Sukkah time and a visit to the Queen

Good News... (a bit late but good to know for next year)
The TSA (Transportation Security Administration) has declared that "Jewish travelers may carry four plants – a palm branch, myrtle twigs, willow twigs, and a citron – in airports and through security checkpoints. These plants are religious articles and may be carried either separately or as a bundle. Jewish travelers may be observed in prayer, shaking the bundle of plants in six directions."

Bad News... (also late but good to know for next year too)
When flying during sukkot, one of three Jewish harvest festivals, you are going to have even less overhead compartment space.

So the run of Jewish Holidays is over and life is getting back to normal with classes, services, tennis games, updating my fantasy football team, and exploring J'lem. That means I'm going to have less and less exciting things to share so I have to capitalize and blog on these holidays when I have a chance.

So... I spent the first part of Sukkot in Israel, hopping from sukkah (hut) to sukkah (hut), taking some cool hikes, and shaking my lulav/etrog. Sukkot is something else in Israel. I live in a building complex of 8 apartments and there were six sukkahs in our backyard (Unfortunately, I was one of two tenants that didn't build one because I was away for half of the holiday... I'm the black sheep at 6 Menashe).

But I did have my share of sukkah time. Every restaurant in the city builds a sukkah, even the fast food joints (it is a mitzvah, a Jewish commandment, to eat in the hut during the holiday) so I was able to get many mitzvah points during the holiday. Also on every street corner there were people selling lulav and etrogs. Similar to December in NYC when you can buy a x-mas tree or see a salvation army Santa clause on every street corner. Speaking of Christmas, Israelis really get into decorating their sukkahs... tinsel is huge, along with lights, cut-out decorations, and Sukkah Clauses (I lied about the Sukkah Clauses... but this might be a good product to market for next sukkot).

Here are some photos that give you a glimpse of Sukkot in the holy land (thank you to my classmate Jodie for some of these photos.)

Recycled x-mas decorations in Sukkahs

Sukkahs on the main City Drag

Burger King Sukkah

The second part of Sukkot break, I flew to London... and luck would have it that I also ran into Arielle Traub there too. I'm so lucky.

Highlights of the trip included...
-Traveling in the smallest car in the entire world (G-WIZ)
-London's pub scene
-Checking out the Queen's weekend get-a-way at Windsor Castle
-Receiving a brand new swiffer-wet jet for my apartment floors (I don't know why the swiffer industry has not made it to Israel, it would do so well as there is a serious lack of carpet in Israel)
-Afternoon tea, scones, pastries, and non-kosher tea sandwiches at Harrods
-Walking (a lot) on the streets of London in surprisingly really wonderful and clear weather
-And of course... being with Arielle and her aunt, uncle, and cousin (cheesy, I know and you can get the barf bags... but totally true)



Now it is back to the daily grind, though I do have two exciting things coming up.

1. I start my volunteer work next week working with Ethiopian immigrants in an absorption center outside of Jerusalem. I'll make sure to blog about my experience.

2. Tonight starts HUC's first annual Homecoming Weekend. Including a pep-rally, a homecoming dance, and the homecoming kickball game. I'm stoked... I hope I become Homecoming King and that my kickball team wins (i bought a new sweatband for the big game)!

Peace,

ERBP