Jerusalem Diary - Sunday

After a slow morning, I arrived at the Conservative Yeshiva at around 9:30. After I walked in, I saw Josh Kulp and went to give him a hug and catch up. A few of the other Kollel members and faculty came to say hello (Shlomo Zacharow who worked at Ramah and others). Also, I recognized a number of the students from dinner Friday and Kedem on Shabbat morning. After schmoozing with Josh, I started to go over the Talmud passage he would be teaching and then joined his shiur. They are studying a long section on muktzeh in the third chapter of Shabbat.

I left Josh's class at noon to meet with Clare Goldwater who was visiting the Yeshiva after I reached out to her. After time with Clare and Daniel Goldfarb (Director of the Yeshiva), I joined Clare for lunch at Masrik (great pasta). We talked about how I could return to Israel for a year with my family. Don't worry, it won't happen soon. Clare and I talked about some of my plans for Smith-Amherst Hillel (not ready for publication) and other developments. I always enjoy talking with her but can never get more than a few minutes at Hillel conferences.

I spent the afternoon shopping--getting nature material at SPNI for Deborah, a stamp book for Zev, gifts for the girls (they will remain surprises for them), and a few other items (also surprises but they come from Yirmiyahu's, Dahab, and a CD store). I then went to the Conservative Yeshiva for ma'ariv and some more schmoozing. At 7, I went to the apartment of a friend from Pardes (Craig Preston). Matt Berkowitz had been staying there and I said goodbye to him. Craig then took me to a great place for Israeli food--stekiat bibi in the industrial zone of Talpiot (near Pardes).

Craig drove me back to the apartment in Givat Mordechai to pack and post on the blog.

I walked a lot today, ate great food, learned some Talmud, and talked to amazing people--a typical day for me in Jerusalem. This will probably end my Jerusalem diaries as I meet the two Five College birthright Israel busses tomorrow afternoon and will have little computer access.

Tomorrow's plans: learning Talmud in the morning, dropping off my luggage at the hotel, meeting my group at the airport, and then heading back to Jerusalem for dinner and the start of their program.