Shabbat, Sukkot, and Spending Time with Friends

Sunday

Today was my first full day at Yeshiva in awhile, and let me tell you it was intense. I had all three classes today, which means nine hours of studying with only an hour lunch break. On the bright side, today was also my first day of ulpan (intensive Hebrew study), which I have been looking forward to because I really want to learn to speak Hebrew. The class was amazing! We were playing catch up, because the non nativers have already had two classes. The teacher was moving at the perfect pace; nt too slow to the point where I was bored, but also not too fast to the point that I was lost. I’m not sure how the other Nativers felt, but it definitely made me excited for the rest of Ulpan.

The downside to a full day of Yeshiva: it’s exhausting. After school I didn’t feel like doing much of anything. I stayed in and hung out with people, and worked on my Torah reading (I was reading Monday so I probably should have started it earlier—whoops).

Monday

My Torah reading this morning went fantastic. Everyone said I breezed through it no problem. While I was reading, I didn’t even know what was going.  It felt like the words were just coming out of my mouth, but I wasn’t saying them. It was crazy, and such an adrenaline rush.

Today was the second to last day of Jerusalem class. Finally almost done. Today we toured neighborhoods around the old city. It was cool to see some of the oldest neighborhoods in the area, and we even ran into another Yeshiva student who lives in one of them. We ended class at the shuk, which was fun to explore. I’ll definitely be going back there soon to get some fresh fruit.

After getting lost on the way home from the shuk (we turned the wrong way on one of two streets we have to walk on) I headed to the old city with Angela and Miriam. We picked up our Hadaya, and then wandered around for a while. Then we walked to Ben Yehuda and I had my first meal ever at Burger’s Bar. It was delicious. Then we walked around Ben Yehuda and looked for white clothes to wear. We didn’t have much success and planned to go back on Tuesday.

Tuesday

Yom Kippur starts tonight, so today was all about getting ready. After the typical morning Shacharit and breakfast we had Yom Kippur learning sessions, similar to the ones for Rosh Hashanah. I learned about the rituals of Yom Kippur, and their importance today in a world without a temple. After Mincha (afternoon services) I was planning on going back shopping, until our staff informed us that everything would already be closed. Luckily, I was able to find a white skirt that Angela brought, so in the end I saved money.

For Kol Nidre services, I went to the Great Synagogue. They have a cantor leading services and a spectacular choir. The service was gorgeous, but got to be tedious after awhile. I loved doing it once, but it’s not somewhere I would go for Shabbat services. After services I had the most amazing experience yet. Because Yom Kippur is the holiest day for Jews, there are no cars on the road and all of the businesses are closed down. So after services a big group of Nativers sat right in the middle of what is usually an extremely crowded intersection and sang songs for hours. We attracted a huge crowd, and it was so inspiring to see the whole country shut down like it was.

Wednesday

Yom Kippur services occupied basically all of my time today. I started off my morning bright and early; 6 am services at Yedidya. The services were much the same as the ones on Rosh Hashanah, and definitely worth the long walk and early morning. The best part about going to early services was finishing early. We were done by noon, when everyone else finished around 2. After walking back I did what I do every year on Yom Kippur, took a nap. By the time I woke up it was time to go to Neilah, the service that ends Yom Kippur. I decided to go to Moreshet Yisrael, the shul right next to my dorms for Neilah services. That way I wouldn’t have a long walk, and would be close to all the snacks in my room for break fast. The services were a lot like services at home, since this is a conservative shul. After dinner, most of the Hebrew U kids locked themselves in their rooms to study for a big exam tomorrow, so it was a chill night for me.

Thursday

Today at the Yeshiva we didn’t have our regularly scheduled classes. Two of the Rabbis talked about different aspects and regulations regarding sukkot, the next Jewish Holiday. It was interesting, but nothing incredibly enlightening. A lot of what they were saying is what we have been studying the past few weeks in class.

After Yeshiva the day we’ve all been waiting for finally arrived; the last day of Jerusalem class! I decided that since it was the last day, and we were talking about modern Israeli political issues I would try my hardest to pay attention. For the first half of the day I paid attention, and it was really interesting, but after that my attention span was shot, so I took in less of what he was saying. All in all I will miss our tour guide JJ, because he was a really cool guy, but I won’t miss the class all that much.

