Sitting on Babies and Holding My Breath...

Two bits of information to report for today (that's a big deal in my world haha).

Firstly - I had my first experience babysitting in Israel. There is a website called www.janglo.net (which stands for Jerusalem Anglos) which is more or less a crappier version of craigslist for Jerusalem.

Anymoo, last week when I was bored&frustrated at work, I was scrolling through the 'jobs' section and came across a post of a mom looking for a helper on Sunday December 27th. Her name is Tanya and she has three kids (all boys): Oldest is 6 years, middle is 4 (I think), and youngest is 2 months!

So I met her and the kids the other week, and just as soon as the door opened, I had a 4 year old jump into my arms and the 6 year old gave me a hug, grabbed me by the hand, and started pulling me inside....I guess they liked me! :o) Tanya called me later on to tell me that the kids loved me (whew) and that she would love my help today. It was only for about 3 hours (4:30-7:30) and she was home (which was very nice) and to top it all off --- KESEF!!! (That means *money*)

That's right ladies and gentlemen - I got PAID!!!! (25 NIS/hr) I completely forgot what it's like to get money for working! hahaha. Oh man. Ofcourse, that money was shortly spent on groceries, but never the less, it didn't come directly out of my pocket! EXCELLENT. Hopefully this gig will continue from time to time and I asked her to pass my name along to any other mom's in need of some babysitting.

The second bit that I'm really excited about (though I shouldn't count my chickens before they hatch) is in regards to MEMRI. Remember that institute that I offered to volunteer at and sent my resume to?....well I got a call from a man named Yegal Carmen today asking if we could meet tomorrow!! EEEEEEEEE.

This is really great! Hopefully I will blow him away with...err....something...haha and will manage to do some volunteer work for the organization! I'm trying not to amp myself up about it too much, but just the thought of contributing to such a great organization gets me a little jumpy. I would *love* to put that on my resume.
Hopefully I will have some really great news to write about in this blog tomorrow :)

That's it. I'm going to go out and celebrate with a drink
BTW - did you know that it's almost 2010!?!?!?!?! WTF?!?!?! when did that happen?!?!

*oi-va-voy*
talk to you soon
<3

MEMRI and Natan Sharansky

Shalom Lekulam!

This week, though slow to start and not necessarily a glamorous week, had some notibale highlights.

To begin with - I have *officially* established that my boss does not have any work for me. On the one hand, this is incredibly unfortunately. The department which I was placed in seemed like a match made in heaven. I have the skills for marketing, some previous work experience, and large amounts of enthusiasm. However, the reality of the situation is that nobody within the New Media Marketing department knows what they are doing. That is to say, that they are not trained marketing professionals. Of course, it's not like I graduated with some fancy shmancy business degree, however a lot of things (esepcially in marketing) are common sense. Yet, the people in my department don't seem to have this kind of knowledge. Whether it's cultural differences, lack of qualifications, or beurocracy, the bottom line is that there isn't any meaningful or legitimate work for me to do.
The good thing about this news, is that at least it has finally been fully and openly established. I would like to think that I did everything I could before comming to this conclusion. I don't necessarily want to leave my ministry (since I have already committed 3 months there), but I simply can't handle wasting any more of my time (or my parents money) doing nothing. Sure, I could sit in the office and study Hebrew or prepare for the GRE, but I don't need to be in Israel to do that. I busted my ass to get into this program, and I am going to try and get everything that I deserve and was promised out of it! So, once my program director gets back from vacation (December 30th), we will start looking at other internship options for me. I am asking everyone to start praying and crossing their fingers/toes so that I don't end up in yet another shitty situation. I need all the good universe vibes I can get right now! Of course, I will let you all know how this whole situation develops and where I end up.

Now, Thursday is really when all the interesting stuff happened. Every Thursday, instead of working, we have an IGF seminar day. This usually consists of lectures, meeting various political figures/heads of organizations, and other educational activities. This week we got to do a couple of interesting things.
Firstly, we got to visit MEMRI = The Middle East Media Research Institute (http://www.memri.org/content/en/main.htm). You know all those YouTube videos that are online - of the Hamas religious leader giving a sermon about 'death to America', or the infamous clip of the children't program teaching little Muslim kids that Jews are descendants of 'apes and pigs'. (If you haven't seen them, here are some links:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjbJnZUJTYU&feature=PlayList&p=F6A416AF9D7CD1E1&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=53). In any case, these videos are an example of what MEMRI does. They translate and analyze numerous media sources (t.v., newspapers, websites) generated from various Middle East countries. They don't only monitor the content for anti-semitic/anti-israel/anti-american statements, they also give voice to the moderates and those who try speak out against their governments. I personally believe that the work they are doing is not only incredibly fascinating, but also incredibly important. I got really excited after our lecture, so I came up to the professor who gave us the lecture and asked him if they ever need interns or volunteers. I'll admit - I don't know a word in Arabic, don't really know any Hebrew either, but hey, it never hurts to ask. He took my contact information and wouldn't you know it - I recieved an email that very day asking for my resume!!! eeee! we'll see how it goes . If they do decide to take me on to do some work, that would be *really* amazing!!! Oi!

Later we got to meet with.....*drum roll please*.... NATAN SHARANSKY!!! That's right, Mr. Sharansky came to meet all of this year's IGF'ers. A local media source (called Arutz Sheva) got wind of his appearance, so they decided to come to the Begin Center and do a little piece about the IGF program. Guess who was asked to be interviewed on camera?! Here is the link to the webpage where you can watch the 5 minute piece on the IGF program, and get to hear some of my collegues:

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/135192

After our little session with Mr. Sharansky, we took a group picture with him, and he literally sat right next to me for the photo. Yes, I was completely star struck! But don't be fooled by his small stature - Mr. Sharansky is a very fascinating man with a great sense of humor, sharp wit, and a genuine concern for the future of Jews around the world. Hopefully IGF will email that picture to all of us, in which case I will be sure to put it up on the blog.

That's all the official stuff. I do have a cute little story though that happened to me later that evening. I went down to Emek Refaim to the book store. I had some time to kill and figured I could just treat myself to a book and then go sit in the next door coffee shop to read for a bit. (I am making an effort to push myself out of my house and out into the world of Jerusalem). As I was standing in the shop, debating if I should get Alan Dershowitz's book "The case against Israel's enemies" - I see there is a guy standing next to me leafing through an English book. I asked him if he has read Dershowitz's book, he says no, and we end up having a small chat about various authors and what not. I find out that his name is Wayne, he's originally from South Africa, he lived in Israel for some time, but has moved back to S.A. and just on a visit in IL for a friends wedding. He recommended some authors to me, and in particular, this one book called 'the lion's honey'. bla bla - i say thanks, enjoy your night, go to pay for my book, and take a seat in the coffee shop as originally planned. 10 minutes later, Wayne comes up to me, and says "here, I got you this - because I like to do crazy things and I really think you will enjoy this book" - and he hands me 'the lion's honey' which he previously mentioned to me in the bookshop!
I was totally stunned and tried to offer him a coffe, but he kindly refused and said that he was actually meeting up with friends and had to run. Don't get the wrong impression here guys, this wasn't skeezy or a pick up line or anything like that. It was just an honest gesture of kindness and thoughtfulness for no reason other than being nice! I can't say that anything like that has ever really happened to me (at least not as far as I can remember) but it's really refreshing to come across a genuinely kind person. Especially when everything else around you seems to be more on the crappier side. I guess it was just a reminder that there really still are some decent people in the world and it was nice that it happened in Israel. hehe. I'm about a third of the way through the book (it's really short) and so far Wayne has kept his promise - the book is great! :-D

Well - that's the most of it for the week. Could be better, but also could be a lot worse. The sun has been shining during the day, I am in Ashdod with family (and my cousin who is here from Lithuania), got a stomach bursting from delicious food, good books, and a hopeful outlook :)

with that said - time for me to go to bed! (HA - i'm a poet and I don't even know it). Merry Christmas to all those who celebrate! Merry chinese food and movie day to all those that don't!

