I Stand With Israel

As I sit here, watching the news, reading posts on Facebook, Twitter, etc. I can't help but remember that just two short months ago I was spending my last Shabbat abroad in Israel. I can't believe what has happened since those days in May. For the first time in a long time, I'm scared to go back to Israel, a place that I call my second home and at the same time, I'm here in America wishing I was back in Israel with the friends I've made which I now consider family.
Israel's a place that I will always feel connected to, a homeland for the Jewish people, a place that will always welcome me with open arms even if I go years without returning. I've developed such a deep love and understanding of Israel and it scares me to think that after all of this, Israel could cease to exist.
I am heartbroken and devastated by the hatred of humanity against a small country that was created for the Jewish people. I cringe every time my phone vibrates with an JPOST alert, hoping that it's not the names of the boys I know stationed in Gaza; praying for the families that have lost loved ones. My anxiety goes through the roof when I learn of other friends that are entering the reserve units in Israel.
All citizens of Israel are required to draft into the army; and they want to, because their goal is to protect Israel during both a time of peace and war.
And although I don't see myself making Aliyah to Israel or joining the army, this small country about the size of New Jersey will always be one of the most important places in the world to me. I hope to bring my children there, I hope to educate them on the Jewish people and show them the beauty of the land.
So during this time of war, I'm left here with the unanswered questions of how and why? How can people sit here and listen to the bias of CNN, BBC, FOX, ABCNews, etc? How can Hamas shoot rockets into Israel and fool the U.S. so well that Israeli's are the one's being blamed? Why has humanity disappeared so much that we sit in silence while innocent Israeli's and Palestinians are being killed by rockets and underground tunnels initiated by Hamas? How can Israel be blamed for the killing of innocent Palestinian civilians when they warn every person, every school, every building, every area before a rocket goes off? How can the Western civilization be in such denial that Israeli's are the bad guys?
The media has a way of twisting and turning stories into something with action, adventure and bias so that organizations or groups of people will publicize their stories, even if they are incorrect.
I'm sick and tired of listening to all this propaganda coming across the airwaves...I wish people would get their facts straight. I want my voice heard, because I know what it's like to live there, I know this is not the way things have to be. Israel is such a vibrant country and it has every right to defend itself.
עם ישראל חי !

I'm Making Aliyah

Okay, so I'm not actually making Aliyah, I just wanted a title that would catch your attention, so now that it's caught here is my sob story as I say goodbye to abroad.
As sad as it is, I'm gonna go ahead and say this is my last blog post while studying abroad. I can't believe how quickly 5 months have gone by. January and February seemed like forever months, two of the longest months that I took for granted by not traveling the surrounding cities in Israel and exploring my "home" city of Tel Aviv. When March rolled around, things started to pick up and I began to adjust and then April flew by in the blink of an eye and as I sit here in my oddly shaped dorm room, in my semi-comfortable twin bed, with two more nights left, I have bittersweet feelings about leaving.
Today marked the "schools out for the summer" slogan with an incredible last week behind me. It started Monday night when myself and a handful of others were present at an "Entrepreneurship Conference" with the one, the only, Binyamin Netanyahu.

Yes, you read that right, Prime Minister of Israel, Bibi Netanyahu! It was the most outrageous, most moving, most amazing experience ever - to actually see someone as famous and powerful as him and to hear him speak - well that was a different story. I know it's silly, but I never thought I'd hear Bibi speak and now I have and I can brag about it :) ! And my finals? Well they weren't too bad - I mean, let's be honest, I didn't come abroad for school...so whatever happens, happens. Today after I finished my last final exam, my campus at Tel Aviv University went crazy! It was the annual Yom HaStudent (Student Day) in honor of all the students at campus, with multiple concerts, DJ's, countless delicious food stands like hot dogs, coal-fired pita, labane and zatar (Israeli spreadable cheese and a spice), froyo, ice cream, moon bounces, headphone concerts, and so much more! Such an incredible last day on campus that I was lucky enough to experience with the best friends I've made abroad.

As I look back on these past months abroad it's hard for me to believe that I will be boarding a plane in about 48 hours back to the US of A. Will I even recognize Americans? Going abroad is something that I feel so privileged to have taken part in, I'll remember the memories and miss the people I've become so close to, the Hebrew language, the fresh fruit and vegetables, the side salad's with every meal, the annoying taxi drivers who won't bargain with you, the names of the bus stops that no one else understands, the sketchy super market next to the dorms, and the list could go on. I've begun to find myself while abroad, developed independence and self-reliance and grown more in 5 months than I could ever imagine would be possible.  תודה רבה ישראל, אין לי ארץ אחרת. (Thank you Israel, there is no other land like you).

5 (months in). 3 (weeks left). 1 (memorable experience).

Call it the final stretch, call it the last hurrah, call it whatever you like but I'm calling it my last 3 weeks in Israel to live up my abroad experience. So instead of sitting in my room doing work, because obviously as any abroad student would have it - we get less than 10 hours of work a week during the actual semester and then when finals roll around, we get given more work than we've had this entire semester.
But with all work aside, since I feel as though I've finally adjusted to Israel, funny how that happens 5 months into my 5 month abroad experience, I've been trying to really understand what it means to be an Israeli citizen. It started on April 27, on Yom Ha'Shoah - Holocaust Remembrance Day. About a week earlier, I stood in the Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp in Oranienburg, Germany, one of the first concentration camps created during the time of the Holocaust. On the 27th at 10 AM, I stood as a Jewish American studying abroad in Israel, I had the opportunity to hear the National Siren in honor of Yom Ha'Shoah. I can't explain the feelings that came over me; emotion, pride and a love for Israel.

