This past weekend I was a facilitator at an AviChai shabbaton for returning, second-year shilchim (Israeli staff) at North American Jewish summer camps. I was brought into the project because of previous work at the FJC, and I was very interested in the idea of the shabbaton from my first meeting, so I set to my job of collecting Americans to interact with the Israeli counselors.
What was the idea? Well, the second-year shlichim commit to a months-long training program that helps them learn how to educate kids/staff in the Diaspora (outside of Israel) in a way that works. Our (American) role at this weekend, one of the first few installments of the program, was to show Israelis committed Diaspora Jews. In my group's case, this meant committed Diaspora Jews who were pursuing advanced degrees in Jewish studies for upwards of 5 years. Many Israelis are secular, and they are Jewish because they are Jewish. Interestingly, one of the Israelis, who said she was completely secular, also said that she knows Torah, knows traditions and celebrates holidays with family at home. I couldn't believe she identified as secular! Also, many of the religious Israelis do not pursue advanced Jewish studies degrees, since they live the religious life and don't seek out the confirmation that comes with, say, a MA in Jewish Education. They don't have to go to JTS or A-Jew, or to Jewish summer camp, to help cement their Jewish identity. It makes for interesting conversations, as we (the grad/rab students) astonish the Israelis with how our Jewish commitment manifests itself in our worlds at home.
The weekend started, of course, bright and early, which meant that I missed the introductions, due to my ulpan exam (it went well, I think). After the exam, I made my way to the Kiryat Moriyah campus in East Talpiot for a closed Shabbaton. Yes, I was maybe a half hour walk from my apartment, but I stayed at KM, as was required. It was great, though -- the radiator was inches from my bed, there was also a heater that blew hot air on the other side of the room, and the comforter on the bed was a-mazing!
When I arrived, I went straight to lunch for some real, authentic army food (hot dogs and couscous), as KM is also a small army base. Afterwards, we jumped into some heavy Jewish identity related conversations. Because my delegation of (male*) incredibly intelligent, attractive (some of them are SINGLE, ladies!) and fluent rab students, much of our conversations were in Hebrew. AND, as I've been bragging more consistently lately, I UNDERSTOOD so much of what was said! I know! I know! YAY!!!
*There are also women at Machon Schechter, but they didn't come to the Shabbaton.
The weekend was incredible. The boys from Machon Schechter (where the JTS/AJU students go when they're in Israel for third year) were wonderful. They were thoughtful, critical, hilarious (Noam), and forceful when they needed to be. We pushed the Israelis, and the Israelis pushed us right back. The conversations ranged from hilarious to heavy, and it was fabulous.
The Israeli staff was great, and it felt good to work on a Shabbaton, largely in Hebrew. It felt good to work.
Thank you to Rafi, Noam, Jeremy, Gideon, Dan and Dan for being so incredibly fabulous.
Showing posts with label JTS. Show all posts
Showing posts with label JTS. Show all posts
29 January 2008
09 January 2008
Palestine / Israel Pilgrimage Seminar 2008...Day 1
You Too Can Be Part of an Israel-Trip Entourage...:
Actually, Davidson Trip 06-07
Good old President Bush (and by good I mean he likes Israel and that's about I have got that's nice to say, and my parents told me not to say something nice if I...oh, you get the idea...) arrived in Israel today, and it got me thinking about how his trip is very much like a teen summer tour of Israel, so please...Welcome to Palestine / Israel Pilgrimage Seminar 2008, Group Air Force One! Today was Yom Bush, Day 1.
1. Board a plane that seems to be only filled with your group. Everybody else just blends into the seats as you sit back and enjoy the most delicious offerings of a transatlantic flight. The option to sing and dance in the aisles is possible, but not encouraged. Decorum must be maintained, as you are representing your entire country.
2. Land at Ben Gurion. The airport seems overrun with your group members. Other planes are delayed because your group is so rowdy and unwieldy.
Welcome To Israel, President Bush!
3. The inevitable press conference (AKA, the letter sent to parents or camp director back at home).
4. Traffic seems to stop whenever your massive entourage is around.
Taken today, 9 Jan 2008. Here's King David street completely shut to car, bus AND pedestrian traffic.
5. Every Pilgrimage Seminar gets a helicopter ride!
6. Pedestrian and driven traffic avoids your large, loud, self-centered group. Normal bus service turns into snow day bus service. Good luck making it to ulpan!
"I wish I didn't have to find alternate routes to school for three days." Jan 2007, At the Valley of the Shadow of Death.
7. When you get to the hotel, it seems to be overrun with only people from your group. Many local hotels seem to contain only people from your group (King David, Dan Panorama...booked and bursting with security and press.)
8. Don't know where you're going? Don't worry, your trusty tour bus/limo driver will take you right where you need to go.
9. Meals are prepared in the hotel, and you do not go to restaurants, as that would disturb the other patrons.
Israeli Delicacy (Actually, at Max Brenner Jan '07)
Israeli Delicacy (Actually, skewered, grilled hearts, Jerusalem Grill Bar, Dec '06
10. Israelis, like any people who live in a tourist trap (like New Yorkers and Floridians), see you as a nuisance, but realize that your presence will stimulate the economy.
11. Your trip includes trips to places that people around the world wish they were able to visit.
12. The Old City seems to be lit up, just for you! (Really, the lights will stay on until 2AM, instead of midnight, so Bush can enjoy the walls of the old city like he did when he was governor of Texas.)
Oh, the Old City. She really is such a beauty.
13. Money is not an issue, so make sure you get Mom and Dad's money's worth while spending, like, $25,000.00 an hour. ($25,000.00 per hour on security. Seriously. This from a country that refuses to pay their teachers and professors livable wages.)
It's OK, it's just pretend money!
14. The Jewish Agency requires you to have armed guards at all times, so don't worry, we'll call some up from miluim (reserves), and they will be Israel's HOTTEST.
Or, Israel's Tired-est! (JK, This Soldier Was On His Day Off.
15. Don't forget to see the real Israel. Nothing says three days in the Holy Land like a day in Ramallah, a morning at Yad Vashem, completely vacant streets, and not a single stop at a falafel stand, the Dead Sea, or, even the Western Wall. At least Bush gets to dialogue in the West Bank, which probably hasn't been done with teenagers since I was on Pilgrimage in 1999.
16. Inevitable Group T-shirt:
FRONT: Israel Spent $25,000.00 an Hour on Security for My Visit, And All I Got Was This Lousy T-shirt.
BACK: Palestine / Israel Pilgrimage Seminar 2008, Group Air Force One!
Rosh: George W. Bush
Staff: Ehud Olmert, Mahmoud Abbas, Shimon Peres
Campers: [Insert Press Core Names Here], [Insert Security Detail Names Here]
Driver: [First Name Only.]
[Insert Inside Jokes Here, such as "Peace in the Middle East?" or "My President Loves a Jewish Carpenter." Inside jokes to be collected over the course of PIPS2008]
A Sweatshirt / Tshirt Design Template
Actually, Davidson Trip 06-07Good old President Bush (and by good I mean he likes Israel and that's about I have got that's nice to say, and my parents told me not to say something nice if I...oh, you get the idea...) arrived in Israel today, and it got me thinking about how his trip is very much like a teen summer tour of Israel, so please...Welcome to Palestine / Israel Pilgrimage Seminar 2008, Group Air Force One! Today was Yom Bush, Day 1.
1. Board a plane that seems to be only filled with your group. Everybody else just blends into the seats as you sit back and enjoy the most delicious offerings of a transatlantic flight. The option to sing and dance in the aisles is possible, but not encouraged. Decorum must be maintained, as you are representing your entire country.
2. Land at Ben Gurion. The airport seems overrun with your group members. Other planes are delayed because your group is so rowdy and unwieldy.
Welcome To Israel, President Bush!3. The inevitable press conference (AKA, the letter sent to parents or camp director back at home).
4. Traffic seems to stop whenever your massive entourage is around.
Taken today, 9 Jan 2008. Here's King David street completely shut to car, bus AND pedestrian traffic.5. Every Pilgrimage Seminar gets a helicopter ride!
6. Pedestrian and driven traffic avoids your large, loud, self-centered group. Normal bus service turns into snow day bus service. Good luck making it to ulpan!
"I wish I didn't have to find alternate routes to school for three days." Jan 2007, At the Valley of the Shadow of Death.7. When you get to the hotel, it seems to be overrun with only people from your group. Many local hotels seem to contain only people from your group (King David, Dan Panorama...booked and bursting with security and press.)
8. Don't know where you're going? Don't worry, your trusty tour bus/limo driver will take you right where you need to go.
9. Meals are prepared in the hotel, and you do not go to restaurants, as that would disturb the other patrons.
Israeli Delicacy (Actually, at Max Brenner Jan '07)
Israeli Delicacy (Actually, skewered, grilled hearts, Jerusalem Grill Bar, Dec '0610. Israelis, like any people who live in a tourist trap (like New Yorkers and Floridians), see you as a nuisance, but realize that your presence will stimulate the economy.
11. Your trip includes trips to places that people around the world wish they were able to visit.
12. The Old City seems to be lit up, just for you! (Really, the lights will stay on until 2AM, instead of midnight, so Bush can enjoy the walls of the old city like he did when he was governor of Texas.)
Oh, the Old City. She really is such a beauty.13. Money is not an issue, so make sure you get Mom and Dad's money's worth while spending, like, $25,000.00 an hour. ($25,000.00 per hour on security. Seriously. This from a country that refuses to pay their teachers and professors livable wages.)
It's OK, it's just pretend money!14. The Jewish Agency requires you to have armed guards at all times, so don't worry, we'll call some up from miluim (reserves), and they will be Israel's HOTTEST.
