Life in wartime?

Speaking to family and friends in America, it seems there is great concern about the situation in Israel. Living in Israel, it seems we are much more comfortable! Since 2001, Palestinian groups and Hamas have fired over 10,000 rockets into Israel. For the most part, these rockets are crude, and mostly do little damage. This is not always the case--in the last few days, several Israelis (as well as a few Palestinians working on an Israeli house) have been murdered by these rockets. For the last six months (ending last Friday) there had been a "truce" between Israel and Hamas, brokered by Egypt. While Israel had followed the truce and had not retaliated in Gaza, Hamas has fired hundreds of rockets into Israel. Towns and cities near Gaza such as Sderot and now Ashdod and even Ashkelon have had their schools, hospitals, playgrounds, pizza places, empty fields, hit by rockets. Those cities are almost moving underground, as they need to remain close to shelters! Hospitals have moved entire wards to bunkers/reinforced cellars under the hospitals.

Jerusalem is 78km/48miles from Gaza and Tel Aviv is 71km/44miles from Gaza. The farthest missles have gone is 18miles from Gaza--they usually go less than 5miles. Either way, we are a long distance away!

Jerusalem looks pretty much like it did last week. People are shopping, working, going to school (except for Hanukkah breaks!). Security seems slightly more alert, more soldiers wandering (patrolling?) around the old city. At the same time, life is basically normal. As long as one stays away from Gaza, there seems to be no reason to change any other routines. We had been in Eilat for Shabbat and literally had no idea that anything was going on until the dean called to check in with us! After wandering the Old City to find the old ladies selling red bendles (they were apparently on vacation the last few days), we went back towards Ben Yehuda for kosher Burger King and discovered this store: www.gans.co.il They have beautiful things, almost all made in Israel--90 Israeli artists, 89 of whom make everything in Israel, 1 of whom makes some of her materials in Bulgaria. I bought some beautiful presents for my parents, which they will hopefully receive in a couple weeks.

MSNBC map of Gaza "crisis"
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28423775/
MSNBC's title is appropriate. The current situation is a crisis for Gaza, not for Israel (Thank Gd!). Israel is working to stop the continual rocket attacks, to create a truce that truly means a normal life for those in rocket range of the Gaza Strip. It is fascinating to see how Israel is blamed for the lack of aid to the innocent Palestinians, when the border between Gaza and Egypt requires Egyptian soldiers to shoot and kill Palestinians trying to leave. Egypt is an Arab country. On the other side, Jordan is 3/4 Palestinian. Why does the UN define refugees as the first generation worldwide, but for Palestinians "refugee" status can be conferred on descendants. Why are the Palestinian refugees not citizens of Syria or Jordan or any of theother lands where they are living in terrible conditions in refugee camps? Where is the outrage that their Arab brothers and sisters are treating them so poorly. Why are they not allowed to vote or get a decent education or integrate into society? Why are they told that it is all Israel's fault?

There were several hundred thousand Jews who were forced out of Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Libya, etc. etc., all of whom were absorbed and made to be citizens of Israel. Were they always treated perfectly, no? Yet, they were citizens, created new politcal parties, voted, helped to create and change the state of Israel.

That's all folks (other than a bunch of articles I recommend):

Below is a selection of news stories from Israeli and other papers/websites that discuss different aspects of the situation.

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3647296,00.html
From ynet (article linked above):
3) “It’s all because of Israel’s siege. Israel should allow aid into Gaza.”
Israel has allowed goods into Gaza regularly throughout the “siege”. Palestinians have been able to complement these deliveries with supplies smuggled through hundreds of tunnels (of course, they would likely be able to bring in even more food had they not used the tunnels to smuggle in missiles.). The day before operation “Cast Lead” got underway, Israel allowed dozens of trucks carrying aid to enter the Strip. On Tuesday, another 100 trucks – double the normal number –are expected to enter Gaza after Defense Minister Barak approved the move.

In short, Israel is allowing aid into the Strip (but guess who has kept Gaza crossings mostly closed thus far? That’s right, Egypt.)

4) “Why didn’t Israel just agree to renew the Gaza truce?” First, what truce? Terror groups continued to fire rockets throughout the lull, even if somewhat infrequently, and even if the world didn’t seem to care too much. Nonetheless, Israel clearly declared that it is interested in extending the truce. Our top officials made it clear time and again. Yet Hamas leaders clearly declared that the truce has ended on December 19th, and proceeded to bombard southern Israeli communities with dozens of rockets daily. In short, it is no wonder that even the Egyptians are blaming Hamas this time.

Hamas Credo Led It To End Cease-Fire

By STEPHEN FARRELL

Published: December 29, 2008

RAMALLAH, West Bank — On the wall of the Israeli government press office in Jerusalem on Monday was a stack of yellow Post-it notes pasted one on top of the next, with the number 10,048 scrawled on the top one. That was the number of Palestinian rockets and mortar shells fired into Israel from Gaza since 2001. . .

http://haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1051235.html

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1230456534488&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull


From fox:

From 2000 to 2004, Hamas was responsible for killing nearly 400 Israelis and wounding more than 2,000 in 425 attacks, according to the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

From 2001 through May 2008, Hamas launched more than 3,000 Qassam rockets and 2,500 mortar attacks against Israeli targets.

Kol Isha (Woman's Voice)

I'm here (the fiancee) writing on my boy's blog. I figured I'd share some for all those following. I do not have quite the words of talmudic wisdom that he has, but at least I can share our past week's adventures.

After a few hours of delay, without any actual acknowledgment, explanation or reason for the delay, I took off and landed without any difficulty. I was able to meet the boy easily, and ironically bumped into another friend's brother in the airport.

Food is not quite that different- as my first meal was pizza and have had italian food other times during the trip. (Surprise, surprise).

We've been very stereotypical tourists- visiting Ben Yehuda Street, Emek Refayim, Malha Mall, KFC, etc. I am finding that people are just as stubborn and willing to walk into you as previously, but people are still very much willing to learn where you are from and why you are visiting Israel. People are also very willing to help in most ways- pointing the direction, talking in English (or Hebrew slowly, or Hebr-ish- a combination of English and Hebrew) and just making light conversation. In fact, one day I went into a store and spent a good 30 minutes talking with the store owner since he spent a good part of his life in the same town as me. I've had fun just being in Israel during Chanukah- no true signs of Christmas anywhere, just the chanukiot in apartment windows, in shop stores, and even being lit up high in the windy sky by the Jerusalem Chabad on a fire truck (pictures to follow upon my return to the states).

