Easy Fast

Today, New Year's Eve, happens to be the minor fast day of the 10th of Tevet on the Jewish calendar. This minor fast runs from sunrise (5:58 a.m. to 5:23 p.m. for me in my current California location) so I woke up at 5:20 this morning and made myself scrambled eggs which, at nearly 2 p.m., has kept me from becoming totally overwhelmed by starvation. Or, maybe fasting is just getting easier for me?

We had a joyous trip to Target a few days ago and today went to Costco. It was overwhelming to see so many products in one place. The American penchant for consumerism has impacted me through my visits to the stores. "Who needs all this stuff?" I thought to myself as people were buying 20-packs of things that the average Israeli would never need nor even want in their lives.

I'm looking forward to starting my Hebrew Ulpan next Sunday back in Jerusalem but am nervous as well because I'll be joining a class that started as a bunch of beginners after Sukkot and while hypothetically they should be at about the same level as I am now - I do hope they're not too advanced nor too far behind my level. They don't use the same textbook so perhaps their vocabulary knowledge will be dramatically different from mine. It all remains to be seen, I suppose.

It was wonderful to be able to spend some time at the synagogue here at home. I was able to tell many stories of Israel to friends who were pleasantly surprised to see me back at morning minyan or Shabbat services so soon. I was shocked to see how much more comfortable and familiar with the daily services than I was during the summer. Practice and daily repetition certainly pay off!