Tomorrow is Shabbat. Right now there is a soccer game going on in the gym next to me. It's really loud so its kind of hard to concentrate. Ahh, okay now I'm in a classroom, thats better. I just got back from a visit to a synagogue. Ophir, our Jewish narrative teacher is taking 20-30 of us at a time (in 3 different groups) to visit a synagogue on shabbat evening. I signed up for the 2nd group which went today. It was really interesting to go to. The synagogue we went to Ophir said was Liberal Orthodox Neo-Chassidic (or something, if there's a way to label everything). The congregation was really welcoming to us. The meeting consisted mostly entirely of singing. The tunes were really catchy and very Jewish sounding (imagine that). Ophir later told us the songs were actually written only in the last 50 years, and are really popular in worship services now. Besides singing there was a little bit of talking in the middle. It's not really as organized as the church meetings we're used to. The man who got up to talk in the middle (he spoke in English because there were a lot of English speakers in the congregation) was just a guy from the community who felt he had something to say. No one asked him to. The actual Rabbi didn't do anything except make announcments at the end. We didn't even know he was the Rabbi until Ophir told us after.
Anyway before going to Synagogue today I also went with a group to finish a mural that James (resident art major) has been heading at the Princess Basma School for Disabled Children on Mount Scopus. This hospital is really close to the center. Students have been going up to work on it for the past few Fridays (they go on Friday because its the Muslim Sabbath and no one is there). There are lots of other murals on the walls a few from past BYU groups. Ours is the biggest and grandest of the BYU though (haha). James designed a scene that has a rainbow going over the earth with the moon the sun, planets and stars all around (I'll show a picture). It was great fun to paint. There's something really satisfying about slapping think paint on a wall with a big brush. While we were cleaning up brushs and stuff my roommate Heather's cell phone rang. She was in the bathroom so Natalie answered it for her. (She was expecting a call from her parents because they flew into Tel Aviv earlier today.) "Heather it's your Dad!" "You're here!, on Mt. Scopus!" Heather's parents were planning to go to Egypt first for a few days but their flight got messed up, so they're now staying in Jerusalem. It sounds like they had a rough flight experience. Their bags got lost so for church tomorrow, they're borrowing things. (Heather's Dad is borrowing Russel's pants!) It's really exciting that they're here for a few days, Heather gets to show them around!
Yesterday April 3 was a free day but I didn't go out until the afternoon cause I wasn't feeling all the way up to snuff. (A bunch of people are sick since getting back from Galilee, food poisoning? a bug? rigorous scedule? i donno what). We only have 2 and 1/2 weeks left. Many people went shopping to get all the souveniors they've been putting off buying. It's annoying when you just don't have the energy for all you want to do. I got a little studying done in the morning and then went with a group who met up with another group to go to Ein Kerem. Ein Kerem is an area of town on the West side (kind of near Mt. Herzl). First we went and saw the Marc Chagall stained glass windows inside Hadassah Hospital (the windows are in the hospitals synagogue). Next we went to the St. John the Baptist church. Commemorates where John the Baptist was born. This is a very beautiful church, maybe my favorite in Jerusalem. They told us we could sing. We sang 'Nearer My God to Thee' it was my favorite part of our visit. Next we found the best ice cream I've had so far in Isreal. It was an Italian Ice Cream shop. I never thought Pistacio ice cream would be good. Every flavor that had was good. We didn't get in to the Sister's of Zion convent that is right in that area (it closed at 5 not 6). Brother Huntington had told us this was his second favorite site in Israel. I guess we'll have to try to go back there sometime. To spend the rest of our time we wandered around and found "Mary's Spring". This is a fountain that commeorates the spot where Mary and Elizabeth met and 'the babe lept in Elizabeth's womb.' It was a really pretty fountain. There was a lady sitting next to it playing a really interesting instrument. She said it was called a 'Hang' from Switzerland (It'd be cool to find one). The sound really complimented the fountain water noise (really calming sound).
Also, I forgot to write about before. On April 3rd evening there was a violin competition here at the BYU JC. When we came in the upper gate from Ein Kerem there was a bride and groom taking pictures in the gardens (this is more common now that it's spring), and inside there were a lot of people around and a kid with a violin on his back checking in at the front desk. I went down to my room and sister Galbraith called about something and then told me there was a competition tonight of young violinists (16-17 years old). She said they were really impressive, chosen out of a larger group at an earlier competition. The winner would go on to a competition in Europe. I told her I'd like very much to go. She said to go up to the Oasis and find Bro Galbraith. Every person I passed while going up the stairs told me to find Bro Galbraith. "Oh, Emily, there's a violin thing tonight" "Emily, Bro Galbraith's looking for you"... There were 5 tickets for students. Everyone made sure I got a ticket. When I got upstairs my name was already on the top of the list. haha
The concert was sponsored by the Lion's club I think. The audience was full of middle aged Jews, probably members of the Lion's club. They remind me of the kind of people who attend the Utah Symphony accept even more boisterous people (kind of like 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding'). There were lots of speaches and formalities at the beginning. They said everything in Hebrew and then in English (It took more than 30 minutes). They expressed how they love the Brigham Young University Jerusalem Center. They say it on of 'the most beautiful places in Jersalem.' After the speeches,e ach of the violinists gave a recital. They played 3 or 4 pieces each. They were really good, lots of really intense dramatic showy stuff (the audience really enjoyed it). They played Sarasate (lots of tricks), Brahms, Carmen. About four of the pieces were repeated between the three of them. By the time they finished it had taken more than 2 hours. There was a man sitting behind us on the back row who would get upset and clear his throat if he thought he heard anyone whispering. The last violinist played the Fugue from Bach Sonata No1 in g minor. Right at the end of his piece someone a couple rows in front of us's cell phone went off. Appauled, the audience all turned to look at him. Many of them looked like they were going to pounce! The guy behind us about went crazy. Outraged he stood up and chastized the guy in Hebrew then sat down grumbling and rolling his eyes. The violinist began his next piece. The man with the phone was discusted. He climbed over everyone and furiously left the concert. I thought the concert was over but there was only a break while the judges were making their decision. Whew, I had to go, it was late and I hadn't started studying yet. Debbie wanted to find out who won so she stayed for the rest of it. She said it ended up going until 11:00pm! They had a thing set up so the audience could vote as well. The last guy who played ended up winning. I'm glad I got to go to the concert. It was a fun cultural experience.
I'm excited for Shabbat tomorrow. We are having a fast and testimony meeting only, then later in the evening, General Conference is going to be broadcast live to us from Salt Lake City!
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