Happy Tu B'Shvat

This is a picture of some of my WUJS friends planting trees in Sansena. From left: Josh (one of the three), someone I can't see well but I think is Jessica, Rachel, David and Deb.


I know that Tu B'Shvat was actually last Saturday, and the wish is a little late. But today we WUJies (or "wedgies" as some like to call us) celebrated the real thing in style. How? By planting trees, of course.

For those of you who don't know, Tu B'Shvat is most easily explained by a children's song, which informs us that the holiday is the "birthday of the trees." Basically, it's supposedly starting to be springtime in Israel (but it's still seriously cold), and it's a holiday that celebrates trees and fruit and all that stuff.

So today, we went to a new settlement called Sensana, which is situated in the negev just this side of the green line. The place is so new that houses are just now starting to be built. Everyone who lives there still lives in pre-fabricated houses that they call "caravans," which are about one step up from a trailer, it seems. It's a fairly religious settlement, and there were lots of tiny children in tzitzit and kippot or little skirts (for the girls) running around. There was a ceremony with some speakers, and then we planted. It didn't take very long, but it was pretty fun.

Other than that, life has been busy. I took my stupid psychological tests for HUC earlier this week, and the experience was both boring and frustrating. If I never have to do that again, I'll be happy. Also, I found out that Israel actually uses handwriting analysis. Hasn't that been proven to be complete bullshit? I know it's totally inadmissable in court in the US. Anyway, HUC didn't make me do that, so I'm happy about that!

While I was in Tel Aviv the night before the testing, I met some Brazilian kids who had extended their Birthright trips. I hung out with them, and it was a lot of fun.

Next up is the third of our three breaks from WUJS. My mom and dad are coming, and I'm heading to Jerusalem on Friday. I'll meet them there on Saturday, and I'll get to sleep in a real hotel that probably has CARPETING! Really, carpeting is scarce here. The little and barely significant differences between Israel and the States are rather weird.