Author: Eve Posen

At first I was afraid, I was PETRA-fied

Eve PosenLeave a comment
I know, I am a dork, but you have to admit, it is a little bit funny!! This past Sunday, as part of my Eilat vacation adventure i headed out to Petra, Jordan for a day of discovery and breathtaking beauty. We began the day at 6:30 as we groggily piled into our open backed Jeep and headed to the Jordanian border. About 15 minutes later we were on our way by foot crossing the border. It was exciting and strange all at once. Every time I am in Israel, and I drive south, I look out and see Jordan, a country so close, but so out of my reach, and now, there I was, walking across the border, my own two feet carrying me across a small strip of land which brought me to that country so far away. we arrived, made our way through customs, met our tour guide who promptly began with a Joke: Hey Eve, Where is Adam?! UGH, enough with that, I’ll blog about that line later. Anyways, we all hurried to our bus for the day and headed off to our first stop, the port city of Aqaba. While there, we saw the Jordanian flag, the size of an olympic sized swimming pool. we took in the flag and looked back across the border at Israel. There I was on the other side, looking back at Israel, it was a surreal but exciting experience. We then boarded back on the bus, and headed our way to Petra, about a 2 hour drive.

We arrived in Petra, as it started to rain.. ON our way, we passed through mountains as we climbed up to the sight. We saw snow, intense rainfall and then, the beauty and breathtaking wonder of the cenery. We arrived in Petra and saw the colors mixing, the unset and sunrise of the magnificent red rock. The intricate details used to carve into the rocks and create the treasury, the monastery, the tombs. o much history, so many sacred places for so many people so long ago. And unlike some of the sight i have seen in Israel, there are still people living in Petra, the bedouin community supports itself. Camels, donkeys, horses roam throughout the path to the treasury and beyond, the animals are fee, the birds have their home. breathing in the fresh, clean air of the ancient city, walking on thousands of years of History, i found myself at home, taking the the mystery, the sacredness of this fantastical place. It is one of the new 7 wonders of the world.

We hike,d untilt he end and then up a million stairs or so it seemed to the top of the monastery. And while the hike was hard, it was completely worth iti in the end. We arrived at the top, after winding our way thought the various twists and turns of the mountain and there it was in its simplistic breathtaking beauty. the air was clear, the sky a pristine blue, and the views, spectacular. THere we rested, took it in, made our peace, and settled on the way back down. The ipod came out, the music blasting and a sing along ensued. What a better way to pass the time than singing good oldies like New Kids on the Block while hiking in Petra? The perfect end.

We found our way to the bottom, ate a fresh lunch of falafel and hummus, and then hiked the hour and some back through the treasury on to the via sacra until we reached the visitors center and our bus. Words cannot describe the beauty of the sunset over the mountains into the valley as we winded our way back down through the mountains. A day of breathtaking, beauty, history amazes me, well worth it. When we reached the border crossing, a strange sense of familiarity and peaceful ness came over me. As safe as I felt in Jordan, it was good to be home, to walk across the border into the land of my ancestors, to my home.

I like it EI-LAT

Eve PosenLeave a comment
I am funny, admit it!! Anyways, this past weekend I headed down to Eilat with a group of my friends for some fun in the sun and relaxation before school starts up again. Below are some reflections from the road on the way down and then a quick run through of the trip. I cant’ think of a better way to spend my vacation than relaxing, getting some much needed sunshine and making new friends!
On the bus, parks of Godliness reflect from the sky through the clouds to the water. ON the bus from Jerusalem to Eilat, and while Jerusalem is the “holy city” i seem to continually find myself engulfed in holy moments, in wonders of creation more and more as I leave Jerusalem. The beauty of the landscape of the country mesmerizes me, brings me closer to God, fills the void I have been feeling lately.

FRIDAY: We arrived at the central bus station at a quarter to 7am in order to make our bu on time. The bus ride was uneventful, i slept, talked, watched the beautiful scenery roll by and relaxed. We arrived in Eilat just before noon, checked in to the hotel and headed straight out for a walk in the sunshine to the promenade. We walked around, felt the water and ate a filling lunch. The best part was feeling the warmth of the sunshine on my face, it had been too long since my last days in the sun. I never realized how much living in LA had made me used to constant sunshine until now. I will now for sure not go so long without a dose of sunshine if I can help it! After lunch we headed back to the hotel, put on our bathing suits and sat out by the pool until it was time to get ready for Shabbat. I had decided to daven alone on our balcony looking out at the pool and the sunset. I had just finished Mincha when the rest of the group came back because the minyan at the hotel was not only orthodox, but there was not even a women’s section. So, we all gathered on our balcony and davenede together. 5 women, 2 men, davening, singing and smiling together. We looked out and women and children on other balconies joined in with us, watched and enjoyed. It was a powerful feeling to be bringing in Shabbat in such a peaceful and spiritual way. This was exactly what i needed. We finished up our davening and headed in to the dinner. All you could eat and meat and chicken and fish and lots of salads and dessert, I was in heaven. Following dinner we all piled into my room, 5 of us girls on one bed, what fun!! I fell asleep somewhere between 10 and 11.