One week later, it's Erev Yom HaZikaron, The Day of Remembrance, where the state of Israel nationally honors its fallen soldiers. Some of the students of Tel Aviv University, along with our Madrichim (counselors) on the program organized a ceremony, full of speeches, songs and memories of fallen soldiers. This ceremony took me back to the time that myself and the rest of my edah at camp had learned about Michael Levin. An American and my connection to him, a Camp Ramah Poconos Alumni. And although I could never move to Israel, let alone join the army, I find it inspiring that this young American gave his life for Israel, we call him a "hero in heaven". After two somber days in Israel, it was time for some celebration, some love for this country I call my second home. Last night was the start of Yom Ha'atzmaut, Israeli Independence Day and Israel's birthday, Happy 66th!

We started the night with fireworks in Kikar Rabin and then later to the street parties on Rotschild! It was craaaaaaazzzyyyyy and so much fun! A perfect way to celebrate my last couple weeks here in Israel! The streets were filled with Americans, Israelis, Russians, French, I'm sure people from all over the world, showing their love and spirit for Israel. After a long 5 month semester, I feel privileged to have celebrated these three holidays in Israel and to have the opportunity to study in a place filled with citizens who love their country. אני אוהבת ישראל!

That Time I Went to Europe..

11 days and 4 cities in 4 different countries...I couldn't believe that spring break was finally here. Before I even came abroad for my semester at TAU I knew that spring break would be in Europe - it would be my Euro trip. No parents, my first vacation alone with just friends. 

AMSTERDAM: The first stop, Amsterdam. Here we were, 6 American tourists with a map in hand and an agenda in the other. The highlights were the Van Gogh museum, the I Amsterdam letters, the red light district, cheese museum and Anne Frank house. Some fun, others more intense and moving...for me the Anne Frank house was the most memorable. We were actually having a tour of the house where she was hidden, pages of her diary and the actual book case which enclosed her room were both preserved. It was amazing to see these things, and extremely moving. It makes me value my family and friends. I feel so lucky to have so many supports in my life.

PARIS: And onto the next stop...Paris! After taking 7 years of French from elementary-middle school (side note...I remembered more than I thought) I was anxious and excited to actually be in the city of Paris, France! I would have never thought that this dream of going would actually turn into a reality. We jumped right into exploring the city...The Louvre, The Church of Notre Dame, The Love Lock Bridge (mom, dad, max - we're on there!!) the Mussee de Armies, Champs Élysées, Arc de Triomphe and of course, the one you've all been waiting for, Le Tour Eiffel! I cannot believe I can say that I've seen all these places in real life! I even tried escargot...hey, when in Paris, do as the Parisians do. On my last night in France, my friends and I went to a Chabad Passover Seder. It was an adventure to say the least, the Seder was in French, Hebrew and a drop of English. Instead of parsley/celery we bit into an onion dipped in salt water (just for your reference it wasn't that tasty), but I feel much more cultured to have done a Seder in another country. You know what they say, "wherever you go, there's always someone Jewish." I find that amazing. Au revoir Paris.

LONDON: Just touched down in Londontown. Out of all the places in Europe, London was the one I was looking most forward to. Quite possibly because I was meeting up with familiar faces of one of my best camp friends and cousin and quite possibly because London has so much to offer and I have been waiting to see it all! I had my first underground adventure on the tube and it made me nostalgic of my subway rides back in Philadelphia, a cup of delicious roasted Stabucks coffee, a stop to the Parent Trap house, a tour of only the most expensive, most incredible department store in London, Harrods. A quick hello to Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, St. Paul's cathedral...you know the monuments. Two of my favorite places in London - Borough Market which was filled with delicious, various ethnic food stands and Camden Lock market...a mix of the Shuk in Tel Aviv and South Street in Philadelphia. I am sad to say bye to the prettiest city I've seen so far and am already planning a trip back..maybe as a graduation present? (hint, hint Mom and Dad).

BERLIN: The last leg of my Eurotrip has led me to Berlin. If we're going to be honest here, Germany was never a place that I had the biggest desire to visit, it wasn't even on my original spring break list. But I was convinced by my camp friend it was a place we had to visit. So here I was in Berlin. Since I've been traveling it's made me realize how much of an impact Israel has made on me, and here sitting in front of me on the train to our hotel, are two Israelis speaking Hebrew and one woman diagonal from me eating Matzah. These were my first interactions with people since my flight. In Berlin, Germany nonetheless. Life does crazy things to you.
The next two days in Berlin were filled with traveling - a view of the city from the top of the Reichstag government building, a walking tour of the city, of which included the Bradenburg Gate, Checkpoint Charlie, the national memorial for the Jews in the Holocaust, the East Side Gallery at the Berlin Wall and a Pub crawl at night. And the touring didn't stop, I've learned since this Eurotrip that it's okay to be perpetually exhausted because when you have a limited amount of time to travel - exploring the city comes first, sleep comes second. On my last day in Berlin, I and my other friends traveling together had the opportunity to have a guided tour of the Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp in Orianenburg, Germany. Having never been to Poland, or seen a concentration camp, this was my first time seeing the remnants of the Holocaust head-on. And what an experience it was, both amazing, moving, sad and scary. This camp, specifically was a prototype camp, used as a demonstration/starter camp for others to come. Sachsenhausen was preserved by the German government; this helped to preserve the memories so that outsiders could witness the camp in its true form. I feel very happy that I was able to see it, but it was definitely a difficult place to walk through.

