemed like the majority of the liturgy (meaning the priests' parts) was done in Arabic. The Gospel and the sermon were both done first in Arabic and then in English. The first lesson was only done in Arabic - I don't even know what it was. I would have preferred it if the sermon was treated more like a translation - a sentence or two in Arabic, then in English. I'm an adult and even I had a hard time sitting through a sermon in a language I didn't understand! The poor little kids were all restless and there were lots of dirty looks being cast, but what can you expect? I'm sure they didn't even understand the sermon in their language. They also use a lot of incense, so I have had a headache pretty much all day. But it was a nice worship celebration.

I think that's pretty much it. I feel like I haven't gotten nearly enough accomplished, considering break is more than half over, but I am at least enjoying my break some.

Quick Update

I am on break until May. For some reason, even though Pesach doesn't begin until Monday evening, Pesach break started Thursday. Not that I am complaining, just seemed strange to have an entire week of class minus one day.

The desert trip was cancelled. :(

Decided to go on a mini-adventure Thursday. Went to the market and Ben Yehuda. Bought a kilo of strawberries (1 kg = 2.2 lbs...were gone in less than 30 hours...), potatoes, candied almonds, challah, a couple treats and a few souvenirs. And then I decided to get a focaccia for "take away" (as they call "to go" here) from Focaccia Bar, which is pretty much my favorite restaurant here. Spent entirely too much money but had a good time. I needed to get out of the Hebrew U bubble, even just for a few hours.

All in all, it's been a pretty low-key week. Only been on break a few days and already have been ridiculously productive. I will have 4-5 final papers to write after classes end (due between July 16 and August 16), so I am trying to get a jumpstart on those. And I bought the Bet (second level) Hebrew textbook before break started, so maybe I will start to teach myself more Hebrew. My Hebrew class is going soooo slow, which I probably shouldn't complain about since most other kids are complaining about how fast their classes are going. So for my own mental well-being, I need to work ahead.

Not much else to report. Spring is in full gear here, which means my allergies are wreaking havoc on me. Had a couple breakdowns earlier this week, mainly because break has started and many of my friends have left for home or to travel abroad and I am here with no real plans. But I am doing better, at least for the moment. I am hoping to make some day trips and maybe visit a few places around Jerusalem I haven't been to yet. Trying to make the most of the time I have left in Israel and reminding myself I will be home before I know it!

I may try to update mid-week, about my first Pesach Seder!!

Food and Hebrewness

So I am finally healthy, or at least as healthy as I get. My complete inability to sleep in Israel (at least without the aid of Tyledol PM) persists. At this point I think it is safe to say that my body has rejected Israel.

All in all, it was a pretty atypical week, though it felt like every other week. I had my Hebrew midterm on Tuesday, and, if I may say so, I kicked butt. I have been craving Focaccia like crazy, so Kristin and I indulged on Wednesday, and then the lovely Ms. Becky (Annie's sister) decided to grace us with her presence Thursday evening. We had Burger's Bar (or rather Annie, Becky and Kristin did and I just stole half their fries!) while Annie gave us a detailed account of her whirlwind tour of PhD schools in the States.

Friday I went to Ein Kerem with Ayana, my language buddy. The pictures are already posted on Facebook; if you're not on FB and you want to see them, let me know and I will send you the link. Ein Kerem is Hebrew for "spring of the vineyard" and according to tradition, it was the home of Zechariah and Elizabeth, parents of John the Baptist, and where Mary visited when both women were pregnant. We visited the spring, over which a mosque was built, and the Church of the Visitation, commemorating the aforementioned event. Elizabeth was also said to have hidden in the mountains with John during the "Slaughter of the Innocents" - a tradition with which I was not familiar. I thought the "slaughter" was limited to Bethlehem. Anyways, after we saw the church, Ayana really wanted ice cream and who was I to deny her that?

Ayana dropped me off back at the kfar around 6pm, which gave me plenty of time to prepare for synagogue, which doesn't start until 7pm now, thanks to the time change last week. Annie accompanied me, and we ended up having Shabbat dinner with the rabbi and her family. Pesach (Passover) is coming up, so I had asked if there were people in the congregation who were hosting international students for the seder. In the process, the rabbi invited us to Shabbat dinner. They have 3 little girls, the oldest of whom is no more than 9 or 10 (if that). It is a truly bilingual (Hebrew and English) household, and all of them switched back and forth in the same conversation. The youngest, who is 2, uses both in the same sentence, but that is to be expected. Having Shabbat dinner with a rabbi's family was a different experience, as was having it in a home with young children. I had a good time, and the food was delicious!

When I had asked about seder, I originally asked the person who had made the announcements, and he in turn called the rabbi over. She asked me something - I believe it was if I was an international student - and I answered "yes", but in Hebrew - it's become almost an automatic thing to say yes or no (along with other random words) in Hebrew. But since I answered in Hebrew, she responded in Hebrew. I just looked at her and said, "I have no idea what you just said," which made everyone - including Annie and the announcer-guy - burst out laughing. The man thought maybe she didn't realize she switched to Hebrew, but she said she did, that it was because I said ken (yes). I guess that will teach me from throwing Hebrew around! I do try to use it as much as I can when I am out - I can request a non-smoking table and ask for 300 grams of cheese at the deli in Hebrew - but my vocabulary is still rather limited. I tried to order in Hebrew at the ice cream shop, but the guy lost patience with me immediately and was like "I do speak English." Oh well.

