Yay!!! I Just Finished My Sequential Class!!!

Woooooo hoooooooo!!!

Today was the last day of my sequential class. This is the class that I have to take with a tutor to stay current with my Physics class back in Tuk-Town (Tukwila, WA). Today I took my final exam, and I think that I did pretty well. This is a great day beacause now I have my last week in Israel without Physics to worry about. Life is swell.

However, It just donned on me that I have a week left until I leave. I am going to be very sad to leave Israel. I love this country very much. My heart is attached to this land, and that bond has only strengthened since I have been here. I hope that I will be back soon. Maybe I'll do a semester or year of college at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.

Though I am sad to leave I am also excited fr a number of things. Here is a list:

Graduation
College (I got into the University of Washington)
Helping my brother with his Bar Mitzvah
helping my synagogue continue to grow (awesome things are happening like a new twenties group and a great updated website)
I am excited to get involved in Jewish/Israel groups in college
I want to start studying more Jewish history and reading books about Israel
I am thinking about subscribing to an Israeli newspaper so that I can keep up on current events while I am in the states
And I have a good size list of books to read

I don't plan on letting the great foundation that this program has given me go to waste. I do not want the drive that I have right now to go unused. So I want to find more events and organizations to get involved with.

So those are my feelings right now. I am sad and excited. But mostly I am thankful for the amazing experiences that I have had and the great friendships that I have made. Life is wonderful. Thank you to all those who contributed to my experience whether it was financial support, an email, a farewell before I left, a thought, or a prayer. You are all wonderful.

Shalom

1st Day of Holocaust Study

Starting on Tuesday March 6th we had 3 days designated for studying the Holocaust. We took a break from the events happening in Palestine just before the establishment of the State of Israel in order to understand probably the most devestating event in Jewish history. These days were to be ones filled with Holocaust history, stories, and aftermath. They were not the happiest days because we were on such a tragic subject. However, it is sometimes nessecary to understand depression before one can realize joy. So we plunged into the events of World War II that brought about the death of millions of people.

So on the morning of March 6th we went to the bet knesset (Synagogue) on campus to hear a man speak about his experiences during the Holocaust. This man's name was Noach Klieger. He is a survovor of Auschwitz, and he is largely alive due to a chance he took at the beginning of his experience. There was a group of boxers that were chosen to be entertainment if I remember correctly. Noach quickly decided to say he was a boxer in order to possibly save his life. So through a miracle he was not found out and other boxers helped him learn and get by. He was also very humorous. It was apparent that he had much life in him. This made me very happy because I could see how he looked more to the future than being sad for the past.

Later that day we had a class period where we talked more about the Holocaust. Then at around 4:00 PM we were able to choose between two movies about WWII to watch. I chose to watch a movie called "Swing Kids." It was about a group of teenaagers in Nazi Germany who were really into swing music. However, this was not allowed because people were expected to be German nationalists who listened to German music not Louis Armstrong and Benny Goodman. There was also a Hitler youth movement that many were expected to join. The organization was kind of like a patrol force who found people who were unfaithful to the Nazi ideals and reported them. Some of the swing kids got pulled into this but said they would remain faithful swing kids at night. However, some gave up on oppossing the Nazis. The story was mainly about one kid's journey through all of this. He wanted to remain faithful to being a swing kid because he saw that the Nazis had horrible ideas.

After dinner we had another class in which we read some diary entries from people who experienced the Holocaust. We went around the room reading the entries in almost complete silence. After reading all we were supposed to pick one to write a response to. I really liked this activity because it allowed us to connect to a more personal side of the history of the Holocaust. The theme was spiritual resistance. We talked about the personal ways that people revolted. Some people wrote diaries. While others collected artifacts for future generations to know what happened. Others didn't tighten bolts all of the way when working in factories as a small way of rebelling abainst the Nazis.

This was day one of Holocaust study.

More to come

Shabbat Shalom

Back in Jerusalem Then Crazy on Purim

So this last weekend I spent in Jerusalem again. However, this time I was being hosted by a friend from home (thanks Des). It was great to be able to see someone from the synagogue back in Tuk-Town (Tukwila, WA). I had a great weekend and got some much needed relaxation. So allow me to relate to you the details of my Shabbat (Sabbath) experience.

