The Holidays are Coming...

I ended up coming down with my first real cold while I have been here in Israel, and I will tell you that there was nothing "inspiring" at all about it! I felt a little odd sniffling and blowing my nose in at least 80 degree desert weather, but nevertheless I am getting through it. I am at the stage where you only have to blow your nose a couple of times to make it through the day without being miserable.
I must say that this particular cold came at a very inconvenient time for me, not that colds are ever convenient, but you know what I mean! This week we had a Tekes (assembly) for Rosh Hashanah at the Merkaz for all the Ulpan classes and anyone else who wanted to come. I didn't write about this before, but about two weeks ago, the two Otzma Ulpan classes were combined and introduced to Gadi, who is the Merkaz's musician when he is needed. He handed out song sheets, and started to teach us traditional Israeli songs for Rosh Hashanah and the holidays. Innocently enough, we were learning "Bashana Habana" in class and he asked for soloists. Right away, everyone began pointing to my British roommate who sings in a band in London and is very open about her musical ability. After she sang, Gadi asked for others, and then the finger was pointed at me! Funny enough, not everyone in Otzma knows that I am a singer, because I'm still not sure how one shares that sort of information, but I ended up singing and also getting a solo! I didn't know this at the time, but the fact that I got a solo meant that I would be performing in front of the entire Ulpan and at a special performance for the Jewish Agency workers!
So, on Wednesday, we had our Tekes for Ulpan. The performance was a lot of fun, with apples and honey and everyone in the holiday spirit! The people from the other Ulpan classes were from all over: India, Russia, Canada, South America, France, and the States. I really thought it was amazing how we were all celebrating the Jewish New Year together. My cold definitely made my voice a little scratchy, and my performance not exactly how I would have wanted, but overall it was fine. I impressed some staff at the Merkaz, and my French man so that made it all worthwhile. On Sunday, I have another performance for the Jewish Agency workers which is apparently pretty important. I was joking that I thought I wouldn't be singing this year for the holidays, but it seems that I was wrong again!
The feeling around Israel these days is very much focused towards the holidays coming... Every cab driver I have encountered, cashier at the grocery store, the bakery lady, the salespeople at the mall, everyone has wished me a "Shanah Tovah" when I have finished my business with them. Everyone in the State at least acknowledges that the new year is coming in some way, regardless of how religious they are or not. Even the ATM wishes you a Shana Tovah after you take out money! This week I taught my last Atidim class before the Holidays, and I wished the kids a Shana Tovah as they walked out the door. The thought occured to me that was an experience that I did not have outside of Sunday school when I was a kid growing up in Orange County. I imagine that this experience is hard to have outside of a Jewish Day School or heavily populated Jewish area in the States.
For all the problems that Israel deals with, the fact that the freedom exists to be a Jew as one pleases seems to make all the trouble worth it. I've been taught to appreciate the little things in life. The ability to wish literally everyone a Shana Tovah, and not have to worry about getting work days off, or make up homework, or all the issues that we have to deal with being a Jew who wants to observe the Holidays in the US, makes me appreciate being here so much more.