Tracking the line of King David: from Rechov Ha-Rav Kook to Rav Chen Multiplex

When I woke up yesterday morning, I had no idea that I would spend the day tracing King David's blood line from one end of Jerusalem to the other.

As part of my journeys in Jerusalem this summer, I plan on visiting many of the popular (and not so popular) tourist destinations and museums. Yesterday morning, I continued my tour of museums that started with the Armenian Museum last week.

The destination: 9 Rechov Ha-Rav Kook.

Located one block away from Zion Square, this address serves as the host for three Jerusalem museums, and they could hardly be more different from one another.

I will start with the museum that started my BYU-like geneological journey - The Museum of Psalms.

After turning onto the sidewalk, the museum is located in the first entrance on the right side, in a courtyard with the David H. Baskin Law Offices (the only tenant at 9 Rav Kook that I didn't visit, but I know where to go if I need that type of assistance). The museum contains 150 paintings by Moshe Tzvi, each painting interprates one verse from every psalm (David is credited as the author of the Psalms).


We will return to my tracking of King David's blood line a little later in the afternoon. Next door to the Museum of Psalms is the Museum of Ha-Rav Kook. For those that don't know, Rav Kook was the cheif rabbi of Jerusalem for many years at the turn of the century (From nineteenth to twentieth). According to Prof. Lupovitch, Ha-Rav Kook was most influential in cooling tensions between the religious and anti-religious Zionist groups, such as in the shvita controversy (regarding the jubilee year). Ha-Rav Kook ruled that you don't have to leave the land fallow every seventh year because settling the land is a religious act. However, the museum made no reference to this point.


On the other hand, you could buy a commemorative Ha-Rav Kook poster to put on the wall of your dorm room, office, or telephone pole (if you wanted to advertise his greatness).

I also visited the Ticho Museum at rear of the walkway. Formerly the home of Anne and Avraham Ticho, the museum now serves lunch, host to concerts, and as a forum to display Anne's artwork. After settling in Jerusalem with her husband, Anne began sketching Jerusalem's plants and landscapes with pencil and charcoal. Over the years, she developed a reputation as an excellent artist. Her husband ran Jerusalem's only opthamolagist office and treated patients both rich and poor (according to the sign, he was a Jerusalem institution until 1960). Dr. Ticho also amassed a collection of hanukiot from throughout Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa. While most of the menorot are on display at the Ticho House, ten of them are at the Israel Museum.


After my stint at 9 Rechov Ha-Rav Kook, I went to a brief meeting at the SPNI Offices and got some work done on my assignment before heading to Mt. Zion to visit the original Holocaust memorial called the Chamber of the Holocaust. The inabiity of the staff to post a sign with the museums hours prevented me from learning when the memorial is open. I arrived at 4:20. A woman standing by the gate said that the museum closes at 4:30 (Note to self, reorient clock on phone)

I decided that I could continue my search of King David's line at the King David Museum next to the Chamber of the Holocaust. Unfortunately, this museum suffers from the same problem of not posting their hours the the Chamber does. I found it increasingly difficult to follow the line of King David. (I was now convinced that my phone's notion of 60 seconds was different than the atomic clock)

Later on in the evening, I decided that it was time to attend my first movie in Israel. While this might be worthy of its own blog post on any other day, the continuing theme of tracking King David's line was too good to pass up. Aside from the movie I chose to see Tsofen Da Vinci (Da Vinci Code), which tracks King David's line all the way to Audrey Tautou, most of this post will be unrelated to my King David quest.


I will go through my experience point by point.

Why did you choose this movie

I wanted to see X-Men 3, but the bus didn't arrive in time. The Da Vinci Code gave me more time (45 minutes) to get to the theater.

Cash issues and movie theater credit card issues.

When I arrived at the ticket office, I pulled out my credit card to pay for my ticket. Instead of the woman behind the glass accepting my card, she said that they don't accept credit cards (aka: cash only). Even more interesting was the advertisemennt next to the ticket booth. It read: Your card (picture of Amex card), Your ticket (picture of a movie ticket). I still don't understand.

She said that I should go find an ATM. I thought that shouldn't be a problem. I had five minutes until the movie started and, since the movie theater was in a mall, I shouldn't have an issue finding an ATM.

Au contrare. My conversation with the security guard revealed that there is no ATM machine within walking distance. Fortunately, the most generous person that I have met in my time in Israel lent me a few sheks to pay for my ticket.

Previews
The movie started 25 minutes after the scheduled starting time. The bulk of that time was filled with commercials. Among my favorite commercials was the Dannon commericial that showed both a hockey team and snowboarder (both things that Israelis can relate to). There was also a Toshiba commeerical that got repeated.

Assigned seat
Theater 3, Row 8, Seat 13

Intermission
This was a brand new concept for me. About halfway through the film, the lights go on, the curtain goes down, and people take a few minutes of break. I find this a great invention for a society like Israel's that is so connected to the mobile phone. It gives polite people that opportunity to listen to voice messages and return calls that they got in the first half. For impolite people, you simply answer your phone and listen to voice messages during the movie.

