It's Christmastime

Merry Christmas everyone! We hope your holiday was a beautiful one celebrated with family and friends.  Ours was a little different this year living in Israel.  Christmas is not really celebrated in Jerusalem since Christians are a minority here, so it was a little strange to have this day that is so special to us be like any other workday for everyone else.  Hanukkah was going on this past week too, so instead of bells and lights decorating the lamp posts of the streets, menorahs (or chanukkiahs) were up instead.  Large chanukkiahs were also placed in nearly every major square of the city and would be lit each night of Hannukah. We anticipated this Christmas being unique since we got to spend it in the place where the first Christmas happened, but to be honest, we found ourselves missing some of the traditions we are used to this time of year - the lights, the snow, the decorations, deals at Target, Christmas music playing in all the stores, and a special dinner and gifts with family.

But, we did find ourselves surrounded with good friends that have become like family to us.  It was a weekend filled with get togethers, church, games, food (we even found a ham out here - what a treat!), and fellowship with other believers.  Being a minority has changed our perspective on a lot of things, but has highlighted the importance of living in community with other believers - we have found that here and are truly grateful to be experiencing life in Jerusalem with these others around us.  As we spent evenings sharing stories, reminiscing on past Christmases, and looking forward to those to come, we took time to light the chanukkiah candles and also the Advent candles.  We sang some Christmas hymns and reflected on the meaning of this time of year and what it means to us living here 2,000 years later.  It was a great Christmas and one we won't forget - it was different than expected, but special in it's own way.  To be able to live in the place where God chose to send His Son in a moment that would forever change the world, is difficult to describe; to be able to share these moments with other believers is an incredible gift.

Jeannette's gingerbread house

No Christmas deals, but here are some for Hanukkah

Christmas party with some good friends

our little tree

our friends' kids lighting the chanukkiah

O Come Let us Adore Him

we took turns lighting the advent candle as we read scripture

Christmas dinner at JUC with friends

The Visit of the Magi - Frankincense & Myrrh

After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route (Matthew 2:9-12).

I'm not sure about you but I have always wondered what exactly is Frankincense and Myrrh. Here's a few great blog posts that talk about these two gifts that the Magi offered. Enjoy!

ferrelljenkins.wordpress.com/2011/12/14/frankincense-and-myrrh/
ferrelljenkins.wordpress.com/2011/12/16/things-you-may-not-hear-about-myrrh/

ferrelljenkins.wordpress.com/2011/12/15/frankincense-comes-from-a-tree/

Thankful

Thanksgiving was a little different this year being in Jerusalem.  Since no one here recognizes our holiday as a special day, life goes on as normal for most people.  But, we joined with our American friends and had a full-on traditional Thanksgiving and it was great!  Here's some things we are thankful for...

- The opportunity to live, study, and volunteer in Jerusalem!! We have really enjoyed learning about the people, cultures, and land of Israel.  What a blessing to literally walk in the land of the Bible! We are constantly challenged to view the Bible with the land and locations of things here in mind.

learning in our outdoor classroom in the land of Israel

- Each other and how our marriage has grown in the last years.

outside of the Old City of Jerusalem near Jaffa Gate

- Great friends and a community of believers that feel like family

We were able to stream the football game on Thanksgiving!

enjoying a delicious Thanksgiving dinner at JUC

- Skype & GoogleVoice - we stay connected with our families on a regular basis and enjoy the chance to catch up on life every couple of weeks.

- Our new niece - Madelyn Mae born on October 22nd ... (we're thankful for all of our nieces and nephews and love and miss them so much!).

Here she is! Isn't she so cute?!

- The ability to learn and the opportunity for Matt to begin his MA at JUC

Map work for our class

- Chances to volunteer and use our gifts to serve others.

- Support, prayers, and love from home.  We appreciate all of you who are making our time here in Jerusalem a reality!

- Packages from our parents stocked full of things from America that we miss, or are really expensive or non-existent here in Israel (hot chocolate, brown sugar, brownie and cookie mixes)! These just make our week when these boxes arrive:)

- Slippers and warm blankets.  It is cold in Jerusalem! Not Michigan cold, but the kind that just stays in you all the time.

