There has been a lot in the news lately about Olmert (the Israeli PM) for alleged corruption. Very interesting given the Israel's 60th birthday party with Bush, Blair, Kissinger, Buffet, Adelson, Jon Voight and others in the country. Jerusalem is supposedly a zoo because of the security issues with so many heads of state here. I read that it's the most complicated security event in the country's history. Today marks Independence Day on the standard calendar (not sure of the real title for it) whereas the fun last week (see post below) was the day on the Jewish calendar. I'm not gonna get to Jerusalem to see it but maybe I'll find a TV and watch. I can't imagine what the city is like right now.
The campus of Tel Aviv University has been a party for the last few weeks. Seemingly everyday there is a fair, concert, rally, or speech. Tents are always up and kids are all over the quad. Last week there were 1 shekel beer sales (30 cents) and food stands everywhere. Concerts are a constant. Maybe this is what happens at big universities. Bowdoin can't quite match the energy, but we can sure try. Tomorrow is Yom Hastudent (Student Day). It's the equivalent of the "Spring Weekend" that takes place in the US, except it's one day. Some of Israel's top bands/DJs will be on campus. There are stages set up all over campus. There are kegs everywhere--I counted 30 kegs right outside one of the academic buildings. Not sure how classes are gonna work tomorrow. I should be an awesome day of Israeli music.
Tonight is the final banquet for my program: a sad night indeed. Classes end tomorrow and then exams are all of next week. It's been a sad few days though I get the sense that most people are ready to leave. There's a lot of bittersweet chocolate going around. I'm going to staying in Tel Aviv for a few weeks after the program ends and before summer plans begin. A bunch of friends will be here so I'm excited for it. I'm also excited to see a few friends who are doing birthright. It'll be great to see a few familiar faces.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Yom HaZikaron (Memorial Day) and Yom Haatzmaut (Indepence Day)
Last week brought two of the most important Israeli (not Jewish) holidays of the year. Memorial Day and Indepence Day are celebrated/commemorated in a very different manner than in America. In Israel, people seem to actually care about the holidays and show not only an interest in them, but a committment to their meaning. Just about everyone attends some sort of event for both holidays, unlike in America where Memorial Day has lost much of its significance for younger Americans. Because military service is required here, nearly the whole population knows someone who was killed in the defense of Israel or a terrorist attack, or knows of someone who was killed. This is very different than in America. Memorial Day seems to mean a lot more because death is closer to the average Israeli than the average American (though it is not a topic of discussion). As in America, there wasn't school.
Memorial Day and Independence are always two consecutive days. It was somewhat surreal to go from sadness--a sadness that took over the whole country--to celebration--a celebration that took over the whole country. The holidays also provide a significant amount of tension between Israeli Jews and Israeli Arabs (more later). Memorial Day starts at 8 PM (the night before) with the sounding of the war siren nationwide. The siren sounds for 2 minutes. Everyone stops what they are doing (literally) and stands in silence. The whole country stops. The whole country. stops. It is amazing. There is a veritable sense of unity that I've never felt before (maybe right after 9/11 though this seems a little less forced because it's not a reaction to one mobilizing event). My program hosted a ceremony that was run by other kids on the program. It was an appropriate and thoughtful ceremony--especially because it was run by a lot of my friends. It kind of showed the power of college kids to do good.
That night, everything was closed: restaurants, stores, bar, clubs, cafes. Tel Aviv shut down, except for Kikar Rabin (the central square). I went there with a friend of mine. Hundreds of people were in the square sitting on the streets and chairs. The roads were closed off for at least 3 blocks in each direction. Needless to say, security was on its game. There was a group playing music on a huge stage though the songs were slow and probably would've been meaningful if I could've understood them. It was very powerful when Hatikveh (the national anthem) was played. Hundreds of people stood and sang to remember fallen friends and family, and to show strength for the future. We kind of took an anthropological approach to being there (as observers), but it was tough not to join in song. After a long walk around the quiet city, I went back to the dorms (also quiet).
The next morning I set my alarm to wake up in time to hear the second war siren (another 2 minutes). I decided to walk to the highway (Ayalon South) to see what happens when the siren goes off. As I was told would happen, the siren sounded and every car on the road pulled over, drivers all got out of their cars, and stood in silence, listening to the siren. This wasn't a local road, this was a big highway (think I-95). Pretty powerful. When the siren stopped, everyone got back into their cars and continued like nothing happened. For those 2 minutes, the rush and noise of the city evaporated, the city itself turned silent.
Memorial Day itself was marked with ceremonies around the city and TV presentations. Lots of people went to the military cemetary in Jerusalem on Mt. Herzl (har Herzl). A lot of us on the program were unsure of what to do during the day as we had no reason to go to visit a cemetary though wanted to obvserve the holiday appropriately. We were all definitely struck with a bit of being outsiders.
8 PM that night (with a flame lighting ceremony in Jerusalem like at the Olympics) was the start of Independence Day. There was an instantaneous shift in mood. It was easy to feel. Given the 60th birthday of Israel this year, the celebrations were extravagent. Independence Day feels more meaningful here because independence happened so recently and many of those who fought in '48 are still alive. I also think the constant threat to Israel's existence probably makes Independence rather symbolic of the survival of the Jewish nationality as well as the defeat in '48 of the Arab armies/militias. The '48 war of independence is called "al-nakba" by Arabs, or, the catastrophe. As such, Independence Day is an understandably contentious day within Israel, and, to be honest, I am still surprised that I didn't see a single protest. Nonetheless, it's a day (along with Memorial Day) that divides the country. Yesterday, on campus, there was a tent set up by Arab-Israeli students to commemorate al-Nakba.
Back to the night. Again, I went to Kikar Rabin. There were probably 1000s of people there. After an energetic concert (in contrast to the night before), there was an incredible fireworks and light show. Fireworks were shot off of city hall (where Rabin was killed) for a good 20 minutes. There was singing and dancing and craziness. I must've sung every Hebrew song that I've ever learned that night. It felt much different than the 4th of July because there was a huge communal feeling to the night. After being in DC last summer for the 4th, I think Tel Aviv might do Independence Day a little better. After the fireworks and light show, I went with lots of friends to an enormous street party. It was the same place where the Purim party was a few weeks ago (party for a Jewish holiday). This was the closest I've ever been to experiencing Mardi Gras. Though probably a little more tame, it was still an event to be seen. 1000s of young Israelis (15-30) partying in the street into the wee hours of the night. It was awesome. Lots more singing and dancing. There was even a group of religious Israelis who joined the fun.
The next day I had a BBQ with a few friends and then ended the day at the beach. A great sunset capped off a rollercoaster ride through two days. Pictures to come.
Memorial Day and Independence are always two consecutive days. It was somewhat surreal to go from sadness--a sadness that took over the whole country--to celebration--a celebration that took over the whole country. The holidays also provide a significant amount of tension between Israeli Jews and Israeli Arabs (more later). Memorial Day starts at 8 PM (the night before) with the sounding of the war siren nationwide. The siren sounds for 2 minutes. Everyone stops what they are doing (literally) and stands in silence. The whole country stops. The whole country. stops. It is amazing. There is a veritable sense of unity that I've never felt before (maybe right after 9/11 though this seems a little less forced because it's not a reaction to one mobilizing event). My program hosted a ceremony that was run by other kids on the program. It was an appropriate and thoughtful ceremony--especially because it was run by a lot of my friends. It kind of showed the power of college kids to do good.
That night, everything was closed: restaurants, stores, bar, clubs, cafes. Tel Aviv shut down, except for Kikar Rabin (the central square). I went there with a friend of mine. Hundreds of people were in the square sitting on the streets and chairs. The roads were closed off for at least 3 blocks in each direction. Needless to say, security was on its game. There was a group playing music on a huge stage though the songs were slow and probably would've been meaningful if I could've understood them. It was very powerful when Hatikveh (the national anthem) was played. Hundreds of people stood and sang to remember fallen friends and family, and to show strength for the future. We kind of took an anthropological approach to being there (as observers), but it was tough not to join in song. After a long walk around the quiet city, I went back to the dorms (also quiet).
The next morning I set my alarm to wake up in time to hear the second war siren (another 2 minutes). I decided to walk to the highway (Ayalon South) to see what happens when the siren goes off. As I was told would happen, the siren sounded and every car on the road pulled over, drivers all got out of their cars, and stood in silence, listening to the siren. This wasn't a local road, this was a big highway (think I-95). Pretty powerful. When the siren stopped, everyone got back into their cars and continued like nothing happened. For those 2 minutes, the rush and noise of the city evaporated, the city itself turned silent.
Memorial Day itself was marked with ceremonies around the city and TV presentations. Lots of people went to the military cemetary in Jerusalem on Mt. Herzl (har Herzl). A lot of us on the program were unsure of what to do during the day as we had no reason to go to visit a cemetary though wanted to obvserve the holiday appropriately. We were all definitely struck with a bit of being outsiders.
8 PM that night (with a flame lighting ceremony in Jerusalem like at the Olympics) was the start of Independence Day. There was an instantaneous shift in mood. It was easy to feel. Given the 60th birthday of Israel this year, the celebrations were extravagent. Independence Day feels more meaningful here because independence happened so recently and many of those who fought in '48 are still alive. I also think the constant threat to Israel's existence probably makes Independence rather symbolic of the survival of the Jewish nationality as well as the defeat in '48 of the Arab armies/militias. The '48 war of independence is called "al-nakba" by Arabs, or, the catastrophe. As such, Independence Day is an understandably contentious day within Israel, and, to be honest, I am still surprised that I didn't see a single protest. Nonetheless, it's a day (along with Memorial Day) that divides the country. Yesterday, on campus, there was a tent set up by Arab-Israeli students to commemorate al-Nakba.