Or, Israel's Tired-est! (JK, This Soldier Was On His Day Off.15. Don't forget to see the real Israel. Nothing says three days in the Holy Land like a day in Ramallah, a morning at Yad Vashem, completely vacant streets, and not a single stop at a falafel stand, the Dead Sea, or, even the Western Wall. At least Bush gets to dialogue in the West Bank, which probably hasn't been done with teenagers since I was on Pilgrimage in 1999.
16. Inevitable Group T-shirt:
FRONT: Israel Spent $25,000.00 an Hour on Security for My Visit, And All I Got Was This Lousy T-shirt.
BACK: Palestine / Israel Pilgrimage Seminar 2008, Group Air Force One!
Rosh: George W. Bush
Staff: Ehud Olmert, Mahmoud Abbas, Shimon Peres
Campers: [Insert Press Core Names Here], [Insert Security Detail Names Here]
Driver: [First Name Only.]
[Insert Inside Jokes Here, such as "Peace in the Middle East?" or "My President Loves a Jewish Carpenter." Inside jokes to be collected over the course of PIPS2008]
A Sweatshirt / Tshirt Design Template
07 January 2008
Birthright Season!
From the second I decided to go to Israel for the school year, I knew that I would be loving December and January, because of BIRTHRIGHT SEASON! Below please find pictures, spanning the last month or so, filled with pictures of people I love and that I rarely, if ever, see, in the states OR in Israel.
Thanks, Bronfman, and, of course, Uncle Bill!
Amanda!!! Amanda is my Great Grandlittle in AEPhi, and we hung out on Ben Yehuda together. I shift into AEPhi mode when the Phi-Pham is around. Yay for Amanda!
(Thanks, Birthright!)
Amanda and Erika!!! Both were on Ben Yehuda, whee! Erika is my Great-Great Grandlittle! LML.
(Thanks, Birthright!)
Robyn!!! Robyn was my Wheelnik, and now she's a Birthright Staff member! I met her on Ben Yehuda the same night as my Phis. This makes me feel old, but it also makes me happy to see my kids growing up!
(Thanks, Birthright!)
Miritski!!! Miritski and I went on Wheels together in 1997. I met her to play in the shuk. Good times!
(Thanks, Birthright!)
Josh and Marlene!!! Josh and I go back, and Marlene is a new Davidson student AND a new friend. At Pituim.
(Thanks, Uncle Bill!)
SKay!!! SKay stayed with me for her free weekend / my birthday. I love SKay!
(Thanks, Uncle Bill!)
Yoni!!! Yoni's in my class, but he's on the Davidson trip this year. He took me to the juice / medicine man in the shuk, and he even gave me a date.
(Thanks, Uncle Bill!)
Joel!!! Joel is a first-year who was in my bible class a year ago, and we had fun on my birthday and at the shuk on Friday afternoon. He's the happiest man ever. Also, one of the nicest people I have ever met. Yay for Joel!
(Thanks, Uncle Bill!)
SKay AGAIN!!! I had to get another SKay fix before she left for New York today. So on Sunday night we had dinner and hung out in the hotel lobby. Lovely times!
(Thanks, Uncle Bill!)
Tannen!!! My co-counselor from Nivo '06, Tannen and I got along royally, at camp without beer, and in Jerusalem with the local brew.
(Thanks, Birthright!)
So ends the first edition of Birthright Season.
Thanks, Bronfman, and, of course, Uncle Bill!
Amanda!!! Amanda is my Great Grandlittle in AEPhi, and we hung out on Ben Yehuda together. I shift into AEPhi mode when the Phi-Pham is around. Yay for Amanda!
(Thanks, Birthright!)
Amanda and Erika!!! Both were on Ben Yehuda, whee! Erika is my Great-Great Grandlittle! LML.
(Thanks, Birthright!)
Robyn!!! Robyn was my Wheelnik, and now she's a Birthright Staff member! I met her on Ben Yehuda the same night as my Phis. This makes me feel old, but it also makes me happy to see my kids growing up!
(Thanks, Birthright!)
Miritski!!! Miritski and I went on Wheels together in 1997. I met her to play in the shuk. Good times!
(Thanks, Birthright!)
Josh and Marlene!!! Josh and I go back, and Marlene is a new Davidson student AND a new friend. At Pituim.
(Thanks, Uncle Bill!)
SKay!!! SKay stayed with me for her free weekend / my birthday. I love SKay!
(Thanks, Uncle Bill!)
Yoni!!! Yoni's in my class, but he's on the Davidson trip this year. He took me to the juice / medicine man in the shuk, and he even gave me a date.
(Thanks, Uncle Bill!)
Joel!!! Joel is a first-year who was in my bible class a year ago, and we had fun on my birthday and at the shuk on Friday afternoon. He's the happiest man ever. Also, one of the nicest people I have ever met. Yay for Joel!
(Thanks, Uncle Bill!)
SKay AGAIN!!! I had to get another SKay fix before she left for New York today. So on Sunday night we had dinner and hung out in the hotel lobby. Lovely times!
(Thanks, Uncle Bill!)
Tannen!!! My co-counselor from Nivo '06, Tannen and I got along royally, at camp without beer, and in Jerusalem with the local brew.
(Thanks, Birthright!)
So ends the first edition of Birthright Season.
GREAT, just GREAT
This past Shabbat, Rafi and I walked the brisk distance to the GREAT Synagogue (the only link with a decent picture on Google) in the center of Jerusalem. We have a friend in the מקהלה / makelah / choir, and we wanted to see him in action. Here is what happened in our GREAT Shabbat experience.
1. The balcony was WARM. This was GREATly increased by the hot air (and there is plenty coming from the cantor and the choir, except for Dan, who is GREAT), floating to the GREAT balcony above the GREAT men's floor.
2. Bar Mitzvah: A kid had his Bar Mitzvah, and his various female relatives pelted the kid with GREAT candy from the balcony, after his Torah reading in the mid-room Torah-reading בימה / bimah / stage. Hearing hard candy hit marble and lightbulbs? You guessed it: GREAT!
3. The Bar Mitzvah kid's little brother was also with his candy-throwing relatives, which gave him a great point of view from which to see his dad and brother in action. He called out, in a GREAT, high-pitched baby voice, quite often during the service: "Abba! Abba! Abba! (Dad!)" Pretty much the entire service. He thinks his dad is GREAT!
4. Apparently, one of the Gabbaiim (the people, or men in an Orthodox shul, who facilitate the service participants, Torah readers, etc.), whenever he heard a kid in the balcony (like the one in #3), he'd put on a not-so-GREAT face, point his finger at the balcony, and made a motion, similar to "get that stupid child out of my opera." (Because going to the GREAT Synagogue is like going to an opera performance.) Rafi is my source for this. I had a great view of the whole building, but not such a close-up of the activity around the בימה / bimah / stage.
5. Cantor. Rafi seems to think that the GREAT Synagogue is the cantorial acme of the universe. But really, the cantor and the choir made the whole experience not unlike my home shul, Temple Beth Am in Margate, FL, in the days of our old cantor. If I hadn't been in a balcony and absolutely stewing in the heat, I could've closed my eyes and imagined myself at a Temple Beth Am GREAT choir Shabbat, circa 1997.
6. Choir. All jokes aside, Dan and the rest were...oh, fine...GREAT!
7. Kiddush. After shul, there's a GREAT kiddush with cholent, although I stuck to Diet Coke and cake. I had a 20-second interaction with a frum (religious) guy, who seemed to be trying to get around me to get cake. He started "flirting" with me (just barely). It can be intuited from this interaction that he flirted with me because I wasn't wearing a hat (which marks me with the scarlet "S" for "Single."). Rafi found this particularly GREAT.
After the kiddush, we walked to the King Solomon Hotel to have lunch with the Davidson trip group (not as GREAT as last year's trip, but pretty GREAT all the same.). We played Taboo in the lobby until lunch. Funny Taboo moments ensued: Rafi didn't get the cue words I used for "foxy" and I got angry when he called me a "poodle" instead. Rafi thinks the word "ring" is an onomatopoeia. British Taboo cards have words like "Bogey" on them. Also, my professor and his wife seemed to enjoy appearances of my dirty mind that was so popular on last year's trip. After Taboo, we had lunch, I spoke with my Assistant Dean for about an hour about Hebrew at JTS, and then Rafi and I ended up hanging around with friends there for the rest of the afternoon, until Shabbat was over.
Rafi and I took a short, GREAT walk to the Inbal hotel (about 5 minutes from one hotel to the other), to attend a Rabbinical School Admissions Deans' Oneg. I like being a significant other -- the perk of dessert at the Inbal being a GREAT one. I even get to go to the Rebbitzins' book club. (Tonight. Suite Francaise. Be there or be "S" for "Single".)
All in all, it was a really GREAT Shabbat.
1. The balcony was WARM. This was GREATly increased by the hot air (and there is plenty coming from the cantor and the choir, except for Dan, who is GREAT), floating to the GREAT balcony above the GREAT men's floor.
2. Bar Mitzvah: A kid had his Bar Mitzvah, and his various female relatives pelted the kid with GREAT candy from the balcony, after his Torah reading in the mid-room Torah-reading בימה / bimah / stage. Hearing hard candy hit marble and lightbulbs? You guessed it: GREAT!
3. The Bar Mitzvah kid's little brother was also with his candy-throwing relatives, which gave him a great point of view from which to see his dad and brother in action. He called out, in a GREAT, high-pitched baby voice, quite often during the service: "Abba! Abba! Abba! (Dad!)" Pretty much the entire service. He thinks his dad is GREAT!
