This morning Yonah and I met up with the girls from school for a trip to the Begin Heritage Center, a biographical museum of the former Israeli prime minister right outside of the old city. While I was originally planning to skip the trip and go to the Malcha mall (a replay of my high school days), at the last minute I decided to go, seeing how unlikely it was that I would decide to visit the museum on my own, and I figured it would be fun to bring Yonah along so my friends could see him.

We arrived in the middle of the tour of the museum, which is basically set up like a movie set. Different rooms represent different eras of Begin’s life, from his birth in Poland to his imprisonment in a Soviet Camp to his arrival in Israel, his battles as part of the Haganah (Israeli army) and later, his election to prime minister. Each room played a movie that reenacted major plot points in Begin’s story, which we Americans were able to understand with our pre-programmed, English-speaking headphones. One room even had all of the Begin’s real furniture from their Jerusalem apartment, which they donated to the museum when it was built. Visitors are welcome to sit on their couches and put their feet up on the coffee table (well, not really, but you know what I mean…). Some of the girls were incredulous that this was actually Begin’s real furniture, but our guide explained that the Begin’s always had an open-door policy; every Saturday night when Shabbat was over, Begin would open his home to visitors who wanted to talk to him about issues or concerns they were having about how the government was being run.

The last leg of the tour was in a proper movie theater-type room, which highlighted Begin’s accomplishments as prime minister, including his Nobel-prize-winning peace agreement with Egyptian president Anwar El Sadaat and President Jimmy Carter, his rebuilding of slums in Israel, his commitment to providing free education for all israeli citizens and opening Israel’s borders to Jews everywhere who needed a home to come to. One of his most recognized missions was when he brought Jews from Ethiopia back to Israel and gave them new lives here. Unfortunately, despite his many accomplishments, after the passing of his wife and the outbreak of the Lebanon war, a devastated Begin suddenly resigned from his post and secluded himself from the public eye in his apartment for the next ten years, until his death. At the end of the tour there are three small glass cases that hold his Nobel peace prize, the signed Camp David agreement, and a speech hand-written by Begin that he gave at the White House when the peace agreement was signed. I was amazed at how available everything was; you could literally press your face inches away from these historic objects. Our tour guide made it clear that while Begin was the target of much controversy and criticism during his tenure (particularly because of the Camp David Agreements, during which he gave up land in the Sinai), he is still one of Israel’s most beloved, celebrated and respected prime ministers, noted for his integrity and incorruptible character.

I think out of everyone, Yonah had the best time at the Begin Center. He loved the movies and, of course, everyone fussed over him. In Begin’s “Living Room”, he wanted to touch all the pictures, especially the ones of Begin’s wife, Aliza, and during the final movie montage he fell asleep in my friend Yiskah’s lap. By the end of our tour, we were both pooped out, so home we went for a long, long nap.

I had been planning to head out to a class this afternoon but the weather, my exhaustion and my mood kept me home. Tonight I’m supposed to go out but heavy rains are coming on and off, which does not exactly get me jazzed about trekking up my street. It looks like it’s going to be early to bed for me, once again. I try not to kick myself too much for not doing the things I “should” be doing; although each day here really is a once-in-a-lifetime chance, there’s only so much I can do between my limited energy and taking care of Yonah. My father and I had a discussion today about this window of time I currently have before Bean comes and while Yonah is still so little. “One day you’re going to be supermom,” he said. “It’s going to be all about your kids, which means that time just for you is not going to be so easy to come by. Right now is an opportunity you may not have again for a very long time, so make sure you’re doing the things that you really want to do for yourself”. That was encouraging, because today I seriously considered packing up and going home. I keep thinking that if I’m going to deal with these hard feelings–alright, let’s tell it like it is: Depression–I may as well do it at home, where I have a support system of people who know and care about me. But I also know that if I went home I would be just as lost and regret leaving this huge opportunity on top of it. So if I’m going to feel this way regardless, at least I can do something I’ve always wanted to do at the same time.

Tomorrow is Reb Shlomo Carlebach’s yartzeit, so I’ll be going over to Simchat Shlomo for a couple of classes. Since I’m going to be missing tomorrow’s Chumash Class, I need to do some homework tonight and catch up on everything I’m going to miss. Should be interesting trying to tackle the text on my own, without the help of my teacher.

Now for a random tangent. I have two new obsessions that I feel the need to tell the world about, the first being my new immersion blender. For those of you who don’t know what an immersion blender is, think of a long, white electric massager from the Sharper Image but instead of a vibrating pad at the end, picture a tiny revolving blade. What could such a thing be for, you ask? Well, should you decide to make thick, pureed or creamy soups, all you need to do is stick that bad boy in and you’re good to go. The thing is brilliant, not only for the convenience but because I’ve now found a way to trick my son into eating all sorts of vegetables.

My other obsession is with an Israeli musician named Tzipia (AKA Micha Hyman), whose album is all mellow guitar with a distinct Spanish flavor. It’s a double-winner because I can play Jewish music for Yonah without wanting to shoot someone (all the Jewish kids stuff I’ve found out there is either really lame or really obnoxious). It is currently on constant repeat on my itunes. If you’d like to check out his stuff, visit his website: http://shemeshmusic.com/Tzipia.html. Really great stuff.