1 MORE WEEK!!!

Hey All!!

I know it seems like a very long time since my last post, but then again there is a lot going on in the world pre-leaveing.

I had an amazing time up until now. I celebrated birthdays (Happy 21st Samar and Erica, xoxoxo). Spent some time with friends (of course), Worked at my theatre with my mom, she is one of the scenic artist's for the show Romance, Romance which opens this week, everyone in the area should see it. I also had a great New Years, I went to my old friend Jason's apartment, I haven't seen Jason in probably 6 years, and he welcomed me into his home with open arms and so much love. I went with my girl Kristina and a bunch of her Elizabeth Town friends, of whom I love sooo very much. It was amazing, I rang in the new year with old friends and new one's.

Then reality sunk in......

Behind all of the fun I had been having with my friends and family I was still keeping myself informed on what was going on in Israel. Israel and the Hamas were still fighting, and it seemed like it was getting worse everyday, but then again the media in Israel is VERY different then the media in the states, so I didn't know who to believe.

My friends from Israel send me messages saying that they are fine, and that they are hearing the same things that I am in the states. One of my friends even said that a bomb went off outside of his apartment 2 weeks ago and his classes were canceled until further notice, he moved to his mom and dad's house just in case. He then said to me, "Fish, it's never going to be great here, but it is better that this is happening now, and then we will get another couple of years of peace." He was so calm, but I knew that he was right, it's never going to stop, you just have to hope that it calms down long enough to put your self back together again. At the same time my mom had been e-mailing our cousins that live in Israel, right by Hebrew University, and they were saying that I will be fine, and that they are so very excited to see me. One of them is graduating from the army, and I am so proud of him, he went to the south to take some classes in order to finish up and that was the only thing that I was concerned about, I was scared for his safety and for the safety of the rest of my friends that could most likely be called up and sent to Gaza to fight. That is what scares me the most, I care more about the people that I love more then myself, and that might seem bad, but it is who I am.

I kept on getting phone calls/texts/facebook messages and more from family and friends from all over asking if I was still going abroad, all I could think of was, why wouldn't I go? I would get questions of what is the security like, and how far away are you from Gaza? I would answer these questions quickly and with a little bit of wit; "security is high, and it's just the matter of being smart and not doing anything stupid, Hebrew University is on it 24/7, security is under control...and my school is in Jerusalem, in the new city, and it is about 50 miles away from Gaza, I will keep my distance."

Then...there were the silly questions that started coming..."what happens if you die?" At this point I just chuckle because of the way that question was put together. I would respond with "I'm pretty sure that if I die then I will be dead," the person that asks this would say that my response was not funny, and I would just say to them that it was kind of funny, you have to laugh a little but about what you just asked me. I would then give them a better answer to their already messed up question. "Like I said before, I just have to be smart, don't go to Gaza, don't get on public transportation, the usual."

Just to let everyone know, I am not scared of what could happen to me, if I was scared of those consequences then I wouldn't be going, there are worse things that I have been thinking about for when I get there like; not doing well in my classes, sucking at Hebrew, not making friends...etc.

Then, about two night ago, I found a glimmer of hope and meaning to all that was going on. My cousin (the one is Israel) sent my mom a link to an article that was sent to her. My mom said that I should read it and tell her what I thought. At first I was thinking, it's probably just another news post that still makes no sense, I then read the title "A Caterpillar an An Anthem." I started reading it and I was so moved that I started tearing up, it was a beautiful short story about a man experiencing the bombings with his family and how it was affecting the people of Israel.

This is what I leave you all with, read the story. if you print it out, it is about 7 pages, and believe me it is well worth it. Go onto the Internet type in http://www.danielgordis.com/ and when the site comes up press "Dispatches" and read the first story "A Caterpillar and An Anthem." It will change your life, I promise.

God Bless, and Love,

xoxoxo

EmFish