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

I am having a love affair...

...with Israel! :)

So much to divulge...

I spent Tuesday and Wednesday visiting Benny (our famous tour guide) and his wife Rachel at their vacation home in the Galilee. (Permanent home in Eilat, vacation home in Galilee- not a bad life!) My cousin, Ilana, is living in Tel Aviv for 6 months so we went together. It was GREAT to spend time with her and it was a perfect vacation from my vacation. We took the train from Tel Aviv and it was efficient and timely- two adjectives you don't normally use to describe anything in this country. Quite a surprise.

Benny and Rachel picked us up from the Akko station, a quick 10 minute drive from their house. They live in a small neighborhood/settlement town called Tzurit. Tzurit is a few minutes away from the city of Carmel (which happens to be Pittsburgh’s sister city!) and is pretty much surrounded by Arab villages. You can hear the Islamic call to prayer 5 times a day- it’s especially intense at dawn when you’re still trying to sleep…

We mostly relaxed on Tuesday, caught up, and enjoyed the fresh Galilee air. Even though I hadn’t seen Benny in 3 years, it felt like not a moment had gone by. Ilana and I took a little stroll around the neighborhood and enjoyed the gorgeous views. Benny and I had a SERIOUS sheish beish tournament and in the 11th hour I lost the do or die match. Bummer. It was lots of fun. And course, how can I not talk about the food? Much time was spent hanging around the kitchen, the heart of every household. Clearly this is partly a food blog (as was proven by my last posting) so I wouldn’t want to deny you any important food findings. Rachel made Benny’s Mother’s yeminite chicken recipe for lunch- so tasty. I actually remember it from my visit to Eilat a few years ago. It’s a combination of spices I’ve never heard of- looking forward to finding them in the shuk to test it out. Benny showed us around his amazing garden with all types fruits and vegetables and herbs. There was an abundance of peaches so he cut up a few pounds and started a massive batch of peach jam. The house smelled ridiculous and I can attest from our breakfast the next morning that it was awesome! Tuesday afternoon also began an interesting 24-hour exploration of various Israeli cheesecakes- as is the custom to eat on Shavuot, which celebrates the Israelites receiving of the Torah on Mt. Sinai. I must admit, I don’t like cheesecake at all. However, Israeli cheesecake tastes nothing like our Americanheavyfattythickblockofcreamcheese version. It was light and fluffy, like eating a cloud. In fact, we were told many times that it has a tiny little fraction of the fat of American cheesecake. Therefore, acceptable to eat.



It’s interesting to note that Tuesday night I slept a full 9 hours- that was the first night I have really slept since I arrived. I attribute it to the peace and calm that characterizes the area- no cars, no city noise, nothing (except the frequent Muslim prayers being blasted over the loudspeakers).

We had a FULL day of sightseeing on Wednesday! We drove through Carmel and made our first stop at Shayeret Yechiam. Yechiam is a kibbutz in the Upper Galilee area. Accoridng to the 1947 UN Partition Plan, Yechiam was within the limits of the Arab state rather than the Jewish one. On March 27, 1948, a Haganah (defense force pre-Israeli army) convoy of 7 trucks were bringing supplies to the kibbutz which had been under constant Arab attack. The convoy was ambushed by Arabs and 47 Israeli soldiers were killed, all between the ages of 16-22. So sad. Almost everywhere you go in Israel there are monuments and stories and echoes of brave Israelis who gave their lives defending this country. It’s incredible.



We hopped back in the car, drove very close to the Lebanon boarder and made a stop to visit some of Benny/Rachel’s friends at Rosh Hanikra Kibbutz, founded in 1949- at the very top of the Western Galilee. More beautiful scenery- so green. It was lovely, very relaxing, gorgeous day (and HOT). We took in their gardens and their remarkable collection of bonsai trees- Mr. Miyagi would be proud- (it’s practically a full time job to care for that many bonsai trees), and sat on the porch. Their whole family was over (so Israeli) for the chag, a bunch of cute kids running around, we noshed on fresh fruit and home-made outofthisworldIsraeli cheesecake. The fruit is so scrumptious here. In the words of a true genius, “the snozzberries taste like snozzberries!” But seriously, I can’t get grapes or nectarines or watermelon in NY that’s half as flavorful as it is here.