So on Friday afternoon at about 1:00 pm a few of us who were going to Jerusalem were sent off in a taxi/bus with a madrich (counselor) to accompany us. Whenever people go to Jerusalem they take a taxi together so that the cost can be split. The ride lasted around 2 hours I think. We had to drop off two people on the way at a moshav (This is a type of community unique to Israel. You will have to look it up for detailed info.) that they were going to be staying at. The ride was nice and it felt good to be entering Jerusalem right before Shabbat. Whenever I go into Jerusalem I feel very good. The hills of the area make it look so picturesque, and when the sun is setting and reflecting off of the city I feel a strong passion for this land. Once we get to Jerusalem they drop us off at the King David Hotel, and then we can be picked up there or take a taxi to our host's residence.

Once at the hotel I took a taxi to my friend Desiree's apartment. I was very happy to finally see a familiar face. We spent the night talking about what she had been doing in Israel for almost the last year. We ate dinner, and I played with her son. It was cool to see how almost a year in Israel affected a kid. He seemed to be very comfortable in a foreign country. However, for some people Israel is more home than where they came from. The food was great. The conversation was wonderul. All in all it was a spectacular Erev Shabbat (Sabbath evening). That night I went to bed a happy person knowing that for a month I had been in Israel doing what I love, and that night I was in Jerusalem. What could be better than Jerusalem on Shabbat.

In the morning we got ready and went to the synagogue that she has been going to recently. I was really excited because I have been getting better at following the services here as I have gone to more and more. I also have learned much about how a service is run by going to different Orthodox synagogues. So it is also an educational experience. When it came time for the Torah service (part of service were Torah scrolls are taken out and read from) one of the men asked me to be the one to take the two Torah scrolls out of the ark (closet were they are kept)(It is not just a normal closet, it's fancy, but I can't think of a better way to describe it.). I was very excited to do this but I couldn't really understand the man that asked me because I don't speak Hebrew. So the man next to me translated. In the end I did it right more or less. After service we went back to her apartment and all took naps after lunch.

After our relaxing naps (and relaxing they were) we went for a walk. We walked up Mt. Herzl towards Yad Vashem (famous holocaust museum) and went for a walk in the forested area around the museum. The area is beautiful, and the hills of Jerusalem make the whole stroll amazingly awesome. After realizing that we were walking to far to make it back before it got to dark we turned around. However, we still returned when it was dark (this means it was officially Purim. Yay!!!!!). So we did havdalah (ceremony for the end of Shabbat), and then I got into a cab to head back to the King David Hotel. I met up with my friends and the counselor who was with us. Then we all rode in the same taxi/bus from Friday back to Hod Hasharon.

Back in the Hod we had to hurry to get our costumes on for Purim then go to the synagogue for a Megillah (scroll of Esther) reading. I was dressed up as a ninja (I know!!! Pretty darn awesome right?). At the synagogue we heard the reading, and then the dance party started. There was a DJ, strobelights, and crazy costumes. Some of my friends were dressed up as Spiderman, Power Rangers, and "random guy in a poncho." The dance was fun. It went on for a couple hours, and we had a great time. That night I slept well.

In the morning we got up and prepared for the parade that we were going to go see. When we got to the parade I saw crazy costumes all over the place. It was really cool to see so many people dressed up for Purim. I didn't watch much of the Parade because it was crowded, and I couldn't really see. So after walking around with some friends for a while we found the rest of the group and sat in a little grassy area for the rest of the time.

Fast forward to the Hod.

Back home we hung out until dinner that evening where we ate with all of the Muss groups on campus. The feast was exquisite (not really, but it was good). Then I went into town with my friends to put together a mishloach minot (It is custom on Purim to give gifts to each other. This is usually done in the form of baskets filled with candy, food, and sometimes little toys. This gift is called a mishloach minot.). We were assigned different people from the group to give a mishloach minot to. So I put together a fancy array of candy for my person. That night at check in we exchanged gifts. I was guite satisfied with what I recieved, and I think that my gift was well recieved.

