On the 787th day, God said, “Let there be flight.”

The alarm went off at 4 AM. “Have fun, baby,” Sarah eeked out, still mostly asleep.

That’s how I woke up this morning. Yes, an early start. But this was no ordinary day. 

Today, Zach -- my Rabbinic mentor, friend, and enabler of my aviation hobby (I call it that, others may call it an obsession) -- were flying to Houston, just to fly right back to LAX. Why would we do such a ridiculous thing? Because our return flight would be the first passenger service on United Airlines into Los Angeles on their brand-new plane, the Boeing 787. How new is this plane? It was delivered to United from the Boeing factory less than a month ago. And our afternoon flight would be the third passenger flight this plane had taken. Ever. And not just this airframe, this plane. The third US domestic 787 passenger flight. Ever. (Yes, there are testing flights, but I don’t count those)

The 787 is a really special plane. Boeing has basically bet the bank on the success of this plane. It is made of carbon fiber, making it much lighter, fuel efficient, and overall, it is just an improved aircraft. Because it only holds 280ish people, though, it is really meant to supplement airline routes that would otherwise be impractical. For example, Japan Airlines will begin 787 service from San Diego to Tokyo, Japan in December. Now, because of the markets in these cities, and the runway limitations in San Diego, JAL cannot sustain a larger plane to serve these cities. This is where the 787 will shine. Smaller demand routes that are further apart. United will eventually have the 787 fly Houston-Auckland. Another route that does not demand a larger plane. Perfect for the 787, though. 

Beyond the business advancements, the 787 represents a huge improvement in the passenger experience from nose to tail. I’ll explain more later.

Zach and I met up close to the airport and carpooled to the parking garage. Once we were inside the terminal, Zach was able to bypass the normal security line because he is TSA pre-checked. This means that he does not have to take his shoes off, take his liquids out, take his laptop out of his bag, or even take off his jacket. I, however, had to take my shoes off, take my laptop out, and take off my sweater. I was jealous. We went the lounge, had a quick bite to eat, saw the frequent flyer poster (people come to the business center in the lounge and write on a sheet their routings - think of it as a chain letter, but without the postage required) then made our way to the gate to board our plane.

For our flight to Houston, we sat in the exit row, which was pretty great. The climb out of LAX was much quieter than I was expecting. One nice touch that United provides is free-headsets for all passengers. Although, this became a pretty moot point, as the only reason I wanted to listen to the channels was for the beloved United Channel 9, which provides the aircraft’s Air Traffic Control (ATC) radio feed. Unfortunately, that channel was not enabled on that kind of aircraft (757-3). Oh well. Zach also taught me about the “tradition” amongst frequent flyers where people sign the “voices” page in the Hemispheres magazine. I’m learning that a lot of these traditions are kind of like that whole “Where have I been?” fad where people would track dollar bills. Except it’s people traveling. 

The layover in Houston was like Comicon. All of the nerds noticed us. Zach got us 787 hats. And, well, when you’re walking around in 787 hats with cameras strapped around you, it’s pretty obvious what you’re doing in Houston on this day. People came up to us, asked us if we worked for Boeing, asked us what our usernames on flyertalk.com are...it was like we were a big deal. Except we really weren’t. We were just two guys with a passion for aviation. Okay, we’re nerds. But here, in this environment, we were amongst our kin.

We got some great plane-spotting in, although we missed the 787 landing in Houston as it returned from its first round-trip to Chicago. Houston has a lot of runways. Since Zach has status, we made our way to the United lounge. I can now say, having been in a number of American lounges and now a United lounge, the “normal” United lounge is better than the “normal” American lounge. Of course, I only say this because the United lounges had more snacks.

About an hour before the flight, we made our way back to the gate. The gate area was quite a scene. Plane nerds were there. Boeing representatives were there. United representatives were there. Pilots from other airlines were there, including some international pilots who seemed to come to this gate immediately after their flight landed. The excitement was palpable. The nerdiness overflowed.

As we looked at the plane from the gate, there were a few things that immediately struck me: 1) the wings are really unique. This is a theme that will come back in flight. 2) The engines are huge. And the fan blades are curved. And there is a chevron pattern on the backs of the engines. All of these features make the plane more efficient and quiet. 3) It’s a wide-body plane, about as wide as a 777, yet it’s not as long. From nose to tail, I think our plane from LAX to Houston may have been longer. But this is a wholly different plane, to be sure.

When boarding time finally came, we were giddy as school kids. I’ve never understood that phrase, as many children are, in fact, not giddy when they arrive at school. So, maybe we were giddy as...aw hell, we were just excited!

As we walked down the jet bridge, the feeling of wonder, delight, amazement hit us. It also became clear very quickly that this experience would be like no other in-flight experience we had ever been a part of. (Sorry, Nana, sometimes a sentence just needs to end with a preposition) The overhead lighting is all colored LEDs, so instead of walking into a sterile, white environment, we were met with lovely blue tones and, as we were landing, an orange and red display that, no kidding, matched the colors outside. The architecture onboard involves many more curves than your average plane, giving the appearance of a much more spacious cabin. As this was the first day of flight, there were also a ton of people taking pictures as soon as they boarded. Since we were seated in the seats closest to the door, we saw this happening with nearly every fifth person.

And yes, we learned that there is such a thing as “new plane smell.”

The reality is that I could write about how wonderful the on-plane experience is using generic terms, but as you may have picked up already, the individual elements of the plane make up the whole. Indeed, the 787 is only as great as the sum of its parts. To give you a sense of this, allow me to describe the various experience elements.

The overhead bins have a combination handle/lever style latch. This means that you can push either side, or pull from either side, and the bin will open. Plus, there’s a mirror inside the bin so you can see whether the bin is full, or if something is going to fall out and hit you in the head. Additionally, the 787 improves on the 747 and 777 experience. All three of these planes are wide-body, meaning they have two aisles. Yet the 747 and 777 have a universal AC system without the benefit of individual air vents, presumably because the ceiling is just too high to reach. Yet, the 787 has individual air vents. Yes, you do have to stand up to adjust them, but at least they’re there. 

We were sitting in first-class, so we, admittedly, had a much better seat than what was available in coach. Right by the head of the seat is a little ledge with a cup-holder (although it’s positioned so awkwardly, I can’t imagine anyone using the cup holder for its intended purpose), a headphone jack, a world-universal power port (no adaptor needed!), and a USB plug. In theory, you can use the USB port to put the content from your smartphone or tablet onto the main screen in front of you, but I could not get it to work. However, USB charging? Yes, please!

In the center console is a two-teired magazine pouch, perfect for keeping the smartphone or tablet close by. The remote for the entertainment system is found there, as well as the tray table, which can be used in half or full size. Also, the arm rest on the non-middle side is adjustable (up and down), which was great for finding the perfect lounging position.

The seat itself was very comfortable. The seat controls were not totally intuitive, beyond the two buttons that moved the seat towards fully up and full-bed. And yes, the seat can be positioned into a lie-flat bed. Add the space in the ottoman in front, and I could have been sleeping very comfortably. When you do move the seat into a more reclined position, though, a reading light is revealed. Great design. There’s also a small ottoman and shelf for storage. 

