The WK and I are now sitting and cooling off in our room at the Dan Panorama Hotel in Tel Aviv! We arrived a little while ago. after waiting almost 30 minutes to check in. While we were annoyed to spend the time waiting in line, I didn't mind too much because I love people watching and hearing what Israelis and other guests are saying. I struck up a conversation (I know, you are *shocked*!) with a family from Beer Sheva (in the southern part of Israel) in front of us in line. We had a big discussion about how to say "check-in" in Hebrew, as in checking into a hotel. The woman initially said, m'kabel heder ("receiving a room") but also thought we could use, laasot check-in ("to do check-in"). The woman and her husband started to laugh because together they couldn't figure out what the right word was. About 2 seconds later, an orthodox man,wearing black hat. white shirt, black suit, with peot (http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Payot), said "efshar check-in" ("is it possible to check-in?") which made the family, the WK, and I laugh even more. The woman said, oolai zot hamilah nachona ("maybe that is the correct word")!
We also talked to the family about the matzav ("situation") in southern Israel, including in Beer Sheva where they live. They think that Prime Minister Netanyahu is making the right decisions about what force to use with Hamas in Gaza. The woman said that if Netanyahu strikes too hard, that the other terrorist groups (like Hezbollah, ISIS, etc.) will come together, and that the whole conflict will start over again. They think there will be about two weeks left of the war and that there will be some sort of "permanent' cease-fire until there is a haskem ("agreement'). They were upset that many people in Jerusalem think the government should take out Hamas and use stronger offense against Hamas in Gaza. It was interesting that they thought that, considering the population in Jerusalem is certainly not subject to rocket attacks the way that Israelis in southern Israel are.
Going back to what we did on Friday: we set the alarm early again, ate some breakfast, and then walked to Shir Hadash for the morning service. We arrived around 8:15 and the service ended before 8:45-8:50. It felt good to have said the Mourner's Kaddish 3 days in a row. (I have tried to go to minyan for Dad in Cambridge, but it's been hard to coordinate it. I make sure to go at least twice a week though.) After the service ended, the WK and I met with Rabbi Pear, the spiritual leader of Shir Hadash. I just realized that I think I hadn't written in the blog that one of the reasons the WK and I are here is to do some preparation and arranging for the WK to become a Bar Mitzvah in Jerusalem in April 2015. The WK had requested of Pentheus and me that he become a Bar Mitzvah in Israel and specifically at Shir Hadash. We had done some emailing with Rabbi Pear about our general plans, but hadn't discussed specifics. We wanted to do more than just meet with the Rabbi here - we wanted to re-strengthen (I know that is not a word) the WK's connection with Jerusalem - we didn't want the WK to go from Dec 2012 (when we left last time) until April 2015 without being in Israel and feeling connected again to Jerusalem. The meeting with Rabbi Pear went well, and we discussed what the service(s) might be like, where we could have meals for out-of-town guests (and I guess, Israeli guests, too). Rabbi Pear asked the WK some questions and they talked for a little bit about what it means to become a Bar-Mitzvah. They discussed the Torah portion that the WK will chant and the opportunities the WK will have to give a dvar torah (word of Torah) - to offer his insights and thoughts on what the Torah portion means, especially to us today. We also discussed where the women may sit and how women can participate in the Bar-Mitzvah overall. We will definitely continue to be in touch with Rabbi Pear, as our plans progress, but it felt good, although overwhelming, to think about all of the details that will need to be finalized.
From Shir Hadash, the WK and I returned to the hotel for a while. We both had terrible headaches, probably from the heat (although we really have been drinking a lot of water) and lack of sleep. We relaxed for a while - I think the WK read a little, and we watched some TV. We left the hotel for a late lunch at Tomas Masyrk, an Italian restaurant on Emek Refaim. (The WK has had plain pasta from almost every restaurant in the German Colony!) We took a walk to Gan Hapaamon (Liberty Park) and watched the people there. Gan Hapaamon has a Skate Park where people of all ages, although mostly teens and early twenties, rollerblade and skateboard. The WK watched some men play soccer, and he played a little at the "exercise stations" in the Park. We wandered through Hatachana Harishona (the First Station), a sort of outdoor amusement park with games, rides, snack food, and water park, right at the end of Emek Refaim, across the street from Gan Hapaamon. We then went to the hotel to prepare for Shabbat.
I was initially a bit upset that the WK and I have been spending some time in the hotel each day, but eventually learned to let it go. We've been up early most days, and if we are hot, tired, and cranky, we won't appreciate where we are and what we're doing. We've tried to do something "historical" and/or "touristy" each day, as well as to do everyday things, like eat out, take walks, etc. I think we're both pleased with the decisions we've made about what to do. It really has been a great chofesh (vacation) so far!
Next post will be about Shabbat and leaving Jerusalem!
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