Michigan State Hillel

Mt. Hertzl

2011-12-27T15:24:00.002-05:00

After a night of shananigans on Ben Yehuda street and getting a much needed sleep in, Bus 966 headed out to Mt. Hertzel at 9am. We arrived at the cemetary, stepping off the bus to feel the cold Jerusalem air blowing down the backs of our necks, an erie atmosphere surrounded the group. We walked up the stone steps, to the grave of a young american boy named Michael Leveine, from Philidelphia. A young jewish boy who dreamed of serving in the IDF as a paratrooper, and made that dream come true. Although his life was
was short, his story was powerful and very emotional. The group stood around his grave as Audrey told his story, not a word was said from our typically loud group. As we moved up through the cemetary hearing different stories about young soldiers, the sight of seeing the ages of the deceased soldiers really made you contemplate life. Seeing so many gravestones with people of the similar age to us, makes your heart sink. Knowing that you are the same age as many of the deceased soldiers and that we could easily be in the same place as them, if we were Israeli. But our soldiers in our trip explained that although it is scary to think about dying, they are proud to serve their country and feel that it is honor to serve in the IDF.

The Old City

2011-12-27T15:17:00.002-05:00

After today's wake up call for 5:45am, we headed out to the Western Wall. When we first got there, 13 participants got Bar and Bat Mitzvahed. Each person said a prayer, while one of the Israeli's read from the Torah. After the prayers, the Bar Mitzvah's wrote a speech to say in front of the group about why they wanted to be Bar or Bat Mitzvahed. After the ceremony, we went inside the Davidson Center to learn more about the wall and Jerusalem. Once the presentations was over, the girls put on their long skirts and went
outside to the wall. Everyone went to pray at the wall. After that, we left and went to the Old City. We all got some shopping done, and then went back to the hotel. We split into two groups for a lecture about Judiasm. After the interesting speakers, we got ready for our first night out. We ate dinner, heard another very interesting and insightful speaker, then got back on the bus and went to Ben Yahuda Street. We all got free time to do what we wanted. There was a lot of shopping and bars all down the street. It was a long, but very fun day in Israel!!!!!

Tel Aviv and the Taglit-Birthright Israel Chanukah party!

2011-12-27T15:15:00.001-05:00

On our way to Jerusalem we stopped in Tel Aviv to learn more about its significance to the state of
Israel. In Tel Aviv we made a stop in Rabin Square to see the memorial of Yitzach Rabin. Despite the rainy weather outside we toured around the beautiful memorial and learned about his contributions to the state of Israel. The next stop on our journey was to Independence Hall. This was a small, simple, white building which made a very large impact on the state of Israel. This is where hundred of people met to watch Israel finally gain its independence and become a state. It was an extremely uplifting experience, especially when we all sang the Hatikvah together. After Independence Hall we all got some much needed rest during the bus ride to Jerusalem where we would be spending the final days of the trip. In the mid afternoon we went to a Chanukkah party with all of the Taglit-Birthright trips currently in Israel. We got the opporunity to hear from the Adelson's for whom without their generous donations to Birthright, Bus 966 would not have been able to make our amazing trip. At the end of this party we got to hear a concert from an Irsaeli singer which was a fun way for all of us to get to know each other more and have a great night!

A Shabbat to Remember

2011-12-25T02:53:00.002-05:00

Each week, we take time to reconnect, relax, and reflect on our week giving Shabbat an
elevated meaning. Looking back we cherish the memories that were created along this journey in our home land of Israel. From watching the sun rise at Masada to soaking in the salt in the Dead Sea, from riding camels transporting us back in time to connecting with the natives of Israel, these experiences have permitted us to have a clear understanding of a place that we can soon call home. By opening our mind to multiple
cultures in one country, we have seen the people of Israel share a common goal of survival of the country. The start of Shabbat was welcomed with conservative and reform services accomodating the needs of our spiritualality. Singing songs, while bringing back numerous memories from camps, helped us all unite and allowed relationships to thrive during our birthright experience. Following services, we were embraced with a delectable feast of true middle eastern cusine with flavors that will forever be our own "taste of Israel".Following our Shabbat feast, we participated in games and birthday festivities for those celebrating. Happy Birthday Heidi and Josh! Sleeping in Saturday morning was greatly appreciated. Those planning on having a Bar/Bat Mitzvah began preparation, while others attended a session on love, sex, and relationships in Judaism with Esther. Numerous myths were addressed, as well as new topics. To get a taste and glimpse of the day in the life of an Israeli soldier, they taught moves from krav maga, shooting stances, and forms of
self defense. To conclude Shabbat, we actively participated in Ask Big Questions and came
together for Havdallah. This Shabbat in Israel not only helped us to connect to our homeland, but helped us 46 participants to become a family. This is one Shabbat we will never forget!

Until next time, Shalom from Israel!
-Rebbie (Rivkah) Ginsberg and Nina (Noa) Azoury

Ask BIG Questions: Who are YOU responsible for?

2011-12-25T02:48:00.004-05:00

The past couple of days we have discussed our meaning of our Bus and thus how our bus differs from the other birthright trips. We are a part of an "ask big questions" portion of Taglit-Birthright Israel. We had our first discussion of "ask big questions" and discussed who WE feel responsible for. The answers to this wordly question differed immensly. Some said that they were more opt to be responsible for their family members, jobs etc. others posed the idea of being responsible for Israel, our country. And, some even stated they thought that they were responsbible for the jewish faith. We later spread into small groups. The groups discussed and even spoke in more philosophical terms, saying is it our "moral obligation" to be responsible for Israel or to give money to the jewish people. Most though said they were and were so happy being Jewish and proud that doing so would be no problem. In all, the more questions regarding civic engagement and our responsibilities were enlightening. Everyone had a new perspective, and it shed new light on the meaning of our trip. Ultimately, it made us rethink our reasoning for being conected to Israel.

~Mara Richman

Masada and the Dead Sea

2011-12-24T08:43:00.002-05:00

4:30am. Most of us were already awake in the Bedouin tent on this early morning. After a groggy start we drank some warm tea and ate some cookies provided by the Bedouin’s. We drove the bumpy road to Masada in the pitch black darkness and arrived before the sun came up. The sky got lighter as we climbed the Roman Ramp, and the landscape around us slowly became illuminated. The hazy desert slowly filled with color as we ascended Masada. Once on top, we heard some of Masada’s history as the sun rose. We toured the baths and saw the synagogue, full of people praying in Hebrew, a beautiful sound. After walking around, and hearing more stories we witnessed the naming ceremony for our bus. Several of our group received Hebrew names they had chosen. I was struck by silence atop Masada and often turned my ears away from the group to experience the calm grace of the mountain. After a short regrouping at the water fountain we started down the backside on the Snake Trail. The windy rocky trail gave amazing views of the Dead Sea and the valley below the mountain. Some of us were scared; others enjoyed the concentrated walk down Masada. Each step required an extraordinary amount of intent and I couldn’t help think about the euphoric state that one would experience upon the top of the mountain after they climbed this side.

After a short bus ride to the Dead Sea, we got to indulge and relax in the sun and salty water at the beach. Floating in the water was surreal, and many of us slathered on the special black mud of the Dead Sea to purify and treat our skin. We were told that many come from all over to treat their skin there and that several insurance companies in Israel provide time for people to treat themselves to the restorative healing qualities of the Dead Sea. We relaxed waterside and did as we pleased: eating, tanning, and enjoying our time outside of the bus. Shortly thereafter we drove to Arad were we relaxed and prepared for Shabbat.

~Jason Maze

Jenna, Yoav, Daniel, Jared before the Bedouin Hospitality

Rebbe, Jill, Nina and Devon on top of Masada

Bus 966 on top of Masada

Micah floating in the Dead Sea

Some of Bus 966 enjoying the mud of the Dead Sea

Heidi, Brittany and Carly covered in Dead Sea Mud!

Live From Tiberias: "The Diva Chronicles"

2011-12-21T16:07:00.001-05:00

Greetings from Tiberias!