Of course they all wanted to know what I do in life and why I’m in Israel and when I explained the Cantorial thing, Rachel insisted that I sing something for everyone. I was racking my brain in the moment for an Israeli song that everyone could join in on…I decided on Eli Eli, my favorite. It was a nice moment. They enjoyed it. Another Eli Eli memory for my long list of associations with that song…

I insisted that we make a stop at the Rosh HaNikra grottos (which are run by members of the kibbutz) since I have always wanted to go and it didn’t happen on my last trip. In Hebrew it literally means “head of the grottos.” It’s an outrageous geological formation on the coast of the Mediterranean- a huge white cliff that opens into stunning grottos. For a more technical explanation: cavernous tunnels formed by sea action on the soft chalk rock. The total length is some 200 meters. They branch off in various directions with some interconnecting segments. We waited in a LONG line for the cable car amidst a sea of Arab high school students on a field trip. Talk about a cultural divide…There were also a good amount of Israeli families there since it was a holiday. Interesting people watching…I’m continually amazed by this melting pot and fascinated by the fact that so many different groups of people inhabit the land. It’s sad that there has to be so much hatred and fighting in such a beautiful place.





We took the cable car down and watched a lame movie (that oddly enough included a whole segment on the life of sea turtles) on how the grottos were formed, and walked through the grottos. I don’t have the facility with the English language (like some of my friends) to describe how cool they were- my pictures will have to do.



Back to the car for some more scenic driving and stunning views of the coast. The whole day was a glorious nature outing- the flowers and plants and trees- one picture more beautiful than the next. We saw banana groves and avocado, karob, olive, chesek, and lemon trees just to name a few. Half of them just grow wild with nobody picking the fruit. Fun fact: I just learned last night that shesek fruits exists in the U.S. (maybe only in California??) and apparently it’s called a loquat. Am I the only one who has never heard of a loquat?! When I first tried it here a few years I was fascinated by this fruit that I thought only grew in Israel. Ha. Jokes on me.

Oh btw, my new favorite Hebrew word for the moment is “mishmish”- apricot. Everybody try saying it! They are awesome right now.

We continued along to Mearat Qeshet, the arch cave. Whew, a breathtaking view of the whole Western Galilee area. Stunning. This massive cave is located on the south edge of the mountain ridge that separates the upper Galilee and Lebanon, overlooking the Bezet creek. The ceiling of the cave has collapsed, leaving only a giant arch- hence the name. Behold a picture!



There is also a memorial at this location for Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev in this park, the two Israeli soldiers whose dead bodies were returned in 2008 as part of a prisoner swap.

It really was nuts driving through this entire region- we might as well have been in Switzerland with all of the mountains and greenery. At a certain point near the Cave, you can see a winding road and one one side of the road is Lebanon and the other side is Israel. You could practically reach out and touch one country from the next.

Benny is like an encyclopedia. But not a boring one! An entertaining, animated, funny, passionate encyclopedia with mesmerizing stories about everything. He’s the most fun to go touring with him. I asked him if he gets bored of visiting all the same places over and over with tourists. He says no- that each time he’s with different people and he finds new ways to tell the stories and he goes at different times and seasons and it’s never the same. Pretty neat.

