Monday, November 2
By Karen Slachetka
On Monday night I had the opportunity to participate in a volunteer event with our visiting Israelis. It was great to learn with the Israelis about how extremely active the Washington, DC Jewish Community Center is in the area of community service. Our efforts for the evening aimed to support local after-school programs and food banks, providing food and toiletries to the needy in Washington, DC. The kitchen team, of which I was a member, had a great time making tomato salad, peanut butter sandwiches and bag lunches. It seemed like such minor things, but showing the Israelis how to make a peanut butter sandwich for the first time, hearing about their day, playing games or trying to sing songs to pass the time really made for a memorable experience.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Reverse Mifgash 2009: Day 1
Sunday, November 1
By Yelena Barakh
It was really rewarding to see the Israelis on Sunday night. There was a sense of "Wow, they are here!" After a year of planning, fundraising and talking about their arrival and everything we wanted them to get out of the experience, it was here! I got the feeling that they were all very different, yet had common ground, similar to the members of the young D.C. Jewish community. I'm hoping this is an amazing 10 days for all of us!
By Yelena Barakh
It was really rewarding to see the Israelis on Sunday night. There was a sense of "Wow, they are here!" After a year of planning, fundraising and talking about their arrival and everything we wanted them to get out of the experience, it was here! I got the feeling that they were all very different, yet had common ground, similar to the members of the young D.C. Jewish community. I'm hoping this is an amazing 10 days for all of us!
Monday, August 24, 2009
Taglit-Birthright Israel: DC Community Trip Day 10
At Mt. Herzl
By Daniel Kliman (Washington, DC)
The last morning began with a trip to Israel’s military cemetery on Mt. Herzl. Entering the cemetery, the noise of Jerusalem fell away. In silence lay the heroes of Israel.
Walking alongside rows of lovingly maintained graves, I experienced a range of emotions.
Grief: the soldiers who gave the ultimate sacrifice for Israel were so young. For many, life ended at 18, 19, 20. With each perished an entire world – their hopes, dreams, and the family that might have been.
Awe: the courage of men and women, many younger than myself, was inspiring. Michael Levin’s story struck a particular cord. An America oleh, Michael Levin set aside a comfortable life to join the IDF (Israeli Defense Forces). Like so many other solider, he died so that a Jewish state might live.
Frustration: Israel emerged from the ashes of the Holocaust only because its citizens were willing to pay the ultimate price. The geography of Mt Herzl symbolizes this: the graves of the soldiers and Yad Vashem and the memorial to Theodore Herzl, Zionism’s leading visionary. More than 60 year later, the geography of Mt Herzl still describes Israel’s precarious existence. The Jewish state would cease to exist if not for the sacrifices of its people. Little has changed.
Resolve: services in the military imbues the lives of Israelis with meaning. They serve a cause larger than themselves. As American Jews, it is easy to focus on our narrow personal goals. Standing amidst Israel’s heroes, my resolve to live a life of meaning was reinforced.
By Daniel Kliman (Washington, DC)
The last morning began with a trip to Israel’s military cemetery on Mt. Herzl. Entering the cemetery, the noise of Jerusalem fell away. In silence lay the heroes of Israel.
Walking alongside rows of lovingly maintained graves, I experienced a range of emotions.
Grief: the soldiers who gave the ultimate sacrifice for Israel were so young. For many, life ended at 18, 19, 20. With each perished an entire world – their hopes, dreams, and the family that might have been.
Awe: the courage of men and women, many younger than myself, was inspiring. Michael Levin’s story struck a particular cord. An America oleh, Michael Levin set aside a comfortable life to join the IDF (Israeli Defense Forces). Like so many other solider, he died so that a Jewish state might live.
Frustration: Israel emerged from the ashes of the Holocaust only because its citizens were willing to pay the ultimate price. The geography of Mt Herzl symbolizes this: the graves of the soldiers and Yad Vashem and the memorial to Theodore Herzl, Zionism’s leading visionary. More than 60 year later, the geography of Mt Herzl still describes Israel’s precarious existence. The Jewish state would cease to exist if not for the sacrifices of its people. Little has changed.