- Homemade meals

Thanksgiving dinner! Turkey, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, broccoli, and cranberries - yum!

- New experiences

On our last field study class, standing in the Monestary at the highest point of Petra.

- The grace and love of our Lord, Jesus Christ who led the perfect example of how to live and how to serve others.

There is so much more we are thankful for and are so blessed beyond what we could ever imagine!
We hope you also enjoyed your Thanksgiving!

The Whole Way

I usually don’t like interruption.  It bothers me.  Being a routine kind of guy, I like order and predictability and tend to be uncomfortable with the unexpected.  But, today was different; today I met Sarah.  I was on my walk home from class and it was cold (it’s rainy season here and we forgot our hats and gloves) when I met a small, little, old, Jewish woman.  She spoke to me in Hebrew, which unfortunately through a semester I have yet to master, but she also had some broken English and was able to explain to me what she wanted.  She stopped me abruptly on the street and told me (not asked, told me) to help her.  She had a cart and wanted to know what it was called in English, I wasn’t aware that is what she was asking until about 5 minutes later.  She demanded that I take the cart full of groceries and help her get them home.  “Where do you live?” I asked her.  “Here, just right here…you, come! I live here!”  So, I followed, somewhat hesitant, and somewhat curious to where this little sweet, but demanding woman would take me.  Thinking I would only need to backtrack on my walk a few steps, I was willing to help.  So, we walked, and walked, and walked…finally I asked again if she lived here on this road.  She frustratingly said “yes! I tell you, I live here, just up here…come!” I tried to start some small talk and discovered that her name was Sarah and she had recently hurt her arm so she needed me to help her.  About a ½ mile later, we arrived at a building, climbed some stairs, and went inside.  “Okay, here you go” I said, thinking we had arrived at her apartment, I was ready to get home.  “No! You come,” she said “it’s just up here.”  “Isn’t this your house?” I asked.  “Yes, but you help me all the way” Sarah replied, standing outside a one-person sized elevator.  She must have noticed my hesitation and stated boldly, “it’s okay.  You man, I woman. No worry, you not need to worry. Get in.”  Get in??? What?? This elevator is really only for one person, and this is getting awkward.  But, I obediently followed and Sarah, the cart, and I made our way up to the top floor where the elevator opened to her front door. “Here you go” I said again, thinking I had done my deed and could be on my way again.  “What? No, you help me the whole way.  You bring them into my house” she persisted.  Then she opened her door, she entered her house, but did not invite me in.  Her husband came to the door, appearing a little confused, but welcomed me.  Sarah offered me something to drink and I was about to say no, when I remembered that hospitality is a huge part of this culture and can sometimes be offensive to not take something that is offered, so I said “sure.”  Sarah said something in Hebrew to her husband and a minute later he was back with a Coke.  They stood in the doorway while I drank the Coke and I tried to start more conversation, “Have you always lived here?” I asked.  “Yes, we live here” Sarah said, frustrated and thinking I was asking if this was her home.  “Did you grow up in Jerusalem?” I asked, trying a different approach.  “Yes! I live here. I tell you I live here!” she exclaimed, not fully understanding my English.  “Okay” I finally agreed and thanked her again for the Coke and was on my way.   

On my way home I thought about how glad I was that I allowed Sarah to “interrupt” my walk home.  It was good for me to be uncomfortable.  Sometimes comfort can rob us from experiences that could otherwise be amazing.  This experience was really kind of weird, but I am thankful for it because I learned something.  I was so ready to stop at the earliest point and let her be on her way, but Sarah insisted that I help her the entire way – all the way into her home.  I think about how thousands of years ago, God chose the Israelites to be His people, and I like how He decided on such a persistent group of people – people that don’t back down and don’t give up…people with chutzpah.  He demands that we go the WHOLE way with Him, not to stop when it’s convenient for us or when things get uncomfortable.  Sarah expected nothing less than that I bring her grocery cart all the way into her home, even though I originally was walking the other direction.  God wants all of me and for me to be willing to go the whole way – to give my all and nothing less.  I thank Sarah for teaching me that again today. 

