Tuesday --bulldozer driver makes hearts skip a beat

Another intense day in the Ulpan. I have a new feeling for my language delayed students as I realized that they struggle with vocabulary and grammar just like I do. I can see why they would rather be doing something easier and why the work so exhausts and frustrates them.
I am wandering further from my familiar places and today walked to a newly built dairy restaurant for lunch. I don't know what it is but as soon as I come in a place, the staff starts talking English. Maybe it's the hat. Anyway, I enjoyed a bowl of onion soup and an iced coffe. On the way out, I found Sharon and Carl sitting at a table outside so I sat with them for a while and walked back with Sharon.
After Mincha, Rabbi Diamond informed us that a Palestinian bulldozer driver decided to plow into a bus and some other vehicles and injured almost twenty people. It was suggested that we call family back in the US who are just getting up and may be frightened by the news. We were never in any danger although the incidend occurred less than 5 minutes from the Fuchsberg Center. I went out to get a bottle of water later and King George Street was still closed with many police directing traffic on the corner. The biggest danger to us was that they turned off the traffic lights and the little red and green men were unavailable to suggest when it might (just might) be safe to cross the street.
The Midrash class featured the midrash about Abraham smashing his father's idols and later walking out of a furnace. The midrash was written to explain how Abraham's brother Haram died "before [the eyes of] his father.
Our Teaching Israel class continued exploring what makes it easier and harder to bringJewish people closer to this wonderful land.
After classes, I continued to bravely expand my horizons. I decided to find Ben Yehuday street. Sure enough, it was not so difficult to do. I also found out that Ben Yehuda is continuous with Betzalel which connects to Ussishkin with only about a three block walk.