First Shabbat

Yesterday morning we helped out at a soup kitchen. It was an amazing experience! At first I was helping to prepare food, and while I enjoyed that and the fact I was still helping others, it wasnt as satisfying as my next job. I worked in the are where we gave food packages away. I used my little hebrew to keep up. ("shtei ouf achshav!" means I need two chicken now! or "Hetzi orez" means half a container of rice.) and while it was not a fluffy kittens and rainbows experience, it made me appreciate exactly what I have. These poor people, many of them elderly, were lining up for the only meal they may get that day. They depended on help. Some of them had to make decisions like do I buy medicine or dinner today? And here I was, on a trip to this gorgeous country on this incredible trip, which I couldnt imagine in my wildest dreams. I cant describe just how lucky I am.

After the soup kitchen we had lunch (which I appreciated so much more) and then had some time to get ready for shabbat. 

For those of you who dont know what shabbat is, I will give a quick explanation. When G-D made the earth, he completed it in 6 days and then rested on the seventh. He made that day a holy day of rest and while some like to follow strict guidelines regarding what rest means, the reform movement likes to simply designate it as a day to change your pace. We all take a step back from our regular lives, take a deep breath and relax.

For this shabbat we went down to the western wall which is the last standing wall of the 2nd temple and is the most holy place on the planet for jews. 

We did our prayers beside the wall, which was an incredible experience. Looking back, I'm totaly overwhelmed by just how significant it was. I got to PRAY next to where the temple was! This building in which G-D resided, and I was praying to him right there next to the wall. When Jews say prayers all over the world, they will stand and face this place, this place Jews died to see, and have the right to freely visit it.

When we got back to the Kibbutz, we ate dinner and had a "song session" which means everyone brings their guitars and other musical instruments and dances around to jewish (and some non-jewish songs). While all of the songs were camp songs that I didnt know, I tried my best to keep up, and at least did the corny dance moves! I loved it.

We then where allowed a late night, and there was so much drama! The counselors had so much fun busting into rooms and caught at least 3 couples in the act! Me being a nerd had no action in these situations, but followed others around hoping for a front seat in the action.

After that my roommate had a breakdown/panic attack. There is this fight going on between the two of them. Natalie (the one who went off her happy pills recently) was upset and wanted to talk to Morgan. Morgan didnt know what it was about and just said "dude, were in the same room, we can talk later" and natalie got upset. So then Morgan was talking to someone about how ridiculous Natalie was being and Natalie overheard. Natalie went ballistic! Were talking forgetting-to-breathe-panic-attack, it was nuts.

It took me and the counsellors half an hour to calm her down. It was nuts.

Now Natalie refuses to be in the same room as Morgan and vice versa.

I just wasted a full minute of your life with that detailed story! :D

Keeping the peace,

Talia