L'shavua haba'ah b'yerushalayim (next week in Jerusalem!)

I'm heading back to Jerusalem on Sunday to study at Pardes from Sept. 1 until May 27, and I'll be chronicling my adventures here. Armed with all my belongings in a bulging backpack and a slightly too large bright pink suitcase, I'll dive into the beit midrash (house of study) ready to challenge my intellect and exercise my soul.

I was a little worried that coming home for five weeks in between intense Israel experiences would make me incredibly bored and I'd be itching to go back every second, but actually, coming home allowed me to put a lot of things in perspective. While experiencing Judaism in Jerusalem is amazing, it's really impossible to replicate the intensity of that experience anywhere else, and coming home offered me a reality check. The challenges of Judaism in America are real, and they don't go away when I leave them behind. They're still there, waiting to be tackled, and I feel like the challenges make my Judaism stronger. However, by going to Israel for the year I'm giving myself the opportunity to try on various Jewish practices and beliefs without strings attached and without the augmented challenges of the diaspora.

A lot of people say that they feel like they've come home once they arrive in Israel, and I did too when I arrived in June, but while I do feel comfortable in many ways in Israel, it doesn't evoke the same feelings for me that "home" does. I really have a strong connection to many things about the Carolinas - the foothills, the cuisine, and the music, to name a few - and I still see myself returning to this area to make my home, some day. There are so many challenges for Judaism in the American south, but that's one of the factors that I find most attractive. Back when I was applying to college, I wrote my admissions essay for Rice about how my Jewish identity and my Southern identity were equally influential in shaping the person that I am, and I find that that's even more true today. While the two identities certainly don't always coexist peacefully, negotiating the two is part of my reality and the realities of so many other Jews living in the South.

I've spent the better part of this past week packing and repacking, and I think I'm close to being finished. Here are a couple of the more non-traditional packing items that I thought merited room in my cramped suitcase:
-Queen Esther, part of the ever-growing stuffed bunny clan (see the Facebook group "Friends and Fans of the Bunnies"), for when I get a little homesick.
-My apron, to inspire me to cook more and eat out less, and hopefully save money.
-Rain boots - while they're bulky, I hear that the puddles in Jerusalem in the winter are NOT to be messed with.
-Books: A Short History of Nearly Everything (unless I finish it by Sunday, which is entirely likely over Shabbat), Six Easy Pieces by Richard Feynman (I'm on a bit of a science kick), A Walk in the Woods (and also a Bill Bryson kick, plus it'll remind me of the beautiful Appalachians...), A People's History of the United States, and of course my Koren siddur (prayerbook) and my JPS Tanakh (Bible). I couldn't help myself.
-Knitting needles, plus the cardigan that I just finished making (I'll put a picture up when I dig it out of my suitcase).
-Hair sticks, which look quite a lot like knitting needles, except shorter, and for hair.

A few questions for you Israel veterans out there:
-How easy is it to refill prescriptions in Israel? Do pharmacies carry the same brands of medication? What about American generic versions of prescriptions?
-Is there a library in Jerusalem with English books?
-Any good recommendations for yarn stores?

Alright, I think I covered all of my bases for now. My flight leaves from GSP at 5:30 on Sunday, then to Philly, then to Tel Aviv. If you'll be in the holy land at any point during the year, PLEASE let me know! And finally - if I get lazy about updating the blog at any point during the year, please reprimand me thoroughly.

Shabbat shalom!
-Lauren