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).