Quick little entry. Today was Shabbat. Right after church we had an Enrichment activity (its hard for people to get here during the week- one lady in our presidency is from Bethlehem so often she can't be here at all.) We played a game in the Oasis where we got in groups and competed to see who could match up the names of the people in Relief Society with a fact about them. We had cake and ice cream, yum! After enrichment I went out on the lawn in front of the auditorium with Anne and Annie and Heather. The plan was to study but we all fell asleep. There are red, purple, and white poppies springing up all through the grass, amazing!
A bit about yesterday. In the morning we studied the Greeks in NES. We studied the famous sculptures and architecture it took me back to my AP Art History days. My high school art history class was awesome. I actually remember a lot. Following NES we started New Testament! We learned about the background of the gospels and started at the beginning with Zachariah and Elisabeth. It reminded me of 'The Savior of the World' musical that I played the orchestra pit for at BYUI. I thought I didn't know the scriptures very well at all before I came here, which is true. But it's also suprising how much I've picked up just from being around for a while.
Anyway, in the afternoon I was planning to just stay inside and work on the dreaded '14-page paper' for MNE 347 that is due Tuesday, but I felt like I needed a nap. Before I laid down I went out into the hall to fill up my waterbottle and I saw Lyle on his way to Mea Shaream (an orthodox Jewish neighborhood in West Jerusalem). I had wanted to go and thought everyone going there had already left. Lyle told me I could come if I hurried and he would tell them to wait. I grabbed my purse and ran all the way up from the 4th floor to 5th to 6th across the marble floor by the oasis up to the 7th where I said 'hi' to Tarek the security guard, up to the 8th out the door and all the way to the gate. Looked in my purse and I didn't have my proximity card. Everyone going was already in the Sharut. Sarah jumped out and told me to hurry and go put on a black skirt and come back up. I didn't know if I felt like running all the way back down but they were waiting for me. I started to run back, turned around and waved for them to just go but I don't think anyone saw me, so I started running again (they were probably royaly confused). I ran all the way back to the 4th floor and into room 305. Roomates:' Did they leave you'
'No, I have to be in a skirt'
'should I still go?'
'yeah, go'
'okay, ahh, my black skirt doesn't match'
'its okay, you gotta go!'
'ahh, I can't wear this! (I was wearing the green shoes and white socks I already had my long black skirt)
'go!'
I grabbed my purse and started up all the stairs again. Halfway up the 6th floor my cell phone rang. It was Kimberly wondering if I was still coming. 'yeah, I'm on my way up the stairs'. I ran out to the sharut. Wind blowing showing off my lovely white socks over my green shoes. I scanned my proximity card, jumped in the van, and sat down, out of breath and breaking a sweat.
"nice socks"
"I know, it looks bad."
I probably would have been more modest if I had stayed in what I was wearing earlier and I would have been warmer.
Oh well, makes for a good story to write on my blog!
Orthodox jews pretty much where all black. Men, women, and children from head to foot are covered. I had some nice bare ankles and I felt funny. When we got to Mea Shaream everything was starting to close in preparation for Shabbat. Pretty much all I wanted to do was find a place that sold women's socks. Half of the group went into a used Hebrew book store (it was a tiny store with way too many books for how big it was). The rest of us unable to fit and knowing they'd be a while split off and continued up the street. Everyone was thinking about what they wanted to see. All I was looking for were socks. We passed a flower store on the corner that was really busy (its tradition for the women to have flowers on the table for the lighting of candles for shabbat meal.) Right next to it I spotted a store devoted completely to socks and leggings and tights, yeah! I found some nice thick black knee highs. The guy spoke English '10 shekels'. I got some navy ones too cause they looked cute. I bought them and came out onto the street. I made Lyndsay come with me back into the store to help me change my socks. It was a tiny store that didn't even have a corner really for me to get out of people's way in. I must have looked really funny balancing on one leg trying to pull up these socks. They're a really thick material and really tight. My thumb is still bruised from soccer so it hurt to use it to pull them up. My shins are also bruised from soccer, ahh! When I finally got the socks on they felt wonderful! I marched out onto the street feeling confident and covered (now I have authentic Mea Shaream socks). The rest of our time I looked for a Torah to get
for myself. (After my Hebrew class I'll have a start on reading the bible in Hebrew.) All the stores were closing and most of the book stores only had the full Tanak. I'll have to find one later. While walking through the neighborhood we heard some kids singing in one of the buildings. I think it was a school of some kind, yeshiva? It didn't look like a significant building outside but through the I could see pretty chandelier lamps hanging from the modestly high ceiling in a room pretty red walls. On tippy toes we could see inside. There were little jewish boys (curls and everything) cheerfully sitting at desks with books, chanting things in Hebrew. Their little teacher was walking around. I seriously felt like I was in a movie. I wanted to take a picture but I didn't.
We watched the clock and got home just in time for our optional field trip to the Western Wall. This was the second and last time we would get to go see the Jews bring in Shabbat at the Western Wall. This is a party! All the people gather and dance and sing. There are a lot of students and people our age. The men's side is especially crazy. Army groups in one section singing and dancing. The fur hat, orthodox groups up in their corner. Sometimes there are even guys on shoulders in the crowd. It's an exciting gathering to be a part of.
