Jerusalem and Day of Reflection

On the 25 of May, we spent the day exploring the Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem. We perused the market streets in search of Hamsas, mezuzot, and Chanukiot. We came out with some really excellent finds! While it got hotter, we strolled through the Old City, and saw some really inspirational sites. We saw the South Wall of the Temple Mount where the ancient Temple stood over 3000 years ago. After that, we were given the chance to visit the Kotel, one of the holiest sites in Judaism. It was a really spiritual experience for many people. Many of us wrote prayers that we placed within the cracks of the wall. After that, we headed to a traditional Israeli market, to enjoy the food of the land. Some of us ate Schwarma, falafel, or pastries. Then, we visited a site that overlooked the West Bank, and there we discussed the implications of the area and its people. After a long day, we headed back to the hotel for a night in. Our Israeli soldiers prepared a game of "Israeli Jeopardy" for us. We competed as three branches of the IDF: Airforce, Navy, and Infantry. The infantry unit came out victorious!!

Today, May 26, we started our day at Yad Vashem, the national Israeli Holocaust Museum. It was a deeply moving and profound exhibit that inspired a lot of emotion for everyone in the group. After a quick lunch, we headed to Har (Mount) Herzel, the national Israeli military cemetary. We visited the graves of famous Israelis such as: Theodore Herzel, Yitzach Rabin, Golda Meir, and others. After we visited a few graves of soldiers who gave their lives for the advencement of the Jewish State such as Michael Levin and Yonatan Netanyahu. Before setting out for Tel Aviv, we said our tearful goodbyes to our eight Israeli soldiers. In Tel Aviv, we had a nice variety of dinner options on Jaffa street. Anything from Shwarma to pizza was available; and the ice cream was only 8 shekels! We ended the evening by seeing a play performed by blind and deaf actors, detailing their struggles and dreams. Overall, it was a humbling and reflective day.


Kimberly Syvarth, Rutgers 2013
Sabrina Rackow, George Mason Dec 2011
Jonathan Levin, Rutgers 2013
Sofia Kremer, Rutgers 2012

to the south

yesterday, we went to tzfat or safed - there's no standard spelling - it was very beautiful, with a great view of the surrounding countryside. we visited two synagogues, then went shopping. after shopping, we worked with livnot u'lhibanot - to build and to rebuild - an israeli group a bit like habitat for humanity. we did some weeding in a park in tzfat, where there was an old fortress dating back at least to the romans. after tzfaat, we went to bet she'arim, where there are caves where jews were buried during the roman period, and we learned about the revolts against the roman and the greeks. finally we went to a bedouin camp, where we rode camels a short distance, then enjoyed traditional bedouin hospitality and coffee. the bedouins drink three cups of coffee with their guests, one to honor the guest, one for protection, and one for fun. we took a night walk into the negev desert where we meditated a bit, then came back and discussed faith and religious experience in the desert. we slept at the bedouin camp after a night of singing and fun around a campfire.
today we got up very early to go to masada. we saw an infantry brigade, the young pioneers, walking through the desert on a long hike to masada, where we climbed the roman ramp with the soldiers. we viewed and learned about the ruins at masada, then went to the dead sea for lunch and relaxation. after that we went to ein gedi, a freshwater spring, where we haad fun in the water. after ein gedi, we went to jerusalem, where we had a short shehechiyanu ceremony before going to the hotel. we spent the night out in jerusalem, in a pedestrian mall. we had a lot of fun, especially tonight.
sammie - george mason
dov - rutgers

SUMMER 2011!!

Driving to the airport some of us were nervous but once we met each other on the plane, everyone shared the same feelings and were welcoming. Although the plane was an 11 hours long, it went by pretty fast; we talked, napped, and watched movies.
Our first shabbat was nice because it was nice relaxing from being rushed into Israel for our first times. We stayed at the Kibbutz in Machaniam. We noticed instead of squirrels, Israel has cats and dogs running around. Everyone we have met so far is really nice and understanding that we do not speak Hebrew. Many people are connecting to their Judaism and others are still finding themselves. We all manage to coordinate and find time to spend our spare time together.

