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Yitzchak Rabin

Fourteen years ago Israel's Prime Minister Yitzchak Rabin and thousands of other Israelis gathered together for a peace rally in Tel Aviv. The entire square, city, and country sang and prayed along with Rabin as they saw a hope for the future that many thought was impossible. But as Rabin exited the square the country's hopes and leader died when he was shot by an extremist Jew. A man so blinded by hatred for Rabin's work that he killed both literally and symbolically Israel's greatest chance of achieving peace. In Rabin's coat pocket they found the blood soaked sheet with the lyrics to the Israeli song "Shir L'Shalom" (Song for Peace).

The commemoration of Rabin's assassination is a major event with memorial services and ceremonies taking place all over the country in schools, shuls and public places. A few hours ago I attended the Bat Yam memorial ceremony. What struck me more than anything else was the mentality that Israelis seem to have concerning this tragic event. When we initially walked into the auditorium two pictures of Rabin were framing the words "לא תרצח"*. Throughout the evening, the speeches (which were all in Hebrew, by the way), the dances, songs and discussions I had with the Israeli Scouts on my program all focused on the evils of murder rather than Rabin's life accomplishments or a reaffirmation of his devotion to peace.

I'm having trouble describing this. Fourteen years later and the country is still dwelling more on the physical act of his murder rather than the metaphysical repercussions of the killing of Rabin and all he stood for. My impression from the ceremony was that many Israelis have only grasped one of the two major implications of this event. They make it abundantly clear that murder is wrong and we should not be fighting our own brothers. But very little is said along the lines of continuing Rabin's efforts for peace. It is as if they forgot the second half of the ceremony where they talk about Rabin's goals for the future of Eretz Yisrael. It is as if Rabin's death was also the end to any hope of achieving peace.

In my opinion, it's been fourteen years. It is long past time to pick up the reins and continue from where Rabin left off. It is important that this day be one of inspiration and renewed devotion to the future and not a day of wallowing in the sorrow of the failure of our past.

"אם תרצו, אין זו אגדה": If you will it, it is no dream (Theodore Herzl)

* This is the 6th of the 10 commandments meaning "Don't murder".

Laundry: An Expedition

Yesterday was laundry day for my apartment. The outing began as nothing remarkable but quickly evolved into a series of (misfortunate) events.
1- The cheap laundromat is not in my town, Bat Yam, but in the neighboring town of Holon, a quick bus ride away.
2- It would have been quick except for that we missed our stop and had to double back, the whole time lugging our laundry bags on and off the buses.
3- When we finally found the laundromat a somewhat sketchy local was mumbling to himself (or us- wasn't quite clear who he was addressing) and kept puffing smoke from his cigarette into our faces.
4- The floor of the store was flooded with an unidentifiable, extremely slimy liquid that we slipped on far too many times.
5- In America you need quarters to do laundry. In Israel you need 5 shekel coins. Didn't have enough of those, so that was another adventure going to the nearby stores asking for change.

However all of these little setbacks were worth the shwarma shop we found while waiting for the clothes to finish. It was one of those small hole-in-the-wall places that serve incredibly delicious, cheap and authentic food. While eating my shwarma in pita quite contentedly against the wall in the store the nice owner continued to press us to eat more of the endless salads and to taste samples of all these different foods. It was so casual and... Israeli.
Bottom line: I'm going to wait a very long time before I do laundry again and I'm not going to wait very long before I get my next shwarma.

