Into the Second Week

So, I finally landed in Israel this past Thursday at 5:30ish a.m. Zari lovingly picked me up at the airport then took me to Aroma in Jerusalem for breakfast. Am staying in a great apartment with Marissa and Barbara off Aza right in the center of Jerusalem, a very short walk from the Conservative Yeshiva (CY),  my home away from home in Israel.

 
Turns out most of my friends in J'slem live nearby. Quite convenient. My routine is quite simple. I wake up whenever I feel like getting up. At some point in the day Barbara insists on giving me a coffee and then serenading me with the lovely tones of the Contrabassoon as she practices for her concert with the Israeli Philharmonic. One can truly get spoiled by all this love going around!

BTW, mazal tov to Marissa and Barbara on their somewhat secret but not actually secret wedding in CT before they left for Israel! Many blessings and wishes for years of love and happiness and lots of laughter!

Coming soon: picture of Barbara playing the contrabassoon

After coffee I head to CY for studying. Have the ever present incompletes to make up so that I can enter my final year at RRC and be ordained next June. Yes, folks, you heard me, I, Arlene, plan to be ordained a year from now. Come the-hell-that-we-don't-believe-in or high water. Wish me luck. The luck is for finishing all the work that I have yet to finish. Anyone who knows me knows that I am not so good with deadlines when it comes to school related matters. All efficiency related vibes are gratefully accepted.

Me finishing up homework summer of 2009 in Israel. Funny how somethings never change. And no, it is NOT the same work that needs to be finished now.

The problem is,  my phone keeps ringing, my contact book on the phone is full with over 20 phone numbers in it and I've spoken multiple times in multiple languages to each person and I've only been here 5 days - and one of those was Shabbos!  Oh, to always have such problems! Shabbos was spent watching the sunset over the Mediterranean Ocean while sitting on the beach in Tel Aviv with Zari. I am truly blessed. Lilah tov y'all.