There's No Wifi at the Western Wall

...or anywhere else in Israel for that matter. Which is fine, no complaints, but it makes it difficult to blog every day.

We've done a lot since the first day. We went on a gorgeous hike

Met up with a sister school to Boston and had a dance party with 6th graders

Had free time in the charming little town of Zizhronyaakov, where we drank coffee and made friends with an Israeli lay who lives in Ohio of all places

(Photo creds to that lady)

And then had a night out in Jerusalem. It wasn't really popping on the Sunday night. I recommend aiming for a different night if you ever find yourself turning up in Jerusalem.

Seven Israeli soldiers joined us yesterday morning, with whom we will make friends and question about Israeli culture. We went to the Old City of Jerusalem yesterday. It was mind-boggling to think I was chilling where Jesus chilled, and where some of the most important events in history took place. 

I can't say I had a spiritual or emotional experience at the Western Wall, as many do,  but i certainly felt the profound importance of such a famous site. 

We had dinner last night at the home of the Sachlav (our specific birthright program) CEO, who told us about the purpose behind Birthright and the ways in which we should return this "gift" - in the form of active participation in the Jewish community back home. 

Other notable parts of the trip are sleep deprivation and illness being passed around, but I suppose that's all part of sitting on a bus with 40 other kids every day on a travel tour. We're headed south in a few minutes, so hopefully I'll snag a bus nap.

Day 1 - Svat

After a gazillion hours of flying, we arrived in sunny Israel and were treated with donuts and much-needed water. The 40 of us met our Israeli tour guide (actually from Philadelphia) and loaded onto a big bus. Exhausted from not sleeping on the plane, I passed out without a glance out the window. We arrived where we're staying, ate dinner, and spent the night getting to know each other. 

Today we started early, with breakfast at 7:15 and a 7:45 departure. We drove down the winding roads, through stunning scenery of mountains and lakes. David our tour guide talked us through a basic history of Israel and the Jewish religion. He has a great voice and knows his stuff; it would be hard not to listen to him speak about the land he so clearly adores.

We arrived at Svat the mystical city high up on a hill. The charming, pedestrian-only city center winded past art galleries and boutiques. David toured us through various temples, explaining Svat's important history as the cite of a miraculous defeat of Arab aggression post-World War II. Here's the scoop - with heavy rain and loud weapons, the invading Arab army thought the Jews had nuclear weapons and retreated, abandoning their homes completely in fear of a nuclear attack. 

Next was my favorite (and I think everyone's favorite) part of the day. We walked into an art gallery and sat in a circle to listen to the artist speak about his experience with mystical Judaism, or Kabbalah. Also an ex-pat, Avraham grew up in Michigan and attended art school in Chicago before gradually making the move to live in Israel. The man exuded positive hippie energy, punctuating most of his points with "like whoa." He spoke of his search for spirituality in Eastern traditions before someone pointed him towards the practice of Kabbalah. The rest is history - the man can talk for days about Jewish mysticism, and his art richly symbolizes the Jewish tradition. He told us that the main goal of Kabbalah is to move away from caring about oneself and towards feeling concern for others. The special part of this wasn't just what he said but how he said it, with this pure unadulterated joy. He repeated over and over how fantastic it was to be seated in a room with people who share ancestry, tradition, and family struggle. 

Then we were set free for lunch and exploring. Naturally we headed straight for the winery and tasted local cabs made by a cute old man from Morocco. 

With the intent of finding lunch, I got side-tracked by a pretty ring and a lady from Westchester who has no intention of ever returning to the States (the common theme of American ex-pats). I wandered into a cute coffee shop with a spectacular view and met up with other kids on my trip. We drank cappuccinos and enjoyed the view. By the time we were done it was time to meet back with the group, so I grabbed a falafel and rushed to catch up with the group.

Last stop was a mikvah. We learned about cleansing and such, and we delved into the realm of Jewish gender issues. Women are impure when the menstruate and such. No need to get into it here, but needless to say I'm not rushing to pick up Orthodox Judaism. 

The next 24 hours will be pretty low-key for Shabbat, but tune in soon for our next adventure. One of the many spectacular views...

Does Santa Deliver to Airplanes?

New plans! After a year and a half of doing not blog-worthy academic things, I'm finally going on another adventure. Here's the plan - I leave on Christmas Eve for Israel (through Birthright) for ten days, then a two-week Eurotrip including Prague, Berlin, and Amsterdam, and a two-night layover in Iceland to wrap things up.

This trip is exciting for two reasons: one, because it's a trip and who doesn't love that? And two, because for the first time in my life I'll get to explore Judaism in a personal way. From the Western Wall to the Berlin Wall, the common thread in my destinations is their rich Jewish histories. Thus far in my life I've given little thought to my identity as a Jew or my connection to Jewish culture. For the next few weeks I'll have the opportunity to learn and ponder more deeply about Judaism, while eating falafel and floating in the Dead Sea.

I know what you're thinking - "How does Iceland fit into all of this?!" Not to worry! Iceland has Jews too. According to the 2011 census, at least 50 Jews reside in Iceland, and according to the Wikipedia page "History of the Jews in Iceland," "they often gather to celebrate the Jewish holidays." So there. A thoroughly Jewish-themed journey for me to take and you to read about.

Happy Hanukkah, everyone!