Full Week #1

This week was one of three full weeks of school left until the end of the year. The week after next (the second full week), we have Yom Yerushalayim, the next week we have Shavuot, then we have one more full week, a week with a two-day tiyul, and then wrap-up week. Or something along those lines. It's hard to believe it's almost over! I'm trying to embrace the end of the year, but I'll also definitely be happy to come home.

So, what's happened since my last post? Classes continue, and I find myself in a great place in terms of enthusiasm. I have my space-out moments, but all in all, I find my classes as engaging as ever, especially since I know there's not much left. We're rushing a bit to finish "Torah Bekiut", which is that class that goes through all Five Books over the course of the year. We've got a Book and a bit left...but we'll make it! In Chumash class, we've been discussing the episode of the giving of the Torah, something I've always loved envisioning, so that's been great.

In Shiur Klali (the Rosh Midrasha's lecture once a week on the Parsha), he talked about the need to make Shabbat a holy day, by actualyl being spiritually productive, and not just eating and sleeping it away. That definitely speaks to me, and I hope to bring a little of that spirit home with me, but I'm not going to lie and say it isn't hard not to nap a lot of Shabbat day away, especially when it ends so late. Speaking of Shabbat...last Shabbat was fantastic! I went with my friend Zahava to her great-aunt in K'far Shmariyahu (try saying that 3x fast), who's not observant, but makes sure to provide for Zahava when she comes, and always has her children and their families for Friday night dinner every week. She lives right near Tel Aviv, so we went early on Friday and lay on the beach for a few hours, which, as usual, put me in a great state of mind. On Shabbat, we ate well, slept on great beds, talked, walked the gorgeous, floral neighborhood, memorized our drama monologues, and went to the beautiful (albeit somewhat empty) shul. We set back on Saturday night with a whole bag of leftovers that her great-aunt insist we needed to take with us.

But back to the week...
I continue to volunteer once a week at the old age home, playing piano and singing. I think it's great for the people there to have some live music, but I'm going to try to bring some Israel songs next time, because they have no idea what I'm singing.

On my Wednesday Jerusalem-tour class, we went to the Jewish Italian Museum/Shul in the center of town. It was cool to see, but it honestly just looked exactly like all of the shuls and relics I saw in actual Italy. I felt so special knowing about everything the tour guide was talking about! After that, we toured and learned about one of the "out-of-Jerusalem-walls" neighborhoods (like previous tours of Yad Binyamin and other) called Nachalat Shiv'ah. That class sometimes drags on a bit, but the teachers do a good job of being engaging and amusing.

Thursday I had regular classes, but I also had the end-of-the-year meeting with my advisor, Yakira. I don't know if I ever mentioned her, but she's really the sweetest, purest, nicest, most understanding person I may have ever spoken to. When I had rocky times in the middle of the year, she helped me work out which classes to switch and how to get some more piano time, so I feel quite endebted to her. But she just talks about how proud of me she is. It was a great meeting, because I realized how much I've gotten out of the year, and how much I'm taking back with me, in terms of continuing learning and bringing appreciation of my Jewish connection back home.

Beyond that, I've made two different pies in the past week...it's just something I've been experimenting with. I feel the need to make my own food!! The first pie was a frozen fruit-yogurt pie, which everyone loved, and the second one was a chocolate-apricot pudding pie. Also yummy, but not nearly as pretty. Not to worry, I took pictures, of course.

Last thing I'd like to mention, is that I finished my Poland album. The real version has already arrived at my house in the States, but for anyone who won't be able to see that one, or doesn't think they'll have a chance to go through it with me at some point (or is just curious), it would mean a lot to me if you would look through it by going to http://share.shutterfly.com/share/received/welcome.sfly?fid=9bb6d9a5e894ec05f12f12eb75ef82b5&sid=8EatWTJy0cuVA. It's really important to me that I share the memories from that trip. Even if you just skim through. I think it's worthwhile. And next I'll have the more up-beat, colorful, Italy album to share!

I hope everyone's having a great Spring...Summer is in the air!!

'Till next time!

Gabriella