L'hitraot

Wow. It is with a heavy heart and a tear in my eye that I write this final post for my summer 2011 Israel blog.

I'm on the plane on my way back to NYC, listening to every Israeli jam I have on my iPod, drowning my sorrows. It's been an intense wrap up period. I've worked my way through a slew of emotions in the past week as I tied up my life in Jerusalem and prepared to head back to the States...But before we get to the leaving part, a brief update since my last post.

Daniel, Amy and I officially finished our internship duties about a week ago. It was sort of sad as the job came to an end. We had developed quite a routine. Nonetheless, we were also ready for some free time.

Daniel went to Tel Aviv to spend time with his family. Amy has had a friend, Yuta, visiting from Germany for the past few weeks. This past Monday and Tuesday, the three of us and another friend of mine took a little tiyul to the North. We rented a few cars and went to Caesarea (one of my favorite, favorite spots in Israel) and did a beautiful hike in the Banyas and up to Nimrod's Fortress. I wasn't expecting such an uphill hike and it was semi-brutal in the heat and pounding sun, but it was so gorgeous. I'm glad we did it. The fortress itself is awesome. Took lots of cool pictures that day. Sweat buckets. Literally.

Wednesday night we gathered at HUC one last time for the first Beit Cafe of the year. It's basically a talent show/coffee house type shindig. It was a really wonderful evening. Tons of great acts and lots of ruach. I sang a piece with the Cantorial class and Amy and I did a little schtick. In essence, we serenaded our roommate, Daniel, with an old Boys II Men song. Funny? Indeed.

The class dedicated a sing along song to us- very cute. They re-wrote the words to Debbie Friedman's Psalm 150 and presented us with gift certificates to Steimatzky book store. We felt very appreciated. The end of the night was sad when it was time to give final hugs and say shalom to the students. I've grown quite attached to this class since we've worked so closely with them all summer. Thank goodness for modern technology! And it will be so great to have the students going to the NY campus around during my 5th year.

Thursday was a shopping, packing, bidding adieu to Jerusalem day for me. I said goodbye to Nancy and had coffee with a few different friends and then said goodbye to Yinon and Yitzhik (bed store) in the late afternoon. That was sad. In fact, it really brought things full circle. I spent a lot of time with them my first week and throughout the summer I would always pop in to say hi when I was in the neighborhood. They represent my connection to real Jerusalemites...I like it...

I went out to dinner with friends Thursday night in the German Colony and then spent some time in the Old City, by the Kotel. The night before I left Jerusalem three years ago I went to the Kotel, so I've decided to make it a ritual. It is arguable the most famous site in Jerusalem- it makes sense to go there for a proper "see ya later." The Wall was hopping Thursday night at 11- tons of people...and lots of little kids. Oiy, it was definitely past their bedtime. Slightly cruel in my opinion...So, the Wall. Sometimes I'm not sure what to think when I see the ladies crying and shaking back and forth on the women's side, hugging the Kotel with all their might. It's quite a sight. During this visit, as I observed the women, I felt proud to be connected in some way by our religion and our heritage. I admired their passion and courage and dedication.

Never a dull moment at The Kotel. There's always a lot to take in and this night was no exception- sat there taking in the scenes for quite some time. Never ceases to amaze me. It was lovely and a perfect cap off.

Btw, I also sold my bike to one of the first year students on Thursday. It's nice to know that one of them will be riding it around all year and use it for the Ride for Reform. I'll definitely miss riding around Jerusalem...

Friday was beach day in Tel Aviv. I got emotional when the sheirut pulled out of Jerusalem that morning. Very sad to leave her. But had a lovely day in Tel Aviv. Hung out with my cuz one more time. I was also sad saying goodbye to her. It has been so wonderful to spend time with her in Israel and be an eye witness to her newfound connection with the country. The beach was gorgeous, as always. The water felt great, played in some relaxing waves and enjoyed a nice breeze. Only got a little burnt :)

*sigh*

In some ways, it feels like this summer has gone by in the blink of an eye...but when I think about how much I did and saw and experienced, it feels like I've been here a long time. I settled in and developed a routine very quickly. In fact, after the first few days, it felt like I had never left.

Eleven glorious, Israeli Shabbatot later, it's hard to believe that the summer has come to an end. I'm very sad to leave. This summer was exceptional for me. The job enabled and challenged me to use all of the skills I have learned in and outside of school until this point- relationship building, mentoring, pastoral care, service leading and teaching. It was definitely an affirmation that HUC is doing something right. "Trust the process" is not simply an empty mantra that the administration throws around. I feel different than I felt three years ago...much better equipped- Baruch Hashem!

On a personal level, I rekindled some very important, old relationships and formed many beautiful, new relationships that I hope will continue for many years. Very nourishing. This summer was also about me reconnecting with Israel. And reconnect I did. I truly fall more in love with Israel every day. It feels like home to me.

Speaking of home, I'm supposedly on my way home right now...but NY doesn't feel like home and I'm not sure it ever will. And that's okay. Something about the fast-paced lifestyle and ignorant, tunnel vision in NY (not to mention the lack of scenery and vile public transportation) is a turn off to me. In Israel, people are friendly, they care, they feel a magnificent sense of responsibility to one another and to the country. Strangers go out of their way to help you. Neighbors invite you for Shabbat dinner. And then there's the Israeli mentality and the way of life. And the fact that it's easy to be Jewish there. People pay attention to what really matters, they know what's important in life. It works for me. I'm happier there. I don't want to wait another two years before coming back to Israel. It's important to me to visit often- I'm going to try to make that happen this year amidst my already crazy schedule.

So, now what? I suppose I return to the life I left a few months ago? I'm going to have to re-evaluate what isn't working for me in NY and try to remedy that. I certainly doubt HUC would let me do my 4th and 5th years on the Jerusalem campus. But it's a nice thought...perhaps there is a way to bring a slice of Israeli life to my life in NY. When I figure out how to do that, I'll let you know.

The first thing that needs to be revamped in NY is my Shabbat practice. I realize that it's impossible to recreate an Israeli Shabbat simply because the majority of people in NY are not celebrating Shabbat when I am, but I can work on my Shabbat home ritual. And I can try to implement an HUC student body Shabbat practice.

Perhaps one of the greatest aspects of this summer was being reminded what it's like to be a part of the HUC Jerusalem campus community. It's tight-knit and supportive and the faculty and administration are SO dedicated. It's a wonderful model and I miss having that on the NY campus.

Despite the sadness, I'm feeling incredibly grateful for this experience. It was a full, enriching and nourishing time in Israel. I'm taking a boatload of wonderful memories with me and thousands of pictures for documentation when those memories fade.

