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I have started another type of blog. I will definitely still keep this one, but this is more of the play by play of what I do. My tumblr will be short - just pictures and quotes. 

Check it out here: http://alanaerin.tumblr.com/

xoxo, L'hitraot!

חופש

A visual description of the Judean Desert.

As an American, freedom comes easy. Physical freedom, mental freedom, financial freedom, any freedom that one may lack, I feel we have full advantage of in the U.S. I feel that everything I do or have done up until this point in my life has completely been my choice. I have chosen to be the person I am, travel to the places I have traveled to, eat what I want, read what I want, go to university, have a Facebook account and a blog, and so on. As Americans we forget that not everyone around the world has these same freedoms. That they live under governments that choose their lives and their limits. This weekend was out Freedom Seminar in (the beautiful) Ein Gedi and Judean Desert. I had been anxiously awaiting this weekend because I haven't been to places like Masada and the Dead Sea in four years. Again, breathtaking. Again, a reminder of how amazing Israel is. The history that is Israel, the stories, the people that walked these deserts and discovered this land. It's all almost unbelievable.

Feeling a natural high.

Teaching in Netanya doesn't provide many outdoor activities unless at the beach, so doing this was an amazing change of scenery. I also love getting together with the other Israel Pathways participants that we really only get to see once a month. We stayed at the Ein Gedi youth hostel. Our first day we hiked Nahal Mishmar. This is by far the most beautiful, fun, and rejuvenating hike I have ever been on. The energy it infused in me was better than the cup of coffee I drink every morning. The still quietness of the Judean Desert is nonexistent in my day to day life. You can listen to your own breath and your thoughts so clearly. It was something I think everybody needed. I was challenged to climb up higher boulders and shimmy my way across very steep and narrow cliffs to get to the other side. The challenge felt good, overcoming it felt even better. Five hours later the hike ended, I only wanted to continue.

Challenging and invigorating. Choose this path if you dare!

That night we had a not so great guest speaker. I wish I could share her name or what she talked about, but I have no idea. That was it for the night, and I slept like a rock. The next day we were given the option to hike early up the snake trail to the top of Masada or go about an hour later and take the cable car up. Because I had such an amazing time the previous day, I opted to do the Snake Trail hike. Only forty-five minutes, but ALL uphill. This one was much harder for me, but again I did it! And I felt great. Our Madrichim (directors) shared with us what Masada meant for them. Masada is another one of the incredible and historical stories that holds a special significance for the Jewish People and the Land of Israel. But we have all heard it before (thank you birthright) and we wanted to experience Masada in a new way. Learning what significance it held with individual Israeli's was a really unique way to deliver the story of Masada. I loved it. Straight to the Dead Sea Spa for some mudding, floating, and lunch! Just like every tourist visiting Israel, we caked ourselves in the special mineral filled mud of the country and slowly waddled our way into the saltiest and lowest point of the earth. The Dead Sea is something fascinating. No creature can survive in it because of the amount of salt and the are amazing little salt glaciers covering the floor. But float in for fifteen minutes and walk out with the most exfoliated, softest, freshest looking skin. It heals cuts and wounds. It is just magical. We had the most perfect weather this weekend to top it all off, so the water was the most beautiful shades of blue and turquoise. It was our private island it felt like. (No pictures, my hands were too muddy!)

Waterfall at Nahal David.

We did a small Shabbat Service followed by dinner and then a dance party. Two birthdays were in the house so some of us got together with some drinks and music. I'm a granny and made it back to my bed by midnight, but I was ready for the following day and our second optional hike. I slept in until eleven am...like I didn't need it or something? And a big group of us just walked next door to the beautiful and easy hike up Nahal David, a nature preserve. There were beautiful waterfalls and strange/cute animals. It was breathtaking, the mountains surrounding us and the Dead Sea off in the distant. I was still crushing on the  beauty of Israel, it's not something you can get over too quickly.

We closed up the weekend with a summary of what freedom means to us, to Israel, to Judaism, and to the world. It's funny that this topic was for a group of Americans, but then I realized how good it was to reflect on it. We take it for granted. We have no idea how lucky we are. We try to help countries adopt a Democractic Government, yet no one's Democracy is anything like ours. There are many reasons for this and Israel is a good explain. Israel, Americas friend/ally, is Democratic to a degree...but it is NOT America. There are Arab-Israeli's living here who are not nearly free. There are Palestinians living in the West Bank and Gaza who are not either. They abide by very specific rules just because of the location of their homes. They can not drive on certain streets, live in certain neighborhoods, and they have a curfew. This is not free, but this is Israel. Many people can disagree with me about the level of freedom Americans have compared to other places in the world, and that is fine, but I AM grateful to be American. And I AM grateful to be Jewish. I have many doors open for me for these two simple and genetic reasons. I am where I am today because of these reasons. It is a blessing to say the least. 

A beautiful tree at the Ein Gedi Youth Hostel.

CHANUKAH in NETANYA

Latkes hear are called Levivot and they are not a popular Chanukah treat (depressing). Sufganiyot are jelly-filled donuts and these, however, are a popular treat for the holiday and I have definitely eaten my fair share. Chanukah in Israel is not nearly as big a deal as other holidays. People continue to work and university students go to class. There are parties and Chanukiah (menorahs) in the windows, but normal life continues throughout the eight days. The most interesting part of it all, I completely didn't realize it was Christmas until about 4 pm on the 25th. What a weird feeling! The other night all of our group went over to Shomy's (our director) house. His family is amazing. The made us the most delicious meal - I'm still full two days later. Yesterday I finally did get to eat Latkes. I spent the day in Ramat Gan and Even Yehuda visiting friends. I'm sad tonight the Chanukah festivities and meals are ending after tonight! I can't say I had a bad time though...

