Thursday, January 29, 2009

"Beatitudes"

Hey all!!!

I GOT MY CLASSES!!!
I am so very exited because this week I met with my advisor. Her name is Orit, and she knew me right away when I came into her office. Yoel told her about me, and that I am looking into getting an internship in Pisgat Zeev, at the community center there. She automaticly started asking me questions about my major and minor at Wagner, and how long I have been in theatre and dance. She was soooo excited, and couldnt wait for me to get started.
Then we got into the classes that I wanted to take for the semester, which does not start until mid-february. I told her that I wanted to take a course within the art/music spectrum, something about the holocaust, and something about religion. She already knew exactly what would work for me based on my background, and my future within the arts and education in jewish communities.
Since Hebrew University does not have a large amount of classes in the arts there was only one that I could actualy take, but it just happends to be perfect for me; Biblical Figures and Stories in Jewish, Christian, and Islamic Art. This class is all about looking into biblical figures starting with Adam and Eve, going into Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Moses, King David and more, and the art peices through history that that have depicted them and there stories in different ways. It sounds sooo great, and will let me tap into my knowledge of Art.
The next classes she signed me up for was Jewish-Non-Jewish Relations and Rescue During the Holocaust. Perfection!!!! We are going to be talking about the people that hid and or rescued Jews during the Holocaust. We then are going to talk about the bombing of Auschwitz; and the reactions of the Pope and the Vatican during that time.
Then the sugar on top!!!...I told Orit about my work in a Reconstructionist jewish camp for almost 5 years now. She imidiatly thought about this religion course; Religious Foundations of Judaism 2: Intellectual Trends and Ideological Development. It is a survey of medieval and modern Judaism, including: Judaism in the Middle Ages-Bible commentaries, poetry, philosophy, kabbalah, messianism, Hasidism; Modernization and modern religous ideologies( Reform, Neo-Orthodox, Conservative, Reconstructionist); American Judaism; Zionism and Israel. WOW!!!...thats a lot, but so worth it, I am so excited, I cannot wait to get started.
Other then those classes, I have to take another Hebrew course based on how well I did in Ulpan during the past weeks. As well as the internship course. I feel like I have a lot on my plate, but I know that Orit would not want me to take these classes if I couldnt handle it, and I always have a choice to drop a class if I dont think it is right for me.

In other news...hehe...My roommate and I were invited to have dinner with Yoel and his wife Chava. They have three children who are all a bit older then me, and I hope to eventually meet all of them. I got to meet his son Dror (I dont think I spelled that right...sorry), and there dog Shadow (sooo sweet). Chava made a wonderful dinner with tuna noodle cassarole, mac and cheese, israeli salad, and bread. We talked the entire time about everything; music, movies, superbowl...it was a lot of fun. Shaina and I were so full we didnt think that we could put anything else into our stomaches. The Chava brought out dessert...chocolate ice cream and cookies, it hit the spot. After dinner we just sat around the table and talked about being in Israel, and how this is such an amazing experience. It started to get late so Yoel took us home and showed us differnt places in the area on our way back. Chava also gave us some of the cassarole to bring back to our dorm with us (which Shaina and I ate the next night for dinner).
This weekend is full of fun!!...I am going to the community center in Pisgat Zeev for a tour and meeting people in the community.
Friday night I am going with Shaina to the Kvar (the student apartments) to make shabbat dinner for our friends Ariana, and Uriel. I am so excited to cook a fun meal for my friends. I think that is what I have been looking forward to the most, feeling like I am a mom, and taking care of the people that I love. I feel like my mom at times, taking care of the people around me no matter what, and almost always haveing a smile on my face while doing it.
I find myself feeling this way a lot, it is differnt here however. At home, or at Wagner I feel that I have to take care of my friends, it's not an obligation because I enjoy doing it, and I never say no to my friends. I take care of people without thinking of the results in the future, if I am going to regret it later, or if they are going to do the same for me in return. In Israel, I do things when I want to, I take care of my friends when they need it, and they take care of me. I offer to make dinner or help others, it is never forced on me, and everyone is so appreciative when I act this way. I feel love to the point of an unbreakable bond. My friends at home and at Wagner are my friends, and I love then to death, but the friends that I have made here are my soul. They make me thank god that I am alive, I am thankful for every moment that I am here, and I find myself stoping during the day and saying a prayer for the things I have reseved.

Blessings,
xoxoxo
Em

2 comments:

  1. That third class is the ULTIMATE civ day! Your semester sounds awesome already! Enjoy!

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  2. Yoel, as in Yoel Nesson? Because when I was at Hebrew U he invited me and my 2 best friends there to his house for rosh hashana, sukkot, hanukkah, etc...his family is ridiculously hysterical and his dog is adorable. anyways. your time in israel sounds awesome so far!

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