shabbos

i have survived a berkowitz family shabbos.

its so weird to hear people with the last name 'berkowitz' since i'm hardley ever around my mom's side of the family.

my cousins live a a "settlement" which is basically like a suburban neighborhood which is gated off, where everyone is basically the same level of religiousness. its called Allon Sheveut and it's on the otherside of the greenline so whenever we drive to or from Jerusalem we have to go through a security check.

so from sundown on friday to sundown on saturday there is no touching of electricity and no driving. some of the lights stay on and somethings are on a "shabbos timer" so that they automatically turn on and off. it was really no problem except that i did trip going up the stairs to bed one time.

yesturday around 6 i took a walk around the neighborhood. i'm the only one wearing jeans and a tee-shirt every other female is wearing a skirt to her knees and a shirt covering her elbows (this isnt just a shabbos thing btw, it's an all the time thing, at least in this neighborhood). the sunset was soooo pretty! i walked to the edge of the gate and then started walking back, then i turned around and it was even prettier so i uncontrollably started speedwalking back towards it until i got even closer to the edge. i think my fixation with sunsets is getting a little out of hand.

today im going on a tour of the city of david. the tour starts at the dung gate and goes through water tunnels and what not. i'm pretty excited i just hope i can get there on time because the public transportation out here is a little unreliable. everybody here hitchhikes i just dont think i should seeing as i dont speak hebrew at all.