Over Shabbat, I adventured with my sweetie to Eilat. Unbeknownst to my parents, we rented a car and drove through the Negev. We did not drive through the West Bank, like the bus does, if we had gone with that mode of transportation. While Eilat is beautiful, it is extremely commercial, and was not quite as much fun as my previous experiences- as in 90 degree weather upon my return from Jordan where the temperature was even higher. We relaxed along the beach, walked through the silly kiosks/stalls/stands, the mall, and just walked. We also visited the aquarium- which was a true delight. While it probably is a lot more fun for kids- it was beautiful.

I do have to say that jet lag is not an easy thing to deal with, and I am still, almost a week later, having difficulty adjusting.

It was not until we received a call from the Dean inquiring as to whether we were safe and sound that we were even made aware of the latest news in Gaza.mJust a word- nothing was really made aware here. We have felt completely safe, and have not had any issues so far. We will continue to be safe as we have been, and hope to make another trip to the Kotel, and then a last trip to Tel Aviv before my flight leaves Thursday morning.

Anyway, a belated Chag Orim Sameach, Merry Christmas, and a soon to be Happy New Year, and to all a good night (really, it's time to go to bed here).

she's almost on the plane!

The last two months have been a fantastic learning experience. While I've lived in graduate housing, this is the second time I've been in a "real" apartment, and the second time that has been in Israel. Thank Gd, this experience is a heck of a lot better than the last time. In the last two months I have not left Jerusalem much, but I have gotten into a routine of school, sleep, west wing, and occasional eating and exercising (if you don't count the twice daily walk up Schechter's mountain). I probably should work on the latter two more!

This week has many exciting possibilities:
1) My fiancee is almost on a plane to the Holy Land. While I have done ok in this country, it will be wonderful to have my love at my side, exploring together.
2) I'm hopefully having more voice lessons this week.
3) My fiancee is coming tomorrow!
4) I may get confirmation to begin my volunteer project.
5) My fiancee and I will explore this wonderful country--trying to get under Israel's skin and see all of its glory (and less beautiful parts, too).
6) She's coming here in less than 12 hours.

Note: for those outside Israel, there is much more to this country than concrete. It is full of greenery, life, color, children, adults, etc. In very few areas have I seen barbed wire--I see more in New York City! It is one of the most technologically advanced countries in the world. [While at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with the BFL leadership conference, we heard a lecture about how those outside of Israel view the country. In focus groups around America and Europe, most non-Jews thought that Israel was concrete/barbed wire. In virtually all cases, the participants in the focus groups did not mention any colors when describing Israel (as opposed to many colors when describing other countries). To help demonstrate my point, I'm attaching some of Israel's greenery. It is fascinating to see forests on one side of a mountain and deserts on another--and yet to see green even in the desert!

With that pithy post, I conclude. I need to clean a little more and then sleep!

testing 1 2 3

(Sorry parents and future in-laws for the repetition.)
Attached is a photo from yesterday morning's leadership program. We went to Neot Kedumim the biblical landscape park near Modiin. This Thursday-Saturday was the last of 3 leadership training Shabbatot that I have attended/participated in. In previous weeks we have heard lectures, attended museums, compared leadership styles of Herzl and Begin, collected food at the shuk for poor Jerusalem families. This Friday we went to Neot Kedumim for outdoor training. One of the activities was herding goats and sheep. My group was most successful. The last part of this activity was getting all the sheep to one side and the goats to another side of a field (in marked circles). One little lamb thought he/she? was a goat. After chasing him around a bit, we cornered him and I carried him to the correct circle so that we might complete our time. Overall a really entertaining experience! Remind me and I'll send more photos and more of the story soon.

another day, another dream

I woke up this morning, hit snooze and had a dream that I slept too late to go to class. In my dream every clock I looked at had a different time. Strange.

2 minute update

Everything that's going on with me in 2 minutes or less:

Machon Schechter is great. They are working really hard to make sure we are learning and satisfied with our education and experience. I know that last year was very rocky and they seem to be making efforts to fix past problems and prevent new ones.

I'm a bit petrified of my halakha exam. I hope that I get some good studying done before Shabbat.

I'm curious as to who/what package is at the post office for me.

I'm amused at how complicated it is to try to volunteer in this country. I've been in touch with tons of people at various hospitals and nursing homes. I've now met the second person at a place I think I will be volunteering and will need to meet a third person before I will actually get to meet any residents. At least I should know where it is by then!

Google maps for Israel is annoying. I'm glad that it exists but I don't understand why sometimes it finds streets and addresses and sometimes it is totally clueless--regardless of whether you are writing in Hebrew or English. The walking directions are decent (and a fantastic idea)--when it works! Now if only they made a bus map, since Egged doesn't seem to.

Things I'm confused about with this country:
lines/lack thereof
post office
government in general
rude waiters
lack of bus maps or schedules on bus stations
drivers/moped--how do these people not expect to kill themselves or others??

That's all for today.

or not--It was awesome to see my sister for lunch. It was great to work out a little at the gym (although no swimming today). My legs this evening decided that I'd walked enough which made getting the last block home a bit challenging. Finally, I'm really excited to babysit this Sunday!!!

time to go

Shavua tov. Another week, another Shabbat.
Had a lovely evening with 3 out of 4 of the roommates for Shabbat dinner. Lunch was with an amazing prof. and his 6 children and wonderful wife. We had good food at all the meals and great company, too.
I also wanted to second my sister's comment this week about having an urge to go home. After thinking that I did not know any Hebrew grammar, I took some time off and walked to the Old City. I realized I did actually learn some Hebrew in the last few years (as well as this one), which was reassuring-as was Hebrew the next day, when my Hebrew teacher took time to talk to each of us about our strength and weaknesses.
Anyway, it was a busy week. Some was very difficult, some was fantastic. I hope this week will be even better. Time for some kosher KFC and looking for a pillow. I've been sleeping on a Mogu star, which is really comfy, but it isn't a real pillow!

more time

I want more time. I want to reorganize days to include more than 24 hours and weeks to include 8 days. I think it would make life better. It might also require the adjustment of laws of physics and of the universe, but I'd be happier. Is that a good enough reason to change the world?

Today was a very long day. I have tons of homework. I managed to do a bit of it. There is always tomorrow! Also, had some cooling off time in the old city--although I was overheating at the wall! In the sunshine, it felt like it was in the mid 80s, but I don't think it was quite that warm.

Perhaps tomorrow I will learn more Hebrew and will not be so frustrated with this arduous process.

Tomorrow will be better. Isn't it always?

Torah, Sag Harbor, Toldot, BFL

If I haven't already mentioned what BFL is, here is a link:
http://www.masaisrael.org/Masa/English/BFL+Seminar.htm
Masa Building Future Leaders (BFL) is a program to build leadership skills. We have gone on various trips and programs to look at different models of leadership and thinking about how to integrate them into our own lives.

Here is what I spent much of my afternoon on. The formatting got lost when I pasted from Word, but the gist should be clear.

What I’ve been up to. . .

