Rosh Hashanah!

Today (Sunday September 20, 2009) is the second day of Rosh Hashanah. It is the begging of the year 5770 in the Jewish calender. In accordance with the tradition of the new year I will reflect upon the last year (and specifically the last three weeks) and make some grand statements about the future.
As we bring in the new year, Ulpan is fianally coming to an end. This will be the last week of Ulpan ending with a four hour exam and followed by three much needed weeks of freedom! While Ulpan has been great I am certainly ready for what will come next.
Ulpan has served its purpose in many ways. First of all it has greatly imporved my hebrew and given me the confidence that i need to use my hebrew in the streets. Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, it has given me time to get used to being in Israel, make friends, and push myself outside of my comfort zone with some exciting opportunities. I will start from the begining (since my last post)
Almost two weeks ago, Wednesday September 9, I did something i never thought i would do. I auditioned for a play! The beit Hillel at Hebrew University does a musical every year. Both israeli and international students participate but the musical is always in english. This year the musical is Annie! I talked about it with a friend of mine from Ulpan (Dara) and we both decided to audition. The audition consisted of a singing portion and an acting portion. I sang "Part of your world" from The Little Mermaid. I didn't sing amazingly but it was one of the most thrilling things i have ever done. I felt exhilirated and extraordinarily happy after the audition. I am not sure if i am going to have time to participate in the play or what part i will get (parts will be assigned October 14) but i am really happy that i tried something new.
Last weekend (September 11 and 12) i went on a Shabbaton to Kibbutz Hanaton in the Galil. It is the only conservative Kibbutz (part of the conservative movement: Koach, masorti etc.) in Israel. We spend most of the weekend eating, praying and relaxing. Basically everything that you are supposed to do on shabbat.
This past week another exciting thing happened. On Thursday September 17 I had an interveiw for an internship with "Hand in Hand" (http://www.handinhand12.org/). They are these amazing schools that promote bilingual and peaceful co-existence education in Israel. The schools are made up of half arab children and half jewish children. The curriculum is taught half in Arabic and half in Hebrew and every class has two teachers. I will be working with elementary school aged kids with English and hopefully other stuff. I think it is going to be a very valuable experience.
This weekend, Friday - Sunday, i celebrated Rosh Hashanah for the first time in Israel and for the first time without my family. I spent the holiday in Jerusalem and celebrated with friends in the Kfar and attended services at a local synagouge. The entire holiday has been very fun and full of laughter and love. Nevertheless, i have missed spending the holiday with my family and I don't think i will ever completely stop missing home. (but i think i would rather have a home worth missing than not missing it at all)
So, that brings us back to the present. The begining of the year 5770. My goal for this year is to continue what i have begun during the past five weeks. I want to take advantage of all of the amazing opportunities i have while i am in Israel. I know i will miss home (both Santa Monica and Berkeley) but i will not be crippled by that feeling. I hope to keep my connections to home strong with simultaniously creating new connections to people and places in Israel. Mostly, i want to have an amazing year that i never forget!
Shana Tova!

another week, gone so fast!

This was the fourth week of Ulpan (August 30 - September 3) and it was a long week. We have hit the mid-way slump. Ulpan is no longer new or especially exciting but we are not quite close enough to finishing to be excited about the end. It is the middle. Class itself is ok. A little boring but picking up in pace.
The most exciting developement for this week is that I bought a plane ticket for the October break. I am going to Paris with two of my lovely roomates (Juliet and Diane) from October 6-13. During that time i am going to fly to Spain to see Rach! I am so glad i got my ticket and I am REALLY excited. At the end of the trip we have a really long lay-over in Budapest so we are going to spend the day exploring. I can't wait!
This weekend we had people over for a pot luck shabbat dinner (basically like last week at Rachel's but at my apartment). Both the food and company were amazing so it was an all around success. Today ( Saturday 9-5-09) I went to Tel Aviv with a bunch of people and we spent the entire day at the beach.
Now i am back in the Kfar and daunted with the thought of a full week of Ulpan including a midterm essay and exam on sunday and monday. I hope this week is easier than last week. Updates to come!

(I have talked to aba a little less this week, probably on average once a day. The fam was on vacation for a few days so i didn't talk to him for two entire days. I was glad when they got home and i got my calls again!)