Well that is the end of my Shabbat/Purim story. I hope you enjoyed it.

Shalom

Yoshi's Blog...The Lost Days: Part I

I have apperantly (I hope that is spelled right) become very relaxed in my blogging. So I will now give an overview of the big events that you have all missed out on.

The Sunday before last (that is the 18th of the month of February) we went to some caves that are known as the Bar-Kochba caves. Bar-Kochba was a man in Judea after the fall of the second Temple and Jerusalem. He led the second revolt against the Romans in the years 132 ce until 135 ce. Bar-Kochba was also supported by a man named Rabbi Akiva who believed that Bar-Kochba was the messiah. While the revolt was successful at first it came to an end once the Romans got serious. Well, the Bar-Kochba soldiers used many caves and tunnels when fighting against the Romans. These are the caves that we were in. Also, after the revolt ended the Romans executed 10 leading rabbis as a way of showing the end of Jewish leadership. Rabbi Akiva was among those. These rabbis were executed in an amphitheatre. There are two amphitheatres that people believe one of which was the very amphitheatre where this event took place. So we started out the day at a cave and then went to the Amphitheatre in Bet Guvrin. At the amphitheatre we talked about the revolt and our own Jewish identity. Topics like: "Would we have fought?" Our teacher was talking to us about how Judaism needs to mean something to each of us or there is no point to it. If we are only being Jewish because that is how we were born then we don't have a great reason to be Jewish. After this we had lunch and went to the other caves. There was one which we were led into and then had to find our way out without using the entrance. This was quite the adventure, and I had a great time. After this cave we went to another in which there were candles in cubby holes on the walls. We sat around and talked about the bonds that we had created up til that point. Then we sang a song and got ready to leave. After changing clothes on the side of the road we boarded the bus and left.

If my memory serves me correctly the next day (Monday the 19th) was labled "The Class From Hell!!!" It was correctly named. I loved this day but we went through much history in a short amount of time. We started at the end of the Bar-Kochba Revolt and ended at the Spanish Expulsion in 1492 ( I could give you all an overview of this span of over 1000 years but I think that you all can read up on that somewhere else as I enjoy having movement in my fingers after I get off the computer (If that did not make any of you laugh it was intended to be slightly funny. Bad attempt...I know.)

So the next day was the day that I had been waiting for, Tzfat day. However, we first stopped at a fortress called Belvoir to learn more about The Crusader Period. At Belvoir we first talked a little about The Crusader Period, and then we stormed the fortress as if we were the invading Muslims conquering the Christians. This activity showed us the multiple barriers that one would have to overcome in order to invade Belvoir. Once inside we talked about how The Crusader Period might relate to modern Israel. We went over some of the reasons for the fall of the Crusader rule. Not that we were comparing the Crusaders to Israel but there are reasons why the Crusaders fell that possibly pertain to Israel's survival. The biggest one was that the Crusaders lost support from Europe. So we went in a circle and talked about the support of American Jewry. Also, we each had to say whether we would help Israel in a time of great need or not and why. The made up situation was that we just got into the college of our choice and war broke out in Israel. Israel then calls upon Jews to come to Israel to not necessarily fight but help in anyway possible. I personally feel that I would defer enrollment for a year and go to Israel. However, if I could not defer enrollement I think that I would say "Thanks but I going to Israel." This is because the survival of Israel is more important to me than going to college right after high school.

In Tzfat we talked about Kabbalah. Our normal teacher couldn't go with us as she has a baby but we had another Muss teacher who was great for our Tzfat trip. First we sat down on some steps on a nice copplestone walkway. The whole area was very picturesque. Out teacher talked about the beginnings of Kabbalah and how it began to really flourish in Tzfat in the 1500's. The big rabbi's of that time in Tzfat were The Ari (Kabbalistic leader), Yosef Caro (wrote a compialation of Jewish law called The Shulchan Aruch), and Moshe Cordavero(He was a deisciple of The Ari I think.) ALso ther is a song that is sung before Shabbat (Sabbath) called Lecha Dodi. This was wrote by a man named Shlomo HaLevi Alkabetz. We talked about these people and what they did. Also we went to two synagogues. One was Yosef Caro's synagagogue, and the other was The Ari's. Then we went to an awesome candle factory called The Safed Candle Factory. They make amazing candles. Tzfat happens to be a very artistic place and rightfully so because of its spiritual abstractness. So then we walked around the Artist's quarter and had time to shop. I had a good time looking around.

