What I will miss about Israel

I cannot even comprehend how much the last 7 months have influenced me and shaped me into who I am. I am so blessed to have this amazing opportunity that turned into the best 7 months of my life. I am going to miss Israel so much. 

And here is what I am going to miss:

-Cab drivers giving me life advise

-Falafel on every corner

-The Western Wall on Friday night

-My internship and the people I was so lucky to work with 

-Arab cab drivers wishing me a Shabbat Shalom

-Zatar on everything

-Pop rocks chocolate

-The Old City

-The best hummus in the world

-Marzapan Rueglach 

-Shabbat

-Seeing a woman in shorts, a woman in a hijab and a woman in a sheitel all within 10 minutes

-The Shuk

-Israeli soldiers

-Guys wearing Kippas

-Using ‘eh’ instead of um

-The Mediterranean Sea

-Israeli directions

-All the amazing people from all over the world who I have met

-Col Besader, Everything will be alright 

-Everyone having lots of chutzpah

-Fresh Challah and pita all the time

-Iced Café

-The best chocolate milk in baggies

-The Israeli spirit

-Street parties and outdoor concerts

-My favorite Hebrew phrases

-Being welcomed by every family in the country

-The love everyone has for their neighbors

-Army rivalries

-Fresh squeezed lemonade with mint

-Sitting by a solider on the bus with his gun nudging into your side

-Public transportation

-All the mothers that have helped me along my adventure

-Living in a city

-Israeli breakfast

-Yiddish sayings I love

-Floating in the Dead Sea

-Living 45 minutes from the beach and 45 minutes to the desert

-Kadosh brunch

-Grabbing a coffee that turns into 3 hours and being invited to Shabbat by the people sitting beside you

-Date and strawberry smoothies

-Israeli dancing

-Israeli/Jewish holidays every other week

-Gummies everywhere

-Hebrew, English and Arabic signs 

-The Shuk Party

-Hitchhiking 

-Gan Saker BBQs 

-Passing up your money through 6 people on a Sherut and always getting back perfect change 

-Shoshanas 

-An entire country standing silent and still in remembrance of those lost in the Holocaust 

-Sitting at a cafe all day long 

-Flower kiosks on every street 

-Giving Sadaqa at the shuk on friday 

-The whole country truly understanding the meaning of Memorial day and paying respects to the soldiers who have served their country 

-Pomegranates

-Getting free shabbat candles on friday afternoon 

- My flower man at the shuk who always gives me my flowers for free while wishing me a Shabbat Shalom 

-Fly overs on Independence Day in the Park 

-Wallenburg Wednesdays

-Every time someone drops something in a restaurant the first reaction is Mazel Tov!   
-Pronouncing 'W' as 'V'

-Making friends at bus stops 

-My Rav Cav and the light rail 

-Purim 

-Using 'its a Mitsvah' as a reason to do just about everything 

And of course the amazing friends I have met here. Y'all mean so much to me! This experience was made by the people who came into my life. So goodbye for now Israel but I will be back soon! 

Lehtrahot! 

Katy Ann 

The Streets of Hebron

Thursday afternoon I had to say goodbye to Milia. It was so sad and I cried the whole bus ride home. I knew living in Jerusalem was going to be hard without her. I realized I can't even remember a time when my friends I met here were not in my life. It is so weird to think we only met 7 months ago!

Thursday night was Lilah Laven in Tel Aviv, which means white night. The whole town stays up all night with concerts on the beach, museums open, street performers. I went with Ruthie my friend from work and her family. We saw a concert on the beach then headed toward a sing along of old Israeli tunes. It was so much fun seeing everyone out in the streets. Of course we had to get ice cream on our way out to top off the great night!

Friday afternoon I headed back to Tel Aviv with my roommate Rachel for Shabbat. We stayed at her friends apartment near the beach. I helped her cook on Friday and learned how to make koogle! We had Shabbat dinner and then the next day headed to the beach all day. I realized it would be my last time swimming in the Mediterranean Sea for awhile.

Sunday I slept in and tried to figure out all my flight information. I went into town to finish my final list of things I needed to buy before I went home. Sunday afternoon Rachel invited me to one of her friends son's birthday party. The little boy was turing 3 which means he would receive his kippa, have his first haircut and get his tzittzit. Tzittzit is bundles of string that are attached to the prayer shawl which is worn under clothes. Observant Jewish men wear tzit tzit but some tuck it into their pants. Also when a boy turns 3 his formal Jewish education starts. Since the boys family was observant, most of their friends were also. This means that most of the families at the party had lots of kids. The apartment was filled with tons of children celebrating while eating cake. The little boy received his kippa and his tzittzit. The little boy was so proud of his Tzittzit because on the front of his shirt that the tzittzit was attached to was Buzz Lightyear! This ancient and holy tradition had a Buzz lightyear across the front, now that is modernization. Everyone raced around to cut a piece of his hair. I was pushed to the front for my turn to cut his hair. So here I was a non Jewish girl cutting the hair of this Orthodox boy as he wore his Buzz Lightyear Tzitzit.

Monday I headed to the Knesset which is the Israeli Parliament building. Former Prime Minister, Yitzhak Shamir had passed away and his coffin was at the Knesset for everyone to pay their respects. I went late in the afternoon to avoid the crowds. The room was solemn and the two leaders of the military stood beside the coffin saying prayers while others watched or prayed along. The other areas of the building were closed off but I convinced a young solider to let me peak my head into the plenary room. The Knesset is not in session and so no one was speaking. The building is pretty plain, but that is how Israelis want it. They don't see the need for a fancy capital building, just a practical place to hold government operations.