Shana Tova

Well, we've been a bit behind on keeping the blog updated, and life has shifted into busy-mode as the semester is nearly over already (just 3 more weeks).  Despite being a little overdue, we'd like to share with you how our holidays were here in Israel.  The holiday season and high holy days of the fall happen almost all through the month of October.  Starting with Rosh Hashana (Shana Tova (Happy New Year)!), Yom Kippur, and finally a week long celebration of Sukkot.  It is a very special time of year and we were so blessed to be able to experience it!

Rosh Hashana ~ Shana Tova!

Sundown September 28^th – sundown September 30^th 2011

(Taken from a write up by Dr. Levin on Rosh Hashana)

The Jewish New Year is a time of joy, but a solemn kind of joy. It is a time of introspection, looking back at the mistakes of the past year and planning the changes to make in the new year. More than that, since the tenth day of that month is the Day of Atonement, when the Bible specifically says that sins are to be atoned, Rosh Hashanah is seen as part of a process of yearly repentance, one that begins during the weeks before the New Year and ends on Shemini ‘Atzeret. Rosh Hashanah is the day on which God annually judges all mankind, looking into their souls and knowing if their repentance is genuine.

The Bible refers to the holiday as “the day of remembrance” or “the day of the sounding”. According to Jewish tradition, what is “sounded” is the shofar. The shofar is a ram’s horn that is blown somewhat like a trumpet. In ancient times, the shofar was used to call the people to war, to worship, and to celebrate. One of the most important observances of this holiday is hearing the sounding of the shofar in the synagogue. A total of 100 notes of different kinds are sounded each day. The Bible gives no specific reason for this practice. One that has been suggested is that the shofar’s sound is a call to repentance. Another is that it is in remembrance of the ram that was sacrificed instead of Isaac, a story that serves as the theme for much of the day’s liturgy. The shofar is not blown if the holiday falls on Shabbat, for fear that one might carry his shofar in the public domain, which is forbidden.

No work is permitted on Rosh Hashanah. Much of the day is spent in synagogue, where the regular daily liturgy is somewhat expanded. It’s a day to remember the past year and repent for the sins of the past, looking forward to new things to come in the next year.  The custom treat for Rosh Hashana is apples and bread dipped in honey and other sweet foods, a symbol of our wish for a sweet new year.

The ten days starting with Rosh Hashana and ending with Yom Kippur are commonly known as the Days of Awe (Yamim Noraim) or the Days of Repentance. This is a time for serious introspection, a time to consider the sins of the previous year and repent before Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement).

Among the customs of this time, it is common to seek reconciliation with people you may have wronged during the course of the year. The Talmud maintains that Yom Kippur atones only for sins between man and God. To atone for sins against another person, one must first seek reconciliation with that person, if possible righting the wrongs committed against him.

This year Rosh Hashanah began at sundown on Wednesday, September 28 and continued through sundown on Friday, September 30 (at which time Shabbat began).  So many stores, restaurants in West Jerusalem were closed for 4 consecutive days – pretty much an extended Shabbat!  No work, no shopping, no anything that could be considered contrary to “rest.”

Yom Kippur ~ “Day of Atonement”

Sundown October 7th – sundown October 8th 2011.

(Taken from a write up in JUC’s Friday AM newsletter)

Yom Kippur is a complete Sabbath for the Jewish people: no work can be performed on that day.  It is a complete, 25-hour fast from eating and drinking (even water) beginning before sunset on the evening before Yom Kippur and ending after nightfall on the day of Yom Kippur.  The Talmud also specifies additional restrictions: washing and bathing, anointing one’s body (with cosmetics, deodorants, etc.), wearing leather shoes (Orthodox Jews routinely wear canvas sneakers under their dress clothes on Yom Kippur), and engaging in sexual relations are all prohibited on Yom Kippur.

Most of the holiday is spent in the synagogue, in prayer.  It is customary to wear white on the holiday which symbolizes purity and calls to mind the promise that Israel’s sins shall be made as white as snow (Is. 1:18).