Hope everyone is doing well!
Lots of Love!
<3

Israel: Round II

Okay, it has definitely been a little while since my last post. My sincere apologize for that. Basically what happened is that things dramatically slowed down, in terms of work, IGF, social life, etc. Here is a brief breakdown-

Work: literally had no work, was just sitting in the office needlessly loosing my mind. You can imagine how frustrating this is when you/your parents are paying so much money for a supposedly unique experience.....right. The reason for this is a combination of things. My boss, although extremely sweet and caring aboutme, does not have enough time/idea of what to do with me. The beurocracy of the government doesn't help either, as there is a lot of discord and lack of unified vision between departments. After much consulation with Tamar (IGF director) and my parents, and with enough insistence on my part- hopefully this will change. Keep your fingers crossed

IGF: well, I guess when the internship aspect isn't going so well, its easy enough to get disenchanted with the program as a whole. I'm not giving up yet though!

Social Life: mmm...this aspect is still in the works. To anyone wondering - no - i am not close with anyone from my program. It's also a bit challenging because I haven't really found a community to be part of. For example, while i was studying in Oxford, I came upon the Chabad - which is how I ended up meeting some really great people, participating in events, and so on. Here, I haven't been able to find anything of the sort. So, either I get lucky and meet a great group of people, or keep sticking my nose in places it may or may not belong. It's really a matter of continuing to put myself out there. Granted, it's a bit harder to do when the weather is crap and all you want to do is stay under the covers. But persistence is the name of the game when it comes to Israel.

That's the general idea. In other news, as some of you may already know, yesterday I got back to Israel after a week long trip back home to CA. Oh my goodness, I can't even tell you how wonderful it was to be home. In my bed, driving around familiar neighborhoods, hot showers, family, friends, and genuine hugs and kisses. It was a much needed trip. The only bad part about the trip was that it ended all too quickly. Part of me couldn't help but dabble with the idea of staying home and forfeiting this whole IGF project. Yet, my friends empathized and encouraged me to continue and my family suggested a number of possible steps I can take to ensure that my experience here reaches its full potential (and doesn't become another waste of time/money). So, here I am, back in the Holy Land trying to keep that positive energy flowing.

In fact, I was ready to return to Israel with a 'go-getter' attitude, but of course, things don't always work out as planned. During my 4 hour stop over in London Heathrow Airport, my stomach really began hurting, and continued throughout the 4.5 hour flight to IL. To make a long story short - I ended up at a 24 hour emergency clinic in Jerusalem (suitecase and all)with the diagnosis of a stomach virus and an IV in my arm. oi! I got home in the middle of the night, exhausted and pretty demoralized. There was also a Tiyul which started today which I skipped. I may/may not miss the remainder of the Tiyul as well. UGH!!! Maybe this is the country's way of rejecting my presence. Maybe, it's just another challenge that is meant to help me grow and become that much better of a person. In any case - it kind of sucks (but makes for interesting blog writting) haha. I swear, I only attract the most ridiculous situations (especially when in Israel)!

So that pretty much covers everything. We'll see how things go from this point forward. In short, I'm going to give this whole thing another go- be aggressive, demanding, and outgoing. If, after all of that, things STILL don't work out - then I can say that I gave it a fair shot and come home. I need to make up some kind of mantra to keep me going. Maybe something like "Israel Israel, it's a balagan, but I am determined to make it fun" haha.

Israel round two: here i come!

The End of the Honeymoon

Shalom All,

I don't actually have anything interested to report at all. I was sick all of last week (which really sucked). Work has slowed down significantly (which also kind of sucks). The weather is getting shitty - wet, windy, and *really* cold (which as you can guess --- ALSO really sucks). So the fact of the matter is that the first two months of being in Israel, what I officially am calling the honeymoon period, are quickly coming to a close. The problem of moving to a foreign country for a while - is that you have to start from scratch. Now that my life has slowed down and i'm not running around Israel like a chicken with its head cut off - I am beginning to feel the impact of not having *any* familiar comforts. No friends, to immediate family, no language, no sense of community, and everything is foreign. It's really hard. I'm starting to miss home alot which makes it hard to stay positive. I'm not miserable, crying every night or anything like that - but I do feel sorry for myself (since nobody else is around to do it for me). The truth is, that I really shouldn't be complaining. I do have some family in Ashdod, I am lucky enough to have Netanel's parents (who brought me food when I was sick), I have my own apartment, and there is always the IGF staff in case things get really bad. And yet, I still feel lonely. It's a shame that the social norms of kindergarten stop applying once you get older. I would love, more than anything, to be able to come up to a decent looking person in the street, and ask if they would want to be my friend. How much more honest and simple can you get?! Unfortunately, that's not how 23 year olds are expected to make friends. Ugh! All this stuff is to be expected, and I'm sure that sooner or later it will pass, but right now it just kind of sucks.
That is why everyone who is reading this blog right now - should totally come visit me in Israel! Yes - I think that is a brilliant solution. I can't exactly show you around since I don't know the city myself, and I don't really have any food in the house -- BUT -- you should totally come anyways!!! haha. That's my brilliant proposition. So, just send me the dates of your arrivals and we'll figure things out from there! haha.
Anymoo - that's the latest and (not so)greatest news from me. I know it's kind of a bummer. Hopefully thing will start turning up sooner rather than later.
Love and miss everyone!
<3

Second Tiyul: Settlements and Dead Sea Region

Last week we had our second Tiyul. This trip basically consisted of two sections: the first was on settlements and the second was more about green/resources/geology in the dead sea region. Though there is much to be said about the second aspect, and it is important, i'm not really into that stuff so I'll be rather brief on that front. What was of more interest to me were the few settlements which we visited and trying to understand that whole situation.
The day started with a presentation from Hagit Ofran who is a (high ranking) representative of a group called Peace Now (shalom akhshav). Here is the English website: http://www.peacenow.org.il/Site/en/homepage.asp
and here is the wikipedia page about the group: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peace_Now

Basically, PeaceNow advocates complete dismantaling of all Israeli settlements and moving all of these people into 'israel proper'. Often known as land for peace. I'm not going to comment too much on what I think of this organization (as this isn't meant to be a political blog), though I am sure that many of you can already guess my reaction (especially given the outcome of the Gaza dissengagement).
Directly after her lecture, we proceeded to visit two settlements. The first is called Gush Etzion (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gush_Etzion) which has a very interesting and rather tragic past. Currently, it is a beautiful, big and modern collection of communities. We didn't interact with anyone from the community here, but we did watch a short film about Gush Etzion's history and got to see the bunker in which many people were murdered during 1947.
The next settlement we went to is called Tekoa.(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tekoa,_Gush_Etzion). Unfortunately the wiki page won't tell you much, but i found this settlement to be particularly interesting. A man, by the name of Bobby Brown, came to speak to us about Tekoa. He made Aliya from the states and has lived in Tekoa for 30+ years. What he said was, that Tekoa has a rather dynamic and open relationship with its arab neighbors. often, the jewish settlers employ the local arabs, they invite one another to social functions, share resources and find common ground despite cultural differences. Granted, these relations used to be better in the past but you can still see it now. While being absolutely committed to the territory and finding disengagement to be out of question - Mr. Brown believes that peaceful coexistence can be reached by taking steps towards better basic aspects of life. For example, if the Arabs need water and the Jews need soil - you start there and steadily improve on the elementary needs of life. He said that the way he figures it, the more you work together and help each other out, the more trust is established. and the more trust that is established between your neighbor, the harder it is to pick up a rock or a gun against that neighbor. Though I didn't ask him this, it does sound somewhat akin to Netenyahu's 'economic peace' idea. Perhaps in more simpler, 'grass roots' terms?
At the end of the day we had a discussion about the PeaceNow presentation and meeting Bobby Brown from the Tekoa settlement. There was one thing which was pointed out that I find especially interesting. Usually, when we think of left-wing groups, we get the idea of people who are trying to create dialogue between Jews and Arabs, bring them together, all that good stuff. And when we think of settlers, most imagine extremely right wing, religious finatics that want to be segregated from arabs. Well, last weeks encounter proved the exact opposite. It was the left-wing group which is basically calling for a complete seperation between Jews and arabs behind a border, and the settler who is calling on cooperation and coexistence between Jews and Arabs. just something to think about...
That was really it for the settlements. After that it was more ecological stuff. We went to the dead-sea factories, had a speaker give a presentation about how the dead sea is drying up and all of the ecological consequences going on because of it. I wasn't really into this stuff, but there is one thing that we did which I really appreciated. Josh (our tour guide so to speak) offered an option to go on a hike at 6am to anyone interested. Not everybody was, but I decided to go for it. After all, I haven't gone running since the race (I'll give you the list of excuses later) and I don't have a problem waking up early. This was a 3 hour hike and we made it to the top of the crazy mountain overlooking the dead sea and surrounding areas. It was a pretty hardcore hike, but well worth it. The best part was when we took 4 minutes to sit in silence and enjoy the incredible view around us. It's so nice when everyone just stops their useless jabbering for a bit. That was really great.
Once we returned from the hike, we had to quickly scarf down our breakfast and head for the bus. We had two more stops for the day - the Ein Geddi water falls and the Dead Sea. I was at both of these places last year, so it wasn't new, but it was definitely nice to take a dip in the cool waterfalls (since we didn't have time to shower after the hike). I passed on floating in the dead sea because I was too tired from the hike to deal with the saltyness and all that. This turned out to be a pretty good decision since it was very windy and there was a strong current and "waves" in the dead sea. Why is this so bad, might you ask? Because when the water is SO incredibly salty, and the wind is spraying it in your face, and you can't exactly swim back to shore normally since you're just floating the whole time - it can make for a rather uncomfortable experience. ;-)