Since I last saw you all on Yom Kippur, I have had a very busy few weeks. From Sag Harbor I went briefly back into Manhattan to spend one last Shabbat with my NY friends before going to my fiancee’s family on Long Island. There I spent the first days of Sukkot with my fiancee, my sister, and my fiancee’s parents. We had lovely meals in the Sukkah that my fiancee’s mom had beautifully decorated, with a structure I had helped build with my fiancee’s father earlier in the month. Immediately after Yom Tov was over, we went to JFK, which is conveniently located near my fiancee’s home town.

From JFK, I had a lovely El-Al flight where I managed not to figure out my video screen (I didn’t realize that bulkhead seats had any!) Also on that flight, I discovered that it is possible for a 15-month-old to kick the back of my seat and cry for virtually the entire flight while his parents can ignore the screams (and requests of passengers) and sleep. Thankfully, with the aid of music and exhaustion, I managed to sleep a little bit, too.

Once I managed to get to Israel, I celebrated Simchat Torah and have then enjoyed some time without holidays. It is incredibly exciting and beautiful to celebrate holidays for the month of Tishrei, but it is also wonderful to have the regularity of Shabbat and the rest of the week.

The schedule of the week in Israel is just a bit different than in the United States. Since there is not a Christian majority in Israel, Sunday is actually the first day of the week. For me, it is actually my busiest day—if I go to my extra halakha lecture, I am in class or traveling to class from 730AM to 11PM. At the same time, we do not have class on Friday, so we can prepare for Shabbat. Thursday we have tiyyulim (trips) around Israel, learning about history, culture, and appreciating the very pleasant weather here.

While we do desperately need rain, it is beautiful to have the sunshine and warm weather. It’s still regularly in the upper 70s (F) during the day.

Regarding my classes, I’m very much enjoying my learning. This year is focused on text skills, so we spend much of our time on Talmud and halakha (of course in Hebrew). Most all of my classes are taught in Hebrew. While I am certainly not fluent, I think that my Hebrew has definitely improved in the last few weeks. I hope that my progress over the next months will be even greater.

Enough about me, I’d like to share some thought about Parshat Toldot, this week’s parsha/Torah reading. It talks about the struggles of Jacob and Esau. From the very beginning of the parsha we find that Jacob and Esau do not get along. They fight in the womb. Gd tells Rebecca in 25:23 "Two nations are in your womb,/Two separate peoples shall issue from your body;/One people shall be mightier than the other,/And the older shall serve the younger."
There is a midrash that says that whenever Rebecca walked by a pagan temple, Esau started kicking and moving and whenever she walked by a synagogue, Jacob started to move. From the very beginning Esau and Jacob seemed to have very different paths!

In Bereshit Rabbah 63:12 there is a very interesting midrash, which my classmates and I studied this week. (My midrash professor teaches a midrash from the parsha each week.) [The translation comes from the Soncino Midrash.]

R. Phinehas said in R. Levi's name, and the Rabbis in R. Simon's name: You find that Abraham lived a hundred and seventy-five years. Isaac, one hundred and eighty. God withheld these five years from Abraham's life because Esau outraged a betrothed maiden and committed murder. Thus it says, AND ESAU CAME IN FROM THE FIELD, which means that he violated a betrothed maiden, as it says, But if the man find the damsel that is betrothed in the field, and the man take hold of her, and lie with her (Deut. XXII, 25); while AND HE WAS FAINT signifies that he committed murder, as in the verse, For my soul fainteth before the murderers (Jer. IV, 31).
R. Berekiah and R. Zakkai the elder said: He also committed theft, as you read, If thieves came to thee, if robbers (shodede) by night (Obad. I, 5). 1 Said the Holy One, blessed be He: ‘I made a promise to Abraham, assuring him, But thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age (Gen. XV, 15): is this a good old age when he sees his grandson practising idolatry, immorality, and murder! Better that he quit this world in peace! ' Hence it is written, For Thy loving-kindness is better than life (Ps. LXIII, 4).

We discover that Abraham lived a few years less than Isaac, since he did not want to see his grandson misbehave so grossly. Of course, this causes us to wonder, why would Isaac want to see his own son behave so terribly? The order is also strange. After accusing Esau of adultery (rape?) and murder, why would they then speak about theft? Is it not more efficient to make a case with the smaller crimes first, to make the theft seem integral rather than extraneous? Perhaps by using this order, it demonstrates just how awful Esau’s character is. Rape and murder are so trivial to him that they seem unimportant and thus can be listed first. The midrash seems to raise as many questions as it answers!
Overall, it seems the rabbis are very concerned about how our ancestors appeared. By condemning Esau, by demonstrating his vile character, Jacob’s actions seem justifiable. He simply received the blessing that Gd promised to his mother—again, “Two nations are in your womb,/Two separate peoples shall issue from your body;
One people shall be mightier than the other,/And the older shall serve the younger."
Even if Jacob acts at best callously and at worst terribly when he buys his brother’s birthright, he is doing the right thing if he is fulfilling Gd’s promise. When Rebecca and Jacob work together to get Isaac’s blessing, again tricking Esau, they are acting with Gd’s blessing, AND ensuring that Esau does not receive an undeserved blessing. If Esau did all of these miserable things, how could he possibly be our ancestor? It would not be fit for us to descend from him. Jacob and Rebecca HAD to ensure that Jacob received the blessing, to ensure that from him the Jewish people would eventually come.
At the same time, was Esau really that bad? He certainly was not an angel. He is a hunter and trapper (which violates Jewish law); he intermarries with the enemies of the Jewish people; after losing his blessing, he plots and attempts to kill his brother (which seems like a bit of an overreaction to the modern reader). Were these actions not enough to demonstrate his negative character? It seems not. If we knew only of the actions in the Torah, we would probably not love Esau, but we would still be uncomfortable with Jacob’s actions. Yet, after reading this midrash, we might be more comfortable. In this way, the rabbis ensure that we are proud of our ancestors. By sharing the stories of Esau’s misdeeds and Jacob’s virtuous character, we might be more excited about our ancestor, our forefather.
I would like to offer another possibility. The midrash demonstrates our concern about the actions of Jacob. We are glad that Gd’s prophecies were fulfilled; we are glad that we are Jewish, yet we are uncomfortable with the fact that our ancestors were imperfect, that they, too can make bad choices. They act in their own interests and even hurt others in the process. They demonstrate through their trials and tribulations that even those who Gd spoke to directly had difficult lives.
Seeing our ancestors make mistakes may actually be a good thing. It reminds us that we are not perfect, that even after Yom Kippur, we still have more tshuva, more repenting to do—to Gd, to our friends, and even to ourselves. In this parsha; in this midrash, we are encouraged to give ourselves a little more credit. We are reminded that even as we are not perfect, neither were our ancestors.
In the next weeks we will read more about Jacob and his sons. We will discover that Jacob’s trickery comes back to him. The mistakes his parents made (that Isaac favored Esau and Rebecca favored Jacob) are repeated in his actions (Jacob favors Joseph, causing jealousy and Joseph’s sale into slavery—after his brother’s decided not to kill him). Yet these same people do great things, Joseph becomes a great leader in Egypt, allowing him to save his brothers when famine returns to Israel. With self-awareness, with self-forgiveness, with hard work, we too can do great things. Perhaps we’ll make mistakes, but we, too can atone and continue onward and upward—always learning and growing.