Tuesday morning Rachel and I headed to the West Bank! I had yet to go to a settlement and I knew I needed to go before I left. Settlements are one of the main controversies in Israel and with the international community. The idea is that post the 1967 War, Israelis settled in Palestinian territory. I did my research this semester on the legality of the settlements. Everyone has an opinion about settlements. And even after visiting two I still am not sure exactly what I think. I know that settlements are nothing like they are portrayed in the media, but they do cause some problems. 

We started off the morning hitchhiking, except this was a much more organized way of hitchhiking. Unlike when Marissa and I hitchhiked, there was lots of other people trying to catch rides too. We found a ride into a small settlement. It seemed like any other place I have ever been in Israel except it had a gate at the entrance. It was indeed a gated community. Throughout the West Bank you can see settlements and Arab villages. Plus you can see the Security Fence that encompasses a lot of the area. It all seems very complicated but once you see a map and the place it starts to make sense. Then we found another ride into Hebron.

Hebron is known as one of the most extreme settlements. For starters it is a neighborhood inside an Arab town instead of like other ones that are totally stand alone. As we walked through the streets everything was quiet and the area was deserted. We found a group of soldiers dressed in full combat gear, my first reaction of course was asking for a picture. I feel so bad for the soldiers here because lots of activist groups come and ask them lots of questions. Most of the groups are very Pro-Palestine and so they always make the solider look bad. I was always raised that you can say whatever you want about the war but never about a solider. Most of the soldiers are young guys who are serving their country and people. They were so happy to talk to us because we were not mean! Also the soldiers are put in an odd position between the extreme Arab population and the extreme Jewish population, and there job is to keep everyone safe. Plus the soldiers are so bored, which they told us they would rather be bored than have a problem in the area. We walked all along the city each time the solider would phone his friend at the next checkpoint to tell them we were on our way. We even convinced a solider to let us see the base which was a dirty and filled with guys. We crossed a checkpoint that lead to the Arab section which had a sign at the front that said Jews were forbidden. Arabs are able to move throughout Hebron while the Jewish population can only go in certain parts. We walked about 100 yards into the Arab section and turned around. We saw the tombs of Abraham, Sarah, Jacob, Ruth and Leah. Hebron was a strange place but most settlements are less confrontational than Hebron. I was glad I went to the most extreme settlement so I could have an understanding of the craziest circumstances. I still have a lot to learn about settlements because they play such a major role in the conflict.

For the 4th of July I baked red velvet cupcakes for my office! Trying to find the ingredients in the grocery store was quite a challenge but I managed and the cupcakes were a big hit! I went to a BBQ hosted by a couple of Americans who live in Jerusalem. I was glad I got to celebrate the 4th in some way.

This time next week I will be home. It is so weird to think after 7 months I will be leaving the land of milk and honey and heading to the land of sweet tea and BBQ!

xoxo, 

Katy Ann

Fabulous

Milia and I  headed to the airport on Thursday so excited for our trip to London! Milia was already in Tel Aviv and I was coming from Jerusalem. I arrived with plenty of time and made myself comfortable in the first class lounge. Milia managed to make it into the airport 4 minutes before the gate closed. It was quite stressful but we were both relieved to have made it on the plane. Our flight was uneventful with plenty of leg room and great food. We arrived in London and met Milia's Aunt Wendy before heading to her home in London. 

We were met at the door with a huge dinner before we crashed for the evening. The next day Milia's cousin David took us to the Tate for a special exhibit. We walked around London doing touristy things. Friday night of course we had a Shabbat dinner! My first Shabbat outside of Israel and it comforting to know wherever you go in the world Jewish families still do the same things for Shabbat. Saturday a family friend drove Milia and I around to see more touristy things but we ended up just shoe shopping in Chelsea. Sunday we went to the park and paddle boated on the river before the party. The only explantation for the weekend was fabulous!  

Monday we unfortunately had to leave our perfect weekend to head back to Israel. After pouting about leaving I realized I was going back to Israel! I have had such an exciting 7 months that I forget how lucky I am sometimes. Once I walked into the airport I knew something was wrong when they separated Milia and I and the questions started. I was being integrated like usual when you fly El AL. But this time it was different they took everything down to my passport before I was escorted with two guards to the gate. I was held and searched forever. The best part was Milia yelling at all the security people. I some home managed to keep it together knowing Milia was on the other side yelling at anyone and everyone who had something to do with El Al. That is a true friend, someone who will yell at the most intimidating Israeli man I have ever seen. It was anything but a pleasant experience but I made it home with no suitcase.

We finally arrived back in Israel at 5:30am. Tuesday was the first day of the Israeli Presidential Conference and so I rushed home to shower and change before heading to my office. The Conference was so much fun. I worked in the press room a lot the first two days working on gathering all the media that was going out about the conference. I heard Henry Kissinger and Tony Blair speak the first night. I met Peter Beinhart at one of the Bloggers sections that I helped with. He wrote a book called the Crisis of Zionism which is a major point of controversy. I helped with the Blogger section with President Shimon Peres. It was a question answer section where he answered questions about Iran, Jonathan Pollard, and what he wanted for his birthday. I wrote my first press release from the session! President Peres is very old and although he has it together you can tell he is very tired. I also sat in on panels about the Global Economic Crisis and the Arab Spring. I even got to meet Dr. Ruth who had the entire room laughing! As the three days were coming to an end, we met in the VIP room with President Peres where he thanked us for all our work. I was able to snap a perfect picture of us together. I learned a ton from the whole experience and had so much fun. Everyone I work with is so nice to me and they are just fun people. I am so glad that I was able to work with President's Conference and able to meet all the people I work with. 

Friday night I was invited to Shabbat dinner at Ruthie's, a girl I work with. Her family and a few friends all came to dinner. We laughed a lot and it was so nice to be around a family that is a lot like mine. Saturday Milia, Dena, Noah and I headed to Tel Aviv for the day. We sat on the beach all day! The Mediterranean Sea was finally not cold because it was so hot outside! We all ended up getting sunburnt before heading back to Jerusalem when the buses started to run again. 