But anyways. I will be attending a Pesach seder, at the home of a couple who moved here from the US 30+ years ago. They are hosting some other students/young people and their daughter's (I think) family, including three children under nine. Jon is supposed to be hosting a seder but not on the first night of Pesach, so hopefully I will celebrate Pesach for the first time twice - and in Jerusalem! I am also supposed to go on a "trip to the desert" Thursday-Friday this week, although if more people don't sign up tomorrow it may be cancelled. :(

Randomness

So today I thought I would post some random reflections on living in Israel.

1. I'm an Old Maid

When I moved to Israel, I suddenly became an old maid. Back home, I didn't really give much thought to being a 24-year-old single female. In fact, I rather enjoyed it. I could focus on my studies and hang out with my friends - and when I decided I wanted to study at Hebrew U, I didn't have to convince a guy that moving halfway around the world was what was best for me and my vocational goals. But once I arrived here in Israel, I discovered that everyone is married. Okay, not really, but there is an overwhelming number of girls my age (and younger) who are married. Perhaps it is just more noticeable when a large percentage of the population are religious, which translates into head coverings for married females. Not to mention the abundance of pregnant women and small children. Walking through Hebrew U, I pass dozens of pregnant women and even several strollers each day. I can't imagine how they do it. I had a hard enough time juggling a boyfriend and school some days, let alone an entire family!

2. Neither Tourist nor Resident...

As a student studying abroad, I am in this weird position of being neither a tourist nor a resident. Perhaps it's the same for all students studying abroad, I don't know. But at least here in Israel, it seems as if everyone is either a tourist (or a pilgrim) or a resident (Israeli or Palestinian), which, of course, leaves all of us international students out. In my case, my Hebrew is so elementary that I pretty much fall under the category of "tourist" as far as the Israelis are concerned. A few weeks back, we read several articles about pilgrimage for my methodology class, which is what got me really thinking about all of this. My first trip here, I was a tourist. We had a tour guide and a tour bus and we went to all the tourist places, although we also went to some additional, less tourist-y places. But this time around (other than the few weeks my parents were here), I am not a tourist. I have taken up residence, even if I am not a resident. Perhaps I am a "pilgrim," though not in the traditional sense of the word. I am not here to visit all the churches and re-trace Jesus' footsteps, but I am here to deepen my connection with the Divine and to attempt to figure out my life (if that is even possible). For me, the holy is not so much in the pretty churches as it is in the archaeology, the landscape, the language.

3. Israel is on Israel's Time

Literally. Everyone else set their clocks ahead a few weeks ago, but no, not Israel. We waited until Thursday night/Friday morning to "spring forward." They also "fall back" at a different time - I believe it coincides with Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish new year. I was told there was likewise a religious reason for the delay in springing forward, but I don't know what that would be. Purim was a couple of weeks ago, and Pesach (Passover) isn't for a couple more weeks. But regardless, while the rest of you have adjusted to the time change, I am suffering through it now. And not too happy about it.

4. 5 Girls, 2 Toilets, 1 Shower = Bad Math

That's right, we are now a full-house. Benni moved in with a friend from Italy, and two undergrads from Chicago moved in shortly afterwards. The girls are nice, but 5 people sharing one apartment feels like cruel and unusual punishment to me. Okay, it's really not that bad, and so far I don't think there has been any issues with the toilets or the shower - or even the kitchen, where we are currently sharing one cooking pot with a broken handle. But I have a feeling this could get pretty old pretty fast, regardless of them being nice. 5 people, and especially 5 girls, in one apartment is just asking for trouble. Really wishing I would have been housed in one of the grad apartments (where they are 2 or 3 bedrooms each) right about now! There was a reason I never joined a sorority!

Okay, that's it for now. Have a lovely week everyone!

Rockets and Bombs and Deaths - Oh My!

It's been a rough week.

After suffering through hives and the prednisone side effects, I ended up back at the clinic on Tuesday with a sinus infection. In the States, I have always had doctors check my nose, throat and ears, but this doctor decided to bypass my nose and ears and to press really hard on my face instead. I have witnesses who claim this is a legit means of diagnosis, but let me tell you, I prefer the less painful approach of looking at my ears and nose! The doc gave me scripts for amoxycillin and codeine - again, never had codeine prescribed for a sinus infection, but the pharmacist acted like it was normal. I only took three of them, one each evening the first three days, and I was amazed at how all the pressure in my head magically disappeared! Of course, instead of getting codeine's drowsiness, I ended up with amoxycillin's insomnia. I really can't win when it comes to side effects.