As an aside, a real sign of the times is the fact that there is no “No Smoking” sign. Fascinating. Yet, the lavatory sign is an LCD screen that changes color. Why that needed to be a screen and not a light is beyond me, but maybe other airlines use the screen for different purposes.

The entertainment system was fantastic. A great, big screen that can be controlled via touch or the remote. The moving map was gorgeous with tons of great information and city locations. The quantity and quality of content in the entertainment system, however, was outstanding. First-rate movies from all eras, a huge television selection, a huge music collection. We could have been on the plane for an around-the-world flight (not offered yet) and would have never watched the same thing twice! Okay, that’s an exaggeration. We probably would have re-watched The Big Bang Theory or Modern Family. The only two downsides to the system are that Channel 9, the Air Traffic Control channel unique to United, is not on the system. Also, the screen was a little difficult to see when the seat is fully reclined. Although, if you’re fully reclined, as my mother in law will tell you, you probably shouldn’t be watching TV anyway. One other highlight, though, was that when a passenger’s system needed to be rebooted, the Attendants were able to reboot just his system, without needing to shut everyone’s down. Awesome.

The bathrooms are very spacious, with mirrors and LEDs that really make the space feel much less like you’re sitting in a crapper at 41,000 feet (and yes, the 787 cruises at a higher altitude than most planes). When you flush, the seat cover automatically comes down, and then it flushes. And there are two tabs: one for the seat cover and one to bring the seat up. Little touches. Also, the faucet has a digital temperature control and a hand-sensing sensor, so you don’t have to press down and hope the water stays on long enough for you to finish washing up. Although there was not a window in the lavatory, unlike the ANA version, there are SEVEN lavatories onboard. Oh, and the door opens into itself, so that you don’t slam the door into oncoming passengers or flight attendants as they walk by. Again, little touches.

The best feature, though, are the windows. These are not your average windows. They are so much more than your average windows. In fact, they are 50% bigger than your average window. I didn’t think this was as cool as it was until I was back on a 737. Having those large windows really makes a difference. The other really cool part about the windows is that they do not have shades. Yes, you read that correctly. The windows don’t have shades. And that’s awesome. Instead, the windows have an adjustable tint with five levels of darkness. Sure, it takes about two-three minutes to go from clear to near total blackout, but it’s pretty remarkable. Just look at the pictures to see it in action. And yes, it is still comfortable when the sun comes directly through the windows at full black. And yes, you can still see out of them.

At 4:03 PM, we pushed back from the gate. As we taxied out, just like in the terminal, we were being watched. Luggage handlers were taking pictures with their phones and there just seemed to be more crew outside than usual. 

As the Purser came on to make the pre-flight announcements, one thing became abundantly clear: his voice. These were the best inflight speakers I had ever heard. His voice sounded completely normal. It was great. Of course, he ended his announcement by saying, “Sit back, relax, and enjoy the aircraft.” This guy knew his audience.

Other than the windows, one of the biggest differences between this plane and others is the noise level. Takeoff was nearly silent. Seriously. It was so quiet that Zach and I were able to have a conversation at a very normal speaking level. It was, without a doubt, the quietest takeoff roll I had ever experienced. And that includes the time I flew a glider! I’m just kidding. I’ve never flown a glider.

But the real show was outside. The wingtips. Oh, the wingtips. The wingtips bend and sway in the air, flexing as we took off and continued to flex even higher as we moved between altitudes. Yet, their movement absorbs much of the turbulence. It’s surprising to see them dance in the breeze, while we felt nothing inside. I did not expect to get so much joy watching a long strip of metal and carbon fiber. But, there it was, captivating as anything else in the cabin.

One of the selling points for the 787 is the atmosphere inside the cabin. In normal planes, the cabin is pressurized to approximately 8,000 feet. In the 787, it is pressurized  to 6,000 feet. While not perfect, you could feel a difference. It didn’t feel exactly like we were on the ground, it felt like we were at a better altitude than on other planes. Same goes for dryness. United claims to include more humidity onboard to actively fight against jetlag and dryness. I felt it a bit, but it wasn’t perfect. An improvement, no doubt, but still room to go.

As our trip came to an end, it was clear that there were three things I would take away: 

1. Bigger windows made a huge difference. They are just stunning.
2. The wing on a 787 is a magnificent piece of engineering.
3. The cabin is so quiet, it actually changes how one experiences the flight. 

All three of these things, including all of the others I’ve already mentioned, are marginal improvements to the current aircraft. Yet, all of them are in one vessel: the 787. It is the sum of these parts that make the 787 the incredible travel experience it is. 

Would I fly one airline versus another, just to fly on the 787? Probably not. Would I be willing to drastically change my flight times so that I could fly on the 787 on a similar route? Maybe. Will all other planes now have to live up to this one? You bet.

On the 787th day, God said, “Let there be flight.” And it was good. -Boeing 7:87

That Time I Went on an Aircraft Carrier

Note: While this blog was used for our year in Israel, I will continue to post stories relating to my journey in Rabbinical School. And yes, posts about the rest of our time in Israel will be coming...eventually...


Video



Pictures


-----------------------
Day 0
After traveling thru out Israel for the last year, I have forgotten how to spell. 

After traveling throughout Europe over this past year and a half, and always flying through Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion airport, Sarah and I had become accustomed to a few things. For one, getting asked "where are you going," "how long will you be traveling," or "what is the purpose of your trip," not to mention fighting to find the lone power outlet in the airport, and fighting to get on the plane because, let's face it, Israelis do not wait in line. Oh, and we would have to arrive at least 2 hours before the flight. 

This morning, I parked in a lot near the airport at 7 AM. At 7:03, I was on a shuttle to the terminal. At 7:12, I got in the security line. At 7:25, I arrived at my gate. 25 minutes from car to gate. Not too bad. (I should mention that I also had pre-printed my boarding pass, did not check a bag, and only had to take the liquids out of my backpack. Oh, and take my shoes off. That is still ridiculous to me.)

This trip is really going to be an amazing, once-in-a-lifetime experience. For just over a day, we are going to have a glimpse at daily life on a working aircraft carrier, the USS Harry S. Truman. I have to imagine, though, that we will be getting a slightly rosier picture of life on the ship than a reality of its operations abroad. Then again, WHO CARES?! 

Packing list:

Backpack. Yup, that's it for two days. It's probably all I need.

Two days worth of clothing and toiletries. 

Camera. There will be pictures and video. And I brought the Flip video camera for when we fly back to shore from the ship. Not just fly. Catapult. When we take off via catapult from the ship. On a C2. You can bet I'm excited for that. 

iPod touch and iPad. Emailing, movies for the trip to and from Norfolk, and writing this here diary. 

Three books: An abridged Bible, a prayerbook, and a guide for Jewish members of the armed service, all commissioned by the Jewish Welfare Board and printed in the 1940s. The first was given to me by a Rabbi friend. I inherited the other two. They were used by my grandfather, Stan Rubin. He served in the Army and towards the end of World War II was tasked to clean up the camps. We don't know much else about what he did in the Army, but I can only imagine the horrors he must have seen. And I can understand why he never talked about his experiences. I carry them for Papa Stan and Poppa Arnold, Sarah's grandfather who served in Patton's Army.