The liturgy for Yom Kippur is much more extensive than for any other day of the year.  The evening service that begins Yom Kippur is commonly known as Kol Nidre, named for the prayer that begins the service.  Perhaps the most important addition to the regular liturgy is the confession of the sins of the community.  All sins are confessed in the plural (we have done this, we have done that), emphasizing communal responsibility for sins.

It is interesting to note that these confessions do not specifically address ritual sins.  There is no “For the sin we have sinned before you by eating pork, and for the sin we have sinned against you by driving on Shabbat”.  The vast majority of the sins enumerated involve mistreatment of other people, most of them by speech (offensive speech, scoffing, slander, tale-bearing and swearing falsely, to name a few).

The concluding service of Yom Kippur, known as Ne’ilah, is one unique to the day.  The ark (a cabinet where the scrolls of the Torah are kept) is kept open and most people stand throughout this service.  There is a tone of desperation in the prayers of this service.  The service is sometimes referred to as “the closing of the gates”; think of it as the “last chance” to get in a good word before the holiday ends.  The service ends with a very long blast of the shofar.  After a festive (as we are sure that God has indeed forgiven our sins) “break-fast” meal, it is common to go out and immediately start constructing the sukkah, to show that we are serious about obeying all of God’s commandments.

Sukkot ~ “Feast of Tabernacles”

October 12 – October 19 2011

(Taken from a write up in JUC’s Friday AM newsletter)

The Festival of Sukkot begins on the 15^th of Tishri, the biblical seventh month and now the first. It is preceded by the “High Holy Days” of the New Year and Yom Kippur and as such is a part of the fall holiday season.

The word “Sukkot” means “booths,” and refers to the temporary dwellings that the Israelites are commanded to live in during this holiday. The name of the holiday is frequently translated “The Feast of Tabernacles,” which, like many translations of technical Jewish terms, isn't terribly useful unless you already know what the term is referring to.

Like Passover and Shavu'ot, Sukkot has a dual significance: historical and agricultural. The holiday commemorates the forty-year period during which the children of Israel were wandering in the desert, living in temporary shelters. Sukkot is also a harvest festival, and is referred to as the Festival of Ingathering (Leviticus 23:33). The holiday lasts seven days. No work is permitted on the first day of the holiday (first two outside Israel) but is permitted on the remaining days.

The most visible aspect of this holiday is the custom of dwelling in temporary shelters, as the Israelites did in the wilderness. The commandment “to dwell” in a sukkah can be fulfilled by simply eating all of one’s meals there; however, if the weather, climate, and one's health permit, one should live in the sukkah as much as possible, including sleeping in it.

A sukkah must have at least three walls covered with a material that will not blow away in the wind. Canvas covering tied or nailed to wood or metal is acceptable and quite common. A sukkah may be any size, so long as it is large enough to fulfill the commandment of dwelling in it. The roof of the sukkah must be made of natural material that grew from the ground and was cut off, such as tree branches, corn stalks, bamboo reeds, sticks, or two-by-fours. This covering must be left loose, not tied together or tied down. The covering must be placed sparsely enough that the stars can be seen, but not so sparsely that more than ten inches is open at any point or that there is more light than shade.

It is common practice to decorate the sukkah. In Israel, the sukkah is often decorated with the produce common there, such as pomegranates, olives and dates. In the United States, Jews commonly hang dried squash and corn in the sukkah to decorate it, because these vegetables are readily available at that time for the American holidays of Halloween and Thanksgiving. Building and decorating a sukkah is a fun, family project, much like decorating the Christmas tree is for Christians.

Many Americans, upon seeing a decorated sukkah for the first time, remark on how much the sukkah (and the holiday generally) reminds them of Thanksgiving. This is not entirely coincidental. The American pilgrims, who originated the Thanksgiving holiday, were deeply religious people. When they were trying to find a way to express their thanks for their survival and for the harvest, they looked to the Bible for an appropriate way of celebrating and based their holiday in part on Sukkot.

