Arriving in DC
Posted on 02/21/2011 @ 11:25 AM
Today has been a very long, action packed day. After our seven hour bus ride, we took a nice stroll through D.C., making sure to stop at Starbucks. We met all of the other participants and listened to two unbelievable speakers discuss their encounters with homelessness. During a moving speech, we got to hear about their struggles and how they picked themselves back up. After the session, we split into groups for a brisk walk to the White House. If today was any indication of how the rest of the seminar will be, then we’re all in for an educational, interesting treat.
Kari Semel, Akiva
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Getting to Know New People
Posted on 02/21/2011 @ 11:21 AM
Hey guys! It’s Stephanie. This trip has been amazing so far and it just started! Meeting all of the other Jewish kids was such an experience considering there is such a small teenage Jewish community in my town. The two guest speakers we had were absolutely moving and eye-opening. After our speeches, we walked to the White House which was interesting and very fun! I know that we all can’t wait for more of the program start!
Stephanie Benjamini, Temple Sinai
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Going Home with Lessons Learned
Posted on 01/18/2011 @ 12:20 PM
Panim el Panim has been a great experience for us. When we first came here we didn’t know what to expect, but we are leaving with new friends and a sense of community. The service projects that we did taught us that we can make a difference here in DC. As the days come to an end, we would like to thank everyone at Panim el Panim for the amazing experience they gave us.
- Katherine Streitweiser and Shira Johnston Congregation Kol Ami Elkins Park, PA
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Serving DC
Posted on 01/18/2011 @ 12:00 PM
The day didn’t start off like a typical Monday. After breakfast, we split up to go to various service sites and help out in different parts of the DC community. Some groups wrapped meals for the needy and others helped arrange tools for an environmental agency. Later in the day, we got a chance to check out different sites at the Smithsonian. We then had some lunch and met back up at the hotel to better understand how the congressional process worked. We heard from two different policy speakers on healthcare and then did a Congressional Simulation. At night we broke up into delegations and prepared for our lobbying visits!
-Robert Brooks-Brullo Congregation B’nai Israel, Toms River, NJ
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Learning in DC on MLK Day
Posted on 01/17/2011 @ 12:00 PM
Welcome to the Panim el Panim blog, where Panim el Panim participants are able to share their reflections and experiences.
Today, we began our adventures at Panim el Panim with introductions and icebreakers. We were asked to put together puzzles. Once we did so, we realized that our puzzles created images related to healthcare. We had the chance to discuss healthcare and what it meant to each of us. After a short break we came back to our next program. The speaker was a man that looked slightly out of place. He was a former homeless man that turned his life around and now is the director of a Non Profit Organization. After he told us his life story, we took items of clothing to a park called McPherson Square. I had a conversation with a man about the football games next week. It was the first time I’ve spoken to a homeless person and it was a very worthwhile experience. We walked from McPherson Square to the White House and were able to see how two completely separate worlds are only two blocks away.
-Ryan Berger Congregation B’nai Israel School for Living Judaism Boca Raton, FL
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