I have moved into a new apartment with a girl I work with named Rachel. It is a major step up from my apartment in the heart of East Jerusalem. It is in a great part of town which I love exploring. All the cute shops and cafes have so much character. Rachel has shown be the ropes of the area and some of her favorite spots. 

I can not believe in 14 days I will be on a plane headed back to America. As much as I miss my family I am going to miss Israel. These last 7 months have been some of the best experiences of my life. Everything from the people I have met to the places I have visited it all has been amazing. I am sure going to miss getting free things in the market because of my blond hair! 

xoxo, 

Katy Ann 

New Adventures

After my parents left I really started to get homesick. After saying goodbye to them I had to say goodbye to Jacki the same night. It was hard to see the support system I relied on in Israel start leaving. The semester is over and more and more people are leaving. The next day Marissa and I spent our last day together in the Old CIty, walking the streets we once got lost in now knowing exactly where the best falafel place is located. Milia, Marissa, Dena and David all went to our favorite hummus place for dinner to celebrate the wonderful time we have had in Israel. 

Marissa was going to be picked up from our apartments at 3:45am when we arrived back from dinner at 11pm her room was still upside down and only half way packed. A total Marissa move and so we packed the rest of her stuff while laughing and crying about all the memories we had made over the semester. Saying goodbye to my family then Jacki then Marissa was so hard. My summer in Jerusalem was not looking good as my apartment I was going to live in fell through and I felt like everyone was leaving me. 

I had to look on the bright side of things, because things were very bright! I am living in a wonderful country that I love and have so many opportunities. Just a few minor bumps in the road. My internship is still going great. Last week I went to a TV station and watched one of our clients be interviewed. It was so cool! It was the first time I had ever been in a real studio. 

Friday evening I went to Shabbat dinner at the King David Hotel for the Hebrew University Board of Governors dinner. I was seated at a table full of donors who gave money to the university. The dinner was nice but it was nothing like I expected, but it was still a cool experience to go inside the King David hotel.  

Saturday Milia and I headed to Tel Aviv to spend the day on the beach and meet her Aunt for lunch. Her aunt was so fun and we spent the majority of the afternoon eating and talking before heading to the beach to swim. She was staying at the Hilton so we stayed until the buses started to run again after Shabbat. We had a wonderful dinner on the top floor of the Hilton overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. Life could not get better! Until… Milia's Aunt invited us to London for the weekend! So tomorrow I am off to London to attend a party and enjoy the city! 

This week has been quite a roller coaster of emotions! And I finally found an apartment and have moved in! This week has sure turned around! But I am so excited for London and for the rest of the summer in Jerusalem. LONDON TOMORROW! 

xoxo, 

Katy Ann 

Searcy Invasion

I cannot believe how fast the time has gone by. The semester is officially over and my family is back in North Carolina. The last few weeks I jumped from exploring the country with my family to taking my exams. My family arrived in Tel Aviv on May 23rd and I met them at the airport. Mommy, Daddy, Mason, Carson, Aunt Patsy, Papal, our preacher David and his wife Candy all landed safely at Ben Guiron airpot! I was so excited to see them! We visited Yako a small city near Tel Aviv before heading up north. We visited on Olive Farm on our way to Haifa and stopped by Caesrea to see the ancient city. Mason loved all the history stuff. We arrived in Nazareth which we used as a base to explore Rosh Hanikra and Akko. I roomed with Aunt Patsy who was the most excited one in the group! It was so fun to tell her all about everything I had been doing all semester. She was so surprised to see how wonderful Israel was when she told me she had seen so many horrible things on the news about Israel. Aunt Patsy hit the nail on the head, while Israel does have a long list of problems it is still a wonderful place and the media does not do in justice. 

I had already been to many of these places but I was excited to be able to go back with my family. In Akko Mason and Carson quickly made friends with the locals and as we sat down for lunch we saw them jumping off the city walls into Mediterranean Sea. Our guide did not believe they had jumped until they walked into the restaurant a few minutes later soaking wet. 

After Nazareth my family headed north and I had to go back to Jerusalem to take a few exams. They finally made it to Jerusalem and I could not wait to show them my favorite city! I would have to say the greatest part of them being in Israel was the food. All the restaurants I had wanted to go to all semester I finally got to go! We did a tour of the Old City where we walked the Via Dolorosa and saw the Western Wall. We even made it up to Temple Mount to view the Dome of the Rock. This was my first time on Temple Mount and I was astonished by the size and beauty of the Dome of the Rock. We then headed to the Old City market where we shopped. Whenever we travel we have an entire list of things we have to find, almost a scavenger hunt. We have to find keychains for Mason, pins for Carson, a Christmas ornament for Mom and an army officer hat for Dad. So when we shop we shop very strategically. 

We spent the next few days in Jerusalem going to the Israel museum to see the Dead Sea Scrolls. Then walking the walls of the Old City on the Ramparts walk. I took them to the shuk, my favorite place in the city to see where I buy all my groceries. We walked the Mt of Olives and visited the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus was arrested. With so much to see in Jerusalem our days were jam packed with historical places. On Friday everyone went to Bethlehem but Mom and I stayed in Jerusalem. We went to my favorite brunch place, Kadosh. Then we spent the afternoon walking through the city and shopping. I missed my Mom so much. That is one of the most difficult parts of living in Israel. It is not the figuring out what weird thing you are buying at the market or having to get off the train for a suspicious package, it is being away from my family. 

After Jerusalem we headed to the Dead Sea, stopping on our way at Masada. Dad and Mason loved it while Papal and I tried not to faint from the heat. The Neg Ev is so hot this time of year so I was happy to finally arrive at our hotel and jump in the Dead Sea. The next morning I had to head back to Jerusalem once again to take another exam. I was so sad to be away from my family that after my exam I traveled back to the Dead Sea. The next morning we headed to Ein Gedi an oasis in the desert where we took a short hike before heading back to Tel Aviv. 

