Starting off the New Year...Sick

I must have a horrible immune system in Israel. I rarely get sick, and I've already had the stomach flu and now have the (swine) flu.

Sunday I woke up with a sore throat thinking it was just allergies (they're terrible right now) and felt just fine. Monday I had a really low fever and decided to tough it up and go to school. By the time I came home on Monday, I had no fever, but felt awful and went to sleep at 8:30! I woke up yesterday with a fever feeling just terrible. I went to the doctor who insisted that I had a flu virus and that it must be swine flu. I asked if he was going to give me tamiflu and he said, "your bat mitzvah is not this weekend, so no". I thought it was pretty entertaining/Israeli because then he proceeded to tell me that there was absolutely nothing to do except take advil and that sometimes it will help and sometimes it won't, but that I am pretty much going to feel awful for a few days. I am not on day three of feeling awful...I'm hoping to feel better before Yom Kippur.

Anyway, I thought that while I am bored in bed, I would blog a little about my experience at the doctor. I'm off to get some rest.

My Rosh Hashanah in Israel

I prayed this year. I think it was the first time I really ever prayed on Rosh Hashanah. I wasn't distracted this year by the social scene of gazing around the sanctuary to see whom I knew or look at all of the different outfits. I wasn't caught up in finding my old friends and waving to them during services to make sure that I would get to say hello afterward. No, this year, I actually sat in services and prayed. And it felt so good.
Don't get me wrong, I love services at NSCI, I love the social scene. But, this year in Jerusalem has been a different experience. It has been a great Rosh Hashanah. It began on Friday evening walking to services at HUC with my two roommates being greeted by every person on the street with a "Shanah Tovah". A real sense of community and joy was felt walking down the streets this weekend. At services I sat with my classmates as the director of our program, Yoshi, and the dean of our program, Naama led services along with three of our amazing cantorial students. Yoshi delivered a touching and beautiful sermon that inspired me to really take the time this holiday season to do "Chesbon HaNefesh" (literally translated to checking of the soul), self examination, to look at this past year and really reflect on the positives and negatives and what I can do to make myself a better person. Yoshi spoke of how we fall into a pattern of repenting for the same things year after year. I definitely agree with him, and it spoke close to home. It's not worth repenting for my sins if I am just going to fall back into my bad habits again. I want this year to be different. I am older now, I feel more mature, I want to feel more connected, Rosh Hashanah has been a meaningful one this year and I want the year to continue to be as meaningful as this holiday.
The music on Friday evening was just spectacular. The cantorial students this year are exceptional and extremely talented and truly enriched the services on Friday evening.
We went to our friend Matt's for dinner. The food was absolutely delicious (it may have been the best meal I've had since I've been in Israel) and the company was just so nice. Matt set the table beautifully with all sorts of fruits as decorations. The Holiday really felt special.
Saturday I went to Kol Hanishamah, one of the two Reform synagogues in Jerusalem, for services. There were two different services offered, a traditional one and an alternative "healing" service with meditation and a discussion. Allie Harris and I began upstairs with the traditional service. We arrived 5 minutes late and were surprised by how empty it was. Most of the chairs were empty and there were way fewer people than normally come on Friday evenings for Shabbat. As the service went on more and more people came. It was a very comfortable and welcoming environment. People were able to walk in and out as they chose. After a little while Allie and I decided to check out the alternative service where Ally Tick was. We spent the rest of the morning in the alternative service, which was also a relaxed environment with people walking in and out as the pleased. Rabbi Levi Kelman (Naama's brother) led the service and various meditations throughout. I'm not so into meditating but it was still an interesting service. We also split into four groups for discussion. There was only one English-speaking group and it was on the topic of "listening". It was a very enjoyable morning altogether.
Ally, Allie, and I walked home and made a nice Rosh Hashanah lunch. After lunch Allie Harris and I made our first Kugel to bring to Sally Klein Katz's (our ed seminar teacher) for lunch tomorrow. We made two so that Ally could have some- it's pretty delicious! Saturday night we went to Hannah, Rachel, and Jonah's for dinner. Dinner again was very delicious and we had all had a great time. We even played a game of "Apples-to-Apples" after dinner (sticking with the symbols of Rosh Hashanah of course.
Sunday concluded the Holiday weekend with Rosh Hashanah lunch at the Klein-Katz's. It was a relaxing afternoon and a very enjoyable way to end this wonderful holiday here in Jerusalem.
Now it is time to get back into "school" mode. We have a four-day week ahead of us, and then Yom Kippur, followed by three days of class, and then I am off to England for a week!

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend and Holiday as well.

Shanah Tovah!

Note:
If you have time, I recommend checking out this New York Times article that I classmate of mine sent to me. This is a quote from the article:
"
But Jews are different. People come to temple to identify with other Jews, or socialize. The writer Harry Golden once asked his father, who was an atheist, why he went to services every Saturday. The old man told him, ‘My friend Garfinkle goes to talk to God, and I go to talk to Garfinkle.’ There’s a lot of that.”

“At least they come,” I said.

“Sure. But when you have a large percentage at a religious service who aren’t actually praying, it dilutes the quality of the entire experience.”