Though that was technically the end of the Tiyul, I got lucky and got kind of an 'extended version'. Josh (our tour guide) invited me to spend Shabbat with him and his family in a different settlement called Maaleh Adumim. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maaleh_Adumim). It's hard to call this a settlement as it is a collection of communities which is home to about 40,000 people. The proper term for Maaleh Adumim is a city - which it really is. It's beautiful, well kept and has an incredible view of Jerusalem on the one side and the desert on the other. The weekend was great. Josh and his wife, Chana, have 5 kids (the youngest being 7 months old) and it was a blast. Even though they are kind of hyper and pick on each other, they are really sweet kids and all of them are very smart. It was amazing to see how Josh and Chana dealt with every crying/screaming/door slamming situation so fairly and calmly. Really really great parents, that's for sure.

That's the most of it. Unfortunately I don't have any other adventures to write of because I cought the flu and have been in bed the past week. Sucks pretty bad, but it happens. At least it's not the swine flu! (How ironic would it be to catch the most unkosher flu in the most kosher country?! ha!) I'm hanging in there though :)

Hope everyone is doing well!
<3 <3 <3

My First 'WTF?!' Momment in Israel

That's right ladies and gentlemen --- I *officially* had my first 'WTF!?' momment yesterday night! A 'WTF' momment is when you wake up one day, not knowing where you are, how you got here, or why you are here in the first place. I knew I was going to have one of these sooner or late, and yesterday was it.

It was around 5:30pm and I was at the bus stop waiting for the number 13 bus. It is pitch black outside, raining, cold and miserable. I was on my way to the Begin Center because we started up with the Ulpan classes again. As I'm standing, the 'wtf' slowly starts creeping up on me. I realized that I couldn't sit and wait for the bus, because the bench is completely soaked. I also realized that I was literally *waiting for a bus* in the freezing rain, hoping that it would actually come on time so that I don't get entirely drenched. Luckily enough, the bus came quickly and I scrambled on and grabbed a seat facing the front. I like to sit in a seat which faces the front because that way I can see the road and can recognize the stop I need to get off at. However, this did me no good seeing as how the windows were so fogged up, i could have just as well been standing on my head blind-folded. By this time, I am also beginning to sweat because its so stuffy in the bus. I try taking my scarf off...but it's still cold. I finally get off the bus and have to walk a good 7 minutes to the Begin Center. And THAT'S when the WTF really hits me!

Where the hell was I?! Jerusalem?!? What the hell is wrong with me? Have I nothing better to do than freez my ass of in a crazy country full of crazy jews?!? Where the hell is my car with the amazing heated seats? How do people live like this?! Who the hell wants to be a zionist in this kind of weather anyways?!?!?!? WHAT THE FUCK?!?! hahahaha.

Yup! That's literally what was going through my head. I really just started laughing in the middle of the street because the whole thing was just so ridiculous. Don't misunderstand me - it wasn't a bad feeling. It's just an amazing reality check that kind of sneaks up on you. This was one of the first times I ever understood *just how truly* spoiled I was back home. I don't have heavy rain-boots becase I've NEVER had to walk extensively in the rain as a motive of transportation! My ability to get from one place to another never required me to consider the amount of time I would have to wait outside in the rain. If I ever decided not to go somewhere back home, it was because I was lazy - NOT because it would was a *serious* endeavor! Amazing right?!?!

Needless to say, I was humbled and totally stunned by all of this. Looks like I'm going to have to toughen up if I want to survive in the Holy City. I think this is definitely one of the reasons why people are so encouraged to live abroad. Because it really is a challenge. Everything: getting cash out of the ATM, using Microsoft Word, figuring out what is body wash and what is shampoo, checking your bills - these are all activities which I have *literally* had to re-learn (or am in the process of figuring out). It's a crazy learning process which is occasionally supplemented by 'WTF' momments ;-D

It's all good stuff though and I'm sure I will get used to things soon enough. (I guess I don't really have a choice right) ;) We'll see how many more momments like this I will have. Life here is a genuine adventures and I wouldn't have it any other way.

<3

The Temple Mount

On Thursday we had a "1st and 2nd Temple time period" tour of Jerusalem. We started at the City of David and eventually made our way to the Temple Mount. For those that don't know - the Temple Mount (where the Al Aqsa Mosque and the famous Dome of the Rock now stand) - is THE holiest and most sacred site in Judaism, because this was the location of the 1st/2nd temples. I'm not going to go into detail about the history/significance/controvery of this site, but here is a link to the Wikipedia page. I encourage everyone to read a little bit about this site (if you are not already familiar with it) because it is incredibly interesting and meaningful in a variety of ways:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temple_Mount

Oh, one thing I will very briefly mention, is that along with all of the political controversies surrounding this site, there is also much religious debate within the jewish world on whether Jews should/shouldn't visit the Temple Mount. Again, there is much to be said here. Because of the extremely Holy and sacred nature of this site, many Jews choose not to go there at all (as we are not in the proper spiritual state for such a priveledge), some Rabbis say that parts of the Temple mount are okay to visit but not others, or, as long as the person takes the necessary precatious in preparation for going up to the mount, it is okay. There are many schools of thought and the trip to the mount in general was not mandatory due to its controversial nature.

Currently, Israel has political control over the mount, however the Waqf maintain religious control of the area. This means that no non-muslim prayers can take place at the site, non-muslim items/icons cannot be in view, and non-muslims are not aloud to enter the mosque. In otherwords, if someone is wearing a kippah, star of david, cross, ect - you will either not be aloud on the premises or be asked to remove the items. Some of the guys in our group were told to take off their kippahs.

I could go on and on about this site, the challenges/controversies it presents - but I'm not going to do that here. There is simply too much to be said and it is too emotional/controversial to try and write out in a blog. What I will tell you is my personal reaction to the visit.

Though not entirely sure of the idea (for various reasons), I am glad that I went. If there ever (G-d forbid) comes a time when people will not be aloud to enter the area at all - I can say that I *have* been there and seen the holiest spot on earth (for Jews) with my own eyes. With that said - I will openly admit that I don't think I would readily go back there any time soon. I honestly didn't feel comfortable being there and in many ways (not just politically) it was upsetting. Despite being such an important place in the Jewish narrative, I did not get any spiritual fulfillment from being there. It's really hard to explain but I guess uncomfortable is the only word I can think of...

I wanted to write this in the blog though, because i DO think it is important to read about the Temple Mount, discuss, and visit (if interested).

Interview at the President's Residence - moving up in the world?

Okay - so here is the biggest thing that has happened to me so far...

On Tuesday, October 27th, 2009, I was at work as usual doing my thing and not really expecting much. Suddenly, Noga pops into my cube and asks me:

"Hey, would you be willing to go to the President's residence to interview a delegation of Rabbis from Los Angeles?"

At first I thought I misheard heard her .. would i be willing? THE presdient's house?are you kidding me? never mind that i have *never* interviewed anyone in my life or feel important enough to go to the president's residence...OFCOURSE I AM WILLING!!!!!!

So here is the background info. A delegation of 18 rabbis, of various denominations (orthodox, conservative & refor), came to Israel for a 3 day trip. The idea was to show solidarity with Israel and to also show unity between the differeing denominations. (http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/middleeast/)
One of the stops on their busy tour was the Shimon Peres's place for a short, closed doors meeting. So, the Ministry of Tourism (at last minute of course) decided that they wanted to interview some of these rabbis on camera for promotional material. They needed someone to actually interview the people - and that someone turned out to be ME!!!! WHOAH!!! After getting things in order, I went home, took a 20 minute nap, woke up to do some research on the different Rabbis, take notes and memorize faces, and changed into nice clothes.

