Hag Sukkot

This week has been a great break/holiday. I haven't had to go to class or work from Friday until Wednesday.

I spent the weekend with a friend from Camp, Barak, from 2007. He had a really nice place in Even Yahuda. When I got there I got to help them finish their sukkah and put up the decorations. His family greeted me very nicely and made me feel at home. I arrived just in time to see the video of Gilad Shalit released on national television. I think I will remember this moment for a life time, as it was a real Israeli experience that I was a part of. If you don't know about Gilad, please go to this link and find out more. He has been in Hamas captivity for three years now, lets all pray that he be released soon. http://giladshalit.blogspot.com/

That night we had a great dinner in the sukkah and the food was great. I am really starting to like all these home cooked meals for the holidays. They set me up in the basement, which was like its own apartment. It was very nice. We went out that night and met up with a friend of Barak. We found a chill place near by.

The next day we woke up and went to the beach at Kibbutz Shefayim, where Idan lives, my roommate from this summer. We met Idan, Asaf, and Tal...all camp friends from 2007. It was the most beautiful beach I had been to in Israel, and not a lot of people there. I played Matcot for the first time...its like the most popular sport in Israel, Beach Pingpong, with no table. I sucked. Right after we went to the beach, Barak and I had to go to some family of his for another Holiday meal. It was also a very nice meal, with some of the best wine I have ever had. Very nice and again the food was amazing...I even ate the liver...

The rest of the day we just hung out and watched the office.

On sunday, we had no plans so Barak, a friend and I all went to the Herzlia beach, also empty and nice. That night I went back to the kibbutz and just relaxed and slept. Now I have two more days without work to study and get some sleep. On Tuesday night the whole ulpan is going to Akko for a big festival...I'm not sure what it is for, but it should be fun.