For a society that loves a good smoke, it allows people to step outside and get a smoke without missing any of the movie. That is, you won't miss anything as long as you come back in time. Like the woman sitting directly to my left who pulled off the ultimate no-no in attending movies in Israel. She returned from the intermission five minutes into the second half, forcing the entire row to lose focus of the plot so that she can get back to her seat.

As an overall, I don't really like how the intermission forces you to lose your focus. If you can't go to a movie and focus on the film for two hours without standing up to go get a smoke, then you should wait until it comes out on DVD where you can smoke and watch at the same time.

Did I read the book?

No

Now a few things from two days ago that deserve mentioning.

First up:

I saw my cousin Megan who was on the Colorado birthright trip. It was her last night in Israel, and she looked like she was having a great time.


There were also some Michigan kids on her bus. Somehow the conversation drifted to Michigan basketball, and I brought up Cheryl Burnett's name. I don't know the context (actually, it was comparing how she deserved more time while Tommy should be let go immediately).

Look at what I can do with the apricot seeds (This is what I do when the laundry runs). In terms of spitting them, I have great acccuracy but poor distance control.


This photo was taken at 1:30 a.m. at the corner of Bezalel and King George.


VENKMAN: (belligerent)
What the hell's it look like we're doing? We're bustin out asses over here 'cause some douchebag downtown ain't got nothin' better to do than make idiots like us work late on a Friday night, right? (looks to Spengler for agreement)

SPENGLER: (with a "right on" fist) Yo.

I believe that they were looking for a River of Slime running under the city to a central location under the Temple Mount.


Look at how they close the street for a parade.

Presser #2

Ian: I would like to open today's press conference with a statement about my trip to the market at the corner of Bezalel and King George in the City Cellar Shopping Center. It was the first time I bought something at a shopping center in Israel. I had visited before but couldn't find what I needed (err. didn't understand the packaging).

Today's mission: paper towel and cereal.

Mission accomplished.

Let me give a story and some observations about my time in line at the register. I bought seven items and decided that my best option would be the ten items and fewer line. When I get there, I noticed that the women who is being rung up has 15+ items. Is the ten items or fewer a suggested amount or a rigid barrier.

If it is a strict limit, what if you get to the line with ten items in your basket or hand, depending on how you choose to carry your groceries, and decide to purchase a pack of gum. Does this relegate you to the lines for everybody else or do you still maintain your under ten status?

Two more moments to recalll from the line before I get to answering your questions. The guy in front of me bought six bottles of pop. After the woman at the register scanned all of his items, she asked "it that all?" as if she was surprised that he only bought six items.

Aren't we in the line for people that only buy six items. Why was she surprised?

The guy behind me in line had two items: a yogurt and a bottle of milk. This is normal, right? Except that they were both empty. While paying for his items, he gave them to the cashier to throw them away.

OK, now hit me with the tough questions.

Chief consultant: Status check on the refrigerator.

Ian: Let me reach to open it up. Alright, we have 500 ml chocolate milk and one full Nalgene bottle in the door. On the racks, we have four yogurts, two eggplant dips, two partial containers (in terms of content not portions of containers) of hummus, one litre (some prefer it with an "er" at the end, I will use them interchangably) of orange juice, one liter of milk, and two apricots. Earlier today, I found an empty apricot container from more than a week ago.

I know exactly what you are thinking. Ian and milk? That's like Ian and alchohol. He only has small drops. I got a box of Raisin Bran and one of Toasted Oatmeal.

Chief consultant: Orange juice: pulp or no pulp?

Ian: I think we all know my stance on orange juice with pulp. To quote Daphna and Shira: "I am very anti it." However, I just tasted the orange juice I bought at the market and realized that it has some pulp. I will handle it for now, but I will rectify the situation in the future. The orange juice I had on the yom before yom yerushalayim was surprisingly low pulp.

Health Club Cookbook Illustration: Have you tried Moroccan food?

Ian: No, but I have eaten Yemenite food. In fact, I believe that the Yemenite restaurant did offer Moroccan food. I have trouble distinguishing between the two. At the restaurant, I ate a platter of grilled and roasted vegetables (similar to what my mom would order but this was actually on the menu)

Chief consultant: Most unhealthy food you have eaten since leaving America?

Ian: I don't know the nutritional value of shwarma or shnitzel, so I would have to put them near the top.

CTU: Thoughts on Jack Bauer's future?

Ian: I would like to see the next season be Curtis Manning spending 24 hours trying to rescue Jack from China.

Tiger's commercial Who's your Tiger?

Ian: Difficult to choose between children. I would have to say Jack Hannahan.

Another interesting moment from my experience at the market. I bought Orbitz: Professional chewing gum. It was better than Orbitz: Amateur, which was right next to it.

I want to remind you to continue to ask your questions. Once I feel like I have enough, I will answer them in press conference form.

