*Now, this is the part of Shprockets where we dance. Click to see a YouTube video copy of SNL’s Sprockets Sketch, circa…um…a long time ago. Maybe 1990.
The second day of school continued to be more exciting than the first. After the degel experience, I trotted off to Introduction to Rabbinic Literature, a group tutorial. The sign-up sheet said something to the affect of: this class will be taught in German, unless there is one English speaker who signs up, and then everybody will hate her because the class defaults to English instruction. This may or may not be exactly how Professor Shprockets* phrased it, but that’s how it felt.
I tried tracking down this professor in vain, as I felt desperately needed by a friend in trouble. Sadly, however, this professor is not listed on any of the Hebrew U search engines. Not by first name, not by last name, not by nickname (and this was before I deemed him Professor Shprockets). Nothing. I was starting to believe that this class at 16:30 just wasn’t going to happen, because the professor clearly doesn’t exist.
I knew I couldn’t leave school, though, because on the off chance that this professor proved to exist, they would prance along with their Herr Mishnah this and their Fraulein Bibel that, and leave me in the dust. So, in I walked to my class, at 16:30 / 4:30 PM (Something not lost in translation! Whee!), to find that it was me, the professor (who looks 25 but is at least in his 40s), and the many Aryan faces of the German theological students’ study abroad program. That’s correct, kids…right here in Jerusalem, Sara Beth is studying the words of Talmud, Midrash and Torah with the future priests and ministers of Deutchland. Do NOT tell my grandmother.
I did learn from them, though. I learned that German teaching methods lends classes to long pauses (or maybe that’s so they can translate to English in their heads first?), and that when the Swiss kid reads the letter “v” it sounds like a “w” in the most endearing way. I also learned that the Fraulein next to me hates me and my lack of German language knowledge. I also learned that Europeans should just get over their sexy musk, or whatever it is they think they smell like, and get some deodorant. It’s unholy to study the Torah in such smelly conditions. Really.
It’s been two weeks since I wrote the above, and two weeks of Shprockets have gone by. Each week, the class gets better, and I enjoy discussing Torah, etc., with my classmates and professor. I have learned some more cultural things, such as:
1. I don’t know if it’s just Professor Shprockets, or if it’s a German thing, but there are really long, uncomfortable pauses as he waits for us to pipe up and say something. It’s sooo awkward.
2. Apparently they all say “W” instead of “V.” It makes me giggle…I can’t stop it. I’m so embarrassing.
3. At the end of the lecture, everybody knocks on the tabletop, basically applauding the professor. I think I love this.
My classmates are getting used to me and to speaking English. They’ve taken to asking me to translate. Today, I explained the difference between a hearing and a trial (Remember that time I wanted to go to law school? Hah!). I also defined the worst English verb ever: to cleave . It is an antonym of itself. That was fun to explain. One of my classmates went shopping in the Old City and bought himself Fullah sheets (They’re pink and Barbie-esque, but she’s wearing a full-on head covering. Read the article. It's totally worth reading. Very interesting. Also fun is this post on MJL). Another classmate took down my email to invite me to a birthday party for another classmate and Professor Shprockets. So, I’m starting to make friends.
And, as I measure my success in life, so do I in Shprockets: Today in class, we studied the first Chapter of Pirkei Avot, the Ethics of the (Jewish) Father/Sages. The fourth pasuk (passage) warns against talking to women, and later, when we were discussing another pasuk, Swiss and I started talking at the same time.
I said, “Go first,” to which he replied, “no, you are a woman. You go first.” (That’s the German-to-English equivalent of “Ladies first!”)
My reply? “But if I’m a woman, you shouldn’t be listening to me talk at all.”
And the class laughed.
I’m making friends with Shprockets.
This post, like the last one, is a message for peace and understanding in this world.
Showing posts with label Torah. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Torah. Show all posts
05 November 2007
12 October 2007
There's Gonna Be A Floody, Floody
Shabbat Parashat Noach (Torah Portion about Noah and the Great Flood) Report:
It seems we are incapable of hosting a meal for fewer than 12 people, and Friday night was a dairy-filled celebration of Noah and his ark. Rachel just wrote about the themed dishes created in honor of this week's torah portion, Noa(c)h.
There was a rainbow salad, with red peppers, carrots, yellow peppers, avocado, pomagranate seeds and raisins.