Overall, I had an amazing time in Europe. For my favorite place, London is ranked as number one, but I feel privileged that I was able to see four distinct places.
However, while traveling I've realized that I made the right decision to study abroad in Israel. Yes, I've had ups and downs and the transition/adjustment to Israel was not necessarily easy, but I was aching to get back to Israel. I've started to really become comfortable in Israel because of the extended amount of time I've spent in one place. When I landed in Tel Aviv today, it just felt right. Only in Israel would one see: חג פסח שמח, Happy Passover on the billboards in the airport and I loved it. Plus, I found it so interesting that in every place I traveled to, I met Israeli's! It helped me remember how important being Jewish is to me, the reasons why I chose to be a Jewish Studies major, why I chose Israel as my study abroad destination, why I care so much about being Jewish. What I've discovered since being abroad, is my independent love for Judaism. It's not just a religion I link myself to, it's part of my identity.

To Israel, With Love

As I sit here in my little twin bed, in my dorm room here in Israel, I cannot believe that this coming week is marking the 2nd week in April. January and February were two of the loooooongest months, then with the blink of an eye March flew by, and here we are in April. April? Crazy. And what's even crazier is that this Wednesday is the start of my Eurotrip spring break, a vacay from my vacation abroad that's taken me about 2 months to plan, and it's here...like, sorry, what?
However, this following blog post is different. It might not be funny, or witty like my past ones, and to those of you who think I'm funny, stick with me on this post because it's important and Ima bout to get realllzzzz deep....but for real.
So here I am, a international student studying abroad in the country of Israel, that many would deem "unsafe". But I can honestly say, I've never once, and this is my third time being here, felt unsafe, ever. I was here this summer, in Netivot, when in the middle of the night a bomb was sent to the Zikim beach in Israel, I was there about 4 hours before. I was here in 2009 when there were many bomb threats in Jerusalem, but nonetheless I decided to study abroad in Tel Aviv in college after my semester abroad in Jerusalem in High School. I wanted to see Israel in a different light. Since I've been here at TAU for almost 4 and a half months, I've had multiple experiences, and every single one has been different. Today, I had the honor of being a "tour guide" for my camp friend who was visiting, which meant the following: a DAN bus to the מרכז רכבת (the central bus station), a walk around the parking lot until we found bus 480 and then an hour bus ride to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv. Now, I've been to Jerusalem already twice since I've been here, but I've never guided someone else, בעצמי (by myself), which was an experience. But that's just a side point to update all you avid readers on my life.
Anyway back to my story, before I came to Israel, I'd been told multiple times, especially by those close to me, "do NOT take the bus in Israel". Because maybe one day while I'd be on the bus, there would be a bus bomb, or I would lose something, or be in danger - which in my friends and family's defense, could happen at any time. But in Israel, riding the bus is just what you do. Every time I've been on the bus going somewhere - Jerusalem, Eilat, Arad, etc, I always see Israeli soldiers. Immediately, I feel comfortable and my mind is put at ease. I find it inspiring to see both young adult men and women, either my age, older or even younger (the draft into the army starts at 18), wearing their uniform with bright smiles on their faces, talking to other soldiers in their unit or friends from home riding the buses with them. These young adults or even teenagers don't know any better but also they genuinely want to serve their country. I find this an effort of courage and bravery, and I find it remarkable. For men, they in a sense give up 3 or more years of their life, for women, 2 or more. To them, it's an honor to serve in various units - whether it's combat or intelligence, to me, it's purely amazing. If we're going to be completely honest with each other, which means me being honest with you, I could never in a million years imagine joining the army, it's a huge commitment that I will never be ready for. But to those soldiers fighting for the country of Israel, thank you for being there, thank you for fighting and most of all, thank you for keeping me safe as a visitor to this country. אין לי ארץ אחרת, there is no other land like this.

Eilat of Fun

I walked out of my room this past Thursday night at 10 PM with a large Vera Bradley "weekender" bag packed to the brim with multiple options for the weekend (because that's how a girl like me packs) and a big smile as I went to catch the 12 AM midnight bus to Eilat. Eilat is Israel's southernmost city, a tourist attraction and a serious, serious hotspot to be -- because of how hot it is, if you didn't catch that one. Myself and four other friends arrived at the central bus station in Eilat at 5:45 AM, we wanted 3 full days in Eilat, so we figured we'd take the midnight shift bus until we got to our hotel and were unable to check in...woops. So instead, our loopy, delusional no sleep selves went to the beach boardwalk and watched the sunrise which was beautiful.