I met the camera crew (2 latin american jews) and after passing through security (which is no joke) and receiving a 'media' tag, I made my way into the President's main reception hall! Ofcourse, from the momment I walked up to the residence, I couldn't stop smiling and looking like a silly idiot. I really couldn't believe that I was sitting inside the presidence residence about to meet/interview some of the most influental jewish leaders of our day! (a few of the rabbis in the delegation were part of Newsweeks '50 most influental jewish leaders').

Before the doors were closed on the session, I managed to snap some pictures of Shimon and the Rabbis.


In the end, there was only time to interview two of the rabbis. Here are their names and links to short bio's:

Rabbi Denise Eger
http://www.boardofrabbis.org/Rabbi-Denise-Eger

Rabbi Marvin Hier
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marvin_Hier

If you are wondering whether or not this footage will actually be used for promoting tourism to Israel- I have no idea. It may have been a complete waste of time (from a business perspective). However, it was an *incredible* opportunity for me and even while writing this, I am having a hard time believe that I actually did that.

Oh, and you should all know that Shimon Peres walked RIGHT PAST ME AND SMILED AT ME!!!!! that's right people - i almost touched the president of Israel! hahaha.

I guess the one thing that I want to point out, in writing all of this, is the profound difference in Israeli culture when it comes to celebrities/political figures. In the U.S. there is a *very clear* wall between the 'common person' and the famous figure (be it hollywood/politician/what ever). But in Israel, as long as you pass security - it is totally normal to ask for a picture, shake hands, and interact with the nation's "stars". the relationship here is almost familial in a sense. It's pretty cool and further demonstrates how small this country is but at the same time, how involved people are with what is going on. I don't think something like this could have happened for me in the U.S. unless i knew some people who knew some people....

oh man - i love Israel!
<3

Tel Aviv 10k Night Run – First completed race of my life!

Who can believe it! I, Bella Shapiro, a girl who generally hates running, prefers eating, and has never participated in any kind of communal athletic challenge – successfully completed a 10km (6 mile) race in Tel Aviv, Israel ----- AND IT WAS GREAT!!! The whole process of getting to Tel Aviv on Friday (before Shabbat), picking up my Nike jersey, finding a place to stay – that was all a big balagan (mess). However, as always, everything worked out just fine and some hours before the race, I met up with the people that I was also running with: Noah (my pseudo-coach and fellow IGF’er), Daniela (girl from Venezuela and fellow IGF’er), Gahl (who showed up right before the race started), Matan (Gahl’s cousin) and Becca (Matan’s gf). It was the 6 of us, and as we were walking up to Rabin square (where the race started) you could feel the wave of energy , excitement, and anxiousness in the square. It was a sea of red – everywhere you looked, all you could see is people, thousands of people, in red jerseys! There was music, people stretching, the crowd gathering along the sides of the course. The atmosphere was fully charged.

The cool thing about this particular race is that is it part of a global even t called the ‘Nike Human Race’. Essentially, people all over the world start the race at exactly the same moment (even though the time may actually be different). So people in Los Angeles, Brazil, Ireland, Prague (etc) all started running at exactly the same time! Pretty cool right? When you think about it, it really makes you feel like you’re participating in something big. I will point out that, at least in my vicinity, there were really no other females. Daniela and I were fairly close to the front of the line, so that might have had something to do with it, but it was definitely a bit intimidating. In general I was trying to figure out what the hell was going on and how the hell I managed to sign myself up for this crazy thing in the first place haha.


Eventually the countdown began and Daniela and I were stuck in the middle of the red ocean. There was live ‘pump-up’ music, people were jumping up and down to keep their legs warm, some were clapping and cheering, others were quiet and meditative. Before I knew it, the bell had rung, the crowd started shifting, and somehow my legs just started moving. I began running, and as my legs were moving, I was trying to comprehend everything around me. I keep saying ‘my legs were moving’ because I honestly didn’t feel like my mind took part in what my legs were doing. The bottom half of my body was functioning completely independently from the rest of me. It's really hard to describe the feeling, but the best way I can put it- is it felt like a video game. someone was in moving me around a track and i was just following directions. pretty wild.


so i was running at my usual pace (maybe even a bit slower) and when i hit the 4k mark I was really surprised at how good i felt. i wasn't tired, i wasn't feeling any pain, and couldn't believe that i was almost half way through the entire thing. i was running with Gahl and Daniela which was cool. Gahl was cracking jokes, Daniela was in the zone, and I was somewhere in between. For me, what really helped, is that there was a DJ playing music at every kilometer. So, it was motivating and kept my energy level up. As soon as i would hear music, I knew i was one step closer to reaching the finish line and often i would clap, yell, or sing along to the music! (actually, i think i run a lot better when i have a beat to breath/move to).
In any case, by 7km point, i realized that I really could be running much faster, actually pushing myself (not just running at my slow comfortable pace) and ended up leaving Daniela and Gahl.

Well - I crossed the finish line with a smile on my face and couldn't help but let out a little cheer of victory. Again, it was all pretty surreal, and I couldn't believe that I actually completed a race. Even though my left knee was hurting a bi and I was pretty smelly/sweaty - i felt great! Eventually we all met up, took some pictures, and went to the big lawn where there were various stages with dj's, free popsicles (i ate 2!!), more water, and some people were even passing out nutrition bars. The craziest thing, is that we totally started dancing our asses off and jumpint around to the music after the race!!! You'd think that we would just be collapsing on the ground with exhausting - but it is incredible how much energy and adrenaline is pumping through your system. it wasn't until my body started cooling down and we were waiting for a taxi that i actually got tired, quiet, and wanted to just go home and sleep.

After grabbing some (nasty) fellafel, we finally got on a bus back to Jerusalem and was in bed by around 2:00. Needless to say, being at work the next day at 7:30am was painful and my co-worker told me i looked tired. HA! thanks :-P

did i like it? surprisingly - yes
is it worth trying? absolutely!
would I do it again? hell yes!!!

without sounding conceited, i'm relatively proud of myself (it honestly wasn't THAT challenging but still - my biggest athletic achievement). I'm still debating about the 1/2 marathon. I would like to do it - the only thing that's kind of making me second guess is the rain. it has officially started raining here in jerusalem, and it's just such a cold wet pain in the ass to train in such weather. ich. we'll see. regardless, i really should/need to keep to running - otherwise I will just turn into one big fellafel! :-P

we'll see :)

2009 Presidential Conference

Shalom Shalom!

Excuse the lag in my posts - I know it has been a while. Work is fine - still love my boss, just baiscally waiting to settle in and have things pick up a bit. New roomie is fine as well. I don't really see him much since I am so busy, so it's not really an issue. Okay, now that we have that out of the way.........guess where I have been for the past two days, and all day tomorrow.....

THE ISRAELI PRESIDENTIAL CONFERENCE OF 2009!!!!
http://www.presidentconf.org.il/en/

