I have been in my apartment and my Hebrew classes for two weeks now and everything is going great. Of course there is a learning curve to everything and I have to be re-taught many lessons. A nice Jewish lady from somewhere like Philadelphia told me at a bakery, “These people are so rude.” I scratched my head and told her, “No, but they are so Israeli.”  She thought I was being funny, but truthfully, I have to remember things like standing in line and waiting your turn is very Okinawan, but not very Israeli.  I have to remember that every taxi driver takes a course in a) how to spot a tourist; b) how to make him feel guilty about saying no to a private tour, and c) how to barter on everything and not take no for an answer.  Fortunately I know a little Arabic and can tell them, “La Shukran…Kul shay tamam” or “No thanks, everything is cool.” If that doesn’t work I just say “Ani Gar Po” (or, “I live here”, in Hebrew).That doesn’t fix anything but I have to believe it helps quell the force of the sales pitch. I have to remember that walking down the road is a game of chicken…nobody moves out of anyone’s way and when you bump somebody’s shoulder you either give them a mean face or ignore them completely. I have to remember to not assume that anybody is Jewish or Arab and keep any of my thoughts about the Israeli and Palestinian issue to myself. I don’t discuss American politics either…you never know whose side who is on, but one thing I know…most Israelis and Palestinians I have talked to don’t like Obama due to his disdain for the lot of them…of course, the “chicken sh*t” comment didn’t help, but THIS is not a political blog.  I have made some friends in my ulpan (intensive language course) from all over the world, Germany, Hong Kong, Slovenia, France, and more, and several Palestinians.  Everybody is awesome in the class – we laugh and tell stories in Hebrew about ourselves and our homes and families.  Learning in an ulpan is wonderful and I think my Hebrew is improving at a good clip…plus I speak it everywhere I go. Unfortunately, the last language that I mismanaged was Japanese and tonight after a nice but challenging convo in Hebrew, I said to the lady “Arigato”. Dad thought that was pretty funny. Having my dad here with me has been great.  I think sometimes having another person by your side helps overcome fears that, alone, would be intimidating: things like walking around East Jerusalem, which I am getting familiar with.  Whenever we are concerned we always ask, “What would Mark [my brother] do?”  He would do it…and so do we. Walking around Jerusalem and seeing things you might never get on a tour is great.  We have met and chatted with a lot of people and wandered through places like Gethsemane, Bethesda, The Garden Tomb, Via Dolorosa.  We have explored a lot of side streets and alleyways to find interesting places and people. Of course we have been to the Western (Wailing) Wall, the new Temple Institute, the Tower of David and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.  A couple of nights ago we heard a thunderous musical extravaganza about 9 p.m. and decided to go in search of it.  It was a bunch of Chasidim celebrating in the streets and playing music and dancing wildly as they took the Torah into the synagogue.  The music was lively and the mood was enthusiastic. We enjoyed it, then we went home.  Always something new and interesting and I am excited about what the next 11 weeks will bring.

PS: there have been more terrorist attacks lately, but I am watchful and cautious, plus I am not hanging out in places where an attack is more likely to happen.  Of course I know it can happen anywhere, but it is certainly less likely in my mixed Arab and Jewish and Goyim neighborhood.  No worries, here.  If anything, I would invite all my friends to come see me in Jerusalem, when or if I get a job here be-ezrat HaShem. Shabbat Shalom y’all.