What is one thing i've learned about israel that differs from the United States? Everything is taken care of "after the hagim (holidays)" Basically the holidays all come around the same exact time and because of this I have not really begun my volunteering here. After Sukkot I will be volunteering with this organization called PUSH and helping a student at a local high school learn english. This will be once a week. Another two days, sunday and wednesday I will be volunteering at the after school club at the merckaz klitah where I live. I've gone there a couple of times and it is definatly going to be a challenge.
You might be wondering what exactly could be so hard about working with kids. Well when none of them speak english and you speak broken hebrew...it creates a challenge. Yesterday I volunteered there and I found myself having to be very creative with my communication. Its the challenge of the job that really attracts me to. I find myself having to put together sentences very carefully and put together onces that I don't find myself using outside of this place. The biggest challenge I had was trying to help one of the girls with math. If i were to explain to her in english what to do it would be easy but here I had to use hebrew. I didn't even know how to tell her to add or subtract and I had to have one of the 7 or 8 year girls give me the words to explain to her what to do. It is a really good learning experience for me but also a great way to help the people who have moved in here. I feel good about this volunteer placement for a couple of reasons. Someone pointed out to me how its great that people want to volunteer outside of here but if they took a look at where we live... theres a lot that can be done. Everyone here has moved from other countries to start a new life and in there period of transition they move into these absorption centers. To learn hebrew so they can survive here and to learn how and begin to start their lifes here. When you really think about, you have to really give them credit for making such a large change in their lives and their families.
My new home...
For me... this has been one of the biggest challenges i've ever had. I dont know if i realized how hard it would actually be to adjust to living in a new country with a whole group of people I've never met before. At the same time, I think i'm doing alright for myself. Everyone that i'm living in be'er sheva with is great. I think this group has been getting a long very well and it really helps with adjusting to living here.
What can I say about be'er sheva. Theres not a lot to do here. Its not the prettiest part of the desert but it is the 5th largest city in israel as i was told yesterday. On the weekends its really nice to leave and I think it makes me appreciate living here more. This past weekend I stayed in be'er sheva but me and about 7 other girls took a day trip to Ashkelon, a beach town near the Gaza Strip. to get there we had to pass through a city where in the past rockets have hit. apparently one hit 3 weeks ago. Technicaly we aren't supposed to be going through there but its the path the bus takes to get where we were going. It was definatly an odd through to realize how close i was to the Gaza Strip. I spent a lot of this summer reading about what was going on and in the past I spent time staying up to date. the thing is, i was so close to a dangerious or i guess controversial area but at the same time felt disconnected.
Ashkelon was a beautiful area , with a really realy nice beach and also it was relaxing. On Shabbos that weekend, I went with Jared, Mike, Emily, Kira, Elisa and Ashly for a walk to this hill that over looks be'er sheva. On top of this hill was a memorial for the War of Independence. It was one of the most interesting structures i've seen. yesterday i was told that it was created by this artist that has done simular things in other countries. We went later in the day so we could see the sun set and for once I actually through that Be'er sheva looked really awesome.
The view of Be'er Sheva at sunset.
As most people know this past week was also the Jewish New Year. In israel you just can not hide from the jewish holidays. Its like in the States , how you can't hide from Christmas. The Mercaz Klitah did a small ceremony for all the people that lived here right before rosh hashanah. It was actually pretty nice and people sang songs for the holidays. I spent the holiday in jeruslam with David and his family.
Tommarow I go back to Jeruslaem, where the entire OTZMA group (north and south) are meeting for seminars all day. The next day is Yom Kippor. Apparently in Israel everyone wears white? I have never heard about this before I'm interested to see it. I'm going to try and go to the kotel after i attend services.
Sukkot comes next and that starts This monday. I'm realy realy excited about it. We have חופש (vacation) until the 22nd of october. I'll write more about it later but I'm going to be traveling all around the north for the first part.
Since I finally have internet, if there is actually people reading this heres some photos!
The desert I hiked through for 4 hours during orientaiton
Visiting my nieces the 2nd weekend in Israel
The Otzma Carnival....Jared and Dave (also two of my roommates)
The random couch we found in the middle of no where in Be'er sheva... Thats becca my roommate who shares my room with me!
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