A recent conversation

Hi all,
I recently had a conversation with an old friend who had a lot of good questions.  Here is an excerpt from our conversation. It was really thought provoking for me and I was glad to have a reason to be concise and talk about what I really think.


"I hope all is well, and I hope you're safe....There is a video... I want you to see... Israelis gathering together and wishing death on all Arabs, and making remarks against the religion. By no means am I in favor of Hamas or any other terrorist org alike, but I am for human rights, and I have been reading up on a lot of people being killed in mosques while praying, kids, mothers, the elderly being killed in schools and civilian residences. Not to mention settlements being built through Palestinian settlements. Many believe that Palestine isn't recognized as a nation just so Israel can "defend" itself by any means necessary and not face any repercussions. Today I read about several UN members being killed by Israeli rockets. Again I want to say that I am by no means for the side of Hamas, just for human rights! Hope to hear from you soon, be safe!"


My response: " In response to this conversation, living here in Israel has been really difficult. I'm here for the first year of Rabbinical School-- it's been fascinating so far. I saw this video a few days ago. Noticeably, in the title it says "Kahanist (neo fascist) demonstration" Also, if you read a bit further, it explains that these people were outside an anti-war demonstration being held by the IDF. The Kach group is actually considered a terrorist organization throughout the state of Israel. So, although I am not pleased to see this video by any means, it does not hold too much weight for me because this is a fundamental radical group that is not even considered Jewish. Just like in Islam and Christianity there are right wing fundamentalist groups, Judaism has those factions also. 

Unfortunately, extreme fundamentalism is a big part of this conflict, and this is why I find myself feeling very uneasy about people posting videos and articles on both sides. It's all fundamentalist propaganda made by someone to show evil in another group of humans. I also believe there is a human rights problem here. It is not okay to kill innocent people (on either side) and from what I understand from the people I know who work in the government here, many precautions are taken to avoid this. People are called, leaflets dropped, schools are warned, Gazans are given usually about 10 hours notice before something serious happens, where as in Jerusalem we hear the siren and then have 60 seconds to get out of harm's way. I would also suggest that the IDF absolutely isn't perfect. There are lots of problems with this ground operation, and if I had a solution on how to stop this, I would give it. I do know that Palestinians who are warned about the next Israeli moves are threatened by Hamas, who tells its citizens frequently to stay put and that if they abandon their homes or other places as Israel warns and they are found after this, Hamas will kill them and their families. Also, Palestine is recognized in both foreign and domestic law as a nation. They have a "special observer" seat in the UN. Most people here in Israel do recognize the legitimacy of Palestine. I think it's absolutely a problem that the West Bank is still occupied. It's not acceptable that Israel gave the PA control and then went back on her word, continuing to build there. However, I think it's important to mention that Gaza hasn't been occupied for 9 years. There was a complete military withdraw and because of this, a terrorist organization is governing this land from Qatar, with little to no thought about the repercussions for its civilians. 

I am afraid for the lives of all Palestinians right now. I am terrified for those who just want to live their lives. I am frightened by how much hate speech is flying all over the world. I am so mad that a place that is supposed to be considered holy by all three Abrahamic religions is under such fire. I'm mad that Hamas has launched rockets toward Jerusalem and some have landed in Palestinian villages and killed people. I'm also so scared about the future of brotherhood. Across the world right now, people are yelling things about death to the Jews or Arabs. I am worried that my grandchildren and yours will be brought up in a world full of hatred for each other. Know that people here, the non-extremists who you don't see on the news, are terribly worried for the tragedies in Gaza, the human rights violations on both sides. People in Israel aren't walking around with blinders on. MY experience has shown me that so many more Israelis care about the loss of life than I would have expected. Sorry this is so long, I wanted to give you a detailed and factual account based on my experience here so far. Be well, and keep in touch!"

I just wanted to put this out there, for people who have similar questions.  
Let's pray the ceasefire is permanent this time. 

The Matzav (The Situation)

I came home sick today from Ulpan (stomach stuff... it's going around) so I decided to catch up on some writing.
I know that people back home are being bombarded by news from all sides. None of the news at home is very balanced. It's not just a right wing bias (which there is) but also a left wing bias.
There are quite a few ways to attack this issue, so I'm going to do my best to give you the most balanced report I can in the only way I know to be organized: list form.

