Our Trip Comes to a Close

Posted on 08/04/2011 @ 11:19 AM

On our last day in Israel together we visited the new Yitzhak Rabin museum in Tel Aviv.  The museum presented a dynamic overview of Rabin’s life in parliament encompassing the major events of Israel’s independence and construction of the state we know today.  The exhibits used a wide range of media and related each year to the major events taking place outside of Israel creating useful context.  The experience presented us with an excellent summation of the establishment of the state of Israel which was appropriate for our last moments here together.  Our group enjoyed a lovely meal at Regina and said goodbye to this two week experience in Israel.

Leeba Morse

Kibbutz Sa’ad

Posted on 08/02/2011 @ 10:31 AM

We began our travels today by going to Kibbutz Sa’ad in the northern Negev desert. The kibbutz  is a national religious (Orthodox) institution situated 5 kilometers from the Gaza border.  There we met a lovely Anglo immigrant (from Ireland) named David Jackson who described  the dire security situation of the kibbutz during the War of Independence in 1948. We learned about the serious material privations and vicious battles against the Egyptian army that the early pioneers of the kibbutz endured.  Many of us were very moved by the bravery of those early pioneers and impressed by their capacity to create a new sort of social experiment  - a wholly modern, yet religiously observant, communal Jewish settlement.

Our group then traveled a short ways away to a Negev development town called Netivot.  Netivot was founded to house a large wave of North African Jewish aliyah during the 1950’s. Netivot has gained fame in Israel as the burial place of the famed Moroccan rabbi and baalei mofet (miracle worker) Rabbi Yisrael Abuhatzeira – popularly known as the Baba Sali (praying father).  While in Netivot, we spoke to an Israeli anthropologist  who discussed the Moroccan Jewish custom of venerating the tombs of tzadikim (saints).  We also learned about the influence that various mekubalim (kabalistic rabbis) have in Netivot and in the broader Israeli society.  Many of the trip participants expressed surprise that the Jewish tradition contained within it such concepts as miracle workers and the veneration of the graves of rabbis.

We concluded our day by visiting the Israeli city of Nitzan. Nitzan is the relocation site of many of the families that were evacuated from the Israeli settlement bloc in Gaza called Gush Katif. These families were forcibly evacuated from the Gaza Strip by the Israeli army during Israel’s unilateral disengagement plan in 2005. Many of the residents of Gush Katif had developed a strong sense of communal cohesion and requested that they be resettled together as a community. The residents of Nitzan have constructed a museum documenting the former communities of Gush Katif as well as video testimonials of former residents.  Many of the program participants thought that the museum would be an opportunity to view Israeli “right wing propaganda.”  They were surprised to discover how professionally the museum was developed and how moving the testimonials of former Israeli Jewish residents of the Gaza Strip were.  Although many of the program participants continue to believe that the evacuation of isolated settlements in largely Palestinian areas is both a necessity and an inevitability, they gained an appreciation for the anguish of the settler community and the human toll that any evacuation places on the Israeli polity.

Ben Rancman

Rosh Chodesh Av

Posted on 08/01/2011 @ 10:26 AM

(Written from the perspective of our friend, the Ibex)

This morning—Rosh Chodesh Av, after butting heads (literally) with my brother, I noticed a group of 10 PDIers walking up the path leading to the vast expanse of my home, the Negev. They seemed to be a cheery bunch (at least cheery for a 6am Tiyul—hike). After inquisitively looking at my tracks (and those of my friends) and trying to (rather poorly) track us, they gave up and the PDIers went their separate ways.

Some of these characters put on boxes on their heads and arms and swayed back and forth, others rummaged through the desert trash to find used bullets and parts of bombshells, yet others took some time to themselves to just check out my home. Eventually, they gathered back together to discuss, eat breakfast, and drink tea and coffee.

I followed them back to their shelter at Kibbutz Mashabei Sadeh, where these curious humans swam, enjoyed free wireless, and eventually even did some Hebrew and Bible study. During Hebrew, they learned about the root “B.D.D.” which is the building block of words such as “alone.” After, they discussed what deserts mean to the
Jewish people as well as the State of Israel through studying texts.

They hopped on the bus and I could not keep up. I did, however, catch that they were on their way to Mitzpeh Ramon, the largest ecological crater in Israel. I quickly called up my friends in the area so that they could spy on these travelers and report back.