Another observance related to Sukkot involves what are known as “the Four Species” or the lulav and etrog. The four species in question are an etrog (a citrus fruit native to Israel), a palm branch (in Hebrew, lulav), two willow branches (‘arava) and three myrtle branches (hadas). The Israelites are commanded to take these four plants and use them to “rejoice before the Lord.” The six branches are bound together and referred to collectively as the lulav. The etrog is held separately. With these four species in hand, one recites a blessing and waves the species in all six directions (east, south, west, north, up and down, symbolizing the fact that God is everywhere).

The four species are also held during certain prayers during each day of the holiday. These processions commemorate similar processions around the alter of the ancient Temple in Jerusalem. The processions are known as Hoshanahs, because they include a prayer with the refrain, “Hosha‘ na!” (please save us!). On the seventh day of Sukkot, seven circuits are made. For this reason, the seventh day of Sukkot is known as Hoshanah Rabbah (the great Hoshanah). Since this is the beginning of winter, Jews pray that this year will not be one of drought.

Sukkot itself lasts for seven days. The eighth day (two days outside Israel) is actually two separate holidays, Shemini ‘Atzeret and Simhat Torah.

Shemini ‘Atzeret literally means “the assembly of the eight (day)”, Numbers 29:35.  No work is permitted.  The Bible does not give a specific reason for Shemini ‘Atzeret but since it is the last of the fall holidays that began with the Rosh Hashana, it is often thought of as a “last chance” to pray and hope for a good new year.  The prayer for rain (especially important in Israel’s dry climate) is said solemnly.  Rabbinic literature explains the holiday this way: God is like a host, who invites us.  As time comes for us to leave, he has enjoyed himself so much that He asks us to stay another day.

Simhat Torah, which means “rejoicing in the Torah,” is the joyful aspect of this holiday.  The annual cycle of weekly Torah readings is completed at this time with the last Torah portion, including Moses’ blessings for the tribes of Israel and the story of his death, Deut. 33-34, and then proceeding immediately to the first chapter of Genesis, reminding us that the Torah is a never-ending cycle.  This completion of the readings is a time of great celebration.  There are processions around the synagogue carrying Torah scrolls and plenty of high-spirited singing and dancing.  As many people as possible are given the honor of carrying a Torah scroll in these processions.

Erev Simchat Torah was held on Wednesday, October 19^th.  Synagogues all over the city were alive with excitement for the Torah.  Much fun and dancing with the Torah scrolls could be seen for a few days following Sukkot.  It is amazing to see how excited people get about the Word of God in such a literal way! 

What a blessing to be able to be in Jerusalem for such significant holidays dating way back into our history.  Enjoy the pictures!

sunset on Rosh Hashana from the Zion Gate

Western Wall on Rosh Hashana.
As the evening went on, the men started singing
and dancing - celebrating the new year and
God's goodness!

Enjoying a day at Netanya beach along the Mediterranean Sea
during the holiday.  It was beautiful!

Just hanging out in the middle of the road on Yom Kippur.
The streets were totally empty except for kids riding bikes and rollerblading.

a Sukkah built for Sukkot.  Families will eat all the meals in their Sukkahs
and some sleep in them to remember the times spent living in the fields during the harvest.
And to celebrate the very best of times and recognize that even the best of the best is
nothing compared to eternal life with God.

Another Sukkah.  They were all over the city, built on to the home as
a temporary shelter. Every evening we could
hear families enjoying a meal together and so wished
we could have joined them!

Opportunities

The past few months have been filled with new and exciting adventures, but we have also settled into a routine and it’s nice to have a sense of normal life here as well.  Matt spends most of his time in class, studying, learning Hebrew, & writing papers.  I’ve been staying busy in a few different ways.  Along with one class (Physical Settings) that I audit and go along on the field studies, I have spent some time volunteering at a few places. 

I have been working a few days each week at the library at JUC cleaning and re-shelving books; it’s been a nice way to stay connected on campus. 

