Sunday 22 April 2012
The start of Army Week and ultimately the worst week of my (and Rebekah's) lives. We thought it would be a good idea to make the Assefah in the form of the army, so after a hearty dinner of pizza we headed down, in uniform, to start the assefah. We organised the troops in chet formation and swore them into the NDF (Netzer Defence Force). After a heated discussion and sadly some tears, we ended the assefah. Rebekkah and I stayed up on the roof till about 3am organising our lives, eating cookies, drinking tea and being absoloutly rediculous. We made a movie :D
Monday 24 April 2012
We woke up bright and early for our tour in Tel Aviv.
Tuesday 25 April 2012
MKK- An interesting discussion on Reform Zionism, as it is stated in the Netzer Platforms. It was amazing. I want more ZIONISM!
Yom Tnua- We went all the way to Latrun for the Erev Yom Ha'atzma'ut Tekes. I spent a good deal of the time at the tekes with niagra falls on my face. A whole bunch of people performed songs for fellow soldiers and their families. There was one ex soldier that was injoured in battle and he played the guitar and sung songs for his comrades that had fallen. It was so beautiful, although Lily didn't think so...
I spent the rest of the night with Rebekah in the Dojo planning our peulot for the next day and watching videos on youtube.
Wednesday 26 April 2012
The Etgar group went to Har Hertzel for the Yom Ha'atzma'ut Ceremony. Rebekkah and I walked around and stopped at the Navy Memorial for the two minute long silence, where everyone stood still to commemorate their families or loved ones.
I watched a woman and her husband standing over their childs grave, tears pouring down both their faces, a handkerchief clutched between trembling fingers, and I felt helpless.
I spent the afternoon having my room mates attacking me for waking them up in the middle of the night, even though they wake me up at ungodly hours of the morning by spraying four thousand bottles of deodorant and single handedly killing the planet in more ways than one.
Erev Yom Ha'zikaron was a sight un-be-told by any previous Shnattie. One could not even begin to imagine the kind of electricity that had built up in the Holy Land of Israel over the past few hours. The city had transformed from being in mourning to being as proud as ever to be in existence. Independence day had started. The streets were filled with vendors selling light up Israel hammers and snow in a can. We started off the chilly evening at Machon with some of my Aussie friends in a little picnic of Laffah and Hummus and Dips. We all sat in a circle listening to music, although I was too excited to pay that much attention.
The four of them sat, feet in the flower bed. They wondered about the world and the children that were just beyond the bushes, playing on the jungle gym as the sun went down on a solemn day. They sat in a circle and some played soccer while the sounds of the city grew louder in her ears. People faded in and out of her thoughts. She would sometimes volunteer her musings to the sounds of amused laughter and scoffing form people who thought she was mad.
They left the safety of the park and ventured out into the party that had erupted in the streets of Downtown Jerusalem.
Hillel street was one big party. "Rabbi Nachman Nachman Neoman" echoed through the early hours of the morning, along with the awe inspiring firework displays and the Hebrew Rap Artists in Crack Square. The two girls spent their night dancing and on a constant search for blue. Stumbling upon the Store of Requirement, (the biggest candy store in the whole country) where they found drinks and liquorish. They sat on a bench to enjoy the people, the sights and the music. Lights and sounds emanating through the ancient walls couldn't keep her eyes open, and she retreated to the safety and warmth of her bed.
Thursday 27 April 2012
I awoke to the sounds of an Air Show over head. Feeling overly inspired I "Reformed the Dojo" and headed off for an adventure on the tram with Rebekkah. We had originally decided to go shopping but all the stores were closed. I did buy some cool rings though.
I had plans with Ari and so we grabbed some snacks and headed over to Machon. After a long debate over the phone about weather or not we would help clean his room, we decided we wouldn't but we'd still go over and distract him. We ended up waiting for the bus, that took a hundred years to get there and eating ice cream waiting for him to finish "Cleaning". Gal set up the projector in an abandoned class room, but we didn't finish it. instead we vowed to finish it another time and went mattress surfing down the stairs.
He was strumming his guitar in the moonlight, singing softly under his breath while she told stories he didn't seem to be interested in. Gradually, he got louder and she stopped talking to listen to hi singing. Laying back on the damp grass she could barely see the stars but she strained her eyes so she could. It was chilly and she wanted nothing more than to lean into his chest and sleep. She loved the grass instead.