oh, how i want to be in that number

last night/this morning, 13 crazy jerusalemites (mostly temporary jerusalemites, but...) gathered in my living room to watch superbowl XLIV at 1am. there was veggie chili and there were nachos, there was beer and there were quesapitas. a good time was had by all.

this über-american event, which follows visits from the majority of my parents, has allowed a little cloud of homesickness to settle in over me. 
i love being in israel. i feel better here than i did in my first couple years in philly. my life here is rich, full of wonderful people, intellectual growth, laughter, good food, nice weather, and i feel an ironic peacefulness in this war-torn place. but it's simply not home. 
it's my favorite place away from home, but home, it is not. for better or for worse, that spot in my heart is pretty much reserved for chicago. city of big shoulders and of my big family. in the not so distant future i'll be hoping to find gainful, satisfying, lasting employment as a rabbi in chicago. i invite you all to my superbowl XLVII party there.