Bus 935 says See you Later to our Israelis

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

A day in the holiest part of the world:

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!

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

Noah's Great Adventure

                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

INSPIRED BY THE ARCHAELOGICAL DIG AT TEL MARESHA

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

M

Bus 935 in Israel!

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