At the farewell dinner I could barely keep it together. I was not ready for my family to leave, but there flight was early the next morning. After tearful goodbyes I was yet again heading for Jerusalem to finish my adventure. 

I did not realize how much I missed my family until they got here. At one point I told my Mom, I am ready for y'all to leave so I can have peace again and I live in Israel! Even though they drive me crazy I still love them dearly and was so excited to share the country that I have fallen in love with. I am also proud to say that Israel is still standing after the Searcy's visit! 

Shuk Adventures

Shalom! I am finally feeling better from whatever cold I caught last week. I was a under the weather for most of last week trying to manage to not get behind in school. After a doctor visit and a round of antibiotics I am finally getting the zip back in my do da. 

This weekend I stayed in Jerusalem to work on homework and to rest. I finished both of my research paper so I do not have to worry when my parents get here. Friday night Marissa and I headed to the Western Wall and met a family who invited us to Shabbat dinner. It was a relatively small Shabbat because it was just us the couple and their son. They lived in a small little house in the Old City. The dinner was lovely because it is always fun to be in the Old City. I was still tired and sick so I was happy that it did not last into the wee hours of the night. 

Sunday night Hebrew University hosted a huge concert in celebration of Students day. We received  the day off of classes Monday so we could stay up all night and listen to the bands. The concert was in a park called Gan Sakar that I have been to plenty of times. We saw lots of famous Israeli bands! It was amazing! All the students stayed out all night dancing, singing and celebrating! Marissa and I managed to push our way to the very front. I could not believe I stayed till 5 am but I caught the Israeli spirit and just could not leave. I love Israelis, I am starting to think that is why I love Israel so much. 

After I came home and slept for a couple hours, Milia and I headed to the Shuk (the market) to pick up some food for the week. In Israel they only sell produce that is in season and so cherries and watermelons are now for sell! Unfortunately, pomegranates are now out of season. I guess that I means I will just have to stay until next year! This man convinced me to buy a watermelon and even after Milia told me not to because I would have to carry it home, I bought the best watermelon I have ever eaten. 

After we finished our shopping, we headed to a little local restaurant in the Shuk to eat some hummus before heading home. It is a very local place and you can see right into the kitchen. The hummus was delicious and it was the cutest little restaurant. In Israeli no one really uses to-go boxes and so I received some strange looks when I asked for a to-go box. They asked why I wanted it and I said to it was going to be my dinner. An uproar in the restaurant occurred at the thought of Milia and I eating leftovers. The two young boys behind us offered us the rest of their meal. The boys across the restaurant offered to take us to dinner saying, "We pay, no worries." Only in Israel would an entire restaurant offer to take care of you. Of course it does help that Milia and I are American girls. After we left the restaurant we ran into the most adorable bakery where the woman was making fresh French Macaroons. French Macaroons are my favorite so of course we stopped enjoyed some french macaroons and chatted with the sweet lady who owned the shop. 

A task as small and boring as grocery shopping turned into the perfect afternoon. I am going to miss Israel for making the little things in life so spectacular. On Wednesday my family arrives! I AM SO EXCITED! I feel like it is Christmas or Hanukkah Eve! I am meeting them at the airport and I cannot wait! 

xoxo, 

Katy Ann 

Israel on Fire

This last two weeks have been an exhausting whirlwind of adventures. My family comes in 12 days!! And so I have spent the last few weeks trying to finish my final papers for my classes so when they arrive I will not have to worry about homework. I have two separate research projects, one I focused on international law relating to settlements in the West Bank. For my other class I compared the Clinton, Bush and Obama administrations policies and reactions to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Both projects have been very interesting and I was surprised to learn a lot especially about settlements. I am very glad all my research is almost over so I can enjoy my time with my family. 

Last week Marissa's friend (and my friend now too!) Lani finished his time in the army! Mazel Tov! We headed for Herzliya (a city on the beach near Tel Aviv) for the party to celebrate. We ended up meeting people and spending the rest of the weekend in Tel Aviv. It was a great weekend and we had plenty of much needed rest. 

The rest of the week was crammed full with homework and my internship. Wednesday night was another Jewish holiday! The holiday is called Lag BaOmer which is celebrated on the 33rd day of Omer. Omer is the time between Passover and Shavout (The day the Torah was received). Omer is a time of minor mourning and so some people do not shave, swim or listen to live music. It is sort of a Jewish no shave November. The 33rd day of Omer is marked by the famous Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai's death. He revealed some of the deepest secrets and interpretations of the Torah. Rabbi Shimon lived during the time of the revolt against the Romans and so he hid in caves across the Holy Lands. The idea is to turn the night into day which is why all over Israel bonfires are light. 

Rabbi Shimon's burial site is located in a town in Northern Israel called Meron. And so on the night of the 33rd day of Omer, we headed to Meron to join the festivities. All across Israel bonfires were set and the entire country was on fire, literally! We arrived in Meron along with 800,000 Orthodox Jews. Of course the men and women had separate sides. Marissa and I grabbed hands in an effort to stay together as we started to climb the mountain. It was so crowded you could barely move. We finally made it into the tomb after lots of pushing and shoving. The mens side was a lot more fun than the women's side. All the men were singing and dancing not to mention it was almost twice as big as the women's side. It felt like when I was little and my family would go to an amusement park. My brothers would be able to ride the really big roller coasters while I was to short and had to watch from the entrance. I was that little girl again peering into the mens side frustrated that I could not fully participate. But as usual Marissa and I were determined to not let this ruin our evening and persevered on as we headed even further up the mountain. The entire area was like a carnival with tons if people all dancing and celebrating. We made it to the area full of tents where people live during the time of Omer. Marissa and I were immediately invited into a tent by a family. It is a running theme of our time in Israel that we meet random people and are invited into their homes. As usual we were given lots of food and learned a lot. It was finally time to head back to the bus and make our way back to Jerusalem. We arrived home at 7 am and I was absolutely exhausted. 

