I made it home to the States yesterday via NYC. What an epic adventure. My last few days in Israel were a whirlwind. I did manage to stop by for humus at Said in Akko, Caravan in Yafo, and one other one near Carmiel with Roey and Adiel. Also, on my way to the airport with Erez, Tamar, and Keren, we said whatsup to Oved and grabbed a sabikh.
At the airport, I did have some problems getting on the plane because I must have resembled a terrorist. Dark skin, hadn't shaved in 6 weeks, not looking like my passport: I don't blame them! I got to my plane ok though and slept most of the way.
In NYC, I seeked out more humus at Hummus Place in Little Israel (St. Mark's and 1st Ave.). Not too bad, but it wasn't Said! On my flight to SF, my bag didn't arrive on my plane. No drama though as it showed up a few hours later.
Now this weekend should be pretty fun. Today is the Shark's 5th playoff game against the Wings, then Cinco de Mayo festivities in SF this evening. Tomorrow, I'm gonna try to hit up the 'geist and head over to the How Weird Faire on Howard.
Well, that is the end of bloggin for a bit, I think. I'm not sure who all is reading these anyway. I have talked to some people that are, so that's cool. If you feel like checkin out my new nargila (hookah) that I bought in Yafo, give me a call. It's pretty chill.
Saturday, May 5, 2007
Thursday, April 26, 2007
I5 - 940km competed, Yom Matsmot, and stuff...
My last post was kinda blah, I thought. "The next night here, the next night there...." Anyway, Erez and I finished the trek this week in Eilat. It took us 33 days of hiking spread over a 6 week period. We were moving fast, but spent some quality time in various places, including Shecharut. I have had limited access to internet over the past month, which I didn't really miss that much. The first night off the Shviel, Erez and I scored a free night at The Shelter, a Jews for Jesus hostel that offers a free first night for those who completed the Shviel. The next two nights, Erez and I spent in Eilat at the Crown Plaza. It was an amazing hotel with a great pool and breakfast. Yom Matsmot was a few days ago (Independence Day) and we went out in Eilat to celebrate Israel's 59th birthday. Earlier in the day, E & I went to a ceremony at a graveyard to remember those who have fallen in Israel's history. It was solemn, but I'm glad I attended.
Now I'm spending a couple of days in Sinai. It's... interesting. More info to come. I really just want to get off the computer to be honest, because the Red Sea is calling me.... =)
Now I'm spending a couple of days in Sinai. It's... interesting. More info to come. I really just want to get off the computer to be honest, because the Red Sea is calling me.... =)
Friday, March 30, 2007
I4- One third of the Shviel complete!
After Erez and I left his parents' house in Haifa (where we waited out a storm that delayed us from continuing on our cross-Israel journey), we bussed back to the north to meet up with Iris (pronounced ear-iz) - our group coordinator, Elisheva - who also met on the same website I did, and Doobie - Iris' dog. The day was a disaster because we didn't even hit our 20km goal and Doobie was annoying because he would roll around in cow pies all day long then want to play with you. Iris injured herself and dropped out after that day and Shiran, Rickie, and Loet joined up. We camped at a military base on the top of a hill and the wind blowing made it really chilly. Off to a bad start.
The next day, Erez and I decided that with the girls behind us, we needed separate. Not because we didn't like them... just because we were moving at different speeds and felt like we were always waiting for them. We stayed that night at a Kibbutz where our host (Shlomi), who we found from the Shviel Israel handbook as one of the "Angels of the Shviel," let us stay for ten shekles, eat dinner for ten shekles, and shop at the store for whatever we needed. Out the door, I spent less than ten dollars. Not too bad.
Erez and I woke up early the next day, hitchhiked to the point where we left off, and completed around 25km rather easily with time to spare. We camped outside of Meron (a religious community) after the day's hike. In Meron, I we bought a nice new pot because we now didn't have one because we separated from the girls. After Meron, the E-unit and I trekked to Migdal which is near the Kineret (Sea of Gallalee) via Nahal Amud (Pillar River). That was a very tough hike because there was no easy path and many times we had to climb up and down the sides of cliffs with our heavy backpacks! I was thinking that there probably aren't too many trails in the US that would be like this: marked for the public and extremely difficult. We stayed that night at Erez's girlfriend's best friend's kibbutz. It is the very first kibbutz to have been built in Israel and was located on the southwestern shore of the Kineret. We were fed well and got to take our first shower since Haifa.
The next morning, Ori (Erez's girlfriend's best friend's boyfriend) gave us a ride and we were back on the trail. We climbed Ar Arbel and past a lot of school children who were also on outings. Made me think "how come I never see classes out hiking in California?" We ended the day in the town of Kineret and I even jumped in the water for a bit. It was cold, but whatever. Erez and I camped that night on the beach and a couple of his buddies from the Navy joined us. They would hike with us for the next couple of days because they were off for the weekend. After they left, Erez and I camped on public land in a city (definitely feeling a bit homeless at this point) and ate Barakas for dinner - kinda like small croissants, but with various flavors like spinach, mushroom, cheese, and even a pizza one. We hiked the following day to Osafia and passed various villages including a Muslim one and a Druze one.
Then the hardest day. It started off alright. We woke up at 4:30am (usual time) and packed our stuff and were off by 5:08. The first part was ok, then it started to rain. Not heavily, but a consistant drizzle. It made the trails really slick and as we hiked through the Carmel region, I slipped three times on rocks. The only injury was my bruised right hand, but skipping breakfast because we didn't want to sit in the rain, hurt my stomach! We eventually finished that section around 10:30am and the sun came out. We dried our stuff and continued on an hour later. The rest of the day was blazing hot and we followed the trail through endless fields of thorned plants, cactus, etc. We "only" did 20km that day but were glad when we set up camp on the top of a peak and watched the sunset over the Mediterranean for the first time on the trek. We could see the smokestacks of the Chadera powerplant (called Rabin Lights) 20km due southwest, which was our ending goal for the next day. We did make it to Chadera and beyond for a 35km trek... our longest in one day thusfar! I took a picture of the power plant up close, but got yelled at because of security reasons. But I still got the picture!
