Yeurshalayim Matook Yerushalayim

Dear Mom-

The fact that Meredith's friend, Katie, had yet to have schwarma was a terrific excuse to go for you. Here's a picture of proof. So Meredith and I took her to that place on Emek Refaim and she said it was the best schwarma ever.

Love,
The Best Daughter

Not surprisely, I had trouble falling asleep between 2 to 5 AM and I got up for half-hour and surfed around the Internet while trying to fall back asleep. I woke up again at 9 ish and helped myself to breakfast. Linda and Shlomi had already left.

This began my "backpacking" adventure in Israel. This is going to be a rehearsal for a future trip to Russia even though Russian customs and manners are different. Anywayyyy, I carried all of my stuff to the bus stop outside of the kibbutz and waited and waited for my bus. I was supposed to take 501 to Tel Aviv's north station so I could get on 480 to Jerusalem. But the bus never came after half-hour so I gave in and took the 48 that took me all the way down to central Tel Aviv. With all of my stuff. I transferred to the 4 bus to Tel Aviv station. Theeennnn I proceeded to my normal route in the station (it really IS a mess-I'll post pics in August). I was able to get on the 1:15 bus to Jerusalem along with lots of other people.

Once I arrived in Jerusalem, one thing struck me. I knew that they had completed that "bridge" for the light rail and boy, I did not expect to see it right as the bus got off the freeway towards the central station. It looked... odd. I'll admit that my travel from that point to Hebrew U was... in a disappointing way. I counted several new developments for residential apartments along bus 28's route. I just knew that wealthy Americans and Europeans will end up buying these places, not Israelis. That's one aspect of Jerusalem that bothers me- no affordable housing for Israelis to stay. I later learned that I was correct- these new buildings will be very expensive.

When I arrived at Hebrew U's Kfer HaStudentim and met Meredith there, it was great! When I wakled in her apartment, it felt like i was coming "home." The familiar smell and sight of the place brought back lots of fond memories (it was in a different building). It struck me as I put my stuff down that I had made Jerusalem far more of my home than I thought. I put that thought aside since I had just gotten here. I met Meredith's friend, Katie, and two of her Danish roommates (who were studying Biblical Hebrew). Everyone was very, very nice. Before we headed out for dinner, we all took a short nap. I was definitely tired.

We set out around 5 to downtown. First, we went to the shuk. I thought, "Thank goodness I haven't changed my dollars yet and I only have 20 shekelim and whatever change..." That addiction never left me- I drooled over the sight of amazing produce and smell of baked goods. I wanted to buy that 5 shekelim hummus and some pita bread along with cucumbers... I ended up only buying a mango and some baklava. Meredith did buy some chocolate rugalech (which she later gave me ONLY ONE piece). I didn't want to buy the rugalech knowing that it would never make it home after dinner. Meredith and Katie wanted to do some skirt shopping so they looked around in this shop at the shuk and another shop down on Agrippas near King George. I found some beautiful clothing but truly refrained myself from buying anything. My current plan is to refrain from buying anything unnecessary August 8th so that I can have enough money to do some traveling after my Haifa ulpan ends.

After shopping around and dollar-changing on Ben Yehuda, we took the bus down to Emek Refaim. Katie had yet to have her first shwarma and Meredith wanted to go back to this place on Emek. So there we go, Mom, a good excuse me to get a little fat for a couple hours. I ordered mine on a pita instead of a laffa since I hadn't had a schwarma in a year and my stomach would not be accustomed to it. Katie loved her schwarma and joked how she felt pregnant as she wore an empire waist t-shirt that hid her full tummy.

By this point, I had to admit that Jerusalem certainly had a place in my heart despite the rapid changes it would undergo in the next decade. Mom was right. It's so full of history and I love how I know a lot of the side streets that randomy twist and turn. Yes, the haredim drive me a little nuts (especially when the 4/19 bus climbs up the hill to Mea Shearim) but what's more important is being there for Jerusalem, for Israeli control over Jerusalem. I think the fact that Jerusalem truly is a historical city that's going through changes is what makes it a home for me in Israel as a historian and avid fan of watching history happening in front of my eyes.

Tomorrow, off to Ein Gedi!!!