It just gets better and better...

So this trip has been, in some ways, a comedy of errors. I've had a great time. But let me tell you, please, about my last day in Jerusalem.

First of all, it rained. Did I say it rained? I meant poured. A lot of rain. Harbeh geshem. Harbeh.

I had goals. Pick up ring for group member (it hadn't been ready before), go to Pomerantz, buy rugelach for the trip home, eat felafel. Very modest goals, I feel.

Went out early.

First went to the ring store. Yep, not open yet. Okay, fine. I'm already soaking wet, it's okay.

Went to bookstore. Not open either. Guess I never realized how late stuff opens in Jerusalem. Maybe because I was usually in class in the mornings!

There is a ton of construction around the Mashbir at the top of Ben Yehuda. Couldn't figure out how to walk back through it, so I got a little lost on my way to the shuk....but figured it out.

Ended up at Marzipan, asked for ruglach. Very cute Israeli man told me that he would love to give me rugelach but he didn't have any yet, could I come back in an hour or two. !?!?!? it's still pouring. Fine. I walk through the shuk, buy some yummy fresh warm pita bread (improved my mood dramatically, who said food can't do it?), bought some botnim americayim (these are yummy peanuts coated in sugary stuff. frankly I have no idea what they are. But I really like them.) and some dates to take home. Lingered over the possibility of buying eggplant with mayonaise and hummus to go with the pita but couldn't figure out how to sit right down and eat it in the rain....anyway.

Then I walked back to Pomerantz booksellers, which is a great place to spend a ton of money. I picked out lots of books. Enough that it was worth it to get the V.A.T. (value added tax, some weird Israeli thing) back at the airport. Hooray!

By then I was wet. I mean soaked.

Went back, with books in hand, to get the ring. Hooray, it was ready! Then I couldn't find the slip. Then I found the slip. All better. With ring in hand, I went to meet friend with car. Car is good in rainy Jerusalem weather!!!!

Dropped off all the books at home and headed off for the final task: Felafel. We went to the Malcha mall, a place Michael and I regularly frequented. It was so much fun to go there and re-live our Jerusalem days....usually M and I went there for a movie, but no time today. On a mission: extra-good felafel! The charif (hot stuff) was really charif! But great, since it was so cold and yucky outside....the heat was extra-welcome.

Then I went home, just hung around, until Liz & Leah were ready for dinner (They had classes). We went to a great vegetarian restaurant in Yemin Moshe, right by the Windmill where Michael proposed to me....and it was very cool to be there on my anniversary (which today is!)

Then came home and Jill and I prepared for the sherut to the airport.....which came on time and all seemed great. We got to the airport and stood in line, and passed through the first security screening (where did you learn Hebrew? why were you in Israel? what is your Hebrew name? if you are a Conservative rabbi -- this was directed at Jill -- why aren't you wearing a skirt?-- this last one goes down in the annals of modern "rabbinic favorite things we've ever heard when told about one's rabbinic status".) and then....it all went down hill!!! stay tuned...