thinking jewish

Israel Till You Puke

In two days time, I took Debbie and Alexa on a tiring and non-stop, action packed tour of Israel. We saw the desert, the coast and the north - wilderness and cities, old sites and new ones. Check out where we went:

Day 1:

After leading my "Reform Liturgy Workshop" service Monday morning, we drove east with our rental car past Ma'aleh Adumin and on to the Dead Sea. We made a short stop over at a nude Palestinian beach, and then high-tailed it back to Jerusalem. I dropped the girls with the car in traffic near Mea Sha'arim, and ran back to school for a meeting.

After the meeting, around 3, we left again, this time for the north. We took route 443 north to get a good view of Ramallah and Modi'in, the took the 6 along the Green Line until its end. Somehow, apparently because I took a wrong turn, we then got lost in Kfar Penis, but found our way again and made our way in good time to Zichron Ya'akov. There, we window shopped and had dinner at the best restaurant in all of Israel - Tishbi, owned by the winery of the same name.

After dinner and too much wine, we drove on to Haifa, where we spent the night the ridiculously luxurious Holiday Inn - highly recommended!

Day 2:
We arose with the butt-crack of dawn, enjoyed an amazing breakfast, and then drove east towards Tiveria, enjoying views of the Lower Galilee along the way. After a 6 minute stopover to view the Kineret, we drove north to Tsfat. There, we learned about the mountain town's history, saw some old synagogues, and did much shopping. Unfortunately, the candle factory was closed due to a power outage. Oh well...

We left Tsfat fifteen minutes behind schedule, but made up for lost time on our drive south, along route 65, through Afula and eventually on to Hadera. Seconds before turning onto the coastal highway to head south, we made a last-minute call to visit Casearia. Seven minutes was all the time we had for the old Roman port, and then we jumped back in the car to see Tel Aviv.

In Tel Aviv we enjoyed the country's best falafel opposite Kikar Rabin, visited the Nachalat Benyamin street fair, Shuk HaCarmel, and Shenkin Street. After a little freshening up, we drove to Jaffa, and then had dinner along the beach.

After dinner, I said goodbye to the girls, and drove myself back home to Jerusalem.

Phew!

It was an amazing two days. Tiring, but amazing!

Call Me Ismail

I always love having guests here - it allows me to see this crazy city in a whole new light. I get to go to new places, and see old places anew. Debbie and Alexa are currently in town which means a whole lot of fun.

On our way to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher yesterday, we stopped to let Debbie go look in a shop. I sat on the side of the street. A few chairs were set up opposite the Old City shop, so I made use.

A few minutes later, a kid came and sat down next to me. We got to talking, first in Hebrew, then in English, which was easier for him, most of the time.

His name is Ismail. He is ten. He comes from Beit Hanina. We are currently in Palestine, he told me, and every day Israel shoots him.

What difference a few kilometers can have on the psyche and political understandings of a person, just a few kilometers.

Last Wednesday we spent the day driving up to Sakhnin, an Arab village in the Galilee, to meet with Arab-Israeli students at an English Teacher's College. For about an hour we sat and spoke in small groups. The discussion was frank and to the point. Politics were brought up, and the Arab girls were mostly happy to share their opinion. They feel like second class citizens, they told us, but they like it here. They wouldn't go anywhere else, certainly not another Arab country. They like Jews, but are not personally friends with any. They enjoy Israeli democracy.

I can't help seeing the stark divide between my new girlfriends in Sakhnin and my buddy Ismail. It is obvious that the kid's perception of what is going on is built more on what he hears, and his view of Israelis as the "other" more than on personal contact and experience. There are no bullet holes in his body. Just a few kilometers south of Sakhnin, Beit Hanina is a world apart.

What will happen when the Ismail's of this land grow up. Raised on the horrors of the Intifada, I don't see him to ready to extend an olive branch.

As we headed towards the Jaffa Gate, done with our touring for the morning, we passed Ismail. I turned to him and said Salam Aleikem - peace be upon you - hoping to reach out to my new acquaintance. His response was muted. It seemed as if he didn't remember me. My advances towards peace and friendship had fallen on deaf ears.