The first opening night of the president’s conference was quite the experience and in some ways - even a culture shock. The hall was really big, filled with about 2,500 people, and the stage was set with a piano, podium, and some chairs (for other musicians). We were all sitting in the balcony with a great view of the stage – there were also 4 video screens. Most people were dressed in very nice business clothes (which is highly unusual for Israeli’s) but to compensate for the uncharacteristic attire- the event started late and it took about 25 minutes before they got the crowd to sit (VERY Israeli).
And so the night began! I got to hear President Shimon Peres give his opening speech; Prime Minister Benyamin Netenyahu give a speech on the need for true and committed leadership and called on Abbu Mazen (Mahmud Abbas) to be that leader (read the speech here: http://www.thejerusalemgiftshop.com/israelnews/israel-news/83-israeli-news/1983-pm-netanyahus-speech-at-the-2009-presidents-conference-making-the-impossible-possibleq.html#); I also got to hear Tony Blaire speak and let me tell you – he is very charismatic, pleasant and relaxed on stage, and proud to be a supporter of Israel. The crowed (and dare I say Israelis) love him. One of the things which was really new for me, was to witness and actually feel the immense and unbridled amount of love which Israeli’s AND the international community have for President Peres. People were not just flattering him, but were sincerely and happily singing his praises, making jokes about his age, and lauding his optimism and positive spirit. It’s remarkable and I felt extremely lucky to be in the room for all of this. There was also some music performances and the evening closed with the singing of Hatikvah (the national anthem). As funny as this will sound - I honestly felt like I was at the Oscars. Not only have I never been to an event like this before in my life, but I also couldn’t believe that I was lucky/privileged enough to be wearing the entry tag with my name on it. Here I was, sitting in a huge auditorium, listening live to some of the most important leaders of the Jewish world, while being surrounded by renown scholars, politicians, dignitaries, scientists and activists from around the world!!! How the hell did I get into the room?!?!? It was a very humbling and exciting evening – to say the least.
The next two days were spent, in full, at the conference attending the plenary sessions and picking various other lectures/seminars which were being held throughout the day. You can view the schedule of sessions and speakers online, but I’ll just go over some of the events which I attended/made an impression on me. The primary session (of day 2) I picked was called “Geopolitical developments and the Jewish people”. The panel was basically discussing the various problems going on in the world and how the Jewish people/state should respond to them. For me, the most striking speaker on the panel was Irwin Cotler (http://irwincotler.liberal.ca/default.aspx#) who spoke about the 3 dynamics affecting the Jewish as well as entire world as a whole:
1. Ahmadineja’s Iran – berating the world for giving him a platform in new York and not bringing his incitements of genocide to the genocide counsil
2. State sponsored propagation of hate/genocide – state sponsorship of such activity being extremely dangerous and cannot be ignored
3. The betrayal of the elites – organizations such as the UN and UNHRC not just failing to live up to their standards but actually acting completely in contradiction to the values they were established to uphold (amen Irwin)
Day two I went to the panel entitled “Islam: between moderation and extremism”. Overall it was interesting and there were many intriguing panelists, but there was not nearly enough time for the discussion to really bloom. (http://www.presidentconf.org.il/en/media.asp?rId=15). I attended this panel not just because the topic interests me, but because I also wanted to see/hear the leaders of moderate Islam. I have never had a doubt that these leaders exist and I do believe that Islam has beautiful teachings and is not an evil/purely violent religion – but it is incredibly unfortunate (if not frightening) how easily the moderate voices are drowned out by the extremists and radicals. The panelists were truly noteworthy, committed, and extremely intelligent people – but listening to them speak was both relieving and frustrating. I can’t imagine how difficult it must be for them and I’m sure that all efforts are being made – but it’s just not good enough. I just hope that one day their voices and teaching will not only be heard but be respected and considered (globally) as natural.
Panel #2 for me was under the title of “Jerusalem, Washington, US Jewry – is the honeymoon over?” this panel basically discussed the relationship between the three entities and how/if it has been effected by the new governments/leaders. To be totally honest – much was what was said was rather sophisticated and somewhat hard to follow. However, the one thing that I did understand is the general consensus and confidence in America’s real, passionate, and stable relationship to Israel. *whew* it’s so good to hear that from smart and experience people ;-)
The last panel (and possibly my favorite) was “the young take initiative”. This was a panel comprised of young activists/entrepreneurs who saw a problem, took initiative, and have managed to make a difference. One of the girls (only American) was Rachel Fish who managed to successfully petition Harvard to reject an endowment from a Shiek (of the UAE) who was also funding a seriously anti-American and anti-semitic think tank. I really liked her (not just because she was the only one speaking English) but she was also very well spoken, clearly passionate and hardworking but also humble and down to earth! There was time for Q&A and I got to ask a question: “all of you were lucky enough to have a distinctive moment where you saw a problem and knew that you were going to try and tackle it. but what would you say to budding leaders who are passionate, driven, and motivated – but just don’t know which problem they want to apply their passion to?” Rachel was the one who answered me and she said: “The more educated you are, the more you will understand what your passion is, and then it will burn so strongly inside you – you will not be able to ignore it” I could have jumped up on stage and kissed her right then! :-D
The conference ended with a statement from Natan Sharansky , a ‘discussion’ on Israel in the year 2020 by Tzipi Livni, Ehud Barak, and Eli Yishai, and a closing statement by Shimon Peres. I won’t really go into too much detail about this, but what I will say, is that if there is one thing which ALL of these people have in common – it is their commitment and dedication to the state of Israel and the Jewish people!!! Their debates, tempers, excitement and disagreement all stem from this single unifying characteristic – and nothing is more reassuring and exhilarating than being witness to this fact!
In other words – the conference was fantastic! There aren’t enough thanks I could express to IGF for providing me with such an opportunity. Really!
The only other thing I would briefly add to this blog entry – is that I will be leaving for Tel Aviv (at some point) today because tomorrow is the Nike Tel Aviv 10k Night Race I am running in! I feel totally unprepared (though I have been running), nervous as all hell (since I have NO idea what the hell I signed myself up for), and in complete shock/disbelief (that I would ever do something so completely against my nature)! Haha. I am definitely taking my camera and will be sure to tell you how it all goes. I have no idea what is going on or what to expect – but hopefully everything will go well and I will come back with to write a new entry “first completely race of my life” ahha. Wish me luck!
p.s. miss you

End of First Work Week

Shabbat Shalom Lekulam.

I am currently writing you from a city called Ashdod. It is (as far as I know) the 5th largest city in Israel (about 250,000 population) and is pretty new in relation to some of the other places around the country. The reason why I am here is because I have some relatives here that I've been meaning to visit - so I finally got my act together and made it over here. Needless to say - I am CONSTANTLY getting fed (no complaints) and relaxing. Though, I will probably have to run a minimum of 4 hours just to even out all the eating. By the way - Ashdod is ROOSKI CENTRAL! I LITERALLY haven't heard any Hebrew here yet ;-)

Okay, recap of the week. I guess you could say that I have survived my first half-week of work. I'm still not *actually* working, as I do nobody has given me any set tasks - but not to worry. It's only been 3 days, and frankly, I still don't know what the hell is going on around me. I am in the midst of reading this huge report on the ministry of tourism/tourism in IL. It's actually really interesting (despite weighing 10 pounds). The reason why I am reading it is because it goes through all of the problems, strenghts, and recommendations for the tourism industry and has been the guidebook for current policy. Interesting stuff. Actually - one of the projects that I have to do for IGF (not for work) is creating a power-point presentation of 15 minutes talking about the function of my ministry, its goals, how it operates, who it works with, my department - ETC, ETC! (just for you dad). So this report actually goes through a lot of the information which I need. I am going to try and somehow post this presentation on here once i write it (due Nov 26th).

So, in terms of work, there is not a whole lot going on, but I managed to keep myself somewhat occupied. For example, Noga wants to create a packet for all of the intl tourism reps, surveying the current marketing material. In otherwords, assess the effectivity of all of the marketing products (posters, pamphles, movies, ect) to see what needs work, what needs to be thrown out, and what needs to be replenished. She mentioned to me that she would like to have a cover letter, in English, to go with this survey. Though she didn't ask me *directly*, I wrote up a draft and sent it over to her.....I think she liked it ;-) It doesn't sound like much, and in a certain sense it ISN'T much, but I've never written anything like that before so already I am learning something new. I guess the reason why I am not getting upset at the situation is because I know that I *will* be doing cool things soon enough and have enough opportunity to come up with my own projects. It's just a matter of time. Overall, I am happy and looking forward to continuing learning.

Aside from that - not much. Went major grocery shopping with Alex (finally), had my first 'normal' dinner at the apartment, and opened up my first bottle of wine as well. Oh man, it was so nice to just sit, have a glass of wine, and feel like a regular person. I have to say, the one thing I am being impatient about is settling in. Right now, things are still relatively foreign, scary, and incomprehensible. It's not that I'm uncomfortable - I just feel like I'm stuck in limbo between being a tourist and civilian. It's pretty bizarre actually. My life just doesn't feel normal yet, I'm not sure how to explain it. I'm not completely confident in getting around (despite managing just fine) and I'm not meeting as many people as I would like to. A lot of it also has to do with the language barrier. Yes, there are plenty of people here who speak English (and russian), but I also don't want to get stuck in an 'anglo' bubble. What I really want, actually, is to find a place where I can take some classes. Maybe cooking, torah study, i dunno. But some kind of activity where I can meet people, interact with Israelis and stay busy. mmmmm - we'll see. I need to do some research.

sababa - ani tsrikha lishon akhshav (i need to sleep now). hope everyone is doing well.

** MOM - HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! I LOVE YOU AND WISH I COULD BE WITH YOU. SENDING YOU LOTS AND LOTS OF LOVE FROM THE HOLY LAND THOUGH!!! **

laila tov
<3

First Day of Work!

I TOTALLY WORK IN THE ISRAELI MINISTRY OF TOURISM!!!!!!!! AHHHHHHH!!!!!

