Every year during Chanukkah, we exuberantly spin our sivivon and watch four familiar Hebrew letters flash before our eyes, "נ, ג, ה, ש." As a community, we reflect on the achievements of the Macabees by reciting jubilant songs containing the words, "נס גדול היה שם," emphasis on the word, "שם." This year, during these eight celebratory days, that phrase proves to no longer be accurate for me. The miracle did not happen "there," it happened here, פה, in Israel.
The past few days have continued to get more and more overwhelming, in an absolutely positive way, of course. Thursday, December 15th, was another day on campus; studying Christianity during Core Class and reviewing for Finals during my Sequentials. Friday, December 16th, after Sequentials, we all headed off to Jerusalem to enjoy Shabbos together as a community. Instead of staying in a youth hostel like all of our other overnight tiyulim, we stayed in a hotel with Weber. The night consisted of a festive visit to the Kotel, a delectable Shabbat dinner at the hotel, and being paired up on "dates" to get to know one another on an even more personal basis. Saturday morning, December 17th, we each got to choose whether to sleep in, attend Conservative services, or attend Orthodox services. After I attended the Orthodox services, we had lunch at the hotel, played in the park, and then returned to Ben Yehuda Street for the second time for dinner. After a night back on campus, Sunday, December 18th, brought along more spelunking in caves. All of the bus rides of the day, along with the entire evening, revolved around studying. Hello, Monday, December 19th, Finals Day (for my Sequentials)! Thankfully, in order to recover, we ventured off to Tzfat, my favorite city, on Tuesday, December 20th. After studying Kaballah and shopping through the streets, including visiting the illustrious candle factory, together we lit the Chanukkiah in the middle of the town for the first night of Chanukkah. We even bought some latkes off the mystical Tzfat streets for dinner! Wednesday, December 21st (happy birthday, Adam!), included visiting the Lifeline for the Old, a shuk, and the Israel Museum all in Jerusalem. "Do not forsake me when I grow old, when my strength fails do not abandon me" (Psalm 75). Back on campus, we all helped make homemade latkes for the second night of Chanukkah. I cooked/flipped all of the frying latkes in the oil for everyone, it was such a thrilling experience!
HAPPY CHANUKKAH חג שמח
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