the dead sea

Technically, I am not at the Dead Sea. I am dead tired back in Chicago having coffee at a place called Letiza's. I was not smart enough to stock any sort of food or beverage options for my return. So, here I am, out in public with a gross cold very early on a Saturday morning. I arrived yesterday after a short delay at Newark -- I heard later that most flights after mine were seriously delayed or cancelled so I'm glad to have made it back.

I wanted to share some pictures of the awesome Dead Sea and Ein Gedi Oasis. I also wanted to issue this warning about the region to those travelers under 60 and over 16....there's not much in the way of nightlife, or decent food, in the area. I imagine the food situation may have been different at a more frou frou hotel. We were not at such a place. The hotel we stayed at was kinda like a kibbutz without the work and most people ate in the communal hall around 5pm. While not ideal for us, people seemed to enjoy the group atmosphere. On the way there, we saw our first camel. Here he (she?) is.

We ended up having a great night. After dinner we picked up some beer and went down to the beach to hang out. There were people playing music and bbq-ing a little bit down the way. One of the guys came over and invited us to join them. He and his friend had made a bbq for his birthday and there was lots of food left. After messing with us for a bit and claiming that they swam from Jordan with the hibachi in a knapsack, we found out that the two guys, one Jewish and one Arab, are old friends who have worked in the region's hotels together for years.

First thing to note: Best lamb I have ever had. Ever. I wish I had taken a photo. Awesome. Second thing to note: your Jewish mom has nothing on an Arab bbq chef when it comes to force feeding. I think we had three full meals that night. It was very cool to talk to them about their experiences as friends and their thoughts about Israel. Both of them have a deep love for their country--and both seem to see it as thiers collectively--but can't see fighting one another for any of it. It was a very different take than what I had been hearing during the last week. Like most conversations over food and wine, we ended up talking about relationships, one guy was in the midst of a breakup, music and whatever else. It was a warm and perfect night.

The next day, not so warm. We floated about in the salt for a bit and then braved the wind and went to Ein Gedi which was so, so cool. It rained in the afternoon a little, apparently this happens about once a year down there so I feel like we witnessed something special.

We took off for a last hurrah in Tel Aviv in the evening where we went back to a few places we'd enjoyed the first time. It's funny how not getting lost and going to the same place twice on purpose makes you feel like such a local. We also found a few other neighborhoods we missed the first time around.

After that, all airplanes, all uneventful. Next: Sleep. So much sleep.

visiting the partnership region

I spent a day with Judith and Idit from JUF's Jerusalem office. We covered lots of ground in our Partnership region, Kiryat Gat-Lachish-Shafir, in Israel’s northern Negev. We visited an Ethiopian absorption center where the residents had just finished their daily Hebrew lessons and were in their apartments making lunch. This woman was nice enough to show us her home.

We then set off to Nevi’im School to see how the partnership works in the schools—I had no idea what to expect when we got to a classroom filled with 5th graders who had been learning about Chicago, but clearly the impact goes way beyond financial assistance. They were shy about speaking English so I didn’t get to talk to them directly. They put together a great presentation of the work they did including a bound book of drawings representing the partnership between both of our hometowns. The girl who drew this one explained that the apple represents apples eaten for Rosh Hashanah and the picture of Chicago represents how our involvement with her school sweetens all of their lives.

After a great lunch at the Kiryat Gat office, I punched a heavy bag and climbed a rock wall at an athletic center that was converted from an old warehouse. Victoria Ephraimov, Victor Ephraimov and Kochav David began the non-profit organization to help at-risk teens through sports and art.

Designated gifts from the Lavin and Weiner families paid for a boxing ring and new mirrors. I was there the first day the girls saw that their gymnastics practice room had mirrors; they couldn’t have been more excited. The space is home to Israel’s boxing champ (shown here with Vicotr) and an after school program for kids—mostly Russian immigrants. Despite practicing on a basketball court and not having the funds to get a proper (and costly $11,000) mat, one of the gymnasts has gone far on the international scene.

Next: Floating in the Dead Sea and climbing in Ein Gedi

soldiers and kids at risk

Maya and Chuck from JAFI were kind enough to bring me to some of the JAFI/JUF-funded programs near Jerusalem. Maya brought me to visit some soldiers in the middle of Nativ, a multi-level educational program soldiers can complete during their service.

They learn about Israel’s history and Judaism (most are new immigrants from the Former Soviet Union and have varying levels of involvement with Judaism prior to the program).
Chuck and I set off for the Hadassah Neurim Youth Village—a high school and technical college for children at risk—sponsored Hadassah and The Jewish Agency. For the kids who live and study here, this is pretty much a last chance. Director General Nachum Katz’s mission is to get these kids to dream. He told us that most have lived in poverty and have gotten into a lot of trouble.

On the afternoon we were there, these kids were awarded stipends from a local charity. One of these boys comes from the former Soviet Union—he ended up at the village after both of his parents were killed in an anti-Semitic attack.