We continued on to the old city of Akko- one of my favorites. It used to be an important port city in ancient Israel. Most of the goods produced in ancient times in the Galilee were exported from here to Rome and to other cities around the Mediterranean. Akko is also one of the oldest and continuously inhabited cities in the country. It’s a mixed population city- 72% Jewish and 28% Arab. It’s also the holiest city of the Bahai religion. (despite the Temple in Haifa!) Akko has a long history of different sovereignty- going through periods of Greek, Roman, Arab, Crusader, Ottomon, and British rule. We went to the Arab market in the old city because everything else was closed for Shavuot. The Arab market was also actually closing down by the time we got there. We were starving at this point so we picked one of the first little Arab restaurants. Not a great choice. Somehow we all forgot that there are great restaurants just beyond on the port side. Oh well. We stuck to salads and hummus and pita- not such a great place to risk ordering meat or fish. Afterwards, Benny suggested w e go to the Arab bakery to get something sweet. Lots of different cookies- mostly covered in nuts- which is not my thing. Actually there were only two items in the whole bakery that didn’t have nuts. These little halva filled cookies- which rocked. And a sesame bar for lack of a better term. Think rice krispy treat, except instead of rice krispies and marshmellow, sesame seeds and honey. It was actually delic. We had some nana tea (fresh mint leaves) to wash it down. We strolled through the old streets over to the Port and took in the beautiful view as the sun was setting. More interesting people watching as you’ll see from my pictures. No Jews- of course- all Arabs. It’s interesting to be the only Jews in that situation- you stick out like a sore thumb…or a half of a finger tip. I couldn’t help but feel out of place. Nonetheless, I like walking through ancient towns and it was lovely. We headed back to the house for a bit and then caught a 9:22 train back to Tel Aviv.



It was such a wonderful little trip. It should be a rule to leave Jerusalem at least once every two weeks. I adore Jerusalem, but it’s good to see the rest of the country as well. Also, all the orthodox stuff becomes repetitive without a change of scenery. You can appreciate it more when you leave and come back. I loved spending time with my cousin. Until recently the age difference has seemed great and we really didn’t see each other much as kids, but now that she’s out of college, the divide is much less. That’s really nice…And what a treat to spend some quality time with Benny and Rachel. They’re wonderful people. I’m especially grateful to know Benny- he’s one of a kind. A storyteller, a philosopher, a people person to the core, and a lover of life- very inspiring- he understands what it’s all about and knows how to live.

Link to my first full photo album- https://picasaweb.google.com/leslie.niren/IsraelSummer102
Check out my apt!
Bummed that the pics don't look as good as they do in iphoto. Picassa takes away brilliance of photos.

Well, I was hoping to get to Shabbat as well, but that will have to wait until my next installment. So I’ll say, to be continued…

Ordinary Miracles:

Shabbat calm.
Temporary solitude.
air conditioning.
Israeli cucumbers and tomatoes.

Shabbat Shalom from the Holy Land,
Leslie

Feels like I never left...

I am in absolute heaven.

My first 5 days back in Jerusalem have been incredible. It’s like I’m a kid in Wonka’s chocolate factory and I can’t get enough. My eyes filled with tears of happiness on my drive from the airport to Jerusalem on Wednesday. I met Nancy (head of student affairs) at the apt. that I’ll share with the other interns and was flabbergasted to see what a beautiful home we’ll be living in for the summer. As convenient as Lincoln 12 was, this is a major upgrade! The location is about a 45-minute walk from school and while I was initially wary about the distance, I have grown to appreciate living in a new neighborhood and having a different perspective. Katamon is a beautiful, residential area and we are only a 15-minute walk from Emek Refaim (main street of the German Colony-pics in future post).

I decided to buy a bike to get around Jerusalem since our apt isn’t so close to school—I can zip around and be anywhere within 12-15 minutes. It’s great! And there are tons of hills. Good for the gluts and hamstrings. Especially with the amount of food I consume here. I’m starving all the time and it’s so delicious-impossible to resist. More about food later.

People in Israel (especially Jerusalem) are SO friendly. I have met more people in the past 5 days than in my entire 2 years living in NYC. NOT surprising. But seriously, I meet great Israelis everywhere I go- it’s awesome. They’re outgoing and direct and generally full of life. Quite a change from the drab Americans I encounter in my daily life in NY. I befriend every waiter and cabdriver that I encounter. Lonely? Not a chance. It’s been fabulous. And I’ve also reconnected with many old favorites. I saw my Hebrew teacher from my year in Israel today, I’m seeing Benny tomorrow (my family’s tour guide), and I even found a way to get Asher’s phone number (my personal cabdriver). I e-mailed the cell phone company and asked for my bills from three years ago. I looked at the last two days of numbers because Asher took me to the airport. He was the third number that I called. You can call me Sherlock Holmes.

