Bibi, Shavuot, and Random Things!

I went to a MASA megaevent (MASA is a joint project between the Jewish agency and the Israeli government which has 150 long term programs for Diasopora Jews after high school--Career Israel is one of those programs) last week in Tel Aviv to hear Benjamin (Bibi) Netanyahu, the prime minister of Israel, speak. He was actually the first head of state I have ever seen in person, so that in itself was cool. It was very unceremonious. Once we were all sitting in the convention center (after having gone through tight security of course), they announced him, we stood up and clapped, and he was on stage...no ceremonial music, no applause for fifteen minutes--very different than how I imagine it would be to see Obama speak! Immediately he told us all that he was thrilled we all came to Israel from dozens of great countries from around the world, but that "My one message for you all is--Israel is your home! You MUST make aliyah!" And basically all the speakers told us the same thing, very straight-forward. So MASA definitely does not win any points for subtlety!! But I'm not surprised. Bibi also talked about how Israel is a Jewish state, Jerusalem is a Jewish city, and how it will never be divided again. So it is easy to see why he is so decisive and why many people have a problem with him! But I think it is safe to say most people in this audience were moderate to hard core Zionists.
This past week was Shavuot, a major Jewish holiday commemorating the giving of the Torah to the Jewish people at Mt. Sinai after 40 years of wandering in the desert. It is custom to stay up all night studying the Torah. It is also a custom to consume diary foods on Shavuot, so we had an ice cream party in my apartment Thursday night--we ate so much ice cream, it was ridiculous!! In Jerusalem, people congregate at the kotel to pray as the sun rises after studying all night. Rose and I really wanted to be at the kotel on Shavuot, so we woke up at 5:00 am Friday morning and walked there (about a 45 minute walk). By the time we got there, hundreds of people were already leaving (apparently people began to gather at 4:30 am!!!). Yet there were still thousands of people there. So many people were there, that they extended the barrier between the men and women all the way up the pavilion. It was an amazing thing to witness. You just see thousands of men in black hats and wearing talit praying and swaying vigorously. Everyone is praying to themselves beneath their breaths, but with all those people, you just hear a loud humming throughout the area. It's incredible. We then walked home and went back to bed!
One of the things I am looking forward to when I get back home is being able to go to the grocery store 24/7 (Walmart!!). Here in Jerusalem (in other parts of the country it is somewhat different) everything closes for at least 24 hours every week (Shabbat). You need to prepare in advance, because if you need something on a Saturday from the grocery store or whatever, you are basically out of luck. And there are so many Jewish holidays, it seems like everything is always closed another day of the week as well. Because of Shavuot, stores closed at about 3:00 pm Thursday, and were closed all of Friday and Saturday. It can be difficult. I took for granted in the states the fact that grocery stores are only closed one day the entire year!! And of course buses don't run at all on Shabbat or on holidays, which also makes it difficult when you rely on public transportation. But I have made an Israeli friend who owns a car, so that definitely comes in handy!! (So we are actually seeing each other--I guess! It's been a lot of fun dating an Israeli--all part of the experience!)
Other random observances and facts:
*Israel does not have an open container law. It is perfectly legal to drink a beer or any other type of alcoholic beverage in the middle of the street--anywhere! My friends and I have done it a few times here, but it just feels so odd.
*Israeli drivers are crazy! Motorcyclists (and sometimes cars!) often drive on the sidewalk--no joke.
*I live incredibly close to the West Bank and the security fence. I went for a walk this past weekend with a couple friends, and we have an amazing view of the fence. It is a large gray wall that winds around as far as the eye can see. However, there were some areas where there were huge gaps in the wall, which I don't really understand! It's really incredible to live that close though.
*There are quite a few Arabs in my neighborhood. However, they tend to remain very separate. They have their own buses that run through my neighborhood all the time. Aside from a few Arab teenage boys whistling at my friends and I (which is just fantastic), I have never had any real interaction with any. I did walk through an Arab neighborhood right near my own two weeks ago, and I didn't feel in any danger whatsoever (although I did take off my star of david necklace just in case).
*Partying in Jerusalem is really fantastic and interesting. You have such a unique mixture of completely secular people and then you have Yeshiva boys wearing yarmulkas and tsitsit and in suits dancing next to you in the club!
*Israeli pastries (especially the chocolate rugelach) are dangerously delicious.