Yeah, I havent' updated in a while. Perhaps I'll fill in the time later...

So, I went to Ma'ale Adumim this shabbos, to my roommates's house, with Michal. It was actually a lot of fun, if kinda quiet. (I don't mind quiet - sleep is a great thing on Shabbos. A great and wonderful thing)
The bus goes past Yaffo, so Michal and I headed to Ben Yehudah for lunch before catching the bus out. We had a bit of a panic on the bus, because normally when we're heading for Daniela's, we'll call her when we cross into Ma'ale Adumim, and she'll stand at the bus stop and call when she sees us coming so we'll know to hit the button. But this time she wasn't picking up her phone and we didn't know the name of the stop or her home number. So we panicked. She picked up on the fourth or fifth call, and it all worked out fine in the end.
We got there early and hung out for a bit, and Shabbos (like I said) was a mostly quiet affair, with lots of reading. I read three books. All of them by Eoin Colfer (of Artemis Fowl fame - I read the latest one on Friday night) but it's nice to take a mental break every once in a while. Considering I'm spending some 9+ hours a day on limudei kodesh and reading Anna Karrenina in my spare time, mindless YA novels are wonderful.
When Shabbos ended, we watched the rest of the Transformers movie (we started it last week, on Saturday night, during Daniela's second birthday party. Her first on was midnight Wednesday night (she turned 19 on Thursday) and then on Sat. night a few of us who could make it came to her house for unhealthy food and awesome movies. But we had to cut the movie short to make it back to curfew, and Michal was the only one who had never seen it, so we finished it tonight. I still love that movie, even if it's aimed at 15-year-old boys. For those...slightly older people reading this blog, I'm talking about the live-action Transformers movie that came out this summer. Not the original animated one where Optimus Prime died. I never saw that one, and based on my inability to watch old animated shows for very long without frequent breaks, I doubt I ever will.)
Anyway, a bunch of teachers from S/A/R were in the country this weeked (winter break!) so the school had a semi-reunion tonight. Michal and I headed back after the movie, and I was still fairly early for the party. It was nice. I chatted with a bunch of people whom I like but I don't keep in touch with because we're not that close. Also, it was in the OU building, which is in between Ben Yehudah (where the bus from Ma'ale Adumim let me off) and my school, so when the party ended, I just hopped on the 7 and was back in school in minutes. It was a nice night, all around.
This week, we're having a three-day tiyul in Eilat, just because. Oh, and to make everything all better, we're leaving at 2:30 in the morning. Some girls are planning on staying up because it's just not worth going to sleep. Not me! So you might not hear from me for a while (not that that's a new thing)
This update is for you Mom! Can't wait to see you!

Another Shabbos, More Sufganiyot (I'm eating waaay too many of those...)

So, I'm on Chanukah vacation. I have to say, I like this system of Jewish holiday-based vacations. Tomorrow I'm planning on visiting my cousings in Tel Aviv, wish me luck. I 'm not really sure which bus to take.
But that's not waht this post is about. This post is about Shabbos. I was in Chasmonayim, with Rachel adn Joel and co. Rinat wasn't there, but it was OK, because I brought Eliana with me. I'm still sick (almost day 8 now!) so we slept in another house because Rachel's mom has a weak immune sysytem, but it was fine. We davened in that hosue on Friday night because it was raining heavily (heaviest rain I've been here for) and we had a fun vegetarian meal, I love the dairly quiches during shabbos.
We made it to shul really early the next day, and it was nice. During the Rabbi's speech, when they pull the curtains on the Machitzah back, I saw Josh and Ashy, so I went over after shul to say hi.
The shul as having some sort of shul luncheon, and Eliana and I sat at the family table, and had a meat meal. Somehow I always manage to do that whenever I visit, despite the fact that they're vegetarian. After lunch Eliana and I just slept for the rest of Shabbos, which was fantastic. Shabbos naps are saving me from my crazy schedule this year.
After Shabos Rinat was throwing a Chanukah party for her friends, which naturally included my whole senior grade. They were all invitied, less then half showed up, but it was a lot of fun. We made our own sufganiyot (it must be my fourth this year, which is crazy for me) and ate fun vegetarian hot dogs and chicken. We played some Jewish Tabboo, sat around and talked, stood around and talked, ate some more, sang some songs, etc. It was really fun. For the last half-hour or so, we watched the begining of the Simpsons Movie, and I take back everything I said to Zvi, it's hysterical.
Rinat had hired a bus to take a group to and from Yerushalayim for the party. I don't know how much it was to go both ways (I took the Chareidi Superbus into Chashmonaim again) but it was 15 shekel to take it back to Yerushalayim, so Eliana and I decided to take it back with everyone. It was fun, I chatted with Yael the whole way (and Ein Hanatziv is really laid-back) while Noam acted like a flight attendent on the microphone in front of the bus. The bus stopped at the Tachanah Merkazit, where Eliana and I got off and caught the 7 back to sem.
I'm probably going to try to go grocery shopping Monday, or at least run over the Makolet and buy milk, as I have none, but I'm missing home and the total lack of responsibility when I'm sick. You don't want to take care of yourself when you're ill, really.

