So the crazy speaker was on Thursday and he was part of a team of Americans that helped bring a large group of Europeans to Israel (called Aliyah Bet). It occured between the late 30s and early 40s and is most famous for having the ship Exodus - whose story was so gallantly portrayed by Paul Neuman in an epic 3 hour tale.
Anyway, the man told us his story, which was quite interesting. He was a character. At first he was a little rough, he used some colorful language, and jokingly yelled at a madricha when her cell phone went off. Then he got worse. He mentioned the name of a town in Poland called Kilce where there was a large porgrom after WW2. The JDS kids got excited because we visited Kilce on our trip, and it was nice to be able to put an image with what he was saying. He got mad. He started talking about how he was doing this for free, and how rude we were, and then we went off on two girls from Weber saying that they were the two supidest girls in the room. Though they were talking, and the JDS kids did make some noise when we realized the town he was talking about, I felt his reaction was totally uncalled for. He should tell us to be quiet, but there is no reason to yell at two specific girls and call them stupid. Anyway thats not even the worst.
The worst was when he started talking about Arabs. He said a few things that upset me such as the fact that in the Koran it tells Muslims to blow themselves up (which is not true), that Muslims have made no contributions to society at all, and that there is no such thing as a modern Muslin. I have no problem with him expressing an opinion. I do have a problem when he makes up facts or when he states an opinion as though it were a fact. And that no one clarified. We had no other opinions, no contrast.
I realize that the attacks that Israel is facing are from Islamic extremists, but they are extremists. I have met some moderate Muslims who love Jews (such as my English teacher). The speaker made no distinciton. Many kids felt that though he was pretty racist it was good to hear him because it showed us just what Israeli society is like. I suppose that is true, but we should also get a more moderate opinion, or an Arab opinion, because Israel is not just made up of racist Jews. Or maybe it is and I just have too much faith in this country and its inhabitants.
other than that I had a very relaxing weekend in Tel Aviv.
Molly
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Yad Vashem
So on Monday we went to Yad Vashem, and it was a very interesting experiance. I'm not really sure where to start so I will just say that I dont think I really appreciated the museum because all I could think about the whole time was the Poland trip. The pictures seem insignificant compared to the actual places which I saw three weeks ago. The exhibition cant really compare to what it feels like to stand in the actual camps. (And I'm not sure if I said this before but I highly recommend visitng Poland if one has the chance. It is not a fun experiance but a very important one). I realize it was important to see the museum and some kids were not in Poland, but I found myself just walking through not really taking in anything. I stopped listening to the tour guide after about 10 minutes. Actually what I found most interesting was comparing the museum to the one in DC (I like the DC one more because it is organized in a better way).
I think as a memorial it is very meaningful, especially the memorial to the children. As a museum I cant really judge because I have heard the information so many times. Not only the many Jewish history classes, but from the DC museum and from the Poland trip. So I cant say I really learned much from Yad Vashem. I would be interested in hearing from someone who knows very little.
That being said, for those of you wondering why I have no posted any pictures, it is beacuse my camera broke. But today I bought a disposable one so at least I will have some when I get back.
That is all for now
I think as a memorial it is very meaningful, especially the memorial to the children. As a museum I cant really judge because I have heard the information so many times. Not only the many Jewish history classes, but from the DC museum and from the Poland trip. So I cant say I really learned much from Yad Vashem. I would be interested in hearing from someone who knows very little.
That being said, for those of you wondering why I have no posted any pictures, it is beacuse my camera broke. But today I bought a disposable one so at least I will have some when I get back.
That is all for now
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Free weekend
I love free weekends. Actually I love anytime I get real food and 13 and a half hours of sleep. It was pretty great. I was in Givatayim, a suburb of Tel-Aviv, with my great great aunt and uncle Trudi and Pauli. If you really want to appreciate an hour by yourself, spend a month with 126 of your friends and never get a minute to yourself, and then the hour will feel great.
Besides sleeping, I spent Saturday in Ancient Jaffa where I met Alexandra Lis-Perlis' parents and we walked around and went to a very interesting art museum.
