Friendship Is The Theme

Throughout the past couple days, I've been thinking a lot about how I've changed and how I've grown in Israel. The people that I've met and the experiences I've been through have shaped me more into the person I've wanted to become. Although I've run into some extreme rough patches, the amazing support system that I have here has helped me more than I could've imagined. I can't express the love I have for my EIE family enough, and I am constantly dreading the day we have to part.

Inspiring The Future

"Anything you can do, I can do better" was my motto growing up. Also running along the lines of inspirational quotes was the big winner "Girls rule, Boys drool". I've aways looked up to actresses and female athletes because they prove that women can be some boss as* b*tches. After becoming very interested in Israeli culture, I went further to see what the amazing women of Israel had to offer. 

One specific female that specifically drew me in was someone who showed me that really anything is possible with the right amount of dedication and perseverance. Not only did Inbal Pezaro compete in the Paralympics paralyzed in her lower limbs, but she continued on and won four silver and four bronze medals. Of course I can't completely relate to Inbal, but I can understand where she's coming from regarding limitations due to something you can't control. 

I was diagnosed with a heart condition a couple years ago that causes a combination of an intensely high heart rate and abnormal low blood pressure. I only recently was able to receive medication that allows me to engage in sports and exercise normally. Prior to my medication, I was allowed a limited amount of physical activity, which included limited time to play lacrosse. Inbal inspired me, however, to not let something out of my reach get in the way of everyday life.

Read the rest of Inbal's accomplishments (I highly suggest it)

 -- http://www.haaretz.com/news/independence-day

Culture Through Rhythm

Tonight, we went to a Israeli music concert and I've never had more fun. Seeing all the madrichim in their element listening to their favorite music was inspiring. I've mentioned how I want to connect more to Israeli culture, and I've 100% accomplished that. I can't wait to experience more during my last month here, and gather bunches of stories to bring back with me.

Passover With My Lovies

Over Passover break, I experienced my first Pesach in Israel. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised. The seder wasn't too long (even though I love a long seder), and I got to practice my Hebrew :) Spending this night with my friends made it even sweeter, not to mention the charoset was pretty sweet as well. Lol!

"I'm A Pilgrim, Not A Tourist"

For me, one of the most stressful things regarding EIE was preparing for the changes in culture I would face the second we landed in Israel. I've found myself adapting to the Israeli life-style quite well, and realized that I had nothing to worry about. As long as I act like I know what I'm doing, I'll be good. Emerging myself in everyday life has definitely helped me. Whether it's listening to Israeli music, speaking the little Hebrew that I know, or reading Israeli literature, I feel as if I'm connecting to the land of Israel on a deeper level and enhancing my EIE experience.

One piece of Israeli literature that specifically caught my attention was a small, gathered collection of short stories by Etgar Keret (recommended by the one and only Aaron Gertz). I wasn't exactly sure what to expect as I began to read it, but I soon found myself loving his style of writing. He represented Israeli culture and attitudes extremely accurately. I'm still not 100% adapted, but I'm improving each and every day.

Journey To Last A Lifetime

This year during Passover, it'll be different for me. I've never been in a very religious household during the holidays, and I'm excited to have this experience in such an amazing place as Israel. Not only will I be celebrating Passover, but we embark on a 13 day long journey around Israel and hiking from Sea to Sea during 5 of them. I keep thinking that there's no way to make this journey better, but then somehow it gets even more amazing. I can't wait to see how these next few weeks go...hopefully I didn't forget to pack anything!

Growing Into Myself

     For me, Poland wasn’t solely a negative experience. Although it wasn’t in the exact way I would’ve chose, I learned a lot about myself. Having all the different conflicting emotions inside my body at once caused a lot of thinking to be done. I knew that Poland would be tough. I knew that I would see things that would make me the opposite of happy, but I also knew that going with such a great group of people would make the trip a little bit less emotionally wrecking. 

     For me, it was my first time doing anything related to the Holocaust outside of school. I went to Washington D.C. with my 8th grade class, but going to the Holocaust museum was taken off the agenda because it would be “too hard” for some of my classmates. My mom and I were both very upset, and didn’t know why teaching about WWII to 8th grade students wasn’t required. Of course that portion of history is tough to talk about, let alone see in a museum, but choosing to leave it out of the curriculum doesn’t lessen its effect on the victims. 

