Catching the Spirit

If America is a melting pot, than Israel is 3 pots who are fighting over one burner. It is amazing how close each culture lives together. Two days ago my friend and I walked just 10 minutes outside our Student Village and it was like a different country. No more Hebrew on the signs but Arabic instead. No more Kippas but now Hijabs everywhere. Marissa and I continued to walk into the area and realized this was not a safe place for 2 American girls. We were harassed by a group of men but we were perfectly safe we only felt a little threatened. Once we found some Israeli security they recommend that we did not come back unless we had male escorts. This area was in way East Jerusalem where the Israeli bus line does not run anymore. But luckily the train had a stop nearby so climbed aboard and headed home. We arrived home safe and sound but decided this adventure needed our guy friends. It is amazing how different the area is and it is only a 10 minute walk. 

Yesterday was the Jewish holiday Tu Bshvat, which is pretty much Jewish Earth Day. Jacki and I went to a Fruit Seder at a Kabbalah Jewish center. Kabbalah is a sect of Judaism and is known as being the hippies of the Jewish community. Madonna practices Kabbalah which is where I had heard the term before. So we arrived and everyone was gathered around sitting on the floor on pillows and some at the table. We celebrated "The New Year of Trees" through a Seder meal. My first ever Seder meal so I was eager to learn. You celebrated 4 levels of the earth: Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall. We ate hard shell food for winter like pistachios and pomegranate. For Spring me ate dates and other dried fruit. For Summer we ate apples and pears. For Fall we had figs and carob. With each level we said a prayer and sang a song. The room was filled with the Israeli spirit. At the beginning of the evening I did not know a soul and by the end I felt like I was apart of the family. The songs had so much life and joy. These Israelis feel so thankful to be able to live in Jerusalem. Jacki and I danced and sang the night away in between eating fruit. It was such an amazing feeling to be apart of something that these people have been fighting over, for centuries. Not even just the fight for the land but to be free from all the horrible tragedies the Jewish people have endured. In Israel you feel the spirit and it is contagious. 

After our wonderful evening celebrating the earth with our new Kabbalah friends we took the train home. Mid-ride we heard a thud and something had hit the train. A group of young men had thrown rocks at the train as we were driving by. Since my Hebrew is not very good I only understood bits of what was happening. Security is on every train and they were immediately in action finding the group of boys and making sure it was safe to proceed. The windows on the train are made of bulletproof glass and so no damage occurred but again it put in perspective that I live in the middle of a major conflict. Luckily I felt totally safe because security is trained to handle situations much worse. But let it be told the stereotypes of "rock throwers" may not be just a stereotype. 

I did not realize the rift between Secular Israelis and Orthodox Jewish Israelis until this week. Secular Israelis work hard and serve in the army. They are some of the most pride filled and kind people you will ever meet. While the Orthodox men and women do not work and do not serve in the army. They are paid by the government to live in Israel in order to keep the Jewish population growing. You could imagine that the Israeli people are not the kindest to the Orthodox. But they are all Jewish and all connected therefore they work together in order to live in Israel. 

I learned Israeli folk songs this week at Ulpan and then used them at the Tu Bshvat. All the songs are beautiful. My favorite song I have learned is, "Kol haolam kilo gesher tzchar meod." The lyrics translate to:

The whole world is a narrow bridge

And the most important thing is not to 

fear at all

This song captures the essence of the Israeli spirit. Israel is an extraordinary place that amazes me more each and everyday. 

xoxo

Katy Ann 


ps. I will be staying up until 4am to watch my Heels play! Go Heels Go America! Go to Hell dOOK!