Carefree in Qesarya

Do you ever feel like you owe it to yourself to do absolutely nothing for an entire weekend?

Do you ever shamelessly plop on the couch and stare wide-eyed at the television, in a half coma, watching Friends reruns for the majority of the day?

Well, if you can’t relate, I’ll simply describe the events (or lack there of) during my trip to Qesarya last weekend.

But before I begin, I want to thank Sharon, my new French friend, for hosting the magnificent relaxation fest that was November 4^th- 6^th. I wouldn’t have had a sitcom filled, chocolate covered, popcorn flavored weekend extravaganza had she not invited me, along with three of our friends (Maya, Emily, Izzy) to her home in beautiful Qesarya.

Now, step inside the Volcot-Freeman household. You will experience what modern art truly is.

Inside the maroon and yellow painted home, every square inch of wall is a canvas for every color on the wheel. Three dimensional junkyard paintings hang side by side with abstract naked women, adjacent to a portrait of a Chassidic man. Nothing relates, yet a sense of unity exists between the jumbled pieces of art.

You can tell, even behind the modernity of the décor, that the house isn’t in fact new. Layers of paint reveal that it has been re-done and refurnished, as the house once belonged to Sharon’s Grandparents generations ago.

After marveling at the full size beds we were going to sleep in for the next two nights, we explored the rest of the house. I wouldn’t be lying if I said that what amazed us the most was the colossal bathroom. After living in an apartment with one-and-a half bathrooms for six girls, I’ve come to appreciate such things. Like enclosed showers, tile floors, clean toilets and full-length mirrors, just to name a few.

We had been traveling for nearly four hours, so we were famished. (I forgot to mention that I took a train for the first time in Israel—definitely a few notches up from Metro North Railroad!) There was legroom, a table between every four seats, outlets, and more.

And since we have all become pro-grocery shoppers, we walked down the street to the local supermarket to get ingredients for dinner. A simple penne with marinara and a side salad was all we needed for the perfect low-budget-yet-delicious dinner.

We finished the evening with a lighthearted chic flick, and of course, I was passed out on the couch halfway through the film.

The next day we spent preparing for Shabbat. After sleeping in, I dedicated a few hours to read outside on Sharon’s swinging bench. I can’t even describe how amazing it is to be reading again. I got so lost in the book (Paper Towns), time literally must have flown, because 10 am turned into 1 pm and it was time to do grocery-shopping trip number 2 for our Shabbat meal. We got all the ingredients for a delicious stir-fry, tomorrows breakfast, and some Manishevitz and Challah bread for a real touch of Judaism.

I’ve discovered that cooking Shabbat dinner can be a bonding experience. Maya cooked the chicken and Emily was on vegetable duty all while I created an artistic hummus-cucumber platter and blasted music.

We said our prayers, Challa was thrown across the table, and we exchanged life stories. Our dinner beautifully transitioned into a Friends marathon that would continue for the rest of the weekend.

Besides going on a long run through Qesarya and finishing my book, Saturday was fairly uneventful—plus I have a lot more to talk about in this already lengthy post—so, I’ll sum it up by saying that by Saturday evening, we were well rested, well fed, and well versed in all that pertains to the show Friends. In fact, the theme song “I’ll be there for you…” lingered in the back of my mind for what seemed like an eternity.

The weekend was finally over and Sunday rolled along, bringing another week of volunteering, Ulpan classes, trips, meetings, and group activities.

However, this past Sunday was a special break from the weekly norm--one of the kids at the foster home, Natalie, officially entered the adult Jewish community as a Bat Mitzvah.

We spent the entire morning at Beit Mazor peeling, chopping, stirring, and gathering decorations for the ceremony. After the cooking was done, all of the volunteers decided pitch in for a Bat-Mitvah gift for Natalie—we decided on a silver bracelet with a Star of David charm attached.

The event was held at an upscale Dead Sea hotel, which is about a fifteen-minute drive from my apartment. Fortunately, a significant percentage of the Bat-Mitzvah costs were covered by donations, including the hotel.

When we arrived to help set up, Alon (the owner of the home) meant business. We hurriedly hung up stars, set tables, arranged the buffet, lit candles, and tied maroon and gold tapestries to the walls to create the fairy-tale theme Natalie wanted.

In the end, the party was a huge success. Natalie made a grand entrance (that involved kids throwing flower petals I handpicked from the garden) sang a song, read a speech and danced the night away. Maya and I got to have some fun too, dancing with the kids and embarrassing ourselves as we partied with twelve-year-olds.

Because we worked so hard the previous day, Alon called me the next morning to give me the day off. Although I didn't even want it, he insisted. I decided to do everything I have been yearning to do here in Arad; I took a book out from the library (Eat Pray Love) and read for hours outside on the grass. I'm already in love with the book. I was also able to find some time to draw a portrait in my sketchbook that I'm pretty proud of, AND review for my massive Hebrew test. It was a full day, but totally relaxing.

Well, there's still a lot more to catch up on...but I'll save it for next post. Gotta go to a group activity about my Jewish Identity!

Oh, Year Course...