We have much to post, including a field study trip to Northern Galilee & the Golan Heights and a return trip to Jordan . . . but we have been very busy with kitchen duties. There is another short term group here for a couple of weeks, including the JUC board of directors. Our numbers for breakfast & lunch fluctuate, depending on whether or not they are on campus for meals or going on their own field study trips. But at times we are feeding up to 150 people! I'm glad to report that yesterday's lunch was our last preparation for large numbers. We have rented a car with a couple of students and we're going to Tel Aviv this afternoon, returning later tonight. But that's another blog post for later . . .
I am making this post because Israel is celebrating 62 years of independent statehood, and it is very exciting around Jerusalem! Events began Sunday at 7pm at the Western Wall for "Remembrance Day", which is like our Memorial Day. We had just returned from a trip to Mt. Hermon, but got to the wall just in time for the ceremonies to begin. After going through security, we found a place in the crowd to witness this somber remembrance. There was a military procession, and then a siren blew throughout the city. Everyone stood still & silent for one full minute. Then there were speeches by President Shimon Peres, Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat and Chief of Staff Lieutenant-General Gabi Ashkenazi. It was, of course, all in Hebrew, but it was beautiful! I have posted a link to YnetNews. http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3877869,00.html The wooden covered walkway is the entrance for non-Muslims desiring to walk to the Temple Mount, which is dominated by the Dome of the Rock. The protective covering has been recently added to prevent people from being hit by stones thrown from the other side.
This period of remembrance continues for 24 hours into yesterday, Monday morning. We were in the kitchen preparing lunch but knew to go up on the roof at precisely 11am when the siren blew again and Jerusalem came to a virtual standstill for another full minute. Cars & busses stop, with some passsengers getting out and standing still & silent. I could see people on balconies, rooftops, inside glass windowed cafes standing perfectly still. It was extremely moving to see.
Monday evening there was a ceremony at Mt. Herzel (where Theodor Herzl, founder of the Zionist movement, is buried along with some past prime ministers and military personnel) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theodor_Herzl. We didn't attend, but had been told that this ceremony marks the transition to the Independence/Birthday celebration. And what a party ensued!!! We walked down to Ben Yehuda Street in central Jerusalem and got in the middle of the extremely enthusiastic crowd for photos, music, food, beverages, and a visual of how important 1948 is to these people! Wonderful bands were playing, and people were spraying shaving cream, silly string, and "bebopping" each other on the head with huge inflatible plastic hammers. It was so much fun! We knew we had to get up at 5am today, but we stayed until about 11pm before heading back to campus. Winding our way through the crowd, I asked a couple of plain clothed girls if I could have my photo taken with them and their M16s. As soon as we got to our room, we heard fireworks and could see them through the trees from our bedroom window. For a better view, we ran up to the rooftop where other JUC folks joined us to watch the celebration in the sky over King David Hotel. We finally crawled into bed, with the sounds of celebration still being heard out in the city. As I was slumbering, more fireworks began! I just watched from our window, then put in my earplugs to get some sleep. I woke around 3am to go downstairs (and across the courtyard) to the bathroom and could still hear partying in the city! I'm tellin' ya' . . . they love their independence!!!
Tomorrow morning we'll get the short term group off to the Sea of Galilee until the weekend, and they depart Sunday evening. It's nice to just be "family" again, cooking for the students. There will be a military flyover President Peres' residence around 11:30am. Since he lives nearby, we'll interrupt lunch prep and go up on the rooftop for the airshow . . .
I am making this post because Israel is celebrating 62 years of independent statehood, and it is very exciting around Jerusalem! Events began Sunday at 7pm at the Western Wall for "Remembrance Day", which is like our Memorial Day. We had just returned from a trip to Mt. Hermon, but got to the wall just in time for the ceremonies to begin. After going through security, we found a place in the crowd to witness this somber remembrance. There was a military procession, and then a siren blew throughout the city. Everyone stood still & silent for one full minute. Then there were speeches by President Shimon Peres, Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat and Chief of Staff Lieutenant-General Gabi Ashkenazi. It was, of course, all in Hebrew, but it was beautiful! I have posted a link to YnetNews. http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3877869,00.html The wooden covered walkway is the entrance for non-Muslims desiring to walk to the Temple Mount, which is dominated by the Dome of the Rock. The protective covering has been recently added to prevent people from being hit by stones thrown from the other side.
This period of remembrance continues for 24 hours into yesterday, Monday morning. We were in the kitchen preparing lunch but knew to go up on the roof at precisely 11am when the siren blew again and Jerusalem came to a virtual standstill for another full minute. Cars & busses stop, with some passsengers getting out and standing still & silent. I could see people on balconies, rooftops, inside glass windowed cafes standing perfectly still. It was extremely moving to see.
Monday evening there was a ceremony at Mt. Herzel (where Theodor Herzl, founder of the Zionist movement, is buried along with some past prime ministers and military personnel) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theodor_Herzl. We didn't attend, but had been told that this ceremony marks the transition to the Independence/Birthday celebration. And what a party ensued!!! We walked down to Ben Yehuda Street in central Jerusalem and got in the middle of the extremely enthusiastic crowd for photos, music, food, beverages, and a visual of how important 1948 is to these people! Wonderful bands were playing, and people were spraying shaving cream, silly string, and "bebopping" each other on the head with huge inflatible plastic hammers. It was so much fun! We knew we had to get up at 5am today, but we stayed until about 11pm before heading back to campus. Winding our way through the crowd, I asked a couple of plain clothed girls if I could have my photo taken with them and their M16s. As soon as we got to our room, we heard fireworks and could see them through the trees from our bedroom window. For a better view, we ran up to the rooftop where other JUC folks joined us to watch the celebration in the sky over King David Hotel. We finally crawled into bed, with the sounds of celebration still being heard out in the city. As I was slumbering, more fireworks began! I just watched from our window, then put in my earplugs to get some sleep. I woke around 3am to go downstairs (and across the courtyard) to the bathroom and could still hear partying in the city! I'm tellin' ya' . . . they love their independence!!!
Tomorrow morning we'll get the short term group off to the Sea of Galilee until the weekend, and they depart Sunday evening. It's nice to just be "family" again, cooking for the students. There will be a military flyover President Peres' residence around 11:30am. Since he lives nearby, we'll interrupt lunch prep and go up on the rooftop for the airshow . . .
HAPPY BIRTHDAY ISRAEL!
Shalom y'all