Merry Christmas to all those back home. Happy Chanukah to everyone. And I wish the happiest New Year to all!!!

xoxo, L'hitraot

You will never fully understand: The Israel-Palestine Conflict.

This past Shabbat I attended a Shabbaton sponsored by MASA Israel Community. The topic was Israel Security and Diplomacy. About 75-100 young adults joined together for the weekend in Jerusalem to learn, discuss, debate, share, and inspire ideas focusing on the issues that are always consuming this country and the people who live in it. As people from the U.S., the U.K., Australia, Russia, and Brazil, we hear a lot about this conflict through friends, family, different forms of media, etc. But you never understand it the way it really is unless you are living it. Those not fully educated on the topic are quick to judge one side or the other as murders, racists, baby-killers and what not, but this is NOT the case at all. Both sides have made mistakes and bad decisions. Both sides are responsible for what has happened and still continues to happen here in the Middle East today. A weekend learning and participating in this event does not make me an expert, and I can't even say I'm the best person to write a blog post about this issue. But I do and have always felt strongly about this issue.

First we toured conflict areas including the border (fence, barrier, everyone calls it something different), Hod Hofsavim (where Hebrew University is located, and an area to look out and see Bethlehem), and we drove past a security checkpoint. After our tour we checked into Beit Yehuda Hostel, a beautiful hotel in Jerusalem with comfy beds and hot showers! We didn't have too much time in between settling and our first speaker: Benzi Grueber, the Vice Commander of Armoured Division 252 also serving in the army as a colonel. He has served the most days in the reserves compared to anyone else in the IDF and he miraculously keeps a calm, charismatic attitude even through all that he has done and seen. He talked to us mostly about the ethics that soldiers in the IDF use during decision-making. This is not normal decision making: should I get the black heels or the red ones? This is eight second, life or death decision making. This is, if we ambush this home, is the family inside decision making.

The inspirational lecture led into Shabbat. We lit candles, said Kiddush, did Kabbalat Shabbat and then ate one of my favorite Shabbos meals so far. SO yummy. Food comas and all, we had another lecture from Khaled Abu Toameh, the West Bank and Gaza correspondent from the Jerusalem Post and U.S. News and World Report. He has also been the Palestinian affairs producer for NBC News since 1988. Along with many other remarkable jobs and achievements, he is an "Israeli-Muslim-Arab-Palestinian" journalist and documentary filmmaker and overall fascinating human. Yes, there were questions he did not enjoy answering, but overall he explained that he doesn't have the answers (like anyone else) he reports on what he knows and what he discovers. He lives a nice life in Jerusalem with his family and travels to the West Bank and Gaza on a daily basis. Is this dangerous? What do the Arabs in these places think of a fellow Arab who gets to live in Israel and report for an Israeli publication? Is he crazy? All these questions crossed my mind, but he had simple answers for all of them. Someone has to do this job. An Israeli can not visit these territories the way Khaled can freely do so, so how else would JPost get their information? Arabs are okay with an educated man delivering news to the public eye that is fair and balanced. All these things we forget to think about in the heat of the moment. The rest of the evening was group discussions and debates. I learned form the Russian MASA participants there that most of them never knew they were Jewish until 6, 10, even 17 years old! Judaism and it's cultures, traditions, spirituality, etc. skipped a generation. Their grandparents practiced the religion, then with all the communism, their parents left it behind. Now that they have discovered who they are, they have chosen to bring it back into their life fully and even most of them have decided to make Aliyah (move to Israel and become a citizen). Amazing. 

With a good nights sleep and a cup of instant coffee, the next day brought on even more education and insight into the problems that lie within this tiny piece of land. Ethan Bronner, Bureau Chief at the New York Times started our day with an analysis on the Middle East today. He has done three Israel tours as a journalist reporting on this issue, first in the 80's for The Boston Globe, and the second in the 90's for Reuters. Yes, another remarkable person to hear speak. Lunch followed and then workshops. There were five to choose from and I attended New Media Campaigns and Negotiating Peace in the Middle East. My first workshop was similar to all I had been learning at SDSU. How to understand the power of New or Social Media, does it help or hurt in cases like the problems of the Middle East, and how you can manipulate this power for the better. Old media is slow, when things happen it is not aired on television or printed in the newspaper the way it is uploaded to YouTube or posted as someones status on Facebook, which is done within seconds or minutes of an event. The power of New Media can be damaging. Organizations such as the IDF have learned the hard way that Social Networking can very well be their enemy. Soldiers have to be much more aware of what they are posting ever since an incident in 2010. One soldier from an elite unit of the Artillery Corps shared details of an upcoming operation in the West Bank onto his Facebook page. Because enemy intelligence scans the internet for pieces about the IDF, he was removed from the unit and the operation was cancelled. This is just a glimpse into all the things we discussed in the workshop. Negotiating Peace in the Middle East combated a whole different topic on this issue. We discussed tips on negotiating in any issue, not just within politics. As well as preparing your negotiation, and the "Seven Elements of Negotiating." These seven elements include anything from body language, dress, and language, up to what you are putting out on the table, the standards you keep, alternatives (what you are willing to take off the table), and actually signing the deal/making the commitment. After we reviewed how important each individual element was we split into two sides - Palestinians and Israelis - and discussed the issue of Palestinian Refugees. How were the Palestinians going to have their 4.7 million refugees, once "kicked out" of their homes into either Gaza, the West Bank, or other Arab coutries (which have also kicked them out) and allow them back into Israel. Israel is risking a lot by doing so. We risk our status as Jewish state. Is this racism? The debate can go on forever. 

