Dig, Dig, Dig, Hold your hammers low...

We went on an archeology tour today of the City of David! It was an exploration of the water workings of the city from the Middle Bronze age through the Iron Age. Different parts of the tour featured different time periods. We toured some tunnels which served as a water source to the city. The water system of Jerusalem is very important and gets it's source from the Girshon Spring which is very nearby. In general, a good city requires good fortification, a water source, access to fertile ground, and water. Jerusalem (translated Temple of God Shalem, not City of Peace) has decent fortification and water. It was built in an area to prevent other people from using their water. So today what we saw were the remains of fortification walls and how water got into the city.

It was a very interesting day, although I must say extremely hot! There is at least a 10-15 degree difference between the sun and the shade. I got home from the day and crashed very hard. It was a lot of walking up a lot of hills. Everything in this city is uphill. I don't really understand how that works, but I rarely seem to walk downhill...only uphill. The positive side of life, my calves look amazing!

I have made two special friends at school (besides my HUC colleagues). The first is one of the security guards named Igor. I would see him sitting at the front desk most afternoons and always said shalom or l'hitraot to him. Then one day I decided to introduce myself. Now we're great buddies. We say goodmorning every day as I pass him going to school. I think it makes his day as much as it makes mine. There was one day that I was walking out of school and he offered me a cigarette. I, of course, turned it down. However, I think that offer was vaguely like a peace offering or a gift of friendship. Igor is fantastic. My other friend is an older gentleman (in his 80s perhaps?) who sits in the student center during lunch time. Last Thursday I came back from one of our trips hot and sweaty and he came over to me to ask a question. We started talking and we have formed a lovely friendship since. I see him almost every day. He seems very excited to know that I'm studying to be a cantor. We go back and forth between talking in Hebrew and English. He's sort of like the Israeli version of my friend Paul from the Abramson Center in Philadelphia.

This week I also signed up for a program called Parallel Lives. HUC students will be put into contact with Israeli soldiers. The idea is to get together and make connections and learn from each other. There was a soldier there who participated this past year. She could not say enough good things about the program. I think it's going to be another fantastic way to get more involved in Israeli society. I'm starting to get to a point here where I'm itching to dive more into Israeli culture. It's been fantastic this past month getting to know the area...now I want to know the people.

I miss you tons and wish you were here to share these fantastic experiences with me.
Love,
Sarah