Pesach in Israel (second time around!)

Pesach (Passover) ends in less than one hour--in Israel at least. Jews in Israel celebrate Pesach for 7 days, while most Jews living in the Diaspora celebrate for 8 days. Even though this is the second Pesach I have been lucky enough to witness in Israel, it's still amazing. You truly feel you are in a Jewish country when everyone is eating matzah wherever you go-the zoo, the beach, the park, even restaurants! In fact, it's so easy to keep Pesach in Israel that it almost feels like cheating. It is ridiculously easy to find 'Kosher for Pesach' sandwiches, pizza, pastries, and noodles. Most of this "bread" is made out of potato flour, and the noodles are made out of eggs. We even went to Burger King and had kosher for Pesach hamburgers! (okay, for all of you that know me..I did not partake). How absurd is that?? Nowhere else in the world. The "bread" tastes alright..not horrible, but it is far from normal, wheat-based bread. The best way I can describe it is as bread that is a bit soggy. I spent a few days in Jerusalem during the holiday. In Jerusalem every restaurant (even those in the bus station food court) that is open is kosher for Pesach. Bread baskets are replaced with matzah baskets. Those that aren't kosher for Pesach are closed for the entirety of the 7 days. In Tel Aviv (aka the city of sin!) about half the restaurants are kosher for Pesach, and the others operate as normal. It actually becomes odd to see people consuming bread!

Most corporations close for the entire Pesach holiday, so people travel and relax and places tend to be packed. We went to the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo,and it was absolutely packed. 90% of the people there were Haredi (ultra-Orthodox Jews), and since each Haredi couple seems to have about ten kids, there were Haredi kids galore...payot and tzitzit flying everywhere!!! Again, only in Israel. The beaches and parks in Tel Aviv have also been packed. It will actually be nice when things get back to normal and the crowds disperse somewhat.

Hanging out with Israeli zebras

 This past Friday was Good Friday, so Ari and I decided to go to the Christian Quarter of the Old City in Jerusalem and experience one of the holiest places for Christians on one of the holiest days on the Christian calender. We made our way to the Via Dolorosa, which is the road (alley) that most Christians believe to be the path that Jesus walked while carrying his cross on the way to his crucifixion. It is marked by the 14 stations of the cross. It was packed with people, all holding crosses of various sizes, slowly making their way to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the church where Christians believe Jesus was crucified and buried. There were people from all over the world, including nuns and priests, all chanting songs in different languages. Because we were wearing huge hiking backpacks and things were starting to get somewhat claustrophobic, Ari and I didn't quite make it to the church. Yet it was another amazing event to witness and be part of...something most Christians dream of doing their entire lives. 

Small sample of the throngs of people on the Via Dolorosa

 We then made our way to the Kotel (Western Wall), where large crowds had gathered to celebrate Pesach. Also an amazing thing to witness...a large number of people of all denominations,including many Haredis, all davening (praying) furiously. There was also an American boy having a Bar Mitzvah in front of the wall. Imagining having one's Bar Mitzvah at the Kotel is just beyond belief.

There has been some unrest lately in Jerusalem..specifically the Muslim Quarters of the Old City and East Jerusalem. Thousands of Israeli security officers were dispersed throughout the Old City, but aside from this visual reminder, I really never felt scared or threatened.

I have the remainder of this week off, and then back to the grind of school!