So Much Sameach

Where have the days/ months/ years gone?  I clearly remember sitting in Mrs. Hancock's kindergarten class, learning how to read, and climbing the monkey bars.  Now I'm twenty one years old.  I don't feel much different, although now I know that I'll be able to enjoy a pitcher of Spotted Cow on the terrace at the UW Student Union. I think that is what I'm most looking forward to about being twenty one.

At the outset of the week, I was still a bit sleepy from my Prague adventure.  But any drowsiness was quickly drowned with excitement to be back in the Land of Milk and Honey, and I got back into the swing of things. On Tuesday I had the great pleasure of watching the film version of Chaim Potok's The Chosen.  In my Israeli Jews and American Jews: A Comparative Analysis course, we have been dealing with the oft begged question, "What does it mean to be Jewish?".  This question can never be fully answered, and this film served as yet another impediment to the probe.  But every time the waters grow murkier, we look at the world in new ways, and I think that is more beautiful than whatever the answer may be.  The movie pits Zionism vs. traditional Judaism in an ever-heated struggle that has spanned the last seven decades (more really, but it certainly escalated immensely when Israel was declared a state in 1948).  Anyway, the point of this discussion is that I am internalizing an incredible amount of history and so many points of view that I had never dreamed of before.  To truly know oneself, I think it vital to understand where one came from, and this latest trip to Israel has been chock full of that.

This past week has been conspicuously popular week for birthdays on campus.  Hence, I am led to conceive that years ago, nine months prior to this date was an apt time to conceive.  On Wednesday night, a large group of us congregated to celebrate our dear friend Rina's birthday.  The restaurant she chose to dine at was Cafe Cafe in Mamilla Mall (one of the more upscale places in the Jerusalem area).  Halfway through our meal, entertainers, dressed in what appeared to be a Sephardic garb, paraded down the boulevard, shaking their tambourines and dancing up a storm.  They were Morockin' out.

Weeks ago, I had discussed the prospect of celebrating my birthday on a party boat in Eilat.  As much fun as this would have been, a variety of factors prevented this plan from coming to fruition.  However, this was no matter as my roommates and friends helped to throw me, and the others whose birthday it was, a great party in our apartment on Thursday night.  The theme of our event was "I'm on a Boat", in lieu of our failed attempt to wreak havoc down south.  I was delighted with the outcome as our apartment was packed for a number of hours, and each person seemed to have a good time.  I do not have the liberty to shed more light unto the details of this occasion, as the absinthe that I purchased at the airport in Prague got the better of me, and frankly, much of the night afterwards evades my memory.  But hey, you only turn twenty one once.

This week I have been plagued with homework and have also had to occupy much of my time with planning, both for my birthday and for my upcoming Eurotrip that will take place in a week's time.  Because I have been inundated with agenda fillers, the difficulty of wandering about the town for a Shabbat dinner was increased.  But, that is not to say that the Sabbath was not recognized.  My roommate Roee and I had the great fortune of spending Shabbat dinner with our friends Emma and Emily.  They cooked a delicious pasta dinner, and laughter filled the room.

Yesterday was my birthday!  Because of the mountain of deeds on my to-do list, I spent much of the day writing a paper.  I did get to take a nice study break and walked with a few friends to Aroma (Israel's answer to Starbucks).  There I discovered a delicious new treat, espresso with vanilla ice cream. It was a delight to walk home on a hot, sunny day with a cup of ice cream and a new way of getting my caffeine.

Clearly, I wasn't going to do schoolwork all day on my 21st, and at 7:30 PM, friends came over and together we took the light rail downtown.  I had made reservations at an up-scale burger joint after I saw they had steak on the menu.  I don't think I've had a nice, juicy steak in months, and I had a real hunkerin' for it.  Surrounding myself with great friends, a thick juicy slab of beef, and a half liter of Leffe beer, I couldn't think of a better way to celebrate twenty one years of life.  Afterwards, we made our way over to a nice pub and further enjoyed conversation over a few brews.  It was most definitely a Yom Huledet Sameach.

Themes of the week: Friendship and Alcohol.

I live a very blessed life, and being overseas sans many of the comforts I once took for granted only months ago, I have learned to appreciate all the good even more so.  This upcoming week will be full of anticipation as I leave with my friend Sydney for Paris and Norway on March 30th.  I have images of croissants, fromage, and lots of wine shuffling through the theater of my mind.

