"Home to Jerusalem..."

So, it is now almost midnight on Sunday and I finally have some time to sit down and write about this weekend. In case you are looking for the abridged version, here it is: I had one of the best weekends so far in Jerusalem with Miriam and Debby!
Thursday night the University of Haifa offered their international students a trip to an Idan Raichel Project concert in Jerusalem, sponsored by MASA organization. Imagine the Wang Theater, packed full with screaming students from across the globe. Needless to say, it was crazy! Although the concert was all in Hebrew, the group put on a wonderful show. One of the most interesting facts about the Idan Raichel Project is that each group member hails from a different background (Ethiopia, Sudan, South Africa, and Yemen, to name a few), so the music was a great mix of sounds.
After the concert, Debby and I met up with Miriam, who has been studying at Hebrew University in Jerusalem for the year. We walked around Ben Yehuda Street, one of the main roads in the New City lined with restaurants and shops and got some pizza, then went back to the Hebrew University dorms for the night.
On Friday morning we set out to explore the Old City, which included a trip to the Kotel, a tour around the Cardo shopping area, and a walk through the shuk to prepare for Shabbat. At around 3 we went back to Miriams dorm to make kugel for dinner with her friends before showering and heading off to the Kotel again to welcome Shabbat. For me to try to describe being at the Kotel, the holiest Jewish site in the world, would be impossible, so it's something you'll have to come to Israel and see for yourself :)
Later Friday night, Miriam and her friends took me to a dance bar in Jerusalem called Shlomtzi's, where a lot of Israeli soldiers come after spending a few weeks in training.
Our Shabbat afternoon was spent taking a tour of the Hebrew University campus, where we stopped at a WWI gravesite before heading off to an outlook over the city. At this point, we literally had a 360 degree view of Jerusalem, including the Dome of the Rock, the Kotel, and many other historical sites. It could have been the 85 degree weather, or the beautiful view, but it was one of the best parts of being in Jerusalem. After hitting this sight, we continued on to the back of the university buildings to get a view of the Dead Sea and the Coast of Jordan, which was another highlight of the trip. Although it was very dangerous for us to go close to the border, I was so excited to be able to see one of Israel's neighboring countries.
After our walk, we sat out on the quad at Hebrew University and played cards, clearly enjoying the burst of warm weather after the "winter" season. After a little while, it was time to say goodbye, and after a very easy bus ride, I was back in Haifa, realizing how much I loved visiting the religious and holy atmosphere of Jerusalem.
All in all, the weekend was wonderful, and it made me so proud of my choice to spend a semester in Israel. More updates soon!!

Lots of love,
Elyse