4. Apparently, one of the Gabbaiim (the people, or men in an Orthodox shul, who facilitate the service participants, Torah readers, etc.), whenever he heard a kid in the balcony (like the one in #3), he'd put on a not-so-GREAT face, point his finger at the balcony, and made a motion, similar to "get that stupid child out of my opera." (Because going to the GREAT Synagogue is like going to an opera performance.) Rafi is my source for this. I had a great view of the whole building, but not such a close-up of the activity around the בימה / bimah / stage.
5. Cantor. Rafi seems to think that the GREAT Synagogue is the cantorial acme of the universe. But really, the cantor and the choir made the whole experience not unlike my home shul, Temple Beth Am in Margate, FL, in the days of our old cantor. If I hadn't been in a balcony and absolutely stewing in the heat, I could've closed my eyes and imagined myself at a Temple Beth Am GREAT choir Shabbat, circa 1997.
6. Choir. All jokes aside, Dan and the rest were...oh, fine...GREAT!
7. Kiddush. After shul, there's a GREAT kiddush with cholent, although I stuck to Diet Coke and cake. I had a 20-second interaction with a frum (religious) guy, who seemed to be trying to get around me to get cake. He started "flirting" with me (just barely). It can be intuited from this interaction that he flirted with me because I wasn't wearing a hat (which marks me with the scarlet "S" for "Single."). Rafi found this particularly GREAT.
After the kiddush, we walked to the King Solomon Hotel to have lunch with the Davidson trip group (not as GREAT as last year's trip, but pretty GREAT all the same.). We played Taboo in the lobby until lunch. Funny Taboo moments ensued: Rafi didn't get the cue words I used for "foxy" and I got angry when he called me a "poodle" instead. Rafi thinks the word "ring" is an onomatopoeia. British Taboo cards have words like "Bogey" on them. Also, my professor and his wife seemed to enjoy appearances of my dirty mind that was so popular on last year's trip. After Taboo, we had lunch, I spoke with my Assistant Dean for about an hour about Hebrew at JTS, and then Rafi and I ended up hanging around with friends there for the rest of the afternoon, until Shabbat was over.
Rafi and I took a short, GREAT walk to the Inbal hotel (about 5 minutes from one hotel to the other), to attend a Rabbinical School Admissions Deans' Oneg. I like being a significant other -- the perk of dessert at the Inbal being a GREAT one. I even get to go to the Rebbitzins' book club. (Tonight. Suite Francaise. Be there or be "S" for "Single".)
All in all, it was a really GREAT Shabbat.
31 December 2007
My birthday and a birth day!
"You're breaking hearts,
And you're breaking guitars,
Today's your birthday,
And you don't even know how old you are."
-Happy Birthday Ralph, AAHP
Last Friday was my birthday, and indeed, I couldn't forget that it was my 26th, since my campers at Darom in 2006 nicknamed me "S-B-B is O-L-D". I had a great time baking, cooking and preparing my apartment to have a big Shabbat dinner and a bigger oneg Shabbat. When Sarah arrived, as my lovely Davidson bed buddy for the weekend, we wandered on Emek to the ATM and through the shuk at Beit Sefer Adam where I managed NOT to buy anything! (Except for lunch).
Before dinner, we attended tefillot at Shira Chadasha, housed at the Shalom Hartmann Institute while they're doing renovations on their Emek Refaim building, I had a chance to say hi and get tons of "happy birthdays" from everybody I know. Then, we collected the group of diners, and walked back to my apartment.
Sadly, the laws of Shabbat prevented me from taking pictures at the event, but here's a little summary of the fun! Over the course of the evening, there were people talking in German, French, English and Hebrew, and I had a conversation with Spanish, French and Italian words as Guillame (from ulpan) and I tried to figure out the correct way to pronounce "Sangria." (My joking answer: "Fruit salad".)
All of my worrying about not having enough [insert food or drink item here] to serve my guests, I was amazed at the amount of food when we set it on the table. Everybody brought more, mainly to drink, but also to eat. Dinner was terrific, and at about 10PM, people started showing up for the oneg. Friends from ulpan talked with visiting Davidson students, while enjoying what I understand is some very fine scotch, while a visiting Davidson/Rabbinical student made a bid for my apartment. There were people from Texas, Japan, France, Israel, New Jersey, Canada, and New York, all in my little apartment in the German Colony.
I spent most of the 28th waiting for my nephew to be born, as I figured it'd be pretty neat to have a twin nephew. Alas, that was not to be. But yesterday was his birth day, and I do know how old he is -- less than a DAY OLD! Pictures will be coming soon, but I'd just like to announce that my 10-lb nephew (that's about 5 kilo, or more than 2times the amount of rugelach I bought in Thursday) was born last night in Washington, DC.
And if that doesn't say happy new year and happy birthday, then I don't know what does!
And you're breaking guitars,
Today's your birthday,
And you don't even know how old you are."
-Happy Birthday Ralph, AAHP
Last Friday was my birthday, and indeed, I couldn't forget that it was my 26th, since my campers at Darom in 2006 nicknamed me "S-B-B is O-L-D". I had a great time baking, cooking and preparing my apartment to have a big Shabbat dinner and a bigger oneg Shabbat. When Sarah arrived, as my lovely Davidson bed buddy for the weekend, we wandered on Emek to the ATM and through the shuk at Beit Sefer Adam where I managed NOT to buy anything! (Except for lunch).
Before dinner, we attended tefillot at Shira Chadasha, housed at the Shalom Hartmann Institute while they're doing renovations on their Emek Refaim building, I had a chance to say hi and get tons of "happy birthdays" from everybody I know. Then, we collected the group of diners, and walked back to my apartment.
Sadly, the laws of Shabbat prevented me from taking pictures at the event, but here's a little summary of the fun! Over the course of the evening, there were people talking in German, French, English and Hebrew, and I had a conversation with Spanish, French and Italian words as Guillame (from ulpan) and I tried to figure out the correct way to pronounce "Sangria." (My joking answer: "Fruit salad".)
All of my worrying about not having enough [insert food or drink item here] to serve my guests, I was amazed at the amount of food when we set it on the table. Everybody brought more, mainly to drink, but also to eat. Dinner was terrific, and at about 10PM, people started showing up for the oneg. Friends from ulpan talked with visiting Davidson students, while enjoying what I understand is some very fine scotch, while a visiting Davidson/Rabbinical student made a bid for my apartment. There were people from Texas, Japan, France, Israel, New Jersey, Canada, and New York, all in my little apartment in the German Colony.
I spent most of the 28th waiting for my nephew to be born, as I figured it'd be pretty neat to have a twin nephew. Alas, that was not to be. But yesterday was his birth day, and I do know how old he is -- less than a DAY OLD! Pictures will be coming soon, but I'd just like to announce that my 10-lb nephew (that's about 5 kilo, or more than 2times the amount of rugelach I bought in Thursday) was born last night in Washington, DC.
And if that doesn't say happy new year and happy birthday, then I don't know what does!
24 December 2007
I Know Better...
My mother taught me, at some point, that if I don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all.
As usual, I am disregarding that statement. The Israeli Senior Educator strike is trying desparately to ruin my life. Will I go back to NYC? I don't know yet...but time is running out for me to make a decision. I'm FURIOUS at Israel and socialism and bureauocracy and corrupt govenment and people that are more stubborn than I (who knew such a thing existed?).
Michelle says the drop-dead date for the strike is Dec 30th. JPost reports it's January 13th, or they'll cancel the semester.
I'm still trying to get stuff for on my thesis, and working on a midterm that is due on Wednesday, even though my teacher isn't teaching. I've had off from Shprockets for 2 weeks, because the professor was sick, and tonight he's doing Christmas services in Amman, Jordan (he's so cool). That class will be back on in a week, so no worries. I've also taken advantage of the strike-freed time to go to an academic conference, which taught me that I am not a fan of academia, although it was interesting. The best part was the mini-concert and conversation with Shaanan Street, from HaDag NaChash.
The Davidson trip is in Israel, so I hung out with some of my classmates last night in Jerusalem. "Birthright Season" started last week, and soon, I will post pictures of my great-great grandlittle and my great grandlittle, my 2002 Wheelnik (who was STAFFING), and my old Wheels 1997 friend Miritski. As Birthright Season continues, I hope I'll be here to play with them.
For now, it's papers and preparing for my birthday Oneg. Just a few days until I'm 26!
As usual, I am disregarding that statement. The Israeli Senior Educator strike is trying desparately to ruin my life. Will I go back to NYC? I don't know yet...but time is running out for me to make a decision. I'm FURIOUS at Israel and socialism and bureauocracy and corrupt govenment and people that are more stubborn than I (who knew such a thing existed?).
Michelle says the drop-dead date for the strike is Dec 30th. JPost reports it's January 13th, or they'll cancel the semester.
I'm still trying to get stuff for on my thesis, and working on a midterm that is due on Wednesday, even though my teacher isn't teaching. I've had off from Shprockets for 2 weeks, because the professor was sick, and tonight he's doing Christmas services in Amman, Jordan (he's so cool). That class will be back on in a week, so no worries. I've also taken advantage of the strike-freed time to go to an academic conference, which taught me that I am not a fan of academia, although it was interesting. The best part was the mini-concert and conversation with Shaanan Street, from HaDag NaChash.
The Davidson trip is in Israel, so I hung out with some of my classmates last night in Jerusalem. "Birthright Season" started last week, and soon, I will post pictures of my great-great grandlittle and my great grandlittle, my 2002 Wheelnik (who was STAFFING), and my old Wheels 1997 friend Miritski. As Birthright Season continues, I hope I'll be here to play with them.