There was also a Noah's ark, constructed out of biscuit cookies, on a base of blue-pudding water, and surrounded by pairs of gummy animals (in Israel, gummies are KOSHER!). The ark had a rainbow of M&Ms on top.
Other bits of the meal included the delightful pairing of cheese and veggies, floating in a sea of red sauce on little pasta-sheets of ark, otherwise known as a veggie lasagna. There was another fine pairing of sweet potato and spices. Challah and fruit salad, wine and water, old friends and new, completed the meal.
And just when you were sure that you were totally full from reading this? Dairy dessert extravaganza at Rafi's apartment for his post-birthday party (someone seems to be celebrating himself for days at a time...it's almost like I've influenced him a little too much.). Many people stopped by, and the cakes and trifles were really spectacular.
The weather is getting cooler, and I very much appreciate it. Here I am, sitting on my couch, in the great city of Jerusalem. I'm sure that some day soon, it will start raining, but before the "floody floody" it's certainly delightful to be in Jerusalem in the fall.
It seems we are incapable of hosting a meal for fewer than 12 people, and Friday night was a dairy-filled celebration of Noah and his ark. Rachel just wrote about the themed dishes created in honor of this week's torah portion, Noa(c)h.
There was a rainbow salad, with red peppers, carrots, yellow peppers, avocado, pomagranate seeds and raisins.
There was also a Noah's ark, constructed out of biscuit cookies, on a base of blue-pudding water, and surrounded by pairs of gummy animals (in Israel, gummies are KOSHER!). The ark had a rainbow of M&Ms on top.
Other bits of the meal included the delightful pairing of cheese and veggies, floating in a sea of red sauce on little pasta-sheets of ark, otherwise known as a veggie lasagna. There was another fine pairing of sweet potato and spices. Challah and fruit salad, wine and water, old friends and new, completed the meal.
And just when you were sure that you were totally full from reading this? Dairy dessert extravaganza at Rafi's apartment for his post-birthday party (someone seems to be celebrating himself for days at a time...it's almost like I've influenced him a little too much.). Many people stopped by, and the cakes and trifles were really spectacular.
The weather is getting cooler, and I very much appreciate it. Here I am, sitting on my couch, in the great city of Jerusalem. I'm sure that some day soon, it will start raining, but before the "floody floody" it's certainly delightful to be in Jerusalem in the fall.
05 October 2007
Hooooe-Sheeee-Aaaaaaah-Naaaaah!
Hoe-Shee-Aah-Nah is part of the Simchat Torah prayer/celebration singing.
While you Diaspora fools are nursing your Simchat Torah-related hangovers, here in Israel I have (part) of a day off between the end of Sukkot and Shabbat. What do I mean? Let me explain...
In the Diaspora, Jewish holidays are 2 days long. That means the chag/holiday parts at the beginning and end of long holidays like Sukkot are two days long, each. In Israel, chag is only one day long at either end. Annnd, when it's Sukkot, the closing Chag days of Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah are hybridized into one fun day.
Things for Simchat Torah in Israel are a little different than in the States. The getting-drunk-for-the-Torah parties aren't in huge abundance, but the getting-sweaty-while-dancing-and-singing services are in full force. My friend Shiran came to visit, and we all went to Shira Chadasha for the evening Hakafot (that means something like dancing in circles with the Torah). Shirah Chadash was NUTS! I saw everyone I've known, ever. Really. There was my Nivo '04 waterskiing camper, my Wheels Bus D '02 camper, my supervisor from Skills for Teaching and her daughter, a colleague from the Foundation for Jewish Camping. There was also the crowd of JTS and A-Jew (they go by "Ziegler" or "AJU") kids, of course. To round things out, I spent some time talking with my friend Jordana, with whom I went on USY on Wheels '97, and Baylene, from Pilgrimage 99, and pretty much everything from high school.
There were other people there I was excited to see, too. It felt like Simchat Torah on the Upper West Side, more than I'd expected. Next time, I'm getting my eyebrows waxed BEFORE the social scene, not after. I thought it was going to be (relatively) low-key.
After Hakafot, we had dinner at my apartment, which ended up including 12 people! Food was good, and we all had a good time. After dinner, a bunch of the guests stayed up until the wee hours, but I went to sleep. I figured I needed my strength for services the following morning, at Kedem. They were pretty fun and great.
