I've never felt more alive. I know I tend to say this a lot but sometimes it just hits me. Life here in Israel has become so normal for me that most of the time I just walk around completely oblivious to the miraculous things I bear witness to.
It's hitting me today. The view from my new dorm window is phenomenal. The hills of Jerusalem running for miles sprinkled with rooftops. The echo of the prayer calls that rumble between throughout the city. The stillness that is Shabbat. The chilly, fresh air faintly smelling of the thousands of fireplaces lit to warm the thousands of homes.
I hope I never forget. I hope the city never loses its fascination in my eyes. I want to wake up every morning and be overjoyed by the thought that I'm living in the Holy City of Jerusalem.
I suppose by now you're a little confused by my sudden outburst, since the last time I posted I was living in Tel Aviv, attending the university there. So much has happened and throughout these events I have neglected my blog. I think you'll understand by the time you finish reading this. I hope.
I'll start at the beginning, though it was quite a while ago. I was wrestles with Tel Aviv. I hated the school. I hated the program. I hated it. So I decided it was time for a drastic change. I applied for the Hebrew University knowing full well that I was almost a month past the deadline to apply. The coordinator helped me through the process and was so nice to me that I couldn't help but think that this was G-d's plan all along. The application was completed, my brother was visiting, and I was planning to return home to visit for a few weeks before starting my semester in Jerusalem. G-d had other plans.
Half way through my brother's visit I got a call from the coordinator informing me that I must go through the Winter Ulpan, which was to last from January 28thto February 25th. I remember thinking as she was talking, "I'm not going home." Now, it wouldn't have fazed me except that for two months I had planned and planned my trip back home. I realize now I had centered my time here on the fact that I'd return home after my six month mark. I think G-d was a little upset about that. He has plans for me and I need to focus on what He wants from me instead of selfishly focusing on what I want.
So I reluctantly gave in to G-d and sent my brother off on the plane back home while I came to the realization that I wasn't going with him. The next day I moved into the dorms and G-d sent me a good friend of Ada's to help me bring my bags from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. This woman is a Journalist here in Israel. American born, she's been living here for 20 years and when I explained my situation to her simply said, "I think it's a good thing you didn't go home. You'll realize when you do go that all you'll want to do is come back here." I have a feeling she's going to be right.
And with a newly refreshed mind and clear thoughts I plunge into the new and exciting world that is Jerusalem. It really is a different world. Different but very much still a part of G-d's bigger plan.
