We spent our last day in Jerusalem running around like crazy people. We hung out at the Jerusalem Post's office and chatted with some interns on a year-long Career Experience trip with MASA.I put on my grown-up lady clothes for a visit to the Prime Minister's office and a meeting with Zeev Bielski, Chairman of the Jewish Agency for Israel, one of JUF's primary Israel beneficiaries. I'll save the news about the actual program for the MASA story. We ran off to lunch with participants of the Young Judea program and made our way to Tel Aviv.
We arrived a bit late in Tel Aviv and our walking tour of the old city was cancelled. I'm planning to check that out next week during part two of the trip because I really liked the Old City in Jerusalem. After dinner with some Chicago-area MASA participants, the MASA journalists headed out for a drink at Mike's Place.
We were hesitant at first because it seemed so ... American but, a member of the group had seen a documentary about the suicide bombing that took place there in 2003, killing three and wounding 50 and had heard it was actually a really cool place. I wasn't surprised to see that there was no trace of a bombing--the attitude here is hard even to fathom. The ability to live in danger every single day and start over when things happen is half shocking and half refreshing. The only reminder came when I tried to give the security guard my ID to check instead of my bag to search. I would love to say that the band wasn't playing "Hound Dog" as we were sitting down but that would be a lie.
I caught some pre-bus daylight. Here's a picture of Tel Aviv. I can't wait to get to that beach!Next time: Being a little scared near the Gaza Strip, talking to business owners in Sderot and visiting students in Be'er Sheva.