I’ve also been volunteering at a place in East Jerusalem called The Domari Center (http://www.wix.com/domarisociety/domari-society-website).  This is a wonderful grassroots organization that was started by a woman out of her desire to see her people treated with equality.  The Domari people are a group of gypsies who settled in Jerusalem from India and have identified with the Muslim Arab culture in Israel.  I’ve learned that the gypsy people are largely discriminated against, and have struggled with poverty, lack of education, and adult illiteracy.  Because they are not completely accepted by the mainstream Arab culture, many Domari children are overlooked in schools and denied an equal education, leading them to drop out of school and unable to find jobs.  The adults also face struggles in getting jobs because of their lack of education or discrimination.  The Domari Center focuses on helping gypsy women grow in their skills of jewelry making, crafts, and sewing.  The women are then able to sell their work to provide for their families.  Because the Domari’s language is Arabic, the Center also offers tutoring for the children with their English homework, and opportunities for English conversation with the adults who wish to learn the language.  A typical day of volunteering usually involves a hospitable welcome with a delicious cup (or a few) of tea and catching up with Amoun about her week and what has been going on with the Center.  Then we usually help her organize something, paint, clean, or do dishes.  When the kids finish with school they are eager for help with their English homework and are excited to play a game or color.  The women often enjoy practicing their English over simple conversation (which often involves a lot of pointing and drawing pictures for us to understand one another).  It has been a huge blessing to meet these women and kids and engage in relationships with others from such different backgrounds. 

entrance to the Domari Center

outside courtyard of Domari Center

Aren't these beautiful?! The Domari women work hard to
create these and other crafts by hand to provide an income for their families.

lots of jewelry made by hand from the Domari women

Yosef comes to the center with his mom

Doha, me, Batool, and Sue (another volunteer)

I have also recently been offered the opportunity to volunteer as a school counselor at an elementary/middle/high school in Jerusalem.  The school is mostly staffed with believers, but the students are a mix of believers, Muslims, and secular kids/families.  I am really excited about the chance to use my social work skills here and in a school setting (which is exactly what I would love to do someday when we return to the states).  I’ll be working with some of the elementary students and also helping out the other counselor with the middle school and high school kids as well as get the chance to help out with some career counseling/college prep for the juniors and seniors.  God has been so good in providing opportunities to experience Him, explore this land, live among the people here, study His word in a very literal way, build relationships with people from other religious backgrounds, and grow in community with other believers.  We are so blessed to live here!

The Shuk

One of my favorite places to go is the Shuk.  It's a fun, crazy, busy place with so much to see.  This was a video I took on a Friday afternoon before Shabbat began, so it was pretty busy.  We go here to get a lot of our fruits, veggies, breads, and cheese since it's often much cheaper than the other markets or grocery stores & it's just a great place to go!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YiPvrn1H0w

colorful spices

Doesn't that challah bread look delicious?!

All kinds of cheese & butter

School

Well I can hardly believe it but it has already been a month since we left home to come to Israel.  It was only a month ago that everything was brand new and foreign; our apartment, the streets, the money, the school, and the people.  In four weeks however, the brand new has become routine and the foreign has become the normal.  This is a good thing.  We have really enjoyed finally getting into a routine which involves school, studying, volunteering, and living a new way of life.  Since its been almost three weeks since classes began, I thought I would spend some time writing about the classes I am taking and what I have been learning...

Physical Settings
This is probably one of my favorite classes because we get to spend so much time walking around the land of Israel.  This class meets twice a week in the classroom but then we also have a field study every weekend either on Saturday or Sunday.  The main idea behind this class is that the land influenced the Bible in so many ways so if we really want to understand some of the context of the Bible, its important to know the land where the stories took place.  In the first month of class, we have learned a lot of geographical and geological information.  Although learning about rock types may not sound like the most exciting thing, I am starting to see and realize how even rocks played a part in shaping some of the stories of the Old Testament.  So far on our field studies we have spent time in the Old City of Jerusalem, the outskirts of the Old City as well as David's City, Bethlehem, and the Old Testament tribal areas of Ephraim and Manasseh (this weekend we go here!).  Future field studies include trips to the Old Testament tribal area of Benjamin, Galilee area, the wilderness, as well as a few other places.  Jeannette is auditing this class with me which means that we both get the opportunity to spend time in the land on the weekends.  It's great to experience all of it together!

