After a long week of shopping classes from 8am until 6pm most days, I headed off to Jerusalem for Shabbat. I was excited to get out of Haifa, a city that seems to be getting increasingly smaller the longer I stay here. I left on Friday morning from the university to the central station and caught a bus right away to the holy city. The ride only took about 2 hours, and with my ipod playing and beautiful views passing by, the trip seemed very short to me. I got off at the central bus station and walked along the train tracks (which run in the middle of the main streets) to the shuk (outdoor market). The shuk in Jerusalem right before Shabbat is incredibly busy and the sights and smells passed by in a whirlwind while I tried not to get trampled by all of the other people. Shopkeepers shouted in Hebrew about their goods and prices, and the stands of challah loafs quickly started depleting. I purchased a whole wheat one for my host and proceeded to Jaffa Street. After about thirty minutes of walking I sat down at a cafe and ate a salad, drank some water, and read a book for my Terrorism and Response class. I received a call from my host that she was returning in an hour or so from a trip to the West Bank, so I started walking toward her apartment. I was very proud that I found my way around without any problems.
My host was Elana, an HUC student that I had met on Yom Kippur who spoke with me a lot on that day because at one point she was deciding between JTS and HUC, the Conservative and Reform rabbinical schools, respectively. When I came over, we immediately stated making cookies together to bring to dinner at another student's apartment later that night. We packed up an Israeli salad as well and headed to Shira Hadasha for Friday night services. This is a famous Orthodox community which uses a mechitza (physical division between men and women) only when necessary, and has a woman lead Kabbalat Shabbat and a man lead the rest. Essentially, they permit women to do everything that they are lawfully allowed to, while most other Orthodox communities limit a woman's role in the community simply out of tradition. I have never felt so comfortable in an Orthodox community nor so inspired by the strength of pluralistic practice.
Afterward, Elana and I sat with a friend who is attending Pardes in the park, and then we left him and headed to an HUC student's apartment for dinner. The meal was great, and about fifteen people were there. We all sat around and spoke about pretty much every topic I could imagine. The people were incredibly welcoming and interesting, and I did not feel separated at all because I am not in their program. The next day, I attended their student-led services as well as Yom Sport, where the students play basketball and do homework in the park before attending Havdallah services in the evening. Even though Shabbat observance varied across the board, but appeared light in general, I felt that they really celebrated the spirit of Shabbat, connecting with friends, family, and newcomers through prayer, conversation, and play.
For the evening, we walked back to the school where there was an interfaith Havdallah service. A group of Muslims, Christians, and Jews from New York/New Jersey came to the school and asked the students all about their program before they took out guitars and we lit candles, smelled spices, etc. Everyone put their arms around each other and swayed, and I felt like I was back at summer camp. All around, this was the best Shabbat experience I have had in Israel, and I cannot wait to return to HUC as long at my invitation stands. Returning to Haifa, I felt a bit disappointed about my city choice; I would have wondered what Haifa was like if I had chosen Jerusalem, but knowing what I do now, I cannot wait to spend as much time as possible back in Jerusalem. Still, many programs, HUC included, stand open to me for graduate school and have campuses in Jerusalem, so I know I will be back for an extended period of time in the near future.
Monday, October 22, 2012
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
First Days of School
Shalom everyone! School has started up here (finally) at the University of Haifa and I am so happy to have something to do! Yesterday, I took my Hebrew placement test from 9-12pm; it was really long and rather difficult, but I ended up placing into the highest level of Hebrew offered. As great as I felt for doing well on the test, today in the first day of class I felt a little insecure about my level of Hebrew. I am currently working on a reading assignment and I understand very little of it, so I might have to move down a level, but either way I will have a great teacher and a good class. I am mostly just excited to get back into learning Hebrew, which is the reason I came to study abroad in Israel in the first place.
The first day of shopping classes was long, and I was not overly impressed with the quality of the classes. I shopped one on Rabbinic Literature, which was alright. I really want to learn Mishna, but I am not sure if that classroom was the right one for me to delve into that material. Afterwards, I went to one called Leadership in Organizations, which had a really bubbly and sweet teacher and the readings look amazing. It is a combination of psychology, international relations, and political science; it is especially appealing because this is one of the only classes not specifically on Israel or Judaism, and a little variation is nice. Still, the workload was quite small from what I could tell, but that is not necessarily a bad thing if my other classes are more demanding.
