blue and white

Monday evening started "Yom HaZikaron", Memorial Day in Israel. A country nearly always in a state of war, it means considerably more then it does in the US. Everyone here has lost someone, either through terror attacks or through the military. To start off the day I went to a ceremony at the Western Wall. The speeches were nice, nothing too crazy and when it was all over I went to a small American ceremony. Mainly students from within Rothberg, the speech focused on talking about AMericans who had signed up for the Israeli military and had died during their service as well as Americans who had been killed simply for moving to Israel. It was a moving evening and it would more then continue the next morning at Mt Herzl.
The cemetery for all those killed in wars in Israel, Mt Herzl is a huge mountain filled with monuments, graves and, when I arrived, soldiers and what appeared to be half the State of Israel. I walked around with some friends and found the grave of an American who was killed in the 2nd Lebanon War and then tried to get close to the main ceremony. To be held at the top of the mountain, all of the heads of Israel were going to be there. President, Prime Minister, Chief Rabbis, head of the army...they were all there. The ceremony was to be broadcast over the mic system, so I wasn't too worried. All of a sudden I saw a soldier assisting a very old very tiny woman. There was no railing by the stairs and he was holding her on one side, but it looked like she needed help on the other side as well. Together, the soldier and I helped the woman to the top of the hill and entrance to the actual ceremony, which was invite only. At the top the soldier had to leave, so I asked if I could continue to help the woman. After a double ID check and a weird swipey thing of my hands (I'm asumming it checks for some sort of bomb/chemical residue) I was allowed through. Escorting the old woman, I got her a chair and a bottle of water from a police woman and stood next to her, a mere 3 meters from the countrys most important people! After the ceremony was over she very adamantly did not want my help any more so I went to meet up with some friends. We visited some mroe graves and after attempting tot find the wall in memory of victims of terrorism (which was shut off for a ceremony later in the day) I went home. After making lunch for Tova and myself I hopped on a bus and headed towards Tel Aviv, where I was to spend the coming night.

Yom HaAzmauet, Israels Independance Day, immediatly follows Memorial Day and is just as patriotic a day as the latter. Realistly thinking, the State is only 61 years old and people that fouhgt in the war are still very much alive. That evening I met up with Jamie L, Amy, Tali and Elana and, after dinner anda series of misunderstandings, we went and met up at my friend Julias (the grrrrrrrrreat Bing friend who I stayed by a few months ago) whos extra bed I would be staying in. We then met up with Davina, who is so awesome and I hadn't seen in two years and, after staying in a pub for a bit, headed out to the beach. At this point 3 of the girls were a bit drunk, while the other two of us were fine. We sat on the beach, reveling in the mid-night slendor as well as all the bonfires going on. At a certain point a few Israelis joined us and after a bout two hours of conversation we all went back, the girls to their hostel and me to Julias apartment. The next morning was a nice breakfast and meeting a random Binghamton alum because of my t-shirt. Got a pic of that; fun times. I then headed towards Ashdod where I spent a wonderufl afternoon with my uncles, aunts, and grandmother. While I was there I found out that bnoth my presentations have been accepted for the coming fall RA training. Super! After gettign back, napping and showering I went and studied/gossiped with Jamie and Penina+Zack for a bit.
Today I had class. Them I met up with Efrat, a friend of Hodaya, and her husband and 3month old daughter. Together we went and bought Hodaya the headscarves she wanted. After that I sat in the middle of Ben Yehuda listening to street music while reading for class. I spent the rest of my evening with Tobey and Chani, with whom I got waffles and then tried to go to a shiur, but it was cancelled. We ended up hanging out for the rest of the evening. Fun times.

