Gut yontef!
Dear All:
L'shanah tovah u'm'tukah!
Here's to a good and sweet new year! Happy Rosh Hashanah (yeah it's over now, but STILL.)
So here's the low down:
FRIDAY
--Called friends from Nesiya all afternoon after school Friday. Got to speak to Daniel Schwartz, in the midst of his freshman year at Johns Hopkins, and I was thrilled to talk to him.
--BUT, I called my friend Hannah Arnovitz because I saw she had an American cel number...completely forgetting she's in Israel. Oops. It was 2 AM...she were not pleased. How dumb blonde of me...it was so embarrassing and I felt so bad for her.
--Went to family friend Wendy's next. She's just got back from Russia, and gave me some awesome green chai. I showed her my Israel pics. It were cool.
--Changed into suit at Wendy's, she drove me to the synagogue
--Prepped with the band, and then sang a bunchload of songs alongside guest Cantor Steven Puzarne. It was really awesome.
--I think I have a fanclub at shul now. I almost feel bad that I'm leaving.
--Two guys read a poem about worshipping pagan gods during the Friday night service...what the HELL? And the leaders made fun of Orthodoxy. Thanks, guys.
--Spent the night at my dear friend Harry's house. He helped me cut down my speech, and we talked of life, seated on a very comfy couch for hours.
SATURDAY
--Got up early, had bagel breakfast (you gotta love Jewish homes), discussed soccer with Harry's brother Jacob, and walked to synagogue.
--Quick warm-up, then launched into service.
--The service was, eh, okay. The songs went nicely. Especially "When You Believe".
--I chanted Haftarah blessings, while my DEAR Rachey did Haftarah. We're unstoppable.
--The rabbi delivered a tearful sermon about her daughter surviving a bus-bombing in Israel. Of course, we all felt AWFUL. And then, I had to convince people to GO to Israel with my speech. That was hard!!
--I hate to sound narcissistic, but I really was glad to receive so many thank-yous and compliments for my singing and speech. It felt so rewarding.
--They blew shofar during services and did Avinu Malkeinu...which you can't do on Shabbat-Rosh Hashanah. So, I covered my ears. BUT the thing is, they kinda had to...'cuz sadly, this is when most people ever come to synagogue. So, they have to do/hear it.
--Went back to Harry's house to have my parents pick up my stuff (can't carry outside the house on Shabbat), discussed the safety of being in Israeli with Harry's dad, had another bagel
--Walked home for an hour
--Slept the afternoon
--Had the first family dinner we've had in a long, long time. My mom spilled wine over the table, so I licked the tablecloth. It wasn't good wine, I think.
--Watched "A Fish Called Wanda" for the first time. HILARIOUS.
SUNDAY
--Woke up at 6:30 (grooaaaan), got dressed. Drove over to Pico/Robertson area.
--Parked (after much effort) outside Charlie's house, BUT feared that a) they thought I wasn't coming and b) it was late and they'd already left for shul
--Walked over to Bnai David Judea...but you had to be on a special list to get in. Disappointed, I turned around...
--...BUT ran into Charlie and his mom on their way to shul. CHARLIE, if thou art reading this, your family is fantastic. His mom had already arranged to get me into services. Such, such excellent people.
--Services were 6 hours long, but you know what? I wasn't complaining. I was happy to be there. I felt really really renewed.
--GOT TO SEE YONI after a month of no-Nesiya.
--Did not do Birkat Kohanim...I still have a bizarre fear of doing it. But Yoni and I will do it on Yom Kippur.
--Went with Charlie's family to a friend of theirs' house for lunch.
--Played with the little kids for a while. Hey, "I Spy" got reeeeally old really fast, but I had fun. They're good kids.
--Walked over to Zachy's house. Got to see him (and Yoni) for the first time in a whiiiile.
--Talked with Zachy's guests about Nesiya, life, Judaism, Argentina, you name it. I really like being included in adult circles.
--Got to know Zachy's parents and siblings a lot better. I really love being friends of the family, too, you know?
--Played Monopoly until sundown, stayed on for a while.
--Zach's dad drove me to my car, and I jetted off home at about 8:15.
--SO I HAD A REALLY FULL DAY. But I loved every second of it. Zach and Yoni...dey'se my boys. And Zach is, um, my dad, basically.
--I'm staying at Zach's for Yom Kippur. It should be great. They're such nice people.
--EVERYONE IS SO NICE. FINALLY. I love Jews. I really do.
Betchya my weekend was cooler than y'allz. But that's just me.