Today, which was Purim in Jerusalem, we went to a soup kitchen and helped give out lunch. It was very nice and I actually felt as though I was helping this time as opposed to the last volunteer day where I moved boxes. What was interesting was that the founder spoke to us and he said that in all of Washington only one person sends money to the soup kitchen (which is one of the largest in Israel if not the largest itself). He said it would be really great if we went back home and started spreading the word and helping. While I do agree with him, my friend Becca Friedland pointed out that its hard to help an organization so far away when there are many starving people in the US. It brought up the same question I've been asking myself this whole trip, which is, should I feel a stronger connection to Israel than I do? Should I help Israeli organizations over American ones? I guess everyone has a different connection. To me, helping in a soup kitchen is the same no matter what country its in, so if its easier for me to help in the US, I'm going to choose that one. We shall see. Maybe by the end of the trip I will feel differently.
Other than that we had a crazy Jewish hippie-esque guy dressed as Jesus (its Easter and no I'm not kidding) lead us in song and story telling. It was nice because I fell asleep in the shade.
Until next time, keep on truckin'
Besides sleeping, I spent Saturday in Ancient Jaffa where I met Alexandra Lis-Perlis' parents and we walked around and went to a very interesting art museum.
Today, which was Purim in Jerusalem, we went to a soup kitchen and helped give out lunch. It was very nice and I actually felt as though I was helping this time as opposed to the last volunteer day where I moved boxes. What was interesting was that the founder spoke to us and he said that in all of Washington only one person sends money to the soup kitchen (which is one of the largest in Israel if not the largest itself). He said it would be really great if we went back home and started spreading the word and helping. While I do agree with him, my friend Becca Friedland pointed out that its hard to help an organization so far away when there are many starving people in the US. It brought up the same question I've been asking myself this whole trip, which is, should I feel a stronger connection to Israel than I do? Should I help Israeli organizations over American ones? I guess everyone has a different connection. To me, helping in a soup kitchen is the same no matter what country its in, so if its easier for me to help in the US, I'm going to choose that one. We shall see. Maybe by the end of the trip I will feel differently.
Other than that we had a crazy Jewish hippie-esque guy dressed as Jesus (its Easter and no I'm not kidding) lead us in song and story telling. It was nice because I fell asleep in the shade.
Until next time, keep on truckin'
Monday, March 17, 2008
some more details
So I realized that my last post was a little short and did not have much detail but I didnt have a lot of time so I figured I would add some more tonight. I also forgot to mention some things, like the fact that we went caving and I learned that I am in fact not claustraphobic, and am rather quite good at getting through tight spaces. Though it is not really something I wish to do again soon (the caves were actually the width of my body with almost no room to move and very little light). They were the Bar Kochbah caves and actually quite interesting once I was out of them.
As for the Beit Shemesh stay - I spent two nights with the Cohen family, a modern orthodox family with an American mother, an Israeli father, and four children. The entire group (all the JDS kids and hosts) spent Friday painting a wall at a local elementary school (I filled in the butterfly) and then I spent all of Shabbat with the family. Basically, everyone in Beit Shemesh under the age of 20 spends Shabbat walking around the streets and visiting friends. So it was quite relaxing.
I just got back from a two day trip to the North where we saw ruins from the Crusades, the Kinneret, and Tzefat. Though it was not my favorite trip, I will say that it was thought provoking. We had a discussion about if Israel was facing a war with Iran, how many people who move to Israel to help the war effort. A lot of kids said they would take some time off of college to volunteer (not in combat but in other ways). And I thought a lot about how they are very willing to help Israel, but when there are wars in other countries, no one thinks twice. I realize we have a deeper connection to Israel, but I cant help but think that if you truly want to help save innocent lives, or protect a nation from unwarranted terror, why isnt everyone helping Darfur, or the many other groups of people who need help? As for me, it made me want to graduate college and join the Peace Corps right away.