Of course, the real news of the week was the bombing near the central bus station on Wednesday. I was in class when it happened. Someone from the grad office came and told us the news and did a roll call. We were all in shock. I was actually there the day before, since the clinic is nearby. (Normally I have no reason to go there.) Class continued, but I can't say that I really paid attention after that. I spent the rest of the class checking Google News for updates and emailing my friends and family to let them know what had happened and that I was okay. It was initially reported as a bus bombing, but the bomb was actually on the sidewalk, near some of the bus stops. From what I understand, the blast hit two buses. Over thirty people were injured, and one, a 54-year-old British woman, was killed. That woman was a student at Rothberg and the classmate of one of my roommates. She came to Israel to learn Hebrew so she could translated the Hebrew Bible into one of the African dialects. She had spent 20 years living in west Africa and had already translated the New Testament. It's all so tragic.

Thursday, it was more or less business as usual, although we did learn bomb-related words in Hebrew.

Yesterday, four pipe bombs were found in the possession of several Palestinians at one of the checkpoints.

Prior to the bombing in Jerusalem, there were already increased tensions between the Israelis and Palestinians. I don't really know anything more than what I read on Google News (and I admit, I don't always check it as often as I should), but apparently Gaza has launched some rockets into Ashdod, Ashkelon and Beer-Sheba. In response to these rockets and the bombing on Wednesday, Israel has launched rockets into Gaza. And of course, Gaza responded to that with more rockets. The Israeli mortar attack killed 9 Palestinians, including 4 civilians - 3 of whom were children, with an additional 19 Palestinians injured. According to one report, there were "no victims" from the over 100 rockets launched by Gaza last week. Israel is threatening a major ground invasion, larger than Operation Cast Lead of 2008.

I don't know why Hamas and Gaza decided to attack Israel, and I don't trust the media to offer an unbiased report of the events. I do not condone violence (even if I am admittedly seemingly obsessed with it) and I do not agree with any of the violence that has occurred over the past week. Six months ago, Israel and Palestine were sitting down to talk about peace. Now they are bombing each other. How is violence going to lead to peace? I understand that the Palestinians are desperate, and honestly, I don't blame them. But are attacks on settlers, rockets and bombings going to solve anything? All it does is give Israel an excuse to retaliate, and let's face it, Israel can do far more damage to Palestine. Gaza managed to launch over 100 rockets without killing any Israelis, military or civilians, but with just one hour of bombing, Israel killed 9, including 3 children. I don't know if Gaza intentionally chose targets that wouldn't result in fatalities or if Israel wanted their bombs to be lethal (although the latter seems likely, since the Israeli defense of the deaths was that they took out 4 known Palestinians militants), but the statistics don't lie: the Israelis are more efficient when it comes to killing their enemy. There is no question about Israel's military prowess. So why is Hamas giving Israel any excuse to attack innocent Palestinians? I don't understand it. And after Wednesday's bombing, and especially since the only fatality was a foreigner, Israel pretty much has the world's support.

Don't get me wrong. What happened on Wednesday was inexcusable. But so was the death of four innocent Palestinians, among whom were three children, at the hands of Israel.

Side Effects of a Day Trip

So it has not been the best week. The prednisone brought the hives under control in no time, but the side effects had me wondering on multiple occasions if the cure wasn't worse than the disease. Insomnia, nausea, lightheadedness, inability to concentrate - you name it, I had it. I even started having side effects of side effects! I spent most of the weekend, in bed, attempting to recover from the prednisone. I never, ever want to be on this stuff again!

Despite feeling more dead than alive most of the week, I actually did a lot more than I normally do. Tuesday was Annie's birthday, so Kristin and I (and Kristin's friend Meg who is visiting) had a mini-surprise party for her. She had class until 8pm, so we couldn't go out, but we made chocolate-covered strawberries and spent some quality time together. We celebrated more officially on Thursday, when we (the four of us plus Jon) had dinner at Focaccia Bar, which is one of our favs. We had a grand ol' time, although I did have to duck out after a couple of hours because I was having major side effect issues and needed fresh air.

Today I went on a day trip with some of the other grad students to the north, to Akko, Kibbutz Yagur and Daliat el-Carmel. It was a lovely day and so nice to get away from campus and from Jerusalem. At Akko, we saw remains from the old city, from the Crusader and Ottoman periods, along with the British prison where members of the Jewish resistance organizations (Haganah, Irgun and Lehi) were imprisoned. We bought lunch in the Arab market and walked to the Mediterranean via the Templar Tunnels. Akko has an interesting history because in its 4000 years of existence, it has always had a 'mixed' occupancy - even in the glory days of David and Solomon, Akko was never fully defeated by Israel. Apparently Napoleon was also defeated at Akko in 1799, and according to our tour guide, his visit is what sparked modern interest in Israel. (I am sure he contributed to Western interest in the land, but it seemed to be a rather slanted view of history. The tour guide said there was nothing in Israel for all those centuries - which, of course, isn't true - and, of course, it wasn't Israel, it was Palestine. But that's just me.)

