It's Been 1 Month!

Well it has been 1 month since I arrived in Israel as the Madrich for the Carmel Program, and what a month it has been. The best way for me to write is to start from the present and work my way backwards. For starters I finally have the internet in my room. Everything in Israel takes so long so I thought getting the internet would be the same. Would you believe I signed up and had the internet working in less than 24 hours? And people say miracles don't happen! I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Bezeq phone company and Bezeq international for making this all happen in 1 day. So now we can always speak and always be connected like "New York Telephone."

The Carmel group spent 10 wonderful day in Jerusalem over Sukkot. Our educator and guide while in Jerusalem was Steve Israel. Steve is a Jerusalem-based educator who has worked in the fields of Jewish education and Israel education since 1975. While in Jerusalem we visited the house where Israeli author S.Y. Agnon lived, the Old City, the Kotel (Western Wall) and the Israel Museum. We have also met with Paula Adelstein from the IMPJ, Rabbi Marmur (dean at HUC), Rabbi Uri Regev (director of the WUPJ) and Rabbi Na'ama Kellman (director of HUC American Program).

While in Jerusalem we stayed at Beit Shmuel which is on the Hebrew Union College-JIR campus. Preparing for Sukkot in Jerusalem was very special, we went to Meir Sheiarim, a very religious area in Jerusalem and bought the lulav and etrog. It was amazing to see all the different sukkah's around the Jerusalem area. Part of the Carmel program is experiencing reform/progressive synagogue life here in Israel. In Jerusalem I went to Congregation Har-El for Sukkot morning and on Friday night we went to Kol Haneshama, not to mention spending Shabbat morning at HUC-JIR.

My trip to Jerusalem would not be complete without hanging out with my friends who are studying for their first year of rabbinical school. I was invited to Shabbat dinner at Rachel Larkins house with her parents who were visiting. David Singer and I went to the Kotel on Yuntif and I spent Erev Sukkot with Melissa Zalkin at her house for a BBQ.
Jerusalem was not all fun and games and that was even more true after the "lost tallis incident." So I have a beautiful tallis that I got when I was in Israel a few months ago. I wear every morning for Shacharit and it has become part of my family. Well on the morning of Sukkot after services I returned with it to Beit Shmuel, or so I thought. The next morning when I went to go look for my tallis it was gone and so I began to freak out. I called Congregation Har-El, with no luck. I spoke with security at Beit Shmuel, no luck. I thought all was lost. So I decided to go to the Old City and buy another one at the Cardo. Unfortunately they didn't have mine so I was without Tallis. I decided that I would purchase a Tallis when I got back to Haifa. Well on the last day I decided to ask the security again if they found it. After looking again it was still not there. Then the security said that another Tallis was found a few days ago. I went and after a few days of being gone my Tallis and I were reunited. Jerusalem really is a magical and special place.

Before leaving for Jerusalem we spent the Yamim Noraim in Haifa at Ohel Avraham, the synagogue at the Leo Baeck Education Center. Even though it was all in Hebrew I have never experienced anything like it. Words can't describe the energy in the room and the Kavanah.
With 1 month gone I can truly say that I am at home in Haifa and in Israel. While I miss all of my family and friends I know that being here this year will be just the medicine I need. From now on I will try and write often. Later Gators!!!!!!