Shiran, Allison and I hung out all afternoon, eating the (amazing) baked stuff from Shiran's sister's bakery job, and enjoying Nurit's visit, late in the afternoon. When the holiday ended at dark, Rafi and I went to a really cute restaurant, where I learned to stop ordering Israeli ravioli (Disappoint me once, shame on you. Disappoint me twice, Israeli ravioli, shame on me.). After dinner, we celebrated our friends housewarming (quite literally across the street), and went to be relatively early, considering the hard-partying nature of my friends.
Today, I prepared for Shabbat...partially by buying challot at the neighborhood amazing bakery, and partially by getting my eyebrows pruned. It was all-in-all an exciting start to Shabbat. And to think, I could have spent today in shul for Simchat Torah...instead of yesterday.
While you Diaspora fools are nursing your Simchat Torah-related hangovers, here in Israel I have (part) of a day off between the end of Sukkot and Shabbat. What do I mean? Let me explain...
In the Diaspora, Jewish holidays are 2 days long. That means the chag/holiday parts at the beginning and end of long holidays like Sukkot are two days long, each. In Israel, chag is only one day long at either end. Annnd, when it's Sukkot, the closing Chag days of Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah are hybridized into one fun day.
Things for Simchat Torah in Israel are a little different than in the States. The getting-drunk-for-the-Torah parties aren't in huge abundance, but the getting-sweaty-while-dancing-and-singing services are in full force. My friend Shiran came to visit, and we all went to Shira Chadasha for the evening Hakafot (that means something like dancing in circles with the Torah). Shirah Chadash was NUTS! I saw everyone I've known, ever. Really. There was my Nivo '04 waterskiing camper, my Wheels Bus D '02 camper, my supervisor from Skills for Teaching and her daughter, a colleague from the Foundation for Jewish Camping. There was also the crowd of JTS and A-Jew (they go by "Ziegler" or "AJU") kids, of course. To round things out, I spent some time talking with my friend Jordana, with whom I went on USY on Wheels '97, and Baylene, from Pilgrimage 99, and pretty much everything from high school.
There were other people there I was excited to see, too. It felt like Simchat Torah on the Upper West Side, more than I'd expected. Next time, I'm getting my eyebrows waxed BEFORE the social scene, not after. I thought it was going to be (relatively) low-key.
After Hakafot, we had dinner at my apartment, which ended up including 12 people! Food was good, and we all had a good time. After dinner, a bunch of the guests stayed up until the wee hours, but I went to sleep. I figured I needed my strength for services the following morning, at Kedem. They were pretty fun and great.
Shiran, Allison and I hung out all afternoon, eating the (amazing) baked stuff from Shiran's sister's bakery job, and enjoying Nurit's visit, late in the afternoon. When the holiday ended at dark, Rafi and I went to a really cute restaurant, where I learned to stop ordering Israeli ravioli (Disappoint me once, shame on you. Disappoint me twice, Israeli ravioli, shame on me.). After dinner, we celebrated our friends housewarming (quite literally across the street), and went to be relatively early, considering the hard-partying nature of my friends.
Today, I prepared for Shabbat...partially by buying challot at the neighborhood amazing bakery, and partially by getting my eyebrows pruned. It was all-in-all an exciting start to Shabbat. And to think, I could have spent today in shul for Simchat Torah...instead of yesterday.
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.
29 September 2007
Chiloni in Dati Clothing
From the second I checked through security at JFK with a cadre of ultra-Orthodox Jews, easily identified by their white shirts, black suits and coats, and black hats, I realized how different this year in Israel was going to be for me. After years of being the most religious girl around…
Elementary school = The girl who misses school for Jewish holidays.
Middle school = The girl with 3 bar/bat mitzvahs per weekend.
High school = The “Orthodox girl” / USY nerd.
College = The girl who leads services / “This one time, at USY on Wheels camp.”
Penguin = The girl who worked part-time during the Jewish holidays (all of October) / The girl that nearly died from something non-Kosher.
JTS = Less religious than the rabbinical students, but dating one anyway.
…I was going to be seen as secular. Me? Secular? Who are we kidding?? Yes, I wear tank tops. Yes, I read Torah. But I READ TORAH, keep kosher (hot dairy, as per the Conservative movement) and I study to be a Jewish educator. I work very hard to bring Jewish experiences to learners of all ages. I identify almost exclusively in my Judaism. I study the Bible and Skills for Teaching. I am working on Israel education in the Diaspora. I am a Jew, and a supporter of the state of Israel.
