I have been keeping a journal and occasionally noting some, let's say, odd things about Israeli culture, and some wonderful things about this unique country and area.
-Taxis honk to let you know they're open, and of course people honk at other drivers :)
-Milk is sold in plastic bags and then people put them in a plastic pitcher for serving.
-There is trash everywhere, which saddens me greatly, and it doesn't seem to be against the law or anything. Very strange, considering this is the holy land...
-Toilets have two flush buttons- one for liquids and one for solids. They are very aware of water conservation here, which I hope catches on more in the US.
-There are solar water heaters everywhere but recycling is limited to plastic bottles.
-Stray cats are everywhere. Its quite depressing actually. Some people think they're still cute but I can't handle seeing cats going through garbage...
-An important Hebrew word to know when things aren't quite making sense or are just plain screwed up- balagan or a mess.
-Israelis love crocs!
-Religious men perm their peyes or side curls so that they look more kept than hair just hanging. I had always wondered how they stayed so perfectly curled :)
-Jewish homes are built with red shingled roofs, a tradition brought over by Europeans long ago.
-All types of people smoke cigarettes- secular and religious.
-After you shower you sponja the floor, which is like a big squeegee that gathers all the water and dirt off the stone floors.
-The light at sunset is a magical rose, peach and lavender mixture, especially in Jerusalem, where it reflects on the beautiful limestone buildings.
-To name just a few of the trees and plants I love here: cypress, olive, date palm, pomegranate, lemon, orange, fig, and rosemary, jasmine, bougainvillea, honeysuckle, passion flower. And of course fields of sunflowers, which at this point in the season, are largely dead or dying... but still a beautiful sight. And many, many vineyards.
-All public signs are in Hebrew, English and Arabic. Street signs even have the vowels on the Hebrew words so I can read them properly...
-At restaurants you tip 10%. Shocking to those in the industry :)
-You can bargain for almost everything, including your taxi fare, and you don't tip taxi drivers!
-Traffic lights turn yellow before turning green. Crossing the street sometimes feels like risking your life, even at a crosswalk... pedestrians do not appear to have the right of way here.
-There are signs on the highway that say, "dangerous curves" and "beware of camels" so funny!
-When you go into a mall or a train station, and lots of other public places, your purse is checked and you often go through a metal detector. If there is no metal detector and they have the hand held kind, they only check the men- I think out of respect for women. Interesting indeed.
-Another interesting phenomenon is hitch-hiking or "tremping" as my younger cousins tell me its called in Hebrew. When I first arrived in Efrat where they live I was shocked to see people standing at bus stops and on the side of the road with their finger point to the ground... Rina explained to me that they were hitch-hiking and I immediately thought- What?! In Israel?? But then she reminded me that we had just gone through a security gate... still strange to me but very common here.
There are lots more I'm sure, but these are the highlights, hope you enjoyed!
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Last week at Jewel
As you can probably guess, I have been very busy and away from Internet access. At long last I am at a computer with time to update... This is an assortment of highlights from the last week at my learning program Jewel. Soon I will post about my travels since leaving Jerusalem and some overall reflections on Israel. Enjoy!
-Went to a mikveh or Jewish ritual bath, didn't go in it, but visited it... Continued to "learn" about tzinuit or Jewish modesty (really translates to dignity), which refers to observant women's form of dress, dating, marriage and sex. Interesting and challenging indeed.
-Had dinner at a place in Jerusalem called Ben Sari Hummus, which was recommended by an old Brandeisian friend. A true Israeli experience- tiny little place with no tourists. Liz and I each had a draft Goldstar (dark lager) and shared a hummus plate- amazing flavored hummus with marinated chick peas on top and of course, olive oil; warm, fluffy pita; the standard assortment of tomatoes, onions and pickles; and the best falafel balls I've had so far... all while listening to some Israeli rock, which turned out to be the waiter/cook's sister's band. Very fun.
-Participated in a restorative yoga session led by my dear friend Liz. One of our teachers works with trauma victims and wanted to experience this type of yoga, so Liz set up this magical haven in the empty apartment below ours and invited Heather (another roommate) and myself. Very special and difficult to explain... Unlike any other yoga I have experienced.
-Visited a seminary where young Jewish women study Judaism and texts more in depth than at Jewel. Although I already knew this, but its not for me... at least not this perspective of Jewish study aka ultra-orthodox.