of breads and beards

Pesach ended right on time, even if I couldn't eat bread for an extra day. The following Friday I headed up to visit with my Aunt Janni, my Uncle Michels ex wife. My cousins Serach and Eliezer were there and on Saturday afternoon my cousin Tifferet with her husband and two children stopped by as well. On Friday night I hung out a bit with Search and two of her friends and while she just got back from India, her friends are starting their big trips in the next few weeks/months. Also, it was a wonderufl opportunity to speak with her about our upcoming trip to America. Yup, Serach will be joining the evergrowing "delegation" that we are sending to my sisters wedding. It was a lot of fun talking in Hebrew almost the entire Shabbat and telling Serach all about the USA as well as what options we'd have if she wanted to tour at all on the Sunday we will be there.
Saturday night I headed back to Yerushalayaim and that was the beginning of an insane week.
On Sunday I went to the Souk as well as met up with a family friend w\from Scranton who was kind enough to send my contact lenses back to the states. After that I went and met up with Rosa, who had my invitation to the wedding and who had also ahd some bad news to share with me. My Great Uncle Yaakov had passed away earlier that morning. At that point we didn't know when the funeral would be but I went and did dsome grocery shopping and when I did find out the time of the funeral I couldn't attend because I had rehearsal for the Yom HaZikaron LSHoah (Holocaust Memorial Cem\remony) that I took part in. DUring the course of the day I started getting some bad pain in my head as well as headaches and eventually, aka near midnight, went to the emergancy health services and got a prescription. Note the fact that the doctor was french, barely spokehebrew or english and our conersation was very strange.
Due to t\my late nikght medical excapades I skipped class the next morning but then spent the entire day at school and had rehearsal again that evening. Tuesday was the actual ceremony and I also started my granola sales. Going very succesfully, I entered the profit margin on the second day. Wednesday Iw ent to visit my family who was sitting shiva for my uncle Yaakov and while it was a sad occasion it was good to see so many relatives all of whom love my mother and are so happy for my sister. Thursday was mny weekly parsha class as well as a hop around the center of town to a few small bars with some friends. I hadn't gone out around town in a long time and figured since I was near the center of town anyways I may as well meet up with some friends (jamie, Amy, Elana, Uriel etc). All in all a fun evening. The following morning I went to the gym and headefd to Maale Adumim to visit Yael and Shlomo for shabbat at a friends house. Honestly, it was one of the most fun wekeend. Very relaxed, very intelligent. Good food, good company. COuldn't have asked for a better time. And now, we startt this week. Yesterday was uneventful and tonight I plan on attending a Memorial Day ceremony (I also hope to attend one tomorrow). TOmorrow night Ill be going to Tel Aviv to celebrate Independance day as well as visit Julie (from Bing) and Wednesday my fmaily is meeting up in Ashdod at Michel and Nettas for a barbeque. Just over a week till I head home for the weekend. AAAHHHHH.

shmuels rules for Israel 2

In Israel we don't "text" someone. We SMS. Apparently there is a difference.

A Final Pesach Coffee

Lets start with a really awesome quote from the midst of Pesach, and then recap the entire wonderful week. "Better Kitniout then Chametz and better Chametz then Chazer"...there's a really long story behind that. So, lets talk about Pesach!
Along with all the Jews residing in Israel (and contrary to Jews in American for whom Passover lasts 8 days) my Passover was 7 days. I spent my Seder (singular because I'm in Israel) at my uncle Dannys house, but there were a bunch of us there. It was: My grandmother, both my uncles and my aunts (their wives) and two of my cousins. The seder went along smoothly with everyone reading different parts as we went along. The customary meal near the end of the Seder was dairy and we finished the entire Seder at 11.30. Early, but good. The next day was prayers etc and after the conclusion of the 1st day of Pesach we started the intermediate days (in which work, use of electrcity etc is permitted) and everyone went home or to the States (as Danny and Beatrice did). Friday wasn't too exciting of a day, though I did pray at the Western Wall that evening, and I spent Shabbat in the dorms with a bunch of friends (Tobey, Jamie, Talia, Dayna, Britney, Molly etc). Shabbat afternoon I lay in the grass with a bunch of them and took a walk with Molly and Aaron (my friend from Bing whos also studying abroad and flew into Israel for passover).
Sunday morning had he old city swarmed with both Christians and Jews as it was Easter and a special Priestly Blessing (for the Jews) held by the Western Wall. That afternoon, however, I took a bus to Ashdod where my two friends Molly, Marla and I al spent the night by my uncle Michel. Netta, his wife, prepared a practical feast for us and the two fo her children that were there. WOW. The next morning the MMI went to the beach for a few hours and had a wonderful time. That evening, upon my return to Yerushalyim, I went on bit of a wild goose chase trying to find someone from my hometown who is in for a week and a half. That evening was Salsa (YAY) and then I spoke with my friend and madricha (sort of like an RA) Naama and made the final arrangments to go to her house for the last day of Passover (the second part of the holiday that has pure holiday restrictions). The next morning...
When I got back form the gym the next morning I had a voicemail from my great aunt Rosa. She was inviting me to come with her and my uncle Jerry to their daughter Margalit for the last day. Oh no, what was I to do? Well, I called Naama and told her that I had had a sudden change in plans and would be spending the holiday with my family. I hope I didn't inconvienence her in any way, but I am very happy that I spent the last day with my family. I couldn't have hoped for a warmer group of people and I am so glad I went.
When I got back to Jerusalem last night, after the conclusion of Passover for everyone in Israel, I checked my e-mail (of course). Well, I got my RA placement for next year: It's in an amazing hall with one of the RD's who I think is the bomb. Yay! Now, lets start summer!

