Shalom All - or as my new friends like to tease me - Shalom y'all.
I arrived at Kibbutz Tzuba this past Monday, Oct. 22. The official program started today, Oct. 25 and so I began Kita Bet which is the slightly advanced class (thanks to all my fellow Hebrew classmates and teacher in Odessa for that & of course, HaShem!) As I could already read the alef-bet and knew a few words they placed me in the second class. The rest of the class has a little more experience than I but I was able to stay up with them but it will definitely be a challenge! However, there's always the option of moving to the alef class if it gets to be too much. Tomorrow I shall discover what job I will have - as there is only one classroom the two classes have to alternate days. So while one class is in session the other students work for that day and vice versa. The students in class alef did jobs ranging from peeling potatoes and onions, to folding laundry, washing cars and helping with maintenance. I think they need so more help in the kitchen, though so chances are...!
My roommate is Tasha and she's from Canada. A really great aspect about the ulpan (language program) is that people from all over the world come as either tourists who want to learn (like me) or new immigrants to Israel. So far our ulpan group consists of wonderful people from Russia, Bulgaria, Hungary, Venezuela, Romania, Canada, and the four corners of the U.S. For some, the only common language we share (or will share) will be Hebrew so we're all interested in learning it soon for conversation's sake! One virtue I've noticed in this group is that they all seem interested in learning about the other and becoming connected.
Yesterday was our last free day before work and class so I took the opportunity to travel to Jerusalem. HaShem blessed me several times in sending me people to assist me. I bless G-d for Joe Good's teaching in which he talked about the store Shorashim in the Old City. As I was a little turned around in the Old City what did my eyes behold but the shop Shorashim! I entered met the very friendly Dov and Moshe who kindly directed me to the Temple Institute's store and musuem. Todah Hashem (thank you, G-d!). It was a good experience! Well I gotta go - thanks to all who've responded to my blogs! G-d bless you each!
Shalom
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Color
I’ve heard before that when you read the scriptures in America, it’s in black and white; but when you read them in Israel, the scriptures are in color. I think that was well said. Today I was reading the Parasha (a portion of the torah that is read on a weekly basis) in Genesis where G-d makes a covenant with Abraham about the land of Canaan. I could picture the countryside I’ve already seen and the people I’ve passed on the streets. To think that I am seeing the promise of G-d fulfilled to Abraham right now through all this is awesome. My 3 companions are also part of this promise. I wonder, though, if they realize the enormity of that.
Travelblog 10/20/07
I flew out of Odessa, TX @ 1 pm on Tuesday the 16 of October. With brief stops in Houston and Newark I was on my way to the Holy Land at 11 pm that evening. 10 long hours later I landed at the Ben Gurion International airport in Tel Aviv and the adventures began!
Shira (a fellow classmate) and I somehow got connected with Soneta, an airport personnel, and she helped us get our luggage. That was somewhat of an ordeal as one of Shira’s didn’t show up. After she reported it we had to wait for 30 minutes to see if any other students showed up. Drew did and not much later we were off to get a taxi. Loaded, we headed east. Shira is from California and is 18 (about to be 19 in a week and a half) and Drew is also 18 and is from Oregon.
It was dark by the time we got on the road so you couldn’t see too much of the scenery. However, as we approached Tzuba the road became more winding and mountainous. When we got on the Kibbutz it began raining and we had no clue as to where to go. Drew ran to where we saw some people to ask and they directed him to the dining room as there were more people there who spoke English. We unloaded and made a dash for it. In the dining room we met a young woman, Lena, originally from the Ukraine who spoke English and informed us that the kibbutz director wasn’t there! She had his number and we were able to call and discovered that he wasn’t prepared for us yet and so we could not stay! Well I wasn’t expecting that as we had been told that those who had already scheduled flights for the original start date of the 18th could arrive as early as the 14th and have a place to stay until the class started on the 25th. Does that sound confusing? Apparently it was to all those involved in making our arrangements! But G-d provided the manager of the kibbutz hotel to be present during our surprising news and made some phone calls to the head honcho of the kibbutz movement, Sylvio, and arranged for one night’s stay at Hotel Tzuba. Afterwards we’d travel to Ramat Efal (near Tel Aviv) to stay at the headquarters of the Kibbutz Movement; hotel and travel expenses would be on the Kibbutz Movement’s shekel. During the hotel manager’s discussion with Sylvio another student walked into the dining hall to join our confused trio, Louis from Maryland. He had to find his own transportation to the kibbutz as no one was there to meet him at the airport – but he’s fairly familiar with Israel so it wasn’t too hard for him. So that’s how our happy quartet was formed.