Anyways, after Akko, we visited Kibbutz Yagur, which is the kibbutz on which our grad student assistant Maya grew up. It is one of the original kibbutzim and played an important role in the foundation of the State of Israel, with several of the Haganah missions being launched from there. It was very interesting to see the kibbutz and to hear how it operates. It is still very much communal, more so than many of the other ones in Israel. Everyone must give all their money to the kibbutz, and each month each family is given an allowance according to the number of people. It is not very much money - not enough to save anything - but their housing, healthcare, schools, etc. are all covered. They also don't own their own cars - the kibbutz owns 100 or so cars and apparently there is some system in place that allows the members to use them. And they have cows! They weren't guernseys, but they still made me :)

Our last stop today was Daliat el-Carmel, a Druze village. Being Druze, from my understanding, is sort of like being Jewish - it is both an ethnicity, in that you are born a Druze, and a religion. However, there is no becoming Druze. The religion originated in the 11th c. as an offshoot of Islam and there was a very short period of time that people were allowed to join. They are an esoteric monotheistic religion whose primary or supreme prophet is Jethro, the father-in-law of Moses. They also believe in reincarnation. Other than that, though, there is not much to tell because only the religious Druze are allowed to read their holy books. There are roughly 1 million Druze in the world, about 100,000 or so in Israel. Something interesting about the Druze is that they do not want their own country. They believe in being good citizens of the country in which they live. Which means the Druze here in Israel identify as Israelis (not Arabs or Palestinians), and they serve in the IDF with the Israeli Jews. Apparently it is not uncommon for Druze to stay in the IDF and rise in the ranks, and many Druze could be considered Zionists.

Okay, that is enough of a history lesson for today. There was more that I was going to write about, but it is late and I am exhausted. Pictures from today will hopefully be posted on facebook tomorrow.

Hives, Hebrew & Ham

The highlights of the past week all seem to be "H" oriented.

On Thursday, I rather spontaneously decided to accompany Annie and Kristin on their quest to find an air mattress and bedding. It started out at the bookstore on campus, where Kristin had previous success in locating an air mattress. All we found was 50% off Dr. Seuss in Hebrew for me and 80% off some book on translations for Annie. Of course, I deliberately chose Green Eggs and Ham without thinking about the irony of that particular book being translated into Hebrew. However, the Hebrew title, לא רעב ולא אוהב, means Not Hungry and Don't Like, and throughout the book that is the translation for "green eggs and ham." Alas, Israel has koshorized Dr Seuss! When I return to the States, we can have storytime in Hebrew! [On a related note, a few weeks ago, I was given a Hebrew copy of the New Testament, which made me rather happy.] After Annie and I made our 'elephant' purchases, we tried our luck at the non-bookstore on campus (the name I gave it because both stores are called Academon) but to no avail. So we decided to make an afternoon of it and travel to the Jerusalem Mall, which is about an hour-long bus ride, to try Home Center. Success! We found both an air mattress and bedding for cheap (cheap for Israel AND cheap for the US - that NEVER happens!). And since we were having such a lovely time together (and had no desire to do homework), we extended the shopping trip into dinner at Black Burger, which ended with a victory lava cake for dessert. I don't know that we ever decided what 'victory' we were celebrating, but we're girls, so it's not like we really needed much of an excuse for hot, gooey chocolate goodness.

The major "H" of the week, however, was Hives. Wednesday I noticed some bug bites, which I assumed were mosquito bites as I was rather itchy. Every morning since, I have woken up with more and more bumps, itchier and itchier. They started to hurt and to sting, and sleeping became difficult. Yesterday, I woke up and was all but covered with these red bumps and finally decided they might be more than just mosquito bites. Of course, it was shabbat, so getting to a clinic (the Israeli version of urgent care) was not very ideal, so it had to wait until this morning. The doctor thought it was probably viral and prescribed steroids, since Benadryl (even 2 pills twice a day) wasn't helping. I maintain that it started out as mosquito bites, from which I developed hives. I have never broken out in hives before from mosquito bites, but I have had other allergic reactions to them (mainly ridiculous amounts of swelling). The doctor also wanted to make sure my blood counts were normal (they are), but once again I had a nurse who thought she knew better than me when I tried to tell her that she needed to take it from my hand. I get that normally it is more painful to take blood from a vein in the hand instead of the arm, but that is not the case when the veins in your arm are tiny and they have to dig around to find one. Katie, my friend who was kind enough to accompany me, said the look on the nurse's face was hilarious as she first tried one arm and then the other before finally realizing that I was right and she should take it from my hand. I realize that patients are not always reliable sources of medical information, but when it comes to things like where blood should be drawn, I think we tend to know what is best for our bodies - especially if we specifically request it to be taken from a nonconventional spot like a hand (or in my case, it was actually a vein on the side of my wrist). That probably means we have had some experience having blood drawn and know where it should be taken from! But anyways, the steroids seem to be doing their thing. I am not nearly as itchy (although I am still rather freaky looking), although I am having all sorts of fun side effects!

Crusadin' for a Minyan

Week 2 of classes went much more smoothly than week 1, largely because I had my schedule straightened out and didn't have to sit in on extra classes! I am enjoying my classes and think it is going to be a good semester. I have already completed one major assignment, an oral presentation in my Popes, Jews & Blood class, because I brilliantly volunteered to go first, before I realized it was 20% of our grade. But it seemed to go well. And if anyone has a burning desire to know more about the attacks on the Rhenish Jews in during the First Crusades, I'm your girl.