May the coming weeks continue to be filled with love, Torah, and good health.

Shabbat Shalom.

another BFL

Another nice Shabbat with BFL.

We began Thursday with unexpected photos for the brochure that will advertise our programs/projects to federations worldwide. After that, we heard from Bogy, who accidentally stayed in the IDF for 37? years and became chief-of-staff. Of course, there is more to his story, but he told it that way. We had a beautiful tour of the Monetfiore neighborhoods. Find more info at:
http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/biography/montefiore.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moses_Montefiore
I'll put up some photos shortly.

Time to meet my sister for some birthday ice-cream.

More later.

time

They say time flies by when you are having fun. While I am having fun, it also flies by when your work week is Sunday-Wednesday and those days have lots of Torah in them. I'm learning all the time and trying to work hard and learn some Hebrew while I'm at it. I'm continually being reminded that I need to practice and study my words, but it is very hard to do after trying to listen to Hebrew all day. Concentrating on another language is an absolutely exhausting task. I'm surprised I don't fall asleep when I get home. Instead I zone out for awhile and can't fall asleep at a reasonable hour.

This week is a fascinating parsha entitled Hayei Sarah. It is named somewhat evasively, as the start is actually the death of Sarah. If one reads this opening connected to last week's parsha, one might think that Sarah died as a result of the Akedah, the binding of Isaac, the test between Gd and Abraham, a holy game of chicken, one might even say. Perhaps I'll backdate a post on the Akedah another time.

This week there has been much in the news about a controversial house in Hebron. It seems appropriate that Jews and Arabs should be arguing about a home in a town which is the center of this week's parsha. There, in Hebron, Abraham bought land to bury his wife. The negotiations are so intricate that they even form the basis of some of the laws of marriage (again a topic for another post). I do not claim to have an great insight into this week, but I do find it a striking coincidence that the news this week seems to fit so well into the parsha. So much of Israeli history is about land, the purchasing of land, the rights to land. The Torah aptly reflects and predicts this. On this theme, the parsha ends with the death of Abraham and the lineage of Ishmael. Even as Abraham wills the remainder of his assets to Isaac, it is explained that the children from his concubines (including Ishmael) were provided for and received substanial gifts of their own. Could oil be one of those gifts? Only Jews could take the one land in this part of the world that doesn't have massive oil reserves!

Of course, Thomas Friedman would say that is a gift. Not having oil, this nation is forced to develop its mental resources. It is forced to develop technology to improve its environment and the world. Essential parts and technologies for cell phones, computers, medical technology, water management and desalinization have all been created and/or improved in this tiny land. Perhaps that is the true inheritance of Isaac--ideas.

Abraham is famous not for his farming, not for his diplomacy, but for his ideas, for his relationship with the one Gd, for spreading this idea and offering it as a gift to all that would take it.

Abraham is famous for welcoming guests, for treating others with dignity, for attempting to save evil towns, and for being repeatedly tested by Gd. Sarah lived with this and according to Midrash, helped to convert others to their joint faith.

The central narrative of Hayei Sarah is Abraham's servant looking for a bride for Isaac. While Abraham does not ask that she have a good nature, his servant chooses a test that will require her to demonstrate her goodness, her kindness to animals. Rebekah passes this test by getting water for the servant's camels until they are full. As we were taught this week in Midrash class, she had to draw this water and lug it up a hill, one jar/bucket at a time for ten camels who had just gone on a great journey. That is truly menschligkeit. Such actions demonstrated that she too lived by ideas and ideals, for we know that one way of judging character is to see how someone treats their inferiors--and animals fall into this category. If she was to treat the camels so well, she would clearly be a good wife for Isaac.

What ideas does this week's parsha spark in you?
What questions does it raise?
Is time moving quickly or slowly for you?
Are you happy where you are and with what you are doing?
Do you need to go on a journey?
If you were to judge your life, how would you judge it?
What ideas are central to your life?
Shabbat Shalom.

It's been a month??

Tomorrow afternoon, I will have been in this country for a month. I think that's right. That also means that yesterday (or the day before) depending on the counting, I've been with my fiancee for 25 months. That seems like a nice thing to commemorate. As long as we are counting, according to theknot.com, we are getting married in 279 days and according to my computer, I will see my love in 35 days.

This week has been a busy one without a real weekend. We visited Kibbutz Ketura Thursday through Saturday night and then began school again Sunday! It was a great trip and I got to see the desert and Eilat--two places I've never really seen. I also got to play in sand dunes and have some "alone" time in the desert--in the softest sand I have ever felt--it was amazing. I'll talk more about that experience later. Now I need to get ready for bed.

Shabbat was also quite pleasant. The people at the kibbutz were really lovely. I hope to post some photos soon.

Shavua tov.

We're not in New York anymore.

Last night I got my new aluminum macbook! I'm so excited. As it should be, it is significantly faster than my old ibook. Webpages, wordscraper games, everything loads so much more quickly!!! I'm so excited. Unfortuantely, I had to wait until today to play with it, since my external hard drive didn't want to talk to it before it had turned on, so I transfered data from my old computer via ethernet cable. That took all night. It seems now that basically everything from my old computer is on my new one, music, photos, etc. I just need to find a couple serial numbers and the last programs will work, too! Oh well, I needed to sleep anyway, otherwise I would not have been able to wake up and going swimming with one of my roommates.

Swimming--almost all of my apartment-mates have joined the Jerusalem Pool, which is conveniently located on Emek Refiem, a 5-10 minute walk from our apartment. I swam for the second time this morning, although only swam 600m, rather than the 800m from last time because I managed to forget my goggles (and towel), so my eyes did not enjoy the swim. Also, we had to rush, since we needed to get back and change in time for our 1130AM appointments with the government to get our visas.

We got back and I drove my roommate crazy so we'd get there on time. Thankfully our taxi (once we found one) knew where to go--even knew that there were two offices and asked which one we wanted/what we were going for. Of course, we got there to wait and wait and wait.
As such, I got to learn about Israeli bureaucracy. All of the foreign students got to go to the misrad hapanim, we'll just call it the visa office.

