Tiyul in West Bank

I cannot believe how hot it is here. I here that it is pretty warm over in Boulder too. Jerusalem hit something like 44C the other day. And this is the week I chose to go to Tzfat. Good in the sense that it is slightly cooler here (~39C) not so good in the sense that I am here to do manual labor.

I am back up here to work on more bomb shelters before classes start at the yeshiva. For some reason, doing manual labor is really what I need right now. All I can do is work, not think. It is far too hot (chamli!) to do more than sweat and work. Time for my brain and stuff to process things I've been experiencing on a subconscious level, while still being productive and helpful. It's rewarding doing this work.
I am very excited to start my classes, more from the learning aspect than anything. I found a new place to call home while I am here. I am subletting from an American who made Aliya only a year ago; he's a serious Zionist if I ever saw one. Great location, near where I was before. Still only a few minutes from everything I've grown accustomed to. And the best part about all this--I got to unpack. I cannot relate just how wonderful it felt to put things on a shelf and see them in all their glory. Ok, so a little over dramatic for a few skirts and some greeting cards, I know. I really like it there and it is a good fit.

On Thursday of last week, the new crowd I find myself with much of the time, decided to get out of Jerusalem. Not only did we all need a break from the city, but that day was the gay-pride parade and with over 8000 police officers, we just didn't feel like being involved. There we were, Riki (army, british), Jay (ex-army, italian), Dekel (student, american), and myself, renting a car for the day just as the streets were closing. In all our brilliance, the decision was made to go to the West Bank--thought it would be safer. Just kidding on that last part. I felt that if I ever got to go, this was the way to see it. Here's a terrible map of the area. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Bank. I cannot find one that really shows all the places we were, I think because it is continually changing. I do recall that one area we were at was nicknamed the breeding ground for the terrorists: Shchem (I think that's how it is spelled). We had lunch in a Jewish settlement. We toured Eli over there, met some people in Revava. The day was surreal. I tried to appreciate the uniqueness of the situations, but I don't think I have even now. Picture this: the boys are in front, the girls in back. We are driving through Arab villages where the hatred is palpable from both sides. A Jew is on the side of the road, hitchhiking. Initially he declines our offer, he's shomer nagia (doesn't touch women). To accommodate him, we rearrange the car then and there so he can sit in front and not touch us. Italian opera is on the cd player. There are times when I wonder if I've ever experienced feelings like that before. We walked the biblical lands. We watched the sunset from the Tomb of the Prophet Samuel, together in comfortable silence.
There is something about this place. I am really glad I was able to see those areas; I have a new appreciation, perspective of the situation and all the raw emotions.

I am finding it easier and easier to strike up conversations with people I've only recently met. And real conversations. Going in with an open mind and listening to them and sharing has provided me with growth that I won't realize until I'm not fully in the middle of it.
I find that my walk is no longer that of a tourist most of the time. I walk with my head up, looking people in the eyes, at a moderate (not meandering) pace. I walk with a purpose and direction. That combined with my dress (mostly skirts and short sleeve or long sleeve tops), has many strangers identifying me as "sabre": an Israeli. Once they notice that I fumble over all the Hebrew words and get very frustrated do they question and look very surprised when I tell them I am American. It's interesting.

I start school on Sunday, for the next six weeks. The weekends are mine to with as I please and they will probably involve many tiyulim (excursions). I have a flight scheduled for Aug 18 to leave town. I am not thinking about that day, at all. I cannot. The three friends I mentioned earlier are so meaningful to me, I don't think I would be doing as well as I am without them. I know I wouldn't be. Community, there is so much to say for it. So to my community in the States, thanks and I'll see you in couple months.