A Preview of the Summer Festivities

Working the System
Like many other previous days, today I was productive with some errands or, as they're called in Hebrew, sidurim. I had to go to the bank and the post office and am not shy about admitting that I planned it out pretty well. In any other place having to really think about your errands might sound funny but here I certainly didn't want to be shut out of the system, so I worked it my own way instead.

From the bottom of the mountain where I live I first trekked over to the post office. The security guard stopped me at the entrance and wanted to frisk me. I avoided that by just asking him to pass me a number from the little carousel that maintains the civility of the line and seems to have improved in its efficacy over the last number of years. I then went straight over to the bank, which is located just across the street from the post office and seems to maintain opposite working hours. I was at the bank for about 20 minutes or so and was able to wrap up my business there and sign a nice amount of paperwork to make my visit feel official.

I got back to the post office just as my number the in line was called. Perfect planning and execution.

Holiday of Love
Along with being a pleasant Monday, today is also Tu b'Av - the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Av. This day is traditionally celebrated as the Israeli Valentine's Day and is recognized as a day of love and hope. After my errands were finished I sat on a streetside bench and waited for a band to start playing to begin the festivities for the holiday. The passion fruit, paciflora, is the traditional fruit of love for the holiday - fitting that I had one for lunch. I stayed to listen to a few bands and enjoy the street life in the Emek Refa'im neighborhood of Jerusalem with Ronit (from Venezuela) and Rachel (from Australia) before heading back home for a celebratory party.

The ulpan hosted Rabbi David Sterne (surprisingly not the NBA commissioner) and Chaim David (not surprisingly also Jewish). The rabbi addressed us intermittently with some lessons about the holiday and the basis for it, while Chaim David sang and performed some melodies, which were accompanied by some fun singing and dancing of our own. I requested him to sing a particular song about rejoicing in Jerusalem, part of which I filmed and can be viewed here. Before and after he sang, Chaim David offered me some nice thoughts and blessings because I had chosen an especially meaningful and important song. The party transformed in style to a dj playing a number of international tunes and provided a nice first party for us all to mark a happy, festive occasion soon after our arrival.