When my feet stood within thy gates Jerusalem

For the past 39 years, the city of Jerusalem has been a city united. Two days ago, the city celebrated its reunification with Yom Yerushalayim. I have already blogged about the preparation for Yom Yerushalayim. Let me take you through my Yom Yerushalayim.


After spending a few minutes at the SPNI offices finishing my assignment, I went to work at one of the community gardens. Once I got there, I learned that we weren't going to work today. Instead, we were going to Kiryat Menachem to help with a Yom Yerushalayim celebration.

I arrived a couple hours early and decided to hike to some springs in the area (My first hike in Israel). The place that we hiked is located right near the green line on the western edge of Jerusalem, so it was interesting to spend part of the day that we commemorate the reuniting of Jerusalem near the area where a fence is going to be built separating Israel from the territories.


It was quite a scorcher on Thursday afternoon, and a visit to the springs was a perfect remedy for the heat.

Once we returned to the trailhead, we helped the community with their Yom Yerushalayim celebration. The festivities included planting gardens (the event was run by the community gardeners), making pita, and playing music.


After a few hours of buidling vegetable gardens, I found myself at the helm of the pita maker. Now I can segue into one of Ian's long-term dreams: opening a "pitaria" in Ann Arbor (or southeast Michigan). Living a few minutes from the Shuk, I have learned some of the finer sides of life, like pita fresh from the oven (I have actually become a pita-snob). In my experiences, there are few things better than fresh pita and no place in Michigan that makes pita with such deliciousness and simplicity at low prices.


I came to another realization surrounding the production of pita. While many American's purchase hooka on their trips to Israel, I hope to (if I can find one) buy the iron thing you put on top of a fire to make pita. (For those that think Ian is overcoming his fear of fire, you are very wrong. I can be around it but handling it with a match or lighter? Absolutely not.)

I planned on continuing my celebration of Yom Yerushalayim with something that my friend told me about "the Midnight March." Apparently, it includes a giant mass of people walking from a Yeshiva near the Central Bus Station down Yafo Rd. into the Old City, Then, they proceed to waik around the city for hours and, eventually, reach the Kotel. It turns out that the March was the night before, but that is fine because I had a pretty interesting experience. Since I was not going to walk with thousands of my closest friends, I will walk to Kotel by myself (it is already 1:30 a.m.). Many people would ask me why I didn't participate in a march that occured earllier in the afternoon from Gan Sacher (famous for its ruthless basketball rules) to Ben Yehuda St. to the Kotel. I place a personal boycott on this event because of the heavily political overtones.

(Wait a second, Ian. Isn't celebrating Yom Yerushalayim a political event already?)

Good question, Ian. Yes it is. The march plannners earlier in the day pushed things a step further than they needed to be. In addition to celebrating the reunification of Jerusalem, the planners also rallied for the release of Jonathan Pollard. While I may or may not support Pollard's release, I do not believe that his release has anything to do with the reunification of Jerusalem. The Pollard issue is big enough that the planners could've arranged a separate event dedicated solely to Pollard's release and drawn a good-sized crowd. They didn't have to connect it with Yom Yerushalayim.


I digressed.

So I walked through the Old City to the Kotel to celebrate Yom Yerushalayim. Here is a photo of my feet standing at thy gates Jerusalem, much like the famous photo of Yithak Rabin, Moshe Dayan, and Uzi Narkiss that donned the walls of my dorm room (and will be on the wall in my apartment in the fall).


I went to the Wall, just like the paratroopers in that famous photo that would be on the wall in my room if I didn't have the other one.


There were still people dancing and singing, and I joined in.


After I went to the wall, it was about 3:00 a.m., which can only mean one thing: PIstons-Heat Game 2. I went back to Jason, Ilana, and Adam's to watch the game. Huge win! I would have liked to see them continue the effort through four quarters, especially because some of us were slightly tired. I just crashed on their couch at 6:00 a.m. (the sun had fully arisen by the time the game was over). Now you see why I delayed blogging and spent just 40 minutes at home over a 24 hour span, even though I was in Jerusalem for the entire day.

A juicy day, to say the least

I apologize for not blogging about this yesterday but I have spent all of 40 minutes in my room in the last 24 hours. Let me give you whirlwind tour of Wednesday.

As some of you might know, yesterday was Yom Yerushalayim, the day commemorating the reuniting of Jerusalem during the Six-Day War. Do you know what that really means?

Free orange juice the day before.

In preparation for the chag, a moshav in the south donated eight tons (I don't know the metric converstion) of oranges to distribute free orange juice to people on the street. Booths were erected in on Ben Yehuda and King George (probably other spots that I didn't pass). People crowded around for few ounces of freshly-squozen (is this a word) goodness. And we all know how pushy Israelis can get (just look at how they drive).


