Gaining New Perspectives

We're on a roof! You'll have to read to August 15th to learn why.

Warning...very long post! Plan to read in two parts if necessary.

Shavua Tov from Jerusalem! A whole 13 days have passed since our last post and many exciting plans have developed since then! We left off when Jason was in the kitchen making super good smelling chili. That leads us to...

August 7: After school we attended a beit cafe (coffee house) at HUC. It was a really amazing evening organized by the students to raise money for Yad Sarah, a great organization that provides free and reduced rate services for those who are sick, disabled, or elderly and for their families. All the students participated by bringing a Tex-Mex dish (our "Fenster Five Alarm Chili" happened to be very popular, no leftovers!) and many offered services that were auctioned off in a silent auction. Some of the items included "45 minute massage," "a guitar lesson," "personalized poem," and "shave my beard in design of your choice" (the last made for some particularly competitive bidding). We auctioned off a chance to come on a "Not-a-third-wheel date" with the two of us, and Jason additionally offered a "day of self-affirmation" to the highest bidder (Jason will follow you around and tell you how great you are all day). While at the auction we did a little bidding of our own and won a dinner with one of Jason's professors and "baked good of the month" from the best baker in the class (don't worry we're sharing that prize with another couple).

The evening was filled with two amazing emcees, as well as funny, wonderful, and poignant acts by the class. Everything from original songs, to story telling, skits, and two handsome future-rabbis tap dancing!

It was a really fun night, and, at the end of it all, HUC students raised over 5,000 Shekels for Yad Sarah, no small task.

August 8: It was two HUCers' birthdays so a bunch of us went out to celebrate with dinner. Opportunities to celebrate with new friends is always welcome, plus Gavi ate a huge plate of chicken wings for dinner at the restaurant. If that isn't cause for celebration - what is?

August 9: Today was the last day of summer classes at CY (don't worry, Gavi will start up again on September 2nd and has LOTS to keep her busy in the meantime). After classes she went out for celebratory waffles with a friend from the yeshiva who is leaving Israel after almost a year here to start a new job at the Washington DCJCC (where Gavi worked prior to moving to Jerusalem). The meal was spent talking about DC and all the best places to go for lunch around The J.

Jason spent the day on a bibilical history tiyul of the City of David. The focus was on the United and Divided Kingdoms (think 10th-8th Centuries BCE). As per usual, ruins were investigated, the political nature of excavations and interpretation were discussed, and lots of questions were left unanswered. Another main theme throughout the course has been the importance of obtaining and protecting water, particularly during this period. Hezekiah, the King of Judah during the 8th Century BCE, knew that trouble was coming, so, to protect and secure his water source, he built an incredible tunnel that led to a large reservoir in the southern part of the city. Some people say that it was used for an escape path...it wasn't, BUT tourists and students (like Jason!) can walk through the tunnel to this day. Inside the tunnel, which is 1/3 of a mile long, the water which is still flowing comes up as high as mid-thigh of a 6' tall person. For most of the walk it is upper-shin/knee level. Also, the tunnel is PITCH BLACK. Thankfully, some students were clever enough to bring flashlights. The experience of walking through this tunnel and thinking about the amount of time, manpower, and planning that must have gone into its creation was just incredible.

After drying off, we went out to dinner with some close friends from the program at Waffle Bar (it's possible there were two trips in one day...) and then journeyed to the last night of the Jerusalem International Puppet Festival! Almost all of the performances were in Hebrew; we both were able to glean about half of what was going on on stage. There was an amazing contact juggler and other talented puppeteers. We had a great time trying to put together what was going on, working on our Hebrew comprehension, and admiring the work of some fantastic artists.

August 10: Family Shabbat in Elazar with Gavi's Aunt (Doda Shelly), Uncle (Dod Reuven), and cousins. We had a lovely, relaxed Shabbat evening filled with services and a beautiful dinner under the stars. Gavi went back for third servings of Doda Shelly's famous chicken soup and we were happy to share our challah and honey with our family as we continued to celebrate a sweet start to our marriage.

August 11:  (Gavi is taking control of the computer now with some reflections on Shabbat).

After waking up late for services (oops!) we were happy to start the day with coffee with the cousins before heading to Shabbat lunch. After a leisurely and super delicious lunch (where even more chicken soup was consumed) everyone dispersed for Shabbos naps then came back together for seudat shlishit (the third meal of Shabbat). Soon it was time for Havdalah and our departure. An abrupt end to Shabbat and a clear separation from the holy day and the rest of the week was felt as we suddenly felt the pinch of time once Shabbat had ended and we had to head back home. Quick goodbyes were said as we ran to catch the first bus back to Yerushalayim.