Shabbat was ended with a very quick Havdallah service followed by our last lecture by a panel on the De-legitimization of Israel, the impact of public relations on Israel's security, and what we can do as American Jews living in or out of Israel. The three men on the panel were David Harris from Israel Project, Dr. Jonathan Rynhold from Bar Ilan University, and Eran Shayshon from Reuters Institute. "De-legitimization" of Israel is something that isn't just discussed and supported by Palestinians here in the Middle East, but also by many groups in the U.K., the U.S., and all over the world. Just look at your college campus, you have a student-run Palestinian support group right in front of you whether you know it or not. David Harris made a point that stuck with me like glue, when speaking to these supporters, or anyone for that matter, do not use words such as de-legitimization, intifada, barrier wall, or any other negative term used in these discussions. These negative words hold a connotation and by using them, it says we agree. We want to legitimize Israel and we put the fence there to control riots, not to seclude or de-humanize anyone. Things like this need to be taught to others, others who may not know because they have not been here. I understand that Israel has made major boo-boo's. But many people need to understand that Israel is doing what they can right now. Right now being the key words. 

On top of all my new knowledge I met so many new and awesome people from other MASA programs around Israel including Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Modi'in, etc. People from the U.S., the U.K., Australia, Brazil and Russia! These experiences don't really come close in comparison to any other. Yet another reason I am blessed. 

Baruch Ha'Shem!!!

*No pictures in this post because of Shabbat!

Israel is the same size as Rhode Island, but...

In Israel, no one  waits in line. Therefore, if you have been waiting expect to continue doing so. In Israel, people who are having friendly conversations appearing to be screaming at each other. In Israel, everyone honks their horns (all the time) not out of rage, but instead for warning. In Israel, don't expect to be apologized to if someone has bumped into you/cut you off/etc. In Israel, personal space does not exist. In Israel, the boys are not old fashioned and will not call you first. In Israel, the boys also have a stereotype that American girls are extremely easy, all of them. In Israel, a lot of things are different from in the States. A lot of things take getting used to and some I feel I may never get used to at all. However, there is something strangely spectacular about this place. I am still learning about this country, about its history, politics, security, and its people. Some days I just despise the man at the shuk because he is screaming the price of tomatoes (non-stop) and just won't shut up....

Now I am going to bed realizing that none of this matters, because it is simply amazing here.

Click here: Israel's Remarkable Achievements

two homes and a bunch of places inbetween.

It's funny how true it is: "You don't know what you got 'til it's gone." In my case I had to go thousands of miles away from home to realize how much love/appreciate it. In the past three months I have been lucky enough to realize I have two places I call home. I have my home(s) in America where my family lives and where I was raised/grew up/attended school. I also have Israel. I considered Israel home even before I ever came here because of my heritage, but now I have came and went and came and went and now live and left for a vacation and came back, make sense? This vacation in Spain was wonderful and beautiful and somewhere I had dreamed of going for many years now. However, it reassured me of the way I feel about Israel and how it is my "home." Enough about this, all my posts are about my pride and bladddy bladddy blah. So, SPAIN. We all got the week off from teaching, so Amy and I took advantage and booked our flights to Barcelona and Seville. We saw all the sites, walked all the streets, and ate almost all the food (or at least it seemed so).

BARCA

An outside view of La Sagrada Familia.

A majority of my friends had studied for a semester in this beautiful city and I always envied them. I would see pictures and hear stories and continue to tell myself that one day I would get to see it for myself. Living in Israel has given me a geographic advantage, a.k.a a much cheaper flight, so why not?! Night one we arrived around 11 pm, a perfect time for a full night of festivities considering the Spanish lifestyle. We settled, changed, and started drinking. Our hostel (Kabul in Plaza Real) invites all guests to go out to a different place every night of the week. This particular night (or every Saturday) was Razzamatazz. This is the biggest club I had ever been too - this coming from a Vegas girl. Inside there are five different rooms with different music, different scenes, different vibes. Just massive! We had a good time, but it was overwhelming. 

Gorgeous fountain in Park Citadel.

We got just enough sleep to venture out for our first day in Barcelona. We strolled on Las Ramblas, a very popular main street for Catalonians and tourists. A nice art market lined the street closest to the marina and Amy and I both purchased ourselves handmade glass rings. The Chelsea vs. Liverpool futbal game was showing at all the local sports pubs in the late afternoon, so we did as the Europeans do and grabbed a beer and screamed when someone scored. The following couple of days are mumbled and jumbled and blur together. The reason for this is not strictly to blame on alcohol, but also because of the 2:30 pm - 5:30 pm siesta and the miles and miles of walking and even the one day of riding bikes (uphill mind you). To sum a lot of it up, we got to visit the BEAUTIFUL La Sagrada Familia church and Park Guell - Antoni Gaudi's incredible masterpieces. This is a man who really blows my mind. I understand being inspired by nature, but to the level he has taken it is really something extraordinary and something I don't know how to put down in words. Every street, lamp post, apartment, sidewalk, even graffiti wall was gorgeous. The people too! I have never seen so many fabulously dressed people in one area at one time. Loved it.

View of Barcelona from Park Guell.

SEVILLE

Amy and I on the "Big River" in Seville.

One hundred percent ready to head South, we left Barcelona on Ryan Air (which I do not recommend to fellow or future travelers). My lack of sleep and carb-filled diet left me a bit ill and Seville was a place where I could get myself back in order, rest up, and enjoy the rest of my holiday. Again, we arrived late but did not do the correct amount of hostel research prior. So we searched the streets for a place to stay and finally settled on a very quaint Spanish-style hotel. We ate the yummiest dinner and got in our first good night of sleep, all set to jump into what Seville had to offer. 

Spanish Style in Plaza de Espana.

