Friends, let me tell you--sometimes it's true when you say, "I walked uphill to school--both ways." The walk from our apartment to the Yeshiva is only two miles, but the terrain makes it feel like much more. Whether I start at home or school, the walk begins with a nice stroll downhill, followed by a lengthy walk on near-level ground, and concludes with a fun hike straight up a hill. The training is great, and all I can say about the 3-Day is thank goodness Chicago is flat!!!
However, you probably want to know about the more exciting parts of Israel...like Shabbat. On Friday night, my roommates and I went to Moreshet Yisrael, the Masorti synagogue connected with the Fuchsberg Center for Conservative Judaism, for tefillot, followed by Shabbat dinner. The next morning, we ventured out to one of the many shuls in and around our neighborhood. We picked Kol HaNeshama, a Reform/Reconstructionist congregation in Baka, where we unwittingly walked right into a bar mitzvah. It was lovely. While the congregants, guests, and itinerant daveners (like us) hailed from many different countries, the parents of the bar mitzvah were American olim. Their four children spoke Israeli-accented Hebrew, and among the four of them, they read the entire parasha. Binyamin (the bar mitzvah) gave his Dvar Torah in Hebrew, and just like at CJHS graduation, an English copy was circulated to everyone present, including his many family members who had traveled from the U.S. Being present at this lifecycle event was tremendously meaningful to me--especially seeing liberal Judaism thriving in Jerusalem. The rest of Shabbat was restful and fairly uneventful.
On Saturday night, my roommates and I had a crazy cleaning fest--how many people can scrub one tiny bathroom at once?--and embarked on a laundry challenge...I guess that's not so exciting, but it was pretty funny to the four of us who were here.
Classes began on Sunday morning at the Conservative Yeshiva. The day began with davening, always one of my more treasured parts of the day. My classes have been thrilling and engaging. Talmud is opening up a whole new world to me--wait until you see what I'm learning about brachot--and my tefillah class has left me even more enamored (after only one session) with prayer than I was before. These are only two examples of the exciting learning opportunities here!
I'm sorry that I haven't written with more detail, but I seem to still be suffering from jetlag, and I'm having trouble falling asleep and staying asleep.
One last note, as I may have mentioned earlier, my roommates and I are having a fabulous time getting to know each other. We're planning a red-white-and-blue potluck Shabbat dinner for this Friday night (July 4). If you're in Talpiot, you are more than welcome to join us!
I'm off to bed. I hope to write more cogently in the coming days.
We'll talk soon...
Caroline
Monday, June 30, 2008
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Todah al savlanut lachem
Thank you for your patience, as this post is longer than I'd like, but flights are interesting opportunities to observe people and reflect on travel and its implications.
I was on the plane from Chicago for not five minutes before I saw a couple I knew--Jeff and Sherri--as well as one of my former USYers. Apparently, my Moriah roots will follow me whever I go... While it's nice to pick up a few words of German being spoken here and there (I was connecting in Frankfurt), I am mildly relieved to know that at this point in my life, my Hebrew is far better than my German. Perhaps I should also mention that I was obsessed with German while I was in high school, especially relating to dissection of the grammar. No surprise, I know.
As our plane lifted off the ground, I pulled my battered Tefillat Haderech (Traveler's Prayer) card from my pocket and recited the familiar prayer, easily gliding past the tears and creases that disguised words here and there. I then composed my own Tefillat Haderech as I set off on this journey:
May this be a positive experience.
May I learn through the texts of our tradition, and may I learn about myself through these texts.
May my greatest fears remain unfounded.
May I play an active role in making my dreams come true.
May God keep me safe in my comings and my goings.
May we arrive safely and without incident, and may we return in the same way.
May I choose wisely and sometimes spontaneously.
And please--may the airline have my kosher meals.
They didn't, but thanks to the lovely flight attendants, a meal was pulled practically out of thin air--and a first class meal at that. As it turns out, someone in first class had passed on her meal, so it ended up with me.
I saw a gorgeous sunrise over the Atlantic Ocean. We spent three (well sort of five, but more on that later) hours in Germany. Upon arrival, I walked with Jeff and Sherri to find the next gate, and there I met Robin, one of my new roommates who had just flown in from Boston. No, we didn't know each other before now.
If you haven't been to the Frankfurt airport, you are not missing much. It's the most starkly bleak and bare airport I've ever seen, and although we finally found a cafe where we could sit for a moment, I think we walked halfway to Berlin to get there. This was great Breast Cancer 3-Day training. Finally, we were able to get onto the El Al plane. I love El Al. The feeling on board is euphoric. The only analogy I can make is it's like being at Wrigley when the Cubs win--everyone on this plane is overjoyed to be having this experience. It's like we're all on one team--Anglo, Mizrachi, Russian, (even German), speaking a sprinkling of languages from across the globe, frum or not, and who knows--there may even be non-Jews aboard, too.
