End of a Journey

I've been home about five or six days now and let me tell you, I've missed a few things from my everyday American life. My room, my bed, my friends and teachers - but there's definitely something missing. Being home isn't like Tzuba - I can't hop over a balcony or two to hangout with some of my closest friends right next door. I can't do my homework in the Belmont lobby overlooking the Judean Hills (instead I overlook my neighbors' backyard). I can't share the same inside jokes or have the same conversations like the ones I had the privilege of sharing with eighty one other teens from across the country. I no longer live in the Jewish homeland that for years I used to adore from afar.
My heart is in the East,
And I am in the utmost West.
It has been a spectacular four months of growth, understanding, jokes, and connections. I've made some stupid mistakes that I've done my best to learn from but I've also made memories from places, people, and experiences I would have never had the opportunity to make if it hadn't been for EIE. I have recognized who I am as a person and as a Jew and I could not be more thankful for the friends - no, the family that I have made and that has helped me along this journey. I just hope I could've helped them in return. I want to express my dearest thanks to all the teachers who kept me on track with mh studies and opened my eyes to new things, both related and unrelated to Judaism alike. Your knowledge is unmeasurable and your teaching abilities really kept me interested for all four months. To all of the staff - I know eighty two teens are not easy to handle (hell, I know I can't even handle myself sometimes). But you all did everything in your power to make sure we were having fun and staying safe. You truly made the spring semester unforgettable and I know each and every one of us chanichim are indebted to you greatly.
People change over time. It's a given fact. Whether it be in a matter of seconds or a few decades - well that depends on their place and their surrounding people. I changed in Israel - I became a new person molded by my Jewish faith and my supportive peers. I lived the culture of Israel and felt the pride of a nation coursing through my veins.  Four months later, I find myself as a "new Jew" (to use some Jewish History context), shaped by my Israel experience and my journey in the Jewish homeland. I personally believe that a similar change has happened in all eighty two of us and will continue to happen to those yet to come on this EIE adventure.
עלו וראיתם את הארץ מה הוא ואת העם הישב עליה
Go up and see the land and the people who dwell upon it.
Go - I dare you - and you will come back as a person stronger, smarter, and happier than before.
VIVA AVIV 2011 - Long live the spring that changed our lives.

Crunch Time

School's out for summer here at Tzuba. We have many taking their AP Exams, studying for finals in the next few days, finishing papers and sending them in. It's weird to think we'll all be done with school here, but it's weirder to think of the plane ride home. Four months has flown by like no other. I have experienced the many different sides of Israel while being here and I will forever look at this state in a different but supportive way. In a land ridden with conflict, there is so much to learn and experience - the people you can converse with at a Yom Ha'atzmaut dance party in Jerusalem, the food you can try in a neighboring Arab village, the sights you can see as you weave your way through the Judean Hills with your destination set at the always-lively city of Tel Aviv, a symbol of old and new alike. If there's one thing I've learned in all my months of Jewish History (took that final yesterday), it's the Jews' concept of "collective memory." Nothing goes forgotten in Jewish history. From the beginning when Abraham began to wander Canaan all the way to the current time period, our collective memory has shaped the Jewish people and the state of Israel into what we are today. It reminds us of what Jews have been through and how we have survived for thousands of years against many different adversaries to finally posses our own Jewish state and be proud of our Jewish identities. After my EIE experience, I am more than proud of my Jewish identity. I am extremely filled with a sense of responsibility and even a sense of strength to be a Jew. These past four months have been life changing at the least. I'm very happy I got to share my experiences through this blog, but every person on this trip has many more experiences and I'm sure they would love to share.
Just to update you about what we have done the past few weeks:
- School
- the Yoms: Yom HaShoah, the Holocaust day of remembrance in Israel, where we listened to the two-minute-long siren and relived memories from Poland. One week later, it was Yom Hazikaron, the day of remembrance of the fallen soldiers in the IDF. The night before the Yom, we travelled to the Kotel for the national ceremony in honor of these fallen soldiers. There, we heard the President of Israel, Shimon Perez, speak about how many years ago, at the site we were standing on, the paratroopers of the IDF landed and successfully taken over Jerusalem during the Six Day War of 1967. He spoke of their determination and the courage they possessed, just as the fallen soldiers we remember had been the same. After a bone-chilling, emotional singing of Hatikva, we returned back to Tzuba. The next day, in our Jewish History classes, we visited the kibbutz's cemetery, where members of the Israeli independence group palmach were buried, along with two fallen Golani soldiers that grew up on Tzuba. Each year, the kibbutz holds a ceremony for these two soldiers, filled with music and kind words about them. This day was as quiet as the coming night would be loud. In Israel, there is a major transition at the end of Yom Hazikaron into Yom Ha'atzmaut, the day of Israel's independence. We attended (and danced in) Tzuba's transition ceremony, but then were surprised with a special treat - we were going to Ben Yehuda Street in Jerusalem for the night to have some fun. Dressed up in blue and white everything, we paraded through the flooded street of Israelis to a dance party not too far away. It was definitely one of my most memorable experiences, seeing everyone transition from mourning to intense joy and just having a ton of fun. It made me feel right at home with Israeli culture; now I really understood the importance of a Jewish homeland and that it needs to be celebrated each year.
As things start winding down on Tzuba, we're frantically working to make it the best ending a semester like this can have. We have groups working on designing t-shirts, sweatshirts, sweatpants, and more, while other groups are working on skits for the final banquet or putting together a yearbook for us to relive our memories in. More to come in my last blog post, but again, thank you all for reading. I'm glad I could share my stories with all of you and I'll have much more to tell when I get back...but that's not for another week or so - don't rush me.