-Another day of learning in the Old City, with classes at Aish HaTorah, and then a tour of the Kotel or Western Wall tunnels. Basically the majority of the exterior wall of the Second Temple (516 BCE-70AD) was used as a support for the houses built long ago in the Muslim quarter of Jerusalem, and the Wall that we as Jews pray to is only a small fraction of this large exterior wall. The tour takes you below the Muslim quarter through years of excavations and you actually walk beside the entire length of the well. Though I had done this tour in 2000, they continue to discover many new levels of civilization below the wall, including a mikveh! Incredible experience.
-On the way north for our final Shabbat with the Jewel program... stopped at the ocean- at last! Dipped my feet in the Mediterranean and collected some cute little sea shells. Made a short stop at the breath-taking Bahai gardens and had an amazing view of the city of Haifa. The journey through the north and past the Kineret or Sea of Galilee was beautiful.
-Spent Shabbat at a hotel on a moshav (like a kibbutz) and enjoyed the relaxation. We were "hosted" by Rabbi Zeldman (who taught a number of classes throughout the Jewel program and who I enjoyed a great deal) and his family. Basically they led our Shabbat songs and prayers, shared some stories with us and were available for questions. And of course, they ate with us :) most things involve food... haha.
-After Shabbat we went "rafting" on the Jordan river, took quick walk through city of Tzfat on which I visited various artists' galleries and then we visited a gross water area, during which I stayed on the bus and napped... I can't handle the amount of trash in some places.
-Had an adventure at the post office sending a post card to the states. Israel teaches you savlanut or patience, which is good for me :)
-Went out for dinner on our last night at Jewel to a restaurant called Eucalyptus. Liz and I had tried to go there earlier in the week, so we were quite excited. Another girl, Deborah, also a virgo :) joined us for dinner. The chef bases his dishes on foods in the Bible. He was very personal and spoke to each table throughout their meals. We had the Kings and Prophets 11 course meal... which I think was really more like 9 courses, but either way impressive and quite filling! It was a special way to say goodbye to Jerusalem.
-During my last meeting with my one-on-one learning partner Nechama, I received a very nice gift. She had found out my Hebrew name is Shoshana (rose) and then took a verse from the Book of Psalms in which shoshana appears and designed this nice picture with a rose and the verse in Hebrew and English- she is studying graphic design. I'm still so touched by the gesture and by the overall connection she and I shared.
Overall Jewel was an incredible experience and I am very thankful for the opportunity.
-Went to a mikveh or Jewish ritual bath, didn't go in it, but visited it... Continued to "learn" about tzinuit or Jewish modesty (really translates to dignity), which refers to observant women's form of dress, dating, marriage and sex. Interesting and challenging indeed.
-Had dinner at a place in Jerusalem called Ben Sari Hummus, which was recommended by an old Brandeisian friend. A true Israeli experience- tiny little place with no tourists. Liz and I each had a draft Goldstar (dark lager) and shared a hummus plate- amazing flavored hummus with marinated chick peas on top and of course, olive oil; warm, fluffy pita; the standard assortment of tomatoes, onions and pickles; and the best falafel balls I've had so far... all while listening to some Israeli rock, which turned out to be the waiter/cook's sister's band. Very fun.
-Participated in a restorative yoga session led by my dear friend Liz. One of our teachers works with trauma victims and wanted to experience this type of yoga, so Liz set up this magical haven in the empty apartment below ours and invited Heather (another roommate) and myself. Very special and difficult to explain... Unlike any other yoga I have experienced.
-Visited a seminary where young Jewish women study Judaism and texts more in depth than at Jewel. Although I already knew this, but its not for me... at least not this perspective of Jewish study aka ultra-orthodox.
-Another day of learning in the Old City, with classes at Aish HaTorah, and then a tour of the Kotel or Western Wall tunnels. Basically the majority of the exterior wall of the Second Temple (516 BCE-70AD) was used as a support for the houses built long ago in the Muslim quarter of Jerusalem, and the Wall that we as Jews pray to is only a small fraction of this large exterior wall. The tour takes you below the Muslim quarter through years of excavations and you actually walk beside the entire length of the well. Though I had done this tour in 2000, they continue to discover many new levels of civilization below the wall, including a mikveh! Incredible experience.
-On the way north for our final Shabbat with the Jewel program... stopped at the ocean- at last! Dipped my feet in the Mediterranean and collected some cute little sea shells. Made a short stop at the breath-taking Bahai gardens and had an amazing view of the city of Haifa. The journey through the north and past the Kineret or Sea of Galilee was beautiful.
-Spent Shabbat at a hotel on a moshav (like a kibbutz) and enjoyed the relaxation. We were "hosted" by Rabbi Zeldman (who taught a number of classes throughout the Jewel program and who I enjoyed a great deal) and his family. Basically they led our Shabbat songs and prayers, shared some stories with us and were available for questions. And of course, they ate with us :) most things involve food... haha.