First thing in the morning we switched ourselves over to the most wonderful hostel, The Garden. We explored all day and saw beautiful parks, the university area, the massive cathedral, and got lost in Reales Alcazares (the oldest palace in Europe, still active today). The city truly had the Southern feeling to it that Barcelona lacked. It was mellow, laid back, and peaceful. No one was hurrying to get anywhere, no cars honking, and I saw barely anyone using a cell phone - Todo, we are not in Kansas anymore! The hostel offered free Sangria from 8-9 pm, a perfect opportunity for Amy and I to let loose before heading to our first Flamenco show! Wow, talent. I don't know what else to say. The dancers tell the most passionate and fierce stories with their bodies and the costumes. The way they clap and stomp their feet is something I have never seen before. I couldn't take my eyes off! We met up with others from our hostel for a pub craw. At the first bar we took mini Salsa dancing lessons, but unfortunately I never got to use my moves out on the dance floor. 

Plaza de Espana.

Our second full and last day in Seville we signed up to go on a walking tour of the city (again offered through the hostel). Our guide, Phillipe, knew SO much information and was really silly and cute. Fun fact, Phillipe is from Italy, so the fact that he knew every detail about Spanish history and landmarks, the language and was fluent in English just blew my mind. Even though we walked for what seemed like forever, the tour was wonderful. We visited the bull fighting ring on our own, grabbed one last scoop of the best ice cream I have ever had in my life, and headed back to the airport. 

Back in Barcelona by 11 pm, we had five hours to kill before our flight back to Israel. We went late night souvenir shopping (but don't get excited because it was too expensive, I couldn't buy all of you something), grabbed sandwiches and a beer, went back to the airport to sleep on the freezing cold tile floor (then got kicked off the floor), checked-in, and Hasta Luego!

Two girls taken over Spain. I feel satisfied, like I got to see everything I had hoped for and more. Like I didn't waste a minute. This post could be pages beyond pages longer, but the details sum up like this: Spain is wonderful and magical. It was clean and aesthetically one of the prettiest places I have been so far. The people were the most surprising because I thought they would know much more English and that they would be rude. Total opposite. Very few people knew any English and they were so kind. I look forward to going back again some other day. 

So much Hummus...I'm turning into a Chick Pea.

I have NO complaints in the Israeli food department. I mean, who on earth dislikes authentic Mediterranean cuisine? But the time has come to pump the breaks on the hummus intake. Israeli chocolate is another one of those things I may have to buy an extra suitcase to fill on the way home. It is irresistible in this country, as well! You can't go wrong with shwarma, pita, harif, tehina, salat, the occasional falafel, shakshuka, matbuka, sabeech.....ahhh......

To add to my glorious eating escapades, my last Shabbat was top notch in the food department. The lovely Amy Zitelman is lucky enough to have her mother in Israel right now. They, again, invited to stay the weekend in Jerusalem at their apartment. Her mother is a co-founder of the Women's Renaissance Program. An amazing organization that allows Jewish Mom's to experience birthright for themselves. The goal is to bring them to their homeland for eleven days, learn about their heritage, bring it home and implement it into their family's lifestyle. This Shabbat brought all the groups together from LA, Ottawa, Seattle, etc. at Aish HaTorah (a seminary right at the Kotel/Wailing Wall - stunning building). Mrs. Zitelman asked Amy to choose five friends to bring to this dinner of 150 women to speak about our experiences with Israel previous to the program we are doing now and our present situation. Also, how we feel about being here and the country in general, and how our parents feel about us being away from home so long in a country that is consistently being threatened by it's neighbors. For me it is easy to answer each and every question. 

     My first time in Israel I was eighteen. I was on the ten day birthright trip with my older sister. She made all the plans and I tagged along, not really knowing that traveling would impact me or make me feel any certain way. Getting off the plane and being welcomed into the country with a "Welcome HOME" took my breath away. I continued to feel like I belonged, like maybe I had been here before? There was no words, it just felt right. I came again to learn at Neve Yerushalyim (a girls seminary in a very Orthodox/religious neighborhood in Jerusalem) for about a month during my Sophomore year of college. Again, I felt comfortable. I had more culture shock leaving and returning home than being in Israel. I realized more how much I stood behind my faith and how important Judaism and the State of Israel was to me. These two experiences prompted the easy decision to live here for ten months after college. I didn't think twice before submitting my application for this program. I knew I would enjoy myself and that I would always cherish my time living in a place I always called home anyway. I know my parents worry sick, that's besides the point. They understand how I feel, how my sister feels, and how our whole family feels about Israel. It is in our blood to be Zionistic, to want to support our "home." Yes, my parents miss me and I miss them, but this was something I had to do. I am who I am today because of my parents' support in everything that I do. 

So these were my answers. I encouraged these women to keep in touch with me and to pass my information along to their kids. I am more than happy to be a poster child for Israel.

My upcoming two weeks is more than something to look forward to. There is a jam-packed seminar from Wednesday to Saturday for all Israel Pathways participants to learn about Israeli Society. The itinerary is incredible. Then Saturday - off to Barcelona for a week!!!

Besosss xx!

Jewish Women's Renaissance Program: http://www.jwrp.org/

*On Shabbat we do not take pictures or use any form of technology, it is the ultimate day of rest. Therefore, this post has no pictures. Use your imagination :)

Walla!

One of my 5th grade students today kept saying, "Walla!" after each correct letter from the alphabet that he wrote down on the white board. I said, "Ma ze Walla?" (What is Walla?) He just looked at me and said with some abbra-cada-bra hand gestures "WALLA!" And I got it. I learned later that it is a kind of slang word similar to "for real!" This made his actions even cuter. 

