Since arriving in Israel, I have had the opportunity to meet and befriend a variety of people. The rock climbing community here in Jerusalem has proven to be one of the best ways to meet people; everyone is incredibly friendly and willing to help with whatever might be needed. One of my closest Israeli friends at this point is my friend Benaya. After a long session at the beginning of September, my friend Bina and I left the climbing gym to catch a bus back to our apartment. On our way out of the gym, a friendly person introduced himself as Benaya. We ended up having a mutual friend and a lot in common. Benaya quickly offered me and Bina a ride home and since then, he and I have been inseparable! We have had many great adventures around Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and a variety of other cities and towns throughout Israel. Recently, my mom was in town visiting. She had the opportunity to meet Benaya and we both got to know him better.
My name is Benaya Ido Porat. My first name is pronounced "Ben-ai-ah." It can also be spelled as Benaiah, like it is pronounced. "Benaya" in Hebrew means "Son of God." Though I am not religious despite being born a Jew, many Hebrew names, both in Israel and abroad, are related to the Jewish religion. My last name, "Porat," means "fruit bearing" in Hebrew and is a fairly common Israeli name. It is also biblical in origin.
