Movin' On Up...

Every year we end the PASSOVER SEDER by saying “l’shanah haba’ah b’yirushaliyim”, “next year in Jerusalem.”  This phrase, though often taken to literally mean that we hope to have a Passover seder in Jerusalem, expresses the Jewish people’s desire for the return of the mashiach, or messiah.  It is believed that once every Passover seder takes place in Jerusalem (ie: all Jews have returned to the Holy land), then the messiah will come and bring with him world peace, and depending on your belief, resurrection of the dead.

Last year, when Andy and I ended our Passover seder by saying “next year in Jerusalem”, we meant it!  We are so lucky that we will be spending 10 months living and studying in Jerusalem while Andy fulfills a requirement of his Rabbinic degree.  Andy has been to Israel twice before this—once as a participant on ALEXANDER MUSS HIGH SCHOOL IN ISRAEL and once as a participant on NATIV.  Both times he lived in Israel, experienced the culture, and established a routine and rhythm based on the Jewish calendar year.  I have been to Israel three times before—once with family, and twice with organized trips, but I’ve never “lived” in the country.  I’ve never been here longer than 5 weeks and I’ve never been anything other than a tourist.

Our apartment is nestled on a tiny street in RECHAVIA, a neighborhood in Jerusalem.  We are a 15 minute walk from the center of town, where most of the shopping and night life is, and just a little further is the Old City, where the WESTERN WALL is located.  We are a 10 minute walk from the shuk, MACHANE YEHUDA.  Our neighbors are mostly religious Jews and the other tenets in our apartment are boys studying at one of the local YESHIVAs.  The apartment is also near a supermarket, the Wolfson Towers, and an overlook that looks out onto GAN SACKER and THE K’NESSET.  We have two bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a spacious living room and kitchen area.  It’s perfect for two people, in a great location, and very reasonably priced (ie: less than what we were paying in New York). 

I can’t help but think that it is fitting that Andy and I arrived in Israel at the end of the Hebrew month of Elul, just before the Jewish holiday season.  This is the time of the Jewish calendar year when we reflect on the past year and look forward to the year to come.  We eat round foods to symbolize the cycle of the year and think about new beginnings.  Andy and I are faced with the ultimate new beginning—less than one week after landing in Israel we celebrated the Jewish holiday of ROSH HASHANNAH, the Jewish New Year.  This Jewish new year is not the only new beginning for us this year—we have a year’s worth of new experiences, exploration, and self-discovery facing us.  We are looking forward to spending this year in Jerusalem!