While I don't really understand the connection between free orange juice and the reuniting of Jerusalem, I will jump at the chance for free orange juice. On a side note, I notice that my orange juice intake has decreased dramatically since leaving the dorms on campus. At school, I had a three cup per meal standard (about 24 oz. of orange juice per meal). In Israel, I am drinking about as much orange juice as beer (Once it hits your lips, it's so good).

I have digressed.

I passed by all of this pre-Yom Yerushalayim mayhem on my way to work at the SPNI offices, which I have not properly described to you.

The SPNI offfices are located in one of the coolest structures I have ever worked in (or seen, for that matter). They are housed in the Russian Compound, inside of what looks like an old fort.


Once you get inside you wouldn't believe that you are inside of a fort, except for the turret/tower to the side. There is a magnificent garden with a fountain and plants. So much serenity just a block from the hustle and bustle of the downtown area.




Being the day before Jerusalem Day, I wanted to go to a museum that would get me in the mood. I decided to visit a museum called the Last Day Museum in the Old City. Apparently, the museum chronicles the day that the Jordanians took back the Jewish Quarter during the War of Independence. I wouldn't know anything about that because I was on a tight schedule and couldn't find the museum on my first two passes. Why was I on such a tight schedule you ask?

Well, I had a job interview (more of a meet-and-greet but I will use the term job interview) an hour later in Bet Shemesh, a town about twenty minutes outside of Jerusalem. I had to push the pace back to my apartment, drop of my bag, and head to the Central Bus Station to pick up a Sherut. In conclusion, no time to search for the museum ( I will return to it soon, I promise).

Now, you might be thinking, "Ian, you should've planned your day so that you had more time to go to the museum." Or you might be thinking "Job interview?"

I will address the latter question and ignore the former.

As some of you might know, I might be doing the Yavneh Olami Summer Internship Program for the second part of my summer. I had an interview with an internet marketing company in Bet Shemesh to see if that is where I would like to intern for the second six weeks of my stay.

I had never really heard much about the field of internet marketing before. I think it is a pretty interesting field. I am intersted in pursuing that internship but I will wait to hear back from a couple different companies and organizations before makiing a final decision about my plans.


Let me just give one highlight from the interview. I had an experience similar to the former presidennt off the M-Shvitz Club at a medical school interview. After I sit down in the office to start talking to my possible boss, the first words that come out of his mouth are "Oh, Shmooze Club. Interesting. Tell me abouut it."

It's a good thing that i have been working on the 20 second plug. I gave him a shpiel about it and tried to show him how popular Shmooze had become on Google searches (at one point we were on the second page of the Google search). By now, we have fallen down the list (we didn't have time to search extensively for it).

After my job interview, I headed to Tel Aviv to meet up with a friennd who was in town. But before i get to Tel Aviv, let me give a great story from my ride there.


That is the Bet Shemesh Train Station in that photo. Before two days ago, I had never used a train to travel between urban areas (I don't consider one corner of the Detroit Zoo to another an inter urban area commute).

After I sit down on the train and marvel an the surroundings, I start talking to the person sitting next to me. Let me give you a transcript of the conversation (from within the first three lines of dialogue):

Girl sitting across the aisle: Where are you from?
Ian: Michigan. Where are you from?
Girl sitting across the aisle: Bolivia
Ian: Oh that's funny. Last night, my friend ditched me to hang out with a Bolivian.
Girl sitting across the aisle: What's you friend's name?
Ian: (I said my friend's name)
Girl sitting across the aisle: I am that Bolivian that your friend ditched you for.

Pretty incredible. Maybe I could've found a better way of saying it, but I think it turned out pretty good. I talked to my friend and she thought it was equally incredible.

Once I get to Tel Aviv, there a miscommunication with my friend about where she is in town but we find each other, eventually. We walk through town for a little while before she has to go meet up with her siblings who live in Tel Aviv.


I had to get back to Jerusalem becuase Wednesday night was something called Yom ha-Student (Student's Day). This means that there was pretty big concert in Gan ha-Atzmaut with one of the biggest Israeli bands (Hadag Nachash). I had a great time. It was my first concert in Israel. I hope to go to a bunch more, which is weird because I rarely attend concerts in the US (Maybe I am becoming more acculturated? Maybe I won't attend many more shows?)




I will post about my Yom Yerushalayim experience later tonight or tomorrow, but it will come.

22 miles away: You gotta get yourself a new map

For the past two weeks, my job with SPNI has been to record all of the recreation sites in Jerusalem. On my way to the Peace Tents exhibit yesterday afternoon, I figured that I could stop by a site in person that seemed particularly interesting — the Jerusalem Club for the Blind.

It is located on Ein Rogel St. on the edge of the Abu Tor neighborhood, near the Ariel Hotel, which was frequented by the 2004 JAMD Senior Trip (Asaf l'panim). Well, at least I thought it was there. After wandering up and down the street, I ask a female IDF soldier where the club for the blind is. And she tells me, no joke, "Just go down that street (pointing down Ha-mefaked St). You'll see it."

