"The first rain reminds me of the rising summer dust" -Yahuda Amichai
Today was the first rain of the season in Jerusalem and it was a spectacular sight, feeling and sound. Rain is prayed for all year long so to experience it is emotional. In Boston we take for granted the amount of rain we get but when you do not see rain for months at a time, you appreciate its coming and purpose for the cycle of nature.
Shabbat shalom
Esther
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Friday, September 26, 2008
שנה טובה Happy and Healthy New Year
Shalom friends and family,
I want to wish everyone a happy and healthy New Year! To be in Israel during the Chagim (holidays) is an amazing experience. It is like Christmas in Israel for Jews! The stores are packed, people are happy, and it is vacation time (again). For Rosh Hashanna I am going to my cousins in Netanya and for Yom Kippur and Sukkot I will be in Jerusalem, which I am looking forward to immensely. I have 3 weeks off of Ulpan but during this time I will be studying with friends for at least a couple of hours a day.
These past few weeks have coasted by but I have three "first" Israeli experiences that are news worthy.
1. Last Wednesday my throat hurt so went to the doctor. I stepped into 1970 doctors office where I was greeted by two secretaries on their cell phones and a room full of very diverse people (but this is what Israel is all about). Everything is okay - just some Strep throat. The best part about the experience is that I did not pay for any of their services- got to love a social system.
2. Last Saturday night I went Israeli Folk Dancing with my boyfriend and his adopted Israeli mother. The scene was 300 Israelis dancing in sync in a gym. I was able to learn a couple of dances but I stayed in the back of the room and followed the 75 year old guy in front of me - at least I used my Hebrew!
3. My friends and I crashed our first Religious wedding (see picture). The wedding had 900 guests, an open bar and dessert buffet - it was amazing. The bride was maybe 20 years old and a lot of the boys came straight from their army duty so they carried their M16 guns on them while doing the Horrah.
I will send a prayer for all of you during this time but if you have any specific wishes that you want me to bring to the Kotel please share them with me and I will bring them to the place where our ancestors traveled long journeys and prayed to for thousands of years. I can't wait to hear the Shofar at the Kotel during Nila services and eat in many Sukkot.
Shana Tova
Esther
Random scenery picture from Hike in Galillee
I want to wish everyone a happy and healthy New Year! To be in Israel during the Chagim (holidays) is an amazing experience. It is like Christmas in Israel for Jews! The stores are packed, people are happy, and it is vacation time (again). For Rosh Hashanna I am going to my cousins in Netanya and for Yom Kippur and Sukkot I will be in Jerusalem, which I am looking forward to immensely. I have 3 weeks off of Ulpan but during this time I will be studying with friends for at least a couple of hours a day.
These past few weeks have coasted by but I have three "first" Israeli experiences that are news worthy.
1. Last Wednesday my throat hurt so went to the doctor. I stepped into 1970 doctors office where I was greeted by two secretaries on their cell phones and a room full of very diverse people (but this is what Israel is all about). Everything is okay - just some Strep throat. The best part about the experience is that I did not pay for any of their services- got to love a social system.
2. Last Saturday night I went Israeli Folk Dancing with my boyfriend and his adopted Israeli mother. The scene was 300 Israelis dancing in sync in a gym. I was able to learn a couple of dances but I stayed in the back of the room and followed the 75 year old guy in front of me - at least I used my Hebrew!
3. My friends and I crashed our first Religious wedding (see picture). The wedding had 900 guests, an open bar and dessert buffet - it was amazing. The bride was maybe 20 years old and a lot of the boys came straight from their army duty so they carried their M16 guns on them while doing the Horrah.
I will send a prayer for all of you during this time but if you have any specific wishes that you want me to bring to the Kotel please share them with me and I will bring them to the place where our ancestors traveled long journeys and prayed to for thousands of years. I can't wait to hear the Shofar at the Kotel during Nila services and eat in many Sukkot.
Shana Tova
Esther
Random scenery picture from Hike in Galillee
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Work in Israel?!?!?!
Shalom Chavarim (friends),
I hope all is well in the states with everyone. I heard the North East
is getting a storm this weekend and the South got hit pretty badly
with a couple of Hurricanes - I hope you are all surviving. Here in
Jerusalem it is hot and sunny everyday...which I love and I have no
complaints about. In the mornings there is a cool fresh breeze and in
the evenings the weather is a perfect 65 and breezy. I officially have
a Sabra (Israeli) tan and Israelis come up to me speaking Hebrew which
helps me practice my "English accent" Hebrew.
So the title of this email is Work in Israel? As of right now I am not
working but I have a few plans in action so when I need to find a job
after Ulpan is complete in December I already have contacts lined up.
I am also getting involved with volunteer work in specific fields that
I care about in Jerusalem such as being on the Steering Committee for
Presentense (http://www.presentense.org/) and getting involved with
Nir Barkat's Campaign for Mayor
(http://www.barkat.org.il/English.aspx ) . Also, if any of you are
going in November to the GA 2008 (General Assembly) in Jerusalem I
will be volunteering and will see you there.
As for work, I want to get involved in Israeli Corporate
Philanthropy/Responsibility. Israeli non-profits are cutting staff
and programing because they do not receive as much funding from the
American Jewish donation anymore and they can not depend on the
Israeli government because the government is spending most of their
tax dollars on security. It is up to the private sector to sustain
Israeli NGO which contribute to Israeli society through social
welfare. I am researching the tax exemption laws, meeting with
organizations and corporations to understand the culture of Israeli
Corporate Philanthropy which is keeping me very busy and I am learning
a lot about the system.
Jerusalem is an amazing and intense place to live and through my
volunteer work I hope to make Jerusalem a more affordable and
welcoming place for young adults to consider their home.
Here is a picture of my favorite Israeli cold snack food..they are Parve ice-cream bon bons
Lots of love and enjoy your weekend
Esther
I hope all is well in the states with everyone. I heard the North East
is getting a storm this weekend and the South got hit pretty badly
with a couple of Hurricanes - I hope you are all surviving. Here in
Jerusalem it is hot and sunny everyday...which I love and I have no
complaints about. In the mornings there is a cool fresh breeze and in
the evenings the weather is a perfect 65 and breezy. I officially have
a Sabra (Israeli) tan and Israelis come up to me speaking Hebrew which
helps me practice my "English accent" Hebrew.
So the title of this email is Work in Israel? As of right now I am not
working but I have a few plans in action so when I need to find a job
after Ulpan is complete in December I already have contacts lined up.
I am also getting involved with volunteer work in specific fields that
I care about in Jerusalem such as being on the Steering Committee for
Presentense (http://www.presentense.org/) and getting involved with
Nir Barkat's Campaign for Mayor
(http://www.barkat.org.il/
going in November to the GA 2008 (General Assembly) in Jerusalem I
will be volunteering and will see you there.
As for work, I want to get involved in Israeli Corporate
Philanthropy/Responsibility. Israeli non-profits are cutting staff
and programing because they do not receive as much funding from the
American Jewish donation anymore and they can not depend on the
Israeli government because the government is spending most of their
tax dollars on security. It is up to the private sector to sustain
Israeli NGO which contribute to Israeli society through social
welfare. I am researching the tax exemption laws, meeting with
organizations and corporations to understand the culture of Israeli
Corporate Philanthropy which is keeping me very busy and I am learning
a lot about the system.
Jerusalem is an amazing and intense place to live and through my
volunteer work I hope to make Jerusalem a more affordable and
welcoming place for young adults to consider their home.
Here is a picture of my favorite Israeli cold snack food..they are Parve ice-cream bon bons
Lots of love and enjoy your weekend
Esther
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