Purim and the Checkpoint

So the last couple days were "out of mind" days which happened after the field study and having two tests, all while being very tired. But yesterday (Thursday) we all dressed up for Purim (פורים) to commemorates the deliverance of the Jewish people in the ancient Persian Empire from destruction in the wake of a plot by Haman, a story recorded in the Book of Esther (Megillat Esther), which is like the US version of Halloween, I dressed as Lawrence of Arabia. A group of us went to a progressive jewish (Reformed) synagogue and it was during the children's service which was fine and very fun. We all made lots of noise each time the rabbi said the name Haman during the reading of Esther (אסתר).   Afterwards the service we got some picture with the rabbi who was in a Star Trek uniform and left for JUC to get ready for some Purim partying at a local bar. The night was really fun to be with the group of friends in a Israeli bar just having fun; drinking, smoking hookah, and lots of laughing.

Today (Shabbat - שבת), I slept in a little bit and my roommates and I went to a Christian conference for the reconciliation of Palestinian Arabs and Israeli Jews. The event is called Christ at the Checkpoint, because the conference was in Bethlehem inside the West Bank and that its fitting. We listened to 3 1/2 speakers, who are from all over the world (Korea, the UK, US, and more)but the speaker I liked was Pastor Bob Roberts of Northwood Church from Texas; he had this really down to earth and true American sense with a bit of redneck and strong Conservative. But with his involvement in Vietnam and in Afghanistan, his view of Communist and Muslims were changed but he still disagrees with the ideology its the people he loves. And that we are to love our enemies and to understand them, even the Palestinians which Americans think they are all terrorists. We had lunch at local cafe, which had a wonderful spicy chicken wrap and Fanta, then back to part two fo the conference and it ended with a professor from Eastern University, Tony Campollo, and his message was about using the Red Letters of the Bible as guides to peace and reconciliation. He did a wonderful job and we got some recordings of it. Josh, David and I then walked down to the Checkpoint to get back on the bus to Jerusalem; I was thinking to myself how frusting it would be to go through this all the time and seeing some Palestinians get mad at it was all too real for me. We got back and had Shabbat dinner then enjoyed a night of rest before waking up early for another field study for my Second Temple History class.