3 hours later in class I had a stimulation of peace negotiations. Each student was a different country in the negotiations. I was Russia which meant I did not have to do anything except disagree on everyones ideas. It was actually really fun because everyone acted their countries part. Obviously we did not get to close to peace but way closer than Israel and Palestine right now. This week has been a crazy week in Israeli politics. Israel has a coalition government so it is very different than Americas system. Thank goodness for the people at work or I would have no idea what was going on with the system. Anyway two major coalitions combined and so elections will no longer be held in September. It is very complicated but has been fun and interesting to follow. 

Speaking of politics… I was so ashamed this week to find out North Carolina voted to add Amendment 1 to our state constitution. Being from the South I am always trying to convince the rest of the world we are not backwards, uneducated, crazy people. But this week I was disproved. Not only were my American friends mocking my state but even my Israeli friends thought it was crazy. Israelis who live in a religious state thought banning gay marriage was crazy. I always put North Carolina on a pedestal as an accepting, loving and amazing place. But I was proven wrong. I hope this amendment is appealed soon because North Carolina will lose some amazing people. 

Friday morning Marissa and I went to one of our favorite restaurants, Tmol Shilshom for brunch. We spent all afternoon on the patio drinking iced coffee and laughing. As much as I am going to miss the big moments in Israel when I go home it is moments like Friday that I will miss the most. I can not believe time has gone by so quickly. 

As usual Friday night Marissa and I headed for the Western Wall to find a meal for Shabbat. We met a family who took us to their home right outside of the Old City. The home was absolutely beautiful and was over 300 years old. The mother Yael was such a spunky lady. She is an Orthodox woman but does not cover her hair. She strategically placed Marissa and I between her two sons, both around our age. They were both paratroopers in the IDF and now go to Hebrew University. The entire meal was a blast hearing all of her stories. We discussed silver and china patterns along with how to make Kosher gravy. She invited us to their beach house for Shabbat next week and we are absolutely going! At the table we each had to say something about the week. This is a very normal part of a Shabbat dinner. Marissa said it the best as she described how Israel is so amazing because strangers just invite you into their homes or to join their party or a BBQ. It is so true! Israel is more than hospitable, everyone is family! 

Every week I am amazed at how much I learn and experience. I can not believe some of the things I have been able to learn and do in Israel. I am absolutely exhausted! 

Shabbat Shalom! 

Katy Ann 

When I'm 64

This week has been filled with mixed emotions all across Israel. Both Yom Hazikaron and Yom Ha'atzmaut were celebrated. On Tuesday starting at Sundown Yom Hazikaron started which is Israeli Memorial Day. It is remembrance day for the fallen soldiers and victims of terrorism in Israel. Tuesday after my internship I headed to the Western Wall for a ceremony. Security was very tight as usual. At sundown the flag was lowered to honor the lives that have been lost. We got to the wall early enough so we were able to see everything. Lots of soldiers were both attending and protecting the ceremony. Shimon Peres the president of Israeli spoke during the ceremony, although he spoke in hebrew I understood that it is a solemn day. The ceremony ended with the reciting of the mourners kaddish and the singing of the national anthem. 

Wednesday morning Marissa and I woke up early to go to Har Hertzel, the cemetery where soldiers are buried. We went through four different security checkpoints where we were questioned and searched. At one of the checkpoints our hands were tested for any trace of explosives. We finally made it to where the ceremony was being held and waited. At 10 a siren went off around the country and everyone stood in silence for one minute to remember those who had died. It was again an eerie sound as the entire country stood in silence. Active soldiers were to stand beside the grave of a fallen solider to honor them. Most of the soldiers choose a grave of someone in their unit or a close friend. The cemetery was filled with young men and women standing beside the graves of their friends. After the moment of silence the ceremony started with a torch lit to remember their lives. The Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu spoke during the ceremony followed by a gun salute, the mourners kaddish and the national anthem. It was a solemn day but at sundown everything changed. 

Wednesday at sundown begging Yom Ha'atzmaut which is Israeli Independence Day. The saddest and happiest days are back to back.  The streets flooded with people dressed in blue and white dancing, singing and celebrating. Fireworks filled the sky and the party was just starting. Israel was 64 years old! I hope I look this good when I am 64! Hebrew University held a party right outside the Old City. We all went and danced under the fireworks as we celebrated Israel! We partied like it was 1948! Everyone had an Israeli flag and was filled with joy.

Thursday morning we headed to the park Gaun Sakar where all of Jerusalem is grilling out. They call it BBQ but I just can't come to terms with calling it BBQing if there is no actual BBQ. Walking through the park we were invited in by a family to join their BBQ. The mother and father were obviously trying to set us up with their sons, so we laughed and just enjoyed the moment. In the middle of the day 4 airplanes did a flyover over the park! Every home and building is covered with the Israeli flag as the celebration continues. We spent the day in the park hopping from BBQ to BBQ even seeing Ruthie a girl I work with! Jerusalem has a small town feel because whenever I go I always run into someone I know. If there was any time to make you love Israel this is it. The respect they give to their soldiers and the love they have for their country is amazing. After our day in the park Milia, Jacki, Marissa and I were sold on moving to Israel right then!

Jacki's grandfather came to visit her and we got to meet him on Friday. He is 87 years old and came here to see Jacki. He took us to our father brunch place where he told us WWII stories. He served in US army and liberated one of the concentration camps. He is an amazing man who gave us all quite a bit of inspiration. Marissa and I headed to Shabbat dinner Friday evening. We went back to the same family who served us personal apple pies, and this meal did not disappoint! As usual the table was filled with food and the courses just kept coming. It all ended with personal trifle puddings that were delicious! It was a wonderful evening filled with lots of singing and celebration. 

