Today was the HUC-JIR staff and faculty appreciation ceremony. Unfortunately, many of our staff and faculty were unable to attend the ceremony, but here is the Top 5 Highlights From the Event:

1. Anonymous comment from the crowd to Yoshi: “Go back to the Shuk!”

2. Nancy’s phone ringing as Bess said to Nancy: “Whenever we hear the Beatles’ song ‘Something’ we’ll think of you.” (that’s her ringtone)

3. Ally Tick to the Kitah Aleph Hebrew teacher: “Hannah, I’m so glad I finally get to hug you, because I’ve been waiting all year!”

4. Ethan to Sima: “When you walk out the window to smoke a cigarette, you are still in the classroom.”

5. Kitah Gimmel student thanking the Hebrew teaching in Hebrew…and then the Hebrew teacher correcting the student’s Hebrew. Ah, we’ve come so far! 

Molly and Bess were honored to be able to attend their classmate, Jodie Gordon, and her fiance, Josh Bloom’s tenaim ceremony. The tenaim ceremony dates back to the 12th century, and was originally a ceremony for the two families to set the financial and logistical agreements for a wedding. Josh and Jodie put a lot of energy into researching the tenaim ceremony and reinterpreting it into something meaningful for them. The tenaim officially begins the wedding season, and is a way for Jodie and Josh to publicly declare that they are committing to each other, and under which conditions they are agreeing to marry. Also, it was a beautiful way to bring together all the people that have become a part of Jodie and Josh’s lives here in Jerusalem, before they head off to New York.

Click here to learn more about Tenaim!

Here is Molly’s Top 5 of Her First Tenaim Ceremony:

1. You always know it’s going to be good when Rabbi Elyse Goldstein is involved! Elyse helped Jodie and Josh set the conditions of their marriage, and opened the ceremony by sharing some beautiful words of Torah.

2. Even though the heart of the tenaim document, which detailed the conditions of their marriage, was very blunt and specific (discussing the possibility of divorce and what will happen at the time of death), it was weirdly emotional (for some more than others). 

3. Jason and Fran giving their blessing in the style of Wizard the Oz.

4. Exchanging Gifts - Jodie and Josh used this opportunity to exchange sealed love letters that they will open the night before their wedding.

5. Trying to think up a pirate name for Liam, Jodie and Josh’s nephew. I think his favorite was something along the lines of “Captain Stinky Lanky Wanky”. Shocking.

Click here to visit Jodie and Josh’s Blog and read their Tenaim.

Molly and Bess have been working all year towards their free waffle at Babette’s! Their dream was realized on motzei Shabbat (thanks to Dov), and a free waffle was had. Something to be concerned about: the lady at Babette’s recognized Molly and Bess. No matter. In honor of reaching their goal, here is their Top 5 List of Waffle Toppings to try at Babette’s:

1. Hot chocolate sauce with bananas. We didn’t think it could get better than the classic waffle with hot chocolate sauce, and then we caught a glance of someone adding banana slices on top. And in the words of Dave Mintz, “It has bananas, so it’s like a fruit salad.” Healthy and delicious. 

2. Vanilla cream with “forest berries”. There’s your second serving of fruit!

3. Apple sauce and sour cream. Sounds disgusting, tastes delicious. Plus the same healthy balance. 

4. Straight up dulce de luce. Risks include going directly into a sugar coma. 

5. Hot chocolate sauce with vanilla cream. Another classic. 

Babette, we will truly miss you and your waffles.

How has the year gone by without a report on Shira Hadasha in the “Jerusalem Synagogue” series? Shira Hadasha is a self-proclaimed orthodox, feminist congregation in the Germany Colony of Jerusalem, and might be Molly’s top pick of the year. Here is Molly’s Top 5 of Shira Hadasha:

1. The most liberal-friendly mechiza in town! Shira Hadasha’s mechiza is more like a sheer curtain that you can easily see through. And of course, it’s much easier to see through the mechiza when the little kids run through the aisle and pull the curtain open. Party foul! 

2. Shira Hadasha only begins their services when there is a full minyan of men and a full minyan of women (in other words there has to be 10 men and 10 women present). That being said, Shira Hadsha is always so crowded that the situation has never actually come up, but it’s comforting to know that the guideline is there. 

3. People here in Jerusalem take their synagogue names seriously. Kol Haneshama, for example, just loves to focus on breathing and our souls. So it is with Shira Hadasha (which, by the way, means ‘new song’). They Love. To. Sing.

4. The variety of hats worn by the women! Love them all. 

5. In addition to their prayer services, Shira Hadasha also loves to host “sing-songs” which are basically the Israeli version of a hootenanny. 

With less than a month left, Molly and Bess are taking their HUC-JIR Year-In-Israel Bucket List’s seriously, and today’s main event was shopping! All those things they’ve been putting off buying for the year. Here is their Top 5 List of Purchases:

1. We started out the day right with our tefillin purchases!

2. A few more kippot to go with that, purchased from Ann

3. Up the street to the outdoor market, where we bought some Emmanuel products (tefillin and tallit bags)

4. Next we walked over to Yad LaKashish for a few goodies

5. Molly picked up her new bracelet from Hadaya!