When the Situation's Shit, Evacuate Yourself

I bought I t-shirt last night with a picture of a guy crouched, looking like he's about to take a crap. The above title is written below him. Only in Tel Aviv...

On Friday I left my hilly abode for the coastal plain. It was a well-needed reprieve from life in Jerusalem. Every time I go to Tel Aviv I decide that I like it more and more. Sure, it has it's gross parts. But doesn't every city? Sure it's so hot and humid in the summer that you just want to die. But right now it's the Spring, and the weather there is perfect.

Friday night, we found our way to the north of the city to Beti Daniel, Tel Aviv's one and only progressive synagogue. It was an interesting experience, to say the least. The community is definitely very organically Israeli, which gave me more appreciation for what they do than I could ever expect - this is no American implant like, er, Kol Haneshama. The way they prayed and ran things was interesting to say the least, but nonetheless uniquely Israeli in its style.

I was actually surprised by how much of Tel Aviv was closed on Shabbat. Given, it is somewhat illegal for people to be employed in most stores on Shabbat without special permits, but even the heart of "Secular Israel" was largely quiet and resting Friday night, and especially Saturday.

Saturday, families were out together at the beach, and walking along the cities boulevards. They biked together, walked together, and yelled together. A good example of a non-Halakhic Shabbat.

And of course, no trip to Tel Aviv could be complete without last night's festivities. First, after Shabbat we took a trip to The Coffee Bean, Southern California's favorite coffee and tea eatery. They have a few locations here in Israel. Their chai late is not to be missed.

After divulging in the wholesome goodness that is The Coffee Bean, we went to a rally being held in support of the disengagement plan. There I bought the above-mentioned shirt. When the situation is shit (like it is in Gaza), Evacuate Yourself (get out).

The rally started with a march from Kikar Rabin to Kikar Dizengoff. At Dizengoff there were roughly 10-15,000 people, mostly young Israelis from many of the youth movements. They had banners and balloons and shirts and songs - all the fun stuff we don't use enough in the states. Plenty of speakers spoke (in Hebrew of course) and then Hatikva was played.

Something about that song, being played at a truly Israeli event, always sends shivers through my body...

Danish Anyone?

if you have read a newspaper in the last few days, you know that Jerusalem is abuzz right now with dignitaries from around the world. They are all here to attend the opening ceremonies for the new wing of Yad VeShem, Israel's Holocaust Memorial Institute and Museum.

Most of the more important people are staying at the King David Hotel, which means that the entirety of King David Street from Agron to Beit Lehem was closed today to traffic. Fun times.

After navigating the heavy security surrounding every inch of street and park in this neighborhood, Rachel C., Rachel B. and I were able to make our way towards the Tayelet on our weekly bike ride (preparation for the Ride for Reform - have you donated yet?). The Tayelet is a big promenade south of the Old City that has some of the best views to be found of Jerusalem. It is also next to a great (though short) bike trail that concludes at a second promenade.

We arrived (after I almost died, yes, I am going to fail this bike ride) at the second promenade and disembarked to enjoy the view of, among others, the Old City, the separation fence, and Ma'ale Adumin.

Not long after, a big group of people approached from the UN headquarters behind us, surrounded by ample security.

Turns out it was a group of Danes, including the Danish Prime Minister, Anders Fogh Rasmussen. They spent their time using maps to take in an educated view of the geo-political realities of Jerusalem while we started up a conversation with their bodyguards.

Some interesting facts about Mr. Rasmussen:

• Born: January 26, 1953 in Ginnerup, Denmark
• Gender: Male
• Occupation: Head of State
• Children: 3
• Education: Graduated from Viborg Cathedral High School in 1972
• Butt: Very nice (according to Rachel C.)

Here's a picture of Rachel B. and me in our encounter with fame. Enjoy!

Orange Land

A wise woman once said that, in all her time here on the Far Side, never has she gone somewhere or experienced something and thought retrospectively, "Wow. Now that makes sense!"

Something about this country - this far away place - where kippot run around on the streets and Halloween is in the Spring. Something about this land that nothing is allowed to be uniform, nothing synchronized, nothing easy. Nothing just makes sense.

