Winter Taglit-Birthright Israel: DC Community Trip Day 9

Day 9 – Old McDonald Had a Moshav and Other Tales of Service-Learning

Thus far on our trip, we have had the opportunity to see renowned sites throughout Israel from Masada and the Dead Sea in the south to the Golan Heights to Jerusalem. Today, however, brought us the chance to see a different side of Israel, that of its everyday citizens.

We started the morning at a farm (moshav) in the Negev Desert, where we learned about farming and agronomy in Israel. The farmer who guided our tour allowed us to sample the various fruits, vegetables, and herbs that he grew, directly from the source! While many of us have been to "pick-your-own" farms in Maryland and Virginia, I cannot remember having been to a farm with such a wide variety of crops at any given time. Some of the samples included small citrus fruits, cucumbers, more than 30 types of tomatoes, strawberries, basil, and peppers, including the extremely hot habañero pepper, which a few of our group members were brave enough (or crazy enough, depending on your opinion) to try.

Additionally, the farmer demonstrated the skills of his carrier pigeons, as they flew messages between sites that we visited. At the close of our visit to the farm, we were invited to try the farm's homemade basil pesto, along with freshly baked pita that we put on hot grills ourselves. We've tried many types of pita on this trip (seriously, there's been a LOT of pita), but this was by far the best I've had.

From the farm, we drove through the Negev back toward Jerusalem, stopping in the city of Beit Shemesh. Beit Shemesh is Washington, DC's sister city through Partnership 2000, so we were given an afternoon to learn more about the city and its citizens, as well as performing community service. We were welcomed at the city's high school, where we met the director of the Partnership 2000 program and watched a new video highlighting the different aspects of the partnership, which also includes the Jewish community of South Africa. Then, we split into groups to work on art collages with students, do yard work at the school, or in my case, paint benches on the grounds of the school. We interacted with 11th graders at the school, who had much more in common with high schoolers in the U.S. than I might have originally thought. They seem to listen to similar music and enjoy each other's company (often to the detriment of their paying attention in class). As we left, we sang and danced with the Israelis (including to "Cotton-Eyed Joe" and the "Electric Slide", which proves that horrendous music is universal). Overall, this was a rewarding experience that allowed the students to practice their English and the members of Bus 229 to give back to citizens of the country that has been our host for more than a week now, while building a partnership that already exists.

We then continued on to Jerusalem, where we split into groups to work with the group Elul, which does Torah and text study with a modern twist. This was the first time many of our group members had studied Torah before, but we had a lively and interactive discussion. Following dinner, we also had a brief program in which we discussed and debated our views on Israel and its role in Judaism, the IDF, and the issue of intermarriage. Many of us then went back to our floor of the hotel to relax and talk and enjoy one another's company as we prepared to return to the U.S. in less than 36 hours.

Overall, today was unlike any other day I experienced on this trip. The chance to see Israeli citizens going about their everyday lives was enlightening and reminds me that there is more to this country than religion, tourism, and conflict. There is a vibrant culture here, and Israelis are proud to share their work and their lives with visitors. This trip has been truly rewarding, and I'm glad I made the decision to come to Israel, especially with my fellow DC community members, with whom I can share these experiences upon our return. I had many opportunities to participate with Birthright Israel until now, and for whatever reason, it never just seemed like the time is right. Thankfully, I'm glad I waited; I think I am more able to appreciate this trip now, and I can't think of 44 other people with whom I would have rather shared this. Many of us have commented over the last nine days that we were looking to find a Jewish community on this
journey; I think I speak for them when I say that we've found it.

Adam Lewis, Crystal City, VA