Our journey is masa ;)

As our time here in Jerusalem nears its end (we're dispersing after this trimester), it seems that everything's becoming so much more hectic. Our weeks are filled with MASA events, little outings or movies planned by our counselors, charity rallies and walks, and of course, some classes and homework in between.

Hm. Now that I think about it, it's likely my own doing that my days are busier. My mindset has shifted a bit, as I realize now that my time left in Jerusalem is limited, and I fill my schedule trying to fit in all I can. I appreciate the city--am less frustrated by the presence of so many Americans and so many tourists/tourist attractions/touristy things (I would hesitate to call the kotel, for instance, an "attraction." Just seems off). There are perks to Jerusalem--things in this city that I wouldn't find in any other city in Israel, much less anywhere else in the world. Where else can I go out on a Monday night and be absolutely guaranteed to bump into at least a few people I know? I've run into my old camp counselor on Emek R'faim, my sister's friend across from the bus station, and a dozen old camp and school friends near Ben Yehudah. It's an odd night if I don't find someone I know, or someone I once knew (and with whom a short reunion with an awkward exchange of "hey!"s is completely necessary). I also have friends here, good friends--friends not on yearcourse but on other various programs around the city. Of course, leaving Jerusalem won't really be leaving them, seeing as everything in Israel is "just forty-five minutes away!" but I'll be seeing them less, and our get-togethers will require annoying planning in advance. (I don't like planning. And I'm not so good at it. Uch.)

Anyways, some highlights from my busssyyyy week. The photo above was taken at a rally for the captured soldiers, that is, the three soldiers captured last year before the war in Lebanon. The backdrop was blown-up pictures of Gilad Shalit, Ehud Goldwasser, and Eldad Regev, sequinced curtains, and neon lights. The performances followed suit--high-tech and a bit flashy at times--but nonetheless meaningful, touching, and seemingly effective. (Effective might be the wrong word, the real effectiveness of the event might yet to be determined, but we were definitely a large presence.) Memorable parts of the night included a short speech by Ehud Goldwasser's wife. You wonder how she keeps living.

In a small change of mood, Halloween fell a few nights after. You wouldn't think the holiday is big in Israel, but as I said, Jerusalem is a city of Americans. Of teenage Americans. Essentially, yearcourse brought Halloween to Israel. Our costumes were creative and elaborate, and included a "nudist on strike," Little Red Riding Hood, Waldo of Where's Waldo, and animals of all sorts. I am shown in the photo above (as a pirate) with a "piece of metal." To summarize, it was a fun night, beginning with filling an entire public bus with American fools in costumes, and ending with some silly kids dancing on the streets downtown while we searched for a cab.

The week ended in excellent fashion with a MASA-sponsored Ha-Dag Nachash concert. MASA-sponsored, I soon found out, does not only mean that the event cost me a mere 35 shekels. It means that the event was more of a carnival-type-event than a simple concert, complete with clowns and men on stilts and a group dressed in "Na-na-nachman" hats dancing around a fake Torah scroll. After these festivities, we gathered in the auditorium to watch the band perform--we being participants of MASA programs around Israel, which is most year programs, meaning I saw ALL of my in-Israel friends and random acquaintances. But before the actual band came out, we were treated with multiple loud and excited playings of the MASA theme song. Yes, they have a theme song, and yes, it is excellent. ("Our journey is Masa," the title of this blog, is in fact a line from that very song.) Finally the real concert began, and in the end, it was no less than amazing.
MASA gave us backpacks too. Nerdy orange ones. Yay for loaded organizations.

That ultimately ended the week, and shabbat was spent with my mom, aunt, uncle, and some cousins down at my aunt and uncles "caravilla" in Ein Tsurim. I think I slept more than was awake. And I played with babies. It was grand.

Until next time, Lehitra'ot