     I still vividly remember the masa to Poland, specifically our time in Majdonik. It was the first of our stops throughout our journey, and the one that made the biggest impact on me. I 100% understand the reasons for visiting the monstrosity that remains there, but I wish I could get some of the images out of my head. I took a few moments to myself while being there and let my emotions pour into my journal:

          “I’m so numb. I feel as if someone has punched me in the stomach. My heart feels as if it’s                      missing and there’s a little flutter inside my chest. Seeing everyone around me hugging and                    embracing gives me hope of good people still left in the world. I just want to leave this                            place. I hate this mood that is upon everyone. I don’t like being here. I hate it I hate it I hate it I              hate it. I hate this so much. I don’t understand how this happened. How did no one stop it. How            did people not know. I’m left without words to say.”

     I’ve gained a lot of knowledge about the events that took place in the Holocaust, and I’ve taken away a lot of knowledge regarding myself and self-growth. Talking about my Judaism has always been hard for me at home because of how small the Jewish population is in my town. But being at the different concentration camps and seeing how hard it was for the Jewish people of Eastern Europe during WWII has changed my perspectives a lot. I’ve never been so proud to be Jewish. I’ve never been so confident in my choice to marry someone Jewish. Of course I’ve known my whole life that I want to raise my children in a Jewish household, but this journey has cemented that thought in my head. My priority now is to continue Judaism because I feel that it is our duty as the remaining population. As long as we have at least half of the faith that the Holocaust victims had, it will come completely naturally. 

Change In Pace

          While visiting the somewhat dreary land of Poland, our group, as a whole, experienced conflicting emotions regarding life and death. Traveling to the cute Jewish quarters in Tykocin, and then sharply taking a turn for the worse as we entered the mass graves deep in the forest really helped me to understand how quickly an atmosphere can change. Seeing my friends all around me feeling the same ups and downs that I was gave me a sense of family and safety.

        In downtown Tykocin, I saw an adorable little community that really showed me how important Judaism was to the people living there. While walking through the cute square in the center of town, I saw a Beit Kineset and menorahs on almost every corner. I have a pretty solid Jewish community in my town, but we don't have menorahs in our windows. Seeing Judaism being practiced openly in the people's homes really enforces the close feeling of a communal family.

          Unfortunately, the history of Tykocin did not stay in favor of the Jewish community. After being in a good mood for the first half of our day, we took a sharp downgrade and traveled to the mass graves deep in the forest near the main part of the town. Hearing the numerous first-hand accounts, and picturing innocent people being treated like animals sent shivers down my spine. During our time there, I took a few moments to myself and wrote in my journal. I reread it after and couldn't believe I had written such angry things:
                   "I don't understand. I don't understand how someone can be so evil as to mindlessly
                    murder hundreds of thousands of people. I can't exactly label how I feel. I'm a mixture
                    of many different emotions, and I'm not even sure what they are. For the first time, I'm
                    speechless. It sickens me. I have an awful, uncomfortable feeling in my stomach and in
                    heart. I've decided to light my candle here. To honor those innocent lives that were
                    tortured to their deaths. I don't know what to say. Trying to comprehend the sight of
                    mothers running with their children can't even appear in my mind. Everything around
                    me is gloomy now. It's as if the surroundings match my mood."

          I can't imagine how shocking it must be to have your life suddenly change. Having a settlement for hundreds of years, and then having it all taken away from you makes me feel deeply for the people of Tykocin. The question of "why?" is still unanswered to me. I don't think anyone will ever understand the Holocaust, and why people did what they did. I am, without doubt, on the far left end of the spectrum.

Carrying On Israel Through Our Words

Although the Jewish population has struggled with keeping the state of Israel, and struggled with keeping our identity, we've always managed to keep the Torah alive. As a people, we've learned to memorize the words of the Torah and pass them down to generations below us to ensure the continuation of the Jewish religion. Similar to what we talked about it class regarding the Torah Sheba'al Pe, or oral Torah, having a verbal account on events that have occurred in our nations history can be very beneficial.

Author Simon Schama believes that the state of Israel has been a continuously flourishing area due to the words of our people. He states, "The Torah had everything a mentally omnivorous culture needed." If, God forbid, all written accounts of the Torah were destroyed, we would have our minds to continue on the generations. 