After we assembled again we went to a cemetary in Tzfat were The Ari, Caro, Cordavero, and Alkabetz are buried. The cemetary is on a hill so we were walking down the hill as the sun was setting. At the bottom, in the dark, we saw the graves of teenagers who were taken hotage ina school in Israel while sleeping over during a school hike. Many of these kids were murdered by a terrorist. They were buriend in Tzfat. We talked about their story and then left for Afulla. In Afulla (this funny word is a city) we had DOTS (dinner on the streets). When we do this we each recieve 30 shekels from our madrichim (counselors) for dinner. I had a falafel and a yogurt. Then we went home.

This has been Yoshi's Blog...The Lost Days: Part I.

Stayed tuned as I am getting tired of typing and will update more after Shabbat.

Shabbat Shalom

Singing and Dancing in Jerusalem...Seriously!!!

So the Shabbat (Sabbath) before the last we spent in Jerusalem. The bus departed from campus at about 2:00 in the afternoon on Friday. We had ahead of us a great adventure. When we arrived in Jerusalem (about an hour later) we got situated in our hotel rooms, and we got dressed and ready for Shabbat. Our hotel was called Lev Yerushalayim (the heart of Jerusalem), and it is by the Ben Yehuda and King George street intersection (for those of you who understand this area of the hood). When sunset approached we all gathered in the lobby to light Shabbat candles and leave for the Kotel (Western Wall). Our walk was a nice one as the sun slowly began to set. On our way we even heard the siren that sounds in the city warning of the arrival of Shabbat.

As we entered the old city Jewish quarter things slowed down significantly as many people were gathering to the Wall and having to go through security. By the time that we got to the wall the sun had set and We could see Jerusalem in its golden beauty. As lights hit the stones they shine. There were men dancing and singing on the men's side and even a group of guys and one of girls dancing and singing on the Kotel plaza. The men of our group went to the mens side, and many joined a group of men who were dancing and singing in a circle as they went through evening prayers that coincide with Shabbat. We were very excited and were dancing, jumping, and singing out loud. This was a very wonderful experience. It felt so good to be with so many Jews dancing and singing in front of the Kotel as everyone was so happy for Shabbat and each other's company. This went on for a while and then we had to leave. That night after Shabbat dinner in the hotel we played some games in the basement which became our meeting room (floor -5). Also, David, the same teacher who went to Masada with us, told us some stories. One was from Shlomo Carlebach, and it was called Yosela the Mizer. This is one of my favorite stories. Then we heard one called Moshela the Ganav which is about a disciple of the Baal Shem Tov (founder of Chassidic movement in 1700's). This was also great. Another fun activity was acting out fairytales with a Jewish twist to them. My team was Moshele and the three chasidim. Moshele tried the big, small, and just right tefillin. This activity proved to be hilarious. I narrated my teams story and recieved many comments.

The next day some stayed at the hotel while others went to a synagogue nearby that uses the melodies of Shlomo Carlebach (famous sing rabbi from the second half of the 20th century). I went to the service of course and it was quite awesome. There were great tunes for the prayers and at more than one point there was dancing. The men just grabbed each other's shoulders and began to dance around the room. At one point I was jumping up and down and the guy behind me grabbed me and threw me up high. This happened more than once and was awesome. We had a great time. After the service ended we walked back to the hotel and had lunch. When lunch ceased to be the activity of the moment (ended) we went to our basement lair to hear another story. This story was one of greater relevance to modern times. David, our teacher for this tiyul (trip), was in the Israeli Defense Forces during the Six Day War. He was among those who were at the Kotel when it was liberated. His story was amazing, and he told us that there is no feeling of emotion in the world that could compare with that day. I could only imagine how beautiful those tears were.

