Barbecue and Goin' Down South

The yeshiva semester ends on Tisha B'Av (the 9th of the month of Av,) a day of fasting and mourning for the destruction of the first and second temples in Jerusalem. It's only a couple of weeks away now, so we had a little barbecue at Gan Sacker (Jerusalem's sort of central park) with all the guys.

Smoked Michael

Mmmmm... wings.

Yeshivah is rooted in the word "Lashevet," to sit, since everyone sits down and studies all day. Eventually the guys get used to it, and even when you get them outside, all they want to do is sit around.

We were able to get a few of the guys off their duffs throwing Frisbees.

Eventually, we had enough for a good game of soccer (footsies, as some of the Europeans call it.) With Rav Listman as goalie, I was able to get a hold of the ball and had to give it a really good kick to get it past him and through the goalposts. Fortunately, it counted as a goal, but unfortunately, the ball still had a huge amount of inertia, and it smacked straight into the nose of a little girl, the daughter of one of our students, who was wandering around behind the goal. She bled for about 30 minutes. Man, I felt like garbage. Later, I called the family to apologize, and it sounds like everything is fine. Still, it doesn't feel good to be the one responsible for that sort of thing.

Next day, Friday, I decided to visit the cousins down south Bnei Darom. Adam volunteered to come with me.

Adam rode his bike to the interesection where I picked him up.

We got there a few minutes early, so with my new vehicle, I was able to do some exploring in the area around the moshav.

Driving through the fields.


During the "three weeks," from last week and until Tisha B'Av, I can't shave or get a haircut, so I got a nice close shave right before the three weeks started. Unforutnately, it was so close there was nothing for my little yarmulke to clip onto, so I got one of those enormous yarmulkes the hippies wear. I thought it looks kinda Muslim, so I called it the "Islarmulke."

Me in the fields of Bnei Darom with my Islarmulke.

Bnei Darom

The Hertzog Yeshiva, a National Religious hesder yeshiva (combined army service and Torah learning.)

Eventually I made it back to the moshav. The moshav has a very relaxed atmosphere, with wide streets, trees, and expansive homes.


I also got to see my little cousin Tamar (pronounced TaMA!)

Me n' TaMA!

Shabbat was fantastic, and I managed not to break any more noses in the process. Shavua tov.