The bureaucracy can drive you insane. At some shops a cappuccino is the same as a latte is the same as a cafe hafuch (upside down coffee), while at others the difference costs many shekels. Major streets open up into moats and the water in buildings is turned off without reason.

But there is a place of hope in this madness. I found a building, a store that is a beacon of light in a sea of darkness: the Orange Cell Phone Technical Support shop.

Orange, one of the major cell phone companies in Israel, has a shop in Industrial Talpiot (south of here) where you go to take your cell phone when it's feeling sick.

When you walk in you are given a number. You then wait for an electronic board and voice to call your number. In the meantime, there is free water and coffee to drink, little candies to eat, comfy chairs to sit on, and computer games to play. There are short Orange ads to watch and information on cool things to buy to read.

Then your number is called, and a person helps you out - that easy! They took my phone, gave me back my SIM card in a bag that read "Take Care" and told me, "In a half hour your phone will be fixed."

And so I sat on the comfy chairs, ate more Orange candies and played computer games. A half hour later, my phone was fixed - that easy!

And so I left. No bruises, no tempers, no cafe hafuch.

Oh Orange, how I love thee.

Be Like the Persians

Gave a drash to the HUC community yesterday (Shabbat) morning. I think it went over pretty well.

Please do check it out and give feedback. Click here to download the file.

BREAKING NEWS

Sources confirm that, despite the financial scandals that have rocked the store's owner, New York pudding staple Rice To Riches is in fact still open for business.

Stay tuned for more news on this breaking story. More information will be published as it becomes available...

What I Learn from Teenagers

This weekend, after some initial glitches, I spent Shabbat on Kibbutz Tzuba, just outside Jerusalem, with the EIE program (Eisendrath International Exchange - NFTY's high school semester in Israel). I went with my classmate Sadie to lead all of their Shabbat praying, and get to know some of the kids - be H.U.C. "ambassadors."

All in all the weekend was great. While it would have been smart to bring along some cards or a board game (we had way too much free time to just sit around), I really enjoyed getting out of the city and getting to meet a very special bunch of (100) high school kids.

I think I also learned a lot myself this weekend. It was a wake up call of what to expect of the Jewish community when I return to the states, and just what work I have ahead of me.

Here are some of my observations:

• These kids have a flame of excitement about being Jewish and doing Jewish, but often don't know how to utilize this. EIE provides the perfect kick-off point for them to experiment with Judaism and learn.
• American Jews don't like to pray, plain and simple.
• Teenagers really don't like to pray, and even those that do aren't too keen to do it loudly with spirit.
• The best way to encourage teenagers to pray, is by including them and their peers in leading parts of prayer. But, and here's the big part, at the same time this has to come with supervision by someone who actually knows what's being done - teenagers who don't know what they're doing, leading prayer or other Jew-things = a lot of misinformation and a lesse faire attitude towards ritual.
• We've been in Israel for nine months already. As Sadie pointed out, she could have had a baby by now.

Now I'm back in J-town, ready and re-energized for another week of class.

I'll end with a crazy observation: In three weeks is Purim. Once Purim starts, it's time to go home. Here's my calendar starting in three weeks: Purim, Bike Ride (make donations!), Class Negev Trip, Italy, Pesach, Visit from my Grandpa (hopefully), Yom Hashoa, Visit from my Dad (same), Yom HaZikaron, Yom Ha'Atzmaut, Finals, The End. Sad...

L'Chayim!

What happens when you put together a bunch of HUC students, fancy clothing, gourmet cheeses and foods, and lots of free-flowing wine?

A great fundraiser for the Ride for Reform is what!

Thanks to everyone who came out and donated last night! For those of you in the home audience, pictures are forthcoming, motsei Shabbat.

For now, I'm off to Kibbutz Tsuba, just outside of town, to spend Shabbat with the highschoolers here on EIE - stories to follow.

Shabbat shalom!

I Never Lose a Bet

So, yes. It's been three months, and finally today I got a haircut. I'm about to go enjoy the fruits of my labor - dinner at Cafit on Lisa D. Check out the difference.

[Disclaimer: The pictures are terrible, and the new haircut ain't so hot either, but this is just to give an idea of what a difference a day can make]

I feel much lighter now, and think I can even jump higher with so much less hair.

Mmm... I can taste the free dinner already.