8/14/11

Though this is the first day, I shall recap what I have discovered, including today's discovery.

Wicked Will - The Ettes

Kind of like a female "Black Keys."

Breaks from the Border - The New Mastersounds

A funkadellic type of thing, fun to listen to.

Sky Full of Holes - Fountains Of Wayne

Stacy's mother lovers are back, and better than ever, this CD's a lot of fun, reminds me of the 90's again. Be sure to check out "A Dip in the Ocean."

King - O.A.R.

A great CD, classic O.A.R. with the reggae beats and the saxophone. They have the unique ability to create something as poppy as the Twilight Theme, to something extremely fun like "Heaven."

Famous First Words - Viva Brother

Another Brit-pop band, they're cool. A little bit of "The Hives" plus a little "Killers" with some cool harmonies. Definitely worth checking out, especially "David."

Young Love - Matt Kearney

This is a cross between "One Republic" and "Florence and the Machine," their popular track, "Hey Mama" is great but you should definitely check out "Sooner Or Later."

Quiet in the Valley, On the Shores the End Begins & The Electric Six - Jim Ward

While also being one of the longest CD titles ever, this acoustic artist is very creative and though his music seems to have been recorded in his living room without any equipment, save a microphone or two, he puts out a very beautiful purely acoustic sound.

Talk to you soon.

New Music I Have been listening to

I recently procured a program called Spotify. It allows me to access more music than I could possibly listen to in a lifetime, nevertheless, I shall try. It is as much for me to remember what music I liked, and what I didn't, than it is to tell the world.

Everyone who was directed by my website

I figured I shall update this blog so people who get directed through my website, realize that I actually update this, if I get any comments, I'll be surprised.

Yom Hazikaron and Yom Ha'atzma'ut

Hey!

NATIV decided that we should spend Yom Hazikaron and Yom Ha'atzma'ut in Jerusalem. They packed us on a bus to Jerusalem at 7:45 AM in order to get to Har Herzl at 10:00 AM for the program there. There was so much traffic that we had to park far away, so we hiked up the mountain to get to the cemetery. At the cemetery we recieved flowers, candles, water, and various prayer cards. Armed with my own flower, candle and card I decided I would make my way through the crowd to get to the top of the mountain for the program. Seeing thousands of people, hundreds of them soldiers of every division, and every rank was an experience I will not soon forget. I ran into one of my good friends and we listened to the ceremony featuring a wonderful speech by Shimon Perez and the normal Yom Hazikaron prayers led by the head rabbi of Israel. It was a unique experience that I am thrilled I got to be a part of. Following our Har Herzl experience we returned to the hostel to eat lunch. Because March of the Living had booked all of the rooms at the Jerusalem Youth Hostel, we were designated a room in the basement to put all of our stuff, they obviously thought we wouldn't go to sleep and we'd party all night for Yom Ha'atsma'ut.

Following lunch we had a program about Yom Hazikaron featuring our staff and the mother of Michael Levin z''l. Most of you know Michael Levin's story, if you don't I encourage you to look it up, it's inspirational, and the definition of what Israel means to the rest of our world. She spoke of Michael as an ordinary teenager, not the hero that we've come to know and love.

We were free to roam around Israel at 4:00 PM. Many activities followed because us NATIVers had about 4 hours to kill until Yom Ha'atzmaut was set to start. So being the creative young adults we are, we decided to sit in a circle and play some games. We played the hate game, which features one person being chosen, and everyone in the circle saying one thing that they really don't like about that person. This led into the "save game." This game is only slightly less morbid. Each person in the circle chooses a person in the circle that they would save, if one were put in that position. This goes around until there is one person left, this person, yes, you've guessed it, they perish in the situation that they would have been saved from. I was in a situation in one of the latter rounds of the game and I was in the final two, one would live, one would die, it was very tense. This guy, Adam Talmud threatened to not save me, if I didn't update my blog, so I promised to update it, and here it is. Hi Adam! Happy? Great, me too.

