Jerusalem if I forget you, let my right hand forget what it's supposed to do!

Back to Jerusalem. First of all every time I think about Jerusalem I start singing the Matisyahu song...does that happen to anyone else? We spent the day touring the old city including the site of David's tomb which is under the site of the last supper (so they say). We walked through an ancient market place where you could picture the people buying their bread and sacrificial lambs.

Before heading to the Western Wall, we stopped on a roof top overlooking the historic site for our wonderful guide to tell us some of the recent history of the wall. She also played a recording of the solders and rabbis after a battle there. Even though it was in Hebrew the power in their voices was unbelievable. Looking at the wall while hearing the history was overwhelming in a way that was very unexpected.

After going through security, putting on skirts, and covering our shoulders, the men and women went our separate ways. While approaching the wall I really didn't know how I would react but seeing all the different kinds of people praying in different kinds of ways really touched me. I had my note ready and I did eventually make my way to the wall. It felt weird to shove a piece of notebook paper into this ancient structure, but it is was you do. I was amazed by how cool the wall was even though it was one of the hottest days we had in Israel.

After regrouping we spent some time in the market where Lacy and I were in charge of finding a present for the boys from the girls (to be exchanged on Shabbat). The market was crazy and there was so much food, strong smells, and sounds of people yelling and talking.

Back at the hotel we got ready for Shabbat and exchanged gifts with the boys. It was a little cotillion-esk but cute none the less. The bus drove us back to the Western Wall where we had a mini Shabbat service...lighting candles and sang some songs. We then went over to the wall where the real party started. There were hundreds more people than in the afternoon and they were chanting, singing, and dancing. The somber tone of the afternoon was all but gone and people seemed to really be celebrating the Sabbath Queen. There was a contest of who could be the rowdiest, the men or the women, but the men seemed to be more organized and many of the women were more interested in gossip and reconnecting with friends. Of course there was some serious praying going on, but it was a much livelier bunch overall than we saw in the afternoon.

This is beginning to get a bit lengthy, so I will try to summarize as best as I can. We had to walk about 5 miles up hill home (being the Sabbath and all the bus couldn't drive us home). We ate dinner when we got back and everyone pretty much collapsed...or maybe partied a little.

The next day we got to sleep in and hang around the hotel for some deep thoughts conversations until the evening when we went off to another market area for a few hours.

Sunday was the Holocaust museum, which I will talk about in the next installment. I am leaving for London this afternoon (back in real time) but I will try to write one more while at the airport...watch out for that stellar spelling in the next entry :)

(insert traveling back in time sound effect here) 2 thousand years!

I am going to try to fill in the blanks...which there are quite a few so far. I think I left you after Golan which leads me to Tzfat, but first Hula Valley bird sanctuary. This was a swamp turned farm land where migrating birds stop over from all over Europe, Africa, and Asia (my geography isn't so good, but basicly Israel is the one land connection between A LOT of places). We rode on this Tom Sawyeresk raft to hear about how they tag and track all kinds of birds and the bird scientist guy showed us how its done. When he asked for a volunteer, I was in the front before anyone else could even raise their hand (there will be a video added when I get home).

OK now to Tzfat, where we went back in time. It is a truely beautiful city on the side of a mountain and as corny as it may sound, you can really feel the mystic power on the whole city. We met Avraham, a Kabbalah enthusiest (to say the least). He was some guy from Detriot who came to Tzfat 10 years ago and got totally sucked into the whole mysticism. Find a video on youtube...you wont be disapointed. There was also a cool market area in Tzfat and I had the best shwarma of my life...mmm

Jerusalem was next and we got there in time for dinner on Thursday. I think I will leave you here and do a separate post on the weekend in Jerusalem because spending Shabbat there was a once in a lifetime experience...well most of this trip was but this was extraordinary.

There aren't enough words to describe this...

OK so the Internet was not so good most of the ten days...and I was also SOOOOO busy every second of the day that my little blog project was not kept very up to date. I will go back in time over the next few days and fill in everything...or as much as I can without getting too wordy.

I am now in Tel Aviv staying with my parents' long time friend Hadas and her family. They are going to let me sleep in and still show me around a bit more.

I guess I will attempt to summarize the trip and then work out the details later. The past 10 days has been nothing like I expected. I guess I was thinking it would be a nice tour of a pretty cool place and that I might have some kind of "ah ha" moment or something, but it was so much more. I feel connected to Israel, the people I traveled with, and the Israelis who joined our group. The connection is so deep and like nothing I could have imagined. I don't know if it is because we were all run ragged and having these emotional experiences or if the group of people were truly so unique that we could come together and really feel like a family. The guide told us on the first day that we were a family for these 10 days, but I think many people are going to stay connected for a very long time.

I think that is all I can do for now. I still need to sleep and process everything to figure out how I can possibly describe this experience.

Departure, arrival, and Golan

Hello from Israel!!
It isonly Wednesday an already there is so much to say. I have to start by warning you that iam typing on my nooso no comments about spelling etc.
My boston to ny flight sat on the runway for an hour but i did still arrive in ny with lots of time. The NY to Israel flight also sat on the runway for a while but we made up time in the air...took a short cut I suppose:)
All I have to say about the flight is I'm glad i don't have to do that flight in 10 days!

The arrival was as expected except that people clapped to show appreciation i guess. We drove to a beach to do some
''get to know you things and saw the beautiful Medeterrainian Sea.
We ate wicked yummy dinner and slept at a Kibbutz in Galilee.

Today we woke up early and went for a beatuful hike to a waterfall. The sceanery was like nothing I've seen before. We came upon a cave filled with bats! There will be pictures to follow!

After the hike we had lunch... best lunch ever! We than met up with our Isrealis who are so awesome.

the weather is not nearly as hot as i thought but rafting in the jordan river was a totally refreshing way to end the day. There were all kinds of interesting characters on the river. From conservative NY Jews to Israeli army guys on a day off.

so far met so many great people and seen amaizing things and I can't wait for what else there is to come.

NY PA NY MA NY

July 4th I headed up to my parents' house in NY for some outdoor fun. I only got a few days there before heading to PA with my brother (he got a job!) to find an apartment. PA is a strange strange place. For example, while in some random town off the highway getting dinner, we noticed a Girls Gone Wild bus parked in a Holiday Inn (or something like that) parking lot. We were literally in the middle of nowhere. On the way back we saw some kind of train/car/truck thing going 50mph down the highway. Just odd...

Back to NY and then headed to MA for some camping and tubing BUT Mother Nature decided she didn't want us in her river and we decided to pack up camp and head home. Instead of going back to Dedham, I heading back to my parents' and got some quality time outside for a few extra days. Went for a good hike with Dad and floated in the brook with my brother.

Now I'm back and getting ready for the big trip. All the flights are booked, except the one getting me back to the states! I am going to Israel, London, then Malaga, back to London, and back to Israel before coming back to the states! The itinerary looks awesome and I can't wait. I still have some things to do to get everything ready...starting with laundry...yuck!

-Next time in Israel! :)

Summer Plans

With only 3 days of school left, the summer is right around the corner. While I have some fun things planned locally, my real adventures will begin on July 19th when I head to Israel. I am going on a Birthright trip, which is a 10 day all expenses paid trip to Israel. I'm not totally sure what to expect, but I know it will be amazing.

After the 10 days, I am going to stay an extra weekend and then fly to London. I don't have any set plans yet (open for suggestions!), but I think I'm going to stay for about 2 weeks and travel around Europe as much as I can.

That's all I've got for now, but I will update when my plans are more set in stone.

Tomorrow I need to find some hiking boots!