Happy Chanukah everybody, tonight is the first night of Chanukah as well as the start to a 10 day vacation from volunteering. I’m really excited for Chanukah and not just because I love latkes and Sufganiyot (Israeli jelly doughnuts). The vacation was supposed to start with a 4 day hike from the Mediterranean to the Kinneret on Sunday but due to an unnecessary lecture that I had to go to on Tuesday, the hike will have to be delayed a couple weeks. The good news is that I will get to do some things that I would have missed out on such as going to Jerusalem during Chanukah. Chanukah is celebrated much different here than the U.S., the main difference being that parents don’t give their children presents and then have to explain that Chanukah is better than Christmas because you get presents for eight days instead of one. There are no presents given, just lighting of the menorah, long lines at the bakeries and another reason for Israelis to end every conversation with “chag sameach” (happy holiday). I’m not really sure what Jerusalem will be like for Chanukah but I’m excited to see. The delay of the hike also let me go to a Macabbi Tel Aviv basketball on Sunday which is something I had wanted to do. It was a pretty normal basketball game not much different than going to a WVU game. It was kinda cool to hear Hatikva play before the game, I think that’s the first time I’ve heard it since I’ve been here.
The main reason that I’m so excited for Chanukah this year is that on Sunday I will be doing a 5 day IDF volunteering program called Sar-El. Usually Sar-El is 3 weeks and volunteers come from all over the world to help but Oranim has some type of deal with the program so we don’t have to commit the whole 3 weeks. I don’t know much about the program except that I will be wearing and IDF uniform and will stay on an army base for the week. I think the base is in the Negev and we will be eating with the soldiers and in their sleeping quarters. I’m not quite sure what the volunteering activities will be but I can’t imagine anything to difficult since if you go on the website they have volunteers from all ages who participate. I think I’m most excited for the picture of me in the IDF uniform but whatever I end up doing it will be something completely different than I’ve ever done before.
Hope everybody had a good Thanksgiving, I went to a bar in Tel Aviv that had a full course Thanksgiving dinner. It was great, the only thing missing with the sofa for me to fall asleep on afterwards. We tried to go to a bar in TLV afterwards but we were so full and tired we went home early. The following Saturday I met a father and son from New York at the Kotel, we started talking and he invited us to his house for Shabbat lunch. A great lunch, awesome conversation and the best part was they had Thanksgiving dinner at their house for 45 people so on top of the Shabbat meal there was also a ton of Thanksgiving leftovers. Other highlights of the last couple weeks would include the IDF and Israel Museum. The IDF museum was pretty cool, just houses full of guns, tanks, missiles... that were either made in Israel or from the surrounding countries that Israel has captured throughout the years. The Israel museum had fossils from 30,000 years ago and took you on a journey of all the nations who have conquered the land of Israel throughout history. I took a tour of Jerusalem which was necessary since I’ve been there between 8-10 times but never did any tour and never knew what I was looking at. At the same time, Jerusalem is so filled with tourist that it’s been nice to be able to go when I want, do what I want and not be rushed around following a tour guide with a yellow umbrella who yells at the group constantly to catch up. Took a trip to Ashdod & Herzliya, more haggling with arabs over things I don't need but I think most importantly I found a hummus joint in Yafo (Abu Hassan) that I’ve been to 5 times since I found out about it 3 weeks ago. I’m not saying in competes with Pat’s or Willie Mae's fried chicken but its damn good (always long lines no matter the time) and and they serve massabha which is basically hot humus, i just can't get enough of it. Happy Chanukah everybody, I put some more pictures on FB if anybody want to take a look.
The main reason that I’m so excited for Chanukah this year is that on Sunday I will be doing a 5 day IDF volunteering program called Sar-El. Usually Sar-El is 3 weeks and volunteers come from all over the world to help but Oranim has some type of deal with the program so we don’t have to commit the whole 3 weeks. I don’t know much about the program except that I will be wearing and IDF uniform and will stay on an army base for the week. I think the base is in the Negev and we will be eating with the soldiers and in their sleeping quarters. I’m not quite sure what the volunteering activities will be but I can’t imagine anything to difficult since if you go on the website they have volunteers from all ages who participate. I think I’m most excited for the picture of me in the IDF uniform but whatever I end up doing it will be something completely different than I’ve ever done before.
Hope everybody had a good Thanksgiving, I went to a bar in Tel Aviv that had a full course Thanksgiving dinner. It was great, the only thing missing with the sofa for me to fall asleep on afterwards. We tried to go to a bar in TLV afterwards but we were so full and tired we went home early. The following Saturday I met a father and son from New York at the Kotel, we started talking and he invited us to his house for Shabbat lunch. A great lunch, awesome conversation and the best part was they had Thanksgiving dinner at their house for 45 people so on top of the Shabbat meal there was also a ton of Thanksgiving leftovers. Other highlights of the last couple weeks would include the IDF and Israel Museum. The IDF museum was pretty cool, just houses full of guns, tanks, missiles... that were either made in Israel or from the surrounding countries that Israel has captured throughout the years. The Israel museum had fossils from 30,000 years ago and took you on a journey of all the nations who have conquered the land of Israel throughout history. I took a tour of Jerusalem which was necessary since I’ve been there between 8-10 times but never did any tour and never knew what I was looking at. At the same time, Jerusalem is so filled with tourist that it’s been nice to be able to go when I want, do what I want and not be rushed around following a tour guide with a yellow umbrella who yells at the group constantly to catch up. Took a trip to Ashdod & Herzliya, more haggling with arabs over things I don't need but I think most importantly I found a hummus joint in Yafo (Abu Hassan) that I’ve been to 5 times since I found out about it 3 weeks ago. I’m not saying in competes with Pat’s or Willie Mae's fried chicken but its damn good (always long lines no matter the time) and and they serve massabha which is basically hot humus, i just can't get enough of it. Happy Chanukah everybody, I put some more pictures on FB if anybody want to take a look.
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