After these few hours of harmless fun a couple of friends and I attended a Ma'ariv service at the Tayelet, which overlooks the Old City. This featured dancing, singing, musical instruments, and a vibe that could never be matched. I recall that I mentioned that Simchat Torah dancing was a reason for me to stop clubbing, this only encouraged that thought. The unique mix of cultures, whether it be from different countries, or just different backgrounds, the unique Israeli dance style which includes techno break dancing to "B'shana Haba'a B'Yerushalayim."

After this wonderful service we headed to Ben Yehuda Street which was the center of all things Yom Ha'atzma'ut. Concerts, Breslauers, drunk minors, cotton candy, popcorn, and plenty of food created a unique atmosphere that could not be duplicated. I milled around the Ben Yehuda area and then made my way to a huge Israeli dancing gala at the town hall. This was set to last until 7 AM the next morning, I stayed until 2 AM.

Today we had a nice Yom Ha'atzmaut BBQ, or Mankal, it was good food, and good fun. I'm back in Yerucham, and will update more often.

GO MAVS!!!

-Z

Hey All

Hi, So I'm in yerucham right now and we're almost settled.

I'm working as an english helper at the secular highschool and at the yeshiva. It's hard work but it's fun. I'm cooking alot as well. I plan to go to Tel Aviv for the weekend too.

More updates to come....

Brace Yourself

Hey

To all my loyal readers, and you know who you are, I have not posted in a long while because I have not been within internet access. Now I have internet access and I can fill you in on my vacation extraveganza. 

Sunday

On Sunday we traveled down to Eilat. We drove through the West Bank and all that jazz and it was a lot of fun. We travelled through the wide expanse of the Machtesh Ramon, and toured the wonderful, and I mean wonderful, city of Yerucham, where I will be spending my second semester here in Israel. A series of interesting things happened on our trip. The first was on our way to Eilat, at a checkpoint somwhere near the Jordanian border, we were stopped by some Israeli soldiers. We were all prepared for the worst but the soldier just asked us in plain aweful Israeli english, "do you have pen?" Now my dad collects pens, he collects fountain pens and was carrying 3 of his favorite pens in his pocket at the time. So he's prepared to give them a pen. He reaches for his pocket and the soldier says, "no, shit pen. Thus we knew he wanted to keep a pen from an innocent tourist family, so we gave him a bright green pen and were on our way.

Monday

On Monday we woke up early to go to Petra. Petra is cool, look it up, I don't feel like explaining. So we woke up and we're ready to go, and my dad suddenly says..."where's the car key?" We had rented a car, stam. We tear the hotel room apart, looking for this key, we don't find it. It's eventually time to leave and we get on jeeps to take us to the border. On our way climbing down from the jeep my mom finds it in her tote bag. Awesome, Joy, Elation, wonderful start to a day. So we do the border stuff en route to Petra. Petra's in Jordan, just in case you didn't catch that Adam Talmud. Petra is incredible, on the outskirts of an Arab village one walks down a stone path to a narrow gorge that one walks through until the Treasury, it's the 2nd man made wonder of the world. After the Great Wall of China. So, there's this Chzek girl on our tour and she's gorgeous, we'll get to that later. So we walk around and then we're on our way up. Now my parents aren't the biggest walkers and they elected to take a horse and carriage back up to the top of the hill. Now picture, a little horse, carrying my parents, for those of you who DON'T know my parents, think of me, but bigger, on a carriage. Now unique to Petra, the Romans decided to "pave" the road with stones. Now these stones are the size of basketballs, and when a carriage rolls over them, it rocks back and forth. Let's just say my parents were a little shaken up. On our way out of Petra we reached our bus, and we're waiting. We're waiting for this Chzek girl, she's missing 2 hours later she shows up. Now, these Asian-Australian people that were on this tour had not eaten breakfast, and pushing on 2 in the afternoon, they were getting antsy. You think jewish mothers kvetch...asians are so much worse....GAHHH! So, you think I'm done with Monday?.......nope sorry. So on our way back across the border we go through security and I run to the restroom. I had given a bag that I was carrying to my mom to hold while I went and rested. Now as paranoid as Israelis were, they went and looked for me in the bathroom. Talk about odd conversations while you're on the toilet, and talking to a man with an Uzi...hmmm. So I get out, no problem, whatever. So we're waiting for the border police to stamp our passports. So we're waiting, and waiting, and we find out that the computers are down. So we're a bunch of tourists, gone to Jordan for the day, and not allowed back in...ummmmm. Eventually we got back in fine fun vinni vitti veggie...we came, we saw, we ate a salad, lobster bisque...yalla onwards and upwards.

