Shalom
So we're back from Jerusalem. The workshop was bizarre, but went just fine. We basically just had people read scenes from our plays. It's always really hard to leave when we get to a city. Coming back to Arad is always a major letdown. Fortunately I made veg. lasagna tonight for a bunch of our friends and we had a great time and that always helps us ease back into returning. I haven't mentioned this but KT and I became vegetarians. I don't know how long it will last and we both think we'll probably start eating meat again when we get back to the States, but for now we're vegetarians. It started as a response to Alex's death and it just hasn't felt right to eat meat yet. Fortunately we're part of an Arts Project, and as many artists are vegetarian or vegan, we've had little problem making the switch. In great news, KT's grandparents bought us a vacation to help us get away from Arad for a bit with all the trauma we've had. For this, I am eternally grateful. We're now headed to Crete for 5 days, the day after Passover and then we get back to Israel for two, and then we go to Turkey for 5 days on the vacation we purchased with our friends Russell and Jen. It sounds like the perfect way to get away for awhile before the last month at WUJS.
Because I didn't really talk about it before, the Tiyul in the Golan was the most beautiful hiking I've ever done in my life. KT wrote about it in her journal I think if you want a fuller description, but basically we hiked through trees and fields and waterfalls and icy pools for four days and then spent the last swimming in the Kinneret (Sea of Gallilee). Just an incredible time.
I was also extremely saddened to hear about the shooting on Capitol Hill, and about Justin Schwartz, a relative who was killed. I can't say anything that hasn't been said, but it was so senseless. There was no reason for it to happen. In the end it was just bad, bad luck that he was there, that anyone was there. I keep wanting to hear some really happy news, but it seems so far and between recently.
Last night were the elections in Israel and it was incredibly interesting and exciting. Neil Lazarus, one of our instructors whom I highly respect, was with us analyzing everything as it came in and the results were extremely fascinating. Most interesting in my mind was the fact that the Pensioner's Party, who have campaigned on a single issue for years and barely advertised, managed to get 7 seats. That's a huge number! It got me interested in politics again, so hopefully that will flow into American politics as well.
Because I didn't really talk about it before, the Tiyul in the Golan was the most beautiful hiking I've ever done in my life. KT wrote about it in her journal I think if you want a fuller description, but basically we hiked through trees and fields and waterfalls and icy pools for four days and then spent the last swimming in the Kinneret (Sea of Gallilee). Just an incredible time.
I was also extremely saddened to hear about the shooting on Capitol Hill, and about Justin Schwartz, a relative who was killed. I can't say anything that hasn't been said, but it was so senseless. There was no reason for it to happen. In the end it was just bad, bad luck that he was there, that anyone was there. I keep wanting to hear some really happy news, but it seems so far and between recently.
Last night were the elections in Israel and it was incredibly interesting and exciting. Neil Lazarus, one of our instructors whom I highly respect, was with us analyzing everything as it came in and the results were extremely fascinating. Most interesting in my mind was the fact that the Pensioner's Party, who have campaigned on a single issue for years and barely advertised, managed to get 7 seats. That's a huge number! It got me interested in politics again, so hopefully that will flow into American politics as well.