SATURDAY, YOM MENUCHA: We all woke up at our own times and davened on our own. I woke up around 8:30, put on m bathing suit and shorts and went out on the balcony to pray. I took in the sights, sounds and smells of the beautiful port. It was refreshing and relaxing and peaceful, and everything I was missing, everything I needed and more. Following davening i headed down to the the all you can eat breakfast which was complete with chocolate yogurt and cake! YUMMY!! After a relaxing breakfast we headed out to the pool where we sat in the sun, read, and swam until a delicious lunch. Following lunch we packed up our beach bags and headed to sit out on the beach at the sea. I laid there, taking in the salty air, the sound of the waves rushing in to the shore and back out. I truly was in a fantastic place, a warm, peaceful place. I found my center, enjoyed the company of those around me and enjoyed the natural beauty at my every vantage point. After we got chilly we headed back to the Hotel for Ma’ariv, showers, a quick glass of wine and then off to dinner. We had dinner at a fantastic, fancy steakhouse in Eilat. Once we were satisfied and stuffed, we all headed back to the hotel for an early night because we were leaving at 6:30am for Petra on Sunday!

SUNDAY: See the next entry on PETRA-fication!

MONDAY: Our lat day was probably as relaxing as shabbat. 2 of the group members woke up early and headed back to Jerusalem on the first bus. The rest of us slept in a bit, had a lazy breakfast again at the all you can eat buffet, and then sat out by the pool until it was time to check out. Following checkout we headed to the marina where we would board our glass-bottomed boat for our ride and viewing of the coral reefs. The boat ride was relaxing, warm and the perfect end to a perfect weekend. We sat back and took in the freh sea breeze, the sights of the Israeli cost line and the Jordanian cost. We passed the dolphin cove, and saw breathtaking fish in the reef. It was perfection in the sun. After the boat ride we headed back to the hotel, grabbed our bags and headed, a bit hesitantly back to the bus station to catch our bus home.

As I sat on the bus, thinking, watching the day shift to night, the moon rise and venus appear, i felt relieved, relaxed and ready to come back to Jerusalem. As frustrating and challenging as it is to be living in Jerusalem, I missed it. I did have a longing in my heart for Jerusalem, my apartment, the streets I know, the familiarity of my city. And there you have it, I liked it, EI-LAT, and I needed it!! I am at peace now, relaxed and rejuvenated. Mostly, I am smiling, sun-kissed and happy!! LOVE!

You’re Beautiful

Eve PosenLeave a comment

Alright, so seeing as I am on vacation again, my mind is whirling with thoughts, hopes, dreams, fantasies, etc. And I have been thinking a lot lately about beauty. I try to be mindful of all the beauty in the world, a beautiful cloud, flower, smile, soul. I try to remember to say a brachah every time I am face to face with a beautiful piece of God’s creations.
But the words, “You’re Beautiful” are rarely said to me, and when they are, they bring a smile to my face. So, make someone’s day, tell someone they are beautiful. On the inside and out! Tell someone how you feel…

It’s a BEAUTIFUL DAY

Eve PosenLeave a comment
Well, I did it! I finished my first semester here at Schechter last Tuesday and have since been catching up on my sleep, reading and enjoying life. It is amazing how revived I feel after a week without constant learning, grades, Hebrew, sickness, etc. I guess part of it also probably has to do with the beautiful day outside. I think they are all interconnected. I feel rejuvenated and refreshed. After pushing myself physically and mentally to the max this semester, my body clearly needed a bit of time to rest up. And now that the rain has passed, the sun is shinning brightly, the air is warm and relaxing. I feel alive. I am grateful for the sun, the warmth, the beauty of the world around me.

I learned a great deal this semester, about myself, my learning habits, what i value, and where I want to go. But I also learned that sometimes I push myself too hard, and don’t stop to take time and enjoy the beauty of life. I don’t take time to make myself smile, to remember the good that is very much there. So often this past semester, I focused on the bad because that is what was most prominent in my days, because that was just easier. Now that I have taken a step back, have seen the refreshed me, I can see where I went wrong. Here’s hoping this next semester that begins in 2 weeks will be better.

In the meantime, I am enjoying living in Israel again, like I enjoyed my time here before I began classes. I have many trips planned over the next 2 weeks including a weekend in Eilat, a day trip to Petra, and one to Cesaria perhaps. Here I am, exploring my world, finding myself, growing, learning and loving!!

HERE’S TO SMILES AND LAUGHTER! AND OF COURSE, LOTS OF LOVE!!

Putting on the landing gear

Eve Posen4 Comments
Here I am, a bit more than 15 hours before my semester is over. One exam, 6 dapim of Ketubot stand between me and my break… and I can’t decide if I am nervous, excited, scared, tired, crazy. I’m probably a little bit of all those things, which explains why I am up at midnight, writing a blog entry. All I can say about the semester that is nearly over at this point is, I DID IT! I am sure I’ll have more to reflect on, but probably after my brain has recovered from an intense 10 days of 8 finals!
What’s on my mind now more than anything is life, friendship, growing, etc. For some reason lately, I have had a deep need to re-evaluate my life, my friends, my relationships, and the more I do it, the more confused I am. Perhaps I think too much, which wouldn’t surprise me in the least. Or, perhaps I am realizing what I want out of life, out of friendships, out of my world, today. That would be interesting, considering, I’m not sure what it i I am realizing!! I’m not sure what it is, but I hope I figure it out soon, because I’m not so happy with the unstable feelings I have in my heart, head and gut.
Alright, time to finish reviewing for tonight and get some good sleep so I make sense tomorrow in my exam!
Is anyone even reading this anymore?!?!?!