More updates to come

Birthday Wishes

Today's my birthday

Thanks for all the birthday wishes I know you're thinking of right now. You're all so sweet, yes even you Mr. Talmud. So what's new?

Friday was spent almost entirely at the Shuk in Jerusalem, I bought some interesting dried fruits and they will serve as snacks for our family's trek down to Eilat and Petra tomorrow. Friday night services was spent at the Great Synagogue, it was nice listening to the choir and cantor, my dad enjoyed it considerably less...but you know how dads are. We then dined at the Prima Royale.

Recently I've considered becoming a Kosher Food Critic, professionally. Or maybe just as a hobby. The Prima Royale dining hall was on floor -3, an appropriate floor for the quality of food they served. Great salad bar, and soup....less great main course, and then an abominal excuse for dessert. It was a nice time though, I was blessed by my parents for the first time since August, so that was very nice too. Shabbat morning we attended Shira Chadasha, an orthdox synagogue in the German Colony. It's a very pleasent service. One of my friends came with us to shul and we were invited to one of NATIV's coordinator substitutes, while the main coordinator is off getting his marriage on. 

It was a lovely lunch, started with hummus and salad and babagenoush (sp?)

The second course was sweet potatoes, rice with zuchinni, and chicken thigh leg combos cooked in a fruit sauce. It was all very tasty. For dessert we had rugelach and fruit salad and tea. It was a very nice home cooked meal. Ending with some singing, and we were off back to base.

I led Mincha at the local congregation at our base then napped.

For dinner we went to a little place called pastabar. It's a neat place that you can get a decent meal for a decent price. Armed with sweet potato ravioli, eggplant lasagna, and pesto fettuchinni, we went to get some coffee at Cup o' Joe.

Tomorrow we head down to Eilat via Yerucham and Mitzpe Ramon to look at my future abode and the giant indent in the ground that we like to call a crater.

I'll see you all next from Eilat...

Shavua Tov,

-Zachary

PS. how do you spell babagenoush? Any ideas if I decide to be a food critic?

Almost Shabbat

So, a couple hours and counting.

Shabbat's upon us and I'm very excited, my parents are too, for this is our first Shabbat together in Israel.

As I reach this point in my relationship with my parents, the fact that I'm growing up and they're also getting better with age, I'd like to publicly thank them for 19 years of hard work, and that they've raised me until the point that I could start to learn how to raise myself.

Think about it this Shabbat, the ones you love, they really love you back. They've invested hard earned time and money on you, and you know what? Even if you don't believe it, you ARE absolutely worth every minute of it. Don't ever forget that.

Shabbat Shalom

PS Give someone a hug today, that you wouldn't normally, it may just make their day.

-Zach

Long time no blog

So, since the opening of the NBA season I haven't blogged. No, no, no. It's not because I'm a devout Basketball fan who watches every game and has no time to blog. It's because I am a die hard student at the Hebrew University. Well, that's stretching the truth a little bit too. I'll start with the big stuff.

Election party at Beit Nativ

Fun, mostly, I went to bed early because of my confidence in the American people after 8 years of getting burning hot steaks shoved up their you know whats. I am alive with the glory of a Black President...fun. 