For now, it's papers and preparing for my birthday Oneg. Just a few days until I'm 26!
05 December 2007
"Celebrity" as Defined by SBB
Today's the second day of Chanukah! See? The Kooky Family glows a little brighter today!School was OK today. In class, I said that I was "moderately religious" and one of my classmates said, "Aww, that's so cute" and I didn't smack her for being rude, so I considered that a success.
I was kind of bummed that I wasn't going to see Chancellor Arnie Eisen from JTS, as he was speaking at Hebrew U during my Hebrew class. I came to Hebrew and said hi to Yanik, the French guy who is a rockstar at learning Hebrew. He asked me what was up (all in Hebrew), and I told him I was sad that the "President" (Nasi / נשי - not sure how to spell that) of my school in NY was speaking during Hebrew class. I later learned that the word for Chancellor is Nagid / נגיד. I keep a-larnin'. Anyway, Yanik told me I was being silly, and I should go to the speech. So I talked to my teacher, and she told me it was ok, took my homework, and sent me to the speech. I really do have wonderful Hebrew teachers.
Eisen spoke about social activism, Abraham Joshua Heschel, and Martin Luther King. It was fascinating, and I think he's such an articulate, engaging speaker. I learned new things about Heschel, like that he marched with MLK (see the picture on wikipedia!).
Normal people get excited over star sightings (and even I'll regale you with my story of my John Linnell, of They Might Be Giants fame, sighting in a Manhattan Starbucks), but for me to hear a Jewish Educator speak...well, that's the real excitement for me! Furthering my excitement, Eisen was introduced and MC'ed by none other than Michael Rosenak, whose articles on Israel trips for teens and whose term "flooding out" describes how I operate. It was incredible.
I went to the last 15 mintues of Hebrew and picked up my assignments. My last class of the day started with homemade sufganiyot (jelly donuts, remember?) and we talked about Jewish identity and I said things that some of my classmates found appalling, so all in all, that class was good, too! The professor let us out a little early so we could light candles closer to sundown, and I lit with Rafi a little while later.
Rafi, Rafi's brother's girlfriend and I had dinner with some of Rafi's family friends, which was really special and tasty. It was nice to meet some of the celebrities of his family's collective life. Special foods for Chanukah were served, and since I'm a sucker for a good latke, I was very happy with the meal! Homemade applesauce like Bubbie and I make, and special Chanukah cookies closed out the day.
I hope everyone is having a lovely Chanukah wherever you're celebrating it, or if you're not celebrating it, then you're enjoying a jelly donut! They are, after all, really famous.
17 October 2007
Group Separation Anxiety
Remember that time we graduated? (UF, 2004)Each time I graduated, I left whatever school or group knowing that I would never see some percent of the people I was leaving. But it wasn't until USY that I really thought about what the groups I left behind would be like when I was gone. Would Margate USY be OK? Would there be leaders in my sub-region when I was out of college? The answers to both of these questions ended up being "Yes." I even went on to staff USY events and a summer program through my college graduation in 2004 to ensure my legacy.
When I graduated from UF (GO GATORS), I wasn't so concerned about leaving behind the sports teams (I just KNEW they'd be fabulous), or even the girls in the sorority. (Yeah, I know, I was in a sorority. Please don't stop reading. I did it for the food, the glitter, and a select group of people with whom I consumed the food and the glitter.) Years later, I still get informed (ahem, GGGGGGGGlittles) of who the new little ones are, and I will always have an unresolved urge to purchase stuffed giraffe regalia wherever I see it. But I know that the traditions and tachlis (practical details, work that has to get done) live on, just like I know somebody is distributing payroll perfectly well at Penguin, and just like I know that the newest FJC interns will think up some cool stuff for Cornerstone 2008.
Orange and Blue, Let's Go Gators! 
GK 2002 + proof that this blog is 50% an excuse for me to post pictures of me dressed up like it's the 80s (or, if you look at the leggings and the miniskirt, like it's 2007).But, when I left to come to Israel this year, I knew that I was leaving possibly the coolest class that JTS has ever seen. There was no completion ceremony, as I didn't graduate, and won't until 2009...godwillingly. I know that the school is fine without me for sure, but I still sit here, nostalgic for the cheese and bagels of Wednesday-morning mifgash (meeting).
So, last night, and over the past couple of weeks, when I was watching, oh, 6 episodes of WEEDS (amazing show), I received a variety of messages, mainly Facebook-style, from my classmates. I can't believe they're in midterms (and I can't believe I'm NOT). I can't believe that the Davidson Chevre goes on without me...not because I'm the greatest person ever, but because this group is one of best with which I've been lucky enough to associate.
I got to thinking about my classmates, and I'm thinking that I wouldn't be where I am today if it weren't for them. I hope that this year is a success, and that I can go back and provide a framework for future Davidson students to study in Israel for the year. Jewish Educators should be spending a semester or a year here, anyway, in preparation for their jobs in educating the Diaspora, post-masters.
I miss my classmates. But I know I'm doing something important here. So, I'll just say l'hitraot (see you later).
Shout out to my classmates! I miss you! This is from our visit last year to Robinson's Arch, sponsored by Uncle Bill.
PS -- Another sorority picture. I can't resist. Yeah, that is a crimped hairdo. This is just for you to enjoy. (GK 2003, minus Linds)
11 October 2007
I want COFFEE...and so on and so forth.
Rafi's birthday has been good for him, but there’s some stuff about Israel is getting to me. I will elaborate.
So, two days ago, I went back to Hebrew U to pay my bill, and I was fuming. I had logged in to see that they had added on a daily charge of $25 for no reason. I was ready to fight -- but my friend from Finance logged into the screen with my name on it (it was very bizarro-HR for me to be on the other side of the paycheck, or in this case, bill review.), looked quizzically at the screen, said, "No, that's not right," and deleted the charges without a peep from little-miss-almost-a-lawyer. I was ready to fight, but Finance Friend took care of it, without a PEEP from me. A miracle! The first non-frustrating interaction with Hebrew U to date!
On the way back, I went to Aroma (like Starbucks) to pick up coffee-oid drinks for Rafi and me. This time, I got one frappachino-thing, the Ice Aroma, and, after some coaching from Rafi, I even ordered a Caffe Kar Im Kerach, Im Sucar v' Chalav. (Iced coffee WITH ICE, with sugar and milk.) For the love of all that is holy, I just wanted to get coffee with ice in it. I really don't understand what Aroma's problem is. The girl at the counter was like, "so you want cappuchino?" She even had another customer translate her Hebrew (which I, for once, understood) and I was like, "I want COFFEE with pieces of ICE floating in it." She looked at me like I was crazy, and then had apparently hilarious conversations with other Aroma-workers about the crazy order with the coffee and the ice without coming from a blender, and WITH cubes!?! I don't really know why this was so funny...I am trying to think of a scene from a movie or TV that would accurately depict the scene, but I am coming up dry. (Brother Mark, any thoughts? Arrested Development, maybe?) They should spend a day on any street in NYC and THEN try to get one of their precious blended drinks from the guy in the little silvery booth, and then come back and make fun of my order. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAH.
Later that day, I went to dinner with a friend from UF, who confirmed for me that I am, indeed, just like my younger brother Mark. It was great to catch up with him, to know I had another ally in Gator-game watching (Many of my Jerusalem Gators are named David, apparently), and to gorge on Burgers Bar. You can't get an order wrong at Burgers Bar, thankfully.
Irritating news continues with the story of today, aka, the world’s most frustrating day EVER. While Rafi was “celebrating” his birthday by traveling in the north of Israel with his rabbinical school classmates, Allison and I had some work to get done for our JTS Distance learning class, so we went to Hebrew U today with Robbie, Rafi’s roommate and my friend.
At school, I filled out the rest of my MASA grant information, which went well, and then everything else was sooo annoying. First, they didn’t have my insurance card yet. Not so annoying, except they said it’d be there for me on the 10th. It’s the 11th. Secondly, the printing in the computer lab was 100 times (literally) more than I thought it would be (0.20 agarot and 20 agarot? Totally separate things.*), and just as irritating. One printer with a hole for one printer card at a time? And it jams? Oh, for the love of God.
*Agarot (singular = agarah) : sheqels :: pennies : dollars. If you divide the shequel by 100, there are 100 agarot. A sheqel is approximately 25 cents, so an agara is approximately 0.25 cents. 20 agarot = 5 cents per page. 0.20 agarot = 0.05 cents per page. That amounts to a big difference when you are printing out an entire textbook.
I could rant about my JTS class, but that is not in the spirit of my ranting about Hebrew U. In this particular case, the printing for my JTS class and everything else from Hebrew U will be considered separate but equal.
By the way, did you know that Hebrew U is like THE most sponsored school I’ve ever been to? Sure, at UF we had the Marsden science library, and dorms named after people like Sledd, Murphree and Jennings, but at Hebrew U, everything is sponsored by friends of Hebrew U from Tarrytown, NY to Mexico to Australia (there is a whole center just called Australia, actually. Still can’t figure out why the country wanted to name a Hebrew U computer lab after itself, but whatever.). There is, actually, a hallway sponsored by some people from Tarrytown, shown here.
A HALLWAY? I have a better idea…How about, the charitable Cohens from Kansas City, Missouri, or the giving Goldsteins from Genoa, Italy, sponsor free printing at Hebrew U? Maybe just in the Rothberg school? Remove the hassle for the students? No? Yeah, you’re right…then it wouldn’t be Hebrew U.
This makes me miss JTS and its free, double-sided printing in the computer lab. Also, at JTS, they speak English. I cannot believe I am enrolled full time in more than one graduate school this year. I am nutso.