Either that was just a coincidence or she has a brilliant sense of humor. As much as I hope it is the latter, I think it is former.
It turns out that she pointed me in the direction of the club for the crippled (again, no joke). It was a small shack on a bend in the road. I didn't notice any recreation facilities on the premises (it was just four guys chillin').

I gave up on finding the Club for the Blind and headed off to see some conceptual art. Later that night, I ran into the Michigan Birthright trip on Ben Yehuda St., and I relayed the story to David. This is a direct quote from that conversation. "That place (the Club for the Blind) must not be there because it was nowhere to be seen."


I have come to one conclusion from this experience: I need to get a new map because my current one is not up-to-date enough (even though the front says 2006 edition).

*As someone who suffers from a visual field loss, it is acceptable for me to make blind person jokes.

Robin Hood: My first matter of business I would like to appoint a new Sheriff... My friend Achoo.
Crowd: A black sheriff?
Blinkin: He's black!
Achoo: Hey, it worked in Blazing Saddles!
Crowd: Yeah.


Blinkin: Oh Master Robin!
[hugging a replica statue of the Venus de Milo]
Blinkin: You lost your arms in battle! But you grew some nice boobs.
Robin Hood: Blinkin, I'm over here.

A blind guy walks into a bar. Ouch.

A blind man is sitting on a park bench. A rabbi sits down next to him. The rabbi is chomping on a piece of matzah. Taking pity on the blind man, he breaks off a piece and gives it to the blind man. Several minutes later, the blind man turns, taps the rabbi on the
shoulder, and asks, "Who wrote this crap?"

Step two: Snorkel the animals

Just as Homer Simpson tried his part at conceptual art with the "Grand Canals of Springfield" to make the world a more magical place, French artist Clara Halter (who is a real conceptual artist) is doing her part to make the world a more peaceful place. You might remeber Ms. Halter from such exhibits as Gates of Peace in Hiroshima, the Peace Tower in St. Petersburg, or the Wall for Peace in Paris (I am beginning to notice a theme). Recently, there have been advertisements for Halter's Peace Tents all over town. This afternoon, I decided to take a look-see.

Part of the Peace Tents is on the side of a mountain in the Abu Tor neighborhood, while the other part is on the Armon Hanatziv Promenade. There is a giant banner draped over the side of the mountain with the word for "peace" written on it in five languages. The large sheet of fabric covers 10,000 square meters.


On the promenade, which opposes the cliff, there are 15 tents with the word for peace in 49 different languages written on them.




Halter talks about the word "peace:"

I have collected this word, which I have repeated time and again ad infinitum, in a number of languages and different alphabets. As a result, I have discoverd the beauty in the various writings of the world, these ancient characters and their never-ending meanings. This word "peace" which is examined incessantly, is at at once the expression of a universal desire and an invitation to spread this desire around the world.

Just as Homer's Grand Canals inspired the residents of Springfield to live more magical lives, hopefully Halter's (no relation to Shane that I know of) work will have a similar effect on the residents of the world to embrace peace.

Now, I am going to go on a ridiculous Simpson reference spree (just to warn you).
Unlike Home's creation, the Peace Tents won't require Milhouse to get out his flood pants.


[groans] I hate these flood pants. [opens door and water comes in up to his
ankles] Hey, they're working! My feet are soaked, but my cuffs are bone dry!
Everything's comin' up Milhouse! [struts out]

Unlike, Homer's creation, the Peace Tents won't require Homer and Bart to snorkel the animals. Or, at least we hope not.




I'll get the pony, while you get the lion

On a slightly more serious note, the Peace Tents helped kick off a summer-long French cultural series aimed at mending relations with Israel.

My first full Shabbat in Jerusalem

While the rest of the city awakens from its Shabbat slumber, I find myself in a blogging mood. What better way to recap my first Shabbat in Jerusalem (you might recall my adventure in Holon and Tel Aviv last week)!