Here’s another great story…I brought my iphone with me to Israel and had planned on taking it to an Apple guru in town to jailbreak the phone. I had already rented an Israeli sim card with the cell company here so all I needed was a tech expert. I was on my way to the Apple guru as I passed by the bed store where I purchased a brand new bed at the beginning of my year in Israel (’08-’09 for time reference…bed situation is a long story- but the one at Lincoln 12 was unacceptable) Yinon, a nice, orthodox man sold me the bed and throughout the year I would pop in to say hello. He invited me to spend Shabbat with his family. I never took him up on the offer. So, I’m walking buy the bed store, I turn my head to see if he’s there. And of course, he’s sitting at the desk just like the last time I saw him. I walk in and without skipping a beat he says, “you came back.” I couldn’t believe he remembered me. He said, “of course. Your Grandmother bought you the bed.” Hilarious. I stayed for many hours. We caught up. He’s a very funny, entertaining guy. Went to Colombia for undergrad, was in the diamond business and now he sells furniture for fun. When I told him about my cell he said he had a friend who would do it for free. He was flabbergasted when I told him the store wanted 250 shekels to unlock the phone. Within 25 minutes Yinon’s friend, Yitzhik, showed up and started to unlock the phone. It was fun hanging out with them and of course the unlocked cell phone was a nice perk! Yinon reminded me that I never came for Shabbat with his family. Of course this time I will follow up.

Perhaps I should divulge my Shabbat eating extravaganza…

My first Shabbat back in the Holy Land was excellent. Friday morning I went to the shuk. It’s the craziest, busiest time to go as everyone is preparing for Shabbat, but I love the energy on Friday. I took in the sights and smells (and halva samples!), and then bought my bike on Aggripas (right near the shuk). While bike guy was putting different tires on, I went in search of a delicious lunch at a nearby hole in the wall restaurant—homestyle Israeli cooking- everything brewing in huge pots. An array of Israeli salads, perfectly grilled chicken skewer, stewed vegetables from a soup and the best mujadera I have ever eaten. Mujadera is a mixture of rice, lentils and caramelized onions. It’s divine. YUM. Pre Shabbat meal: success.

Friday night I went over to one of the Rabbi/teacher’s homes from HUC for Shabbat dinner. It was so nice that they included me on my first Shabbat back in town. Great conversation, excellent company and stellar food. Shelly’s wife is an EXCELLENT cook. Salads, spinach stuffed panko salmon, mashed potatoes, some brown rice/spinach/cheese square concoction, cooked vegetables. And the best carrot cake I have ever tasted in my life. Coconut, pineapple, cream cheese icing- oh my. I was at a table with at least 7 people who made aliyah. Most 30 years ago, a few in the past 6 years. There was a heated discussion about the difference between raising children in Israel and raising children in America. Clearly, you can barely talk about them in the same breath. It was very interesting. And it is directly linked to my fascination with people who choose to make Aliyah and start a new life for their families. There was a middle aged man sitting next to me who had made aliyah 6 years ago with his wife and three kids when they were about 14, 13 and 11. The kids all adjusted fine and now they’re Israeli. It blows my mind. And they speak Hebrew like they were born here. I don't know how they get rid of their American accents but the kids can all do it. It's wild. His daughter, currently fulfilling her military obligation, was also there. She was lovely and mature beyond her years (as all young Israelis are) and spoke frankly about enjoying her new Israeli life. I think it’s an admirable and mamash bold decision to re-evaluate one’s life and decide that moving to Israel is the next step in the journey. What a powerful choice. Shabbat meal #1: delightful and delicious.