After the printing fiasco, and its accompanying trips to amazon.germany and amazon.uk, and a little lesson about her royal highness’s royal mail strike, we ended up getting stuff printed, front-and-back, in triplicate, in the Hebrew U print shop. The technicians there smoke cigarettes CONSTANTLY around the equipment, by the way. It reminded me of heated (heh) fire-related arguments this past summer at CIL.
Good times. The smoking by the machines, in the indoors room, is gross, but hilarious, and only in Israel!
Robbie then escorted me to pick up a student card thingie, only to find that AFTER I waited for 10 minutes, I had to take my student ID to photocopy it in a machine downstairs. Guess where the neariest copy machine was located? That’s right, just BEHIND the guys at the desk. I made the copy, paid for it, and then waited on line for another 10 minutes. I was at the end of my string…
Allison and I finally left Hebrew U, and traveled to Yaffo Street so I could attempt to return a skirt that didn’t survive its first washing after purchase. Even though I hadn’t put it in the dryer, they wouldn’t exchange it, or give me a refund. And I thought I left the ridiculousness of my day when I left Hebrew U.
So, two days ago, I went back to Hebrew U to pay my bill, and I was fuming. I had logged in to see that they had added on a daily charge of $25 for no reason. I was ready to fight -- but my friend from Finance logged into the screen with my name on it (it was very bizarro-HR for me to be on the other side of the paycheck, or in this case, bill review.), looked quizzically at the screen, said, "No, that's not right," and deleted the charges without a peep from little-miss-almost-a-lawyer. I was ready to fight, but Finance Friend took care of it, without a PEEP from me. A miracle! The first non-frustrating interaction with Hebrew U to date!
On the way back, I went to Aroma (like Starbucks) to pick up coffee-oid drinks for Rafi and me. This time, I got one frappachino-thing, the Ice Aroma, and, after some coaching from Rafi, I even ordered a Caffe Kar Im Kerach, Im Sucar v' Chalav. (Iced coffee WITH ICE, with sugar and milk.) For the love of all that is holy, I just wanted to get coffee with ice in it. I really don't understand what Aroma's problem is. The girl at the counter was like, "so you want cappuchino?" She even had another customer translate her Hebrew (which I, for once, understood) and I was like, "I want COFFEE with pieces of ICE floating in it." She looked at me like I was crazy, and then had apparently hilarious conversations with other Aroma-workers about the crazy order with the coffee and the ice without coming from a blender, and WITH cubes!?! I don't really know why this was so funny...I am trying to think of a scene from a movie or TV that would accurately depict the scene, but I am coming up dry. (Brother Mark, any thoughts? Arrested Development, maybe?) They should spend a day on any street in NYC and THEN try to get one of their precious blended drinks from the guy in the little silvery booth, and then come back and make fun of my order. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAH.
Later that day, I went to dinner with a friend from UF, who confirmed for me that I am, indeed, just like my younger brother Mark. It was great to catch up with him, to know I had another ally in Gator-game watching (Many of my Jerusalem Gators are named David, apparently), and to gorge on Burgers Bar. You can't get an order wrong at Burgers Bar, thankfully.
Irritating news continues with the story of today, aka, the world’s most frustrating day EVER. While Rafi was “celebrating” his birthday by traveling in the north of Israel with his rabbinical school classmates, Allison and I had some work to get done for our JTS Distance learning class, so we went to Hebrew U today with Robbie, Rafi’s roommate and my friend.
At school, I filled out the rest of my MASA grant information, which went well, and then everything else was sooo annoying. First, they didn’t have my insurance card yet. Not so annoying, except they said it’d be there for me on the 10th. It’s the 11th. Secondly, the printing in the computer lab was 100 times (literally) more than I thought it would be (0.20 agarot and 20 agarot? Totally separate things.*), and just as irritating. One printer with a hole for one printer card at a time? And it jams? Oh, for the love of God.
*Agarot (singular = agarah) : sheqels :: pennies : dollars. If you divide the shequel by 100, there are 100 agarot. A sheqel is approximately 25 cents, so an agara is approximately 0.25 cents. 20 agarot = 5 cents per page. 0.20 agarot = 0.05 cents per page. That amounts to a big difference when you are printing out an entire textbook.
I could rant about my JTS class, but that is not in the spirit of my ranting about Hebrew U. In this particular case, the printing for my JTS class and everything else from Hebrew U will be considered separate but equal.
By the way, did you know that Hebrew U is like THE most sponsored school I’ve ever been to? Sure, at UF we had the Marsden science library, and dorms named after people like Sledd, Murphree and Jennings, but at Hebrew U, everything is sponsored by friends of Hebrew U from Tarrytown, NY to Mexico to Australia (there is a whole center just called Australia, actually. Still can’t figure out why the country wanted to name a Hebrew U computer lab after itself, but whatever.). There is, actually, a hallway sponsored by some people from Tarrytown, shown here. A HALLWAY? I have a better idea…How about, the charitable Cohens from Kansas City, Missouri, or the giving Goldsteins from Genoa, Italy, sponsor free printing at Hebrew U? Maybe just in the Rothberg school? Remove the hassle for the students? No? Yeah, you’re right…then it wouldn’t be Hebrew U.
This makes me miss JTS and its free, double-sided printing in the computer lab. Also, at JTS, they speak English. I cannot believe I am enrolled full time in more than one graduate school this year. I am nutso.
After the printing fiasco, and its accompanying trips to amazon.germany and amazon.uk, and a little lesson about her royal highness’s royal mail strike, we ended up getting stuff printed, front-and-back, in triplicate, in the Hebrew U print shop. The technicians there smoke cigarettes CONSTANTLY around the equipment, by the way. It reminded me of heated (heh) fire-related arguments this past summer at CIL.
Good times. The smoking by the machines, in the indoors room, is gross, but hilarious, and only in Israel!Robbie then escorted me to pick up a student card thingie, only to find that AFTER I waited for 10 minutes, I had to take my student ID to photocopy it in a machine downstairs. Guess where the neariest copy machine was located? That’s right, just BEHIND the guys at the desk. I made the copy, paid for it, and then waited on line for another 10 minutes. I was at the end of my string…
Allison and I finally left Hebrew U, and traveled to Yaffo Street so I could attempt to return a skirt that didn’t survive its first washing after purchase. Even though I hadn’t put it in the dryer, they wouldn’t exchange it, or give me a refund. And I thought I left the ridiculousness of my day when I left Hebrew U.
Goodness, Gracious! Great Gluttony in Gerusalem!
Ahh, October 10th. Erev Yom Rafi (The eve before Rafi’s birthday.) Allison and I woke early to take a trip to the Israel Museum…and we took the right bus, but in the wrong direction. The driver yelled at us to get off at the Malcha Mall, so we got off at the mall. We ended up running a bevy of errands and seeing a movie, “License to Wed,” of which my favorite part was the appearances from many of the cast of “The Office.”
After our day at the mall, we came home for a brief rest before the gluttony. Rafi had been planning to have a birthday dinner at Vaquiero, since, um, he got into Rabbinical school. Sadly, he had a full-day trip on the 11th, his actual birthday, so we decided to have the big meal-party the night before.
Vaquiero is a meat restaurant. And when I say meat, I mean MEAT. Vegetarians (Mel, sorry), avert your eyes...Vaquiero serves 10 courses of meat. TEN! ESER! DIEZ! [Insert fist with thumb pointing up, shaking left and right -- the ASL word for ten -- here.] I wasn’t so excited, because when I went in December, three of the courses were turkey, and I hate turkey. But, after inviting rabbinical students east and west, rounding up two only-Davidsons, and completing the 11-person meaty minyan + 1 with an Israeli, we sat down for a lovely meal together. This meal was better than the one we had for my birthday. Here is a list of the ten courses:
1. Chicken wings – I dedicate these wings to Rafi’s early childhood.
2. Empanadas – I dedicate these meat pies to Rafi’s extensive travel in Latin America. (JK, he’s never traveled to SA.)
3. Chorizo – I dedicate this sausage to Rafi’s awkward teenage years.
4. Veal Finger (I called it Kufta kabob!) – I dedicate this veal finger to something something (he made me stop the dedications.)
5. Corned beef.
6. Goose drumstick.
7. Entrecote.
8. Veal wrapped around cinnamon-spiced apricots.
9. Beef stew.
10. Something else that I can’t remember, as I seem to be in a meat-induced stupor, one day after.
There was also lots of salad, bread, and some really sexy potatoes, but we all psyched ourselves up to consume all of the meat with gusto. We did swimmingly, with everybody enjoying seconds of this meat and that meat. Some of us even enjoyed a warm chocolate cake after all of the food! I want to wish Rafi a happy 26th birthday, with many returns of the day. Thanks to everybody who joined us for dinner, and put out for the hefty price tag of a gluttonous meat meal.
Rafi and I smile because of all of the food. Note the shirt I am wearing. I always wear it the day Rafi wears his green polo. Because dressing alike, is, well, not my thing.
Robbie and Rachel didn’t do all-you-can-eat, but they still are totally fabulous!
Eliav and Jeremy are both smiling because Jeremy has REALLY fallen off of the vegetarian derech. Welcome to the club, Jeremy! This dinner is like going from being a teetotaler to doing kegstands before class.
Dan and I love Rafi and stuffing our faces!
Gideon is the champ of the meal, putting away the last little chunk of chorizo.
Allison, Ita and Gideon all smile wide for the terrific dinner.
Alon and Sarah sincerely enjoy their hot (and spicy) meals!
Rafi totally blows (out the sparkler). Happy birthday, Raf!