After getting to Mitzpeh Ramon, and seeing our beautiful sculpture garden, these peculiar individuals decided to climb on our art… so American (I guess maybe they were trying to imitate us—again, this was a poor attempt). After taking in the magnificent view of the crater and taking many pictures of my friends as well as each other, the group boarded the bus to enjoy dinner and head north to Be’er Sheva where they would spend the night dreaming of our agile movements on the mountain side.

Transitions

Posted on 07/31/2011 @ 03:29 PM

Today we continued one of the major themes of our trip . . . transitions.

After spending Shabbat in Jerusalem we left the hotel and went from the “center of the world to the end of the world.” During temple times, when the Temple stood where the Dome of the Rock currently stands, the priests would send the sacrificial scape-goat outside of the city walls to the desert. The desert just at the edge of the ancient city was the “edge of the world.” These days we know the world exists far beyond the surroundings of the walled city of ancient Jerusalem. In many ways the distinction is no less severe though.

Jerusalem is a city of contradictions. It is serene and bustling. Holy and dirty.  Inspirational and completely secular. Leaving Jerusalem in many ways was an extension of this conflicted identity. Traveling from Jerusalem towards the south and the Negev we drove through conflicted territory in the shadow of the security barrier/fence and military checkpoints . At one point a soldier boarded the bus to discuss his role and the role of the checkpoints. Before being called back to inspecting vehicles, the soldier told us briefly about his role inspecting cars for both security and commercial purposes. Smuggling of goods and workers from the West Bank is also a concern, not just the more widely reported security threats.

Our first stop in the Negev was at Sde Boker, the area where David Ben-Gurion lived and died. We toured his home which is now a museum and had a chance to explore who he was, his family and his role in shaping the development of the Negev, the Israeli Army and the Israeli State. In addition to his home we also saw the spot where he and his wife Paula are now buried. One of the compelling aspects of Ben-Gurion was his humility. He specifically requested in his will to have a simple funeral and burial. In keeping with those wishes his burial site merely notes his name and the date he made aliyah. The simplicity of his burial site is only accentuated by the impressive viewpoint overlooking the Negev from where he is buried.

Following our tour of Sde Boker and the Ben-Gurion College area we drove further into the Negev to visit one of the many Bedouin settlements in the area. We walked about 1 mile from the highway through fairly barren desert until we were welcomed by Salman, some of his children and relatives in their traditional Bedouin tent. Salman greeted us with tea, made Bedouin pita in the charcoals of a fire and shared his personal story with us. Salman told us of the challenges and struggles of maintaining the Bedouin culture for himself and his family. The Bedouin lifestyle has been constrained by technology, the ongoing development of the Israeli nation-state and the conveniences of running water and electricity. For Salman, maintaining the Bedouin way of life and passing on his traditions is something he is clinging to but seems to sense it slipping away.

In the evening we had dinner at a private home in Yerucham, a development town in the Negev. Our hosts were born in Libya and Tunisia and told us the story of their arrival in the city of Yerucham and how it has evolved over the past 60 years into a town of 9,500 people (and 27 synagogues). Theirs too was a story of connection to a land and the continuity of a way of life.

We’ve explored many themes on the trip so far including holiness of a place and various peoples’ connections to land for various reasons. Over the past week we’ve met with many people who have shared their personal stories of connecting to the land and how that connection has shaped who they are and what their daily struggles are for. That seems to be the unifying factor for most people living here. From the 4th generation Jerusalemite who led us on walking tour of Jerusalem, to Salman who lives in a Bedouin village in the Negev, the struggle is to stake a claim to land that is part of who they are. It seems like everyone in Israel these days is in a struggle with “place”. Ben-Gurion came to Israel and in his 60’s he began a struggle to develop a place, the Negev. Generations later Salman, a Bedouin, is struggling to hold on to a tiny piece of land that is historically his own and desperately trying to maintain an ancient way of life. The people living in Yerucham are creating a new history blending their past with their future.

Identity, history, modernity and ideology intersect everywhere and within everyone we’ve experienced over the past few weeks. Today was another stop on that journey. No big questions were answered but the complexity continues to deepen in a way that in some ways is making the questions make more sense.

Aaron Katler

Shabbat in Jerusalem

Posted on 07/30/2011 @ 03:28 PM

There’s nothing like Shabbat in Jerusalem. The city shuts down and everyone embraces the concept of rest. This held true for our group as we took pleasure in resting from our intensive week. This Shabbat was quite different from the one we spent in Tel Aviv. Although we had a good amount of free time to take leisurely strolls and take a dip in the pool at the Inbal Hotel, we also had some programming that completed our Shabbat experience.