Saturday early afternoon I was invited for Shabbat lunch at Rabbi Danny Schiff’s home. He worked in Pittsburgh for some time and I sang at his synagogue once many years ago. He’s a brilliant Rabbi and an absolute mensch. The last time I saw him was at the very beginning of my year in Israel. He was on sabbatical with his family here and they were just packing up to go back to the States. They made aliyah two years ago- two teenagers- also very well adjusted. Another lovely meal with excellent company and scrumptious food. Just to tempt you- starter salads, soup, green salad, salmon, Portobello mushrooms, green beans, etc. And dessert…oiy…chocolate covered strawberries, melon, cookies and the best tiramisu I’ve ever tasted. I was the only American at lunch! Surrounded by a sea of Brits and Australians. It was actually cool to be the only American- loved the pretty accents- was semi jealous. Shabbat meal #2: lovely and delectable.

From here I hopped a ride with the Marmur’s over to Nancy’s (head of student affairs) place for a Shabbat BBQ. I had met Nancy’s fabulous friends Friday night at services before Shelly’s dinner so it was nice to hang with them. Oh! I forgot to mention that we went to Nava Tehila, the renewal service below Kol Haneshama. Was interesting, a bit kumbayah-ish, freely spiritual, lots of instruments- 5 guitars, a harp, hand drum and perhaps a few others. There was too much talking and it was in Hebrew so there wasn’t a great flow established. Nonetheless, a cool service to experience- lots of hippies. Back to Nancy’s house. Good thing I had a little schmooze break between Lunch and dinner...yikes. The food was A-mazing. It was sort of potluck style, so a nice mélange that miraculously all worked together beautifully. Highlights included: an awesome summer salad, a pasta salad with fresh broccolini, home-made sun-dried tomatoes, chickpeas, red onion, and herbs in a vinaigrette, grilled steak, grilled kebab, grilled eggplant, assorted delicious salatim, and awesome oven roasted potatoes and carrots. Dessert was the best fruit crisp I’ve ever tasted. (I’ve now used that line three times in this blog…and they are all true) Shabbat meal #2: fun, festive and mouth-wateringly scrumptious.

As you can see, I’m not eating again. At least for a while. Ok, that’s a lie. But the indulgence needs to stop. What a Shabbat, eh?

It was a great weekend. No, it’s been a great week. I’m super happy to be here. Life is good.

Each day some more Hebrew comes back to me…it was a little scary at first. It really disappears when you don’t use it. Slowly but surely it’s reviving itself…

That’s all I have for now. These 6 days have been packed with so many wonderful things. I tried to give you a taste and some highlights. But overall, I haven’t been this happy since I was here three years ago. Where else is a man playing Shalom Aleichem on his violin on the sidewalk on a Friday afternoon? There’s something special about this place…the people, the sights, the food, the air. It feels like I never left. I’ve picked up my life in Jerusalem right where I left off. To quote my surrogate Boca Mom, “that’s a beautiful thing.”

I’ll be sure to post some pics soon- esp. of the apartment.

Take care and drop me a note. Despite the fact that only 5 of you are registered blog followers (BOO), I’m getting lots of hits, so someone must be reading this thing!

Though the last blog title “Ordinary Miracles” (see Sarah McLachlan’s song) didn’t last, I’d like to keep the tradition of posting my “ordinary miracles” from the day- as few or as many seem fit.
(Shout out to the fabulous Rahree for inspiring this ritual)

Today’s O.M.’s:

Rediscovering Jerusalem by bike.
Refreshing Limonana. (a blended lemonade/mint beverage)
Strong connections with old teachers.
The wonders of modern technology.


With Love from the Holy Land,
Lessslie


Ps- the guy that sold me my shuk cart 3 years ago at Machne Yehuda remembered me!! Only in Yerushalayim!

En Route

Dear friends, blogos and fb stalkers,

It’s baaaaaaaaaack! I know some of you have been crying yourself to sleep for the last few years without my entertaining blog entries, and you might even be wondering how you’ve survived this long without your leslieinjlem fix...Well, have no fear, dry your tear, it’s time to embark on a new adventure in the Holy Land with yours truly!

