My last week in Israel...

I've recieved many inquiries about why the blog appears to have stopped...and I really don't have a good reason for it. But I did come up with this: When I travel alone, the blog sort of keeps me company. I complain to it, I laugh with it, I share some of my secrets with it. But my last week in Israel was different b/c I wasn't alone. I was with great friends and family, so my blog took a backseat to living in the moment with them. Besides, I can sum it all up pretty quickly here and you'll be right back on track.

When I arrived back to Israel (from Egypt, see last blog), I went straight to Tel Aviv, where I stayed with Dani and Victoria. I know Dani from Camp, when he was an Israeli Scout back in the 90s...we've kept in touch and seen each other a lot over the years. When I lived in Israel, he was like the family I didn't have there. Things are a bit different for Dani these days -- he used to be a Yerushalmi, and now he's a Tel Avivi...he used to be single and now he's engaged to the love of his life, Victoria. Being with the two of them for a few days was exactly what I needed to recover from my Egyptian vacation.

Dani and I bought challah and fruit at Shuk HaCarmel, checked out the artists at Nachalat Binyamin, and drank coffee at Cafe Tamar (totally reminded me of Austin) on Sheinkin Street...the days passed by peacefully and quickly. For Shabbat, we went to Gilad and Sharon's rooftop apartment. (For those of you who know my friend Golan in Austin, Gilad is his twin brother.) And then Shabbat afternoon, we ate at Golan and Gilad's parents' place -- a feast like that you don't get every day. I had been dreaming about Carmela's food for weeks, and there it was in all of its delicious glory. The next few days I just hung around Tel Aviv, went shopping (a laundry mishap turned a good portion of my clothes a pinkish color), met some other friends, and enjoyed being in a modern city where I somewhat spoke the language and there were prices on everything.

Monday afternoon, I headed about an hour north to Haifa to meet my family. Backstory: My cousin, Mara, got married in December to Oren, who is originally from Haifa. They met, and continue to live in, Florida. Only Oren's parents, brother, and aunt and uncle were able to attend the Stateside celebration, so his family threw a shindig for the Israeli mishpacha. I came to represent my side of the family (the celebration was sort of the kickstart to ALL of my Israel plans in the first place).

Haifa is a beautiful city, but mostly we spent time at the Mall, hanging out in Oren's parents' beautiful apartment overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, and eating. :) I would like to send a shout out of thanks to my Aunt Randee and Lenny, who let me be a third wheel in their cute (read: tiny) hotel room. It was good to spend time with them and to be a part of the American contingent, who were way outnumbered! The celebration dinner itself was a total class act -- amazing location, delicious food, and kind words filled the evening...We had no idea that Oren had so much family!

Aunt Randee's cousin, Henri, also came in from the States for the wedding celebration. He didn't have too many plans for "after", so I offered him a chance to join me in my trip up North. I was planning to head up to Tzfat, to see some friends, and then go to Jerusalem before I headed out. I made it clear that I had certain plans, and that he was welcome to join me as long as he made some of his own arrangements -- one thing I hate is imposing on people and showing up with "um, can my cousin's cousin stay here, too?"

So we drove north, stopping in Akko and Rosh Hanikra before heading east to Tzfat (totally reminded me of the Passover roadtrip I took with Cha Chas in 1999). Sidenote: I have not really travelled in Israel by car -- I am usually on a bus or someone else is driving. So it was a totally different experience to be behind the wheel, especially when we got to the city because I had no idea where to go! Luckily, my friend Andy is a master of directions and navigated us around and around and up and down straight to his apartment (it's up about 150 stairs, by the way!).

Andy is a friend of mine from the way back...we worked for NFTY around the same time and have seen each other a few times during the in-between years. He's an artist -- a photographer -- and he just opened up a gallery of his work in Tzfat...His friend, Callan, is living in the gallery at the moment...Callan and I met years ago (through Andy), and it was good to see him, too...:)

My time in Tzfat was filled (in no particular order) with:
a) being extremely bummed that my friend and ex-co-counselor, Guy, wasn't able to see me after all. :(
b) hanging out with Callan at the gallery and listening to him schmooze with potential buyers
c) being treated to an impromptu concert from the piano tuner
d) the perfect sky-blue dome ceiling of Andy's sister's apartment, where Henri and I stayed for a night
e) Shabbat dinner with Moshe Tov; barb-a-taters at Andy and Nili's.
f) a real grapevine in the patio and on the roof of the gallery; tasting the wine made from those grapes
g) realizing that Henri and I had different plans, and saying goodbye to him when I decided I needed/wanted to stay in Tzfat just a little longer
h) taking Israeli showers (kind of like doing "Israeli dishes", only you're the dish)
i) hearing the group Ein Sof play in an old donkey stable turned "Center for Healthy Living"; dancing with Gavi; being hit on by a 17-year old and wondering who put him up to it.
j) waiting for Andy's wife, Nili, to give birth any second. She finally went into labor the day I left. It's a boy. :)

Things happen in Tzfat that are unimaginable. You have to be there to be it. Take your chances and let the Holy Spirit guide you into the abyss for the adventure, and out again, safely.

Sunday afternoon, I headed back to Jerusalem for the last time. It was crazy on the bus -- the religious men wouldn't sit next to me, and there were no other empty seats on the bus...I was "forced" to move and then was subject to the obnoxiousness of their simple presence. Once in J-town, I headed to see Jessica and Scott (friends from the States who are here for a month) and their two kids...we had a delicious dinner in the shuk...and then Jessica and Shira and I took a walk to see my friend, Mara, one last time before I left.

Monday morning I woke up early and headed out to the airport. I made a few last phone calls before I had to return the cell phone (ugh, don't want to see the bill!), perused the duty-free shops, and headed to the gate.

So, Israel.

It was so great to be back, and I can't believe that it has been 7 years since I was there last. I can't wait another 7 years. In my mind, I am planning to go back next summer, and in my mind, I am thinking of how I might get to stay. Life is not easy there, I know, but there is something about the place that is so magnetic, that just draws you in and wants to keep you there. The land is beautiful and the air really is sweet. I know, it sounds weird, but it's true.

I am in DC at the moment of this publication...for now, at Wendy and Mark's place in Arlington...then to Dana and Preston's for a night before I head out to Huntsville to visit the folks. I think that my mom is just excited that she will make the blog (although she did last summer, too, if I remember correctly). Wendy left me at her house for the day, and she felt kind of bad that she was leaving me...I told her that as long as I had an internet connection, a comfy bed, and a washer and dryer, that I would be just fine. I am waiting for jet lag to hit full force any moment now...

My next adventures will be in a city near you (hopefully), and I can't wait to see you there...

Sara

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