Thank YOU for following my blog this summer and sharing this experience with me...

Check out my last two photo albums.

Photo Album 6

Photo Album 7

This summer's ordinary miracles:

Shabbat

Sacred t'filah experiences

New connections

Limonana

Amazing, supportive friends and colleagues

Friday energy in Jerusalem

Alphachores cookies and chocolate coconut corny bars

12 Aharoni

Israeli sunsets (they're better than anywhere else)

Living in the Moment

The Sachne

Spontaneity

As they say..."Next summer...in Jerusalem!"

באהבא,

לסלי

It's August already?!

Shalom Friends!

Sadly, my time in Israel is coming to an end. I leave August 13 and I'm not happy about it. Trying to enjoy the last two weeks and take advantage of the time.

Last Thursday my roommate and I took a mini tiyul to the Sachne. It's about an hour and a half North of Jerusalem- near Beit Sha'an. There are three freshwater pools surrounded by lush greenery and stunning mountains. I thought I was in the Garden of Eden. It's beyond words gorgeous. It was extremely hot, but we found a shady spot under some trees and there was a nice breeze going. We spent a good amount of time in the water- cool and refreshing and the only place I'd want to be (aside from in a/c) on a 100 degree day. The place was packed with Israelis, but Daniel claims that if you go on a Fri/Sat there is literally not an empty piece of grass to be found. All Israelis- we were the only English speakers. In fact, it felt like a very Israeli outing. We stopped at the grocery store in Beit Shemesh to pick up some sandwich items and snacks. Used a pretzel to smear the hummus on my turkey sandwich. Everyone around us was BBQ'ing, so the air smelled DELICIOUS. Lots of families, couples and groups of friends...water floats and noodles aplenty. In fact, many of them simply brought blow up mattresses to use as a flotation device. Smart.

It was very relaxing. We swam over to the waterfall which was heavenly. People position themselves under the waterfall and use it as a back massage. Pretty awesome. Wow, it was truly heavenly. Check out the pics for a complete picture.

We then headed over to Gangaroo, an Australian zoo right next door to the Sachne. We had a blast! Koalas, kangaroos and emus, oh my. But it didn't stop there- black swans, gorgeous parrots, a giant killer bird, and hanging bats. We got to feed to feed the parrots a piece of apple on a stick and I kid you not...Daniel is a bird whisperer. He held out his piece of apple in the air and a parrot flew over, landed on his shoulder and would not leave his side for a good 6 minutes. Daniel joked, "all I need is an eye patch." True story. Eventually I had to fetch the bird lady to help rid Daniel of his new feathered friend. I was in stitches. Oiy. The koalas were adorable but didn't move much- apparently they sleep a lot. I was quite intrigued by the peacock- have never been so close to one. Speaking of being close to the animals...it was pretty much a free for all- so Israeli. The kangaroos were just chilling in an open space- you could literally walk right up to them. I've never been so close to any of these types of animals in my life. Daniel tried to feed the kangaroos but they weren't interested. They were probably as scared of us as I was of them. Funny how that works...

Anyway, it was an awesome day. The drive up and back was simply gorgeous. Like my favorite view of the sunset from the port in Tel Aviv, these sights never get old.

Friday night we had a fabulous Shabbat at the intern apartment. Great crew- 13 people- awesome food and a very musical bunch! Want to hear the menu? Of course you do.

Green salad, beet salad, tabouli with dried fruit and herbs, chicken bourekas, pineapple ginger terriaki salmon, roasted chicken, coconut rice with golden raisins, green beans, and sautéed swiss chard (although I meant to buy bok choy) .
And of course, a variety of pastries, cakes, fruit and chocolate for dessert.

It was a feast. The best part was the singing after dinner. Such beautiful harmonies and they picked up new songs in an instant. It was awesome.

Forgot to mention...I went to services at Yakar Friday evening. A modern orthodox minyan- there is a mechitza (wall dividing men and women) but it's not offensive like some of them. It's basically a see through sheet. I absolutely loved the service. It was high energy, full of intention, lots of ruach and the women sang out. All Carlebach melodies, my favorite. What can be better than a service of all Carlebach? It didn't bother me at all that it was a capella because there was such a sense of forward motion and the singing and harmonies were rich and full. The kahal prays with such fervor and dedication. The men are practical screaming on their side- but it's prayerful. I couldn't help but wonder if there is a way to translate this kind of service to the Reform Movement...there has to be...we just haven't figured it out yet. I think it is possible for Reform Jews to connect to prayer in this way...not exactly sure about the road to get there, but will try to figure it out.

Hm, what else? Saturday was absurdly hot. I took a very brief bike ride in the morning and was dehydrated the rest of the day. Had to ingest Gatorade to counteract heat symptoms.

Yesterday morning Daniel and I led services at school. Was quite pleased with result. We decided to take a teaching approach to attempt to demystify some of the new aspects of the service that the students are adjusting to. Good feedback.

I'm also leading a Bar Mitzvah tonight with a Rabbi from Chicago. The ceremony is in Blaustein Hall at HUC with people that I've never met, so it should be an interesting experience.

That's all I've got for now.

Check out my new pics. https://picasaweb.google.com/leslie.niren/Israel5

Today's ordinary miracles:

-New friendships
-Supportive colleagues
-Israeli music

xo,
Leslie

Shabbat Shalom!

Ciao Blogos,

How's everyone doin'?

I had a superb weekend in Tel Aviv. Relaxing, good company and stellar food. What more can a gal ask for? We took a bus of HUC students yesterday morning and spent the day trying to survive the heat. Whew! Was in 90's plus bad humidity- "too darn hot..."

I went with a group of 10 students on a lovely walking/historical tour of Neve Tzedek. We made our way through the old streets and ended up at the green market at the old train station. From there headed over to the shuk which was over-crowded and intense due to the Shabbat rush, even for me.

I met a friend of mine, Reut, for lunch on Sheinken St.- great to catch up with her. Then headed to the beach for a while to meet up with some HUC people. I should note that I had already been dripping with sweat from the heat for HOURS. It was almost too hot for the beach. Water was even hot. Yikes.

Last night we all went to the Beit T'filah Yisraeli service on the namal (port). My friend/classmate Andrea sang in the service- beautiful, as always. They draw a huge crowd in the summer- hundreds of people gather. It's the most beautiful setting for a service- the sun setting over the ocean in the distance and the sound of the sea- stunning. I have taken a million pictures of that same exact scene and it never gets old. I absolutely love it. People didn't sing so much last night which was sort of upsetting to me, but I still enjoyed the service- especially the musicians. They add in several Israeli songs/melodies- scattered throughout Kabbalat Shabbat. The highlight is "What a Wonderful World" sung in Hebrew. "Eh-zeh ach-la o-lam." Gets me every time.

