Israel, and other exciting things upcoming

[chanaleh]

Fun Brandeis fact of the day: President Jehuda Reinharz has not only an "LJ" (jehuda), but also a "fan club"!
[channeling the future Rabbi Breindel:] "Je-HUDA Reinharz!"
"Yeh-who-da WHAAT?"
"Je-HUDA Reinharz!"

Free (or dirt-cheap) 2 weeks in Israel! Katya Myer, program director at MIT Hillel, wrote me yesterday to let me know that MIT Hillel is hoping to run a Birthright trip to Israel June 14-28. However, they are short of interested people, and unless they get enough, the trip cannot happen! For those unfamiliar with Birthright, it is an amazing program of FREE 10-day trips to Israel for young Jewish adults ages 18-26 (who have never toured Israel before). I asked Katya if people over 26 could join in; she said anyone into their early 30s can come for only a small additional fee on the order of $200-300. The trip covers roundtrip airfare, hotel, transportation, most meals and other associated land costs, so it's still a pretty amazing deal. I am so totally thinking about this. Anyone else? I would have to work it out with my office -- but I have the vacation time coming, and it looks like for once in my life I could actually swing it... at least, assuming I put off both my parents for another month or more... *sigh*

Still have to make arrangements to get to msmidge's nuptial festivities, of course. And figure out if I can make it to 1776 in the next two weeks. (Thursday 5/6 at 8pm, anyone?) And mitgsp's GenComm meeting is this weekend. And I ought to send my niece a present for her impending 6th birthday. Oy gevalt!

And last night, instead of going to bed at 11 when I was supposed to, I stayed up and devoured more than half of the book red_queen lent me months ago, Jennifer Weiner's Good In Bed. It is AWESOME! I am a total new fan. I wonder if I can syndicate her blog to LJ? (Her website also has great advice for aspiring writers. I am taking note.)

And, now that I have wasted the first 20 minutes of my lunch hour on LJ, I should go get something to eat. :-) Shabbat shalom, y'all.

Comments

[chanaleh.livejournal.com]

It's MIT Hillel's trip, but no, I don't think you have to be a student/affiliate. She did invite my congregation, whose boundaries are, y'know, VERY loosely defined ;-) Go go go! Send mail to katyam@mit.edu! What good is being unemployed and 26 if you can't seize these opportunities?

[memerath.livejournal.com]

Heh. I will inquire. :) The main thing that has prevented me from ever doing the Israel trip (I've known about it for a while) is that I have this slight anxiety about BEING BLOWN UP ON A BUS. Y'know. But I'll email. I'm not doing anything else in June. :)

[goljerp]

Thinking of terrorist attacks is scary. On the other hand, more people die every year in plain old car accidents in Israel than in bus bombings. I would actually suspect that the tour group wouldn't be taking public busses for the most part, as it's difficult to keep a group together in that way. On the other hand, there are always risks...

[deguspice.livejournal.com]

On the other hand, more people die every year in plain old car accidents in Israel than in bus bombings.

Have you seen how they drive?  I'm not surprised that more people die in car accidents than bombings.

(I'd add a smiley face, but I'm not sure it's appropriate when talking about car accidents and bombings)