Early this morning we got on the bus and headed to one of the four holy cities in Israel, Tzfat. Immediately we noticed that the culture was different there; the men were fully dressed in synagogue attire, long beard and hair, and for a city, it was very quiet. We learned how the city came about and toured the Ashkenazi Ari Synagogue. We spent our morning walking around the ancient city taking in its wonderful view and history that it had to offer. Surprisingly, the group was most excited about having the chance to have free time and eat lunch on our own. Consuming delicious schwarma, falafel, and gelato seemed to be the most popular way to spend our free time. As our shekels were depleting (thanks Mom & Dad!) and our stomachs were aching, it was worth it after climbing a plethora amount of stairs to reach one of the highest points in the highest city in Israel.

On our way to Dalton Winery we stopped at some historical areas and did some shopping. Many winding roads later, 46 thirsty college students stepped off the bus at the Dalton Winery. We learned how the wine was made and stored, viewed the room where they aged the wine, and of course had a little taste ourselves. Most of the shekels you provided us went towards purchasing the fabulous bottles of red and white wine to bring home to share with you!

As if we didn’t spend enough money in Tzfat or at the winery, we had the privilege of stopping in downtown Tiberias to experience the culture and spend quality time with one another. Some of us bought jewelry, got henna tattoos, or Fedoras…or almost paid $4 USD for a small McDonalds fry (YES! It costs that much here, #firstworldproblems).

We ended our day with the lighting of the second Hanukkah candle at an ancient burial site. As we stood in a circle, we recited the Hanukkah prayers, and reflected the long and exhausting day we had.

We had the opportunity today to sign up to be bar/bat mitzvah or get a Hebrew name on Saturday during the Bar/Bat Mitzvah ceremony. 13 of us signed up to have a Bar/Bat Mitzvah, with different reasons ranging from never having one to just wanting to all have the “Israel experience”.

Later in the evening, we had dinner and had rest time to prepare for our hike to Mount Masada and to start drinking gallons of water for the hike on Friday. We are very excited to swim in the Dead Sea, ride camels, and sleep in a big tent together in the next few days (departing from our Wifi Internet on the bus/lobby will be the hardest part for some.). The last part of our night concluded with the “Ask Big Questions” where we talked about what “responsibility” means to us. We answered the question, “For whom are you responsible for?” We would tell you what we answered…but what happens with Bus 966, stays with Bus 966.

So as we pack up our 80 articles of clothing, preparing for the scorching heat, possible rain showers, Dead Sea swimming, and cave crawling; we send our love from Northern Israel, and look forward to blogging to you again from the South.

Divas, out, #Bus966problems

By: Joshua Douglas Finn & Rachel Shea Rosenberg

(l to r) Josh F., Josh T., Jessica, Lizzy, Rachel in Tzfat

(l to r) Michael T., Josh F., Noah S., Jacob G. in Tzfat

Wine Tasting with (l to r) Heidi, Jenna, Yoav, Alana, Max T., Max. M. Mike M. Carly and Brittany

Our First Day!!!!

2011-12-20T14:02:00.002-05:00

Today was a great day. We began our experience by having a traditional Israeli breakfast. There was challah bagels, eggs, and even on the more traditional side some cheeses that were rather Israeli typical food. Most of us were unsure of how to adjust to the situation of the food, but they ended up taking it with glory. The day progressed and we progressed north to the Golan Heights. We were each assigned jeep rides! We loved our Israeli drivers. WE saw a memorial to those killed during the 1967 War. We were astonished by the great views of the freshwater Kinneret or Sea of Galillee. Then we headed to a hike, with amazing views. We saw a waterfall and also a “rock bunny” We were all in awe. After we headed to the next moment on our trip. We were stopped by a Israeli military unit moving a cannon across the street, a true Israeli experience! We began driving to the mount Bental, where you can see the different views of Syria and other countries. IT was amazing!! WE ended the day lighting the menorah in Tiberias. We got jelly donuts (sufganiot) too! I am thoroughly enjoying this trip. WE have a great group. Tomorrow’s trip will be phenomenal as well.

~Mara Richman

post Jeep ride through the Goaln Heights! (r to l) Jacob, Jeep driver, Devon, Rebbe, Nina, Jill and Josh K.

(from l to r) Micah, Gabe, Blake, Alex, Dan, Mara, Jeep driver, Dan and Miriam post Jeep ride

Bus 966 in the Golan Heights!

Pictures from our layover in Ukraine!

2011-12-20T13:34:00.000-05:00

Mara, Miriam and Max reading Cosmo!

Max M. and Mike

Rachel and Lizzy relaxing

Bus 937 Climbs Masada and Floats in the Dead Sea

2011-05-26T03:50:00.002-04:00

5-25-2011: It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the wettest of times, it was the driest of times. The day started as many do, waking up in a Bedouin tent with 39 other people and enjoying a delicious breakfast with a high Nutella content. We all still smelt vaguely of camels, but we were excited to get going on perhaps the most eventful day of the entire trip.

Bus 937 drove directly to Masada after bidding our Bedouin buddies goodbye. There was a long wait as everyone applied sunscreen, argued about acceptable footwear, and generally kvetched. We headed up the fortress along the easier of paths available, a steeper yet shorter climb. I managed to crisp my forehead nicely by repeatedly ignoring Nicola’s instructions to put on a hat (sorry, mom) and lose a lot of water by intelligently wearing khakis for the march up, but we all hydrated constantly and reached the apex without incident.

At the top, we explored the old fortress with some impatience as we all felt pretty hot and sweaty. Our lovely (and perhaps omniscient?) tour guide Nicola explicated the history of Massada to the smallest detail. The high point was undoubtedly the simulation of the Roman conquest: Danielle Beer dressed as one of the Masadan Jews as 3 Roman soldiers surrounded her. The story of Masada is actually quite sad, and the group could not agree what we would have done if we were in the same situation as the Jews there. After some picture-taking and water-collecting, we were finished with the top of Masada,

The voyage down was a true test of our mettle. We took the snake path, a winding downward spiral with little shade or flat ground. Our leaders and the people out in front experienced some “creative differences,” but the group slowly made its way to the bottom. A large group of rowdy kids intermingled with us, making it somewhat more difficult to proceed, and we experienced a few turned ankles. We were all very happy to make it to the bottom after what seemed like a decade-long descent, but was probably about an hour.

We headed straight for the Dead Sea, eager to wash off the grime from Masada. Nicola pointed out the topographically lowest McDonald’s in the world as we headed to the lowest place on Earth. Once there, some chose to pay a princely sum for a paltry meal in the cafeteria, while others headed straight out into the sea. Floating around effortlessly was truly a unique experience: I would have had a difficult time submerging myself if I had tried. A number of us opted to coat themselves in mud purchased from the gift shop; I personally figured I could coat myself in mud any time back in the States, but the people who tried it reported an intriguing time. We all washed off the burning sensation from the saltwater and bused out to Ein Gedi, a nature reserve resplendent with life.

The contrast between the Dead Sea and Ein Gedi could not have been starker. Dead Sea, super-saturated with salt, supports no life whatsoever. Eid Gedi, on the other hand, was full of marmots, ibices, and crabs. We hiked the short distance to the small spring we were searching for, and explored the little pool complete with waterfall. It was a refreshing change from the fast-paced action of the rest of the day, but I think we were all ready to get to the hotel as soon as we left the spring.

The trip to our new hotel took far too long, in my humble opinion, but I managed to survive the hour and a half mostly by discussing Michigan State’s Quidditch team. The hotel, once we finally arrived and found our rooms, was really quite excellent. We had one of the better dinners of the whole trip, then headed back to our rooms. I enjoyed a quick Yoga session led by Sensei Sam before meeting up with more friends; we all knew out time was running short. And thus, the party

-Will Hack

Bus 937 Camps with the Bedoins

2011-05-26T03:47:00.002-04:00

Moving on from Jerusalem, Bus 937 made a journey into the desert. The topography of such a landscape is a complete transformation from the city life of Jerusalem. With stark vegetation, and complete sand cover, the desert is miserably hot during the day; yet cool as a cucumber in the evening. Our first stop of the day was at the gravesite of David Ben Gurion, Israel’s first prime minister. The fact that he was buried in the desert is no mistake, for he was the pioneer for development of such a landscape; it becomes clear as to why he chose that specific location, the scenery is out of this world; a desert paradise.

