"Club Med" and More
A four-day weekend followed by a three-day week of classes; what could be better?!
The fun began last Thursday with a dawn to dusk fast called the Fast of Esther in honor of Esther's fast from the Bible's Book of Esther, which tells the story of the holiday of Purim. Due to the fast, Thursday was a light study day at the Hebrew Ulpan - two-thirds of the morning was spent watching a movie in Hebrew (without subtitles) about a pop star who gets hooked on drugs. My teacher asked me several times (as the class' lowest common denominator) if I understood. Of course I understood, I could tell what was going on but I couldn't follow the conversation. After that, I went to the Yeshiva for afternoon learning about Purim and fast days. Then, I came home and spent my afternoon online until the fast ended. After dinner, we had friends over for movie night; we watched The Departed.
On Friday, we relaxed and read because we were invited to a wonderful Shabbat dinner at our friend Nancy's apartment so we had no preparation to do ourselves, which was wonderful. Nancy is an immigrant from California who we met at our synagogue here in Jerusalem. It was very exciting to be eating Shabbat dinner in a "real" house with "real" dishes and "real" flatware! We're so used to plastic at our fellow students' homes. It was a real treat and we enjoyed talking to adults. Our rabbi asked where we went on Friday night and when I told him, he actually said, "Score!" Indeed!
Saturday was a Shabbat with wonderful weather. Saturday night we prepared for our trip to the Mediterranean.
On Sunday morning we walked to the bus station and took an intercity bus to the Tel Aviv bus station, said to be the world's largest. From there, we went to the Independence Hall Museum to see where the State of Israel was proclaimed in 1948 and from there, we went a few buildings down the street to the Hagana Museum.
Then it was time for the beach. The weather was amazing, the water was nice and so very clear. We had our picnic lunch that we'd brought and waded into the water. We read for a while on the beach and it was so relaxing. After the beach, we stumbled upon the Etzel Museum before closing and they played the English version of the movie there for us.
We took the bus home and had a few hours of rest before a wild and crazy Purim evening service at the synagogue. The synagogue was incredibly full - more so than the High Holidays. Many were in costume but Jen and I simply wore fun hats - we didn't know how much people would get involved. It was a fun service and afterwards we went out with some friends. On Monday morning was the Yeshiva's Purim service followed by two Purim Shpiels (Plays), one written and performed by the faculty and the other written and performed by the students. Both were absolutely hilarious; I was crying from so much laughter.
On Monday night, we hit the streets of Jerusalem with friends for the city's official block party on Hillel Street. Anna was apparently there at the same time as we were but we didn't see her there but she has photos on her blog.
Then it was Tuesday and back to Hebrew but now it's Wednesday so there's only one more day of Hebrew left in the week! Thursday is a special day for my class because we're being promoted to Hebrew Gimel - the third level. While most of the students are at Gimel level, I'm still just trying to keep my head above water in Bet - the second level. Nonetheless, I'm still understanding what's going on so my teacher says I should remain in her class and not drop down a level.
And then it will be Shabbat and another weekend again, so very soon!
Oh, I almost forgot, I'm giving my first mini-sermon at the morning service next Sunday at my synagogue about next week's weekly Torah reading (in English, of course). I'm very excited.
The fun began last Thursday with a dawn to dusk fast called the Fast of Esther in honor of Esther's fast from the Bible's Book of Esther, which tells the story of the holiday of Purim. Due to the fast, Thursday was a light study day at the Hebrew Ulpan - two-thirds of the morning was spent watching a movie in Hebrew (without subtitles) about a pop star who gets hooked on drugs. My teacher asked me several times (as the class' lowest common denominator) if I understood. Of course I understood, I could tell what was going on but I couldn't follow the conversation. After that, I went to the Yeshiva for afternoon learning about Purim and fast days. Then, I came home and spent my afternoon online until the fast ended. After dinner, we had friends over for movie night; we watched The Departed.
On Friday, we relaxed and read because we were invited to a wonderful Shabbat dinner at our friend Nancy's apartment so we had no preparation to do ourselves, which was wonderful. Nancy is an immigrant from California who we met at our synagogue here in Jerusalem. It was very exciting to be eating Shabbat dinner in a "real" house with "real" dishes and "real" flatware! We're so used to plastic at our fellow students' homes. It was a real treat and we enjoyed talking to adults. Our rabbi asked where we went on Friday night and when I told him, he actually said, "Score!" Indeed!
Saturday was a Shabbat with wonderful weather. Saturday night we prepared for our trip to the Mediterranean.
On Sunday morning we walked to the bus station and took an intercity bus to the Tel Aviv bus station, said to be the world's largest. From there, we went to the Independence Hall Museum to see where the State of Israel was proclaimed in 1948 and from there, we went a few buildings down the street to the Hagana Museum.
Then it was time for the beach. The weather was amazing, the water was nice and so very clear. We had our picnic lunch that we'd brought and waded into the water. We read for a while on the beach and it was so relaxing. After the beach, we stumbled upon the Etzel Museum before closing and they played the English version of the movie there for us.
We took the bus home and had a few hours of rest before a wild and crazy Purim evening service at the synagogue. The synagogue was incredibly full - more so than the High Holidays. Many were in costume but Jen and I simply wore fun hats - we didn't know how much people would get involved. It was a fun service and afterwards we went out with some friends. On Monday morning was the Yeshiva's Purim service followed by two Purim Shpiels (Plays), one written and performed by the faculty and the other written and performed by the students. Both were absolutely hilarious; I was crying from so much laughter.
On Monday night, we hit the streets of Jerusalem with friends for the city's official block party on Hillel Street. Anna was apparently there at the same time as we were but we didn't see her there but she has photos on her blog.
Then it was Tuesday and back to Hebrew but now it's Wednesday so there's only one more day of Hebrew left in the week! Thursday is a special day for my class because we're being promoted to Hebrew Gimel - the third level. While most of the students are at Gimel level, I'm still just trying to keep my head above water in Bet - the second level. Nonetheless, I'm still understanding what's going on so my teacher says I should remain in her class and not drop down a level.
And then it will be Shabbat and another weekend again, so very soon!
Oh, I almost forgot, I'm giving my first mini-sermon at the morning service next Sunday at my synagogue about next week's weekly Torah reading (in English, of course). I'm very excited.
posted by Matt | 7:47 AM
1 Comments:
I checked out Anna's blog. The Purim Party on Hillel Street looking happening! How fun!
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