Monday – Day 13
August 2, 2012
Monday morning was somewhat similar to the day, with a good sleep in to start the day and a good chunk of time just spent chilling with Ariel and Gali. However, in the afternoon we decided to catch the bus into Tel Aviv central and from there walk to Neve Tzedek, the first and most beautiful neighborhood of Jerusalem.
Since it’s founding in the early 1900s by new olim (immigrants, including my family) Neve Tzedek has become something of an artist’s colony, replete with galleries and gelaterias.
From Left: Ariel, Gali, Sarah
Us outside the old railway station
We walked down through the entire neighborhood, eventually coming to rest at the old train station, no longer in use. Now the site hosts a few restaurants, an exhibition or two, and much to Sarah’s excitement, a wooden mind games shop. With a look of delight in her face, she stopped to play and attempt to solve all manner of wooden puzzles, staying for a good twenty minutes. Additionally, in the courtyard was a piano, horribly out of tune but painted interestingly which I banged around on for a few minutes.
Cool Piano in Neve Tzedek
From there I led the way, roughly in the direction where I believed a special building to me lay. After about five minutes I found it! My great grandfathers house, complete with a plaque marking the place, and though I had been there before I took the mandatory photo in front of it as below.
The house of Shlomo and Rivka Abulafia
After that it was time to quickly find dinner before Ariel and Gali had to go home before army the next day. We settled on a little sushi shop and sat at the bar. After that I walked home to sleep for another day. The floor was not too comfortable.
Sushi!
Sunday – Tisha B’Av – Day 12
Sunday was the day the fast fell on this year and was entirely spent inside. The day was wasted away with Gali and Ariel, chatting with Lord of the Rings in the background as none of them had seen it yet. A few episodes of ‘Friends’ later, the fast finally finished.
I have never in my life eaten a better sandwich. Though it was only honey and mashed banana, the taste was a dream after twenty-five hours of fasting. Coupled with a few good swigs of water, nothing could have been better.
However, to celebrate the conclusion of the fast in real style we all headed to ‘Black n Burger’, with Amit, a friend just out of the army for the day, for my first taste of meat in weeks. Though some part of me liked vegetarianism and was sad to see it go, I felt I needed the iron. Thus, I ordered a 330gram burger with charif (spicy) chips! Delicious. I felt well full after that. And to sleep for another day….
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.