Next on our agenda, was a hike through the Nahal Havarim Wadi. The scenery here was spectacular, and the hike was challenging, yet worthwhile. On the way up, we were able to stop in a cave, which happened to smell like ancient butt. Once we finally made it to the top, we headed to the Bedouin settlement that would be our accommodations for the evening. Upon arriving, we were met with a camel ride. After our mini tour of the desert, we enjoyed a delicious Bedouin dinner, authentically eaten on the floor with a platter shared among your friends. Lastly, we partook in a sentimental evening activity, in which we walked as a group in silence into the desert. It was strange to think about the fact that our forefather, Abraham, had once been in these parts of our Jewish homeland when G-d spoke to him. We were then given a chance to be on our own and have some personal time to connect with Hashem; this was very special. After this enchanting evening activity, we were then prompted to go to sleep whenever we pleased, in a large tent that was split into three sections, one for each bus. It was sababa beans to be able to share this large sleeping area with everyone on our trip, even though the mattresses and sleeping bags had been used in the past. Overall this day was a day that most people will never be able to experience in their lifetimes, and I am truly grateful I was able to partake in such customs.

-Mallory Soffin

Bus 935 says See you Later to our Israelis

2011-05-25T10:31:00.006-04:00

Taglit Birthrigh Israelt: Bus 935 was graced with the presence of eight amazing Israeli soldiers. These individuals did not take long to become a staple within our group. Thanks to Audrey and Dirk’s innovative ice breaker activity, there was a millisecond of the “awkward get to know you” phase. Each Israeli had an astonishing story and a level of maturity that cannot be matched. At birth, each Israeli is thrust into a land with Palestinian conflict, controversy, and the haunting fact that they will be deployed into the Israeli Defense Forces once completed with high school.

These soldiers immediately assimilated into our small community and became fantastic friends of ours. Perhaps the most interesting aspect of our new friends was their ability to converse with us effectively using near perfect English with a strong Israeli accent, of course. While speaking English, they were also able to connect with us in aspects of music, movies, and pop culture. Needless to say, it was easy and most importantly refreshing to connect with the Israelis. Along with connecting through American culture, we were able to connect with the Israelis by revealing our once dormant Hebrew education. Singing popular Hebrew songs learned from past Hebrew camps and Hebrew school and showing we had some sort of Hebrew education did not go unnoticed. The Israeli soldiers were also an important aspect of really seeing Israel. Along with the authentic Judaism we found in the holy land of Israel, the soldiers were a vehicle in getting the full Israeli experience.

Five days later, we had to allow the Israelis to leave us and return to their busy lives. It was an exceptionally emotional goodbye. Knowing that these people the same age as us will have to go back to their respective army bases to continue training and possibly embark on combat missions is terrifying. If we could, we would fly them back to Michigan and keep them in our lives. During the goodbye the soldiers were embraced by the participants with tears pouring from their eyes. It was amazing to see the effect that the dismissal of the soldiers had on the participants. The relationships that we built with the soldiers will stick with us for years to come. We each had acquired eight brand new friends and formed connections with people half a world away.

For me, it will be hardest to leave our Israeli security guard, Ron. Since day one I have connected with Ron. He has been through the army (through hell and back) and is an amazing Israeli. I have never had a good friend that carries a rifle on him at all times, but needless to say, I feel safe when I am around him. Along with the eight soldiers, we will all miss Ron dearly and will anxiously await his visit to the United States.

-Robert Sallen

Bus 937 Final Day in Jerusalem and a Farewell to the Soldiers

2011-05-24T17:32:00.002-04:00

If there is one thing that everyone knows, it’s that Israel is the place of many generations of Jews. It’s hard to think about what would be if those six million Jews did not perish in the Holocaust. Would there be an Israel? Would there still be hate and war? We started off our day exploring this very subject. We left our hotel in Jerusalem and set off for Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Memorial Center in Jerusalem. The magnificence and size of this museum was breathtaking. Every aspect of the architecture was well thought out and had symbolic meaning. As we walked through the beginning to the end of the story of the Holocaust, we felt as if the walls were closing in on us. Not figuratively, but the cement walls were actually becoming more narrow as we approached the end of the museum.

Although everything in this museum was incredible, I would like to touch on two specific memorials. The first of which is considered the memorial of all the people who perished in the Holocaust. Up until this point in time, our tour guide spoke of the Holocaust as a whole, sort of as a broad topic. This memorial was different because it aims for individuality. When we walked in this room, we immediately saw thousands of black binders on the walls of the circular room. These binders contained around four million testimonies of those who died during through this enormous tragedy. Unfortunately, we also saw that there were many empty shelves where two million names of the perished are unknown. We spoke about how the worst thing in life is to be forgotten and these two million people still remain unnamed and undocumented. This really hit us hard. To think that so many people are lost in the midst of everyone’s memories is almost unbearable.

The second memorial or monument I would like to talk about is for the fallen children of the Holocaust. This was easily the most painful monument to walk through. As you walked into the stone cave and hit the darkness, your stomach turned. Five candles were lit in the middle of the mirrored circular room and the reflections in the mirrors looked as if millions of candles were floating in the darkness. Although the millions of candles were an optical illusion, the sensation we felt while walking through this monument was, at the least, overwhelming. In addition, the names of all of these lost children were being said in a monotone voice over the loudspeaker. All we know about these children is what there names are, their age, and where they are from.

As if this wasn’t enough, it was now time to say goodbye to our soldiers. We went to a park to discuss memory in Judaism and all we could think about were the new friends we have become so close with. At lunch yesterday, I asked one of the soldiers if the other Taglit groups were as close to the soldiers as we were. The answer was no. These eight people came to us as strangers and left as brothers and sisters, as best friends. The soldiers on our trip taught us so much. They taught us about their positions in the Israeli army, themselves and their culture and beliefs, but most of all, they taught us about ourselves. We only had them with us for five days, but when we were sitting in that circle, it felt as though we’ve known the for years. When we went around the circle and spoke of our soldiers, so many people shed tears. It was to the point where our staff had to yell for us to get on the bus because no one wanted to leave our new friends. One soldier was so distracted by the teary goodbyes that he forgot his bag in the bottom of our bus. I do hope that our Israelis read this blog and fully understand how much they impacted, not only our trip, but also our lives. I, for one, felt as if these people were already heroes before they walked on this bus because they are the people fighting for this incredible place. But when they changed out of their uniforms, and into their street clothes, they became even bigger heroes in my mind.

Because the first half of the day was so emotionally exhausting, the next parts of our day felt kind of empty. The bus was quiet, and we weren’t as lively when we arrived at the nature reserve for our hike. Although we were occupied with hiking and crushing a spice called hyssub, our minds were to our soldiers that were on their way back to duty.

As a good ending to our night, the entire birthright trip in our hotel met to speak about other opportunities to return to Israel in the future. I would be surprised if one person in the was not considering participating in one of these incredible experiences.

-Dani Gittleman

(Pictures also to follow...)

Bus 937 Lands in the Old City

2011-05-24T17:30:00.005-04:00

Many could consider March 22nd, 2011, the defining day for the Taglit-Birthright: Hillel Bus 937. If described in one word, that word would be “surreal.” We were honored to have Avram Ingfeld , one of the founding members of the Taglit-Birthright program, open the morning with an inspiring speech. He told the story of his journey towards discovering the meaning of being Jewish. His inspiring (and at times comical) story was a perfect way to start this day because for most of us we were just beginning our journey towards discovering what Judaism means to us.

