Thursday

Thursday, Zahara and her classmates had a siyum (a word that means a celebration of finishing) a perek of Gemara within the book of megillah. A huge and daunting task. They celebrated with lots of delicious sugary treats that represented aspects of the perek they just learned. I was so well sugared that if you lit me on fire I would probably caramelize. There was a quote shared that especially resonated with me: "It is not your responsibility to finish the work, but neither are you free to desist from it."

Apparently I speak Hebrew with a Spanish accent.

After the Siyum I head to the Old City once again to see the Golden Dome of the Rock. I passed Israeli soldiers and then walked in front of Palestinian soldiers with their gun barrels facing me. It was worth it. I sat next to the incredible dome on the temple mount. In one panoramic view you could see the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, the Wailing Wall and the Dome of the Rock. If so many millions of people find this place holy, maybe there is something to it. I meditated for almost an hour until I was awakened by a solider and his gun telling me the site was closed.

I did some more gift shopping in the old city. Public Health programs should take note from the Isreali market vendors. “You are so beautiful. Come here, I like you. Your eyes are so gorgeous. My friend, I’ll make you a deal. You take this vaccine.”

One of my favorite things in the world is exploring by myself. Especially when I am walking on stones that are a thousand years old and my boots make clicky noises.

I love the combination of food here. Sushi andBBQ. Falafel and Waffles. Oriental and Lebanese. It’s fitting for a place with so many cultures and people. I bet a falafel waffle would be delicious.

At night, Zahara and I went to a party for a classmate who was leaving. I have met so many beautiful people here. Everyone is so open and loving and willing to talk. Makes me realize how scared people are to talk in the “real world.” (notice how I did that? That’s right. Jerusalem is SO not the real world.) It’s nice to have a cup of cheap beer in one hand and talk about future, religion, and love.

The air here is different. It is laden with spice and sand and dry heat. It is pretty delicious.

After the party we took a bus to the bumpin’ Dublin Pub. Loud music and hot Israelis smoked cigarettes and grinded (ground?) on each other. It was pure sex. I was feeling particularly like a baller and ordered a round of shots (Johnny Walker Reds) for the table. We leaned in close and talked about only sexy things. We went to another bar and listened to live music and danced. When I am twirled and dipped I feel like such a woman.

We walked home all the way from downtown. Just Zahara, Zach and I. It took us almost an hour. I was a little tipsy so everything was so “pretty and true and love and magic and destiny and faith and love and beauty and faith and love…” Ha. Oi.

When it rains here everything breathes a sigh of relief. Even the dirt lets loose of its tense self.