Today we went on a nature walk in Tel Dan. It was fascinating. We learned about Syria and Lebanon, and how the conflicts arise between the close borders. We saw exotic birds and how essential the conversion of swamps were into agricultural land. The soldiers joined us they are very nice and open to any questions; they will be joining us for a few more days, and we love them already. Traveling up the Golan Heights really put things into perspective for us and how important the IDF is... it is not just being apart of an army, but having a special identity and pride for your country to maintain its significance. We have all gotten really close and it is only the third day. So far, birthright is an amazing experience and I cannot wait to see what else comes this week.

Today we visited Yad Vashem, which is the Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem. It was a very large museum located on Memorial Hill. Besides the actual museum, there was an education center which is where we saw a Holocaust survivor named Chana Pik. Chana’s story was very interesting and she was a good friend of Anne Frank’s in Holland. Outside the museum there were many memorials including the children’s memorial for the 1.5 million children who perished and also a memorial for the righteous people of the Holocaust including the Schindler’s.

What I found the most powerful was the video we watched as soon as we entered the main building of the museum. It showed the life before the war, and there were Hungarian children singing Hatikva in the video. Hatikva is the national anthem of Israel, though the children were singing it before Israel was established. The last exhibit before we left was the same video of the children that we saw in the beginning. The most powerful thing was the fact the children were singing about hope and Israel was created after the unfortunate death of about 7 million Jews. The museum was designed to be a timeline and the building itself was designed as a triangle. That symbolizes half of the Star of David to show that the Jewish population decreased.

After we went to Yad Vashem we visited Mount Herzel, also on Memorial Hill, which is where many important people are buried, including Theordore Herzel (father of Modern Zionism) and many prime ministers including Golda Meir and Yitzhak Rabin. Other people buried there included veterans of the Israel Defense Force. Some people buried there were as young as 12 and as old as 86. People who were victimized by terrorist attacks were also buried there. The cemetery was very beautiful as it was also on Memorial Hill and it was filled with lots of trees and beautiful scenery.

Tonight we also watched a short Jewish film and went out for a last dinner together at an amazing restaurant that served Israeli food. Tonight we are wrapping up, celebrating Andrew Zharnest’s birthday (today) & Jasmine’s birthday (which is tomorrow) and packing and going back to New Jersey by tomorrow!

L'hitraot (see you again) Israel!!

Jaclyn Lazarus, RU ‘12

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Tuesday…A SUNNY DAY! Finally!

We began our day with a trip to what we thought was the oldest house in Tel Aviv. We soon found out that the home Kobi took us to was actually the home of our beloved soldier, Nitzan!! We were welcomed into her home (which was in a small town, not in Tel Aviv) where her parents arranged a small party for us. They were so warm and friendly and explained to us the history and importance of their village. Also, it should be noted that they had an extremely fluffy puppy named Leelu. :-)

Next, we got on the bus to head to the real Tel Aviv. After a nice nap, we arrived to Rabin Square right in front of city hall. We all got together to learn about the history of Tel Aviv, and the assassination of the Prime Minister Yitzhach Rabin. Then, we had an arranged activity where we were divided into groups and had a list of questions to ask Israeli people in the square. When we presented our findings, we soon learned that many people have many different opinions and stories about Israel. We also learned that Israelis are very welcoming and eager to share with people. Also, Kobi ran a chocolate milk drinking contest. The milk came in a plastic bag which you had to open with your teeth, drink the milk, blow up the bag, and then pop it by stepping on it. Emily came out the winner in a race competing against Nate and Jasmine.

Then we headed to the apt. of a Rutgers University Alumna, Nina. She very kindly opened her roof for us to have a small party to celebrate Rabbi Reed’s Birthday and to welcome us to Israel. We then had some free time for shopping and food.

Next, we left and headed to Jaffa where we saw a beautiful lookout of Tel Aviv and the ocean. There, Kobi told us more stories of Tel Aviv and the importance of it to the beginning of Israel. After this, we got right back on the bus for a long drive back to Jerusalem.

After checking into the hotel and eating some dinner we gathered for a meeting to listen to a number of speakers. First, we heard from a representative from an organization that provides students with financial aid for opportunities to attend a post-college long term program in Israel. The next speakers were a bit more unique. They presented a clothing line of T-shirts which each carry a story significant to Israel and its people. These shirts are not only stylish but represent and support a number of causes. Our friends bought a few!

