Just an update on some recent activities:
On Sunday 9/11, we had a whole Nativ program (a rare event) in commemoration of the attacks 10 years ago. We watched a documentary called "102 Minutes that Changed America," which is a compilation of footage of the attacks and people's reactions in New York. It was very powerful and especially hard for some of my friends from NYC. We discussed how 9/11 is more similar to the Israeli Yom Hazikaron than is Memorial Day and how this was a day that changed the world, not solely the U.S.
Monday night, I went to the Nativ "Jam Session." This was a lot of fun, as everyone contributed to the music. Some of the people here are really talented musicians and singers (and I very much am not!)
Tuesday, I began my chumash class, just beginning to study the Shema. During the course, we will study at least a section from all 5 books of the Torah, plus Rashi and modern commentaries. I love the depth we go into for this class- we studied about 1.5 verses in 2 hours! Because of the Jerusalem course, I missed the class today.
Thursday night, I hung out with Maddy and her friend from home, Ethan, who is currently in the Israeli army. This was a lot of fun, and we played some great Jewish geography! Turns out, Ethan went to Beber Camp, and knows my aunt and cousin!
Friday, I participated in "Explorations," which I thought was going to be walking around Jerusalem to learn streets better, but was actually a very different experience with buses, a hike to a stream, loud off-key singing of RENT songs, and a trip to a mall. We had a small group as many Nativers were sleeping when we left, and most of us (about 70-75, not including me) had already left or were preparing to leave for the weekend. With a few of my fellow explorers, I went to the shuk to get some food for a picnic for Shabbat afternoon.
Shabbat was great, possibly because of our relatively small number. I went to Shira Chadasha for Kab Shab, which was very nice (especially ignoring how we managed to get lost on the way there and arrived late), but from all that people that told me, it did not live up to my expectations. I do plan on returning another Shabbat. At dinner, we got some West Orange Schecter kids (here for high school freshman orientation) to sing Shabbos songs with us, then we had a tisch, followed by a Heschel class for which I was almost able to remain awake.
Saturday morning, I went to Kol Rina, an Orthodox shul in an old bomb shelter. It was very crowded, probably due to the aufruf, baby naming, and 1st Shabbos after a couple's wedding. After kiddush, many of us went to a nursing home and sang some Shabbos songs for the residents there.
The rest of Shabbos included lunch, parshat ha-shavua, some basic resting, a picnic, beginning to relearn Torah trope because I somehow agreed to read shlishi for Monday and Thursday (14 pasukim), mincha, dinner, maariv, and havdalah. After Shabbos, there was a near constant flow of Nativers as everyone returned from Tel Aviv, Chaifa, and wherever else people went.
Today is Maddy's birthday, so to celebrate a few of us went out to dinner (we found a new restaurant that happens to be vegetarian and is extremely delicious) and then got ice cream. Later a lot of people convened to the purpose of eating a fancy fruit plate and cake sent by Maddy's parents and board games (although this latter part didn't actually work out). It was a lot of fun for all of us.
Trivia: What beloved childhood activity is traditionally prohibited on Shabbat, including if it is Rosh Hashanah on Shabbat and it would be necessary to do to obtain a shofar?
Climbing trees.
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