We had the pleasure of meeting with Rabbi Shlomo Fox from Hebrew Union College, who led us in the discussion of the Parsha Ha’Shavua. The parsha was Masei and discussed the various travels of the Israelites. Rabbi Fox framed the discussion through the lens of a tourist. It was interesting to think about how we have travelled through  and across Israel for the last two weeks and have felt more than  just as tourists. We have been able to get to know the people that live here and the dilemmas that they face every day. This is something we can relate to our ancestors as they got to know the people that they came across as they travelled through the desert on their way to the Promised Land.

Our Shabbat continued with a walking tour of some Jerusalem neighborhoods lead by Elan Ezrachi. He gave us a brief history of the development of Jerusalem as a modern city. We walked through the oldest new neighborhood, outside the Old City, where Elan described the growth patterns among Jews, Arabs and Christians in Jerusalem after World War I and during the British Mandate. It was compelling to hear that Jerusalem was developed as a modern city once the British had control since they utilized modern city planning. We then walked to Mamilla, the open-air pedestrian mall leading up to the Jaffa Gate. There, we were able to see where the border between Jordan and Israel stood between 1948 and 1967. It was mind-blowing to see how small the city was when it was  divided.

Our final Shabbat in Israel together, concluded with a rousing Havdallah in a park that was overlooking the Old City. The Havdallah was even more memorable as we heard celebratory fireworks (possibly gunfire) from a nearby Arab neighborhood celebrating a wedding. As Shabbat came to a close, we prepared to head south to the Negev to see how it has bloomed, according to Ben-Gurion’s dream.

Justin Pollack and Ben Kozberg

Second Stint

Posted on 07/29/2011 @ 03:19 PM

Friday began our second stint in ירושלים and our first Shabbat there.  We started the day with a Hebrew lesson with Roberta in the hotel, then a session with Shahar Fisher, a representative from the Hitorerut party (http://www.in-jerusalem.org, in Hebrew).

After the program, we went to the Israel Museum (http://www.english.imjnet.org.il/htmls/home.aspx) for a brief history of Israeli art, from pre-state Canaan to the current time.  We looked at works from the Bezalel School - which was founded in Jerusalem in 1906, Reuven Rubin  - perhaps Israel's most famous painter, and photographer Adi Ness - one of Israel's most famous living artists.

The Museum also houses immense collections of Western art from the 17th century to the present day, including - in Aaron Bock's opinion - one of the finest collections of 20th century art in any museum.  There are also extensive collections of photography, art from Asia, Africa, and the Americas.  It is, again according to Aaron, a phenomenally well curated gallery.

Closer to home, the Museum has extensive exhibits on Jewish art from around the world, Israeli archaeology, and a large model of Herodian Jerusalem.  The Museum's centerpiece, and most recognizable landmark, is the Shrine of the Book.  A beautiful archive built to house the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Shrine of the Book is an amazing space in which to gaze upon the oldest known copies of the Tanakh.

After the Museum, we had several hours of free time to prepare for Shabbat and rest.  We split up for Kabbalat Shabbat, with groups going to the Kotel and to Yakar Synagogue, an orthodox Carlebach minyan.  We reconvened for dinner, and a low-key oneg with desserts and singing of both traditional Shabbat songs and some more modern camp songs of our youth.

Aaron Bock

Rich’s Blog Post

Posted on 07/28/2011 @ 05:20 PM

My personal adventure today was a little different than anyone else’s – having to wait in a hotel in Haifa for two hours just for a letter to arrive, after some angry phone calls of course and with the help of an Israeli woman working at the hotel, and once it did arrive, driving for over 45 minutes to get only 30 minutes away and join with the rest of the group.  But thankfully, that was the only crazy for today.

The REST of the group, on the other hand, spent the morning at Oranim College in Kiryat Tiv’on.  In the beginning, two groups of PDIers chose songs in Hebrew to broadcast on the college’s radio station, and then afterwards, everyone was interviewed on air by the DJ.  Once the broadcast was over, we all (yes, I had joined the group by now) had a chance to meet with five Israeli students at Oranim College, and do some Chevrutah – small group discussions – on various readings and texts related to Israel and Zionism.  It was interesting comparing the American and Israeli perspectives both on Zionism and on the texts themselves, and I think we learned something very valuable speaking with them.