The "Spring Break" Experience - Gadna, Pesach, Yam l'Yam

Sorry for the late post; there’s been a lot going on since we got back from our two-week vacation (I’m not sure you could call it a ‘vacation,’ but it was definitely a story-filled two weeks). Since we left Tzuba, what feels like years ago, us EIErs have been all over – from the army base of G’oara, all the way down south to Eilat, and all the way up north atop Mount Meron. As we traveled, we grew closer together, as we ran after our mifakdot in the fields, relaxed on the beach, and hiked across the country.

First on our list of excursions came Gadna. Here, we spent a week learning the ways of the army – the hierarchy of commanders, the tactics necessary in the battlefield, as well as the mechanics of how to fire a M16. When we reached G’oara, we were split into our specific tzevetim; little groups that we would have to work with for the entire week. Each tzevet had a mifakedet, or commander, that would order us to run, clean, and stand in formation. Everything we did was determined by the mifakedet, and if we talked in formation or fidgeted in place, we were ordered to do push ups. Just another classic week in the army, of course. I really enjoyed this experience for two main reasons. First off, before we left, we had just begun to learn about the aliyot to Israel and the establishment of a Jewish state in Israel in 1948. At the time of independence, five or so Arab armies had prepared themselves to invade Israel, so the Israeli defense movements had to put aside their differences to form Tzahal, literally “the army for the defense of Israel.” To spend a week in that same army more than sixty years later really hit me – the importance to defend this state was not just to defend Israel, but more to defend the Jewish state of Israel. That statement made me proud to get just a taste of what has kept this state alive for more than half a century. The other aspect of the army that I really enjoyed was the importance of teamwork. As we learned in our tzevet, the members of your group are more than just teammates; they’re your siblings. If one of our members doesn’t finish the task at hand, then you all haven’t completed it. Everyone has to care for each other and there are no exceptions. As the week went on, each one of the members of my tzevet, myself included, began to come closer with eachother. We all joked and relaxed when we could, but when it came time to act serious, we worked together like clockwork, determined to finish the task to its fullest ability with every member doing what they could. By the final night, each tzevet had become a tightly knit group of hard-working soldiers. Gadna was an experience that definitely jogged my mind with the question of returning to Israel at a later age and joining the army for real. At this point in time, who knows? Anything could happen in the next few years to change my mind either in favor or not.

After a long, hard week of army training, it was time to relax. We dragged our bags onto the buses and boarded, all looking forward to the six-hour nap on the way to Eilat. Sure enough, we awoke, groggy, to the sight of the Eilat Mountains on our right and the Red Sea on our left. We rushed off the buses into the Youth Hostel, desperate for a good shower and a nice bed. As our madrichim told us, the next few days were solely for relaxation. We spent hours on the beach, soaking up the sun, swimming in the sea, or snorkeling with the fishes. We wandered the boardwalk, shopping for t-shirts and bracelets, drinking icees the entire way. After a restful Shabbat, we packed up again and drove not too far away to a local Bedouin tent. Here, we devoured a typical Bedouin meal, equipped with delicious tea before and after. We did some desert stargazing, but most importantly (in my opinion), we had the full Bedouin camel experience. Now, camels are not the nicest of animals, but they sure are fun to ride around atop. I can see why people have been doing it for centuries. After spending our night in the Bedouin tent, Pesach had come around (regardless, we had been eating matzah for a few days now). Most of us EIErs piled onto the buses, headed for their host homes, but I was lucky enough to get picked up by my family. It was nice to spend a few days in the beautiful city of Tel Aviv, especially with my family. To Mom, Dad, and Samantha – thanks so much for coming out to visit. It was really nice to spend time with the ones that I love in the land that I love. I’ll see you guys in a month or so, but until then, don’t rent out my room to any strangers.