Thursday night we had an incredible speaker. Rabbi Joel Roth spoke to us about what he feels is Conservative Judaism’s biggest flaw; that the movement will lose its legitimacy by straying from its halachick basis. Not only did I agree with his points, but he was also extremely passionate about Conservative Judaism. It was inspiring to see someone so dedicated to a casue.

After the speaker I went out to dinner with my unofficial roommates, aka Angela’s roommates. It was so fun and we had some delicious chicken wings and chocolate cake. I will definitely be going back there again.

Friday

Since sukkot is coming right after Shabbat, we spent today learning about the holiday. After Shacharit, we had programming where we learned about the four species and their meaning. Then we talked about how to identify a good lulav and etrog. With this lesson in mind, we walked to the shuk (outdoor market) and everyone who wanted to buy a lulav and etrog did so. I decided not to, because I can always use someone else’s, but it was still cool to walk around and see all the vendors.

After the sale, we walked around the shuk for a while. It was crazy busy with people preparing for Shabbat and the chag (holiday). Once we were finished exploring, Angela and I headed back to Beit Nativ. On the way, we stumbled upon a few really cool little art fairs. We really enjoyed looking at all the crafts the vendors made.

We spent the afternoon chilling and getting ready for Shabbat. A lot of people went to explore different parts of Israel this weekend, so it was fairly quite on base.

Saturday

It was a quite Shabbat. Just like every week, I hung out with people and made new friends. After Shabbat ended Angela and I took a bus to visit Tracy and Mitch for Sukkot, and to watch the Ohio State Michigan State football game. Needless to say tensions were high watching the game. 

Holidays, Homesickness, and Hot Days in the Old City (Week 3)

Sunday

Rosh Hashanah is in the air! The holiday celebrating the Jewish New Year begins tonight, so today was all about getting ready. We started out the day with learning sessions about the holiday. We had lots of choices of what we wanted to learn, and I decided to learn about the symbols of Rosh Hashanah and the different names and importance of Rosh Hashanah. Both sessions were very interesting, and also fun. Staff taught them both, and it was especially fun to get to know them better by being their students. After learning we had time to buy presents for our host family and get ready for the holiday, and then we had services at Beit Nativ. The services were led by Yossi (the director of Nativ), and I really enjoyed seeing the passion he felt while praying.

Monday and Tuesday (Rosh Hashanah)

Monday and Tuesday were filled with praying and eating. On Monday I decided to pray at Yakar, an orthodox shul that one of my pilgrimage staff prays at. The services weren’t very exciting. I didn’t really feel like part of the community. Also, the leader who led musaf had a speech impediment, so it was extremely hard to follow him. However, his voice was amazing. It sounded like it was surrounding you, and had a very ethereal quality.

Tuesday I had to daveneh at Yedidya, which was a 45 minute walk from where I live. It was actually a fun walk though, because I walked with friends. I also really liked praying there. I felt like I was actually a part of the services. Also, I thought they did a good job of having a mechitzah (separator between men and women) and including women in the service. For example, during the Torah processional when the Torah reached the mechitzah the men gave the Torahs to women, and let them carry it around the women’s side. I thought that was really unique and interesting, and I want to go back there for Shabbat services at some point.

After services I had lunch at a host home. The family was so sweet, and literally made us a feast. I was very excited because there was sweet potato casserole, one of my favorite foods. The desert was also delicious, which is always a perk.

One thing I noticed about this Rosh Hashanah in general is that it felt very weird. When I was at services, it felt more like Shabbat then the holidays. This is because I have very specific things I do every year on Rosh Hashanah with my family, such as hosting all of our friends for lunch first day. The holiday didn’t feel right without doing those things. This made the homesickness hit me hard. Keeping with my life motto of staying positive, I tried to look for the good in this homesickness. I decided that the positive side was that I now realized that next year I want to try and come home to be with my family for Rosh Hashanah.

Wednesday

I woke up this morning for Shacarit (the morning prayer service) feeling awful. My stomach was in knots, and to make matters worse it was a fast day. I decided to go to Shacharit in hopes that getting up and moving around would make me feel better. It became evident, however, that this was not going to work. After services instead of going to breakfast and then Yeshiva classes I decided to head back up to my room and rest. I slept for three hours, and woke up feeling refreshed and so much better.