After the speaker, our first stop was at the Theodore Herzel Cemetery. There we learned and paid respect to the heroes of the State of Israel. Whenever the history of the State of Israel is discussed, many names come to mind. Entering the cemetery, we came face to face with the burial places of the heroes such as Theodore Herzel, one of the founders of modern Zionism. As we went further into the cemetery we also came into contact with the burial places of people such as Yitzhak Rabin, Golda Meir, David Ben Gurion and other Israeli heroes. However, what struck a note with our group was walking through the soldier’s section of the cemetery. Upon entering, we were instantly hit the realization of the grave reality of war. Learning the story’s of individuals whom lost there lives in the war and looking at the pictures of soldiers whom many were around the same age as us made us realize how everyone made sacrifices for their homeland. This stop was important for appreciating how important Israel was to idea of having a Jewish identity

The next stop was the entering of the old city and the Western Wall. In Judaism it is customary to pray towards the Western Wall and located in the old city. Being there was what can only be described as magical. From Jews around the world all of their prayers were being directed at us. Thinking about that idea gave us the realization that we were finally “home”. Descending down the path towards the Western Wall was the pinnacle of our journey that day. The wall embodies all the aspects and ideals of Judaism and being at that single spot in Jerusalem could be described by the word I mentioned earlier… “Surreal”.

Finally we ended the night by making a road trip to Tel Aviv for the night to attend a play. What was special about this play was that the actors and actresses either blind and/or deaf. The play was not only brilliantly done, but it was inspiring. The story of the play was about the actors and actresses themselves. They described their dreams of living life to the fullest even while being blind and/or deaf. Each character had a personal story and dream personal to them.

All of the events today sum up an important message that our group learned. The people of Israel love their land and everything about it. We saw sacrifice, hardship, devotion and pure love for the land. The events demonstrated how we as Jews needed Israel and that with love, devotion and sacrifice anything can be achieved. To end this I wanted to stress once again that everything we experienced today was “surreal” and solidified an important aspect of discovering a Jewish identity.

-Scott Tarnowsky

(Pictures to follow...)

A day in the holiest part of the world:

2011-05-23T16:01:00.007-04:00

Today was a day unlike any other and will forever be remembered in my mind. Day seven of our journey through our homeland took us to where it all began in Jerusalem.

We first walked from our hotel to Mount Herzl. This is a special place comparable to that of Arlington National Cemetery for those reading this blog who have not been. This is the burial grounds for not only soldiers in the Israeli Defense Forces, but also the site where some of the most important people in the history of this great Jewish state lay to rest. Theodore Herzl and Golda Meir, perhaps the two most important figures in Jewish history, lay here at this site along with all of their families. For me this was a great learning experience, but for our Israeli soldiers who have joined us for this journey over the past 5 days, this was a monument and a tribute to them as they wore their military uniforms to the site. I personally cannot describe how they were feeling but I can only imagine as there is the possibility of a friend and comrade being buried here.

From there we headed down to my favorite part of this state. That is the old city of Jerusalem. It is a place that is the only one of its kind. We started out going through one of the eight gates that enter the city, passing through the Christian Quarter of the city and into the Jewish Quarter. The Jewish Quarter contained an underground marketplace along with many stops for Judaica and your choice of bagel, pizza, falafel or shwarma. We had an hour or so of free time to explore these streets of cobblestone, grab some lunch and shop for some overpriced t-shirts of sports teams that everyone buys because let’s face it, where else can you find a Detroit Red Wings shirt in Hebrew???

The next part of our day was a venture to, in my opinion, the holiest memorial site in the world. The Kotel is a place where everyone can go to get their prayers and wishes answered by God. God chose this place for Jews, Christians, Muslims to come pray and they say the reason that notes are put into the wall here and not anywhere else is because this is the closest we can get to God and the easiest he can hear us. I had been to this site twice before, but It was not until now that I really felt this connection with god and had a meaningful prayer for him to answer. Back then I was an immature teenager whose main wish to write down was the Red Wings winning a Stanley Cup and the Lions somehow making it to the Superbowl, and I guess the power of the wall worked as the Wings won a Stanley Cup and the Lions are somehow turning it around. But now, five years older, five years wiser, and a lot of turmoil in my life over the past two years, I had lots to pray for. It was such an emotional experience and so moving that I cannot describe it more in words. So many thoughts were racing through my head and it was such a personal moment between God and I that I cried because I knew he was listening. I can only imagine the day I travel back to Israel and back to the Kotel, remembering exactly what happened on this day and exactly where I stood by the wall and had God impart his wisdom on me.

After leaving the Kotel and chatting with all sorts of different types of Jewish people, we headed to the Bill Davidson center and toured this beautiful structure that he donated to the city of Jerusalem. On this tour, we saw other parts of the old temple (the official second temple). Opposite of the Kotel, we stopped and saw a bunch of 2-ton stones fallen to the ground that were a result of the Romans destroying parts of the temple.

Our evening events after showering and dinner after a nine-hour day in a blazing hot sun consisted of something I could only experience in Israel. Our tour guide Yishai took us to a dance studio in Jerusalem. Here we met the owner of the studio who put on a private show for our birthright group. This show consisted of seven dancers performing an art of dance that was very native to the state of Israel, something I had never seen and most likely never will get a chance to see again. These dancers came from all over the world as their accents were very distinct but was so unique is that they all came to Israel to take part in this free and independent art form that is not present anywhere else in the world. The rest of the night consisted of our group of 40 students from MSU, Western, Grand Valley, and U of M become part of what I felt to be a tight knit family as it is currently 12:44am as I write this entry and we have been playing card games, piano, and having fun with each other since we got back to the hotel at 10:00pm.

Tomorrow is going to be a hard day as we say goodbye to the eight Israeli soldiers that have joined us on this journey for five days and saw some of the sites of this great state that they had not even seen before. While they may leave us for now, we all plan on keeping in touch as we have become so close. It’s amazing to think how close our group is getting just now as we move forward to day eight of the trip. It has been the time of my life and I have everyone to thank for this amazing experience.

For now, it is goodnight as tomorrow we visit the Holocaust Memorial Site and start our day at 6:30am.

-Reid Siegel

Everyone listening to Yishai in the Jewish Quarter of the Old City in Jerusalem

Bus 935 in front of the Kotel

Bus 935 Does Shabbat Israel Style!

2011-05-23T15:48:00.002-04:00

Shabbat in Israel was a very exciting time on this trip and defiantly was a life changing experience. I started the night off by choosing to partake in a conservative service so I could compare it back my synagogue at home. It was nice to know that a lot of the melodies were the same. One thing that that made me so happy to be there was that we were actually facing the old city. At home, I face east to pray to the land of Israel. This time, everyone was facing us and sending their prayers our way. We continued the night with an Oneg Shabbat where we got to bond with our group and enjoy Israeli snacks. It was great to spend the night with everyone because the group has become so close over this past week.

In the morning, we got the opportunity to relax by the pool, take a peaceful walk around Jerusalem, and continue to practice the Sabbath as a group. It was nice not worry about what time an appointment is or where all my friends are going that night. One opportunity that I took on the Sabbath was to get another Bat Mitzvah in the city of Jerusalem. I wanted to do this because I thought it would be great experience and something that I remember for a life time. I also felt reconnected to my faith and how I was feeling about Judaism. One Israeli soldier that I got close with read out of the Torah for me so it made it extra special. It was truly a meaningful because I could see how much I was growing. We had to write a speech to give to the group. My speech went as the following:

Before I came to Israel, I lost some of my Jewish faith. I did not feel that great about religion and was only really Jewish because that is how I was raised to be. I went to Friday dinner once in a while but mainly for the social aspect. Judaism was not a big part of my life and sadly, I was okay with that. Being in Israel showed me how much it means to be Jewish. It is not just about believing in G-d or praying every morning. Every person I meet and landmark I see shows me that there is so much history in my religion. People are connected through the Jewish faith and I can truly say now that I am proud of who I am and what it means to be a Jew. I plan on taking my commitment back home. My favorite part of Judaism is Tikun Olam. I love that my religion prides me to help others. Whether is volunteer work or a simple smile, I plan on doing whatever it takes to make the world a brighter place.

Getting another Bat Mitzvah meant so much to me. I was doing this by choice and not because I was told to by my parents when I was 13 or because I wanted a big party where I would receive presents. Shabbat truly showed me that I am growing up and how much this land can teach me. I feel special that I was given that opportunity because not many people can say they had a Bat Mitzvah in Israel.