Today, I was way more inspired by the classes I looked at. At first, I was planning to attend a class on Holocaust History, but it was postponed until next week, so I looked at one on the Social History of Israel. Originally, I did not think this would be appealing, but the teacher is the awesome feminist professor who really knows how to command a classroom. The topic is not the most intriguing to me personally, but the class is 3 hours once a week, so I think that the quality of the professor is a very important factor. Finally, I looked at Biblical Theology and I was totally blown away. At first, I sat in the class unsure of how to feel, but the professor/rabbi touched on so many advanced concepts and really started to alter the way I interact with religious text in just one session. I decided to take that class to fulfill the ancient studies requirement of my Judaic Studies concentration, and I bought the books (basically just the Hebrew Bible in English and Hebrew) and I am quite excited.
Overall, the courses here are good, with some a little sub-par and some really amazing. I have another week or so to shop for more classes to fill my schedule, but suffice to say that I am much more excited today than yesterday to continue shopping for them, and generally in higher spirits than when I was sitting around with nothing to do during Sukkot.
Also, in terms of social activities, we participated in a drum circle last night, which was really fun! We got to pound on some bongos, use other percussion instruments, and generally laugh and have a good time. I also found out about volunteering opportunities in the city for the semester, and I have an interview tomorrow where I will pick which is best for me...I will keep you all posted! Now back to Hebrew homework...
The first day of shopping classes was long, and I was not overly impressed with the quality of the classes. I shopped one on Rabbinic Literature, which was alright. I really want to learn Mishna, but I am not sure if that classroom was the right one for me to delve into that material. Afterwards, I went to one called Leadership in Organizations, which had a really bubbly and sweet teacher and the readings look amazing. It is a combination of psychology, international relations, and political science; it is especially appealing because this is one of the only classes not specifically on Israel or Judaism, and a little variation is nice. Still, the workload was quite small from what I could tell, but that is not necessarily a bad thing if my other classes are more demanding.
Today, I was way more inspired by the classes I looked at. At first, I was planning to attend a class on Holocaust History, but it was postponed until next week, so I looked at one on the Social History of Israel. Originally, I did not think this would be appealing, but the teacher is the awesome feminist professor who really knows how to command a classroom. The topic is not the most intriguing to me personally, but the class is 3 hours once a week, so I think that the quality of the professor is a very important factor. Finally, I looked at Biblical Theology and I was totally blown away. At first, I sat in the class unsure of how to feel, but the professor/rabbi touched on so many advanced concepts and really started to alter the way I interact with religious text in just one session. I decided to take that class to fulfill the ancient studies requirement of my Judaic Studies concentration, and I bought the books (basically just the Hebrew Bible in English and Hebrew) and I am quite excited.
Overall, the courses here are good, with some a little sub-par and some really amazing. I have another week or so to shop for more classes to fill my schedule, but suffice to say that I am much more excited today than yesterday to continue shopping for them, and generally in higher spirits than when I was sitting around with nothing to do during Sukkot.
Also, in terms of social activities, we participated in a drum circle last night, which was really fun! We got to pound on some bongos, use other percussion instruments, and generally laugh and have a good time. I also found out about volunteering opportunities in the city for the semester, and I have an interview tomorrow where I will pick which is best for me...I will keep you all posted! Now back to Hebrew homework...
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Sukkot in Israel
Since the study tour ended and Sukkot began, life at the university has been relatively slow. A lot of the Israeli students who were living here before went back home for the break, some of the other Americans decided to travel to Europe, and many people simply don't arrive until the end of the month. Still, those of us who are living on campus have tried our best to keep busy during Sukkot/the holiday break.
One nice thing about the holiday is that its focus on time outdoors translates into a lot of festivals and street fairs here in Haifa. I walked from the university into the center of town (about a 1.5-2 hour walk) with a handful of friends to get froyo. We ended up passing a film festival and stopping by after eating mounds of yogurt, fruit, and chocolate. Not only did we see crowds of people all around, but an outdoor craft market was also set up, and we spent our time walking around the stands, checking out the art, and playing some really cool handmade instruments. Another night when we passed by, on a mission once again for froyo goodness, we saw a Charlie Chaplin film playing on the side of one of the buildings, just one of the many free showings that week.
