This post is dedicated to my Gramma, who asks, "Is there a cafeteria on campus?" The biggest and most famous is the Frank Sinatra Cafeteria, which is advertised as being the only place on campus at which to get a hot meal. I have discovered, though, that the cafeteria in the Humanities Building, where our Hebrew immersion classes are held, also serves hot meals although I haven't eaten at either joint. I can tell you that at the cafe in the latter, the dudes who make my coffee every morning know me as "Americano im halav" (americano with a little hot milk, G) because that's my order. Today, however, I said they should call me "Canadiano." Also, scattered around campus are cafes, healthfood kiosks with smoothies and juices, and vending machines with regular junkfood (which take credit cards when the caf's don't) as well as microwavable meals, complete with microwave close by. I won't starve, but I'd rather save myself for Annette Metzuyenit's crepes - I will miss her and Michelle when they leave this Thursday.
I usually take food with me to campus: a granola bar, half a pita with hummus and/or eggplant salad, a plum or an apple (but not figs because they'd get crushed and that would just upset me and I wouldn't be able to concentrate thinking about crushed, inedible figs when I know that when I pack one that it's all I can think about till I eat it and the disappointment of not having it would be too much to bear)(yes, i thought about writing that in scripto continuum)(I have my figs for breakfast because they start the day off right).
Tomorrow Joseph and I are off to the shuk - the food shuk. It's said to be a foodies' paradise, at better prices than the grocery store. It's really obvious to say this, but I'm so excited. We planned it for tomorrow so that we wouldn't have to fight the Shabbat crowds. And, really, I have a bohan! tomorrow so I'd better get back to studying. A bohan! is a quiz; I like to put an exclamation mark after it to increase my excitement about being tested.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Looking Forward: Study Plans
Speaking of study plans, Mark (one of my neighbours) has told me of a great website to help me review for the Biblical Hebrew placement exam. This is a relief since I really didn't know where to start. So, here's my language dilemna in looking forward to the coming academic year: as a Visiting Graduate, I'm not required to continue in Modern Hebrew, but can opt to. I'm arguing with myself: do I take Modern Hebrew which is 8 hours of classroom study per week, which means another 20 hours-ish of homework per week, or do I take that time and use it for my own research and to travel around the country? Arrgh! Because, essentially, one can get by in Israel without knowing Hebrew, but I'm wondering if I want to because it is so great to communicate with locals in their own language. Help! Advice will be most welcome, with the caveat that I'm leaning heavily toward continuing in Modern.
So! For those of you who don't know this, I'm required to take 3 courses per semester and can substitute one of these courses for a tutorial = a directed reading either one-on-one with a prof or in a small group setting. (Modern Hebrew is not included in the three, but in addition to them.) I will be signing up for the Creative Writing (Autumn Semester) and Literary Translation (Spring) Workshops; I was told, however, that neither of these are hugely popular but the prof would most likely be willing to work with me in a tuturial. Gasp! Be still, my creative, racing heart (said in a Texan accent)!!
Next is the Biblical Hebrew. I'm now down to one more course required per semester. Are you ready? Sitting down?
Autumn Semester: "God, Man and History in the Ancient Near East" with Prof. Wayne Horowitz.
"A graduate seminar examining Ancient Mesopotamian perceptions of the role of deities in the lives of nations and individuals in Ancient Sumer and Akkad, Babylonia and Assyria. Students will study ancient primary sources in translation and examine topics such as the role of the Sumerian-Akkadian pantheon in state formation in early Mesopotamia; the function of gods in defining ancient national identity; and the relationship between great gods, personal gods, and ordinary human beings. The course begins with an overview of the Ancient Near Eastern religious system and then includes a chronological investigation of the development of Ancient Near Eastern religious thought as expressed in major Sumerian and Akkadian texts. These will include the Law Code of Hammurabi, the Babylonian national creation myth Enuma Elish, the Babylonian Job (Ludlul-Bel-Nemeqi), and Sumerian parallels to the biblical book of Lamentations. Students will be encouraged to consider theological theories generated by the seminar in the context of neighbouring cultures including Biblical and post-Biblical Israel, Ancient Egypt, India, and China, and the classical civilizations of Greece and Rome. Students will be required to present their research findings to the seminar in the form of 'conference papers' in the final meetings of the course, and then to submit written formal research papers.
