another day..another week?

Wow I cant believe its been aweek.
The days always feel so slow but everyone said the weeks would fly - its already the end of February which is like a constant reminder about all the stuff I want to finish before March..sigh..

Last Thurs:
Luckily we had a day off of what was feelin like the longest ulpan week everr to have TAU take us to jerusalem.

Buses came at 7 in the morning and you know how Jews are..we finally left closer to 8. I dont think isrealis really understand the concept of breakfast and the breakfast they gave us were tuna/veggie sandwiches with apples and a candy bar...ok?

They took us to most of the typical JLem tourists sights which was both cool and not cool. I kind of like having a set itinerary and knowing where I'm going without having to buy tickets, etc but I dont think anyone likd the way our Madrichim were treating us - we may be 20 or 21 during the day but they were so flustered about keeping track of us that we instantly regressed 5 years. oh well.

One of our first stops - the "Time Elevator" which was a movie about the History of Jlem with seats that moved in reaction to the events..alittle nauseating but all around cool. Especially since it touched on important moments in every religions history. My knowledge about the temple being destoryed etc was alittle hazy so it was a cool refresher.
We also stopped by a spot where u could see a view from the entire mountain where the Old City is situated on. We read (actually I read aloud to everyone) the passage where Avraham attempts to sacrifice Yizkak because apparently the mountain he climbs onto is what we were looking at.

Then our bus took us into HaAyir HaAtik (*the old city) where we walked on the roof where u can see all 4 quarters, strolled through the Jerusalem shook and shops - saying hi to the same ppl from last time and walked on the wall of the old city straight to the Kotel (which is the Western Wall). I knew I did it before on Pilgrimage but couldnt remember much of it so was excited to do it again - well turns out I coudlnt remember it cuz its nothing to spectacular. Jerusalem was in midst of the craziest sandstorm soo it prevented us from seeing anything. anyway it was 20 minutes of climbing stone stairs in boots - but its cool becaue it was the same city wall that we were walkin on that protected Jerusalem and shielded it during so many evetns including the 6 day war?

We visited the Church of the Holy Sepluchre which was where Jesus was crusified. its SO big! Mostly though because so many sects of Christianity have "homes" there. There are so many different church areas to go in and pray. People were kissing the ground they have ropd off where he walked or something. You can also wait in line and literally sit under THE spot where he was crucified - they like preserved the rock (since jlem is one big mountain) or had it under class encasement or something . Its so crazy because for so many people this is their holiest spot and you could see it on alot of peoples faces how overwhelmed and excited they felt. There was a cool little hidden area where the Ethiopan church is. We walekd through the church and on the other side is where the Ethiopian monks LIVE! Like we saw them leaving their tiny litle corridors. So cool, especially looking at their paintings - since their language is something so unfamiliar to me. Their script is almost like a dead language. Acouple more religious Jews didnt go in anywhere since technically Jews are not really supposed to go into churches - especially wearing kippahs (?).

So we get to the site of the Kotel and get to go in the archeological museum where they explain all the sights we now see. Its crazy because so much was covered with dirt for so long that it was preserved! This stuff is basically 2000 years old! They have found so much - what they now now is that inside the city walls there were mikvahs and shops where people would buy their sacrifice and get holy before they entered the main wall. Inside were only Jews. Then there was the Beit Hamikdash - the holy temple. Only Cohens or Levis (the preists and scholars) could go on the steps and outside and only the Cohen Gadol (high preist) could enter the room where the Taburnacle (10 commandments) were - once a year on Yom Kippur - the holiest day of the year.

So this is really intersting to me: The holiest spot in the world - where both temples were thousands of years ago - is actually right under the Dome of the Rock. Its not a mosque that only Muslims can enter. Its kindof interesting because Jerusalem is only teh 3rd holiest city in Islam - the first 2 being Mecca and Medina obviously. Jerusalem is actually neverrrr mentiond in the Koran. Its only holy because apparently Aalah tied his donkey on the city walls and then stepped on the Rock before he went into Heaven.
Yet they stll have our holiest spot..so instead we have the Kotel.