Besides eating froyo, we have enjoyed other meals in the center of town and had fun hanging out at pubs downtown. We also go out dancing from time to time, but because there is only one club to go to, some of the novelty has worn off. Still, I love dancing as opposed to sitting in a bar, so it is hard to convince me to get off the dance floor :)
Another night, I headed to a different part of town somewhat close to campus, and there was a music festival going on with a big stage, flashing lights, and loud speakers. I got there with some friends just in time to hear Ivri Lider sing a song. He is one of Israel's biggest pop stars, and certainly my favorite, and he is the face of gay rights activism in the country. I was so happy to see him perform; that was definitely a goal of mine before leaving Israel.
Otherwise, I have been hanging around the university, talking with friends here, keeping in touch with others back at Brown and those who are also abroad, and speaking with family regularly. I also started work on my independent study project about women in the Israeli military and I have plenty to read and learn. It is great to have the time to get ahead of some assignments before classes start here; that is definitely not something I get to do a lot back at Brown. With all of the downtime I am certainly missing Brown and my communities there, but I am also looking forward to the start of the semester on Monday!
One nice thing about the holiday is that its focus on time outdoors translates into a lot of festivals and street fairs here in Haifa. I walked from the university into the center of town (about a 1.5-2 hour walk) with a handful of friends to get froyo. We ended up passing a film festival and stopping by after eating mounds of yogurt, fruit, and chocolate. Not only did we see crowds of people all around, but an outdoor craft market was also set up, and we spent our time walking around the stands, checking out the art, and playing some really cool handmade instruments. Another night when we passed by, on a mission once again for froyo goodness, we saw a Charlie Chaplin film playing on the side of one of the buildings, just one of the many free showings that week.
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| Ivri Lider in Haifa! |
Another night, I headed to a different part of town somewhat close to campus, and there was a music festival going on with a big stage, flashing lights, and loud speakers. I got there with some friends just in time to hear Ivri Lider sing a song. He is one of Israel's biggest pop stars, and certainly my favorite, and he is the face of gay rights activism in the country. I was so happy to see him perform; that was definitely a goal of mine before leaving Israel.
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| Brown is always with me, even in Haifa! |
Monday, October 1, 2012
Post-Study Tour
Since the study tour ended on Thursday, life in Haifa has been relatively slow. Still, we are all trying to keep busy, especially because the campus is so quiet. In fact, the study tour participants are some of the only people on the campus right now.
On Thursday night, we all went out dancing at a club called Loft. It was a New York-themed night, which made me miss home a bit. Still, I stayed out until around 2:30am there, dancing the whole time. We went out with a handful of Americans and some Israelis on campus who I had not met before. They were all so nice and really fun to dance with. One of the guys belts out the lyrics to all of the songs, which is pretty funny.
On Friday, I went out to a few bar/restaurants with friends. On Saturday we went out to Asian fusion food and then returned to one of the places and there was a big concert in the park happening outside. We sat out playing cards on a picnic table with the concert in the background, and some local kids came up and asked to join. One of the boys looked like he was ten, and he cursed a lot in Arabic and was pretty fresh, but entertaining nonetheless. After the concert we met up with a few of the guys in the group and chatted and continued playing.
Sunday was pretty slow too because everything was shutting down for the beginning of Sukkot. Becky (my suite-mate) and I still wanted to be social, though, so we invited some people over for a potluck dinner of pasta, sauce, chicken, and veggies. After that, I watched a really terrible movie at another friend's apartment on campus and fell asleep.
All in all, not the most exciting time in Haifa, but I am getting a lot of work done, which is a good thing before the semester starts up in just two weeks.
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| Having fun at Loft |
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| Some good friends :) |
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| Me very sweaty after a night of dancing! |
Sunday was pretty slow too because everything was shutting down for the beginning of Sukkot. Becky (my suite-mate) and I still wanted to be social, though, so we invited some people over for a potluck dinner of pasta, sauce, chicken, and veggies. After that, I watched a really terrible movie at another friend's apartment on campus and fell asleep.
All in all, not the most exciting time in Haifa, but I am getting a lot of work done, which is a good thing before the semester starts up in just two weeks.
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Hiking and Yom Kippur
Hello everyone and sorry about the relatively long time between posts. The time between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur was a bit crazy, but I am settled back in at the university and excited to write about a great final study tour trip and my time in Jerusalem yesterday and today.