I was remembering the first time they took us. It was at the end of our first week here and we didn't know what to expect. We weren't quite used to being here yet. Sister Heyes said she liked to look at all of our faces when we first left the security passage way and entered the western wall plaza. This time I understood so much more. I made sure I touched the wall (I didn't bother to squeeze through the crowd last time). We know a couple Jewish songs from our Hebrew class so we could join in singing this time too!
A bit about yesterday. In the morning we studied the Greeks in NES. We studied the famous sculptures and architecture it took me back to my AP Art History days. My high school art history class was awesome. I actually remember a lot. Following NES we started New Testament! We learned about the background of the gospels and started at the beginning with Zachariah and Elisabeth. It reminded me of 'The Savior of the World' musical that I played the orchestra pit for at BYUI. I thought I didn't know the scriptures very well at all before I came here, which is true. But it's also suprising how much I've picked up just from being around for a while.
Anyway, in the afternoon I was planning to just stay inside and work on the dreaded '14-page paper' for MNE 347 that is due Tuesday, but I felt like I needed a nap. Before I laid down I went out into the hall to fill up my waterbottle and I saw Lyle on his way to Mea Shaream (an orthodox Jewish neighborhood in West Jerusalem). I had wanted to go and thought everyone going there had already left. Lyle told me I could come if I hurried and he would tell them to wait. I grabbed my purse and ran all the way up from the 4th floor to 5th to 6th across the marble floor by the oasis up to the 7th where I said 'hi' to Tarek the security guard, up to the 8th out the door and all the way to the gate. Looked in my purse and I didn't have my proximity card. Everyone going was already in the Sharut. Sarah jumped out and told me to hurry and go put on a black skirt and come back up. I didn't know if I felt like running all the way back down but they were waiting for me. I started to run back, turned around and waved for them to just go but I don't think anyone saw me, so I started running again (they were probably royaly confused). I ran all the way back to the 4th floor and into room 305. Roomates:' Did they leave you'
'No, I have to be in a skirt'
'should I still go?'
'yeah, go'
'okay, ahh, my black skirt doesn't match'
'its okay, you gotta go!'
'ahh, I can't wear this! (I was wearing the green shoes and white socks I already had my long black skirt)
'go!'
I grabbed my purse and started up all the stairs again. Halfway up the 6th floor my cell phone rang. It was Kimberly wondering if I was still coming. 'yeah, I'm on my way up the stairs'. I ran out to the sharut. Wind blowing showing off my lovely white socks over my green shoes. I scanned my proximity card, jumped in the van, and sat down, out of breath and breaking a sweat.
"nice socks"
"I know, it looks bad."
I probably would have been more modest if I had stayed in what I was wearing earlier and I would have been warmer.
Oh well, makes for a good story to write on my blog!Orthodox jews pretty much where all black. Men, women, and children from head to foot are covered. I had some nice bare ankles and I felt funny. When we got to Mea Shaream everything was starting to close in preparation for Shabbat. Pretty much all I wanted to do was find a place that sold women's socks. Half of the group went into a used Hebrew book store (it was a tiny store with way too many books for how big it was). The rest of us unable to fit and knowing they'd be a while split off and continued up the street. Everyone was thinking about what they wanted to see. All I was looking for were socks. We passed a flower store on the corner that was really busy (its tradition for the women to have flowers on the table for the lighting of candles for shabbat meal.) Right next to it I spotted a store devoted completely to socks and leggings and tights, yeah! I found some nice thick black knee highs. The guy spoke English '10 shekels'. I got some navy ones too cause they looked cute. I bought them and came out onto the street. I made Lyndsay come with me back into the store to help me change my socks. It was a tiny store that didn't even have a corner really for me to get out of people's way in. I must have looked really funny balancing on one leg trying to pull up these socks. They're a really thick material and really tight. My thumb is still bruised from soccer so it hurt to use it to pull them up. My shins are also bruised from soccer, ahh! When I finally got the socks on they felt wonderful! I marched out onto the street feeling confident and covered (now I have authentic Mea Shaream socks). The rest of our time I looked for a Torah to get
for myself. (After my Hebrew class I'll have a start on reading the bible in Hebrew.) All the stores were closing and most of the book stores only had the full Tanak. I'll have to find one later. While walking through the neighborhood we heard some kids singing in one of the buildings. I think it was a school of some kind, yeshiva? It didn't look like a significant building outside but through the I could see pretty chandelier lamps hanging from the modestly high ceiling in a room pretty red walls. On tippy toes we could see inside. There were little jewish boys (curls and everything) cheerfully sitting at desks with books, chanting things in Hebrew. Their little teacher was walking around. I seriously felt like I was in a movie. I wanted to take a picture but I didn't.We watched the clock and got home just in time for our optional field trip to the Western Wall. This was the second and last time we would get to go see the Jews bring in Shabbat at the Western Wall. This is a party! All the people gather and dance and sing. There are a lot of students and people our age. The men's side is especially crazy. Army groups in one section singing and dancing. The fur hat, orthodox groups up in their corner. Sometimes there are even guys on shoulders in the crowd. It's an exciting gathering to be a part of.
I was remembering the first time they took us. It was at the end of our first week here and we didn't know what to expect. We weren't quite used to being here yet. Sister Heyes said she liked to look at all of our faces when we first left the security passage way and entered the western wall plaza. This time I understood so much more. I made sure I touched the wall (I didn't bother to squeeze through the crowd last time). We know a couple Jewish songs from our Hebrew class so we could join in singing this time too!
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