After the service, a group of us went to Benny Hadayag for dinner on the namal- an awesome fish restaurant. I split a 2.2 pound whole fish- sea bar. Unclear if that is the real name of the fish or a bizarre Israeli translation. Nonetheless, one of the best fish I've ever tasted. Delicious. They kept bringing an assortment of about 20 salatim and we also had a few spectacular desserts. It was an indulgent and totally worth it meal. I will definitely be visiting Benny the Fisherman again!

Today I went to the beach again- a great way to spend Shabbat. Incredible people watching. I love seeing all of the Israeli families together on the beach on Shabbat. It's so different than a Shabbat in Jerusalem, but equally restful and rejuvenating.

Today was a much better beach day- cooler, heavy breeze and huge waves. It was lots of fun wave jumping and hanging in the ocean. Took me back to the old St. Martin days...the lifeguards were having a field day with the waves, blowing their whistles and screaming at everyone, trying to get them to stay between the cones in the designated swim areas. Israelis don't pay attention to rules and certainly not to life guards, so that was amusing.

About to gear up for another week at school- only a few left.

Hope all is well with everyone and you are enjoying summer. When July is over, we can pretty much kiss the summer goodbye, so enjoy it while it lasts. Why does it always go by so quickly? No other season passes like summer. Especially winter...what's up with that...

שבת שלום.

לםלי

July Ba'aretz

Greetings friends and blogos!

Wow, it has been two weeks since I sat down to write my last post. It's been so busy!

Maybe I'll start with the most recent and move backwards in time...

Amy and I just returned from a mini two day tiyul to the North. It was absolutely awesome- Rejuvenating, relaxing and came at the perfect time. We were exhausted from a long week of orientation and the north was calling...we rented a car and left Jerusalem Sunday late morning. The ride was stunning- gorgeous mountain views, lush greenery and a crystal blue Sea of Galilee completed the picturesque driving backdrop. Our ride up was pretty smooth, aside from being stopped at one of the security checkpoints coming out of West Bank road. I stupidly didn't bring a passport, so they had us go through some extra security measures. No biggie, but I did want to tell them they picked the wrong people to be suspicious of...

We drove all the way up to the mystical city of S'fat. Amy is not a fan, but she indulged my need to visit anyway. I had to get my Judaica artwork shop on! And shop I did. Picked up a few treasures and eyed a Tallit that I've been dreaming about for a few years...white with purple pomegranates. Resisted temptation to purchase the Tallit- decided to wait and continue the search before committing. It was nice to walk around- said hello to the wife of the artist who made my pomegranate picture that I bought a few years ago. Took in the sights and then we headed to Mitzpe Hayamim.

Mitzpe Hayamim is a spa in the north that is so relaxing that when you step foot on the grounds, the shoulder tension literally melts away. It's a dream. We were living the dream. Our room was stunning, complete with our own private mirpeset (balcony) overlooking the breathtaking views. After check in we relaxed by the pool and I made friends with the towel guy so I could borrow his goggles. I swam 72 laps- had to work up an appetite for dinner. Meals at Mitzpe Hayamim are fit for a king. They have the most outrageous vegetarian (plus fish) buffet one could ever imagine. (See pictures) It was just as mouth wateringly delicious as I remembered. AND- they generously prepared Amy her own special plate, accommodating all food sensitivities. That's service!

It was early to bed for the weary, food-coma-induced travelers. The next morning we once again feasted like Kings, or queens in our case. After breakfast Amy took a morning nap and I took a nature walk along the grounds. Bonded with the chickens and cows and horses (oh my). It was lovely. Walking the grounds is a bit like being in The Secret Garden (my favorite musical), so I was in heaven. Lots of great tunes were going through my head...it's a constant juke box in there.

Sadly, the time came to leave relaxing heaven on earth. Amy has declared she will get married there. We next headed to Rosh Pina, a beautiful and quaint town, full of local artists and awesome galleries. We walked around and had lunch at the famous chocolate restaurant- great salads and a few pieces of chocolate to wash it down...hmm.

From here the plan was to do a 2.5 hour hike up to Nimrod's castle (an old fortress), unfortunately we had to adapt our plan based on a time crunch. We didn't realize the parks closed at 5. So, we nixed the bigger hike and went to the Banyas and did a river hike/walk. The Banyas waterfall is incredible- wait 'till you see the pictures. Also, there was a new suspension bridge with more water views- so it was definitely still awesome. But we were both sort of bummed the other hike didn't happen.

We headed back to Jerusalem, making a stop at Decks in Tiberias for dinner. Got back to Jlem around 9:30. We were exhausted! It was a wonderful trip- the north is my favorite part of Israel- nothing more beautiful.

Ok, orientation. We had a full week of orientation programs/activities for the students. Daniel, Amy and I had a lot of involvement in planning and execution which was really nice. We were extremely pleased and proud with how our programs turned out. Hard to pick highlights because the whole week was engaging and terrific. It was interesting to be involved in orientation from this perspective instead of as a member of the class. Although, we do feel like honorary members...much of the week inspired me to evaluate my own Cantorial journey over the past few years since I began the program, and ask myself what I want from my remaining two years in school. All good stuff. Lots of deep probing, reflective and introspective work.

I led Kabbalat services Friday night and that was a great experience. I love leading t'filah. Very energizing. Seeing and hearing the students reactions to t'filah throughout the week truly reminded me what it's like to come in at the beginning of the process feeling like you know nothing...and to balance that out, from where I stand now as a rising 4th year, to feel like I have learned a huge amount of liturgy and repertoire, and more specifically, that I've acquired the skills and experience to pray and lead prayer effectively. It was wonderful to have Yoshi playing guitar and a treat to lead with Haim, who was an Israeli Rabbinic intern during my year in Israel.

That was a quick summary of the week. I'm excited for this class to begin the year. It's a really wonderful class and I'm looking forward to calling them my colleagues in a few years...

Saturday night after our closing program/Havdallah, we all went to Off the Wall comedy club to see one of the new students do his routine. He's been doing stand up for several years now. Wow, what a hoot! I haven't laughed that hard since seeing Bridesmaids. Everyone was in stitches. And thank God, because I would have had a hard time lying to his face telling him he was funny if he was really a dud comedian. Everyone knows I don't have a convincing lying face...I tell it the way I see it! We also hit up this totally American bar called Mike's place for some trivia fun. They actually had a good cover band- they played one of my favs with a rock vibe- Annie Lennox "Why."