The first flight was from LAX to Phoenix on Delta Connection. It was the first time I had flown Delta in years. And I was very pleasantly surprised. Considering there was only about 45 minutes in the air, we were served a beverage and some cookies. Not bad for regional air!

Once on the ground in Phoenix, though, I had to switch terminals to get to where my American flight would be departing. This, unfortunately, meant going through security again. 

One thing shocked me. After all of the announcements they give and the volume of information telling passengers to put liquids in small containers in a ziplock bag, it still baffles me that people fail to adhere to these policies. (we could get into a whole discussion about whether the policies work or are proper, but that's for another time) The person in front of me, for example, put his roller board, bag of stuff he purchased in the airport, and THREE cartons worth of shoes, his computer, and another, just for his belt, through the x-ray. And then they had to hand-check his bags because he never took out his liquids. Idiot. 

Here's my idea: if you make people behind you wait because you're an idiot, you have to give to charity. Free pass on the first one. Then, $5. Then, $10. Hopefully this won't incentivize being an idiot so that people have an excuse to give to charity and be rude...it's an idea in progress.

They had wifi on board the flight to Dallas, and American is running this contest where you can win prizes, no purchase necessary. While I would never pay for internet on a flight (I hope I see this in 20 years when we all are paying for internet on flights, myself included), I'm a sucker for a freebie or a contest. Sure enough, I won a code for free internet! So I'll get to have free internet on my return flights (assuming its available on them)! Always play! Especially when it's free!

We arrived in Dallas and after a three hour layover, I was off for Norfolk. The flight was easy enough. Stepping outside, however, was like stepping into another country. 

It was humid beyond belief. Not to mention the gas prices were only $3.39. As I got into a cab with some other people, they said, "oh, you're going to NOB too?" I had a blank stare, finally responding with, "what does that mean? Is that the naval base?" They laughed. "You must be new." Was it that obvious?

First acronym learned: NOB is Naval Operations Base.

We drove to the base, through a check point, and we arrived at the base hotel. I got my stuff together for the next day, checked in on some emails, and passed out. 


-----------
Day 1
After I woke up and got dressed, it was time to meet up with everyone. Walking out the door of our hotel, I noticed two familiar faces: Erica, a friend from the Conservative seminary with whom we had spent the last year in Israel, and Louis, who was a brother of mine in AEPi at UC Davis and now goes to the same seminary as Erica. We (at this point we were 6ish strong) walked over to the house of the man who would be our main guide throughout this trip: Rabbi Rear Admiral Robinson. A retired Navy Admiral, he now serves as the director of the Jewish Welfare Board, the organization that certifies non-Orthodox Rabbinic chaplains.

As we walked over, promptly at 8 AM (excuse me, 0800), the reveille played on the loud speaker throughout the base. Then, promptly at 8:05 (0805), on comes the Star Spangled Banner. We all stand at as close to attention as Rabbis stand, sensing the immense stillness in the rest of the base in solidarity. 

The houses on this street were built in the 1920s, but in the colonial style. Each house is more beautiful than the next. And each is named for one of the Colonies. 

During breakfast with the Rabbi, he told us about the current state of affairs for Jewish chaplains in the Navy. Only .9% (although we like to round-up to 1%) of the Navy is made up of Jews. And the number of Jewish chaplains allowed in the Navy ("so that the government can sufficiently punch the 'Jew' card") is approximately 16. That's it. Serving nearly 400,000 sailors. The current situation is such, though, that more and more Chabad and other Orthodox Rabbis are entering military chaplaincy, instituting policies that say it must be their way or no way. For example, because of the Orthodox Rabbi on board the ship, we brought kosher lettuce with us. Which, of course, brought out the best line: "do you need a shochet (Kosher butcher) to cut the head?"

This situation rang so poignantly for me. This is the identical situation that is happening in Israel between seculars, progressives, and the Orthodox Rabbinate. And, unfortunately, it's one of the reasons I struggle with the idea of living in Israel: I don't want to live in a place where I need to justify my existence as a Progressive Jew. But enough about me. You're reading this about the trip. And you're doing it so well. Take a break. Get some ice cream. You deserve it.

After meeting with the Rabbi, we drove to the naval airport and met up with our military escorts. Now first, I should tell you who the members of the group are and who we were with (with whom we were, Lisa? Nana? Becky? Mr. Kelso?). Four of us were rabbinical students (two from my school, two from the Conservative seminary), a small handful were Rabbis in the field who had some military background, and a few professors from the various schools. Our purpose was to be inspired and join the Navy Chaplaincy, but also to be able to inspire others based on our experience. Our military escort was much more prestigious than any of us.

Leading us around was Admiral Shelanski. He's Jewish. And I'm pretty sure he is currently the highest ranking Jew in the military. He is in charge of Carrier Strike Group 10. This group includes a number of ships, big and small, and the flagship: the USS Harry S Truman. He runs them all. He is the commanding officer to the commanding officers of each ship. Bad. Ass. 

He welcomed us and then we were given a safety briefing. See, the plane we flew out to the carrier is not your typical plane that you take from LAX to SAN. This is a propeller plane with 40 seats inside, each with a four-point harness. And an AC system that created so much fog condensation on the ground, it looked like we were entering a movie set. 

But this was no set.

Oh, and the seats face the back of the plane. And there are only two, small windows. And we wore life-vests. And a helmet, called a "cranial" with goggles.

Bad. Ass.

Once on the plane, we strapped in, and two hours later, it was time for our approach to the carrier. Unfortunately, as we were flying, some weather was developing, preventing flight operations (flight ops) from proceeding. Three other training jets were on approach with us at the time we came in. The weather was bad enough that they were diverted to a nearby base. But not us. We had the Admiral on board. And we WERE going to land.

After circling a bit, we finally made our final approach to the carrier and trap-landed on the deck. What does that mean, "trap landed?" If you've seen the movie "Top Gun," you have seen this maneuver before, but here's a refresher. The inbound plane is flying at approximately 140 mph. The ship is steaming ahead, creating a head wind of approximately 25 mph - ideal landing conditions (you want the wind blowing at you when you land, rather than across you or from behind). Then, the pilot aims the plane to land on the deck, whose runway is only 400 feet long. Clearly, not long enough to come to a stop without some assistance. The assistance comes in the form of three cables, each with a width approximately the size of a human wrist. A hook off the back of the plane drops, and the pilot lands in a precise position so that the hook catches one of three cables. Miss the cable? Go around and try again. Catch the cable and you go from 150-0 mph in approximately 2 seconds. 

What was it like inside? AWESOME! About 10 seconds before landing, our safety officers gave us warning to take out positions. "HERE WE GO! HERE WE GO!" they shouted, arms in the air. Because we are facing the rear of the plane, inertia pushed us back as if we were on a roller coaster taking off. Except we didn't take off. We landed. 

Once outside the plane, we were greeted with a 5-7 sailor line-up that we passed through. They saluted as the Admirals walked through. A quick walk inside, and all of a sudden, we left the loud, organized chaos of the flight deck and were greeted by the Commanding Officer of the ship, Prospective Commanding Officer, Executive Officer, and Command Master Chief. These are the guys in charge of the ship. And they're inviting us to dine with them. Unreal.