We had our last study tour trip (the last on campus seminar is tomorrow). We traveled to a development town where my professor lives in Karmiel. He talked with us about the communal ethos in his town and how it stemmed from kibbutz mentality, but today the residents retain their own income and raise their children in their own personal homes. As we walked around, we saw a group of pre-school or kindergarden students wandering outside with their teachers to learn about trees and nature. One teacher was cracking open a walnut as we passed by, and all of the kids were gathered close to see the insides; it was an adorable scene. After, we continued to wander about and consider what living in such a place would be like. I think that as a 20-something year old, it is not appealing because it is rather quiet, but it seems like a lovely place to raise a family. Everyone has a say in the government of the town and everyone pays taxes according to his/her means, but they always pay something (even just a symbolic amount) so they are full-fledged members of the community, even in times of economic hardship. In all, I was very impressed by the area and the individuality expressed in dress, apparent religious observance, and architecture in the small socialist (ish) community.
gilaboon+waterfall+from+below.jpg)
Next, we hopped on the bus and went to hike in the Golan. This was my favorite hike so far because it ended at a chilly and beautiful waterfall. I changed into my bathing suit and scooched into the ice cold pool around the falls. It took me a few minutes to catch my breath because the chilly water made my chest constrict. Still, I had a big smile on my face the whole time, especially when I felt the mist of the falls blow around the area. I swam up to the waterfall itself and went under the stream of water to an alcove where I climbed up with friends and looked out through the rushing water. It was gorgeous; definitely one of my favorite sites so far. I felt so small compared to the scene around me, and I really like that humbling feeling. The hike back up was pretty steep, but I was so content from the swim that I was in a good mood for the rest of the day.
After Monday, I transitioned into Yom Kippur, and headed to Jerusalem to stay at HUC-JIR (the Reform rabbinical school). I stayed with a really sweet first year student, and we talked about her experience so far at the school. Because I am a prospective student, it was really helpful to hear from her and her peers about their year in Jerusalem so far. We went to services in the evening and then walked through the city streets because there are no cars that drive on Yom Kippur. We saw a bunch of secular kids biking and they looked like they were having a great time. Naturally, we ran into people we knew in the city, and it turns out one of the HUC students used to song-lead at Crane Lake Camp when I was younger. Small world! That night, we returned to my host's apartment and her middle-aged Israeli landlord/suite-mate had friends over and we all spoke Hebrew together. I was shocked at how much I understood and participated.
Today, we went back to HUC for services all day. I left with some friends to see the Kotel, which was surprisingly empty in the afternoon, but it was cool to be there on a high holiday nonetheless. After a long day of fasting we devoured challah, bagels, fruit, and brownies and headed back to Haifa because I have class tomorrow at 9am. And because it is close to 1am here, I should really head to bed to be awake tomorrow morning. Laila tov, and I hope everyone had an easy fast/a meaningful day!
We had our last study tour trip (the last on campus seminar is tomorrow). We traveled to a development town where my professor lives in Karmiel. He talked with us about the communal ethos in his town and how it stemmed from kibbutz mentality, but today the residents retain their own income and raise their children in their own personal homes. As we walked around, we saw a group of pre-school or kindergarden students wandering outside with their teachers to learn about trees and nature. One teacher was cracking open a walnut as we passed by, and all of the kids were gathered close to see the insides; it was an adorable scene. After, we continued to wander about and consider what living in such a place would be like. I think that as a 20-something year old, it is not appealing because it is rather quiet, but it seems like a lovely place to raise a family. Everyone has a say in the government of the town and everyone pays taxes according to his/her means, but they always pay something (even just a symbolic amount) so they are full-fledged members of the community, even in times of economic hardship. In all, I was very impressed by the area and the individuality expressed in dress, apparent religious observance, and architecture in the small socialist (ish) community.
gilaboon+waterfall+from+below.jpg)
Next, we hopped on the bus and went to hike in the Golan. This was my favorite hike so far because it ended at a chilly and beautiful waterfall. I changed into my bathing suit and scooched into the ice cold pool around the falls. It took me a few minutes to catch my breath because the chilly water made my chest constrict. Still, I had a big smile on my face the whole time, especially when I felt the mist of the falls blow around the area. I swam up to the waterfall itself and went under the stream of water to an alcove where I climbed up with friends and looked out through the rushing water. It was gorgeous; definitely one of my favorite sites so far. I felt so small compared to the scene around me, and I really like that humbling feeling. The hike back up was pretty steep, but I was so content from the swim that I was in a good mood for the rest of the day.
