Israeli Folk Dancing

I've decided that I really love Israeli Folk dancing. Its just simply a pleasure that is undeniable :D I love my friends here that make little events so enjoyable! I am surrounded by good people. I wish that it wasn't a dying way of celebrating because I think it would be a splendid way for good people to have such a good time because they're doing good things.

...hehe its just been a good day.

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Passover Dinner

Ophir my Israel professor hosted a Passover meal for us to participate in. Its such a neat tradition, don't feel to different that what Christmas or thanks giving for us is like. I think I'd like to hold a Passover meal at home sometime if I could. It teaches beautiful lessons and stories and is a wonderful way to involve children and families in the reality of the scriptures and to celebrate together.

The Chefs 

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Two Test Down and Three Hundred Million to Go!

Yep, more studying homework and tests. Story of my life. Although I think I'm going to shake the foundation of the universe and actually go to bed early. At least that’s the goal, we'll see if it happens.

...73

Current Politics

Last week I went to visit Yad Vashem the Israeli Holocaust Museum. I had been shocked to learn of the differing opinions and politics that surround the Jewish perspective of the Holocaust. Today I was even more astounded to learn that just yesterday it was vandalized by what was likely radical Orthodox Jews (although this hasn't been confirmed). I've been learning about how many different branches of people even within the same religion/ethnicity but its something completely different to see it happen here where I live. I will try to be sensitive to politics in my blog here so if your interested in the situation I would look up more about it online. If I've learned anything about modern politics from being here in Israel its that even as  complex and confusing as the American news reports can be, they are way simplified and the whole issue is much more complicated than they can or choose to portray. There are so many layers of opinions here, it is simply not enough to categorize the issues between Palestinians and Israelis or even moderate vs radical Palestinians or Orthodox vs Secular Jews. It all sums up to a quote I once heard...

                    "If your not confused than you don't really know whats going on."

                                        

This was last week when we went to visit the Holocaust Museum

This Graffiti was found yesterday morning.

Loosely translated it says:

"If Hitler hadn't existed, the Zionists would have invented him."

"Hitler, thank you for the great Holocaust. Only because of it did we receive a state from the UN"

"Persecuting Jews! You declared war on Hitler in the name of the Jewish people. You brought about the Shoah!"

"The Zionists wanted the Holocaust!"

These are difficult things to read. I have never been exposed to opinions such as these before. Suddenly learning about the origins of the different Zionist and Jewish branches has hit me closer to home. 

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The land of the Bible

We got to herd sheep, grind Hyssop, eat figs, plow the ground, draw water from a well, make pita's from scratch and all kinds of fun things today. You could say that we got to touch, taste and smell the Bible today, what a way to bring it alive.

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Something beautiful

Of all the wonders I've seen today, this little picture is high in the running for most beautiful.

;)

                              To be fully described at a more reasonable hour of the day.

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The Garden of Gethsemane

I went to the Garden of Gethsemane today for the very first time. Its a beautiful little place, I was surprised at how small it was, its just a fenced off grove of Olive trees that is really well taken care of. I really like it there. The Church of All Nations is right next door that commemorates the acts of Christ in the garden. A group of us went in and sang hymns in the church, I really loved that. The priest there seemed to really appreciate it, I thought that was really neat. I feel closer to my fellow Christians when I go to places like that beautiful church. I am grateful for all the religions and good people that fill the world.

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