Thanksgiving at Beit Nativ

Very nice, unfortunately due to my bottomless pit of kindness towards other people, I waited 'till the buffet line was virtually gone, and I missed my chance at a piece of freshly carved turkey...oh well there's always next year. Our staff did a sweet thing and decided to Email our parents telling them to Email our past Thanksgiving guests, or hosts, and have them write lovely lovely letters about how they miss us and all that bullshlacha. It was a very...yes...lovely time. It was capped by a neat presentation by a couple of my friends as part of the Thanksgiving Va'ad (people who planned activities specifically for this turkey feast). Watch out, we're travelling back in time, back to before dinner. Whew...Prior to dinner there was a nice display of talents of the Nativ kids. We had an a capella group featuring my good friend Adam Talmud (whose been begging me to put him in my blog for months) and co. Many videos teased and heightened our hunger towards dinner which I mentioned before.

Midterms

Blah, fine, I did fine, you get the Idea.

Hanukkah

It was nice, we lit candels and what not, played games, unfortunately I was not involved in these activities due to the play I was a part of...

MY FAIR LADY

7 performances. 7 church visits. 7 horse races. 1 bad you know what (yes, ^ that)

It was a great experiance, I'd do it again, though that ^ still haunts me.

New Years

Fun, nothing special

Finals

Hard, long, painful, but satisfying in the end. I haven't gotten my grades back from virtually anything, but I feel confident about it.

I'll update tomorrow...ok Adam, you owe me a conversation, and a comment...ha

And God said, "Let there be baskteball."

Since my last post much has happened. Due to popular demand, I have consented to write another blog post. Recently the NBA started their grueling 82 game schedule. I am very excited to watch as many games as possible. Unfortunately our TV is stuck on world series until it's over....go Rays. What have I been up to? Well, on shabbat I went to shul...on sunday a couple of friends and I went to the Sushi place previously mentioned and ordered the all you can eat sushi again. It was just as good. School's starting to get into ful swing, and my workload's growing larger every day. My rabbi's comming into israel and I'm hoping that I'll be able to have shabbat dinner with him.

That's all for now

-Z

Sushi Sooshi Sooshie Sooshiey SOOOSHI

Hey!

Today I decided to eat sushi. Not just any sushi, my friend Jonathan and I decided to go to a sushi place near beit NATIV and order all you could eat sushi. For about 20 USD we ate our fill of sushi. It was fantastic. Shabbat is coming soon, and it's raining outside. It will be wonderful. Tomorrow I'm reading Haftorat Breishit, many of my friends are coming to see me. It should be nice.

Shabbat Shalom

-Z

Back to School Blues

Contrary to popular belief, just becuase I haven't blogged recently, things are still happening! Last Wednesday NATIV left their humble abodes and went down to the desert to discover their Bnei Yisrael roots. Armed with Lulavim, Etrogim, water, and high spirits we came to the desert where we would spend the next three days hiking, sleeping, hiking, shmoozing, hiking, eating, hiking, sitting, and bonding. Oh, and a little more hiking. My group, Yerucham's task was to get to the Machtesh (giant crater in the middle of israel...look it up, it's cool) from the Aravah Valley. Walking about 20+ kilometers in 3 days we did it. It was fantastic. My favorite part of the trip, aside from all the hiking, heat, sleep deprivation, and exhaustion, was my 45 minute nap up on the ledge of the Machtesh. You just don't do those things every day. We davened with our lulavim in the desert to simulate a real o'naturAl experiance.  We got back to Beit NATIV a few hours before Shabbat. Shabbat was very nice, I attended the Great Synegogue for kabbalat shabbat which is always a treat, and then congregation Kedem for shacharit. I allowed them to nudge me into doing haftorah for this week. Bereishit...it should be fun, once I look at it that is. The remainder of chol hamoed Sukkot came and went and we found Simchat Torah in our laps. In America, Simchat Torah's pretty insane. In Israel, Simchat Torah's a legitimate reason to quit clubbing. Nowhere else can you get this many people singing, and dancing, with this type of kavanah. It was a very amazing, and special experiance. On erev Simchat Torah I attended Yakar. We danced for 2 hours. Up and down the street, around cars, around people. It all became a reality when I was able to dance with a Torah during the 7th Hakafa. There are some experiances that I may remember my whole life. That makes that list without fail. I was then invited to a very lovely dinner with some friends and staff. It was very nice to have a homecooked meal again. This morning I attended The Great Synegogue. I had wanted to hear Geshem since I arrived in Israel. It did not dissapoint. Both the cantor and the chior were fantastic. I left right after because it was time for lunch. After a quick game of risk with some friends I moseyed on down to the sukkah to see what was happening. I walked up to a game of Jungle Speed. This is an intense game, I had learned it under a different name: Jungle Jam. And I played that for an hour. For those who would like to look this game up, please do, also note that no one was hurt, physically that is, for the enjoyment of this game. After Jungle Speed, NATIV walked over to a park and attended Hakafot Shniot. This is a ceremony that is basically Hakafot with live music. It was great fun. Shimon Perez was there, along with all the cheif rabbis of Israel, and they were all dancing and having a great time. I go back to school on Thursday, and I've got much homework to complete. For all you readers out there. Please leave a little comment, either with questions, comments, things that will make me laugh, etc. You've been slacking a little bit on my past blogs. 