After Monday, I transitioned into Yom Kippur, and headed to Jerusalem to stay at HUC-JIR (the Reform rabbinical school). I stayed with a really sweet first year student, and we talked about her experience so far at the school. Because I am a prospective student, it was really helpful to hear from her and her peers about their year in Jerusalem so far. We went to services in the evening and then walked through the city streets because there are no cars that drive on Yom Kippur. We saw a bunch of secular kids biking and they looked like they were having a great time. Naturally, we ran into people we knew in the city, and it turns out one of the HUC students used to song-lead at Crane Lake Camp when I was younger. Small world! That night, we returned to my host's apartment and her middle-aged Israeli landlord/suite-mate had friends over and we all spoke Hebrew together. I was shocked at how much I understood and participated.
Today, we went back to HUC for services all day. I left with some friends to see the Kotel, which was surprisingly empty in the afternoon, but it was cool to be there on a high holiday nonetheless. After a long day of fasting we devoured challah, bagels, fruit, and brownies and headed back to Haifa because I have class tomorrow at 9am. And because it is close to 1am here, I should really head to bed to be awake tomorrow morning. Laila tov, and I hope everyone had an easy fast/a meaningful day!
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Shabbat and Rosh Hashanah
Shanah tova u'metukah to all! I have not written a blog in a few days because Friday was Shabbat (pretty standard at this point haha) and then Rosh Hashanah started on Sunday. Although I have experienced a handful of Shabbatot here in Israel, but both ended up being pretty new experiences.
On Friday, I spoke with some friends at the university who were interested in experiencing Shabbat services in Haifa. We used google maps and searched "synagogues" near the school. One showed up that was right down the hill, so we decided to meet at 5:45 and walk together. We got a little lost, but we spotted some men in kippot and sort of followed them for a while before asking them outright where the shul was. They were very nice and walked us to the building. It was an Orthodox synagogue, so I went behind the mechitzah with some friends, which left the one boy, Jakob, who came with us alone in the men's section. He isn't Jewish and only speaks some Hebrew, but the men in the synagogue were so welcoming and they found a man who speaks English well to sit with him and help him out. That same man, Aaron, invited us to a more Anglo shul the next morning...Saturday...at 8am.
Not surprisingly, a lot of people wanted to sit this one out, so it ended up just being Jakob and I who walked to shul in the morning. There was a bar mitzvah that day, so there were many more secular people in the room and a lot of candy throwing, which was fun. This was an Orthodox shul as well, and despite the fact that there were more English speakers there, I asked for help with page numbers in Hebrew, which I was pretty proud of. After the service, a couple invited me and Jakob back to their house for tea and cake and told us all about places to go for Sukkot and Simchas Torah. All in all, I was so impressed with how welcoming the community was, but there are still many aspects of Orthodox practice that make me uncomfortable not matter how kind the people are.
On Sunday morning, I hopped on a bus to Jerusalem and got off at Harel to meet my friend Noa, who I stayed with for Rosh Hashanah. She was the Israeli emissary to Providence last year, and I saw her in Jerusalem when Joey was visiting, and got an invitation to her house for the holiday. Her family was so sweet, and when I first got there her father showed me around the city. He took me inside a government building and I got to see the outside of Netanyahu's office, which was so cool! That night, we went to a kibbutz just a few kilometers from Gaza and had a great dinner with apples and honey and pomegranates, just as you are supposed to for a sweet new year.
The next morning, I went to a Reform shul with Noa and her father. It was so nice to be in a liberal religious environment after an Orthodox-filled weekend. The rabbi was female and many of the people who led the service and read from the torah were as well; I felt more at home. We had great lunch with more family, tons of food, and many little kids and babies. It felt great to be in a family environment after so much time at the university. The rest of the day was pretty calm and ended with a trip to a hookah lounge (I had tea) and Grey's Anatomy.