Back to the night. Again, I went to Kikar Rabin. There were probably 1000s of people there. After an energetic concert (in contrast to the night before), there was an incredible fireworks and light show. Fireworks were shot off of city hall (where Rabin was killed) for a good 20 minutes. There was singing and dancing and craziness. I must've sung every Hebrew song that I've ever learned that night. It felt much different than the 4th of July because there was a huge communal feeling to the night. After being in DC last summer for the 4th, I think Tel Aviv might do Independence Day a little better. After the fireworks and light show, I went with lots of friends to an enormous street party. It was the same place where the Purim party was a few weeks ago (party for a Jewish holiday). This was the closest I've ever been to experiencing Mardi Gras. Though probably a little more tame, it was still an event to be seen. 1000s of young Israelis (15-30) partying in the street into the wee hours of the night. It was awesome. Lots more singing and dancing. There was even a group of religious Israelis who joined the fun.
The next day I had a BBQ with a few friends and then ended the day at the beach. A great sunset capped off a rollercoaster ride through two days. Pictures to come.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Website to view Photos
I made a Picasa page to put my photos. I'll still put up choice pictures on the blog but if you'd like to see more, go to:
http://picasaweb.google.com/freedman.benjamin
There is also a link on the right side of the blob.
http://picasaweb.google.com/freedman.benjamin
There is also a link on the right side of the blob.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Cairo, Luxor
I just got into Budapest after an amazing 5 day journey through Egypt. The first 3 days were in Cairo and the last two in Luxor (south of Cairo down the Nile). I just lived every 5th grader's dream: hieroglphs, tombs, tutankamen's mask, mummies, and temples. The history of Egyptian civilization is really too much to grasp as a tourist, especially when standing in a tomb that was created 4000 years ago. The Egyptian ruins were spectacular: colorful paintings, gold leafings, detailed hieroglyphs, etc. It took all of my strength to remember what I learned in elementary school about ancient Egypt though I remember more than expected. Ramses III (or was it the II?) was in fact mummified arms-up and tutankamen's mask is as elegant and beautiful as the pictures show. The pyramids are towering, though it is rather annoying because there are so many locals trying to see trinkets and tzotchkies. We were asked to be in pictures with young Egyptian students and everywhere we went little kids would stare and say hello.
Cairo itself is an absolute mess. It is loud, dust-filled, and always moving. If I didn't know any better, I'd think that Cairo, not NY, is the city that never sleeps. Cairenes have no concept of street lights--they might as well not exist. Crossing the street is terrifying. Cars/Cabs honk CONSTANTLY. It is loud and crowded and yet, there is a definite system to the madness. 18 million people seem to work it out OK.
Luxor was a beautiful area: we saw tombs, temples (Hatchepsut's, Karnak, Luxor), huge statues (Collossus of Memnon), and countless rows of hieroglyphs. It was nice because there werent many tourists as it is the start of the low season. Luxor itself (the town) is a small, dust-filled 3rd world town. Cars drive next to bikes and horses down main street on unpaved roads. It could've been Baghdad or Islamabad. Calls to prayer were frequent and often layered on top of one another. Robes were the standard dress for men and women alike. Most western feminists would've have trouble with Luxor. The women don't get sunburn though.
Egypt is centered around Cairo. My friend Jim, who we stayed with, kept talking about the amount of US assistance given to Egypt and the importance America to the Egyptian government (for better or worse). It is a fascinating system of bribery, diplomacy and "democracy." Egpyt seems to live in the shadow of the pyramids and the ancient culture. This doesn't seem to be changing either given the lack of modern culture.
The highlight was probably the first night. We rode horses in the middle of the night in the desert while overlooking the pyramids (lit up by spotlights). It was an amazing sight and, to my surprise, riding horses is kinda fun. Many more experiences took place, though I'm off to eat dinner Budapest. More later.
Cairo itself is an absolute mess. It is loud, dust-filled, and always moving. If I didn't know any better, I'd think that Cairo, not NY, is the city that never sleeps. Cairenes have no concept of street lights--they might as well not exist. Crossing the street is terrifying. Cars/Cabs honk CONSTANTLY. It is loud and crowded and yet, there is a definite system to the madness. 18 million people seem to work it out OK.
Luxor was a beautiful area: we saw tombs, temples (Hatchepsut's, Karnak, Luxor), huge statues (Collossus of Memnon), and countless rows of hieroglyphs. It was nice because there werent many tourists as it is the start of the low season. Luxor itself (the town) is a small, dust-filled 3rd world town. Cars drive next to bikes and horses down main street on unpaved roads. It could've been Baghdad or Islamabad. Calls to prayer were frequent and often layered on top of one another. Robes were the standard dress for men and women alike. Most western feminists would've have trouble with Luxor. The women don't get sunburn though.
Egypt is centered around Cairo. My friend Jim, who we stayed with, kept talking about the amount of US assistance given to Egypt and the importance America to the Egyptian government (for better or worse). It is a fascinating system of bribery, diplomacy and "democracy." Egpyt seems to live in the shadow of the pyramids and the ancient culture. This doesn't seem to be changing either given the lack of modern culture.
The highlight was probably the first night. We rode horses in the middle of the night in the desert while overlooking the pyramids (lit up by spotlights). It was an amazing sight and, to my surprise, riding horses is kinda fun. Many more experiences took place, though I'm off to eat dinner Budapest. More later.
Monday, April 7, 2008
28. Family vacation
Since we've last spoken, my family came for a 10 day journey across Israel. We had an awesome adventure together as we traveled from north to south and everywhere in between. We started in Tel Aviv, then went to Eilat (southern-most city in Israel) and Petra (Jordan). Following a quick flight back to Tel Aviv, we went north to the Golan Heights (mountains in the north), looked into Syria and Lebanon, got mystical in Tzfat (the mystical Jewish city), went to TIberias (to the burial site of celebrated Rabbis), and the Kinneret (Sea of Galilee). As it was Easter, there were several Christian pilgrims at our Kibbutz at the Kinneret (because that's where Jesus did his walking). We floated in the Dead Sea, slathered up with mud, and climbed Masada (King Herod's fortress and place of last stand by Jewish zealots). We saw the site where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found by a bedouin shepherd.
That's all before Jerusalem. In Jerusalem, we did lots of walking around the new and old cities, went to the Kotel (Wailing Wall), the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Dome of the Rock and al-Aksa Mosque. We enjoyed the Jewish quarter in the old city and did a tunnel tour below the Kotel. We visited Yad Vashem (Holocaust memorial), the Herzl Military Cemetary, and the Ben Yehuda Street Shuk (market). We went to the Israel Museum to see a great exhibit on stolen art from WWII, the Dead Sea Scrolls, and a reconstruction of Jerusalem from around the year 70. We visited the Great Synagogue (an enormous synagogue) on Friday night. After Jerusalem, we went to Tel Aviv. Once here, we went to Tel Aviv Museum of Art (a great modern art museum) and the Diaspora Museum (about the Jewish diaspora). After 10 days, we finally earned some time to sit on the beach and watch the sunset and walk around some of the cool areas of Tel Aviv.
I'll try to put up pictures though it might be a while because I'm off to Cairo on Wednesday for spring break. After Cairo, I'm headed to Central/Eastern Europe before coming back to Israel for a week for more traveling.
I'm also in the middle of "midterms." I've forgotten how to write a paper and can't concentrate. I've come a far way from Bowdoin.
That's all before Jerusalem. In Jerusalem, we did lots of walking around the new and old cities, went to the Kotel (Wailing Wall), the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Dome of the Rock and al-Aksa Mosque. We enjoyed the Jewish quarter in the old city and did a tunnel tour below the Kotel. We visited Yad Vashem (Holocaust memorial), the Herzl Military Cemetary, and the Ben Yehuda Street Shuk (market). We went to the Israel Museum to see a great exhibit on stolen art from WWII, the Dead Sea Scrolls, and a reconstruction of Jerusalem from around the year 70. We visited the Great Synagogue (an enormous synagogue) on Friday night. After Jerusalem, we went to Tel Aviv. Once here, we went to Tel Aviv Museum of Art (a great modern art museum) and the Diaspora Museum (about the Jewish diaspora). After 10 days, we finally earned some time to sit on the beach and watch the sunset and walk around some of the cool areas of Tel Aviv.
I'll try to put up pictures though it might be a while because I'm off to Cairo on Wednesday for spring break. After Cairo, I'm headed to Central/Eastern Europe before coming back to Israel for a week for more traveling.
I'm also in the middle of "midterms." I've forgotten how to write a paper and can't concentrate. I've come a far way from Bowdoin.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
27. Tevya, St. Patrick's Day, Purim
It's been some time--a few good things to report.
Two weekends ago, I went with our program to the Negev Desert for a great weekend of hiking a relaxation. We went to the second largest creator in Israel (and therefore the second biggest creator in the world). The Dead Sea made for a great float and the Bedouin tent, though rather commercial, didn't disappoint with regards to dinner. An amazing Bedouin spread. We hiked in Ein Gedi, an Israeli national park and saw ruins from at least a few years ago.
This past Friday, I made my way to Jerusalem for a morning hike with a few friends. We hiked around the Jewish National Fund forest (the JNF plants trees all around Israel). It felt odd that the entire forest had been planted by humans at one point. We started at the JFK Memorial and worked our way to a monastery that was established by disciples of St. John. The JFK Memorial probably used to be powerful but it is so poorly maintained that it's tough to feel any emotion for a president that I wasn't alive for. The memorial is maintained by an American organization so they must not get here too often. Consistent with most other buildings or structures in Israel, there are names of benefactors all over the memorial. I don't really understand why names of donors need to be on the monument itself, but they did make for some great pleasure reading.
