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

Belated First Post

I know--I procrastinate.
After being in Israel now for more than a month and a half, I've finally found the time and energy to create this blog. I figure better late than never, and I hope I'll have discipline enough to continue to update and document at least some of my experiences here. Bear with me while I neglect to post for weeks at a time; while I'm out in downtown Jerusalem or tanning on the beach in Herzeliyah or eating Shabbat dinner with my cousins, I might find little time in between.
Who am I kidding. It's sheer laziness. There's really no other excuse.

I write my first post from our hostel in Jerusalem, the Judaen Youth Hostel, which is situated way on the outskirts of town near the zoo and the Malha Mall. The location is less than ideal. We spend lots of money on cabs and buses to the center of town, while my friends on other programs are a short five minute walk from Ben Yehuda Street. The hostel itself, though, is pretty much a palace (our counselors, in fact, have dubbed it just that), complete with an outdoor pool, a basketball court, a gym, and a very-much-appreciated cleaning service. The building is new and enormous and clean, and the quality of the place makes up, somewhat, for what it lacks in location. Somewhat.

Specifically, I'm writing now on my laptop while I sit in my History of Zionism class (don't kill me, parents, I can pay attention at the same time!). Zionism class is generally worthwhile, engaging for the most part. Every Tuesday is Zionism trip day. Last week our class traveled to Rosh Ha'ayin, a city north of Tel Aviv with a large Yemenite Jewish population. We were guests in an old Yemenite couple's house, where we were fed Khat leaves (the closest any of us will get to smoking pot this year, as some boys pointed out), dried fruit, and popcorn. There, a few lucky students tried on the traditional clothes of a Yemenite Jewish bride and groom, yellow sequined hood and artificial peyos included (see image). After, we visited the town's Yemenite culture center, where a young professional dancer taught us Yemenite line dances. Lots of clapping and stomping and excitement. We then ate dinner (empty rolls of bread, cucumbers, and humus?) by a fancy, super-cool playground, and Daniel the Sweden showed me how to folk dance Swedish-style. It was a good afternoon.

Meanwhile, our class now is ending in approximately two minutes and a half. I'll sign out, and leave you with this piece of advice: Watch Saleh Shabaty. (We watched it last week in our Zionism class.) You'll laugh, a lot. It's quite absurd.