After this a small group of us went with our madrich (male counselor) and the guard to walk on the rampart walls of the old city. This walk was only on a small section of the walls. We could see into the desert near the Dead Sea because it was such a clear day. Back at the hotel we had a small seudot shlishot (third meal of Shabbat) and relaxed until havdalah. After havdalah we put our things on the bus and walked around Ben-Yehuda street (famous shopping area in Jerusalem) for a while. While doing this I bought myself a hand drum which is exceedingly awesome. Then we descended from from the amazing experience of Shabbat to the still amazing life in Hod Hasharon. Life is great. What more can I say.

Please Forgive My Literary Tardiness

I have been busy in the last week and have been taking advantage of some oppurtunities for fun. However, this has led my faithful readers to be "out of the loop" (Wow!!! I have a loop.). Do not worry though for I am about to update you all to the best extent that my memory will serve me. So sit back with a cup of something nice or a falafel (wait, that's just me.) and enjoy the new blogs.

What about the Dead Sea!!!!!

On my last post I forgot to mention that after Masada we went to the Dead Sea. Because of all the minerals nothing can live in this body of water. Hence, Dead Sea. However, these minerals serves other fun purposes. Everybody floats in the Dead Sea. Also, there is a special mud on the shores that one can use to cover their body. It is a good skin treatment. There is also a company called Ahava that uses the minerals to make lotion, bath salts, and other cream type products for people's skin.

So we floated, and I covered myself in mud. It was quite the awesome experience. After this we went home. Now today we are getting ready to leave for Jerusalem. We are going to stay in a hotel and spend Shabbat (Sabbath) in the holy city.

Walking The Great Revolt

On Tuesday morning we left campus for another two day tiyul. First we went to Jerusalem to learn more about what was happening in Jerusalem during the Roman period. We talked about Herod the Great and his accomplishments in architecture but failings in other areas. Situations such as how he was very protective of his throne to the point that he killed his wife and some of his sons thinking that they were wanting to usurp his power. We talked about how the Jewish people had become seperated into at least 4 main groups. These were the Parisees, Saducees, Essenes, and Zealots. Our lessons were mostly for the purpose of learning what led to The Great Revolt. This is the revolt that led to the destruction of the 2nd Temple, the 2nd exile, and the destruction of Jerusalem. Our Rabbis say that the reason that the 2nd Temple was destroyed was because of causeless hatred. The Jewish people were so divided that they fought against each other. Supposedly the 3rd Temple will be rebuilt through causeless love.

On Tuesday we started out at the Israel Museum, and we looked at the 2nd Temple model. This was a great way to learn the layout of Jerusalem during the 2nd Temple times. From there we went to the old city and talked about the 2nd Temple times more at some sites. We saw the southern steps that used to lead to the Temple. Also, we saw some other archeological sites that have allowed us to understand that period better. One of the coolest things was the Herodian House. This is an archeological dig that uncovered a house in the upper city. It is thought that this house belonged to a Sadducee. The house is set up kinda like a museum. It is under the current cobblestone streets of the Jewish quarter. We walked through it and saw how the upper class lived in Jerusalem. After this we had time to walk around the Jewish Quarter.

All of this helped me to understand how Judaism became divided and led to the destruction of Jerusalem. We left Jerusalem for the Dead Sea area. That night we stayed in a youth hostile by the Dead Sea. Our rooms had great views of the water and the Joradanian Mts. on the other side.

We woke up at 3:30 am and left at about 4:30 am. We were headed for Masada. This is a mountain by the dead sea that was transformed into a luxurious fortress for Herod during his reign. When the Romans attacked Jerusalem a group of zealots led by Elazar ben Yair fled to Masada and took the mountain as their own fortress against the Roman forces. The Romans surrounded the mountain giving them no way out. They held off the Romans for a few years but eventually they were in a situation were the Romans were going to be able to invade Masada. So the people all decided that instead of letting the women be raped, the children become slaves, and the men die or become slaves, they would be dead when the Roman invaded. The men killed their families after last farewells, and then the men drew lots to kill each other. At the end the last man would have to commit suicide. In order to prove that they had hope and could have held off longer, they laid out their food as a testament to the fact that they preferred death than submission to the Romans.