L'shanah tovah u'm'tukah!
Here's to a good and sweet new year! Happy Rosh Hashanah (yeah it's over now, but STILL.)
So here's the low down:
FRIDAY
--Called friends from Nesiya all afternoon after school Friday. Got to speak to Daniel Schwartz, in the midst of his freshman year at Johns Hopkins, and I was thrilled to talk to him.
--BUT, I called my friend Hannah Arnovitz because I saw she had an American cel number...completely forgetting she's in Israel. Oops. It was 2 AM...she were not pleased. How dumb blonde of me...it was so embarrassing and I felt so bad for her.
--Went to family friend Wendy's next. She's just got back from Russia, and gave me some awesome green chai. I showed her my Israel pics. It were cool.
--Changed into suit at Wendy's, she drove me to the synagogue
--Prepped with the band, and then sang a bunchload of songs alongside guest Cantor Steven Puzarne. It was really awesome.
--I think I have a fanclub at shul now. I almost feel bad that I'm leaving.
--Two guys read a poem about worshipping pagan gods during the Friday night service...what the HELL? And the leaders made fun of Orthodoxy. Thanks, guys.
--Spent the night at my dear friend Harry's house. He helped me cut down my speech, and we talked of life, seated on a very comfy couch for hours.
SATURDAY
--Got up early, had bagel breakfast (you gotta love Jewish homes), discussed soccer with Harry's brother Jacob, and walked to synagogue.
--Quick warm-up, then launched into service.
--The service was, eh, okay. The songs went nicely. Especially "When You Believe".
--I chanted Haftarah blessings, while my DEAR Rachey did Haftarah. We're unstoppable.
--The rabbi delivered a tearful sermon about her daughter surviving a bus-bombing in Israel. Of course, we all felt AWFUL. And then, I had to convince people to GO to Israel with my speech. That was hard!!
--I hate to sound narcissistic, but I really was glad to receive so many thank-yous and compliments for my singing and speech. It felt so rewarding.
--They blew shofar during services and did Avinu Malkeinu...which you can't do on Shabbat-Rosh Hashanah. So, I covered my ears. BUT the thing is, they kinda had to...'cuz sadly, this is when most people ever come to synagogue. So, they have to do/hear it.
--Went back to Harry's house to have my parents pick up my stuff (can't carry outside the house on Shabbat), discussed the safety of being in Israeli with Harry's dad, had another bagel
--Walked home for an hour
--Slept the afternoon
--Had the first family dinner we've had in a long, long time. My mom spilled wine over the table, so I licked the tablecloth. It wasn't good wine, I think.
--Watched "A Fish Called Wanda" for the first time. HILARIOUS.
SUNDAY
--Woke up at 6:30 (grooaaaan), got dressed. Drove over to Pico/Robertson area.
--Parked (after much effort) outside Charlie's house, BUT feared that a) they thought I wasn't coming and b) it was late and they'd already left for shul
--Walked over to Bnai David Judea...but you had to be on a special list to get in. Disappointed, I turned around...
--...BUT ran into Charlie and his mom on their way to shul. CHARLIE, if thou art reading this, your family is fantastic. His mom had already arranged to get me into services. Such, such excellent people.
--Services were 6 hours long, but you know what? I wasn't complaining. I was happy to be there. I felt really really renewed.
--GOT TO SEE YONI after a month of no-Nesiya.
--Did not do Birkat Kohanim...I still have a bizarre fear of doing it. But Yoni and I will do it on Yom Kippur.
--Went with Charlie's family to a friend of theirs' house for lunch.
--Played with the little kids for a while. Hey, "I Spy" got reeeeally old really fast, but I had fun. They're good kids.
--Walked over to Zachy's house. Got to see him (and Yoni) for the first time in a whiiiile.
--Talked with Zachy's guests about Nesiya, life, Judaism, Argentina, you name it. I really like being included in adult circles.
--Got to know Zachy's parents and siblings a lot better. I really love being friends of the family, too, you know?
--Played Monopoly until sundown, stayed on for a while.
--Zach's dad drove me to my car, and I jetted off home at about 8:15.
--SO I HAD A REALLY FULL DAY. But I loved every second of it. Zach and Yoni...dey'se my boys. And Zach is, um, my dad, basically.
--I'm staying at Zach's for Yom Kippur. It should be great. They're such nice people.
--EVERYONE IS SO NICE. FINALLY. I love Jews. I really do.
Betchya my weekend was cooler than y'allz. But that's just me.