The other thought I had ( I had some very intense thoughts this weekend) was when we were in a cemetary in Tzefat and we passed the graves of 22 teenagers who were killed in 1974 in a terror attack in a high school. I thought about the shooting that occured the day after we arrived. Its a very different atmosphere here. People mourn, but there isnt time to focus on each person the way the U.S. does (like the hundreds of articles after the Virginia Tech shooting). We went to Jerusalem the very next morning. Its hard to imagine living in a country where attacks like the one that occured happen offten enough to not affect people too badly. There are times when I realized how unstable Israel is and what can happen (such as when I'm in the cemetary) and there are times when I forget that I'm in a different country. I could be anywhere in the world (like when I'm on the computer checking my email) It's a little scary.
So, as you can see, I used this blog as a sort of journal for myself and I hope you dont mind reading it. Just thought I would add something besides our tourist stops. We get a few nights in the Hod and then a free weekend so I shall post again soon.
As for the Beit Shemesh stay - I spent two nights with the Cohen family, a modern orthodox family with an American mother, an Israeli father, and four children. The entire group (all the JDS kids and hosts) spent Friday painting a wall at a local elementary school (I filled in the butterfly) and then I spent all of Shabbat with the family. Basically, everyone in Beit Shemesh under the age of 20 spends Shabbat walking around the streets and visiting friends. So it was quite relaxing.
I just got back from a two day trip to the North where we saw ruins from the Crusades, the Kinneret, and Tzefat. Though it was not my favorite trip, I will say that it was thought provoking. We had a discussion about if Israel was facing a war with Iran, how many people who move to Israel to help the war effort. A lot of kids said they would take some time off of college to volunteer (not in combat but in other ways). And I thought a lot about how they are very willing to help Israel, but when there are wars in other countries, no one thinks twice. I realize we have a deeper connection to Israel, but I cant help but think that if you truly want to help save innocent lives, or protect a nation from unwarranted terror, why isnt everyone helping Darfur, or the many other groups of people who need help? As for me, it made me want to graduate college and join the Peace Corps right away.
The other thought I had ( I had some very intense thoughts this weekend) was when we were in a cemetary in Tzefat and we passed the graves of 22 teenagers who were killed in 1974 in a terror attack in a high school. I thought about the shooting that occured the day after we arrived. Its a very different atmosphere here. People mourn, but there isnt time to focus on each person the way the U.S. does (like the hundreds of articles after the Virginia Tech shooting). We went to Jerusalem the very next morning. Its hard to imagine living in a country where attacks like the one that occured happen offten enough to not affect people too badly. There are times when I realized how unstable Israel is and what can happen (such as when I'm in the cemetary) and there are times when I forget that I'm in a different country. I could be anywhere in the world (like when I'm on the computer checking my email) It's a little scary.
So, as you can see, I used this blog as a sort of journal for myself and I hope you dont mind reading it. Just thought I would add something besides our tourist stops. We get a few nights in the Hod and then a free weekend so I shall post again soon.
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Hello again,
So its been about a week and a lot has happened. We climbed Masada (at 3:30 am) and spent the weekend in Beit Shemesh, the sister city of DC. I stayed with a friend in a religious house with a Israeli girl. It was quite relaxing and I got a lot of sleep. And they kept offering my food even though I told them I wasnt hungry.
Anyway, Masada was actually quite fun and despite being early it made the hike easier because it wasnt hot yet. We spent the morning on Masada watching the sun rise, something I recommend to anyone who is physically able, and then went to the dead sea to swim. One of the things we did on Masada was we screamed "am yisrael chi", which sounds a little weird but it was nice because you can hear the echo very clearly and it was nice in a chilling way. I also went on the optional extra hike and swam in a waterfall.
Beit Shemesh was great because for the first time in three weeks I wasnt surrounded by 115 poeple, and it was nice to get a break. And it was nice to have some free time outside of Hod HaSharon.
I think tomorrow we are going to the North for a few days and I will blog again when I get back.
So its been about a week and a lot has happened. We climbed Masada (at 3:30 am) and spent the weekend in Beit Shemesh, the sister city of DC. I stayed with a friend in a religious house with a Israeli girl. It was quite relaxing and I got a lot of sleep. And they kept offering my food even though I told them I wasnt hungry.