We started hiking when it was dark and reached the top as the sun was rising. After a short morning service, where those who wanted could pray, we began our lessons. My teacher was not there so another Alexander Muss teacher took her place. He was awesome. We went around the whole top of the mountain and talked about life on top. We talked about the history of how and why Herod built it and how the Zealots adapted it. At times we would talk about what we should do. The idea was that we were the Zealots and this was our situation against the Romans. The discussions were okay but I do not feel that my class debated much. However, by the end I was starting to get into the idea that I was there. I think that I felt the weight of that tragic event more than I have before. It was more intense to try and put myself in the shoes (sandals) of those who were there.

There was a point were we shouted off the mountain a popular saying that some Israeli soldiers use to get sworn into the army. The mountains echoed back our voices shouting, "Shenit Matzada lo tipol (Masada shall not fall again)." We also collected two rocks each. It is a tradition to take two rocks from Masada. One is for you to give to a person who is going to Masada so they can put it back on the mountain. The other is for you to bring back. When a stone is brought back two more are taken. This way we can always remember Masada. We also learned that it is thought that Elazar ben Yair was a teenager when he led close to 1000 people against the Romans on Masada. These were true freedom fighters. They were fighting for freedom of religion and national freedom for the Jewish people. I guess Matisyahu is right when he says, "Youth is the engine of the world." This story is very inspiring in that it a true display of people's determination to have freedom.

I couldn't think of a clever title for this one that I liked, so leave comments with ideas please.

I mustered up the courage on Friday night to check out the evening Shabbat (sabbath) service at the Ashkenazic (Eastern European style) Orthodox Shul (synagogue) in town. I went with another guy that is on the trip with me. We went to the service and got there a bit early. So we sat down and were trying to figure out were the service started in the all-Hebrew prayerbooks. People started to pray and others filed in sparatically during the service. I was lost in the service because it was all in Hebrew, and in orthodox shuls everyone prays on their own as a man in the front leads. However, the prayers aren't necessarily said in unison. I listened to the service. It was very cool. This was my first time at an orthodox service that I can recall.

After the service me and my friend began to leave but were stopped by a man. After introductions he invited us to go to his house the next day for a Shabbat lunch. I was slightly hesitant but my friend accepted. So that night we checked with one of our counselors and found that it was okay.

So Saturday morning we went to the shul again for morning prayers around 9:00 am. This service I followed better because I know the morning service better than the Shabbat evening service. What was very awesome was that during the Torah service (part were the Torah is read) I was called up for an aliyah (let me explain: There is part of the service where the Torah scrolls are taken out and the weekly portion is read in 7 parts. A different man is called up for each part. That man says the blessing and can read the part or a different appointed man will read the part. Then the person called for the aliyah says the ending blessing and his part is over.). This was awesome. My friend was called up to help roll up the Torah.

After service we went to the man's house and ate with him, his wife, two little girls, and his neighbor. His wife is from South Africa, and his neighbor is from America. Everyone spoke good English except the little girls. The parents would speak to the older girl in English, and the girl would respond in Hebrew. We talked and ate for a long time. It was a great afternoon. After going back to campus for a couple hours we returned to the shul for afternoon and evening prayers. We also had some food at the synagogue with the other men. There were some songs around the table and much talking in Hebrew. After service we did havdalah (short service saying goodbye to Shabbat and hello to the week) and went home.

Shabbat rocked!!!!!!

I Think You've Waited Long Enough

So finally I am going to finish writing about our first two-day tiyul (field trip).

We left the lookout point on U.N. Hill and went to Jerusalem. Our first stop was the City of David. Here we walked around the city looking at different archeological excavations that help us to understand how life was in this city during biblical times. We saw the spot where archeologists think David's home was, and we also walked through a cave that was built as a way to get to a well that led to the Gihon Spring. The area is still being excavated and the well hasn't exactly been found. However, once they find it, it is thought to be where King David's army commander, Yoav, climbed into the city to conquer Jerusalem.

