A long Tuseday

Tusedays are always very long, but this one seems to have been longer than most. Started early with a Tiyal as part of Ulpan, (there is double Ulpan on Tusedays) we were around KiKar Zion; first with Gregg went to the Teco House and then back towards School for Jackies presnetation. Afterwards we all went to a cafe and chatted in Hebrew for around an hour or so. After Kita I had my weekly session/class with Yossi before Rabbinic texts class then there I had our lunch time session with David which was interesting we are now looking at the Bavli. Then there was a brief brake while I got ready for Yoki's class on Israeli idenity. Then I have my extra class with Tina. (another rabbinical student and a good friend) that class is one of the most interesting things i do. We are are going (very slowly) though tractate brachot. Then I walked back towards Emek and met up with Emily for Sushi. We went to Sushi Rahavia...which is always fun and then home to do some work and watch a little Star treck.

Tomorrow I have an early start with Israel semminar so will try and have an early night

After the shabbaton

So I have been recovering from the Shabbaton, and have had a tough day at uni although I have had time to go to the Shuk which was good. Bought lost of food, and stuff and had a nice long walk. Learning Pi'el Lammed Hay verbs. Got lots of work to do. so had better get going and do something rather than sitting hear blogging.

parallel lives Shabbaton

Hey, I'm so tired have got back from a shabbaton to Benyamina, as part of Parrallel lives. Emily and I got up a little later than I would have liked because I spelt though my alram. So we headed off to the central bus station. Because of the Marathon there were no taxis becuase all the roads were closed. So we had to walk at a very brisk pace in the end we reached the station right at 8:30 after an hour of hard walking. This was the time we were ment to meet, but there were no else there so Emily and I caught the 8:50 number 480 and headed off to Tel Aviv train station. We got there and brought our tickets for the train to Binyamina...there were still no other people at the station so when we caught the train we tried to make contanct with other people.
In the end we got a phone comversation, to let us know that some other participants were making their way to the locations by Taxi. In they end we reached Binaymania and went to the house where the first event was going to take place. (An event led by Emily), and then we went to our hosting families for dinner. And then a shabbat evening service led by some of the soligers. The next day we had a number of events, some of them outside. (I got very badly sunburnt). After a long day with lots of socialising and some very interesting events four of us got a taxi back to Jlem, getting here rather late. I the next morning I wasn't well so didn't make it in for Hebrew although I did get there in time for Liturgy. Now have to get on with some work.

Yet another post

So hey not sure what is happening that i am posting again so soon. Mum and Dad have returned to Enland, well actually at the moment they are still on route, it was really nice having them here even for such a short time. I have had my Hebrew oral and i think that it went well. It was about Herod's tomb (which is in a park behind the King David Hotle) .

I also want to reassure anyone reading this that I am okay and well after yesterday's event.

Purim and mum and dad

We are having fun, on Saturday night I took mum and dad to Havdalah at HUC, although it was a small turn out, and then we went to the old city and the westernall...on Suday we went shopping at the Shuk which both mum and dad liked a lot. Latter that evening we all went to Kol HaNeshamah (where we went for Friday night as well) to hear the Megilah read. Its been lots of fun so far. :)

Today they went on a tour of Jlem while i stayed home at the flat to get ready for my Hebrew oral examination tomorrow and to do some other things as well

The year continues 2

So once again it seems that I am going to start a blog entry with an appology about not updating my blog sooner. I guess that that is just one of those things. And again like last entry i want to comment on how quickly the year is going now! Summer ulpan seemed to take forever and first semester was slowish but second is simply flying by; i can hardly believe that a) I have been in Israel now for eight months (thats almost unbelievable) and that in 72 days time I return to the UK.
Since my last update quite a lot has happened.
We had the southern Tiyal. We started off in Yeroum, which is a develpoment town south of Bethsheba, and we then went to the Kibbutz were we were staying Yahel, and after a day walking in Timmnah natinal park we went down to Eilat and went swiming of the reef, amazing fishes. The next day we went to an envirmental Kibbuzts also in the deep Negeve. The desert is amazingly beautiful and after being there even if only for a few days it is more obivous why the great religons emerge from there.
Apart from the southern Tiyal my year is continuing as normal, with classes and lots and lots of work. Rabbinic Texts is going well, in fact I am going an extra not for credit class there just me and Tina (a felllow rabbinical student) it is great and Aliona is also an amazing teacher. The continuing (two semister classes) are carrying on Mordern Hebrew is still by far and away my worst subject but even there I am making progress. I have also given my second Sermon (this time on a Saturday) and as it turned out Jonathan Magonent was in the congregation.
Last week Emily's parants came to Jlem to vist with her and this week my mum and dad are in town.

So all in all things are going well and i am enjoying myself.