From the Desert to the Beach-all in a week's time!

Last weekend I joined my fellow Rothberg students on a group trip to the Negev. I've never been to the region before but whenever I hear the word "desert", I instatantly picture the flat cactus smothered lands of Arizona and couldn't imagine how we could spend 5 hours hiking in such homogenous territory. But just like so many of my other presumptions, I was completely wrong.

The desert is an impressive landscape of rocky canyons and hilltops that lay about 2 hours south of Jerusalem and offer impressive views of the nearby dead sea. Unlike most days in the Negev, The weather was perfect-a warm 75 degrees with a refreshing wind that blew in our faces as we climbed the through the imposing landscape. Our guide was a charismatic Sabra who carried a bible in his back pocket and whipping it out every once in a while to remind us of the many biblical figures who camc to the same desert we were trekking through for spiritual guidance and rejuvenation. Now, I'm not in any way comparing myself to Jesus, Moses, Mohammed or any of the other biblical homeboys, but the idea that I was walking in the same steps as the leaders of the 3 great western religions brought me chills,  in spite of the heat.

After the hike we spent the weekend in a youth hostel in Arad and reverted back to camp days with color war competitions and collective shabbat meals. I returned saturday night slightly tanner and happy to be back "home" in Jerusalem.

Six days later I was back on the bus with a couple friends. But this time we were headed north, away from the desolate desert and towards the crazy beach town that is Tel Aviv. Every time I arrive in Tel Aviv, I feel as if I've landed on another planet.  Jerusalem is full of palpable clashes between antiquity and modernity, the religious and secular, Arabs and Jews. Such conflicts distinguish the city from any other, making it arguably the most unique in the world. But in many ways, Tel Aviv could be in any European country and it would blend in perfectly. The beach metropolis is full of high-fashion boutiques, chic cafes and gourmet restaurants that are not only open on shabbat (a rariety in Jerusalem) but proudly feature shellfish and other non-kosher fare on their menu.

While the San Diego part of me had forgotten how nice it was to feel the salty air of the sea or watch the waves crash against the rocks, the New York City-kid in me is admittedly jaded and I just wasn't moved by the overpriced shops the way I might have been at one point. In fact, as I perused the clothes I kept thinking the avant-garde designs wouldn't fly in the relaxed streets of Jerusalem.

However, while I consider most of Tel Aviv to be "nice", I must confess I fell in love with a little pocket off of town called "Neve Tzedek". Neve Tzedek was one of the first Jewish neighborhoods in Palestine before the creation of Israel and is now an artsy town that houses some of the best boutiques and restaurants I've seen yet. The adorable alleys and brightly colored buildings were entrancing and although I've always insisted Jerusalem is my favorite city, I would move to Neve Tzedek in a heart beat if I could afford the multi-million dollar price tag.

My friends and I came back to Jerusalem Saturday evening and while we all agreed that it was comforting to be back home, its also nice to know that Israel's tiny circumference enables one to transcend time and place in a 40 minute bus ride.