One of the most special parts about being in Yerushalyim for the year is how close we are to a part of the family we used to only see once or twice every year or so. To say goodbye knowing we'll see each other again soon is a unique kind of gift to have with family. We miss our families in the States very much, especially on Shabbat, but having a year where this part of the family is so close feels extremely special after being apart for so long.

All in all, it was a perfect Shabbat filled with food, lots of sleep, and wonderful time with family.

August 12: Gavi's first day without classes proved to be very busy. After a morning meeting at the Yeshiva. Gavi went to HUC to use the internet in the student lounge because internet seems to be very slow during the day (and because she could). When Jason finished classes he went home and did homework while Gavi spent the evening with a friend from HUC whose birthday she missed on Saturday. Eventually much of the class showed up for a great house-party to celebrate. After the party Gavi skyped with some friends from home. It felt good to see friendly home faces and catch up on everyone's lives. Being far away for the year and missing out on home life can be tough - but skype dates make everything a little easier.

August 13: In the morning Gavi went to the Israel Museum with the two other Significant Others (or SOs) from the HUC program. We spent most of the morning in the Archeology Wing and a good chunk of time in the temporary exhibit on Chasidim in Jerusalem. It was facinating and really fun to have time with friends in the middle of the day. Word to the wise: If you go to the Israel Museum you can save your ticket stub for up to three months to get a reduced re-entrance fee of 25 shekels. So keep your tickets! There is so much to see in that museum and even if you're not going back you might have a friend from Jerusalem who will!

That afternoon we booked our HONEYMOON! We will be traveling to Rome on August 24th and from there will be taking a 7 night cruise to parts of Spain and France! Jason has a week off of classes and we're taking full advantage by seeing a bunch of cities we've never visited and celebrating our recent marriage in style! We even have a balcony in our room! Our itinerary is Rome, Italy --> Genoa, Italy --> Cannes (Monte Carlo), France --> Barcelona, Spain --> Palma De Mallorca, Spain --> Valencia, Spain --> Rome, Italy. Neither of us has done much traveling or cruising so if you have any suggestions for places to go and see in those cities let us know! Keep in mind that 1) we are students 2) the more specific the suggestion, the more helpful and 3) we don't have much time in each city (about 24 hours in Rome and then about 8 or less in all the other ports). A restaurant or dish you think we need to try? A beach that was especially beautiful? Something about cruising you have learned that you would like to relay? Email us at gaviandjason@gmail.com with all your tips!

That night we went to Khutzot Hayotser an incredible international arts festival at the Sultan's Pool just outside the Old City walls. There were performers, artists, and kosher food from all around the world. We had a wonderful time exploring and window shopping (we have to save our shekels for the honeymoon!). At the end of the night Yehudit Ravitz performed for a packed crowd. We were a little late arriving to the amphitheater so we caught the show from the side stones that line the top of the Sultan's Pool. We had an amazing view and a fantastic time.

August 14: Gavi had a meeting in Talpiyot (southern Jerusalem) and then caught dinner with Emily H. a close friend who is in Jason's program at HUC (and one of the other girls who keeps kosher "the same way" as Gavi on the trip). Lots of meat was consumed at the affordable Hamoshavah 54 - (the site is in Hebrew, but if you use Google Chrome, it should translate). I want to take a moment to give Hamoshava 54 a shout out because while they didn't remember to bring us our chicken wings, when we pointed it out they appologized, brought them out and then took the item off the bill. Free chicken wings for dessert is even better than not-free chicken wings at the start of the meal if you ask me.

At the same time Jason went out to dinner with Abby P. a fellow rabbincal student. They discussed what brought them to Rabbinics and ate Chinese food. There were no free chicken wings at their dinner.

Gavi on the Ramparts!

View from the Austrian Hospice

August 15: After a lunch and learn at Conservative Yeshiva (CY) focusing on the month of Elul (the last month of the Hebrew calendar and a time for reflection and preparation of the High Holidays) and some Psalms. Gavi got some advice from a fellow newlywed couple who will be studying at CY this year and just got back from their honeymoon in Italy. They gave some great tips about what to do in Rome and suggested downloading Rich Steve's Audio Europe App which has some great walking tours of Rome built into the App, complete with maps! Needless to say, the rest of the afternoon was spent downloading and researching other awesome travel guides and tours for the honeymoon.

Pesto Gouda? Yes, please!