This woman, pictured with Katz and one of the kids, lives with about eight of the boys and serves as kind of a guardian and counselor. She and her own family, including three more boys, have a home adjacent to the boys'--both sides of the house have access to a shared kitchen and family room. Everyone eats breakfast and dinner together. For many of the students, this is the first time they have had a family dinner to make it home in time for.

Next: Really sweet kids from Kiryat Gat love Chicago and a little boxing.

off the tour bus!

Tel Aviv is awesome. We had a great weekend here hanging out, walking, checking out Jaffa, scoping graffiti and sitting on the beach. Not much newsworthy but here are some photos...

On Friday night we wandered down to the end of the beach to join the locals in an unofficial start of Shabbat celebration--lots of drumming and sunset watching. On the way, we stumbled across this "I heart Israel" message in the sand.

Next: Back to Jerusalem to hook up with JAFI and the ladies of JUF’s Jerusalem office.

the north

Traveling with a soldier who also is a farmer in the Upper Galilee region, we took the back roads up to the Yakinton outpost on the northern border. While we were driving, he explained that a few months ago we never would have been allowed on the road (the other side of the fence pictured here is Lebanon).

We stopped in the residential area of Shtula where he showed us an engine from a Katyusha rocket--the wings on either side unfold as they are launched. We also went into a bomb shelter outside of one of the first homes to be hit. More than 15 people would pile into this small space for days at a time waiting for news that it was safe to come outside. Many people who live in this area received JUF-funded week-long respites at hotels in central Israel. Being in the shelter for 10 minutes was enough. I can't imagine being there for days without knowing when I could leave.

Before reaching the military base we were scheduled to visit, we paused at the spot where three Israeli soldiers were kidnapped last summer. I spoke with a man who lives in the area. He saw me looking at the flag and taking a picture of the wild Jerusalem flowers growing beneath it and pressed a piece of metal punctured with bullet holes into my hand. He said something like, "for you" and I felt as if he wanted me to bring it back and show people. As we continued up the road to the base, we passed soldiers driving in a Hummer similar to the one that was ambushed. They waved and seemed at ease.


Once at the base, we climbed up to the outlook area and looked out at Lebanon and the snowy Mt. Hermon. It was a really interesting trip--like so many other aspects of the MASA week we were taken into places that most tourists never see and talked with people most tourists never meet.

This weekend: Relaxing and scouting in Tel Aviv and a break from scheduled touring.

Gaza + Sderot

About half an hour before we arrived at the Gaza outpost, kassam rockets landed near the tower you can see in the photo. From what we heard, they were fired from an evacuated settlement and four people were injured. Frankly, I am glad I didn't know that until we got back on the bus.

When I called home later in the day to let people know I was okay, there had been no news of the attack. It's hard to imagine that I am in a place where rocket attacks are not news--harder still to see the impact living so close to Gaza has on nearby residents.

On the way to Sderot, a town that has been heavily hit, we were told that if we heard a siren we'd have about 15 seconds to find shelter--one of our guides pointed out which stores had concrete rooftops and suggested them as good options. This was the only time since I have been here that I have been scared. I think it was less the threat and more the air in Sderot.

In addition to many closed stores, the town simply felt heavy. I talked to a couple of business owners. The man pictured below runs a clothing shop near an outdoor market said, "It's been difficult. People are scared and will not go out to shop. It's quiet today but the residents suffer all the time and you should see how the people run." About 30 people can cram into his shop during attacks.





Next: Visits with MASA volunteers, the northern border, Tsfat and more.

A quick night in Tel Aviv

We spent our last day in Jerusalem running around like crazy people. We hung out at the Jerusalem Post's office and chatted with some interns on a year-long Career Experience trip with MASA.

I put on my grown-up lady clothes for a visit to the Prime Minister's office and a meeting with Zeev Bielski, Chairman of the Jewish Agency for Israel, one of JUF's primary Israel beneficiaries. I'll save the news about the actual program for the MASA story. We ran off to lunch with participants of the Young Judea program and made our way to Tel Aviv.
We arrived a bit late in Tel Aviv and our walking tour of the old city was cancelled. I'm planning to check that out next week during part two of the trip because I really liked the Old City in Jerusalem. After dinner with some Chicago-area MASA participants, the MASA journalists headed out for a drink at Mike's Place.

We were hesitant at first because it seemed so ... American but, a member of the group had seen a documentary about the suicide bombing that took place there in 2003, killing three and wounding 50 and had heard it was actually a really cool place. I wasn't surprised to see that there was no trace of a bombing--the attitude here is hard even to fathom. The ability to live in danger every single day and start over when things happen is half shocking and half refreshing. The only reminder came when I tried to give the security guard my ID to check instead of my bag to search. I would love to say that the band wasn't playing "Hound Dog" as we were sitting down but that would be a lie.

I caught some pre-bus daylight. Here's a picture of Tel Aviv. I can't wait to get to that beach!

