Jack and Al!

Katie stopped at my grandpa's before dinner! Al loves Jack and obviously Jack loves him right back! They are so cute together!

Jack eating the toy Roi got him!!

More from Chicago!!

Sevgi, me and Josh after dinner at the Turkish restaurant!! It was so great to catch up with them! It was like we didn't change and we were all still in Turkey! We have to go back soon!


Chicago is sooo beautiful in the summer!

Mettie and Victor took me out to lunch! It was so nice and relaxing!! Then we sat and chatted and finished off the afternoon at Macy's! It was perfect!

Frango Mints are a great invention. =)

In Chicago

Jack laughing at his daddy!

Playing with Jack!! He is SO cute and happy, all the time!

Jack pictures

We went to Jenna and Mary Ann's and Jack went in the pool!! 

Jack was 21 weeks old yesterday! 

Jack likes to suck people's arms. It's really funny!

Me and my man.

Jack

Pictures will come, I hope.

I spent the past two days with Katie and Jack visiting lots of people I haven't seen for a year! We had an awesome time and I just can't get over how perfect Jack is.  He is just always smiling and laughing. Obviously I'm biased, but facts are facts, and he's perfect!

USA

I have been in the USA for almost a week now. It's a little overwhelming to be here. Things are just so big and in one way very easy.  I've just been relaxing. I went to a movie, went to synagogue, had a Hebrew lesson, went to Kohls, Target, etc...

Now I am at Katie's after spending a great day with Jack and my grandparents.  We went to the Cheesecake Factory for lunch. It was really great and really big. And Jack is awesomeeeeee. =)

The End of NFTY summer 2010

We are at the kotel completely our end of the summer gifts. They kids loved the pictures in the frames and the "Israel Box" which contained a lot of little things from the summer.


Finished, hours later, Robbie is dying in the back ground...poor guy!

Group Sababa!

This is our group after we conquered two mountains!!

We had leaders from Kibbutz Yahel, who took us up Mt. Shlomo and on many other hikes. The kids and staff slept outside for three nights and they had a blast! It was so incredible to have this experience with them. We all grew a lot and really learned to be a community.

Our kids were amazing. They helped carry each other bags up the mountain, they held each others' hands on the way down to help stablize on the way down and they all encouraged each other. It was very physically challenging for everyone and they all this a great job!

Me in the desert

more desert

Lianna and me in Eilat at the Red Sea


SABABA

Early in the hike...everyone is still happy!


Up up up!

NFTY water fun!

We kayaked in the Jordan River! This is Alison, another staff member and me!!!


We went banana boating too!! This is the staff boat! It was AWESOMEEEEEEEEEEEEE!! =)

NFTY digs Israel!

For four days, our camps split into chavayas or experiences. There was a culture one, tikkum olum (voluteering), Yom le Yom (hiking sea to sea), archaeology, and gadna (army).

I was in charge of archaeology for the four days (even though I signed up for all but that.) The kids had an incredible time for four days digging and finding ancient pottery and bones from 2000 years about near Beit Guvrin which is close to Kiriat Gat.


Our group in the bell caves!

Sunset at Neve Shalom.


Wasing off what they found.

After the last dig, bitter sweet. They were still happy!

NFTY made it to Israel!

Incredible sunset at Ma'ale Hachanmisha


Me explaining the finals of Birdie on a Perch to my campers.

Outside of the City of David and the water tunnels, which was so much fun!

Our group at the Wall!!!!!!!!

All over Europe

Outside Krakow castle with the famous dragon


Lunch relaxation in Warsaw

Saying bye to Rabbi Marcus!! =( He was AWESOME!!!

In the Krakow square with Hanan and Luba!

Ready for Europe!

NFTY office - ready for Session 2 to start!!!


We went to a hummus place in Jerusalem and I took a picture for Loren. They are making a hummus blog.

Some new friends, Julie, Rob, and Matt. It was our last dinner before flying to EUROPE tomorrow!!! The kids will arrive the next morning! It's going to be crazy, but very exciting!

Orientation

Orientation has been pretty intense. It's really long days and not a lot of sleep, particularly because I am still finishing this paper which is only on page 6. =(

But it's also a lot of fun and I am looking forward to going to Europe and meeting the kids in Munich! It's going to be awesome!

BUT, I miss Roi a lot and I wish he was here!

NFTY Orientation

I am in Jerusalem for orientation. I just arrived last night, and we start today at 11, which is in 5 minutes. My internet will be sporadic throughout the summer, but I will try to keep everyone posted on my progress and all the great adventures!

Birthday

Like so many previous birthdays, I spent my 25th birthday at the beach. 

Yesterday was my birthday. I am 25. I feel really old. Although I have never been one to follow traditional roles, it is hard to ignore them.  I think about having a real job and having kids, and even though I'm not really ready for those things, there are times when I want them. In a way it would be easier to follow normal roles, but I don't think I would be very happy. I don't know what I want. I know I want to travel and see as many different places and people as possible. I know I want to be with people I love and who love me and care about me. I know I want to be of some sort of benefit to the world and provide some sort of positive service to other people. But I still don't really know in what capacity I will be doing that.  Maybe I am suppose to know by the time I am 25, but then I see some people who decided and now they are miserable because they can't undue what they thought was right. So maybe not knowing is still okay.

It's hard to have a birthday far from home. But I got to talk to my family on Skype, and it was really nice. Also, Roi made my birthday really special. He's so so sweet.  I spent most of the day (after a birthday lunch with Maura) at the beach for the MAPMES going away party. We had a great time and I was with great friends. I will really miss them.

Our group at the beach!