End of Ulpan at Sdot Yam

Aerogramme

Oct. 13, '89
Sdot Yam,
Israel
2:30 p.m.

Dear Steve & Dale, Shalom! (in Hebrew)
It's Friday & is it ever raining! When it rains here it
pours. I was supposed to pick oranges today from 7:30-
4, but I ate breakfast, came back here to my room, read the Jerusalem Post
newspaper & slept. A French couple just left. They
used to be in our Hebrew class, but left for a Kibbutz on Lebanon's
border. All their volunteers are on a 3 day trip around Israel
so they stopped here since it's raining - but now they'll visit the
Roman Amphitheater w/their group. A good-looking American was with them.
It hurt us to hear about the Calif. earthquake. You identify with &
love the U.S. more when you're away from it. Since our holy days
of Rosh HaShana & Yom Kippur I haven't been "bad." I plan on
staying "sober & celibate," tired of living a lie - going against
my conscience. We recently toured a Bedouin camp, Mt. Tabor
where Jesus' transfiguration is believed to have occurred; Mt. Gilboa
where Israel's first King, Saul, died following a fierce battle;
Nahalal - one of Israel's first Jewish agricultural communities; Valley
of Jezreel - Israel's biggest & most fertile; Sakhne - a
beautiful area to picnic & swim, etc. I was honored to offer
explanations about the Biblical significance of what we were
visiting. Last Monday I went to Jerusalem to participate
in a very highly publicized event - very controversial -
a group called The Faithful of the Temple Mount attempted
to lay the "cornerstone" of the Third Temple. Tremendous
politico-religious ramifications involved. A soldier handed me
an Israeli flag, so I was numbered among the "scores
of flag-waving marchers." It was historic, even tho' I
don't believe the Temple will be built until Christ comes,
I agree that Jews - not Arabs only - should also be
able to pray where our Temple once stood.
Our ulpan (Hebrew course) finishes next month, so I must
decide soon whether to immediately continue to the next
level at another kibbutz N. east of here, or move south
for the winter in our desert, the Negev, or what.
Decisions, decisions... Meanwhile address any mail -
if you ever write - to the address on back until I give you
a different one./ Just took a break to eat an apple & gab w/Celeste from
Cape Town, South Africa. Carl Brown wrote me yesterday. It was great
hearing from him. It's sad that all of us Hebrew students are
going our separate ways because we all feel like we really are
Family - it's great. Donna from England - always teases she'll
marry me - & I plan to meet in so many months in Eilat. It's
a resort at the farthest southern tip of Israel on the Gulf of
Aqaba. A Dutch friend leaves today back to Holland, but
she's returning in Jan. or Feb. She's got an Israeli
boyfriend. Tonight is Sabbath eve, ending our 7 day Feast of
Tabernacles (Sukkot) & beginning Simhat Torah - a single day
Biblical Feast. Sun's finally shining now. Every day is still in
the 80's, but cool at night next to the Sea. I'll miss the
sound of the Surf. Take care. Write. David

(written on the back of the aerogramme) -

David Ben-Ariel, c/o Miriam Weiss
Kibbutz Ramat Yohanan
30035 Israel

P.S.
Has that song
by Shana
We heard in
Florida -
"I want you, I need
you" -
come to Ohio
yet? If so
send me the
cassette. I'll
pay you in a year. Ha!

PSS.
One of my dreams
came true yesterday -
I rode a horse
on the
beach!

P.S.S.S.
If I didn't live here
I'd choose Ft. Lauderdale - 110,000 Jews there
233,000 in Miami.