Right now I am sitting in my old home in Parma, Italy and cannot believe how much time has passed since my last entry. I am going to try my best to summarize the most important happenings of my last 6 months in Israel and bring you up to date on my travels this summer.
Living in Haifa still seems like a dream, and I really have grown a lot since having moved to Israel over a year ago. Presently, I have decided to convert to Judaism (big shocker for my friends and family) but feel that after this year in Israel I want to continue with the traditions I partook in and truly feel a part of the Israeli culture. I also have learned more Hebrew than when I originally came (being none at all) and have gained so many wonderful friends and family who I have truly come to love this past year.
So, when I last left you, my friend Katie had just come to visit me in January for my birthday, the New Year and for her first trip to Israel. Katie is my friend from Best Buddies who is getting married this August and I am so proud and excited to say that I will be in her wedding! After she left, I was so sad because we had such a good time together but was glad to learn that my grandmother had decided to come to Israel to visit me for a weeklong trip with the UJC in Bergen County.
This trip was so special for me because not only was it my grandmother’s first trip to Israel, but our first trip together outside of the US. My grandmother proved to be a wonderful traveler partner and I got to see so many things with her that I would have never had the chance to do otherwise. We also ate lots of good food and were able to meet people from Bergen County that we had never met before.
When my Grandmother first arrived in Tel Aviv I think she was more shocked to see me than she has ever been. She braved the 11 hour flight by herself and is my hero for taking so many chances and being so adventurous still! The day after she arrived we took a tour of Tel Aviv and I got to see Independence Hall, the place where the state of Israel was established by Ben Gurion in 1948. It was really interesting to see the building and to hear on the loudspeaker recorded clips from when Ben Gurion’s famous speech was delivered and the HaTikvah (Jewish National Anthem) was first sung.
Walking around Tel Aviv we got to see the oldest neighborhoods and also explore Jaffa, the mixed area of the city. I have to say that Jaffa is probably my favorite part of Tel Aviv because it a very special and diverse community that hold a lot of unique stores, restaurants, and places to see and walk around. Also, I think it boasts the best view of Tel Aviv and love taking anyone who comes to visit there.
For lunch my grandma and I got to eat at an amazing restaurant called “Dr. Shakshuka”, which is a legendary restaurant in Jaffa. We even got to meet Dr. Shakshuka himself and take a photo with him, which I will post. For all of you who know my grandma, I just want to add that this was the most food I have ever seen my grandmother eat in a one week period, and for a woman who could survive on black coffee, bread, and chocolate, this is saying A LOT!
After Tel Aviv we made our way to a great Kibbutz in the north and then were hosted for a dinner by Bergen County’s sister city Nahariya. The family that my grandmother and I got to stay at was amazing and the family was so wonderful and kind. It was a dinner I will never forget not only because the food was so good, but our host families were so kind and hospitable.
The next day, we visited the spiritual city of Tzfat and which is probably one of my favorite places to go in Israel. Next we visited Akko and had a great dinner in the Knights Hall with dancers and entertainers throughout the evening. It was amazing how much this tour put into a one week period and I have to say my grandmother never got tired even once, even though our schedule had us starting our day at 6AM and going to sleep at around 1AM every night!
Our last evening in Haifa, my friends Ofer and Kerstin met my grandmother in our hotel and we all had a great time talking and visiting together. This was the only free time we had the whole entire trip and it was from 11PM – 1AM at night! The following day my grandmother and I were able to plant a tree in Israel and see the famous city of Tel Hai.
One of my most memorable days of the trip was definitely attending the Batz Mitzvah of a girl Rebecca Joy at the top of Masada with all of her family and grandmother who was also Batz Mitzvah. This celebration was particularly meaningful and special because Rebecca has autism and is unable to speak. She, her brother, her parents, and her grandparents all took this trip together and everyone was touched by their love and unity as a family. We all got to help Rebecca with making the Challah and preparing the services for her Batz Mitzvah. It was so incredible as was the best Batz Mitzvah I have ever attended. While at Masada, my grandmother even ran into her friend from Hackensack, who I have heard so much about but never met. This friend walks with my grandmother and is very active. She also works at the Metropolitan Museum with my grandmother and it was a great surprise to run into her.
My grandmother and I spent the last days of her trip together in Jerusalem and had a great time and tour of the area. This truly was a once in a lifetime trip and I am so happy and blessed to have been able to experience it with her!
So in a nut shell, there you have February and now on to March!