So today was a great day and I have a really good feeling about my future experience in this ministry. Noga picked me up this morning with her daughter in the back seat. We dropped her daughter off at school (really sweet girl) and then drove over to the ministry. On the way Noga was explaining to me the different neighborhoods, giving me tips on where various stores/pharmacies. We parked in the garage and I officially entered the building in which the ministry of tourism is!!! haha. I know it sounds silly but I definitely had this distinct momment of realization - if anybody had told me a year ago that I would be working at the israeli ministry of tourism - i would have laughed my ass off...and yet, here I was, entering the building, passing the security check, and making my way up to my new office!!!! CRAZY RIGHT?!

So the ministry of tourism is in this big building in which the 4-6 floors are solely devoted to the MOT (ministry of tourism). The ministry itself is broken up into various sectors: financial, strategy, public relations, planning and development, domestic/overseas tourism, ect. I am working within the marketing devlopment and new medias department. Basically these two sections (which apparently have now been fused into one) deal with creating all the content for both abroad and domestic tourism needs. Everything from pamphlets, website content, gifts for visiting guests, promotional movies, ect. In other words - marketing Israel as a viable tourist destination!

After putting our stuff down, Noga proceeded to introduce me to everyone in the office. Needless to say, I don't remember anybodys name and the cubicles do not have labels (SO israeli). However, everyone was very nice and welcoming. Every person I met wished me luck, asked if I speak Hebrew, and offered their help in case I ever need anything! So far the atmosphere and attitude feels great. Nobody was in jeans (surpringly enough) and there seem to be some really great people working within the ministry. In fact, there is another girl who is kind of like an intern (except I think she gets paid) - and she is super nice! Hopefully we can be friends?!

Let's just get to the million dollar question already --- I still do not know EXACTLY what I will be doing. I don't think Noga even has conrete things planned for me. You have to remember that the concept of an 'intern' is a very American thing and most Israeli's can't understand why someone would WANT to work FOR FREE?! (frankly - i don't blame them haha). But here is my impression - Noga is very ambitious and has a lot of ideas and things she wants to change/improve within the marketing/media department. I think that I will basically be working on various projects as they come along (and maybe even initiate a few of my own). For example, Noga mentioned a few things to me today, one of which is creating a 'tourism' section on the wikipedia 'israel' page. I'm on it! Already started doing some research, grabbed some reading material from the tourism library, and am looking into the whole wikipedia writing/editing process. I'm hoping to maybe get that done by the beginning of next week! so it's things like this and maybe even bigger and more important projects. we'll see - but i think/hope that all sorts of good things are on my horizon! (I also think its time to go the Kotel and start thanking the big man upstairs for all of this amazingness - haven't been there in a while anyways).

Tomorrow I am meeting Noga again (since I have yet to get my security badge - better to enter the building with her than without) and it will be my second day of work
:-D !!!

In other news - there really isn't much other news. Just going running, trying to get to know my new roomie (apparently he understands RUSSIAN!! WTF?!?! how am i going to talk shit about him now?!?! ahaha), and settle into things. I desperately need to go REAL grocery shopping. For now I have just been getting hummus, turkey slices, some fruits and bread. But now that I will be having a more stable schedule and my homelife has mellowed out - it's time to start making this house a home! I think Alex and I might go to the shuk at some point and just buy out the place. Starting from scratch isn't easy but it's definitely an adventure.

Noga My Mentor and the Minor Flood in Fichman 5

Wow- What a day indeed!

As you know, today I met my mentor (a.k.a. boss) from the Ministry of Tourism! Her name is Noga and she is incredibly sweet. She actually just started at her job about 2 months ago and from what it sounds like - there is a lot of work to be done. Everything from updating/changing website content, material used for Israel's tourism embassadors, picking out new gifts which are handed out to officials who visit the office - i dont know. I honestly can't say much else because I simply have no idea.

In any case, Noga is picking me up tomorrow morning at 7:15am. We are actually practically neighbors, because she lives on a street right next to mine! I know this isn't much and all of you (including myself) are anxious to find out WHAT IT IS that I will be doing. I promise you that as soon as I find out - I will be sure to let everybody know. The million dollar question! ;-)

In other news - Becca has officially moved out and I have a new roomie! His name is Alex and he is a 26 year old guy who recently made Aliya. He's from the states and has a degree in biology. Because of his age he is obligated to do military service - so he will eventually be drafted in about 5-6 months. I got good vibes from him - he seems mellow, very reasonable, and drama-free (baruch hashem). I think it's going to be just fine. So Alex moves in tomorrow and that will be the start of my new living arrangements. Fingers and toes crossed

Oh yes, and right as Becca left the apartment- the water hose to the toilet broke and water was getting everywhere. It was a shame that I didn't have my swim-suit on, otherwise I totally could have gone swimming. It's just funny how things happen in life. I saw all the water slowly creeping into the hallway and all I could do was laugh and take a picture. Just my luck right? Everything is fine now though - the landlord came over right away, stopped the leak, and is replacing the part tomorrow. *whew*. My first minor crisis in Israel and I think i more or less survived. :o)


so that's that folks! tomorrow is my big day. in fact, it is so big and i am so tired, that I haven't even really fully realized what is going on..... i will be working for the israeli government in the ministry of tourism!!!!!!! AHHHHHH!!!! let's leave it at that before i jinx it. off to bed to get some MUCH MUCH needed sleep!

laila tov <3

End of the Week and Other Tid-Bits

Shalom Anashim-

Somehow this week started out long and has ended so quickly. In terms of IGF - we had a very interesting seminar yesterday. It was a panel of three people:
1. Rabbi Gideon Sylvester
2. Mr. Nir Boms
3. Mr. Muhammad Darawshe
The topic of discussion was 'the declaration of israel's independence'. The format of the lecture was that each speaker took their turn presenting their views/analysis of israel's declaration of independence. The idea was that each speaker brought a slightly different perspective (one being a rabbi, the other secular, and the third being an Israeli-Arab). I'm not sure if this was the intention or not, but basically what happened was that (primarily) Mr. Nir and Mr. Muhammad focused on the segment of the declaration which speaks of Israel providing equal rights to everbody (Jewish or not) and how Israel was not living up to it's stated promises and aspirations as a model state of morality. While there were many things which were said (and I'm honestly not sure of what I can/cannot write out in this blog) - the point they were making is that while Israel has done much in terms of batteling discrimination, it still has a long way to go. Everybody kept harping on how Israel does not meet its standards, ect - but when I asked why Israel is the only party being held to such standards - I didn't get an answer. They just agreed that 'yes the other side has a responsibility as well - but that does not preclude IL from its responsibilities'. hmmmm....
It was interesting and frustrating. sometimes i just want to scream "WHAT MORE DO YOU WANT?!?!?! WHY CAN'T IL JUST BE MET HALF WAY FOR ONCE?!?!" It's hard. I have no doubt that discrimination, racism, and distrust is present withing Israeli society. As much as I wish that was not the case - we are all human after all. As a Jew, it's a very hard debate to have with oneself. On the one hand - our Jewish values are what set us apart and make us the nation that we are. We insists on dropping leaflets, sending mass text messages and calling people's cell phones before a military operation. Yet, it is also our value system which insists on extreme self-criticism. No doubt the line between reasonable and excessive self-demands is not easy to draw. There is ALWAYS room to be better, but when do you say "enough - we ARE doing the best we can!". Clearly this puts IL between a rock and a hard place. Like i said - interesting stuff.

Aside from all of the political stuff - I'm having a pretty relaxed and mellow weekend (for once). Thursday night I met up with a friend and went to my first Israeli bar/dance club called 'tsatsua' (which means toy in hebrew). great spot to just go, dance your ass off like an idiot, and have a good time. for sure going back there!

Yesterday, consisted of going for a run, studying some Hebrew, and celebrating shabbat and Simkhat Torah. Went over to Avi's for dinner (the guy that took me to the natural spring) and met a bunch of people. Actually, one of the people that was there was this guy who is apparently 'one of the most eligible bachelors of IL'. hahah. There was an article written about him with his picture, and when I saw it and asked about it, Avi and Fievel told me that he is actually coming over for dinner since he is a good friend of theirs! haha - i just find it so funny that things kinds of things are so normal here. i guess at the end of the day - it really is such a small community!