Resolve: services in the military imbues the lives of Israelis with meaning. They serve a cause larger than themselves. As American Jews, it is easy to focus on our narrow personal goals. Standing amidst Israel’s heroes, my resolve to live a life of meaning was reinforced.
Taglit-Birthright Israel: DC Community Trip Day 9
Hiking Masada
By Max Spitulnick (Potomac, MD)
Transitioning from the Bedouin camels to the beauty of the Masada mountain was no easy task at 4:30 in the morning, but well worth it. Black as the night could be, we ascended the “Roman Path” with 4 other group as if we were following Moses out of the desert. I was dehydrated, sleep deprived, and had a blasting headache from the horrible French singing all night long. I kept asking myself, why are we doing this horrible hike?
In the end, it turned out to be one of the most rewarding experiences of my trip. On the top of the mountain, I closed my eyes and was able to hear such a vast array of sounds of the Jews who fled to this mountain in efforts to escape the Romans - screaming, terrorizing everyday living, scrambling footsteps and more.
I sat within the walls of a water cistern and touched with my bare hand a piece of architecture made by the Jews over 2000 years ago. We explored the bath house, the aqueduct filtration system and several other components which were used by the Jews for survival. It really was an inspiring experience for me.
Finally, after hearing the most incredible ending to a story I’ve ever heard (if you don’t know it, you should really check it out) – we made our way back down through the Snake path, crisscrossing through sideways baths and half completed crossings. It was a wonderful experience – ps, we all missed Shaun.
The Dead Sea
By Stephanie Grow (Washington, DC)
We approached the Dead Sea by bus and marched towards the changing rooms filled with trepidation. "I hear it hurts," could be heard by everyone as we assessed our numerous cuts, scrapes and bruises. "Do you think it's worth it?" was asked as we paid our two shekels to change into our bathing suits and headed down to the hot sand. We marched down to the water in 40 degree Celsius heat and looked out at a gorgeous blue body of water. It looked harmless, and inviting, after a long day of hiking Masada.
The members of the group that were the most adventurous stepped in first, navigating the rocks in our brand new water shoes. We took a few more steps, turned our backs to the sea and leaned back. Everyone's jaws dropped as we became instantly buoyant. The water, warmer than bathwater, held us, suspended and floating nearly against our will. If we tried to sink, we couldn't. If you moved around too much, you ran the risk of splashing oily salty water in someone’s eyes. How does floating like that feel? Like laying on a bouncing trampoline, or like we were totally weightless. It was the most amazing feeling. Does it burn? Oh hell yes. Was it worth it? Most definitely.
By Max Spitulnick (Potomac, MD)
Transitioning from the Bedouin camels to the beauty of the Masada mountain was no easy task at 4:30 in the morning, but well worth it. Black as the night could be, we ascended the “Roman Path” with 4 other group as if we were following Moses out of the desert. I was dehydrated, sleep deprived, and had a blasting headache from the horrible French singing all night long. I kept asking myself, why are we doing this horrible hike?
In the end, it turned out to be one of the most rewarding experiences of my trip. On the top of the mountain, I closed my eyes and was able to hear such a vast array of sounds of the Jews who fled to this mountain in efforts to escape the Romans - screaming, terrorizing everyday living, scrambling footsteps and more.
I sat within the walls of a water cistern and touched with my bare hand a piece of architecture made by the Jews over 2000 years ago. We explored the bath house, the aqueduct filtration system and several other components which were used by the Jews for survival. It really was an inspiring experience for me.
Finally, after hearing the most incredible ending to a story I’ve ever heard (if you don’t know it, you should really check it out) – we made our way back down through the Snake path, crisscrossing through sideways baths and half completed crossings. It was a wonderful experience – ps, we all missed Shaun.