The officers went around and introduced who they were and what they do aboard the ship. We watched a short video about what the Strike Group does. Turns out that the Truman has been involved with some amazing humanitarian efforts. After Katrina, the earthquake in Japan, and the monsoon in Thailand, they provided fresh water via their four, 100,000 gallon a day each desalination pumps. The Navy's new motto is "A global force for good." The proof is in the pudding. And we saw the pudding. But there was no actual pudding. I like pudding.

After a quick nosh (as an aside, each division up the chain has its own culinary specialists, or CS. We were being served by the Admiral's personal CS. The Admiral has a staff of about 80 that go wherever he goes and supports the work he does. Have I mentioned he's a badass?), we made our way to the Chapel where we started to learn about religious life onboard the ship.

There is only one chapel on the ship, but it is considered a multi-faith chapel. There are a total of 4 chaplains on board the Truman serving a variety of needs. The Chapel has a Protestant Tabernacle, a Catholic alter, and a Jewish ark with a Torah that was saved from Lithuania during the holocaust. The space is amazing, and we learned that the chaplain's role is to help facilitate any religious practice. So if the crew wants a gospel service, the Rabbi may be the one setting up the sound, even though he won't lead the service. Or the Father may help set up chairs up chairs for the Passover Seder. Or the minister may block the room for those who wish to observe the Jedi religion. Apparently, there are some that identify as such.

From the chapel, we toured the tower, which controls planes on approach, on the deck, and departures. This was followed by a tour of the bridge, where all of the ship's navigations happens. I got to sit in the Captain's chair. No seriously, it's not just a captain's chair, it is THE Captain's chair. I had a chance to speak one-on-one with the Captain. He was a very nice guy. This job has been his dream job since he was a kid. He started sailing, and when he found out that in order to get this position that he needed to be an aviator, he became an aviator. It was so refreshing to see a person in such a senior position to still care so deeply about his work and to feel that immense gratitude for what he gets to do every single day. Then, my favorite part, we got to tour the flight deck.

After another safety briefing, we donned our white, VIP labeled gear including a turtle neck (yes, even on the Arabian Sea when it is 120 degrees out, they wear turtle necks), a life vest, and a cranial with goggles. I took video of all of this, and the video at the top. 

The flight deck was amazing. Planes are turning on a dime, launching off the deck, landing on wires, and it is all coordinated by people in variously colored shirts, all signifying their job. Everyone has a job. No, that's not right. Everyone has a mission. 

That was a central theme to the entire trip: it's not just a job, it's a mission. Truth be told, no one said those words to me, but it was understood. Everyone did their task as if it was the most important part of the ship's mission. Especially on the flight deck. This was much more than just planes taking off and landing and moving on the deck. This was a mission.

Oh yeah, and we saw planes super up close. See the video and you'll get what I mean.

We then toured the largest hall on the ship that is not a plane hangar. In this room, they have religious services. It's also where the anchor chains wind up and down. By the way, each chain in the link weighs 360 pounds. The chain alone, from end to anchor weighs approximately 50,000 pounds. And it flows through this room. No Athiests in a bunker, they say? No Athiests when that thing spins.

After a quick tour of the general store, where sailors can get additional food and sundries, we sat down to dinner with the CO and Admiral Shelanski. The Rabbi on board the ship (not the Rabbi Admiral) led a brief prayer. It was more like a convocation you would hear to begin a session of Congress. Except instead of ending with, "in Jesus name, Amen," it started with, "Hakadosh Baruch Hu" (the Holy, Blessed One). We all stood until the Admiral sat. This was formal.

During dinner, Admiral Shelanski and the Skipper (aka, the Captain, aka, Commanding Officer) talked to us about daily life on the ship and what it's like to run a Carrier (before Admiral Shelanski was promoted, he was the CO of the Truman). After some stories about the war of 1812, and how it was a defining moment for the US Navy, we got to stand on the "Vulture's Ledge" and watch the last training flights of the day come around, ending the day's flight ops with a beautiful sunset in the background. After a while, we retired to the Admiral's deck and smoked Truman cigars with the Admiral as he told us more stories about the war of 1812, the history of the term "Old Iron Sides," and the influence of a Jewish naval officer named Uriah Levi.

At around 9:50 PM (2150), Rabbi Robinson led the evening prayer over the loudspeaker to the whole ship. After he finished, he turned around with a big, proud smile. "I never thought I'd do that again!" he remarked. "But think of it: that message just went out to around 5,000 people. Think of what it meant to them."

And there it was. This is holy work. This is mission driven work.

Then, we finally went to sleep.

-----------
Day 2
Our second day began at 5:30 AM (0530). At 6:00 AM (0600), we had morning services, led by one of the Rabbis in our group. As an aside, the Rabbi chaplain on board the ship would not lead services for us (and I forgot to mention that we had services the previous day, which he, too, would not lead). Why? Because he is an Orthodox Rabbi, and if he was to lead services, he would not consider our group to be a minyan (group of ten male Jews, according to more traditional rules; whereas Progressive Jews include women in the count), and he would want to set up a mechitza (divider between men and women). Since he knew those two stipulations would not fly (pun intended) with our group, he invited one of the other Rabbis in the group to lead services. A lovely gesture, but an insight as to what kind of battle the Progressive Jewish community is facing when it comes to military chaplaincy. 

My friend Erica read Torah beautifully, and I gave an Aliyah (blessings before and after reading the Torah). As is traditional, I touched my siddur, my prayerbook, to the Torah scroll. No, that's not accurate. I touched my Grandfather's siddur, his prayerbook, to the Torah scroll. My Mom would have cried. Come to think of it, she's probably crying now. It's okay, Mom. You can take a tissue break.

After services, we had the opportunity to have breakfast with some Jewish sailors. We spoke with one guy who works on the navigation deck. He is ending his service in two weeks and is pretty excited to be back on land. He is a "lay leader" onboard the ship. This basically means that if needed, he will help lead services and light candles with other Jewish sailors. It is wonderful that these kids, and they really are kids, are getting the opportunity to take ownership of their experiences and Jewish ritual practices. I asked if he was going to continue to be involved in synagogue life when he gets back. He said he would, but I got the sense that he was just saying that because he was talking to us. Re-entry is so difficult. And we, in the civilian world, should do more to help re-engage these Sailors.

This was also one of those moments where we were getting a slightly rosier picture of what it's like on the ship. Maybe it's because we were with the Admiral, but ours was the only table in the entire, huge mess hall (dining area) that was set up with table cloths and nicer flatware. One table over, Sailors were eating on trays, on a table you would imagine would look like on a huge ship dining hall.

After breakfast, we had the opportunity to see more of the day-to-day goings-on on board the ship. Our first stop was the recycling center. Yes, you heard right. The recycling center. They do all of their recycling processing on board. Trash comes in one of three types of paper bags: one for organic materials (i.e., food waste), one for paper, and one for plastics. The organic material is ground up to a pulp and tossed out to sea to feed the fishies. The paper and plastic products are processed through a machine that heats them, then crushes them into 1 inch thick discs that are about as wide as an arm. They stack them up, and when they reach a port with recycling facilities, they dump them off and the materials get recycled. Another example that the Navy is really changing itself to be a "global force for good."