 As the day got later, we checked into our room and headed to meet our other friends in their room where we surprised one of them for her birthday! It was one of those plans that went extremely smoothly, although rest assuredly I almost ruined it multiple times leading up to the trip. Anyway, we tanned on this "mattress beach" for the day, and went to two bars at night: 3 Monkeys and then The Bear Bar. Both had a completely different vibe than the ones in Tel Aviv - 3 Monkeys felt like a bar mitzvah...I kid you not, congo lines and all, but the Bear Bar was funky and the music was great. The next day, we tanned and some friends and I walked around the beach boardwalk of Eilat because needless to say, I was burnt-out (pun seriously intended). Although thankfully, this was the least amount of sunburn I've ever gotten -- I'm learning Mom :) !!! We went out again that night to another bar called: Beatles. Ironically, in a party city like Eilat, the club scene isn't too big on Saturdays so we stuck mainly to the bars. The best part about Eilat is how small of a city it is, everything is within walking distance of each other, so on the walk home, I got some killer calve muscles in my wedges #wedgesarethenewsneakers. This weekend was my vacation getaway, a well-needed, relaxing weekend with friends who I've gotten so close to in the past 3 days, friends that I know will be friends even when abroad ends.

The craziest thing about Eilat is it's location...it's in between the surrounding countries of Jordan, believe it or not, I could see the Jordanian flag and some of the city on my boat ride around the red sea. And off to the distance on the other side is Saudi Arabia. I found it mind-boggling that here I was, a 21 year old Jewish girl on vacation in Eilat, maxin' and relaxin' in the sun and to the left of me is Jordan and to the right farther out is Saudi Arabia (which at the time I thought was Egypt). But like...what???? I can't even explain it in words, but to see some of the houses - now that was insane. I've never really thought of Israel being surrounded by other Arab/Muslim countries, and there I was, sitting on a boat staring into Jordan. Needless to say, it was quite an experience.
Eilat was EI-LAT of fun and I hope to go back soon, but next time, I'm making it across the border to Petra, Jordan - one of the 7 wonders of the world with my mom, dad and brother by my side and a camel waiting for us at the entrance.

I scream, You scream, We all Scream for Purim!

חג פורים סמח!(Happy Purim!) If you guys don't know what Purim is, it's like Halloween...but on steroids. For American kids, this is a free-for all; a weekend of dressing up in funky, fun costumes and interacting with other Israeli's. I was here for Purim back in 10th grade when I spent the semester abroad on TRY in Jerusalem and was excited to see what Purim in Tel Aviv had in store for me. Saturday night was definitely the best night of the weekend by far. I decided to dress up as...wait for it, you'll never guess (you will), as a H!PP!3, original right? el oh el, I crack myself up. This time though, it was a more relaxed version of a hippie, so much so, I continuously got asked: "so...what are you?" in reference to Mean Girls, I pointed to my peace sign necklace and said, "a hippie, duh." People these days...

Okay, all kidding aside, for someone who loves dressing up, especially in fashionable outfits, I felt pretty cool and trendy in my patterned floral "Shuk" (the outdoor market in Tel Aviv) pants with little flower stickers next to my eyes. Anyway, we started off the night in a Synagogue on Ben Yehuda street in the center of Tel Aviv, dressed to impress, ears ready to hear some Megillah reading, and obviously, because it's a mitzvah...we were ready to drink (no judgements, we were doing it for the holiday). At first, the room was empty and within a matter of 10 minutes, it was packed to the brim with Jewish students from all over the world, studying in Israel. I met people studying at Haifa University, Hebrew University in Jerusalem, others from Tel Aviv University, and of course, my brother who has been visiting me for the past week. Side note, this past week with my brother was amazing, I was able to see Israel through his eyes; whether it was taking long walks on the beach, watching the sunset while shivering in my "it feels like summer" clothing, or just having deep conversations with him about his experiences abroad, and my experiences abroad. I am so happy we were able to spend the week together!

Okay and back to Purimweekend (get it, like Halloweekend?), after the big pre-game, some of us decided to head to Rothschild Street - a popular street in Tel Aviv filled with restaurants, bars, coffee shops, etc. We went to a bar called ועעד הבית (Vaad Habayit), the bar itself was crazy packed, and the music felt like we were in a club. It was the best of both worlds and probably one of the most fun nights I've had here so far! Speaking of which, two of my friends from pre-school (shout out to HZT) were with me, in times like these, after going more than 5 years without having constant communication, it amazes me that we were able to have so much fun together, no matter how long apart we've been from each other. Thank you mom & dad for sending me to Hebrew school, I appreciate it now. We decided to come home around 2 AM...an early night out in Tel Aviv. I sadly, deliriously sleepy, said goodbye to my brother but am happy he was here. I am learning after this week, how to put things in perspective, when it comes to being abroad. I am growing and learning so much about myself, this semester it's been a real focus on myself as an individual and I am beginning to understand who I am. It's pretty cool, having an inside perspective to my life. From here on out, my abroad experience is about to be filled with new adventures and I am ready to tackle them head-on, head-strong. Except...do I really have to wake up for class tomorrow? #abroadproblems

