Israel Diary - Shabbos and Sunday

I spent Shabbos with my friends who I was staying with. Friday night we davened at Shappell's, a ba'al teshuva yeshiva near my friends' apartment. The davening really was beautiful. The guys took their time, sang with incredible voices and danced around throughout kabbalas Shabbos. For dinner, we attended sheva brachos. It was a very full house, and I knew almost no one there. But everyone was extremely friendly, introducing themselves, chatting and singing. There were several beautiful divrei Torah for the newly married couple. The feeling in the room was one of love and happiness. I felt fortunate to share in the simcha (and of course, they made sure that I shared in the segulah wine as well - can't forget that one!). Shabbos day I had lunch with my friends and then went for a long walk towards and around Bayit Vegan. It was another gorgeous day until the moment I stepped back inside my friend's apartment, when the skies opened and flooded Jerusalem with her much-needed rain. After Shabbos, I headed to Ben Yehuda Street where another friend of mine who was a madricha for a Birthright Trip was standing guard for her trip participants. "Only in Israel" story for the day - There were tons of people in Zion Square and of course there was music blasting across. A mosh pit was formed and hundreds of Jews stood in the center of Jerusalem, dancing and having a blast. It wasn't quite my scene, but it was nice to see so many young Jews having so much fun. I caught up with my friend, her younger sister was there as well. It was nice to see them both. After a while, I got tired of the scene and decided to head home. Sunday, I just spent a lazy day getting myself packed up and ready to go. I took one last walk to and from town, checked out the Takana Markezit one last time, bought myself some traveling candy and got on the plane to go "home." That's my trip. I am still working on getting together my emotional thoughts about my trip, being in Israel and the aftermath of being back here. Stay tuned.