As for my marathon training, i am actually running! In fact, I will actually be running in a 10k race on October 24 called 'The Human Race'. It is sponsored by Nike and the idea is that people from all around the world will start this race at exactly the same momment (though not the same time). http://nikerunning.co.il/humanrace/index.asp. In Israel, the race is taking place in Tel Aviv and is also being called the "night run". Noah wrote out a training schedule for me, so here it is:

Oct 8: 1.5 miles
Oct 9: 2 mile
Oct 10: 1 mile
Oct 11: Core work out/Cross training (situps, pushups, ect)
Oct 12: 2.5 mile
Oct 13: REST
Oct 14: 1.5 mile
Oct 15: 1 mile with core work out
Oct 16: 2.5 mile
Oct 17: 1 mile
Oct 18: 4 mile
Oct 19: Rest
Oct 20: core work out with stair work
Oct 21: 2 mile
Oct 22: 1 mile
Oct 23: REST + lots of water
Oct 24: RACE DAY!!!!

So far I am on schedule and am not letting myself slack (otherwise all of my motivation will collapse and that will be the end of this endeavor for me). To be honest, I still can't believe I signed myself up for this. I'm not really mentally in this decision at all. I just go and run because that's what my schedule is telling me I have to do. I am kind of excited for the 10k because it sounds pretty cool (though I have NO IDEA what to expect) plus - i get a free tshirt! haha. For now I've got Forest Gump syndrom - 'i'm just runnin'. :o)

The only other thing I wanted to mention is that Monday morning we are all meeting with our work mentors for greetings, introduction and one-on-one conversations! And Tuesday --- I START WORKING AT THE MINISTRY OF TOURISM!!!! ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! this is all happening so quickly, I can't even believe it. that will definitely be a blog post of its own! :D

Alrighty, I'm going to go study some Hebrew. Hope everyone is doing well and enjoying their weekend!

Lecture on Modern Zionism & Tiyulpans

Shalom Lekulam (everyone)-

What has happened within the past couple of days...the first and most "ironic" event which took place on Monday, was a lecture we had from Dr. Micah Goodman. I say ironic because the topic he lectured on was modern zionism in Israeli society - essentially he was discussing EXACTLY the ideas/thoughts which I happened to bring up in my last blog entry! crazy right? (although things like this shouldn't come as surprises anymore, since Jerusalem seems to be full of ironic situations). As a well known public figure in Israel, Dr. Goodman also teaches at the Ein Prat Leadership Institute (http://www.bogrim.org/en_index.html). I can assure you that if you follow the link and read a bit about this institute, you will immediately understand his position on modern zionism and in a sense - his ideology.
However, if you are lazy (which is completely understandable), I will try and briefly describe what he talked about.

The first words out of Dr. Goodman's mouth were the following:
"The passion for zionism is dead!" ;-)
Pretty strong right? The lecture was great though. We actually discussed the various 'causes' of this phenomenon (intellectual, psychological, changing enemy, exhhaustion, ect). Micah was yet another powerful orator who once again left us with more questions then answers. In case you are wondering what solutions he offered - he didn't. I actually asked him that question (at the end of the lecture) and he responded with "well - that's what i want to get you thinking about". haha. very diplomatic indeed, but not in any way disappointing. something tells me that HIS approach to countering the loss of passion would be through education, however, that's just a guess. Either way, it was very interesting the way he spoke and presented ideas. There are videos of his lectures on the link above, if you want to get a sense for how he speaks :) I just REALLY liked how this lecture was directly followed my introduction to the topic via Gahl's cousin! excellent timing.

The other little adventures have been our 'tiyul-pan'. This is a combination of the word 'tiyul' (trip) and ulpan (hebrew study). so basically we had two little mini trips in which we were only to speak in hebrew. The first trip was to the infamous 'shuk' (market) of jerusalem. For any of you who enjoy farmers markets or would just want a REAL israeli experience - the shuk is the best place for it. TONS of vendors selling all sorts of amazing, fresh, and delicious food, yelling, haggaling, pushing and shoving! it's great and also cheap (since you can bargain). So, as a group, we went to the shuk and interacted with vendors, played games involving speaking hebrew, and ate yummy Iraqi food! It was definitely good stuff.



The other place we went to today is called 'Ein Karem' which is a neighborhood nestled in the hills of jerusalem. this town is known for its famous monastary called 'sisters of zion', 'mary's spring' and the large number of artists/writters/intellectuals/yoga masters living there. it's an incredibly lush, beautiful, and tranquil place. while there are tourists that come through there, its not at all crowded and is a very nice break from the hustle and bustle of central jerusalem. We played a game similar to the 'amazing race' - the idea being that we were given clues (in hebrew ofcourse) and we had to get to various locations using these clues. the first group to accomplish all of their tasks wins. and guess what - my group won!!! there were 5 groups which were split up by level of hebrew comprehension, and i am in the beginner group. not going to lie - it felt pretty damn good to finish BEFORE the advanced group did! heehee. but hey - we are ALL winners here right? :o)


That's really about it in terms of IGF events. I guess the other couple things worth mentioning is that:
a) my roomie has decided to move out for personal reasons. she is in the process of finding a new apartment, which means that by november 1st, i will be living with someone completely new! oi vey!

b) I went on a run yesterday with Noah and Gahl for about 30 min as part of my training for the 1/2 marathon.....oi. though the pace was pretty challenging for me, i managed to run the whole time without collapsing! i honestly haven't ran that hard in a VERY long time, but it was kind of cool to see my feet keep going (despite the fact that my brain was desperately trying to make it stop) ahha. i think tomorrow will be another day of running. for now i'm running (more or less) every other day - simply because it hurts. jerusalem is all hills, so not only is my body not used to running, but its also running on slopes which is extra painful. ggaahhh crazy crazy

that's about it for now. still haven't decided what i am doing for the weekend, but im sure it will be good, regardless!
hope all is well with everyone back home!
chag sameach! <3

Just Some Thoughts

* I spent the weekend with Gahl and his family in a city called Nes Tsiona. It's a cozy place near the beach and full of good people (mainly Gahl's family). I got a chance to speak to one of his cousins while we were on the beach and somehow we got on the topic of modern zionism and Israel's challenge when it comes to the current generation. What Gahl's cousin was saying is that the current generation of Israeli kids are completely apathetic towards Israel, zionism, and the Jewish state. There is no pride, no dedication, and lack of connection to the country. At first this came to me as a surprise. Afterall, how can Israeli's - who study the history in school, have these amazing historical sites right at their fingertips, and serve in the army - how can they be apathetic?!? But it kind of makes sense.
When you grow up 5 minutes from the Kotel and visit it on a regular basis, it's understandable how these things can eventually become part of daily life and lose their significance. I suppose it is similar to my luke warm feelings towards San Francisco, despite the fact that people from all over the world pay lots of money just to see the golden gate bridge.
It's also understandable that the current generation might just be tired, completely exhausted, of fighting for their survival and dealing with this ongoing conflict.
Or maybe its the fact that our generation is more committed to their cellphones, lap tops, ipods, and personal needs rather than upholding 'ancient values'.
I asked Gahl's cousin what he thinks the cause of the apathy is and he said it is probably a combination of all sorts of things. Regardless, it is a problem that is not being adequately dealt with.
This is even more interesting when you look at how Jews in the diaspora are dealing with this issue. For example, America has a plethora of resources which are specifically aimed at reconnecting the modern Jew to his roots. Programs such as Birthright, Masa, IGF, ect ect - they all have the same common goal - and from what I understand, it's pretty successful. Take a look at me, for example ;-)
But Israel doesn't seem to have this kind of support structure. Either from lack of funds, fragmentations within the society, insufficient education, what ever. You'd think that kids growing up in Israeli are getting brainwashed with all sorts of zionist propaganda and what not, but that doesn't seem to be the case. hmmmm....

* Another thing which I noticed, is that the moment I leave Jerusalem - I don't feel like I am surrounded by 'the conflict'. Tel Aviv, Nes Tziona, Bat Yam - these feel like places which are far removed from all the political and religious commotion associated with Israel. Maybe its because you see far less arabs or religious jews - maybe it really is just the geographic distance, or a change in mentality (it's hard to think of the conflict when you are lounging on the beach). Anyways, I just kind of noticed this today.