Spring Semester: "Canaanite Literature and the Bible" with Prof.
Ed Greenstein
"A survey of the Canaanite literature that constitutes the literary heritage of Biblical Israel, and especially the corpus of literary and religious texts from ancient Ugarit. A variety of textual genres, including myth, epic, prayer and ritual, will be compared with their biblical counterparts, in order to discern cultural continuity on the one hand and the biblical adaptations and transformations of Canaanite conventions (forms, images, motifs, expressions) on the other."
This is the course I'm soooooooooo excited about - it's exactly what I'm looking at for my thesis and was hoping for in a course here. Yay! I'm still hoping to find a class in feminist exegesis of the Bible, as well as the course on ancient Jewish magic and its roots in the Ancient Near East, but it looks like I had downloaded last year's calendar. It's ok: these courses are right up my alley and I'm very excited to take them.
Last week I received this email:
"Golem and Kafka in Prague: The German Disenchantment with the Enlightenment." This course is taught in Prague during a 6-day tour of the city. The course focuses on German social thought and uses narratives of the Golem and Faust as keys for deconstructing major texts or scholarly work. Each day is focused on a clear theme, and the whole week revolves around the issue of the German disenchantment with the Enlightenment. The group will convene in Prague on February 2009, and estimated cost is $1,100 including all expenses (including museums and theater) other than food. (The course does depend, though, on how many people are interested in it. I sent in my vote for the affirmative.)
Truthfully, I'm working out in my head HOW this course has anything to do with my thesis...construction of heroes? Mythic characters made "real" in folklore? I feel as though I must justify taking this course, when it doesn't pertain as obviously as do the others to my thesis. And then I think: it's in Prague! Prague! What a fantastic way to experience Prague for my first time there! And, I HAVE the opportunity (read: money, time and interest) to do this. I'll keep you updated.
And now, I have to study. I would love to write and hang out with you all day, but both Hebrews are calling me to play with them. Plus, I have a party to go to tonight: the French folk leave later this week and the guys upstairs (Alain, Laurent, Mark, Joseph and Clements) have invited our apartment and a few others to their place to eat, drink and be merry in four different languages: Hebrew, French, English and German. (And last night I had 4 different invites to Shabbat dinners - I'm a rather popular little Canadian.)
Lehitra'ot! Auf wiedersehn! A bientot! Till soon!
So! For those of you who don't know this, I'm required to take 3 courses per semester and can substitute one of these courses for a tutorial = a directed reading either one-on-one with a prof or in a small group setting. (Modern Hebrew is not included in the three, but in addition to them.) I will be signing up for the Creative Writing (Autumn Semester) and Literary Translation (Spring) Workshops; I was told, however, that neither of these are hugely popular but the prof would most likely be willing to work with me in a tuturial. Gasp! Be still, my creative, racing heart (said in a Texan accent)!!
Next is the Biblical Hebrew. I'm now down to one more course required per semester. Are you ready? Sitting down?
Autumn Semester: "God, Man and History in the Ancient Near East" with Prof. Wayne Horowitz.
"A graduate seminar examining Ancient Mesopotamian perceptions of the role of deities in the lives of nations and individuals in Ancient Sumer and Akkad, Babylonia and Assyria. Students will study ancient primary sources in translation and examine topics such as the role of the Sumerian-Akkadian pantheon in state formation in early Mesopotamia; the function of gods in defining ancient national identity; and the relationship between great gods, personal gods, and ordinary human beings. The course begins with an overview of the Ancient Near Eastern religious system and then includes a chronological investigation of the development of Ancient Near Eastern religious thought as expressed in major Sumerian and Akkadian texts. These will include the Law Code of Hammurabi, the Babylonian national creation myth Enuma Elish, the Babylonian Job (Ludlul-Bel-Nemeqi), and Sumerian parallels to the biblical book of Lamentations. Students will be encouraged to consider theological theories generated by the seminar in the context of neighbouring cultures including Biblical and post-Biblical Israel, Ancient Egypt, India, and China, and the classical civilizations of Greece and Rome. Students will be required to present their research findings to the seminar in the form of 'conference papers' in the final meetings of the course, and then to submit written formal research papers.
