Photo Published!

I got a photo published on a widely-read blog, Religion and State in Israel. Check it out! 

Arts Festival

Last night Josh and I had Jaclyn and Adam over for dinner and then we met up with some more people at this international arts festival. I didn't buy anything, though I might go back tonight, but we did see a concert and this weird circus thing. And since I don't have a lot of time, all I really want to do is show my cool pictures of the circus. Here's a juggler, with assorted circus people in the background:

And here's a trapeze artist slash arial dancer. Very cool.

Masada Concert

Last night was one of those incredibly surreal experiences that can't even be embellished because it's so out there already. First was the Shabbat cookout, which involved us gleefully grilling cheeseburgers on Shabbat and smiling at the disapproving Haredi people who walked by. And some people were being VERY goofy. Exhibit 1A: 

After the cookout and a nap, eleven of us met up on the steps of HUC at 1:00AM to go to the David Broza dawn concert at Masada. Very cool. But then there were unplanned adventured. To begin with, we sat on the steps for an hour while our driver got pulled over, arrested, and sent to jail. Then they sent us a new driver, who arrived at 2:15. So we got in the bus and he took us through the West Bank to Masada. But when we arrive, we're told we're at the wrong entrance, and we have to drive another hour around the mountain to get to where to concert is. By that time, of course, we've missed half an hour of the concert. Also, our driver was kind of a madman. We were going up the tiny little winding mountain roads on the way up to Masada, and he was going WAY too fast. I was seriously afraid we were going to go over the side of the mountain and never be heard from again. Not to mention the queasy factor. But the bright side is that his maniacal driving got us to the concert in time to catch three-quarters of the concert. And the concert was awesome! 

I had never even heard of David Broza before someone suggested this concert, but now I'm officially a fan. He sings in Hebrew, Spanish, and English (with occasional Ladino), and he plays beautiful classical Spanish guitar. The music was very beautiful and haunting. Also, it was just so cool to be at Masada at dawn. I haven't been to Masada since I was in Israel with my parents in 1997, and I've certainly never been there at such a beautiful time of day. There must have been 5,000 people on a hillside watching a concert as the sun rose. Very cool. And they were doing a light show against the wall of Masada during the concert. 

And of course there were the tiny little insignificant people climbing Masada at dawn while we were at the concert. Ok, time to sleep some more. 

Old City Photo Safari

Yesterday I finally made it to the Old City to take pictures. Josh and I went to Lina for lunch, and man was that a great lunch. Seriously, Lina's hummus is worth traveling around the world for, and it was just a 15 minute walk from our house. I love this city. (Well, except when I get dirty looks for walking down the street in tight pants, but that's another story.)

Anyway, I stayed down in the Old City for three hours after lunch, and I would have stayed longer if I hadn't filled my CF card. That's 447 photos, FYI. So here's a few. I started in the Arab quarter, where Lina is, and worked my way back through the Jewish quarter to end up at the kotel.

The people who control the kotel looking down at it:

Serious-looking Haredi boys:

Two Israeli soldiers: one Orthodox, one Ethiopian. 

The women behind the mehitzah. 

A tourist sitting next to the prayer books in the women's section:

Wow, she's really praying:

... so is she. I really like the rays of light in this picture. 

And look, so is she:

Haredi men are always so happy. Why is that? Oh wait, it's because they sit at home and study while their wives both work to support them and take care of the children.

Sorry. If it seems like I have strong views about the way women are treated by the Haredi... well, that's because I do!