Due to the weather, we were stuck in Germany for about two extra hours, but the mood on board was light and cheery. Even when we were part of a 60-plane line for takeoff, it didn't matter. I even heard a line rarely heard on such an aircraft, as the captain gave his update on when we might be taking off, and closed with "Todah al savlanut lachem," thank you for your patience. At last, the plane took off. To bookend the day, I watched the sun going down, and the view then was just as magnificent as the sunrise had been that morning.
Remember the good old days when the descent and landing in Israel were accompanied by Jewish folk music blaring from the speakers? Not anymore, my friend. :( The plane landed, and after three years away, I was finally home again. After a generally uneventful time at passport control and collecting luggage, Robin and I boarded a shuttle to Jerusalem. We were the last stop, and by the time we got out, I was exceptionally carsick. We had driven through (and around) many parts of Jerusalem that I don't know, and based on the pedestrians and activity in so many of these areas, it seemed as though Jerusalem, not New York, ought to be the city that never sleeps. Finally, we arrived at our apartment in Talpiot, where we met our third roommate, Lisa. We were exhausted and determined to sleep in the next day.
Ah, today...after a morning of sleeping in and such, my roommates and I synchronized our pedometers at zero and took a walk. For about seven hours. Some highlights:
*Lunch at Little Italy
*leisurely walking around Jerusalem
*Ben Yehuda (outdoor mall apparently designed for tourists)
*Machaneh Yehuda, an open-air market for produce and so much more. We bought zataar, a spice, and several mixes of nuts and dried fruits.
*We missed the Jerusalem Pride Parade but caught part of the culminating concert in Liberty Bell Garden Park.
*My beloved Shnitzi on Emek Refaim.
*grocery-shopping and making dinner together
*the arrival of our fourth and final roommate, Gwen. Now we're a full house!
Our pedometers differed significantly at the end of the day, and we determined that mine is a little hypersensitive. We did not, in fact, walk 32,000 steps, or 14 miles. I'm guessing we walked 8-10, though. Not a bad training day, and my feet are blister-free!!
Tomorrow night, we have an opening Shabbat dinner for the program. I look forward to a restful, meaningful Shabbat, and classes begin on Sunday morning.
Shabbat shalom, v'todah al savlanut lachem.
We'll talk soon...
Caroline
I was on the plane from Chicago for not five minutes before I saw a couple I knew--Jeff and Sherri--as well as one of my former USYers. Apparently, my Moriah roots will follow me whever I go... While it's nice to pick up a few words of German being spoken here and there (I was connecting in Frankfurt), I am mildly relieved to know that at this point in my life, my Hebrew is far better than my German. Perhaps I should also mention that I was obsessed with German while I was in high school, especially relating to dissection of the grammar. No surprise, I know.
As our plane lifted off the ground, I pulled my battered Tefillat Haderech (Traveler's Prayer) card from my pocket and recited the familiar prayer, easily gliding past the tears and creases that disguised words here and there. I then composed my own Tefillat Haderech as I set off on this journey:
May this be a positive experience.
May I learn through the texts of our tradition, and may I learn about myself through these texts.
May my greatest fears remain unfounded.
May I play an active role in making my dreams come true.
May God keep me safe in my comings and my goings.
May we arrive safely and without incident, and may we return in the same way.
May I choose wisely and sometimes spontaneously.
And please--may the airline have my kosher meals.
They didn't, but thanks to the lovely flight attendants, a meal was pulled practically out of thin air--and a first class meal at that. As it turns out, someone in first class had passed on her meal, so it ended up with me.
I saw a gorgeous sunrise over the Atlantic Ocean. We spent three (well sort of five, but more on that later) hours in Germany. Upon arrival, I walked with Jeff and Sherri to find the next gate, and there I met Robin, one of my new roommates who had just flown in from Boston. No, we didn't know each other before now.
If you haven't been to the Frankfurt airport, you are not missing much. It's the most starkly bleak and bare airport I've ever seen, and although we finally found a cafe where we could sit for a moment, I think we walked halfway to Berlin to get there. This was great Breast Cancer 3-Day training. Finally, we were able to get onto the El Al plane. I love El Al. The feeling on board is euphoric. The only analogy I can make is it's like being at Wrigley when the Cubs win--everyone on this plane is overjoyed to be having this experience. It's like we're all on one team--Anglo, Mizrachi, Russian, (even German), speaking a sprinkling of languages from across the globe, frum or not, and who knows--there may even be non-Jews aboard, too.
Due to the weather, we were stuck in Germany for about two extra hours, but the mood on board was light and cheery. Even when we were part of a 60-plane line for takeoff, it didn't matter. I even heard a line rarely heard on such an aircraft, as the captain gave his update on when we might be taking off, and closed with "Todah al savlanut lachem," thank you for your patience. At last, the plane took off. To bookend the day, I watched the sun going down, and the view then was just as magnificent as the sunrise had been that morning.
