April 28, 2007

April 28, 2007

My Friday night (Shabbat).

Shabbat is the Hebrew word for Saturday. So, everyone says Shabbat Shalom. It means “Happy Sabbath” and “Happy Saturday”… Israelis take off Friday and Saturday instead of Saturday and Sunday. Therefore, Thursday and Friday are the nights to go out.

Last night was a busy night. Dating is tough. I go through so many days where I don’t meet anyone or do anything. Then, the famine ends and I have 3 dates per day. I am really doing this so I can meet people and make new friends. My Israeli friend from Atlanta was kind enough to have his mother in Tel Aviv call me and invite me to Shabbat dinner. She was so sweet. I met my friend’s brother and 26 year old nephew - Really nice guys. It was such a treat to be invited into someone’s home.

Afterward (about 11:30 PM), I met my first date of the evening. She was the best date so far and we had a nice time talking for a couple of hours at a café. She was going to take me to a bar first but I can’t stand the noise and crowd when I am just trying to get to know someone. I’ll go out with her again. She lives about 30 minutes by foot from me and we met near her apartment at a café that I already knew. I started the late night walk home down Dizengoff Street when I met my 2nd date of the evening. She lives on Dizengoff and emailed me on Jdate and invited me to a party at her apartment. It started at 11:30. It was around 2:00AM so I thought I’d check it out. There were only around 7 people left but they were all so nice and mostly spoke some English. No match here, for sure, though. I stayed around 45 minutes and then walked the rest of the way home. I am bummed that I couldn’t join my friend, Benji, who made Aliya (became and Israeli citizen) a few months ago. He had invited me out with some of his friends but I had already made plans.

Today, I met another woman from Jdate who was very nice but a chain smoker. We sat at a café for a couple of hours and talked about philosophy and paradigms on life. I am trying to learn from each interaction with people here. I asked her if the harshness of the Israelis was just a form of self-protection. She said yes but also that it is a difficult lifestyle to wonder if you will be blown up in the next moment when you walk into a shop or a bus. You always wonder how to protect yourself even though there is no real way to do so. You want to live your life but there is always something in the back of your head wondering if you will be next.

Tel Aviv is an ironic city. I think it is the exception in the state of Israel. It is where all speak the holy language of Hebrew. The language was re-invented late in the 19th century. It had only been used to read the Torah and other sanctified documents. Now, ironically, it is spoken at dance clubs, fashion stores, bus drivers, children playing on the street, and the homeless guy asking for a shekel. The language that had to make up new words written in the holy script to deal with the industrial revolution is now the only language able to be spoken among rich and poor, intellectuals, and criminals. It seems strange. It is not as deep or descriptive as Latin languages or even English. Yet, it is often now the only language known to world class scientists and scholars.

A secular city, where being Jewish is not a priority to many, it was the first capital of Israel when founded in 1948. It considers itself much like New York, with abrasive confrontational culture as well as approachable helpful citizens yet a developing world’s architecture. Buildings look like fortresses that might as well be in Caracas, Venezuela or Tegucigalpa, Honduras. Most look hastily constructed; designed to be able to defend and for rapid development. There was seemingly no time for aesthetics. They are cement block with older deteriorated plaster covering them. There are no screens on windows. Windows are always opened. Birds, insects, and bats could easily come in for a cup of coffee. By the way, there is one section of King George Street that is tree-lined and full of huge bats that fly everywhere at night. People walk underneath and peacefully coexist while these bats with two foot wingspans swoop in a couple of feet from their heads; gives me the willies.

It does have culture, arts, and lots of entertainment. The Mediterranean lines the entire long west coast of the city showing gorgeous sunsets. Cafes are abundant. People seem to love to sit outside on sidewalks even on dusty days when there is a grit and dust in the air. Also, cars, buses, and mopeds roar by constantly making conversation a little strained. I prefer a more quite table, if possible. Cafes are the place to be seen here. Even though I have yet to hang out in a bar, I know they are where the social life takes place. No one shows up until midnight, even on weeknights. They also don’t drink alcohol like Americans. A class of OJ or Diet Sprite is perfectly acceptable to nurse for hours in a night in a club or bar.

In my last letter, I should have expanded upon how they have their Memorial Day the day before Independence Day. I did mention that Memorial Day is a very somber day as every knows someone who has been killed by a terrorist or in combat. It’s not just a day to go on vacation. Memorial Day starts (as all days do here) at sunset. The day that honors the fallen abruptly ends the following sundown when the Independence Day celebrations begin. People stay up all night and picnic outdoors all of the following day. There are two days off of work for these holidays. I really like this idea of remembering those that gave their lives followed by a celebration of the result of that sacrifice.

Tomorrow is Sunday, a regular workday, and I have little planned. I have built a vocabulary list in a notebook and have learned how to read and write in cursive. It is still like decoding for me, though. My Hebrew class is once/week. When I prove I can read and write (but not necessarily understand what I read), they will place me in a daily class that has already begun. I will insist that they do it in my class on Monday as I feel I am not productive during the week. I need a place to go daily right now.

Again, I can be reached here by dialing my home number is 404 848 1424. It will be forwarded to me in Tel Aviv. You can also call me on Skype. Just look up my name.

L'hitraot,

R