The final countdown is well on its way. I have less than a month in this holy land. What has it meant to me and what will it mean?
In many ways, Israel as a country has shattered my expectations, for good and for bad. It is a land that is a leader in science and technology, with a military that attempts (note the word attempt) to wage war as humanely as possibly. Israel is a country where people walking by someone giving you directions will argue about those directions (if they don't just say yashar yashar (go straight)). While Babylon/Iraq may be called the cradle of civilization, Israel is the cradle of religion, serving as a nexus for many different peoples who struggle with themselves and each other in attempts to find meaning and Gd in this world. In this quest, it has been conquered and reconquered by Jews, Christians and Muslims and has had members of those three religions and others living in its lands virtually continuously since the creation of each of those religions.
As such it is a very holy place, but being a real country it cannot always live up to its desire of being an or l'goyim, a light unto the nations. It struggles daily with neighbors that would prefer that it not exist, some of which often work to bring about its destruction. It is a country founded on the ashes of the Shoah/Holocaust, that struggles to share the light of truth, justice and human rights. It is a place where the post office can run out of stamps and where government offices and schools can be on strike for weeks and months (note--this has not happened while I've been here!). It's very democratic government allows everyone to have a voice, but also allows small parties to hijack the government in demanding money for programs (ie Shas and other religious parties demanding 1 billion NIS to be in the government). The party that won the most seats in Knesset might not even be IN the government (as in this case).
In my time here, I've visited museums old and new, seen many ancient ruins, as well as modern new structures (mostly outside of Jersualem--but a few here, too). I have studied traditional texts, yet often with a modern spin, using traditional and non-traditional methods to find a connection to Gd, Israel and the Jewish people (in our past iterations as well as our modern versions).
With all this tsurris, as much as I struggle with being here, missing those I love and the home and city I love, Israel is a holy and wonderful place. I will look forward to coming back here--on vacation--and continuing to visit its history/archaeology and its technology/innovation, its past and its present. While some people hate the new bridge in the Jerusalem skyline, I think it is striking and beautiful. It is out of place, yet in place. It offers a bold, new future, yet in its blinding whiteness, also reminds one of the Jerusalem stone to which it is anchored, and which all buildings in Jerusalem have at least a facade of. In many ways, it truly represents Jerusalem and Israel, a place rooted in the past, yet struggling to face the future.
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
quick link
Some good coming from all the unemployment--now if only the agencies could afford to do more with the surplus of volunteers:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/16/nyregion/16volunteers.html?em
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/16/nyregion/16volunteers.html?em
Friday, March 13, 2009
discomfort
Today I went to Hebron with Breaking the Silence. While acknowledging the problems of Palestinian terrorism, their focus is on the Israeli official response to such problems, especially during the second intifada. From their website:
"We demand accountability regarding Israel's military actions in the Occupied territories perpetrated by us and in our name."
The trip to Hebron was very interesting, starting with how close it is (less than 45 minutes). I was impressed with our guide, who encouraged us to return to Hebron and hear its story from different perspectives (ie Encounter with Palestinians or with the settlers of the area). It was wonderful to speak with individual Palestinians to hear their stories and very troubling to hear the difficulties of their lives, many of which are due directly to the settlers and the protection they require/demand.
As an American Jew, I am used to being superficially annoyed at the American justice system, but overall feeling that it is doing its job, that with notable flaws, the system works. It was very frustrating to hear about a system that seems not to be working. One of the Palestinians noted poignantly that the settlers are the ambassadors of the Jewish people and the ones in Hebron are not ones for which I ever voted.
It was a very troubling day. Viscerally, I am uncomfortable with Jews not living up to their expectations--purity of arms, light unto the nations, etc., etc. How can we do better?
Eek, time for Shabbat, more another day.
"We demand accountability regarding Israel's military actions in the Occupied territories perpetrated by us and in our name."
The trip to Hebron was very interesting, starting with how close it is (less than 45 minutes). I was impressed with our guide, who encouraged us to return to Hebron and hear its story from different perspectives (ie Encounter with Palestinians or with the settlers of the area). It was wonderful to speak with individual Palestinians to hear their stories and very troubling to hear the difficulties of their lives, many of which are due directly to the settlers and the protection they require/demand.
As an American Jew, I am used to being superficially annoyed at the American justice system, but overall feeling that it is doing its job, that with notable flaws, the system works. It was very frustrating to hear about a system that seems not to be working. One of the Palestinians noted poignantly that the settlers are the ambassadors of the Jewish people and the ones in Hebron are not ones for which I ever voted.