Thinking back to the week before orientation...the previous Friday we had 17 people over for Shabbat dinner! It was a wonderful evening- great food, music and conversation. Quite an eclectic mix of students, random friends and Israelis. Daniel, Amy and I cooked all day! And we certainly had enough food for an army-wow. On the menu? Home-made chicken bourekas by Daniel, an assortment of salads including Amy's popular beet/mint concoction, apricot ginger chicken, yellow rice, mixed roasted vegetables, mashed cauliflower and an array of desserts- the highlights being Nancy's chocolate chip cookies and fruit crisp. Nothing better than a full house on Shabbat.
;-)

And before that, I can't even remember...women of the wall for Rosh Chodesh was an interesting experience. Unfortunately there were no serious brawls or run-ins. I was secretly hoping for one...the service by the wall was beautiful- felt very connected. Especially during Sh'ma- that was a powerful moment. After the shacharit and Hallel services we moved to Robinson's Arch for the Torah service because they wouldn't let the Torah through the Western Wall security. We had some evil stares and women telling us to be quiet as the service progressed by the wall, but nothing too radical. A man on the other side of the mechitza had to be escorted away because he went crazy. But I think that is pretty normal for kotel happenings. Lots of crazies running about these parts...

Our walk over to Robinson's Arch with the Torah was a bit dramatic. We were instructed specifically to walk slowly, following a girl in front carrying the Torah scroll, all the while singing Ozi V'Zimrat Ya (a million times). When we finally made it over to start the service, things seemed a bit disorganized, but everything was fine. I was happy to be a in the kahal that morning and witness the events as they happen most months. I neglected to mention that the walk to and from Robinson's Arch was exciting because there were a handful of other sim has happening simultaneously. Many Bar Mitzvahs complete with dancing, singing and spirited drum action. It all provided a contagiously energetic backdrop to the early morning. Also, we had a nice moment with our small HUC group, stopping to acknowledge a classmates first ever trip to the Kotel. We said and sang a Shehechiyanu and Daniel shared some beautiful words of Rabbinic wisdom- nice moment.

Forgot to mention an important event during orientation week! Yerushalayim Sheli was a pilot program this year that turned out to be a smashing success. We broke the class into 6 small groups- each group was led by an Israeli. The idea of the evening was to show the students Jerusalem through the perspective of a Jerusalemite. We want the students to begin forging relationships with Israelis right off the bat. I tagged along with a group going to a one night arts/cultural event at the famed Israel Museum and it was amazing. They had music and dance performances scattered throughout the inside and outside grounds of the museum. The evening culminated in a Wi party, hundreds of people dancing outside in an open courtyard, each with their own set of headphones blasting music. They were running on Israeli time and my patience ran out by midnight so I missed the Wi party by ten minutes. Next time! Our group host was an Israeli Rabbinic student, Tamir, and his wife- they were excellent. We received lots of positive feedback from the students and the hosts about the program. I hope it's something they will continue in future orientations.

Last night we took an epic trip to the bowling alley. Or, as they pronounce the sport in Israel, BOOOWWEEELLLING. The way Israelis pronounce the word "bowl" rhythms with the movement one makes on the toilet. Quite amusing. In any case, it was a BLAST. I, of course, get very competitive with any sport and BOOWWEELLING is no exception. We were all pretty low on the score board but I took the lead in the first game, winning with a score of 96. Lost my edge and came in second place in the next round. A good time was had by all. And Amy and I had a ball with the basketball arcade machines- we went wild putting up more points on that board than it had ever seen. (except for the 178 top score on the machine, which must have been from a rare cameo by Michael Jordan)

I think that's about all I have for now. I have about three weeks of Israel bliss left. Getting sad about that, but also realize that I have many exciting things ahead in the coming year. AND, I know I'll be back. Sooner rather than later this time...

You know what's on the plan for today? A PEDICURE. 'Bout time.

Check out my complete Israel 4 album- full of great shots from the BBQ, night time party at the Shuk, Israel Museum and our North tiyul. https://picasaweb.google.com/leslie.niren/Israel4

Happy Wednesday to all.

Chaim Tovim.

L'shalom,
Leslie

an old post...

Below is a post that was written on July 4th- two weeks ago. Better late than never...

Not the most exciting, but lama lo?

Boker Tov, my friends!

This blog post is brought to you from my stationary bike at the YMCA. (and the letter lamed) It is another beautiful day in Yerushalim- hot sun beating down already and it's only 11am. Whew, gonna be a scorcher.

I had an awesome weekend. Friday morning I took my first dip in the YMCA pool- swam 60 laps with the old ladies during "women's swim hour." There are designated male only/female only/mixed swim hours. It felt GREAT to add some swimming to the bike, treadmill, outside hill exercise regime. The rest of my Friday was relaxing- some walking around town, taking in the Pre-Shabbas atmosphere (my favorite) with the city all abuzz, and of course, some eating.

I had a lovely breakfast with one of the Rabbi's from Dallas and his wife. Aroma on Emek Refaim- always the hottest spot to see and be seen. In fact, I had a Jewish celebrity sighting! The one and only...Rick Jacobs, incoming URJ Pres. (recognized him from all the online publicity) The first time I spotted him, I decided not to say hi. The second time I walked by I decided to introduce myself. He appreciated it and we had a nice little chat. You never know who you'll run into in Jerusalem!

Friday evening Amy and I went to Nancy's house for Shabbat dinner- delicious food and great company. Nancy is not only our supervisor at school, but she has become our Israel Mom (gotta have at least one in every city i frequent!), so it was nice to be with her whole family- she has two sons around my age.

I headed out to Tel Aviv bright and early Saturday am for a relaxing beach day. Met up with my cousin, Ilana (shout out to cuz), and we walked around some main streets and explored Neve Tzedek, one of my favorite little artsy neighborhoods in Tel Aviv. Most stores were closed for Shabbat, but we got the feel of it. I always love to walk through the Susan Dallal Center (perf. Arts center that houses ballet, modern dance, etc.) because it's a beautiful and courtyard is awesome.

We spent a few hours relaxing on the beach (which was hopping!)- there was a group entertaining young Israeli guys next to us- dancing and singing and blaring Mizrahi music, which of course I loved. Speaking of which, Ayel Golan is giving a concert at the Sultan's Pool in Jlem this summer!

My friend/Cantorial classmate, Andrea, met up with us on the beach and it was great to chill with her in such a relaxed setting...very different than our usual lunch in the CL...or being in class on West 4th Broadway in a suffocating room with no windows...oiy...(shout out to you, achoti)

Andrea and I went to an outdoor concert that her friend was giving Sat. night titled "Shalom Broadway!" It was the kickoff concert for a free summer Motzei Shabbat series hosted by the city. There are so many amazing arts and cultural events in the summer here- it's outrageous! The concert was in the courtyard of the Opera House- very cool spot- lots of people- good energy- great breeze- beautiful evening. Whew, I am getting very spoiled this summer...The music was a mix of classic Broadway tunes/American Songbook and a few Israeli movie music classics. The coolest part was the constant back and forth between Hebrew and English. Loved hearing Phantom of the Opera and Guys and Dolls and Somewhere Over the Rainbow in Ivrit. (have got to get my hands on a copy of that one! Perfect for a concert...)

