Tris and I were going to sleep at the Center of Light last night, but another couple, Roay and Adra, offered us a room at their place. Everyone has been so generous.

Yesterday we had lunch with Achi (Achechod, I'd spell it, but I had a little trouble with the pronunication) who volunteers at the Center of Light and is really into vegan and raw foods. We made a huge salad and a mixture of buckwheat, sweet potato, honey, cinammon and coconut. Definitely a feel-good meal. Most interesting part was when I used Achi's phone to call my contacts on the West Bank, and the mayor of al-Aqaba called Achi to reach me. Afterwards when I explained why I was a little anxious about using his phone, Achi looked at his call log and exclaimed, "I got a call from a Palestinian prefix! That's the first time!"

That's the third number to add to my list.
194-Resolution for Right of Return after 1948
242-Resolution for withdrawal of territories occupied in 1967
059-Palestinian area code, or "prefix"

Last night was my first Shabbat celebration. This place, the Markaz al-Hour, does an alternative Shabbat, with candles, singing and a LOT of food. Everyone wore white. The songs were beautiful (Tris and I sang with an English cheat sheet), the food was incredible, and everyone was warm and welcoming. I loved watching this little (almost) 3-year-old girl who knew the words to all the songs and gossipped with the adults like she was 20-something. Her language and personality are so well developed! Tris says it's because she's so nurtured by the community at the Center of Light. Her dad calls her the queen of the Markaz. Her dad also looks like Paul Newman.

I can tell Tris has really been touched by the community too. Almost everyone there came up to me and asked, "You're Tristan's sister? Shabbat Shalom!"

After dinner we had a big jam session with guitars and drums and I taught them Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robot.

We're headed north to Jerusalem soon. I'm so glad to have spent the first two days in Israel with Tristan's friends, this trip would've been incomplete if I had only met with Palestinians.
Until next time, Shabbat Shalom from Be'er Sheva,
Morgan