Finally, Noa and I woke up the next morning and headed out to Tel Aviv to meet up with some of her friends and sit on the beach. We tanned (I burned) and went swimming in the sea. We also bought some food later in the day and went to see some other friends Noa has in the city to make dinner. I was asked there if I would prefer that they speak English, but they continued in Hebrew a lot of the time anyway. I had a bit of trouble understanding at first, but after a couple of minutes, I caught on and could understand a majority of what was said, which felt great. At night, I got on a train back to Haifa and met up with some friends from the university on our way back up the hill to the school itself. I was a great weekend and holiday, and I am looking forward to Yom Kippur in Jerusalem as well.
On Friday, I spoke with some friends at the university who were interested in experiencing Shabbat services in Haifa. We used google maps and searched "synagogues" near the school. One showed up that was right down the hill, so we decided to meet at 5:45 and walk together. We got a little lost, but we spotted some men in kippot and sort of followed them for a while before asking them outright where the shul was. They were very nice and walked us to the building. It was an Orthodox synagogue, so I went behind the mechitzah with some friends, which left the one boy, Jakob, who came with us alone in the men's section. He isn't Jewish and only speaks some Hebrew, but the men in the synagogue were so welcoming and they found a man who speaks English well to sit with him and help him out. That same man, Aaron, invited us to a more Anglo shul the next morning...Saturday...at 8am.
Not surprisingly, a lot of people wanted to sit this one out, so it ended up just being Jakob and I who walked to shul in the morning. There was a bar mitzvah that day, so there were many more secular people in the room and a lot of candy throwing, which was fun. This was an Orthodox shul as well, and despite the fact that there were more English speakers there, I asked for help with page numbers in Hebrew, which I was pretty proud of. After the service, a couple invited me and Jakob back to their house for tea and cake and told us all about places to go for Sukkot and Simchas Torah. All in all, I was so impressed with how welcoming the community was, but there are still many aspects of Orthodox practice that make me uncomfortable not matter how kind the people are.
On Sunday morning, I hopped on a bus to Jerusalem and got off at Harel to meet my friend Noa, who I stayed with for Rosh Hashanah. She was the Israeli emissary to Providence last year, and I saw her in Jerusalem when Joey was visiting, and got an invitation to her house for the holiday. Her family was so sweet, and when I first got there her father showed me around the city. He took me inside a government building and I got to see the outside of Netanyahu's office, which was so cool! That night, we went to a kibbutz just a few kilometers from Gaza and had a great dinner with apples and honey and pomegranates, just as you are supposed to for a sweet new year.
The next morning, I went to a Reform shul with Noa and her father. It was so nice to be in a liberal religious environment after an Orthodox-filled weekend. The rabbi was female and many of the people who led the service and read from the torah were as well; I felt more at home. We had great lunch with more family, tons of food, and many little kids and babies. It felt great to be in a family environment after so much time at the university. The rest of the day was pretty calm and ended with a trip to a hookah lounge (I had tea) and Grey's Anatomy.
Finally, Noa and I woke up the next morning and headed out to Tel Aviv to meet up with some of her friends and sit on the beach. We tanned (I burned) and went swimming in the sea. We also bought some food later in the day and went to see some other friends Noa has in the city to make dinner. I was asked there if I would prefer that they speak English, but they continued in Hebrew a lot of the time anyway. I had a bit of trouble understanding at first, but after a couple of minutes, I caught on and could understand a majority of what was said, which felt great. At night, I got on a train back to Haifa and met up with some friends from the university on our way back up the hill to the school itself. I was a great weekend and holiday, and I am looking forward to Yom Kippur in Jerusalem as well.
Thursday, September 13, 2012
5 Days of Adventure!
Hello everyone! Let me start by saying that I am sorry I have not posted in a few days; I was on a series of excursions and overnights away from Haifa with the study tour program. We started on Sunday and I just got back now, on Thursday night. There is so much to cover, but I will try my best to summarize each day with a few highlights:
Sunday: We loaded on the bus at 6:45am and headed to an armor museum in Latrun. Israelis lost several battles at this site, but now it hosts dozens of large, out-of-date army weapons, as well as information about the battles that occurred there and all over Israel during its founding. While the machinery was interesting to see and fun to climb on, in a weird kind of way, what struck me most was the Wall of Names. There, the names of every soldier who fell in Israel's wars from 1948 until 2010 were engraved. At the same time we were touring, a group of Israeli soldiers was learning about their history and the units they are currently part of. Blending together past military history with those currently committed to defend this country formed a moving and somewhat frightening sight. After Latrun, we made our way to Kastel, followed by Ammunition Hill, and we spoke more about the price people have paid over the years to establish and defend this nation. Finally, on Mount Herzl (the military cemetery), we spoke about the famous leaders buried on the grounds, as well as some of the everyday people who fell in order to protect these ideals. Many people were moved when we saw the grave of an American who came to serve in the IDF and did not make it out; that really brought the situation closer to home for a lot of the group. For me, it made me consider the difference between mandatory service for Israelis and optional entry for other people around the world. I understood the extra impact that the death of a volunteer from our home country had on the group, but I couldn't help but consider all of the graves we were passing by of Israeli soldiers and the attention they deserved as well.