Falafel and Bamba

What do falafel and Bamba have in common?
I learned how both are made today!!
This morning I went to an activity hosted by the Tsofim (the Israeli Scouts) who are part of our group. We made falafel with chips (fries). Of course, the falafel paste came ready made and the fries were in frozen packets but it was still fun. A few of us started fires in the fire pits and then began making the falafel balls. Not sure how it happened, but I ended up being the one with the metal spoon dropping the falafel balls into the pan of scalding hot oil, cooking them and then getting splattered again by hot oil when I took them out. As you might expect when cooking on an open fire in the heat of the day in a spot in Israel with no shade, I got a bit toasty...literally. After about 40 minutes of making enough falafel to feed an army I took a moment to step back and realized that the fronts of my legs were bright red with what looked like a very bad sun burn. It's now about 9 hours later. The legs are looking much better- more like a blotchy skin condition than a sun burn. Moral of the story: don't bother to make your own falafel- just buy it.
After a wonderfully nutritious meal of pitot and chips (still don't like falafel after all that) we headed over to the Bamba factory for dessert.
Bamba is a peanut butter flavored snack that is enormously popular in Israel. The building we visited is incredibly the only Bamba factory in Israel (besides for a smaller one that makes the new chocolate Bamba). They gave us plenty of free samples.

Fun Fact: their mascot, the naked baby, was only introduced in the early 90s and was received so poorly that they were forced to discontinue it for several years before reintroducing him for a second time with greater success.

The Idan Raichel Project

This past Sunday I had the opportunity to attend an Idan Raichel concert along with 2600 other teens doing a year long Israel program like myself.
Idan Raichel is a unique Israeli songwriter/performer whose work is a "fusion of electronics, traditional Hebrew texts, Middle Eastern and Ethiopian music" (thank you Wikipedia- couldn't have said it better myself). Not only is the music unique, but he has brought together an incredible ensemble of talented singers and musicians from all over the world (ie Colombia, Sudan, Ethiopia, Yemen). What also made this performance stand out was the raw passion emanating from the singers and musicians on stage. It was clear that their whole hearts went into those songs and they had fun doing it.
As for the audience, this was actually a MASA sponsored event being held in the Jerusalem concert hall, Binianey Ha'uma. It was so much fun dancing and singing along with all my friends. A couple of us even managed to push our way through to the front of the mob where we were right up close to the stage. An incredible performance with astounding energy from performers and audience alike.

Garin Tzedek Donation Letter

Dear family and friends,

I am writing to you from Israel, where I, along with 300 others, am on Young Judaea’s Year Course program. From September until June I will be volunteering and studying here in Eretz Yisrael and living as a member of Israeli society.

As part of my groups experience I have interacted with many segments of the population here. One group that few know about is the 15,000 or so refugees from Sudan and Darfur who have come to Israel as a last resort to escape the dangers of their homeland. As you may already know Sudan was involved in a civil war between the Arab North and Black African South for over 25 years. One result of this conflict has been the burning of South Sudanese and Darfuri villages leading to a mass exodus of over 2 million people from their homes. These refugees have fled all over Africa, including to Egypt. However, the Egyptian government and people have a generally negative attitude towards the refugees and a large number of Sudanese have been the subject of verbal and physical abuse as well as racial discrimination. Because of their inhumane treatment in Egypt, some have fled to Israel, seeking asylum in the Jewish State.

Here, feelings towards the refugees are mixed. Many Israelis see the Sudanese as uncivilized intruders from an enemy state, as Sudan has officially been at war with Israel since Israel’s independence, coming to steal jobs from Jews. Others strive to help the Sudanese community as humanists, Jews, and active Zionists. In our experience in Bat Yam, I have become involved in the issue. Some participants have volunteered in their work time and free time to help build and volunteer at a day care in central Tel Aviv where Sudanese children can play together and receive tutoring while their parents learn Hebrew and English in the adjacent room. I have seen with my own eyes how much all members of the community benefit from the services provided by this center. As Jews living in Israel, a state that was literally built as a nation of refugees, we have a moral obligation to help these people build new lives for themselves. Because I have high standards for the Jewish state and our responsibility to the world I have dedicated my time to this cause.

To instigate a change, my friends and I have started an initiative called Garin Tzedek, or in Hebrew, “Seed of Justice” to help the Sudanese community here and across Israel. As a Garin, (seed, or group) we are developing some projects with the refugee community in Tel Aviv including creating a daycare center and classes teaching Hebrew, English, and Computer skills. We have high ambitions and a will to do great things, however to begin making the impact we desire to have we need your support. One aspect of my program is that my friends and I live relatively modest lives, eating on a stipend of 20 shekels, or about 5 dollars, per person per day. Despite the fact that I only brought 2 bags of possessions and don’t have the money for restaurants and television, I still look wealthy compared to many of the refugees in the country.

