Coming back from Israel

Before sharing a few photographs and words from my recent adventures with www.congregationagudasisrael.org in Israel, I must thank my friends from www.israeltour.com who made it possible.  They found our wonderful guide, מני צברי, Meni, who brought, such wisdom and insight into everything that we did.  The 14th child of a Yemenite rabbi, he taught us Kabbalah, history, philosophy, military strategy, Talmud, Tanakh, and how many shekels it was to jaywalk in any particular location!  Most importantly he taught us the power of compassion.  Meni is a mentsch and the smile that he brought to us each morning, the jokes about coffee and Coca-Cola ensured that we were on the bus at 7:30AM almost every morning, ready to go.

The photos here are a reverse travelogue starting at the end of our journey and returning to the beginning. After having some time to process, I realize how transformative our trip really was.  As a group, those that came with us found new bonds that will not quickly dissolve.  They were united through travel, through spirit and through the power of the Divine.  Those are ties that bind.

Panorama from the JFK Memorial outside Jerusalem

 After we visited Yad Vashem (Israel's Memorial to the Shoah), which does not allow photographs inside, we visited the JFK memorial. Yad Vashem is always a powerful experience.  No words can describe it, so I will simply say that you must go.

The JFK Memorial is unique.  It offers a beautiful view of the surroundings.

Chagall Windows at Hadassah Hospital

 Another incredible experience was seeing the Chagall Windows in person.  At my parents' home, we had a beautiful image of the Levi window.  My grandmother had also cross-stitched the same one!  In a bizarre series of unfortunate experiences, I had attempted to go to the windows multiple times and had freak accidents that prevented me every other time.  Fortunately, this time broke the curse and I made it without harm!  They were well worth the trip.

Techelet ink in its natural form

When I was in college at Brandeis, I started thinking about the third paragraph of the Shema.  As we recite the words, we say "ptil tekelet" the thread of blue which is to remind us of the mitzvot, the 613 commandments.  For many years, Jews did not include this thread on their tallitot for various reasons.  Thankfully, we have the opportunity to restore this mitzvah, to bring it back!  As a rabbi, there is little that is more powerful than getting to do a mitzvah--especially one that we could not do for so many years.  Shortly we will meet to learn to tie our tzitzit with the techelet.

View from the Mount of Olives

After I posted this photo to facebook, one of my colleagues said you can't take a rabbi away from a cemetery!  However, the view from the Mount of Olives is truly incredible. Many Jews spend incredible amounts of money to be buried here, as it is JUST outside the Old City.  Since the tradition tells us that those buried here will be the first to be resurrected and returned to life in Jerusalem (and with much less headache) there is great honor in having one's resting place there.  It is beautiful today, but from 1948-1967, Jordan knocked the gravestones down and even used some to pave roads.  Fortunately most were restored after Israel re-conquered the area in the Six Day War.  The view is absolutely magnificent.

Like no other place on Earth

Next to the Kotel--but Underground

If you have not done the Kotel tunnels, you must!  It is an incredible experience.  Even if you have, you must do them again.  New excavations are allowing us to see so much more history.  We see generations and generations of the city of Jerusalem, how our ancestors lived and what life was like.  It is truly incredible.  Those that know me know I am rarely at a loss for words, but seeing these stones, wow!

The list of Names at Israel's 9/11 Memorial

One of Meni's surprises was taking us to the 9/11 Memorial.  Like many around the world there is a more prominent piece with steel from the tower.  This photograph is not that.  Rather it is a list of names.  EVERY SINGLE NAME is listed.  What does that say about the Jewish people?  What are our priorities?  Zachor!  Remember!  Each of these names is a story.  Each of these people woke up and went to work and their lives were cut short.  Let us never forget.  Israel doesn't.