I have thought maybe a few times about being a teacher in the past, but I know that is not the right career fit for me. I am more of a camp counselor type. I like to play and act like one of the kids, not discipline them and command them to do things as a robot would. I like to encourage their freedom of imagination and their playfulness. No, Israel hasn't changed me. I still do not want to be a teacher, but right now one of the best feelings I get is watching the light bulb go off in one of my students heads. That "Ah ha!" moment when they totally get it, and even when they remember it the next day, is one of the best feelings. It is a feeling a plumber, actor, lawyer, etc. does not get. Only teachers. 

Other than my teaching filled days, the nights have been filled with a wide variety of activities. There has been a few wild nights out in Tel Aviv, an Idan Raichel concert, running along the promenade, a rooftop BBQ & Karoake event, and a VERY religious Shabbat in Ramat Bet Shemesh. 

The Girls (& Alon) at the Masa Mega Event in Jerusalem.

Tel Aviv is one of my many reasons for loving Israel. It is number nine on the list of most expensive cities in the world, which doesn't make it a hot spot for the college-style wallet I still have, but girls have advantages (wink wink!). Miraculously, some Israeli men are gentleman and still offer to buy me and my girlfriends drinks without anything in return, just a new friend/welcome to my country type of deal. So, in that case, we still go out there and we still have a ball. This is a city with energy pumping through it's veins. The people are beautiful and fashionable and the restaurants, bars, clubs, and even just the streets, have something magical about them. Something you don't find in America. One of my favorite parts, everyone you are surrounded by (in the club for example) is Jewish. Now that is not something I can get used to when I get back home...all the Goyim! (Just Kidding!) Two places I went recently were The Cat and The Dog, and The Deli. The Deli is disguised as just another sandwich shop on the street front, but go through that mysterious booming black door and its an amazing bar, dance floor, and a deejay that plays the funkiest beats. Amazing. 

MASA is the umbrella in which my program sits under. Every year they throw a MEGA event for all the participants in Israel. This year it was at a huge auditorium/event center place in Jerusalem. They had a couple quick speakers and singers and dancers opening the night, but the finale was a two hour long concert by The Idan Raichel Project. Idan Raichel is a very talented musician and artist who has brought people together, mainly those who otherwise wouldn't have a shot, to make music. He has brought singers into his project from Ethiopia, a drummer from Morocco, and a guitar players from Uruguay. It is an amazing thing he does and the music is incredible. Dancing was in order and kind of fake singing too. 

 

Day-to-day life is still in tact. I spend my weeks in Netanya and Shabbat wherever I can throughout Israel. The work week ends Thursday afternoon and picks back up on Sunday, bright and early. Definitely takes getting used to. I had a difficult time last Shabbos with a family I knew from back in  San Diego. They are religious and all eight, yes eight, of them made Aliyah about two months ago. They are living in a heavily American Orthodox populated neighborhood that is really beautiful. The kids are ranging in ages 1-9. I understand moving six small children across the world can be a massive adjustment, therefore I am giving them the benefit of the doubt, but the children were not so kind to me. Luckily, Shabbat is every single week and I can look forward to my next one wherever and with whoever it may be :)

במבט קדימה

With the Chagim in the past, all the holidays finished and over with, everybody in Israel is back to normal, everyday life. We can officially call ourselves teachers having completed our first full week at school. No observations, no tours, no Seminar, straight up teaching students English. As with anything, there are high's, low's and everything in between. I love the school, the students, and the staff. The overall dynamic is happy and easy-going. The actual Israeli culture of the classroom is the complete opposite of an American classroom. The kids here are like wild animals just released back into the jungle. They yell and scream uncontrollably, they beat the shit out of each other, and they do not listen to their teacher - ever. And then there is the fact that no one puts a stop to it. Of course there are good students that listen and love to learn, but they sadly fall through cracks because of the difficult ones who spend all day disrupting the room. Anna and I have come to save the day. We take a group of four students into separate rooms and teach lessons depending on their levels. Today I was a lone soldier because Anna had to get her Visa (she was on the verge of deportation, but it's all good now). I approached the school, honestly a little nervous, but the day ended up being amazing. When we are able to remove the crazy kids from the classroom, everyone benefits. They like to come with me because I am way cooler than their regular English teacher, Ira, and the kids who like to learn stay in class and finally get the education they deserve. It's amazing how much they already know though, whether it be from movies or from previous years of English class. Every student reported back to Ira how much fun they had with me in my lesson and I left school feeling very accomplished...now think of how it will be in 8 months! I can't say enough how incredible this opportunity is. 

Our other exciting weekly event was Ulpan (intensive Hebrew learning courses). We had our first class on Sunday and our second on Wednesday. Each class is three hours and it will be this way every week until the program ends. There are two levels and I was placed in the higher of the two, so at least I know some of my college courses at SDSU paid off! I can't say I understand 100% of when the teacher talks, better yet I don't think I understand 60%....but I will get there, I am sure. I can say learning and trying to speak another language on a daily basis is exhaustinggg. I love that my brain is always working here - creating lesson plans, trying to speak Hebrew, converting prices, etc., but phew. Siesta's are usually necessary. 

Other than school and Ulpan, it's been quiet around these parts. As a new college grad on a budget, being at party animal status is on the low. However, last night was an exception and a small group of us went dancing at a club called Kinsey. Just relieving some of that stress that builds up when you are a teacher :)

L'hitraot!

Holiday in the Sun

More and more I believe Israeli's are some of the craziest people I have met. It is a guaranteed great time when you are in Israel, and I understand exactly why I feel at home here - because I'm crazy too. I spent the past few days out of Netanya and in Tel Aviv and in the North. I went out to clubs both nights in TLV, first YaYa who was having their last night of the season. Amy, Anna, and I went and danced until they kicked us out around 3 am. We proceeded to an amazing sandwich stand where somehow we convinced the sweet 19 year old sandwich maker to give it to us for practically free. Tastes even better that way! The next night I went to a Merhav Yarkon, which used to be a police department. Danced the night away again and had an amazing time. 

