thinking jewish

$1.08

There aren't too many things these days that one can buy for a dollar, let alone in New York City.

You can buy a can of soda, or four gum balls, or a bagel (with cream cheese if you get it from a street cart). You can get two refills of coffee at Starbucks for $1.08 as well as a cup of tea.

But these are all food items. You eat them, and they are gone: cursed to be forgotten along the sidelines of history.

Yesterday I spent $1.08, and got something meaningful.

The Strand, for those of you non-New Yorkers out there, is the biggest book store in the city. They offer new and used books for unbelievable prices. Outside, they have $1 racks. With tax, each book ends up costing $1.08.

Sitting on one rack was a fifty year-old, 1,000+ page, hardcover Webster's complete dictionary. This thing was old, but beautiful and full of ignored knowledge and wisdom yearning to join the ranks of my library.

So I bought it.

$1.08 later, as I walked towards the subway at Union Square in a gleeful fog of post-consumption joy, I realized one more thing about this book. It was heavy: really heavy.

Two blocks later I donated my dictionary to a homeless man.

Happy readings.

Whu!?

It is an oddity of life here that in the largest city in the United States, with over six million people and more than one and a half million Jews, you are more likely to run into people, especially Jews, than anywhere else in the world.

Yesterday, while helping Emma and Tamar move into their new apartment, I ran into a kid in Bed Bath and Beyond who worked out at the David Citadel Jerusalem along with me and Natalie Portman. He was the one who experienced the unfortunate episode of having all of his clothing and towels stolen from him by his friends while he was in the shower... no more detail needed.

He is now studying at YU and, with the help of his sister, was shopping for his new apartment. His sister, who was very confused by the layout of the store, lives in Los Angeles.

I, accordingly, will be moving to that smog-filled backwater later this week.

Life on Isaac Bashevis Singer Street

Old Man: Spare some change?

Me: In fact... here you go.

Old Man: Thank you. Have a good day, good day... You know, Rosh Hashanah is approximately October 5. October, 5. Approximately...

Me: Actually, sir, it's October 4 this year.

Old Man: Is that night, or day? The start, at night?

Me: Rosh Hashanah starts the night of October 3.

Old Man: Approximately. Thank you. Definitely good to know...

Me: No problem, take care.

Two For Two

Two weeks gone by and two New York Times Monday crossword puzzles completed successfully.

Are the puzzles getting easier, or have I shown Will Shortz who's boss?

Please Don't Talk To Me

Why is it that old fat men have an incessant need to speak to me while we sweat together in the steam room. Personally, I just want to sit there, look forward, and sweat. Nothing else. But here I am, and here they are, and they want to make conversation and a new friend. Why!?

In other news, Pesach in Jerusalem is good though weird. I'd prefer to be with my family, but this will do. There are plenty of kosher l'pesach restaurants to enjoy.

Also, I'm looking for a roomate. If you know of someone moving soon to New York who wants someone to live with, please do send them my way.

Israel Till You Puke

In two days time, I took Debbie and Alexa on a tiring and non-stop, action packed tour of Israel. We saw the desert, the coast and the north - wilderness and cities, old sites and new ones. Check out where we went:

Day 1:

After leading my "Reform Liturgy Workshop" service Monday morning, we drove east with our rental car past Ma'aleh Adumin and on to the Dead Sea. We made a short stop over at a nude Palestinian beach, and then high-tailed it back to Jerusalem. I dropped the girls with the car in traffic near Mea Sha'arim, and ran back to school for a meeting.

After the meeting, around 3, we left again, this time for the north. We took route 443 north to get a good view of Ramallah and Modi'in, the took the 6 along the Green Line until its end. Somehow, apparently because I took a wrong turn, we then got lost in Kfar Penis, but found our way again and made our way in good time to Zichron Ya'akov. There, we window shopped and had dinner at the best restaurant in all of Israel - Tishbi, owned by the winery of the same name.

After dinner and too much wine, we drove on to Haifa, where we spent the night the ridiculously luxurious Holiday Inn - highly recommended!

Day 2:
We arose with the butt-crack of dawn, enjoyed an amazing breakfast, and then drove east towards Tiveria, enjoying views of the Lower Galilee along the way. After a 6 minute stopover to view the Kineret, we drove north to Tsfat. There, we learned about the mountain town's history, saw some old synagogues, and did much shopping. Unfortunately, the candle factory was closed due to a power outage. Oh well...

We left Tsfat fifteen minutes behind schedule, but made up for lost time on our drive south, along route 65, through Afula and eventually on to Hadera. Seconds before turning onto the coastal highway to head south, we made a last-minute call to visit Casearia. Seven minutes was all the time we had for the old Roman port, and then we jumped back in the car to see Tel Aviv.