Masada's Cable Car

Stepping onto Masada we felt the weight of history.  Learning about the our ancestors fight with Rome was challenging.  Discovering their fortifications; seeing their ingenuity; fighting our own battles with the heat and the sun, we were pushed to our limits.  We could not imagine how the Romans or the Judeans could have stayed their for 3.5 years!  We learned about military strategy, psychology, King Herod and water.  Water is everything in the Middle East--it is everything everywhere--but especially where it is scarce.  The way it is stored makes all the difference and the cisterns up there are incredible.

Visiting a fire station 

Thanks to Frank and Meni, we visited fire stations along our Israeli adventure.  We learned how out of necessity, Israeli fire stations have to be a little more efficient than their American counterparts and a little less flashy.  They don't specialize as much and have to be a little more jacks-of-all-trades.  Frank was also impressed at some of their hoses, whose connections are easier to connect in an emergency situation!

Gravesite of Abraham Avinu

One of the most powerful experiences for our group was visiting the Maharat Hamachpela, the Cave of our Ancestors.  While one of the most controversial sites in Israel and the West Bank, from Genesis it is not supposed to be.  In fact, Rashi argues that the entire book of Genesis is there to show Jewish ownership of Israel.  See this link for one example.  The story of Abraham buying the cave from Efron the Hittite is written so that Abraham has clear title to the cave, so that no one could later contest the land.  Unfortunately, that title has long been contested!

With the group at Maharat Hamachpela

Seeing the graves of Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebecca, Jacob and Leah, and perhaps even Adam and Eve and Esau's head!? was a moving experience.  We discussed the challenges of Hevron. We spoke of the thriving market that once existed, Baruch Goldstein, terrorism, and Breaking the Silence.  We were frustrated that a minyan blocked our access to part of the tomb and that the men instructed us to walk in front of the women rather than them--as if the women's prayers were less important.  Even in our spiritual high of feeling this deep connection to the land and our ancestors, we felt the tragedy of brokenness, of competing values, of different groups of voices and peoples and narratives.

Old friends getting older

Amidst all of the adventures of touring and spirit it was wonderful to see old friends!

Some things don't change--or do they?

Outside the beautiful Mount Zion Hotel

One of our most powerful experiences was exploring the Golan Heights.  This strategic section of complex territory is contested to this day.  Lost by Israel in 1948 and regained in 1967, Assad would like it back--except the area nearby is controlled by ISIS, so I do not think Israel is likely to share it anytime soon!  Here we see the UN cowering behind Israeli lines--even thought they are supposed to be guarding inside Lebanon.  Whoops, I guess they got lost.

Beautiful Mosaics in Tel Aviv by Nachum Gutman

 These mosaics in Tel Aviv tell the story of its creation and history.  See link here for more info:
http://www.migdalshalom.co.il/eng/ext_goot.html or https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nachum_Gutman

Overlooking Tel Aviv from Jaffa

 Our trip began in the old city of Jaffa.  An original port of Israel, we learned about the ancient history from the Tanach and beyond.  We saw ancient ruins and modern art.  Looking out over Tel Aviv, we saw how small the city actually is, yet how much of an influence it is over the country.  From the first day we learned about the power of trees over development in Israel--how they help declare property ownership and how difficult they are to cut down!

Pickles and Olives make Israel great!

We cannot speak about Israel without discussing the food.  OMG, the food in Israel is wonderful.  I'm sure there are terrible restaurants in Israel.  There is fast food in Israel--but we never went to the kosher McDonalds.  All the food we had was "fresh and kosher".  Everything was local--one good byproduct of mediocre relations with your neighbors is that you have to grow your own vegetables.  With a country the size of New Jersey, nothing gets trucked too far, so it is not bred to stand up to distance; it is bred for taste.  The watermelons and plums were to die for.

In the end, the simple lesson is really that ten days is not enough.  Next time we must come for a month--or a year!  Maybe it is time to make aliyah?  Who is ready to come face the challenges of Israel?  We have work to do to make it our homeland.  It is just like America--it is a place with amazing values, amazing opportunities and great challenges--and it is our home.  Thank you to Meni. Thank you to ITC.  Thank you to CAI.