Coming Home

I have to preface this post by pointing out that no matter what I say about being here, I can't possible describe it.

When I first saw the coastline from the window of the jet I was thinking, "Wow, that's it. That's home. No way." I still kind of feel like that. I'm looking out the window right now at the hills of Jerusalem, and I still can't believe that I'm here. The Neve girls say it'll take about a week or two for it to sink in.

Avital picked me up from the airport - it was SOOOO good to see her again. She looks great, of course. No one's shocked about that one. She gave me water and an apple, which is so Avital! It was so refreshing. We took a sheirut (like a shared taxi - ten shekel) straight to campus, which is literally on top of the mountain. It's not called Har Nof (mountain with the view) for nothing. It's like paradise - there are beautiful plants, birds are chirping, the girls are giggling. I love it! And...there is a piano in the lunchroom. A Steinway upright. I've already played it. Twice.

I went to the Kotel my first night. A nice girl named Ilana, who lives on Avital's floor, took me. It was incredible. I wasn't sure what to picture, or what to feel, and I certainly wasn't crazy emotional, Baruch Hashem, my life is good right now, so I had mainly tefilos for others. But it was very moving to see people just pouring their hearts out to the wall. I was standing in front of the wall, a few people back, waiting for my first chance to touch it, to call out to Hashem, when there was a tap tap tap on my shoulder. Who should it be but Rivka Serel Yaroslawitz (my bosses' daughter, for those who don't know - she's finishing her year in seminary). We hugged and enjoyed the Hashgacha. Wow!!!! I've also seen Sheva Brown, Sara Zeffren, Chani Muser and Binyomin Yudin!! I've only been here two days. I love it.

My room is in the same building as Avital - up one floor. My roommates are two New Yorkers, both my age. One girl, Kimber, was a vocal music performance major - neat, huh? They are both very sweet. I might move down to Avital's floor, though, when the room opens up after people leave for the summer. It's right at the end of the summer semester, so everything's changing. I'm meeting people and they're leaving in two days.

So there are certain things I expected that I’m seeing – like soldiers with rifles and security everywhere, which is in a sense comforting and in another sense disconcerting. Comforting because you feel protected, disconcerting because you remember there’s what to be protected from. There should only be peace here. One thing which is really cool is that is normal to be religious. That’s one of the best parts - I’m not a minority.

For Shabbos I’m going to the Appells (sp?), the Im Bayit (dorm mother)’s family and then to Marc and Debbie Jacob!!

Have a great Shabbos!!

This is a picture of my building








This is the view from the lunchroom









Avital and me!!!!







This is the tree outside my dorm. Stunning









(I'll try to put up more later - it takes a little while to upload)