History of Ancient Israel
Where did the Israelites come from?  How did they come to live in the land that we call Israel today?  These are questions that we are trying to answer in my History of Ancient Israel class.  This class meets typically once a week on Monday evenings.  So far, we have spent some time talking about the origins of language, the rise of the Mesopotamian and Egyptian empires, and we are just now starting to talk about the people that are referred to as the Israelites in the Old Testament.  This has been a great class to learn about some of the history of the major empires that surrounded the Israelites when they were living in the promise land.

Biblical Hebrew
To be quite honest, I spend the majority of my time in Hebrew class just trying to figure out what is going on and what we are talking about :)  Although I was a little intimated to sign-up for Hebrew at first, we talked to some people that really encouraged me to take the class.  So I signed up for Biblical Hebrew and Jeannette signed up for an Ulpan which is a modern Hebrew class that meets in the city (starting in October).  This is probably one of my more difficult classes but I am enjoying it a lot.  There's not a lot of notes to take and most of the class time is spent learning either new words and repeating them or learning Hebrew grammar.  This week we learned about pronouns and verbs - this brought me back to the good old days of grade school and learning about grammar by watching "School House Rock."

Rabbinical Thought and Literature
This is another one of my favorite classes so far.  This class is taught by a Jewish Rabbi who is both energetic and quite funny!  The class meets twice a week and the majority of our time is spent diving into scripture and reading the stories of the Old Testament.  A favorite quote from our Rabbi is, "The Bible forces us to be active readers - so lets be active readers."  So far we have read the stories of creation, the journey of Abraham, the binding of Isaac, and the story of Jacob and Esau.  While reading, we tend to take a lot of time asking questions about each story.  This has been a great challenge for me to learn how to better spend more time reflecting and asking questions when I read the Text.

Archaeology of Ancient Israel
This class can be summarized by the phrase, "lots of notes."  The class meets once a week on Friday mornings for 3 hours and yes, we take notes for almost the entire three hours!  We spend a lot of time in this class talking about the different archaeological digs that either have taken place in the land of Israel or are currently taking place at this time.  Like all of my classes, this class also has some field studies in the land throughout the semester.  Although we don't need archaeology to "prove" the Bible, this class does help to shed some light on some of the Old Testament Biblical stories that we read and especially what the cities may have looked liked during this time.

I am really enjoying my classes and feel like I have already learned a lot in just the past three weeks.  Spending time walking around and studying in the land has given me a whole new perspective on the Bible and its stories.  Although it took a little bit of time to get back into the groove of school and homework (its been a few years since college), its starting to feel normal again.  Thanks again for everyone's support and prayers.

 On the Southern Steps in front of the old gate to the Temple 

 "Till death do us part"

Hanging out in 1st Century tombs on top of the Mt. of Olives

 Shepherd with sheep & goats in the Judean Wilderness

View of the Temple Mount & city of Jerusalem from the Mt. of Olives

The Herodian outside of Bethlehem (one of Herod The Great's palaces)

Life

It's been a few weeks since we've arrived to our home in Jerusalem and have begun to get into a routine of what life is like living in Israel.  I'm sure some of you are wondering what exactly that looks like, so here's a bit of the day to day...

Transportation - There are plenty of people with cars here, but we are not one of them, so we walk everywhere - church, school, grocery stores, and everywhere else.  This is a rocky hilly place, so sometimes it can be quite a trek!  Down side - it's very very hot and we are pretty sweaty by the time we arrive to our destination.  Plus side - a good workout!

Groceries - getting groceries is an all-day event, since we walk!  We have a rolling cart that we take with us to the store and fill up with groceries, so that limits how much we can get at one time, so a few trips to get groceries is typical in a week.  There is a more expensive grocery store right near our home, but some cheaper ones are a good walk away.  The selection at the stores are much more limited than those in the States and there is usually one kind of the something we are looking for, if it's even there at all.  Oh, and everything is in Hebrew and priced in shekels, so figuring out what it actually is is somewhat of a challenge too...there may be some interesting meals if we pick up the wrong thing:) Meat is very expensive here and there is a lot of options of cheese!  Mostly we've been eating pretty "typical" things that we are used to from home, but are also enjoying olives, hummus, and pita bread as well!