It was a very troubling day. Viscerally, I am uncomfortable with Jews not living up to their expectations--purity of arms, light unto the nations, etc., etc. How can we do better?
Eek, time for Shabbat, more another day.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
also
YAY. It rained in Israel while I was in the US. I'm very grateful that the water crisis is slightly ameliorated. The Kineret is still ridiculously low, but it is slightly higher than it was. Hallelujah. Now, we just need more rain. Tal u'matar l'vracha. Mashiv ha-ruach umorid hagashem/hageshem.
I'm back
After a rather extended hiatus, I return.
Here are some of the things I've done in the last few weeks:
They were:
Susanart/Yuval Susan foundation (www.kys.org.il)
This is a really interesting project to help at-risk youth by providing gainful employment and artistic skills to help them move forward in their lives. By creating some of the demands of a job with extra psychological support, they help teens get off the streets and back into school/army/etc. For me it was fun, since I got to try my hand at cutting glass. I hope to go back and learn to make glass beads! It looks like so much fun. We met with the director who afer a little prodding spoke about Judaism, tikkun olam, about all of Israel taking care of one another and how they have amazing conversations over book-binding or setting up the kiln.
Ethiopian National Project (http://www.ujc.org/page.aspx?id=99007)
We went to a high school and met a bunch of entertaining teenage girls in this after-school program. By providing tutors/teachers, role models--Israel and Ethiopian-Israeli, this program helps increase the number of Ethiopian teenagers who pass high school and go on to college and better army jobs/real life.
Ulpan Etzion/Beit Canada Absorption Center
Here we met with a couple new olim and learned about a nice absorption center. Who knew you could get set up with an apartment, food, Hebrew classes? Why don't other countries help out their new immigrants this way? It would make for a much better transition for so many people!
Ok, now to look at an application for a little bit.
Here are some of the things I've done in the last few weeks:
- finished my first semester in Israel
- went home to Atlanta
- finished semester again by writing an exam
- went to New York to see fiancee and my grandparents
- finished semester again by finishing the last paper
- looked into internships for next year
- began preparation for this summer
- picked 2 invitation choices for my wedding
- returned to Israel
They were:
Susanart/Yuval Susan foundation (www.kys.org.il)
This is a really interesting project to help at-risk youth by providing gainful employment and artistic skills to help them move forward in their lives. By creating some of the demands of a job with extra psychological support, they help teens get off the streets and back into school/army/etc. For me it was fun, since I got to try my hand at cutting glass. I hope to go back and learn to make glass beads! It looks like so much fun. We met with the director who afer a little prodding spoke about Judaism, tikkun olam, about all of Israel taking care of one another and how they have amazing conversations over book-binding or setting up the kiln.
Ethiopian National Project (http://www.ujc.org/page.aspx?id=99007)
We went to a high school and met a bunch of entertaining teenage girls in this after-school program. By providing tutors/teachers, role models--Israel and Ethiopian-Israeli, this program helps increase the number of Ethiopian teenagers who pass high school and go on to college and better army jobs/real life.
Ulpan Etzion/Beit Canada Absorption Center
Here we met with a couple new olim and learned about a nice absorption center. Who knew you could get set up with an apartment, food, Hebrew classes? Why don't other countries help out their new immigrants this way? It would make for a much better transition for so many people!
Ok, now to look at an application for a little bit.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Shabbat
Once again, Shabbat is coming--very, very soon! The rhythm of the week is such that we run and we run and we run and then we stop.
This week one of my roommates and I took a day off from this cycle. Yesterda
y, to start the day, we went to the Rockefeller Museum, which is now run by the Israeli Antiquities Authority, but was founded under the British Mandate and was under Jordanian control between 1948 and 1967. Interestingly, the biblical period was pretty lacking. Historical objects from time periods before and after were much more extensively cataloged and displayed. Later, we hiked the Mt of Olives and Mt. Zion. We saw tombs of Mary and King David, as well as some Christian holy people. We visited churches magnificent and tiny, reminding ourselves that Jerusalem is more than the Angl0-Jewish neighborhood in which we live. We had a tour guide who was an interesting character, getting us into places that might or might not have been open, but the price was a little steeper than we expected. Oh well, it was an awesome day. Lots of great photos and vistas. My roommate discussed how much he liked to hike. We definitely covered that yesterday! Looking for a specific church, we walked up the Mt of Olives twice. Going down a rather treacherous path. (No pictures of that.) We literally walked up the side of Mt. Zion--our tour guide said it was a short cut. Overall, lots of fun and great exercise!