Dinner
Since moving into my apartment in Nachlaot, I have felt like an outsider into the community. To bridge this gap between myself and the natives, I attended the shul down the street, rather below the street. The local synagogue, Kol Rina, is located below Beer Sheva St, one block away from my house. It is a very interesting concept.
They mechitza the minyan (used the word as a verb) with the men on the east side of the structure underneath the intersection of Geva and Beer Sheva, the women are on the west side of the complex.
I attended services with two main objectives: to get in the mood for Shabbat and to get invited to someone's house for Shabbat dinner. Check and check.
The place gets rocking during Kabbalat Shabbat with the dancing and the nigguns, pretty exciting.
During the announcements, the speaker says that anybody that would like to be a Shabbat guest should congregate at the mechitza. Throughout services, I surveryed the crowd to see who would the kind of person to invite a shabbat guest into their house. The truth is that I have limited experience with this shabbat guest thing so I was very off.
I end up being approached by Chaim and his son, Nachman. They are very nice people who live in an apartment on the Mahene Yehuda side of Aggripas. Chaim wore a streimel and kaftan while his son was clothed in a black coat and black hat. It turns out that Chaim has three children, Nachman (in Yeshiva), Hadassah (< 10-years old), and another daughter who is married. He is originally from Brooklyn and studies in Kollel six days a week.
When we arrrived, the table was set and the candles lit. We jumped right into Shalom Alechem, which I was pretty comfortable with. Then they did Eishet Chayil, something I have very little experience with. In my book, Eisthet Chayil was immediately after Shalom Alechem but they managed to turn a few more pages and pray a little more before Eishet Chayil (maybe there is some ritual of repeating the song that I am unfamiliar with).
We did kiddush and motzi. Then it was time to eat. We started with salad, which translated to English means multiple spread and dips (there was a green salad of lettuce and cucumber included). This part of the meal also included fish. After we finished salad, Chaim led us in a d'var torah from this weeks torah portion. Next up was the soup. Chaim's wife cooked a chicken soup with carrot and squash. There was some discussion over what squash really was, its Hebrew name, and its relationship with the pumpkin. In between soup and dinner, we engaged in some zmirot (songs). For dinner, his wife (I never learned her first name) she cooked chicken, sweet potatoes, roasted potatoes, and a cauliflower kugel. The food was pretty good (first homemade fleishigs since I got to Israel). For dessert, she laid out some fruits and rugelah (and a sugar-free option that I couldn't tell what it was). After benching, I went home and prepared for the Piston's game.
Funniest comment of the night: Instead of saying l'chaim, they say l'aba (father).

Basketball game
I got back from dinner completely exhausted. I decided to set my alarm for 1:40 (a.m.) so I could get to Jason, Ilana, and Adam's in time for the 2:00 tip-off of the Pistons-Cavs game. Next thing I remeber was rolling over and seeing that my clock read 3:38. Apparently, I slept through my alarm (At least this was a middle-of-the-night basketball game and not a final exam). I hurriedly got ready and sprinted (by the time I got there, it was more of a light jog) to my their place.
The game is not of TV. Instead, Jason uses a Jim Rome-pimped product called Slingbox that allows you to control and watch TV through your cable box on your computer.
I got to his place at the beginning of the third quarter of a back and forth game. So I guess I didn't miss too much. As the teams exchange runs through the third and into the fourth quarter, the suspence and drama was palpable (win or go home for the summer for the 'stons vs. win or have to face a game 7 at the Palace for the Cavs). With about seven minutes left, the score is tied at 69. Suddenly, the lights in the apartment go out and a few seconds later, the TV feed goes out.
THE POWER WENT OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FOURTH QUARTER OF THE BIGGEST GAME OF THE YEAR
Trying to be resourceful, we thought of other solutions to the problem (possibly going onto Ben Yehuda St to use the free wireless). We concluded that would be too risky. Instead, I called home and got live updates from my family that was watching the game. We were on pins in needles in Rehavia with every change of possession that we heard. Let's just say that hearing that your team misses three free throws in the final minute of a closs basketball game and not being able to watch it is not good for your blood pressure. Luckily, the Pistons got on the offensive glass and eeked out a close one. This means game 7 at the Palace at 10:00 IDT Sunday night.
I got back to my apartment and slept until 10:45.

Oh, hello
I spent the latter part of my morning and early part of the afternoon reading yesterday's Jerusalem Post and reading about the Pistons game online.
I enjoyed a delicious Shabbat lunch of half a crate of apricots, four carrots, one bag of pita, and some hummus. I had some rugelah for dessert.
At 2:30ish, I headed over to the Knesset Tower Hotel to visit some friends (and fellow Shmoozeniks) on the University of Michigan Birthright Trip.



From my vantage point, they are having a great time on the trip. I will see them again in a few days when they return to Jerusalem.
After we shmoozed and kibbutzed for a few minutes, we went down to take a Shabbat walk around some of the government buildings in the area, namely the Knesset and Supreme Court. We went down to the lobby to gather before the trip and ran into numberous shmoozeniks who happen to be on the Michigan bus. The only regret is that I never saw the man who ofts the "Michigan Rabbi" shirt. Hopefully on Tuesday.
In my two previous trips to Israel, we never toured the area with all the government buildings. It was very interesting, but I plan on going on a more in-depth tour, where I will actually go inside the building, in the future.
That is my first Shabbat in Jerusalem and a great day all around.

Shabbat Shalom

Shabbat Shalom from this blog to yours.

Before I welcome the Sabbath Bride, I would like to boast about my market endeavours this afternoon. I went to the Shuk when all of the vendors lowered their prices to get rid of things before Shabbat. I think I did a pretty good job. I spent 68 shekels on the following items.

30 Rugelah
1/2 watermelon
1 crate mish-mish
1 crate strawberries
3/4 kilo of cucumbers
1 bag of carrots
1 eggplant dip
1 pepper dip
30 pitas


I consider it a successful day when you pay the equivalent of 70 cents for half a watermelon and you still feel like you paid too much.
Right now, the only problem is that I don't have cutting board to cut the watermelon on.

