For Zion's Sake: February 2011

I wanted to let you know how I was doing. I wrote this letter to a friend and thought it would paint the best picture of what I've been up to and how I've been feeling lately. (My friend didn't mind...)

...Toughest winter in recent history! It was like struggle, struggle, struggle until the wind blows through and the memory of those achy breaky times gone. I was just thinking about this last night. Whether I was here or in Portland, I think it would have been a hard season. I've heard that it was a hard winter for so many around us.   Just recently, I felt impressed by the Big Guy that for me and all of the volunteers here, '...the season of singing has come.' I felt good things would start in February.    Many things have. There have been breakthroughs, people have been given opportunities, prayers have been answered and the sun has started warming us all up.

Warm days make everything so much better. I kind of thought Israel would be balmy. I was unprepared for the onslaught of so many cold, dark days.   It was so cold you would literally wear 5-7 layers of clothing to keep insulated.   I am thankful for the rain coming down on this dry land, but it was difficult keeping your paper products dry and the floors unmuddied, as you left newly-cleaned rooms.

I love storms. It was great sitting in the dining room as the wind blew up from the coast and pounded rain against the strong windows keeping us cozy inside.

Back to the present.   We have a volunteer trip planned, we just had a B study with one of the premier tour guides of the region and were invited to our volunteer coordinator's home for lasagna the other night.   We have a list going around where we can write down all the things that need fixing in our rooms. (For the boys' places: holes in floors, windows missing, etc. ... and for the girls, using a shared room key between 3 people.)   I would say that things are looking up.

By the way, tour guides are the national heros of Israel. when you want to impress someone, you tell them how many prime ministers your tour guide has led around. They actually have to apply for a license to be a guide and it takes 2 years to study and test for it. There is someone staying with the volunteers right now who is going for it and said that it is not easy. He even has a supervisor.)

The uprising in Egypt... As usual, the more tumult I am around on the outside, the calmer I am on the inside. Revolution. I believe revolution can be the climax for great change. (We have had own little revo here. We prayed, we acted and we were heard.) We are diligently watching what will happen in Egypt. There is talk that this might create a domino effect and other countries (Tunisia, Yemen, etc. ..) that are ready for change will rise up and create some disturbance so their voice can be heard. These are my thoughts from the limited amount of news I've been able to take in between work and sleep and laundry.

I just had the chance to take a few new vols (volunteers) to Jerusalem. It was so nice being the veteran--pointing out all the sights and giving out advice that people have given to me. I am now one of three that have been here the longest--and I've only been here two months! I know where the ATM's are, where to catch the bus to go home and my favorite--the bakery with the 2 shekel chocolate croissant and 6 shekel hot chocolate. (Almost all the prices in Jerusalem are 1.5-3 times higher than in the States--especially now that the value of the dollar has dropped.

Most average coffees are 15 shekels ($4.50), meals are 35 shekels ($10) and clothing (sweatshirts, pants) is 70-100 shekels ($25-35). Maybe those prices aren't too bad, but a day into Jerusalem adds up quickly. With your bus fare, a quick snack and maybe a postcard or toothpaste, it's bare minimum, 50 shekels and you've spent 1/5 of your monthly allowance. I have a friend in the city who said many of her friends have almost become vegetarians because meat has become so expensive to buy.

Back to my vol. friend... I also told them the story of Abu Ghosh. (It's famous for its hummus also.) It's our closest neighboring city and an Arab one at that. It's different though. They were on the same side as the Jews when fighting for their independence. More recently, when there was fighting between the Arabs and the Jews and the Jews were throwing rocks at their neighbors, the Arabs of Abu Ghosh asked someone what they should do. 'We like our neighbors, we don't want to fight with them.' The advice: Bring flowers over for Friday Shabbat. They did so and all was well in Abu Ghosh after that.

Now that things are back in balance I can relax, enjoy my time here and plan the next step. I'm going to get some resumes out to international schools in the area for next year, I think. I always wonder what I should really be doing, but then the next step becomes obvious.

I have to say, I never thought housekeeping would be such an intense job. 40 hours a week dedicated to hotel upkeep really takes time. I thought I would have more time and energy for traveling and going out to see things after work, but it has taken more out of me than I thought. The sun goes down at around 5:30 pm which doesn't leave much time for sight-seeing after a 7:30-4:00 day.

