the first Shabbos

My first Shabbos in Eretz Yisroel – how can I describe it?

Erev Shabbos (the day before Shabbos) was spent running errands and still denying the fact that I am in Israel!! I can see the breathtaking landscapes, read the signs in Hebrew (okay, so I can’t actually read them yet, but I’ll get there), hear the birds chirping, smell the cedars, but I remain in serious denial of where I actually am.

Back on campus, the girls on Avital’s floor made a treasure hunt Sam, whose birthday was Friday. I helped out a little with writing the clues and then Sharone taught me one of Sam’s favorite songs (Na Nachman….).

Afterwards I began preparing for Shabbos (they have hot water all day on Friday, usually it’s just in the morning and evenings. The water heater is solar-powered. You can see the solar panels on the roofs when looking out over the mountain), played the song for Sam (she liked it!) davened Mincha, and went to go light candles in the cafeteria.

Meanwhile, a nearby yeshiva was having a Shabbaton. They took in Shabbos earlier than us and the sounds of Kabbals Shabbos and Carelbach tunes wafted through the windows. The intensity of the songs was palpable; it was exquisite. Sam told me “Hashem must love you, ‘cause they never do this.”

As I was davening mincha I heard the famed siren. Close before Shabbos comes in Jerusalem, a siren, much like the tornado warning siren, is sounded. I had heard of this phenomenon, but to actually hear it and to realize that the bulk of the Jews here are Shomer Shabbos and this siren is for all of us, that all the city is on the same page… it’s incredible.

I’m telling you – I could FEEL the kedusha, the holiness after I lit. I’ve never experienced anything remotely like it. It was a heady experience.

One of the other seminaries on campus, Bnos Chava (Sheva Brown’s sem), was having a Shabbaton, so all us in the cafeteria were treated to the sweet sound of these lovely girls davening Kabbals Shabbos. It was such a moving experience that I couldn’t look at these girls davening for fear of crying on Shabbos.

Before dinner, Avital and I took a stroll and looked out over the mountain onto one of the most beautiful sunsets I have ever seen. We went onto the roof of the main building and gazed out over Har Nof, Jerusalem, and whatever else is out there. When I first looked on the view, it was breathtaking. The view was literally too beautiful; I couldn’t take it all in. What a powerful experience.

Of couse, both of the meals were wonderful. The Appells were hilarious and amazing, and seeing Marc and Debbie was really wonderful too – they are doing so well, keinen hara! Marc gave a very impressive d’var Torah on the first few lines of the parasha.

It’s amazing here – amazing being in a place where so many girls are on the same page. It’s normal to want to grow Jewishly here, which is such a refreshing change of pace! Not that people aren’t growing in St. Louis, don’t get me wrong, but to be around so many of my peers who are moving in the same direction? Well, that’s just luxurious.

some of the gorgeous foliage on the walk "to town" (into Jerusalem proper)











also on the walk to town. There's a palm tree or two in there













Here's the building where all our classes are held - and the roof where Avital and I looked out over the country












Here's a close-up view of the view from the lunchroom

















PALM TREE!!!!!















This is the pathway from our dorm to the lunchroom