Since I have had additional inquiries as to my safety, let me reiterate: I am fine! I registered with the US Embassy before I arrived, and if there is any safety issue, I will receive an email. The only email I have received since I arrived in October was last weekend, when the embassy requested that US citizens not travel to Jericho Feb. 19-22, and even then, we were allowed to travel on the major highways near Jericho (not that I was travelling at all during that time). Although the reason I know I am really safe is that there has been no increase in security. For better or worse, the Israelis are more than a little paranoid when it comes to issues of safety, so the fact that security hasn't kicked it up a notch tells me that I am no less safe than I was when I first arrived.

I had an interesting experience at synagogue this week. In Judaism, a minimum of 10 people (10 men in Orthodox traditions), called a minyan, is required to begin prayer or Torah services. The synagogue that I attend near the kfar is a Conservative synagogue (meaning, among other things, that women count toward the minyan), and the Friday evening service, or Kabbalat Shabbat, is not when they have their big turnout - most people come to the Shabbat morning Torah service. Anyways, we were waiting for a minyan so prayers could start, and one person said we had enough and another disagreed. Now, normally counting to 10 isn't that difficult, but I discovered something about counting in synagogue. It turns out that I, as a Christian, don't count! It probably wouldn't have been so awkward for me, if it wasn't for the fact that the reason why we didn't have a minyan - namely, the fact that I am a Christian and therefore could not contribute to the minimal requirement - had to repeated a few times before everyone got it. And on top of that, the woman who "outed" me as a Christian then went on to say that I come every week and am a "faithful" part of their minyan - except, apparently, for the part where I don't actually count toward that minyan! I have to admit, at first I was rather upset, especially since one of the first times I attended this synagogue a lady had commented to me that we were lucky that we (meaning women) counted toward the minyan in the Conservative tradition, implying that even I counted (that week was the only time I mentioned that I was a Christian, because they had asked me where I went to school in the States). After further reflection (and a good night's sleep), I realized that as a Christian I will never fully be part of a synagogue, just like a Jew will never fully be part of a church. I may not be one of "them," but I am still welcomed with opened arms - and a hardy Shabbat shalom! - each week. What else could a (Christian) girl ask for?

Classes, Cairo and Conflict

Survived the first week of the new semester, but it was tougher than I would have liked. I discovered that classes I had registered for were not what I had anticipated and ended up sitting in on 8 extra hours of class in order to find 15 credits to take. For those of you who are interested in what I am taking, here is an overview of my class schedule:

Mondays: Modern Hebrew; Popes, Jews & Blood; Bringing the Bible to Life

Tuesdays: Modern Hebrew; Methodological Issues in the Study of Religion

Wednesdays: Reinventing Paul

Thursdays: Modern Hebrew; Cultural Encounters between Judaism & Islam in the Middle Ages

I think I ended up with some good classes, although most of them are outside of my field. I am excited about studying the relationship between Judaism and Christianity and between Judaism and Islam.

I was asked to blog about what is going on in Cairo and what sort of reactions I am seeing and hearing here. My parents and I were flipping through the channels one night at one of the hostels when we stumbled on CNN footage, although I honestly couldn't tell you what day that was. I would guess it was footage of the Jan. 28 protests. I remember realizing that it was footage of some sort of demonstration in Egypt and feeling a momentary sense of panic that was relieved when I realized that there was no attack. I was concerned that a(nother) war had started. Of course, since then I have realized that just because there isn't a war (at least not yet), that does not mean that everything is okay. There is concern over what sort of government there will be in Egypt when all is said and done, and if that government will be anti-Israel. That being said, the Egyptian revolution hasn't been a big topic of discussion, at least not among the people I have been around.

One exception to this, though, was Friday night. In celebration of a new semester, we had went to the German Colony for synagogue and Shabbat dinner at Jon's (sadly, though, it was too cold for the merpeset). After dinner, Jon asked if we had met any of the "Cairo kids," that is, the four Rothberg undergrads who had been studying at the American University of Cairo when the revolution started. Since things were too dangerous for the students to remain in Cairo, Hebrew U invited them to study at Rothberg instead, even offering them additional Arabic lessons. Jon told us about a Jerusalem Post article on these students, which I have since read. I will admit that some of the quotes were less than diplomatic, but I also sympathize with what they have been through in Cairo and now having to adjust to living in a city and attending a school that they had probably never considered before all of this. And while they probably shouldn't have criticized the country that has taken them in (especially to the media), I understand their frustration. They went to Cairo to study Arabic culture, in an Arabic country, and suddenly they find themselves in a Jewish state that can be very anti-Arabic.

Of course, there is always the question of the peace talks, which have yet to resume. Some say that what is going on in Egypt is a reason to resume the talks, others are using it as an excuse to not to continue the talks. And of course, the veto by the US on the UN Security Council resolution which condemns Israel's settlements does not help matters. (The US was the only one to vote against the resolution, but as a permanent member of the Council, the US has the power to veto any resolution.) So much for Obama being against the settlements. I am amused, though, that Israel is now ready to resume the peace talks - after the resolution was vetoed.