After lunch at Oranim College, we headed north to the Ghetto Fighters’ Museum in Kibbutz Lochamei Hagetaot ( Ghetto Fighters).  Here, we met with a Holocaust educator who discussed with us how to bring the Holocaust, concepts of recognizing good vs. evil, and dehumanization back to our teens.  He was able to discuss with us where first-hand educational experiences such as the Ghetto Fighters’ Museum could also fit into an educational curriculum.

Tonight, we head back to Jerusalem, where we will be staying for the next few days.  Hope you’re all enjoying reading about our travels!

Rich Gordon

The holy city of Safed

Posted on 07/27/2011 @ 05:17 PM

Today we experienced the beautiful views and spirituality of the Jewish holy city of Safed. Safed is one of the “four holy cities” of Israel. The others are Jerusalem, Hebron, and Tiberias. In Safed, we learned about the tradition of Jewish mysticism that developed amongst a remarkable group of Jewish scholars and mystics that congregated there in the late Middle Ages.

Amongst the sites that we visited were the home of the Jewish sage Yosef Caro and the synagogue of the famed kabbalist, Rabbi Isaac Luria (the Arizal). Strolling the ancient lanes of the Old City – perched on the peak of a mountain – one can understand how Safed has been the source of Jewish inspiration for centuries.

We also had the opportunity to meet some of the modern residents of Safed.  These included American – Israeli artist Sheva Chaya – whose watercolors and glasswork are inspired by Jewish themes. We also  met  with the spiritual leader of the Breslov Chassidic Community in Safed.

We finished off our day in Safed by going to the outskirts of the Old City near a ruined crusader fortress. We all entered into a cave near the fortress and listened to traditional Jewish music in the cool environs. There we discussed Jewish mysticism and the important role that Safed has played in Jewish history and prayer. All in all, we had a wonderful day encountering the natural beauty, history, and tradition that are part of the heritage of the city of Safed.

Ben Kozberg

Israel Seminar Blog

Posted on 07/26/2011 @ 11:17 AM

At 8am ten groggy PDIers boarded our bus in Haifa and set off on our journey to the Galilee, namely Zippori. A hot, abusive sun and heated conversations lay ahead as our bus wound its way up the mountains. Today we explored the tension and interplay between our religion, other religions, other cultures and other time periods; we looked at what happens when conflicting narratives come together.

As we got off the bus, we were greeted by Amin, a 76 year old Arab Muslim who was born in the village of Saffuriyeh (in Zippori), was expelled from his village in 1948, watched as the Israeli army destroyed it, and has not been allowed to move back to that area since. Amin was nothing if not opinionated. While his story is clearly a sad one, some of his other opinions proved to be less than palatable to some of the PDIers (for example when he said there cannot be peace with Zionists—Amin drew a distinction between Jews and Zionists, although his definitions were hazy at best). Needless to say, this encounter was interesting and incited some heavy and heated conversation both with him and among our cohort. Amin’s struggle is definitely real but what are Israel’s responsibilities to him? After all, he is a citizen of the country, enjoys freedom, and lives not too far from his original village. It is also important to remember that there are many sides to the stories we hear.

After boarding the bus and continuing our dialogue with each other, we drove several minutes to the Zippori National Park. Here, greeted by olive, carob, and pomegranate trees, we enjoyed an amazing view overlooking this historic area of Israel. As our day and discussion continued, we discussed how in this area in particular, where the Mishnah was written, there was so much interplay between the Roman culture and the Jews. What did the Jews gain from the Roman culture? What did they adopt (besides the obvious—ornate mosaic floor of the Zippori ancient synagogue depicting the Zodiac)? We studied some Mishnah texts to frame our conversation and toured around, seeing the theatre, an amazingly ornate mosaic, and the Zippori synagogue.

On our last stop, we enjoyed a delicious lunch, a dip in the pool, and more conversation at Roberta’s house (Roberta is one of our wonderful educators) in “Modern Zippori.” Here, we were able to reflect on what it means for the Jews to live in such close proximity with the Muslim and Christian Arabs, what responsibilities the State of Israel has to them, what security and social issues are at play, and what are the greater social implications of all of this in Israeli society.

Back at the hotel, we were able to come together for a final class where we studied more Mishnah. This class refreshed the themes of the day and reframed the conversation that we are continuing to have. We ended the day with a free evening where most of us enjoyed some Kosher Chinese food, and were able to see a student rally for lowering rent.