The night followed with Havdalah services on the roof top. We thought about where we were last week on Shabbat and to where we are today. We looked into the sky and spotted three stars. Next week, I will do the same and will remember the feeling that I felt when I was on the rooftop. No matter where I am, I can always remember that I spent Shabbat in the holiest land with people who I have became so close with.

Shabbat in Israel was a very special day here. It showed me how all the Jewish people can come together and become one. I have become so close with the people on my trip and it was great to spend the day with Israeli soldiers. They are alike me in every way and I will remember what they taught me for a lifetime. I know that this trip will be one of the best times I will ever have in my life and no one can take that away from me. I am excited for next Saturday night where I look up in the night sky at 8:23 PM to spot the first three stars I see.

-Megan Weiner

(Honorable mention: Brandon Lonnerstater and Sam Tokowitz are awesome)

B'nai Mitzvot ceremony

937's Shabbat in Jerusalem!

2011-05-23T08:59:00.002-04:00

Shabbat shalom from Jerusalem! It was absolutely amazing to have the opportunity to celebrate this time in the Holy City. For those of you who have never traveled to Israel, it is imperative to know that literally every business closes from sundown on Friday night to sundown on Saturday. God intended for the Sabbath to be the day of rest, and we definitely did our very best to uphold that ideal.

To start, the majority of us exhausted students slept in. The hotel pool was opened for the first time this summer, and we took full advantage of it. It was so fun to sun bathe and swim with all of the other Taglit Birthright participants. We really took it upon ourselves to completely relax, since we have been experiencing nothing but jam-packed 10 hour-days. There were other options for relaxation, such as a yoga class. You can imagine our excitement at the fact that the first actual mandatory activity wasn’t until 1 p.m., lunch time! Afterwards we were able to chill out for another hour or so, until our activities really started at 3.

It was at this point that we met together as a bus, and had time to really get to know our soldiers. We broke off into smaller groups, and the Israelis traveled from cluster to cluster asking us questions, answering our inquiries, and sharing our laughs. It was wonderful getting to know them better, even though they had already been such an integral part of the trip for a few days prior. We were able to brake down any barriers that there were and truly understand them as friends. After this we were given the opportunity to join some of our fellow Bus 937-ers on their journey to manhood and womanhood, according to Jewish law. Sarah, Katie, Danielle, Gillian, Ruthie and Max all chose to become b’nai mitzvah in Jerusalem. They recited the prayers and wrote out speeches as to what becoming a b’nai mitzvah meant to them. The ceremony was in a room overlooking the Old City, and it was absolutely beautiful to see. After our peers went through their ceremony we walked to a park about 15 minutes away. It was beautiful outside, as it has been for the majority of our stay here, and we were just allowed to play and goof around with friends old and new. Afterwards we enjoyed dinner and then a lovely Havdallah service on the roof of our hotel. All of the students who were b’nai mitzvahed were showcased in the service overlooking Jerusalem at night.

We were then off to Ben Yehuda street for some Jerusalem nightlife. For the majority of us, this meant buying souvenirs for all of our lovely friends and family. The shops open at night after Shabbat ends, and the streets of Jerusalem are filled with people eating, drinking, and being merry. Being able to take part in Shabbat in Jerusalem was life changing, and though this day wasn’t as activity-driven as most, we were definitely okay with it

-Barrie Seigle

Just a soft Shabbat afternoon in the Park.

Walking tour of Jerusalem on Shabbat!

Hanging on the bus after Shabbat!

Night out on Ben Yehuda Street

Bus 937 Enters Jerusalem

2011-05-22T01:06:00.002-04:00

Friday was when the “fun trip” became an “amazing trip”. We all woke up early at our hotel, ate a nice Israeli breakfast, and hopped into our bus. Our first stop was the Kinnerat Cemetery, which was a place along the Kinnerat filled with the graves of some of the earliest settlers of modern day Israel. It was there that we learned about the early Zionist pioneers and their dreams for the state of Israel. It was also a plus for us to have some of the soldiers joining us on the trip (even Dor…J ), because even though our guide was very interesting, they made it even better, offering a different and unique perspective.

On our way to Jerusalem, we passed the West Bank, which was a very interesting part of our trip, because back in the United States, all we know about is what we saw on the news, and the fact is that this area that we were passing through was the center of it all. Truthfully, there were some bunkers and tanks, which we could see, but it was a lot different than what most of us had thought it would be like.

After we passed through there, we entered the city of Jerusalem. One of the best memories of this for us was when we were driving through the tunnel to enter the city, and one of our trip leaders (Sam) got up and right before we entered, he said “Ladies and gentleman, look to the left and you will see the city of Jerusalem.” Immediately, we saw a bright light at the end of the dark tunnel, and we all shifted ourselves to the left side of the bus. While looking at the city that we have heard so much about (but never been too) was an amazing sight for all of us, the looks on all of our faces were absolutely priceless.

After we arrived in Jerusalem, we stopped at Mount Scopus, overlooking the city and all of its beauty. There, we admired the beautiful view with several other Birthright trips, and we all partook in the traditional “schehechiyanu” blessing. But not before we busted out into a crazy, emotional dance session. It was truly a magical experience, not only to see Jerusalem, but to share it with other people, and express it through song and dance.

Next we went to the Machaneh Yehuda Market, where we had about an hour and a half to walk around and just explore. Searching through the market, we experienced tastes and smells that reminded us of something from our childhood while also encountering things that were alien to us. Some of us bought lunch (falafel, shwarama, etc), some bought knick-nacks, and some just stopped and listened to the funny looking lady playing the ukulele at the front of the market.

With Shabbat looming, we checked into our hotel in Jerusalem, washed up, rested, and got ready for a nice and relaxing Shabbat.

A lot of people would agree that today was hands down the best and emotional day of our trip so far. It only gets better from here, and I hear that we may get to sleep in on Shabbat…

-Noah Rozenberg

Bus 937 takes a picture with a beautiful view of Jerusalem

Israeli Dancing

Bus 937 Gets Spiritual in Tsfat

2011-05-20T03:16:00.002-04:00

Today we woke up at the crack of dawn as usual (6:30 a.m.), and went for an early morning hike along the peak of Mount Meron with views of the Upper Galilee. It was chilly when we got off the bus but we were thankful it wasn’t warmer while we were hiking.

After the hike we headed to Safed to meet our eight soldiers that will be joining us for five days. There are five men and three women, all very friendly and eager to join our lively group of Americans. After a quick lunch in Safed, we went to a glass blowing demonstration where an American-Israeli artist Shava Chaya spoke with us about her life in Israel while creating a beautiful mezuzah cover out of glass. Then we toured the spiritual town of Safed and its old synagogues that preserve traditional values and practices.

We ended day four with our last dinner at the hotel, followed by a group discussion about our individual connections with Israel. Tonight is our last night in Tiberias and we’re looking forward to see what Jerusalem has to offer tomorrow.

-Danielle Beer

Glassblowing in Tsfat

Delicious Shwarma Lunch with Rafi

Noah's Great Adventure

2011-05-20T01:47:00.004-04:00

With all the amazing sites we had visited in the past three days, we finally had a chance to experience some of the religious aspects of Israel. Today we had the opportunity to visit the mystical kabballah city of Tzfat. After our scenic drive from our hotel, we came to a city that was breath taking. After an earthquake destroyed the old city in 1837, Tzfat was rebuilt with buildings overlooking the picturesque valleys surrounding it, with winding cobblestone streets to match. The city had a certain sense of calmness even though the town’s people were out in the street, enjoying what was the beginning of a gorgeous day. We began our Tzfat experience by meeting a representative from a local community service organization. She gave us a mission, a Tzedek (Justice) mission. She explained that Israel is very rich in stones, but many areas including Tzfat lack lush green places for the local people to enjoy and relax. She challenged us to help her build a local park, a challenge that would not only help their organization and the city, but an experience that we could apply to better ourselves as well. By working in teams of gardeners, schleppers, and cement mixers, we were able to build upon what other groups had started and laid the ground work for future groups to complete the park. In only a short hour, we were able to make a huge difference in the makings of this park.