This is not to discourage anyone, just to remark that doing a tour of Israel might be a good idea before volunteering for a few months here. Touring works at the end though too and there is enough time to see some things on days off and on your 2 extra days off each month. It is great to be this close to Jerusalem and have so many bus options. Israel is a small country. A well-planned day can take you to many historical sights. (A side note: I now have friends who live in the city and it has been my joy to be able to spend the night at their homes and do things with them the next day.)

Learning Hebrew is coming. With this 'season of singing' has come some new volunteers that are bent on learning the language. We practice whatever we can and try to keep each other up-to-date on the latest words we've all learned.

The most recent is,
'kilu' - 'like' or 'as if'
'menyan' - 'interesting'
and my friend in the city just taught me,
'ein matzav' - 'no way!'
and I love saying:
'metzuyan' - 'perfect!'

I just found a great Hebrew for Travelers book (20 shekels = $6) in the Old City. What a find. I've been needing something like this since I got here. Now I just need to find some Jewish people to talk to.

(I joke about not knowing any Jewish people while I'm here in Israel because Yad Hashmona is like a little island. We have so many international volunteers here that I speak more Spanish than anything--besides English. It is a retreat from the seriousness of Jerusalem and the 'carnival' of Tel Aviv.

It's really important then, for someone who wants to get the Israeli experience to get out as much as possible. If one can't get out, getting to know members of the moshav is such a treat. They are the veterans here and have such spirit. They have built this place from the ground up and have invested their lives and family's lives into it. They have have been 'holding the fort' so to speak for many years. They have hosted believing groups and house discipleship ministries and now B translator students. It may take a little effort to bridge the gap--we don't eat with members like I thought we would--but seeing them at the fellowship or in transit is a great time to get to know them--some real Sabras.

Interesting...visa situation is not so good. I actually don't have a visa--it has expired. The administration promised that it was their job to take care of visas and not to worry. But it might be that I have to leave the country (with a letter explaining that I've been volunteering) and then come back in on another tourist visa. This would mean a trip to Cyprus--which would be a welcome vacation if necessary. I have gotten advice encouraging the opposite. Stay put until they take care of it.

Volunteers come and go like the clouds here. Shifting and changing: rooms, work assignments, trials, triumphs... One of our vol. leaders here was really concerned due to a visa situation.   They want to move to this country but their visa situation might make things difficult when they apply to 'make aliyah'. (They are Jewish so they could settle in Israel.) It will be okay.   It just has to be in the Big Guy's hands.

So we are all a little affected when the seasoned ones go through stuff. When things turn around though and prayers are answered, it is a team victory.    We eat, sleep, work and pray together.   You feel very bonded to your 'people'.

I might have met the author of my favorite Israeli blog in Tel Aviv this past week. It's called, 'What War Zone?'    I asked this guy if he was 'English' (what I meant to say was 'English-speaking!') so he said, 'No', but clearly with a New York accent.   I'm pretty sure it was him.   His blog really made an impression on me when I was preparing to come here and trying to pick up some Israeli pop culture. Not everything he writes about is kosher, so I can't recommend it unreservedly, but it was like having a friend in the Middle East before I got here.

It is a small world here. You'll get on a city bus and be like, "Didn't I just see you last week, walking down the street with your gun in uniform?"   Or there's the old lady selling cell phones that then you see in the grocery store buying chalah bread for Shabbat. It's weird. Not the best examples. I'll think of some better ones.   It's such a small country, alot of people do double duty here. You'll run into someone who runs a youth hostel that was just the security director for the army and recently got into the stock market--all before age 40. :]

They're watching 'Get Smart' in the other room. It's so fun to hear the lines through the walls and smile at everyone's reactions. I am tempted to join them. Friday is becoming our Shabbat celebration and movie night. It's after dinner and is sometimes followed up by some amazing worship and prayer. Very real. Very special. Wait. A Spider. I need to kill it.

I better go. Baruch ata--or 'at'--if you are a guy. (Bless you!)

After much anticipation, the volunteers at Yad Hashmona got a volunteer trip to the Galilee region. We also got within eyeshot of the Syrian and Lebanese borders, went to two natural reserve parks and ended the day with some make-your-own falafels in a Druze village on the Golan Heights. Some highlights were a snow-covered Mount Hermon as a backdrop and the lights of Tiberias reflected in the Sea of Galilee after dark. Below are some of the pics....