The trip thus far has been an incredibly humbling experience for all of us. I think I speak for everyone when I say that the conversations that we have been having, the people we have been meeting, and the places we have been seeing, have proven to us that the picture is much more complex than any of us had previously imagined. We are all learning, struggling, creating opinions, and becoming better Jews and educators.

Alex Bolotovsky

PDI cohort 2 Israel Seminar

Posted on 07/25/2011 @ 01:21 PM

The Arab Israeli conflict is certainly a contentious issue.  Today we had the opportunity to expand our own understanding of this conflict through conversation with two Israeli Arabs and one Jewish Israeli living beside an Arab community.

Iman Kadach is an English teacher living in Majd El Krum, an Arab village in the North.  Iman discussed how life as a teacher earns her the same Israeli rights as any other teacher although Arab schools seem to receive less state funding and perhaps subsequently students score lower on their state scores.  From a political standpoint Iman appreciates the opportunities she has as a woman in Israel but utilizes freely the discounts abroad from being from Palestine.  Iman hopes for a day when everyone can live as they wish in a democratic society.

In Dir El-Assad we were treated to a delectable meal from Camla, a caterer and business woman.  Camla spoke to us about how as an Arab woman she must cater her food out and that many of her customers are Jewish because in her culture men should be the dominant business owners.  Camla is learning the laws of Kashrut in hopes of expanding her business in Israel and in the meantime serving her customers healthy and delicious parve and basari meals.

Our last stop of the day was to Yaad, a Jewish settlement in the Galilee.  There Chasiah told us of her surprise to learn that her community was strategically mapped out by the Jewish Agency to surround Arab villages in an effort to halt their growth and serve as a lookout point over their villages.  Chasiah and her husband also learned on a walk around their new town that the land had previously been Arab farmland and there was an Arab graveyard on site.  Chasiah told us about her morale struggle with this new information but how she galvanized her community to halt their own growth that would have taken them on top of the graveyard.  To do this Chasiah worked in conjunction with the Arabs and together they decided not only to halt the Jewish building but to build a fence around the Arab cemetery.

When speaking with these three woman it was evident to me that most important in this conflict, is the ability and willingness to gain new insight and prospective from others.  On this sensitive topic we can only move forward if we’re open to the assumption that more than one view point holds validity and that as a whole no one community is innocent or guilty.  I appreciated learning from these three women and their openness in sharing their views on the country they call home.

Leeba Morse

Our Journey in Israel as a Cohort

Posted on 07/24/2011 @ 11:12 AM

With Shabbat in Tel Aviv behind us, BBYO PDI Cohort 2 began our first full week in Israel with some Hebrew and a lesson in Zionist thought.  We read a piece by Martin Buber, the 19th Century Jewish German philosopher, who outlined the difference between Nationalism and Zionism.  

At mid-day, we split up into three groups to visit three different organizations doing social justice work in Israel.  One group met with an organization that supports foreign workers.  Another group met with an organization that works with gay and lesbian youth.  The third group, which was the group that I was a part of, met with HUB Tel Aviv, a network of social entrepreneurs working together in one space, collaborating and creating a community of social entrepreneurs within Tel Aviv.  It was fascinating to hear from professionals at HUB as well as members – individuals working at the HUB space to further their causes ranging from environmental efficiency to community service projects in India.  The hours spent with HUB gave me a new glimpse into everyday life for an Israeli and allowed me to draw comparisons between myself and Israelis in a new way.

As we continue along our journey in Israel as a Cohort, we continue to be amazed at the vibrancy of life in Israel and the strides Israeli society is making to compete in a modern economic and cultural world.

The Normal and the Holy

Posted on 07/23/2011 @ 11:08 AM

Here in Tel Aviv we have spent a lot of time talking about the concept of חול וקודש - the normal and the holy.  Shabbat for PDI Cohort 2 in Israel's cultural capital is a perfect example of this principal in action.  For the first time on our trip, we were given the day off, and we all enjoyed the day off with a variety of activities across the spectrum.

Several people rose early and attended services at a local orthodox synagogue in Tel Aviv.  Services were very traditional and brief, and I'm told the oneg was sub-par.  Another group slept late after enjoying Tel Aviv's legendary nightlife on Friday, and then decamped for what may be described the typical Tel Aviv shabbat: laying out at the beach, and swimming in the Mediterranean Sea.  The sun was high and hot, but the water was perfect, and the 6-8ft surf was just right for playing around and body surfing.  The free time also afforded an opportunity to spend time with local friends.  Many of us know Americans (who have made aliyah) or Israelis that live in the city, and took advantage of the day to catch up with them or enjoy a nice summer lunch in the city.