Spring Semester: "Canaanite Literature and the Bible" with Prof.
Ed Greenstein
"A survey of the Canaanite literature that constitutes the literary heritage of Biblical Israel, and especially the corpus of literary and religious texts from ancient Ugarit. A variety of textual genres, including myth, epic, prayer and ritual, will be compared with their biblical counterparts, in order to discern cultural continuity on the one hand and the biblical adaptations and transformations of Canaanite conventions (forms, images, motifs, expressions) on the other."
This is the course I'm soooooooooo excited about - it's exactly what I'm looking at for my thesis and was hoping for in a course here. Yay! I'm still hoping to find a class in feminist exegesis of the Bible, as well as the course on ancient Jewish magic and its roots in the Ancient Near East, but it looks like I had downloaded last year's calendar. It's ok: these courses are right up my alley and I'm very excited to take them.
Last week I received this email:
"Golem and Kafka in Prague: The German Disenchantment with the Enlightenment." This course is taught in Prague during a 6-day tour of the city. The course focuses on German social thought and uses narratives of the Golem and Faust as keys for deconstructing major texts or scholarly work. Each day is focused on a clear theme, and the whole week revolves around the issue of the German disenchantment with the Enlightenment. The group will convene in Prague on February 2009, and estimated cost is $1,100 including all expenses (including museums and theater) other than food. (The course does depend, though, on how many people are interested in it. I sent in my vote for the affirmative.)
Truthfully, I'm working out in my head HOW this course has anything to do with my thesis...construction of heroes? Mythic characters made "real" in folklore? I feel as though I must justify taking this course, when it doesn't pertain as obviously as do the others to my thesis. And then I think: it's in Prague! Prague! What a fantastic way to experience Prague for my first time there! And, I HAVE the opportunity (read: money, time and interest) to do this. I'll keep you updated.
And now, I have to study. I would love to write and hang out with you all day, but both Hebrews are calling me to play with them. Plus, I have a party to go to tonight: the French folk leave later this week and the guys upstairs (Alain, Laurent, Mark, Joseph and Clements) have invited our apartment and a few others to their place to eat, drink and be merry in four different languages: Hebrew, French, English and German. (And last night I had 4 different invites to Shabbat dinners - I'm a rather popular little Canadian.)
Lehitra'ot! Auf wiedersehn! A bientot! Till soon!
Highlights from Nazareth
From the convent's guesthouse, we walked down narrow streets made of stone which were mostly stairs but also smooth, like ramps, because of the hill on which Nazareth is built. We followed the signs and ended up in the shuk as everything was closing, so just wandered around looking for an internet cafe and deciding on where to have dinner. Deciding on dinner was very important considering the less than appetizing fare we had been served at 'home' on the kibbutz. After asking directions four or five times, we finally found the internet cafe = connection-with-home heaven after only a week, at that point, of being here. Then, to Casa Palestina for dinner:
I admit it, not the greatest of shots, but the food was delicious and plentiful. Plentiful is a bit of an understatement: pita and hummus, eggplant and other yummy dips to start, and Joelle's meal was a whole chicken. Really, I can't remember what Sarah or I had (although I do remember them bringing Sarah the wrong thing), because everything was eclipsed by this whole chicken being put in front of tiny Joelle. I know she took pictures of it.