-After Shabbat we went "rafting" on the Jordan river, took quick walk through city of Tzfat on which I visited various artists' galleries and then we visited a gross water area, during which I stayed on the bus and napped... I can't handle the amount of trash in some places.
-Had an adventure at the post office sending a post card to the states. Israel teaches you savlanut or patience, which is good for me :)
-Went out for dinner on our last night at Jewel to a restaurant called Eucalyptus. Liz and I had tried to go there earlier in the week, so we were quite excited. Another girl, Deborah, also a virgo :) joined us for dinner. The chef bases his dishes on foods in the Bible. He was very personal and spoke to each table throughout their meals. We had the Kings and Prophets 11 course meal... which I think was really more like 9 courses, but either way impressive and quite filling! It was a special way to say goodbye to Jerusalem.
-During my last meeting with my one-on-one learning partner Nechama, I received a very nice gift. She had found out my Hebrew name is Shoshana (rose) and then took a verse from the Book of Psalms in which shoshana appears and designed this nice picture with a rose and the verse in Hebrew and English- she is studying graphic design. I'm still so touched by the gesture and by the overall connection she and I shared.
Overall Jewel was an incredible experience and I am very thankful for the opportunity.
Monday, June 7, 2010
Shabbat in Efrat
Having just returned from my long weekend in Efrat, where the Abrams family lives, I am adjusting back to the routine of classes in Ramat Eshkol. Its becoming more apparent that this learning experience will not be influencing how I live my life Jewishly... although I have gained many insights into orthodox practices, it is difficult for me to be here. Many of the girls on this program had little to no Jewish practices in their lives prior to coming to Israel and it appears "easier" for them to absorb all this "new" information. For me, I've had moments of feeling judged as a jew- no one has said anything negative to me directly and when speaking with one of the directors last night, she specifically said to me that no jew can make that judgment. Although I was quite touched to hear her say that and I know its true, it is difficult to learn about the mitzvot for men and those for women (from this orthodox perspective) and then question or ponder these mitzvot "for men" that are deeply important to my Jewish identity- like wearing my tallit and chanting from the Torah. Yes, they tell me women can do these mitzvot, but they don't "need" to... Anyways, these are just some of my challenges with the learning experiences. There have been MANY other experiences outside of Jewel:
-My cousin Rina (her dad and my mom are first cousins) picked up me and my friend Liz on Thursday evening and drove us to her parents in Efrat. As my first experience in a car and driving into the Gush Etzion (where the "settlements" are located, more to come on this word), it was very exciting and eye-opening. Although at night, I saw a great deal of the city and countryside, and realized how close they live to Jerusalem.
-After a comfortable sleep in a clean room, we awoke to coffee and burekas- yummy pastries. Cousin Bruce then took Liz and I on a whole tour of the Gush, which means bloc but really means like a county/area. He also explained how the word yishuv or "settlement" really just means a dwelling, but that politics charges the word with so much more. What surprised me the most about the "settlements" is that throughout the town's neighborhoods there are these open areas of land, which usually have small vineyards or orchards. These are pieces of land that have not been purchased by jews, but rather still belong to arabs and thus they remain untouched. The connotation of a settlement, to me, had implied that the Israeli government took over an area and moved jews in- implying also that this pushed arab populations out- wrong. I could go on about other details I learned from my first hand experience of the area... we can chat more when I return :) overall, a very eye-opening experience.
-Thoroughly enjoyed spending time with the whole Abrams family- Bruce and April, Rina and Shoshana, who I remember from many holiday gatherings in NJ. And also, meeting Coby, Yonatan and the twins, Maayan and Ela, and getting to play/talk with them, was wonderful. Incredible to see their home and especially the view from their mirpeset - porch. Efrat is higher in elevation than Jerusalem so that the winds from the Mediterranean come their way and the breeze is heavenly. On Shabbat afternoon I got my first sunburn reading and lounging on the porch.
-After Shabbat ended, April, Rina, Liz and I went to the mall in Jerusalem, and traveled through an arab village in which they were paving a road. They informed us that the project was being funded by American tax dollars and employing arab workers to construct it- quite interesting.
-The mall opens for a few hours when Shabbat ends, and it is packed with people- quite a phenomena. Shopped at H&M (which most know I love) surrounded by secular, scantily-clad Israelis and religious, covered-up types as well- wow, like no other shopping experience. When the store closed, we got gourmet ice cream from a place called Aldo, which is super yummy. On the drive home, cousin Rina taught me some slang and curse Hebrew words- also quite fun.