Friday morning we went to Ramat Aviv to visit Shira’s grandparents and tour the town some. Her grandparents were very sweet even if we didn’t understand everything. Like any good grandmother she made sure we ate. The flowers are as beautiful as everyone’s been telling me. I’ve seen bushes of hibiscus and hydrangea and bougainvillea. Israelis seem to love flora too as their houses are surrounded in bushes or pots out on the balconies and in flowerbeds. It being Friday, we had to make sure and catch a bus before 3 pm when they stop running for Shabbat. Shira stayed with her family so Drew, Louis and I headed back; and I might add that we managed the buses just fine! However, we forgot to take into account that we needed to get food before the Super (grocery store) closed. [Say ‘Super’ with a Spanish-like accent and you get the idea]. Since we missed that we had pizza at a pizzeria before it closed and headed back to our lodgings. Thankfully, we had at least bought a little the night before so breakfast Shabbat morning we had (again) wheat bread with chocolate spread. If you’ve ever had Nutella, it’s similar but without the hazelnut.
My first Shabbat in Israel wasn’t quite what I was hoping as we weren’t anywhere near a synagogue and don’t know anyone or anywhere here. But nonetheless it was good.
We had a makeshift Hebrew class – I happened to bring some Hebrew stencils so I was able to use those to help introduce Drew to the Hebrew alef-bet. He was a good student as he has background in language plus the fact that we had nothing else to do to pass time! Louis helped out with the pronunciation of a few letters as he went to Hebrew school when he was younger and is more familiar with that than I am. We named the cats that frequent our dorms - Ari, Sara and David (can you tell we’ve been isolated a little too long?!).
I believe Monday we will be able to go back to Kibbutz Tzuba which will be nice as then we can tour Jerusalem hopefully before classes start on Thursday.
Shira (a fellow classmate) and I somehow got connected with Soneta, an airport personnel, and she helped us get our luggage. That was somewhat of an ordeal as one of Shira’s didn’t show up. After she reported it we had to wait for 30 minutes to see if any other students showed up. Drew did and not much later we were off to get a taxi. Loaded, we headed east. Shira is from California and is 18 (about to be 19 in a week and a half) and Drew is also 18 and is from Oregon.
It was dark by the time we got on the road so you couldn’t see too much of the scenery. However, as we approached Tzuba the road became more winding and mountainous. When we got on the Kibbutz it began raining and we had no clue as to where to go. Drew ran to where we saw some people to ask and they directed him to the dining room as there were more people there who spoke English. We unloaded and made a dash for it. In the dining room we met a young woman, Lena, originally from the Ukraine who spoke English and informed us that the kibbutz director wasn’t there! She had his number and we were able to call and discovered that he wasn’t prepared for us yet and so we could not stay! Well I wasn’t expecting that as we had been told that those who had already scheduled flights for the original start date of the 18th could arrive as early as the 14th and have a place to stay until the class started on the 25th. Does that sound confusing? Apparently it was to all those involved in making our arrangements! But G-d provided the manager of the kibbutz hotel to be present during our surprising news and made some phone calls to the head honcho of the kibbutz movement, Sylvio, and arranged for one night’s stay at Hotel Tzuba. Afterwards we’d travel to Ramat Efal (near Tel Aviv) to stay at the headquarters of the Kibbutz Movement; hotel and travel expenses would be on the Kibbutz Movement’s shekel. During the hotel manager’s discussion with Sylvio another student walked into the dining hall to join our confused trio, Louis from Maryland. He had to find his own transportation to the kibbutz as no one was there to meet him at the airport – but he’s fairly familiar with Israel so it wasn’t too hard for him. So that’s how our happy quartet was formed.
Friday morning we went to Ramat Aviv to visit Shira’s grandparents and tour the town some. Her grandparents were very sweet even if we didn’t understand everything. Like any good grandmother she made sure we ate. The flowers are as beautiful as everyone’s been telling me. I’ve seen bushes of hibiscus and hydrangea and bougainvillea. Israelis seem to love flora too as their houses are surrounded in bushes or pots out on the balconies and in flowerbeds. It being Friday, we had to make sure and catch a bus before 3 pm when they stop running for Shabbat. Shira stayed with her family so Drew, Louis and I headed back; and I might add that we managed the buses just fine! However, we forgot to take into account that we needed to get food before the Super (grocery store) closed. [Say ‘Super’ with a Spanish-like accent and you get the idea]. Since we missed that we had pizza at a pizzeria before it closed and headed back to our lodgings. Thankfully, we had at least bought a little the night before so breakfast Shabbat morning we had (again) wheat bread with chocolate spread. If you’ve ever had Nutella, it’s similar but without the hazelnut.
My first Shabbat in Israel wasn’t quite what I was hoping as we weren’t anywhere near a synagogue and don’t know anyone or anywhere here. But nonetheless it was good.
We had a makeshift Hebrew class – I happened to bring some Hebrew stencils so I was able to use those to help introduce Drew to the Hebrew alef-bet. He was a good student as he has background in language plus the fact that we had nothing else to do to pass time! Louis helped out with the pronunciation of a few letters as he went to Hebrew school when he was younger and is more familiar with that than I am. We named the cats that frequent our dorms - Ari, Sara and David (can you tell we’ve been isolated a little too long?!).
I believe Monday we will be able to go back to Kibbutz Tzuba which will be nice as then we can tour Jerusalem hopefully before classes start on Thursday.
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