We walked back to the convent after dark, and the next morning were up bright and early to head back to the same area and very quickly got lost. The problem: on the map we had the wrong Greek Orthodox Church as our reference point. I kept asking myself, "who needs that many Greek Orthodox Churches in one area?" and remember that I come from a part of the world with a Tim Horton's every 30 meters. But, the morning was not a complete loss, since in one of these Greek Orthodox Churches we visited Mary's Well which was very cool and the church itself was lovely. This was the first place I encountered the practice of writing a note and putting it in a portion of a holy wall. (These photos are on the Minolta, so will be future postings.) We then went for monster falafel lunch, and when I was done eating I left Sarah and Joelle to go inside the restaurant and ask the man who had served us, who spoke great English, where exactly we were. He pointed me in the right direction and was really nice; so nice, in fact, that he gave us some free Turkish coffee and sabra fruit. (I'm not a fan of sabra, which is cactus fruit, because of the texture of the seeds, but the meat is delicious.)
With our new directions, we visited the White Mosque, where (heads, shoulders and arms covered with our shawls, and Joelle in a borrowed men's plaid shirt) we received a sermon about Islam from one of the men praying there. It was my fault: I had asked the man who let us in for some history on the mosque itself, like when it was built, by whom, etc. This other man happened to be close by and figured, as infidels, we needed a good talking to. He was very nice about it, and we were in his hood, but he didn't like that I didn't believe in Paradise. I wasn't going to lie, but I listened politely and played the parent when we had been there too long: "come along, girls."
Then to the Church of the Annunciation. I loved all the international artwork outside, and the openness of the architecture inside. We also went to the Synagogue Church where Jesus is said to have preached. In an alcove outside was a bust of Padre Pio. I took a photo of it for Nana, who prayed to him for the miracle of Dad's recovery after the accident. All of these buildings representative of the Religions of the Book are woven into the fabric of the shuk, or situated very close to it. At one little shop I purchased two pashminas which are lighter than the ones I already have, therefore more appropriate for the (understatement alert:) warm weather. We then took a cab, complete with argument in Hebrew between Joelle and the cabbie about the price, to Nazareth village. This a reconstruction, complete with folk in period costume, of Nazareth at the time of Jesus. We were late; it had just closed, so I'll go back another time. But we did meet an Israeli tour guide with his Japanese tourists who had been at Hazor a few days before. They honked at us in their car as we trudged up the hill back to the convent.
We took a cab to Tiberias since it was Shabbat and there were no buses. Put our feet in the Galilee/Kinneret, and I collected some rocks. I've decided to study geology after I turn 60. I like rocks.
I admit it, not the greatest of shots, but the food was delicious and plentiful. Plentiful is a bit of an understatement: pita and hummus, eggplant and other yummy dips to start, and Joelle's meal was a whole chicken. Really, I can't remember what Sarah or I had (although I do remember them bringing Sarah the wrong thing), because everything was eclipsed by this whole chicken being put in front of tiny Joelle. I know she took pictures of it.
We walked back to the convent after dark, and the next morning were up bright and early to head back to the same area and very quickly got lost. The problem: on the map we had the wrong Greek Orthodox Church as our reference point. I kept asking myself, "who needs that many Greek Orthodox Churches in one area?" and remember that I come from a part of the world with a Tim Horton's every 30 meters. But, the morning was not a complete loss, since in one of these Greek Orthodox Churches we visited Mary's Well which was very cool and the church itself was lovely. This was the first place I encountered the practice of writing a note and putting it in a portion of a holy wall. (These photos are on the Minolta, so will be future postings.) We then went for monster falafel lunch, and when I was done eating I left Sarah and Joelle to go inside the restaurant and ask the man who had served us, who spoke great English, where exactly we were. He pointed me in the right direction and was really nice; so nice, in fact, that he gave us some free Turkish coffee and sabra fruit. (I'm not a fan of sabra, which is cactus fruit, because of the texture of the seeds, but the meat is delicious.)
With our new directions, we visited the White Mosque, where (heads, shoulders and arms covered with our shawls, and Joelle in a borrowed men's plaid shirt) we received a sermon about Islam from one of the men praying there. It was my fault: I had asked the man who let us in for some history on the mosque itself, like when it was built, by whom, etc. This other man happened to be close by and figured, as infidels, we needed a good talking to. He was very nice about it, and we were in his hood, but he didn't like that I didn't believe in Paradise. I wasn't going to lie, but I listened politely and played the parent when we had been there too long: "come along, girls."