After the two-day hiatus from EIE, we all gathered at specific stops where we picked up by our buses and driven north to the edge of the Kineret, a.k.a. the Sea of Galilee. Here, we were broken up into three different groups, assigned to different nature guides. This was the start of our four-day excursion across the country from sea to sea – Yam l’Yam. We began by wading in a river that led to the Kineret, slipping over some stones and plunging accidentally into the water. At the end of our hike, I was the one chosen to be responsible for a bottle of Kineret water that we would ‘release’ into the Mediterranean Sea at the other end of the trip. After this water hike, we grabbed clean clothes from the buses, got back on, and drove to our campsite for the night. Here, we split up into tents of our choice, moved our sleeping bags into them, and then went to go prepare and eat dinner. A typical dinner on a Yam l’Yam night would consist of a vegetable soup mixture and then a meat course (unless you’re vegetarian) with the same usual side dishes of Israeli salad or pickles. Lunch meals were usually more fun on this trip mostly because we got to cook them. During the first night, our nature guides gave us backpacks and supplies that we would need throughout the course of the trip for cooking during the day. Fully equipped with our gas burners, our pots and kettles, our rice, and our matzah, we were able to make delicious, hearty meals for each lunch. We continued our hiking – first up Mount Meron, but as the weather began to turn against us, we took our bus to another campsite decently westward on our trail. There, we spent the evening enjoying a beautiful sunset over the Med Sea as well as some ‘nature appreciating’ before the rains began to pour down. The next morning, as all mornings went on Yam l’Yam, we woke up sore and uncomfortable but yet continued to hike. We trudged through a river or two until we reached the peak of Mont Fort, a German crusader tower that overlooked all the hills surrounding it. As we climbed back down the mount, Shabbat was just on its way in, so we hurried back to the campsite to enjoy services and an oncoming day of rest. Saturday we walked back down into the valley surrounding the mount but this time, we paid a visit to a quiet spring, where we ate lunch and swam for a relaxing few hours. We returned to the campsite not long before dinner and not short after did we pass out in our tents. The next day was, in my opinion, the most fun and probably the easiest. Our nature guides presented us all with mountain bikes, and we were all prepared to coast easily downhill towards the Mediterranean Sea and to the beach waiting for us. In what seemed like no time, all eighty-one of us were standing on the beach, swimming and splashing, some making sand castles, most just sunbathing. I triumphantly took my Kineret bottle and dumped it into the sea, feeling a new sense of accomplishment.

But the fun doesn’t stop there. To make things even better, EIE had decided to let us stay 2^nd chag (end of Pesach) in Haifa. Now, to anyone who is reading this regardless if you have been to Israel or not, you must go to Haifa. It is hands down the most beautiful city I have ever experienced. After spending the night in the Mount Karmel Youth Hostel, we piled back onto the buses (man, gotta love those buses) and took a trip to the Bahai Temple. We stood at the top of the gardens looking down at the temple, the city, and the mountains surrounding the greater Haifa area. It was probably one of the most breathtaking sights I’ve ever seen. Afterwards, we wandered around the German colony at the base of the Bahai Gardens, where we found some good food and some better ice cream. We then got back on the buses, returned to the youth hostel, packed up, and went home – to Tzuba, of course. We received our new rooms and roommates (currently I have the pleasure of rooming with Ben from Cali, Noah from Cali, and Dean from Haifa), moved in, and passed out as soon as possible, not ready to wake up for school the next day.

As most of you loyal readers know, this month marks the last one in the EIE Spring 2011 experience. So far, I have no regrets. I don’t regret deciding to come to Israel for a semester; I don’t regret making any of the friends that I’ve made; I don’t regret any of the places I’ve been, the things that I’ve done, the sights that I’ve seen, or especially the foods that I’ve tried. This experience has been life changing – I’ve definitely matured into a new, better person and I’m one hundred percent sure I could say the same about every member of this EIE class. But I’m not gonna say anything just yet; wait about four more weeks.

מסע לפולין - Poland Pilgrimage

Describing the journey I have just taken as an experience would definitely be an understatement. EIE's Pilgrimage to Poland has been an emotional roller-coaster, with the exhilarating turns; the high points of European Jewry and the flourishing Jewish families of Polish society; all countered by the loop-de-loops and sharp, sudden drops of Nazi regime, failed Jewish rebellion, and the mass graves of Tikochin, Maidaneck, and Auschwitz-Birkenau. I was left speechless, breathless, numb - stunned by every sight and fact as I walked among the places where Jews faced discrimination, extermination, and hatred; a hatred I hope to never witness ever again for the rest of my days.
Our trip was based on two concepts - life and death. We witnessed and discussed the remnants of Polish Jewry: the synagogues of Krakow and Kazimierz, the Jewish quarter of the magical Lublin, and the memorial walk dedicated to Jews of the Warsaw ghetto who fought against the Nazi murderers, determined to continue their Judaism regardless of anything their opposers said. We learned of the Iberleben; the forms of resistance Jews used to fight the Nazis literally and figuratively. To think something so trivial and usual as remembering your name could be so powerful against those that forced you to lack a persona and an identity - this thought hit me the hardest. The inhumanity of the Nazis to treat not only Jews but also Poles, Soviets, gypsies, and infirm as animals; as someone or something subhuman - it didn't seem real before.
But it became real. It was real. It was like something out of this world. Something I could never imagine - a group treating another as nothing.
Our visits to Maidaneck and Auschwitz will forever be burnt in my mind as horrible factory-like camps that killed millions and millions of Jews and others through the vile, sick, nightmare ways of random executions and gas chambers. To sit in front of the collected ashes where victims of these terrible places were dumped, not buried, after their improper sped-up cremations angered me to the point of numbness.
I want to share one thought that came to me as I departed Birkenau, fists clenched but body numb. As I made my way past the train tracks, I remembered how thousands of Jews went through the selection process in the exact spot I stood. There, SS officers decided who shall "live" and work for the time being and who shall be immediately stripped of their clothes and belongings, sent to the gas chambers and turned into piles of ashes. I was reminded of a quote from the Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services that we say each year: "On Rosh Hashanah [the Book of Life] is written, on Yom Kippur it is sealed." This of course refers to God, but where was such a god at a time like the Shoah? What gave the Nazis the right or the power to decide the fate of millions and millions of people? How come for those victims, it was written as they boarded the trains from Hungary, Poland, and Austria, while it was sealed as they were herded into the gas chambers, as if they were animals?
Why does something so terrible as this happen?
How does this even become a possibility in society?
How can someone be treated as nothing, as a worthless piece of flesh?
How! Why!
Questions continue to run my mind ragged. At this point, my strongest answers come from what I've witnessed. I will never forget what I have seen on this pilgrimage and I will make sure to keep the lives of the six million who perished forever in my heart and in my mind. This can never happen again. I insist that every single Jew of ability visit Poland to witness the horror and to ensure that it will never, ever happen again, but more importantly to make sure that we never forget this horrid event.
לזכור ולא לשכוח
To remember and not to forget.