After our Tzedek experience, we continued our hike through Tzfat and were able to see amazing scenery the city overlooks. At the end of this hike we had the pleasure of meeting up with eight Israeli soldiers, for girls and four boys, who will be a part of our group for the next five days. We did some ice breakers getting to know each other a bit and then took a lunch break. This might have been my personal favorite day for lunch thus far. Sitting eating delicious falafel, on the top of old city steps that went down the side of the mountain, watching the towns people go about their business, and again enjoying the breath taking scenery could not have been a better way to have eaten lunch, of course ending with some amazing ice cream.

After lunch we continued with a tour of Tzfat. On the tour we were supposed to keep in mind that most everything we saw had some sort of mystical meaning associated with it. Right at the start of our journey we were lucky enough to be invited to a private concert of sorts in a little area off the walking path. Two men graced us with their talents on traditional Israeli instruments; it was a real treat. We then went to visit two synagogues, both attached to unique stories. One had no mezuzah. As most know, mezuzahs are supposed to be placed on the entrance to every Jewish home. Rabbis at this synagogue decided that a home is a place where one sleeps, talks or eats, however here none of this occurred, only praying and worship. We went inside and got to see how beautiful these buildings could be. We continued to another synagogue where there was a special torah. This torah was made in Spain in the 15^th century however when the Jews were exiled from Spain in 1492, the torah was saved and relocated to the synagogue in Tzfat. One night hundreds of years later, all of the kabballistic rabbis in Tzfat had the same dream. They all dreamed that the torah spoke to them and wanted to be reunited to its original synagogue. They met the next day and while all realized this was physically impossible, they used one of the principles of kabballah and changed the reality of the situation. They were able to bring the original synagogue to Tzfat, and the torah was once again with its original home, a truly amazing story.

We then were let loose to explore the market place in Tzfat. It was quite the experience as there were a multitude of small shops to browse though, all crammed together on both sides of the street, with many people trying to walk around the crowded streets. There was beautiful jewelry and artwork displayed everywhere, along with clothing and toy shops. Some people chose to buy things, after dealing with some of the vendors trying to take advantage of the tourist, while some only chose to buy the fresh squeezed orange juice made from locally grown oranges, absolutely delicious! After one more icebreaker-ish activity, we headed to see a local artist who shared with us her journey from living in Denver to making alyiah and living in Tzfat. She explained to us a kabballah belief of how instead of focusing on the negatives in life, if only one positive thing can be extracted from any situation, it can be a looked upon as a positive situation. She shared with us her artwork, which she uses as a release to get through the tough times of war which she has recently had to live through. While bombs are falling on the night sky, focus only on the stars she said, and soon that is all you see. She also shared with us by blowing a glass pomegranate, connecting more with the ideas of kabballah, reminding us to always be aware of our breathing, and how every breath can be a spiritual experience. She was a pleasure to learn from.

This concluded our day in Tzfat, a day in which we all learned so much, Kabballah. Tomorrow we head to Tel Aviv, a place where we expect to experience nothing less than another amazing day.

Shalom,

Noah Zucker

Bus 935 in the Golan Heights

Scott, Rob and Josh looking out over Tzfat


Ari and Brandon schlepping supplies in Tzfat

Bus 935 listening to Yishai, our amazing Tour Educator

Bus 937 Explores the North

2011-05-19T01:27:00.002-04:00

An early wake up caught us off guard; while some woke up too early, others struggled to breakfast. I think we finally are all on Israeli time! Our first stop was to the Syrian memorial where Nikola told us about how Israel was formed and how the 1967 war was won in basically only two days due to the strategic planning of the strong Israeli Army. After the history lesson, we headed to the Israel-Syria border. We all walked up to a lookout where we could actually look into Syria.

After walking through an old Israeli bunker, we headed to lunch. This was the first experience with Shwarma for many of the MSU students. Although the look on some people’s faces suggested that the Shwarma wouldn’t be a hit, the consensus was that everyone was craving more, and I am sure that it wont be the last time we indulge in some traditional Israeli lunch! Post-lunch we headed to a nature hike. It was very beautiful and enjoyed by all of the students.

Our action-packed day ended with a raft ride down the Jordan River. Splashing fights and a race to the finish made this ride great for all. Finally, we headed back to the hotel for dinner and an evening activity.

After this, we hit the Tiberias streets! We walked down the boardwalk and visited the various street vendor stands, and danced at an outdoor nightclub.

All of the students are having a great time and can’t wait for the next activities. Tomorrow, we will meet the Israeli Misgash (Israeli soldiers), who will spend the next few days with us. In addition, we will be seeing live glassblowing! More fun surely awaits – stay tuned.

-Danny Normandin

Bus 937 takes a group picture while exploring the Tel Dan Nature Reserve.

Exploring an Israeli bunker while on the border of Israel/Syria

Students attempt a 10 person pyramid.

INSPIRED BY THE ARCHAELOGICAL DIG AT TEL MARESHA

2011-05-18T16:41:00.001-04:00

Is history read, is it memorized; something to be given a cursory glance and indiscriminately stored in the dark recesses of the mind? No, history is experienced, history is to be seen and felt and grown from the triumphs and failures of those famed and nameless pioneers that set the paths of destiny for the millions that inhabit their legacies. History is not written, it is found by the few that immerse themselves in its undiscovered mysteries, those that bury themselves in its undiscovered mysteries, those that bury themselves in the ancient remnants of their predecessors. Their hands sift through that which others ignore, the perceived filth and clutter of the long forgotten; absorbing all the riches through the dirt walked by the greats that shaped our reality. No, history is not learned, it is unearthed by the people who wish to study that which created the present, those who leave their fingerprints on the artifacts and wonders of the ancestors of strangers and kin alike; the people who create history, by unearthing our pasts.

- MACABLING

Bus 937 Arrives in Israel!

2011-05-17T14:18:00.001-04:00

Right now, everyone on Bus 937 is hanging out in the lobby of a hotel in Tiberius, Israel. You can tell by the dark circles under everyone’s eyes that we are very exhausted by the crazy two days that we have had. The plane ride was long and, thankfully, pretty quiet. The food, however, was another story. When we finally landed, everyone was awake and anxious to get out into the beautiful country of Israel. We got our phones, exchanged all our money, and hopped on the bus.

About 45 minutes later, we arrived in Caesarea, a very Roman part of Israel. We learned about the history of this incredible place and it’s long story of the people who lived there. We saw the hippodrome where people used to sit and watch men race horses and even gladiator fights. Along with these sights, we also saw a theater that, to this day, is still used for concerts and such.

We sat in a circle in Caesarea with all of our new friends and acquaintances and started to get to know each other. While the group is still in the process of mixing the students of MSU and UCF, the people on the trip are great and hopefully relaxing in the hotel for the night will do just that.

-Dani Gittleman

Bus 935 in Israel!

2011-05-17T10:43:00.006-04:00

Our trip began at JFK where we met 216 fellow birthright participants from all over America. We all waited in a tedious line, where we were questioned by El Al employees about our Jewish history. We got asked questions like “where is the origin of your last name?” “What was the last Jewish holiday you celebrated?” and “what is your hebrew name?” before we checked our bags and went through another formal security. We stocked up on food and magazines for the flight, which was ten hours long. The plane was not a double decker, which was a disappointment to some, but there were TVs in front of each person’s seat, offering free movies, TV shows, games, and flight information to every traveler. We were given two meals, a dinner and a breakfast. The service was very good on El Al. Our flight landed around 6pm Israel time.

Day Two

We came off the airplane and were greeted by our tour guide, Yishai, who will be with us for the entire duration of the trip. We got our passports stamped, found our luggage, and received our Israeli cell phones and exchanged American money for shekels. We boarded our bus for a week, which is a nice, air-conditioned coach bus. We left the airport and drove an hour to Ashkelon, where we stayed at Dan Hotel. We learned that this city was mentioned in the bible. After we checked into our rooms, we enjoyed our first meal in Israel! We ate at the buffet in our hotel – it was a lavish Israeli dinner! We had an assortment of meats, vegetables, hummus, breads, and many tasty desserts. Much of the food was new for us to try. We had a brief orientation and ice-breaker activity, where we learned each other’s names and went over more about the trip. When the meeting ended, we all returned to our hotel rooms to go to sleep! It was a very long day of traveling, but we were all so excited to finally be in Israel.

