First stop today was one of the seven religious areas within Jerusalem: this one was the one with the Yeshiva "Etz Chaim". When we got off the bus, it was absolutely freezing, and it only got colder as the morning wore on.
Nimrod led us around the narrow streets of this little ghetto, which was founded with the philanthropic assistance of Moses Montefiore. We had to be extremely quiet, as the inhabitants were not to be seen, but were studying indoors all around us. These people don't work - they just learn and teach torah 24/7, and live off the charity of others.
We came to a square in the ghetto, where we were given a shpiel on the neighbourhood by this South African guy who became ultra-orthodox and now lives there. He explained how you can't live in the area unless the 'committee' decides that you learn/teach torah 24/7; these people also don't watch TV; they get out of the army; and they really have very little involvement with the outside world.
I wasn't very impressed with this guy's answers: I asked him if he wants all Jews to do nothing but study torah; but instead of just saying "yes", he said: "Judaism is like a process... everyone is at a different stage in that process". The same platitude and evasiveness that politicians use: I expected more.
These people are similar to another one of the 7 ghettos - Mea Sha'rim - but aren't quite as extreme. After all, they do allow tour groups to barge through their suburb!
Synagogue/pizza hut in Mevassseret mallWe walked through this area for far too long, in horribly unpleasant cold weather, until we returned to the bus and made our way to Mevasseret shopping mall.
Flexing them chunky biceps at MevasseretWe stayed in the shopping centre for about 2 hours, and were allowed to do whatever we wanted within the centre. Myself, Asher, Dane, and Beck shared an 8-piece feed at the first kosher KFC I'd ever seen.
[Later in the day] Going on the bus through Jerusalem on Friday afternoon turned out to be quite an experience. In the space of about 2 minutes, I saw: 2 cars stop in heavy traffic and everyone jump into a taxi, then other people from a third car taking over the first two; a bus nearly turning into the side of a car; and a taxi nearly smashing another car whilst trying to change lanes. "Friday afternoon in Jerusalem is a magical experience", the madrichim were saying. I think perilous would be more accurate.
Academyites and Achshavites at the Tower of DavidWe arrived at the Tower of David, and entered a large ampitheatre where the entire 2004 AUJS Israel participants - about 250 all up, the biggest ever - were gathered with us. This was the first time we got to see everyone - including the four Achshav groups - and many hugs were exchanged as people caught up with each other.
All the big machas in AUJS got up and made a speech: Dean Rabinowitz, Sari Goldman, etc. It felt wonderful to be in Israel with so many other Australians. We sang many songs, including Kol Ha Olam Kulo, and I ate 3 beautiful jam sufganiyot. They lit the menorah and the shabbos candles.
From the Tower of David, we walked past the Zion Gate, into the Old City, and all the way to the Kotel. Luckily, I learnt my lesson from this morning, and was more than adequately rugged up. When Eli forgot his bag and had to go back and get it, I was stuck with the last two donuts, and tried desperately to give them away: I'd already had 3, I didn't want any more!
When we reached the checkpoint into the Kotel, we could see that it was packed. The shul in front of the wall was already - by about 4:30pm - a sea of kippahs and black hats. It took a long time to get through security - there was a huge line to get in.
Once inside, I went in to the Kotel and began to pray the Friday night service. Unfortunately, we didn't have time to finish: we had to get going, in order to complete the hour-long walk back to the hotel.
By the time we got back to the hotel, we were all absolutely stuffed. We had a lovely dinner, and after that we had "Oneg Shabbat" - basically, just singing lots of songs and having a bit to eat [and drink].
It's now after Oneg Shabbat, and most people are having an enormous piss-up: they seem to have somehow bought and stashed away a serious amount of grog over the week. I assume that, due to severe hangovers, everyone will be getting up late tomorrow.