Also this week I have decided to keep Kosher until I go home in July. Marissa is also keeping Kosher with me. I thought the best way to learn about a culture is to fully immerse yourself in it. And so the idea of "when In Rome"… or when in Israel do as the Israelis. Luckily in Israel it is easy because almost every restaurant is Kosher and I normally don't buy lots of meat. Keeping Kosher means you do not mix meat and dairy and that the meat you eat is kosher. I am still learning the other rules. But you have to wait after you eat either meat or dairy before you can eat the other. Some people argue you can wait 1 hour some 3 and some say 6. As you can tell I am still learning a lot about what exactly I'm supposed to do! 

It blows my mind how every week I can keep having such extraordinary and interesting experiences. I learn something new everyday! Israel continues to amaze me!

xoxo, 

Katy Ann 

The Real OC

After all the excitement and adventures of Pesach break this week I started to get back into the groove of school. On Sunday I started my first day of my internship at Finn Partners. I absolutely love it! Everyone I work with is not only super nice but quirky and fun. I have my own desk and computer so I feel very official. They even gave me a company email! I was put right to work making media lists, researching companies and helping with whatever assignment they give me. I have learned so much already and I have only worked for 3 days. The greatest part is the openness of the company, everyone eats lunch together, the interns and the head of the company. Also every Thursday we get pizza for lunch! 

Wednesday my archeology class had a field trip up north. We traveled to the ancient city of Bet She'an and Bet She'arim. We focus our studies on the Roman- Byzantine era. Bet She'an is very interesting because you can see how the city changes as it is conquered and how it changes with the spread of different religions. Bet She'arim is known for its cave tombs where lots of famous Rabbis have been buried. We studied the tombs and decorations of the tombs to find out more about the people and culture that were buried there. The coolest part of my class is we learn a concept and then can walk 20 minutes to the Old City and apply what we have learned. 

Thursday was Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day. At 10am sirens sounded all across Israel and everyone stopped and stood in silence to remember the 6 million Jews killed. People on the highway stopped their cars and the country was silent for 2 minutes. We learn about the Holocaust in school but in Israel the majority of people lost someone in the Holocaust and it makes the atrocities that much closer to home. It is amazing how after such an horrific event the Jewish people could come together and create something as amazing as Israel. Wednesday night we watched the state ceremony and watched as flags all across Israel were lowered to half mast. At the end of the ceremony everyone recited the Mourner's Kaddish. Thursday after the siren sounded Hebrew University had a memorial service that I attended it ended by singing the Israeli national anthem. It was a solemn day all over Israel but when sundown came the entire nation continued and persevered on as they do everyday.  

For Shabbat Marissa and I headed to the Kotel. It was packed as usual for Shabbas. Everyone was dancing, praying and celebrating another week. I love the Kotel on Friday night because it is full of excitement and hope. Everyone is getting geared up for Independence Day next week so Israeli flags and banners are everywhere. A family who lived in the Old City invited us for dinner. The wife and husband were both Americans who moved to Israel 12 years ago. They now have 5 daughters who kept us entertained all evening. The husband, Elie was hilarious. He kept us laughing all night. When he introduced himself he said, "I live in the real OC: The Old City." It is always great when you go into a home and can tell how great and loving of a family they are. It is also great to see the stereotypes of the Orthodox being broken. As the wife and husband helped prepare and serve the meal together. They had 12 guests for dinner most of us were young students on all sorts of different programs. The evening was wonderful and we stayed till after midnight. I am using the rest of Shabbat to work on my research and rest up for the next week. 

One of the greatest parts of Israel is all the holidays. Almost every other week they have a major holiday that shuts down most of the country, especially Jerusalem. It means lots of celebrations which I love! There is always something exciting happening! 

Shabbat Shalom!

xoxo, 

Katy Searcy 

Lama Lo? Pesach Break

This week Marissa and I packed our backpacks and took the south by storm. Neither of us had any clue how much adventure we were getting ourselves into. Thank goodness for my Dad teaching me survival skills and how to read a map or we would have been even more lost then we were. This week we traveled to Eliat, Jordan, Mitzpe Ramon and a few unplanned stops in between. Since we were keeping Kosher all week we packed Matzo, hard boiled eggs, cheese and charoset. 

We took a bus to Eilat, a 5 hour drive through the Neg Ev. When we arrived in Eliat we found our hostel, the "Faulty Towers." The name should have been a sign for the events that would happen. Eliat is very similar to the Jersey Shore or Myrtle Beach. When we first arrived at our hostel a group of boys were grilling out in the yard, of course we were greeted warmly and invited to join. We found our room and headed for the beach. We swam in the Red Sea! It was really cold. You could literally swim to Jordan it was so close. In Israel there is a type of Israeli called the Ars. A boy who resembles the American Guido and they love Eilat. We met up with our other friends from Hebrew University and went to the boardwalk. We laughed all night at the Arsim trying to impress us. We made it home to Faulty Towers before crashing for the night. 

Tuesday we woke up early to cross the border to Jordan. We did some research and knew a little of what to expect. We paid our exit tax out of Israel and crossed the Demilitarized zone between Jordan and Israel. On the other side we went to passport control and asked for a visa into Jordan. The Jordanian officers started to ask us questions about America. My favorite was "Do you know Chelsea Clinton?" After we made it out of the border and into Jordan we realized they didn't charge us for a visa. Also they gave us employment visas to stay for up to a year in Jordan. Marissa and I looked at each other and started to run before they realized they forgot to charge us. I consider myself a Diva on a budget and this trip was no exception and so I was happy to avoid the $60 visa charge. Jordan lacks infrastructure and so they did not have any buses to Petra. This meant we had to pay a cab for a 2 hour drive into Petra. The ride was beautiful and breathtaking! We drove up into the Jordanian mountains until we reached the city right outside the ancient city of Petra. Marissa and I decided we would camp with Bedouin people. Our driver could not find our camp so he dropped us off on the side of the road. Then these two guys came up to us and said they could take us. We loaded into their car and didn't realize how horrible of an idea it was until they were driving us outside the city. Marissa and I were freaking out in the back seat, I was sure we were going to be kidnapped. After a 30 minute drive outside the city we arrived at our camp in the middle of the desert. We thought it would be a touristy spot but we were wrong. It was an actual Bedouin camp. 

