So now, two weeks after my three-week trip to Israel, I finally begin recounting it here, online. Sort of like the delay between a movie coming out in theaters and home video, only not.

Tuesday, Jan. 5
I arrive in Israel at about 8:30AM. It is warm. I take a cab to Shoham, meet the father of the family there which my family is good freinds with, he tells me to get some sleep, I decide to use the internet. After about 45 minutes, I decide that I didn't come to Israel to use the internet, and go out for a walk around Shoham. It was wonderful, of course. There were still flowers in bloom, and the weather was like spring. Remember, this is January 5. As I walk, I realize that all I have with me are long-sleeved shirts- after all, I was expecting the rainy season!
Israel has a special smell to it. If you don't believe me, go visit. It's true. I inhale the scent of Israel, and thank Hashem I'm there.
I get cramps in my legs from walking up and down the hills, but I love it anyway.
When I got back from my walk, the mother of the family was/came home (I forget). While I talked with her, two of the children came home. The youngest is very cute ("EiliYAhu! BAta! Imaamrahshetavohayom!Kamahzmantishaeretzlainu?") and knows practically no English, despite his older brothers speaking English quite well (they lived in America for a couple years). So If I want to talk to him, I have to shaper my Ivrit. He and his brother played with poggim for a little while and then they had lunch.

Wednesday, Jan. 6

Thursday, Jan. 7

Friday, Jan. 8

Shabbat Chanukah I, Parashat VaYeshev
Shabbat at Gush! This is what I've been looking forward to! Since the weekend of Shabbat Chanuka is always a vacation, two Shabbatei Chanukah means there's a Shabbat Chanuka at Gush! The Beit Midrash was nearly full, and Kabballat Shabbat was in surround sound. L'cha Dodi was to Maoz Tzur. Oh well- I was hoping for the Israeli tune which I love, but I couldn't really have expected anything else.
Due to this auspicious occasion, there's a Tish with Rav Lichtenstein (one of the Roshei Yeshiva), which is an equally rare event. The topic was "Secular Education in Halacha." Unfortunately, I can hardly understand Rav Lichtenstein's Hebrew. Nevertheless, it was an experience to remember.