We woke up the following morning at 4am (30min earlier than normal) and pumped out a 40km trek along the shore of the Med all day! I got black and can say that that was the longest beach hike I have ever taken. That is about 30 miles for you Americans! So in those two days, we walked 75km and ended up in Tel Aviv. That's where I am now (if you made it this far down) and we are staying at Erez's girlfriend's parents. They are really nice and we are about to sit down for a nice Shabbat meal so I better hurry up. Today's hike was through the city of Tel Aviv and a bit beyond. 25km in all, but we got to leave our bags at the house because we spent last night and are spending tonight here. Last night's shower was the first one I had since hiking to Migdal, so when we showed up, we were immediately given towels and told to clean up!
My friend Ben joined Erez and I on today's trek. He said he might join us for another few parts of the Shviel. He is in Israel for his first time also and he's from Ohio. We didn't meet on Taglit. One day, I was taking a bus from Sherachut in the south to Tel Aviv and I was sitting near the front. When he got on (some other random spot in the desert) I heard him say "Tel Aviv" with a very American accent so I thought I would talk to him. He's a nice guy, 21 years old, and is making Aliyah to Israel (immigrating to Israel) next month. He'll be in the Army by June! That is some hard core dedication!
I must admit that I have contemplated a similar move at various points on this trip, but at this point, that is now the last option I am considering. I mean, I may immigrate here one day (my Army commitment would be maximum 6months, but with prior service in the US Army, I might even get out of that), but my mind at the moment is focused on this summer. Where am I going? What am I doing? I really have no limits. I have contemplated everything from returning to Argentina, working in Mexico, hitchhiking through Canada, taking a train through the US and visiting friends, or just flying back to California. It's really kinda a pressure that I am neglecting because right now, I'm in Israel. I'm walking on the Shviel (which means "trail" in hebrew) and in 28 days (April30), Erez and I will hopefully be at the border fence with Eilat, Israel and Taba, Egypt after having completed the longest trek in my life: a 940km (700mile) trail that started a stone's throw from Lebanon an took 42 days to complete. That night, Erez and I already have plans to get a hotel room, buy go out and party, order room service, get massages, and lie all the next day on the beach of the Red Sea and c-h-i-l-l. It will be my last day of chillin in Israel, because that night, I will be busing to Be'er Sheva to pick up my stuff and the next day, Monday, May2, I'm off to Ben Gurion airport to fly back to JFK in NYC.
THEN I will start worrying about what this summer will bring. Oh, if you are reading this and you live somewhere in the US outside of SF and NY, I will probably be emailing you within the next month to see what you are up to. I have a couple of spots I have contemplated on checking out like the Rock-n-Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, maybe another Cubs game at Wrigley, maybe the deep south..... ahh, we will see.....
Ok, Shabbat Shalom y'all. My next posting will probably not be for another couple of weeks. Oh and Happy Pesach and Easter! PEACE
The next day, Erez and I decided that with the girls behind us, we needed separate. Not because we didn't like them... just because we were moving at different speeds and felt like we were always waiting for them. We stayed that night at a Kibbutz where our host (Shlomi), who we found from the Shviel Israel handbook as one of the "Angels of the Shviel," let us stay for ten shekles, eat dinner for ten shekles, and shop at the store for whatever we needed. Out the door, I spent less than ten dollars. Not too bad.
Erez and I woke up early the next day, hitchhiked to the point where we left off, and completed around 25km rather easily with time to spare. We camped outside of Meron (a religious community) after the day's hike. In Meron, I we bought a nice new pot because we now didn't have one because we separated from the girls. After Meron, the E-unit and I trekked to Migdal which is near the Kineret (Sea of Gallalee) via Nahal Amud (Pillar River). That was a very tough hike because there was no easy path and many times we had to climb up and down the sides of cliffs with our heavy backpacks! I was thinking that there probably aren't too many trails in the US that would be like this: marked for the public and extremely difficult. We stayed that night at Erez's girlfriend's best friend's kibbutz. It is the very first kibbutz to have been built in Israel and was located on the southwestern shore of the Kineret. We were fed well and got to take our first shower since Haifa.
The next morning, Ori (Erez's girlfriend's best friend's boyfriend) gave us a ride and we were back on the trail. We climbed Ar Arbel and past a lot of school children who were also on outings. Made me think "how come I never see classes out hiking in California?" We ended the day in the town of Kineret and I even jumped in the water for a bit. It was cold, but whatever. Erez and I camped that night on the beach and a couple of his buddies from the Navy joined us. They would hike with us for the next couple of days because they were off for the weekend. After they left, Erez and I camped on public land in a city (definitely feeling a bit homeless at this point) and ate Barakas for dinner - kinda like small croissants, but with various flavors like spinach, mushroom, cheese, and even a pizza one. We hiked the following day to Osafia and passed various villages including a Muslim one and a Druze one.