Until Next Time

V'samachta, Bechagecha, Vahita Af Sameach

-Z

Shake Shake Shake, Shake Shake Shake, Shake your Lulav, Shake your Lulav

Today I had the unique experiance of buying my very own lulav and etrog. We went down to the Jerusalem Shuk and there was a huge bazarre of lulavs etrogs hadasim and aravot. I saw etrogs the size of softballs and lulavs that were upwards of 4 feet tall. There was a man trying to sell a 10 foot lulav. It was awesome. I picked out my own lulav and etrog, along with hadasim and aravot, all from different sellers mind you. The total was 50 NIS, and with a neat lulav carry case it was 65 NIS. Tonight is erev Sukkot, and the Sukkot are up at Beit Nativ. A couple of friends and I are going to sleep outside tonight, it should be a very fun experiance. Tonight for the Chag's dinner we are putting together a nice chicken dinner. I am going to go out and pick some roasted chickens from supersol and other people have brought other things. It should be a wonderful evening. After the chag we are going to be spending time in the Desert as part of our Tiyul. I'll be back Friday right before Shabbat, and I plan on staying at one of my co-counsuler's houses this weekend. 

Chag Sameach!

-Z

Dissapointment in the wake of Adversity

So, I went into my Jerusalem final thinking that it would be hard. Found it to be quite easy, then turned around, got it back, and I didn't do too well. I guess it's my luck. Word from the wise, if you don't pay attention to a class, you're probably not going to do well on the final. Huh... I guess I'll just have to try harder in my other classes. Anyway. It's Sukkot! It makes me very excited, I am going to go out and by my own lulav and etrog. What should I look for in a lulav or etrog? I've never had the opportunity to buy my own. It's an interesting experiance. Though the dissapointment of my grade is keepign me down a little bit i think that I'll do better in my other subjects.

-Zach

Saturday, October 11

It's been a while since I've blogged, and I'm going to start doing it every day, because these mass blogs are just annoying. Classes started on Monday and they are all very interesting. I am sick, and I have a pretty harsh cold. Yom Kippur in Israel is FANTASTIC. For all of you who saw the movie "I am Legend." The streets of Israel could be compared to that, minus the monsters of course. No one was driving, and everyone was just walking on the streets it was so fantastic. I attended a minyan outside of the Prime Minister's house with Gilad Shalit's family for Kol Nidre and Ma'ariv, then for Shacharit and Musaf I went to Shir Hachadasha. It was fantastic. Finally to end the fast I went to the Kotel for Mincha, Ne'ila, and Ma'ariv. It was an awesome experiance. Shabbat's nice here, I'm still a little bit under the weather but I'm getting better. Sunday is school again, and after school we get to start building the Sukkah. It will be pretty fun. 'Till then...

Gmar Chatimah tovah!