I almost forgot! Andrea and I had a banging dinner at "chadar ochel," a very cool restaurant right in the courtyard. YUM. Sea bream with okra and spinach and an awesome, sophisticated twist on the Israeli salad.

Took the bus back and it took me two hours- ugh! Should take 45. It suddenly came back to me that coming into Jerusalem on Motzei Shabbat is a big mistake.

I was exhausted, went to bed very late and still managed to wake up at 6am for women of the wall yesterday morning!

To be continued...

-Leslie

An Israeli Jam Session

An Israeli Jam Session
A guest post by Amy Goodman

With the tune Uf Gozal playing in the background of our Katamon, Jerusalem apartment, Leslie Niren embarked on a task to duplicate Benny’s world-famous homemade peach jam recipe. Little did I know that I would become engaged in this epic battle, as would our third roommate Daniel.

It all started three years ago. Benny was charged with leading the Niren family on their first tour of Israel. But quickly, Benny became so much more than a mere tour guide. And throughout Leslie’s year in Israel (2008-2009) Benny served as Israeli uncle, ambassador of Israeli culture, and weekend retreat host. Returning this summer, a bit older, a bit wiser and significantly closer to investiture, Leslie received a gift from Benny upon her return to Ha’aretz. Wishing a sweet summer in Israel, this first jar of homemade peach jam was voraciously eaten and then carefully rationed by Leslie. She did not share with us, not that either Daniel or I could blame her. When slathered over sunflower seed butter on a piece of toast, there could be no better breakfast imagined. This jam was described as “mind-blowing,” “[expletive deleted] amazing,” and “the most delicious thing I have ever tasted.” Admittedly, I have also heard watermelon, chocolate cake, lavender ice cream and rugelach described with the same superlatives. However, Leslie's enthusiasm for food does not diminish her refined assessment of said foodstuffs. When it is good, it is good.

So then we moved deeper into peach season in Israel. Half-kilos of peaches became full kilos sold at each and every grocery store. The peaches began calling to Leslie from the shuk and the fruit stands in Jerusalem and in Tel Aviv. Peaches – small, fuzzy, white, sweet and succulent – were begging to become the jam that Benny made famous throughout the country. Peach Jam. I must become Peach Jam.

Which brings us back to the present, when Daniel and Leslie returned to our apartment with two kilos of peaches which were destined to become preserved fruit. Sitting on our white (off white?) leather (?) couch, Daniel and I were drawn into the jamming. The first task, how to sterilize the jar for preserving the finished product. The decision – a large pasta pot, boiled for ten minutes and placed upon a clean, dry hand towel.

The next task – how to remove these freshly cleansed jars from the boiling water without assistance of tongs. The solution – a pink, plastic spatula inserted wrong-way inside and a wooden salad server supporting the base of the jar, one at a time. “Don’t breathe on these,” cautioned Leslie. “They’re sterilized now.” OK, Les. They’re sterilized. “Where are the jams?” Leslie asked. In this case, of course, she meant music from one of our iTunes collections. Daniel needed clarification, “Name a genre.” “Adult contemporary,” I offered. Thus began our Michael Buble block and I cursed myself. My suggestion, offered ironically, was taken literally and I was forced to hear ruined renditions of Van Morrison and Frank Sinatra classics. But our chef was happy – elated is more like it – singing along to Michael’s sultry sounds, occasionally shaking her butt and pausing to swoon.

With two kilos of peaches cut precisely, if not meticulously (and presumably washed), the jam cooking was ready to commence. The same pot soon held the peach sections, leaving us all to wonder – what color would this be in the end? Do you add any water, so the peaches don’t burn? “Benny says, no.” Really?? “The peaches produce their own juices. That’s what Benny says.” Thus, our electric range was put on a high heat. “Pectin?” I asked repeatedly, ad nauseum, frankly because I enjoyed how it sounded echoing off our white stone (?) floor. “Benny says no pectin.”

Well, how much sugar? Leslie’s verdict – 2 kilos of peaches and ¾ a kilo of sugar. “Absolutely not enough,” Daniel and I both opined. The recipes suggest a one to one ratio of fruit and sugar. “That is gross,” Leslie responded. “If you don’t want it sweet, then what’s the point of making jam?” Rabbi Andrew skyped in from Richmond, Virginia.

So the pro-sugar block achieved an increase – up to 2 kilos of peaches to 1 kilo of sugar. “I don’t think it will be sweet enough,” Daniel offered with cautious skepticism, not wanting to step on the chef’s toes or to offend her artistic sensibility. “If there isn’t enough sugar, it won’t thicken enough.” I take the moment to add, “Especially if there is no pectin. PECTIN!”

One half hour passes, we’ve moved through country music into hits from Glee and thankfully past mind-numbingly awful showtunes (frankly, if it isn’t from the Sound of Music I don’t want to hear it). It is time to add the lemon. “Benny says…” Well, Leslie. Benny isn’t here. So what are you going to do next? Lemon added, we return to the great sugar debate. “The peaches weren’t fully ripe.” “All of the online recipes say 1:1 fruit to sugar.” “There was actually closer to 2.2 kilos of fruit.”

All of these considerations made sense, but Leslie remained skeptical. “Should I add more sugar? I just don’t want it to be too sweet.” “YES!!!” Daniel and I screamed. Another ½ kilo is added. Just as the last crystals were added, Daniel’s mother called from New Jersey. Important information of note: she’s a professional chef. Leslie can’t help asking, even though the sugar has already been poured, “When you make jam, what is your ratio?” Her response: “I usually do two to one.” “NO!!!!”

But at this point, what is there to do? The sugar has been added. From Richmond, the caution – it gets less sweet as it cools. The “in case of” suggestion – make some unsweetened applesauce in the morning after you taste it. It takes away some of the sweetness without adding flavor. “But then it wouldn’t be peach jam.” Well there’s nothing to do now, let’s see how it goes. “But the color is wonderful!” Yes, Leslie. It is.