After our day at the mall, we came home for a brief rest before the gluttony. Rafi had been planning to have a birthday dinner at Vaquiero, since, um, he got into Rabbinical school. Sadly, he had a full-day trip on the 11th, his actual birthday, so we decided to have the big meal-party the night before.
Vaquiero is a meat restaurant. And when I say meat, I mean MEAT. Vegetarians (Mel, sorry), avert your eyes...Vaquiero serves 10 courses of meat. TEN! ESER! DIEZ! [Insert fist with thumb pointing up, shaking left and right -- the ASL word for ten -- here.] I wasn’t so excited, because when I went in December, three of the courses were turkey, and I hate turkey. But, after inviting rabbinical students east and west, rounding up two only-Davidsons, and completing the 11-person meaty minyan + 1 with an Israeli, we sat down for a lovely meal together. This meal was better than the one we had for my birthday. Here is a list of the ten courses:
1. Chicken wings – I dedicate these wings to Rafi’s early childhood.
2. Empanadas – I dedicate these meat pies to Rafi’s extensive travel in Latin America. (JK, he’s never traveled to SA.)
3. Chorizo – I dedicate this sausage to Rafi’s awkward teenage years.
4. Veal Finger (I called it Kufta kabob!) – I dedicate this veal finger to something something (he made me stop the dedications.)
5. Corned beef.
6. Goose drumstick.
7. Entrecote.
8. Veal wrapped around cinnamon-spiced apricots.
9. Beef stew.
10. Something else that I can’t remember, as I seem to be in a meat-induced stupor, one day after.
There was also lots of salad, bread, and some really sexy potatoes, but we all psyched ourselves up to consume all of the meat with gusto. We did swimmingly, with everybody enjoying seconds of this meat and that meat. Some of us even enjoyed a warm chocolate cake after all of the food! I want to wish Rafi a happy 26th birthday, with many returns of the day. Thanks to everybody who joined us for dinner, and put out for the hefty price tag of a gluttonous meat meal.
Rafi and I smile because of all of the food. Note the shirt I am wearing. I always wear it the day Rafi wears his green polo. Because dressing alike, is, well, not my thing.
Robbie and Rachel didn’t do all-you-can-eat, but they still are totally fabulous!
Eliav and Jeremy are both smiling because Jeremy has REALLY fallen off of the vegetarian derech. Welcome to the club, Jeremy! This dinner is like going from being a teetotaler to doing kegstands before class.
Dan and I love Rafi and stuffing our faces!
Gideon is the champ of the meal, putting away the last little chunk of chorizo.
Allison, Ita and Gideon all smile wide for the terrific dinner.
Alon and Sarah sincerely enjoy their hot (and spicy) meals!
Rafi totally blows (out the sparkler). Happy birthday, Raf!
06 October 2007
Functional Literacy
As the majority of my friends head back to school tomorrow, I find myself still in a state of limbo. The Rabbinical Students begin their third year with a field trip to the Davidson Kotel (where, if you're in my program, the money from "Uncle Bill" pays "Uncle Bill"'s Israel bureau, so that you can daven at "Uncle Bill's Kotel" and take pictures that say "William Davidson."). I will probably sleep through their morning services, because, hey, Hebrew U doesn't start for like another week!
Currently, I'm feeling a functionally illiterate in Israel. As my friends are off to their place of higher learning (which, btw, is ALL in Hebrew), I sit at home, waiting patiently for my turn at being a student at Rothberg. I consistently score better than most at Scrabble, and I read so much as a child my friends from elementary school remind me of how I used to always read THROUGH lunch, only picking my face up from reading when there was an opportunity to talk about camp (true story). But all of this is/was in English. Hebrew eludes me...for now.
Until I start my classes, I continue to conduct myself through telegraphic conversations. I sincerely miss talking here the way I do in New York. Consider this vignette:
SBB in the States: Hello, cabbie. 63rd between Central Park West and Broadway. I would prefer it if you drove down Columbus from here, then merge into Broadway at 66th. At 64th, make a left, and then a right on CPW. My driveway is on 63rd, halfway down the block. You make a left and drive all the way through. That is my lobby. Thanks....Can I please get $7 back?
SBB in Israel: Shalom. Efshar l'Rechov HaTzfira. B'vakasha l'Rachel Immeinu, v'yemina l'rechov Ruth. S'mola l'HaTzfira. OK. Po. Lo, Sham. Sham. OK, Po. Todah.
Please to go to HaTzfira Street [At this point, I don't yet sound so stupid.] Please to Rachel Immeinu Street and right to Ruth Street. Left to HaTzfira. OK, here. No, there. There. OK, here. [At this point I give up and walk the rest of the way home.]
To be fair, most cabbies in NY understand my English even less than the taxi drivers in Israel understand my English. But as I embark on my (somewhat embarrasing) experiment of living in Israel, I'm annoyed that when I talk to cabbies, I cannot even give directions to the house where I live. And my accent? ForGET it. I have a knack for imitating patterns of speech to such a degree that I SOUND like I know what I'm saying, but the second the cabbie says, in Hebrew "So, do you want me to take this street or that street?" or "What is this lovely new bag that you are carrying? Did you buy it today?" I sit there like a slack-jawed yokel. Damn you, stupid accent-imitating talent.
I am really looking forward to the start of school. I need me some pretty basic Hebrew schools. Until then, I will haunt the hallowed halls of the Rothberg school and the Hebrew U library, reading what I can in English and signing up for classes.
Oh, and FYI -- Shabbat was nice. Really great meals and great hosts.
Currently, I'm feeling a functionally illiterate in Israel. As my friends are off to their place of higher learning (which, btw, is ALL in Hebrew), I sit at home, waiting patiently for my turn at being a student at Rothberg. I consistently score better than most at Scrabble, and I read so much as a child my friends from elementary school remind me of how I used to always read THROUGH lunch, only picking my face up from reading when there was an opportunity to talk about camp (true story). But all of this is/was in English. Hebrew eludes me...for now.
Until I start my classes, I continue to conduct myself through telegraphic conversations. I sincerely miss talking here the way I do in New York. Consider this vignette:
SBB in the States: Hello, cabbie. 63rd between Central Park West and Broadway. I would prefer it if you drove down Columbus from here, then merge into Broadway at 66th. At 64th, make a left, and then a right on CPW. My driveway is on 63rd, halfway down the block. You make a left and drive all the way through. That is my lobby. Thanks....Can I please get $7 back?
SBB in Israel: Shalom. Efshar l'Rechov HaTzfira. B'vakasha l'Rachel Immeinu, v'yemina l'rechov Ruth. S'mola l'HaTzfira. OK. Po. Lo, Sham. Sham. OK, Po. Todah.
Please to go to HaTzfira Street [At this point, I don't yet sound so stupid.] Please to Rachel Immeinu Street and right to Ruth Street. Left to HaTzfira. OK, here. No, there. There. OK, here. [At this point I give up and walk the rest of the way home.]
To be fair, most cabbies in NY understand my English even less than the taxi drivers in Israel understand my English. But as I embark on my (somewhat embarrasing) experiment of living in Israel, I'm annoyed that when I talk to cabbies, I cannot even give directions to the house where I live. And my accent? ForGET it. I have a knack for imitating patterns of speech to such a degree that I SOUND like I know what I'm saying, but the second the cabbie says, in Hebrew "So, do you want me to take this street or that street?" or "What is this lovely new bag that you are carrying? Did you buy it today?" I sit there like a slack-jawed yokel. Damn you, stupid accent-imitating talent.
I am really looking forward to the start of school. I need me some pretty basic Hebrew schools. Until then, I will haunt the hallowed halls of the Rothberg school and the Hebrew U library, reading what I can in English and signing up for classes.
Oh, and FYI -- Shabbat was nice. Really great meals and great hosts.
30 September 2007
Vignettes from a Bus Ride
Today, I worked on my JTS class (yes, those HAVE started and I HAVE been doing work), by half-composing a paper and talking to the teacher on Skype. I'm having Lingo phone issues, but Skype is pretty cool.
Anyway, after Curriculum & Instruction Gone Wild (You Try It! OK, that's an Interlaken joke.), Allison and I went to downtown to chase some paper, snack and eventually join up with the Conservative Yeshiva (literally "to sit," a yeshiva is a traditional Jewish learning environment characterized by chevruta, or paired, study) kids. We were joining them on the bus to the house and sukkah of the Yeshiva Director (OK, I can't remember her title offhand.) and her family. The bus ride was looooong, considering we were going out to a suburb that could have been 20 minutes away. The 4:15 departure time wasn't, apparently, a hard 4:15, as we pulled out closer to 4:50. The driver wasn't, apparently, familiar with the city of Jerusalem, as he took us in a 30-minute circle to the Yeshiva before we went on a very roundabout route to the suburban home and sukkah. The sukkah meal was great, and Rafi and his roommate even joined in on the fun for part of the time.
In an effort to remind you, my dear readers, that Israel is a complex country, filled not just with Israeli dancing and falafel, but humorous ironies as well, I make sure to point out the varied hilarities I encounter in this fair land, such as Sara Beth = not religious, or Tel Aviv = Not Kosher (more on that in vignette #2 below), Allison and I noticed a few things during our bus ride, thanks to a little magazine called Time Out ISRAEL and a potentially loudly braying animal known as a donkey.
The gentle handler leads his donkey to SuperSol, a grocery store. In downtown Jerusalem, it is apparently not uncommon to be exposed to a biblical ass (heh)...
...although this one was not (ostensibly) preventing the cursing of the people Israel. (Parshat Chukat-Balak, Numbers 22-25...Oh, yeah, that's right. I AM a Torah Scholar.)