Today I did my weekly nursing home visit. This week there was no singing at all, but some interesting conversations; I also read the entire parsha with one of my friends there. Following that I got a 1.1 k swim in. I'm trying to get back into the exercise cycle; we'll see how it sticks!
In other news--this week's parsha--Moses gets called again. You might say he wasn't listenening at the burning bush? I think it just shows the humanity of Moses--he needs to be asked a couple times. How often do we need to be asked to take upon large tasks? Often it is more than once. We do not want to rearrange our priorities, we fear that we are not up to the task. How great a Torah do we have, that we learn that even our greatest leaders had some of the same problems?? From this we can learn that even if we fail to be ready the first time, it just allows us to be more ready the next time the call goes through.
Shabbat Shalom.
This week one of my roommates and I took a day off from this cycle. Yesterda
y, to start the day, we went to the Rockefeller Museum, which is now run by the Israeli Antiquities Authority, but was founded under the British Mandate and was under Jordanian control between 1948 and 1967. Interestingly, the biblical period was pretty lacking. Historical objects from time periods before and after were much more extensively cataloged and displayed. Later, we hiked the Mt of Olives and Mt. Zion. We saw tombs of Mary and King David, as well as some Christian holy people. We visited churches magnificent and tiny, reminding ourselves that Jerusalem is more than the Angl0-Jewish neighborhood in which we live. We had a tour guide who was an interesting character, getting us into places that might or might not have been open, but the price was a little steeper than we expected. Oh well, it was an awesome day. Lots of great photos and vistas. My roommate discussed how much he liked to hike. We definitely covered that yesterday! Looking for a specific church, we walked up the Mt of Olives twice. Going down a rather treacherous path. (No pictures of that.) We literally walked up the side of Mt. Zion--our tour guide said it was a short cut. Overall, lots of fun and great exercise!
Today I did my weekly nursing home visit. This week there was no singing at all, but some interesting conversations; I also read the entire parsha with one of my friends there. Following that I got a 1.1 k swim in. I'm trying to get back into the exercise cycle; we'll see how it sticks!
In other news--this week's parsha--Moses gets called again. You might say he wasn't listenening at the burning bush? I think it just shows the humanity of Moses--he needs to be asked a couple times. How often do we need to be asked to take upon large tasks? Often it is more than once. We do not want to rearrange our priorities, we fear that we are not up to the task. How great a Torah do we have, that we learn that even our greatest leaders had some of the same problems?? From this we can learn that even if we fail to be ready the first time, it just allows us to be more ready the next time the call goes through.
Shabbat Shalom.
Monday, January 19, 2009
funny how things work
As I mentioned in my last post, I've been a little stressed recently. I'm definitely ready for finals to be over (well, first to start and then to end). I'm very much looking forward to being back in the United States, however briefly. I have also noticed a pattern recently. Overall, I'm quite happy here. I learn, I sleep, I eat poorly. I try to swim/exercise a little. Attempt to do homework periodically. Walk up and down hills. Do laundry. Communicate with USA. Repeat. When I discuss this, I often sound a little bitter. My soul is yearning for more, for something else. Periodically I find reminders of some of those yearnings--for example, enjoying the company of little ones at Shabbat meals--a reminder that this world is not made up entirely of rabbinical students and their teachers--or on the other side, volunteering at a nursing side and speaking with people of another generation or three. Tonight, I dragged myself to a class taught at http://www.shlomoyeshiva.org It was absolutely beautiful. Studying the parsha through the eyes of a Hasidic commentary, feeling no pressure to cover material, but merely to learn, to discuss, to hear insights from the teacher and each other. Would I want to do this all the time? I don't know. Do I want to integrate more study such as this into my life--absolutely yes!
Friday, January 16, 2009
quick update
,
This has been a busy/stressful couple weeks. At the same time, it has had its nice moments.
Last week my fiancee's grandmother passed away. She was a wonderful woman who I will always remember with love and fondness. She was always lovely to me, from our very first meeting at her great-grandson's birthday party. It was tremendously difficult to be in Jerusalem, knowing that I could not be with my love and her family in such a difficult time.
I think that may have been one of the triggers for some of my actions this week, going on an extra field trip with the Masorti Movement, visiting different parts of the country. Since I could not be where I wanted to be in America, I wanted to offer my support here, to those that needed it.
Thursday was a trip to Tel Aviv, seeing Van Gogh's impact upon artists here. If you click the link, it gets you to an article about the exhibit. The photo that is attached is a photo of Reuven Rubin's painting of Van Gogh's chair, with the tour guide holding up Van Gogh's chair. Rubin transformed the scene by bringing the chair to Tel Aviv, flipping it so it would read right to left, putting a window to a Tel Aviv street scene, and adding flowers to bring your focus out the window (at least according to my reading). You can decide for yourself. He added more color and life, while copying Van Gogh's brush stroke style.