Leslie turns the heat off, covers the pot and it is time to shower. Leslie goes first, as usual, and Daniel and I take a moment to taste the jam. “Oh, shit. It’s pretty sweet,” Daniel said. “No! It can’t be that sweet.” I slunk (?) sheepishly toward the kitchen and grabbed hold of the demitasse spoon – the only non-serving spoons we seem to have in this apartment. “Oh shit! It really is sweet.” We look at each other with concerned, gritted teeth and begin speaking in hushed tones. “Don’t tell Leslie,” said I. “Maybe it will be less sweet when it cools,” Daniel offered. Wishful thinking. However, with a pervasive stickiness in the apartment, yet surrounded by an ether of sugary, peachy sweetness, we all headed to bed.

Morning comes and we’re all up early, eager to see what a night’s rest has done for both our chefs and our product. Leslie is up first, at the crack of dawn, fretting about the jars which sat out over night exposed to the elements from the open window. “They are not sterile any more.” Unfortunately, the pot that had once served as a receptacle for sterilizing was filled with about 1.5 liters of peach jam. A 2 quart saucepan would have to make due in the meantime – but it was certainly not large enough for one jar, let alone for two. But we do what we can with limited supplies. I stumble out next, eager for a bowl of cheerios, my usual routine, when I remember why I was so elated upon arising this morning. It would not be cheerios, honey nut or otherwise. It would be delicious, peach jam on a piece of toast. Peach jam indeed!

But first – to jar the fruits of our proverbial labors. Another makeshift version of a supply that even a minimally stocked kitchen would contain. She would not be deterred. With encouragement from me and our now awoken grizzly bear (“Seriously, Leslie! What were you doing at 6am?” I remind him, “Ear plugs, Daniel. Ear plugs.” The grumbling, grizzly bear in not amused.) “It is a bit too sweet, but not terrible.” Do not fret, Leslie, I have honey everyday. It is not too sweet for me. And another concern voiced: “We have so much! Who can we give some away to?” I have a peanut butter and honey sandwich every day. I’m definitely excited to switch to peach jam. “Really?” Absolutely! Peach jam indeed!

But finally, to eat. Oh! To eat. It was sweet, but not so much that my teeth were hurting. It was the kind of sweetness that wrapped itself around you like an envelope of delicious. There were big pieces of peach, preserved to be soft and slithery and yet retained texture when you bit into them. The color, a rich golden, with just a hint of a reddish hue, glistening like a fresh mist on a river of yum. I eat breakfast slowly this particular morning, saving my coffee until after I’m done – not wanting anything to confuse my now heightened taste buds. More! More! More! I caution them. We do have two jars. Let the flavor linger today and savor what we’ve created in the weeks to come. So, with just a touch of sadness, we close the jars and put them away for now.

So now I am left asking the question: Are you ready to try some? Well, if you are anything like me then frankly, in the immortal words of Queen B, I don’t think you’re ready for this jelly. But, thankfully, I have the rest of the summer to try.

AEG 7/5/2011

*note from Leslie- "A huge thank you to Amy for her stellar contribution. There better be some comments on this post..."

Ode to Jlem Cabbies

I love Israeli cab drivers. Their pushy ways, occasional rudeness, great stories... I even enjoy when they they try to rip me off just so I can put up a fight and let them know that I'm not a tourist. It's fun. Also I do my best Hebrew work when I'm in cabs. It's a safe space to speak and make mistakes. And usually cabbies are kind and forgiving...and especially encouraging when it comes to my Heeb-lish skills.

I decided to walk home from Shabbat lunch on Saturday afternoon- probably a 30 minute walk. I start walking and this cabbie pulled up next to me and told me to get in. I said that I wanted to walk- mostly because I didn't feel like paying (and of course to walk off the pounds of food I had just consumed). He said in Hebrew that it was too hot to walk. I said I didn't have any money (fib) and he replied, "no problem, I'll take you home for free.". I thought for a split second that maybe this guy was a murderer and I should avoid putting myself in possibly dangerous situations...then I felt a bead of sweat drip from my forehead and imagined how soaked I'd be a mere 30 minutes later if I walked in that heat...hmm,tough choice...but not too tough...A hot (!) second later I was enjoying the a/c of cabbie's nice car, hoping that he wasn't a psychopath. It's Israel, of course not. He was quite chatty and mamash excited about an upcoming visit to California to see his brother. Turns out cabbie was a great guy and was being a nice citizen of Yerushalim by offering me a ride. Go figure.

I usually ride my bike to school in the morning, but today I was carrying a lot so I decided to hop a cab. This mornings cab interaction provided a very engaging ride with Shimon, an orthodox Jerusalemite and a lover of Chazzanut. I don't always share what I'm doing with randoms, but this guy had a million questions and he seemed genuinely interested. So I told him that I'm studying to be a Chazzanit and I thought he would jump out of his seat with excitement! He asked me to sing some Chazzanut for him. I'm in the midst of planning a Kabbalat Shabbat service for orientation, so the first thing that popped into my head was L'chu N'ran'na nusach. I chanted the line and he mumbled along. He was fascinated. No judgements of the Reform Movement, no ridicule for women Cantors, simply curiosity and appreciation. What a great way to start the day!

Shimon, like many cabbies and Israelis in general, asked if I'm married. They all think it's a sin to be over the age of 22 and not married. (you too, Yinon!) God forbid. So, my standard answer in Hebrew is, "No, not married, still searching for the "ish miyuchad." (special guy) Shimon doesn't skip a beat, saying he has a great guy for me, 35 and very handsome. OIY. Do I have a sign on my forehead that says, "set me up?!" Anyway, Shimon was fun.

Then, a few nights ago I had another cabbie who asked me to sing- so we sang Israeli songs the whole ride together- yerushalim shel zahav, Lu Y'hi, etc...He had a terrible voice, but loved to sing.

What is my point here? It is not to illustrate that I somehow end up in cabs all the time...the point is that Israelis are friendly (and cab drivers are lonely and need people to talk to) and many are interested in learning about and appreciating Reform Judaism. Being open-minded and engaging in conversations with people in every day life in Jerusalem is what it's all about.

So much of our orientation this year is focused on becoming a part of this culture for the year- not being an outsider, connecting from the inside. So what is the first step in connecting from the inside? Talking and connecting with people- human to human- religious and cultural differences aside. If those differences come up (and they always do), it's okay!

Not every taxi driver reacts favorably like Shimon. Many of them don't even consider the Reform Movement to be the same religion that they practice. They can't grasp the concept of a woman Rabbi or Cantor, let alone the image of one of these women wearing a tallit or a kippah. These differences in beliefs are part of what makes living here so fascinating.

Part of our growth in these five years (and beyond) is to struggle and to disagree, to educate and to learn, and above all else, to be open-minded and willing to meet people halfway.

Amen.

To cab drivers!

Week 4 b'aretz

Shalom Blogos!