Monday: This day was dedicated to Jewish ancient history in Jerusalem. We walked around the Old City and went to enter King David's grave. Unfortunately, there was construction at the tomb, but I saw this area last time I was in Israel, so I did not feel like I was missing out. What I thought was so interesting is that archeologists have more or less proven that King David is not really buried in that place, yet religious people are not deterred by their findings, and they continue to pray there anyway. While it might seem illogical to some, I really appreciate that kind of faith. Later on, we went to the Davidson center and saw the Southern Wall of the 2nd Temple. This wall is attached to the Western Wall, and in fact, about a third of the Western Wall is within this museum. Seeing this area without people praying actually gave me more appreciation for the section where they do. I realized that while it may seem idolatrous if someone is praying to the wall, rather than to G-d at the wall, what makes the place holy is not the structure itself, but the energy and hopes that millions of people have sunk into that space over the years. With this understanding, I prayed at the Western Wall again, and had a much more enjoyable experience than last time.
Tuesday: Today was dedicated to Christian history in Jerusalem, but when we study the life of Jesus, we do so through a Jewish lens. This is fairly easy to do, because Christianity really became a major religion when the Roman empire adopted it in the 4th century, well after Jesus's death. Still, there are several religious Catholics in the study tour group, so my teacher was mindful to recognize the religious significant of many places we visited. We walked through the 14 stations of the cross, starting with Pontius Pilate and ending at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher where Jesus was stripped, crucified, and resurrected. Christians believe that Adam, the first man, is buried in this area, and that when Jesus bled, his blood dripped down underground and touched Adam's skull, thus absolving mankind of sin. I liked how interwoven the Old and New Testament became in this story, even if Jews believe Adam is buried in Hebron. After the tour, we loaded on the bus and headed to the Negev to sleep out in a Bedouin tent. I had already done this before on Birthright, but it was really fun and the food was just as amazing as I remembered, with really sweet tea to wash it down. After some time around a campfire, we headed to bed.
Wednesday: We woke up bright and early, at 4:15am to hike Masada to watch the sun rise. I was not expecting to love this part of the trip, only because last time I did this, I was given my Hebrew name on top of the mountain, and I did not believe another trek up would be as meaningful. While it did not feel as significant or moving, the hike was fun and I learned more history this time around. This is the place where Jewish zealots fled from the Romans, but were ultimately surrounded and decided to choose suicide over enslavement. The men held a meeting and decided to kill their wives and children, so they never should know the pain of defilement or slavery, and then draw lots to kill each other, with one falling upon his sword at the end. I always think of the women and children, who had no say in the decision and still had to abide by the choice made. It was heavy stuff, but fascinating at the same time. Later, we went to Ein Gedi and hiked up to beautiful natural swimming pools with waterfalls. This may have been the most beautiful thing I have seen in Israel. We cooled off in the waters and had some amazing views. After, we went to the Dead Sea; I floated but it was so salty and painful that many people did not spend a ton of time there. Finally, we arrived at my favorite place in the world (that I have seen so far): Sde Boker. This is a field school attached to the kibbutz where Ben Gurion lived. Every time I look over the mountains and dunes and up at the stars there, I fall in love with Israel all over again.