Hey, Dad

(sorry for not being so up to date, a lot goes on here and I can’t always find the time to blog)

Another week on Tzuba has come and gone and I am very grateful for the needed Shabbat sleep. A few regular days, two tiyulim, long nights of working on my papers for Regional Board elections, and a very special guest – quite the weekend to describe, but I’ll give it a shot.

First, the tiyulim. This week we started to learn about Jewish oral law, how it came to be, and how it slowly became written down in works like the Mishnah and the Talmud after being memorized for years by the Tana’im (those whose role was solely to memorize what the rabbis and sages would discuss in the Sanhedrin and in other beitim midrashim.) As we travelled up north to Beit Sha’arim, we learned about how the Sanhedrin moved from Yavne up north to here and its nasi – its leader – Rabbi Yehudah haNasi. Rabbi Yehudah is most well known for his big transition from oral law to the written Mishnah, after he compiled many different arguments and even put some of his own opinions in to create Halachah – what is known as Jewish law. At Beit Sha’arim, we explored the tomb caves where many had been buried and the coffins they had been buried in. These coffins differed in their artistic designs – some had kosher art, consisting of just geometric shapes, but others were definitely unkosher, picturing animals and humans. This became a looming question to our tiyul – why the transition to unkosher art? After Beit Sha’arim, we travelled to Sakhne, a spring that always stays 28 degrees Celcius – possibly the most beautiful site we’ve visited so far. There, we swam and had a gourmet pizza lunch which was definitely a step up from kibbutz food. As lunch came to a close, we changed out of our swim suits and piled on to our buses, headed for Beit Alfa, home of a famous ancient synagogue with an unusually detailed mosaic floor. We took a good, detailed look of what the floor had depicted – the lower third showing the binding of Isaac, the middle third depicting a zodiac with the Greek god Helios in the middle, and the top third depicting the Beit Mikdash surrounded by menorahs and shofars. Hang on – Greek god? Zodiac? That’s gotta be considered unkosher art. We then exited the synagogue and had a very long discussion concerning the Halachah mentioned in the Mishnah about unkosher art and the new limits the rabbis of this time period had established for the Jews. I found it very interesting to see the transition from no unkosher art at all to some unkosher art being allowed in places such as burial sites and synagogues. This definitely symbolized some sort of assimilation for Jews living in the time period of the Mishnah.

Our other tiyul was an experience not many would be able to have. After learning about the beginning of Islam and the 5 basic pillars of this religion, we traveled to En Rafa, home of a nearby mosque where we had the pleasure of interviewing an imam – the leader of prayer at the mosque, just like a rabbi at a synagogue or a priest at a church. It was interesting to discuss the five pillars of Islam and their importance as well as the questions we asked about the relationships between Islam, Judaism, and Christianity and the relationship between Islam and terrorism. Although I wish we had more time to have these questions answered in greater depth, the experience at the mosque was definitely thought provoking – it made me question why the conflict of religions was so violent and arrogant when we have overlapping histories and prophets. Not only did this tiyul feed my mind with questions, but also my stomach – we travelled to Abu Ghosh and gulped down possibly the best lunch I’ve had yet: hummus, pita, falafel, and the necessary veggies that came with it (if you’ve never been to Abu Ghosh, it is definitely the best hummus you will ever experience).

However, this past week had one big difference – Dad was here since Tuesday. Perfect timing too – we were just making the transition from Mishnah to Talmud, something my dad specializes in teaching. On Wednesday morning, I had the pleasure of listening to my own father teach my friends and I about the Talmud Yerushalmi and the Talmud Bavli, both which contain much commentary and have much importance when it comes to Halacha and living Jewish-ly at that time period and for years to come. It was definitely different to be taught by my own dad, but hey, now I can grade his students’ papers ‘cause I’ve got some experience in the class!

After a few days of good meals (Dad took me out each night for dinner…a huge plus – I hate kibbutz food), a father-son Shabbat seemed very appropriate for this visit. Friday night we travelled to Modi’in, a city to the west of Tzuba (also where the Hasmoneans first started their rebellion, later on known as the Hanukkah story – heard of it?). There we met up with my dad’s friend, Natan, and walked from his apartment to shul. After an all-Hebrew service came dinner, delicious as always, followed by a sit down song/jam session with Natan and his daughter Noam. I love being able to play a guitar in Israel – not only do the people who listen to you know the tune and/or the words to “Jewish” songs you can play, but every now and then a Katy Perry or Oasis song can get them to sing along too, especially the Israelis.

