Oh my Ghosh, Hummina Hummina Hummus!

To start off, I am quickly approaching a bittersweet chapter in my life here.  My Facebook newsfeed has been usurped by my peers who have undertaken separate study abroad journeys and who have returned or are soon returning to their respective homes.  My regular program here does not end until June 7^th, and my special Hebrew U program does not conclude until June 22^nd, so my expiration date here is still a long ways away.  Meanwhile, it seems like a lifetime ago that I spoke face-to-face with my family and friends, played with my dogs, stepped foot in my bookstore, or heard Ken “the Hawk” Harrelson shout “You can put it on the board…Yes!”.  This is the bitter part. 

Now please, do not misconstrue my sentiments, for the sweet part is identical to the bitter part: I still have nearly two months here to live, learn, explore, relax, and enjoy all that Israel has to offer (which happens to be a lot).  On Sunday, May 13^th, I had an average day.  I, accompanied by my great friend Roee, walked through the market in the Old City, saw beautiful scenery, smelled some of the most amazing aromas that one could hope to sense, donned tefillin at the Western Wall, and went grocery shopping at the shuk (where I have haggling for pita down to a science).

I refer to this as an average day because here in Israel, this is an average day for me.  Sans the Kotel visit (which I actually do make somewhat frequently), this is my Sunday routine.  I cannot imagine having access to these kinds of pleasures on an everyday basis anywhere else in the world.  And so while I am stuck thousands of miles away from one home for a lengthy bit of time, I get the special opportunity to appreciate my home here for the same length of time.   How sweet.

On Wednesday, I went with a few friends of mine to a town called Abu Ghosh, which resides about ten minutes outside of Jerusalem proper.  Abu Ghosh is especially notable for its unwavering loyalty and patriotism towards the state of Israel.  During the War for Independence, Abu Ghosh was one of the few Arab villages in all of Israel to take allegiance with the Israeli side of the conflict.  Abu Ghosh is also revered as the town that buys all of Israel’s Chametz during before Passover, roughly $150 million worth of carbohydrates.

While there, we walked about the main road of the town and picked a spot at a welcoming, yet classy restaurant.  Together, we ordered a twelve-salad dish, and of course all-you-can eat pita and hummus came complimentary.  Abu Ghosh might be particularly acclaimed for their pacific relations with the Israeli government, but they are also famous for the hummus.  It is a great export for the town as Abu Ghosh hummus is ubiquitous in supermarkets around Jerusalem.  Rest assured, we had a great lunch, with splendid hummus.  Afterwards we loosened our belts a few notches and marched through the streets of the town.

My Shabbat dinner this week came in the form of a trip to the Jerusalem Soul Center, a Kabbalistic forum hosted by Rabbi Ezra Amichai, a hipster rav that has accompanied me on both my Prague and Poland excursions.  In contrast to most Jewish institutions that hold Shabbat dinners, this was not one exclusively for students.  In fact, students were overwhelmingly outnumbered that night.  The guest list was as diverse as I have yet to see.  The recipe of middle-aged, frum hippies, businessmen, college students, and yeshiva boys was certainly a concoction that produced excellent conversation.  It was fun to see such a different crowd, people who you otherwise would generally never see congregate together under one roof.  It was a wonderful experience, and the walk back to the student village, on a warm but breezy night, was a pleasure as well.

On Sunday the 20^th, I again ventured back to the Kotel and the shuk, but this day was not average, for it was Yom Yerushaliyim (Jerusalem Day).  Masses packed to the streets (and the light rail) to enjoy a beautiful day and show their affection for our glorious city.  It’s hard to imagine a time in the future when I feel like going to the Kotel or getting some dried figs at the shuk, and instead of hopping on the light rail for fifteen minutes, I have to hop on a plane for twelve hours.  It’s actually really sad to think about.

Sunday night marked the beginning of Yom HaStudent (Student Day).  Obviously there are tens of thousands of colleges and universities that I have not been to, and thus I am ignorant of their customs.  But as it stands, I do not know of any other school in the world that organizes a student day where school is off and an all night concert is facilitated in the park.  It’s actually really funny that Hebrew U has put these events on (the Purim party, the Yom HaAtzmaut party, and now Student Day), where, at each venue, there are five or six large bars set up that serve alcohol all night long to students.   The concert was really fun, albeit really cold.  It gets very chilly here at night, and my attire was anything but apropos given the wind chill.  But we had a great time nonetheless.

It is hard to fathom that most of my friends here will be departing in only two and a half weeks.  In my mind, I’ll be here for another six months (with my friends, family, dogs, bookstore, and “Hawk” all coming to stay with me during that time).  Ok, I guess that’s a long shot, but a boy can dream.

Shalom,

Zac