The rest of the morning we were able to see some other interesting areas, including their media center, where they produce a television newscast for the ship as well as interviews of Sailors and run the ship-wide TV and radio stations. We also saw their PR department, where they print photos, make copies (and yes, there were four copiers: one black & white and one color for unclassified materials, and one color and one black & white for classified materials), and do the things that you would expect to see at a Kinkos. But it's on a ship. This is also where the photographers do their work, and where the daily newspaper is edited and published.

We also got to see the "chief's mess." This is where higher ranking officers get to eat. Clearly, it's much nicer, but there are still elements that blew us away. For example, the first thing you see when you walk in is a table setup for the generic prisoner of war who is missing in action. A turned over cup, a sliced lemon on the plate. Only a salt shaker, no pepper. Another reminder every time they walk into the mess that this work is not just a job, it's a mission. Also, on each table were a variety of sauces for a variety of palates. There was ketchup, soy sauce, hot sauce…that in and of itself was another example of the melting-pot of America that is represented in the military. And also of how the military takes care of every one of its members.

Then we walked through the hangar bay, which is the largest area on the ship. Each section of the bay has an elevator to the flight deck (the only elevators on the ship; everything else is a steep stair climb) and huge doors that can section off that part of the bay. As our guide put it, "On each door is a giant mural (showing different parts of Truman's life). Someone took their time. They look real nice." We also had the chance to walk through the "jet shop" where they repair engines. I took pictures for my friend Adam, who also worked in a similar jet shop in San Diego.

We also got to see the "Truman Room." This is like a mini-museum of Truman's life. In addition to artifacts from his childhood, there are also quotations and artifacts from his presidency including the actual paper from his first Executive Order: the American recognition of the newly formed State of Israel. Of course, right under that is a carbon copy of his authorization to drop the nuclear bomb, written like a note you would put on your fridge to not forget the milk. No mention of the bomb, just an acknowledgement of the order number and a "no sooner than" date. His life was really incredible and filled with heart-wrenching decisions.

We were also able to see the barracks of the lower-ranking Sailors. Three bunks high, a little bit of storage in a container beneath each bed and curtains to draw over each bed space. Each section has two sets of bunk-beds, so six Sailors share one area. And these sections are all one right next to the other, housing about 150 people in one big room. 

Then we got to see some of the inner-workings of flight ops (think the Carrier version of FAA air traffic control) and the war room, which had to be "sterilized" before we entered so we wouldn't see anything we were not supposed to. Then again, we were off the coast of Georgia, so I'm not totally sure what they could have been looking at that would have been so sensitive. Oh well. Considering that was the only room where we could not take pictures, I'm not going to complain too much.

Our last stop was having lunch with some of the other higher-ups on the ship. Two other group participants and I sat with Commander Warnock, another really nice guy who is also transferring off the ship in a few days. We asked him what the most important job on this ship was, in his opinion. His response: "What I do. But you'll get the same response from every single person on the ship." And that's the truth. I've mentioned before that what made this trip so powerful is the sense of team, community, and mission-driven action. It's not a job, it's a mission.

We then walked to our good-bye lounge where we said goodbye to our hosts and they gave us some incredible parting gifts, including a disc with photos from our journey, a certificate saying that we trap-landed on the carrier with a photo of our landing, a photo book of our trip, and a coin bearing the battle flag and the seal of the Truman. Meanwhile, as had become normal, the noise of planes were constantly interrupting our program with the loud, spontaneous sounds of take-off and landing.

We signed the guest book, first signed by Truman's daughter when the ship was commissioned and has been signed by every Distinguished Visitor, including President Clinton (One higher-up said that he was the first one to stay in the Captain's chambers. "I don't know if he was alone in there…" Har har, sir.). 

After a safety briefing, we had our return flight to the base in Norfolk. Easy peasy.

Okay, I'm lying. There was SO much more to it!

First of all, we got onboard the plane, which was the same plane that we took out to the Truman, and then took off via catapult. Similar to the landing, right before we took-off, the flight safety crew threw up their hands and shouted, "HERE WE GO! HERE WE GO!" Then, with the power of hundreds of gallons of water worth of steam, we went from 0-150 mph in TWO SECONDS. How did it feel? AMAZING! Imagine a really fast roller coaster - the kind that start at nothing and shoots you off. Then, double that speed. And half the time to get to top speed. Oh, and remember, we were facing the back of the plane. So we were SLAMMED forward, caught by our safety harnesses. I don't have a video of us from inside the plane, but there is plenty of video above of the smaller jets taking off the same way.

Of course, as soon as we took off, and just like landing in Israel, everyone applauded.

Once in-flight, I realized that I had to pee. Badly. Now, they had said that we should go beforehand, and I did. But this was bad. A half-hour into the two hour flight, I knew I was not going to make it. I turned to the flight safety crew member sitting next to me. "I have to pee in a major way." "Don't worry," he said calmly, smiling a bit as if to say, "don't worry, it happens all the time." He walks me back, hands me a hose-like tube with a small funnel at its end. "Press this button," he says, pointing to a lever that clearly opens the flow. 

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is the story of when I peed on a military plane over the Atlantic Ocean. 

When I got back to my seat, the Rabbi Admiral pulled me aside. "Come with me," he says.

And then he takes me into the cockpit. And the right seat, the seat of the co-pilot, is open. And it's waiting for me.

For the first time in my life, I got to sit in the co-pilot's seat, mid-flight. I could not stop smiling. Hell, I can't stop smiling thinking about the experience as I write this.

I sat with the pilot for about ten minutes. We talked about San Diego, the airfields he's flown into, why the Blue Angels are still at Miramar, even though it's a Marine base, and how much of a loss it was for the Navy to give up Miramar to the Marines, the process of getting to where he is (turns out, plane training is much like a quota system - once they have enough, if you come in too late, you're out of luck), he talked to air traffic control (fun fact: if you ever listen to Air Traffic Control and hear a plane with the call sign "Rawhide" instead of something like "American" or "Southwest," it's a Navy plane), and we talked about the beautiful view. 

For those that didn't know, becoming a pilot is my pipe-dream. It's not a practical journey, and it would mean putting that life ahead of family, much more so than the rabbinate will, and that life sacrifice is just not something I'm willing to make. Still, it's fun to be an enthusiast!

At one point, I said, "Look, I'm happy to sit up here all day, so just let me know when I need to go back!" He let me stay a few minutes longer, up until the point where the co-pilot came in and began the descent back into Norfolk Naval Airport.

The return flights from Norfolk to Dallas and on to Los Angeles were fine, made a whole lot better with free wifi and the ability to write those first two posts.



-----------

Epilogue

When I look back on this trip, I'm going to remember one thing: It's not a job, it's a mission. It is a feeling I gathered from the first moment I walked on board. These Sailors are doing some of the most difficult jobs in the world, and they are, at the same time, some of the nicest people I have ever met. When was the last time you went somewhere and when you asked where the restroom is, they not only took you there, but waited outside to take you back to the group, just so you wouldn't get lost? Without a doubt, this was the best customer service I had ever experienced. And they work for US. 