Shabbos #3 Part 2

So we asked, and got, some help on the bus. First, we chatted with some Israel guys who must have had American parents, because their accents were perfect, and they translated for us to this Israeli woman who said she'd tell us when we got to Beit Shemesh. Then, when we got to Beit Shemesh, she asked us where we wanted to go, and told the driver to take us to Rachov Reuven. People here tend to be really nice when you need help with instructions. Street names aren't used as much as in America, it's more of pointing and gesturing, but I've never had anyone refuse to give me instructions, despite my terrible Hebrew skills.
Anyway, we got off the bus and Betsy M. came to meet us, and brought us to her house, where we met the rest of the family briefly before heading upstairs. We were staying in Zvi M.'s (although he might spell that Tzvi in English...) room because he was going to be in the army for the weekend, and he had an impressive weapons collection, which we admired for a bit, because some of those knives were pretty cool. Also he had a gun. (A rifle, I think) propped up next to the bed. I think guns are awesome, so I loved it. I wondered if he was supposed to have that with him, though, if he was at the army for the weekend, though...
Anyway, night was pretty simple. We went to shul, and came back and had a great dinner. Hillel M. (the youngest son, who is about a year younger then me) was the only one home, so we chatted with him during the meal.
In the morning we headed for shul (a little late...but we caught leining and the Rabbi's speech, most of which was lost on me). After shul we headed back to the house and had a little kiddush, which was a nice difference from home, as shul gets out MUCH earlier then at home. Then we headed to Pam and Gary's house, where we had lunch. I don't really remember meeting people from when I was six, but they were really nice, and I'll probably see everyone again in a few days on Rosh Hashana. Hillel and Gracie talked with Eliana and me about stuff like the army and Bagrut in this country, stuff I'm really interested in, actually.
After lunch, everyone headed for naps, except me, I read a Stephen King book, Misery, which I like a lot. Apparently there's a movie I need to see.
We had Shalosh Shuddis (which is how it's pronounced, even if it isn't how it's normally spelled) and I had tuna fish for the second time since I've been here. I can't believe how much I'm missing it, actually. (And Mom, no, I'm not obsessing about food. I just miss tuna, OK?)
After Shabbos we caught the Shuttle (Sheirut is the Hebrew word, I beleive) back to the main bus station, and a taxi from there. We were among the first girls back, which was nice, as I got to unpack, straighten my room a little, and then take the time to start this blog.
After I put up the last post, I went to a little talk from one of the teacher here, Sally. She spoke about a son of hers that was born a little more then a year and a half ago, names Moshe Rephael. He was born months early, and she went through a very difficult time in her life that she spoke to us about. I don't want to sound corny, because it wasn't. It was very inspiring, actually. She spoke to us about how different prayers affected her and her family differently due to that difficult time period, to lead into our Selichot.
I'm willing to admit that I've never had Selichot properly explained to me, either their exact purpose and what all the words mean, so I've never found them particularly inspiring. (The school offered a shiur that I meant to go to, but I was still walking back from the Kotel during the shiur. Story for another time.) Between the talk beforehand and the excellent, passionate tunes that were sung during Selichot, I actually found them very inspiring, despite the fact that we ended around 1:30 in the morning. I can't wait until the next round tonight.
More stories later!

Shabbos #3

So this Shabbos was the first "out" Shabbos of the year. That means that you don't have to be in school for Shabbos, you can go anywhere you please. In fact, it's encouraged that you do figure out your own Shabbos plans, either at someones house you know, or go with a friend to someone they know. Now, the school will let you stay in the dorm if you want to, but you'll have to make your own Shabbos. Also, if you have no place to go, the school will try to set you up somewhere. I'm considering asking the school to set my up in neighborhoods I'm interested in visiting, but that's definitely a plan for later in the year, as my Mom gave me a whole list of friends and relatives in Israel, many whom I don't know, or remember.
So I stated my Shabbos plans pretty early in the week, all things considered. I was still having major phone problems (A story that deserves a post of it's own) so I couldn't make calls all the time, and I sometimes lost my messages. But I did try to organize everything before the last minute.
I started by calling Rachel M., only to discover that she wasn't going to be home for the weekend. She offered me her house, but I'd really prefer to avoid having to make my own Shabbos for now, as I don't even know where to buy everything I need yet, and I don't always have to time to look. Undeterred, I called Miriam Z. Now, here it gets a little more complicated. She said that she'd be happy to have me, but they were hosting something at their house, so they didn't know if meals would be alright. She suggested calling Betsy M., a friends of Mom's who I didn't remember at all, but who only lived a block over from Miriam Z. in Beit Shemesh. I was a little nervous, not only because I was going to stay at someones house who I didn't really know (which was a little nerve-wracking) but that it was getting a little complicated for my first week out of schoool. So when I called Betsy M., I asked her if I could perhaps just stay with her, to make life a little less hectic on my end. She seemed totally enthusiastic about the idea, which was really encouraging. So I started asking around for advice on how to get there, and as I was talking to friends, I found out that Eliana L. was having some problems finding a place to stay. So I called Betsy M. and asked if it was OK for Eliana L. to come with me. She said sure, totally fine.
For those of you who know me, this all happened before Friday morning, which is pretty good for my typical procrastinator-esque approach to life. I hung out with some friends Friday night, and helped Abby put zours into a cake for her roommate - entertaining, colorful and tasty. Which meant I headed to bed pretty late, so Firday morning I woke up on the late side. Daniella -my roommate - had already left the room while my suitemates were still kinda getting up. So I got up, and started picking out outfits, shoes, and toiletries for the trip. I called Betsy M. for directions on how to get to her, and wrote them down in my organizer. (which I'm using a lot, actually. On a side note, I love it. I bought it at some random little store, and it tells me the Jewish date as as well as the secular one, and it list the Parshat Ha'Shavuah and lighting times on every Saturday.) Eliana L. and I decided to meet in the lobby at around 2:30 to catch a cab to the central bus station and take this shuttle/taxi to Beit Shemesh.
We take the cab over the bus station and decide to wander up the street to look for some sort of Shabbos gift to bring. I was in favor of flowers, but we couldn't find any in the immediate vicinity, and we were a little antsy about leaving, so we bought almonds, pistachios and this parve cake for our gifts, then hopped on the shuttle leaving to Beit Shemesh.
(to be continued...Selichot start in 10 minutes.)