Until then, have a wonderful week.

Zac

Czeching Out Europe for the First Time: My Bohemian Rhapsody

So it turns out that this week was another week of exciting firsts, specifically my very first Eurotrip!  It wasn't quite like the movie, although I did pick up a bottle of absinthe at the duty-free in the airport.  After going out to a sports bar to watch the Badger game on Thursday night (we rocked Montana), a few friends and myself took an early light rail home at around 11ish, and I went back up to my room to finish packing.  Around 2 AM, a few Hebrew Umates and I took a took a late sheirut (Israeli shuttle van) to Ben Gurion airport where we met up with our fellow travel companions, who were mostly comprised of Tel Aviv U students.  The trip, headed by a man named Jeff Seidel who runs student centers at the various universities throughout the country, would embark on a  journey to Prague at six in the morning.  There were only about thirty of us on the trip, so it didn't take long for us to get acquainted.

We arrived at our destination at 9 AM. Still sleepy, yet energized by the prospect of sightseeing, we departed from the Czech airport and made our way to the Old Town quarter of Prague.  Stepping down from our tour bus into the city for the first time, I was stunned by the incredible architecture and scenery that surrounded me in all directions.  Every building in the city is seemingly a different color.  I could have been walking through a rainbow.  They date back hundreds of years, yet are impeccably preserved and look as if they could have been built very recently.  During my first ten minutes in Prague, I couldn't help but feel as if I were actually in Disney World.  Walking the streets of Prague and cruising through the Magic Kingdom had a parallel impact on my senses, only I knew that what I was currently experiencing was authentic and not a hyper-reality fabricated by Walt Disney and Michael Eisner.  The sights were breathtaking.  

One of the initial highlights was taking the obligatory snapshots with the guards of the royal palace.  Just like in the movies, these men could not be compelled to move an inch.  Needless to say, my attempts to cause them to smile were futile.  After passing by the grand palatial estate, we made our way over to the Charles Bridge, named after King Charles IV, who I must say was quite a boss.  Besides the bridge, there are many major landmarks in the city which honor his name, as in the Charles University, which is one of the ten oldest universities in all of Europe.  The bridge is quite long and hosts a variety of street artists and musicians, as well as a different statue within every ten feet.  

After crossing the bridge and passing by another complex of elaborate edifices, we boarded a boat and sailed the sea (well actually the Vltava River).  Once on the cruise, we ascended the steps to the top deck and plopped down on a row of picnic benches and lunched.  We could not have asked for better weather, which was sunny and in the upper-60s all weekend.  Our tour of the waterway was quite enjoyable, and after a long morning of air travel, the cruise was just what the doctor ordered.  

After the ship docked back at the port, we set out en route to our hotel.  Just like in the old town, each building we passed in the city center was adorned with a different hue than the previous.  We were walking down a paved rainbow.

Arriving at the hotel was a very joyous moment because it meant that we would be able to unwind for a bit and take a quick, refreshing shower.  Emerging from the shower, I felt like a million bucks again, and a few friends and I set out into the city where we were able to enjoy free time until Shabbat came near.  There is a main street in the city that one walks down in order to get to the center of all of the action (Clock Square).  The main street is filled with boutique shops like Prada, Gucci, Rolex, Audemars, etc.  Whilst prancing about the avenue, I couldn't help but feel that I was part of a Jay-Z song.

We walked about Clock Square, which is appropriately named after the magnificent clock tower that resides in a pocket of the square.  Every hour, on the hour, the tower functions as a cuckoo clock, and animatronic creatures would emerge from its depths to blow trumpets and horns.  Prague, like all places in Israel, LOVES gelato.  So after we had witnessed the robotic performance at 3:00 PM, we found a nice, little gelato shop, purchased some frozen deliciousness and picked a spot to picnic in square.  

For those that have never been to a Jeff Seidel event, they come equipped with classy liqueur, copious amounts of classy liqueur.  So before we headed down to a nearby Chabad for Kabbalat Shabbat, we continued to break the ice with each other over Grey Goose and Johnny Walker Double Black.  As far as Shabbat pregames go, I must say that this one was particularly good.  Our services and dinner were also noteworthy, as the tunes, the conversation, and the food were all of the utmost quality.