Today was and will be a good day. I went to the nursing home, read through the entire parsha with one resident, met a 101 year old woman from New Zealand (so I actually could communicate with her), sang some Shabbat songs and had an overall nice time. I didn't sing on 2 of the floors this time, choosing instead to talk with individuals there. (I didn't really want to shut off a tv of pretty music to replace it with my voice, no matter if my voice teacher says it is a decent one!) This afternoon I went swimming and tried to swim very slowly. (I haven't gone in far too long, since my health has been up and down lately.) I managed to swim 1000m, which is a decent amount. It's far more than I've otherwise done recently. It also doesn't make my feet sore.
Anyway, time for Shabbat, so must conclude. Shabbat Shalom!
This has been a busy/stressful couple weeks. At the same time, it has had its nice moments.
Last week my fiancee's grandmother passed away. She was a wonderful woman who I will always remember with love and fondness. She was always lovely to me, from our very first meeting at her great-grandson's birthday party. It was tremendously difficult to be in Jerusalem, knowing that I could not be with my love and her family in such a difficult time.
I think that may have been one of the triggers for some of my actions this week, going on an extra field trip with the Masorti Movement, visiting different parts of the country. Since I could not be where I wanted to be in America, I wanted to offer my support here, to those that needed it.
Thursday was a trip to Tel Aviv, seeing Van Gogh's impact upon artists here. If you click the link, it gets you to an article about the exhibit. The photo that is attached is a photo of Reuven Rubin's painting of Van Gogh's chair, with the tour guide holding up Van Gogh's chair. Rubin transformed the scene by bringing the chair to Tel Aviv, flipping it so it would read right to left, putting a window to a Tel Aviv street scene, and adding flowers to bring your focus out the window (at least according to my reading). You can decide for yourself. He added more color and life, while copying Van Gogh's brush stroke style.
Today was and will be a good day. I went to the nursing home, read through the entire parsha with one resident, met a 101 year old woman from New Zealand (so I actually could communicate with her), sang some Shabbat songs and had an overall nice time. I didn't sing on 2 of the floors this time, choosing instead to talk with individuals there. (I didn't really want to shut off a tv of pretty music to replace it with my voice, no matter if my voice teacher says it is a decent one!) This afternoon I went swimming and tried to swim very slowly. (I haven't gone in far too long, since my health has been up and down lately.) I managed to swim 1000m, which is a decent amount. It's far more than I've otherwise done recently. It also doesn't make my feet sore.
Anyway, time for Shabbat, so must conclude. Shabbat Shalom!
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
wow! This is amazing.
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'Are human rights for some, but not for others?'
Liraz Madmony, a 23-year-old law student from Sderot, addressed the UN Human Rights Council Special Session on Gaza in Geneva on behalf of the European Union of Jewish Students (EUJS) on Monday, before the vote by the council that condemned Israel's military offensive in Gaza and resolved to send a fact-finding mission to investigate alleged Israeli abuses against Palestinians.
Liraz Madmony of Sderot addresses the UN in Geneva, Monday.
Photo: Courtesy
Here is the text of her speech.
Thank you, Mr. President.
I come from Sderot, the city in Israel that for eight years has been terrorized, by 10,000 rockets fired against us from Gaza.
As a law student, I learned - and I believe - that all human beings have the right to peace and security.
But when I see today's resolution, I ask: Why is the United Nations ignoring my suffering? When the terrorists committed these 10,000 violations of international human rights and humanitarian law, why was the UN silent?
Are human rights for some, but not others?
The constant assault on Sderot has destroyed our ability to lead a normal life. The warning before each attack gives us only 15 seconds to run for shelter. Fifteen seconds that will decide, life or death.
Mr. President, who will protect our right to life? My family does not have a bomb shelter, so we run to the most protected room, which is the shower.
There is one attack I will never forget. We heard the siren at seven in the morning. We ran to the shower. The rockets fell next to my house. My little brother, who was 14, went to see if anyone needed help. He found a man whose legs were blown off, and a woman blown to pieces.
My youngest brother is six. The rockets have been falling for eight years. He knows no other reality.
Everyone suffers in Sderot. Fathers and mothers are afraid to go to work, creating poverty. Kids are afraid to go to school. I have missed many of my law classes. My friends are afraid to visit. The streets lie empty.
I dream of the hometown that I remember. When the park near my house was filled with happy families and children playing. When people enjoyed life.
