Thursday - Siena

On Thursday the we had a group trip to Siena. First we went to the Synagogue there and learned about it's history and the history of the Jewish Ghetto in Siena. After listening to the speaker (or at least Prof. Cooper's translation of the speaker) we took a quick tour of the Synagogue before heading out to get lunch.

For lunch most of the group went to a very interesting restaurant at the bottom of the hill. It was situated on a farm, and in one part of the farm ther were making a recreation of a medieval farm with all, and only, the the vegetation that would have been found on one. Another interesting thing about the restuarant was that it employed people with mental disabilities and people who were being reintegrated in society.

What struck me the most about Siena was how different it was from the last time I had been there. Since I had come for the Paleo the last time I wasn't able to get a feel for what the main Piazza actually looked like. I also didn't have the time to explore the rest of city and see things like the church that we walked through. This time I got to experience Siena for itself, rather than just seeing crowds of people all around. I really enjoyed seeing the church, even if the mummified bodies were kind of creepy. It was also interesting to see how it had gone from a convent to a school.

Saturday - Synagogue in Florence

On Saturday Morning I went to service at the Synagogue with Ilana and Rachel. It was interesting experience even if I couln't understand a word that was said. I definately felt out of place during the service because I didn't understand the importance of the things going on around me, and I felt like I had to watch everyone around me to make sure that I didn't offend anyone. The only other times that I've been to a Jewish service have been for family services and I was surrounded by family members.

After the service Rachel, Joe and I went to chabad for lunch. Interestingly enough, I ended up sitting accross from a man who lived in Queens, NY. It's always interesting to be in a foriegn country and meet someone who lives very close to you. It shows that Florence really is a tourist city and that there are thousands of Americans visiting at any given time. In fact, almost all the people that the three of us talked to at chabad were tourists in Florence. Where people were visiting from was fairly diverse though. We met a couple from England, and Joe spent most of the time talking to two Persian women. The shared faith of those all eating together allowed for an environment where people were open to talking to strangers and learning about eachother. Again I felt out of place, but it was more because I knew that I was probably the only person there that wasn't jewish rather than because I didn't understand what was going on. In most places I go I am a member of the majority, and it was interesting to experience what it feels like knowing I was different from the people around me.