Then the hardest day. It started off alright. We woke up at 4:30am (usual time) and packed our stuff and were off by 5:08. The first part was ok, then it started to rain. Not heavily, but a consistant drizzle. It made the trails really slick and as we hiked through the Carmel region, I slipped three times on rocks. The only injury was my bruised right hand, but skipping breakfast because we didn't want to sit in the rain, hurt my stomach! We eventually finished that section around 10:30am and the sun came out. We dried our stuff and continued on an hour later. The rest of the day was blazing hot and we followed the trail through endless fields of thorned plants, cactus, etc. We "only" did 20km that day but were glad when we set up camp on the top of a peak and watched the sunset over the Mediterranean for the first time on the trek. We could see the smokestacks of the Chadera powerplant (called Rabin Lights) 20km due southwest, which was our ending goal for the next day. We did make it to Chadera and beyond for a 35km trek... our longest in one day thusfar! I took a picture of the power plant up close, but got yelled at because of security reasons. But I still got the picture!
We woke up the following morning at 4am (30min earlier than normal) and pumped out a 40km trek along the shore of the Med all day! I got black and can say that that was the longest beach hike I have ever taken. That is about 30 miles for you Americans! So in those two days, we walked 75km and ended up in Tel Aviv. That's where I am now (if you made it this far down) and we are staying at Erez's girlfriend's parents. They are really nice and we are about to sit down for a nice Shabbat meal so I better hurry up. Today's hike was through the city of Tel Aviv and a bit beyond. 25km in all, but we got to leave our bags at the house because we spent last night and are spending tonight here. Last night's shower was the first one I had since hiking to Migdal, so when we showed up, we were immediately given towels and told to clean up!
My friend Ben joined Erez and I on today's trek. He said he might join us for another few parts of the Shviel. He is in Israel for his first time also and he's from Ohio. We didn't meet on Taglit. One day, I was taking a bus from Sherachut in the south to Tel Aviv and I was sitting near the front. When he got on (some other random spot in the desert) I heard him say "Tel Aviv" with a very American accent so I thought I would talk to him. He's a nice guy, 21 years old, and is making Aliyah to Israel (immigrating to Israel) next month. He'll be in the Army by June! That is some hard core dedication!
I must admit that I have contemplated a similar move at various points on this trip, but at this point, that is now the last option I am considering. I mean, I may immigrate here one day (my Army commitment would be maximum 6months, but with prior service in the US Army, I might even get out of that), but my mind at the moment is focused on this summer. Where am I going? What am I doing? I really have no limits. I have contemplated everything from returning to Argentina, working in Mexico, hitchhiking through Canada, taking a train through the US and visiting friends, or just flying back to California. It's really kinda a pressure that I am neglecting because right now, I'm in Israel. I'm walking on the Shviel (which means "trail" in hebrew) and in 28 days (April30), Erez and I will hopefully be at the border fence with Eilat, Israel and Taba, Egypt after having completed the longest trek in my life: a 940km (700mile) trail that started a stone's throw from Lebanon an took 42 days to complete. That night, Erez and I already have plans to get a hotel room, buy go out and party, order room service, get massages, and lie all the next day on the beach of the Red Sea and c-h-i-l-l. It will be my last day of chillin in Israel, because that night, I will be busing to Be'er Sheva to pick up my stuff and the next day, Monday, May2, I'm off to Ben Gurion airport to fly back to JFK in NYC.
THEN I will start worrying about what this summer will bring. Oh, if you are reading this and you live somewhere in the US outside of SF and NY, I will probably be emailing you within the next month to see what you are up to. I have a couple of spots I have contemplated on checking out like the Rock-n-Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, maybe another Cubs game at Wrigley, maybe the deep south..... ahh, we will see.....
Ok, Shabbat Shalom y'all. My next posting will probably not be for another couple of weeks. Oh and Happy Pesach and Easter! PEACE
Friday, March 16, 2007
I3 - On Shviel Israel
The last couple of weeks on the settlement in Sharachut were truly amazing. I worked odd jobs in exhange for free food and lodging and had the opportunity to meet a bunch of really neat people from a variety of backgrounds. It was located an hour north of Eilat in the Negev Desert in the middle of nowhere! Everyday, I woke up with the sunrise and I went to bed shortly after the moonrise. Both occured over the commanding mountains in Jordan and I could see down the valley all the way south to Acaba and the Red Sea. The owner of the settlement was Yonatan and he was a true inspiration to me and how I can lead my life. A guy named Nir was my closest friend there and we had many interesting conversations that I am still thinking about two weeks later. Amir was the first guy I met there and his positive spirit and outlook on life was refreshing to say the least. Leron was the only female there and she taught me a bit of the flute and I helped her with the housekeeping duties there. Robert, originally from Romania, was hard of hearing at such a young age, but he was extremely friendly and spoke English very well, despite his lack of confidence. And Dotan, although quiet by nature, taught me the beauty of silence. Maybe we all do talk to much.
All the buildings at Sherachut were made of recycled materials. And I don't mean like aluminum cans that went through a processing plant. I mean like they went to dumps and scavenged wood and made mud and the houses, although they sound crappy, were extremely cozy. Why work, save money, and hire someone to design and build your house when you can just do everything yourself? Really, it's not that difficult.
Anyway, my days at Sherachut are over and now I'm on the road. Literally, on the Israel National Trail known locally as Shviel Israel or Hoze Israel. I am one of the few tourists to do it. My group is made up of 6 peers (all Israeli) but who speak almost perfect English. They are great people and are well prepared for this trip. I'm just taggin along and filling in where I can. Unfortunately we are delayed a couple of days because a storm is passing through, but we will be back on the road tomorrow. The entire trek should take nearly 7 weeks to complete which is nice. I leave back for the US on May3, which is exactly 6.5 weeks from now. If I don't finish the trail, I can always come back here one day and finish.
Purim was a couple of weeks ago and I spent it in Be'er Sheva with my friends Tal's (Israeli soldier) family and Yoni (from Long Beach whom I met on Birthright). I believe I'm the last person in my Birthright group to still be in Israel. One girl Anna is still in the Middle East (she's in Turkey), but I think I'm the only one staying here. I was originially going to try to get to Jordan or Turkey, but I don't think it's gonna happen this time due to lack of time and money. I'm not stressing though because I am very happy here.