Saturday was a different story. After finally finishing up my NFTY Elections video (running for WFMVP of NFTY NAR for the upcoming year…elections are on Sunday!), Dad and I threw on our sneaks and hopped in the car headed for Tel Aviv. One long nap later, we were parked right off of Dizengoff, one of Tel Aviv’s most famous streets for shopping and especially for food. (Fun Fact: Israelis actually have a verb for wandering down Dizengoff Street, להזדנגף). We got lunch at a nearby café and then continued to wander aimlessly through Tel Aviv. Most, if not all stores were closed – another thing I love about Israel: on Shabbat, it’s as if the entire country shuts down for a day; nothing’s open, nobody works – it’s peaceful and beautiful. Dad and I took a nice walk along the beach and port area, browsing in a few shops and listening for the glimpses of English in sea of Hebrew speakers. As the sun set, we wandered back towards Dizengoff, grabbed some good Italian food for dinner, then drove back to the Kibbutz. Quite the relaxing weekend and boy did it feel nice to finally take a break from a regular kibbutz Shabbat. I really hope I can go back to Tel Aviv soon, hopefully with all my friends here.

Other than that, all’s good as usual. General Studies are studying and we’re all having loads of fun. Parents just showed up today, so I’m hoping to get adopted for the week by a nice Jewish family. Oh, and on a more personal note – Dad, thanks so much for coming out just to visit me. It really means a lot and I’m glad I got to see you before the other parents came to visit. I love you to death and I’ll see you in April!

And to all you other readers – hope you’re enjoying this blog; it’s a lot of work to keep up to date but I think it’s pretty worth it.

Just Another Week on Tzuba

שבת שלום, חברים. Nothing too interesting going on.
We had a few tiyulim this week - one to the caves used in the Bar Kochva revolt, the second big revolt in Jewish history during the time of Roman rule. Our guide, Yael (also our teacher for Tuesdays since Yair is taking classes) told us about the different tactics the rebels used in fighting against Roman soldiers and finally their defeat, as they were smoked out of the caves and massacred in 135 CE. Comparing this with the Great Revolt of 66-70 CE, it was clear to me that the Jewish people of the Second Temple era did not like Roman rule or influence one bit. But how come the stories of revolts weren't told for generations to come? This was a major class discussion - in order to prevent further bloodshed, stories of revolts and rebellions were suppressed and other stories of miracles (like Hanukkah) and other God-like occasions were brought up to support the faith in the Jewish religion. The revolt stories only really came out during the Zionist era to back the idea that the Jews deserved their own state and that they should fight for it until they reach their ultimate goal, just like those fighting in the revolts of many centuries before. (Really glad we talked about this - not only was it interesting, but it was relevant for my JHist essay on the latest exam)
The other tiyul was to En Kerem, in the Christian quarter of Jerusalem. There we talked about the beginning of Christianity - the birth of Jesus, his relationship with John the Baptist (En Kerem was John's birthplace), Jesus's disciples and the spread of Christianity throughout the Roman Empire. We also touched on the various values of Christianity and how it relates or differs from Judaism. When we discussed the "withered stump" theory and the witness theory, I was sort of angered at the view Christianity had put on the Jews. To call Judaism the "withered branches" of the tree of Christianity didn't seem fair. I hate discussing hatred between religions - we all have some common lineage, we all recognize this lineage, but yet still feel the need to express our animosity just because our views don't exactly coincide with eachother. It bothers me a lot at times, but don't get me wrong, I love to learn about other religions and their values no matter how different they are from mine.
Other than these two tiyulim, it's been a pretty regular week. We had our second JHist test - this one on the Second Temple period - which I think went pretty well but we'll see how things go. Hebrew is getting better; I'm starting to understand words and phrases a lot quicker than before. GStudies are going fine - I now have to do Chemistry labs and a separate Trig class on Friday mornings, but I'm not complaining. All is well, feeling a lot better, hoping to do Havdalah atop Tel Tzuba tonight. Much more to come soon.

The Desert at its Finest

Woaaaaah best weekend in a long time and I’m not going to recover from sleep deprivation.

The past few days, the point of interest has been in the desert – Masada and the Dead Sea, to be precise. We’ve been doing a lot of Second Temple studying in JHist the past week or so, and we just went through the חורבן – the destruction during the Great Revolt of 66-73 CE. (Yeah I’m getting good at this JHist thing). Our first point of interest, Masada, had everything to do with this revolt and the Roman period that we have been talking about for days on end. First off, the fortress of Masada was originally King Herod’s winter palace before it was later on the home field for the rebellious Zealots, who defended with all their might until the year 73. But before I even get into atop Masada, climbing up it was an experience of its own.

Before we went on this extravaganza, my teacher Yair who is also in charge of leading services asked me if I wanted to lead services atop Masada. However, I knew I couldn’t just lead it a capella, so I made probably a terrible decision worth the wonderful memory it would lead to be – I agreed to carry my guitar, heavyweight case and all, up the winding path to the top of the fortress and lead services literally five or so minutes after sunrise. Terrible idea for my physical state, but emotionally I was completely and entirely satisfied. At risk of sounding incredibly cheesy, I really felt a connection with the world, even with God as the sunlight shone on my back and into the eyes and faces of my fellow students. (Keep in mind this was also a little before 6 AM after waking up a little before 4). After services and convincing my madrichim to let my guitar take the cable car down, the classes split up and we toured the Roman palace/rebel fortress. Although I’ve been atop Masada before, to go through in real detail and be able to picture the Romans in their bath houses and the Zealots in their sanctuary really got to me and made me think about the importance for standing up for what you believe in even when it comes to be that someone is oppressing you for your beliefs.

