Toilet Paper: Multi-Purpose Item

When I think of the use of toilet paper, I think of the bathroom. My Israeli roommate however has a roll of toilet paper in every room in our apartment - toilet room, shower and sink room (separate room from our toilet), kitchen, and living room. She uses it to clean up just about anything - dog hairs, water, food, etc. I've really learned that toilet paper is really multi-purpose.

Can you think of other uses for TP in the house (not like wrapping the outside of someone's house which I never did as a teenager :))?

Safe and Sound

All the fighting and activity is in the north of Israel right now, and I'm in Tel Aviv/Jerusalem (in the middle of the country). We are watching the news carefully and taking precautions in crowded places. Everyone in Tel Aviv (where I am right now) is carrying on as normal and I'm sure it's the same way in Jerusalem (where I'll be tonight).

Please pray for the safe return of the Israeli soldiers. I do hope that no one else (on either side) is hurt or killed.

Family Time

Had dinner last nite with the Shermans from California and the Rosenbergs (fam here in Jerusalem) plus Jackson party of 1 :). It was nice to see my cousins and eat some good food.

Today is the "middle" day of this session. That means almost everyone will be leaving in about 2 weeks. But so far so good...

Relaxing Weekend?

Went to a small town called Arad - it's on the way to the Dead Sea. Nothing to do there but hang out in the hotel, eat, sleep, read, and swim in the indoor pool. I had a nice time there getting to know a group of executives who were studying at Pardes for the previous week. The weekend included yummy hotel food, lectures, and services. The only problem was coming home... Saturday/Shabbat is like the US Sunday. I got home at midnight and had to get ready for the upcoming week. So I started the week off a little tired (that's not what Shabbat is supposed to be about)!

Bed Bugs Part 2

This really isn't bed bugs but the title just seemed appropriate for my situation (esp after my experience in Ecuador).

Instead of using A/C at night, most Israelis sleep with the windows open. This wouldn't be a problem for most people, but I don't have screens on my windows. Soooo, I am getting bites in the middle of the night (I found out this is happening to other people in my program who don't have screens on their windows.). I wake up most mornings and find new bites. Someone told me that blood type O is the sweetest blood type and guess what type I have??

I've resulted in sleeping with a bit of bug repellent on, but that doesn't seem to really help the problem entirely. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Schedule

Wednesday(US) = Thursday (Israel). I'm in day 4 of studies at Pardes. So far so good but I realized that I know practically nothing about religion. Definitely a good learning experience.

Classes go from 8:45 am - 6:30 pm. Here are my classes: Beginners Talmud (didn't know what this was before studying it here); Ethics (bad teacher, interesting class); Torah Yoga (more on that later); Shabbat; and Hebrew Ulpan (intensive Hebrew study classes - I have it 3X a week for 1 1/2 hr each time).

Lots of nice Jews here, many from the US and, specifically, from the east cost. We only have 3 weeks of the session so most of them will leave soon. I'll stay for the next session.

Off to class now.