Then, to end the night, we had a serious talk about tomorrow’s visit to Yad Vashem, Israel's Holocaust Memorial. Members of the group shared their personal stories about their family history in the holocaust. The group showed support for each other and we are confident that our group will be extremely supportive tomorrow.

Till then,

--Alyssa Greengrass RU '13 and Emily Stanton RU '13.

Sunday, January 9 - Monday, January 10, 2011

Sunday, we did a lot of cool things. We packed up our things and left the Leonardo Hotel in Jersualem, and drove to Sderot. We met Laura Bialis, a tour guide who showed us what it was like to live in a town that was constantly under surveillance and getting hit by Qassam rockets. Laura talked about how you have fifteen seconds to get in to safe quarters once the loud speaker says “Red Alert” when a rocket is launched.

Then, we stopped at a children’s playground and we saw a bomb shelter painted as a caterpillar. I thought that this experience was very emotional because the people of Sderot have to live in constant alertness because a rocket could be launched at any given moment. Afterwards, Laura took us to a Kibbutz outside of an army base that was exactly 1 mile from the Gaza Strip. We were able to look out across the valley and see the boundary line in the near distance.

Next, we had lunch in Sderot and formally said goodbye to our Israeli soldiers. We all made speeches and gave many thanks for everything that we had learned from them in the past four days. We also showed them the original posters with imagined pictures of them, that we made the night before meeting them. We all had a good laugh!

After that, we participated in a community service event where we played games with a bunch of children. It was fun to see everyone laughing and having fun with the Israeli kids.

Finally, we began our journey to the Bedouin Tents in the Negev Desert. When we arrived, we had a traditional Bedouin dinner, sitting on the floor under a huge tent, then we had a welcoming ceremony where we learned about their traditions. After that, we took a walk through the desert. This was my favorite part of the day because it was completely silent and dark in the desert. Kobi gave us 20 minutes to go off on our own, find a comfortable spot, and enjoy the silence. Afterward, we got together and individually said what we thought about and we were able to open up to each other. Also, we saw a shooting star. Sababa! Before bed, we sat around a campfire and Alex brought out her guitar. We had a sing-a-long and people from other groups joined in with us. That was fun, as well. Then we went to bed.

Sleeping in the tent was an experience in itself. It was freezing, and everyone ended up cuddling next to each other to keep warm. After breakfast, we rode camels and donkeys through the desert, which was an awesome time. Then we went to Masada and climbed up the Roman ramp.

After having a tour on the top of Masada, Courtney, Hana, Karen, Caelynn, and James had a Bnai Mitzvah Ceremony. This was an amazing experience, having the opportunity to be called to the Torah on top of Masada. I truly loved this experience.

After climbing down and having lunch, we drove to the Dead Sea. We covered ourselves in mud and wrote out RUTGERS across our bodies. The Dead Sea was an unusual experience because the water is completely different from the beaches at home. Floating was exhilarating. We had lots of fun putting mud all over each other and taking lots of pictures (sorry, but we can't upload them to this blog in Israel). After that, we drove to Netanya and stayed at the Galil Hotel.

These were some of my favorite days of the trip.

- Courtney Davis RU ‘13

Friday, January 7 - Saturday, January 8, 2011

Wow! I can’t believe it has been less than a week in Israel, yet it feels like a month. Friday morning we woke up bright and early for our first stop at the Mount Scopus Lookout Point in Jerusalem. (Boy was it a magnificent site) Our tour guide Kobe told us a story about the city and how Jerusalem was only chosen to be the capital of the land after many years of heated debate. Why did it take so many years? As the saying goes, “For every two Jews, there are three opinions.” At Mount Scopus we celebrated Sam Sperling’s birthday by singing in both Hebrew and in English. (And yes, the crown that Rabbi Reed picked up for Sam looked great on him)

We then went on the bus and drove through the Jerusalem tunnel to get to the Old City. As we walked along, someone asked why all the buildings in the city are made out of stone and look alike. Kobe explained to us that there is actually a law in Jerusalem saying that all the buildings have to be made from “Jerusalem Stone,” a beige colored stone. After walking through narrow streets and cramped spaces, we finally made it to the Kotel. (Western Wall) For many people, this experience was so moving that a few broke down in tears. A few hundred feet to the right of the Kotel is an area where archaeologists were given permission by the Israeli government to excavate for twelve years…what they found was truly amazing. Nearly fifty feet below what is currently ground level they unearthed an ancient city that was both rich in Jewish culture and beauty. As we made our way down to the excavated area, three members our group (Ben Gold, Nate Sobel and James Stein) popped out of nowhere dressed up as if they were from ancient times and taught us about how life was during these special times. They narrated their story through a quite clever rap and beat box musical session. Everyone enjoyed their humor and antics, but at the same time learned much about the high priests of the day, how a Mikvah (ritual bath) works and about money exchange on the street more than two thousand years ago.