Long time no Blog

There have been a couple of reasons why I haven't blogged recently. Due to mostly laziness, and a little thing called Rosh Hashana, and a slightly bigger thing called internet malfunction, I have not blogged for about a week.

Shanah Tovah Umetuka, to Everyone!

To recap the week....
Thursday I had my first college final. It went extremely well and I should receive my grade no later than Sunday. Friday held my 2nd final and that went slightly less fantastic, but still very good. I'm really starting to get the hang of this study thing. On shabbat I davened at the Great Synagogue, both Kabbalat Shabbat and Shacharit. It was an uplifting experience. I really enjoy listening to the Chazan and the choir, even if it's a very orthodox service. Saturday afternoon was spent studying for my 3rd and final final (:)). On Sunday I took that final and I performed well. Monday we had a couple of Rosh Hashana seminars and then I bought my first acoustic guitar. It's awesome and I'm enjoying every minute of it. Then erev Rosh Hashana I went and davened with everyone on nativ it was amazing. We then walked over to the parents of Gilad Shalit who were having Rosha Hashana dinner outside of the Prime Minister's house for the first time since the kidnapping. It was an awesome experience. His dad talked to us and said that it's great that we have so much support and also told everyone not to have a seat at their table for Gilad, because they want him at their table. It was amazing

Rosh Hashana was awesome, services were swift and painless, the meals were more than I needed and the company was fantastic.

until next time


Gmar Tov Everyone

-Z

So I figured it was time for another post

Hey, how is everybody

I'm doing great. We visited a messianic church yesterday and I was intorduced to a man who tried to convert me. It was a very intersting experiance. I hung out with one of my co counsulers from this summer last night. We went out and got a beer at a rock pub. It was a very nice experiance. The Israelis don't go to the bars that Us americans go to, they have more class than that. We didn't have first period today so I'm hanging out in the halls of Hebrew University. It's a lot of fun. I earned a 20 out of 20 on one of my essays yesterday. It was an awesome experiance. I've been waiting to be an academic for the longest time.

As George Harrison put it, "Here comes the sun"

I'm back in the academic game, and you know what? I'm here to stay.

-Z

I'm fine

There was a terrorist attack in Jerusalem tonight at about 11:00pm. I'm fine, and the rest of NATIV is fine. It's an unreal experience, scary but it makes me feel proud to still be in Israel, and to know, I still have a paper to write, and I'm going to do it, and nothing's going to stop me.

-Z

Good New

My friend Matt and I at Hebrew U

My friends Matan (right) and Nathan in my dorm
Just me and Nathan


So today started out pretty well. The history essay that I was working on was turned back to me and I earned an 86% on it 13/15. I'm pretty happy with that grade. I'm waiting to get my Jewish texts essay back and I'm hoping that will get better marks considering I spent a lot more time on it. I set up my Rosh Hashana schedule that features Erev dinner at Paul Friedman's house. Excited is a sever understatement. There were 4 spots allotted from each group to attend dinner and I managed to squeeze in. Today we have a meeting with Jules Gutin about conservative judaism and I have another History essay that needs to be written. This one about an Arab Israeli citizen who's a part of parliament. He wrote an article that we're analyzing and then taking a stand with an Israeli political party and writing a letter to the writer about your opinion based on your stand. It should be pretty interesting. I have a friend who's helping me write essays, he's a fantastic writer and I'm really enjoying the college atmosphere of everyone in the same boat and doing the same work. It's a really good environment for me.

Sunday Night Football...Really

So it's Sunday night and most of NATIV is out watching the football games at verious venues. I'm stuck here about to go to bed and get a better nights sleep than most will tonght. I take pride in that. It was a good day today, turned in my two essays, had another assigned due Tuesday. For dinner I bought some salami, turkey, dijon mustard, mayo, french bread with raisins and nuts for 80 NIS. That should keep me with dinners for about another 6 days, it's a good price and I need to start saving my money and my calries. Any suggestions on quick and easy meals? Thanks

-Z