Theres actually alot of the Wall surrounding then just the "western wall" segment. Theres a whole eastern portion! And the wall runs on and on. However the 72 feet or whatever of holy "Wailing Wall"ness is the segment that is closest to wear the Beit Hamikdash holy temple should be. Its like perpendicle to it. The comparison would kind of be like if your home was burnt down adn you lost everything, but part of your fence was kept alive and its the ONLY thing left tieing you to your most cherished belongs. So after 1000s of years, it becomes holy.
It makes alot of sense- its a really cool sight and people are usually overhwelemed the first time they go - u alwyas see people crying. But really - it was just a fence. Funny how much we cherish that fence.

it was a very long day and eveyrone basically passed out on the bus back

Friday
My friend Samara has a friend in the army - since he never got his own apartment and doesnt have any family - when hes on break he stays at a kibbutz. Since there was a couple other rooms he invited us to come stay at the kibbutz for a night. The kibbutz is one of the hottest places in Israel in the summer, but its in the North like sooo close to the Jordanian border. We took a sherut to Afula which is a small rural town in the north. Then we took a 10 sheckle bus ride to themiddle of nowhere. The only way to get to the kibbutz was to hitchhike the 7-10 mile way! So funny!
All you had to do was slyling hold out your hand and ppl were so nice. They just pulled over and told you where they were going. Apparently its very popular since no taxis or buses run this area. One of the people who drove us is living in Rome and Italy now but was back for the week to visit his family.

We got to have Shabbat dinner and lunch on the Kibbutz. We had our own little table and there were lots of older families everywhere. It was cool since its kind of like buffet style and u can take little trays to bring to your table. They said the prayers and had little Dvar Torahs -but I couldnt understand a word. It was cool. We also got to sleep - alot! Much needed ha. This kibbutz 0 called Tirat Zvi is located on land that was aroudn when Romans ruled this area - so they have parts of anceint columns everywhere! So cool and so beautiful. since it was shabbat we couldnt take any pictures but it was really so amazing - just people living right in the middle of nature.

After shabbat ended, we hitched a ride on a van back to teh bus station. This father was in the biggest hurry eVER cuz his daughter had to catch the bus back to Jlem. He was going 100 over this rock roads ithought the van was gonna tip! They had this german shepard lying in the aisle and he was flying everywhere - poor dog looked like he was gonan be sick.
Lucky tho because the van got there literally right as his daughter's bus was about to pull away!

This Week
- Last week of Ulpan
- craziest rain/hail storm I've seen here! Thunder, lightening and hail from midnight - 6 am, then sunny by noon the next day!
- my roomates purse was stolen last night. while we were all in the apt - scary! They didnt take anything else, it prob happened quickly, but we got the locks checked. Super scary that someone just waltzed it and ran. hopefully it shows up, really devastating
- we went to Park harkayon yesterday. Its comparable to Central Park - so big and so cool! We hung out in the Sportique where there are basketball courts, baseball fields, a climbing wall, etc! WE foudn this little playground that was actually a fitness center! Runners come stop by, theres elipticles, weight machines ( u lift ur own weight), a place to do abs, pull up bars, a stairclimber, etc etc. All just there for free use! So cool. Israelis start teaching their kids how to stay healthy young too. Lots of older men were workin out on this equiptment too. It was crazy - even though we werent dressed for it, we used everything for like over an hour and met a guy whose in charge of likethe park district and is setting up a baseball team - he gave me a tshirt!
- Another shook visit. I got a head of cauliflower for 3 sheckles - crazy right! and some cool new spicy spices. The cheapest thing by far in Israel is veggies (and hummus). Cheese, grains, meat, etc are all mroe expensive.
So if anyone has any great vegetable recipes it would be much appreciated!
The other night a couple of the girls in teh building made a really good veggie stew kind of thing with pasta..soo good! WEre always lookin for cool new ways to grill veggies or mix em (Cuz all we have is a stove). Want to try makin chicken soup soon.
- New pictures are up on Picasa

Love from the HOly Land and I promise Ill keep updates more conistant now!