Last night brought St. Patrick's Day to Israel. Though far from Boston, Israelis certainly enjoy the chance to be Irish. Nonetheless, I felt like I was almost back in America with all of the English being shouted at "Molly Bloom's", the pub we went to. Outside the pub, the street was closed off and at one point, boos erupted as a police car drove through the mass of people. Lots of green hats, loud Americans, and Guinness. Plenty of fun. In a strange twist of fate, I found myself with 3 girls who at one point all went to Tevya with me (summer camp that I used to go to). A friend of mine was visiting from Sevilla, Spain, another girl studied in Tel Aviv first semester and now works here, and the 3rd girl is studying in Barcelona and is in Tel Aviv visiting friends. Needless to say, it was wild to have a little bit of New Hampshire in the middle of Tel Aviv.
Starting on Thursday is the holiday of Purim, a Jewish holiday that celebrates the survival of the Jewish people in Shushan, Persia a few years ago. Purim is special in that one is supposed to drink sufficient amounts such that one can't tell apart two of the main characters in the story. Of course, Purim is a lot of fun in Providence and Maine, but it is taken to the next level in Israel. I've been told that Purim in Israel is the equivalent of Halloween in America, however, it seems to be embraced to a much greater extent than Halloween is in the States. Whereas Halloween loses its appeal after middle school, the Purim spirit burns strong in Israelis. Costumes are being sold everywhere and special Purim cookies are popping up in markets. I learned a little bit about Purim when I was in Jerusalem on Friday--that walled cities in Israel celebrate the holiday for 2 days rather than 1. Furthermore, because the 2 days would straddle Saturday (Shabbat), it will go for 3 days in walled cities. It should be a rowdy weekend in Jerusalem.
My family arrives on Thursday and will be here for 10 days. We'll be traveling all over the country as well as venturing into Jordan (Petra). I'll do my best to provide updates as we travel and put up pictures as well.
Two weekends ago, I went with our program to the Negev Desert for a great weekend of hiking a relaxation. We went to the second largest creator in Israel (and therefore the second biggest creator in the world). The Dead Sea made for a great float and the Bedouin tent, though rather commercial, didn't disappoint with regards to dinner. An amazing Bedouin spread. We hiked in Ein Gedi, an Israeli national park and saw ruins from at least a few years ago.
This past Friday, I made my way to Jerusalem for a morning hike with a few friends. We hiked around the Jewish National Fund forest (the JNF plants trees all around Israel). It felt odd that the entire forest had been planted by humans at one point. We started at the JFK Memorial and worked our way to a monastery that was established by disciples of St. John. The JFK Memorial probably used to be powerful but it is so poorly maintained that it's tough to feel any emotion for a president that I wasn't alive for. The memorial is maintained by an American organization so they must not get here too often. Consistent with most other buildings or structures in Israel, there are names of benefactors all over the memorial. I don't really understand why names of donors need to be on the monument itself, but they did make for some great pleasure reading.
Last night brought St. Patrick's Day to Israel. Though far from Boston, Israelis certainly enjoy the chance to be Irish. Nonetheless, I felt like I was almost back in America with all of the English being shouted at "Molly Bloom's", the pub we went to. Outside the pub, the street was closed off and at one point, boos erupted as a police car drove through the mass of people. Lots of green hats, loud Americans, and Guinness. Plenty of fun. In a strange twist of fate, I found myself with 3 girls who at one point all went to Tevya with me (summer camp that I used to go to). A friend of mine was visiting from Sevilla, Spain, another girl studied in Tel Aviv first semester and now works here, and the 3rd girl is studying in Barcelona and is in Tel Aviv visiting friends. Needless to say, it was wild to have a little bit of New Hampshire in the middle of Tel Aviv.
Starting on Thursday is the holiday of Purim, a Jewish holiday that celebrates the survival of the Jewish people in Shushan, Persia a few years ago. Purim is special in that one is supposed to drink sufficient amounts such that one can't tell apart two of the main characters in the story. Of course, Purim is a lot of fun in Providence and Maine, but it is taken to the next level in Israel. I've been told that Purim in Israel is the equivalent of Halloween in America, however, it seems to be embraced to a much greater extent than Halloween is in the States. Whereas Halloween loses its appeal after middle school, the Purim spirit burns strong in Israelis. Costumes are being sold everywhere and special Purim cookies are popping up in markets. I learned a little bit about Purim when I was in Jerusalem on Friday--that walled cities in Israel celebrate the holiday for 2 days rather than 1. Furthermore, because the 2 days would straddle Saturday (Shabbat), it will go for 3 days in walled cities. It should be a rowdy weekend in Jerusalem.
My family arrives on Thursday and will be here for 10 days. We'll be traveling all over the country as well as venturing into Jordan (Petra). I'll do my best to provide updates as we travel and put up pictures as well.
Thursday, March 6, 2008
26. Ministry of Foreign Affairs
On Tuesday I went to Jerusalem to the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs (the equivalent of the State Department). I went with a group of about 15 kids from my program. We heard a lecture from the director of the Israeli marketing and branding department that was very captivating. She told us about Israel's efforts to "brand" Israel in an attempt to increase tourism and bolster support from outsiders. They are trying to changing peoples' minds about Israel so that people don't just think about bombings, cement houses, Orthodox Jews and a Masculine society when they think about the country. I totally agree with what she said and the need to show the world that Israel isn't as backwards as most think.
The second speaker was the director of Israel's Arab media relations department. He goes on Al-Jazeera 3-4 times a week to defend Israel on talk shows and news shows. Very very tough job. Over the weekend, he was asked to explain if "Israel has a policy on killing babies." Tough question. He goes on BBC everyday as well. A very tough job. He said he studied Arabic for 20 years and certainly needed that education to defend Israel on Arabic news stations. He let us know that his counterpart in America (the head of the Arab media relations department) doesn't even know Arabic and that there isn't one person in the White House or the upper echelons of the State Department that knows Arabic either. Wow. That seems kind of paradoxical to me. One thing he said to us stuck with me: when confronted with a tough host or panelist, he remembers that when someone asks him a question, he doesn't have to answer it, it's just his turn to talk. Wise words.
The second speaker was the director of Israel's Arab media relations department. He goes on Al-Jazeera 3-4 times a week to defend Israel on talk shows and news shows. Very very tough job. Over the weekend, he was asked to explain if "Israel has a policy on killing babies." Tough question. He goes on BBC everyday as well. A very tough job. He said he studied Arabic for 20 years and certainly needed that education to defend Israel on Arabic news stations. He let us know that his counterpart in America (the head of the Arab media relations department) doesn't even know Arabic and that there isn't one person in the White House or the upper echelons of the State Department that knows Arabic either. Wow. That seems kind of paradoxical to me. One thing he said to us stuck with me: when confronted with a tough host or panelist, he remembers that when someone asks him a question, he doesn't have to answer it, it's just his turn to talk. Wise words.
25.
This past weekend I had a great time in Jerusalem (again). The Idan Reichel Project put on a great concert. I managed to get to the front row and have my hands on the stage the whole time. Towards the end, a lot of kids started jumping on stage and then flying superman-style into the crowd. They were, of course, aided by security, but it looked great nonetheless. Rumor has it that I was one of those kids, but I managed to use better judgement and stay on the ground.
On Friday morning I went with my friend David (see picture below) to Mea Shearim. This is the ultra orthodox neighborhood in Jerusalem. We were greeted with signs saying to respect the community with modest dress, keeping cameras in our pockets, and observing all laws against modernity. The neighborhood is much different than I expected. Though it was ragged and noticeably poor, I expected much more commotion and liveliness. That said, it was a Friday morning and most people were in school or work (read: studying Torah or Gemara). At one point, David and I walked into a nice square and were greeted with loud sounds that sounded like indiscriminate noise. As we looked into a window, we saw rows upon rows of elementary school-aged boys swaying back and forth in their seats praying and studying. This was the sound of Judaism. This was the stereotypical sound of what most outside of Israel think Israel is like. This was the Orthodoxy that so many think is all-pervasive in Israel. It was cool, for the first time in 6 weeks, to see and hear what so many people consider to be Israel.
I managed to buy two great tasting chocolate rugelach (mini-croissants) and David got fresh squeezed orange juice that he declared to be the freshest he's ever had. We decided that this market was the least touristy market in Israel. The oddest part about it, however, was that the salesman didn't have a beard or top hat. He was one of the few.
We went into a really nice small bookstore that it probably the equivalent of City Lights to the ultra orthodox. They had great stuff: prayer books, commentary, clothing, religious paraphernalia, cds, tapes, allen ginsburg posters, etc. I really wanted to buy a genuine yarmulke (skullcap) but decided against it as I couldn't choose the right size to get. The 9 was too big but the 8 just didnt feel right. David balked at the chance to get a genuine Carlebach greatest hits cd (a famous religious composer). The highlight was the picture of the Kotel/Western Wall in the back of the store. It was special in that, behind the wall was a dubious collection of trees. After all, I always thought there was a mosque there. How silly of me.
After that, I went to the Israel Museum to see the exhibit with stolen art from the Holocaust. Lots of great paintings. Two excellent Seurat's and powerful photos of rooms full of stolen Torahs and canvases. Instead of write-ups on the paintings or artists, the write-ups addressed who used to own the paintings. Each was stolen, of course, so the show highlighted the anonymity of the last owners during the Holocaust. A great show. I also saw the Dead Sea Scrolls at the museum: a very cool building and way of presenting the scrolls.
For Friday night services, I went to the Kotel. After that, I went with two friends to a random older couple's apartment in the old city. This was an experience unlike any other. Out of 15 kids, I was the only non-Orthodox male, and the two girls I was with were the only non-Orthodox females. After each course we had a discussion of some old Jewish tale and debated the merits of Rabbinic discourse. It was very interesting even though they all knew I wasn't "religious." I did get a little freaked out when our host (who has a PhD in education...) denounced evolution. All-in-all, a very worthwhile experience that I would love to do again.