Vignette #1: I was just meeting Allison's Yeshiva friends, before we boarded the bus, when I pointed out the donkey found on every corner in Jerusalem. (No, seriously. OK, not seriously about donkeys on every corner. But there really was a donkey at Agron and King George, although at first glance, I thought it was once of those tiny ponies.) This donkey, allegedly, was being taken to Netanya. This did not stop the cops from questioning the boy with a stick who was leading the donkey down Agron Street. (Pictures courtesy of Allison B.)
Vignette #2: Time Out ISRAEL seems like it will be handy if we ever snag a current issue. We still read through it to see what restaurants and hot spots our fair city has to offer. The Jerusalem restaurant page was filled with KOSHER stamps after restaurant names. The Tel Aviv restaurant page had one on two full pages of restaurants (this does not include Ye Olde Neighborhood Falafel Shoppe). After I noticed that, I pointed out to Allison that all the ads for restaurants in Tel Aviv featured treif (nonkosher/deadly to SBB) food -- the delectable oyster, the pearly pink shrimp. What did I learn from Time Out ISRAEL? I must bring my Epi Pen to Tel Aviv!
In other news, people keep on telling me they're reading my beelog. I want to say hi to Michelle, and welcome the rest of you SBB-loving readers (who can blame you?) to leave comments saying hi! Let's have a contest...let's see who can leave me the funniest note. Just please sign your name or initials, so I can check you off on my naughty/nice lists.
Anyway, after Curriculum & Instruction Gone Wild (You Try It! OK, that's an Interlaken joke.), Allison and I went to downtown to chase some paper, snack and eventually join up with the Conservative Yeshiva (literally "to sit," a yeshiva is a traditional Jewish learning environment characterized by chevruta, or paired, study) kids. We were joining them on the bus to the house and sukkah of the Yeshiva Director (OK, I can't remember her title offhand.) and her family. The bus ride was looooong, considering we were going out to a suburb that could have been 20 minutes away. The 4:15 departure time wasn't, apparently, a hard 4:15, as we pulled out closer to 4:50. The driver wasn't, apparently, familiar with the city of Jerusalem, as he took us in a 30-minute circle to the Yeshiva before we went on a very roundabout route to the suburban home and sukkah. The sukkah meal was great, and Rafi and his roommate even joined in on the fun for part of the time.
In an effort to remind you, my dear readers, that Israel is a complex country, filled not just with Israeli dancing and falafel, but humorous ironies as well, I make sure to point out the varied hilarities I encounter in this fair land, such as Sara Beth = not religious, or Tel Aviv = Not Kosher (more on that in vignette #2 below), Allison and I noticed a few things during our bus ride, thanks to a little magazine called Time Out ISRAEL and a potentially loudly braying animal known as a donkey.
The gentle handler leads his donkey to SuperSol, a grocery store. In downtown Jerusalem, it is apparently not uncommon to be exposed to a biblical ass (heh)...
...although this one was not (ostensibly) preventing the cursing of the people Israel. (Parshat Chukat-Balak, Numbers 22-25...Oh, yeah, that's right. I AM a Torah Scholar.)
Vignette #1: I was just meeting Allison's Yeshiva friends, before we boarded the bus, when I pointed out the donkey found on every corner in Jerusalem. (No, seriously. OK, not seriously about donkeys on every corner. But there really was a donkey at Agron and King George, although at first glance, I thought it was once of those tiny ponies.) This donkey, allegedly, was being taken to Netanya. This did not stop the cops from questioning the boy with a stick who was leading the donkey down Agron Street. (Pictures courtesy of Allison B.)
Vignette #2: Time Out ISRAEL seems like it will be handy if we ever snag a current issue. We still read through it to see what restaurants and hot spots our fair city has to offer. The Jerusalem restaurant page was filled with KOSHER stamps after restaurant names. The Tel Aviv restaurant page had one on two full pages of restaurants (this does not include Ye Olde Neighborhood Falafel Shoppe). After I noticed that, I pointed out to Allison that all the ads for restaurants in Tel Aviv featured treif (nonkosher/deadly to SBB) food -- the delectable oyster, the pearly pink shrimp. What did I learn from Time Out ISRAEL? I must bring my Epi Pen to Tel Aviv!
In other news, people keep on telling me they're reading my beelog. I want to say hi to Michelle, and welcome the rest of you SBB-loving readers (who can blame you?) to leave comments saying hi! Let's have a contest...let's see who can leave me the funniest note. Just please sign your name or initials, so I can check you off on my naughty/nice lists.
19 September 2007
SB Plans and God Laughs
To quote the good old mothertongue, Yiddush:
א מענטש טראכט און גאט לאכט / A mentsh trakht un got lakht / People (men) plan and God laughs.*
*Translation courtesy of a Newton Center Rav.
So I worked out all of the kinks, and got to Israel, excited to start ulpan and go to Hebrew U and find a grammar tutor (ok, I wasn't so excited about that.). I couldn't wait to do all of the other fun things that a year in the Holy Land could bring me.
Then I had to petition my part-time status at Hebrew U. During the process I realized a few things:
1. Hebrew U (and by Hebrew U, I mean a variety of offices and officers, but most specifically, the NY recruiter who handled my case) never realized / communicated / completed the process necessary to make me part-time.
2. Hebrew U DOES have ulpan-style classes through the school year. (NY recruiter told me to go to an outside ulpan.)
3. Hebrew U MAY be able to tutor me in "Academic Hebrew Grammar and Rabbinical Text Analysis." (That was the best working title we could come up with after looking at my handouts from JTS. The best I could come up with on my own was "Ick.")
4. Israelis, including the finest academics in the country of Israel, home of the native Hebrew speaker and the Hebrew academics, thinks that JTS's Hebrew program is (wait for it...it's a shocker...) a little ridiculous, difficult and not useful at all. (There's a song called Vindicated. That is what I am.)
So, long story short: I was vindicated by a professional who deals in actual Hebrew language instruction, signed up for Ramah Aleph graduate Hebrew classes, and changed my enrollment to Full-Time. That's right, SBB is a full-time student at Hebrew U! I'm going to drop my ulpan enrollment and spend more time at Hebrew U up on yofi-tofi (pretty-mitty) Mount Scopus. Yes, I'm pissed that I was pretty much misguided up the wazoo about my time at Hebrew U, but it's ok, because I'm a Rothberg girl now!
Also, today, I ran into Jordana, one of my closest friends from USY on Wheels Bus D 1997. We may have lost touch after Wheels, but running into her not once, not twice, but three times today in Jerusalem, the city she now permanently calls home, was awesome! I also saw "Roach," one of Rafi's campers from Darom, Baylene, and old friend of mine from USY and Pilgrimage Group 7 '99, and hung out with my friend / Rafi's roommate-to-be Robbie.
Things are slowly and falling into place, although it's not how I thought it would be. Rafi will get here soon. This is good because now that I have a cell phone, I have been spending harbeh dolarim (many dollars) calling his NY number. We're also almost set with planning a trip to Egypt and Jordan, and I am researching where else I will wander from my starting post in the Middle East.
Yom Kippur is rapidly approaching...tomorrow I hope I get to the shuk to see kapara (a different way of getting rid of your sins.) and the girls and I are hoping we get to the Biblical Zoo, too. Jerusalem is FUN!
א מענטש טראכט און גאט לאכט / A mentsh trakht un got lakht / People (men) plan and God laughs.*
*Translation courtesy of a Newton Center Rav.
So I worked out all of the kinks, and got to Israel, excited to start ulpan and go to Hebrew U and find a grammar tutor (ok, I wasn't so excited about that.). I couldn't wait to do all of the other fun things that a year in the Holy Land could bring me.
Then I had to petition my part-time status at Hebrew U. During the process I realized a few things:
1. Hebrew U (and by Hebrew U, I mean a variety of offices and officers, but most specifically, the NY recruiter who handled my case) never realized / communicated / completed the process necessary to make me part-time.
2. Hebrew U DOES have ulpan-style classes through the school year. (NY recruiter told me to go to an outside ulpan.)
3. Hebrew U MAY be able to tutor me in "Academic Hebrew Grammar and Rabbinical Text Analysis." (That was the best working title we could come up with after looking at my handouts from JTS. The best I could come up with on my own was "Ick.")
4. Israelis, including the finest academics in the country of Israel, home of the native Hebrew speaker and the Hebrew academics, thinks that JTS's Hebrew program is (wait for it...it's a shocker...) a little ridiculous, difficult and not useful at all. (There's a song called Vindicated. That is what I am.)
So, long story short: I was vindicated by a professional who deals in actual Hebrew language instruction, signed up for Ramah Aleph graduate Hebrew classes, and changed my enrollment to Full-Time. That's right, SBB is a full-time student at Hebrew U! I'm going to drop my ulpan enrollment and spend more time at Hebrew U up on yofi-tofi (pretty-mitty) Mount Scopus. Yes, I'm pissed that I was pretty much misguided up the wazoo about my time at Hebrew U, but it's ok, because I'm a Rothberg girl now!
Also, today, I ran into Jordana, one of my closest friends from USY on Wheels Bus D 1997. We may have lost touch after Wheels, but running into her not once, not twice, but three times today in Jerusalem, the city she now permanently calls home, was awesome! I also saw "Roach," one of Rafi's campers from Darom, Baylene, and old friend of mine from USY and Pilgrimage Group 7 '99, and hung out with my friend / Rafi's roommate-to-be Robbie.
Things are slowly and falling into place, although it's not how I thought it would be. Rafi will get here soon. This is good because now that I have a cell phone, I have been spending harbeh dolarim (many dollars) calling his NY number. We're also almost set with planning a trip to Egypt and Jordan, and I am researching where else I will wander from my starting post in the Middle East.