After some time in the City of David we went to the Kotel (Western Wall). We first talked about the significance of The Wall, and then we had time to go pray, and take in the moment. I prayed Mincha (afternoon prayers) and placed some notes in the wall. I think that it is tradition that G-d's presence has never departed from the Kotel even after the temple was destroyed. So it is also a tradition to place prayers in the wall for G-d to read and hopefully answer. My time at the Kotel was very special. However, it wasn't the life changing experience that I thought it would be. I think that my expectations were too high. Then when I got there it was just another place. However, hope is not lost. My time in Israel is still making me very connected to this land, and I will be back to the Kotel.

As our last event in Jerusalem for the day we went to Ben-Yehuda street. This is a very popular street in Jerusalem with shopping and restaraunts. I didn't walk around much because I spent most of my time at a restaraunt called Burgers Bar (seriously the best kosher burger I ever had) (there is always something kosher, I love it) (seriously, KOSHER!!! it is awesome). The restaraunt had many different types of sauces for the burgers. I ate and was in heaven.

We went home after this and the next day was pretty much normal. Except we had some quizes if I remember correctly. On Friday we had our first test. I think that I did good. Class here does not feel like class. I love what I am studying and I am very passionate about it. I feel that I am connecting many of the dots in my mind as we go through Jewish history. I have learned much from my synagogue interactions and hours on the internet but now I am learning the details and things that I never knew. Life is great.

Get your ropes ready because you might have to drag me home.

The Eyes of the Blind Are Opened

So back to relating the events of our two day tiyul (field trip). On the second day of the tiyul we got up and after breakfast at the hostile we headed off for a place called Sataf. This is in the Judean hills. It was and is used for agriculture. However, since it is on a hill there are many terraces. water runs through an irrigation system that gets water from springs. I think that the irrigation system on this hill dates back to the early years of the Israelite kingdom. While at Sataf we were able to climb through a water tunnel. This tunnel was dark and wet. At the end it opened up into a big room were water ran down a wall into the groove that it runs along. At the opening to the tunnel was a large pool that collected the water for irrigation. Inside the cave we shut off our flashlights and the teachers spoke of just how water comes together so we should come together in this experience that we are all a part of.

After leaving the cave and hiking down the mountain we headed off to Jerusalem for the first time. Since this was going to be the first time that we were going to see Jerusalem, the teachers wanted us to have a good first view. So we put on blindfolds (However, some used alternative ways of covering their eyes. I used a t-shirt.) until we got to the spot they wanted us to be at. They led us off the bus and positioned us in a way so that when the blind regained their sight they would see something amazing. Then sight came and we saw Jerusalem in all of its glory. It was sooooooo beautiful. After taking in the view for a while we sang "Yerushalayim Shel Zahav (Jerusalem of Gold)." Then we split into groups, talked about the layout of the city, and ate an amazing lunch with food from an Israeli street market (I think. Anyways it was delicious.).

The next stop was the old city of Jerusalem. However, once again I will have to leave you in suspense as it is almost Shabbat (sabbath). So you'll have to wait to read the rest.

Shabbat Shalom (sabbath greeting)

Ahhh! Too much to post!

The last few days have been crazy cool. So much has happened because we went on an overnight tiyul (field trip). I will try to summarize but it would take too long to fully describe the experience so forgive my tendancy to be brief.

To start off we got up on Tuesday morning and drove to Mt Gilboa. This is were King Saul, the first king of Israel, had his last battle. Also, this is were Gideon,one of the judges of Israel, attacked the Midianites with only 300 men. They surrounded the camp in the night and smashed jars with torches inside then blew their horns. The Midianites went into chaos and began fighting each other and fleeing. Gideon chased them down and eventually won.

Then we headed off to northern Israel eventually driving along the fence that parallels the mine field that is between Israel and Jordan. We went to a spa type place that has a large pool with jets in different places. The cool part, however, was that this water comes from natural hot springs. The water was sooo warm as I swam through the pool enjoying the view of the hills of the country of Jordan. There was also a small zoo here and we saw some animals.