This weekend, my roommate Allison (hello, loyal, Allison-related readers) and I spent Shabbat with my cousins (Dad’s first cousin and his wife, to be exact) in the Jerusalem neighborhood of Har Nof (literally, mountain view). While most of my (Masorti / Conservative) friends looked concerned, or outright expressed their concern that I had to take a trip to this exclusively religious neighborhood, I was excited. Not only are my cousins really nice, welcoming and fun, they always give me insight to my complicated family history, of which I only get a chunk from my dad, grandparents and uncles.
Yes, I will admit that putting on a long skirt and long sleeves, when it is easily 80 degrees Farenheit, desert-style, is very difficult for a girl from Florida. I will admit that I agonized over the shoes I wanted to wear (closed-toed are better for shul in Har Nof). I will admit that I worried about my elbows showing (no matter how much I joke, I care to be modest, whatever that means in the place I am staying). But as Allison and I made my way to Har Nof, I was happy, if not a little shvitzy (sweaty).
We went to shul with cousin David at a Breslov (branch of ultra-Orthodox Judaism) synagogue across the street. Being in the Women’s Section, divided from the men by a mechitza (a separating barrier, in this case, made out of wood and with lace curtains at the top), we davened with the men. The women don’t lead the services, but at this shul, I was happy to hear that we were allowed to sing along. The service was lovely and not too crowded, and watching the men dance after services, peering through the lace curtain, I learned that Breslavers always dance in a circle after services. It was really cool…and so were the furry, round hats some of the men wore.
Dinner was with my cousins and their neighbors, and took place in the sukkah on the balcony of the apartment. It was really cool. The husband of the guests, a ba’al teshuvah (a term for somebody who “comes back” to religion, becoming more religious), quizzed Allison and me on our views as Conservative Jews in a slightly uncomfortable way. I explained my goals as a student, and was careful in my wording, as I respect his found happiness and meaning in Orthodoxy. Even with the slightly uncomfortable feeling of different views at the same table, there was plenty of singing and discussion of Torah and other important bodies of Jewish writings flowing around the table like the RC Cola with Cherry Heering (I FOUND IT, ZAYDE! Dad, tell Zayde!)…and the food was awesome!
After dinner, my cousins apologized for their guests making us uncomfortable. As I brushed this off, saying that I wasn’t really offended, I secretly added this to my arsenal of cool things about my cousins – they have such kavod (respect) for others, and didn’t want us to feel uncomfortable as guests. They are also from the Midwest, and with that comes not only a calm and collected way of interacting with poeple, but a background in the less-religious reality of growing up in a (more) secular town (than Jerusalem).
The rest of Shabbat was nice. I slept through services because of an early-morning stomach ache, only to enjoy a beautiful lunch in the sukkah. I read over a hundred pages in my book (currently, Kavalier and Clay), and concluded the Sabbath, and visit, with a special havdallah (separation ceremony between Shabbat and the week) in the Sukkah. Gloria and I talked about my whole family, from my grandparents all the way to my brothers and the minutiae of their daily lives in DC and FL. I learned a lot about my cousins, their children and their lives, and basked in the glow of the proud grandparents, checking out pictures of the grandkids, and enjoying the newest album of their latest Kohen (descended from the priestly tribe of Jews from the time of the Bible), who is just 1 month old.
While enjoying this weekend, it hit me again. Because of the way I dress (jeans and tank tops), the way that I choose to daven (egalitarian), and other lifestyle choices (like not getting married early), I am the secular other in the state of Israel. I may not feel secular, but in comparison to the religious right, I guess I am. I, Sara Beth B, little miss super-Jew of Coral Springs, Gainesville, even the Upper West Side, am a chiloni (secular Jew) in dati (religious) clothing.
Elementary school = The girl who misses school for Jewish holidays.
Middle school = The girl with 3 bar/bat mitzvahs per weekend.
High school = The “Orthodox girl” / USY nerd.
College = The girl who leads services / “This one time, at USY on Wheels camp.”
Penguin = The girl who worked part-time during the Jewish holidays (all of October) / The girl that nearly died from something non-Kosher.
JTS = Less religious than the rabbinical students, but dating one anyway.