Day Three

We woke up at 6:30am Israel time, packed up our rooms, and had a delicious Israeli breakfast at our hotel before departing. The breakfast had fruit, eggs, yogurts, pastries, potatoes, and many other yummy foods! Our first drive was past the Gaza Strip. We drove down a freeway where we could see Gaza in the distance. We enjoyed looking at Israel’s scenery. Our first stop was Dan Gol, an outpost overlooking Gaza (don’t worry, we were at a safe distance away!). At this stop, we learned more about Israel’s history, and were able to see a landmark in the distance where Gilat Shalit was captured. We learned that pigeons carry messages to and from the base camps, so we were able to write our own messages, attach the notes on the legs of some pigeons, and set the birds free. A few hours later, at our next destination, we received the pigeons (and our messages) which found us at the next place. That place was at Shvil Hasalat, which was the Salad Path. We got to see how Israel grows its produce, which is very environmentally friendly. We were able to taste a variety of tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, strawberries, carrots, and different herbs. We left the Salad Path, and drive for an hour before reaching Kiryat Gat, where we had lunch at a shopping mall. We were able to have real Israeli food- such as shwarma or falafel. There was also a kosher McDonalds, and an authentic Israeli coffee café. After lunch, we drove to the Beit Guvrin Caves. We first participated in an archeological dig, where we sifted through dirt and rocks to look for interesting pieces. Some people found cool pottery pieces or bones! We learned that in a dig here, a girl in a group just like ours found an artifcat confirming the story of Hanukkah, so it’s possible that some of the things we found could be from 2,300 years ago! We traveled through a cave, that was underground and dimly lit. We had to go through small holes and rough terrain as we made our way from the entrance to the exit. On our way out, we were able to take a few pieces of pottery that were rejected by museums (but still really cool) to take home (as long as they don’t make our suitcases more than 50 pounds for the flight home)! From the caves, we drove along the Trans-Israel highway and were able to see a wall that is very important to Israel’s security, as it borders Israel and West Bank. Our next stop is Tiberias, where we will be until Friday. Israel is amazing, and we’re all so excited to be here!

-Sara Nathanson and Marissa Ceresnie

Our first night as Bus 935!!

Brandon, Dirk and Reid digging for artifacts

Matt and Leslie with the carrier pigeons


Marissa, Chelsea (in back), Megan, Taylor and Leslie with their carrier pigeons and messages for hope and peace in Israel

Learning about Israeli agriculture at the Salad Path

ASB Kentucky Appalachians

2011-03-23T10:48:00.001-04:00

Spring break in Kentucky? Why are ten Jewish kids headed to Harlan Country Kentucky? This may sound like an unlikely place for university students to travel, on their spring break, but it was the one place where ten curious students were needed.

MSU Hillel’s Teva program decided to head down to Harlan County to understand the growing issue of mountain top removal. The name says it all. Coal companies take explosives to mountains in order to extract coal in the fastest and easiest way. Like anything else, there is a price to pay when human beings are exploiting nature’s finest resources. Not only are mountains left bare, all the rich soil is unusable, forests are clear-cut and animals are left without their habitat. Even the vast rivers that flow throughout the Appalachian region are contaminated due to the metals that have now consumed the water.

As a student/leader on this trip I expected that the environmental degradation of mountain top removal site would be this extreme, however, I was completely speechless when I came to the area. The community and people have built their lives around the coal industry and now only 11% of the people are working within the field. I was shocked to hear that there are places in our country where the resources are not being protected. Coming from Michigan I have a strong familiarity with our will to protect the Great Lakes. Learning that dangerous mountain top sites are only a hike away from people’s homes left me with the feeling that not only are the resources exploited but the people as well. The air the people breathe is polluted. Their homes are left with a layer of coal filth and worst of all they are in a range were boulders could come crashing down upon their homes. This industry has always been seen as wicked, but now more then ever it seems to have pushed one step too far.

The ten of us from MSU Hillel worked with an advocacy group, Mountain Justice, to fight against coal mining in the area. During this weeklong trip we went to old coal sites and planted 50 trees apiece. We traveled to people’s homes so we could help them in preparation for cold weather. Harlan County is one of the poorest county’s in America and people do not have the means to work on their homes. During these projects we insulated, calked, painted, changed light bulbs and created connections with these people. Tikkun Olam, repairing the world, one step at a time.

Apart from the hands-on learning, we gained understanding of what the people of Harlan County are like. We listened and danced to mountain folk music. Tasted the cuisine of classic fried dishes, hiked in the Appalachian area and watched a number of videos to familiarize ourselves with the atmosphere we were in. Not to mention learned how to drive along the sides of mountains, as wildlife was quickly passing us!

As a representative from this trip, I can account to this life-changing experience. I realize that “life-changing” often gets thrown around but this trip sincerely gave each of us an adventure that we will never forget.

-Nina Patchak
Chair of Teva

Amir's ASB Rhyme

2011-03-15T10:55:00.001-04:00

Lasting Thoughts

2011-03-14T17:39:00.002-04:00

Wow. After going into the week with curbed expectations, having never participated in an Alternative Break trip as a staff member nor a student, I cannot begin to explain what an eye-opening experience our trip to L.A. was. The week was filled with motivational speakers, countless group discussions (probably too many if you were to ask a student), hours of service work in the scorching L.A. sun, and of course, endless amounts of fun.

Our first speaker, Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz, talked about the trip, and asked whether students thought it was a service trip or a learning trip. A majority of students were quick to shout that it was strictly a service trip, but I'm sure if you asked those same students today, their answers would be different.

What is the goal of 4 days of service work in a new environment?
Is the goal to improve the schools and leave a lasting impression on the students we've helped?
Are we doing more harm then help in becoming role models for young kids and then disappearing on a whim?
Is it more beneficial to donate the trips cost to LA schools, which would allow them to afford many more tangible supplies than we created in a weeks worth of time?

These are all questions that we struggled with and discussed throughout the week. Questions that left us overwhelmed, exhausted, inspired, open-minded, and FIRED UP (as the City Year members would say). While I can't speak for anyone but myself, I'd say that after a week of service, it is clear that the service City Year puts together has little to do with the direct effect our work has on the LA community or its students, but to the participants themselves.

WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO WHEN YOU GET HOME?

The afterschool program we participated in at Palms Elementary, stationed in West LA doesn't seem like such an impoverish neighborhood. But when you hear from their principal, who tells you that 84% of their students families live below the poverty line, and 99% of their students live in apartments, some with more than 6 siblings, it brings everything into perspective. The program we worked with, funded by the city of LA for families that can't afford after-school care, employs ONE WOMAN for 60 STUDENTS. 60!

First grade Brandon, whom I helped with his math homework, and couldn't quite grasp the idea of counting by ones, is an anomaly for inner city students across the country. He told me "the police took away his Mom's car," and has to ride 2 buses to pick him up from school. With over-sized classrooms, 3 hours round-trip travel time to and from school, and no after school homework help, how is Brandon supposed to learn?

For kids like Brandon who may never receive one-on-one attention, the effects of our time at Palms Elementary may be insurmountable. As we stood outside during a fire drill on Friday afternoon, Principal Smith had students come to the microphone and explain which of our projects they were most thankful for. As the kids showed their gratitude one by one, it became more difficult for many that spent their Spring Break doing service to refrain from tears (maybe myself included). It is not only the students that we worked to make a difference for last week, but the idea that their are kids like this no matter what community you live in.

The message that I took from this week is that their is hope, but not without us. A week of service cannot end when we step onto the plane to Detroit, because there are thousands of Brandon's across the country, in every community, of every state. After spending the week with an amazing group of motivating, thought-provoking individuals, privileged with the power to make a difference in the world,it left me with one closing thought that a teacher from an LA Charter School told us earlier in the week, "The happiest people are doing the things they love the most."