* Oh, one more thing you should know......I decided that I am going to (try) to run the Jerusalem Half Marathon. This is a total of 23 km / 13 miles and it's taking place some time in March. For those of you who know me well enough, this should come as a complete shock, seeing as how I absolutely despise running. But I'm going to give it a shot and see how far I get. Gahl and Noah have taken it upon themselves to help me train, so I'm lucky enough to have a great support system. Mom and dad are also behind me on this one, which is awesome. In fact, if they come some time in march, they might even be able to watch me run - which would be totally amazing! Above all though, I just want to prove to myself that I am capable of setting a real challenge for myself and sticking to it until I've done it. There are a lot of things that I am really interested in or want to do, and despite having the passion, I always fall short on the follow through. So i figure this is a good excuse to stop being lazy, put my thoughts into actions, and and prove to myself that I am in control of my will power. We'll see how this goes ;-)

on that note - time for me to get some sleep. tomorrow is a day off, and i really want to study my hebrew and run a few errands.
laila tov!
<3

First Tiyul - Golan Hights

Shalom Shalom!

Hope everyone is doing well. I got back from the first IGF Tiyul (trip) which was spent in the Golans. The Golan region is in the north of the country, near the sea of Galilee (otherwise known as the Kineret). This region is rich in history, has some breathtaking landscapes and is rather controversial seeing as how some consider it to be occupied territory. This land was acquired from Syria after the 6 day war in 1967 and has been under Israeli conrol since. I'm sure that if you do a quick google search, you will easily find much literature about this ongoing debate - to give back land or not to give back land...THAT is ALWAYS the question in Israel.

We met at the B.C. at 7:00am (no, i'm not joking) and started on our trip. It takes about 3.5-4 hours (depending on traffic) to make it to the Golans. Our first stop was a place called Naharaim. This site is the first hydro-electric energy
station in Israel, established by Rothenberg in 1927. Another name for this site is "The Island of Peace" after the peace treaty signed between Israel and Jordan in 1994. This is also the place where in 1997 a Jordanian soldier opened fire on a group of girls on a school trip, killing 7, and wounding 6. Now there is small garden memorial to commemorate those girls in the shape of a flower with 7 petals.

Next was our first hike in Nahal El-Al – the south of the Golan Heights; named after Eli Cohen. Known for its two waterfalls - the black waterfall, which fall on basalt rocks, and the white waterfall, which fall on calcite (chalk) rocks. It was a great hike, about 4 hours, which we followed up with a relaxing dip in Hamei Tveria - a natural hot spring, known worldwide for its therapeutic qualities. After all of this physical activity we got to the Kibbuts where we were staying (Kibbutz Gonen), unpacked, showered, had dinner and watch a movie called 'The Syrian Bride'. It is an interesting film depicting the complexities of the druiz people living in Israel. If you ever get a chance, it's definitely a movie worth watching :)

Day 2 began with a different hike - this one being a 'water hike'. Another 4 hours, of hiking, chatting, sloshing through water, and sweating like a (kosher) pig - it was great! And what better way to decompress after a long day of hiking then by visiting the Golan winery and tasting some delicious kosher wine! I was actually at this winery last year on my birthright trip, but it was nice to visit again and taste some new wines. After getting a pleasant buzz and easing my muscles, we were back at the kibbutz for dinner and some group activities. We made a human pyramid, got to know each other a little more, and hung around enjoying the beautiful evening!

The last, and personally my favorite day, was today. We started of by spending about 3 hours with a man by the name of Effi Eitam (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Effi_Eitam). Effi is quite the striking character. He is very much on the political right, is incredibly intelligent and chooses his words carefully when talking, and is open and delightful in his own way. Effi accompanied us to Mt. Bental (a former Israeli army base from which you can see former bunkers, trenches, and Syria itself, including the UN compounds). We got to see the ENTIRETY of the Golan Heights and he shared with us his views on the situation regarding this territory. I have to say that when you hear about this section of the country on the news, it really doesn't sound like much - a couple mountains here and there, mostly agricultural land, and a lake. But when you see this land with your eyes, experience the beauty of the terrain, and realize the significance this place plays in the survival of the Jewish state - it really makes you think twice. Aside from the fact that this territory is crucial to Israel in terms of security, it is also home to the Kinneret which provides Israel with 1/3 of its water (a rare commodity here). We sat in Jewish ruins dating to the First Temple and got to hear Effi's personal story of how he defended this land during the Yom Kipur war in 1973. The stories captured in history books and the debates which are so easy to listen to on the tv actually came to life before my eyes. I saw Syria, the border between it and Israel, the mangled remains of tanks from the Yom Kipur war, and the bright yellow signs warning of the hundreds of land mines scattered along the territory.

Getting back on track though - Effi Eitam. Right! Incredible speaker. He was completely open with us, honest, patient and inspiring. He told us about how he fought in the Golans during the Yom Kipur war. The thousands of Syrian forces were making their way up the Golan mountains and it was just him and 3 rounds of amo for a bazooka. He hid in the bushes and just as the first tank of the Syrian fleet was coming up to him, he shot at it and at a second one behind it. If you know a bit of the history of the Yom Kipur war, you will remember that for some unexplained reason, the Syrian forces got to the Golans, there was a very bitter and bloody battle, but for some reason - the Syrians just *stopped* and did not advance. Here is the truth guys - after Effi shot the bazooka and blew up the first tank - that is when the Syrian army unexplainedly stopped for 2 hours (which allowed Israel to gather its forces and eventually fend of the Sryians). This is just one of the several stories he told us - all of which were shaking and powerful. He is orthodox (though he was not born religious) and one of the things he told us, is how one needs to remember to be humble before G-d. Meticulous and carefully planned military strategy is absolutely vital, but one must not forget to leave room for G-d almighty. When someone asked how Israel managed to beat Syria - his reply was: "I have studied many theories and read many books about this war, and the only answer I can come up with is - it was a mircle." Regardless of whether one agrees with this political platform or not, this is a man who is DEEPLY devoted to the State of Israel and the insurance of its survival.
He also took some questions in regards to Iran- he does not believe that any kind of sanctions will deter the regime and that swift, pre-emptive military action is the only thing which will stop this huge threat. In short - listening to Effi Eitam speak was very moving and a huge pleasure. I even got to take a picture with him ;-)



Lastly and briefly, we stopped at a spot called Tel Chai, which was the site of a Kibbuts in the 1920's. This site is famous for a battle which took place on March 1st 1920, because it is the first place, since the time of the Second Temple, where Jews took a stand against invaders and fought back! Read about it here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tel_Hai

Okay folks, this has been quite the entry and I need to get some rest. This post doesn't really do the Tiyul full justice but it will have to do for the time being. In short - it was a great trip! :-D

The Western Wall & A Dip in a Natural Spring

Shabbat Shalom!

I wanted to write a quick blog and post some pictures simply because I got to experience two really cool things.

The first is that I went to the Kotel (Wailing Wall) with Gal yesterday. I just wanted to stop by, say a quick prayer and maybe go out for drinks after. Sounds simple enough, right? Remember I told you about Slekhot...well let me tell you - if there is anywhere to go for repentance - it's the Kotel!!! Gal and I got there around 11:45pm....AND IT WAS MADNESS!!!!! SSSOOOOOO many people. It took about 10 minutes to get through security and into the plaza because the line was so long. Once there my jaw just dropped. There were people EVERYWHERE. It looked as if the ground was swarming! Women, men, children, elderly - all at the Kotel - praying, hanging around, singing, clapping, hugging, crying. It's truly an incredible sight.

I decided that I was going to try and get to the wall just to touch it and then leave. Call me crazy or stupid, but I went for it! It took me about 15 minutes to get through the ridiculous crowd. Women were pushing, shoving, elbowing...oi! Not going to lie - I DID have a moment of weakness where I thought of just turning back and getting the hell out of this outrageous crowd. But I was sooo close I decided to stick with it and did in fact, manage to touch the wall!!! hahaha. It sounds so silly but I'm really glad that I did it. Gal and I actually ended up staying for about 2.5 hours - just hanging out, people watching, praying a bit, and listening to people blow the shofar! It really was great! Oh, and by the time we were getting to leave (2:00am) - believe it or not - the crowd got EVEN BIGGER!!! I have before and after pictures for comparison! ahha.





So that's that. The other little cool thing that I did today, is my recently aquired friend, Avi, invited me to go with him and his friend Aryeh to a natural spring. There are actually 200 different natural springs all over Jerusalem that you can go and swim in. It was REALLY great to take a dip before shabbat, hang out in the warm sunshine and have some good laughs. Pictures of this as well.





That's really it, but I just thought that it was too good to pass up writing in the blog. Now I gotta run to get ready for shabbat :)

Shabbat Shalom!!!!!
<3