Marking Time

Almost two months ago now, we got an email from the HUC administration talking about the upcoming spring and informing us of “the three P's: Purim, Pesach, Packing.” At the time, it seemed silly to simplify the rest of the year to that extent. But then Purim came and went, and we all looked longingly and expectantly toward our Passover break, even though it was almost a month away. And here I am, back from an unbelievable Passover trip, and realizing that my time in Israel is almost done. I won’t say I’m packing yet. Even I don’t start that early, although a lot of my classmates have sent bags home with family members who visited during Pesach. In my opinion, the administration did forget one other P: Papers. Everyone seems to want to get a jump start on final papers this semester, and rumor is that there are a few students who have already finished them. (I’m considering the fact that I have at least vague topic ideas for each of them to be a huge step in the right direction.) But there’s no avoiding the fact that most of us already have one foot on the plane home. Our email balance has shifted from upcoming Israel events to job opportunities near our campuses and information about our new cities. Food purchases are being scaled back in realization of how little time we have left. Shabbat service choices are being made on the basis of how few Friday nights remain before we head home. I noticed at the shuk this morning that the produce season is turning another corner. The citrus, the highlight of my winter, is looking a little pathetic. But I saw a lot of vendors with mini watermelons and honey dew, a few early (expensive!) peaches, and my favorite bakery is selling iced coffee for the first time in months. Summer is just around the corner!

None of this is to say that we’re not fully in Israel for another few weeks. One administrator told some of us that she hopes everyone is really here after Pesach, not just physically (although that would be a nice change) but also mentally. She knows we’re looking forward to returning to the US, but she also wanted to point out that we need to really enjoy the rest of our time here. And as much as I’m now immersed in forms for moving to Cincinnati, interviewing staff for my unit at JCC camp, and counting down the days until I see my family and friends and Target, I’m also trying to take in all the parts of Israel that I’m really going to miss. I realized that due to various events, tonight will be either my last or next-to-last time at my favorite Shabbat evening service in Jerusalem. As I over-filled my shuk cart this morning, I realized that it may have been my last big shopping trip. Clearly I’ll still be buying plenty of food in the next few weeks, but I shouldn’t need to refill on certain things again before I leave. I love my Friday morning shuk trips, even though I’m often barely awake enough to enjoy them, and there is nothing even close in the US.

We came within one page of finishing our big Hebrew verb book yesterday. It seemed really daunting at the beginning of the year. We had a one-day school week, which many of us thought was a little silly, and many people didn’t even bother to show up, but in some ways it gave me a much-needed shove back into reality. Some of the teachers apparently took it easy on their classes yesterday. My teachers didn’t seem to notice that we’ve been off for two weeks. It occurs to me that I do really enjoy most of my classes this year. Some of my teachers are absolutely amazing, and I have been so lucky to have the opportunity to learn from them this year. I’m going to try to soak up as much as I can in the next few weeks, even while I get life in order back home.

Kate and I went to Tel Aviv on Tuesday, partly because I really wanted to get back to their twice-a-week arts fair, and partly because I had to go meet the JCC assistant director, in Israel for Pesach, to sign my summer contract and get a pile of counselor application forms. Michael and I went to the fair in December, but it was rainy and cold, and there were very few tables out. It was packed this week! It was beautiful, warm and sunny outside, and we sometimes had trouble even seeing what they were selling through all the people. But it was great fun, and I got myself a cute necklace, in celebration of spring. Or just because I liked it and Kate convinced me. Oshrat and I met outside a coffee shop. I haven’t sat outside with a cold drink and been comfortable and happy with the weather in way too long. I’ll be doing more of that in the next few weeks. Later in the afternoon, Kate and I found ourselves not too far away from Max Brenner’s chocolate restaurant. We decided it was fate, so we went and got their chocolate fondue. Still delicious! The biggest problem I’ve had with their fondue is that there’s always so much chocolate left over after dipping everything, even the way I dip. (If you can see the color or texture of the original item through the chocolate, you’re not dipping enough.) We decided to ask the waiter whether we could have more fruit. He said it would be 5 shekels. Excited, we paid the $1.25 for a new, big bowl of fruit, and the privilege of eating even more chocolate. Happy and full, we took one of the bumpiest van rides back to Jerusalem I have ever been on.

Wednesday was a lazy work day for me. I did some work, posted lots of pictures, and got some things done. I also realized, around 9:00 at night, that I was still in my pajamas. Oops. I guess everyone needs a day like that sometimes!

Now that my Fridays are longer before Shabbat starts, I’m going to attempt to get something done. (Read: I’m going to the gym.) Shabbat shalom!