Luckily, we had nothing filled in for the itinerary for Saturday morning, and so I took full advantage of the opportunity to catch up on sleep.  When I arose, I showered and quickly shuffled off to Chabad for a nice Shabbos lunch.  The weather was yet again remarkably pleasant, so after lunch, a few of us walked back to the hotel to change out of our Saturday best and into something a little more tourist-friendly.  As we paraded about the avenues of Praha (the way the Czechs spell Prague), we eventually came across a Starbucks, an oasis of sorts for us addicts who have been on the wagon for months now.  At school, I am friends with all of the baristas there, and I get to use my Starbucks Gold Card, and although neither of those luxuries were present, the iced coffee that I ordered was sublime.  The Czech people are very polite in general and often interject "please" at the end of sentences that don't normally contain the pleasantry.  For instance, when taking my order, the barista asked, "What would you like, please?"  It helped make my day.  Walking along the streets of Prague and sipping my iced coffee was yet another great pleasure of my study abroad experience.

We then went to the Synagogue of the Maharal to make Havdalah, another great experience.  The Maharal is a very famous rabbi from Prague who lived during the 15th century.  There is a legend that accompanies his work and the city's Jewish life that the Maharal once built a golem (a creature similar to Frankenstein's monster) to protect the Jews of the city.  But once the golem got out of hand, the Maharal ended its life and stored it up in the attic.  However, legend also has it that anyone who climbs up to the attic to see the golem will perish in some unfortunate, unforeseeable stint in the near future.  No one really goes up there to see it.  Nor did we.

After exchanging Shavua Tovs (blessing for a nice upcoming week), a group of us headed over to the square area and dined at an outdoor cafe.  The warm air that had filled the city earlier in the day had turned chilly, but each table came equipped with a torched lamp and blankets, and so we sat there full and toasty.  Besides hosting a multitude of magnificent buildings and splendid cultural affairs, the largest nightclub in all of central Europe belongs to Prague's domain.  The club maintains five floors, each playing a different type of music (hip hop, house, '80s, '90s, and chill).  So after dinner we headed back to the hotel where we joined forces with many others on the trip and headed out for a really, really fun night out on the town.

My Sunday morning started earlier than usual as we had to book it out of our hotel by 8:00 AM.  After breaking our fast back at Chabad, we headed on a group tour destined for various synagogues and lofty sights around the area.  First we came to the Pinkas Synagogue, whose walls are marred with the names and birthplaces of the Czechs who perished in the Holocaust. Outside of the synagogue is a graveyard which dates back hundreds of years and whose capacity is inestimable.  Thousands upon thousands of headstones reside within inches of each other.  Next we went to the Spanish Synagogue, where gold lined the walls.  Actually, gold was something of a theme in Prague, with many buildings owning golden exteriors.  I kept thinking, "The streets of America are not paved with gold, but the streets of Prague are".

Finally, we made our way over to the Lennon Wall.  The rainbow theme again appeared in the form of bright graffiti that covers every inch of the wall.  After John Lennon died, many people in Praha began to paint pictures and lyrics on an ordinary wall that pertained to his message of peace and love.  The Soviet regime did not take too kindly to the wall that personified such a western cultural icon, and banned people from continuing to visit the sight for artistic purposes.  But the youth was inspired to carry on, and to this day, the wall continuously changes form as people of all ages and backgrounds come to leave their mark.  I, myself, wrote my name on the wall, and I hope they'll let it be.

The last major portion of our agenda was a visit to the Terezin concentration camps.  The town, which is both eerie and depressing, has been restored and has inhabitants, but it was as active as a Western ghost town.  After visiting a museum there, we took a short bus ride over to the crematorium.  This could have been an incredibly morose experience, yet I left from it uplifted and inspired.  A few minutes into our inspection of the crematorium, we circled around, learned the story behind the song "Am Yisrael Chai" (the people of Israel live), which was actually written by Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach in Prague, and proceeded to merrily sing about the ongoing life of Jewry throughout the world.  We then sung HaTikvah.  Standing in the darkest of places, singing the most soulful of songs was yet another highlight of this amazing trip, and my study abroad experience overall for that matter. On the bus ride back into the city, we coincidentally drove right by a rainbow, and that was the icing on top of a very colorful weekend.