We also discovered that the rules change regularly. Why are immigration/visa procedures so awful all around the world? How can we live in a world where people are treated so poorly. All around the world we are suspicious of each other in ways that are so often unnecessary. Where is the balance of security/liberty?

Once we finished that, it was too late to go to Hebrew class, so had lunch with a couple of my classmates who also got stuck in the office for awhile.

Almost forget, the other reason we're not in NY anymore: I went to the grocery store to buy paper towels. As I walk in, there is a sign that the 6packs of paper towels are 3 for 20NIS. When I tried to actually buy them, I needed to spend 100NIS, which I'd spent 99 already, so I got a pack of gum. The cashier took me over to another display where 2 6-packs were 20NIS. So I took her over to the giant display by the door. She examined it and said, but this expired yesterday--seeing print in size 12 font, as opposed to the sale signs and prices which were 150pt. In America, they would honor the price, since they still had the giant display up. This is NOT America. Here, even if it is a "super" store, they have different standards of what that means.

Now I'm just playing with my new toy and catching up on tv for a bit. Thanks to Apple!

week 1 brief

Week 1 was overall very positive. The classes are mostly excellent.
The Hebrew teacher is amazing. They should clone her and send her everywhere.
One caveat--not being fluent in Hebrew does not mean I am unfamiliar with rabbinic literature. Hopefully we will ratchet up the pace once the teachers know where we are and what we can do.

Shabbat was overall quite lovely. Friday night at Yakar (upstairs) was a little too sweaty for my taste, but I suppose I am at an age where I prefer to sit for at least part of the service. It was amusin to hear the connections between Avram and Barack Obama, Obama's "lekh lekha" to the American people is "Yes we can!" (I am generally amused when I hear English phrases amidst an otherwise entirely Hebrew conversation, speech or d'var torah.) One of my roommates made a fabulous dinner (as usual). Saturday morning was at Kol Haneshama, a progressive/reform synagogue off Emek Refiam. It is interesting how denominational labels are different in different parts of the world. The service could have been a liberal Conservative synagogue in America. They read the entire Torah reading for the week. They had a remembrance of Musaf. Overall, it was quite fascinating. I will definitely check it out again sometime.

I look forward to my second week of classes. I hope that I will get used to having class ALL day Sunday. That may be the biggest adjustment to make in this country--if you neglect the giant language and cultural barriers.

Lech-Lecha

This week we read Parshat Lech-Lecha.

We consider the mindset of Avraham Avinu, Abraham our father, when he was still Avram, before he had entered into a covenant with Gd.

וַיֹּאמֶר הי אֶל-אַבְרָם, לֶךְ-לְךָ מֵאַרְצְךָ וּמִמּוֹלַדְתְּךָ וּמִבֵּית אָבִיךָ, אֶל-הָאָרֶץ, אֲשֶׁר אַרְאֶךָּ.

NJPS translates: The Lord said to Abram, Go forth from your native land and from your father's house to the land that I will show you.
NJPS leaves out the second word, וּמִמּוֹלַדְתְּךָ, from the place you were born.

Once Abraham was separated from these influences, he was able to make totally independent decisions. Separated from his land, separated from his home, separated from his parents' influence, he could make decisions independent from their values. (A step like that was far more dramatic and drastic when there was no skype, cheap cell phone long distance, or internet!)

The story of Avraham makes me think of a classic Hasidic story. A young boy goes out into the wood regularly to daven, to pray, to worship Gd. His father is concerned about his son's tendency to do this. Living in Poland, he fears the depths of the woods, knowing that within them are creatures and people which might be very dangerous to a young boy. The father speaks to his son, saying you daven the tefillah from the siddur, yes? The boy responds, yes. The father says, so your words are the same inside the woods or out? The boy says again, yes, Father. The father says, so why do you need to risk your life to pray in the woods? The boy responds, because I am different in the woods.

We know that Avraham made different choirces after he left his homeland. He entered into a covenant with Gd, with the supreme ruler of the universe. Might he have been able to do that in his home? Perhaps, but it was certainly easier on the journey.

One of my quests this year is to discover how I am different on the journey. In the last few years I have left home three times, to go to college outside Boston, to enter JTS in NY, and now to be in Israel. When I return, it will be to create a new home, together with my lovely partner. Together we will strive to create a Jewish home. Is this any different from what Avraham did? The distances we travel are much farther, but the ties are much closer. I do not strive to break with my parents' values, but instead to raise my children with similar values. I travel across the world, but speak to my family as if they were around the corner.

In the Jonathan Sacks commentary this week, he wrote, "Three of the most famous denials of freedom were made by individuals from Jewish backgrounds who rejected Judaism. Unwittingly they provide the best commentary on the opening verse of today's sedra. Marx said that human is determined by economic factors such as the ownership of land. Therefore G-d said to Abraham: Leave your land. Spinoza said that conduct is driven by instincts given at birth. Therefore G-d said to Abraham: Leave your place of birth. Freud said that we are influenced by out relationship with our father. Therefore G-d said to Abraham: Leave your father's house."
He argues that Judaism is a religion of freedom, not in the conventional sense of doing whatever one desires, but through the framework of Jewish law, creating a culture of responsibility. He notes that we live in a culture that denies responsibility--which can be seen all the way back to two weeks ago when Cain denied responsibility towards his brother. Judaism forces us to confront our desire to evade responsibility, demanding that we confront ourselves and our behaviors.
Rabbi Sacks concludes:
"That is the deep meaning of the words Lech Lekha. Normally they are translated as, "Go, leave, travel." What they really mean is: journey [lekh] to yourself [lekha]. Leave behind all external influences that turn us into victims of circumstances beyond our control, and travel inward to the self. It is there - only there - that freedom is born, practised and sustained."
http://www.chiefrabbi.org/tt-index.html

It seems the journey is important. We must bend and stretch and perhaps break out ties with home to rediscover their importance and find their value. (I know I appreciated Atlanta far more after being in Boston than I ever did while living there!) Yet in the end, the journey may be far more about what is in our hearts than what is in our eyes and ears, our noses and mouths, upon our skin. We travel to discover the world, but in the end, do we discover our selves?

Our traditions implore us to regularly make this exploration. A few weeks ago we celebrate Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur by performing hesbhon ha-nefesh, an accounting of our soul, yet every day, if and when we recite the fixed liturgy, we are reminded to take account of what we do right and wrong. Once we know what is going on within our soul, we can find the freedom to be the best versions of ourselves that we strive to be, just like our father Avraham.

Orientation, BFL, Lech Lecha

Lech Lecha:

The other day I was walking to the post office the other day (either the day it was closed because it was the middle of the day and then the skies opened up and started pouring on my head, soaking me to the skin or the day that I was able to mail my letters, but could not purchase more stamps because they ran out of stamps at the post office. Yes, the post offices in Israel can run out stamps. They do not have postage ATMs in this country and it is impossible to buy stamps outside of a post office.)

