It is very late on Saturday night, but I want to write a bit more. I don't like being behind on the blog, especially because we are only here for 10 days total. A bunch of stories and ideas are running through my head, and I don't want to forget to get them out!
Thursday morning, the WK and I got up early again, had some breakfast, and made it to the synagogue by 8:15 for the morning service. I was more composed during the Mourner's Kaddish, and spent the service thinking about when my Dad visited us here in Israel in 2012. Dad was in Israel with us for almost 3weeks, and I remember how excited he was that we were here. I felt good when Dad told me that not only was he was impressed with my Hebrew skills, but that he was impressed that I was continually trying to speak Hebrew and to learn more vocabulary. Dad said that some of his friends thought we were crazy for living in Israel for 5 months. When Dad's friends asked him if he agreed with them (that we were crazy), Dad said that he didn't think we were nuts - we were Zionists. Dad did a lot of hiking with us, and even when the going was slow, Dad enjoyed the adventure and being with the WK and the CK.
After synagogue, the WK and I took a bus downtown. From the center of downtown, we took the light rail 2 stops up to Machaneh Yehudah, the outdoor market. We had such fun roaming the alley ways. We bought four kilos (8.8 pounds) of gummies to take back to the States. some gifts for family members, and even a couple of things for ourselves. Being at Machaneh Yehudah is always a trip - from the cut-up chicken parts on display, to barrels and barrels of spices, to live fish for the choosing (and killing), to gift shops, huge displays of fresh vegetables, plus all of the bargaining that goes on.
We walked back down from Machaneh Yehudah and did some more shopping. We stopped at a store that had a huge sign in front "Big Discount for Brave Tourist!" (I can't figure out how to put pictures in the blog this time, so you'll have to take my word for it!) When we walked in, the shop owner remembered me - he told me that he remembered my sister and my coming in to buy a ring with her Hebrew name and about what we had talked to him. Not sure if I am flattered or nervous... While at the shop, the WK wore me down and I agreed to buy him a shofar (http://judaism.about.com/od/holidays/a/whatisashofar.htm). G-d help me when we have to hear it for the next 4+ weeks. We took the bus back from downtown (that was the eventful bus trip about which I wrote the other day), grabbed some lunch, and hung out in our hotel room for a while. We really needed the rest and some downtime.
At 4:00, the WK and I had a reservation for an English tour of the Begin Center. The Begin Center is set up kind of like a time travel through Begin's life, starting from being born in Europe and losing family members in the Holocaust to becoming a Zionist to coming Israel to be an underground fighter to help establish the State of Israel. Of course, there was a huge section on the peace accords with Anwar Sadat of Egypt at Camp David with then-President Carter. Begin's life and principles were fascinating, and we enjoyed the Begin Center. I, of course, had to buy something at the gift shop: I added to my mug collection and also purchased a kind of miniature Begin bobblehead key chain. (Yeah, that's what I wrote...)
Thursday night, the WK and I met my friend, Jessie Montell, and her kids for sushi dinner. As always, it was great to see Jessie and to catch up. Jessie is starting a fellowship at Hebrew University next month; she will be researching the history of human rights in Israel over the past few decades. At the end of dinner, a woman at the next table turned around to look at us because she said our voices were familiar. Turns out it was our friend, Brenda, in whose book group I had been when we were living in Jerusalem. It was so funny to see her, especially because she had commented "Welcome" on Facebook after my entry about the azaka on Tuesday night. Small world, indeed!
Jessie's family, the WK, and I bought some gleeda (ice-cream) down the street from the sushi place, and ate our ice-cream on the old train tracks behind Emek Refaim Street. The boys got along wonderfully, and it was so nice just to sit and talk. I definitely miss Jessie when I am in the States!
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