This afternoon we had Jerusalem class, but I was actually excited. We headed to the temple mount, the location where the Jewish temple used to be. I was excited, because this is something I have never done before. The Muslim shrine the dome of the rock, and a mosque currently occupies the location. When I arrived and saw the shrine, I felt such conflicting emotions. I wanted to hate the shrine, because it is built on top of what is considered the holiest place for Jews. I couldn’t bring myself to hate it, however, because it is just so beautiful. A friend put it very well, saying he wished he could just pick up the dome and move it to a different location.

After the remainder of Jerusalem class, I headed back to my room and rested. It was hot in the old city, and Thursday was a fast day. It was the fast of Gedaliah, which commemorates the assassination of the righteous governor of Judah of that name, which ended Jewish rule following the destruction of the First Temple. The fast lasts from dusk until dawn, making it feel short in comparison to Yom Kippur, the fast holiday coming up next week which includes a 25 hour fast. Needless to say, by the time break fast rolled around I was starving. I headed to Ben Yehuda street with some friends, and we got pizza and ice cream. It was a delicious and fun way to end a long day of fasting.

Thursday

My three hours at the Yeshiva this morning felt like months. I haven’t been to class in a week because of the holidays and being sick, so my three hours of Talmud class felt like three weeks. We continued learning about Sukkot, which will be our topic until the holiday arrives. On the bright side, it was my first day studying with Alex as official chevruta partners (partners who study Talmud one on one).

After my morning Yeshiva classes and lunch it was time for my favorite thing; Jerusalem class. Today was devoted to exploring the Jewish Quarter. I was excited to finally get to see something Jewish after a few days of other religions, but looking at different synagogues for hours wasn’t exactly exciting to me. While walking to one of the synagogues, however, I found a jewelry store that I’ve been looking for, so I was excited to finally know where it is. I immediately texted my roommate Miriam, and we decided to meet up after Jerusalem class and head there together.

I met Miriam, Adam, and Alex at Aroma (the Starbucks of Israel), and we all headed to the Jewelry store Hadaya. I originally bought Hadaya on pilgrimage last summer, when I got the necklace that I now wear every day and a ring, which I unfortunately lost. So I was excited to be able to go back to Hadaya and replace my ring. I also had them add an engraving of the Jerusalem skyline to my necklace. I’m excited to pick it up next week and see how it looks, but for now I feel naked without the necklace that I wear all the time.

After Hadaya we got some yummy falafel in the old city. The owner of the shop was hilarious, and even let Alex come behind the counter and make her own falafel. After dinner we headed back to Beit Nativ and just hung out and the Hebrew U kids did homework.

Then Angela and I had a brilliant idea. We’ve been having sleepovers in each other’s rooms for the past few nights, and we couldn’t decide where we wanted to sleep tonight. We decided to take the stolen mattresses outside onto the balcony on our floor and sleep under the stars. It was beautiful and we both slept surprisingly well.

Friday and Saturday (Shabbat)

Fridays are definitely going to become lazy days for me this year. I woke up this morning at 9:30, an unusual treat since the rest of the week of I have to be a shacharit (The morning prayer service) at 7:30. I started off with a relaxing morning watching a movie. I spent the rest of the morning and afternoon waiting for some friends to get back from Hebrew University (they had class that morning), so to fill time I caught up on my blogging and cleaned my room. I was planning on heading to the shuk (outdoor market) when people got back, but we ended up all just being lazy and hanging around in our rooms.

The rest of Shabbat was just calm. I stayed in Jerusalem this weekend, and just spent time with other Nativers. After Shabbat, I skyped with some friends back home and hung out with friends here. Overall it was a very chill, relaxing Shabbat. 

Keep on Keeping on. (Week 2)

Sunday

Today was an exciting day on Nativ, because I had my first real day of Yeshiva classes. I was very nervous, since I have never done this type of study before. My day started with three and a half hours of Talmud study. We were studying the holiday of Sukkot, which was exciting because it is one of the major Jewish holidays that I don’t celebrate with my family at home. It was very interesting to see the different ways Sukkot should be celebrated according to the Torah. My chevruta, or study partner, was Lieba a fellow Nativer. It was especially interesting to see her perspective on things because she was raised Orthodox, but then took a break from her Judaism and is just rekindling her connection. I also really liked my teacher, because she clearly understands what its like to be a student. She understands that we need to take breaks sometimes and get off topic. I’m not totally sure how I feel about Yeshiva study yet. While we’re learning I love it, but then once class is over I start to question if I’m as smart as the other people in my class. Hopefully as time goes on I can get over this.