1. Things in Jerusalem are relatively calm. The tension is palpable as people are saying goodbye to their friends, neighbors, children, cousins, siblings, parents as they are called up from the reserves to  go to the frontlines Many more people are walking around in uniform than just the young adults like usual. However, thank God, we haven't heard a siren for a week or two, and people are pretty much living like normal. They are out in cafes, shopping, going to the market, hanging out, etc. So things pretty much feel like every other day. Something I have noticed about Israelis is the way they all take on the sorrows and issues of the country. All people are feeling heartbreak and loss for the young soldiers who were killed.  Everyone is carrying the burden, not just the families of the dead. This is so interesting to me. I can see how this is an easy phenomenon because everyone has to go to the army for a little while, so these men could really be any relative or friend.

2. The situation here is generally complicated. Many cease fires (hafsakat eish== smichut!) have been offered and for about 6 hours Hamas agreed to a humanitarian cease fire to allow for aid to get into Gaza, although during that period they were still launching rockets. Nothing has been accepted by Hamas, though Israel has agreed to all the options offered by Egypt.

3. I am noticing people offering their opinions of "The Conflict" although they are not here right now or have never been here. I'm seeing tons of biased articles written and posted on facebook on both sides of the spectrum, and I am struggling to figure out what my responsibility is as far as responding. I can only give my perspective, but because I am here experiencing this, I hope I can shed some balanced light on this issue. 

4. Facts:

• Gaza is not Israel any longer. It is not run by the Israeli government, or occupied in any way. There are no settlements in Gaza, there are no Israeli Jews left there. In 1994, Israel granted the right of self-governance to Gaza through the Palestinian Authority and in 2005, Israel unilaterally withdrew from the whole of the territory. In 2007, Palestinians held an election and since then the Gaza Strip has been de-facto governed by Hamas.
• Hamas's main leaders are not in Palestine at all. They govern from Qatar. They don't see the havoc and chaos caused by Israel's reaction to their rockets. They don't see the blood and death. People are killed and houses destroyed by the IDF as a military reaction to the rockets sent over by Hamas.
• The West Bank is occupied. There are settlers there, though the government is the Palestinian Authority, the airspace and borders are controlled by Israel. 
• (If you want more historical information, I found this Wikipedia article to be actually quite helpful. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Israeli%E2%80%93Palestinian_conflict)

• Hamas is recognized as a terrorist organization by many countries. It has three branches: military (al-Qassam... like Qassam rockets), government, and humanitarian/social welfare. The reason that Hamas is so well liked in Palestine is because their welfare wing has built schools, hospitals, and support to people whose family members die in the name of the cause stated in their charter to "obliterate" Israel and all Jews.   

5. I believe that Israel has a right to defend herself from attack, just like any other country. I have been giving this hypothetical example(it's a little goofy, but I think it works.) If Ohio seceded from the US and extremists started launching rockets from Youngstown into Pittsburgh in order to rid the area of Steeler fans, the USA wouldn't just sit around and let Pittsburghers get killed. Because Ohio is (in my hypothetical situation) no longer a part of the US,  there would likely be a military invasion into the country of Ohio to destroy all the rocket launchers and terrorist cells of extremist Ohioans that formed after the secession.  (PS: Thanks OH for being my example. I love you!)

6. There are some serious humanitarian questions here.  Innocent people are being killed, people can't move freely throughout Israel or back and forth from Israel to Palestine. It's not good. In recent days people have been comparing the numbers of lost lives on both sides and saying that Israel has taken so many more lives. It is factually accurate to say that indeed more Palestinians have been killed. However, Hamas has launched attack after attack on Israel.  I am the first one to volunteer to say that I don't think it's okay that Israel is still a presence in the West Bank. Once the agreement was made that this area would no longer be Israel and would be Palestine, Israel should have left.  However, what keeps the death toll of citizens so dramatically low in Israel compared to that in Gaza is that it is THE priority of the government to keep her citizens safe. If not for the Iron Dome, rockets would have killed hundreds of thousands of Israelis by now. Israel seems to be doing her utmost to keep her citizens out of danger. This includes foiling plans to terrorize Israel by arriving in tunnels built underneath the border of Israel and Palestine. From what I have seen, Hamas's priority is not the protection of the people in Gaza, but the destruction of Israel and Jews.

7. What worries me even more than what's going on here in Israel on both sides, is the anti-Semitic nature of the demonstrations around the world. In the last two days, 700 people were killed in Syria, yet activists aren't calling for #freesyria and staging "die-ins" in front of Syrian embassies. Around the world, in places which used to be safe for Jews to practice freely, more and more large gatherings against Jews and Israel have formed. There was basically a pogrom in Paris this past week, as hundreds of Jews were trapped in a synagogue by Hamas supporters.  Now, French Jews are fleeing as stores are looted and fires started in Jewish owned buildings and schools by these groups. In London, Boston, and New York, people are demonstrating en mass, chanting hate speech such as "death to Jews" "gas the Jews." Notably, the slogans aren't about "death to Israelis." The anti-Israel groups are growing more and more anti-Semitic. I feel, it is my responsibility as an American Jew to stand up for Judaism. We've gone through this before. It is in recent history that this kind of hate led to the extermination of 6 million Jewish people.