The most outdoorsy things I've ever done

Building a tent out of eucalyptus.


Building a fire pit out of horse crap.


Turning a compost pile with a pitchfork.

My First Presser

After a litle over week in Israel, Ian faced the media today for the first time. And he was ready to answer the tough questions.
Here is a transcribed copy off the press conference from earlier today.

Opening statement: Wow, I can't beleive it has been a week. In some ways, it has felt like I have been here a month. In other ways, just a few days. But nothing has felt like a week. In every way, I am having a great time.
Let me give you a brief update on my current status. Then I will answer your questions. Right now I am holding down three volunteer jobs — two at the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel and another as a sportwriter for the Jerusalem Post. I live in the Nachlaot neighborhood in Jerusalem, great location. I am still working on what I will do the second half of my summer in Israel but when I know about it, you guys will be the first to hear.
Now I would like to open the floor to questions.

Ian: Ah yes, the blog-addicted Jewish mother in the front row.

Blog-addicted Jewish mother: What is in your refrigerator?

Ian: Good question. I just got back from the Shuk (open-air marker), so the contents might be a little skewed. Currently, I have a crate of apricots, half a crate of strawberries, four yogurts, babaganous, hummus, and an empty plastic bag. Before I went to the market, I only had the plastic bag and strawberries (that has been the standard condition of my fridge).

Blog-addicted Jewish mother's sister: Yes, I have a follow up to that one. Do you cook at all or just go out to eat . . . like Papa would?

Ian: Well, as you can see on the food group competition to the right, I am paying homage to Papa and go out to eat quite a bit. I ate my first meal in my room two days ago (pita bread with peanut butter, three nectarines, and a liter of water).
If you look at the shelving unit in my room with all of the cooking supplies, you will notice that it has gone untouched since I arrived. I plan on keeping things that way.
I would eat in more often if the food choices outside weren't so good.

Blog-addicted Jewish mother: Yes, I have a follow up to that. Looking at the food race, where is the ever-popular roly-poly rugelach?

Ian: The rugelach is a type of food that gets eaten in bunches and can also get nibbled on. How would I count the rugelach? Would I tally one for every one I eat? Every 10 I eat? Every occasion that I eat rugelach at? Each of these methods has its faults and wouldn't give a fair representation.
When I first started the race, I only planned on including foods that would make up a meal, which would've excluded Ice "Cuppy" Coffee (the Inuit cousin of my favorite Dunkin' Donuts Race character).
Because of the inclusion of Mr. Coffee into the competition, I will keep track of how many times and total amount of rugelach I eat. I may add the rugelach down the line or eliminate the coffee.

Yeshiva (U) Bukher: Best interaction with a native Israeli?

Ian: Good question. Until now, the best interactin with native Israelis (by best I mean hilarious) was the taxi cab ride in Holon with the older couple in the front seat that didn't know where I was trying to get to but agreed to drive me there, nonetheless. Each of them seemed to have different opinions as to where the arena was, and neither of them were correct. In the end, I racked up a bill of 24 shekels and the arena was only four blocks from where the cab picked me up.

Blog-addicted Jewish mother's sister: How are the young ladies in Israel?

Ian: In a little more than a week in Israel, I have found the young ladies in Israel to be very nice. They are willing to give directions to a lost American, but I haven't found any candidates for a long-term relationship (something someone like an aunt would want to know), yet.

Programming: The franklin umpiring squad didn't show up at the little league diamond yesterday (by now, it was two days ago). How would you ensure that this doesn't happen in the future -- if you were in charge?

Ian: From what I understand, the Franklin baseball umpiring system has struggled since the beginning of the year. They refused to rehire one of their most dedicated and , in my opinion, best umps. This just goes to show you that they are not doing all that they can to put out the best product that they can.
If I were in charge, I would institute a program where the umpire would call the coach the night before the game, or someone that the Umpire Director delegates would call the ump the night before the game to remind them.

Movie reference critic: What are the biggest challenges you face each day? Do you see yourself overcoming these challenges? What strategies are in place to deal with the situation?

Ian: Not only will these press conferences inform the public about my travels, but they will also help my observe the various aspects of my life in Israel and think of how to address them.
First (well, now actually second now), I would like to thank you for this great question. Until now the biggest issue that I have faced is that everybody knows English. While that might sound like a good thing, one of the reasons that I am here is to improve my Hebrew. I have now spent six years in school learning the language and I want to put it to practical use. Everytime I try to start a conversation in Hebrew, the Sabra (native Israeli) will change the language to English in mid-conversation, not the best way to improve one's Hebrew.
I plan on facing this challenge head on. I wiill be persistant and insistent on using Hebrew in conversations.When I volunteer, I try as hard as I can to speak Hebrew (my Hebrew gardening vocabulary might be larger than my English gardening vocabulary).

Troubleshooting: Two questions. What is the most expensive item you've bought thus far?