As havdallah approached, we regrouped to welcome the new week together by the seashore.  The warm sea breeze and gentle lapping of the waves on the beach was the perfect setting for the simple evening service.  After havdallah, we all took cabs to northern Tel Aviv to attend a concert by the band Divan Halev.  They are an eight person collective that is at the forefront of the Sephardi music revival.  They played beautiful, multi-instrument compositions influenced by world music, prayers, and the traditional music of Morrocan, Iraqi, and Yeminite Jews.  After the concert we returned to the hotel for a few hours rest before we began the new week bright and early Sunday morning with Hebrew class.  These one-day Israeli weekends will take some getting used to!

Aaron Bock

Kodesh v'Chol- Holy- and Everyday

Posted on 07/22/2011 @ 10:48 AM

The theme of today was Kodesh v’Chol- Holy and Everyday. We began by making the transition from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv, cities with decidedly Kodesh v’Chol reputations. Upon arrival in Tel Aviv we explored the idea of the “Altneuland” described by Theodore Herzl . The early Zionists developed Tel Aviv as a way of abandoning the special or otherness they felt in Europe and embracing a “normal” society by modernizing the reclaimed land.

We wrestled over the ideas of the strong New Jew described in the poetry of Chaim Nachman Bialik while sitting in his home. As we toured the neighborhood we could see the tension between new and old in the architecture of the city. The prevalence of International, cutting edge, modern design was highlighted through the many International style or Bauhaus style buildings.

We spent the afternoon exploring the artist market at Nahalat Binyamin. The crafts and their makers exuded Kodesh v’Chol as we investigated stalls with hand painted Challah covers, intricate stone and metal worked Judaica, jewelry and even children’s toys.

We met back at the hotel for a Hebrew class focused on the shoresh  קדשbefore preparing for our first Erev Shabbat in Israel.

The group traveled to the boardwalk at the port of Tel Aviv to participate in an alternative Kabbalat Shabbat experience. While the sun set over the Mediterranean we listened to and sang a variety of old familiar tunes and new renditions of secular songs like It’s A Wonderful Life b’Ivrit. The contrast between busy Tel Aviv Friday night life and the Kabbalat Shabbat next to the sea were another example of Kodesh v’Chol.

We closed the evening with delicious Shabbat dinner back at our hotel and then everyone headed off in different directions to explore the Kodesh v’Chol of a Tel Aviv Shabbat.

PDI Cohort 2

Posted on 07/21/2011 @ 11:15 AM

Israel Seminar 2011 Blog

Tuesday, July 20, 2011

As a member of the second cohort for PDI, I have been looking forward to this seminar pretty much since I started this program. For the first official day of the seminar, this was terrific. It was so meaningful to start the entire seminar in Jerusalem; the city almost every visitor to Israel looks forward to seeing. The day started off with a great pedagogical experience. Roberta Bell -Kligler (one of our faculty )facilitated a program in which we looked at about 20 different pictures taken by a famous Israeli photographer ( Alex Levac) and all his photos portrayed different aspects of Israeli society. We all had to choose a picture that stood out for us. This was a great beginning program because the conversations were interesting and we all learned a bit more about Israeli society.

The day went on with us having a great discussion about what the land of Israel meant for us based on several articles we read. The discussion took place at Hebrew University on Mt. Scopus overlooking the Old City. The most meaningful discussion for me took place after lunch. We discussed the concept of the “holy” and why we consider places to be “holy”. This was quite a controversial question to ask; especially on the first day. The group seemed hesitant to answer. I believe it was because we didn’t know how to answer or some people didn’t feel comfortable answering the question. But I can for certain say it got me thinking a lot about the concept of holiness and how I view things as holy. For example, I wear a kippa when I am in Jerusalem as a sign of respect because I believe Jerusalem is a holy city. After the discussion today though, I started thinking if Jerusalem is not inherently holy, but was designated holy by man many, many years ago, then why should I wear the kippa. Although this thought scared me a bit, it also made me look forward to other great discussions later in the trip.

This truly was a great start to the seminar and I cannot wait for the next 13 days. I sincerely hope it doesn’t go by too fast.

- Ben Kozberg