On the way to the post office, I was thinking about Parshat Noach, the tower of Babel, and then I started thinking about the path I was walking.

I thought about the path of Abraham, about Gd commanding him to lekh lekha.
I wondered how I would feel if Gd gave me such a command. I wondered how I would feel if Gd gave me any command. How would I know if it was Gd commanding? How did Abraham (Avram, at the time), know that it was Gd commanding?

It seems to me that one way of knowing if we are on Gd's path is to look at the signs. If the signs seem to imply that you are making positive change for the world, it is probably Gd's path.

That's all the Torah for now.


Orientation:

• invited to make aliyah to Modiin by the very kind retiring mayor, who offered his number to help make the process easier
• invited to make aliyah to Kibbutz Hanaton (sp?), the Masorti kibbutz, which will Gdwilling be growing by quite a few families soon
• dug Israel--although didn't get a shirt--found lots of ancient clay fragments, including the bottom of a couple pots or lamps
• slightly jealous of the other group, which dug through a floor and found lots of cool things I can't describe here, since I don't want to mess up any Israeli archaeology Phd candidates

BFL:

• met lots of excited and interesting people
• visited Mt. Herzl and Begin Center
• both are amazing museums, which are multi-media, multi-sensory, multi-intelligence supporting
• had lots of interesting discussions and lectures on how to improve leadership
• had a very nice Shabbat with old and new friends
• went to 2 Shabbat Friday night services and 1 Shabbat morning services, where I attempted to listen to an incredibly long Hebrew dvar Torah about the different names of Gd in the story of Noah and how they are reflected in the Zohar. If I understood it, I think I would have been a lot more interesting, since I would really like to know how modern Orthodox Sephardim understand the different names of Gd, assuming they don't believe in biblical criticism.
  
• hope for a Shabbat nap next week

day 1/2

Day 1:
Long and hungry. The day began nicely with a pleasant davening at Robinson's arch. I'd never been before and it was nice to pray near the wall, the site of the Temple, with both men and women in Tefillin. From there, our first surprise was the lack of breakfast, and from there we had many long meetings in Hebrew. I think we were thoroughly oriented and discovered the plans for the year.

Day 2:
We began the day at a Tali School in Maalei Adumim. We went through a checkpoint and apparently crossed the green line. It seemed just like the rest of the borders of Jerusalem, which is how the Israelis seem to consider it. I understand that some see it as an expanding settlement, but it seems like the natural expansion of a crowded city (Jerusalem).

The morning was awesome! We sat in lines outside while the flag was raised and songs were sung. After that we had a musical tefillah, where the children saw young people with tefillin--both men and women, which is a great example and a great way to start dialogue and change in this country. After that, I went to music class with second graders who knew ALL the lyrics to ALL the songs. They could sight sing. They recognized notes. It was amazing. After that they had recess/lunch/Israeli dancing. Once I get my connection cable from New York, I'll post lots of fun pictures related to that.

A note on the Tefillah--it was interesting to learn a little baout the connections and disconnections of Tali and the Masorit movement. There were definitely some progressive elements in the religious education atthe school, yet the tefillah in the morning included the boys saying shelo asani isha, praying thanks that they were not made as women. For the silly statement of the day: it is interesting how Judaism is so similar and different around the world.

Shabbat and day 0

As tomorrow is day 1 of orientation, and it begins far too early in the morning, I'm going to write in bullets.

Bereshit

• not in THE beginning
• in A beginning
• or as NJPS says "When God began to create heaven and earth"
• as such, Gd could have created many iterations of Earth--see Anathem by Neal Stephenson for an interesting book on such a subject (http://www.amazon.com/Anathem-Neal-Stephenson/dp/0061474096 or http://www.nealstephenson.com/anathem/)
• seems appropriate that we begin orientation for a new program the day after we read about beginnings
• Question regarding Original Sin--which is not a remotely mainstream Jewish concept--if Gd created Adam and Eve without the capacity to know right or wrong, how could Gd punish them for making the "wrong" choice, for eating from the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. It would only be after eating the tree that they would have the capacity to make a rational choice. Seems like Gd set them up to eat from the tree. It would be pretty boring for Gd if they didn't eat. It would be like little Adam/Eve robots doing whatever they were programmed to do, interesting for 10 minutes, then kind of boring.
  
• tree of knowledge of good and evil--predestination before, free will afterwards?

Shabbat

• ok service at Shira Hadasha (http://shirahadasha.org.il/)
• it's currently meeting at hartman, in the beit midrash
• as i was soaked from the rain on the way over (suppose geshem worked), i stood through services, standing right next to a shelf with various sefarim, including talmud yerushalmi
• using british authorised siddur to daven, saw reference to talmud yerushalmi regarding the 29th psalm about the 7 kols (voices) of Gd in the psalm (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hebrew-Daily-Prayer-Jonathan-Sacks/dp/0007200919)
• attempted to look up reference, stymied since the yerushalmi was a different edition and paginated totally differently
• was told by gabbi that it was time for prayer, not gemara--looked blankly at him for a moment before understanding what he was reprimanding me for in hebrew
• amused, since i was trying to create a meaningful prayer experience for myself, thinking about a psalm which if i remember correctly from bible at Brandeis, is the oldest psalm and most likely originally a paen to Ba'al, so trying to discover how the rabbis imbued it with meaning would be a pretty good thing to be doing in a time of prayer :-P

Shabbat morning

• davened on my own in playground/park at end of 29th of Nov. street.
  
• also did a bit of yoga
• was excited to hear a gentleman calling his children up for "aliyot" while he leyned (read) the parsha (weekly Torah portion) from a tikkun (bible written in torah's columns with vowels and without to assist with preparing the Torah portion)
• what a great way to teach children!
• enjoyed my time alone, peace, quiet, Shabbat
  

Shabbat afternoon

• many guests and great conversation

Shavua Tov!

Chag and Chol Sameach

I am on the sermon list of my fiancee's rabbi from Long Island. I want to share a couple thoughts of his (along with my own take on his words) from this week's Yizkor. Italics are his.

While questioning the number of holidays in the month of Tishrei, he noticed that there is beauty in having the holidays so close together. That each holiday represents a season of our lives and that together, they force us to examine the course of our lives in just a few short weeks.

We read the Book of Ecclesiastes at this time of year. It was Kohelet who said that there is a time and purpose for every season. We know these words so well; they’re the basis of a popular song by Pete Seeger and one of the most frequently quoted passages in the Bible. In a few minutes, we’ll begin Yizkor with the words of Kohelet.

