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. Yesterday, 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.

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!

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!

wow! This is amazing.

JPost.com » Special Reports » Confronting Hamas » Article

Jan 13, 2009 23:39 | Updated Jan 14, 2009 18:43 http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1231866576219&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

'Are human rights for some, but not for others?'

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF

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.

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.

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).