I realize it has been entirely too long since my last post. Apologies! The pace has really picked up around here- been keeping mighty busy. My two intern counterparts/roommates, Amy and Daniel, arrived last week so there has been much action around the apartment. Where to begin!?

I have about two weeks of events to catch you up on. After my wonderful trip to the Galilee, I met the pre-ulpan students the very next day. We spent some time acquainting them to the campus and the areas around HUC. Since there are only four of them, it's been a pretty low key couple of weeks. I did a cool shuk and cook event with them. We went to the shuk to buy fresh ingredients and them cooked a massive and delicious meal of Israeli dishes. It was a big success! I'll list the dishes for all of you chefs out there and if you want the recipe, shoot me a message. Happy to share!

Roasted Cauliflower
Flame Roasted Eggplant with Tehina
Carrot and Date Salad (with silan, date honey, my new fav ingredient)
Beet salad (with pomegranate molasses, my other new fav ingredient)
Israeli Salad
Tabouli with dried fruit
Sinea- ground beef with tehina

Two Fridays ago Temple Beth El (my Boca congregation) was in town for a big summer Israel trip. It was lots of fun to catch up with them and Dan and Lori invited me to lead services with them Friday night at Robinson's Arch- right next to the kotel in the old city. I was still in my adjustmentbacktolifeinIsraelphase so everything was fresh and shimmery- it was a lovely space for t'filah- inspiringly historical. (sort of like that term). There was another congregation having services in a different section of Robinson's arch- with Rich Recht leading (!)- so it was cool to hear their praying and singing interspersed with ours.

Saturday night I had dinner with one of my favorite TBE families, the Blocks. I did their older daughters B'not Mitzvah a few years ago in FL and now they were celebrating their youngest's Bat Mitzvah in Israel. It was so awesome to reconnect with them- lots of laughter- phenomenal family- the girls crack me up. The two oldest are rising Jr's and Sr's in high school and they are full of pizazz and personality! Boy crazy to the max. They had become somewhat obsessed with Israeli soldiers and seemed to pick them up everywhere they went. Saturday night after dinner we saw the light show in the City of David (very cool journey through the history of Jerusalem through lights projected onto the old Jerusalem stone city walls) followed by a shopping extravaganza on Ben Yehuda. Tallitot, Menorahs and jewelry, oh my. Very fun and especially entertaining because Carly and Molly had these soldiers literally following them around all night. It was very cute. I thought maybe Carly would tell her parents she was making Aliyah right then and there. Shout out to the Blocks!

Last Friday I went to Modi'in for services (20 min outside Jerusalem) with Temple Emanu-El, my Dallas congregation! They were also here touring. It was great to meet some new TE congregants and hang out with the Rabbis. The service at Kehilat Yozma in Modi'in was awesome! Actually, it's my favorite service that I've seen in Israel- warm and welcoming (despite all the Hebrew), participatory, familiar melodies prayerful and lovely guitar accompaniment. My HUC classmate Andrea was there so it was GREAT to catch up with her. They even invited us to sing Shalom Aleichem together in the service. http://www.yozma.org.il/eng/4building.htm

Kehilat Yozma is a Reform congregation that was founded in 1997, the same year the city of Modi'in was established. It is a modern, planned city with tons of open green spaces (one of the only of its kind in Israel). It was built as an alternative for people who didn't want to live in Jerusalem or Tel Aviv- a much cheaper option.

The congregation provided home hospitality for us and I was thrilled to be placed with a wonderful and very musical family. A singing/guitar playing Father/daughter duo- they were outrageous! This girl was 15 (looked 19) and she sang like a pro- has been listening to her Father play forever so she does everything by ear. Bieber, Beyonce, Katy Perry, Leonard Cohen, you name it, she can play it. It was pretty rad. Great food too.

Saturday evening I led Havdalah with the Temple Emanu-El Rabbis and then we had dinner at the Cinamateque. It was a beautiful Havdallah service by the windmill in Yemin Moshe and I felt so privileged to be a part of it. Instead of using a traditional spice box, everybody had the responsibility of buying one fresh spice/herb at the shuk to contribute. Asher went around collecting spices from everyone in a coffee mug. I love the idea of a communally collected spice mix for the service- even cooler that all the items came from the shuk. It was an interesting aroma...I'll leave it at that. (the ground coffee was a bit overpowering) It felt really nice to be a part of this warm community and I am continually amazed by the Rabbis and the level of intention that is the standard for the TE clergy team. It's inspiring.

As I said before, Amy and Daniel arrived last week and we have been very busy planning for the students arrival in the next two weeks. Ready for them to arrive already! Lots of meetings, logistics, programs, and details to iron out. We have decorated the intern office so it is welcoming and homey- perhaps I'll snap a picture this week so you can see our creative posters. We went to town collaging with the only two magazines we could get our hands on- Time Out Jerusalem and this months issue of Rolling Stone. My favorite pic is the one of Justin Biebs and his lady friend Selena Gomez smooching it up on the beach. *note- there is no age limit on the wide appeal of Bieber Fever.

In our spare time we have had a few fun evening activities this week for the pre-ulpan students and a few other students who happen to be here early. Monday night we went to the light festival in the Old City. Hard to know how to describe this one...basically they had a few light installations around the Old City- there were four different paths to follow- each with different lights and attractions to see. The actual lights were not that impressive in my opinion, but it was a huge success! People were out in droves- what a mob scene- wow! SO MANY PEOPLE. In fact, almost too many. But it was really nice to see such crowds out and about in the Old City- Israelis, tourists and a nice mix of all ages. I guess that's what happens when there is a FREE event.

Tuesday night Amy and I went to see Carousel in the theater in Mercaz Shimshon/Beit Schmuel, building attached to HUC. It is a community non-profit theater company, sort of equivalent to a JCC production. I actually had never seen Carousel before (but of course knew all the music) and was quite shocked by the BIZARRE story line. It was opening night and we went to support Tamar, the head of the Cantorial program in Israel. She was playing Aunt Nettie and had all the best songs (self-professed). Despite the amateur production, we enjoyed ourselves and Amy and I have not stopped singing June Is Busting Out All Over since Tuesday. In fact we were hoping to use it as the opening song for t'filah this morning. Some fun facts about the production...The male lead, Billy, was played by an evangelical, African-American, Christian from Texas and Julie was played by a 17-year-old british, orthodox, ex-pat who is shomer negiah. Quite a pairing! The majority of the cast and audience were religious-great people watching. Tamar said the cast members were all davening ma'ariv before the clambake.

There was also a hilarious disclaimer in the program about shellfish due to the raucous clambake number at the beginning of Act II. "All food products used on stage in this production have been certified kosher/parve under rabbinic supervision. Although reference is made to shellfish,the items, in question are only to establish the New England locale of the play and do not in any way constitute an endorsement of such eating habits. For further reference, please see Leviticus 11:9-12 and commentaries thereon.