After the climb back down, we piled on to the bus and travelled to a beach on the Dead Sea where we quickly changed into our bathing suits, ready to chill out and float in the desert weather. DSol (David Solomon, our assistant principle) bought us all mud to smear on our bodies – definitely a huge part of the experience and I’m very happy with my “baby bottom smooth” skin. Being in the Dead Sea with all of us as a kehilah – a community – it really finally sank in to my brain: that I’m in Israel, that I’m with 80 other kids in Israel, that I’m traveling Israel, that I’m learning Israel – that I’m becoming Israel. Quite the statement to think about.

We then drove to the Ein Gedi youth hostel (we stayed at the Masada one the night before) and relaxed and cleaned up for Shabbat. I tried to go to bed earlier because I was waking up early to Skype with NFTY Convention in Dallas, Texas, but I didn’t do too well. (To all NFTY-ites, NFTY NAR in particular: it was nice to somewhat hear your shouts and I can’t wait to see you when I get home!) Once again I was up for the sunrise, more beautiful and breathtaking each day. After Shacharit and lunch, most of the kids (myself included) packed up for our Ein Gedi hike – a hike I’ve enjoyed every time I’ve gone. In my eyes, Ein Gedi is the epitome of paradise in a land that can be filled at times with such hatred and war. We only got to swim for a minute or so once we reached the waterfall but it was definitely worth it. After what seemed like the longest and best weekend ever, we piled back on the bus, returned to Tzuba, and were given new roommates – I’m now rooming with Ben from Vegas, Sam from San Fran, and Ariel from outside Tel Aviv. Really looking forward to the next week, feeling a little sick but slowly flooding myself with fluids. All’s well and will be for a long time. 

Much Going On

Been a week or so, right?
A LOT of stuff going on here at Tzuba. Last weekend was a closed Shabbat so I had a fun time with all the kids at the bomb shelter as well as on Saturday relaxing. We also had the opportunity to go observe the Yartzeit of Avi Schaefer, an incredible individual and the brother of my roommate Noah. The legacy Avi left behind really made a huge impact on me and my friends. To see a person who was so determined for peace and understanding, stating that "an enemy is someone who's story you haven't heard yet," really inspired me to work for something I believe so strongly in. His legacy shall be remembered for ages to come. (Side note - donations to the Avi Schaefer Fund are really appreciated in support of his dream for Israeli-Palestinian peace)

This week has been pretty uneventful - a few 100's on tests (including JHist...wooh!) and regular classes. Today we had a tiyul to the Israel Museum where we talked about the Second Temple and the people living around it - the different sects of Judaism that came to be because of conflicting views during Roman rule. Although I found this very interesting, my mind is set on the weekend. After we pack up our rooms (sad note - gonna miss my roommates), we're going to be off to Masada and the Dead Sea for the weekend, taking notes and (hopefully) enjoying warmer weather in the desert. Not only are we going to be there, but I have been chosen to be one of the three EIE participants to speak at NFTY Convention this weekend (of course, this means I get to wake up at 3:30 in the morning in order to call at the right time, but I consider that worth it). Much much MUCH more to come after this very eventful weekend, I'm very very excited.

Cave After Cave

Two tiyulim in the past two days - one to Sattaf, the ancient agricultural terraces of the Judean Hills, and the other to Ir David, the ancient remains of City of David, dating back to around 1000 BCE.

And rock after rock, cave after cave, I'm learning more and more about the lineage and customs of the biblical Israelite people.

This being my third visit to Sattaf (twice beforehand for tzedaka projects), I figured there was nothing new for me to see - just the same old terraces and crops with the same old nof - view - as before. Lucky for me I was proven wrong in a matter of minutes. After a hike down the terraces, our JHist class sat around in the rocky, muddy ground and opened up our Tanachim to the Nevi'im portions. As we toured the ancient agricultural ground, I learned more and more about the new developing culture as the Israelites conquered various tribes in the land and slowly but surely became farmers. They developed new words for their harvesting of the 7 species (names escape me at this time; I should definitely study that...) and began finding concrete water sources for their crops - which leads me to the title of this post. As we finished our tiyul, we climbed down more and more levels of terraces to a giant cave with a pool at its mouth. One by one we filed our way into the cave, sloshing our way through the minor stream in the middle of it. (I forgot to bring a flashlight so I not only sloshed my way but tripped over a few rocks in the process.) When we reached the end of the path, Yair (our teacher) told us to be very quiet and to listen for the drops of water coming from a spring nearby. I found it really interesting how ancient Israelite farmers were able to harness this water to irrigate their crops with the technology they had thousands of years ago. It's always so interesting to walk where our - my, rather - ancestors have walked. However, this was only a half day tiyul - we were home just in time for General Studies (which is going swimmingly by the way).