Yom Kippur is rapidly approaching...tomorrow I hope I get to the shuk to see kapara (a different way of getting rid of your sins.) and the girls and I are hoping we get to the Biblical Zoo, too. Jerusalem is FUN!
15 September 2007
Take Me To Your Leader...
So, I just completed my first Rosh Hashanah in Israel. Thanks to my roommate Rachel , I was booked for lunch and dinner for the two days of RH and the immediately following Shabbat.
We had meals with JTS students and AJU students (that's the Conservative Rabbinical school in California), Brandeis grads and Tel Aviv med students, newlyweds and parents-to-be.
We davened (prayed) at a variety of places around Jerusalem. The first night, we went to the traditional egalitarian minyan in Jerusalem that is similar to Manhattan's Hadar. The following morning, Allison (other roommate, remember?) and I intended to daven at the Leader minyan. The Leader (name of the founding family) minyan, is a place for some serious spiritual prayer. Singing and dancing can take a service and expand it joyfully to two, three times its original length. (That's what she said.) Anywho, Allison and I got the address, found it on our map of Jerusalem, and set out to 27 Ben Zakkai Street, just a short(ish) walk from our apartment.
We walked to 27 Ben Zakkai, and heard singing, so we walked into the first building we saw. We went upstairs, and enjoyed an interesting prayer experience. It was, however, quick, and not so full of singing. The surroundings were cool: blue ceiling, comfortable women's balcony seating, neon Jewish star above the ark (no, really), and lit displays of the Torah blessings on the Torah table. We were pretty sure we were in the wrong place, except how COULD we be? We had walked to the right address, and followed the voices. We stayed through the end of services and got back to our apartment at 11:30. The Leader minyan, we had been told, got out at 2PM at the earliest.
Our service riddle was solved at dinner, when Rafi's roommate pointed out that the Leader minyan was in the building off of the small walkway BEFORE the Sephardic shul we had actually attended. Problem solved, Allison and I went to the minyan on Friday morning. It was long and spiritual, but we were hot and tired. When the Amidah (personal prayers, pretty early in the service) ended, I could hear, through the outside window, the shofar (ram's horn) blow coming from the shul from the day before. Their services were over. Leader minyan transitioned soon after to the Torah service, and then they had a kiddush. Allison and I enjoyed the kiddush but left before the Torah service ended, because it was getting late. Leader minyan was great. I have a feeling I'll like it even more on a few more hours sleep and when it's cooler out.
Today, Allison and I went to the DiscKotel to daven before meeting Rachel and our friend Ethan outside of the Jaffa gate. We had a lovely date to walk to French Hill. Our friends Eytan and Rebecca live up there (past Hebrew U) and they had invited us for Shabbat lunch. The walk took 1 hour and 45 minutes. It was 80 degrees, and I very quickly removed the skirt I wore over my leggings so that my outfit was passably Shabbat-appropriate and wall-acceptable. I ended up spending most of the day in black leggings and a black shirt. I looked like Sandy at the end of Grease! Anyway, we had a great time with the crew at their house, and closed Shabbat with Havdallah and watching the boys move furniture around the apartment.
So, Rosh Hashanah was terrific. I got to wear the usual skirts and shirts I wear at home on regular Shabbats (no suits!) and I got to eat a lot of great food, and walk it all off when I roamed up and down the unmarked streets and intersections. Other highlights included french-toasted honey cake, the new and old friends in Jerusalem, and the life and spirit of Israel during the high holidays.
Finally, I learned that I will never, ever, be walking to and from class at Hebrew U.
More later! G'mar Tov!
We had meals with JTS students and AJU students (that's the Conservative Rabbinical school in California), Brandeis grads and Tel Aviv med students, newlyweds and parents-to-be.
We davened (prayed) at a variety of places around Jerusalem. The first night, we went to the traditional egalitarian minyan in Jerusalem that is similar to Manhattan's Hadar. The following morning, Allison (other roommate, remember?) and I intended to daven at the Leader minyan. The Leader (name of the founding family) minyan, is a place for some serious spiritual prayer. Singing and dancing can take a service and expand it joyfully to two, three times its original length. (That's what she said.) Anywho, Allison and I got the address, found it on our map of Jerusalem, and set out to 27 Ben Zakkai Street, just a short(ish) walk from our apartment.
We walked to 27 Ben Zakkai, and heard singing, so we walked into the first building we saw. We went upstairs, and enjoyed an interesting prayer experience. It was, however, quick, and not so full of singing. The surroundings were cool: blue ceiling, comfortable women's balcony seating, neon Jewish star above the ark (no, really), and lit displays of the Torah blessings on the Torah table. We were pretty sure we were in the wrong place, except how COULD we be? We had walked to the right address, and followed the voices. We stayed through the end of services and got back to our apartment at 11:30. The Leader minyan, we had been told, got out at 2PM at the earliest.
Our service riddle was solved at dinner, when Rafi's roommate pointed out that the Leader minyan was in the building off of the small walkway BEFORE the Sephardic shul we had actually attended. Problem solved, Allison and I went to the minyan on Friday morning. It was long and spiritual, but we were hot and tired. When the Amidah (personal prayers, pretty early in the service) ended, I could hear, through the outside window, the shofar (ram's horn) blow coming from the shul from the day before. Their services were over. Leader minyan transitioned soon after to the Torah service, and then they had a kiddush. Allison and I enjoyed the kiddush but left before the Torah service ended, because it was getting late. Leader minyan was great. I have a feeling I'll like it even more on a few more hours sleep and when it's cooler out.
Today, Allison and I went to the DiscKotel to daven before meeting Rachel and our friend Ethan outside of the Jaffa gate. We had a lovely date to walk to French Hill. Our friends Eytan and Rebecca live up there (past Hebrew U) and they had invited us for Shabbat lunch. The walk took 1 hour and 45 minutes. It was 80 degrees, and I very quickly removed the skirt I wore over my leggings so that my outfit was passably Shabbat-appropriate and wall-acceptable. I ended up spending most of the day in black leggings and a black shirt. I looked like Sandy at the end of Grease! Anyway, we had a great time with the crew at their house, and closed Shabbat with Havdallah and watching the boys move furniture around the apartment.
So, Rosh Hashanah was terrific. I got to wear the usual skirts and shirts I wear at home on regular Shabbats (no suits!) and I got to eat a lot of great food, and walk it all off when I roamed up and down the unmarked streets and intersections. Other highlights included french-toasted honey cake, the new and old friends in Jerusalem, and the life and spirit of Israel during the high holidays.
Finally, I learned that I will never, ever, be walking to and from class at Hebrew U.
More later! G'mar Tov!
08 September 2007
Off to Israel!
As promised, I've decided to open a bee-log (blogs are too common) for my time in Israel. For now, it's simple and I'll probably develop an addiction to make my bee-log a happening place.
For the time being, this is what you get:
1. The Name: Sara Beth was taken. Therefore, I got SaraBethB.blogspot.com. I would like to remind some of my critics that this is because I am known by my full name, even if I won't be posting my last name on the bee-log.
2. The Title: I decided to title my bee-log "Ehh, How Do You Say...Sara Bet?" because in Hebrew, my name is confusing. There is no "th" sound in the Hebrew alphabet, and most Israelis, when they say my name, pause ("Ehh") and then ask how to pronounce Beth.
a. There is a grammatical operator known as the ChipChuk (please don't check my spelling on this one) that you put after the t-sounding letter to make a "th" sound. It fails miserably. Trust me, I've tried.
b. In addition, the Hebrew alphabet can be used for counting. Aleph is the 1st letter of the alphabet, and Bet is the 2nd. The second most common comment about my name is, "You are Sara Bet? The who is Sara Aleph?" Hahahaha, that's like asking me if my refrigerator is running. Never gets old.
3. Me: After my summer at camp, I am off to spend about 9 months in Israel. In America, JTS is teaching my Davidson classmates in person, a group of new kids are trying to be funny in Foundations, and New York City will survive without me. I want to be the best Jewish Educator I can be. So here I am...in Israel for 2007-2008.
My flight is at 7:55PM tomorrow from JFK. If I don't get bumped, I will be arriving at Ben-Gurion at 1:15PM.
For the time being, this is what you get:
1. The Name: Sara Beth was taken. Therefore, I got SaraBethB.blogspot.com. I would like to remind some of my critics that this is because I am known by my full name, even if I won't be posting my last name on the bee-log.
2. The Title: I decided to title my bee-log "Ehh, How Do You Say...Sara Bet?" because in Hebrew, my name is confusing. There is no "th" sound in the Hebrew alphabet, and most Israelis, when they say my name, pause ("Ehh") and then ask how to pronounce Beth.
a. There is a grammatical operator known as the ChipChuk (please don't check my spelling on this one) that you put after the t-sounding letter to make a "th" sound. It fails miserably. Trust me, I've tried.
b. In addition, the Hebrew alphabet can be used for counting. Aleph is the 1st letter of the alphabet, and Bet is the 2nd. The second most common comment about my name is, "You are Sara Bet? The who is Sara Aleph?" Hahahaha, that's like asking me if my refrigerator is running. Never gets old.
3. Me: After my summer at camp, I am off to spend about 9 months in Israel. In America, JTS is teaching my Davidson classmates in person, a group of new kids are trying to be funny in Foundations, and New York City will survive without me. I want to be the best Jewish Educator I can be. So here I am...in Israel for 2007-2008.
My flight is at 7:55PM tomorrow from JFK. If I don't get bumped, I will be arriving at Ben-Gurion at 1:15PM.
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