This summer I will be one of 3 interns (all from the NY campus) helping to lead summer orientation for the first year Rabbinic, Cantorial and Education students on the Jerusalem campus. Some of our duties including leading t’filah (services), creating opportunities for the new class to foster community and helping them acclimate to life in Jerusalem. It’s a pretty sweet summer gig! To say I am excited would be the understatement of the century. I haven’t been back to Israel since my first year of school, so I am thrilled to have this incredible opportunity.

It’s going to be interesting to be there with a new perspective- 3 full years of school under my belt, a summer working at a URJ camp, a summer of pastoral care, insight from several new influential teachers/mentors, and a few student pulpits later…I’m in a much different place than I was three years ago as a first year student- academically, personally and spiritually. One of the recently invested Cantors wisely told me that this position is an opportunity to model and share what I’ve learned in my Cantorial journey up until this point. As upperclassmen, we’ve had the time to synthesize all of these experiences in the past few years whereas the first years are in the beginning and slightly overwhelming stage. It’s important that they see how the process unfolds and what it looks like a few years down the line. Exciting stuff.

Aside from my intern duties, I’m looking forward to immersing myself in this crazy culture that I love so much. I’ve really missed it. Everything is more alive in Israel- the people, the music, the food, the energy. It’s electrifying. I started to feel that energy waiting in line to board the plane. It’s such a melting pot. I love seeing all the different people en route to Israel- you have the teens, the sabras, the transplants, the tourists, the Muslims, young and old, the orthodox, the Christians- it’s awesome. I’m on the plane now and I’m sitting next to a wonderful Israeli woman who goes back and forth between Tivon (near Haifa) and Boston. She used to teach literature and tanak (bible) at the high school level. Now she translates English poetry to Hebrew- she showed me her recently published book. I’ve always been fascinated by Israelis. Something about their personality draws me in. They’re honest and genuine and they don’t bullshit you. Speaking of Israelis, I’m excited to reconnect with many friends in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. Will keep you posted on that one.

So blogos, looking at this CC list, we’ve got a nice mix of old and new Lesliepeeps. In fact, there are many new addresses since the last time I did this blog. That’s refreshing. It means I’ve been living well the last few years…broadening my horizons. ☺ To the new readers, welcome! To my classmates that were with me that whole year in Israel- I’ll miss you this summer and it will be bizarre to be b’aretz without you!

Perhaps a bit of catch up? This CC list is quite broad and though I speak to some of you on a regular basis, there are many people on this list that I am not in regular contact with. So what can I tell you? I just finished my third year of school. (only two to go!) It was a long and somewhat challenging year academically and I am happy to leave it in the past. Life in NY is fine. It’s been extremely challenging to strike a healthy balance between school, work and social life. Still figuring that one out! I worked at a synagogue in NY twice a week teaching music and t’filah and my student internship this past year was in Dallas, Texas. Yes, there are Jews in Texas. Many of them. Yee-haw. This internship was hands down the highlight of my year and I’m thrilled that I’ll be continuing there in my 4th year. Not much else new and exciting to report…which is why my blog was short-lived in NY. After a few false re-starts I gave up on the blog because life in NY simply does not compare to life in Israel. So, for you skeptics out there that think this is another false start- you are mistaken! I’m hoping to have lots of cool experiences this summer to share with ya’ll. (see, I really do work in Texas)

I always give credit where credit is due…the new blog title was the combined brain-child of CRC and J.F. Todah Rabah! I think it has a nice ring to it. For the non-Hebrew speakers out there, “lev” means “heart” in Hebrew. Since being in Israel is a heart-opening experience for me, it seems to be a fitting title. ☺

Stay tuned for more. I’m going to sit back, relax, and enjoy the 10.5 hour flight. Sleeping pill? Movies? Music? Perhaps a combo package…I’ll send e-mails alerting you to my first couple of blog postings, but after that it’s your job to be a blog follower all on your own. Click the little button on right hand side or bottom right hand side of the page to become a follower. And if you are reading this blog, leave a message! I want to know who's out there :)

Mamash excited for summer!

Signing off from 36,000 feet,
Lessslie

p.s.- I was so tempted to grab one of the empty first class reclining beds…they’ve got it made up there!