The Dead Sea
By Stephanie Grow (Washington, DC)
We approached the Dead Sea by bus and marched towards the changing rooms filled with trepidation. "I hear it hurts," could be heard by everyone as we assessed our numerous cuts, scrapes and bruises. "Do you think it's worth it?" was asked as we paid our two shekels to change into our bathing suits and headed down to the hot sand. We marched down to the water in 40 degree Celsius heat and looked out at a gorgeous blue body of water. It looked harmless, and inviting, after a long day of hiking Masada.
The members of the group that were the most adventurous stepped in first, navigating the rocks in our brand new water shoes. We took a few more steps, turned our backs to the sea and leaned back. Everyone's jaws dropped as we became instantly buoyant. The water, warmer than bathwater, held us, suspended and floating nearly against our will. If we tried to sink, we couldn't. If you moved around too much, you ran the risk of splashing oily salty water in someone’s eyes. How does floating like that feel? Like laying on a bouncing trampoline, or like we were totally weightless. It was the most amazing feeling. Does it burn? Oh hell yes. Was it worth it? Most definitely.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Photos from Israel
Members of the Taglit-Birthright Israel: DC Community Trip Volunteering at our Partnership 2000 community, Beit Shemesh.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Taglit-Birthright Israel: DC Community Trip Day 7
The Sabbath Day in Israel
By Brian Scheur (Rockville, MD)
For most of us, we haven't been to a Shabbat service led by a peer since our Bar or Bat Mitzvahs over a decade ago. Maybe that's why our Shabbat service in Israel was so special. For some, it was the first Shabbat service they ever attended and for others it was their first in years. Regardless of how often each of us attends shul or recognizes the sabbath, this was likely to be a day we won't soon forget.
Friday Night Services
Our service was led by three individuals from our group, Clark Hagen, Daniel Kilman, and Jon Kushner. After soaking in the entire day, Jon spent a few minutes discussing the experience of leading a service with me.
It had been over two years since he had last led a service. Prior to that it was his Bar Mitzvah back in the mid-nineties. He described the experience as inspiring. Leading his fellow peers and a group of people he was a stranger to just a few days ago added to the experience. He felt the support offered to him by Daniel and Clark aided the calming of his nerves and once they were into the service, everything seemed to just click.
Jon continued to describe the evening as an elevated experience because of the location (on a kibbutz in Israel) and stated that it was one of the few times he really felt connected to Judaism. Of course, this trip is not just about experiences, it's about learning from those experiences. Jon felt he learned to really embrace the sabbath. After spending a relaxing sabbath at the kibbutz, he really felt the significance between the work week and a special day of rest.
Sabbath Day
After several succesive early mornings, we all ushered in the sabbath day by sleeping in. When we finally met as a large group, we broke into smaller groups to discuss the week's parsha (Torah portion).
The portion we talked about involved Moses' final message to his followers as they approached Israel. He recited the laws that were passed down from G-d that were important for the Jews to follow. Specifically, we talked about kashrut (keeping kosher) and the origins of some of those guidelines.
The day continued with everyone relaxing around the kibbutz. Most spent time by the pool sunning and swimming. Others took this day as an opportunity to catch up or get ahead on sleep as the rest of the trip is going to seem like a sprint after the slow pace of the sabbath day.
Conclusion of Shabbat
The day ended with a challenging exercise where everyone was forced to confront several moral and political issues that have challenged Jews and Israeli politics for the past seven decades.
Lastly, we had one final service to conclude, havdallah. Daniel took leadership again as we sang, prayed and enjoyed each other's company for the last time on our first sabbath in Israel.
It was a fitting conclusion to a day filled with rest and relaxation without the stresses of a tight schedule or of the busy-ness that surrounds most of our Washington DC lives.
By Brian Scheur (Rockville, MD)
For most of us, we haven't been to a Shabbat service led by a peer since our Bar or Bat Mitzvahs over a decade ago. Maybe that's why our Shabbat service in Israel was so special. For some, it was the first Shabbat service they ever attended and for others it was their first in years. Regardless of how often each of us attends shul or recognizes the sabbath, this was likely to be a day we won't soon forget.
Friday Night Services
Our service was led by three individuals from our group, Clark Hagen, Daniel Kilman, and Jon Kushner. After soaking in the entire day, Jon spent a few minutes discussing the experience of leading a service with me.
