Jerusalem or bust.

I’m actually here. As unreal and unbelievable as it often feels, I have to keep reminding myself that I am in Israel. Right now while typing this very sentence I am under an olive tree looking at the Dome of the Rock and the Church of the Holy Sephlicer listening to a call to prayer on one of the minuettes a few blocks away. Yeah…

The flight yesterday was uneventful. We flew from SLC to ATL and then ATL to TLV. Due to the luckiest of scenarios, I was bumped to first class on the 12 hour flight across the Atlantic Ocean. This was a perfect scenario. I got a lazy boy for a seat that converted into a bed as well as three feet of leg room, a comforter, two pillows, travel kit, and a plethora of fine foods (including salmon in a garlic glaze, tomato Florentine soup, shrimp with avacado, fine cheeses, and a design your own ice cream sundae).

Upon arrival into TLV I was the first off the plane, the first through passport control, and the first out of customs. The last first proved to be the most problematic. I do get mistaken for a Jew quite often. Of course arriving into the Tel Aviv airport meant that at any point when I was not surrounded by blonds from Utah I was being bombarted by people assuming I was here with a program called Nativ (essentially an Israeli birth-right program which pays from Jewish kids to come to Israel).

I made it into our bus without being taken home by one of the Nativ programs and we spent an hour on the bus headed to Jerusalem. We passed the old city, Iraeli officers with Uzi’s, wine country, Hebrew University. Finally we got to the center which is absolutely stunning. Imagine a Hawaiin resort mixed with beautiful architecture a mere mile from one of the most influential cities in the world (on a historical aspect). That is where I will be living for 3.5 months. From my apartment I look out on temple groupds, the wailing wall, all that is the old city as well as a beautifully quaint Palestinian village.

After an orientation (and dinner) last night I finally managed to bed. Due to jet lag and just general exhaustion I fell right asleep. At around 4:07 AM this morning I was awoken immediately. A faint sound outside suggested that it was the Islamic call to prayer. Due to a rush of adrenoline I sprinted outside to hear in the distance all these beautiful male voices blending in choir of Rammadan prayers. Almost immediately after getting outside the minoret closest to us began their prayers. With the city all light for prayer hour, I just sat outside soaking in all I could for a few minutes before I tried to bed again. Unsucessful at the least.

This morning we had another orientation, breakfast, and a walk around the old city. We walked through the Palestinian town that the center is located in, past the Northern walls built by Byzantines 1500 years ago, through Jaffa Gate past the temple mound, around the city. All along the way we met Palestinians who are some of the center’s favorite vendors. Jimmy, Saladin, and Ef all seemed somewhat desperate for our business but having not exchanged our money yet, we were all useless to them. We walked under a tunnel that Sharon had used as a launching point for an attack in Jerusalem. Above the tunnel were Israeli flags. Under the tunnel in an apartment were the photos of Palestininans killed in the attacks. We continued through the city smelling saffron, baklava, and pomegranates (it’s their season I learned).

Right as we were crossing from the Palestianian district to the Jewish district we happened upon two men arguing. Each had canes in their hands and seemed very riled up. Our professor told us to walk quickly but as we walked past it turned into an all out brawl. Old med attacking eachother with canes and umbrellas yelling in Arabic, Hebrew, and English. What started as two men quickly escalated to five and I ran. I was running in the direction of Israeli army men headed towards the battle with rifles longer than my arm. I’ll never know how it ended but it was definetly an experience I’ll remember forever.

Speaking of the Israeli army, they are everywhere. I have seen more green combat suits and uzi’s then I can ever remember. And UN peacekeeping trucks. I knew there was a conflict there but I guess I forget that it is still quite relavent. On our way into the Jewish district we saw buildings with holes in them from the was of ’67. Palestinian boys threw pop ‘ems at us as we passed through. Anything we purchased from a Muslim had to eaten elsewhere as not to offend them from their fasting ways for the day. Life here is intense but quite quite beautiful.

I can’t leave the center to explore till I have a security card to use as identifaication for the army here. So I am stuck on my patio looking out on the old city. Since starting this entry the prayers havn’t stopped. It’s as if as soon as one minoret is done another starts a few meters away. It’s beautiful though. Almost enchanting a little.

I’m off to take a nap I think.

Much love to all and hope all is well back in the States.


PS. I biked 12 miles today on a stationary bike. Hopefully this will do two things. First it will encourage my weary body to sleep better tonight. And second I will keep working out every day.