I have had thoughts of making Aliyah here to Israel (moving here). No plans to in the immediate future, but it is a seed that has been planted. I will continue to toss the idea around in my mind for a few years to come. The people are so nice, the communites are very safe, and almost everyone has a very global outlook on life. I do have some minor objections to some things, but I think everywhere has some drawbacks.
I'm in Haifa right now at my friend Erz's place. His family is real nice. He currently lives with his mom and dad and his little brother who is 21. Sounds similar to the Myerson family. I'm actually thinking about moving back in with my parents for the summer. After having such a trip, I think I'm going to need some family support when I get back! I feel like my mind, body, and sould are hardly recognizable. Many of my priorities have been reajusted and I have some big goals for when I return.
I have some new loves that I have picked up here. Humus is the main one. I have never had it like it is here and a bowl of homemade humus with some freshly made pita is like heaven in my mouth. I recently made a purchase of a nagila (hookah) which is really cool too. I picked it up in the Old City of Yafo with Keren. She got one too the last time we hung out.
That's about it. I'm not sure when the next time I'll be able to do a blog, since I'm now on the Shviel and I'm not sure when I'll be able to post more photos since I don't even have my laptop at the moment because I stored it at Tal's place in Metar. My backpack is very light right now since I'll be hauling it everyday for the next 6 weeks.
I hope all is well in SF and everywhere else. I gotta say, I don't miss life there that much. Maybe it's because I'm having such an amazing time here. I do miss my close friendships back at home, but I'm not too worried because I feel like the people who really care about me the most will be there when I get back. And everyone else... well, I'm sure they are fine too. =)
All the buildings at Sherachut were made of recycled materials. And I don't mean like aluminum cans that went through a processing plant. I mean like they went to dumps and scavenged wood and made mud and the houses, although they sound crappy, were extremely cozy. Why work, save money, and hire someone to design and build your house when you can just do everything yourself? Really, it's not that difficult.
Anyway, my days at Sherachut are over and now I'm on the road. Literally, on the Israel National Trail known locally as Shviel Israel or Hoze Israel. I am one of the few tourists to do it. My group is made up of 6 peers (all Israeli) but who speak almost perfect English. They are great people and are well prepared for this trip. I'm just taggin along and filling in where I can. Unfortunately we are delayed a couple of days because a storm is passing through, but we will be back on the road tomorrow. The entire trek should take nearly 7 weeks to complete which is nice. I leave back for the US on May3, which is exactly 6.5 weeks from now. If I don't finish the trail, I can always come back here one day and finish.
Purim was a couple of weeks ago and I spent it in Be'er Sheva with my friends Tal's (Israeli soldier) family and Yoni (from Long Beach whom I met on Birthright). I believe I'm the last person in my Birthright group to still be in Israel. One girl Anna is still in the Middle East (she's in Turkey), but I think I'm the only one staying here. I was originially going to try to get to Jordan or Turkey, but I don't think it's gonna happen this time due to lack of time and money. I'm not stressing though because I am very happy here.
I have had thoughts of making Aliyah here to Israel (moving here). No plans to in the immediate future, but it is a seed that has been planted. I will continue to toss the idea around in my mind for a few years to come. The people are so nice, the communites are very safe, and almost everyone has a very global outlook on life. I do have some minor objections to some things, but I think everywhere has some drawbacks.
I'm in Haifa right now at my friend Erz's place. His family is real nice. He currently lives with his mom and dad and his little brother who is 21. Sounds similar to the Myerson family. I'm actually thinking about moving back in with my parents for the summer. After having such a trip, I think I'm going to need some family support when I get back! I feel like my mind, body, and sould are hardly recognizable. Many of my priorities have been reajusted and I have some big goals for when I return.
I have some new loves that I have picked up here. Humus is the main one. I have never had it like it is here and a bowl of homemade humus with some freshly made pita is like heaven in my mouth. I recently made a purchase of a nagila (hookah) which is really cool too. I picked it up in the Old City of Yafo with Keren. She got one too the last time we hung out.
That's about it. I'm not sure when the next time I'll be able to do a blog, since I'm now on the Shviel and I'm not sure when I'll be able to post more photos since I don't even have my laptop at the moment because I stored it at Tal's place in Metar. My backpack is very light right now since I'll be hauling it everyday for the next 6 weeks.
I hope all is well in SF and everywhere else. I gotta say, I don't miss life there that much. Maybe it's because I'm having such an amazing time here. I do miss my close friendships back at home, but I'm not too worried because I feel like the people who really care about me the most will be there when I get back. And everyone else... well, I'm sure they are fine too. =)
Thursday, March 1, 2007
Israel 2
So… Haifa was really sweet. I think I liked it so much because of its geographical layout. The top of the hill is Carmel district. Then, like spider’s arms, 4 or 5 hiking trails meander their way down to the Mediterranean. I checked out Eden Hotel the first night and met up with Roey (a friend Tatiana and I met in Bariloche, Argentina last year). He is doing good and is just about finished with his first semester of university. The next day I checked out the Port Inn, a hostel that was better than the Eden. I went for a hike to the sea, then watched the sunset. After an expensive Chinese dinner, I crashed early and went to the train station.
