The Adventure Continues

Wow, I can't believe it has only been a couple days since my last post. I feel like I have been here so long already, but in reality it has only been a week now! Once the sun went down and Yom Kippur finished, life went back to normal as if nothing ever happened. We went to Herzliya Petuach and enjoyed a lovely evening on the beach. After twenty-four hours of fasting it was a nice way to relax and enjoy the beautiful surroundings.

   Friday, I finally was able to go to Jerusalem. Of course I have been to Jerusalem on my previous trips, and lived there during my high school semester in Israel, but this time was a completely new, unforgettable experience. Jerusalem is not the most beautiful cities compared to others in Israel, but to fully understand what it has to offer one must visit Jerusalem with his heart and feel his or her own personal connection. Taking the bus into Jerusalem, and I mean a real bus, not the big tourists bus' I spent so much time in the past, provided an entirely different reaction. Sitting amongst citizens and soldiers, I felt like I was living as a fellow Israeli, not the outside tourist I have felt so much. Jerusalem has such a different feel to it than Herzliya and Tel Aviv. I love the modern cities and fast paced lifestyle, but there is no way to describe the feeling when you enter the Old City of Jerusalem, It's as if time stops and people from all over the world and so many backgrounds come together to see ancient history whether it may be of their Jewish, Christian, or Arab ancestors. 

 We bagan our trip fro the central bus station to the famous Mahane Yehuda Shuk, we strolled around all the hustle and bustle then made our way to Ben Yehuda Street. The Shuk is such a fun place just to observe all the people and sellers trying to get you to buy from their stands. This time in Ben Yehuda I felt new emotions. Ben Yehuda street is named after Eliezer Ben Yehuda, the founder of modern Hebrew. Ironically this area today is filled with many English speakers, may they be new immigrants, tourists, or Yeshiva/Seminary students. Although  I still speak English and learning Hebrew, I did not like hearing so much English around me. I feel it's important to integrate into Israeli society and culture in order to fully experience the dimensions of living in this amazing country.

Of course you cannot go to Jerusalem and miss seeing the Kotel. It has been three years since I have been to the Kotel, but nothing around it has really changed, which adds to the uniqueness of debatably, the most important place in the world. As the Shabbat approached, stores began to close and people were heading homewards with their fresh "challot"(Shabbat twisted bread) in hand. My entire time in Jerusalem I was in a daze, trying to grasp my reality now as I wake up everyday in Israel, the place I have dreamt of so much.

    Saturday was back to the modern world of life in Israel, as we spent the day on the beach and marina of Herzliya Petuach. It was another beautiful day, not too cold or too hot. I will never forget that while I was in the sea it began to lightly rain. What are the odds of that happening? In the evening we enjoyed Tel Aviv nightlife. The city was especially filled with the younger crowd as  it was the night before Sukkot. While I am not doing much for Sukkot, it has been nice seeing people gathering what they need to build their sukkah's and the younger religious boys selling "etrogim and lulavim"(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Species#List_of_the_four_plants) on the streets.

    As I write about all the wonderful experiences I am so lucky to have here, and it has only been a week, I must also mention what just took place in New York at the United Nations. Every year there is the United Nations General Assembly, where leaders from all over the world come together to discuss pivotal issues in their countries or surrounding areas. Of course, one of the biggest facing the entire world is the threat of Iran's nuclear weapon program. Iran's president said on Wednesday his country was "under constant threat of military action from "uncivilized Zionists" and called for a new world order not dominated by Western powers in the service of "the devil." Funny enough, he neither mentioned his countries nuclear weapon program or the civil war going on in Syria. The next day, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave a simple but clear diagram of Iran's ability to produce uranium for his first bomb. Netanyahu drew a red line so the rest of the world could visualize Iran's abilities in the near future against western civilization. 

    But, I don't want to end on a depressing note. These threats to Israel, as well as America are very serious and important to understand and do something about. However, since I've been here in Israel I am seeing that despite the constant threats Israel's face they live normal lives filled with family, friends, and enjoyment. I hope through my writings, people can get a different idea than what the media portrays, and see that despite the conflict that Israel will continue to prosper. As John F. Kennedy once said, ""Israel was not created in order to disappear - Israel will endure and flourish. It is the child of hope and the home of the brave. It can neither be broken by adversity nor demoralized by success. It carries the shield of democracy and it honors the sword of freedom."

 At the Shuk with David's sister

 mmm glida on Ben Yehuda

 At the Kotel

 building Sukkah in the Old City

 At the beach