Ian: That is a great question. Aside from taxis, the most expensive item that I have bought so far is the shnitzel sandwich that cost me a shade under 30 sheks (about $7).

Troubleshooting: Number two: Which new foods have you tried? Explain.

Ian: While it might seem ridiculous, I never purchased a coffee dring before going to Israel. I have bought three ice coffees in the last two days. I see myself developing an unhealthy addiction. I am aleady googling the ICA.

Cultural Development: Ian, have you been to any museums yet?

Ian: As you know (or will know after finishing this sentence), another goal of my summer in Israel is to see some of the sites and museums that I haven't seen yet. I started off my tour of the museums with a stop at the Armenian Museum in Old City. It was worth the three shekel student fee but if they wanted to maintain a top-notch museum, they might want to think about raising rates so they can make changes that account for major political developments (it's now called the Republic of Armenia).


Things that I did learn: Armenia was the first country to adopt Christianity as the official religion. According to the map of the Armenian genocide, the Armenian genocide was the first genocide of the 20th century.

Guest Services: The Tigers are the best team in baseball. They have not lost since you got to Israel. Thoughts?

Ian: If the Tigers do not lose a game for the next three months, it would force me to do some deep thinking about whether I want to return home. Anyway, I love my Tigers. One Tiger note that I have to reconsider is the answer to the question "Who's your Tiger?" After a recent domestic violence charge aggainst 32-year old Dmitri Young by a 21-year old girlfriend, I will now answer the question with "Placido Polanco." On a not-so positive note, the Pistons are 0-3 since I left. I have done some thinking recently with the Tigers at the top of the league, which Detroit team would I most want to win a championship. It took me three seconds to answer "MY TIGERS!!"

That will be all for this press conference. Please continue sending your questions and I will hold another one in a few days.

New blogging idea

I am very pleased with how this blog is working out. I will continue to blog in the existing fashion, but there is somethign that I have always wanted to do, host a press conference.
In my time at the Daily, I have observed several press conferences. I would like to try my hand at it.
Therefore, I am asking you guys to send me questions during the day asking about different aspeccts of my day ofr life in general. At the end of the day, I will sit down at my computer and answer all the questions.
In my time at the Daily, I realized that people often avoid questions. I won't do that.
I will not call out anybody for asking certain types of questions that I don't like answering, and I will not give "no comment" answers (or will try my darndest not to).
A few sample questions to get your minds churning:
Ian, talk about your meals today and take me through your thought process on deciding where to eat.
Ian, have you been to any museums yet in Israel (ie. the Armenian Museum in the Old City)?
Ian, have you been on any tiyyullim (trips, pardon my transliteration)? Are there any in the works?
Ian, what is in your fridge right now?
Ian, I understand that your remote control is not working. Thoughts on the situation.
Ian, did you get that job at SPNI? "Yes." Ok, what is it that you do there?
Ian, what is the best way to talk to you? Skype
Ian, I understand that you wear Chacos everyday. How is your tan developing?

Let's try this experiment. If it fails, we will still be doing the traditional blogging style. If this press conference works out, I will be living a dream.
If you could send your questions through the comment feature by 5:00 p.m. eastern time, I should be able to hold a press conference before I go to sleep. Please send them in. I will hold the first presser tomorrow night before I go to sleep.
A little preview of my day so you know what to ask. In the morning, I plan on doing some work at the SPNI office. In the afternoon, I will volunteer in an garden near Givat Shmuel. Lunch is up in the air but I smell a visit to Mahane Yehuda. Hope that this gets your mind going. Talk to you tomorrow.
(I would like to thank Jose for the idea of an end-of-the-day press conference)
Down the line, I could handle press conferences as if I am another person (ie. coach, movie charcter, cartoon, politician, Drew Rosenhaus, White House press secretary, etic.)

Lag B'omer Recap

Last night was Lag B'omer. However, the preparations have been going on for months. Since I arrived in Jerusalem, there has been wood lying in the middle of sidewalks for people to take for their bonfires. I have even seen people leave old cabinets to be used in fires.
Yesterday afternoon, the everybody in town was making final preparations for their bonfires, especially the children. I have come to the conclusion that little kids trying to carry large wooden objects down the street, together or solo, is among the top-ten cutest and funniest things to watch — along with them trying to build a fire.
Before I went out and celebrated the night with some friends, I decided to tour the Sacher (pronounced with a kuf sound) Park bonfire preparations. Enjoy some of the photos.









As you can tell, some of the kids were preparing for futures as Michigan State students.


Last night, I went to Har Nof, which is on the western edge of the city near the Jerusalem Forest, to celebrate with my friend Rachel (the one that just celebrated her birthday) and her friend Tasha. (Note: I would have gone up to see the Mayhem on Meron (nice alliteration), but I could not find anybody to go with me until about 11 p.m.)
We bonfire-hopped for a couple of hours and saw some pretty large blazes.





I really enjoyed my first Lag B'omer in Israel. That might sound strange, seeing as I am afraid of fire.