Native Son

חברים, (You guessed it, Chaverim!)

It's been a while! It has proven to be very difficult to communicate when one is without a consistent internet connection. My roommate and I got wireless in our room yesterday, so hopefully blog posts will be plentiful!

Wow, Things have been busy around here! We started the morning schedule about three weeks ago, which has really helped me get into more of a routine, although I sometimes still have very random days. I've decided to do something productive with my afternoons, instead of just going into town or lounging around. I've started going to Yeshiva at Machon Meir in the afternoons. A yeshiva is a Jewish seminary where people study torah and all sorts of other texts. I figure now is a good time as any to try to get a real grip on my religion. Judaism means a lot to me (obviously, as I've moved to Israel) in many ways, but the most neglected way is definitely torah study and halachot (Jewish Law). I had a very sporadic sort of upbringing when it comes to the Jewish religion. I went to Jewish day school up until 7th grade, had an orthodox bar mitzvah, and continued with a little bit of studying every once in a while in the beginning of high school. In the past two years I've started becoming more observant, as some of you have experienced first hand. I've been fully keeping the shabbat for two years, I started wearing a kippa (skull cap or yarmulka) a month before I made Aliyah, and recently I've started wearing Tzitzit, ציצית. There is a commandment in the Torah (Deuteronomy 22:12 to be exact) which requires all Jews to wear fringes on the edge of their garments. If you would like to read more about them click Here. In any case I've been going about 3 times a week to the yeshiva to learn, unfortunately there aren't many classes in the afternoons, but the ones I'm able to catch are usually amazing. It's a really fun thing to do in the afternoons.

I got a roommate last week, after about a month of living alone. His name is Yoni he's from long island. He is a singer/songwriter who plays guitar, and we've been playing some music together recently. I've actually been playing a lot lately, music has been very comforting to me lately. If I can manage to put a band together (or join one) I would really love to gig around Jerusalem. 

...ok, I've just completely lost my train of thought, it's been a pretty tough week. I'm headed down to the Negev tomorrow for shabbat. I'm going to visit my friend Greg who I went to IC with, who is currently in a combat unit in the IDF, on his kibbutz. On friday I'm heading down to Kibbutz Ketura where I worked over the summer. I haven't been down since I've been in Israel. This place is really one of the most amazingly beautiful and spiritual places I have ever been in my life, and I can't wait to be back there! This monday I have my צו רישון  the first assesment with the army. I'll have many more details about my service after this occasion. There's a LOT more to tell, but I'm exhausted. All the best, ד''ש.

Yours,

יחיאל

PS. I want to send a shout out to my dearly beloved MUN team, I miss you sorely and trust that Harvard was everything it should be. Much love.