Later in the day, we went to an authentic Middle Eastern Shuk. (outdoor market) Here, the group saw the hustle and bustle of Israeli life on a Friday afternoon right before Shabbat was about to start. Before arriving at the Shuk, we were given a Shabbat Buddy to buy a gift for, which we then exchanged later on. People truly enjoyed bargaining for their gifts at the Shuk, however we quickly found out that this is quite difficult if you don’t know the language.

That night, we went back to the Old City and right before Shabbat started, went to the rooftop of a place called Esh Hatorah (“The Fire of the Torah) Here, we overlooked the Western Wall while Kobe told us a story to get into the Shabbat mode. We then went back to the Kotel for Maariv services and after ate dinner at Esh Ha’Torah. This dinner was truly special for the group because it was the first Shabbat that many of us have spent in this amazing land. After dinner, we had about an hour walk back to our hotel which was a great opportunity to become closer with the Israeli soldiers that have joined us on the trip.

Shabbat morning there was an optional Shacharit service for those who were able to get themselves out of bed. For those who could not, sleeping in was a luxury many appreciated. During lunch, we had an “Ask the Rabbi” session with Rabbi Reed. The discussion spanned many questions, from Halachah (Jewish Law) to assimilation to the chagim. (holidays) More important than the type of questions people asked was the simple fact that we were all so interested in asking questions in the first place. There is something funny about being in Israel that makes you want to ask more, to know more and to discover yourself on a deeper level. In the late afternoon before Shabbat ended, we walked around Jerusalem to see some houses from important Jewish figures. As soon as we came back from our walk around Jerusalem, we ended Shabbat with the Havdalah Service. This service was extremely moving to many people, especially those who have never participated in this service.

Before we went out to Ben Yehuda street, Neil Lazarus, an expert on the Israeli conflict spoke to us about the impending problem with the Iranians, especially if they acquire Nuclear weapons. He also spoke to us about the negotiations going on between Israel and the surrounding countries. He said that the most important thing for Israel to do before they sit down at the negotiation table again is to figure out for themselves the most important question of them all: What it means to have a Jewish democracy. We then jumped on the bus to go shopping at Ben Yahuda street in downtown Jerusalem. Here, we bought souvenirs and got a true taste of what Israeli shopping is like. Tomorrow will be another day filled with excitement and new opportunities. Unfortunatley, our soldeirs who have been with us for the past few days will be leaving us to go back to the army. Kobe told us that in biblical times, (before face book and twitter…etc) the way people described the Kotel was, “You have to see it with your own eyes to really understand it’s beauty.” I think the same applies for the relationships that we have formed with these soldiers over the past few days. It feels as if we have known them for our whole lives, and the learning that we have done from each other is something no professor or textbook could ever teach.

--Ben Locke RU’13

Today was “Sababa” (which means awesome in Hebrew)!

We left the hotel in Tiberius and traveled to Kibbutz Malkiya on the Israeli/Lebanon border. Eitan, the man in charge of security at the kibbutz, introduced us to “the boys,” Israeli soldiers who are stationed near the kibbutz at the border. The best part about meeting them was the one-on-one conversations. I (Sam) talked to one of the soldiers, a 20-year-old commander named Don. It was very interesting to see someone my age leading a remarkably different life. I (Jasmine) met Sam, a Kiwi from Zealand. I got his email address in order to send him pictures of our experience in Israel.

Following the one-on-ones, we (Sam & Jasmine) were the only students selected to plant Kiwi bushes in celebration of our upcoming birthdays. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I (Jasmine) had hopes of planting a tree in Israel ever since I was a little girl. It was the best birthday present ever imaginable. I (Sam) plan to come back in 3-4 years to see how the plant has grown.