Living in the Middle East - in Israel, in Jerusalem - makes a person sensitive. Sensitive in that you are more aware of what is going on around you, and sensitive in that your responses to things tend to be more emotionally-charged. Nothing is black and white - and yet everything is presented as black and white. No one is entirely innocent, and no one is entirely guilty. And as an outsider, it is so easy to pass judgment, to say who's right and who's wrong. As if it were that simple.

Rockin' It with the 'Rents

So I took a hiatus from my blog - and the internet in general - while my parents were here, partially because we did not have internet access at the hostels. I will try to provide a recap of the trip, although it obviously will be lacking many of the details. And hopefully someday I will sort through the billion pictures my dad took and post some on Facebook.

January 19: Parents arrived while I was taking my Archaeology final. I then proceeded to miss my bus stop and had a momentary freak out because I had no idea where I was when the bus driver kicked me out at the end of the line. So my reunion with my parents was even more joyous because I was so relieved to final have reached the hostel! Oh, and apparently Mom decided to pass out on the airplane. And then everyone gave her everything she wanted, so I'm thinking about trying the same trick when I fly home...

January 20: Mount of Olives. We got a late start because we initially got on the bus going the wrong direction. My lovely roomie Annie joined us. Visited the German Church of the Annunciation, located on the Augustus Victoria Hospital complex, and the Russian Church of St Mary Magdalene. We (meaning, of course, me) got a little turned around because the German Church is a little ways away from the rest of the churches and it took us some extra time to find the others, so by then we were running really late. We skipped a few churches because I really wanted to see the Russian Church, and it is only opened on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10-12. When we finished there we discovered that the other churches were closed for lunch until 2. So we decided to skip them and proceeded to take a very long walk (again, my fault) to the market. Apparently my ability to judge distances on maps is seriously lacking.

January 21: Bethlehem. Visited the Church of the Nativity & the rest of Manger Square, along with the Milk Grotto and Shepherd's Field. Ate at the Tent Restaurant. Didn't have problems with border control or taxis, thank God.

January 22: Israel Museum. And then got ripped off by the taxi who took us from our hostel in West Jerusalem to our hostel in the center of town.

January 23: My 25th birthday! The Old City: King David's Tomb/Hall of the Last Supper; Wailing Wall; Avigad's Wall (aka Broad Wall); Holy Sepulchre; Via Dolorosa. Birthday dinner at Focaccia Bar (which is pretty much my favorite restaurant now) with Annie and the parents.

January 24: The Old City: Temple Mount; Dormition Abbey; Peter in Gallicantu; Garden Tomb. I wasn't feeling well, so at this point, I parted ways with my parents, who returned to the Mount of Olives to see Gethsemane, Church of All Nations and Tomb of the Virgin Mary. I, on the other hand, returned to the hostel and rested. And broke my trusty pedometer, which was extremely sad. (And despite what Annie says, I did not walk the poor thing to death!)

January 25: Picked up the rental car. Had GPS troubles and thus a late start to the day. And then the stupid GPS decided to route us completely around Jerusalem (and around the Green Line), so it took us 3 hours to get to Ein Gedi (instead of 1-1.5). Thus, all we could do this day was one hike at Ein Gedi and a quick look at the ancient synagogue.

January 26: Woke up at 4am to hike up to Masada, only to find out that the hike started at 5:30, not 4:40 as we had been told the night before. Decided that I would hike up and that the parents would join me later, once the cable cars started running. The hike about killed me. Mom (who had been sick for a few days by then, thanks to the busloads of kids who run wild all night long at the hostels) would have never made it. Went to Qumran next and then returned to Jerusalem to get my z-pak for Mom and to return the stupid GPS that decided to quit working. Luckily, the one my parents brought with them decided to work (apparently Dad let the battery die and it doesn't like that). Drove to Tel Aviv and had Burgers Bar for the first time (which is ironic, since there is one right outside the kfar, on the way to the store).

January 27: Alexander Stream (which was not the resort-y type place the national parks website suggested; all we saw was a stream and the sea); Caesarea (which I almost didn't put on the list because I didn't think my parents would like it and they loved it); Tel Megiddo (which has been poorly maintained, which is a tragedy, considering the amount of history the site contains).

January 28: Haifa. Visited the Stella Carmelite Monastery and then walked down to Elijah's Cave, which turned out to basically just be a synagogue. Then walked back up to the monastery because the cable cars just broke down. Stopped by the Baha'i Shrine and Garden, which were gorgeous. Somehow managed not to find the Mt Carmel national park (also didn't really see any of the burnt forest, which was amazing, considering its extent). Went to Bet She'arim instead, which I really enjoyed, despite my archaeology professor's claim that there is nothing there.

January 29: Nazareth: Mary's Well and the Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation; Basilica of the Annunciation and Joseph's Church; Synagogue Church. Stopped at the Cana Wedding Church on the way to Tiberius. Wandered around Tiberius for a bit before heading to the next hostel, which was literally right on the Sea of Galilee. Had its own beach and all.