In Tel Aviv we enjoyed the country's best falafel opposite Kikar Rabin, visited the Nachalat Benyamin street fair, Shuk HaCarmel, and Shenkin Street. After a little freshening up, we drove to Jaffa, and then had dinner along the beach.

After dinner, I said goodbye to the girls, and drove myself back home to Jerusalem.

Phew!

It was an amazing two days. Tiring, but amazing!

Danish Anyone?

if you have read a newspaper in the last few days, you know that Jerusalem is abuzz right now with dignitaries from around the world. They are all here to attend the opening ceremonies for the new wing of Yad VeShem, Israel's Holocaust Memorial Institute and Museum.

Most of the more important people are staying at the King David Hotel, which means that the entirety of King David Street from Agron to Beit Lehem was closed today to traffic. Fun times.

After navigating the heavy security surrounding every inch of street and park in this neighborhood, Rachel C., Rachel B. and I were able to make our way towards the Tayelet on our weekly bike ride (preparation for the Ride for Reform - have you donated yet?). The Tayelet is a big promenade south of the Old City that has some of the best views to be found of Jerusalem. It is also next to a great (though short) bike trail that concludes at a second promenade.

We arrived (after I almost died, yes, I am going to fail this bike ride) at the second promenade and disembarked to enjoy the view of, among others, the Old City, the separation fence, and Ma'ale Adumin.

Not long after, a big group of people approached from the UN headquarters behind us, surrounded by ample security.

Turns out it was a group of Danes, including the Danish Prime Minister, Anders Fogh Rasmussen. They spent their time using maps to take in an educated view of the geo-political realities of Jerusalem while we started up a conversation with their bodyguards.

Some interesting facts about Mr. Rasmussen:

• Born: January 26, 1953 in Ginnerup, Denmark
• Gender: Male
• Occupation: Head of State
• Children: 3
• Education: Graduated from Viborg Cathedral High School in 1972
• Butt: Very nice (according to Rachel C.)

Here's a picture of Rachel B. and me in our encounter with fame. Enjoy!

BREAKING NEWS

Sources confirm that, despite the financial scandals that have rocked the store's owner, New York pudding staple Rice To Riches is in fact still open for business.

Stay tuned for more news on this breaking story. More information will be published as it becomes available...

What I Learn from Teenagers

This weekend, after some initial glitches, I spent Shabbat on Kibbutz Tzuba, just outside Jerusalem, with the EIE program (Eisendrath International Exchange - NFTY's high school semester in Israel). I went with my classmate Sadie to lead all of their Shabbat praying, and get to know some of the kids - be H.U.C. "ambassadors."

All in all the weekend was great. While it would have been smart to bring along some cards or a board game (we had way too much free time to just sit around), I really enjoyed getting out of the city and getting to meet a very special bunch of (100) high school kids.

I think I also learned a lot myself this weekend. It was a wake up call of what to expect of the Jewish community when I return to the states, and just what work I have ahead of me.

Here are some of my observations:

• These kids have a flame of excitement about being Jewish and doing Jewish, but often don't know how to utilize this. EIE provides the perfect kick-off point for them to experiment with Judaism and learn.
• American Jews don't like to pray, plain and simple.
• Teenagers really don't like to pray, and even those that do aren't too keen to do it loudly with spirit.
• The best way to encourage teenagers to pray, is by including them and their peers in leading parts of prayer. But, and here's the big part, at the same time this has to come with supervision by someone who actually knows what's being done - teenagers who don't know what they're doing, leading prayer or other Jew-things = a lot of misinformation and a lesse faire attitude towards ritual.
• We've been in Israel for nine months already. As Sadie pointed out, she could have had a baby by now.

Now I'm back in J-town, ready and re-energized for another week of class.

I'll end with a crazy observation: In three weeks is Purim. Once Purim starts, it's time to go home. Here's my calendar starting in three weeks: Purim, Bike Ride (make donations!), Class Negev Trip, Italy, Pesach, Visit from my Grandpa (hopefully), Yom Hashoa, Visit from my Dad (same), Yom HaZikaron, Yom Ha'Atzmaut, Finals, The End. Sad...

L'Chayim!

What happens when you put together a bunch of HUC students, fancy clothing, gourmet cheeses and foods, and lots of free-flowing wine?

A great fundraiser for the Ride for Reform is what!

Thanks to everyone who came out and donated last night! For those of you in the home audience, pictures are forthcoming, motsei Shabbat.

For now, I'm off to Kibbutz Tsuba, just outside of town, to spend Shabbat with the highschoolers here on EIE - stories to follow.

Shabbat shalom!