After Talmud class we had a break for lunch, but I was excited to return to the Yeshiva for Ulpan, or intensive Hebrew emersion. Unfortunately, we found out that after lunch we would be having the first class of our Jerusalem course, a class that all Nativers take to help us get oriented to the city we’ll be living in for the next five months. I was excited for this, until I realized that we would be visiting the City of David and Hezekiah’s tunnel, a site I have been to twice before. This was also a problem because it meant I needed water shoes, and I only had 45 minutes to buy some. Fortunately, Ben Yehuda isn’t to far a walk so I was able to find a pair and make it back to Beit Nativ with time to spare. The visit wasn’t anything special; I couldn’t really focus on the information the tour guide was giving us (there was way to much of it) and I had already seen the sights.

Once our Judaism class ended, we had the chance to buy machzorim (prayer books for the Jewish Holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur). The line to pay with a credit card took forever, but I got some beautiful new books. Then a few friends and I went to Moshiko’s for falafel, and got ice cream. Then we walked into a toy store, just for fun, and ended up buying really inexpensive school supplies. It was an amazing accident. We all decided to call it a night early, because we haven’t been getting much sleep and we all have class tomorrow.

Monday

Today was the first full day at the Yeshiva. It was longer then I would have ever expected, and that was with a longer lunch break then usual. I really enjoyed my Talmud class today though. I studied with a new chevruta (study partner), Alex. He is a fellow nativer that I have been good friends with, and I felt like we were at a similar level skill and knowledge wise.

I had an extremely long lunch break today, because on Mondays the higher level Ulpan classes meet after lunch. I just hung out with friends and went with them to Ben Yehuda to get school supplies. Then I had a three hour Mishna class and I literally could not focus. It was awful. I spent the whole time doodling and playing tic tac toe with the people around me. Once we left Yeshiva, I had the most exciting part of my night. Me and a few friends walked to Ben Yehuda and I got my nose pierced. It sounds so cliché and like the typical rebellious thing to do, but I decided I wanted it a few months ago, and knew Israel was the perfect place to get it. Being terrified of needles, I was obviously freaking out, but it wasn’t painful at all. Needless to say I kept my eyes shut the whole time and had my friends Sarah and Angela holding my hands. Once we returned from out piercing adventure, we packed boxed for lone soldiers. These are Americans who made Aliyah (moved to Israel), and have no one to spend the holidays with. It felt good to do this, especially since Angela, one of my best friends, has a sister that’s a lone soldier. The rest of the night was just hanging out and watching other people do homework (perks of Yeshiva—I never have homework!) I finally got to skype my best friend Shannon, which put me in an amazing mood. I’m anxiously awaiting tomorrow night, when we’re going to the Israel Russia soccer game. Read on to see how it goes.

Tuesday

At the Yeshiva today we had our first Nativ only class; Nativ Halacha. I think it will be a very interesting subject, but I’m more excited to bond with the other Yeshiva students. Today we just did a brief intro to Halacha, nothing too exciting. Our schedule was messed up because of our Jerusalem Class.

As I explained in Sunday’s writing, I don’t particularly like the Jerusalem class. This feeling did not subside today. We went to the old city, and visited two cites. First we went to the Burnt Museum, which displays the remnants of an ancient house. We watched a 20 minute movie, which I may have found very interesting if I hadn’t been falling asleep through the whole thing. Then we went to the site of the temple ruins. We started at the Southern corner of the western wall, which was most recently excavated. We talked about the extravagance of the temple, and then watched another film to help us understand what the temple would have looked like during its existence. Again, I had extreme difficulty staying awake. We were supposed to end at the Western Wall, the part of the ruins that is considered most holy for Jews, but due to time constraints we were unable to make it. Luckily, the old city is only about a 20 minute walk from Beit Nativ, so I can go back to the wall whenever I have time.  In terms of my outlook on the class, I tried to apply my usual positive attitude to the situation. I decided that the silver lining of the class is that we walk to almost all the sites in Jerusalem. This is really going to help me get acquainted with the neighborhood I’m living in. So in that way, the class will be extremely beneficial.

After everyone returned from classes we had the opportunity to do something not all Nativers do; go to a sporting event. We headed to Tel Aviv for the Israel v. Russia soccer game, which was a world cup qualifier. The game was fun, but nothing like what I expected. The seats weren’t assigned, so there was nowhere to sit, meaning my friends and I stood for most of the game. I was hoping for an Israeli victory, but alas they lost 4-0. Oh well, at least I still had fun.

