I'm Sorry I Don't Update My Blog Frequently :)

Swennyways, Israel has been jibbly awesome. We'll start with classes:

CLASSES
I have endured already two Physical Settings of the Bible tests and that class has just been amazing. We have traveled all over the Land of Benjamin and around Jerusalem, seeing Bethlehem, Jerusalem, Jericho, the Wilderness, Gezer, Ramah, Nebi Samwil, Michmash, the Herodian Palace, and much more. It has just been a blast and a soaking in of a beautiful land of massive contrast. I hope the pictures I've posted give you a glimpse of this very different land.

My Jewish Jesus to Christianity and Rabbinical Thought classes have been very different, but very excellent. One is taught by a Jew and one a Rabbi. The entire perspective was something that took a while to get used to, but it has just been an awesome journey learning it. Seeing how the Jewish people view the Tanakh and Torah and their views on inspiration and teaching has been fascinating and even frustrating for some of the students here. It has been a joy to groan through many of the varying issues concerning the Jewish perspective as it differs from the Christian one and I feel like I've changed myself already, not necessarily on my views, but my viewpoint. I feel like I'm finally leaning away from my ingrained New Testament Christianism, and into a fuller understanding of where I come from. I've been grafted into a world, a tree of God's people, that I am just beginning to appreciate the history of.

My Hebrew Readings class is going through Joshua. 50% of the grade is in-class participation and 50% is the final exam where we translate 25 verses of randomness and then some other mystery stuff. Translation: pray for me, pray pray pray pray pray pray.

OUTSIDE OF CLASS FUN STUFF
Another large part of my time here is not in classes and not (cough) doing homework for classes, but lies in the world around me. Seeing the Western Wall about 20 times already has been a delight, its a quick 10 min. walk away from campus. Being here for the holidays of Rashshanna (Head of the Year -literally translated) and Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) and Ramadan has been really cool. At Yom Kippur for example not only were there mobs of Jews at the Western Wailing Wall, but there were groups teaching each other. Crowds listening to Rabbis recite the Torah here and there. You would find people sleeping by the wall. And of course, many of them fervently praying, kissing the wall, putting prayers penned on paper into its cracks.

I've been to an Arab Bachelor party, a restaurant on a rooftop, volleyball by the Mount of Olives hospital, ultimate frisbee every friday in the park, jogging around the Old City, shopping in the Muslim, Christian, Jewish, and Arab districts, and the New City mall, and New City streets. I've jumped off way to high cliffs into waterfall pools, climbed way too steep cliffs, eaten at a fruit bar, a hidden outdoor library coffeeshop, taught at an Arab gradeschool, swam in the mediterranean naked (hehehe), eaten about five tons of pita bread, bought a small thing of Jiffy Peanut butter for five dollars, taken way too many pictures, rearranged my room, made awesome friendships, played settlers of cattan, catch phrase, isketch, arabian slap jack, nerds, and fiddled for a few hours on photoshop here and there. I also know "Shu-kran" means thank you in Arabic and I've still avoided Hummos somehow.

Pray for homework doing. Thank you for your prayers of safety, its been really safe here and will continue to be safe. There's been no problems :)

EAST JERUSALEM SCHOOL
Every Tuesday morning from 8am-1pm I go to East Jerusalem Grade School in Beit Hanina? I mostly help a fourth grade class with Ms. Ruleh. At first I was told that I be able to teach a Bible class and use theatre and music. I was siked. My first day there they said there was no chance of that and I had very little 1 on 1 or small group interaction or any teaching that first day so I was disheartened. But this past tuesday I got to read a story to the kids using different voices, and I got to go one on one with two children. It was great. And for the future, by Ms. Ruleh's suggestion, I'll even be able to make songs up with motions to help the kids learn subjects and even do any kind of theatre I want, she'll squeeze time in for me. So, that is just uber encouraging I can't wait.

I've been here a month, I only have two months left ... that's jibbly crazy, I don't want to leave :)

I love and miss you all though :) God bless, may your joy be full! I'll see ya'll in December