I do not believe that one needs to agree with the Netanyahu government or support Israel's actions. In fact, I believe it's okay to oppose all military action that Israel has taken. I am an American who whole heatedly disagrees with our various foreign wars and the killing that was done in the name of defending our freedom and yet I am still American. What I do want to emphasize, however, is that it is NOT okay for hatred of Jews to be spread. It is NOT okay that Jews, especially those in America, have not unified their voice and spoken out as one against the hatred that is being spewed toward us. It's NOT okay to apologize for the existence of Israel. It's NOT okay to allow this kind of antisemitism to continue to grow. As much as I may agree or disagree with what's happening on the ground here, I do not think it's acceptable to be quiet about the hatred of Jews stemming from propaganda and social media.

In order for Judaism to thrive, it is imperative that we apply our Jewish values to all areas, and this includes speaking up where there is a wrong. I don't like the way Palestinians are treated in Israel. I don't like the idea of people feeling like refugees in their own land. I don't like the racism and blatant ignorance demonstrated here toward the Palestinians.

I also don't like the disregard for human life demonstrated by Hamas on a regular basis. I don't like that this tiny New Jersey- sized nation is constantly under scrutiny by people who just don't know all the facts. It is important to speak out for the human rights of all peoples in this country. However, without the perspective of history from both sides, I do not feel that activists should speak out the way they are-- spewing hatred against all Jews.
It's our job to get informed to make conscious, educated decisions regarding this matter. Being here, in Israel gives me a clear view into what its like for both peoples.

I hope someone in internet land found my writing helpful. It has been extremely helpful to me to write this all down. If, after all this, you want to do some more reading by people much more educated than I, I suggest these two articles:

http://time.com/2982215/israel-gaza-casualties/  written by the former head of the Union for Reform Judaism

and http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/the-israeli-genocide-in-gaza/
 

Updates from the Holy Land

Hi everyone!
I'm sitting in the lovely Nocturno cafe, writing this after a lovely hummus filled lunch. Today I did Yoga, worked out on the elliptical, went to Biblical History lecture, hung out on campus... it was a very busy day and it's only 3:25!

The Matzav (situation) here is pretty calm despite what you may have read in the news. It turns out that life here is much more complicated than "everyone should sit down and work this out." It's been really important for me to learn that it's not such a simple issue. The past weeks I've gone from "why are we here?" to "I'm so lucky to be here." I'm not sure when this switch happened, but I was just expressing to my lunch buddy how much I am looking forward to taking home everything I'm absorbing and figuring out something concrete I can take home and craft into my opinions on Israel. It's been easy for me to say "the issue is too complicated, it's not my problem, it's so far from here, I shouldn't think about it." No longer can I put my hands up and shrug regarding Israel. Things here change day by day, but I am starting to get more comfortable with my role here as an America woman.

We started classes this week and have had three extremly intensive days of Hebrew, three long and intense Biblical history lectures. The Hebrew has been so wonderful-- an in depth review of the things that were stored far back in my memory.  I'm catching on quickly, I'm listening and understanding people I'm remembering words and phrases. It's been really great. I miss my Pittsburgh life so terribly, but I am feeling very excited to build a community here.


I have been thinking about little else other than my Bubbe the past few days. It's been on my mind a lot that it was a year ago already that she was diagnosed with Lukemia. I can't honestly believe that she is gone. It is weird that I won't be with my family to mark this occasion together. I'm trying to come up with the right words for this whole thing to share with my family while they are all together. I am struggling to do this, but praying that eventually the words will come.   I have been thinking of little else. I know she would be so proud of me, and she is rooting for me.

Here are some photos of some things!

Car covered in grass (turned out to be astro turf) on Hillel St.

Worlds biggest cabbage of ever, ever. I wish I had taken something for scale. but it's GIANT. Opposite of Brussels Sprouts.

The dancers I saw last week in the middle of a square plastic wrapping themselves.

Goat on a spear is art.

MY STREET!

three olive trees on these huge pillars to represent the monotheistic religions. out near Ramat Rachel overlooking Bethlaham.

On the right is Bethlaham. Very interesting.

This statue is in my neighborhood. they forgot to finish it? No head!

 This is the view from the MOVIE THEATER. It's the Gehenon valley.