That night we went with 5 other HUC students on a rooftop tour of the Old City lead by an Israeli rabbinical student at HUC (there is a separate program for Israelis training to become Reform Rabbis). He took us on a fantastic Ramparts walk (the top of the outside wall of the Old City) then lead us to a little section of the city where you can sit on the rooftops and enjoy the view. It is possible that Jason sang "Step in Time" while jumping on the roofs...From there we checked out the view at the Austrian Hospice in the Muslim Quarter. We finished up the late at the Notre Dame Center where we sat outside and shared cheese plates that were out of this world. A fantastic end to the day.

August 16: We got to go on the HUC biblical history tiyul together this week! The night before, Jason tried to give Gavi a quick primer on the history of the Divided Kingdom...the professors did a much better job. Once we got to the site, we hiked for about 25 minutes up to the top of Tel Chirbat Qiafa. It's an interesting place that, frankly, no one can really figure out. What can be found at the site seems to indicate that people only lived there for a short period of time when the Kingdom of Judah was at its strongest. It is possibly a military outpost (with an incredible view of the surrounding hills and valleys and a very impressive gate), but nothing has been found yet that indicates if it was actually a military city, an administrative city, or even just a place where a few families lived.

The mantra from the day came from one of the professors: "look at the fish." The story goes like this...a professor gives every student a fish and said "look at the fish." Students started asking questions about their fish and making observations, but no matter what they said, the professor's response was "look at the fish." That's the task we have in a place like this. We keep looking at the evidence and trying to discern and understand what is there and what could be there. We investigate, we guess, and we collaborate based on the only thing we have: what is in front of our eyes at that moment.

After the hike and lecture atop the Tel, we re-boarded the bus for a fun trip to a different section of the Shefela (the rolling hills of Israel between the coast and the rockier/near-mountainous Judean Hills) that is completely unrelated to the class's studies. In the area we went, the stone under the top layer of limestone is a much softer, chalky material. Because of that, during the Hellenistic period (think 2nd-3rd Centuries BCE), people dug thousands and thousands of caves into the stone. We went on tours of cisterns, burial tombs, olive presses, and even a place where archeologists expect that doves were raised. By the end of the trip, everyone was covered in chalk, but we all had a very nice break from frantic note taking to just looking at some cool, ancient remains.

Afterward, while Jason was in class, Gavi visited a friend from CY for the afternoon. That evening we hosted a friend, HUC education student Rachel M., for a Italian themed dinner at our home! We made pesto pasta, garlic and oil broccoli, and bruchetta that just so happened to be delicious.

August 17: Shabbos again! It's pretty great that this day keeps coming back every week. We spent the day catching up on work and reading up for our honeymoon. Gavi went up to the shuk to have lunch and catch up with Sophie K., a close friend from DC who happened to be leading a Birthright trip. It felt good to reconnect. It is so nice to have friendships where you can always pick up right where you left off.

That night, we joined a program run by the JCRC of Boston that brought Christian clergy to Jerusalem for an interfaith study and travel opportunity. Students from HUC with a connection to the Boston region (yay Brandeis!) were invited to join the Shabbat dinner celebration, share their experiences, and chat with the Ministers and Reverends making their way through Israel. After our lovely meal, we made our way up to the house of some of Jason's classmates to celebrate Rachel M.'s birthday! It was a very joyous celebration and we were happy to partake.

August 18: We slept in before going to join the BYOT (Bring Your Own Torah) group for some Shabbat text study. We prayed together and then spent about an hour and a half talking about the weekly portion while having a wonderful lunch of ice cream and cookies. After leaving we went for our weekly Shabbat afternoon hangout with friends before retiring to the apartment for a little nap.

Later in the evening we made our way up to Ben Yehuda to see more friends leading Birthright trips. Gavi had date #2 with Sophie K. while Jason had some excellent catch up time with two friends from NFTY leading a trip together. It is so cool to live in a city where friends from all walks of our lives come to visit and travel.

Art! Made from food!

Balabasta balagan

August 19: Gavi came to meet Jason for lunch, Jason learned Hebrew, Gavi caught up on emails, work, and trip planning, and Jason got his first haircut in The Land. Tonight, we also went up to the Balabasta Festival at the shuk. It was a funny mix of the shuk functioning as a market like normal and street artists, bands, and art installations. There was even a chess tournament! (Jason did not enter, but he DID take down the information of the club...stay tuned to the blog for glorious accounts of Jason's chesscapades).

The summer is starting to draw to a close, and we are incredibly excited for our honeymoon. We will be sure to update you on our travels and share lots and lots of pictures. The Fall promises to be exciting with new classes starting for both of us, a new cohort of friends to join Gavi at CY, and new projects and opportunities in school and throughout the community. It's been an amazing two months, and we're sure the next two will be just as exciting!