The Trip to Israel

Travels

We have journeyed fast and extensively these past few days. From our ascent up Masada either by hike or cable car, we uncovered ancient archeology, explored Jewish history, and discussed the evolving thought in modern Israel. We desended Masada and took and found much fun in the mud and minerals of the Dead Sea. Many pictures were taken, but privacy is best.

On Wednesday morning we were treated to an elightening lecture on the politics of Israel before we began our journey to the north. Along the way many in our group were treated to a wonderful visit at Yemin Orde youth aliyah village - one of Israel's most innovative educational institutions. Others - well they simply went to the dogs. Their visit to the Israel Guide Dog Cente helped us understand one of many of Israel's social service organizations. Did you know a dog spoke Hebrew.

We continued up the coast to the north stopping in Caesarea on the Mediteranean and Haifa along the way.

We enjoyed the hospitality of another of Israel's Reform congregations and discussed life at the synagague in times of peace and war.

This was taken in their safe room.

Our hotel in the north was simply a place of beauty. Your blogers massage was wonderful - sorry for the lack of contact - time was limited and we had to make choices.

Israel's northern borders provide the visual reality and landscape to discuss security issues along the Golan Heghts and the war in Lebonon 18 months ago. We did both - on land and in jeep. The landscapes are magnificent and the issues brought to life are deep and varied.

While in the north, took time for reflection in Safed, a center of Jewish mysticism for hundreds of years. This time, on a beatiful plateau, provided moments of personal reflection and an opportunity to take collective experiences and find personal meaning.

As we began our journey toward Tel Aviv and the conclusion of our trip we visited with our "Partnership 2000" region at a local school and community center

and learned of the model emergency preparadness and training at the Western Galilee Hospital, who built a complete underground hospital that was able to support on going and emergency medical needs as the region suffered shelling during the war.

We arrived in Tel Aviv in time for Shabbat with another of our partner Reform congregations and others.

As the sun sets over the Mediteranean and Shabbat begins, we begin our last day in Israel - at least this week. Our shared experiences are many, and our personal reflections may only be just beginning. We look forward to sharing many of them with you upon our return. Many thoughts will be meant for all to hear, while others may require more quiet, personal moments. Others still will call us back to this place of history, of blessing, of hope.

Shabbat Shalom

Reflections

December 26, 2007

Growing up we have always known the importance of supporting Israel, but standing atop Masada and gazing across towards Jordan we felt a knew found connection. Israel is no longer just a far off place for us to voice support in the American political system, but Israel has now become a true home for us. The days have been filled with adventure and exploration. We cannot thank Temple E enough!

The Feldman Boys

Bnai Mitvah

Their faces tell so much. It was their hearts and minds, and souls that brought us together for an inspirational experience. Congratulations to Haley, Max and Dylan. More pictures to follow.

Reflections from the Michaels Family

Reflections from the Michaels Family:

Shopping for Talit in the Jewish Quarter, buying wooden candles in the Christian Quarter, drinking fresh pomegranate juice in the Moslem Quarter, three different faiths coming together in one very small space this was the theme of our family’s third day in Israel.

We began the day overlooking the Old City from a vantage point that clearly illustrates the importance of this tiny piece of land to three major religious faiths. Taking a picture that included the Dome of the Rock, Temple Mount, and Church of the Ascension, and listening to the Moslem call to worship, one could not help but feel how truly unique this land is.

Our temple community was honored and moved to share in the B’nai Mitzvah of Haley, Dylan, and Max, with the Old City as the backdrop. Singing the Shma has never felt more special.

A few hours later our group was working with the Israel Religious Action Center (IRAC) packing boxes for needy Jews and non Jews alike. We also learned of IRAC’s efforts to assist the Sudanese refugees from Darfur. Most of these refuges are Christian.

A tour of the Christian and Jewish Quarters of the Old City later in the day further blended the many faiths represented in Jerusalem and illustrated many of the common thread between them. The tour progressed to the Western Wall and ended with a walk underneath the Moslem Quarter on one of King Herod’s streets built in 4 BCE. WOW!

Reflections from Mark Masinter

Reflections from Mark Masinter

Day Four, 12/23/07

After a meaningful and emotional visit to Yad Vashem, bus Aleph made our way to the Jewish Quarter. It was there we were lead by our fearless leader Tzvi in our own exploration of the religious and historical sites of the Jewish Quarter (JQ) of the Old City of Jerusalem. Although our group was emotionally spent and physically exhausted from day #2 of jet lag, we persevered through hours of touring and a fun scavenger hunt.

In general, the JQ was very alive! It had an amazing reverberation of merchants pushing their wares; café operators hustling for business, aromas of freshly baked bread, pizza, bagels and falafel. There is a constant buzz in the Old City and almost a magnetic force that draws you to the Kotel / Western Wall.