The next day was the return home of Gilad Shalit. I wrote about it in my last entry, but I also mentioned I didn't want to jinx anything. There is still the chance for a jinx because only half of the Arabs have been released, and we never know what they will do. However, he IS home with his family. I watched the news all morning and witnessed his long process of getting home. Even though he was only being help captivate 9 km away in Gaza, they first had to bring him to Egypt for reasons I am not positive of. I watched a terrible interview done with Egyptian media that he was forced into. Of course it is all in Hebrew and luckily I have friends who are able to translate for me. All I can think is how this all is for him. He was in a basement for five years, things do not just go back to normal after that. He was in good health besides his sun deficiency and all the weight he lost, but he did tell his mom that his last two years he was treated well - whatever that means. I pray for him and his family and friends still because this will be a long recovery process. I am SO happy he is home and so happy I can be in Israel to experience it as an Israeli is. Also that day, Amy and I discovered the most delicious hummus restaurant with the best service in Israel. This is shocking because customer service in this country is useless, I would say a 1 on a scale of 10. I will hopefully be going back there again very soon! That night the three of us girls plus two of Anna's friends from home in Chicago started our adventure to "Neverland." We were going to Neverland Electronic Music Festival near the Kinneret. The location of the music festival stays a secret until an hour before it begins, then you have to call a phone number that gives you directions. Sketchy, I know, but totally worth it. It was pitch black when we got there and setting up our broken tent was nearly impossible until our nice neighbors, Tal and Naor, helped us set up our little home. They connected our tent with their roof made of tapestries and let us sit on their mats. Thank goodness for them! 

Not many people had arrived when we did, so we just hung out at home base for a while. When we got antsy we migrated to one of the two music tents and the 50 people inside were dancing like wild Indians to intense Dubstep. From then on it was party central. No one slept, we watched the sun come up, danced, made friends, and flat out had an amazing time. It was exactly like a 24 hour Coachella, except worse music and all Jews :)

It was so fun to be a part of it and be one of very little Americans at an event like this. I love that I get to experience stuff like this. When I think about going home, I think of how strange it will be to walk into a bar, grocery store, mall, etc. and NOT be surrounded by Jewish people. It will be so strange to start my work week on a Monday and not a Sunday anymore. It will be weird when everything is open on Shabbat and every other Jewish holiday. All these things are what I am loving about living in this country. I am loving that every person I meet tells me how happy they are that I am here. I am entering my real job here, teaching English, with such a positive attitude and such a fun month and half behind me. I couldn't ask for anything more! Well, I could pray that my family comes to visit me :)

L'hitraot!

Rocky Boats and Lots of "Meshugaga"

There is a lot to celebrate right now here in Israel. We are in the middle of Succot - a holiday where the Jews re-enact how our ancestors once dwelled in Sukka's while they wandered in the desert for over 40 years. It is also a time to celebrate the beginning of the Fall Harvest. Today, I walked to the beach in Netanya and passed many different Sukka's throughout town. It is so fun to see! Back home, we have a Sukka at temple, but never all over the streets. So awesome to see here.

Last week we took a late night trip to Jerusalem. Between the days of Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur are the "Selichot." These are the days were we really ask for forgiveness and repent for our sins. Jerusalem is home to the very famous Wailing Wall, aka Western Wall, aka Kotel. During the days of Selichot Jews from ALL OVER Israel come to this destination to pray together for 30 minutes (I believe from 11:30 pm - 12 am). This 30 minutes is intense and strongly united. To actually reach the wall you must push and fit you way through the body-to-body crowds of people. It does not make it easy when the elderly have taken chairs in the midst of the balagan (chaos). You don't see them and then all of a sudden you are stumbling over them. Another obstacle is the fact that when you are ready to walk away from the wall, you must never turn your back to it. The women trying to walk backwards through this crowd make it almost impossible for the rest of us to walk forward. Sound ridiculous? It is! But is powerful and amazing. It is an experience that you must have at least once in your life.

ALL ABOARD!

After that we celebrated Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. For a 25 hour period we fast. Without satisfying our needs for food, we are atoning for all the sins we have performed in the past year. This is also a time to say all of our sorry's. Here is Israel, it is not only eating that we put off for 25 hours, it is also driving and TV watching. Try watching that TV and you'll get a whole lotta nothin'. Try getting in that car and possibly risk getting rocks thrown at you. The highway is completely empty, as well as our bellies. No eating also means no drinking, even water. After the 25 hours are up, we break fast with a big, beautiful, and highly anticipated meal. My personal experience was that Friday morning I went back to Miriam's home. Not much time passed, not even a new blog post, before I went back to spend with my dear friend and newly adopted third grandmother. We relaxed and watched movies and relaxed some more. Sunday she invited me to her weekly coffee date with her girlfriends at one of the biggest and best malls in Israel. I loved it! I met her girlfriends and chatted with them a bit in English a bit in Hebrew over a nice hot cup of Kafe Hafook (cappuccino) and then wandered the stores. I bought myself a very inexpensive and cute pair of mishkafe shemesh (sunglasses) and sandals. We headed home, ate some lunch, packed my bags and I headed to the Haifa port where I met up with my friends to board our ship!

In Cyprus at Larnaka Beach: Jenette, Amy, Alana, Anna.

The Royal Iris was waiting for us, ready to begin a wild three days cruisin' the sea to Cyprus. Much different than an American cruise line, this ship was not about all-day buffets and activities. It was about laying in lounge chairs and exploring the island of Cyprus (the Greek side). Not complaints though! Besides the heavy rocking and the very bad hangover on the last day, I had so much fun! It was literally spring break '07 and I loved it all. 