I wrote a letter to Rabbi Robinson on the flight home:

Rabbi Robinson,
     Thank you so much for putting this incredible experience together. It gave me such a wonderful insight into the lives of Sailors and what it is like to be on a working carrier. Not to mention it was a blast!!!
     There are defining moments when we reevaluate the work we do and why we do it. This was one of those moments for me. Surely, the path of chaplaincy involves asking many questions about what kind of Rabbi I would want to become. The answers, if there ever are answers, take time to develop. But having this experience has truly enhanced my ability to make a more informed choice. The lessons I am taking back will stay with me throughout my rabbinate and life, and will influence whatever community I end up with, be it on a base or in a shul.
     Hopefully, too, I can use this experience to help others find their way to chaplaincy to create meaningful spiritual experiences for our troops. 
     Thank you again for the incredible opportunity, and I look forward to seeing you when you visit HUC in Los Angeles. 
All the best,
Jeremy

I don't know if military chaplaincy is right for me for a number of reasons, but I do have a much greater appreciation for what the Navy does and why supporting their efforts matters. This trip has taught me so much about what it means to be mission-driven and purpose-driven. It's not about the job. It's about what the job means in the bigger picture.

The Navy: A Global Force for Good.

Shouldn't that be a motto for us all?

"Obligatory Indiana Jones Quotation!" - We Went to Petra

From the time we knew we were coming to Israel for the year, I knew we had to get to Petra. Petra is one of those places that I’ve always wanted to visit, but the timing has just never worked out. At first we waited until it wasn’t too hot, then until it wasn’t too cold. Finally, with only a few free weekends left in our year, we picked this one for our Petra adventure. On Thursday afternoon Jeremy finished his last class for the year, and we picked up the rental car and headed over to pick up our friends Marc and Polly. Just as we were ready to start our adventure, the car wouldn’t start and when it finally did, the check engine light was on. Since we didn’t want to drive all the way through the desert with the check engine light, it was back to the rental car company. They exchanged our car for a different one. As luck would have it, this one had shards of glass falling out of the driver’s side door - not a good sign. So with our third car of the day we drove out of Jerusalem and onto the Arava highway.

It took us about three and a half hours to drive down to Eilat. Not bad considering it takes about 5 on the bus. We dropped off Marc and Polly at their hotel and headed over to see our friend Brad. The three of us had a lovely dinner, then went back to Brad’s apartment where we spent the night. Our early departure for Petra necessitated an early night, but it’s always nice to spend as much time as we can with Brad.

In the morning we met up with Marc and Polly, and around 7am a cab picked us up to take us to the border. We planned our trip with Desert Eco Tours and they arranged absolutely everything. Once their cab dropped us off at the border we were met by one of their employees, who collected our border tax and explained how the rest of the day was going to work. The border does not open until 8 AM, but they like to get their groups there early so that they can be the first ones to cross. After waiting in line for a bit, the border finally opened and, sure enough, we were the first ones in. As we were walking toward passport control one of the Israeli security told us all to follow her. We did, and ended up in the border bomb shelter. We were there for 10-15 minutes - still not sure why. Exciting way to start the morning! When everything was deemed ok and we were released from the shelter, we stood in line to have our passports checked. Once we had the green light from the Israeli side the four of us walked through no man’s land to the Jordanian side of the border. There, we were met by Mustafa, the tour’s representative on the Jordanian side. He led us through Jordanian passport control, which included standing in front of a machine that takes a picture of your retinas. It was a funny little machine that talked to you, saying things like “You’re too close, step back. No no no, not that far. Thank you for your cooperation.”

With our passports stamped we gathered with the rest of the group, were given bottles of water, and got on the bus. On our way to Petra we had a little city tour of Aqaba. It looks a lot like Eilat with shops and beach front hotels. Like Eilat, Aqaba is also a tax-free zone and is the only coast-line that is part of Jordan, spanning about 27 km. The drive from the border crossing to Petra was about two and a half hours with a quick stop for a bathroom break and coffee. The two guides on the bus, Muhamad and Ali spoke most of the way about Aqaba, Jordan in general, and the history of Petra. Upon our arrival we stopped quickly at the tour office to drop our overnight bags, then headed to the park entrance.

The ancient city of Petra (Greek for “stone”) is a historical and archaeological city in the Ma’an region of Jordan. The city was established around the 6th century BCE, as the capital of the Nabataeans and their burial ground. It lies on the side of Mount Hor, forming the eastern flank of the Wadi Araba (or Arava, if you’re on the Israeli side of the border). The site was discovered by Johann Ludwig Bruckhardt in 1816, and became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985. Even though this city was built in the middle of the desert, it was able to thrive because of the incredible water system built throughout the city. There is an elaborate network of dams, cisterns, and water conduits that collect the water from the rain and flash floods and store it for drought times. According to Arabic tradition, Petra is the stop where Moses hit the rock with his staff to bring forth water. According to legend, Moses’s brother Aaron is buried at Mount Hor, which today is known in the region as Mount Aaron. The narrow valley where Petra lies is called Wadi Musa (Valley of Moses).

Our walk started down a divided dirt path, with pedestrians on one side and horses on the other. Part of your admission to Petra includes a horse ride down to the start of the valley, but we decided to walk as you had to tip the horse’s owner and we did not want to spend additional money. We were in a group of about 10 people with our guide Muhamad. He stopped every little while to explain the history and importance of the structures and carvings we were seeing. We saw the Djin tomb and the obelisks, then started our walk through the Siq. Walking in the valley exposed where the rock split apart was stunning. Everywhere we looked there were different colors of rock climbing the walls on either side of us.

As we reach the end of the siq, the rock walls open up onto the treasury building (Khazneh Al Firaun). Walking through, we can only imagine what it was like to stumble upon this incredible building carved into the rock nearly 200 years ago. Even with all the pictures that I had seen of Petra, nothing prepares you to actually see the treasury facade in person. It is absolutely huge, and the detail that still exists on the carving is incredible. We had a little time to explore the treasury on our own, then we made our way down the path toward the amphitheater. On the way, we passed all sorts of tombs built into the sides of the mountain. Even after seeing the treasury, the facades on these tombs were amazing.

The amphitheater was beautiful. It is cut into the hillside, with the different colors of the rock exposed in the layers of seats. Our guide said it is the only amphitheater in the world that is cut into the mountain in this way. We then walked through the Grand Temple, with columns built up on both sides. Walking down this street was reminiscent of the main street in Ephesus - both ancient cities rediscovered. At this point our group stopped at a little restaurant for lunch. It was a nice buffet with a combination of Jordanian food and more western food. I learned that spice is a big part of Jordanian cuisine, as is mustard. The four of ate rather efficiently, and after saying goodbye to our guide and fellow travelers were back on our way.