The Kotel was our last stop on today’s journey in JQ. Along the way we stopped at Nachmanides synagogue, the first Sephardic synagogue in the JQ. From there went to visit the remains of the first Temple and actually see the walls of the 8 ft site. We then walked several hundred feet and traveled down a beautiful staircase to land at the foot of 4 Sephardic synagogues and saw young men davening (sp) their afternoon prayers with amazing conviction. We learned that during the siege of 1948 that the residents of this section of the JQ were cut off from their new state. Our last stop before going to the Kotel was to visit the site of our Jewish brethren who paid the ultimate price during the battles of 1948 and were buried at this location. Their bodies remained buried in secrecy until 1967 when this section of the JQ was reclaimed and their remains where taken to Har Zeitim were they received a proper burial and laid to rest among the other fallen hero’s of Israel.

It was a special afternoon filled with many learning experiences and appropriately capped off with a memorable conclusion at the Kotel for prayer and reflection.

Shalom

December 24

Our morning began with a majestic view of Jerusalem

followed by our moving B’nai Mitvah service. With Jerusalem as our backdrop, we were lead in prayer and taught as students became teachers. Our festive morning and early afternoon continued with a group mitzvah project coordinated for our group by the Israel Religious Action Center. We prepared food boxes for those in need

and we studied together as one community.

Log-on tomorrow to share in our B’nai Mitzvah Celebration. We can’t wait to share the photos and excerpts from the d’var torah reflections written by our students. Mazal Tov to all!!

Reflections from 12/23

From Alan Shor

Today was our first full day of activities in Jerusalem and it was a day full of emotion and excitement. Our entire group spent the morning reconnecting with our memories of the Holocaust. First listening to scholar Rachel Korazim and then touring Yad V’shem, the Jewish national memorial to the victims of the Holocaust. For all of us, it was quite an emotional and educational experience.

After a quick lunch, we continued our day by dividing into three groups and our group traveled the Beit Guvrin archeological dig and walk through the Manesha Cave Labyrinth. The fact there were on the same sacred grounds where David slew Goliath and walked the paths as old as the holiday of Chanukah was awe inspiring enough. But then the fun (and filth) rally began! We all entered the Beit Guvrin caves ready to use the entirety of our collective archeological experiences (which were none) to find the next great museum ready artifact. We filled many a bucket with dirt, rock and an occasional piece of pottery or bone, and we picked, shoveled and sifted through glimpses of how our people lived and worked in these caves 2200 years ago.

Once we completed our work (and yes it was work) we divided into two groups and took different tours of the Manesha Cave Labyrinth. We walked down as deep as eighty feet touring the many different parts of the cave and its diverse uses. We saw first hand how our people used the cave to live, work and hide when necessary. Certain areas were used to collect water, make olive oil and raise doves. We finished our long afternoon dirty and exhausted, and thrilled with an experience we will never forget.

A Full Day In Jerusalem

Our day began with a challenge from holocaust scholar, Rachel Korazim. To help us prepare for our visit to Yad V’shem she urged us to approach the opportunity from three perspective: To learn the story of one person (besides Anne Frank); To imagine back into the photographs we would see the beauty of people’s lives and in doing so to restore to them to them their dignity; to accept with humility the reality that we will never fully understand the Holocaust and work to understand as much as we can.

After lunch in varied settings,

The afternoon found us on three different adventures.

We read the poetry of Yehudah Amichai and the prose of S.Y. Agnon on the terraces and street corners that they wrote about in their work.

We dug at an archeological site and uncovered historical artifacts.

We explored the Jewish Quarter of the Old City and saw the moon rise over the Kotel.

And as the sun set over Jerusalem, we returned to norish our bodies just as we norished our souls this day.

On different planes and with different routes 114 members of our congregation and all but one piece of luggage arrived in Jerusalem in time to celebrate Shabbat Friday night. We shared a festive dinner with members of our Hineinu congregation Birkat Shalom and their rabbi, Miri Gold.

She told us about the wonderful mitzvah work they are doing to help resettle 300 new immigrants from Peru and we presented her with a piles of jackets to keep them warm upon their arrival.

Shabbat morning found a group of us at services at the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Insititute of Religion,

others took the time to beat their jet-lag and still others enjoyed the quiet peacefulness of Jerusalem on Shabbat.

In the afternoon we visited the Shrine of the Book, home of the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Israel Museum where we explored a gigantic model of what the Old City of Jerusalem looked like 2000 years and met characters who told us about their ancient sacred work, cleaning the Temple and offering sacrifices. Shabbat in Jerusalem came to a close with havdalah blessing

looking out over the Old City walls and reflecting on the sights, smells, tastes and sounds of this beautiful day that will be our shabbat souveneirs.