Winter Taglit-Birthright Israel: DC Community Trip Day 4

"Because it's bleepin' free!"

That's what he said, artist Udi Krauss. It's true: that's how we're here, but it's not why.

Our last day in the Golan Heights was activity-packed: after leaving the kibbutz we've called home for 3 days, we loaded ourselves and our luggage into our second home, the bus, and traveled to the Kinneret to spend time getting a sense of the individuals who gave birth to Eretz Israel: the pioneers. We sang emotional songs together, led by Oren's guitar, at the graves of Naomi Shemer and Rachel.

We then took the drive down to Tel Aviv, where we first stopped at the site of Yitzhak Rabin's assassination. Since most of us were too young and detached from Israel at that time, it was the first opportunity to make that event a real, tangible event. We then gathered at the top of the square to discuss that fateful day, the events and political climate that led up to it. Our Israelis shared their personal stories and feelings, and we closed with a meaningful read of Rabin's final speech.

What was supposed to be a short drive to the Independence Museum was slowed down by a painful pkak, so we all got off the bus to walk on the beach boardwalk and take beautiful sunset pictures. Ariel then told us a short story of Jaffa.

When we finally made it to Independence Museum, we saw a short video about Tel Aviv's history and the declaration. Our guide then took some time to describe in detail the events behind the historic event. After listening to 3 minutes of David Ben Gurion's original declaration of independence, both the Chicago group and our group stood for what turned out to be a very emotional rendition of Hatikva (the Israeli national anthem), to the track that played following the declaration. When Richard approached me and said what I had been thinking, my mind was blown away: we both sang Hatikva every day in school but it never felt as meaningful and connecting as it did at that moment, in that room, and with those people around us.

Finally we made it to the hotel and after dinner went for an activity with alumni from the Reverse Mifgash. We played an ice-breaker and they shared with us their favorite things about DC and their US experience. I was personally touched by 1Israeli, Uri Lerner, who mentioned how touched he was by OUR Judaism, OUR Judaism in the States. He said that we were free to practice a Judaism we were comfortable with, which was something he had never experienced here in Israel. What a mind-boggling comment!

Just when you'd think it was bedtime, we were treated to an interactive, educational and fun performance by Udi Krauss, who gave us insights into Israeli life, culture, and music. We closed with an awesome dancing and singing of Salam, with its uplifting lyrics that certainly brought us closer to what the Israeli reality is day to day, and how much we all just want peace. After some marshmallow puffs we were ready to join our Israelis, new and old, at Manda Rosa, where we had an hour and a half to disco disco!

Even though we may have at first been surrounded by sadness and painful memories of loss, we were at the end of the day reminded of what life is truly worth living for: doing, feeling, creating, pioneering. Ariel left us with an open question: what are we doing to be pioneers today? And while we may not get the opportunity to put our bare hands into the land and create a promised land like our ancestors did for us here, we can pioneer a new consciousness of our Judaism, a new relationship with our fellow Jews, our culture, our neighbors, our past, and our future.

Tanya Arditi, Washington, DC

Taglit-Birthright Israel: DC Community Trip Day 3

By Gabrielle Lake (Arlington, VA)

After breakfast, we headed toward Yad Vashem, Israel's Holocaust memorial and museum, about 15 minutes outside Jerusalem. Translated as the "Memorial of Names", Yad Vashem focuses on the personal stories of Jews and their lives prior to the war until after the liberation of the camps. Our visit was originally supposed to include testimony from a survivor, but she was unfortunately not able to make it. Instead, we watched the filmed testimony of a Greek Jew who recounted the experience of his family and the love story he shared with a fellow Greek woman in the concentration camp. After the film, we were guided by the granddaughter of a survivor, who intertwined the stories of her grandmother and other survivors she had met with the museum's exhibit. We also visited the children's memorial, commemorating the lives of the 1.5 million children killed.

From there we headed to Beit Shemesh to experience life through the eyes of Israeli children. Beit Shemesh is the partner city of Washington, DC (through Partnership 2000), and both cities regularly participate in cultural and volunteer exchanges. There we went to a kibbutz and volunteered with a group of 50 children. We did arts and crafts, cooked, played Frisbee, and helped them improve their English with games of Simon Says.

From the kibbutz, we went to Tel Aviv, checked into the hotel, and enjoyed an evening out at a bar on the Mediterranean Sea.

Another Perspective on Day 1 in Israel

By Will Rothstein

As we arrive at the Philadelphia airport a wave of faces emerge. Along with many new faces comes a new adventure. Some of us have yet to travel to Israel, and with the adventure comes a certain amount of excitement and curiosity.

Security checkpoints and delays brought skepticism and nervousness to those with short travel resumes. Others are aware of the uncertainty of traveling to a distant land. A ten-hour flight and it was official, we had landed in Tel Aviv.

Our adventure had begun! A bus driver and our Israeli escorts greeted us at the airport in Tel Aviv. This trip not only permits us to visit the many beautiful sights in Israel, but we have the opportunity to bond with an eclectic group of professionals, students and Israelis. I look forward to this bonding experience as much as the physical landmarks. There is much more to come, stay tuned!

Taglit-Birthright Israel: DC Community Trip Day 1

By Sara Burns and Laura Malamud

We are so excited to be in Israel!!!

After a bit of a rain delay (aka pretty intense thunderstorm) and 10 hours of flying, we touched down in Tel Aviv. We were welcomed by enthusiastic singing Israeli friends, fresh fruit, and Capri Suns (Israeli Style - kinda sweet!!). We then set off to Jerusalem and got our first taste of traffic. But when we pulled up to the hill overlooking the Haas Promenade, we knew we had finally arrived. We snapped some pictures and gathered to hear about Abraham and the first time Jerusalem is mentioned in the Bible. We also heard a poem about the quirkiness of being an Israeli tourist. We then finished with a quick welcome ceremony, and jumped around in circles as a group cheering "brother" and "happiness." In Hebrew. Then it was off to the hotel and a tasty buffet dinner. We really enjoyed the hummus - and expect to be eating a lot more of it.

After dinner we all took much needed showers, and then got to know each other better playing those cheesy but helpful games - the ones involving sitting together in circles. By the end of the night - at least one of us (go Gaby!) could remember every one's name. We are a diverse group and look forward to learning more about each other over the next 10 days.

That's all for now. Goodnight.