Leah and Daniel had been in Petra a few weeks before us and recommended that we do the hike up to the monastery (Al Deir). It takes about 45 minutes to climb the stairs built into the hillside, but the four of us took our time getting to the top. As tempting as it was to go up via donkey, I was more scared of the donkey than of the climb. As we got closer and closer to the top of the hill the views got more and more beautiful. The colors of the rocks kept changing, and the sides of the mountain that had been eroded away by the wind and the sand looked almost like pieces of wood. We finally arrived at the monastery, and were rewarded with a facade as incredible (if not more) than the treasury had been. Unlike the treasury, there were almost no people up at the monastery, and we were able to enjoy the peace and quiet of the place along with the incredible building carved into the rock. The building itself is about 50 meters wide and about 45 meters high - truly impressive. It was built in the first century CE by the Nabataeans. We rested, took in the sites, then started our walk back down the mountain.

On our way back toward the main entrance, we stopped to see the facades of the tombs build up into the hills. The Urn, Silk, Corinthian, and Palace tombs are less well-kept than the treasury or the monastery, but give you a good sense of what they must have looked like in their prime. There was almost nobody left in the park by the time we got to the tombs, but were bombarded by children trying to get us to ride horses, donkeys, and camels, as well as buy postcards.

From the tombs we walked back toward the treasury, which seemed much less amazing after having seen the monastery, although it was nice to see it with fewer people around. From there we walked back up the siq and back to the entrance, then about 300 more meters back to the tour office. We piled in a van with a few other travelers from our group, and they took us to our hotel for the night. The hotel was actually really lovely and included dinner and breakfast. After a desperately needed shower, the four of us decided to try the hotel’s Turkish bath. Jeremy and I had done a Turkish bath in Turkey, but this was Marc and Polly’s first experience. We headed down to the bath with two Dutch ladies from our group (a mother and daughter). We first enjoyed the jacuzzi then the steam room, then split up into boys and girls for our scrubs and massages. It was a great and relaxing end to a fantastic day. When we were finished we headed upstairs for dinner with our new Dutch friends, then crashed for the night.

In the morning Jeremy and I sat out on the patio overlooking Petra and had some breakfast. At 10, our driver picked us up in a van to take us back to the border. We stopped briefly at a lookout where we were able to see the Araba desert and Mount Aaron. In two hours we were back at the border, and except for a small problem where they didn’t want to let Jeremy back into Israel (what else is new?), we crossed with no problems. Someone from the tour company was there to meet us, and she took us back to where we had parked our car. After a stop for gas, we were on our way back up north. On the road we stopped at Yodvata for ice cream (of course), and made it back to Jerusalem in just over three hours.

Overall, the trip was amazing. It’s clear to me why Petra is visited by about half a million people a year, and is on the list of the wonders of the world. Marc and Polly were great travel companions, and made the experience that much better. After so many years of waiting to get to Petra, I’m so glad that I can now say we’ve been.

Pesach Travel Adventures - Day 11 & Conclusion

Day 11 – Saturday, April 14 – Travel back to Israel, Conclusion


On Saturday morning we slept to the leisurely hour of 8:30, and finished re-packing everything into our two bags. Leah, Jeremy, and I piled our things and ourselves into the car, and parked the car near the tube stop. We took the tube a few stations away, and had a lovely brunch at Giraffe. Jeremy got to try a “Flat White,” which is a double shot of espresso with some foam. He became a real fan of British hot drinks on this trip. After brunch we jumped back on the tube and into Leah’s car, and drove out to Luton. Luton is a bit outside the city, but there was barely any traffic and it didn’t take us long to get there. 


The airport itself was interesting. You have to pay to stop, even to just drop someone off. Once you get inside, EasyJet had a special desk to check in if you were running late and were about to miss your flight. Seems to me like that would encourage people to arrive later so they didn’t have to stand in a long line. We checked in our two bags, and proceeded to security. Along the security line, there were these creepy hologram projections of people giving liquid and safety announcements. Very strange. We waited about 15 minutes for my laptop to come through security (apparently there was a new girl who had no idea what she was doing), and made our way to the gate, where people were already lined up to board. 


easyJet #2087, London-Luton (Sat. Apr. 14, 1:25 PM) - Tel Aviv (8:25 PM)
G-EZTM, Airbus 320
Seat: Window/middle, Exit row
LTN: Depart 5 min late at 1:30
TLV: Arrive on-time at 8:25
Duration: 4:55


Notably, we never went through any kind of passport control before getting on the plane. We stood in line, had our boarding passes checked, then stood in line again for about half an hour. Like Jeremy’s flight into Luton, we boarded the flight via the tarmac through both the front and back of the plane. Surprisingly, we filled up the plane in only about 15 minutes. When we boarded, we were able to get ourselves into an exit row, meaning more leg room, but also meaning our baggage went up in the "locker." Again, there were meal and snack sales, but this time they were only accepting Euros and Pounds and not Shekels like on the TLV-LUT flight. 


After pulling into a real gate and a quick walk to customs (where we passed a flower field that was in the shape of the national brand of cottage cheese with the saying, “waiting for you at home…”), we boarded a sheirut, which filled up pretty quickly. As we were leaving, the driver asked if it was ok if he stopped for gas. Given that he didn’t have any, we all agreed. A short hour later Jeremy and I were home. It feels good to be home after more than two weeks away.


Here are some of Jeremy’s thoughts on our arrival at Ben Gurion: 


After all of the traveling we have done this year, this will be my last time walking through the arrivals area for some time. Ben Gurion is a beautiful airport, and there are things that I will surely miss. I'll miss walking out around the main departures area with the Mikveh. I'll miss walking down the long path towards passport control and seeing art from the Israel museum on one side and a flower display outside forming the logo of the national cottage cheese brand. I'll miss Israelis who don't know how to deal with us. (Why are you here? And why aren't you also Israeli?) I'll miss the bust of Ben Gurion greeting us, next to a huge menorah designed after the one that was illuminated in the Great Temple. But most of all, I'm going to miss the arrivals hall. Its design is astounding, with Roman columns, and my favorite part: a gorgeous water feature that not so subtly says: you are like the People of Israel, completing a journey by walking through parted waters and arriving in the Promised Land. When we arrived, we were walking at our normal, quick pace. Seeing this for the last time on this trip, we slowed down. 


We savored every step. 


We took in the view. 


We crossed through the waters from the Diaspora to the Promised Land.

Pesach Travel Adventures - Day 10

Day 10 – Friday, April 13 – Amsterdam, flight to London


On Friday, Jeremy and I took a little day-trip out of Amsterdam and went to visit Keukenhof, the famous tulip fields. Like the day before we jumped on the train and went just one stop to Schipol (the airport and main train station). After a 10 minute delay on the tracks for a reason we’re not totally sure of (the announcements were in Dutch), we arrived at Schipol and found the desk where we could get our “combi” tickets for the bus and entrance to Keukenhof. We got in line for the bus with lots of other visitors, and listened to the lady in charge bark orders until we were able to board. A short 30 or so minutes later, we were at the flower fields. 