…I was going to be seen as secular. Me? Secular? Who are we kidding?? Yes, I wear tank tops. Yes, I read Torah. But I READ TORAH, keep kosher (hot dairy, as per the Conservative movement) and I study to be a Jewish educator. I work very hard to bring Jewish experiences to learners of all ages. I identify almost exclusively in my Judaism. I study the Bible and Skills for Teaching. I am working on Israel education in the Diaspora. I am a Jew, and a supporter of the state of Israel.
This weekend, my roommate Allison (hello, loyal, Allison-related readers) and I spent Shabbat with my cousins (Dad’s first cousin and his wife, to be exact) in the Jerusalem neighborhood of Har Nof (literally, mountain view). While most of my (Masorti / Conservative) friends looked concerned, or outright expressed their concern that I had to take a trip to this exclusively religious neighborhood, I was excited. Not only are my cousins really nice, welcoming and fun, they always give me insight to my complicated family history, of which I only get a chunk from my dad, grandparents and uncles.
Yes, I will admit that putting on a long skirt and long sleeves, when it is easily 80 degrees Farenheit, desert-style, is very difficult for a girl from Florida. I will admit that I agonized over the shoes I wanted to wear (closed-toed are better for shul in Har Nof). I will admit that I worried about my elbows showing (no matter how much I joke, I care to be modest, whatever that means in the place I am staying). But as Allison and I made my way to Har Nof, I was happy, if not a little shvitzy (sweaty).
We went to shul with cousin David at a Breslov (branch of ultra-Orthodox Judaism) synagogue across the street. Being in the Women’s Section, divided from the men by a mechitza (a separating barrier, in this case, made out of wood and with lace curtains at the top), we davened with the men. The women don’t lead the services, but at this shul, I was happy to hear that we were allowed to sing along. The service was lovely and not too crowded, and watching the men dance after services, peering through the lace curtain, I learned that Breslavers always dance in a circle after services. It was really cool…and so were the furry, round hats some of the men wore.
Dinner was with my cousins and their neighbors, and took place in the sukkah on the balcony of the apartment. It was really cool. The husband of the guests, a ba’al teshuvah (a term for somebody who “comes back” to religion, becoming more religious), quizzed Allison and me on our views as Conservative Jews in a slightly uncomfortable way. I explained my goals as a student, and was careful in my wording, as I respect his found happiness and meaning in Orthodoxy. Even with the slightly uncomfortable feeling of different views at the same table, there was plenty of singing and discussion of Torah and other important bodies of Jewish writings flowing around the table like the RC Cola with Cherry Heering (I FOUND IT, ZAYDE! Dad, tell Zayde!)…and the food was awesome!
After dinner, my cousins apologized for their guests making us uncomfortable. As I brushed this off, saying that I wasn’t really offended, I secretly added this to my arsenal of cool things about my cousins – they have such kavod (respect) for others, and didn’t want us to feel uncomfortable as guests. They are also from the Midwest, and with that comes not only a calm and collected way of interacting with poeple, but a background in the less-religious reality of growing up in a (more) secular town (than Jerusalem).
The rest of Shabbat was nice. I slept through services because of an early-morning stomach ache, only to enjoy a beautiful lunch in the sukkah. I read over a hundred pages in my book (currently, Kavalier and Clay), and concluded the Sabbath, and visit, with a special havdallah (separation ceremony between Shabbat and the week) in the Sukkah. Gloria and I talked about my whole family, from my grandparents all the way to my brothers and the minutiae of their daily lives in DC and FL. I learned a lot about my cousins, their children and their lives, and basked in the glow of the proud grandparents, checking out pictures of the grandkids, and enjoying the newest album of their latest Kohen (descended from the priestly tribe of Jews from the time of the Bible), who is just 1 month old.
While enjoying this weekend, it hit me again. Because of the way I dress (jeans and tank tops), the way that I choose to daven (egalitarian), and other lifestyle choices (like not getting married early), I am the secular other in the state of Israel. I may not feel secular, but in comparison to the religious right, I guess I am. I, Sara Beth B, little miss super-Jew of Coral Springs, Gainesville, even the Upper West Side, am a chiloni (secular Jew) in dati (religious) clothing.
28 September 2007
Oh, my Ghosh!