 This is my favorite cafe in Israel so far. It's called "Tmol shelshon" which literally means yesterday and two days ago. It's a book store/ cafe/ delicious lunch spot.

 This is the window of the YMCA where I go to the gym. I walk past it and every time I think of Bub. How Bubbe is this really? It looks like her colbalt blue glasses.

We all know I love greenbeans. These are beans that love me back. And finally, a bagel place named for some of my favorite people.

Blog posts I haven't written-- all combined!

I wrote this on Tuesday night, but decided to postpone after the bomb shelter incident.  Today was the third day of orientation! I have this feeling that this is absolutely the right program for me: everything I learn I'm interested in, all the people around me are just as nerdy about Jewish and Biblical history as I am, my classmates all want to sit around and talk Judaism all day. I've found my niche-- these are my people!

Other things: I've attended some really INCREDIBLE lectures over the last week on subjects which varied from Abraham Joshua Heshel's views on prayer and song, a Shalom Hartman Institute panel on the future of North American Judaism with keynote address by the new President of HUC-JIR along with remarks made by one of my favorite rabbis of all time, and yesterday a lecture by Yossi Klein HaLevi, author of Like Dreamers, who raised excellent points about being a diaspora Jew and how we and Israeli Jews should approach one-another.  If you haven’t read this yet, you should. It’s really interesting.

I finally (FINALLY) got my curtains hung up in my room, thanks to the generous lending of a drill by some classmates. (The Zives also lent me a sheet to put on my mattress because, for the last week, my clothes have been stuck in the washing machine. An update on this—the tech took the door off the machine but everything in there smells horrible because I did the laundry over a week ago, so I will need to re-wash somewhere else until he brings us back the door.) 

Yesterday we took our Hebrew placement exams. I didn’t place quite where I would’ve liked, but I am very confident that this summer of study will allow me to move up and beyond anything I could’ve hoped for.  We also studied some serious text for our first time as a group. I am excited to do more of this, but I also find it super intimidating and overwhelming. I’m excited to learn more and nervous as well.

I’ve also been fortunate enough to spend some time over the last two weeks with Rabbi Gibson. We had time to eat meals, study, talk, sing, and walk together. (We walked just about 2 miles on Wednesday evening. It wasn’t on purpose, but I was really glad to catch up with him!) I also saw all of Sara Stock Mayo’s family (which was lovely!) and am planning to see Rabbi Talve from my grandparents’ congregation in St. Louis. It’s so inspiring to have such incredible Jewish role models in my life and be able to consider them friends and colleagues now. I didn’t realize quite how homesick I was feeling until I said goodbye to JAG on Wednesday night. It was nice to have him here because it was like a little piece of home. We are supposed to be getting comfortable with feeling uncomfortable (except where safety is concerned… then we are supposed to feel exactly comfortable.) I am missing my friends, my family, my friends like family, and Pittsburgh. Today, as I walked home from the bank, I saw a guy in a Pirates hat, which made me smile. I love Pittsburgh, especially in the summer. I am missing all the comforts of home and being around people who I know love me.

I am hoping to start building a community of my own, relying on those who are on this journey with me to become my new friends and support. I am so lucky to have a great roommate who is a like-minded woman with whom I get to debrief and chat about all of our thoughts on Israel and being here. In fact, we just cleaned the floor together! It was really exciting! (Swiffer would make HUGE money in Israel. They should seriously think about coming here. We just spent an hour with soapy bleach water and a falling apart squeegee. Seriously, Swiffer—think about the business you could do!)

As far as the situation here, I want you to know I don’t feel unsafe. I know exactly how to react if a rocket siren goes off. I know how to react if I'm at school, at home, on the street, in a random neighborhood. I know what to do, so I’m not afraid for my personal safety. In Jerusalem, we are lucky because we have 60 seconds to find shelter when we hear the siren, as opposed to the southern 40 km around Gaza that only has 15 seconds.

I haven’t quite gotten a handle on things.  I don’t know that I ever will. I have learned that my idealistic viewpoint as a Western (diaspora) Liberal Jew that “everyone should just sit down at a table and work this out and stop fighting” is naïve. However the Western (diaspora) Orthodox view of Israel and the conflict   “it’s our land and not theirs and we are victims of this attack” isn’t right either. Yossi Klein HaLevi expressed a thought that I found really interesting. He said something along the lines of expecting more shame about the situation from the Orthodox world and less shame from the Liberal world.  That right wing Jews should attempt to identify more with the Palestinians and left wing Jews should be more concerned with identifying with Israel.