Down South Ya'll

This past weekend I was on top of the world (hey). Okay maybe not actually on top of the world but on top of a mountain, in the middle of the Negev ( desert) called the Peres hike of which I believe is named after the past Israeli Prime Minister, Shimon Peres. The OSP (Overseas Program) at TAU took us on a trip to the southern part of Israel, Arad. It started Friday with a short 2 kilometer hike in the Makhtesh (a geographical landform in the Negev of Israel) and then a couple hours of relaxation in our "hotel" (hostel). During those hours, a friend and I wandered around the hostel and ended up hanging out with our 5 Madrichim (counselors), drinking coffee and talking. This was the first time I've really talked to any of them on a deeper level, they're all students at TAU as well, ages 24+ who are counselors for the OSP program during the year. Later that night we had a Shabbat dinner in the Hadar Ochel (dining hall) of the hostel and a fun music filled night with the special guests, Ja'man! Some enterntainment, musical group who taught us how to play the Didgeridoo - a long wooden wind instrument.
On Saturday we woke up at what seemed like the crack of dawn (7:30 AM)...haven't woken up that early since Ulpan (don't miss it)! We began a 5-6-7 (not sure) kilometer hike, The Peres Hike, as mentioned above, through a crater in a southern Negev desert of Israel. We hiked up, down, up, down...it was the most intensive hike I've ever done in my life! The best part was when our tour guide told us that in order to get off the mountain we were going to have to hold onto small ladders that were imprinted in the side of the mountain and climb up. Slicha, Mah? The ladders were incredibly scary, but I managed to make it up, mostly on my own without much help...a rewarding adventure. The hike, although extremely exhilarating, resulted in an unfortunate stress fracture or ankle sprain or some complication in my right lower ankle..oy.

For the final leg of the trip, we slathered on mud and floated in the Dead Sea. Did you know if you just let yourself go, you'll float? It was my second time there, but I didn't remember that much from the first time. It was a lot of fun but suuuuppeer salty!! This was probably one of the best weekends that I've had so far in Israel, but I'm happy to be back in Tel Aviv - I'm beginning to realize how amazing of a city it is and why I chose to come here, I feel as though I am starting to adjust to everything. In addition to a great weekend, I have many things to look forward to - tomorrow I get to reunite with one of my best friends from camp who is here visiting on spring break and then this coming weekend, I'll be with my brother!!!!! I cannot believe that it's already March, time is flying. So I gotz 2 savor every m0m3nt and l!v3 !t uP!

AA: Adventures Abroad

People always say, "life can pass you by in the blink of the eye", or something along the lines of that, and it's true, life moves at a fast pace and if you don't stop and appreciate it, you will miss out on many opportunities. This past weekend was a perfect example, while many people on my program were traveling away in parts of Israel (that being my original plan to), I ended up staying local, cooked Shabbat dinner with my roommates and a couple friends, trying to get my tan on at the Gordon Beach on Saturday and spontaneously decided to take a day trip with my 3 other roommates to Jerusalem on Sunday (it might have been a decision we made while intoxicated but that's besides the point). Because when you're in a country as small as Israel, it's imperative to take advantage of every and all opportunity. While in Jerusalem, we walked down Ben Yehuda street and admired all the small Judaica Jewelry shops and wandered throughout the Mahane Yehuda Shuk. Although I've been here for a little bit over a month, this was the first time that I've really hung out with my roommates, just us four as a room and it was really nice. The night before our adventurous trip we checked out the club Solo, this time in the back in the "Green Room" where we met a new and upcoming Rapper from Israel, it was super casual, he gave us his CD too...bringing that back to America, everyone get ready for it! Flip-flop to Monday where I decided to skip class because I'm sick, again. Might as well just call me the sickling, hopefully my immune system will get stronger with the air out here (one can only hope). In case you were all wondering, I am taking classes here - they're just not that important to talk about...my favorite so far is called Jewish Education. And tonight we have our first walking tour of the surrounding areas of campus during my 100 Years: The History of Tel Aviv and Jaffa walking class! In the next coming weeks I have so much to look forward to: the OSP (Overseas Studies Program) South trip to Masada and the Dead Sea, one of my best friends from camp is coming next weekend, and then my brother comes to Israel!!!!! Finally, I cannot wait for the two Marines to be reunited, it's going to be magical. And then Purim is in three weeks!!! The time is flying by, so I have to savor every moment and seize every day!

Education(vacation) Abroad

I know you've all been dying to hear the updates of my life, it's okay to admit it, I've been dying to write this blog post, but I've actually been pretty busy this past week. So, this past week my "vacation" has turned to a reality and classes have started...like what, who takes classes abroad??!?!?! Blech. My schedule is as follows, two classes on Monday, two on Tuesday, two on Wednesday and one on Thursday. I figured that I wanted to have something every day, because what I've realized since being here is that I crave structure. As much as I love my downtime, I need some planning in my life.
My classes are decent, the one I like best is called: Jewish education, my teacher has a funny little accent and the class is very interesting because it puts my education into perspective since I was a public school kid. Another class I'm taking is called 100 Years: The History of Tel Aviv-Jaffa, we go on walking tours all around the city of Tel Aviv-Jaffa. I'm excited to finally learn my way around, hopefully by May I'll know where I'm going. OOOOhhh more updates, I got my Rav-Kav (bus card) and today I received a small package from home from a family friend on Shenkin street, who just arrived in Israel. Finally, I got my gummy vites and my pearls, thanks m&d, so much appreciation, so happy to have my pearls back (even if they're twice the size of my original pair). Shenkin street is super hip and trendy, a side street from the area by the Shuk in central Tel Aviv. I bargained with my two taxi drivers for a ride there and home of 45 shecks, when it probably should've cost me 60....I'm getting a lot better at my bargaining game (kindasortanotreally). Then because I was feeling adventurous, I decided to walk back down the street that I came from, for a good half hour before getting in a cab. I passed familiar stores and restaurants, and actually for the first time since being here, felt like I got the directions down, like I actually knew where I was, me, knowing my way (#notreallife)! It was a great feeling.
A little while after I got home, my roommates and I made dinner. We sautéed vegetables, made Israeli salad, guacamole, and I made a frozen veggie patty that I got at the super market the other day. We finished the quarter filled bottle of wine on our table and then ran out to the 24/7 store on the corner for a bottle of raspberry bubbly and white Riesling, until we got back to see that we didn't have a bottle opener....oy. I've started a challenge with myself of daily journaling and exercise, both are perfect additions to my crazy life, they provide me with some down time, some me time that I've been missing. And for the biggest update, I booked my final destination flight for spring break to Berlin! I'm so excited to travel! And I had my first Shakshuka, poached eggs in a tomato sauce with onions, chili peppers and cumin, so so so freaking delish. Time for da bubbly, ta ta for now.