On the ship, our neighbors were a group of 16 year old boys. On the second night were passing their room to get ready for the night ahead when they stopped us to say, "Gilad Shalit is coming home." This statement didn't set in for at least a minute or two. Rumors have circulated in the past and after five years, you really doubt you are going to hear this statement. But they invited us to watch Benjamin Netanyahu (Israel's Prime Minister) speak about the deal that had been made between Israel and Hamas leaders with the help of Egypt and French President Nicolas Sarkozy. Israel is to release 1,027 Palestinian terrorist prisoners in exchange for the release of Gilad Shalit. This is an agreement that has taken over five years to come to because it is heavily loaded. It is awful news for those victims of terrorist attacks, it is scary for what may happen in the future, and people aren't ready to really celebrate until he is physically home with his family. To be present in Israel for this historical moment leaves me speechless. I am so honored and feel so patriotic. As a Jew and as current resident of Israel, I entirely agree with Netanyahu when he explained in his speech that one human life is equivalent to this whole nation. To some it doesn't make sense how 1,027 lives is equal to one, but to me and to other Israelis, it does. We expect him home by next week! To stay updated on all of this please use www.JPost.com.

Bon Voyage!

There are 10 more days until we return to teaching and begin Ulpan lessons! I expect to go to concerts, go to the beach, and explore more of Israel. Therefore you can expect more blogs and more excitement :)

Back to School!

Miriam and I at Betzlet Beach.

Rosh Shanah was a relaxing few days in Haifa with the WONDERFUL Miriam Levy and her family. Miriam is the mother of a very dear friend of my Dad and Step Mom. I have met her before back in the states when she has come to visit her daughter in Redondo Beach and she always told me if I was ever in Israel to come visit and stay with her. So, I did! She invited me over for a nice new year's dinner and place to rest my keppi. It was awesome to just do nothing and hang out and have a grandma figure here in Israel. I was surrounded by Hebrew and did the best I could at conversing and learning new words. I already have a date to go back this weekend for Yom Kippur :)

The Sea from the Lebanon/Israel border.

 

Finally....the moment we have all been waiting for....

School has started! Yesterday was my first day visiting my school - Shorashim - that I will be at for the rest of the year. It is a 25-30 minute walk from my apartment and the kids are a mix of Israeli's and Russian immigrants. The young ones are adorable and polite and the older ones are animals. Of course, the small amount of English they know includes "Modder Fucker." We're gonna have to work on that. The school is like any other elementary school, very colorful with a very friendly staff. There is even a room where they have small, fury animals (rabbits, hamsters, and an iguana) for the kids to play with and learn about. My teaching partner for the year is my friend Anna. We randomly, and thankfully, got placed together which is awesome. We have a great time picking out which kids will be heart-breakers and which will be serial killers when they grow up. She also knows fluent Russian which helps her communicate with about half of the students. These two days have just been getting to know the school, the teachers, the kids, the way the system works, and observing it all. The kids get a long break for Yom Kippur and Succot so we don't actually start teaching and working with them until October 23. In the meantime, I will be going back to Haifa, then on a cruise to Cyprus! Then even maybe a music festival! Everything is better than I could ask for. 

As I went for a jog along the beach promenade last night, I realized how lucky I am. How much I hope everyone gets experiences similar to mine in their life. I really hope the things I do now will encourage others to do later. There aren't really words to describe how I feel I have grown as a person even in this short month and my predictions for the impact the next year will have. I feel God has blessed me with an amazing pair of eyes that have gotten to see the greatest things and the most amazing parts of the world. It is incredible to be traveling WITH PURPOSE. To be going out, having fun, making friends, but then stepping into a classroom to help improve a child's whole life. An incredible feeling.

L'Shana Tova!

I will be heading to Haifa in the next hour to spend Rosh Hashana with a family friend. What are you all doing to celebrate the New Year?

I wish everyone an incredible new year. May you be forgiven of all sins and ready to take on another year with an open mind and an open heart!

האושר על זה המשובחים

Eventful and relaxing all rolled into one. The past week and Shabbos has been on for the books (or the blog). My tummy is still full from the amazing food I had the luxury of eating and I'm ready to write about it. 

The two lead singers of A Collective doing an amazing duet.

Last Wednesday we had been invited to a show. There is an Israeli band that sings in English, their name is A Collective (www.joinacollective.com) and they performed a super small venue right here in Netanya at a bar called Doug & Tony's. They played recently in Tel Aviv at a much bigger and packed venue, but the "scene" here in Netanya is a lagging a bit. Anna, Ben, and I went and had an amazing time. They blew my mind. In comparison to places like the UK, Israel has not produced the most amazing music scene. These guys are the definition of proving this statement wrong. A six member band, two lead singers, and all around awesome-ness. Please give them a listen or a download!! 

All four Israel Pathways programs joined together for a Shabbat Seminar up in the North by the Kinneret aka the Sea of Galilee. So beautiful. We climbed Mount Arbel for a short history lesson, did a water hike where water came up to our hips, and stayed on the gorgeous grounds of Kibbutz Ginosaur. This particular Kibbutz privatized in the 1980's and continues to produce a very successful tourism and hospitality industry as well as the countries best bananas. They also produce other agriculture such as, apricots, walnuts, and the list goes on and on. We spent our time eating, resting, and swimming in the beautiful lake. For anyone traveling to Israel - The Nof Ginosaur buffet is where it's at! And after...I can honestly say it was my BEST night of sleep racking in a total of 12 hours :) I don't have any pictures during Shabbat as we were keeping the tradition of emulating God and not creating - only resting. However, we closed the Shabbat with a gorgeous Havdalah service and welcomed the new week with an epic dancing cruise on the Kinneret.