Keren’s base is in Akko (north of Haifa) and I boarded her train when it stopped in Haifa on it’s way south to Kyrat Gat. We got off in KG and walked to her family’s house where I would spend the next three nights. The first night was chill and I met everyone. I must admit, it was a bit crazy when I showed up with the yelling and people coming in and out, but that’s just how a big family is. Her mom and older sister run the show in the house and they spoiled me to death with food and attention. They spoke English better than I could speak Hebrew and Keren’s younger sister is so full of energy and life! On Shabbat, we did all the rituals but it was definitely more laid back than my last couple of Shabbats (which would probably be more along the lines of how I will be observing my Sabbaths). I started and finished the book Blood Brothers about the middle-east conflict and went for a couple of walks with Keren to her best friend Nava’s house. After Shabbat was over and we could turn on lights, return messages, and take showers, Keren, her 3 girlfriends, and I went out to Be’er Sheva and partied at a club called Forum. It was pretty fun. I drank vodka tonics even though they used lemons and not limes. =P
On Sunday, I woke up after Keren who had to get up at 7am (we returned the night before at 5am). She was on her train back to the base when Avi (Keren’s bro-in-law) and I took a bus together to Be’er Sheva. He was on his way to work and I was on my way to a moshav that I heard about through my friend Tal. (A moshav is similar to a kibbutz, but not communist.) Avi and I talked throughout the weekend about Jewish history and he gave me a few sites and books to check out.
I didn’t really know where I was going when I got on bus 382. The driver said he knew so that was good enough for me. I was the only civilian on the bus because Sunday is the day when all the soldiers return to work and the route I was on apparently didn’t stop at too many places. My destination was simply a junction in the middle of the desert. When the bus suddenly pulled off the side of the road 2.5 hours into the ride and tapped me on the leg (I was sitting behind him), I was a little nervous. But I immediately met Amir who hitchhiked his way there and was now waiting for the last hitch up to the settlement. The two of us found rides really quickly and in no time, the two of us were feeding the camels in the front. It was night when we arrived and the air was cooling. Everyone here (I am typing this from the settlement in my room) is really chill. I have had so many ideas fly through my head while I’ve been here. Stuff about life, and about burning man, and about what I will do when I return. We’ll see though. My journal is filling up pretty quickly, I must say!
The work here is menial and minimal. I work about 4 hrs a day, making beds or shoveling dirt, or gathering wood. I’ve learned how to make pita by hand and am learning how to make my own teas and humus! Other than that, I have just been chillin and checking out the local extracurriculars. Some of my friends would really like it here (Dan). It’s quiet, isolated, and powerful. That’s about all I can say because you would really just have to come here to know what I mean.
Keren’s base is in Akko (north of Haifa) and I boarded her train when it stopped in Haifa on it’s way south to Kyrat Gat. We got off in KG and walked to her family’s house where I would spend the next three nights. The first night was chill and I met everyone. I must admit, it was a bit crazy when I showed up with the yelling and people coming in and out, but that’s just how a big family is. Her mom and older sister run the show in the house and they spoiled me to death with food and attention. They spoke English better than I could speak Hebrew and Keren’s younger sister is so full of energy and life! On Shabbat, we did all the rituals but it was definitely more laid back than my last couple of Shabbats (which would probably be more along the lines of how I will be observing my Sabbaths). I started and finished the book Blood Brothers about the middle-east conflict and went for a couple of walks with Keren to her best friend Nava’s house. After Shabbat was over and we could turn on lights, return messages, and take showers, Keren, her 3 girlfriends, and I went out to Be’er Sheva and partied at a club called Forum. It was pretty fun. I drank vodka tonics even though they used lemons and not limes. =P
On Sunday, I woke up after Keren who had to get up at 7am (we returned the night before at 5am). She was on her train back to the base when Avi (Keren’s bro-in-law) and I took a bus together to Be’er Sheva. He was on his way to work and I was on my way to a moshav that I heard about through my friend Tal. (A moshav is similar to a kibbutz, but not communist.) Avi and I talked throughout the weekend about Jewish history and he gave me a few sites and books to check out.
I didn’t really know where I was going when I got on bus 382. The driver said he knew so that was good enough for me. I was the only civilian on the bus because Sunday is the day when all the soldiers return to work and the route I was on apparently didn’t stop at too many places. My destination was simply a junction in the middle of the desert. When the bus suddenly pulled off the side of the road 2.5 hours into the ride and tapped me on the leg (I was sitting behind him), I was a little nervous. But I immediately met Amir who hitchhiked his way there and was now waiting for the last hitch up to the settlement. The two of us found rides really quickly and in no time, the two of us were feeding the camels in the front. It was night when we arrived and the air was cooling. Everyone here (I am typing this from the settlement in my room) is really chill. I have had so many ideas fly through my head while I’ve been here. Stuff about life, and about burning man, and about what I will do when I return. We’ll see though. My journal is filling up pretty quickly, I must say!
The work here is menial and minimal. I work about 4 hrs a day, making beds or shoveling dirt, or gathering wood. I’ve learned how to make pita by hand and am learning how to make my own teas and humus! Other than that, I have just been chillin and checking out the local extracurriculars. Some of my friends would really like it here (Dan). It’s quiet, isolated, and powerful. That’s about all I can say because you would really just have to come here to know what I mean.
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Israel 1
Hey. So I finally have some free time! Here’s a rundown of what’s been going on….
I flew to NYC first and hung out with a couple of friends for a few days. Nothing too crazy really. But it was my first time in the Big Apple with a camera. So that was cool. I made sure to get a New York bagel, a New York pizza, and eat a New York deli sandwich while I was there. I think those were the majors. I did forget the New York steak and the New York cheesecake though. Ah, I’ll be back there in May for those I guess. I did go to the American Museum of Natural History, which was cool. And later that night I made it to a show. The band was Galactic and they were groovin! I saw them for the first time at Austin City Limits earlier this year, so it was a treat to see em again. My one complaint was that NYC was FREEZING cold. Actually, no one seemed to complain other than this SF native, so I guess it was just me shakin in my little space boots.