The Life of a Rasta

Now that I've finally finished Ulpan, I can successfully say that I am fluent in Hebrew, okay just kidding, I'm not really at that level yet, but I'm a lot better than I was when I started! It's a cool feeling, being able to understand when other Israeli's talk and I've even been trying to talk to Israeli's that I meet, רק בעברית (only in Hebrew...it's not going too well, but I'm working on it). Anyway, this week was a mishmash of events. I'm finally starting to feel better, I've had a bad cold for basically the entire time since we've been here and I'm beginning to feel more cultured in Israel. Crazy enough, we've been here for just a little over a month and I know that the short month of February is going to fly by! Anyway, since I've finally been feeling better, I figured why not go out and start a cycle of getting sick, feeling better, then going out...it's pretty messed up if you think about it, but I guess that's just part of being abroad? LOLZ, no judgement plz. Last night in honor of the best holiday ever, Valentine's Day, we decided to go to this big Valentine's Party on the Nemal (the port of Tel Aviv) at a club called Hangar 11. The party was poppin' and the venue was cool, the club was both inside and outside and crowded with people. There were a couple girls studying at Haifa University who came to Tel Aviv for the weekend and I ended up meeting up with an old friend from pre-school! Hey HZT, there are three of us here in Israel...such a small world, but really cool too. I'm spending the weekend here in Ramat Aviv, staying local. We start real classes next week and one of my classes is an internship as well, so I'm excited for that to begin. Next weekend a couple friends and I are thinking about going up north to Tzefat or Haifa or both. Welp, that's my life, this past week it hasn't been 2exciting. I promise, I'll make up for it next week. Can't wait to not have Sunday classes and be able to be more relaxed rather than always feeling "on-the-go". OH BTW everyone, I got a hair wrap at this little joint called "Kundala Rasta", it's gold and multi-colored! And I made homemade chicken soup on the little hot-pot stove in my room to cure my cold. Anyway, hope everyone back home is staying safe in the crazy snow, ya'll should come to Israel, the weather's gorgeous. Tata for now, שבת שלום!

On that Northern Grind

"This is the most adventurous thing I think I've ever done", I said to my two friends as we climbed aboard the All-terrain vehicle (ATV) in the Golan Heights. The wind was blowing in our face and the engine was revved up, ready to go. Was I ready? That I was a little unsure about. This past weekend, I went on a Shabbaton to the Golan Heights, an area in the North of Israel. I only knew what I read on the itinerary which was short, sweet, but left the details out. Anyway, my time in Israel is scarce and I want to be able to do everything and anything provided, to live out the experience to the fullest...but before we go to far, I put the limit at driving the ATV, I only wanted to be a passenger. Me + driving an ATV = 2much2handle. Boy what a freaking ride. It was the most amazing, scary, exhilarating, crazy and definitely most adventurous thing I've ever done. We stopped halfway to see the view at the Ramot Naftali lookout - a view of the Hula Valley, the Golan Heights, Mt. Hermon and southern Lebanon. Wow. What a view!!

After we ATVed, we ventured to the Galil Winery, where we swished our cups and took in the grapey smells of the wine. If I'm going to be honest though, the wine wasn't that good...not that I'm a connoisseur of any type, but I like my wine White and bubbly (Moscato is my fave). After that, we took the bus to our Hotel up north. I use the term hotel very lightly, as that was what it was explained to us on the itinerary, but a hotel....not so much. We had the pleasure of staying in hostel-like quarters in the Keshet Moshav in the Golan heights. We learned, once outside the Moshav, which is a cooperative community of famers, we were about 4 kilometers from Syria...kewl. We celebrated Shabbat dinner in the חדר אוכל (dining room) of the Moshav and then slept a respective 11 and a half hours, even with the semi-icky bed conditions, we passed out immediately. It was a long weekend, but full of new experiences. I met some new people on my program and bonded with them, which was great. I'm happy to be back "home" in Tel Aviv or Ramat Aviv, whatever you want to call it, and our last week of Ulpan starts tomorrow. ברוך השם (thank God), not that I don't enjoy Ulpan, I just don't enjoy waking up for it. On a good note, I'm fluent in Hebrew on the DL (down-low)....okay, fluent might be a stretch, but I am definitely rocking it out in the real world. It's really a great feeling being able to understand a once "foreign" language, which is now becoming extremely familiar.

Jerusalem, If I Forget You

Yesterday was probably one of the longest days of my life, but worth every moment. The day started at 6:15 AM when I woke from my alarm to get on a 7 AM bus to Jerusalem. Having not been back to Jerusalem since 10th grade, I was extremely excited but exhausted as well. Our itinerary for the day was as follows: a tour of the Knesset (Israel's Parliament Government Building), a stop at the Tayelet (a look-out of the city of Jerusalem), Mahane Yehuda Market (Jerusalem's Shuk), the Kotel, Old City of Jerusalem and the Jewish Quarter, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, then a buffet dinner, with some free time thrown into the crazy day. As we pulled into Jerusalem, I was filled with a rush of emotions - familiarity, love, warmth, spirituality and culture. I was instantly happy and the scenery was gorgeous with a bright sunny day that definitely needed a pair of sunglasses.