We returned back from Tel Aviv fairly late, and I had to get up early on Wednesday so I just headed back to my room. I skyped my mom to say happy birthday, and then headed off to bed.

Wednesday

I consider myself to be a Conservative Jew. To quote Rabbi Wise, a Rabbi who taught me at my Sunday night school for high school aged jews, “Conservative Judaism is a mix between tradition and modernity.” Essentially, this means that Judaism stays true to the principles laid out in the Torah, but is also willing and able to change with the times. In America, no one questions this. However, that is not the case in Israel. You are either religious or secular. There is very little in between. I experienced this lack of middle ground first hand today. The Yeshiva took us on a tiyul (trip) this morning to go out and experience nature. We were davening (praying) shacharit (the morning service) when a man who worked at a café next to where we were praying starts shouting at us in Hebrew. He assumed that because we were praying, we belonged to the ultra- orthodox sect of Judaism. He proceeded to tell us that all we do is pray and study, that we do no work, and that we’re a drain on society. He even went so far as to blast music out of the café speakers to try and interrupt our service. It was amazing to me that this man felt such deep anger toward the religious members of society. This will always be a struggle in Israeli society, finding the balance between secular and religious aspects of life, and it makes me appreciate my Conservative Judaism and its acceptance in the United States so much more.

That experience aside, I didn’t get much else out of the tiyul. I wasn’t sure why we were there, other than to get out of the Yeshiva. Also, the topics we discussed revolved a lot around agriculture, which isn’t relevant to my life at all. That aside, it was nice to get out of the Yeshiva and spend time outside.

After finishing my classes at the Yeshiva, me and my roommate Miriam decided to go to the old city and try to find Hadaya, one of our favorite jewelry stores. Unfortunately, we didn’t know where it was, and realized once we were already part way there that we wouldn’t be able to make it before it closed. The trip wasn’t a total loss though, because on the way back we found a pharmacy that sells the cream I have to put on my new piercing, and Miriam found an Israeli straightener.

When we got back to the room, one of our other roommates Amanda wanted to get out of Beit Nativ, so we decided to have roommate bonding. We went to a cute café and shared a meal and talked. It was so much fun and it was nice to go out and talk as a room.

Thursday

Thursday was another boring day. I only had my morning class at yeshiva, because in the afternoon we had Jerusalem class. Today we focused on Christianity, visiting sights such as the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. I found it really interesting to learn about the Christian theology and why they find certain sights important, but as always the historical facts put me to sleep. I feel bad not paying attention because I want to know this stuff, but I just don’t find it interesting.

Right after class, I left for Shabbat at the Weisbergers. I was so excited to see them, because they are basically family to me. Mitch was already in Jerusalem, so he drove me back to Even Shmuel where they live. The girls attacked me when I got there, and I was so happy to see them. After saying hello, Tracy and I went grocery shopping. This was a crazy experience. Things were so hectic with people preparing for Shabbat and Rosh Hashanah. After shopping, we went home and headed to bed early.

Friday and Saturday (Shabbat)

Elizabeth and Jacklyn had to get up at 3:15 am to go on a field trip to Jerusalem. It was crazy early, but it was fun to see them so excited. Tracy and I spent all day Friday cooking to get ready for Shabbat and Rosh Hashanah. We had a relaxing Shabbat, playing games, doing puzzles, and just hanging out. Also, I met the Weisbergers friend Moshe. He was very funny, and I’m sure we’ll be spending lots of Shabbatot together with the Weisbergers. Once Shabbos ended, I took the bus back to Jerusalem. It was my first time on the bus in Israel. It was an experience, but I’m glad I know the bus route to Even Shmuel now. Arriving back at Beit Nativ it was like I had been away for months instead of days. It was great to see how close I have gotten with people in just a little under two weeks. Can’t wait to see what adventures this week holds. 

The Journey Begins

Tuesday
Welcome to Israel! Our flight landed in Israel around 4:20 pm, and I was ready to get off the plane. I collected my baggage, thank goodness none of it got lost, and we headed out of the airport. I was greeted by the Weisbergers, our very close family friends that just moved here. All of the girls jumped on me immediately, and seeing them made me feel instantly at home. I can't wait to spend Shabbat with them at their new house.