Enough said...

OIY.

Wednesday night we went to see an Israeli film called "Footnote." It actually won best screenplay at Cannes Film Festival this year. I enjoyed the movie, but wasn't blown away. Beginning was very slow and I thought parts were quite boring. The ending left a lot to be desired...I don't like cliffhangers at the end of a movie. I want a real ending! The movie was set around Jerusalem so it was cool to recognize specific areas. The best part about this outing was the movie venue. It's this adorable cafe called Smadar. They have one theater and it's awesome- old-fashioned, big comfortable chairs. They usually have artsy movies playing there. Surprisingly I had never seen a movie there before. Hope they get a good rotation this summer so I can frequent!

New since my last posting is my membership to the YMCA! Very exciting. Mostly because when a person enjoys food as much as I do, there needs to be a scheduled daily time to burn calories! I'm really enjoying my membership and have found a nice weekly routine. Baruch Hashem! It's interesting people watching too- lots of Arabs...and Israelis...I try to understand the locker room talk among the older women. Pretty funny kibbutzing.

Today is Friday. As previously stated in my blog, despite my love for Jeruslem, I am a firm believer that one must leave Jerusalem at least once every two weeks for a change of scenery. My two weeks were up since the Galilee trip and I could feel myself getting a bit Jlemstircrazy the past few days. I decided to hop in a sheirut and head to Tel Aviv for the day. What a great decision it turned out to be. Totally rejuvenating. First of all, the weather is gorgeous! HOT HOT HOT, but gorgeous.
Second of all, as soon as we entered Tel Aviv I could feel this entirely different city pulse than the one in Jerusalem. Big, bustling city, tall buildings, secular energy and LOTS of skin! After all, it is on the water and the beach is the main attraction of Tel Aviv, especially on Fridays and Saturdays in the summer.

I got to Tel Aviv around noon and walked for four straight hours! (in the pounding sun...got a bit of a burn...) I walked down the iconic, beautiful tree-lined Rothchild St., took in the stillcoolbutnotnearlyashappeningandfunkyasitusedtobe Sheinken St., and then headed to Nachalat Binyamin to see the crafts fair. It happens every Tuesday and Friday and even though I've seen it many times, it never gets old. Totally fun to scope out the art and jewelry and Knicks-knacks and see the artists at work while people peruse their tables. This guy, Moshe Jacob was awesome- a retired teacher who carves faces into wood as a pastime.
http://www.moshejacob.com/

By the way, I neglected to mention that I stopped for an icy limonana on Sheinken at my favorite little cafe, Suzette's. It's only lemonade and fresh mint (nana) blended with ice, but one must not underestimate the refreshing forces of a perfect limonana on a scorching day. It's similar to quenching one's thirst with a lemon-lime Gatorade after biking a long uphill stretch with the sun beating down on your back. Yesss.

After the crafts fair, I did a walk through of the Carmel Shuk- the Tel Aviv equivalent to Machne Yehuda. Of course it was bustling with people on Shabbat shopping missions. The biggest difference I see from the Jlem shuk is the booming Mizrahi music from all the stalls. It's such a different pulse. LOVE THAT. The more Ayel Golan, the better.

I walked along the entire promenade next to the beach and continued over to the namal (the port). It was lovely to take in the sights and get lost in the beauty of the day. Such a great atmosphere there. Unbelievable that it's only a 45 minute drive from Jerusalem but it's like entering a different world. Took tons of pictures--maybe a few too many of the different beach/ocean scenes but I was really loving it.

I went back to the shuk in the late afternoon to pick up some fruit to take home, hopped in a sheirut and a short 45 minutes later, was back in Jerusalem. Amy and Daniel made a fabulous Shabbat dinner- DELICIOUS- and we had a few other random-ish guests join us. One total random American tourist here for work (nobody should be alone on Shabbat!) that my roommates met by chance and the other was a guy I met at a Shabbat dinner in NY a few months ago. Very pleasant.

Saturday morning I helped lead services with Tamar (head of Jerusalem Cantorial program) and Yoshi (Rabbi in charge of the Year in Israel program). Also, Amy and I chanted Torah and Daniel did Haftorah. It was a really energetic and engaging service and it felt great to be leading again. Also it was the debut of my brand new tallitot! I wore one and Amy wore won. The pictures don't do them justice. They are beautiful, silk, Emanuel designs with hand-painted facades of Jerusalem outlined in gold. I like to collect tallitot the same way I collect glasses. The key is that they are functional and stylish. A tallit made with heavy fabric is HOT when leading. Lightweight is the way to go.

Met lots of nice folks after the service who were visiting from the States. Gave a campus tour to a big group and then headed over for Shabbat lunch to a friend of a friends place. It was so nice to break away from the HUC bubble for a few hours and meet new people. Great company and delicious food. I thought because it was a dairy meal it would be manageable, but oh my gosh, the food just kept coming. You really have to pace yourself. People go all out for Shabbat meals here- it's extravagant....But the best part about Shabbat is that life stops moving at such a fast pace for a whole day and families come together to spend quality time with their loved ones. When you walk around the city on a Saturday afternoon, it's amazing to know that everyone is doing the same thing. Through the open windows you hear the forks hitting the plates, you see people walking home from shul, you smell the food simmering. Shabbat is an amazing gift and it's so refreshing to experience it in this all-consuming, yet refreshing manner. It's one of the things I'll miss most when I leave at the end of the summer.

This morning I stopped by a little bike shop near our apt. to fill my tires with air. The owner of the shop, Avner, is this adorable old man who doesn't speak any English. I've stopped there once or twice already so he recognized me. After he filled my tires, he was rummaging through an old drawer, looking for an envelope with pictures. He said he wanted to show me something. Eventually he pulled out some old photos of the bike which shop which used to be more than four times its current size. In the picture, a very young Avner was standing in front of the shop with another young man- he was so proud of the store. I asked what happened to the store and he said he got tired. He downsized to a tiny little bike shop and brought in a restaurant for the space next door, which he also owns. I offered to pay him for helping me but he refused to take the money. He said next time I stop by we'll have a coffee. Where else do these kinds of interactions happen? Nowhere!







This post is long enough. Must really try for more frequent, shorter posts...

Here are my latest pics: https://picasaweb.google.com/leslie.niren/Israel2

Today's ordinary miracles:

the generosity of strangers in Israel.
biking to school.
alfajores cookies at Aroma.
(alfajores is a South American sandwich cookie of dulce de leche between thin rounds of shortbread rolled in coconut-YUM.)

Lila Tov,
Lessslie