Israel – Day 10
July 31, 2012
Today was my first really late wake up! 10AM!
After waking up and eating a delicious Israeli yoghurt for breakfast, Sarah and I went off to the Carmel market. There I purchased some dried fruit (plantains, pineapple and peaches) and wandered the lanes in the oppressive heat.
Carmel Market
It was there we ran into Ashley Chapman of Hineni fame. Though we were supposed to be waiting for one of Sarah’s friends from MDA (Magen David Adom/Israeli Ambulance Service), the humidity and heat proved too much to bear so we retreated to her apartment (stopping for a felafel) where Sarah took a nap and I chatted to the participants of the program in the girls’ apartment.
Sarah’s Felafel
Ashley Chapman
Kabbalat Shabbat was held at the boys’ apartment off Rechov Arlozorov where my brother Adi was staying with his friends. Though it took a good deal too much effort to get it started, the minyan (prayers) was very nice! Packed full with twenty people, far more than the apartment was ever meant to hold, Sarah, Daniel Serebro and I retreated to a corner to chat. Sarah and I went back to our apartments to sleep.
Tel Aviv – Israel – Day 9
July 30, 2012
Today the conference had its moments of complete and utter boredom and a few really shining lights.
The first lecture I can hardly remember now, but was an analytical look at prophecy in the bible and whether there is virtue in suicide for the sake of others. The second was quite an interesting look at the principles of jurisprudence as derived from halacha (Jewish Law). However, the third one I practically fell asleep during. It covered some purportedly exegetical analysis however seemed to be more of a personal interpretation of things with little regard to historicity.
The penultimate talk was genius. An analysis of psalm 19 using biblical criticism in order to draw conclusions that would in fact be supported by a traditional reading, and using it to show how the traditional reading would be in fact more reasonable than that which broke it up into multiple parts and authors. Any one interested is well encouraged to ask me more!
The final talk was also of note, regarding the story of the Oven of Achnai was a reading of it as a tale of different kinds of power, and the utilization of violence as a core motivator in ancient political systems.
I left the conference somewhat more satisfied than when I came in, left with a few new insights and a happy tummy. Yum.
From there I left to Tel Aviv, this time to stay. Unfortunately when packing my backpack this time, I rather severely under-packed. Two t-shirts, one shirt, one shorts, one pants, one pair of sandals. Not enough for a whole week.
Arriving in a friend’s tiny apartment in Tel-Aviv, I showered in small quarters before meeting up with more friends from the Weizmann Institute, Gali and Ariel, and went for Pizza with them, Sarah Silverberg in tow! After a walk to ice-cream, (delicious,) it was home time again. Sleep came quickly.