For everything there is a season and a time for every purpose under heaven:

A time to be born, and a time to die;

A time to plant, and a time to pluck up;

A time to kill, and a time to heal;

A time to break down and a time to build up;

A time to weep, and a time to laugh;

A time to mourn and a time to dance;

A time to cast stones away and a time to gather stones;

A time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

A time to seek and a time to lose;

A time to keep, and a time to cast away;

A time to rend and a time to sew;

A time to keep silent and a time to speak;

A time to love, and a time to hate;

A time of war and a time of peace.

If there is a time and season for all things, then Yamim Noraim is a season for experiencing life in all of its fullness.

The Season of our life begins with Rosh Hashanah. We say: Hayom harat olam, “today is the birthday of the world.” The Yamim Noraim begin with birth, creation and hope. The New Year brings great promise and many possibilities. We speak of renewal and change during this season because this holiday reminds us of the constant possibility of return and repentance.

Rosh Hashanah is a day when we prepare to begin again. We think about our past and plan for the future. We consider the present.

Rosh Hashanah is followed by Yom Kippur. For most children this is the holiday that epitomizes the beginning of adulthood. They know that they will be expected to fast on Yom Kippur when they reach the age of maturity. But on a deeper level they also understand that with adulthood there are consequences as well as new responsibilities.

As we grow older, Yom Kippur remind us of our mortality. This is the day on which we encounter death. We stop eating and drinking for 24 hours and engaging in the normal activities of life. We wonder whether or not we will be worthy of another year of life. Will we be given a chance to try again? Will God wipe our slate clean?

On Yom Kippur, we think about our past and we consider the goals of our life. We are reminded that having an end of life gives life an imperative. If we were to live forever, we could drift aimlessly, knowing that there is always tomorrow. On Yom Kippur, we are reminded that tomorow is not guaranteed. We recognize the fragility of our lives and question if we are doing right for ourselves and the world. As such, we plan for the future, knowing we have not been perfect, but knowing that we have the opportunity to make ourselves who we wish to be.

Yom Kippur gives way to the exuberance of Sukkot. Having entered adulthood and encountered our mortality, what do we do? We build a Sukkah. Even though this dwelling is temporary and fragile (like our lives) we rejoice in the presence of God. We give thanks for life’s everyday blessings. Sukkot is all about the journey. Like our ancestors who journeyed through the wilderness for forty years on their way to the Promised Land, we now are ready to embark on our own life journey. We do so fully aware that life is fragile, uncertain, and unpredictable. Still there are small pleasures to be found in the common place and the everyday. Unlike Passover and Shavuot, Sukkot is not about ‘great miracles’ and ‘wondrous events’ but the everyday pleasures and the joy of simply making the journey. Forty years represent the years between maturity and old age.

We consider the present

And then Shemini Atzeret arrives. This holiday reminds us that winter is coming and that the rain is about to begin. This holiday is a reminder of old age. Maybe that’s why some people read Ecclesiastes on this particular day. We have made the journey from birth and childhood, to maturity and adulthood, and now into old age. Like Kohelet we find ourselves asking: Is that all there is? What is life all about? What does a person gain through all the toil in which he engages? Life passes in the blink of an eye and we find ourselves spending more time visiting the doctors than engaging in life’s pleasures. Is it any wonder that we recite Yizkor on this particular day?

But Shemini Atzeret is not meant to be a somber or a hopeless day. Even in old age there is reason to rejoice! We celebrate it with intimacy: the sages compared this day to the final celebration in which the king asks his best friend to stay on after all the other guests have left. It’s the day on which we make peace with ourselves and stop striving to conquer the world.

Shemini Atzeret gives way to Simchat Torah, the day on which we mark the completion of the Torah and its beginning. We read about the death and burial of Moses but we also chant, “In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth...” Life is more than just a beginning and an end; there is a constant cycle of renewal and rebirth. With each loss comes a new life. There is something comforting in knowing that others will pick up where we have left off; that the cycle of life will continue even if we’re not here to participate in it.

Sometimes it’s hard to see this cycle. We are so caught up in the present that we do not see ourselves as part of something larger and more enduring. The death of a loved one leaves us lonely and hurt. Every loss seems like an injustice. Who said that life came with guarantees? That is really Kohelet’s message: there are seasons for all things in life, whether we like it or not. Some are pleasant and some are not so pleasant. Old age and illness are as much a part of life as birth and love. To have faith is to recognize that God is as present in one set of experiences as He is in the other. By celebrating the entire cycle of life in just three weeks we remind ourselves that there is more to life than the present moment; that we never journey alone.

In other news, delivered my sister to Har Nof yesterday. That was following a driving trip to idigital outside Tel Aviv, in Ramat Alon. I rented a car from Jerusalem, drove across the country and managed to drive safely among many people who do not choose to drive in such a way. It seems that speed limits, traffic lights, traffic regulations, and signs are all optional in this country. In short, made it across the country safely, navigated a traffic jam on the 1 and the craziness of Jerusalem AND returned the car before the close of business.

Har Nof is an attractive suburb of Jerusalem. According to wikipedia:
"The overwhelming majority of the residents of Har Nof are Orthodox Jewish or Haredi. Many are recent olim. The neighborhood has a large community of English-speaking olim, including a small group of Bostoner Hasidim, as well as notable French-speaking and Spanish-speaking communities. There are also communities of both Ger and Vizhnitz Hasidim, as well many Sephardi and Mizrahi Jews. The former Sefardic chief rabbi and leader of the Shas party, Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, lives in Har Nof. Spiritual leaders of the Ashkenazi Haredi community who reside in Har Nof are the Bostoner Rebbe, Grand Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Horowitz, Rabbi Moishe Sternbuch of the Edah HaChareidis, and Rabbi Yitzchak Mordechai Rubin of Kehillas Bnei Torah" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Har_Nof

I am amused to find out the Bostoner Hasidim are there, since they were the ones that did the kashrut at Brandeis (in my understanding). I also love that there is a group of Hasidim called the Bostoner Hasidim. I know they are in Boston and I know that the other group is in Har Nof.
It was fascinating to drive around the neighborhood and see Meah Sharim has expanded.

Speaking of Meah Sharim, I went there today and got some books for school.

I think I will probably edit this again later. I've been trying to get photos on facebook and shutterfly but neither have been really cooperating. Israeli internet is not like TimeWarner--which really isn't saying much.

did i mention?

I think I got distracted discussing the church and forgot to mention davening at the Kotel. I heard the Torah reading in the afternoon, reminding me that we are about to finish the Torah.

It is exciting to know that we are about to being the Torah cycle again. How amazing is it that every year we get the opportunity to begin anew? We just had Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur where we hoped for and felt that we received atonement for our sins. After that we are now amidst the holiday of Sukkot, where we are commanded to rejoice. We are forced into highs and lows of emotions in a very short period of time, forcing ourselves to consider our lives and look forward to the future. We think about what we could have been and plan for a better future.