On Friday morning I went with my friend David (see picture below) to Mea Shearim. This is the ultra orthodox neighborhood in Jerusalem. We were greeted with signs saying to respect the community with modest dress, keeping cameras in our pockets, and observing all laws against modernity. The neighborhood is much different than I expected. Though it was ragged and noticeably poor, I expected much more commotion and liveliness. That said, it was a Friday morning and most people were in school or work (read: studying Torah or Gemara). At one point, David and I walked into a nice square and were greeted with loud sounds that sounded like indiscriminate noise. As we looked into a window, we saw rows upon rows of elementary school-aged boys swaying back and forth in their seats praying and studying. This was the sound of Judaism. This was the stereotypical sound of what most outside of Israel think Israel is like. This was the Orthodoxy that so many think is all-pervasive in Israel. It was cool, for the first time in 6 weeks, to see and hear what so many people consider to be Israel.
I managed to buy two great tasting chocolate rugelach (mini-croissants) and David got fresh squeezed orange juice that he declared to be the freshest he's ever had. We decided that this market was the least touristy market in Israel. The oddest part about it, however, was that the salesman didn't have a beard or top hat. He was one of the few.
We went into a really nice small bookstore that it probably the equivalent of City Lights to the ultra orthodox. They had great stuff: prayer books, commentary, clothing, religious paraphernalia, cds, tapes, allen ginsburg posters, etc. I really wanted to buy a genuine yarmulke (skullcap) but decided against it as I couldn't choose the right size to get. The 9 was too big but the 8 just didnt feel right. David balked at the chance to get a genuine Carlebach greatest hits cd (a famous religious composer). The highlight was the picture of the Kotel/Western Wall in the back of the store. It was special in that, behind the wall was a dubious collection of trees. After all, I always thought there was a mosque there. How silly of me.
After that, I went to the Israel Museum to see the exhibit with stolen art from the Holocaust. Lots of great paintings. Two excellent Seurat's and powerful photos of rooms full of stolen Torahs and canvases. Instead of write-ups on the paintings or artists, the write-ups addressed who used to own the paintings. Each was stolen, of course, so the show highlighted the anonymity of the last owners during the Holocaust. A great show. I also saw the Dead Sea Scrolls at the museum: a very cool building and way of presenting the scrolls.
For Friday night services, I went to the Kotel. After that, I went with two friends to a random older couple's apartment in the old city. This was an experience unlike any other. Out of 15 kids, I was the only non-Orthodox male, and the two girls I was with were the only non-Orthodox females. After each course we had a discussion of some old Jewish tale and debated the merits of Rabbinic discourse. It was very interesting even though they all knew I wasn't "religious." I did get a little freaked out when our host (who has a PhD in education...) denounced evolution. All-in-all, a very worthwhile experience that I would love to do again.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
24. Courses, etc.
I've now had about a week and a half of classes and they've been great. Hebrew classes are at 8:30 everyday. I'm not much of an early riser or early-to-bed student so it's been a bit of a change. Nonetheless, it's pretty nice to finish classes early and have the rest of the day free.
Islam, Politics, and Terror is an awesome course. We've started looking at Islamic Law and the downfall of Islam/Ottoman Empire. It's seems that the American educational system doesn't do the best job of teaching the Ottoman Empire or the history of Islam given how many questions we are all asking. It's also embarrassing to have to be explicitly told the difference between Sunis and Shias. That said, it's great to be learning all of this stuff, especially because it's so applicable to events and movements around me.
Contemporary Jewish Issues has been surprisingly engaging. It feels at times like a class that I might have taken in 6th grade, but I'm definitely getting much more out of it today. We're going to talk about how Judaism addresses divorce, intermarriage, homosexuality, feminism and other "hot" topics. We have spent two classes looking at the Torah and Talmud/Mishah (commentaries) in order to define who is a Jew. The debates have been pretty contentious and it's cool to see so many kids yelling about these issues (especially because Bowdoin doesn't quite foster debate on religion).
My course in the Arab-Israeli Conflict is cool. It's a strict history course--no talk of the current conflict but rather a survey of movements, -isms, and tensions before 1948 (year Israel was established). The professor is a diplomatic, historian's historian. Very much a part of the discipline and it's plain to see that he cares about history as a discourse. It's great to learn about the roots of Islamic Nationalism, Arab Nationalism, and Palestinian Nationalism, especially because we've been told they're all distinct.
Finally, my Ethics of Terrorism course is amazing. The teacher is smart though she tends to assert her own opinion a bit too much. She starts each topic with her beliefs so it's tough to argue in the hopes of winning anyone over. Nonetheless, the debates have been great--very contentious and very high energy. I've never been in a class where kids are so eager to tell what they think. This is probably a function of talking about terrorism in the Middle East with a bunch of American Jews who have been told what to think for most of their lives. The most interesting opinions, I think, are from the non-Jews and non-Americans. They tend to have more depth to their opinions and can argue their points more eloquently.
All-in-all, the courses are solid. The afternoons and nights are about as open as during Ulpan (the 1 month Hebrew course) so I'm trying to do some pleasure reading.
Next week I'm going to the Israeli ministry of foreign affairs. There is a trip for only 15 kids that I managed to sign up for. It should be great. We can only bring money and a passport inside. No phones, wallets, cameras or pens. Pretty cool.
I'm off to Jerusalem this weekend to see an Idan Raichel concert. He's a pretty popular musician so I'm gonna tag along with friends. I'm hoping to take a tour of Mea Shearim (the ultra-orthodox community in Jerusalem) and go see an exhibit in the big art museum with stolen works from the Holocaust. I just saw an article about it in the NYTimes so I'm guessing it's worthwhile.
Islam, Politics, and Terror is an awesome course. We've started looking at Islamic Law and the downfall of Islam/Ottoman Empire. It's seems that the American educational system doesn't do the best job of teaching the Ottoman Empire or the history of Islam given how many questions we are all asking. It's also embarrassing to have to be explicitly told the difference between Sunis and Shias. That said, it's great to be learning all of this stuff, especially because it's so applicable to events and movements around me.
Contemporary Jewish Issues has been surprisingly engaging. It feels at times like a class that I might have taken in 6th grade, but I'm definitely getting much more out of it today. We're going to talk about how Judaism addresses divorce, intermarriage, homosexuality, feminism and other "hot" topics. We have spent two classes looking at the Torah and Talmud/Mishah (commentaries) in order to define who is a Jew. The debates have been pretty contentious and it's cool to see so many kids yelling about these issues (especially because Bowdoin doesn't quite foster debate on religion).
My course in the Arab-Israeli Conflict is cool. It's a strict history course--no talk of the current conflict but rather a survey of movements, -isms, and tensions before 1948 (year Israel was established). The professor is a diplomatic, historian's historian. Very much a part of the discipline and it's plain to see that he cares about history as a discourse. It's great to learn about the roots of Islamic Nationalism, Arab Nationalism, and Palestinian Nationalism, especially because we've been told they're all distinct.
Finally, my Ethics of Terrorism course is amazing. The teacher is smart though she tends to assert her own opinion a bit too much. She starts each topic with her beliefs so it's tough to argue in the hopes of winning anyone over. Nonetheless, the debates have been great--very contentious and very high energy. I've never been in a class where kids are so eager to tell what they think. This is probably a function of talking about terrorism in the Middle East with a bunch of American Jews who have been told what to think for most of their lives. The most interesting opinions, I think, are from the non-Jews and non-Americans. They tend to have more depth to their opinions and can argue their points more eloquently.
All-in-all, the courses are solid. The afternoons and nights are about as open as during Ulpan (the 1 month Hebrew course) so I'm trying to do some pleasure reading.
Next week I'm going to the Israeli ministry of foreign affairs. There is a trip for only 15 kids that I managed to sign up for. It should be great. We can only bring money and a passport inside. No phones, wallets, cameras or pens. Pretty cool.
I'm off to Jerusalem this weekend to see an Idan Raichel concert. He's a pretty popular musician so I'm gonna tag along with friends. I'm hoping to take a tour of Mea Shearim (the ultra-orthodox community in Jerusalem) and go see an exhibit in the big art museum with stolen works from the Holocaust. I just saw an article about it in the NYTimes so I'm guessing it's worthwhile.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
23. more Istanbul
TOP: Inside the underground Basilica Cistern, next to Aya Sophia BOTTOM: Inside the Harem at Tokapi Palace (see below for explanation), Asia behind me.
21. Pictures from Istanbul
TOP: In the Grand Bazaar (an endless grid of shops with excellent fake gear of all kinds) BOTTOM: In front of the Blue Mosque with my friend Sara (from Cambridge, MA)
20. Pictures from Jerusalem (round 2)
TOP: With my Friend David (from Stockholm) overlooking Jerusalem BOTTOM: In front of the Security Fence between Jerusalem and the West Bank. Behind me is the West Bank
Sunday, February 17, 2008
19. Back from Istanbul
I just returned from an absolutely amazing 4 days in Istanbul. Many thanks to Toby and Ivy for their excellent suggestions.
-The history of Istanbul is so rich that it's tough to fully appreciate it without some good research ahead of time. Though I failed to do this research, I caught up quickly throughout my journey by reading guides and asking friends.
-The first thing that I noticed (as well as everyone else) about Istanbul is that there is a dubious lack of women. For every 25 men I would see, there would be one woman. On the tram system, everyone stands/sits in silence and, as I was traveling with a girl for most of the time, all eyes were focused on us. That said, I maintain that my coat was garnering serious attention. The women that we did see were either tourists, or covered head-to-toe.
-It would be an absolute shock to me if Turkey gained entrance in the EU. Though there are forward thinking elements, the treatment of women alone seems enough to keep them out of the playground.
-Turks can't drive in snow. That makes for a scary taksi ride during a whiteout. Trust me.
-The hotspots in Istanbul are conveniently very close to one another. The Blue Mosque and Aya Sophia stare at each other. No city planner could've been nicer to tourists.
-At times, the city felt very Western European given its commercial development while at other times it felt strangely Eastern European. Lots of semi-mullets that are probably popular in Croatia and Bulgaria.