Weekend Getaway

Over this past weekend, I went to Eilat with my friend Kira and her parents. Such an experience!! We went snorkeling in the Red Sea and saw the most beautiful fish. I couldn't believe how much I missed Tzuba and all my friends after only 2 days. How will I ever go home?!

Animal Fur: Keeping Kosher Or No?

Judaism gives you the freedom to express yourself, whether it's with your sect of choice, or your fashion. A big question that was raised, however, is whether or not it's okay for Jewish women, aside from your religious choices, to wear animal fur recreationally. Some women argue that they have the freedom to express themselves however they please, while others argue that it's 100% unkosher. If we can't eat unkosher meat, why should we be able to skin it? 

Another side of the story is whether or not it's okay for orthodox men to wear fur hats. Judaism is all about equality, including equality for men and women. It's a personal choice for many, but it also annoys a large group of people. Although the hats that the orthodox men wear aren't for fashion purposes, they're still wearing them. Why shouldn't that be the same for women?

I, personally, wouldn't wear real fur. I'm against harming animals for recreational purposes. However, I'm for expressing oneself, whether it's through music or fashion. Therefore, if it's your personal choice to wear fur, and it doesn't affect you religiously, then that's your choice and no one should be able to tell you how you can and can't express yourself. 

Hummus Changes All

While being in Israel, I've learned a lot about the history of the state and about the different cultures here. One aspect of the Israeli lifestyle that stuck out to me was the hummus. Don't get me wrong, hummus in the U.S. is good (when is it not?), but the hummus I've had while being here sent chills running throughout my body. I'd like to formally thank my Jewish History teacher, Aaron Gertz, for making the fabulous recommendation of Hummus Ben Sira, my new favorite place on the map. If you're ever looking for real, authentic, native hummus, you can stop searching. Take his word (and mine now, too) and you'll be the furthest thing from disappointed.

Parents In The Homeland

Yaaaay parents are coming! Unfortunately, mine aren't. BUT the connections I've made here are so strong, just being with my new friends here makes me feel like I'm with my family. I find it so incredible how close I've gotten with everyone, and it makes me the happiest person in the world. :)

#BabyBiggs

On February 15, Jason and Jenny Biggs welcomed a new baby boy into their family. 8 days later, the Biggs couple decided to have him circumcised. Unfortunately, the family's decision raised a heated argument regarding whether or not circumcision is morally correct.

Jenny, the mother of the newly born son, instagramed a picture of her child with the caption of "Today was not a good day to be Sid's penis. #babybiggs #circumcision" Her single post instigated many discussions which included people opposing the circumcision, and people defending their choice. One commenter stated, "He has to live with a mutilated penis because his parents are ignorant. #humanrightsviolation," while another rebutted with “Congrats and welcome to parenthood where everyone is right except for you! Where everyone judges what you do with YOUR baby! The comments, critiques and constant corrections are never ending! Mazel tov!”

I, personally, think it's 100% the parents' choice. It's their baby, therefore they can decide what to do with it. Whether it's for secular or religious reasons, the parents can believe whatever they want to regarding their child. Circumcision is, understandably, offensive to some religions and cultures, but each family has different beliefs, and those beliefs take each family in different directions. 

Intermarriage: Good or Bad?

Today in class, as we were studying the words of the Torah, an interesting question was raised: should intermarriage be allowed? And if so, what will the consequences be?

Simply defined, an intermarried couple is where one of two spouses isn't Jewish. To some, intermarriage creates problems regarding the continuation of the Jewish people. If two people are in-love and married, and don't share a similar religious view, it could impact how they raise their children. But at the same time, if they're in-love, who am I to tell them they can't be married?

In my opinion, it runs along the lines of the ongoing fight for gay marriage and LGBT equality. If two men or two women are in-love, then they should be allowed to live their life and get married. I am not in any position to tell them that they can't be happy with the one they love.

My sister recently got engaged, and her fiancee isn't Jewish. Of course it raised conflicts in my family, (especially with my grandma who is very traditional), but after thinking more about it, we realized that it shouldn't stop my sister from being with who she's in-love with. Judaism is too important to my sister to not raise her family Jewish. Her fiancee, Rob, and she have talked about their future (including children..ahhh!!) and have come to the agreement of continuing the family religion. It has always been important to my sister to raise her children Jewish, and Rob only has the intentions of making my sister happy, which brings them to the definite conclusion of staying in the Jewish community.

