Wednesday, January 18, 2012

1 year later...

It is hard to believe that 1 year has passed since I was in Israel.  This week I find myself remembering how much my first Israel experience has meant to me!   Today was Sheila's birthday and we talked about our hike in the Negev, last year on her birthday!   Both of us proud of how much we accomplished on our journey... physically, emotionally and spiritually!  It was a great ride!  

I have gone back and looked at all of the photos I took, watched the DVD slide show and re-read my journal.   Still trying to find a way to recreate this blog into a photo book.  I really want to make that happen.   I find myself missing my travel companions, especially my roomie :-).  We shared a great adventure!  I am having trouble wiping the smile off my face even when I remember the most difficult challenges.  I came back a little more confident!  I am still terribly afraid of heights but I now know what I can accomplish with the help of new friends.

Surprisingly enough James & I are preparing for our first trip to Israel, together.  We will be going to some of the places I visited last year and going to many new places!   I am excited to return and never expected to go back so soon.

L'hitra'ot

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Puppet photos

I am still having trouble uploading photos of the puppet adventures.  Hopefully I will figure this out soon... keep checking!


I have it worked out!  Pictures are added to the previous post/

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Puppets Adventures in Israel

 I have been home for a little more than 2 weeks and I can not think about my Israel adventures without a BIG smile on my face!  Here is a post about our puppet friends who joined us on the journey

Puppets Adventures in Israel…

Not only did our group of 15 travelers have an amazing 10 (ok 11) day journey in Israel but we had some puppet friends join us and they had a great time as well!

While we were waiting for our departure, at SFO, Rabbi Eve gave us each a puppet to bring on our journey.  These adorable puppets were made by the kids in the after school program at JCCSF.  The puppet I chose (or maybe she chose me) was decorated in a purple dress with colorful jewelry and long blond hair.  I named her “Keshet” which means rainbow.

Keshet and her puppet friends experienced many of the same things that their human friends did.   They even started to act like their human friends.  Some becoming more playful and some were quieter.  The human friends took a lot of photos with, and of, the puppets.  Puppet travelers went on the big hike in the Negev, climbed Masada, helped pick oranges, went to a Tu B’Shevat Seder, climbed trees at Neot Kedumim. 

David’s puppet made alyiah after deciding to stay in Holon, Israel (near Tel Aviv).  I wonder what stories that puppet would be able to tell.  I bet he’s learning a lot of Hebrew.

Several puppets tried the delicious cuisine.  They enjoyed it so much that they ate (and ate and ate), just like we did!   One puppet actually “fell” in love with the hummus and pita. 

Keshet learned about sheckles and bought a present for the Dragonflies class, at the PJCC.  She was so brave she even tried to drive our large bus, with Itzik’s help.    Keshet had a fantastic time in Israel and is looking forward to coming home to the JCCSF to see her young friends.

I am sure Keshet will tell you all kinds of stories about her adventures in Israel, but when I asked about her favorite thing to do in Israel she said “Shopping”!  She did love to shop J   


"Falling" in love with the hummus

Keshet shopping for tea, at the shuk

Harvesting oranges on Tu B'Shevat

Buying balloons with shekles

Climbing trees at Neot Kedumim

Planting a grape vine at Neot Kedumim





Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Tastes and Aromas of Israel

Wednesday
January 26

I realized that I hadn’t written much about the aromas & tastes of Israel, yet.  I am getting used to the bountiful Israeli breakfast buffets.  I know… at home I barely even eat breakfast.  I may need to change this habit!  A typical breakfast, for me, has consisted of cucumber-tomato-feta salad, yogurt with granola, a variety of cheeses, green salad, sliced oranges and/or kiwi, potato burakas (a filled puff pastry with sesame seeds on top) and today there was a vegetable mix (spinach/tomato/onion… with lots of garlic) that was especially delicious!!!  Almost every day I have made a cheese sandwich, to go.  It has become a routine J

There have been several visits to a variety of markets (shuks).  It is incredible to walk down the crowded aisles past stands of fruits, vegetables, nuts, spices, teas, fresh fish and pastries.  The market vendors are calling out to get you to come to their stand and the bargaining begins.  

Entering the Arab Market

Dried fruit and nuts

So many spices...

I don't know what this was, besides delicious!!!

Fluffiest pita ever!

An assortment of sweet treats
All of these food vendors are in between stalls filled with all kinds of souvenirs and scarves… oh the scarves.  My roommate is coming home with 17 scarves more than she arrived with.  Many as gifts but several for herself!  Don’t get me wrong; I helped the Israeli economy as well!  You will just have to wait and see what I come home with.

Another interesting day in Israel!  Today was filled with meetings & lectures.  We met with a variety of people who discussed contemporary life, in Israel with us.  They covered journalism, t.v./film and the LGBT community.  Another fabulous lunch, this time  at "Grill Bar", which had the fluffiest pita I've ever seen.  There has been an increase in food documentation so I'll post a few photos of our lunch!


