Tuesday, August 30, 2005

Operation Child Smile

Hey Folks,
So, about a month and a half ago Some friends and I were volunteering at a terror victim support center in Jerusalem that helps out families that have been hit by bombs. They had us doing mostly office work and I decided I wanted to do something more hands on. I got the phone numbers of some kids who had either been in bombings themselves or their parents had been attacked and I decided to take them out to the movies and for ice cram. When my Mom and Step-Dad caught wind of this, they decided to firstly sponsor the outing and secondly they spread the word. Within days hundreds of dollars were flowing in (and still are) and thus an impromptu, no-profit organization was born. We call her "Operation Child Smile" and her chief objective is to shine some happiness on these kids and basically spoil them with candy, ice cream, cloths , toys and also food.
Most of the families we work with are very poor, especially if one or two of the parents are out of commission. The other day some friends and I took three kids out to get new shoes and some ice cream. Their father had been blown up in a bus. I noticed that the two youngest kids were having a very difficult time managing the ice cream cones. It was dripping all over them. When I asked the eldest why it was so hard for them he explained to me that they had never eaten ice cream from a cone before. It was just too expensive.
It was both sad and beautiful to witness.
I'll get pics up soon.

Thursday, August 25, 2005

got harp?




yup

Sunday, August 21, 2005

No Wrapping Paper


This morning I made an egg-hummus pita with hand picked eggs (our hands), Home-made hummus (our home),fresh picked tomatoes (our garden) and hand made sour dough pitas (our flour). I realized this morning that it has been 4 days since I've thrown away a single piece of non biodegradable organic trash. I spent the day working in the garden and I just had dinner with a bonafied Guru. Last night i met one of the Jackals. He lives in a den about a frisbees toss away from where Russ and I sleep.
Alls well in heaven....

Picture pages

Hey,
I made a page just for my pictures.

http://jerspics.blogspot.com/

There should be a link popping up on the side

Wednesday, August 17, 2005

ToDay

Today

I made bricks out of clay, sand, straw and poopi
for a new friends house

I also drank milk from the teet of a goat

Today

Monday, August 15, 2005

Lowdown on the Showdown

History is in the making and the political tension in this country is thicker then chocolate pudding. The pullout/disengagement begins today in Gaza and no one knows what will happen. The nation is torn. Jew vs. Jew in Israel. Country the size of New Jersey. The Jews in Gaza once served in the same army that's evicting them. Huge protests. State of Emergency. 4 friends of mine snuck in past the closed border into Gaza. Talk of armed resistance. People praying for miracles. No good answer.
everyone's holding their breath

Piece of Heaven

I've spent the last few days in heaven. No really, that's the name of the place. Heaven is about 30 minutes outside of Jerusalem and has a permiculture farm and a Harp making woodshop. We do sweat/saunas in heaven and then jump into a spring fed pool. While clearing a tract of land in heaven (for a new garden) I found several pieces of old old pottery and geodes and crystals hiding in the soil. The Woman of the land is a world renowned healer and harpist and the man of the house builds harps and fixes guitars for Israel's finest musicians who frequent heaven. In Heaven we pick fresh fig and carob for breakfast. In heaven we sleep under the stars while jackals howl to the moon.
Hopefully there will be pictures of heaven up shortly.

Thursday, August 11, 2005

Where are you Dan?

Endemineh,
This means "what's-up" in the Ethiopean language of Amharik. You might be asking why is he leaning Amharik in Israel?
OK....History. 2300 years ago the Babylonians Sacked Israel/Jerusalem. They Sent the Jews of Israel into exile and spread out the 12 tribes amongst their vast empire. Some went to Persia (Iran). Some went to Lebanon. Some went to Egypt. One of the 12 tribes that got exiled was the tribe of "Dan". No one knew where they went. They were even called the lost tribe of Dan. Then, around 50 years ago, it was discovered that there were black tribes in Ethiopia practicing Jewish rituals and knowing Hebrew. Got Dan? Yup.
So in the last 15 years the Israeli govt has been flying in and absorbing thousands of Ethiopian, black as the night, Jews.
I spent the last couple days in the mystical blue town of Tsfat (where kabala originated) volunteering at an absorption center, playing with little ones who had recently been swooped up from the Ethiopean countryside. It was a big ol' love fest. I hope to have pics up soon.

Monday, August 08, 2005

Hmmmm?


This Pic is of me and my amiga Emily up in the north last weekend. Lebanon is two frisbee tosses ahead of us and if you look top left of my big nobby head you can see an Israeli patrol boat floating in the Med. The villages over Emilys head used to get hit by Hizbola rocket attacks quite frequently and still do once in a while. We hiked up here from almost as far as you can see and then took a gondola down into some caves/grottos.

Gandola ride

By the waterside

Sunday, August 07, 2005

See the morning Sun...

It's a beautiful thing... At around 5:15 AM every morning, just before the sun starts tip-toeing across the horizon, the enchanting melody of the Muslim "call-to-prayer" can be heard echoing throughout the streets of Jerusalem. If you are awake and can hear this song, it probably means that you've been up all night having too much fun,,, And if you run immediately to your bed (without passing go) you can probably start getting some shut-eye before the sun penetrates your room.
No joke, It's been eight days in a row that I've seen the morning sun. Tonight it ends. Tonight I sleep under the cover of the moon (for at least an hour).
Layla Tov-Good night-Bon nuite-Shlap lecher-Buenos noches
Jeremy

Saturday, August 06, 2005

Gone fishin'

Tonight Russ and I are gonna be living on a 6 by 3 foot long, 3rd floor porch for 48 hours straight, overlooking Zion Square (heart of downtown Jrslm) and lowering down a bucket to collect money for a charity. We're also hoping to catch some beer and falafel.

Thursday, August 04, 2005

Speak Up

Speak Up

A mime stood at the gallows
As innocent as the north star
When given a last chance to speak
He stayed true to his art

The people they came by the hundreds
To see this final act
They all knew that his lips were sealed
And that he would not crack

A solemn tear ran down a painted face
As he waived the crowd farewell
Then his voice was heard for the very first time saying
"I'll see you all in Hell"

The whole crowd gasped together
And the hangman fell to the ground
The mime removed the rope from his neck
And tip-toed home without a sound

-JDS

Written Aug 3rd
@ Dezengof Sq.
Based on Hafiz

Wednesday, August 03, 2005

In a day

I'm in Tel Aviv today, staying with my step-bro who's a TV news anchor/celebrity/cool guy. Played ultimate last night with team Tel-Aviv (the Holy-landers). Going in a minute to meet up with Rachel Katzs friend Roni at a cafe by Dezengof square. Playing a gig tonight at mikes place in Jerusalem. Yesterday morning I woke up in a town called Naharia on the Mediterranean, just a frisbee toss away from the Lebanese border. That night I trained it to J-town and got completely duped by Alex Provda in a Jerusalem pub. But most importantly, laundry got done today.
If today ended right now, it could be said that today was a good day, but I have a sneaking suspicion that this day has not yet climaxed.

Silly people

Today as I rode the 18 bus through Jerusalem a woman was inquiring about my travels. When I told her I had been to Guatemala she gasped and said "Weren't you afraid? Guatemala is so dangerous!?!
I reminded her that we were riding on a bus through Jerusalem.

On top of the world

Russ and I atop a mountain in the Judean Hills near the dead sea.

Tuesday, August 02, 2005

Get 'er Started

Hey friends and Fam,
I made a blog.
I'll keep you posted if you wish to be posted.
Feel free to check in and add to the page.
I'll also try to shlap some pictures up soon, because everyone likes pictures....

-Jeremy