To put it simply, Jerusalem is amazing. I was so happy to be back, to experience some of the same adventures that I had in 10th grade, but with a different group of people and a well-balanced maturity now that I never had back in high school. Everything was extremely different than the life I've been living in Tel Aviv - a more social, young, vibrant, international city whereas Jerusalem is more spiritual and religious. Both have their perks, I am very happy to be living in Tel Aviv, but Jerusalem is the perfect diversion, I'm excited to go back and spend a weekend there. At the Shuk, I purchased some dried fruit and nuts and tasted bits and pieces from each stand - the ginormous strawberries were delicious, the fruit is so fresh here.

As a foreigner in Israel, the Kotel/Western Wall is a huge tourist attraction and even though I've been there a handful of times while living in Jerusalem on TRY, the wall never ceases to amaze me. I value the different experiences I have there every time, I wrote wishes and stuck them into crevices in the wall and was able to see my friends' emotions as for some of them it was their first time there. And the best yet was being able to see two of my closest friends from Indiana University who are studying abroad at Hebrew University come to see me - I haven't seen them in about a year --- you know what they say, "next year in Jerusalem" which was where we all ended up being. 

Since the day was so jam-packed, each activity was extremely short...I'm already ready to go back to Jeru, who wants to come?. I can't believe how quickly the semester is flying by, with it already being February I need to take advantage of everything here. I'm excited to start traveling more and trying new things. Oh and just btw to everyone, I got an 100% on my last Ulpan test, I'm trying to use it more and more in public places and Taxi's, maybe I will become bilingual, that's the ultimate goal! Hope you're all enjoying the snow while I'm soaking it up in the sun.

HHHHHHump Dayyyyy

It's Wednesday, which means we only have one real day left of this week and then we get a weird three day weekend, but with a class in between...school Sunday but not Monday, whatever, I can roll with it. On Sunday night the OSP (OverSeas Program) here at TAU organized a trip for all the students to the Nalagaat Center in Jaffa, about a 20 minute drive from Ramat Aviv, which is where I live. The Nalagaat Center is a theater filled with a deaf-blind acting ensemble that puts on shows for audiences and lucky enough, I was able to sit in on the performance. To say that it was anything but extraordinary would be lying, it was a little strange and somewhat different, but interesting as well. I don't know much about being blind or deaf, but I found it really stimulating that deaf people in Israel, when they speak, Hebrew comes out. Because obviously in America it's English. I know that's a weird thought but it really hit me deep and it was moving. We learned some phrases in Hebrew sign language, like "Thankyou" and how to give "applause"....we clapped. We took some cute pictures outside the theater in the center of wings -

I'm starting to figure out my spring break plans: EUROTRIP 2014. We hope to start in Amsterdam and work our way through Europe: eating, praying and loving. Maybe skipping out on the praying for some more eating (and/or substitute it for clubbing), but either way, I'm beyond excited and can't wait to start booking flights! We are headed to Jerusalem this coming Monday for a tour of the city. The last time I was in Jeru was in 10th grade abroad on TRY, I miss this city and cannot wait to go back. Our day starts at 7 AM, but don't worry, I will still be celebrating the Superbowl the night before. You know what they say, YOAO (you only abroad once...I hope I can live up to that motto :b). My plan for this weekend is to make some homemade chicken soup using the little hot-plate in my dorm room, or possibly go to Arad, a small city near Jerusalem with some friends for Shabbat. I've been learning to relax with making plans and not care about timing, whatever happens happens, when it will happen and there's no need to worry. Btw, I'm rocking it in Ulpan...שׁלֹוֹם for now!

This Is(not)rea(ae)l Life.

I can't believe I'm already writing my third post. It's crazy, I feel like I've already been here a month, but it's only been a little over week, just about under two weeks. I guess it's true as the saying goes, time flies when you're having fun. This past week has been the true start of my study abroad experience because we began Ulpan (Hebrew) this past Sunday, yes, in Israel they have school on Sunday...it's a weird adjustment but I will get used to it. Another adjustment has been the waking up at 7:45 for Ulpan at 8:30 AM until 1 PM every day - it's hard, it's intensive, but I find that it will be worth it. Surprisingly or maybe not, I am enjoying Ulpan and it's definitely making me a more confident Hebrew speaker. So much so that I've been trying to communicate with the locals רק בעברית (only in Hebrew); it's working somewhat.
So updates for this week. Number 1...after a tiring 45 minute process of going back and forth and up and down, I finally was able to join the gym with my small towel (which they require at "all gyms in Israel") in hand - and have been going every day after class, which has been great. At home, gym time was "me" time and it's nice to have it in Israel, my new home, as well.
This past week came and went pretty quickly, I'm off on my days because of class on Sunday, so even though today is Saturday I'm in the mindset that it's Friday...Anyway, on Thursday night a bunch of us went to Tel Aviv's Hottest Club: Wonderland (anyone catch that Stefan SNL reference?), but I call it Wondaland in a British accent because it's much more fun. This club was trippy...it's an Alice in Wonderland themed place with funhouse mirrors and a bar in the center of the room. It was funky to say the least but I do not see myself going back there that soon, it's a hotspot for creepy Americans, so naturally, we will stay away.
Yesterday around 11 AM, myself and three other friends decided to venture the 5 mile walk (hike) to the Shuk HaCarmel in Tel Aviv. It was about 65 degrees here - sorry to all my friends and family stuck back home, I don't miss the snow at all. We stopped midway for Brunch at Cafe DVD on Dizengoff Street; I ordered the Chicken salad with strips of Grilled chicken, chunks of sweet potato, cherry tomatoes and a lemon vinaigrette on the side. The Cafe was retro with old album covers covering the wall and the food was delish. After we finally arrived at the Shuk, we were exhausted, but it was time to do some Shabbat food shopping for the Potluck dinner we were having later that night. About an hour later we returned back home to campus and began to prepare - the finished product was a room full of 9 girls, two Israeli salads, a quinoa dish, grilled vegetables, Guacomole, Challah, White Wine and homemade Pita chips. This meal was so totally delicious and it was all in good company. To end this night on a positive note, when asked what I did last night, my answer was Valium. (Me on Valium = !*@#&!) But I don't mean the drug, I mean the club! Valium has been the best club so far with an amazing venue and the best music. We danced all night to the best songs ever (thanks for the quote 1D).