Today we had our first full day tiyul to Ir David - the ancient city where King David ruled over the Israelite people as a nation. But instead of just learning about David, we learned about Samuel and his role in first crowning Saul as king of Israel and then later in anointing David. Also, we debated how when the Tanach was written (during the era of David) if the writers made it so that the stories were against Saul and in favor of the reign of David as well as if a king of Israel was appropriate in the eyes of God. I find the biblical criticism aspect of JHist probably the most interesting because I like to see where I stand in comparison to the ideas of those that had studied long before my time. At the beginning of our tiyul, we arrived at something like a walkway with a beautiful view of the Dome of the Rock, the Kotel, and the rest of the old city off in the distance, although visibility isn't always so clear at this time of season. We studied, debated, read from the Tanach, and took notes for what seemed longer than it actually was before we returned to our buses and drove a short distance to the Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem. After scoping out some falafel and tchinah for lunch and running into a few home friends, our group gathered in the square and continued out towards the actual concrete place that David first conquered as his city. We sat among the ancient ruins and observed the remains of what seemed to be a house of a wealthy person during the time of David - possibly part of David's own palace. Yair explained to my class that Jerusalem was not a city that fit the "4 D's" principles very well - it did not make any Dollars/wasn't on a trade route, it's Diet was poor/agriculture was very unlikely on the slope of the city, it's Defense was futile; there were hills taller than it, and it's Drink, or water source, was nowhere to be seen. So why Jerusalem? (The day-long question.) For its historical and religious importance as well as its placement among the 12 tribes in order to unite them all under a common leader. I must say although Jerusalem did not look promising in the 4 D's, David made a great decision of placement for his capital.

As I mentioned before, Yair pointed out to us that the water source was nowhere to be found - of course, we had to go underground to find it; yet another cavernous experience on my list of tiyulim. As we worked our way down the staircases into the tunnel, Yair explained that this water tunnel dated back to Canaanite times, before the Jebusites had conquered the city from them and way before David succeeded in conquering the Jebusites. As we got towards the end of one tunnel, there came a split into two different tunnels - one that was dark and dry, one that looked lit up by lights and was flooded with water. As much as I wanted to enter the wet tunnel, I was told it was way too cold for me to go in that water and come out comfortable on the other side. Disappointed but understanding, I along with the rest of our class worked my way through the other tight-fitting tunnel and made it out to the other side in once piece.

Exhausted and hungry, we all piled our way back on to the bus home to Tzuba - I took a lengthy nap the minute my head hit the back of my bus seat. Need to make sure I'm sleeping enough here. All is well, classes are fine, Hebrew's still difficult, missing some home-cooked meals. The only downside to Tzuba is the chadar ochel food - not my favorite, but the margolit always has something good. Masada/Dead Sea coming up in the next week or so, get exited for that post. יופי תופי!

A Day in the Life

For all those who asked about it, here's a typical daily schedule on EIE Aviv 2011
7:00 - Wake up
7:30 - Breakfast
8:30 - Jewish History
11:30 - a short break in between classes
11:45 - Hebrew
1:10 - Lunch (this is when 1st period starts for other people who don't have lunch now)
2:10 - Spanish
3:10 - Math
4:10 - World History
5:10 - English (but only on Sundays and Thursdays, thankfully)
6:10 - Chemistry
7:00 - Dinner
7:30 - Group Meeting (there are two separate buses on EIE. I'm in Bus 1, aka Negev)
8:00 til 10:30 or 11:00 - Hanging out/doing homework/Facebook-ing/Skype-ing
11:00 - Rooms In
11:30 - Laila Tov

And that's only on days we don't have tiyulim. Two more of those coming up this week, look for the posts very soon.

It's Been...

One week since landing b'eretz yisrael. No real news at this time, just a lot of JHist, Hebrew, and GStudies.  Tzuba's starting to get a little boring, although I've been finding new places to walk around and I've met a few people my age and even younger throughout my nomadic sessions.

Hebrew started a few days ago and I'm proud to say that I'm in level three out of five, I think. My morah's - teacher's - name is Ella, and although I'm somewhat moving in the class, she constantly tells me to stay at her level, being one of two guys in the class. It's actually really interesting - Hebrew verbs are much different from Spanish verbs conjugation-wise, and I've only barely finished the present and the infinitive. Remembering the definitions isn't as easy though.

A couple days ago we had our first tiyul, or field trip, to Tel Gezer - a polytheistic Canaanite society built upon a hill at least 3000 years old. While we were there, we took notes and observed the structure of the city and it's layout along with the very old pieces of stone that used to be the casemate walls, city gate, and watchtower. The question my JHist teacher, Yair, kept constantly asking us was 'Why didn't Abraham settle here?' At first I was mildly confused. The city had what we call in our class the 4 D's - Drink, Defense, Dollars, and Diet. It had a water supply, defense from attackers because of its position on the hill, a perfect position on various trade routes, and a field not too far off from the hill where many crops could've been grown. Also, artifacts with inscriptions of what look to be like ancient Hebrew have been found on the Tel, showing the society valued education and that the people were smart enough to document multiple things of importance including their calendar. So why didn't Abraham settle there? Easy - it was polytheistic. Abraham already came from a polytheistic culture in Mesopotamia, and if he was to settle in a polytheistic land, he would be dealing with the same culture he originally came from. I completely agree with Abraham's decision to keep moving throughout Canaan considering the agreement he had made with God to become the father of nations he would soon be. However, I also found it interesting how the people of Gezer had a 'high place' (literally the highest point on the Tel) to their gods, filled with monoliths and a sacrificial altar if need came to be that a person would have to make a human sacrifice, another value that Abraham was against. The ancient architecture and history intrigued me greatly and I can't wait for the next tiyul - it's nice to get off the kibbutz every once in a while.