As long as your spouse and you have talked about it, and have acknowledged how you want to raise your family, you don't need to "officially convert". One of my best friends has intermarried parents, and her dad never officially converted, but he considers himself 100% Jewish. They celebrate all holidays, and go to temple. I feel like if your in agreement with your religion, then converting spiritually and converting in your mind is enough. Your family's happiness is more important than putting a title on your religion.

Cultural Shock

My friends and I recently visited a shuk, and I'm still in amazement. I felt like it was the first time I was really seeing Israel and all the culture it has to offer. The hundreds and hundreds of people there knew exactly what they were doing, and that made it all the more interesting. 

Parents Involvement In Homework

Parents; all they want in life is for you to succeed and for you to live your life to it's full potential, but sometimes a child needs to be let go. A popular topic trending is whether or not parents should intervene in their children's work, and if so, how much? It's understandable that parents want the best for their children, but what's the limit?

The point of improving one's work is to help them with successes later in life, but many argue that children need to be independent from the start in order to thrive in society. Popular belief states that the purpose of education is to prepare teenagers for the "real world", thus requiring them to survive on their own. 

But on the other hand, what's the problem with a little help? Parents have been there and done that, and know exactly what you're experiencing so they can offer first-hand advice. Sometimes kids just need a little "push" to get them running on their feet. Besides, parents always know best. :)

http://shma.com/2014/01/crossing-boundaries-or-seizing-opportunities/

Choosing Sides

Sooooooooooooo...

Recently, there has been quite a bit of controversy regarding Scarlett Johansson and her involvement in the SodaStream business which has a location in the West Bank. Many people, especially supporters and members of Oxfam International, are upset and against her promotion of the company. The Oxfam members work to eliminate poverty and injustice in the world. Johansson has recently resigned from her position in Oxfam International due to "fundamental difference in opinion". 

The charity said it opposes all trade from the Israeli settlements, "which are illegal under international law." Members quote that "SodaStream and other businesses operating in the West Bank contribute to the denial of the rights of the Palestinian communities that we work to support." According to Dan Birnbaum, the company's chief executive, SodaStream hasn't lost any costumers due to the boycott against Israeli settlements. Therefore, the company has not "sacrificed" and will not "sacrifice" the 500 Palestinian jobs that SodaStream holds. 

Personally, I don't see a problem with the company being located where it is. From the research I've done, and the numerous articles I've read regarding the topic, it doesn't seem like many Palestinians have been negatively affected, which is what Oxfam International works to prevent. The company is profitable, and as of now, many Palestinians are involved in SodaStream and are happy with the company. 

Friends To Last A Lifetime

Over the course of the past week, I've met people that I've connected with more than I thought possible. It's crazy that we've been here for 1/16 of our journey, and I already see my friends lasting far into the future. Just being around this amazing group of people has allowed me to be my best self, and I cannot wait for the rest of this life-changing experience.

Btw, I could not have found a more accurate picture to describe our new, yet wonderful already, relationship.

The Atmosphere I've Been Looking For

Translated into English, this poster reads:
         "The time to light the Shabbat candles is 4:35 on Feb 1, 2014. Shabbat ends at 5:50 on the night of Feb 2, 2014."

Coming from an area where the majority of people aren't Jewish, to an area where I'm surrounded by Jews is amazing. At home, nobody understands Shabbat. Nobody understands how special it is, and why we celebrate it. But seeing this poster at a bus stop makes it so surreal that I'm in the holiest of holy lands.

The feeling that I get from being around a Jewish atmosphere is hard to explain. It gives me such a sense of completeness. There's no way to describe the relationships that I have with my Jewish friends, and I don't know why that is. Maybe it's because we share such an amazing connection, and that connection is on such a deep level. I can't believe I'm finally in Israel, but it feels so right. I can't wait to share these next 4 months, the most amazing months of my life, with a group of people who allow me to be my best self.

First day on the Kibbutz-- so so excited for our first day of school!!

Goodnight from Israel xooxxo