Carly's Adventures in Tel Aviv: Rosh Hashana in Jerusalem

Wednesday I slept in, packed a bag and headed to the bus with Leeba, Allie and Mike. We took the bus to the train station. Mike got on a train to visit his family in Haifa. Leeba, Allie and I got on a bus to go to Jerusalem. This is not as easy as it sounds, because you buy your ticket on the bus and everyone is crowding and pushing their way on to get a seat. It’s ridiculous though, because these busses were leaving every 12 minutes. Allie was going to visit her mom’s friend, Leeba was visiting her cousins and I was going to visit my camp friend Lauren, who is going to HUC. After the bus, I took a quick cab ride with a very friendly cabbie to Lauren’s very nice place! Things are cheaper in J-town and they got really lucky with this place, too. We hung out and watched TV for a while (my first time in 2 weeks!), then walked to HUC for services. HUC stands for Hebrew Union College and the campus in J-town is where all the Reform rabbis, cantors and educators to be spend their first year of their respective program. Then they spend the rest of their time on a campus in Cincinnati, NY or LA. When I was here 8 years ago, our trip spent a lot of time in J-town and every time we stayed at a youth hostel called Beit Shmuel. I discovered Wednesday that HUC and ‘The Shmu’ are connected! Services were really nice and then the students and their guests had a catered dinner. It was so delicious- the best I’ve eaten since I’ve been here! After dinner, we had a camp-style song session, but without all the kids or dancing! We were there pretty late and so just went to bed when we got back to Lauren’s.

In the morning, we went back to HUC for services...which lasted 3 ½ hours. I remembered why I’ve been leading the youth services for the last few years! We had lunch at Lauren’s, hung out and watched more TV. Grey’s Anatomy was on one of the English channels! (Does anyone know when the new season starts? I think I’m going to download them on iTunes.) We went back to HUC at 4:00 for tashlich, the symbolic washing away of sins by emptying the lint in your pockets or tossing bread crumbs into flowing water. We were lead by Outreach coordinator guy to the only natural water source in Jerusalem. It was a good 40 min. walk around the walls of the old city

and down this monstrous hill. I couldn’t help thinking about the fact that we’d have to walk back up it. Along the way, we stopped a few times to get biblical and historical explanations of things were were passing or seeing in the distance.

When we got to the water, which is just a little stream, it was amazing to see ALL types of Jews there. There was a span from the Reform in short sleeves and knee length skirts to the fully covered Orthodox, all praying next to each other and tossing their sins away. The area of town we were in was near an Arab community and there were many police officers patrolling. Before we left, 2 Hassidic Jews (super, ultra Orthodox) came. They were the men, of course and in their High Holy Day attire. Satiny, black, long coats and pants and tall, circular fur hats. If it had not been inappropriate, I’d have taken a picture. Maybe I’ll see some in Tel Aviv on Yom Kippur and be able to. On the way back, we went a different (slightly easier) way back to learn more about the area we were in. For dinner, since restaurants and stores were still closed, Lauren and her roommate’s girlfriend made a yummy pasta dinner. Another friend came over to join us and everyone sitting around a homemade meal had a nice, family feeling to it. I can’t wait till we have gas for our stove...it’s coming soon!
Luckily, the sherut (van that runs bus lines) was running back to TA Friday morning. It was iffy being the 2nd day of Rosh Hashana and the morning before Shabbat. If it hadn’t been running, I would have to stay until the end of Shabbat Saturday evening and I didn’t want to overstay my welcome. Friday night, Allie and I met up with Gal, a friend from camp ’06, at a bar on the port. It was his friend’s birthday and we got in for free! This bar actually reminded me of the bars at home, with stools around the bar, some couches on the walls and dancing space. Allie and I did a little dancing. It was fun, but the techno beat they add to the songs is very repetitive and I got bored with it. We felt kind of lame for leaving “early” by Israeli standards, but we also went out early, so it was time to retire.