That being said, I will relay the events of Rosh Hashannah in the best way I can. The night before the holiday my program loaded us onto a bus at 3:00 in the morning to go synagogue hopping around Jerusalem. Hundreds of people gather in Jerusalem weeks before this important time to pray "Slichot" in the very early hours of the morning. It was a very unique (albeit tiring) experience, but I am glad I had an opportunity to see it.
The next morning I slept until about lunch, when I ate quickly and hopped on a bus for Modi'in, the fastest growing city in Israel. Started in about 1997, Modi'in already boasts about 70,000 residents, and it hopes to eventually be the fourth largest city in Israel.
I had hospitality of a very lovely family, the food was delicious, the services were nice, and the experience was overall a good one. Last night I came back to Jerusalem, finished up some homework, and went to sleep.
Today I had classes all day. Now seems like as good a time as ever to tell you about my classes. I am taking the History of Zionism which is essentially an in depth look into how the state of Israel was established. We have field trips around all of Israel every Wednesday. I am required to take 90 minutes of Hebrew every day. The class is moving quickly, and I feel myself picking up Hebrew, but I regret that the Spanish which I spent 7 years of my life learning is slowly slipping away from me. I am taking a class called "The Genesis Parables" which looks at the biblical book of Genesis as literature rather than historical fact. I am taking a class which examines Judaism as a faith compared to a culture. Lastly, I take a class which teaches about the Arab-Israeli conflict and the best ways to advocate on Israel's behalf. I am enjoying all of my classes, and all of my teachers.
Tonight I am going to a concert in Jerusalem. I am not sure who the artist is, but I'm sure it will be interesting at least. I also hope to wake up at 4:00 am to watch the vice-presidential debate with a few people. Tomorrow I am going on a hike in the north, which I'm sure will be very fun. That's all for now!
Please let me know if you have any specific questions you would like me to answer.
-Zach
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