Tid Bits...

So nothing major has happened as of lately. I have some trips planned for the next few weeks and will be sure to write after each one of them. Until then I just wanted to share some of the funny instances and tid bits of information that I've learned while being here.

Top Interesting Things (so far that is):

• Where I'm currently living is in a place called Tekoa (pronounced T'koa). We (the US) think of Tekoa as a "settlement". Here, people don't seem to like the word "settlement". It seems to have negative connotations. The word that they prefer is "Yeshuv" (pronounced Yee-shoove) or Village. I have family here who were part of the initial founders of the Yeshuv. It's located less than 10 minutes outside of the Jerusalem city limits and you can see the Jordanian mountains from here, and on a clear day you can see all the way to the Dead Sea.
• Bethlehem is an overwhelmingly Arab populated Village (80-90% in fact). I don't know much about Christianity, but I just assumed that Bethlehem would be a place where Christians wanted to live. I just learned that Bethlehem was not only the birthplace of Jesus, but also of King David! I'm not sure why Palestinians want to be there other than to help populate the "disputed territories". I pass by it on my way to Tekoa. I'm guessing that it's maybe 5 minutes from the Jerusalem border.
• It's common for people in Tekoa to hike to the Dead Sea from the Yeshuv on the night of a full moon. There is a "Wadi" (pronounced wah-dee) that looks much like the Grand Canyon that people will hike down and then walk 8 hours along the dried up river bed to the Dead Sea. From what I understand it's "an easy walk". You get there when the sun comes up and then take a bus back to the Yeshuv. I'm thinking about trying it during the next full moon. =)
• Gas is roughly $7 per gallon! I put gas in my rental car the other day and for 3/4 of a tank of gas it cost me 270 Shekels. I did the math and that's $70! For 3/4 of a tank of gas?! Holy crap that's outrageous. You would think that in the "prime location" of the middle east that gasoline would be cheap! No import fees perhaps? Let me tell you, I'll never complain about putting $3 gas in my hybrid car again. Boy, I feel spoiled.
• Our Yeshuv has a pool. That is a big deal here considering the fact that there is such a draught. When I was sitting at the pool today with my Mom and reading a book my ears suddenly were caught by the song playing on the stereo (over the pool's loudspeaker I suppose)... "We don't need no water let the Muther F***er burn!" Yes, they said it. Loud and clear, "MUTHER F***KER". I looked at my Mom with an expression of shock and wonder. Did I hear that correctly? Did they really say those 2 words? During "Family Swim Time"?! There's little kids running around! I guess no one here knows what that means, because besides my Mom and I NO ONE reacted. At least we got a good laugh out of the irony of the situation and song lyrics. Too funny.
• The work week is Sunday through Thursday. Friday and Saturday are the Sabbath and therefore the day of rest. I learned from one of my cousins, who works in a restaurant in Tel Aviv, that working on Friday from sundown to Saturday earn you special pay. Time and a half! I think about all the Saturday shifts I had put in working in retail for so long and I wish that I would have been paid time and half! A nation that works together, ideally, would like to rest together. It's not required, but if you work on your Sabbath you are paid accordingly.
• My Mom made a great (and funny) point to me the other day. She said, "Israel is a great country in a bad neighborhood." She's right it is beautiful here and has so much to offer by way of historical interest, culture, and religion. It also has great wineries, beach cities, scuba diving, hiking, bars, restaurants, etc. Too bad we have such shitty neighbors. You would think that Gd would have put the "Chosen People" and the "Holy Land" someplace like... Hawaii or Maimi. Shoot, even given us the part of the dessert with all the oil! That would have been nice. =)

The "belly button" of the world could be anywhere, but it's here. The history and root of mankind is here. In the Holy Land. In Israel. A Jewish nation.

Well that's all for tonight. Tomorrow we're going to the Dead Sea and Tel Aviv this weekend, next week we'll be in Eilat, and then Zichron Yaakov (wine country) after that. My summer seminary program begins on July 25 and we'll be taking more trips and learning more about Judaism and Israel.

Israel is nothing like what I thought it'd be. It's intensely difficult and overwhelmingly interesting at the same time. So much to do, so much to experience, and so much to try.