Jerusalem was one of the most influential periods of my life. I remember when I initially was trying decide whether or not to go. I first mentioned it to my parents and my mom said "I absolutely forbid it" and my dad just shook his head and laughed, knowing that it was one of my crazy ideas that they didn't like but there wasn't anything they could do to stop me. Even when I made the final decision to go, I still felt uneasy myself. Not at all about the danger of living in the Middle East, but more about the uncertainty of whether or not it would be useful, enjoyable, and worth the delay in education. I always knew it was more for the adventure and that the neuroscience in this case was to pay the bill. Despite the uncertainty, it turned out to be all that I could have hoped for: exhilarating, enlightening, and cultural.
FHE at the Joseph, Becky, and Greg's place
Greg's birthday
One of the most amazing nights was playing sardines at midnight just outside the Old City walls. It was the most amazing location and we ran around for hours in this big park, which I later found out was the valley of Gehinnom, or the valley of hell.
My Ein Kerem Israeli friend, Or Faigenbaum. I met him on the bus my first week and we hung out a few times. I took him through the Old City and it was the first time that this Israeli had ever seen the Western Wall!
Sneaking onto the Old City walls at night to watch concerts. We jumped over the gate that closes the ramparts walk for the night and were nervous about being shot, but it was the most amazing view and feeling to be up on the walls with no other people at night
Meteor showers in the middle of the desert with Moshe and Patrick
Pita! I ate so many pitas!
Heretical tours with Avi Bell, the ridiculously smart lawyer and Arabs throwing rocks from the Old City walls
Jerusalem Center branch parties
Mary's Well, where we climbed through the tunnel. I could barely fit and it was so scary the first time! But then we got headlamps and did it again with all the Jerusalem Center family kids.
Ein Kerem was were we went to escape from the stress of the city and to visit Miriam and her handicapped children and eat gelato
path to Miriam's
Turk, the dog that I dogsat for a month. He was an autistic dog, didn't really like the 4 walks a day he got to do and never wanted to be pet!
View from the JC balconies
I love figs so much and ate so many during fig season!
Relief Society dinner
Miriam, Aaron, and Moses!
After Hezekiah's tunnel, which we did in the DARK with no headlamp!
Aaron and I used these pictures to memorize the names of all the JC students so Aaron could call them by name the first time he taught Sunday School
"Harry Potter" who lives under the stairs in Ethiopia
Miriam and Moshe getting cozy
Aaron eating a pomegranate
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