Remember the good old days when the descent and landing in Israel were accompanied by Jewish folk music blaring from the speakers? Not anymore, my friend. :( The plane landed, and after three years away, I was finally home again. After a generally uneventful time at passport control and collecting luggage, Robin and I boarded a shuttle to Jerusalem. We were the last stop, and by the time we got out, I was exceptionally carsick. We had driven through (and around) many parts of Jerusalem that I don't know, and based on the pedestrians and activity in so many of these areas, it seemed as though Jerusalem, not New York, ought to be the city that never sleeps. Finally, we arrived at our apartment in Talpiot, where we met our third roommate, Lisa. We were exhausted and determined to sleep in the next day.
Ah, today...after a morning of sleeping in and such, my roommates and I synchronized our pedometers at zero and took a walk. For about seven hours. Some highlights:
*Lunch at Little Italy
*leisurely walking around Jerusalem
*Ben Yehuda (outdoor mall apparently designed for tourists)
*Machaneh Yehuda, an open-air market for produce and so much more. We bought zataar, a spice, and several mixes of nuts and dried fruits.
*We missed the Jerusalem Pride Parade but caught part of the culminating concert in Liberty Bell Garden Park.
*My beloved Shnitzi on Emek Refaim.
*grocery-shopping and making dinner together
*the arrival of our fourth and final roommate, Gwen. Now we're a full house!
Our pedometers differed significantly at the end of the day, and we determined that mine is a little hypersensitive. We did not, in fact, walk 32,000 steps, or 14 miles. I'm guessing we walked 8-10, though. Not a bad training day, and my feet are blister-free!!
Tomorrow night, we have an opening Shabbat dinner for the program. I look forward to a restful, meaningful Shabbat, and classes begin on Sunday morning.
Shabbat shalom, v'todah al savlanut lachem.
We'll talk soon...
Caroline
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Forgot to add this tiny detail...
When I wrote this yesterday at O'Hare, the end of my blog was erased, and I had to reconstruct it tonight. I forgot this one point...
If you are confused about the name of the blog, dear Iowa Hawkeye fans, have no fear. The CY in mycysummer stands for Conservative Yeshiva, not the Cyclones. Perish the thought.
CEM
If you are confused about the name of the blog, dear Iowa Hawkeye fans, have no fear. The CY in mycysummer stands for Conservative Yeshiva, not the Cyclones. Perish the thought.
CEM
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
OK, I give in...(written pre-departure)
OK, I give in. I was against this blogging thing from the start, but it does seem like the best way to disseminate information quickly and easily without worrying that I didn't copy someone on the email.
Every time I go to Israel, I keep a journal. More accurately, every time I go to Israel, I start a journal. Maybe this time will be different. This is my seventh trip to Israel, and it's the first time I haven't traveled as part of a tour program. Whether it was Pilgrimage (either time), professional conferences, part of Hornstein, a JUF mission, or whatever, I've always gone to Israel with my logistics completely planned by others. This time is different.
I am fortunate and grateful to have received a Legacy Heritage Communal Fellowship to study at the Conservative Yeshiva for a three-week summer session. I am constantly amazed by all that my students have the opportunity to learn, and for three brief weeks, I will get a little taste of that world.I'll be taking classes on Talmud, Midrash, Heschel, and how to read Torah. I cannot wait. Of course, I'll also get to live in an apartment, shop for my own food, and plan my own time. Many friends will already be in Israel or will arrive soon after me.
My adventure begins in about half an hour, when I board a flight to Frankfurt, Germany. Twelve years after completing my four years of Deutsch under the tutelage of Frau Roller, I will be in Germany for three brief hours before I connect to a flight to Tel Aviv. Will I dredge up any German during my time in Frankfurt? Somehow I think "Wir sind hier, und hier ist Deutsch," and "Wollen wir ins Kino gehen? Tut mir leid, ich kann nicht" might not be the most useful of phrases.
Every time I go to Israel, I keep a journal. More accurately, every time I go to Israel, I start a journal. Maybe this time will be different. This is my seventh trip to Israel, and it's the first time I haven't traveled as part of a tour program. Whether it was Pilgrimage (either time), professional conferences, part of Hornstein, a JUF mission, or whatever, I've always gone to Israel with my logistics completely planned by others. This time is different.
I am fortunate and grateful to have received a Legacy Heritage Communal Fellowship to study at the Conservative Yeshiva for a three-week summer session. I am constantly amazed by all that my students have the opportunity to learn, and for three brief weeks, I will get a little taste of that world.I'll be taking classes on Talmud, Midrash, Heschel, and how to read Torah. I cannot wait. Of course, I'll also get to live in an apartment, shop for my own food, and plan my own time. Many friends will already be in Israel or will arrive soon after me.
My adventure begins in about half an hour, when I board a flight to Frankfurt, Germany. Twelve years after completing my four years of Deutsch under the tutelage of Frau Roller, I will be in Germany for three brief hours before I connect to a flight to Tel Aviv. Will I dredge up any German during my time in Frankfurt? Somehow I think "Wir sind hier, und hier ist Deutsch," and "Wollen wir ins Kino gehen? Tut mir leid, ich kann nicht" might not be the most useful of phrases.
I hope that this online journal will give you at least small nuggets of what I'm gleaning from this experience. This time will be different.
We'll talk soon...
Caroline
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