I still dream of peace. It will come when the rulers of Gaza choose humanity over hate, when they stop firing on our children while hiding behind their own.
We refuse to grant victory to the terrorists. We choose to live, staying strong with our faith, family and love of country.
Mr. President, who will protect our most basic human rights? My country is now trying its best, and all who love life and desire peace should pray they succeed.
Thank you, Mr. President.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
ideas?
Working on a bulletin article for shul in NY. Here's what I have so far:
I’m sitting on my couch in Jerusalem, watching the sixth season of the West Wing, where the writers solved the conflict in the Middle East in just a couple episodes. Unfortunately, real life is not so easy. For the last two weeks, Israel has been fighting Hamas in Gaza. The Israeli Defense Force has been working to stop Hamas from firing rockets at Sderot, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Beer Sheva and all of the other areas around Gaza. They began after the “cease fire” ended. For six months, Israel has not responded to the rockets and missiles that Hamas fired in increasing numbers as the “cease fire” was winding down. Multiple times a day, residents in Sderot, Ashdod, Beer Sheva, race to bomb shelters. Online are videos of children running from the playground to a bomb shelter. They literally must run for the lives multiple times a day. What must that be like for a child? What goes on in a child's psyche who must endure this day in and day out for weeks, months, years? What is there understanding of danger? of the value of life? of the joy of life?
See http://www.sderotmedia.com/
In the first chapter of the book of Exodus, we read "8 A new king arose over Egypt who did not know Joseph. 9 And he said to his people, "Look, the Israelite people are much too numerous for us. 10 Let us deal shrewdly with them, so that they may not increase; otherwise in the event of war they may join our enemies in fighting against us and rise from the ground."
We see that with a new king, who did not know the people individually, who knew them only as a faceless mass, they were scary; they were a threat; they were a potential enemy. When Pharaoh knew Joseph, he knew that he had a partner in peace; he knew the potential good that could come from cooperation.
Right now, we are lacking those faces. Hamas does not see the faces of the children whose lives they shatter. They do not see Israelis as men, women, and children, but see all as the enemy. The IDF, even as it works to avoid civilian casualties, to prevent "collateral damage," sees only the masks of Hamas' terrorists and not the faces behind them. How can we make peace when the other wants only to destroy us? How can we find the faces and the partners when the other is not willing to see ours?
These are not easy questions. They will not be solved today or tomorrow. We know that many other peoples and nations have fought wars and made peace, have been mortal enemies and now work in cooperation. Godwilling we may join them at some point soon. Shalom, Salaam, please.
I’m sitting on my couch in Jerusalem, watching the sixth season of the West Wing, where the writers solved the conflict in the Middle East in just a couple episodes. Unfortunately, real life is not so easy. For the last two weeks, Israel has been fighting Hamas in Gaza. The Israeli Defense Force has been working to stop Hamas from firing rockets at Sderot, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Beer Sheva and all of the other areas around Gaza. They began after the “cease fire” ended. For six months, Israel has not responded to the rockets and missiles that Hamas fired in increasing numbers as the “cease fire” was winding down. Multiple times a day, residents in Sderot, Ashdod, Beer Sheva, race to bomb shelters. Online are videos of children running from the playground to a bomb shelter. They literally must run for the lives multiple times a day. What must that be like for a child? What goes on in a child's psyche who must endure this day in and day out for weeks, months, years? What is there understanding of danger? of the value of life? of the joy of life?
See http://www.sderotmedia.com/
In the first chapter of the book of Exodus, we read "8 A new king arose over Egypt who did not know Joseph. 9 And he said to his people, "Look, the Israelite people are much too numerous for us. 10 Let us deal shrewdly with them, so that they may not increase; otherwise in the event of war they may join our enemies in fighting against us and rise from the ground."
We see that with a new king, who did not know the people individually, who knew them only as a faceless mass, they were scary; they were a threat; they were a potential enemy. When Pharaoh knew Joseph, he knew that he had a partner in peace; he knew the potential good that could come from cooperation.
Right now, we are lacking those faces. Hamas does not see the faces of the children whose lives they shatter. They do not see Israelis as men, women, and children, but see all as the enemy. The IDF, even as it works to avoid civilian casualties, to prevent "collateral damage," sees only the masks of Hamas' terrorists and not the faces behind them. How can we make peace when the other wants only to destroy us? How can we find the faces and the partners when the other is not willing to see ours?
These are not easy questions. They will not be solved today or tomorrow. We know that many other peoples and nations have fought wars and made peace, have been mortal enemies and now work in cooperation. Godwilling we may join them at some point soon. Shalom, Salaam, please.
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