It's an interesting perspective, and I've been thinking about it over the past few days and so I wanted to share it with anyone who is interested.

Shanah Tovah!

As the Jewish year 5769 comes to a close, I wanted to wish everyone a happy, healthy, and wonderful New Year 5770!

This evening I will be going to services at HUC with my classmates and other members of the community followed by dinner with about 15 of my classmates at one of their homes. Tomorrow, I am going to services at a synagogue in Jerusalem (I haven't decided where yet) and then having dinner at another classmate's home. I already love being in Jerusalem for the High Holy Days. As I went for a walk this afternoon, the streets were packed with people wishing each other a "Shanah Tova" (Good Year) and "Chag Samaech" (Happy Holiday).

While I am sad to not be at home this year for the High Holiday (it will be my first YK not at home), I am feeling a great sense of warmth, community, and right at home surrounded by my friends, classmates, and all the other Jews in Israel.

With that, I wish each and everyone on you a wonderful Holiday and "shana tovah u'metukah" a Happy and Sweet New Year!

Sending love from Jerusalem :-)

The 3rd First Day of Grad School

Classes have officially begun! It's a little funny because back in July, when the summer session started, everyone kept saying, "it's our first day of grad school", then last week, when fall semester began with Elul days we said it again. Well, today, classes really did begin.

School is Sunday-Thursday and starts at 8:30am everyday! It was a bit difficult waking up this morning after a very late Slichot Service at The Great Synagogue last night. The service was absolutely beautiful. You can read about it and see pictures at this website http://www.jerusalemgreatsynagogue.com/EN_AboutUs.aspx. The service did not begin until 10:30 and the Rabbi gave a 10 minute sermon before. So by 11:30 we were ready to go. We saw the gorgeous synagogue and listening to the beautiful High Holiday melodies and then decided to head out (the service didn't end until 12:40 am). I really forgot how much I love the High Holy Days. Just hearing the tunes and the darkness outside that could be seen through the windows (at a pre slichot service at HUC), brought all of the feelings of the Holidays. I am very much looking forward to experiencing the holidays in Jerusalem.

Back to school- Today began with Rabbinics Lecture, followed by Hebrew, followed by Rabbinics Text. Each class is an hour and a half with 15 min breaks. All of my classes were in the same classroom today and two of the three classes were taught by the same person. Nonetheless, it was still a great day. This is what I have been waiting for. Tomorrow I have History of the 2nd Temple Period, Hebrew, Grammar, and Professional forum. It should be another great day. I am very much looking forward to my first Education Seminar class on Tuesday.

Anyways, I thought I would blog a little while I kinda sorta have time before the craziness of coursework begins (I already have TONS of reading as expected).

If I don't write before Rosh Hashanah, Shanah Tovah!

Elul Days and Tiyul

The end of break went by pretty fast and it was really nice to just relax and hang out in Jerusalem for a few days. The break ended with Shabbat dinner at the Regev's followed by a celebration for Allie's 24th birthday. It was all lots of fun despite the fact that I had to battle stomach flu.
Fall semester began on Sunday. Sunday and Monday were Elul days (Sunday-Rosh Hashanah, Monday-Yom Kippur). Unfortunately, I wasn't able to attend the Rosh Hashanah Elul day, as I was still quite sick. The Yom Kippur Elul Day was very interesting. We discussed the difference between what Yom Kippur means to Americans versus what it represents for Israeli's. For many Israeli's, the Yom Kippur war and the 6-day war are big components of the Yom Kippur Holiday. For many Americans, getting all dressed up and going to synagogue to repent for our sins is our connection to the Holiday. I am looking forward to my first High Holiday experience in Israel and will be sure to blog about it in the coming weeks.
Tuesday we headed up North to the Golan Heights and the Galilee for our first Israel Seminar Tiyul. For three days we traveled to many different sites studying the theme of the tiyul "In Search of the New Jew". I love learning about Israel while in Israel. Some of the places we visited were: Zichron Yacov, Tel Hai, Metulla (Israel's most northern town on the border of Lebanon, Tel Dan, and the Kinneret Cemetery. Throughout these amazing three days, we had a chance to get to know some of our professors who not only offered their admirable amount of scholarly knowledge, but also enriched our experiences through their own personal stories and experiences. I was pleasantly surprised that I had never been to most of these locations. In fact the only two places I had previously been were Zichron Yacov and the hostel that we stayed at!
Tonight Hannah and Rachel Levin are hosting a "Girls Shabbat" which should be very fun. Tomorrow, a few friends are coming over for a little guitar learning session. I've been practicing lots, but it definitely takes time. Tomorrow night, Naama Kelman, the dean of students, invited several HUC students to her home for Havdallah. Followed by Havdallah we will head to Slichot services. I think I am going to the Great Synagogue for Slichot. Sunday is our first real day of class and actually our only full week of class until the second week of October because of the Holidays.
Speaking of the Holidays, I finally made plans for Sukkot break. I am traveling with three other girls to London, Dublin, Paris, and Scotland! I am so excited; it should be a great time!

I'm still a little tired from the tiyul, but I will try to update again later next week.

Shabbat Shalom!