And the Bowling Begins …

… at least it did for me. My teammates took to the lanes for their first practice yesterday, which I skipped to go to shul and observe Shabbat. Not that I would bowl on Shabbat even at home but I can’t imagine being in Israel, celebrating Shabbat (even in a minimal way), and not going to shul.

Kfar Maccabiah has a synagogue right in the hotel. The people there were very nice and it was a treat to be finished with services by about 10 a.m. (albeit they began at 8:15 a.m., but either way, I’m ahead).

So today was my first day on the lanes. As it turns out, our practice center during pre-camp is the same place we went four years ago – Ramat Gan Bowling, built into the base of the stadium in Ramat Gan (where the Opening Ceremony will take place next Monday). There is still no lane 6 and no lane 11 … not that we thought they’d magically appear in the lapsed time. (To find out what I’m talking about, check out my blog post from four years ago.)

So, just as was the case four years ago, my first practice day was pretty much a bust. I’m not too worried about that, just the fact that I didn’t get very comfortable on the lanes this morning and spent most of the two hours fishing around for a shot that would work for more than three frames at a time. Hopefully tomorrow morning will bode better …

The rest of the day was spent in modern Jerusalem – Yad VaShem, Har Herzl, and Mount Scopus. Emotionally, that’s a pretty heavy day, with a lot of information to try and absorb in a few hours. This is the second time I have gone through the new exhibit at Yad VaShem (the first being right after it opening four years ago) and there were so many new things I saw and absorbed. Each time you walk through an exhibit like that, you are bound to take in new and different things. There is always so much to pick up.

Upon returning to the Kfar, we set up shop in the lobby (as we’ve done the past two days) and continued our quite-spirited game of Uno. Nothing brings teammates together like screwing each other with Draw 2s, Skips, and Wild Draw 4s. I can see this game going on between me, Jara, Eric, Andy, Meryl, and Bobby for the next 2 ½ weeks!

Tomorrow is the Old City, and it seems we need to bring enough clothes for three wardrobe changes. Pictures will come tomorrow (I’m getting better with them, I promise, but I haven’t downloaded any yet so you’ll just have to wait).

Laila Tov m’Yisrael.