After lunch we had a free afternoon for more sight seeing and shopping!  Back at the hotel and although I will be happy to get home I am sad to be packing!!!

L' hitra'ot

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Yad VaShem

Tuesday
January 25

Today was another emotional day!  We started the morning with an extremely interesting session with a wonderful educator, Rachel Korazim.  She was preparing us for our day at Yad VaShem. 
The museum, which tells the story of the Shoah (Holocaust) from an Israeli perspective, was moving.  About half way through the museum Mimi (another seminar participant) saw a photo of her father on the wall in one of the galleries.  Muki, our guide, gave her the microphone and had her tell her father's story.  That made the day even more real!

It is hard to put the emotions of today into words!

Laila Tov

Monday, January 24, 2011

Masada and the Dead Sea

Monday January 24
Today was one of the days I was looking forward to, the most (after Kabbalat Shabbat at the Kotel).  I was looking forward to doing the hike up Masada but after last weeks hike I wasn't so sure!  When we arrived at Masada I looked up and wondered if I was making a mistake in trying the hike.  I decided to "Go For It"!!!  What the heck... this trip has been all about me breaking out of my comfort zone and trying new things!  New foods and new physical challenges have been a recurring theme of this journey!  


It was a very long hike with a steep incline and a lot of switchbacks!  For those of you who were on the famous Glacier Point hike, when I fell, I managed to stay upright the entire time.   This hike was so physically challenging for me that not only could I feel my heart racing but I could HEAR it!   Our group quickly divided into smaller groups heading up the trail and different speeds.  I was taking up the rear (again) but was actually keeping pace with, and sometimes out hiking, the group of 15 year olds also climbing Masada!  One young man was overheard telling his friend "Look, even the adults are faster than you..."  I felt a great sense of accomplishment at reaching the top.  As I neared the top I heard Muki saying "Go Peri, you're almost there!"  I looked up and saw Sheila's big smile encouraging me towards the top (Thanks Sheila)!!!


We spent a little over an hour (a guess) on top of Masada, learning all about the fortress, how it was built,  why it was built and touring many of the rooms.  It was crowded at the top of Masada with many tour groups which was frustrating for some of the tour guides.  Muki was fantastic, as usual!  


After we finished touring Masada we took the gondola to the bottom and headed for Mineral Beach at the Dead Sea.  While we were on the bus Muki told us about all of the protocol for the Dead Sea.  Most of us decided to eat lunch, cover ourselves with the mineral mud and float in the sea.  I even tried the sulfur pool at the end but it was too hot and stung, after being in the salty sea!  The mud is gooey when you rub it all over your body!  It was nice to have friends helping each other "paint" our bodies with the mineral rich mud.  You are supposed to let the mud dry before going into the Dead Sea.  It really does hurt when you get water in your eyes!  Do not try this at home!  When you walk into the water, you are supposed to walk in up to your thighs the turn around and "sit down" this is when you begin to float.  It is a funny feeling.  When you visit Israel, you should try this.  It is so much fun!  


Getting ready to hike up to Masada


Sheila & I at the top of Masada




Yes... I covered myself with mud!


Floating in the Dead Sea!
For dinner, a few of us walked to Ben Yehuda Street, a pedestrian street, for another delicious dinner of falafel & schwarma, this time at Moshiko.


Tomorrow we will be visiting Yad VaShem.
I might not post again, until I get home.   
We'll see if I get internet.
Laila Tov.

Archaeology

Sunday January 23

Today was a busy day looking at and learning about so much history.  We had an early wake-up call (6:30- ok, most days we have an early wake up call).  After another plentiful Israeli breakfast buffet we headed to the Old City.  We spent the morning having tours of the tunnels below the Western Wall and the Jerusalem Archaeological Park.  On our way to the  Jerusalem Archaeological Park many of us were wondering when lunch was.  It seemed like we had been walking and learning for hours.  Our guide laughed and told us that our next tour was in a few minutes, at 10:00.  We walked all around the Old City for a few more hours looking at many different historical sites.   It is amazing to stand above the Kotel (Western Wall) and see important religious landmarks for Judiasm, Christianity and Islam, at the same time.

Our afternoon was spent having a delicious lunch at the Israel Museum and a very quick visit to the Museum.   I wish we could have had a few more hours (or days) to spend in the museum.  I guess I'll have to come back!  Sunday evening we visited the home of Sara, from the JCCA office in Jerusalem. Sara lives in the Tsur Hadassah community, in the Judean Hills outside of Jerusalem.  It was a wonderful visit to her home.

Waiting for our tour of the tunnels

Inside the tunnels

The Women's section of the Kotel (Western Wall)

Touching the Kotel


JCCSF Israel Seminar Group 2011

Davidson Center- Jerusalem Archaeological Park

Sheila & I at an overlook near the Kotel

Lunch at the Israel Museum... so much food!!!

Outside the entrance to the Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit
We came back to the hotel for dinner.  Since nobody was hungry we ate leftovers, from lunch, in our room.