We jumped out of the car quickly and ran into our camp. The Bedouin man greeted us with tea and a smile. After they showed us our tent we headed to Petra! Petra was amazing! We walked a couple of miles through a narrow canyon. It opened up to the most famous site the Treasury! This is where an Indian Jones movie was filmed! It was awesome! Petra was an ancient Nabatean city that was rediscovered in the 1900's. We walked through the city all afternoon. It is known as the "Rose City" because of the red rock the buildings are carved out of. Petra is one of the 7 wonders of the world. Now I have visited 5 of the 7 wonders of the world and I am only 19 years old!! I have realized my life is anything but conventional over the past few months. 

We made it back to our camp and ate dinner hiding in our tent. We ate matzo and the other food we packed but we knew matzo was not the most welcomed food in Jordan. The Bedouins made a huge fire and we sat outside and watched the stars, it was wonderful. We woke up early the next morning and headed for Wadi Rum a famous desert in Jordan. We rode camels in the desert! In Jordan they have camels everywhere, instead of playing cows when they travel they must count camels. We headed back to the border happy that we had made it out of Jordan in one piece. 

Getting back into Israel was easy thankfully and we made our way to Mitzpe Ramon a famous crater in the Neg Ev. Everyone had told us how easy it is so hitchhike in Israel and how everyone does it. So Marissa and I on our adventures streak started to hitchhike. After about 30 minutes a nice old man named Sami picked us up and told us we were in the wrong place. So he drove us to another round about closer to where we thought we were going. It was absolutely hilarious Marissa and I standing on the side of the road laughing. I started to complain that hitchhiking was giving me bad tan lines while Marissa chased down the people who wouldn't stop for us. Finally a man picked us up and told us he was going our direction. As we started to drive we realized the large military presence in the area. Between the military bases, the satellites and tanks I realized we were probably heading the wrong direction. Finally we arrived at a huge military area where the man said, "That is Egypt" as he pointed to the land 100 yards away. We learned this was not the way to Mitzpe Ramon and we were scared! I immediately started to pull out my hair into the car so my DNA could be found if we were kidnapped. At the time it seemed like the best idea. After the man talked to the soldiers and met with his friend he said he would drive us back to the bus station. We arrived at the bus station and my heart was beating so fast. Marissa and I gladly bought our bus ticket and ice cream! I considered my hitchhiking experience my personal Exodus from Egypt. 

We made it to Mitzpe Ramon and found our hostel "The Green Backpacker." It was a house turned into a hostel which was so cute! The owner was really nice to us and gave us advice on where to hike in the morning. The next morning we woke up and hiked in the crater. It looked like a different planet! We used a map to follow the trail which I know my Dad would have been so proud. We hiked about 6 miles until the trail intersected with the highway. The owner told us to hitchhike back to our hostel. This nice young guy picked us up and drove us back. Our bus didn't leave for another 2 hours and we thought "Lama Lo" (Why not in Hebrew). So we stuck out our hand and started to hitchhike. These two guys picked us up and said they were driving until near Tel Aviv. They didn't speak much english so we practiced our Hebrew and listened to music. They drove us almost 3 hours before dropping us off near a Jerusalem sign. We realized we were now committed to hitchhiking because no buses were in sight. Another man pulled over and gave us a ride to outside Jerusalem. He lectured us on how to hitchhike and gave us the rules we needed to follow. He was very fatherly and I think a little worried about us. After he dropped us off we again stuck out our hand and sure enough a young girl pulled over. She was very quirky and an artist. She not only drove us home but invited us for Shabbat Dinner! Only in Israel! So Marissa and I made it home safe and sound!! 

We got a call from Lani, Marissa's friend from home who joined the IDF after high school. He invited us to come celebrate in Tel Aviv with him because he got out of the army! So after a short nap and a much needed shower we headed to Tel Aviv! We had so much fun and it was great to see Lani! The nest day we made it home to Jerusalem in time for Shabbat! Dena and Candace's families are visiting for Passover and so they hosted us for Shabbat dinner. It was wonderful. Milia and Jacki are home from Europe and everyone was back together! I am using Shabbat to catch up on sleep! My first day of my internship starts tomorrow! 

This week was amazing and full of adventure and memories! The entire trip was exciting and we had so many laughs along the way! I am so glad to be home in Jerusalem though! 

Shabbat Shalom!

xoxo, 

Katy Ann 

ps. I posted pictures to shutter fly 

Hag Sameach! Passover and Easter

Last Friday was the first night of Passover which I celebrated. In preparation for Passover everyone cleans their houses and clears any crumb of bread from their home. Nothing that rises is allowed to be eaten during Passover.  Friday during the day Marissa and I walked to town to go to the Shuk. On the way we saw people burning their bread in the streets to get rid of all the bread from their homes. All the restaurants in Jerusalem either close for Passover or have an entirely new menu. The stores do not sell any bread and they cover the areas with plastic sheets. This was my first Passover so I was so excited to experience it all! I decided to keep Kosher for Passover with Marissa which means I kept the normal Kosher laws plus ate nothing that could rice. We could not eat anything with wheat but for some reason we also don't eat corn. This means nothing with corn syrup either. 

