Floating on a Wave

I’m not a writer, what I mean by that is I don’t force myself to write when I don’t want to just so I can put up content on the blog or just so that I’ll have something to remember every single thing that happens in Israel with. That’s just not my style that being said Peasch was a month ago and still nothing has been written on what happened. It was a crazy week, I had Seder with my Aunt and Uncle who were in town it was lovely, weird as well. This was the part of my family who I used to consider religious or observant now I look and I see things so much differently. I’m not judging but it is a very weird experience for me to be with family who I thought of as so religious, because their just not. And that’s not a bad thing but it is very strange for me. It made me see how far I’ve come, and helped me reflect on where I’m going (oh how I wish I knew) After Seder Chol Hamod was in full effect for the next week the Old City of Jerusalem was a festival a crazy, wonderful, crowded festival. Music was being played in every corner of the Jewish Quarter all day and late into the night. There were so many people here that it was almost impossible to move, I had to use every bit of my knowledge about the shortcuts and back ways to get anywhere in less then twenty minutes. And it was totally incredible Pesach, Shavous and Succot are the three holidays where we as Jews are commanded to return to Jerusalem and with Shavous right around the corner (that’s when g-d gave us the Torah) I’ll have been here for 2/3rds of the trifecta. It was such an incredible feeling it can’t be properly described.

Since then I’ve just been hanging around, two of my Uncles came to Israel for a few days and it was great getting to see them. Its hard seeing family here it really makes me feel the distance. I’ve been thinking a lot about when I’ll go home, I know that as everyday passes it just gets harder and harder to be here. Yeshiva life can really break people; I’ve seen it happen to almost everyone, without so many outside distractions a person must focus inward and often times it’s not a pretty sight. I just don’t know how much longer I can continue to live in a community where I don’t fit in, don’t want to fit in. I think about what I’ll do when I get back to New York. Most likely I’ll keep doing yeshiva for a little while. My skills are just starting to get better, and I think with another six months to a year of work I’ll really be able to get a good grasp on them. That’s what I’m thinking for now anyway. Life in Israel is getting exciting Lag Ba’Omer is this week, and me and some friends are planning on going up to Meron where from Thursday to Sunday there will be something like 200,000 Jews celebrating, dancing, singing etc. I can’t wait, Shalom from Eretz Israel.