I apologize for the length of this post, I just have a lot to say! Overall, I'm loving it here and I'm really happy...I can't wait for the new adventures ahead this week.

Beach Babe

For the past two days, or really, the entire week (because I've only been here for 5 days as of today), it's been about 65-70 degrees every day. This is definitely a temperature I can deal with; as my mom says, the climate is really working for me, like in her words: "I'm glowing", so I'm gonna go with that's a good sign. I was determined to wake up before 12 PM yesterday and to my surprise I woke around 10:30, got up, got dressed in sneaks and some workout gear and walked downstairs to go for a run. I walked into a group of girls from my program, some leaving to walk to the port of Tel Aviv and one other who was also going for a run, we decided to run together around the outside of campus which loops into a circle. It was a good run, but it was hot! Anyway, after the run, my roommate and I went grocery shopping at this grocery store that is attached to the dorms we live in at TAU. We picked up some necessities and I went to the deli, where I tried to order an American quarter-pound of turkey breast until the workers there started laughing, jokes on me! Israeli's don't order in pounds because they use the metric system, so I opted for 200 kilos of turkey breast, still don't completely understand...but the turkey was yummy!

Last night was the first Shabbat in the holy land and I went to celebrate with my camp friend in Herzliya, about 25 minutes from Tel Aviv. We had a potluck dinner at her Conservative shul (synagogue) and I was familiar with all the tunes, so I felt right at home! This morning I came back to Ramat Aviv and met her grandparents - ironically enough, they made Aliyah to Israel many years ago, but before hand they lived about 15 minutes from where I live now!
Around 1 o'clock, myself and a couple other girls from my program ventured on a 2 mile walk to the beach, where we sat at a cute outdoor cafe on the beach with our toes in the sand; I had eaten some food before, so I wasn't that hungry, but I ordered a small cappuccino, it was foamy and delicious. The best accomplishment today is when I asked the waiter for the check in Hebrew, my friends clapped for me, lolz!!! We decided to walk the 2 miles back to campus as well and it was great exercise, but I'm exhausted now.

We start our first Ulpan class tomorrow, I made it into beginner-intermediate and although I'm not super excited for class, I am excited to get adjusted into a routine and schedule. 

Yom Rishon

Hay hay haaaaayy it's your favorite blogger girl reporting from Tel Aviv, Israel. After what seemed like an endless flight and day of traveling, I have finally made it to Tel Aviv! We landed mid-day on Tuesday and headed to Ramat Aviv to check out campus. It's funny, I go to Tel Aviv University, but I'm not really sure if it's in Tel Aviv...because it's about a 20-30 minute מונית (taxi) ride to the center of the city (they definitely left that out of the program description). Any-who, on Tuesday night a couple friends and I wanted a casual night out, so we headed to Rotcha, a bar in center Tel Aviv on Rehov (street) Allenby. I was so exhausted I almost fell asleep on the table.....needless to say we came back around 1 AM Israel time, and I passed out until the next morning when my alarm went off at 8:30 AM. I figured 7 and a half hours for the first night wasn't bad, plus it sort of helped me get rid of my jetlag hangover. Yesterday, Wednesday, was the first real day of everything at Tel Aviv University. We started with a tour of the campus where I met some new people, and then we got our official TAU I.D. cards and took our Ulpan test. I opted for the choice of "has taken one semester of Hebrew in college", because even though I've taken four...I'm a bit rusty and decided a lower level was better than a higher. To my surprise, I understood everything the teacher was saying during the directions, hey mom and dad, my hebrew isn't so bad after all! Later in the day we hung out for a bit, finally got our wi-fi working and I had my first Israeli meal at this small little joint behind the mall - hummus-shuka which was hummus and shakshuka mixed together, it was delish!! After dinner, we came back, got ready to go out and went to this club called SOLO, almost every person from my program was there, it was crazy crowded, but a ton of fun. We stayed out until about 3:30 AM (for all of you who know me, I do not stay out late, so that was a new adventure for me), I came back and fell asleep until 11:30 this morning and then went to the Tel Aviv Shuk! It was fun, and gorgeous out, we also took a walk on the beach. And that's all for now, Laila Tov!