Friday night we went to a Seder at a families home in the Old City. It was so cool to go into a home that was only 5 minutes from the Kotel. Passover commemorates the story of the Exodus. This is when the Israelites were freed from slavery in Egypt. You eat Matzo because the Israelites did not have enough time to let the bread rise when they had to leave Egypt. The Seder goes through the story of the Exodus and each food you eat represents something else. The Maror symbolizes the bitterness of the slavery of Egypt, we ate horseradish and romaine lettuce. The Charoset is a sweet apple and cinnamon dish that represents the mortar used by the Jewish slaves. Karpas is dipped into salt water to represent tears. Our Karpas was celery. A Shankbone represents the sacrifice that was offered in the temple in Jerusalem. A hard boiled egg symbolizes the festival sacrifice. After you finish going through the story and the prayers we ate a delicious meal! It was so fun to be at a real home with a family. The Seder lasted till 4 am and I did not even realize it! The Seder was a truly great experience. It is only fitting for my life that my first Seder would be celebrated in Jerusalem. 

Saturday I slept and rested all day in preparation for Easter Sunday. I bought white lilies for my room so it would be more like my church at home. Marissa was celebrating her first Easter! Mom and Dad even managed to send me an Easter basket (Kosher of course)! Sunday morning we woke up early and made our way to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. This is where Jesus was buried and rose from the dead. I wore a bright Lilly dress and Marissa did too! It was crowded and we pushed our way up the stairs so we could see everything. The Greek Orthodox were having a service while the Catholics were having a service while the Armenians were banging bells. It was complete chaos and not at all what I expected. We could not hear anything because each service was trying to be louder than the other. It was a disappointing that it was not kept a sacred service. But I am very glad I got to celebrate Easter in Jerusalem. 

I had to buy a camera before we went on the rest of our journey for the week so Marissa and I went to the mall. I realized it was the same mall I went on my first day in Jerusalem. I was no longer the scared girl trying to figure out which bottle was laundry detergent and which bottle was shampoo. I marched right up to the camera store and bought exactly what I needed. I did not let anyone pass me and we knew exactly which bus to take to get home. I now have chutzpah. It is a Yiddish word that means courage or guts. I have always had chutzpah which all my teachers can tell you about. But I think in Israel I have learned to channel my chutzpah in the right way. 

xoxo, 

Katy Ann 

Yam le Yam

Starting Sunday I hiked from the Mediterranean Sea to the Sea of Galilee! Hiking about 30 miles up and down the Mountains of Israel. The first day we dipped our feet into the Mediterranean Sea before starting our hike in the Nachal Kviz area. We hiked through streams and up a mountain. The water was to deep in the streams to simply cross so we had to literally wade in the water up to our knees. Of course I took a tumble in one of the first streams. I'm not sure how I managed to submerge my entire backpack in the water but my camera is now not working. Although I was bummed about my camera I was thankful I did not get hurt. It was absolutely breathtaking hiking through the valley and onto the mountain. It is the perfect time to hike the Yam le Yam (Sea to Sea in Hebrew) because all the flowers were in bloom. After a full day of hiking we arrived to our camp site sweaty and hungry. 

Marissa and I tried to set up our tent which consisted of me trying to put the poles together for 40 minutes while she took pictures. Finally we realized that if we smiled nicely at our Israeli guides they would set it up for us. I'm not sure how I missed the outdoorsy gene in my family but I repel nature sometimes. Our tent stayed up the whole night! We managed to sleep a little but it got cold at night. 

Monday after we woke up and smiled at the Israeli guides to take down our tent we hit the trails again! We hiked Mount Meron and the valley below. My group leader Ori kept a quick pace so I found myself running on the trails quite a bit. We saw lots of natural springs and wildlife today. Lots of cows and goats! Again the scenery was beautiful. Lush green hills and red poppies in bloom everywhere. After hours of hiking we made it to Piquein Druz Village for the night. The Druz people are very interesting because they are Arab but they serve in the Israeli army. Yet they have a separate government system than the Israeli government. We explored the village before crashing. 

On Tuesday we walked in Nachal Amud Elion. After about an hour of hiking we came to the top of a mountain. It was the most beautiful place I have ever been. You could see the entire Galilee area and the Golan Heights. It was completely green except for yellow, red and purple flowers in bloom everywhere. I really started to see why people fight over this land. The pictures and description do not do it justice but it made me realize that I will be back to Israel because I have fallen in love with this magnificent place. 

We made it to Tzfat where we stayed the night. Tzfat is a Kabbalah town. Kabbalah is the hippie sect of Judaism. The street art and people are famous around the world. We went to a drum circle and I realized American Jewish kids have zero rhythm. Tzfat was a really quaint village and I really want to go back! 

The next day we hiked through Naschal Amud Tachton. We only had a short hike before reaching the Galilee so everyone was excited. We hiked through a valley completely covered in yellow and red flowers. Everyone was singing and hiking! Mem would have been so proud as I pointed out queen anne's lace, poppies and morning glories to my fellow hikers. The area looked straight out of a movie! 

Finally we made it to the Galilee! I have never been more excited to see the Sea! When we arrived we have a toast to our accomplishments then spent the afternoon swimming. At the beach they had a huge lunch for us and a little oasis. They had set up pillows and mats under umbrellas so we could relax. It was absolutely perfect. The Galilee was super cold and it was fresh water. It could not have been a more perfect day!

We finally made it back to Jerusalem exhausted and I immediately crashed. Thursday Marissa, Candace and I headed to the beach in Tel Aviv for the day just to recoup before the craziness of Passover begins. 

Although I am not outdoorsy I had a wonderful time seeing the north of Israel. It was an amazing journey and I am so thankful I did it. Israel is such a beautiful and unique country. It continues to amaze me everyday. 

Happy Passover! Hag Samech! 

xoxo, 

Katy Ann