Thursday: The final day of the trip! We went to Ben Gurion's house and his gravesite and talked a bit about him as a leader and as a kibbutznik. Later, we went on a hike at Ein Avdat, which involved some ladders embedded in the rocks where you climb straight up and down the mountain face. The views were spectacular, but it was also very hot, so I was glad it was a relatively short hike. After, we went spelunking! Well, I think a spelunker finds new caves, but we went in already-established caves...so I guess we went caving! I was nervous at first, because you are stuck in a small rock tunnel most of the time with someone in front of you and behind you who are not moving if there is a hold up (and there is much of the time in a group of 25). Still, the madricha was really encouraging and I climbed through, sometimes shimmying on my back just to fit through a certain tunnel. This was one of several hiding places the Jews used when Romans were hunting them centuries ago. It was terrifying to think of the conditions they lived in, with constant fear and little food. Many times, the Romans smoked them out in order to kill them, burning up all of the oxygen in the caves. We ended the tour by entering a small alcove barely big enough for us with no ventilation where the Jews hid when the Romans found the tunnels. We turned off all of our flashlights for one minute and sat with hot air, dripping in sweat, unable to see; the Jews there had to do this for days on end in the past. This stood as a solid contrast to Masada, with survival instincts defying all else. Finally, we ended in Tel Aviv for a short swim and then drove back up to the university. Even though the trip was fun, I am happy to be home :)
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| Wall of Names |
Monday: This day was dedicated to Jewish ancient history in Jerusalem. We walked around the Old City and went to enter King David's grave. Unfortunately, there was construction at the tomb, but I saw this area last time I was in Israel, so I did not feel like I was missing out. What I thought was so interesting is that archeologists have more or less proven that King David is not really buried in that place, yet religious people are not deterred by their findings, and they continue to pray there anyway. While it might seem illogical to some, I really appreciate that kind of faith. Later on, we went to the Davidson center and saw the Southern Wall of the 2nd Temple. This wall is attached to the Western Wall, and in fact, about a third of the Western Wall is within this museum. Seeing this area without people praying actually gave me more appreciation for the section where they do. I realized that while it may seem idolatrous if someone is praying to the wall, rather than to G-d at the wall, what makes the place holy is not the structure itself, but the energy and hopes that millions of people have sunk into that space over the years. With this understanding, I prayed at the Western Wall again, and had a much more enjoyable experience than last time.
Tuesday: Today was dedicated to Christian history in Jerusalem, but when we study the life of Jesus, we do so through a Jewish lens. This is fairly easy to do, because Christianity really became a major religion when the Roman empire adopted it in the 4th century, well after Jesus's death. Still, there are several religious Catholics in the study tour group, so my teacher was mindful to recognize the religious significant of many places we visited. We walked through the 14 stations of the cross, starting with Pontius Pilate and ending at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher where Jesus was stripped, crucified, and resurrected. Christians believe that Adam, the first man, is buried in this area, and that when Jesus bled, his blood dripped down underground and touched Adam's skull, thus absolving mankind of sin. I liked how interwoven the Old and New Testament became in this story, even if Jews believe Adam is buried in Hebron. After the tour, we loaded on the bus and headed to the Negev to sleep out in a Bedouin tent. I had already done this before on Birthright, but it was really fun and the food was just as amazing as I remembered, with really sweet tea to wash it down. After some time around a campfire, we headed to bed.
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| Ein Gedi swimming pool |
Thursday: The final day of the trip! We went to Ben Gurion's house and his gravesite and talked a bit about him as a leader and as a kibbutznik. Later, we went on a hike at Ein Avdat, which involved some ladders embedded in the rocks where you climb straight up and down the mountain face. The views were spectacular, but it was also very hot, so I was glad it was a relatively short hike. After, we went spelunking! Well, I think a spelunker finds new caves, but we went in already-established caves...so I guess we went caving! I was nervous at first, because you are stuck in a small rock tunnel most of the time with someone in front of you and behind you who are not moving if there is a hold up (and there is much of the time in a group of 25). Still, the madricha was really encouraging and I climbed through, sometimes shimmying on my back just to fit through a certain tunnel. This was one of several hiding places the Jews used when Romans were hunting them centuries ago. It was terrifying to think of the conditions they lived in, with constant fear and little food. Many times, the Romans smoked them out in order to kill them, burning up all of the oxygen in the caves. We ended the tour by entering a small alcove barely big enough for us with no ventilation where the Jews hid when the Romans found the tunnels. We turned off all of our flashlights for one minute and sat with hot air, dripping in sweat, unable to see; the Jews there had to do this for days on end in the past. This stood as a solid contrast to Masada, with survival instincts defying all else. Finally, we ended in Tel Aviv for a short swim and then drove back up to the university. Even though the trip was fun, I am happy to be home :)
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