In that vein, today I picked up my phone at Schechter. It was a nice walk up the hill to Schechter. It is a pretty decent sized hill. I've heard it was a mountain, which it seems like, depending on one's perspective. Overall, not a bad walk.

I also visited Meah Shearim, except it and Geulah were closed--or at least all the book stores in those neighborhoods were closed. Only in Israel would people take a vacation at a semi-logical vacation time, neglecting the fact that there are tons of tourists would love to buy stuff and sefarim from them!

Also today: managed to fill out paperwork for health insurance, picked up kosher Burger King, bought a couple books for school, took a nap, watched West Wing, tried Schnitzi's (also yummy) and now more West Wing. Oh happy day.

The most important happiness of today is the 25th birthday of my love! Happy Birthday!!! I love you.

Shabbat and WEST WING!!!

This is going to be a good year. One of the roommates got the entire series of West Wing as an anniversary present. We will be watching it over the course of the year-or the next month.

Shabbat was lovely. Haven't yet made it to Israeli shuls or minyanim, but had lovely dinner in a classmates sukkah--and then a nice lunch at the CY sukkah. Haven't seen the Fuchsberg Center since it was under construction and it is beautiful.

After re-meeting some of my classmates, walked to the Old City and the Kotel. If I do it tomorrow, I might have to go every day, good thing that isn't the real defintion of hazakah! While I'm not sure that the Church of the Holy Sepulchre has more kedushah than anywhere else in Jerusalem, it is clearly a moving and powerful place. As we were about to walk in, we were instructed to step aside, as there was a procession of priests, including what seemed to be the Patriarch, which one, I'm not sure, but he looked very impressive.

According to the Jewish Virtual library:
http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Archaeology/church.html
"Since the Crusades, the precincts and fabric of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher have come into the possession of three major denominations: the Greek Orthodox, the Armenian Orthodox and the (Latin) Roman Catholic. Other communities - the Egyptian Coptic Orthodox, the Ethiopian Orthodox and the Syrian Orthodox - also possess certain rights and small properties in or about the building. The rights and privileges of all of these communities are protected by the Status Quo of the Holy Places (1852), as guaranteed in Article LXII of the Treaty of Berlin (1878)."

A kind AJU classmate pointed out a later that has remained in place under a window since 1852, because of this treaty. While it seems farfetched, it is pretty cool, nonetheless. Did they have metal ladders in 1852?

What kind of world do we live in where a ladder has to remain in place for 156 years?

I greatly admire the fact that a truce has been called and prevents people from fighting, but would the truce be dissolved if the ladder would be removed? Would it be a slippery slope?

Funny, it seems that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is heading towards a similar solution. The governments seems to be trying to do the same. I suppose we'll find out if that's a good plan, although it seems to have somewhat worked for the church.

Of course, the church also has a leaking roof and backed-up sewage issues, since they cannot agree on who must pay for the repairs.

Who would pay for repairs of Israeli infrastructure if they do a status quo treaty?

Betzelem Elokim. If we all believe in Gd? Why can't we all believe in that?

day 0

Flying El-Al was an adventure. I enjoyed a pleasantly smooth flight with a very upset 18-month-old behind me. I think he was crying for approximately 85-90% of the flight. He also was simultaneously kicking my seat. The parents either didn't care or made just as much noise "attempting" to calm him down--mainly--"you take him," "no, you take him." There was no walking him around the plane, no attempt to see if his ears were hurting or if had other pain, just complaints back and forth between the parents about whose responsibility it wasn't to take care of the poor child.

All in all, I discovered new reserves of patience (as well as abilities to complain and discuss poor parenting with the lovely Baltimorian woman next to me). I somehow managed to sleep for a good portion of the flight, but it was still not enough. I know this is true, since my sister came by to visit twice and I was only awake for one visit, or so she tells me.

After some more adventures with luggage, I succeeded in getting some Israeli money and finding my sister's rabbi, who kindly drove us to Jerusalem.

After a burger at the burger bar, time to retire for the night.

Tomorrow will require shopping for electrical adaptors, pillows, food, and Israeli soap.


Since this blog is called itorah, perhaps a little Torah is called for.

As Rabbi Mark Greenspan of Oceanside Jewish Center spoke the first days of Sukkot, a sukkah is a fragile structure,, much like our faith. It is something that must continually be rebuilt as our assumptions our challenged. Sometimes we have to step outside of it altogether when the weather gets too rough. In the end though, we must return and rebuild anew, strengthening the walls, and adding a new roof each year.

The sukkah is truly a beautiful metaphor for faith. As someone who regularly struggles with faith and doubt, continually striving to make the leap, I see the beauty in Sukkot. Throughout the regional community in biblical times, people built huts during the harvest to keep an eye on their crops and to allow them to work from sunrise to sundown. Jews are commanded to remain in their Sukkot, to build their Sukkot, immediately after the logical time, after the harvest, when every one else was taking down their dwelling places. In this way, they demonstrated their faith in Gd, who truly provides all. The act of building a Sukkah is a supreme act of faith--especially in places outside of Israel, where the weather is even more unpredictable--Sukkot at Brandeis was almost always a chilly (and often wet) experience--yet year after year, we keep building Sukkot, even if we are sometimes cold and wet. This persistance is also beautiful.

For me, faith is not something that has occured over night. It is a process. One I strive to continue daily. It waivers, it falls, it fails, but hopefully I continue to build it up again.

For me, this is one of the beautiful aspects of chaplaincy work. Working with people in times of crisis, we get to help rebuild their sukkot, or help them feel the rain and decided whether to go inside. What a wonderful opportunity.

ps I saw Grey's Anatomy last week and was quite impressed by Meredith's psychologist in the elevator, telling her that she still had work to do and it was not about being happy in such a difficult world, but recognizing and appreciating the difficulties of the world, and still living in it.

The journey begins. . .

Today I left my summer digs and went to my fiance's parents for the start of Sukkot. In honor of the year (7 months) I will spend in Israel, I am creating the blog to share Torah-thoughts and other thoughts I find interesting over the year.

Will this be a daily writing practice? A written meditation? A weekly parshanut discussion? Will I join Rashi or Rambam or Rashbam in the annals of history and Jewish texts? Do I have any such ambitions?

Will I reflect on theology or my theology? Gillman? Tucker? Kaplan? Heschel?

I honestly do not know.

For know, I am trying not to begin missing my friends and loved ones before I even leave.

The last few weeks have been like slowly pulling a bandaid off. This Wednesday night, the last remnants will be removed. Will it be a sudden sting or a slower tearing of my heart?

We shall find out.

For now, a holiday when I am commanded to be happy, in a Sukkah I helped build, with my sister and my fiance and her parents. It should be lovely.

I am excited and terrified, terrified and excited. My enthusiasm is currently in hiding, but I hope to bring it out soon. I think that is exactly how I should be.