Next we traveled for 3 hours to the marvelous, spiritual, beautiful, holy city of Jerusalem. We unpacked at the hotel and traveled to the Taglit-Birthright mega event. This event only happens once a winter season for all the Birthright trips to come together for one huge celebration. There we got a powerful speech in person from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Natanyahu, met other Birthright groups from all around the world (Brazil, Argentina, Russia, Canada, England, Chile), and jammed out to some rockin’ Israeli tunes.

Today was Sababa!!

-Sam Sperling RU’13

-Jasmine Love RU’12

This morning after breakfast we met with the 8 soldiers who will be staying with us for the next few days. Kobi (our tour guide) did a short introduction and we all introduced ourselves with our favorite dance move.

Our first activity of the day was a jeep ride through the upper galilee mountains, in the Beerya forest. We had a soldier in each jeep. It gave us a chance to get to know them and for them to get to know us.

After the jeep rides we headed to the holy city of Tzfat. Our first stop was Livnot U'lehibanot, a small Jewish center where we did text study in groups and discussed Jewish ideas. My group discussed tikkun olam/changing the world.

At lunch, I had my first schwarma and others had their first felafel. This gave us another chance to sit and talk with the Israeli soldiers. We learned more about what they do in the army and what their experiences have been. They also asked a lot of questions of us, especially about our heritage and culture growing up.

After a little time for shopping, we visited two synagogues. At the first, we learned about the Jews who came to Tzfat because of the expulsion of Jews from Spain in 1492. They brought a Torah with them which is used in that synagogue three times a year, even though it is 500 years old. At the second, we learned about the Ari, the rabbi who developed Kabbalah.

We finished up the afternoon with two more stops. The first was an art gallery of Jewish mysticism. The artist there was originally from Detroit and came to Israel to learn more about Judaism and study Kabbalah. He was kind of a strange guy, but it was fun. Then we went to a small food shop with a guy from Yemen. We had a chance to try his food, which was amazing. We learned a little about him and he spoke to us about "abra cadabra" which means I will create as I speak. He talked about the power of words.

Overall it was a fun day because we got to meet the soldiers that we'll spend the next few days with and met a lot of interesting people along the way.

--Caelynn Grossman RU'11

Today was awesome!

We started out with a visit to the graves of 2 special rabbis in the town of Tiberius (where we are staying). One is Rabbi Akiva, from the Mishna/Talmud, and the Passover Haggadah. The other is Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzato, from the 19th century. While we were there, some fist-pumping, techno-blasting Bratislaver chassidim arrived to pray, sing and dance at the grave. We loved seeing them there.

Then we took a hike that took about 60-90 minutes. We crossed 2 streams, went up and down hills, saw the gorgeous Gilabun waterfall. We really bonded on the hike, both with the land of Israel and with one another. We helped each other across the difficult parts of the hike.

Then we went to the town of Modern Katrin for lunch at a food court. We bumped into about 200 other students on birthright trips, from NYU, U Mass, Wisconsin, Texas, and others. I was happy to acquire my first Israeli currency there!

Next we went to Kibbutz El Ram to see a short film and learn about the fight to save the Golan Heights during the 1973 Yom Kippur war. It was a very emotional film.

We went to the excavated ruins of Ancient Katzrin. It is hard to compare modern life to life back then (1500 years ago) but it really inspired me. It really put into perspective how privledged we are in the US, but kind of sad how in some ways we've regessed, society-wise.

From there we went to a chocolate factory on a Kibbutz, where some really high end chocolates and liquers were made (and sold to us!). I didn't even know what a Kibbutz was before we came there, so it was a really enriching experience for me.

Lastly, we went to the Golan Winery, where they have Yarden wines. They showed us the whole process, including fermentation in barrels, the difference in making white and red wines, how time affects the process, and the very delicate nature of making wine. We got to taste a few wines (it is legal to drink alcohol in Israel starting at age 18), of which the red was my favorite. I ended up buying a bottle to bring home.

Tomorrow we will visit the holy city of Tzfat.
--by Jacques Karcnik, RU '12

They have Arrived!

The group has arrived in Israel and everyone is doing great however tired they may be! They have a wonderful tour guide and will hopefully have internet tomorrow to begin sharing their adventure with us!