Then came Sunday. I woke up feeling a little stiff. Probably because I hadn’t rode my bike for the fourth consecutive day (a new record since I’ve been biking, I think). I decided that I would hit up some yoga on the upper west side before headin to JFK to take a 12-hour flight. When I arrived to JFK, I was cursing myself because I had spent so much money over the weekend. But I had fun, and hey, that’s NY. Jarad, my only previous contact, seemed nice, as did his counterpart Heidi. Heidi looked familiar, but then again, I was just trippin. The Super Bowl had just kicked off, so I had the chance to watch most of it after my flight check-in and before my security check. I had a couple beers with Shannon from Buffalo who was also on my group and I ate some Buffalo wings. She wouldn’t have any of em though because they weren’t the real deal apparently.
We took off on time and although my ticket was for a middle seat next to Gail, Joe decided to switch with me so he could sit next to her. I didn’t mind. I’ll always take the aisle seat. Across the aisle from me was an orthodox guy and it made me happy to see he took advantage of the free alcohol by consuming a Carlsberg. I drank apple juice. Joe and Gail had bloody marys. They looked disgusting. The flight attendants were really nice because they had to put up with so much crap it seemed like. I guess they are used to it, but jeez. I am definitely a fan of El Al.
Upon arrival at Ben Gurion Int’l Airport, we all made it through customs alright. After a debriefing from some guy (I forgot his name and I never really saw him for the rest of the trip, other than a half-hour at Rabin Square) we were introduced to Yaniv, our God for the next 10 days. We had a quick chat then proceeded to the bus where we rode for an hour or so to the north near Cesearea. We stayed at a kibbutz and were fed dinner and breakfast. The kibbutz was located right on the Mediterranean Sea and it sure was windy! That night I slept in the same room as Alan from Jersey and Joe (from the plane) from Manhattan.
The next day we visited the ancient city of Acre. So much info flew over my head, but I remember it being really old and was pretty surprised that most of it had been discovered in 1992! We also visited a business park and learned about an impressive business model that uses cultural integration in a hostile region as it’s foundation for financial success.
Then we visited a Drews house where a nice man served us great tea, Turkish coffee, and pastries while we learned about their culture and beliefs. The Drews exist in Israel, Lebanon, and Syria, but are only officially recognized in Israel. After an evening at another kibbutz, we met up with our three female soldiers that would be taggin along. Tal, Ayala, and Keren. (I’m actually typing this from Tal’s house. She’s not here right now, but was kind of enough to let me crash here at her parents since I was passing through Be’er Shevat.) Our first stop with them was an Ashkenazi synagogue followed by a candle-making shop. That afternoon we met up with the 5 male soldiers that would join us (Tal, Shai, Mark, Eitan, and Ori). They were really cool too. (I just met up with Eitan last night to shoot some pool, etc.) Our first stop with them was an outdoor Greek theater followed by a manmade port built by King Hebron himself! That night, in a hotel, we watched a nut with masks make a fool of himself. He was actually really talented. Joe, Alix, and Jennifer did a great job for volunteering.
Next day, Tel Aviv and Independence Hall. Definitely an educational experience! I learned that Golda Meir is also a Myerson among other things. We visited Rabin Square (where Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated) and ate lunch at cafés in Tel Aviv. I actually skipped lunch because I wasn’t too hungry and dinner is buffet style. We also visited the ancient port town of Jaffa. It’s technically a part of Tel Aviv, but you can definitely tell the difference between the two. Tel Aviv is a modern metropolis, while Jaffa is old! I went shopping at an open market one afternoon also and bought my first Magan David (Star of David). It is silver and I am wearing it right now! Keren and I picked it out together. Our group also did a downhill hike and learned about the historic steppes that the locals use for farming on the hillsides to this day. Mark left this day because the Army called him back. A shame since we were in the middle of a conversation that we have yet to finish.
Our next place to sleep was a hotel called Neve Elan just outside of Jerusalem. We stayed there for 3 nights, including Shabbat. I was in a room with Ben who is also from San Francisco (the TL). We had a lot of guests come through though since I had a laptop and the hotel had wifi. Two other birthright groups were also staying with us and it is where we had our “Shabbat Experience.” Four orthodox families came from Jerusalem to provide us a taste of what an orthodox Shabbat is like. There I met Shimmy and Gabe (both young Americans who made Aliyah to Israel) and Rabbi Donnie who now lectures at the Yashiva in the Old City. Rabbi Donnie is also from NYC and was a lawyer in his previous life. All really cool guys who didn’t pressure anyone to do anything.
Our last night at the hotel we went out to Leila Club. It was cool, but not too many locals were there. Probably because we were early arrivals. (We left around 1am I believe.) The next day we headed to Yad Vashem, the Holocaust museum. I left with tears in my eyes. We also went to Mount Hertzl that day where Israel’s most important people are buried (except for David Ben Gurion). We ended the day in the Old City where we saw Western Wall and the Dome of the Rock. After saying goodbye to the soldiers that night, we stayed at a kibbutz and woke up early to climb Masada.
Masada is such a scenic area and we saw the sunrise over the mountains in Jordan. I learned about the historical significance as well as get my blood flowing! We went on another hike through some streams and stopped by the Dead Sea. It was cool at first, but I couldn’t really find myself relaxing that much because you can’t really swim there. Just float. I did buy some mud though which was fun. After the Dead Sea, we rode camels. My partner was Jackie (from Chicago). That night we stayed in Bedouin tent and learned about their people. They are the people of the desert and have been roaming for thousands of years. It is in modern history that they have settled down more, started learning at universities, and obtaining modern jobs. They served us tea and then coffee which they roasted over the campfire first! We had great schwarma for dinner and had a bonfire that night and told jokes and stories and played games. A large high school group also stayed at the facility that night. We talked to a couple of them and they were on a 3-day trip which included Eilat.