Next stop was the place were David slew goliath with a stone and a sling. But first we stopped at an Israeli tank museum were we used the restroom and some got food at a little resturant. Here we saw Avictor Kalani (I hope that is spelt right). He was a man who led a tank brigade on the golan heights and saved Israel in the 1973 Yom Kippor War. Mr. Calani took a break from his meal to come outside and talk to the group for a few minutes. It was cool to see a real Israeli war hero, and I found out that in Israel celebrities are not bombarded like in the states.

Once we got to the David and Goliath place we sat down next to the spot were it is thought that David gathered his stones to go against Goliath. The battle would have taken place in the field we were looking at. We read the account of the event in the Bible but not only did we read it, we acted it out. Certain people were chosen for different parts and were they had lines in the Bible they spoke. There was a narrator with a British accent for the other verses. This was entertaining and fun. We went back to the bus and headed off to a hostile outside of Jerusalem. For the next day we would see the holy city for the first time on our trip. This I will write more about tomorrow as it is getting late and I need to study, shower, pray, study more for the unit test tomorrow, probably pray again for about 5 minutes, and then go to bed. I think once I go to bed I will stop praying but this cannot be promised as apparently Judaism involves a great deal of praying. However, I am pretty sure that I can stop when I go to sleep but I'd be better to consult a rabbi before I make any final statements.

Stay tuned for "Excursions in Jerusalem"

Tiyul to Tel Gezer

I have been in Israel for about five days, it is awesome. Today we went on our first tiyul (field trip). We visited Tel Gezer. This is an archeological excavation that uncovered an ancient Canaanite city. The main things in this tel(excavation) were two city gates, a water system, and a place for child sacrifice. The water system was a tunnel that went down into the ground to were water was beneath the ground. There wasn't much water down there but it was were the Canaanites in this city would have gotten their water. The gate was an example of how the Canaanites regulated access to their city. I could see the remains of the city wall, and then at the entrance the walls from each direction turned inwards to the city. Of course these walls were more rocky than smooth but it was cool to see the engineering ability of such an ancient people.

By far the most interesting part of this city was the saddest. There was a part of the city were there were erected pillars and an alter. These pillars would have served as representations of the gods that these people worshiped. The alter is thought to be were child sacrifice was done, based on the excavation of a big grave of children nearby. The understanding of Canaanite religious practice was a big part of coming to Tel Gezer. This was so that we could gain an understanding of what Abraham set himself apart from.

Before we left we saw the remains of a city gate built by the Israelites in the time of Solomon. We saw the city gate and how Israelites had developed from nomads to a strong civilization in about 1000 years. Here we reflected on Jewish education. A tablet possibly wrote by a young Israelite school boy was found here. His name was Avi. It was cool to think of how Jews lived and learned here 3000 years ago,and we were there also. We all sang a song called "Hinei Ma tov" and then hiked back to the bus.

As we walked back to the bus I thought of the importance of Israel. I find it interesting how we sometimes look back on history as only the story of the past. I'd rather think of the story as one that encompases all of time, and the past is just the beginning. We are also part of that story, and we need to live knowing that the future will look back on us. What can we do to make Israel not just a tour but our homeland just as it was for our ancestors? For one I feel that it is important to know that we can have experiences here just as those who stood here in the past had their experiences. Israel is not just the homeland of the Jewish past. I think that it is important for Jews to not only see this dirt as history but as their backyard and their future.

Israel rocks my socks (I don't know what this means)

Israel is exceedingly awesome (AKA hella metal). I am loving every minute. It is cool to live in a dorm type situation. I have already had so many great experiences. Praying with Chassidic men on the plane, eating shnitzel, always having kosher food, and walking through downtown Hod HaSharon (the city that I am in which is a suburb north of Tel Aviv). Class is really cool. We are starting with the beginning of civilization. We read the Baylonian creation story and compared it to the one in Genesis. Now we are about to go into Abraham and how his life had an affect on the world. On Sunday we might visit Tel Gezer ( an ancient Canaanite city) if it doesn't rain. Otherwise we will reschedule it for another day. Life in Israel is very comfortable.

Lahitraot (goodbye),
Yoshi McLeod