Then to the Church of the Annunciation. I loved all the international artwork outside, and the openness of the architecture inside. We also went to the Synagogue Church where Jesus is said to have preached. In an alcove outside was a bust of Padre Pio. I took a photo of it for Nana, who prayed to him for the miracle of Dad's recovery after the accident. All of these buildings representative of the Religions of the Book are woven into the fabric of the shuk, or situated very close to it. At one little shop I purchased two pashminas which are lighter than the ones I already have, therefore more appropriate for the (understatement alert:) warm weather. We then took a cab, complete with argument in Hebrew between Joelle and the cabbie about the price, to Nazareth village. This a reconstruction, complete with folk in period costume, of Nazareth at the time of Jesus. We were late; it had just closed, so I'll go back another time. But we did meet an Israeli tour guide with his Japanese tourists who had been at Hazor a few days before. They honked at us in their car as we trudged up the hill back to the convent.
We took a cab to Tiberias since it was Shabbat and there were no buses. Put our feet in the Galilee/Kinneret, and I collected some rocks. I've decided to study geology after I turn 60. I like rocks.
Friday, August 22, 2008
The Back Courtyard at the Rosary Sisters' Guesthouse
Our hostess here was Sister Emerance. She's Palestinian and so lovely. I felt a little like I was hanging out with Nana: she loved to pet your hair and hold your hand and when she listened to you, she would lean in and put her hand on your back - a very loving, warm hand full of positive energy. The guesthouse has six bedrooms; while we were there, there were also two men from the States, a German mom and her two little boys, a family of six adults and another family of three adults. Our room had three beds, one of the most beautiful bathrooms I've ever seen (very modern and clean - I will be blogging about restroom facilities in Israel in the future. Stay tuned.), and the breakfast was fantastic: olives, cream cheese, bread, coffee, date jam (yum!), tomatoes and cucumbers. The 'back yard' is very peaceful with a statue of Mary surrounded by a very green, very overgrown garden. I could have stayed in the shade for hours writing.
This is the biggest lavender bush I've ever seen in my life.
I don't know whose house this is, but it's within the convent's walls. I have daydreams about renting it and writing, and writing, and writing while seated to the right of the door, beneath the big tree. I may need to buy a Tilly hat and a long, ecru linen skirt and men's white button-down to complete the look. I would be barefoot.
Mary in the garden looking toward the guesthouse/convent. I get a kick out of the satellite dish on the Sisters' roof. I imagine them sitting down in their habits after a long day of charitable works, praying and looking after their guests to watch American Idol or Jeopardy.
Another view of Mary. I love how peaceful and smart and very at-home she seems to be in the midst of all the green.
This is the biggest lavender bush I've ever seen in my life.
I don't know whose house this is, but it's within the convent's walls. I have daydreams about renting it and writing, and writing, and writing while seated to the right of the door, beneath the big tree. I may need to buy a Tilly hat and a long, ecru linen skirt and men's white button-down to complete the look. I would be barefoot.
Mary in the garden looking toward the guesthouse/convent. I get a kick out of the satellite dish on the Sisters' roof. I imagine them sitting down in their habits after a long day of charitable works, praying and looking after their guests to watch American Idol or Jeopardy.
Another view of Mary. I love how peaceful and smart and very at-home she seems to be in the midst of all the green.
A Little Backtracking
The weekend of July 18 and 19th, I went to Nazareth with Sarah and Joelle. My photos are not so great: my digital is very cute, but I don't particularly like the shots I get with it. Thank you for suffering with me. I will be processing soon the, hopefully, better photos that were taken with the Minolta and putting them up here.
Two views of Nazareth, from the entrance courtyard to the Rosary Sisters Convent where we spent the night.
Sarah photographing a very cool door. I love doors. Get ready to see many photos of doors and windows in upcoming posts.
Festive balloons and graffiti on one of the winding, very hilly alleys/streets in Old Nazareth. The first shot is without flash, the second with.