Our flight departed from the Prague airport at midnight, and we did not make it back to Jerusalem til 6:30 AM.  I am still trying to catch up on sleep, so I think I'm on my way to hit the hay.  This upcoming week will be another big one, as I turn the big two-one!  

Ciao,

Zac

The Walk to the Walk of Fame

Another very eventful week, full of friends, learning, food, sun, and fun.  This week, I nailed down my spring break plans (yay Sydney Wolfson!): Paris from March 30th to April 2nd, and Oslo from the 2nd to the 5th.  The night of the 6th is the first Pesach seder, for which my presence in the Jerusalem is imperative.  Having never been to Europe, I am so excited to go.  Actually, I'm going to Prague this weekend!  Can't wait.

The big event(s) of last week was the Jewish festival of Purim.  Outside of Jerusalem, Purim was celebrated on Wednesday, and inside of Jerusalem it was celebrated on Thursday.  Since Tel Aviv is only a short drive away (under an hour) flocks of students made the Hajj to the City on the Sea to partake in their festivities.  The way in which the secular and pious alike celebrate Purim is by dressing up and getting really, really, super drunk.  It is basically the Jewish Halloween, only people actually have an idea regarding why it is celebrated.

Many of my fellow Hebrew U students and I kicked off the holiday on Wednesday night by taking a party bus to Tel Aviv.  The bus ride itself was a highlight of the chag (holiday) as camaraderie and good spirits (pun intended) were bountiful throughout the trip.  As the bus pulled aside at our destination, we entered into Tel Aviv University's Jeff Seidel student center, where they so graciously hosted us for the night.  More shenanigans and debauchery ensued, but before long, the party there had ceased to be, and we headed for a walk down the road.  Eventually, many a HUJ and TAU student assembled behind the Max Brenner Chocolate Shop on Rothschild St., and continued to feast on the fest.  The masses of inebriated college students were not unlike a mob that one would hope to find in the fine city of Madison, Wisconsin.  At about 2:30 AM, I decided I had had enough of Purim-Tel Aviv style, and desired to return to my domain back in J'lem.  Unfortunately. aside from one friend of mine, many others did not share the same sentiments, and together we ran up a tall taxi bill back to our residencies.

On Thursday night, I had the pleasure of experiencing Purim on my own stomping grounds, as Hebrew U hosted a party in downtown Jerusalem.  The rager was thrown in a parking garage in the city, and the total population in attendance tallied well over one thousand (International students and Israelis alike).  This party too, was very reminiscent of my Badger days, in line with the frenzy that arises during a ZBT party.  It is safe to say that with all the depth and intellectualism that this country has to offer, it is nowhere to be found when celebrating Purim here with college students.

Like many a previous Friday night, I returned to my friend Yossi's, who runs the Chabad on campus for Jerusalem, accompanied by friends.  Though this dinner was unlike past dinners at his house, as there was a giant influx of eaters who occasioned his apartment for a fine Shabbat dinner.  There must have been well over thirty of us packed into his dining room, including rowdy yeshiva boys, I.D.F. soldiers, and us Hebrew U kids, all recovering from insufficient sleep/electrolytes.  Needless to say, the meal was not devoid of ruach as song and laughter continuously filled the room.  After a delicious meal, my three friends and I walked back from his house, which would have been about an hour and a half walk back to our place, had we decided not to make a late night Old City/ Kotel run.  Venturing to the Wall at 1:00 AM was a great experience in itself, few people also engendered our idea and the setting was quite intimate.  After fifteen minutes or so there, we continued our walk home.

On Saturday morning, I continued to strengthen my quad muscles, as scores of Hebrew U students had been invited by a very generous donor to delight in the fine cuisine and great riches contained in the King David hotel, and to get there, we again journeyed on foot.  The hotel is located near the Old City, approximately fifty minutes from our starting point.  The King David, for those that don't know, is the most luxurious and historic hotel in all of Israel.  My words would not do justice for the aesthetics of the hotel, and so I will resort to displaying pictures of it.  The food was arranged in a buffet, and was as delectable and plentiful as anyone could have hoped for.  They made the greatest Schnitzel that has every found its way to my taste buds.