 He talked about the two track conversation that world Jewry should be engaged in: that Israeli Jews should express to Diaspora Jews that they understand the human rights concerns and moral issues with war. Diaspora Jews, however, should express to Israeli Jews that they understand and are cognizant of what Israel is up against and how serious the conflicts are here.  There is a double-edged fear here: that there won’t be a Palestinian state and that there will be. One of the other things he discussed is the reaction that we used to be able to get away with that “Jews don’t do…” (Some lies that have been told in the past have been: “Jews don’t get AIDS, Jews aren’t alcoholics etc.) Once those Jewish extremists burned 16-year-old Palestinian Mohammed Abu Khadier alive, we could no longer make the argument Jews don’t kill their fellow humans. Where does that leave us?  I’m not sure, except to say it’s not correct to categorize all Jews as Israeli and all Israelis as Arab-haters just like it’s not acceptable to categorize all Arabs as Muslims and all Muslims as Jew-haters. Each side has an obstacle they must hurdle in order to sit down and make peace again. Palestinians have the “right to return” law to overcome and Israelis have Jerusalem.

Where does this leave me? I’m not totally sure. I do know that I am REALLY excited to learn more, to improve my Hebrew, to put myself out there.  I actually went to a pro-peace anti-racism rally this past week where we sang, prayed, listened to speakers and chanted for peace.  (check out my next post for various pictures.)

 I am praying, praying praying, for peace here. Not just a ceasefire for now, but real peace that comes from within from both sides.  I hope each side is able to recognize the humanity of the other. 

I pray for a Shabbat Shalom, a peaceful Shabbat, here and throughout the world.

Last Night's Events

Hi all,
I'm going to start with the stuff that most of you have already heard about. Look out for a few posts coming soon with pictures and thoughts on being here. I have a lot to share but I need to express in my own words what happened tonight, so bear with me.

Yes, there was a siren sounded in Jerusalem meaning there were rockets sent our way. Yes, I took shelter, and yes, I am now safe at home in my apartment. I have very little fear for my safety. Unfortunately, Israel is an expert at keeping her people from rocket fire and today I thank God for the invention of the Iron Dome. 

I'm not worried about my safety, but what I am worried about is what this signifies for humanity. I am feeling quite a bit angry and disillusioned to learn that my idealistic view of people and the world around me is not exactly reality. On a fundamental level, I just don't understand how people can fight this way. I hate that this is the norm and the reality here, because I want so badly to believe that as humans we look out for one another and we all want to help and love our fellows. I know this sounds cheesy but I do believe, "in spite of everything that people are really good at heart" (Anne Frank.) All of us are children of God-- all of us deserve basic human rights and freedom from terror.

 I think I'm most angry that this belief was smashed so profoundly these last weeks-- knowing hat not all people look at the world quite like I do. Also, I am sad to know that lives that will be lost.  I pray for the end of this quickly, so that we don't loose too many more of our brothers and sisters.

We Mourn Today

The last couple of days have been a serious roller coaster.

Let's start with the stuff that's happening in America:

This past week, the SCOTUS ruled that police officers need a search warrant to go through people's cell phones. This is a big civil rights win.
However, what's making more of a splash is the 9-0 decision that buffer zones around abortion clinics are considered unconstitutional under the first amendment. 
Also making news is 5-4 decision that employers have the right to limit the kind of health care their employees receive.  This effects contraceptives of course (Hobby Lobby is the example here.) However, this also effects health care in lots of other ways:

 So America, I'm worried about you.  I hope that some day soon, you'll be a place where I would be proud and able to raise a daughter.

Now about Israel. I have a lot, a LOT of feelings about what's happening in Israel right now. I am so sad to hear of the loss of three teenagers on their way home from school. I can't imagine how their parents and family feel. My prayers go out to them as they deal with their harsh new reality.

I do recognize, however that there is much more than just this happening here. There are layers of this issue that go so far back and so many human rights have been disregarded. I'm not going to extrapolate on my personal feelings regarding this issue, because I haven't quite figured that all out. Basic human rights, however, are imperative for ALL people. B'tzelem Elohim (ALL people are made in the image of God.) I pray we can live in a world where people can respect each others differences and coexist peacefully.
I'm constantly surprised and intrigued by the situation here. We, as young Jews, are fed a consistent line that Israel is perfect and the things we hear in the news are biased against the country. I am learning, really learning, what the truth looks like here for the first time. I feel like someone pulled off my rose colored glasses and I'm seeing clearly for the first time. I have a LOT more to learn and more to find out and discover here. I don't know that I'll ever have the answers, but as a professor recently said to us, I'm learning what it means to become "comfortable with the uncomfortable."