-Only once did I tell someone I was from the USA. I was from Toronto and it felt great. Americans get bad prices and aren't treated all that well. I've also been told that Jews don't do too well in Muslim countries, so I stayed away from talking about Israel.
-Some elements of Istanbul are really modern and out-of-place. For example, see the automatic towel dispensers in the bathrooms and electronic gadgets used to take orders in restaurants.
-The Blue Mosque is as ornate as 9th grade history teachers say. It was the first time I've been in a mosque and as far as I'm concerned, all others will probably be a let down. It's like going to the superbowl for a first football game. Walking around without shoes was inviting. For such a special site, I am shocked at how easy it was to gain entry. Had the place been in America, it would've taken hours.
-Aya Sophia, unfortunately, was a bit of a let down. This is only, however, a function of my lack of knowledge about the building. The Blue Mosque is much more elegant so my expectations were a bit high. It would have been nice to have a tour guide. Nonetheless, the architectural enormity of the structure did not disappoint, nor did the mosaics of Justinian and Constantine holding Jesus.
-Tokapi Palace, the winter home of the Ottoman Sultan for a couple hundred years, was large, extravagant, and surprisingly plain. Tokapi is not Versailles in that regard. From one end to the other was a 20 minutes walk. Huge open green spaces surrounded by low buildings on all sides. Each Sultan added a bit to the palace and the Harem (where he kept his females). The Harem is a complex that housed the Sultan's women (roughly 1000 of them) and looked like an upscale jail. Mosaics everywhere. Inside the museum were the following: Moses' walking stick, John the Baptists' arm and skull, Abraham's saucepan, Muhammed's footprint and beard and sword, and Joseph's cap. Eh, I'll let you judge the validity of the artifacts. We were totally freaking out at the claim that we were looking at Moses' walking stick (which was nice) and John's arm, but were rather curious why the museum isn't celebrated the world over. Muhammed had a low arch and big feet. Much bigger than expected. Muhammed's gold tooth chest was there too. I prefer the plastic ones from the school nurse.
-Turkish Baths are the best thing on Earth. The first day, I was scrubbed by a large, overworked Turkish man. He cracked every vertebrae in my body and nearly yanked my shoulder out of its socket. That said, I don't think I've ever been more relaxed in my life....except for the second day when I went again. I tried to convince every kid that went on the trip (~80) to get one, and most did. Though Americans are obviously obsessed with body image, I didn't realized the extent to which that is true. A lot of the kids absolutely refused and missed out on utter relaxation.
-We took a great boat cruise on the Bosphorus River (between Europe and Asia) and made friends with a nice Italian couple. Though it was snowing worse than the blizzard of '78, the cruise was lots of fun.
-We found the coolest street in all of Istanbul on the third day. Every shop was run by a woman and there were great shops and hipster images everywhere. Andy Warhol would've lived there. In one store--a retro shop that was a house--everything was for sale--there was a Seder plate for sale (an item used on Passover). Needless to say, I was shocked and asked the clerk if she knew what it was and if she was Jewish. She knew exactly what it was and I think she thought it was cool that we were Jewish given her smile when I asked about it. This street--and it's red haired hipster female clerks--gave me hope for Turkey's modernization process.
-I enjoyed traveling with a big group to Istanbul, though I now, more than ever, realize why so many people in this world dislike Americans. It is a sad thing, to be sure, though if Americans were a little more conscious of their surroundings and walked with a bit of humility, it would go a long way.
I great 4 days. Istanbul is a beautiful city and looks wonderful in a snowstorm. Pictures to follow.
Classes start tomorrow.
-The history of Istanbul is so rich that it's tough to fully appreciate it without some good research ahead of time. Though I failed to do this research, I caught up quickly throughout my journey by reading guides and asking friends.
-The first thing that I noticed (as well as everyone else) about Istanbul is that there is a dubious lack of women. For every 25 men I would see, there would be one woman. On the tram system, everyone stands/sits in silence and, as I was traveling with a girl for most of the time, all eyes were focused on us. That said, I maintain that my coat was garnering serious attention. The women that we did see were either tourists, or covered head-to-toe.
-It would be an absolute shock to me if Turkey gained entrance in the EU. Though there are forward thinking elements, the treatment of women alone seems enough to keep them out of the playground.
-Turks can't drive in snow. That makes for a scary taksi ride during a whiteout. Trust me.
-The hotspots in Istanbul are conveniently very close to one another. The Blue Mosque and Aya Sophia stare at each other. No city planner could've been nicer to tourists.
-At times, the city felt very Western European given its commercial development while at other times it felt strangely Eastern European. Lots of semi-mullets that are probably popular in Croatia and Bulgaria.
-Only once did I tell someone I was from the USA. I was from Toronto and it felt great. Americans get bad prices and aren't treated all that well. I've also been told that Jews don't do too well in Muslim countries, so I stayed away from talking about Israel.
-Some elements of Istanbul are really modern and out-of-place. For example, see the automatic towel dispensers in the bathrooms and electronic gadgets used to take orders in restaurants.
-The Blue Mosque is as ornate as 9th grade history teachers say. It was the first time I've been in a mosque and as far as I'm concerned, all others will probably be a let down. It's like going to the superbowl for a first football game. Walking around without shoes was inviting. For such a special site, I am shocked at how easy it was to gain entry. Had the place been in America, it would've taken hours.
-Aya Sophia, unfortunately, was a bit of a let down. This is only, however, a function of my lack of knowledge about the building. The Blue Mosque is much more elegant so my expectations were a bit high. It would have been nice to have a tour guide. Nonetheless, the architectural enormity of the structure did not disappoint, nor did the mosaics of Justinian and Constantine holding Jesus.
-Tokapi Palace, the winter home of the Ottoman Sultan for a couple hundred years, was large, extravagant, and surprisingly plain. Tokapi is not Versailles in that regard. From one end to the other was a 20 minutes walk. Huge open green spaces surrounded by low buildings on all sides. Each Sultan added a bit to the palace and the Harem (where he kept his females). The Harem is a complex that housed the Sultan's women (roughly 1000 of them) and looked like an upscale jail. Mosaics everywhere. Inside the museum were the following: Moses' walking stick, John the Baptists' arm and skull, Abraham's saucepan, Muhammed's footprint and beard and sword, and Joseph's cap. Eh, I'll let you judge the validity of the artifacts. We were totally freaking out at the claim that we were looking at Moses' walking stick (which was nice) and John's arm, but were rather curious why the museum isn't celebrated the world over. Muhammed had a low arch and big feet. Much bigger than expected. Muhammed's gold tooth chest was there too. I prefer the plastic ones from the school nurse.
-Turkish Baths are the best thing on Earth. The first day, I was scrubbed by a large, overworked Turkish man. He cracked every vertebrae in my body and nearly yanked my shoulder out of its socket. That said, I don't think I've ever been more relaxed in my life....except for the second day when I went again. I tried to convince every kid that went on the trip (~80) to get one, and most did. Though Americans are obviously obsessed with body image, I didn't realized the extent to which that is true. A lot of the kids absolutely refused and missed out on utter relaxation.
-We took a great boat cruise on the Bosphorus River (between Europe and Asia) and made friends with a nice Italian couple. Though it was snowing worse than the blizzard of '78, the cruise was lots of fun.
-We found the coolest street in all of Istanbul on the third day. Every shop was run by a woman and there were great shops and hipster images everywhere. Andy Warhol would've lived there. In one store--a retro shop that was a house--everything was for sale--there was a Seder plate for sale (an item used on Passover). Needless to say, I was shocked and asked the clerk if she knew what it was and if she was Jewish. She knew exactly what it was and I think she thought it was cool that we were Jewish given her smile when I asked about it. This street--and it's red haired hipster female clerks--gave me hope for Turkey's modernization process.
-I enjoyed traveling with a big group to Istanbul, though I now, more than ever, realize why so many people in this world dislike Americans. It is a sad thing, to be sure, though if Americans were a little more conscious of their surroundings and walked with a bit of humility, it would go a long way.
I great 4 days. Istanbul is a beautiful city and looks wonderful in a snowstorm. Pictures to follow.
Classes start tomorrow.
Friday, February 8, 2008
18.
The last two days, I explored Israeli culture. On Wednesday night, I went to the Israel v. Romania soccer match. Though it did not count for anything except pride in the soccer world, the two countries put on a pretty good show. Israel won 1-0, which was nice. The crowd wasn't too big, but there were some rather dedicated fans. In front of me were two orthodox Jews, behind me were, I think, Colombians who were going crazy, behind me to the right was a huge group of young Israeli chanting traditional religious songs. At soccer games, everyone gets a big bag of sunflower seeds--it's the equivalent of popcorn or peanuts at a baseball game. The etiquette, however, is much different. Wherever the shells land is fair game. People spit seeds onto other people's back, the chairs, and anywhere else that is in range. I did my best to join the fun.
Last night I went to the enormous Bob Marley festival in honor of his 63rd birthday. Israel really likes reggae music. There was some serious red, green, and yellow everywhere one looked. There must have been 10 different singers that would sing one song and then hand the microphone off to the next performer. At no time were there any fewer than 13 people on stage playing instruments. It was quite the experience.
Being in Tel Aviv for Shabbat feels a little weird. I have an false expectation that the entire city should shut down in an hour as a result of my weekend in Jerusalem. It's nice that Tel Aviv is still relatively open on Shabbat as last weekend I felt a pretty confined by the general atmosphere/environment of Shabbat.
This week is the last week of Ulpan (Hebrew Classes). It's amazing that Ulpan is almost over though I am definitely ready to start real classes. There are a bunch of kids who will be continuing Hebrew with me into the semester so I'm glad that I won't be the only one of my friends waking up everyday at 8:30.
Last night I went to the enormous Bob Marley festival in honor of his 63rd birthday. Israel really likes reggae music. There was some serious red, green, and yellow everywhere one looked. There must have been 10 different singers that would sing one song and then hand the microphone off to the next performer. At no time were there any fewer than 13 people on stage playing instruments. It was quite the experience.