After leaving the airport, we went to a random spot. Literally it had no evident significance. Yossi (the director of Nativ) explained to us that we were surrounded by different notable aspects of Israel. On one side we had a mall, which symbolizes the modernity of Israeli society. On another side was a military fort, representing Israel's military power. We also had a beautiful view of the actual country, showing us the transformation from old to new in Israeli society.

After this, we headed to our new home for the next nine months, Beit Nativ. We met our room mates, and mine are Talia, Amanda, and Miriam. I think I'm really going to like them. They seem really sweet and laid back.

We ended the day with a very basic orientation, had dinner and then headed up to crash.

Wednesday and Thursday
Wednesday and Thursday came and went in a blur. We spent basically all of our time unpacking, and going through various orientations to Nativ, Yeshiva (my first semester track), and getting things out of storage that were left to us by past Nativers. I was excited to find shelves that belonged to Elana Pentelnik, one of my best friends from home. I didn't totally finish unpacking, but hopefully that will get done soon. Nothing much else to report for these two days.

Friday
This morning got off to a slow start because I didn't have class, but a lot of the Hebrew U kids had Ulpan. It was a nice chance for me to sleep in and get caught up on rest. For my pre shabbat activities I went to Ben Yehuda street and back twice, with two different groups of people. I got my first falafel of the year! It was delicious. I was also excited to know that I have officially learned how to walk to Ben Yehuda without getting lost. Most of the day was spent hanging out and making friends. Me, Angela, and Ben spent a lot of time hanging out and getting to know each other better. We then started getting ready for Shabbat and I made a weighty decision. I decided that for my time in Israel I will completely keep kosher and Shabbat. I have never done this before, but it will definitely be an adventure. We had Kabbalat Shabbat by second semester tracks, which was frustrating, but we prayed near Yemin Moshe at a beautiful overlook of the old city. Friday night was spent just hanging out, playing games, and getting to know each other better.

Saturday
We woke up this morning eager for our first Shabbat service on Nativ. We had a variety of congregations to choose from, and we were free to go wherever we wanted, as long as we went somewhere. Me and a group of friends decided to go to Yemin Moshe. Our decision was made when we heard that this was a short minyan, know for its delicious kiddushes. I knew the congregation was orthodox (as most are here) but I wasn't totally sure what the appropriate dress code would be. I decided to air on the side of caution, and wore and outfit that covered my knees, ankles and shoulders. When we arrived at the shul, I realized that I had been there before, on pilgrimage last summer. I also observed that all of the women had their knees covered, but many had their ankles and elbows showing, which immediately made me more comfortable. I liked the service, because although there was a mechitzah separating the men and women, I could still see the Torah, and during the Torah processional they brought the Torah to the Mechitazah for the women to kiss. I definitely liked this shul, but I do want to explore other options before I decide where to go on a regular basis. One lesson I did learn: I need to bring my own siddur. While the shul did have extras to use, they were totally hebrew and difficult for me to follow. I'll feel more comfortable with my Sim Shalom that I have come to know and love.

When we came back to Beit Nativ we had some free time and lunch, and then split into our second semester tracks. As always. The Yerucham group walked to the park down the street and participated in an amazing program. We split into small groups and had a discussion about reward and punishment. We discussed if we agree with the idea that good things happen to good people, and if we should expect rewards when we do good things, or if we should just do them for the sake of doing them. After a lot of thought and discussion I came to the conclusion that I don't think good and bad things happen as rewards/punishments because any event in one persons life effects so many people. If something bad happened in my life and I got punished for it, it would effect all my family as well, which is why I don't believe in that. I think things happen as a result of peoples decisions, and they have to live with the consequences.

After the program we had free time. Instead of cleaning the area around my bed I decided to take a shabbas nap which was amazing! Then we went to another discussion based program. Yossi (the director of Nativ) led the program by asking us questions about things relating to our Judaism and Israel. It was harder for me to connect with this program, because I felt like I didn't have time to process before we moved on to the next question. But it did still get me thinking about some questions that could become important to my future.

After that program we were supposed to go to pray, but I was helping one of my room mates deal with some homesickness. After that we went to seudah shlishit (the third meal). It wasn't very satisfying, so me and a group of friends went out for pizza after havdalah. After pizza we came back and just hung out and worked on homework and blogging.

At the end of week one I'm really glad I decided to keep Shabbat. I didn't even miss having technology, and it felt so much more relaxing. I also felt like I could focus more on the people around me, and not worry about keeping in touch with the people back home. So that's the end of week one. I'm excited to see what adventures lie ahead.