I am writing to you to ask if you’d like to be a part of what we’re doing here in Tel Aviv and all over Israel by making a donation. The money you send will pay for school supplies for the classes my friends and I are teaching as well as toys for small children, and utility bills to allow the Sudanese community continued use of the building as a community center. You can follow the progress of our project on the Garin Tzedek blog at http://www.seedtheplow.blogspot.com/ to stay on top of the issue and see articles and photography showing how your donation is used. If you are going to visit Israel this year and would like to see any of our projects please feel free to leave a post on the blog and one of my friends or I will gladly give you a tour and introduce you to the Sudanese here. They are some of the most happy and grateful people, I promise you’ll get a huge hug and meet some of the cutest children you’ve ever seen. If you are interested in donating please send any cash or checks to the following address:

Young Judaea National Mazkirut
Hadassah House 8th Floor 50 W58th Street
New York, NY 10019

If you are writing a check please write it to Hadassah and put “Young Judaea Garin Tzedek” in the memo. Please include a note with your donation explaining who you are and who you heard about the Garin from.

Thank you for your time.
B’Shalom,
Laura Maschler

Garin Tzedek

Over the course of the last year and a half, Young Judaea has begun to revolutionize its definition of "tikkun olam" (social action). Young Judaea has taken on the movement wide mission of helping to improve the lives of Darfuri refugees currently in Israel. The 40 or so volunteers on Year Course who have chosen to dedicate our work time and free time to this cause, hailing from all 3 sections of the program, are collectively part of the group we call Garin Tzedek. The following is an excerpt from a description of our work written on the Garin Tzedek blog (http://www.seedtheplow.blogspot.com/):

GARIN TZEDEK is an unofficial group of participants in Young Judaea's Year Course program...dedicated to enhancing their experience throughout the year by dedicating themselves to committing cognitively and physically to volunteering around the country with refugees from Southern and Western Sudan (Darfur). We hope that by being ever aware of how we can best contribute to the country and the cause of these refugees we will make a real difference for the better in the country and in our own lives...The key to happiness is finding something more important than oneself and dedicating oneself to it. This is our chance to do so. Far too many participants of our program and people in general are willing to float through opportunities taking the path of least resistance, however we wish to consciously do what might be slightly harder, but certainly more rewarding. We hope to improve the self-sufficiency of the South Sudanese and Darfurian communities in Israel and to bring awareness to the entire Jewish world of their existence to begin a vigorous debate of the role of the Jewish People and the Jewish State in their rescue from genocide.
The issue of Darfurian and Sudanese refugees in Israel, a highly controversial one, is what we are focusing on during our year in Israel, but we hope that our members continue to take the lessons and experiences we gain this year and apply them for the rest of our lives whether in Israel, the United States or elsewhere.

Unfortunately, there is only so far good intentions can take you without the necessary financial support. At the moment, the Garin participants in my section hold daily bake sales outside our classrooms where our fellow participants can buy baked goods in between courses. The small profits we've made from this have allowed us to buy paint for the walls and supplies for posters and such for the day care room.

The following post is a formal letter that we have written asking for funds to allow us to purchase necessary items as basic as school supplies and toys which are desperately need in this community. I ask that regardless of whether you personally choose to give, you take a few moments to forward the letter and help spread the word about this cause.

The "S" Word

Over the past 60 years smoking rates in the US have dropped by half (with current polls showing between 20%-24% of population smoking). Whether it's the advent of laws banning smoking in public places, the increase in taxes on tobacco or the success of health campaigns, I'm able to walk through the streets of Manhattan without gagging (too much). This isn't the case in Israel.
Everyone smokes. Everywhere. It's disgusting. Experts are saying that Israel is where the US was in the 70s in terms of smoking rates. The worst is walking on the crowded streets of Tel Aviv and not seeming to be able to get pass the guy in front of you who keeps chugging out smoke like there's no tomorrow.
If anything this is a wonderful opportunity to practice holding your breath.