Being in Tel Aviv for Shabbat feels a little weird. I have an false expectation that the entire city should shut down in an hour as a result of my weekend in Jerusalem. It's nice that Tel Aviv is still relatively open on Shabbat as last weekend I felt a pretty confined by the general atmosphere/environment of Shabbat.
This week is the last week of Ulpan (Hebrew Classes). It's amazing that Ulpan is almost over though I am definitely ready to start real classes. There are a bunch of kids who will be continuing Hebrew with me into the semester so I'm glad that I won't be the only one of my friends waking up everyday at 8:30.
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
17.
TOP to BOTTOM: Snow in Jerusalem (and FoxNews reporting the story), in front of the boardwalk in Tel Aviv with huge waves, on the boardwalk looking at Yafo.
16.
TOP to BOTTOM: At Ben Yehuda Market, a spice vendor, at the Kotel, My friend Jake, from BU, at the Kotel, with Jake
15.
Watching the Superbowl on "METV: The American Family Network" was funny. METV stands for "Middle East TV". The Giants are not a good football team, they just have a very good defensive line. While watching the game in a nice bar with lots of Giants fans, I was reminded of how much I can't stand the Giants, and for good measure, the Cowboys, Mets, Braves, Devils, Rangers and Cranston West High School hockey. They are a miserable breed, and for once in my life, I was rooting for the Patriots. Enough about that, after all, the Eagles could've done that too.
Today I continued my quest to visit every one of the notable galleries and museums in Tel Aviv. I got to four: Independence Hall, the Haganah Museum, the Rokach House, and the Gutman Museum. Independence Hall is the house where, on May 14, 1948, David Ben-Gurion declared the Independence of the State of Israel. I have been there before, but it was great to walk through the museum (as small as it is) with time to read the information and absorb the building's rich history. The declaration of the State of Israel seems like one of the more anomalous occurrences in the history of diplomacy and statehood. At the same time, it is perhaps one of the best examples of the potential of the UN to mobilize international support for a cause. I can't imagine what would happen if, tomorrow, the Palestinian demographic in the West Bank declared themselves citizens of an independent nation. Nonetheless, it was amazing to be in the room where the declaration took place and to see the actual document that was signed by Ben Gurion, Meir, etc.
The Haganah Museum was a terrific museum that tells the story of the Israeli Army before there was an "Israel" and before there was the IDF (Israeli Army). The Haganah began as a loosely affiliated group of settlers in the 1910s/20s that protected small towns and farm land throughout Israel. These were the fighters who seemed to be most responsible for the effectiveness and success of the IDF since 1948. It was a smart organization that thought critically about the future of the land of Palestine. A cool museum.
The Rokach house is the restored home of the man who founded the first Jewish town outside of Yafo (the city that spawned Tel Aviv). This town, Neve Tzedek, is by far my favorite area of Tel Aviv. It is undergoing a rebirth and is lined with great cafes, restaurants and stores. The narrow, one way roads give it a nice European feel. It was interesting to learn about Rokach.
The Nachum Gutman museum is a small museum that features lots of Gutman's sketches and paintings. His sketches are quite impressive. There were probably 80 of them, all of people. I'm not sure if he drew them from photos, but they were amazingly simple, yet totally recognizable. I didn't really enjoy his flat, 2-D looking paintings, but the museum was definitely worth the 10 Shekels ($2.50).
Course sign-ups are due next week. I think I'll take three politically focused courses, Hebrew, and 20th Century Israeli Art. Every single course looks awesome, so it's too bad that I can only take 5. Unfortunately, Intro to Islam is at the same time as the Middle East Conflict course I'm taking. I would've loved to learn about that.
Today I continued my quest to visit every one of the notable galleries and museums in Tel Aviv. I got to four: Independence Hall, the Haganah Museum, the Rokach House, and the Gutman Museum. Independence Hall is the house where, on May 14, 1948, David Ben-Gurion declared the Independence of the State of Israel. I have been there before, but it was great to walk through the museum (as small as it is) with time to read the information and absorb the building's rich history. The declaration of the State of Israel seems like one of the more anomalous occurrences in the history of diplomacy and statehood. At the same time, it is perhaps one of the best examples of the potential of the UN to mobilize international support for a cause. I can't imagine what would happen if, tomorrow, the Palestinian demographic in the West Bank declared themselves citizens of an independent nation. Nonetheless, it was amazing to be in the room where the declaration took place and to see the actual document that was signed by Ben Gurion, Meir, etc.
The Haganah Museum was a terrific museum that tells the story of the Israeli Army before there was an "Israel" and before there was the IDF (Israeli Army). The Haganah began as a loosely affiliated group of settlers in the 1910s/20s that protected small towns and farm land throughout Israel. These were the fighters who seemed to be most responsible for the effectiveness and success of the IDF since 1948. It was a smart organization that thought critically about the future of the land of Palestine. A cool museum.
The Rokach house is the restored home of the man who founded the first Jewish town outside of Yafo (the city that spawned Tel Aviv). This town, Neve Tzedek, is by far my favorite area of Tel Aviv. It is undergoing a rebirth and is lined with great cafes, restaurants and stores. The narrow, one way roads give it a nice European feel. It was interesting to learn about Rokach.
The Nachum Gutman museum is a small museum that features lots of Gutman's sketches and paintings. His sketches are quite impressive. There were probably 80 of them, all of people. I'm not sure if he drew them from photos, but they were amazingly simple, yet totally recognizable. I didn't really enjoy his flat, 2-D looking paintings, but the museum was definitely worth the 10 Shekels ($2.50).
Course sign-ups are due next week. I think I'll take three politically focused courses, Hebrew, and 20th Century Israeli Art. Every single course looks awesome, so it's too bad that I can only take 5. Unfortunately, Intro to Islam is at the same time as the Middle East Conflict course I'm taking. I would've loved to learn about that.
Sunday, February 3, 2008
...more pictures
TOP: The view from my dorm. Directly across the street is a nice plaza with cafes, a bakery, and small food markets. MIDDLE: Street sign for my street. BOTTOM: City Hall, at Rabin Sqaure--where Yitzchak Rabin was murdered.
13. Pictures
TOP: Hallway on ground floor of my dorm. MIDDLE: Park outside my dorm. BOTTOM: My dorm, from the park.
Saturday, February 2, 2008
12. Weekend in Jerusalem
I just returned from an absolutely amazing weekend in Jerusalem. Though I've been there once before, I wasn't able to wander around like this second trip. I want to return several times in the coming months, but I think it would be really tough to live there given the extent to which the city shuts down for Shabbes, starting at ~3 PM on Friday.
I spent most of the weekend with my friend Yoni. He worked as a chef at my summer camp in 2006 and is currently studying for the university entrance exam. We spoke a lot about the IDF (Israeli Army), the life of soldiers, the conflict in Lebanon in 2006, and how a Palestinian state would function should it develop. I had yet another "light bulb moment" when we spoke about how divided the Palestinian world is. There is little uniting Palestinian peoples--no singular culture, religion, or history. Two uniting elements arose out of our conversation: language and an opposition to Israel. These are obviously very general observations, but critical nonetheless.
Religion is predictably everywhere in Jerusalem. On Friday morning, I went to the Kotel (the Western/Wailing Wall). It's an overwhelming place to visit. I stayed there for, I think, an hour. I find myself fascinated by the ultra-orthodox Jews who spend most of their day at the Kotel, every day. Their blacks robes, black hats, long beards and "Pey-es" (~sideburns) seem better suited for the 12th Century. Seeing five-year-olds in the traditional garb is mind-numbing. Their strict adherence to tradition, more than anything else, is tough to comprehend. One group, the Satmars, wear top hats that look like big furry rings (see google for a visual).
I left the Kotel and aimlessly wandered through the Christian Quarter of the Old City. I then stumbled into a drab, inconspicuous church. The place was absolutely enormous, rather ornate, and appeared Greek Orthodox given the presence of so many icons and images. However, a picture of the Pope told me otherwise. I walked up a steep staircase to find a line of people waiting to knee below a picture of Jesus. There was silver everywhere, as well as gold images, and a big cross. People were taking pictures (so I did too) and some were crying. Needless to say, I was quite confused. I questioned a few people about where I was, but no one answered my questions in English. Finally, a Russian tour-guide, in broken, though adequate English, told me it was the "Golgotha." The way he said it made me know that I should've known what it was. When I asked what that meant, he let me know that I was looking at the site of the Crucifixion of Christ. Embarrassment set in pretty quickly. I then asked, "well, then, where am I?" He replied that I was in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. I accidentally walked into one of the most important sites in Christianity, after leaving the holiest site in Judaism. The guide told me to walk over to where Jesus' body was brought after taken down from the Cross. Predictably, the site of the resurrection had quite a long line. I am still amazed at my impeccable wandering. The contrast between the Kotel and the C.o.t.H.S. is overwhelming. Both are sites with many tourists, but I was amazed at how the Kotel is still a site of active prayer. The Church didn't have the presence of active, personal, formalized religion.
As I left the C.o.t.H.S., I was bombarded by Muslim calls to prayer that were playing over speakers throughout the old city. In less than 2 hours, I had absorbed three religions, three worlds, and three overlapping histories. I am excited to walk around the city with certain destinations in mind.
On Friday night, I went to the Kotel for Shabbat Services. At times, I felt rather out of place, and ironically, I was at, arguably, the center of Judaism. I turned my orange jacket inside-out in order to expose the grey color of the inside of my coat in an attempt to fit into the sea of black. I met a really nice Argentinean man who invited me to join his friends for prayer. It was cool to be with them. At times, it felt like a soccer game because of the singing and dancing. He was curious why I never went to Yeshiva (Orthodox school). The sense of tradition reflected in the prayers and hundreds of people around me was nonetheless overwhelming. It was an awesome (literally) experience.
