PreTrip Shakedown

Hello friends, relatives, federal agents, etc:

I am going to Israel/Palestine. Heck ya. The first news is a slight
setback: I'm fighting a flu, and will be leaving three days later than
expected. I will arrive in Tel Aviv around 9:15am on Monday Feb 5.
Until then, I'm in NYC! I'm going to a Tu B'shvat seder hosted by Kol
Zimra (I don't know much about either Tu B'shvat [the birthday of the
trees] or Kol Zimra [a super-fab minyan in NYC, and also apparently in
J'lem])

The next piece of information is relevant if you want to talk to me in
real time (ie on the phone) while I'm in I/P. your key is a calling
card. And where will you get that calling card from, might you ask? I
recommend 1st-usa.com. For those of you who have already asked, I'll
send you a 20% off coupon (let me know if you want one). For those of
you who aren't wealthy, and want to split the cost of calling card(s)
with me, I'm totally into that.

I don't know what my cell phone number will be yet in Israel. It will
go out with my first Trip Update.

My general vague plan for my time in I/P is to End the Occupation; in
light of not knowing yet how to end the occupation (and not having
formed a large enough coalition to do so), I will defer to Learning
how to end the occupation. And I will spend my time-
a) studying Hebrew at the Ulpan known as Beit Ha-am
b) Travelling throughout Israel/Palestine
c) Enjoying Being Jewish among cool Jews
d) Enjoying Being Jewish Among cool Palestinians and
e) Showing my mother and brother around Israel/Palestine

I can't wait to go skipping through Jerusalem. In the next couple
days, I hope to get my hair cut with cool semi-traditional peyos.

All the Best!
Jacob, Ya'akov, Yacoub

*If you know people who would like to get updates from me, send me
their email address. If you are getting updates and would rather not
be (or if you're getting multiple copies), let me know that too.