Follow what you are most passionate about, whether it's health-care, human rights, or education, and we can all make a difference.

So, what are you going to do next?

-Josh Fishman
MSU Hillel Program Associate

Slideshow Recap of ASB LA

2011-03-14T13:56:00.001-04:00

Final Touches

2011-03-13T00:14:00.001-05:00

Today started out just like every other workday of our trip. Unfortunately it was our last day at Nora Sterry elementary school. We started off with PT with our amazing city year crew. We then split up into our work groups and began to finish all of the projects we started at the beginning of the week. My group was fortunate enough to work on the project we started on our first day. We finished putting together the reading benches, re-stained the picnic tables and painted checkerboards onto them for the kids. We then were able to walk around and see all of the amazing projects that we as a group were able to accomplish in such a little amount of time.

Then, during lunch we had a closing ceremony that wrapped up the entire week. City year and Hillel leaders spoke and thanked the entire 100 college students for the work they put in this week. Also, the principal of Nora Sterry spoke to us about how appreciative she, her staff and all of her kids were for what we did to improve their school. We then were apart of the kid’s fire drill towards the end lunch. There, some of the kids came up to the microphone and spoke to us and thank us for the work that we did. It was great to see how their smiles and hear how happy they were that we did this for them.

At the end of the day we headed back to the hotel to get ready for Shabbat. We met up in the lobby of the hotel and headed to Hillel with everyone for services and dinner. We were able to choose between services or discussions that were being held over topics that related to our work this week. During dinner, we were able to meet tons of Jewish students from UCLA and talk to them about our experiences over the past week. After dinner we split up into different groups and had a boundary breaking activity where we learned a lot about other people on the trip. This was a very good way to end the night and close off the week as we entered into Shabbat.

-Jenna Pickman

What's next?

2011-03-12T15:12:00.001-05:00

Terrified…Lost…Enthusiastic…Motivated...These are only a few emotions that can begin to describe how some of us ASB’ers are feeling. This trip has been taken to a whole new level, and it’s safe to say I think some of us are even at a loss of words. As I’m sitting here reflecting upon this overall experience, and our last day with the children at Palms Elementary school, I really am having trouble…It’s difficult to verbalize all of the thoughts and emotions encompassing my brain. I have never, since the day I’ve wanted to be an educator, experienced the emotions I felt yesterday. Some often say that “goodbye” isn’t forever, and with these children I’d like to say it isn’t for me. But as we hugged our kids, turned our backs from names being screamed, and wiped the streaming tears off of our cheek, one can’t help but feel that forever, is forever. I know, along with each and every person on this trip, that the service we have done for these children, and this community the past week, has left an imprint. Some of those kids did not want to say bye to us, and probably couldn’t fathom the fact that we would never be back again. But the question is, what do we do now? We’ve volunteered with these inner-city schools for 4 days, and made a world of a difference. Now, the future is in our hands. We’ve seen how poorly run these schools are, and the lacking beauty of the school’s appearance. From the picnic tables we worked our butts off to create, to the beautiful murals we painted on the walls, these schools have already been transformed. As we sat there on Thursday saying goodbye to the kids, and stood there Friday looking out to all of the beautiful work we created, there were no words. That final day of service almost made me feel like I was hit by a truck; I was lost and confused, yet extremely motivated and FIRED UP! It’s our job as not only future educators, but humans in this world, to create what’s next to come. Together, we need to do something that will make a difference for forever. After all, ASBers, haven’t we learned that together is better than alone?

-Lucy Keller

Day 3

2011-03-10T20:43:00.001-05:00

After a night of reflection our team of volunteers came back to the schools with more enthusiasm, lingering questions, and excitement to start another great day of service. We arrived at the work sites determined to integrate our freshly defined knowledge of what kind of impact we’d like to make and better ways to accomplish our goals.

The day began with our now ritual physical training, surplus water, and sunscreen. The biggest obstacle of our day could have easily been the harsh California heat, rising to around 75 degrees. Although, there was some physical and mental exhaustion the team was able to overcome it with positive attitudes, teamwork, and great conversation. Many of us were able to become a little closer to the city year staff and got a really great inside look on the great organization that planned our trip. As we came closer to finishing the second half of our day we finally able to see some finished products of our hard work. It’s only our second day working on our projects, but they already look great and we feel so proud of our hard work.

The afternoon spent with the kids in the after school program gave us a really fun break. Many of the kids remembered our names and faces and couldn’t wait for us to start playing games with them. It’s really exciting to see all of the relationships that have already formed between the kids and the volunteers, but also scary to think of only having one more day together.

As we filled on the bus to head back there was a lot of excitement for the upcoming night in Santa Monica. We all enjoyed shopping, good meals, and some therapeutic beach time. As a group we all had a great time star gazing, feeling the ocean, and getting to know each other better. To wrap the night up, a few of us grabbed some food at IN IN OUT, the most popular fast food chain in Cali, and made aware of the seriousness of Jay- walking. It’s been an amazing time with a nice mix of service and sightseeing, and I look forward to another great day tomorrow.

-Emily Berlin

Group working on untangling the Human Knot.

Matt repainting an old shed.

Group painting murals inside school

Day 2 in Sunny Los Angeles

2011-03-09T21:07:00.001-05:00

Yesterday we started off the day by going to Nora Sterry Elementary School in inner city Los Angeles. We split up into small groups and began our projects for the week as we tried to better the schools playground area. Within these groups some painted, sandpapered wood, or knocked down an old wood fence. My group, The VanGoughs, started painting the word "Welcome" in many different languages as an entrance mural for the school.

After eating a brief lunch we moved to Palms Elementary School to assist them in their after school program. We enjoyed helping students with their homework, playing outside sports and talking with them and learning about their backgrounds. I connected with a young girl who wanted to play a different game. We got a huge group of students and volunteers together and played a big game of kickball. The students were so enthusiastic about the game and were commenting on how they have never played so long because it was never this fun. They all were so positive and happy to be playing. What I loved was the fact that they all had really great attitudes even though the team I was on was losing badly.

Other volunteers learned things from the elementary school students such as step dance moves and new games. After spending a few hours at the school we went to have another great dinner at Hillel where we had some yummy tacos. We also had a guest speaker who talked about public education in the state of California. We then broke into campus groups and the Michigan State students had a great discussion reflecting on our great experiences so far. We had a great time working with the kids and doing service and we cannot wait to finish our projects and play with the kids more this week!

-Taylor Lederman

Tearing down a wood fence to build a new mural

Ben and Emily sanding wood for new picnic benches

Priming wood to be painted

Our First Day!

2011-03-07T22:40:00.000-05:00

Today was a great day in Los Angeles! The weather was beautiful. We started at the Jewish Home for the Aging. We sang, played bingo and had meaningful conversations with the elderly. They told us how much they enjoyed our company and appreciated the time we spent with them. Many told us that they rarely get visitors and we were happy to be with them for the morning. We had a picnic lunch at a park while listening to motivational speakers including Rabbi Shmuly, Senior Jewish Educator at UCLA Hillel. We learned about the different forms of tzedaka and giving back to our community. We are very happy to be giving back to the community by visiting the elderly and are looking forward to working with and tutoring impoverished children.

-Alana Kingsley and Hannah Stromberg

Raffi recyling!

Hanging out in the park post lunch!

Happy 19th Birthday Amanda!!

Welcome to LA!

2011-03-06T14:36:00.000-05:00

After months of planning and preparing its finally Spring Break! This afternoon, all 29 ASB-ers will converge on Los Angeles. This week will be incredibly busy with volunteering with City Year Los Angeles and the Jewish community of Los Angeles, hearing speakers from the Los Angeles community and time to get a taste of what LA has to offer. (And maybe a celebrity sighting if we're lucky!)

During the week we will be volunteering at Nora Sterry Elementary school and Palms Elementary school. At Nora Sterry we will be planting new landscape, creating an outdoor classroom space, painting murals and more. At Palms Elementary we will be assisting in the after-school programs.

The following blog posts will document our week through the participant's eyes. We hope you enjoy!