I spent most of the weekend with my friend Yoni. He worked as a chef at my summer camp in 2006 and is currently studying for the university entrance exam. We spoke a lot about the IDF (Israeli Army), the life of soldiers, the conflict in Lebanon in 2006, and how a Palestinian state would function should it develop. I had yet another "light bulb moment" when we spoke about how divided the Palestinian world is. There is little uniting Palestinian peoples--no singular culture, religion, or history. Two uniting elements arose out of our conversation: language and an opposition to Israel. These are obviously very general observations, but critical nonetheless.
Religion is predictably everywhere in Jerusalem. On Friday morning, I went to the Kotel (the Western/Wailing Wall). It's an overwhelming place to visit. I stayed there for, I think, an hour. I find myself fascinated by the ultra-orthodox Jews who spend most of their day at the Kotel, every day. Their blacks robes, black hats, long beards and "Pey-es" (~sideburns) seem better suited for the 12th Century. Seeing five-year-olds in the traditional garb is mind-numbing. Their strict adherence to tradition, more than anything else, is tough to comprehend. One group, the Satmars, wear top hats that look like big furry rings (see google for a visual).
I left the Kotel and aimlessly wandered through the Christian Quarter of the Old City. I then stumbled into a drab, inconspicuous church. The place was absolutely enormous, rather ornate, and appeared Greek Orthodox given the presence of so many icons and images. However, a picture of the Pope told me otherwise. I walked up a steep staircase to find a line of people waiting to knee below a picture of Jesus. There was silver everywhere, as well as gold images, and a big cross. People were taking pictures (so I did too) and some were crying. Needless to say, I was quite confused. I questioned a few people about where I was, but no one answered my questions in English. Finally, a Russian tour-guide, in broken, though adequate English, told me it was the "Golgotha." The way he said it made me know that I should've known what it was. When I asked what that meant, he let me know that I was looking at the site of the Crucifixion of Christ. Embarrassment set in pretty quickly. I then asked, "well, then, where am I?" He replied that I was in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. I accidentally walked into one of the most important sites in Christianity, after leaving the holiest site in Judaism. The guide told me to walk over to where Jesus' body was brought after taken down from the Cross. Predictably, the site of the resurrection had quite a long line. I am still amazed at my impeccable wandering. The contrast between the Kotel and the C.o.t.H.S. is overwhelming. Both are sites with many tourists, but I was amazed at how the Kotel is still a site of active prayer. The Church didn't have the presence of active, personal, formalized religion.
As I left the C.o.t.H.S., I was bombarded by Muslim calls to prayer that were playing over speakers throughout the old city. In less than 2 hours, I had absorbed three religions, three worlds, and three overlapping histories. I am excited to walk around the city with certain destinations in mind.
On Friday night, I went to the Kotel for Shabbat Services. At times, I felt rather out of place, and ironically, I was at, arguably, the center of Judaism. I turned my orange jacket inside-out in order to expose the grey color of the inside of my coat in an attempt to fit into the sea of black. I met a really nice Argentinean man who invited me to join his friends for prayer. It was cool to be with them. At times, it felt like a soccer game because of the singing and dancing. He was curious why I never went to Yeshiva (Orthodox school). The sense of tradition reflected in the prayers and hundreds of people around me was nonetheless overwhelming. It was an awesome (literally) experience.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
11. Weather reminiscent of Portland, Oregon
Since Saturday, the weather in Tel Aviv has been unpredictably bizarre: It rains for two minutes and then the sun shines immediately. The cycle continues all day, and all night. It has been raining nearly non-stop for four days which, I've been told, is a very good thing given the low water levels in Israel from a persistent drought. Trees are down, as is the power in some buildings. The topic of conversation hasn't strayed far from the weather. Today brought hail. It was quite odd to see little hail pellets bounce off of the ground outside the classroom. Amazingly, I recognized the word for hail in hebrew because it is one of the ten plagues that is recited during the Passover "Seder" (opening communal meal). The forecast has let us know that Jerusalem has seen 15+ centimeters of snow fall this week. In fact, the trip that our program had planned for Jerusalem for tomorrow was postponed because of the snow. However, several kids (myself included) will be braving the elements and traveling to Jerusalem anyway. If there is any snow on the ground in Jerusalem, I want to see it. I'm also hoping to reconnect with a long, lost friend from my camp who I haven't spoken with in roughly seven years.
Now that I know the city relatively well, I've began my travels to Tel Aviv's museums and galleries. Yesterday, I went to the Tel Aviv Museum of Art. It is an exciting collection with several works by Picasso, Leger, Chagall, Pisarro, Braque, Monet, Pollack and some really cool Pointillists who I'd never heard of. The impressionist gallery was appropriately impressive and the old-school realist collection was enjoyable. Fresh off of a visit to some Venetian galleries over the summer, I was surprised by the lack of New Testament imagery. I shouldn't have been surprised, I guess, but it was still interesting to see renderings of scenes from the Torah that one comes across less than New Testament art. I had a realization about the reality of Israel's being a Jewish state when I saw, in each doorframe, a "mezuzah" (a scroll placed on every doorframe in a Jewish house/building). There were some great modern-art galleries as well. I highly recommend the museum.
The day before, I went to the Diaspora Museum, which is conveniently located on the campus of Tel Aviv University. It is a wonderful museum that tracks the spread of Judaism across the world since the Jewish Diaspora commenced (I'm not sure if that's how to say it). One section of the Museum has several computers where one can look up family names and communities worldwide. My Californian cousins (Andrew and Jonathan twice) were in the database but no one else. Another excellent museum.
Today, I went to the Bauhaus Center. It wasn't exactly what I was hoping for, but the gift shop had a very impressive book collection. While the museum didn't illuminate the complexities or ideas behind this school of architecture, I bought a book written by Walter Gropius (~founder of Bauhaus Architecture). I'm pumped to read it. It is impossible to walk down a street and not notice the architecture so I think I'm going to take a Bauhaus tour next Friday to learn more about it.
Now that I know the city relatively well, I've began my travels to Tel Aviv's museums and galleries. Yesterday, I went to the Tel Aviv Museum of Art. It is an exciting collection with several works by Picasso, Leger, Chagall, Pisarro, Braque, Monet, Pollack and some really cool Pointillists who I'd never heard of. The impressionist gallery was appropriately impressive and the old-school realist collection was enjoyable. Fresh off of a visit to some Venetian galleries over the summer, I was surprised by the lack of New Testament imagery. I shouldn't have been surprised, I guess, but it was still interesting to see renderings of scenes from the Torah that one comes across less than New Testament art. I had a realization about the reality of Israel's being a Jewish state when I saw, in each doorframe, a "mezuzah" (a scroll placed on every doorframe in a Jewish house/building). There were some great modern-art galleries as well. I highly recommend the museum.
The day before, I went to the Diaspora Museum, which is conveniently located on the campus of Tel Aviv University. It is a wonderful museum that tracks the spread of Judaism across the world since the Jewish Diaspora commenced (I'm not sure if that's how to say it). One section of the Museum has several computers where one can look up family names and communities worldwide. My Californian cousins (Andrew and Jonathan twice) were in the database but no one else. Another excellent museum.
Today, I went to the Bauhaus Center. It wasn't exactly what I was hoping for, but the gift shop had a very impressive book collection. While the museum didn't illuminate the complexities or ideas behind this school of architecture, I bought a book written by Walter Gropius (~founder of Bauhaus Architecture). I'm pumped to read it. It is impossible to walk down a street and not notice the architecture so I think I'm going to take a Bauhaus tour next Friday to learn more about it.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
10.
Yesterday I took a good long walk from Ramat Aviv (the dorm) to Yafo. I went the length of Tel Aviv via the boardwalk on the beach in about 1.25 hours. Although it was pouring, tons of people were still walking around. I found my way to the Neve Tzedek neighborhood which, though small, is an absolute gem. On "Rehov Shabazi" (Shabazi Street), I stumbled onto a few small coffee shops, wine bars, and boutiques. I plan on returning when I have a chance. I'm starting to create a list of museums/galleries/restaurants that I need to explore: first on the list is the Tel Aviv Museum of Art. Apparently it has an excellent collection that I'm pumped about. Also on the list is the Bauhaus Museum--it takes visitors through Bauhaus architecture (which makes up most of Tel Aviv). I'm really into architecture lately, so this should be cool.
This morning I booked a flight and hotel room for a four day trip to Istanbul. A ton of kids on my trip (~30) signed up for the trip so it should be amazing. I'm looking into getting myself to Morocco for my spring break, but some research is needed on that front.
This morning I booked a flight and hotel room for a four day trip to Istanbul. A ton of kids on my trip (~30) signed up for the trip so it should be amazing. I'm looking into getting myself to Morocco for my spring break, but some research is needed on that front.
Friday, January 25, 2008
9. Pictures
I'm unable to post pictures for some reason in my dorm given the weak internet connection. I'm gonna try to post on Sunday when the city wakes up from Shabbat. Also, shakshuka is a delicious dinner selection, especially in Yafo.
8.
Yesterday brought more aimless walking around the city, as well as a trip to Yafo (Jaffa) for dinner and the port area for the evening's fun. I found myself back at Shuk HaCarmel (a large outdoor market). This time, after walking between mountains of olives and cases of brightly colored vegetables, I walked with two friends (one from Brandeis and the other from Georgetown) down a street next to the market. I found this street to be much more interesting than the market street itself. This is where you could see the meat scraps, chicken feed, vegetable roots, and their surrounding degraded residences. It was the street that I'm guessing few walk down and I'm certainly glad we did. We noticed, immediately, the raw nature of the market. I was reminded of the types of regional and local markets from the medieval era (that I studied this past semester). It's quite the transition to walk from the Shuk to the "Superpharm shel-li" ("My Superpharm").