-Before heading back to our program, Bruce took Liz and I to a kibbutz, K'far Etzion, to learn about the history of the area, the gush, before the war of independence, during and then after... quite remarkable- heart-breaking and also inspiring. Afterward we went to the Gush Etzion winery for lunch. Tasted a few wines and enjoyed a sweet potato Mediterranean gnocchi- another intriguing experience.
-This morning I had a 3 hours class (or lecture as I would call it) about dating, marriage, sex and then the mikvah (ritual bath) in which we were sitting the lobby of a mikvah center. I struggled greatly with the teacher and her way of communication, and therefore didn't enjoy the experience.
-This evening, a chef is coming to teach us to cook... something. Afterward I am going to meet my friend Sari, who was a chaperon on my birthright trip two years ago. She now lives in Jerusalem. I'm really looking forward to catching up with her and getting out for a bit.
Promise pictures will come soon- signing up for flickr now :) Love and sunshine to all!
-My cousin Rina (her dad and my mom are first cousins) picked up me and my friend Liz on Thursday evening and drove us to her parents in Efrat. As my first experience in a car and driving into the Gush Etzion (where the "settlements" are located, more to come on this word), it was very exciting and eye-opening. Although at night, I saw a great deal of the city and countryside, and realized how close they live to Jerusalem.
-After a comfortable sleep in a clean room, we awoke to coffee and burekas- yummy pastries. Cousin Bruce then took Liz and I on a whole tour of the Gush, which means bloc but really means like a county/area. He also explained how the word yishuv or "settlement" really just means a dwelling, but that politics charges the word with so much more. What surprised me the most about the "settlements" is that throughout the town's neighborhoods there are these open areas of land, which usually have small vineyards or orchards. These are pieces of land that have not been purchased by jews, but rather still belong to arabs and thus they remain untouched. The connotation of a settlement, to me, had implied that the Israeli government took over an area and moved jews in- implying also that this pushed arab populations out- wrong. I could go on about other details I learned from my first hand experience of the area... we can chat more when I return :) overall, a very eye-opening experience.
-Thoroughly enjoyed spending time with the whole Abrams family- Bruce and April, Rina and Shoshana, who I remember from many holiday gatherings in NJ. And also, meeting Coby, Yonatan and the twins, Maayan and Ela, and getting to play/talk with them, was wonderful. Incredible to see their home and especially the view from their mirpeset - porch. Efrat is higher in elevation than Jerusalem so that the winds from the Mediterranean come their way and the breeze is heavenly. On Shabbat afternoon I got my first sunburn reading and lounging on the porch.
-After Shabbat ended, April, Rina, Liz and I went to the mall in Jerusalem, and traveled through an arab village in which they were paving a road. They informed us that the project was being funded by American tax dollars and employing arab workers to construct it- quite interesting.
-The mall opens for a few hours when Shabbat ends, and it is packed with people- quite a phenomena. Shopped at H&M (which most know I love) surrounded by secular, scantily-clad Israelis and religious, covered-up types as well- wow, like no other shopping experience. When the store closed, we got gourmet ice cream from a place called Aldo, which is super yummy. On the drive home, cousin Rina taught me some slang and curse Hebrew words- also quite fun.
-Before heading back to our program, Bruce took Liz and I to a kibbutz, K'far Etzion, to learn about the history of the area, the gush, before the war of independence, during and then after... quite remarkable- heart-breaking and also inspiring. Afterward we went to the Gush Etzion winery for lunch. Tasted a few wines and enjoyed a sweet potato Mediterranean gnocchi- another intriguing experience.
-This morning I had a 3 hours class (or lecture as I would call it) about dating, marriage, sex and then the mikvah (ritual bath) in which we were sitting the lobby of a mikvah center. I struggled greatly with the teacher and her way of communication, and therefore didn't enjoy the experience.
-This evening, a chef is coming to teach us to cook... something. Afterward I am going to meet my friend Sari, who was a chaperon on my birthright trip two years ago. She now lives in Jerusalem. I'm really looking forward to catching up with her and getting out for a bit.
Promise pictures will come soon- signing up for flickr now :) Love and sunshine to all!
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Rooftop lounging
I've decided these posts need to become more bullet point-like because there is just too much happening to explain in narrative form...
-Had a one on one learning session with a young religious woman, Nehama from Atlanta, who had hosted me and another girl for a Shabbat meal. I was able to ask some big questions I'm struggling with- like accepting the Oral Law was given at Mt. Sinai, that non-religious jews are anything less than the observant and lots more... anyways it was a good connection and I felt heard.
