What is life

Hey. It's been a while. The past ten days of my life were days that I wouldn't wish upon my worst enemy. 

I was on winter break here. Hanging with my friends on the beach felt so perfect. I needed to get out. We rode bikes around Tel Aviv and has lunch on the water. Ideal vacation day. 

On the way to go shopping around I get the worse phone call I have ever received. It's my mother, in her calm voice telling me that Grandma Millie's surgery was having complications. It wasn't going to end well and I was given the option to go home.

My head was spinning. I didn't know what to do with myself. It didn't feel real. I won't go too much into detail here but I'll just give the main story.

I arranged to get my passport out of the school safe, my taxi to the airport and a friend to help my pack.

ברוךה׳ I have such great friends here that not only did they come back to Jerusalem with me (during their vacation), but they went to the Kotel to pray for Grandma since I wouldn't have time if I wanted to make my flight. 

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Being home was weird. It wasn't really home. It felt like some sort of parallel universe. I can't even describe to you how bad the word funeral tasted coming out of my mouth.

I put on my black dress to go somewhere that seemed surreal. 

Grandma and I were really close. We always went out for lunch during my break in highschool, she would always give me the greatest advice whether it was about how to deal with people or how to make your kibbeh balls come out round. It's so sad to feel like someone who was always there for me, isn't anymore. It's just weird because I feel like she's still here. Being in her Brooklyn house all week made me feel like she was there. I dunno. It's all weird.

I saw visitors going through her memoir that I typed verbatim a few years ago. That was so rewarding to see. 

The whole week was weird. It was annoying to see everyone that I missed but to not be excited to see them since I was back for a sad occasion. 

Shabbat was really nice. A few families in the neighborhood cooked our meals. It was so thoughtful and our whole family was touched. We had lots of company over Shabbat and we shared stories while I went through like everyone photo album in my house. 

Shul was great. I got to see my crew and share a little bit about Shabbat in Israel with the youth minyan highschool kids. 

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What made both my week and my fathers week was our 7 mile run. Woohoo best bonding time

I left that night with chessed mission which was convienient.

 I was looking forward for going into second semester and pretending everything was back to normal. However, God sent me a hit from left field. When I got off the plane, my luggage just wasn't on the carousel. I didn't even know what to think so I filled out a claims form. Leaving the airport without a luggage was just so uncomforting. I was just scared it was lost because I idiotically packed my jewelry in there. Yeah. Don't do that. There were sentimental gifts from Grandma Millie in there. That was all I wanted. 

I couldn't eat or sleep until Sunday. I spent my nights on the phone with Grandpa Nat and ElAl until then. ברוךה׳ I have the best mom because she really went out of her way to trace that dumb luggage!!!!

I spent Shabbat with Chessed mission (where my sister was by the way) in the Inbal. Friday night was great. We went to the Kotel before dinner. It was suchhhh a social scene between the Old City and the hotel lobby. I needed this distraction because my mind was really occupied with the hell I was going through since my trip to Eretz America. 

Saturday was chill. I gave a Dvar Torah after lunch. I loooooved singing with Flatbush and Rabbi Besser

So excited to be an advisor בעזרת-ה׳ on Flatbush seminar. 

Saturday night I was actually in a choir competition. It's between all of the seminaries. It was cute. My school placed 3rd which is history making because it's the first time we've placed. (It's been going on for 13 years)

So Sunday morning I get the million dollar phone call. It's the David Citadel asking me why my luggage is there. "I LOVE YOU!!," I said to the man on the phone. I went to pick it up during lunch. Basically, since the whole SY community was onto flight for Bar Mitzvahs, one of the trips accidentally took my luggage with them to the hotel. I'm assuming it's because I had an orange luggage tag on my bag from Nathan's bar miz and I remember them having the same ones in the airport.  WELL YOU GUYS SHOULD HAVE CHECKED THE NAME. 

Really ברוךה׳ I had my phone # on the tag because that saved me. I don't know what took them so long to call but I'm so thankful that they did. 

So, when traveling here are some tips

Jewelry, laptops, RETAINERS (you know like for your teeth) and all other valuables go in your carry on

Also put your phone number on your bag

Use a really distinct tag on your bag. 

ברוךה׳ I got it back. First thing I did was lock away Grandmas jewelry. 

Such a messed up patch of days and to top it all off I moved dorms to a more spacious one down the hall. Yay. 

At the end of the day, I'm just sad that we lost Grandma so randomly but I know she would be proud of me for (at least trying on) continuing with my head up. 

Peace out.