On the way to the Shuk, I saw a cool looking office building and asked the cab driver what it was. He told me that it was the Likud Headquarters (i.e. Benjamin Netanyahu's office). The Likud Party is Israel's far right, ~neoconservative party. I wrote a paper last semester that included thoughts on Netanyahu so it was cool to see that (quite inadvertently).
During the day I hung out with one of my friend's old pals who now lives in Israel and is in the army. Through my friend, I've met 4 soldiers, all of whom are roughly my age. We all understand that the Israeli Army is one of the best in the world, and also that it's dominated by 18-21 year olds. However, yesterday, for the first, I realized that the Israeli Army is really run by kids my age. It seems like a younger army than the American one. I think it really hit me when this soldier (a really cool kid who made aliyah (moved here) almost two years ago) left his gun in the corner of the room. The window was open and the sun was focused directly on the neon-green scope on top of the gun. It was perfectly framed by the corner of the room. At this point, to see a gun is a benign image. To see that one, though, was something new.
I'm off to try to find a Conservative-style synagogue for tonight. Thanks to all of those who have sent updates, it's great to hear from so many of you.
On the way to the Shuk, I saw a cool looking office building and asked the cab driver what it was. He told me that it was the Likud Headquarters (i.e. Benjamin Netanyahu's office). The Likud Party is Israel's far right, ~neoconservative party. I wrote a paper last semester that included thoughts on Netanyahu so it was cool to see that (quite inadvertently).
During the day I hung out with one of my friend's old pals who now lives in Israel and is in the army. Through my friend, I've met 4 soldiers, all of whom are roughly my age. We all understand that the Israeli Army is one of the best in the world, and also that it's dominated by 18-21 year olds. However, yesterday, for the first, I realized that the Israeli Army is really run by kids my age. It seems like a younger army than the American one. I think it really hit me when this soldier (a really cool kid who made aliyah (moved here) almost two years ago) left his gun in the corner of the room. The window was open and the sun was focused directly on the neon-green scope on top of the gun. It was perfectly framed by the corner of the room. At this point, to see a gun is a benign image. To see that one, though, was something new.
I'm off to try to find a Conservative-style synagogue for tonight. Thanks to all of those who have sent updates, it's great to hear from so many of you.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
...Tu B'Shevat
I just walked down Rehov Ben Yehuda to a different cafe--this one would most likely be a hipster hangout in the Village, and might be the same here late at night. "All of my Love" by Led Zeppelin is currently playing. Are there any Israeli musicians worth playing in a cafe?
Today is Tu B'Shevat--a relatively minor Jewish holiday in celebration of the harvest. However, this year is a "Shmita" year. From what I've gathered, shmita is a law of sorts that says that every 7 years (or 12 years?), the land must be left to rejuvenate itself. Traditionally, farmers don't plant crops and one can't work the land. Because Tu B'Shevat is a harvest celebration, the holiday is celebrated a little differently I think. Notably, the Jewish National Fund--the organization known for planting trees to de-desert Israel--is not planting trees this year as it normally does for Tu B-Shevat. I just read that people are instead making contributions online for next year. Who knew?
Even though Tel Aviv is a secular city, people have been talking about the holiday at least somewhat. At the security desk in my dorm, there was a tray of dried fruits and dried apricots filled my lunch plate for dessert. All-in-all, I've really enjoyed my Tu B'Shevat, and encourage everyone to have some fruit today.
6. The First Rain, Hebrew Classes
I am currently sitting in a cool cafe on Rehov Ben Yehuda (Ben Yehuda Street) right in the middle of the city. It's raining, for the first time since I've been here, though there has been a big drought so it's certainly good that it's raining. About half and hour ago, the Baywatch theme song was playing, and right now I'm typing to the sounds of Mariah Carey. I guess some things are not only timeless, but also placeless.
Ulpan (Hebrew classes) started on Sunday. So far, it's been great. I feel that even in three days I've learned a ton because it's five hours a day and the teachers really drill the class on vocab. A lot of how we've been taught is what I would imagine the Socratic Method is. The teacher ("Moreh") asks us lots of questions using vocab--the class is very interactive and one cannot avoid talking. I'm really enjoying learning Hebrew, as are most of the kids in the program. I had forgotten what homework was like for language classes--busy work and fill-in-the-blanks. I catch myself continuously saying words in French and too often use French in the market ("Shuk"), class, and taxis. It's clear that I learned a lot of French over the years. I'm slowly starting to think that picking it up again would be a good idea.
The kids on the trip remain lots of fun and I definitely haven't been let down. My ulpan class has a great roster (worthy of Hall of Fame status as compared to classes I've had in the past). Yesterday I went to the Shuk HaCarmel (pictures to posted soon so check back). It is a great outdoor market that is exactly what you might imagine. When people think of the Middle East, this market is one of the first mental images that pops up. I bargained like a champ in an attempt to get some great red peppers, but the seller wouldn't budge. He won and I paid full price because time was running out. There was a big potluck dinner last night so I had to get back and cut up my veggies. The hummus was amazing: creamy and smooth.
My server just brought over the toothpick jar, so that means I've gotta go. I'm going to post photos later on, so check back to see what the dorm looks like, etc.
Friday, January 18, 2008
5. First Shabbat
Last night was spent at various places throughout Tel Aviv. The night starts late here, which serves as a reminder of the European elements of Israel (we ate at 10:15). Bowling earlier in the day took us to Halon.
I went on a long, long walk through the city today. From my dorm, I went through a beautiful park with soccer fields, basketball courts, a rock climbing walls, and cool jungle gym (think neo- Discovery Zone), then through what appeared to be a wealthy residential neighborhood with nice shops and parks at every turn. There was a shocking number of basketball/soccer courts and parks in the neighborhoods I walked through. They looked like great places to live, while not being right in the city. In that regard, I was reminded of lovely Pawtucket. I kept my eyes on three monster apartment buildings which, I think, are excellent examples of Bauhaus architecture. For those who might know the new apartment buildings in Providence, they should've looked at Tel Aviv first for inspiration. The tall apartment buildings are bold, marked by sharp lines, and are hardly predictable (and reminded me of "Argos" from SimCity). Once I got to the apartments, I headed toward Rabin Square, where Yitzchak Rabin was murdered in 1995. Unfortunately, the area around where he was killed, is closed off for construction. I couldn't tell if it is to construct a museum of sorts or renovate the building.
While on the walk, I found a nice "progressive" synagogue, similar to an American reform synagogue. I went back for services tonight with a friend. The sanctuary was really cool, with pieces of metal coming out from the walls and plastered words and images near the front. The service was nice, though I couldn't follow the animated sermon because of the language barrier. I am going to go back tomorrow morning with a few friends I think. After services I went to Chabad for dinner. It was my first experience with the ultra-inclusive and hospitable orthodox group to be found on universities worldwide. The rabbi was a large young man with a larger beard. His kids were everywhere and his young wife was pregnant (predictably). He broke out in song between gulps of wine and bites of bread. The 30 students went around the room introducing ourselves and also saying "what we wish for everyone else." After our wishes for each other, a hearty l'chaim was raised, enjoyed on occasion even by the Rabbi's 2 year old son. The food was nice, as was the atmosphere in the basement of one of the academic buildings. The dining room served as the prayer room, though I missed the services. Apparently, right before the service started, the Rabbi pulled a string to let down a piece of cloth ("Mechitzah") to separate the genders. Many of the kids were surprised, to say the least, at this. The whole experience was definitely worthwhile, though I'm not yet sure if I'll return.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
4.
Today was a fun day of getting acquainted with the city. We got a tour of the campus--it's pretty big and has some cool looking buildings (a big auditorium with glass as its front wall). The Hebrew placement exam was great: I am in the second lowest level with many others who have forgotten most of their knowledge of the language since 8th grade.
I was involved in my first debate over Israeli/Palestinian matters today and the role that the US government should play as a moderator. Zionism burns strong in most of the students on the program. This is of course not surprising, but it is interesting to hear the different reasons for supporting Israel. Many seem to come right out of political speeches or university courses. There was some good Obama/Clinton/Romney/McCain talk about who is most supportive of Israel and if it really matters given the influence of the Israel lobby in the US and the historical ties between the two countries.
It is amazing to be talking about these issues and not say "in Israel." Rather, we say "here."
Even though Tel Aviv (and it's suburbs) is rather secular, I am still surprised that I have yet to see a single synagogue. I am also glad that I brought a warm hat (from Mr. Zonana).
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
2. From Tel Aviv
After a long flight and bus ride to the dorms, I've made it.
The topic of discussion thus far has been the condition of the dorms. My building (Brodetsky) is far from what most Americans are used to, but it's totally livable. It's got character. I have a nice roommate from Baltimore who goes to Maryland. Lots of cool kids from Berkeley, Cornell, USC, Brandeis, Miami(OH), Illinois, and Penn State. GW appears to have the most number of kids on the trip. Philadelphia is well represented for sure. We are split into two dorms with lots of other kids in the Einstein dorm. I met some good kids who live there from UMass and Michigan.
After checking into my room, I went with a bunch of kids to the mall--a ten minute walk away. The school is in a nice neighborhood in the suburbs of Tel Aviv. Nothing too fancy, pretty plain in fact with a few tall buildings but mostly 3 story apartments. We got a quick tour of the university though a more extensive one is in store tomorrow. With my new Tel Aviv Univ ID, I am officially a student here. The campus is on a big hill with large Soviet block-looking buildings. Lots of weathered white stucko with names of American donors everywhere.
Tomorrow is official orientation that culminates with bowling on thursday. Ulpan starts on Sunday morning at 8:30 and goes until 1:30 everyday. A lot of the kids know a decent amount of hebrew though others seem eager to learn. Buying sheets today was quite the challenge though I managed to get the right size because I pieced together what "Katan" (small) and "Gadol" (large) meant with regard to bedding.
The hebrew placement exam is tomorrow and promises to be engaging. I'm hoping to place into "Bet", level two, though it's been a while so I might be headed directly for "aleph", level one. That's all for now.
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