Shabbat, 4th June, 1983

You asked about my Hebrew. Well .... I'm finding it very difficult to use practically. What I know is largely academic. I can put sentences together reasonably on paper (fairly simple sentences, that is), but when it comes to speaking, it's a little different. I know a lot of words, but not as many as I should know, and putting them together is something I can do if I have sufficient time to work it all out. But understanding what other people are saying - well, I don't. For instance, given time, I can compose a question well enough, but when the answer is rattled off, I don't know what I've been told! Also, when Israelis ask me something, I could answer in time, but on the spur of the moment the words just won't come. It'll take a lot of time to manage even broken Hebrew - it's a difficult language and it's not coming naturally to me.

The classes, though, can be funny. If you could read "The Education of Hyman Kaplan" again, you'd know what it's like. I often pause in class and think that it really is like "Hyman Kaplan", and at the time it really isn't funny - doesn't do anything for one's confidence, a thought like that!

This morning Lazar (we usually have breakfast together on Shabbat) told me about a kibbutz that sounds pretty good. I've already forgotten the name, but it's very much like Degania B on a smaller, younger scale. He'll take me to see it around the end of the month.

By the way, I've been experiencing the "Khamsin" first hand, the hot wind. Wow, is it hot!