Big Orange Backpack

I love Shabbos in Israel. I've decided to be shomer while I'm here - although it didn't feel that much different except I couldn't take pictures, but it was nice having an excuse to walk up and down the stairs. I've had such a lack of alone time this past week, it's starting to drive me a bit crazy. I'm sitting alone right now in the business lounge on my laptop and it's the first time I've been alone in many days.

Before Shabbos we went down to Independence Hall where David ben Gurion declared independence after the British mandate ended and before the war of Independence. It filled me, and many others, with such feelings of pride and awe being in this small hall with the original mics and chairs, and actually hearing tape of ben Gurion's voice talking over the loudspeakers. I can't even describe the feeling, I felt at home, I felt it was the feeling that I should have had but never did when I visited the same place in Philadelphia.

We then went to Rabin Square and learned a bit about his assasination, and the impact that had on the peace process. I'm not sure if everyone grasped it, but it felt as though I was in the bosom of history that day. And I love that bosom. Sorry - it's 1am - more on why I'm awake at this hour in a moment.

We then had Shabbos and we got ready and walked over to another hotel for services and dinner. The walk was long - I don't wish to do it again. Reform services were a complete and utter disappointment. I walked out in the middle, when they started singing Carol King, and went down to Conservative. Both were devoid of emotion and umph, the umphh that I was feeling for Shabbat in Israel was apparently not felt by everyone - but the conservative service people at least knew the songs and the rituals. I met a guy in reform services that was equally disgusted with it and we walked out together. We were served last for dinner, but my table was really fun and we went around the table talking about our craziest moments and everyone's were really fun and hilarious, and it distracted me from how freaking hungry I was. When we finished dinner it was already midnight and most people were totally exhausted considering we had been up until 7 and many people (thankfully not me) had been drinking all night before that. We were supposed to have an oneg on the beach but we ended up coming back to the hotel and sleeping.

On Saturday afternoon we spent most of it at the beach before having lunch at the other hotel. We then went to shower and did havdallah. We then went to a club where I danced my ass off for two hours. It was amazing. Must sleep.