Shalom, Israel!

I started my time here by staffing a 10-day trip, and now I'm finally settled into my apartment in Jerusalem (pictures to come soon!). Here are a few anecdotes to illustrate a few ups and very few downs:


The Good
In the past 10 days, I've had the opportunity to see Israel through the eyes of people who had never seen it before. In our whirlwind tour, we traveled to the North, to Tel Aviv, to the desert, and finally, to Jerusalem, doing everything from rafting down the Jordan River, to going to a co-existence seminar, to experiencing Israeli nightlife, to walking the streets of the Old City. This was my 6th time staffing this trip, and although nothing was new, everything was fresh, and felt like I was seeing it for the first time. I was reminded over and over again why I made the decision to spend time here, and am looking forward to discovering Israel on my own, outside of an organized trip.

I also met some great people, ate an obscene amount of falafel, and didn't leave anyone behind. Great success.

Here's a picture of my co-staff and me from my favorite part of the trip. We rafted down a river in the North. I look like a 12 year old, but at least a really happy 12 year old:

The Bad
On our first day in Jerusalem, I was walking with a participant across the street to use a bathroom. A gentleman on the corner approached us and said (in an American accent):

"Just so you know, people in this part of the world are either going to laugh at you, or feel sorry for you." 

 I wasn't sure what he was getting at, but I thought he was making a joke about being Americans, or maybe referring to the fact that we just got off of a big tour bus. So I said, with a smile, "excuse me?"

 "I'm just telling you, the way that you're dressed, with everything flapping around. I'm assuming you're Jewish? You should read what the Torah says. It's not sexy. People are going to laugh at you."

First of all, nothing was "flapping around," thank you very much. We were very appropriately dressed. In George Costanza fashion, I thought of many things afterwards that I could have said, but in the moment, I was so startled that this complete stranger had the audacity to say this that I just gave some sort of "talk to the hand" motion and walked away. I know... harsh.

Unfortunately, this is not such a strange occurrence. In fact, I feel that people have been looking at me funny since I got here, even though I try to blend in. There are a lot of people who hold strong beliefs here, and believe that their way is the only way. One of my challenges this year will be to not let the actions of a few nut-jobs influence my opinion of whole groups of people. I am confident that there are many more good, welcoming people here to outnumber the rude ones.

The Amazing
I'm here in beautiful Jerusalem. I have amazing friends who have already made me feel welcome. Last night, I went to a relaxing and delicious Shabbat dinner. This week, I start my Hebrew lessons, and next week, my classes start. More to come soon!

Flowers from a friend to welcome me to my apartment!