The next day we went to where David Ben Gurion is buried and the learning center that exists there today. It was a remarkable view and learned about his amazing life. After all his accomplishments, including Prime Minister, he spent the last days of his life as a shepherd. Later that day we did some rappelling in the largest crater on earth called the Ramon Crater. It isn’t from a meter, rather it exists naturally. We visited a nature preserve and a dairy plant on our way down to Eilat, where we spent the last night in a nice hotel. We went out that night of course and stumbled home around 2am. I woke up early for some reason and watched the sunrise with Joe over a cup of coffee. After snorkeling in the Red Sea, we made our way up back to Ben Gurion where the rest of the group flew and eleven of us stuck around.
That first night Heidi, Anna, Emily, Joe, Stephanie, and myself stayed at Sky Hostel in Tel Aviv. It was a dump, but included breakfast for only 50shek. That day I just hung out and did some much-needed work online. I did laundry for the first time in 10 days, went to the post office to get stamps and make a fax, and stopped by the American Embassy. Heidi and I stayed one more night but down the street at Momo’s hostel. I met up with Keren that afternoon and later on, we met up with Eitan.
The next day was Friday again and time for Shabbat. I met up with Shimmy in the Old City and he hooked me up with everything. I met up with a guy named Gavin from LA who ended up showing me around the Yeshiva and I spent the evening in a bed in the dorms. I met up with some cool guys (all Americans who made Aliyah) and some cool Rabbis. Rabbi Schwartz was my favorite. He was from Toronto and now teaches at the Yeshiva. His wife made sushi for dinner that night which was amazing and we spent the evening talking and singing songs. After Shabbat, I spent the evening in a hostel down the street. On Sunday morning, I took an Essentials class with Rabbi Schwartz before taking an all-day Discovery class with various Rabbis. Actually, the last speaker of the day was Rabbi Donnie whom I met the previous week.
I then made my way back to Tel Aviv for the evening, met up with Eitan for pool and drinks, then headed south to Be’er Shevat the next day. I had no plans and Tal ended up taking care of me. Her mom Rahel was super nice. She ordered pizza and even made me a sandwich for lunch today. (Right now I am on the train to Haifa.)
So that is where I am at now. I feel like even though this was a long entry, I skipped so much stuff. There is no way I could have documented everything accurately I don’t think because I wasn’t prepared. But that’s okay. I’m glad I got the chance to have this opportunity to write this.
Shalom from Israel.
I flew to NYC first and hung out with a couple of friends for a few days. Nothing too crazy really. But it was my first time in the Big Apple with a camera. So that was cool. I made sure to get a New York bagel, a New York pizza, and eat a New York deli sandwich while I was there. I think those were the majors. I did forget the New York steak and the New York cheesecake though. Ah, I’ll be back there in May for those I guess. I did go to the American Museum of Natural History, which was cool. And later that night I made it to a show. The band was Galactic and they were groovin! I saw them for the first time at Austin City Limits earlier this year, so it was a treat to see em again. My one complaint was that NYC was FREEZING cold. Actually, no one seemed to complain other than this SF native, so I guess it was just me shakin in my little space boots.
Then came Sunday. I woke up feeling a little stiff. Probably because I hadn’t rode my bike for the fourth consecutive day (a new record since I’ve been biking, I think). I decided that I would hit up some yoga on the upper west side before headin to JFK to take a 12-hour flight. When I arrived to JFK, I was cursing myself because I had spent so much money over the weekend. But I had fun, and hey, that’s NY. Jarad, my only previous contact, seemed nice, as did his counterpart Heidi. Heidi looked familiar, but then again, I was just trippin. The Super Bowl had just kicked off, so I had the chance to watch most of it after my flight check-in and before my security check. I had a couple beers with Shannon from Buffalo who was also on my group and I ate some Buffalo wings. She wouldn’t have any of em though because they weren’t the real deal apparently.
We took off on time and although my ticket was for a middle seat next to Gail, Joe decided to switch with me so he could sit next to her. I didn’t mind. I’ll always take the aisle seat. Across the aisle from me was an orthodox guy and it made me happy to see he took advantage of the free alcohol by consuming a Carlsberg. I drank apple juice. Joe and Gail had bloody marys. They looked disgusting. The flight attendants were really nice because they had to put up with so much crap it seemed like. I guess they are used to it, but jeez. I am definitely a fan of El Al.
Upon arrival at Ben Gurion Int’l Airport, we all made it through customs alright. After a debriefing from some guy (I forgot his name and I never really saw him for the rest of the trip, other than a half-hour at Rabin Square) we were introduced to Yaniv, our God for the next 10 days. We had a quick chat then proceeded to the bus where we rode for an hour or so to the north near Cesearea. We stayed at a kibbutz and were fed dinner and breakfast. The kibbutz was located right on the Mediterranean Sea and it sure was windy! That night I slept in the same room as Alan from Jersey and Joe (from the plane) from Manhattan.
The next day we visited the ancient city of Acre. So much info flew over my head, but I remember it being really old and was pretty surprised that most of it had been discovered in 1992! We also visited a business park and learned about an impressive business model that uses cultural integration in a hostile region as it’s foundation for financial success.