**p.s. like three weeks till my sisters wedding. AAAAAHHH! :)

tears for a city not yet lost

Last Friday night, while on my Sea to Sea trip, my friend Jamie pulled me aside. I thought it was strange, she looked so serious and for the life of me I couldn't think why. Delicately, she told me that our mutual friend Amy heard there had been a shooting in Binghamton but that she had no more information then that. Shocked, a felt a cool chill run down my spine and in my loss for words it seemed to be as if the entire room had become deathly quiet. My thoughts jumped to all my friends, students, RA's, faculty, staff... were they okay? Had one of my friends, God forbid, been hurt? Composing myself, I pulled over two of my friends who also attend Binghamton and together we decided two things: the first, because it was Shabbat and we were restricted from using electricity, to not even try and dig up more information till the following sundown. There was nothing we could do from a small town in northern Israel anyway. The second decision we made was not to inform our fourth friend from Binghamton, we knew it would hit her hard and we thought it better if she enjoy the Shabbat and then we'd deal with it when we more information. Well she found out. Unlike the rest of us, who were crying on the inside, she had the courage to wear her heart on her sleeve and shed actual tears.
We were all shocked and scared, none of us truly knowing to do. Our fourth friend, after a group hug and a promise that all of our friends were okay, went to bed. The rest of us simply to tried to keep on living. As the evening wore on, a number of our friends, non-orthodox, took the incentive call home. They found out a bit more information and passed it on. We all inhaled deeply as some level of comfort embraced the night.
Was it wrong that we felt relief knowing it wasn't on our campus? Did we commit some primordial sin, caring for life only if it effected us directly? These questions didn't plague me then, but slowly they seem more and more relevant. Only an hour ago I read the following article. The author is a friend whos time in Binghamton was spent in a position that, in my eyes, placed him at a junction between the student body and the community. While it isn't outright critical of the student body and the citys lack of involvement with one another, it does point out a topic that has concerned me since freshman year. We are disconnected from one another. The students view the locals as hicks and the locals view the students as trouble makers. While Prestons ideas are excellant, the problem arises when confronted with implamentation. As I already stated, the problem is two sided, with neither party bearing the entirety of the blame. Sitting here contemplating the problem I think I have a more active foundation for a solution then hoping that professors will encourage community interaction. Perhaps my solutions are unrealistic, but I'm not one to talk in vague terms and I feel that the actions of the University in the coming months will speak louder then any of its words.
At Binghamton we have a course entitled "FYE: First Year Experience". The purpose of this course is to assist first semester freshman in their transition to college. It focuses on various aspects of college life and the many struggles that people face during their four years of higher education. At this point in time, it is my view that this course only assists in sealing students within the bubble of collegic life. If the program were to embrace a few minor changes, it could start chipping away at the wall between student and southern tier resident. Involving these students with local families or businesses from the outset of their college carreer will make them feel they have more of a stake in local occurences. My second idea focuses on CCPa, the College of Community and Public Affairs. This is the college withing BU that educates our students interested in Human Development, Student Affairs etc. The school needs to create a three year minor or focus. Starting in Sophmore year, this minor will actually place students in the community by taking a community focused class in the fall semesters of Sophmore, Junior and Senior year and by having "in the community" internships in the spring semesters of said years.
I don't know, maybe I'm thinking too far ahead or getting too specific, but I think my main point is that the students can only do so much without a more involved administration and city government.

