Passed Over

It seems a bit באמצה (in the middle) to be writing, but in keeping with the Friday morning ritual, I suppose an entry is worthwhile. I'm in the middle of a two week vacation, wrapping up time with my visiting friend and awaiting the arrival of my Dad and William who land in Israel tomorrow. It will be nice that Katie overlaps with them for at least one כשר לפסח (kosher for passover) meal somewhere on Ben Yehuda street. Katie's known my family since we were in the single digits of age and yet has not seen my dad in many years. It will be nice for them to reunite and for them both to see how much the other has transformed, only to come together this year in Jerusalem.

I'm in the middle of vacation. I couldn't feel further from school and yet more emersed in the life I live here. For all the family and friends who have been pushing me through and supporting me in a year that at times felt very far from home I am starting to tread my heels and wish time to slow down. As I start to envision my summer, a job in place, dates on the calendar to enjoy, I am realizing more and more how much I am going to miss this place. I'm not contemplating עליה just yet, but perhaps a job in the future that will keep me coming back to the this land that I love so much and these people where even strangers feel like family.

I've never been much of a Tel Aviv fan. It is easy to get to, no greater of a distance beteen Bethesda and Baltimore, but when I do choose to leave Jerusalem it seems almost a waste of טיול (adventure) to go to Tel Aviv, which could be replaced as any major city, so long at is was along a coast. We arrived on the beach for lunch on Tuesday and spent the afternoon soaking in the hot, middle eastern sunshine. Met up with Israeli camp friends for dinner (kosher for passover asian) and then went to the Zappa club to see Moshe Ben Ari...a fine decision when putting up the Matisyahu show against an Israeli native 'dave matthews-esque' which clearly had more Israeli fans than American kids studying at Yeshiva. Besides, Matis is a bit high on the cheese factor these days and my tolerance for lactose is definitely lowered after being in this land of milk and honey this year.

We decided on a relatively run down, but still room with a view, along the beach where we stayed up pretty late catching up, sitting on the porch and listening to the waves and the teenagers on vacation this week crash against eachother in my eardrums. Woke up Wednesday morning, went to a resturaunt with 35 different kinds of Matzo Bre on the menu and returned to our lounge chairs. Had another nice evening with Israeli camp friends and came back to Jerusalem on Thursday morning.

Now we're getting ready for Shabbat, headed over to my friend Ami's house and will hopefully meet up with and old camp counselor of ours and his wife and son tomorrow for lunch. Its good Friday and I only half regret not walking into the Old City to see all of the processionals, but think that Sunday I'll have time to take in the holiest day of the year for another religion that considers this last important to them.

It's the middle of Passover and the middle of an amazing vacation of doing absolutely nothing but catching up with friends, enjoying Yerushalayim and beyond and taking time to breathe knowing that the days ahead of me will be full of wrapping up the year here and making way back home all in one fell swoop.

Shabbat Shalom and Chag Sameach!