New Wheels

After an unsuccessful night of haggling with the bike man, I caved in and bought a bike. I would classify it as a vintage (it may just be old, but I'll stick with vintage) foldable bike with a sweet bell- hence why I ended up buying it. I need to let people know I am behind them and I have no shame in ringing it. I have to say, the bike has been one of my best purchases thus far. Riding a bike in Tel Aviv is similar to riding a bike in Boston, minus the constant fear of getting hit by the T, but the drivers are just as crazy. Let's just say, I think a helmet should be my next purchase.                

Regardless of the recklessness of the Israeli drivers, one of my favorite nights so far has been on my bike...on Yom Kippur no less! Let me explain the events leading up to this night:

Some of the girls of Tel Aviv in the Old City
(dressed appropriately of course)

On the night of the 16th, the program organized a night tour of the old city in Jerusalem, which despite the fact that I could hear my stomach growling through the whole tour, was amazing. The tour guide never spared a detail in the ancient stories and had a careful path leading into our entrance into the old city and the Kotel. Unfortunately, it being the eve (of the eve) of Yom Kippur, we found ourselves among thousands of others headed to the wall. Just as we got to the spot overlooking the wall, and coincidentally the end of our tour, the time was 12:01 aka my birthday. My friends and pretty much everyone else around us joined together to sing Yom Huledet Sameach (happy birthday). I have to say, it was                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               a pretty amazing start to my birthday.                                                                                          

The Kotel 

Since in Israeli time midnight is just the beginning of the night,  a few of my friends and I hit the streets of Jerusalem to celebrate. We found ourselves at a great outside bar that offered free hookah with any drink purchase, so we obviously couldn't turn that deal down. We spent the most of the night in Jerusalem going to different bars and around 4 am decided it was time to head back to Tel Aviv. We hopped in a Sherut (a bus/taxi that runs 24/7 to make up for when the buses stop running) and for 27 sheckels we found ourselves back in Tel Aviv, walking home as the sun came up. Let's just say the next day we spent sleeping and eating preparing for the holiday. 

The street next to the Boardwalk.
notice- no cars. 

By the time the sun went down on the eve of Yom Kippur the entire city of Tel Aviv had shutdown. Nothing was open. No buses were running. No cars on the road. The streets were filled with bikes and people walking every which way, paying no attention to the click of the streetlights from green, yellow, to red. I have never seen anything like this. A few of my friends and I attended a non-traditional roof top service hosted by Bina (the organizer of Tikkun Olam). Normally, sitting on a rooftop in the center of the city to host a service would never have worked, but the silence of the city surrounded us as we joined in in songs, prayers, and poems commemorating the holiday. 

After the service we decided to explore the city. Julie and I headed back to our apartment to get our bikes and join the festivities on the street. As we entered our neighborhood we could not believe it- it felt like we were walking into a block party rather than the holiday of atonement. Everyone in their white shirts, paraded the streets with their families either on bikes or on foot. It was amazing.

Julie and I are on our bikes. 

Breakfast on our terrace.

Julie and I hopped on our sweet bikes and headed out, riding up the boardwalk and into downtown Tel Aviv. We ran into our friends who had taken the opportunity to go night swimming in the Mediterranean. I can say that we explored Tel Aviv on the best night and didn't have to deal with the constant honking that is typical on the streets. We spent most of the day of Yom Kippur sleeping and watching episodes of Sex and the City- not exactly the same as if I was home. Considering the fact that nothing was open on the holidays (a downfall that we had experienced during Rosh Hashanah), we planned ahead and bought food to break the fast. As 6:21, to be precise, rolled around the house started to look like a hot mess as well all hurried to make food to break the fast. Considering our budgets, a feat of challah french toast, fruit salad, and a makeshift birthday cake was not too shabby. 

Happy Birthday to me! 

It has been a great few weeks so far in Tel Aviv, despite the two major holidays and too much resemblance to a ghost town. I have also started Ulpan, which we have from anywhere to 3-5 hours a day, usually three days a week. Ulpan, for those who don't know, is an intensive Hebrew class. Basically you go in knowing not a whole lot and hope to come out able to by speaking Hebrew. I have been putting in some extra effort, so hopefully I can use some of what I learned (even though most people speak English). Well I am off to the market to buy some fresh food for the week. 

Anna and I with our new family in Tel Aviv! 

Apples & Honey

This is where I live in relation to downtown and of course the beach.
(I am the "A") 

I moved in to my apartment in Kiryat Shalom on Tuesday. I am in the bigger apartment out of the two and there are a total of 10 of us living here. There are two floors, two kitchens, three bathrooms, and a pretty amazing terrace. Anna and I share a room on the second floor and despite the size our room has a door leading outside which makes up for everything. I can't complain when I can just walk out my door and look out on a spectacular view of Tel Aviv.  Not to mention there is a little store below are apartment which comes in handy in case we really need something.

Living in the city has definitely been an adjustment from the Kibbtuz, but is so nice to have my stuff unpacked. 