Then we visited a Drews house where a nice man served us great tea, Turkish coffee, and pastries while we learned about their culture and beliefs. The Drews exist in Israel, Lebanon, and Syria, but are only officially recognized in Israel. After an evening at another kibbutz, we met up with our three female soldiers that would be taggin along. Tal, Ayala, and Keren. (I’m actually typing this from Tal’s house. She’s not here right now, but was kind of enough to let me crash here at her parents since I was passing through Be’er Shevat.) Our first stop with them was an Ashkenazi synagogue followed by a candle-making shop. That afternoon we met up with the 5 male soldiers that would join us (Tal, Shai, Mark, Eitan, and Ori). They were really cool too. (I just met up with Eitan last night to shoot some pool, etc.) Our first stop with them was an outdoor Greek theater followed by a manmade port built by King Hebron himself! That night, in a hotel, we watched a nut with masks make a fool of himself. He was actually really talented. Joe, Alix, and Jennifer did a great job for volunteering.
Next day, Tel Aviv and Independence Hall. Definitely an educational experience! I learned that Golda Meir is also a Myerson among other things. We visited Rabin Square (where Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated) and ate lunch at cafés in Tel Aviv. I actually skipped lunch because I wasn’t too hungry and dinner is buffet style. We also visited the ancient port town of Jaffa. It’s technically a part of Tel Aviv, but you can definitely tell the difference between the two. Tel Aviv is a modern metropolis, while Jaffa is old! I went shopping at an open market one afternoon also and bought my first Magan David (Star of David). It is silver and I am wearing it right now! Keren and I picked it out together. Our group also did a downhill hike and learned about the historic steppes that the locals use for farming on the hillsides to this day. Mark left this day because the Army called him back. A shame since we were in the middle of a conversation that we have yet to finish.
Our next place to sleep was a hotel called Neve Elan just outside of Jerusalem. We stayed there for 3 nights, including Shabbat. I was in a room with Ben who is also from San Francisco (the TL). We had a lot of guests come through though since I had a laptop and the hotel had wifi. Two other birthright groups were also staying with us and it is where we had our “Shabbat Experience.” Four orthodox families came from Jerusalem to provide us a taste of what an orthodox Shabbat is like. There I met Shimmy and Gabe (both young Americans who made Aliyah to Israel) and Rabbi Donnie who now lectures at the Yashiva in the Old City. Rabbi Donnie is also from NYC and was a lawyer in his previous life. All really cool guys who didn’t pressure anyone to do anything.
Our last night at the hotel we went out to Leila Club. It was cool, but not too many locals were there. Probably because we were early arrivals. (We left around 1am I believe.) The next day we headed to Yad Vashem, the Holocaust museum. I left with tears in my eyes. We also went to Mount Hertzl that day where Israel’s most important people are buried (except for David Ben Gurion). We ended the day in the Old City where we saw Western Wall and the Dome of the Rock. After saying goodbye to the soldiers that night, we stayed at a kibbutz and woke up early to climb Masada.
Masada is such a scenic area and we saw the sunrise over the mountains in Jordan. I learned about the historical significance as well as get my blood flowing! We went on another hike through some streams and stopped by the Dead Sea. It was cool at first, but I couldn’t really find myself relaxing that much because you can’t really swim there. Just float. I did buy some mud though which was fun. After the Dead Sea, we rode camels. My partner was Jackie (from Chicago). That night we stayed in Bedouin tent and learned about their people. They are the people of the desert and have been roaming for thousands of years. It is in modern history that they have settled down more, started learning at universities, and obtaining modern jobs. They served us tea and then coffee which they roasted over the campfire first! We had great schwarma for dinner and had a bonfire that night and told jokes and stories and played games. A large high school group also stayed at the facility that night. We talked to a couple of them and they were on a 3-day trip which included Eilat.
The next day we went to where David Ben Gurion is buried and the learning center that exists there today. It was a remarkable view and learned about his amazing life. After all his accomplishments, including Prime Minister, he spent the last days of his life as a shepherd. Later that day we did some rappelling in the largest crater on earth called the Ramon Crater. It isn’t from a meter, rather it exists naturally. We visited a nature preserve and a dairy plant on our way down to Eilat, where we spent the last night in a nice hotel. We went out that night of course and stumbled home around 2am. I woke up early for some reason and watched the sunrise with Joe over a cup of coffee. After snorkeling in the Red Sea, we made our way up back to Ben Gurion where the rest of the group flew and eleven of us stuck around.
That first night Heidi, Anna, Emily, Joe, Stephanie, and myself stayed at Sky Hostel in Tel Aviv. It was a dump, but included breakfast for only 50shek. That day I just hung out and did some much-needed work online. I did laundry for the first time in 10 days, went to the post office to get stamps and make a fax, and stopped by the American Embassy. Heidi and I stayed one more night but down the street at Momo’s hostel. I met up with Keren that afternoon and later on, we met up with Eitan.
The next day was Friday again and time for Shabbat. I met up with Shimmy in the Old City and he hooked me up with everything. I met up with a guy named Gavin from LA who ended up showing me around the Yeshiva and I spent the evening in a bed in the dorms. I met up with some cool guys (all Americans who made Aliyah) and some cool Rabbis. Rabbi Schwartz was my favorite. He was from Toronto and now teaches at the Yeshiva. His wife made sushi for dinner that night which was amazing and we spent the evening talking and singing songs. After Shabbat, I spent the evening in a hostel down the street. On Sunday morning, I took an Essentials class with Rabbi Schwartz before taking an all-day Discovery class with various Rabbis. Actually, the last speaker of the day was Rabbi Donnie whom I met the previous week.
I then made my way back to Tel Aviv for the evening, met up with Eitan for pool and drinks, then headed south to Be’er Shevat the next day. I had no plans and Tal ended up taking care of me. Her mom Rahel was super nice. She ordered pizza and even made me a sandwich for lunch today. (Right now I am on the train to Haifa.)
So that is where I am at now. I feel like even though this was a long entry, I skipped so much stuff. There is no way I could have documented everything accurately I don’t think because I wasn’t prepared. But that’s okay. I’m glad I got the chance to have this opportunity to write this.
Shalom from Israel.
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