-Went on an adventure with my friend Liz. Took the bus again (getting good at a few routes) downtown and then walked to the Ticho House, a museum and restaurant- very cool. Then walked through a park to a neighborhood called Rehavia, with tree-lined streets- so beautiful.
-After the long trek across the city and up a large hill, we arrived at the Israel Museum, which is located right by the Israeli parliament, the Knesset. Although the majority of the museum is under renovation, we were able to see the model of the second temple and the Shrine of the Book, where the Dead Sea scrolls are housed. It was incredible! The museum sits atop a large hill and we had a great view and watched the sun set in the beautiful sky.
-Went to American Apparel and saw a bag with many "international" cities on it, including Eugene! I thought that was very cool and bizarre. The clerk recommended a place to get some dinner with a nice view. One of the nicest hotels I've ever entered- the Mamilla. Headed to the eighth floor to the most incredible rooftop lounge/restaurant. Very swanky and awesome view of the Old City and downtown. Liz and I had a glass of wine while waiting for our table then had a wonderful meal- indescribable... We bonded with the bartender and our waitress and plan to return for their Mediterranean night next week. It was heavenly.
-Had my first ulpan class (intensive Hebrew) which was great. I'd thought it be really lame- like shalom... but I'm in the higher level and was really challenged. The teacher is an older lady who says m'tzuyan (excellent) a lot and she speaks in Hebrew the whole time. Looking forward to next week's class.
-Went on a walk with Liz around dusk because the light is so stunning here. We explored our neighborhood's many stairways to other streets and hidden pathways, and discussed a hidden lookout point where we watched the sun set. Wish I'd brought my camera!
-Got a compliment from my prayer class teacher that I have good energy, after asking her some personal questions... that was touching.
-Continue to love the contrast of the religious and secular population in this neighborhood. Its amazing to see so many people walking in the streets- who look soooo different.
-Lastly, there are very interesting flowers all over and I plan to try and capture a shot of each one! So far I've identified jasmine and bougainvillea.
Overall I'm feeling more "at home" here, meaning comfortable in my house and with my learning experiences. This weekend I will post my pictures thus far. L'hitraot! See ya later!
-Had a one on one learning session with a young religious woman, Nehama from Atlanta, who had hosted me and another girl for a Shabbat meal. I was able to ask some big questions I'm struggling with- like accepting the Oral Law was given at Mt. Sinai, that non-religious jews are anything less than the observant and lots more... anyways it was a good connection and I felt heard.
-Went on an adventure with my friend Liz. Took the bus again (getting good at a few routes) downtown and then walked to the Ticho House, a museum and restaurant- very cool. Then walked through a park to a neighborhood called Rehavia, with tree-lined streets- so beautiful.
-After the long trek across the city and up a large hill, we arrived at the Israel Museum, which is located right by the Israeli parliament, the Knesset. Although the majority of the museum is under renovation, we were able to see the model of the second temple and the Shrine of the Book, where the Dead Sea scrolls are housed. It was incredible! The museum sits atop a large hill and we had a great view and watched the sun set in the beautiful sky.
-Went to American Apparel and saw a bag with many "international" cities on it, including Eugene! I thought that was very cool and bizarre. The clerk recommended a place to get some dinner with a nice view. One of the nicest hotels I've ever entered- the Mamilla. Headed to the eighth floor to the most incredible rooftop lounge/restaurant. Very swanky and awesome view of the Old City and downtown. Liz and I had a glass of wine while waiting for our table then had a wonderful meal- indescribable... We bonded with the bartender and our waitress and plan to return for their Mediterranean night next week. It was heavenly.
-Had my first ulpan class (intensive Hebrew) which was great. I'd thought it be really lame- like shalom... but I'm in the higher level and was really challenged. The teacher is an older lady who says m'tzuyan (excellent) a lot and she speaks in Hebrew the whole time. Looking forward to next week's class.
-Went on a walk with Liz around dusk because the light is so stunning here. We explored our neighborhood's many stairways to other streets and hidden pathways, and discussed a hidden lookout point where we watched the sun set. Wish I'd brought my camera!
-Got a compliment from my prayer class teacher that I have good energy, after asking her some personal questions... that was touching.
-Continue to love the contrast of the religious and secular population in this neighborhood. Its amazing to see so many people walking in the streets- who look soooo different.
-Lastly, there are very interesting flowers all over and I plan to try and capture a shot of each one! So far I've identified jasmine and bougainvillea.
Overall I'm feeling more "at home" here, meaning comfortable in my house and with my learning experiences. This weekend I will post my pictures thus far. L'hitraot! See ya later!
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