Two views of Nazareth, from the entrance courtyard to the Rosary Sisters Convent where we spent the night.
Sarah photographing a very cool door. I love doors. Get ready to see many photos of doors and windows in upcoming posts.
Festive balloons and graffiti on one of the winding, very hilly alleys/streets in Old Nazareth. The first shot is without flash, the second with.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
First of all, I am loving the comments/feedback. Carl, thanks for the info re: Yad Vashem. I had been asking around about where the name had come from, and, as per usual, you have the answer!
Cool tidbits:
Yesterday, there was, in our textbook, a passage from 2 Kings in which we had to pick out words which are still in use today: shulhan (table), mitah (bed), kisah (chair/throne), etc. I got so excited - I have been stressing about how to go about studying for my placement test, but I recognized everything that was in this short passage. I'll definitely be studying for it this weekend and over the next week and a half, but I think I'll be just fine.
In about an hour, Joseph (to whom you were previously introduced), Jacob from Minnesota, and Debbie from Holland (and maybe Mark from Washington State, if we can drag him away from his textbook) are heading to an international arts and crafts festival outside the Old City walls near the Jaffa Gate. (Mary's going on a tour of the caves in the Jerusalem area where Jews in the past took to hiding - will get more info and fill you in. This tour wasn't open to graduate students. Don't get me started.) I was there - at the festival - on Tuesday evening with Mary and Alex, another Texan. It was so great to walk around and just get out of the confines of our rooms and the student village. The place was packed after the sun went down and the people watching was fantastic. In the lower part of the park, a stage was set up for music at 9:30, as well as vendors' booths from Uzbekhistan (sp?), Peru, China, Tibet, Nepal, Thailand (very popular), Poland, and the list continues. Up the hill there's what looks to be a fantastic food area; we're eating dinner there tonight so will give you the lowdown in the next post. Just up past the food area are all of the Israeli artisans: jewellery, stuffed animals, clothing, homewares, photography. Really lovely things that make me wish for a home in Israel to decorate, only because getting this stuff home would be a nightmare. And, as much as I would like to blow my budget on handpainted coffee mugs and handcrafted wire toilet-paper-roll holders, I have to be practical...and a week-long course in Prague in February is where I'd like those practical savings to be spent. How's that for a teaser? I'll fill you in in the next post...
Cool tidbits:
Yesterday, there was, in our textbook, a passage from 2 Kings in which we had to pick out words which are still in use today: shulhan (table), mitah (bed), kisah (chair/throne), etc. I got so excited - I have been stressing about how to go about studying for my placement test, but I recognized everything that was in this short passage. I'll definitely be studying for it this weekend and over the next week and a half, but I think I'll be just fine.
In about an hour, Joseph (to whom you were previously introduced), Jacob from Minnesota, and Debbie from Holland (and maybe Mark from Washington State, if we can drag him away from his textbook) are heading to an international arts and crafts festival outside the Old City walls near the Jaffa Gate. (Mary's going on a tour of the caves in the Jerusalem area where Jews in the past took to hiding - will get more info and fill you in. This tour wasn't open to graduate students. Don't get me started.) I was there - at the festival - on Tuesday evening with Mary and Alex, another Texan. It was so great to walk around and just get out of the confines of our rooms and the student village. The place was packed after the sun went down and the people watching was fantastic. In the lower part of the park, a stage was set up for music at 9:30, as well as vendors' booths from Uzbekhistan (sp?), Peru, China, Tibet, Nepal, Thailand (very popular), Poland, and the list continues. Up the hill there's what looks to be a fantastic food area; we're eating dinner there tonight so will give you the lowdown in the next post. Just up past the food area are all of the Israeli artisans: jewellery, stuffed animals, clothing, homewares, photography. Really lovely things that make me wish for a home in Israel to decorate, only because getting this stuff home would be a nightmare. And, as much as I would like to blow my budget on handpainted coffee mugs and handcrafted wire toilet-paper-roll holders, I have to be practical...and a week-long course in Prague in February is where I'd like those practical savings to be spent. How's that for a teaser? I'll fill you in in the next post...
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