It had been over two years since he had last led a service. Prior to that it was his Bar Mitzvah back in the mid-nineties. He described the experience as inspiring. Leading his fellow peers and a group of people he was a stranger to just a few days ago added to the experience. He felt the support offered to him by Daniel and Clark aided the calming of his nerves and once they were into the service, everything seemed to just click.
Jon continued to describe the evening as an elevated experience because of the location (on a kibbutz in Israel) and stated that it was one of the few times he really felt connected to Judaism. Of course, this trip is not just about experiences, it's about learning from those experiences. Jon felt he learned to really embrace the sabbath. After spending a relaxing sabbath at the kibbutz, he really felt the significance between the work week and a special day of rest.
Sabbath Day
After several succesive early mornings, we all ushered in the sabbath day by sleeping in. When we finally met as a large group, we broke into smaller groups to discuss the week's parsha (Torah portion).
The portion we talked about involved Moses' final message to his followers as they approached Israel. He recited the laws that were passed down from G-d that were important for the Jews to follow. Specifically, we talked about kashrut (keeping kosher) and the origins of some of those guidelines.
The day continued with everyone relaxing around the kibbutz. Most spent time by the pool sunning and swimming. Others took this day as an opportunity to catch up or get ahead on sleep as the rest of the trip is going to seem like a sprint after the slow pace of the sabbath day.
Conclusion of Shabbat
The day ended with a challenging exercise where everyone was forced to confront several moral and political issues that have challenged Jews and Israeli politics for the past seven decades.
Lastly, we had one final service to conclude, havdallah. Daniel took leadership again as we sang, prayed and enjoyed each other's company for the last time on our first sabbath in Israel.
It was a fitting conclusion to a day filled with rest and relaxation without the stresses of a tight schedule or of the busy-ness that surrounds most of our Washington DC lives.
Taglit-Birthright Israel: DC Community Trip Day 6
The Golan Heights
"See that country there, there and there"
By Max Spitulnick
I'll begin giving away the ending: they all hate Israel. Clearly, it's not that simple but that's what it boils down to. As we all sat on top of the Golan Heights listening to Itzik, I couldn't help but ask myself, "Why all the turmoil?" Again, there is no clear answer, but as one of our Israeli friends put it "This is the same question that every eight-year-old Israeli asks. After that, you just stop asking." Seeing the international border of Syria and Israel, and seeing them from the Golan Heights, brings the conflict just that much closer. It is easy to see the strategic importance of holding onto higher ground and it is beautiful up there. Even though I was sitting in a bunker on top of a much-fought-over mountain range, looking over Israel and Syria simultaneously, I couldn't help but enjoy the view.
Just looking at Israel from a bus window is great, driving through the Bible is excellent, but everyone says that in order to understand the land, you have to walk it. So we did. We hiked down a mountain and along the Gilabon stream. We then walked back up and got on the bus. It was very hot. Jews are still the best. They certainly still rock.
"See that country there, there and there"
By Max Spitulnick
I'll begin giving away the ending: they all hate Israel. Clearly, it's not that simple but that's what it boils down to. As we all sat on top of the Golan Heights listening to Itzik, I couldn't help but ask myself, "Why all the turmoil?" Again, there is no clear answer, but as one of our Israeli friends put it "This is the same question that every eight-year-old Israeli asks. After that, you just stop asking." Seeing the international border of Syria and Israel, and seeing them from the Golan Heights, brings the conflict just that much closer. It is easy to see the strategic importance of holding onto higher ground and it is beautiful up there. Even though I was sitting in a bunker on top of a much-fought-over mountain range, looking over Israel and Syria simultaneously, I couldn't help but enjoy the view.
Just looking at Israel from a bus window is great, driving through the Bible is excellent, but everyone says that in order to understand the land, you have to walk it. So we did. We hiked down a mountain and along the Gilabon stream. We then walked back up and got on the bus. It was very hot. Jews are still the best. They certainly still rock.
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