One week ago today, Bruce and I left our homes in New York City to live in Israel for 10 months. For the month of August we are taking an Ulpan (immersive Hebrew) course at Hebrew University, and starting in September until May 2020, we’ll be studying at the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies.
It’s been a whirlwind so far, and feels like we’ve already been here for months! So far we have: exchanged money, set up Israeli sim cards and Rav Kavs (transportation passes), taken and missed trains, buses, and light rails, fought with taxi drivers, maneuvered 8 bags of luggage through Jerusalem, bought groceries, started Ulpan and learned ~200 words, made new friends from all over the world, AND visited family.
This weekend was also Tisha B’Av, which commemorates the destruction of the temple (and many other Jewish tragedies), and is celebrated by fasting and sitting on the floor, among other things. We heard the chanting of Eicha (lamentations) on Saturday night and then went to the Kotel to hear it again on Sunday morning. As we left there were people still streaming in with their low stools and pillows to sit on!
We also had today off from Ulpan for Eid al-Adha, which according to Wikipedia, commemorates Abraham sacrificing his son as God commanded. Interestingly, Jews believe that Abraham was about to sacrifice his son Isaac at this moment, but Islam believes that the son mentioned is Ishmael!
Bruce & Jhena's Israel Adventure! 