 Ramaat Rachel Shuk

Showers - the water is cold! Before this past weekend, we had to turn a knob before taking a shower to heat the water.  This past Friday, just before Shabbat began, our water tank was leaking, so our neighbors shut our water off.  And, it being Shabbat and the last day of Ramadan, there was no one available to come and fix it for us until Sunday!  So, needless to say, after all the walking we do to everywhere, everyone in the house was a little smelly.  No showers, no bathrooms...we were VERY happy when Sunday came and our dear landlady (she's great!) had someone put in a new water tank for us.  Bonus, we have hot water now without having to turn the knob:)

hot water

Laundry - We cannot run our washing machine and dryer at the same time.  So we line dry our clothes outside (smells so good after baking in the sun!).  Also recently had an issue with our washing machine which was already without a handle...it wouldn't open and our wet clothes were stuck inside.  However after the guys in the house worked on it for awhile, they created a new handle with a rope-thing that works quite well now!

Dishes - no dishwasher! And until this past Sunday, no hot water.  So, we heat up the water and wash and dry by hand.  Good quality time.

"Banking" - there are banks here in Israel, but not American ones, so our checks and accounts from the States do not work here.  Instead we get cash to use here by walking into the Old City to a shop where we write a check to the money changer and we can get shekels to use throughout the week.

School - Classes began on Sunday!  We had our first Physical Settings class out in the field, walking all over the Old City.  There were many lessons on some of the hundreds of things to see there.  This city is rich with culture, history, and religions of many kinds that are all connected and have been preserved over thousands of years.  How amazing to be learning in an outdoor classroom!  Matt can tell you next time some more about the other classes he is taking - Hebrew, Rabbinical Thought & Literature, Archeology, & History of Ancient Israel.

Matt's School

This is life here - nothing is easy, but it is teaching us and changing us already.  We hope this gives you a little glimpse into what we are experiencing here and can help you feel a little closer across the miles that separate us.

We're Here!

The past 10 months or so have been filled with anticipation for moving overseas to Jerusalem and now we are finally here!  After moving out all of our belongings from our home and packing 4 suitcases full of all that we will need for a year (more like cramming with the use of space bags!), we are happy to say that we made it safely (along with all of our luggage)! Some of you may know that we have not always had the best traveling experience when going overseas, so we were very thankful that all went well!


We arrived this past Thursday and have been recovering from jet lag (a 7 hour difference from Michigan time, so needless to say - we are tired!).  We were welcomed by our good friends who we will be living with for the next year.  It will be great to have community with them and others we meet while we are here.


Here's a few things we've done the past couple of days:
Thursday:
-made it through customs in Israel and got all of our luggage!
- rode a Nesher (bus taxi) to our apartment in Jerusalem from the TelAviv airport (took about 2 1/2 hours)
- dinner and catching up with good friends


Friday:
-unpacked our suitcases
- walked to Baka and the German Colony (areas of Jerusalem)
- saw where Matt will be going to school this year
- Shabbat began at sundown (the city shuts down and everyone celebrates the Sabbath until sundown on Saturday)
- blessing of the wine (Kiddush) and of the bread (Ha-Motzi) before eating the Shabbat meal.
- could hear celebrations of Ramadan from our apartment


Saturday:
-Shabbat today! It is a day of rest - much needed:)
- walked 45 minutes to church near the New City
- church starts at 10:45(ish) didn't really start until about 11:15.  It was a wonderful time of worship with believers from all over the world! Great teaching on the Lord's Prayer.  Many professors and Biblical scholars also go there - we met some amazing people....even some from West Michigan.  Church goes a long time and we were there until about 2pm talking and meeting people (this is typical - very welcoming!)
- after our 45 minute walk back home (downhill this time), had lunch, took naps, and just relaxed
- took an evening walk to the Promenade -  a park with trails and beautiful views of the old city.


Tomorrow begins a new week.  We will venture out to the markets and find out how to change money to shekels.  So far we are loving it here and are excited for all the new experiences and learning that this year will bring!

 sign for the Nesher from the airport

 view from our window

 our street where we live

 Jerusalem University College

 our apartment

 The Old City - Temple Mount

 on our walk through Promenade - great views of the city!