J'lem (Jay-Lem)

I finally got to Jerusalem today.  I had been there once before, but only on a technicality.  TODAY, however, I found out just how interesting J'lem is.  Now, mind you, I would never live in this particular city; given the fact that throughout the city's history, it's been known to become a maelstrom of violence and death.  That, and the traffic.  Wow.  If you thought NYC was bad, you're in for a shock.  Anyway, I digress.  Jerusalem is ancient.  Really ancient.  People have fought here for control of the city and its environs for thousands of years.  Everything regarding the Israeli/Palestinian conflict stems from this city...well, ok, you got me.  Almost everything.  But again, I digress :)

So, the purpose of this trip was to visit יד ושם (Yad Vashem – The Holocaust Museum) and The Western Wall (הכיתל), and the tunnels (ו המנהרות) .  I had been to Yad Vashem before, which is why I say I was technically in Jerusalem before.  Given that, and how much of a completely crushing experience I knew יד ושם was, I decided to go off with a friend (who also didn't feel like feeling horrible the entire day) and explore around the campus, and Mount Herzl (הר הרצל).  Soooooooo, here's some pictures and a virtual tour..sorta.

First of all, there is a path through the woods that connects the יד ושם campus to Mt. Herzl.  (I'll spare you, the reader, and not type in two languages anymore).  When you follow the path, the first place you end up is at Jabotinsky's tomb.

After that, you get to the father of modern Zionism, Theodore Herzl- hence the name, Har Herzl.

We also went to visit Yitzhak Rabin and his wife Leah

Paid tribute to Golda

and after seeing some of the soldier's graves and the memorial to the victims of terror attacks, we went into the old city ate some shwarma and felafel and hit the kotel.

one of the gates to the old city

street in the old city near the Kotel

mom and bubbie should like this..

western wall and the dome of the rock

staring at the wall.  to the left is a shul where there are torah scrolls and other people are praying.  took the next picture there.

old world meets new world?

mount of olives cemetery.  supposedly when the Messiah comes, the people buried here will be resurrected first.

There are sooooo many more pictures that I took, so I'm going to post them on my flickr account.  The link is in the right side column at the top of the page.  That's all for now!  Miss you all!

back, after a (much too) long delay

After a long and slightly unexpected delay, I'm back at the blog.  It's been a crazy month.  As I write this, wildfires are raging around the city of Haifa and the suburbs.  There's been thievery, there's been drama, there's been a move to the Negev, but I'm still very much alive. However, rather than delve into details right now, I'm just going to wish everyone a Happy Hanukkah, post a few pictures, and save everything for a bigger post on Monday.  Happy Hanukkah everyone!

Cool bridge in Petah Tikvah

the view from a rocky place I probably wasn't supposed to be on.

Found this parked on the beach in TA

The circle closest to you is where Yitzhak Rabin was standing when he was murdered.  The one directly behind it, looking forward, is where the assassin stood.  ALL the other circles are security people's positions.

שלום חבר

the view from the back of my new kibbutz.

Looking towards the front gate

we have an ambulance station here

the view from an open area

this is all going to be developed soon

veranda by my apartment

This is from Eilat, looking towards Jordan

Those are reportedly our date palms, at the other edge of the field is the Jordan border.

looking towards the kibbutz from the open desert.

commons area, this is where the store and the dining room are

new park and walkway

Another shot of the Jordan Mountains

Military humvee outside the Ulpan

The back of the kibbutz

Another one from the back of the kibbutz

another one on the perimeter road

not sure what this is supposed to be.  its in the middle of nothing.