January 30: Yardenit (the Jordan River). I filled up a 20 oz bottle so we could divide it up later. Then my parents decided it would be better to buy the little bottles they had there that you could fill up. So we bought two, which I filled up. Then we bought two more, which I also filled up. And then we bought two more, which I refused to fill up because the light sprinkle turned into a light rain and then into a steady rain. Drove down to the Bet Alfa synagogue (as a side note, I must mention that my dad was surprisingly fascinated by the mosaic floors - and trust me, over 2 1/2 weeks, I showed him plenty!) and then up in Mt Gilboa to enjoy the views. Went to Belvoir/Kokhav Hayarden, a Crusader fortress which would have had far better views if it wasn't still hazy from the rain. Stopped at Hamat Teverya (aka Hamat Tiberius) because one ancient synagogue with a cool mosaic floor is just not enough for one day. Proceeded on to Capernaum and the Church of the Primacy of Peter. And then Mom decided to fall over a foot high cement block, conveniently placed in the middle of the sidewalk.

January 31: Arbel (which had beautiful views, also the first time I ever heard an Israeli say they hoped it didn't rain!). Tabgha, aka the Church of the Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes. Korazim (an ancient Jewish site which was not originally on the list but we had some time to kill). Mount of Beatitudes.

February 1: Gamla (which has two hikes to see waterfalls, only they forgot to mention that the second waterfall - on the longer of the two hikes - was completely dried up from the drought) and Yehudiya (which also has a waterfall, one that wasn't dried up!).

February 2: Tel Hazor (similar to Tel Megiddo in its length of inhabitation but not as well known); Iyyon Stream (which was a killer hike but the three waterfalls were worth it); Dado Lookout at Metulla (where one can see Lebanon, along with the snow-capped Mt Hermon, the only place it really snows in Israel); Horeshat (though not really, since the park is only opened in the summer); Senir Stream.

February 3: Tel Dan, which is my absolute favorite - archaeology and lots of water in one place! And it was especially water-y from the winter rains - it felt like the water came from everywhere. My parents were kind enough to indulge me and allowed to explore every inch of the place. I had been there twice before, but there were still parts I hadn't seen. Afterwards was Banias Waterfall (which was pretty awesome too) and Banias Stream (the sacred dancing goats still make me laugh!).

February 4: The only day of the entire trip that was ruined by rain. Attempted to visit Nimrod's Fortress, but the whole point of it is the views, which were nonexistent due to the fog and the rain. Stopped at a waterfall nearby which was the hot spot. Guessing all the Israelis came out to see it because it is only really a waterfall when it rains.

February 5: Made the long drive back to Jerusalem. Back to the Old City so Dad could take pictures of the vendors and then to Sorek Caves. Never saw so many stalactites and stalagmites in such a small area before!

February 6: Went back to the Holy Sepulchre to show the parents the rest of it. Then my parents indulged me and we went to the Rockefeller Museum, which the guide book recommended for "archaeology buffs who don't get their fill at the Israel Museum." I am surprised my parents didn't stone me for all the "rocks" (code for archaeology) I made them see over the course of their visit! Walked from then to Hebrew U (through an Arab neighborhood, down the hill and then up a steeper hill - Mom wanted to kick my butt!) so I could show my parents where I go to school and the infamous botanical garden. Dinner from Burgers Bar, so now I can say I've ate at the one by the kfar. Received word earlier in the day that my parents' flight was cancelled and rescheduled for 7:30am the next day. They decided to take the last shuttle to the airport that night, so we said our goodbyes at 8:40pm. They made it home safely, though they had to run through customs in order to catch their connecting flight.

I think that is all. Despite some bumps and bruises, it was a lovely visit overall. It was hard to say goodbye after having them around for 2 1/2 weeks. I missed them before of course, but I think having them here made me miss them more. That and the fact I have a 25 page seminar paper to write, which I have absolutely no motivation to do.

And So It Goes...

Just three days - and two finals - stand between me and eighteen days of exploring Israel with my parents! I can't believe I have already been here an entire semester - almost three and a half months! (Or to really put it into perspective - almost half of Gabby's life!)

This past week was long and not really all that great. Last night was my first good night of sleep in a week, and I'm sure that was only because I took Tylenol PM. My back hasn't really been bothering me more than normal (if it is normal for someone my age to have a certain level of constant back pain!); I just haven't been able to sleep. At least my Hebrew oral exam and final are over! I am also all studied out for my Aramaic and Archaeology finals, but unfortunately, there is still more studying to be done.

I don't really have anything new and exciting to report. Life in Jerusalem is surprisingly similar to life in Ohio. At least my life here is much like my life back home. Just with lots more guns and security. My campus is on the eastern fringes of Jerusalem. There are a lot of maps of Jerusalem that don't even include Mt Scopus, and if they do, it is just barely. In other words, we are far away from everything. The buses are not convenient, and taxis are expensive. And, of course, there is always studying to be done. So sadly I am not living a very exciting life here in Jerusalem.