Next time: Being a little scared near the Gaza Strip, talking to business owners in Sderot and visiting students in Be'er Sheva.

Masa, or the reason I'm here

I realize that I haven't actually written much about MASA yet even though I spend large chunks of each day visiting participants in the organization's numerous programs. There a lot to take in for us first-time visitors.

The participants--mostly young Americans--live within Israeli communities, have great perspectives on Israel and numerous reasons for being here, it's hard not to want to talk more with locals. There also are tons of different long-term programs.


With so much to share about these participants, MASA's organizational structure and the way the organization works, I am pretty sure it would be one very long post. I'm gathering the goods and will report back in a more formal way about this group. For now, here are a few pictures of some of the people we've met.

Okay, this is not a MASA participant. It's a fire hydrant that I think looks like a rabbit.



Coming soon: Tel Aviv, Gaza and a Wandering Jew

quick observations from the old city

We spent Saturday afternoon and night walking through the Old City and visiting all the religious hot spots: the room where the last supper was (it was heavily populated by stray cats and tourists from Japan and England), the Western Wall and the kotel tunnels.

There was so much to take in; a call to prayer from the mosque followed by church bells, the new smells at nearly every turn.

I hadn't really thought about how being there would make me feel. When I walked up to put my paper in the Wall I literally felt my heart shake and my eyes welled up. I'm not sure where my reaction came from--the Wall, the history, the intensity of the people around me, the moment I took to write on a piece of paper and the time I spent thinking about the people I was writing for...I don't think I need to be sure.

After an outdoor pizza party we walked through the kotel tunnels. While I did enjoy the tour, I have a slight fear of small spaces, no sense of spatial relations and no knack for engineering so I spent a lot of time trying to figure out the logistics and not get smooshed.

I feel like I have been here much longer than a few days and have to pack up to go to Tel Aviv after stops at the Jerusalem Post and the Prime Minister's office. I'm looking on the schedule for downtime and there isn't any. I'm looking forward to getting a chance to actually think more about some of the conversations I have had and some of the people I've met.

the optional day (drinking and walking)

It's been a crazy few days--a crazy few days without an internet connection. There's lots to report so I'll split it up.

I was sure I was too tired to go out Friday night. I was wrong. My new pal from Atlanta (when I come home saying, "Shalom y'all" you'll know who to blame) and I started in the hotel bar like good little tourists. We drank local wine with local people and then joined the rest of the MASA group for drinks.

Joining us was a girl from NY who recently made alyaih. I asked her how big a role religion played in her decision. She said she thinks that being here itself is a mitzvah and that being Jewish wasn't part of the actual decision-making process. I think it will be interesting to talk with the MASA program participants about why they are here and how they made the decision about how long to stay.

We spent the next day hearing about local politics from Gil Hoffman of the Jerusalem Post (a Northwestern alum and originally from Chicago) and then headed to the Old City. The rest of the day was overwhelming and kinda ruined my ability to write about what happened earlier in the day... so check the next post for my impressions of the Old City, the Western Wall and the Kotel Tunnels.

(Also, I swore that I'd get off the Elvis thing but one of his songs was playing in this bar we were in. Just saying.)

how i got here: jerusalem day 1

Way before I knew about the MASA sponsored media mission to Israel, I decided to celebrate my 30th birthday (last week) by visiting the holy land for the first time. For me, that meant a trip to Memphis, Tenn. Without going into too much detail about my love for Elvis, I will say that it dates back to the winter of 1976 when my parents went to see him perform one of his last concerts. My mom was pregnant at the time, so I was there too.

A few days after booking the tickets to Memphis, I was invited to visit another--and most would argue holier--holy land, Israel.

I grew up in what would have been an interfaith household if not for the lack of faith being actively practiced on either my mom's Jewish side or my father's Catholic side. Over time, I ordained my own holy places: A bench in Chicago's Art Institute in front of the Chagall windows, my parents' dining room table and Goose Rocks Beach in Kennebunkport, Maine. These are my places.

But so many people have a gut-level, spiritual connection to Israel and a lifelong dream of coming here. On the flight to Tel Aviv from Newark, I sat next to a journalist from Orlando who was also making her first trip to Israel. As we landed, she said she felt like she was finally coming home. I assume many others on the plane were realizing similar dreams. Weeks ago, bogged down in my fear of flying and difficulty planning logistics, I had my first dream about Israel: I awoke, hot and startled by the smell of cumin and coriander in my nose. I was dreaming that I was being rolled in spices and deep-friend like a falafel.

I was more stressed out than serene when I got on the plane--and then something happened. The song being piped into the planewas, "Stuck On You" by none other than Elvis Presley. I really don't know what to make of it but I assume it's a good sign.

More to come on my eary days in Israel....for now, check out our hotel (this is one of many awesome views), a visit to a market (these little clocks appealed to me) and continuing jet lag (for everyone's benefit I didn't photograph that).