Last night my roommate and I went to a host family's house for Rosh Hashanah dinner (the pairing was set up by the program). I cannot even explain to you the house that we went to. The family lives in North Tel Aviv, very close to main branch of Beit Daniel- which runs Tikkun Olam. On holidays the buses don't run, so there are Sherut which are taxis that basically run the route of the buses. So for 6 shekels you pile into this taxi van and just hope you are going where you need to. Thankfully it worked out for us. 

We went to the house of Eli and Tamar- who were both born in the Israel, but lived in the states for about 20 years so they both spoke english very well. Their three children were there with their husbands/wives and grandchildren. I can't even begin to describe the food because I don't want to drool on my computer, but let's just say I did not hold back and they even gave us food to take home. They invited us over again and I hope they know I will take them up on the offer. 

We came home with purses full of papers with emails, phone numbers, and secrets to living in the tel aviv. Their two daughters are in their twenties so we will definitely be meeting up with them in the future. It's nice to have some connections in the city.

I celebrated the holiday sitting on the beautiful beach, so I really cannot complain. It takes about 45 min- an hour to walk to the beach, but I will hopefully be getting a bike soon so I can cruise all over the city.

Kasui Sand Dunes

Tonight is our last night on Kibbtuz Ketura and let's just say we are leaving in style.

As we once again braved the extreme winding road that borders the kibbutz, we found ourselves going in the opposite direction. We ended up around 300 feet above the kibbutz and the Arava Valley where we exited the bus to a 20 min up hill walk (not too bad thanks to these new shoes I have). Besides the view being amazing, I had yet to see any sand dunes...but a mere 5 minute walk changed my whole perspective. 

I wish I could describe the vast landscape that lay in front of me. With not a footprint in sight on the rippling dunes, my group and I proceeded to rip of our shoes and socks and jump full force into the softest sand I have ever felt. This was not like Revere beach sand.

After we reverted back to being little kids for a half hour, we composed ourselves and each went to sit in our own spot on the dunes. In our hands we had a piece of paper stapled together and a black paper. When our Kibbutz leader David (who is the most interesting and captivating New Yorker I have ever met) sang out a traditional desert song we all opened our papers and read the most beautiful quote...that I can't seem to remember right now. Basically we all had an amazing reflection experience while we sat silently on the sand dunes. I couldn't hear anything but the wind. 

In order to get to dinner we obviously had to all run down the dunes. We then walked and found ourselves at a campfire in the dessert where yes, we made our own pita! I have never tasted anything so delicious. We flattened out the dough and put that on basically turned over woks over the fire. In less than 5 minutes I was eating hot pita covered in hummus, labneh, falafel and of course, pickles! The food here in unbelievable. 

We then split up into our separate groups and sat in the pitch black only able to see the glint of each other's by the flickers of the lanterns. We took this time to share our reflections from the dunes. Not to rub it in, but we looked up and saw as clear as day the big dipper and the casiopea constellations. I missed seeing stars!

I have pictures soon to come, but unfortunately they are not going to do this night justice. 

Kibbutz Ketura

Right now I am sitting outside at Kibbutz Ketura in the middle of the Arava desert. We are here for a 5 day orientation to the program and it is beautiful...and extremely hot. After the stressful bus ride through the one winding road that connects Be'er Sheva to Eilat we arrived at the Kibbutz. So far the experience has been incredible. Everyone on the Kibbutz has been so friendly and I'm sure they are wondering why we are here eating all of their food....it seems as though we have bottomless pits for stomachs because I always find myself holding a pita with hummus. 

So far we have just been doing ice breaker activities and sessions to learn about the program. Everyone on the program is so nice and I have already found my group of friends (which of course includes my friend from preschool that is here). Today we climbed this rock (I'm not really sure how to explain it- but it over looks the kibbutz and the valley) and let's just say thank goodness for my hiking shoes- loose rocks are not your friend. But despite the climb, from the top of the "rock" I could see the whole valley and to my surprise, I learned that we were less than a mile from the Jordan border. In fact, there are a bunch of date trees that are technically in Jordan, but Israel leases the land so they can claim ownership of the trees (everything was messed up when the official borders were drawn). 

It's funny to think that I am in Israel because so far we have only been speaking English, but as soon as we get back to Tel Aviv we will be jumping headfirst into Ulpan.

I'll send picture soon...but I'm not sure if anyone wants to see how dirty I am. Living on a kibbutz really has no pressure to shower or wear real clothes and I'm not going to lie, I could get used to this (I can see why my dad liked it so much). There are also so many cats running around the Kibbutz, thanks to the brilliance of the British Mandate, and they are disgusting!! If there is any sign of food they are there and they are not pretty. I keep thinking that my dad would be the first to run out of his hut and shoot them. 

The Israeli air has really done a number on my hair and I have succumb to the fact that it cannot be tamed. 

Ok. I think this blog is long enough. I will keep everyone updated and I miss you guys so much (but I also love Israel)!