Today was Sukkot in Jerusalem. In the States, I spend two days celebrating the holiday parts (Chag) of Sukkot, but when you’re living in Israel, one of the perks is only one day of Chag, and more of Chol (regular day during the middle of a Chag).
I started off by attending a quick service and an equally lovely meal at the sukkah built by my friend Robbie (aka, Rafi's roommate). The food was ridiculously good and the people were fun. This morning, I attended services at Shira Chadasha (A New Song), a Torah-Egalitarian (They let women read Torah and lead many parts of the service. This is revolutionary for the Orthodox movement.) Modern Orthodox synagogue about 8 minutes from my apartment. I wanted to go to Shira Chadash because I knew I would be one of many women with a lulav and etrog, and I also knew that it would be a scene. Sure enough, I couldn’t shuffle a few feet in any direction without running into someone from Ramah Darom, someone from JTS, or someone from Cornerstone 2007! And that was just in the women’s section.
After shul, I made my way to the Rafi/Robbie apartment for another decadent meal in the sukkah. The only problem was the heat – I was so exhausted from being hot and sweaty that after lunch I passed out until the sun had set and the Chag part of Sukkot was over. I slept three hours of my afternoon away!
After a quick shower and a meeting of the minds at my apartment, Rafi suggested that we go to Abu Ghosh for dinner, because, hey, our friends have a car! For those of you who are worried (Mom), don’t be. Abu Ghosh is an Arab-Israeli Village outside of Jerusalem, but it is inside of Israel and the Green Line. The people in this city are Israeli citizens. They are “our brothers,” to quote our illustrious driver.
The only thing you may have to worry about in Abu Ghosh is overeating. We went to a restaurant and ordered a vegetarian selection of delicacies…hummus im tznubarim (Cheryl, I remembered!), olive oil so cloudy and so decadent that you could cure a new baseball glove with it, salatim (Israeli salads: babaghanoush, taboule, cucumber/tomato/parsley), falafel, cheeeeps (chips = French fries) and warm, sweet pita bread. I didn't NEED to top off my meal with thick, heavy coffee with cardamom…so I had only a little shot glass of it. The restaurant was filled with Israelis, and the Israelis were full.
After the meal, we did a quick drive around to see the famous Abu Ghosh church (couldn’t find it) and we ended up getting some ridiculous baklawa from a Arab-Israeli-New Jerseyan. We ate it back at Rafi’s, in the Sukkah, as we are commanded to dwell (ok, I may interpret “dwell” in this case solely as “eat”) in the Sukkah on Sukkot.
Shabbat Shalom!
I started off by attending a quick service and an equally lovely meal at the sukkah built by my friend Robbie (aka, Rafi's roommate). The food was ridiculously good and the people were fun. This morning, I attended services at Shira Chadasha (A New Song), a Torah-Egalitarian (They let women read Torah and lead many parts of the service. This is revolutionary for the Orthodox movement.) Modern Orthodox synagogue about 8 minutes from my apartment. I wanted to go to Shira Chadash because I knew I would be one of many women with a lulav and etrog, and I also knew that it would be a scene. Sure enough, I couldn’t shuffle a few feet in any direction without running into someone from Ramah Darom, someone from JTS, or someone from Cornerstone 2007! And that was just in the women’s section.
After shul, I made my way to the Rafi/Robbie apartment for another decadent meal in the sukkah. The only problem was the heat – I was so exhausted from being hot and sweaty that after lunch I passed out until the sun had set and the Chag part of Sukkot was over. I slept three hours of my afternoon away!
After a quick shower and a meeting of the minds at my apartment, Rafi suggested that we go to Abu Ghosh for dinner, because, hey, our friends have a car! For those of you who are worried (Mom), don’t be. Abu Ghosh is an Arab-Israeli Village outside of Jerusalem, but it is inside of Israel and the Green Line. The people in this city are Israeli citizens. They are “our brothers,” to quote our illustrious driver.
The only thing you may have to worry about in Abu Ghosh is overeating. We went to a restaurant and ordered a vegetarian selection of delicacies…hummus im tznubarim (Cheryl, I remembered!), olive oil so cloudy and so decadent that you could cure a new baseball glove with it, salatim (Israeli salads: babaghanoush, taboule, cucumber/tomato/parsley), falafel, cheeeeps (chips = French fries) and warm, sweet pita bread. I didn't NEED to top off my meal with thick, heavy coffee with cardamom…so I had only a little shot glass of it. The restaurant was filled with Israelis, and the Israelis were full.