lessons from a star

Its 10.3oam and I've been awake for six hours. Basically, I haven't had a full nights sleep in a week, but all for a good reason. So last Friday morning about half of my schools Americans (84 of us) started our sea to sea hike. We left the student village (dorms) at a little past six. That means I got about 4 hours of sleep the night before. The entire weekend was amazing. We hiked some of the worlds most beautiful mountains; spoke with a member of the Druz nationality/religion, a small little-known group whose religion is conducted almost entirely in secret; visited a number of very holy and historical sites and over all had an amazing four days. Of course, I got almost no sleep any of the nights. I have decided that I need to redo the hike within the next few years, and this time the real way. Let me explain. sea to sea is generally done in 3 days, entirely by foot and with real camping. Because of our number of people that wasn't feasible. We spent our nights in hotels and did a considerable amount of the journey by bus. If you had to move 84 Americans (with numerous JAPS) you would, too. I'll have photos on facebook in the next few days. You know I'm slow with all that. Of course, with all this excitement none of slept. When i got back to town I needed to clean my apartment for passover and, when I had basically finished with mine, went over to my Uncle Dannys house to help them over there.
Last night I got back from them, having joined them for dinner as well, and met up with Tova and Aaron, a bing friend who is spending the semester in Belgium and is here in Israel for passover. After a late night of registering Aaron for courses back home, doing some final cleaning and just hanging out, we went our separate ways in order to get up by 4.30 so that we'd be able to make it to the Blessing on the Sun at the Western Wall by 6.30, sunrise. We left at 5.oo and in doing so bumped into numerous people we knew who were also heading in the same direction. When we finally got to the western wall it was packed. Beautiful, but packed. I'll be posting photos of that online soon as well. I have no words to describe it other then inspiring and crazy, but as I'm falling asleep I'm gonna take a nap. Photos on facebook later.
S

"...making the best of the Holy Land"

This past week I've been in a sort of loop. Deciding how I feel about studying abroad in Israel, how I feel about Binghamton...there have been a few stresses and a few positives. My midterm on Monday went well. Studying paid off. Actually, Sunday had been a hectic day because I ended up showing a friend all around Jerusalem (it was her first time here). Also on Monday my Hebrew teachers decided to let my class know that we'd be having a test on Thursday (earlier today)...yay? I know this sin't reflective of all Israeli culture, but much of what happens at the international school is not well organized. Its a sad fact, though I understand the difficulty when dealing with an ever changing student body. I spent most of the week stressing about the upcoming Hebrew midterm, getting ready for Pesach (passover). The latter included starting to clean my apartment and, because I didn't want to buy food for half a week before my food consumption religiously changes for a week (Pesach has extra odd restrictions), finishing whatever food was in the apartment. Unfortunately, that meant that on top of the stress eating I was eating unhealthy snack foods that I had purposefully been staying away from for the past two weeks. Whatever, so I've put on a few pounds in the past month and a half. I'm the only one that notices and I'm sure it'll be gone soon enough (or is my metabolism finally biting me in the ass and slowing down?).
I love being here in Israel. Its a beautiful country that manages to exist as both one of the most modern technologically advanced societies in the world as well as one of the most religious. For all that, this country is a bit backwards. I hate the way bureaucracy works. Israelis claim their culture is far more direct then in the US, but honestly I find it to be the reverse. In Israel, things can change at a moments notice and you won't be told. In the US, you can generally rely on some sort of organized structure. Then again, I've been limited to academic experiences which are very different then anything else. So yes, LOVE Israel, not do found of the Rothberg school.
I just wanted to let you all know that I'm doing well. There were a few issues with Binghamton during the week, but now they seem to be working out. There was a grade on my transcript that was VERY incorrect (I don't get "F"'s, k?) and whether or not I TA next semester is in limbo, but whatever happens I should graduate on time. Oh, and I think I"m adding on a 3rd minor. Don't tell my parents.
OKAY, its past midnight and I'm getting up at 5 for a 4 day hike from the Mediterranean Sea to the Sea of Galilee. I also get to spend part of the weekend in a Druz village. And, when I get back, Pesach will be starting and thats one of my favorite holidays!!! YAY!