Keukenhof is the world’s largest flower garden, covering about 32 hectares (about 80 acres) with over 7 million bulbs planted there annually. The gardens are only open 2 months out of the year, which makes them a very heavily visited tourist attraction. The flowers were absolutely beautiful. Everywhere we turned there was a different variety of tulip with a different set of colors and name. I had no idea there were so many variations and varieties of flowers. Each path we turned down was as beautiful as the last. We spent almost 3 hours walking around the gardens, and felt like we saw maybe 20% of the park. But after a while flowers all start to look the same, so we bit farewell to the tulips and got back on the bus that took us to Schipol. Jeremy grabbed a quick bite at the Albert Heijn in the airport, then after a quick visit to the KLM store (Jeremy was like a kid in a candy store), we were back on the tram to Becky and Eric’s house.


Becky met us at home, and she and Jeremy indulged me by taking a trip to the Purse and Bag Museum. It was actually pretty impressive. They had bags dating back to the 13th century, and the museum went chronologically detailing changes in the style and function of bags over the years. To me, the most impressive bags were the ones that were knit in intricate patterns, where the designer first had to string all the beads onto the yarn in a prescribed pattern, then knit the beads into the most amazing designs. After that museum we made our way to Foam, the Amsterdam photography museum. The content of the museum changes every few months, and we were lucky enough to see a huge exhibit about the New York Times magazine. In addition to having the articles and photographs, they also had the story behind the photographs and the proof sheets that the pictures used in the article had been chosen from. The exhibit was both beautiful and moving. 


On our way back to the apartment, Becky and Jeremy stopped to pick up some ossenworst, a sausage-like meat made from raw beef. A store right near Becky’s house is known for their ossenworst, so we picked some up to try. Becky enjoyed it, and at his first bit, Jeremy said he’s moving to Amsterdam. Even Eric liked it, although he previously had not enjoyed this Dutch delicacy. To celebrate the end of Pesach we ordered pizza for dinner, and all too soon we were off to the airport. Becky and Eric drove us the few minutes to the airport, and we said our goodbyes. The four of us don’t get to see each other as often as we’d like, so the time that we got to spend together in Paris and Amsterdam was really special.


The Schipol airport is massive, full of really cool stuff. We passed a meditation room, showers, a museum (part of the Reijksmuseum and free to the public), a variety of shops, lounge areas with really comfy chairs and fake fireplaces, and a 4D theater. The one downside of this was that our gate was really far away. We kept hearing announcements of "Passenger So-And-So, please board your flight at Gate 25. You are delaying the flight. If you don't show, we will off-load your baggage." Very aggressive announcements. 


British Airways #433, Amsterdam (Fri. Apr. 13, 10:00 PM) - London-Heathrow (10:10 PM)
G-EUUZ, Airbus 320
Seat: Window/middle, Exit row
AMS: Depart 1 min late at 10:01
LHR: Arrive 3 early at 10:07
Duration: 1:07


After another 17 minute taxi to the runway, we were on our way. While our previous British Airways flights had a moving map, this one had updated software, making the map look even cooler. Again, we had a snack and beverage service. We were able to get exit row seats, however, according to British air standards, we had to move anything that would have fit underneath the seat to the overhead. A bit annoying, but that’s the small price you have to pay for having that extra legroom! Fortunately, once we landed, we were at the gate in very little time, especially for Heathrow standards. 


After an easy jaunt through customs Leah picked us up. This trip was a far cry from Jeremy’s first flight into London! We went back to Leah’s apartment, laughed our way through the rest of the night, and had a good night’s sleep.

Pesach Travel Adventures - Day 9

Day 9 – Thursday, April 12 – The Hague and Delft

Since in our first two days in Amsterdam we had seen the majority of the sites we wanted to see, on our third day we took a day-trip to The Hague and Delft. Becky walked us to the metro station and made sure we had the right tickets, and we jumped on the train to The Hague. The train ride was easy and only took about 45 minutes. When we exited the train station in The Hague we were a little disoriented, but finally made our way to the Parliament complex. 

It turns out that like in Amsterdam, almost everything in The Hague is currently under renovation, so we saw a lot of beautiful and important buildings and museums from the outside. The Parliament buildings are beautiful, and it was interesting to see the rows and rows of bikes parked outside. Seems that even those in Parliament don’t drive around the city. 

From the Parliament complex we made our way along the streets and canals to the Panorama Mesdag Museum. If you happen to find yourself in The Hague, this is a must see. The entire museum was built to house one piece of art – a cylindrical painting that is 14 meters high, 40 meters in diameter, and 120 meters in circumference. I don’t think I’ve ever spent 20-30 minutes looking at one painting before. Standing in the center with sand and beach furniture around you, I truly felt as if I could walk off the platform and into the beach and quaint little city pictured in this painting.

From the museum we continued our walk toward to Peace Palace, which houses the International Court of Justice. While we couldn’t go inside (its not open to visitors right now), we at least got to see the beautiful building and grounds from outside. We also visited the eternal peace flame installed in 1999, which is seven flames from five continents brought together by 196 different nations. From the peace palace we found a cute little café to have lunch, then walked to the palace and through its gardens. There were some incredible statues and art throughout the gardens. Our last stop in The Hague was the Old Church, which, of course, was not open to visitors. The outside was beautiful, as I imagine the inside probably would have been too. From there we found the stop for Tram 1, and jumped aboard for the 20ish minute ride to Delft. 

Like in The Hague, we found art all over the streets of Delft. It’s a quaint little town, known for its production of “Delftware” – the blue and white pottery famous in the Netherlands. We started our walking tour of Delft at the Oude Kerk (Old Church) and this time we were able to go inside. This church was first founded in 1246 and has been renovated many times since then. Both the outside and the inside of the church were beautiful. The inside feels very open with very high ceilings, made of wood. Like in the church we visited in Amsterdam, the floor of this church is made up of over 400 graves. I was excited to visit the grave of Anton van Leeuwenhoek, who invented the microscope. 

From the Old Church we made our way to the market in the center of town, which was selling everything from cheese to meets to flowers to clothes and shoes. Just on the other side of the square is the Nieuwe Kerk (New Church), which was out next stop. The New Church dates back to the 14th century, and is the home of the crypt of the princes of Orange. The crypt itself is not open to the public, and only a few people are allowed to go in there. We spent some time exploring the church and the massive monuments to those buried in the crypt, then watched a video from 2004 – the last time the crypt was opened (for Queen Beatrix’s parents). The New Church is known for its bell tower, the second tallest in the Netherlands. Rick Steves recommended climbing it for a beautiful panorama of the region, so we did. Jeremy and I made our way up the 360 foot tower, winding up stair after stair. Reaching the top and walking out onto the narrow walkway circumnavigating the tower, the whole climb was worth it. The views were absolutely stunning. On the way up, we got to see the bell towers and gears that run it, which was also really cool.  

From the church we made our way back through the square and toward the Synagogue (Klal Yisrael). Like everything else in The Hague, the synagogue is under renovation and is not currently open to the public. So, we saw the building from the outside. It was getting late in the afternoon, so Jeremy and I made our way to the train station to head back to Amsterdam. We had an interesting experience with the train station bathrooms, where for 50 cents you get 15 minutes in the bathroom. The metal seat descends, and when you’re finished you put your hands into a hole in the wall and get water, then soap, then a dryer. The train ride back was uneventful – we changed trains and got back to Becky and Eric’s apartment. While we were gone Becky had prepared a beautiful salad full of fruits and vegetables, and we had a lovely dinner all together.