I'm sitting in my room looking over that golden city of Jerusalem eating fresh strawberries that are huge. I live on the 9th floor of my building and so the view is gorgeous and I can see all over the city. All the food here is very fresh. Most Israelis go to the market everyday and buy what they need for the day.
I am still working on my Hebrew and going to Ulpan. I am so bad at Hebrew I can't get the "ch" (aka something stuck in your throat sound) at all, plus they have different types of those sounds. I just sound like I'm having a weird coughing fit when I try to use them. But hopefully the longer I am here the better I will get.
My friends and I have started to do 'family dinners' for dinner every night. Instead of all cooking alone we all cook together and eat together. It is really fun all working together Kibbutz style! We have no oven so we have to get creative on what we can cook.
Jerusalem is a crazy city at night. All the International students flooded Bendahooda Street. Bendahooda is the place to be at night, lined with clubs and bars. We met tons of Israelis and had a great night learning the ropes of the night life.
Orthodox Jews try to recruit American Jews to move to Israel and become more religious and they do this by coming to parties. We were all hanging out in an apartment and an Orthodox man walks in hat, beard and all. I was of course quite confused why this man with a beard was here but everyone else didn't mind so I joined in the party. A really strange concept and not the way Christians get converts, but hey maybe they should change their game too!
Shabbat starts at sundown Friday and goes until sundown Saturday. A city of almost a million people becomes silent. No cars or buses on the streets. All the shops close and most people don't leave their homes. It is the Jewish day of rest. Jewish people are not supposed to do anything, even from turning on lights or tearing toilet paper. I have already been on my computer, opened doors and used toilet paper so I am not keeping Shabbat. We went to Shabbat dinner last night hosted by the school. They have a mini lesson about some part of the Torah some prayers and then food. I am hoping to go to Shabbot and someones home, I just have to play Jewish so an orthodox family will take me in for dinner.
We went to the Shuk (market) right before Shabbat and everyone was crazy! Running around trying to get ready before sundown. Pita and Hollah bread was being thrown left to right while Orthodox Jews were giving you candles. I love the Shuk so much excitement and you get to see the real lifestyles of the Israelis. Plus its like whole foods sampling on crack. Yesterday I bought a bag of pastries for 7 shekels so about $2 in the US. And i bought beautiful fresh flowers to brighten my room! The pomegranates are so yummy! We caught the train back luckily because it was the last train before Shabbot. You say "Shabbat Shalom" to wish everyone a good Shabbat which is my favorite phrase because I have mastered the pronunciation.
I've only been here for a few days and it already feels like a home to me. I'm adjusting both to Israeli culture and Jewish culture, learning all about the millions of Holidays in the Jewish faith. Well Shalom Shabbat Y'all, rest up!
xoxo
Katy Ann
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