Episode 12: "The Invitation" (+)

This past Tuesday turned out to be one of my fondest memories of being here. My Hebrew teacher Tami invited my class and Nomi, our other teacher, to a dinner party at her place. She lives in a neighborhood that I believe is called En Karem, a town on the outskirts of Jerusalem spread across green hills. When we arrived at Tami's house, I was amazed at the soul the place had; the sunlit rooms, the incredible backyard view and the general warmth of the house somehow reflected Tami's wonderful character.

The backyard.


Tami herself.

Tami welcomed us with the same generous spirit she does in class. She showed us the table of food already laid out for us, and everyone added their own potluck dishes. In the end we had a delicious array of options, including pasta, rice, sausage, salad, bread, brownies, and more that were cooked or bought by different people. We ate dinner out on the grass, trading jokes and taking pictures.

Sunlight and good food.


Front to back, Dae Won, me, Carol...

I met Carol in the kitchen while I was cooking pasta that Dae Won and I had brought for the evening meal. A bit after our pleasant conversation by the stove, she talked to the group about the history of En Karem in relation to Christianity. In the picture, she's informing us that the neighborhood is the birthplace of John the Baptist, as well as home to a church built where Mother Mary apparently visited. Exactly when Carol pointed to the church, the sunlight was pouring through its tower windows. I was humbled and amazed by all of it, as usual.

As afternoon faded to evening, we fanned across the backyard, talking and joking around. I played ping pong with my friend Joo Il, who is one of the most kindhearted and happy people I've met here, and milled around talking to other folks, too.

Left to right, Joo Il, Hana and Suzie
at the ping pong table.


Gaby and I, nighttime rollers.

Toward the end of the night most of us were still there. We sat in a circle in the yard and talked about our future aspirations. Hearing what everyone wanted to do with their lives was a really touching experience. Tami noticed that there was a common thread of idealism to all of the dreams we touched upon. It was probably the most intimate experience I've had with my class.

We ended the night sitting around Tami's living room, with bread and fruit and beer on the table. Brett, our Louisiana guy, talked to us about conditions in New Orleans for a bit, which was of course mellowing and interesting. A jazz CD was playing in the background. Hanging with them was just as good, if not better, than any of the organized trips. The calm and the comfort of chilling with my classmates and teachers, outside the context of the classroom, was priceless.

Shalom,
Eric