Wow. So much has happened in the past couple of days since my arrival. I guess that’s what happens in the first few days of a long trip like this. I’ll have to post more frequently or I’ll never be able to keep up and share everything that I want with you. I’ll work on that.
After the other passengers left I chatted with the driver. I had made a reservation to stay at the Tower Hotel. On the way he pointed out and recommended a “good pub” which happened to be right near the hotel. I dropped off my luggage in the room and went out to spend some time wandering Ben Yehuda street. I found a falafel place (not hard in Jerusalem) to have dinner. Freshly made. Piping hot. So good.
Let’s talk about jet lag. I’ve never had a problem with jet lag. I have enough problems with insomnia most of the year, so changing time zones has never bothered me. Sleepless nights are the norm. It also helps that I have a tradition (others call it a bad habit) of always packing the night before a trip. Whether it is overnight or six weeks, I always pack the night before. Always. This means that sometime for long trips (including this one), wherever and whenever I arrive, I have missed a night of sleep. I stay up until a reasonable time that night and go to bed. When I wake up, I am on local time.
The Jerusalem Tower Hotel it is in a great location, in the City Center, right off of Ben Yehuda Street. It was also cheap, and while not the nicest place I had ever stayed, it was perfectly suitable for one night. Plus I hadn’t been able to get much more than an hour of sleep on either of my long flights. I had now been up without a solid night’s sleep for 3 days and 14 hours. I had intended to go out to the pub my driver had shown me, but instead I went to bed. and. crashed. hard.
This may have been the most appealing a bed has ever looked to me
I woke up for an Israeli breakfast at the hotel, and then met up with a friend of my soon-to-be-roommate in order to stash my luggage for the day. His place was actually on the same street as the hotel, just a short walk to the top of the hill. It was also right on my way to the Conservative Yeshiva.
I arrived at the Yeshiva at noon for a special lunch (falafel) and introduction for all of the participants of the Legacy Heritage Program. The is a program for Jewish professionals (like myself), community educators, lay leaders, and Hillel professionals who received a scholarship from the Legacy Heritage Fund to help pay for our time at the Conservative Yeshiva. In addition to the regular sessions at the Yeshiva, we have seven meetings for the Legacy Heritage participants. The additional sessions provide us with a chance for collaborative learning, networking and sharing of ideas and successes, and allow us to find ways in which we can take what we are learning and use it to enrich the work that we do when we return to our home communities.
During brief break when I went to my apartment for the summer and had a chance to meet one of my roommates. I returned to the Yeshiva for Kabbalat Shabbat services (with absolutely beautiful Shabbat melodies) and Shabbat dinner. Not a bad way to start my time at the Yeshiva.
THE SHIRLEY AND JACOB FUCHSBERG JERUSALEM CENTER
of the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism
Not so fun fact of the day: There are mosquitoes in Israel. I found this out last night as I battled one. I got bit couple of times before finally smushing it. Since I ended up with three bites I think of it as a draw, but I’m pretty sure the mosquito would call it a defeat (that is, if it were still alive enough to call it anything).
Tomorrow I’ll report on my apartment and the first two days of classes. And not to worry, I’ll start taking and posting a bunch of pictures soon.
Tomorrow I’ll report on my apartment and the first two days of classes. And not to worry, I’ll start taking and posting a bunch of pictures soon.
Maybe the first time that insomnia is a plus!
ReplyDeleteGlad you got some sleep!