Holy Land Sailing Company- Tiberias, Israel

And sadly, today was the last day of our official training at Seminar Hakibbutzim. I am very glad it is over, but I am also a little nervous because the real stuff is about to begin. I don't really think I can say I am now 100% confident to enter the Israeli classroom and teach them a new language - a foreign language. Our Madrich, Gail, has assured us that we DO have all the tools we need and we ARE ready for what we are about to face, but there are moments where I am still unsure. Maybe I am more unsure now than I was before even coming to Israel because I was not aware of the magnitude of how difficult it may be.

Incredible nighttime view of Tiberias from the boat.

I am truly looking forward to Rosh Hashanah, this new year will be the biggest one of my 22 years yet. This is a REAL new year. This is a new year full of growing and experiencing unlike ever before. This new year MATTERS.

Chag Sameach! May everyone have a beautiful, fruitful, and abundant year :)

How Can I Explain This?

It's my life now. I wake up to an alarm, brush my teeth, put on my clothes, pack my lunch, get on the bus, and head to school. It's no different than the life I had lived back home. The thought of this and the act of it are different. When I think about it, I'm shocked that it is actually possible to live a normal day-to-day life so far from "home." When I do it though, it's completely natural.

Jerusalem, right out the Jaffa Gate.

The Western Wall.

My weekend in Jerusalem was better then I could have ever imagined. We stayed at Amy's family's apartment, absolutely stunning. There was a total of 9 of us and we each were able to sleep comfortably. The first night we went out to eat dinner on Ben Yehuda Street. An amazing area with so much cultural and a lot of English speakers. A few of us ate at Burgers Bar - mmmm. The rest of the night was wine, vodka, whiskey, and relaxation. The apartment building has a wonderful rooftop overlooking the area of Jerusalem. From the rooftop you can here different areas celebrating different events, weddings, birthdays, even simple prayer.

The next day we walked in the Old City. We reached the Kotel (aka The Western Wall, aka The Wailing Wall). It was the first time in two years since I have been there. The experience is still just as powerful. It is the most holy place for a Jew to go and talk, touch, and breathe in God. The power after you feel the Wall under your fingertips is not something that any blog or writer can express. Every person is there for a different reason. To my left a women crying uncontrollably as she prays, to my right a tourist snapping numerous pictures of all the notes to God shoved in the cracks. Moments like those are when I am remember how special my heritage is.

 

 

 

Roasted Veggies heading into the oven. Mmmm.

The "shuk" was the next stop. The shuk is the marketplace. Basically think of a farmer's market on crack, especially in the few hours leading up to Shabbat. Everyone is running around getting last minute ingredients for the perfect meal and flowers to bring over to loved ones' homes. The group of us split up and used the menu we had created in the morning to buy all of our necessary ingredients. There are many, many pictures of the process and the results, but

this is was the final list of our FABULOUS Shabbat meal:

-Walnut, Pineapple Kugel

-Cous Cous Salad

-Hummus

-Roasted Veggies (Eggplant, Carrots, Onions, Yams, Garlic)

-Delicious Challah

-And the grand finale: Make your own pizza bar! Using pita, amazing homemade tomato paste, mozzarella, feta, tomatoes, white wine mushrooms, anchovies, and peppers.

Dayim M'od!!! (So yummy!!)

Amy, Sarah, Anna, Alana at Gagos Rooftop Bar. Amazing Day/Night!

Saturday morning was clean up and preparation to leave. Our group split up again. Anna, Amy, and I headed off on a short journey to Ra'anana. Such a cute little town. There is nothing more I can say besides, BALAGAN! (Chaos). We went to a grand opening of a rooftop bar with a group of Anna's Israeli friends. Such a good time.

The weekend was amazing, the weeks ahead are going to be even better.

Settling.

Sometimes we spend so much time with each other, I walk outside and feel like I ALMOST forget that I'm in Israel. A good and a bad thing. It's good because the twenty-four Americans in my program are forming friendships and bonds on an everyday basis. Bad because we are not letting ourselves immerse into the culture. I realize it is every individuals job to do this. It has now become a point for me to get more acquainted with my neighbors and other Israeli's. I want to feel part of an Israeli community.

My roommate, Ellana.

As for the time we have spent together, the roof top of our apartment complex has been a prime location. Our group was finally complete with everyone arriving here safely and a having a party on the terrace this past Shabbat was definitely in order. Lots of drinks, lots of fun. 

 EFL Training has been quite the opposite this week. Some lectures are so boring that my whole body hurts. It sounds dramatic, I know, but it's true. I do understand how important and special it is that we have this opportunity and preparation before we enter the classroom, but the days are long.

Some of the players of the Netanya D1 Basketball Team.

Last night Amy, Anna, and I went to the Netanya basketball team's scrimmage. So awesome! The team is made up of Israeli's, Americans, all different men. Watching the basketball was fun, watching the men....even more fun.

Israel Pathways is the hub to four programs, Israel Teaching Fellows - Netanya (the program I am in), Israel Core (a volunteering program), Israel Path (Hiking the path from the North to the South of Israel), and Zoom Israel (a photography and graphic design program). Today we spent our time with the Zoom Israel group in a lecture about "Volunteerism." Also boring, but nice to meet new people. Random, but I met Lauren who is also from Las Vegas and also went to Cimarron-Memoral High School (exactly where I went to H.S.)! She graduated '08 and me '07. I have never met her before and she didn't look familiar, but I was shocked. You rarely meet other Vegas folks, but CMHS of all places!? Insane.

Our meeting with the Mayor in the local newspaper!

Ya'rushalaim (Jerusalem) is the weekend plan. I am SO excited. It is such an amazing city. Bless Amy and her family, they have an apartment right in the Old City and she invited a group of us to stay. Cookin', drinkin', and relaxin' - that's the game plan.

L'hitraot!