Anyway, Masada was actually quite fun and despite being early it made the hike easier because it wasnt hot yet. We spent the morning on Masada watching the sun rise, something I recommend to anyone who is physically able, and then went to the dead sea to swim. One of the things we did on Masada was we screamed "am yisrael chi", which sounds a little weird but it was nice because you can hear the echo very clearly and it was nice in a chilling way. I also went on the optional extra hike and swam in a waterfall.
Beit Shemesh was great because for the first time in three weeks I wasnt surrounded by 115 poeple, and it was nice to get a break. And it was nice to have some free time outside of Hod HaSharon.
I think tomorrow we are going to the North for a few days and I will blog again when I get back.
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Shabbat in Jerusalem
As the title of this blog states I just got back from a weekend in Jerusalem. We left Friday morning (after the shooting) and just got back about an hour ago. We spent Friday night at the Western Wall and prayed Kabbalat Shabbat and Ma'ariv. It was quite an experiance. I recommend it for everyone. The place was packed with all kinds of people, religious Jews, tourists, teenagers, and soldiers. I have started getting used to seeing everyone on the street carrying guns, but seeing them all at the Kotel was a little upsetting. Anyway, we spent Saturday at different shuls, I went to a Karlbach service. It was nice and because Rosh Chodesh fell on Shabbat Shekalim, we read from three torahs so it was quite long. And I had a slight cold (dont worry I'm better now) so that made it a little uncomfortable.
Today we hiked down Mount Gilboa, which is quite steep and rocky, but then we got to go swimming in a natural spring.
I hope that I can upload some pictures soon, though I do not think we are really allowed to, but meh. Anywho, some poeple have started hearing from colleges, so my stress level is a little higher, but I'm trying not to worry and not really think about it.
shalom
Today we hiked down Mount Gilboa, which is quite steep and rocky, but then we got to go swimming in a natural spring.
I hope that I can upload some pictures soon, though I do not think we are really allowed to, but meh. Anywho, some poeple have started hearing from colleges, so my stress level is a little higher, but I'm trying not to worry and not really think about it.
shalom
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Arrived in Israel!
Wow
So a lot has happened since my last post, but seeing as I must go do laundry in ten minutes I will keep this short. We arrived in Israel at around 5 this morning from Prague. Before that we were in Krakow, Lublin and Warsaw. In Warsaw we toured the city and saw the area of the former ghetto, monuments to the ghetto and its resistance fighters, Majdonek death camp, Auschvitz, and Treblinka. I do not want to write too much, mainly because I dont really know what to say. The camps were all very different, Treblinka is only a monument now, nothing else remains, Majdanek is completeley intact, and Auschvitz still has barracks though parts were destroyed. There were all hard to visit and our class reacted strongly at each. I do think that they are worth visiting and I am glad I went.
In Prague we spent a lot of time seeing the old square and the old Jewish quarter. Basically now its a whole lot of beautiful old buildings filled with cheap souvenirs, drugs, sketchy men, and two synagogues.
So I havent seen much of Israel, but the dorms are nice, the people are nice, and I think I will have a great time. I will try to blog again soon.
So a lot has happened since my last post, but seeing as I must go do laundry in ten minutes I will keep this short. We arrived in Israel at around 5 this morning from Prague. Before that we were in Krakow, Lublin and Warsaw. In Warsaw we toured the city and saw the area of the former ghetto, monuments to the ghetto and its resistance fighters, Majdonek death camp, Auschvitz, and Treblinka. I do not want to write too much, mainly because I dont really know what to say. The camps were all very different, Treblinka is only a monument now, nothing else remains, Majdanek is completeley intact, and Auschvitz still has barracks though parts were destroyed. There were all hard to visit and our class reacted strongly at each. I do think that they are worth visiting and I am glad I went.
In Prague we spent a lot of time seeing the old square and the old Jewish quarter. Basically now its a whole lot of beautiful old buildings filled with cheap souvenirs, drugs, sketchy men, and two synagogues.
So I havent seen much of Israel, but the dorms are nice, the people are nice, and I think I will have a great time. I will try to blog again soon.
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