Summer fun

I know I have been so busy, like all NFTY summers. But I want to take a second to write that I am having one of the most amazing summers with incredible kids and a knock-out staff. I feel like I (and my staff) are really helping these kids to be more of the amazing selves that they are and I am really proud of the job we're doing here.

Here is to a strong last 9 days of NFTY Summer 2011!!!!!!!

Shakshuka updates

Group Shakshuka is doing well. One of our kids is sick though, so I stayed behind today to be with her.  I have some extra time, so I thought some updates would be appropriate.

I had a day off yesterday and I went to Beer Sheva. Roi and I took a four hour nap, I did laundry, and we went to a really nice dinner together. It was a perfect day really. I had to leave Beer Sheva really early for Jerusalem in the morning, but everything was fine and there was even a seat on the bus from where I got on.  It was a good sign for a good day. We went through the City of David tunnels and then went to the Kotel. The kids really had a great day. It's really emotional for a lot of them to be there for the first time, and I am really happy to be a part of this experience for them.

Never too many group shots

Our girls

Some of our boys together at the wall.

Since it was the 4th of July we got sparkles for our kids. It was a huge success! They really loved them.  Pictures to come! =) I hope everyone had a great holiday! 

Europe, birthday, and Israel!

I have been very busy since June 14th, the last post. I had NFTY in Israel orientation, met my campers, went to Europe (Prague, Krakow, and Warsaw) flew back to Israel, and camped for three night in the Arava, the southern desert in Israel.

It's been an amazing two weeks and has felt like a year. Working for NFTY is the most exhausting and most rewarding job someone could have.

I have a snippet for the parents:

My group is incredible. They are a mixed group from all over the US. They have more spirit, sass, and enthusiasm than I can explain.  They can all count to 100 and say short sentences in Hebrew. I feel like we jumped into Israel feet first. After the kids started singing after the plane landed, they haven't stopped! Yesterday we went to Jaffo to see the historical entrance to our homeland and all the participants picked Hebrew names to be called on the whole trip.  They are really embracing their heritage, religion, and Hebrew.  

Our group name is Shakshuka, a famous Israeli/Arabic food. The group was challenged to make a song for our group.  They split into small groups for the competition, you can watch the two final championship songs. The kids were absolutely amazing. We were blown away by the performances. Not only their excitement, but their use of Hebrew, and their references to Israeli cultural.

Group Shakshuka is definitely one of a kind and I am looking forward to our next few days in the Arava desert to really see them bound and continue to blossom.   

Baby Eytan!

Our wonderful Hungarian friends, Dina and Zoli, from ulpan, had a baby last month! They named him Eytan, and yesterday, I finally got to meet him! During the crazy June downpour Samantha and I went to their home for a visit! 

Samantha, me and baby EYTAN!! 

Mommy and Eytan

Masters of Middle East Studies from Ben Gurion University of the Negev

On Sunday I traveled to Beer Sheva to go to my graduation ceremony.  It was a beautiful night, not hot, and not too chilly.  There was a main ceremony where they had a few speeches, and then gave out the diplomas to the highest GPAs. Then we went to a smaller departmental ceremony where I received my MASTERS degree!!! 

Me in front of the sign for the humanities department.

Just got my diploma! 

Me and Yishai!!Yay!! No more BGU!! 

This is Avi, he lived in Northwest Indiana for a year as an Israeli liaison! We graduated from the same university in Israel at the same time! The world is so small =) Avi is going to The Paris School of Economics to get his Masters Degree! Good luck Avi, you'll do great! 

Relli, me and Avi, my great professors! 

Beeba!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Beeba wrote a thesis, so she'll have to wait until next year for her ceremony! 

Me and Roi, of course!! Just a few more years until we're sitting here again for his degree! 

Up close! Check it out!!! =) 

Farewell/birthday lunch

David and Samantha and Shahar took me to lunch for my birthday and a small "farewell" since I will be leaving soon. We had a great time despite the food being less than wonderful. The view and company made up for it! 

My housemates!! 

Funny.

Happy dogs...crazy kid.

Samantha, looking spectacular as always!! If anyone needs a fashion consultant, let me know! She is the best and comes highly recommended! 

Birthday happenings

Since I will be in Prague on my real birthday, I decided to have a small get together with my close friends on Thursday in the park by our apartment. It was so lovely. All my friends made everything so special for me. Graziella made an incredible birthday cake that was 3 kilos of chocolate! Flavia made a mousse cake and cookies. Nicola made a lemon cake. Samantha made cupcakes and a pasta salad. My ulpan girl friend's got me a cute shirt from Zara. My downstairs neighbor gave me a scarf. And my ulpan teacher got me a cupcake sheet because she knows I love baking! Really, it was a perfect party. 

Roi and me!! 

All the food and cakes!!

I tried to carve 26 into the watermelon for my age. My mother has been doing this in the summer for parties. But she makes it look so beautiful and so easy! Well, let me tell you, it's NOT easy! and I wish my mother was here to help me! But I tried...

Ram, Flavia and me! 

Samantha, my neighbors, and me!

Nicola, my favorite Russian girls, and me!!! 

Roi, me, and Dima!! Dima is Roi's friend from the army, but now after knowing him for a year, he's my friend too! =)

Blowing out my candles!! and special thanks to Yishai for taking so many great pictures! 

Me and Graziella and the AMAZING cake!! 

My friends!!!!!!!!!!! =) 

Thank you to everyone for coming and special thanks to Samantha for making the party possible. You are the best!! 

BBQ!

Our great friend Josh, from my Ulpan, finally had a BBQ last night! He had made a comment on the last day of class that he would like to have one at his home, and well, no one let him forget it! So finally, we all went to Kiryat Motzkin to try out his grilling skills! I think he passed the test with flying colors! The chicken was great and everyone devoured the kebabs!

Me, Diana, and Natasha!! I also look Russian, no??

Our class, minus a few!! Josh looked great in his apron!! Very professional!

I, of course, brought cookies!! 

Roi and me!

I love this guy!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Presentation

Today I had to do a presentation in Ulpan. I prepared it on my trip to Sinai. Overall, it was interesting, but I didn't feel prepared to do it. Reading from the paper I was fine, but I wasn't ready to simply talk and tell the story.

In the end, of course, everything was fine. It's just Ulpan, not an interview, but I wish I had had just one more day to prepare, it would have made a big difference. Plus, tomorrow, we have our first quiz/test. Although, it truly doesn't matter because my last day is the 6th. But, like always, I want to do well for myself. =)

Mt. Sinai

I rock. 

All the other tourist on the mountain, but they rode up on camel! Cheaters!!! 

Enjoying the view on Mt. Sinai!! 

BEEBA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This was Beeba's first mountain hike, she was incredible! 

Our first tea break!! 

First glimpse of sun. 

Our awesome hiking group!! 

There are flowers in the Sinai

Just the beginning of the dawn. 

Elijah's cave/area...

St. Catherine's Monastery

In the gardens. 

The view from our room, not too shabby. 

Beeba with "her people" ;-)

The wasteland that is Sinai

One more view from the monastery. 

Our DELICIOUS dinner!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!