After the meal, we did a quick drive around to see the famous Abu Ghosh church (couldn’t find it) and we ended up getting some ridiculous baklawa from a Arab-Israeli-New Jerseyan. We ate it back at Rafi’s, in the Sukkah, as we are commanded to dwell (ok, I may interpret “dwell” in this case solely as “eat”) in the Sukkah on Sukkot.
Shabbat Shalom!
20 September 2007
A Visit of Biblical...Proportions
Today we went to the Biblical Zoo. It's located near Malcha, a neighborhood I know because I spent a lovely Friday night at a house there in January. Getting there took forever, but when we arrived, the student rate (33 sheqels / $8.25) gave us admission to my favorite activity. No, not seeing wild animals. Hilarious pictures with SBB!
After the zoo, Rachel and I visited another mall, where I continued my search for the perfect backpack. I, once again, came up with nothing. We did find success in the mall, however, in the form of a chocolate croissant and Shoko Cham (hot chocolate). Also, we visited the grocery store, which of COURSE is located in the ground floor of the mall (where else would it be?), where I bought some Shanah Tovah Diet Coke for Allison and me. I also got "Gevinah Krem" which I hope translates literally to "cream cheese," otherwise there's going to be some gross stuff to put on bagels at break the fast on Saturday night.
Big and lazy...and there's a tortise in the picture, too!
Keeping cool with the lady on the ice cream truck!
Thinking about a Maplewood Elementary School Owl / Being Wise in Nivonim 2006 / Harry Potter's pet owl, Hedwig.
Time for a tangent. Shanah Tovah Diet Coke is one of the best things I've seen thus far in Israel. The spirit of the Jewish New Year (it started last week) is very similar to the Christmas spirit in the states. The Diet Coke labels are adorned with icons of metallic ribbons and shiny rimonim (pomagranates) and they visually sing out "Shanah Tovah!" (Happy New Year!) In stores -- from the hippie skirt store to the massive grocery store -- and in movie theaters, from OFFICE DEPOT to Burger King, from cabs rides to chats with the cell phone company, everyone wishes you "Shanah Tovah!" The holiday spirit is alive and well here in Ha'aretz! (The Land).
As I go into Yom Kippur, I know I should be looking forward to feeling holy and renewed for a year of life and happiness. But to be honest, as good as it's going to be, I am just really excited that after YK, Rafi will get to Israel. Yay!
This is what will be awaiting Rafi at the airport:
PS-This is me at the Palmach Museum, looking scandalous in my tube top!
After the zoo, Rachel and I visited another mall, where I continued my search for the perfect backpack. I, once again, came up with nothing. We did find success in the mall, however, in the form of a chocolate croissant and Shoko Cham (hot chocolate). Also, we visited the grocery store, which of COURSE is located in the ground floor of the mall (where else would it be?), where I bought some Shanah Tovah Diet Coke for Allison and me. I also got "Gevinah Krem" which I hope translates literally to "cream cheese," otherwise there's going to be some gross stuff to put on bagels at break the fast on Saturday night.
Big and lazy...and there's a tortise in the picture, too!
Keeping cool with the lady on the ice cream truck!
Thinking about a Maplewood Elementary School Owl / Being Wise in Nivonim 2006 / Harry Potter's pet owl, Hedwig.
Time for a tangent. Shanah Tovah Diet Coke is one of the best things I've seen thus far in Israel. The spirit of the Jewish New Year (it started last week) is very similar to the Christmas spirit in the states. The Diet Coke labels are adorned with icons of metallic ribbons and shiny rimonim (pomagranates) and they visually sing out "Shanah Tovah!" (Happy New Year!) In stores -- from the hippie skirt store to the massive grocery store -- and in movie theaters, from OFFICE DEPOT to Burger King, from cabs rides to chats with the cell phone company, everyone wishes you "Shanah Tovah!" The holiday spirit is alive and well here in Ha'aretz! (The Land).
As I go into Yom Kippur, I know I should be looking forward to feeling holy and renewed for a year of life and happiness. But to be honest, as good as it's going to be, I am just really excited that after YK, Rafi will get to Israel. Yay!
This is what will be awaiting Rafi at the airport:
PS-This is me at the Palmach Museum, looking scandalous in my tube top!
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