Being the greatest and most heralded overnight establishment in the entire nation, the King David has had its share of noteworthy guests over the years.  They make this perfectly clear by displaying their own "walk of fame" which extends from one end of the first floor to the other (probably about 100 yards).  Besides many major politicians of the last seventy years or so (Winston Churchill, Gordon Brown, Nicholas Sarkozy, Condoleeza Rice, Hilary Clinton, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, Al Gore, Gerald Ford, Richard Nixon, George Bush...), the walk of fame also featured worldly figures and pop cultural icons icons such as the 14th Dalai Lama, The Black Eyed Peas, and Metallica.  Walking to, and then walking on the walk of fame was surely a highlight of a very eventful week.

After our fine repast, many of us stayed over at the hotel for another few hours, reclined on their couches in the lobby, shot the breeze, and entered into heated philosophical discussion.  After we were all talked out, we left the hotel and walked over to the Kotel for Ma'ariv and Havdalah.  As if we were not all walked out by this time, we left the Kotel around 7:00 and walked back to the student village.  Another wonderful week in the books.  So excited for Prague this upcoming weekend!

Until then, have a great week!

Zac

When you see me in Jeru, you know everything Black and Yellow, Black and Yellow

Shavua tov ya'll.  Another week in the books.  It's amazing how quickly this trip is going by.  This week has been one of productivity.  Last Sunday, I returned to Cafe Hillel on Jaffa St. to work with my partner on our presentation.  Again, we spent Monday together, making sure that our hour-long presentation would be, well, presentable.  After giving it on Tuesday (and rocking it!), I felt a load off of my shoulders.  But because I am really terrible at doing nothing, I took on several other projects: a scholarship essay on the fairness of a market-based economic system, and a work of fiction.  Both are still works in process, but we'll see where they lead.

The weather here has been really, really, really horrific. For the past week, the sun has been ever-elusive, while rain and cold have been quite vengeful.  It has been "raining cats", but not dogs, as stray cats flee in flocks to the inside of the dorms to evade the torrential downpour.

On Friday, the precipitation changed from really cold water to frozen water.  It snowed!  Although there is many a Big Ten representative on this program, there is also a fair share of California kids who do not have the fortune/misfortune of annual snow.  Needless to say, they were quite enthused to see the white fall from the sky and stick to the ground.  Actually, I thought it pretty cool as well.  One does not readily think of snow when March in Jerusalem becomes the topic of conversation.  But things that are unusual can be quite fun, and Friday's snow definitely fell into both categories.  People made snowmen and threw snowballs at each other, acting as innocent and carefree as third-graders on winter break.

Friday night, I returned to my friend Yossi's house with my usual Shabbat crew (Steven, Adam, Robyn, Rachel, and Leah), and my roommate Roee as well.  Again, we were showed amazing hospitality and engaged in stimulating conversation.  I was uber-productive, or at least tried to be on Saturday, nailing down some reading and writing.

The highlight of the week was most definitely Saturday night, when eight of us or so trekked to Teddy Stadium for the Jerusalem Beitar soccer game against Kiryat Shmonah.  In the cold and drizzle, we cabbed across town to view the world's most (and America's least) popular sport.  Having never attended a sporting event in Israel before, I was curious and excited.  When we arrived at our destination, the rain picked up even more.  Attendence was quite lackluster, maybe because the weather was particularly uninviting, and maybe because Jerusalem's team is supposed to be pretty mediocre.  Probably a little of both.

The stadium was certainly unique.  The stands are illustrated by asymmetrical patterns depicting various shapes outlined by a conspicuously clashing color scheme.  The lights were bright, and war cries in the form of drum beats could be heard from both sides of the arena.  As HaTikvah sounded on the loudspeakers, I revved up my energy, and transformed into an obnoxious fan for a game in which I know little about and a team in which I couldn't identify one member.  I had so much fun!

As the ninety minute regulation time wound down to zero, both teams were still held scoreless.  That is until one of the refs blew a call (in our favor!) giving Jerusalem a penalty kick.  In truth, I think he just wanted to get the hell out of there and warm up.  Fans left their seats as their team was on the verge of capitilizing on an error, and as the player booted the ball towards the net, the ball glided past the goalie and went in for the score, giving Jerusalem Beitar the victory.  Goooooooolllllllllll!!!!!!!!!  Black and Yellow jerseys raced around the field in frenzied excitement and I high-fived everyone I saw.  It was a great end to a thrilling night.

Until next week,

Zac