All is going well otherwise. No pictures uploaded yet; I can't seem to find my connector cable for my camera. That's another thing I'm really good at - forgetting where I've put everything. I'm still discovering necessities I forgot I needed in my already unpacked luggage. More to come after this weekend probably, but for now, shabbat shalom v'shavua tov.

Shavua Tov

Shabbat in Israel is definitely different than any experience I've had at camp, home, or NFTY. After leading a solid Friday night service for my peers (originally I wasn't too fond of this idea - leading the first weekend - but it went pretty well overall), we continued on to dinner and afterwards an oneg shabbat program - girls versus boys in a battle of the wits, Jeopardy-type game show. Mad fun to bond with the guys but of course, we lost in the end. Here's where the real fun kicks in. Apparently, what the kibbutznicks (the ones our age at least) do for fun mostly every Friday night is throw a dance party in their unused bomb shelter. Our madrichim - counselors - set a strict curfew for us and then led us to what was probably one of the best DJ'ed parties I've experienced. Sure, Israeli's dance a little differently and even more appropriately than us Americans, but the music was very similar to what you would hear if you turned on the radio any given day. As curfew hit, we ran back to our rooms, still all full of adrenaline after a great party, and hit the beds for a late night laila tov.

Saturday morning comes around and I'm the first to wake up in my room. Yoni, who sleeps next to me, is probably the lightest sleeper of us all but continuously wants more and more shut eye. So keeping our noise output to a minimum, Noah (who had woken up by then) and I ran out the door, up the hill to the kibbutz's market to buy a spontaneous breakfast of Nutella flavored cereal and Coca Cola (other than that I've been trying to eat healthy). Then came services, a little bit of free time, then the trip to none other than the holy city itself, Jerusalem. We all piled on and off the buses as we visited the Kotel (Western/Wailing/"wishing" wall) which became an emotional experience for me as I wrote my prayer and actually prayed with the hundreds of other Jews at what could be considered the holiest site for all of our faith. I realized that the one or two times I've visited the Kotel I've been with my family, or more specifically my dad on the men's side. To be away from my family at the place I've visited only with them was eye opening - it made me feel more responsible for myself and even more like an adult. Almost like a transformation. I'm still slowly realizing I'm in Israel and not home in New York but those few moments were a big step in this experience.

After our few minutes at the Kotel, we traveled to Ben Yehuda street where much buying of Israeli t-shirts, Moshiko's schwarma, and even more Coca Cola - it tastes better out of America. An hour or so passed and we boarded the bus back home to Tzuba where I quickly led a Havdalah service and went off to bed.

Today was a first real school day - painful is one way to describe it. Three hours of Jewish History followed by an hour or so of Hebrew, lunch, and then General Studies from 2 to 7 in the evening. Not a large amount of homework and the teachers are really understanding but it's definitely a new transition. Much more to come soon, probably sometime later this week.

Shabbat Shalom b'Tzuba

About three or so days ago I arrived here at Kibbutz Tzuba, 'nestled in the Judean Hills' in Israel. What has been only three days has seemed like a lifetime. To think that eighty one kids, myself included, would be spending the next four months here, learning about the land, culture, and people of Israel while continuing our regular studies at the same time - let's just say if you presented this idea to me at the start of high school,  I would have shaken it out of the picture by the time you could say "Bum didi bum bum bum." (more to come on that later) Now, being here after many long hours of nagging teachers for syllabi and completing the application process, I can say that this is truly an incredible experience. To wake up each morning and look out of my mirpeset (balcony) to see the sunrise - on clear days - over the hills seems unreal. The freedom that we kids are given to roam around the kibbutz and explore and discover; unreal as well. Don't get me wrong, I do miss my chilly, frozen over town in New York, but I'd give anything to make sure that these four months don't go as fast as they seem they could.

Although the internet is shoddy and the weather is a tad chilly (60 degrees - some of you would do anything for a number this high on your outside thermometer), we're still out and about doing everything we can. These past few days have flown by, and I've gotten to spend a great amount of time with my three roommates, Noah, Jason, and Yoni. After two days of painstakingly slow orientation, we received our Jewish History teachers as well as our General Studies teachers and finally started classes. Just the other day, we had a tzedaka trip, and the group I was assigned to was taken by bus to Saffat - the ancient agricultural structures of Jerusalem - to help rebuild what our ancestors had made many years ago. Not only did I find it interesting to continue such a different method of planting and harvesting, but the experience of building with those in my group was a great bonding experience, and I'm looking forward to more of these hopefully in the near future.

Today is Shabbat, so right now everyone's doing a bit of cleaning while I'm busy writing. Earlier today we went on a bus ride forty minutes south to ancient caves from the Bar Kochva Rebellion era (or even later - not sure) where we participated in an archeological dig. Although my roommates and I completely bashed this idea, saying that the leaders of the excavation put pieces of pots and coins back so that everyone can find something new, I have to say I definitely had fun. It was really interesting to see the ancient burial ways as well as the methods those living in the caves or the houses about them used to defend themselves from attacking Roman soldiers. I'm getting used to learning about all this history - apparently there's a lot more to come in the four months ahead of me. You'll definitely hear from me again.