High Holiday Quickie

Just when I think I am becoming more consistant, that updating this will not be hard to do, the High Holidays hit and all hell breaks loose! Okay, I am being overly dramatic, but things did all of a sudden become really busy around here. I apologize to all of you who avidly read my blog for the lapse in entries. I've just been really busy.
I know that some of you were wondering how my performance went for the Jewish Agency workers... In short, it was fabulous! It turned out it was a real performance, with real microphones, a real audience, a real sound system; you get the picture. There were about 100 Jewish agency workers from all over the State in attendance, and many speeches that I did not understand but were apparently funny since everyone was laughing. I performed in the same group that you see in the previous pictures, and I promise to post my pics as soon as I get a chance.
Rosh Hashanah turns out to feel much like the secular new year when you spend it with a secular family. I found it really interesting actually... In Tel Aviv, I feel like the atmosphere of a secular new year was even more apparent. "Shanah tovah" was on about every billboard, my favorite billboard showing the top of a pomegranate in the shape of a Jewish star and then the sign just saying "Shanah tovah l'kol anshai Israel" (In English: Happy New Year to the People of Israel). I spent the Holiday eating the entire time with my host family in Tel Aviv. Nothing was open, so the only thing to do was eat and hang out. The second day of the Holiday I went to the movies with my host sister, and finally saw "The Forty Year Old Virgin," a perfect way to start the year if you ask me. I really missed going to shul and being with my real family though; it just didn't feel right to not be with everyone.
Yom Kippur, in short, was amazing. I went with my group to Jerusalem for the Holiday, and stayed right next to Hebrew Union College (HUC is the Reform Jewish College that trains cantors, rabbis, and educators) where I spent the services. The sanctuary had an incredible view of the Old City, so as I was sitting through about a million hours of services, I had the pleasure of watching the different ways the light shines on the Old City. The view helped the cause of fasting successfully, as it gave me a fabulous diversion to the pangs in my stomach throughout the day. Another thing, the city was QUIET. There were no cars on the street, and everyone took advantage of it by walking in the middle of the street. No businesses were open at all, unlike Shabbat where a few still remain open. This was certainly a sight to see, and just kind of amazing that the citizens of the city were literally all in shul or in their apartments.
This was my experience on the surface. I am sorry I don't have time to explain more, but I certainly will touch on it when I get back. Monday night starts the Sukkot holiday, and everyone in Israel is on vacation, including me! I know I will have much to say when I return, and will do my best to not procrastinate. Just know that I am having an amazing time here, and that I miss all of you so much. Please keep the comments coming. Love you.