westbound and down

Shalom likulam.

I made it over to Israel again, this time to stay. I'm in Jerusalem staying with a friend, and it's been really nice. Actually, the friend is Ari's friend Alana from school who is letting me stay until I need to get up to Haifa. She's been incredibly nice, and I'm really looking forward to hanging out with her this semester while we're both here. Ari was here for a few days, but he's back in Jordan now. It's strange to think that the program in Jordan is going to start up on Sunday with so many new people, and I will be moving into a dormitory in Haifa, starting all over again.

I was only given a one-month entry visa to Israel as opposed to the regular three-month visa that I've gotten the other five times I came here. Serious searching through my stuff and body at the border crossing. And I saw something very inappropriate. A man working there asked a woman to show her face, which was veiled behind a niqab...in front of the entire line of people waiting to get through. I stood by my New Year's Resolution and asked someone who I could report this to, as it is a serious violation of privacy. He could have asked to see her face somewhere private, where the entire border crossing could not see. Anyway, the woman I reported this to said that there is no body to receive complaints like this and that it wouldn't work because it would slow down the whole process if they had to do that every time. My first attempt at changing a system to be more appropriate was frustrated by an unforeseen obstacle: there is no facility to change the rule in an occupied territory. Because everything that Israel is doing in the West Bank is internationally illegal, they can create their own laws for what is and is not permitted in that territory.

Jerusalem's been nice. I've had the pleasure of bumping into several friends, of course, some that I did not expect to be here. For example, my friend Becky who graduated last year happens to be living in Jerusalem and doing a good job of making a life for herself here. We really met during both of our first visits to Israel, so it's great to see how much we've learned and grown. And we're both here, now! Also, I bumped into a few friends from Brandeis who are studying at Hebrew U for the semester as well as met up with some people who I knew were living here.

Of course I've seen Allie, only twice though! She's doing really well, surrounded by interesting people and living in a quiet area. I'm so happy to be near her again, and the rest of her family is soon to join us here in Israel.

I have little to say right now. Two failed attempts at entering al-Aqsa, well failed even getting on the Temple Mount:

Guard: Are you a Muslim?
Me: Hamdulillah.
Guard: Where are you from?
Me: America.
Guard: Uh.. do you have a passport?
Me: Not with me.
Guard: Get lost..

I'll try again another time, I guess I wasn't prepared enough at the time anyway. Looks pretty though!

The research for organizations with which I can work:



It sounds RIGHT up my alley. I am emailing them now, the Abraham Fund, how fitting! They were suggested to me by an Israeli I happened to meet in Jordan, go figure. I don't know if they have an office up in Haifa, but I would love to see if there is any work to be done for them up there.

So, this weekend I'm off to Haifa to spend with some friends, and Allie is offering her generous self to help me get up there with all of my stuff! My friends up there are kindly offering their houses and even cars to get me to the university so that my move-in is painless. I feel so lucky to already have a community like this, it's really nice and helps with the transition so much. Until Sunday, I am just reconnecting to Israel, but I am very excited to start my program so that I can fill in my time and not think about all of these vast changes.

Interesting conversations to come, I'm sure. Just you wait.

--Avraham