Ayana (the Israeli who is helping me with my Hebrew through the Language Buddies program) took me to Ben Yehuda and City Center yesterday. There is surprisingly little open on Shabbat, and even that was more than I expected. Just a few restaurants, and most of them were full. I think we went to four different places before we found one that could take us. Ayana has been a wonderful help, and I am sure I have amused her plenty, not only with my horrendous pronunciations but also because everything I say is in the present tense! We just started learning the past tense at the end of the semester, and the verbs we learned are not verbs I commonly use. I also found out something interesting about Israeli universities: not only do they get a half hour break during their 3 1/2 hour classes, they also get two chances to pass their finals AND if they have exams on two consecutive days, they can reschedule one of them! While I benefit from the half hour break, the other two do not appear to apply to RIS. Or if they do, no one told me and so I am taking my exams on back-to-back days. Ayana thought it was horrid that someone would have to do that. In undergrad, I would have more than one final on the same day!

Almost Home!

Okay, not really, since I will be living here in Jerusalem another 6 months. But I am almost home in that I am in my last week of classes and then it's finals. And then it's 18 days exploring Israel with my parents! So I guess "home" is coming to me. :)

Today was my last Jeremiah class, which just felt weird. Of course, Jeremiah and I still have a lot of bonding to do, since I still have 25 pages to write about him. But that's not due until March 22. I can't get over how much time we have after the semester ends to write our papers. My other paper (which is actually a take-home final) is due February 20, a week after the spring semester starts.

It's been weird being in class through the holidays. Thanksgiving was celebrated with a Modern Hebrew midterm (and the first real food I had eaten in nearly 3 weeks, thanks to food poisoning!). Most of my teachers didn't even acknowledge Christmas or New Year's. I guess in a sense it has been nice being in a country that doesn't celebrate American holidays, because I am not constantly reminded of what I am missing out on back home, but there is also just something wrong about being in class the week between Christmas and New Year's. Of course it is also strange to be in the fall semester in January. I know the semester started late - not until October 10th - but still. And recently I realized that this is the first time in my life that I have went an entire semester without a break. Growing up, we had fair time and Thanksgiving break in the fall and spring break in the spring. At Witt we had five days off each semester, and at MTSO we get a whole two glorious weeks off each semester. But since the fall semester starts so late over here, we get to go for 15 weeks straight. I never knew 15 weeks could feel so long - or so short! At least in the spring I will have two weeks off for Passover. I am still trying to figure out what I want to do during that time. Everything in Israel will be shut down for Passover, so I'm thinking road trip. Only with a plane.

2011 is here!

It's 2011!

New Year's has never been a big holiday for me - most years I am lucky if I make it till midnight, and this year was no exception. I was in a Tylenol PM-induced coma by 10pm on New Year's Eve. [In my defense, New Year's, like Christmas, is not big in Israel. Their new year begins in October.] But even though I do not partake in the festivities of the New Year, that does not mean I do not get excited about the start of a new year. I do not make resolutions, but I can't help but wonder what this new year will bring. This could be the year that I graduate with two masters degrees. This could be the year that Israel and Palestine finally decide to play nice (if only we could be so lucky!). This will be the year that I apply for PhD programs(!). This will be the year that I return from Israel, hopefully still in one piece(!), but a different person from when I arrived. I think I am especially pondering the possibilities because I am here in Israel, in a land where (as an NCIS episode said), tomorrow is never a guarantee. I do not fear for my safety or anything like that, but life seems much more dynamic over here (though, at the same time, it feels as if things today are like they have been for millennia).

At synagogue this past week, there were two American Jews who had been participating in workshops in Israel over the past couple of weeks. The organization (whose name I did not get) brings together 20 people in their early 20s - 5 American Jews, 5 American Muslims, 5 Israeli Jews and 5 Palestinian Muslims. The point of the workshops are to understand one another's faith and perspectives. It sounded interesting, but I couldn't help but wonder - where are the Christians? As I was telling Annie about this, I admitted that there aren't too many Christians living here and that the Christians aren't necessarily the ones who are fighting over the land (I think they are fighting more for the recognition that they do exist!). The battle between Israel and Palestine is almost always thought of and talked about in terms of Jew and Muslim, but there are Palestinian and Israeli Christians, even if they do compose less that 1% of the population. I went on to tease Annie and say that the Christians weren't fighting for the land because we were just waiting for the Jews and Muslims to kill each other so we would be the only ones left standing! Of course, that's not the solution I am hoping for, but I am constantly surprised by how little Christians seem to matter or count over here. There is a disproportionate number of Christians studying at Rothberg, but I am always amused how, in general, people assume that I am Jewish until I tell them my name (although the name "Christina" doesn't always tip them off that I am not in fact "one of them"). Sometimes I joke and say that I am going to start introducing myself as "Miriam" (the Hebrew form of my middle name, Marie). It is just strange to me that people make assumptions about the religious beliefs of others without even talking to them. In the US, I don't assume that everyone I meet is Christian or even religious. I guess it just demonstrates how entirely differently our countries were founded and structured.

Sorry if this post isn't entirely coherent. I woke up this morning not feeling very well, and I currently feel like I am in some sort of fog. Apparently it is my turn to get the bug that has been going around.