Krav Maga

Remember in Miss Congeniality when Sandra Bullock's character gets on stage and does a brief tutorial in self defense? Well I just experienced the Israeli version called Krav Maga. After putting us through a strenuous workout of running, push ups, sit ups and other exercises that seem to be unique to Israel, we got to learn basic forms of self defense: the proper stance, arm movements, hand configuration and of course the best sensitive spots.

After going through a few drills and watching some demonstrations in which he used a couple of unlucky guys as punching bags we got to pair up and try it on each other. Only problem was my friend and I were too scared of hurting each other for it to be very effective.

"Not By Bread Alone"

According to Webster's dictionary the definition of "disabled" is a person "incapacitated by injury or illness". The actors of the Nalaga'at performance defied all expectations and proved this defintion utterly wrong. These ten actors, all of whom were both blind and deaf to varying degrees, gave an awe inspiring performance that was not only theatrically impressive but emotionally stimulating. From the time it took to place the dough in the pans during the first scene until the hot bread came out of the oven in the end, the audience was given a glimpse into their lives, dreams and ambitions.

The planning and rehearsals for this production took over two years. Each of the actors communicated in different ways, be it typing on his knuckles, or shouting Russian in her ear, or signing Hebrew into his hand.

Every facet of the production was astounding. How they were trained to recognize the vibrations of a drum that would signal a scene change, how they learned to speak Hebrew despite never hearing a single word of the language, how their movements appeared effortless as they frequently walked without aid from the translator/assistants.

This was one of those moments where you truly realize how fortunate you are. Despite the fact that they live in darkness and silence they live life to the fullest, or as they said through out the show: "Not by bread alone".

Beginners Arabic: Hebrew Edition

In the months before Year Course I began to teach myself some basic Arabic. I got out a book and some CDs only realizing after the fact that they focused on two different Arabic dialects. Suffice to say that I was going out of my mind trying to figure out when to use each of the 7 ways I knew to say "Hello".
Upon arriving at my apartment I found the booklet that is being used by the Beginners Arabic class I will be taking while I'm here. I didn't know whether to be more alarmed or amused when I discovered that the translations and transliterations of the Arabic are written in Hebrew (without vowels). Not only do I have to try and guess which vowels to use when pronouncing unknown Arabic words with Hebrew letters but I will also have to look up the English meaning of any Hebrew translation I don't know.
This should be very, very interesting...

A Family Dinner

A sense of urgency invariably falls on the State of Israel in the hours before Shabbat. Airplane passengers pray that there won't be delays, drivers wish fervently that for once there won't be traffic and travelers silently urge their bus driver to step on the gas. Everyone is desperately trying to make it to their destination before sunset. The afternoon of my arrival was no different.
Being the first weekend that our entire apartment was home we were all excited for a real Shabbat dinner. Working on top, around and next to each other in the small kitchen we each worked to replicate a dish that we would frequently eat back at home with our families.* As the food was cooking we began a somewhat impromptu Kabbalat Shabbat service. Sitting on the colorful couches in our living room (with the window flung wide open) we made our way through the prayers with an effortless blend of familiar camp tunes, and melodies we drew from our own homes and communities.
It was what I hope to be the first of many wonderful Shabbatot.

*(And since I know Zayde, Rachel and Julie want to know, we had: chicken cutlets, roast potatoes, avocado tomato salad and cooked carrots)

My first "Only in Israel" moment

It is a universal truth that when two Jews meet the first thing they do is play Jewish geography. My encounter on the flight to Israel was no different. No sooner did I mention that I was participating in a Young Judaea program that we discovered a mutual acquaintance. Once this necessary form of introductions is completed, essentially all further lines of conversation can then be opened. And so it was with me. By the time we had landed I had already been invited over to join his family for a Shabbat. It's at times like these that you can't help but shake your head in wonder thinking "Only in Israel".