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Final Update - December 1, 2010
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12/1/2010
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This is the last update that we will be sending. I am writing this update the day after the group returned to the US. (By the time you read this, you might well have already met your teens either at Newark or at the school in Philadelphia.) The madrichim told me that they had a very emotional parting last night. In the updates that we sent, we tried to convey to you the students’ experiences. The students learned and experienced the history and culture of Israel in a variety of ways. We are certain that they thoroughly enjoyed every moment. They traveled from Rosh Hanikra, the “Finger of the Galil” and the Golan on the northern border to Eilat in the south; as well as to Poland. The students participated in many enriching activities that we described in the updates that we sent throughout the session. All these activities were important pieces in a rich educational tapestry. We have no doubt that the students will always treasure their time at the Alexander Muss High School in Israel. We are certain that your children told you throughout the trimester how the program affected them.
The group spent a wonderful Shabbat on campus. It was the beginning of a number of closure activities. These activities enabled the students to reflect on all they learned and experienced. They had a very spirited and moving Kabbalat Shabbat and Ma’ariv service done in the "tri-hitzah" fashion. Kabbalat Shabbat was accompanied by much singing and dancing. It was really moving to see their spirit on Erev Shabbat and realized how much they had come together as a group. After a festive Shabbat dinner, the madrichim conducted an Oneg Shabbat program.
On Shabbat morning, those students who wanted a traditional minyan joined the Habbad synagogue—a very welcoming community here in Hod Hasharon. The others had a study session with their teacher study session. After lunch, the students rested and relaxed as well as began preparing for the final exam. They met again for Seudah Shlishit and concluded Shabbat with a lively Havdalah service. After Havdalah, of course, the students continued studying for their final exam in earnest.
On Sunday morning, the students took their final exam in the Core Class.
On Monday the students had the opportunity to relax, take care of last minute errands and shopping. In the afternoon, they packed and prepared for their final banquet and dorm party. The students invested a lot of thought and energy into their banquet and party
Yesterday was “Symbolic Day”- the last day of the program. We refer to this as “symbolic day” because the activities we choose are symbolic visits and activities to help the students review much of what they experienced to bring closure to the program. After completing to pack and clean up the dorm, the group departed campus. The first stop was at our Muss JNF Forest at Tel Hadid. This symbolic act helps solidify the students’ connection to the land and all that they experienced here. It is an opportunity to give back something to the land. During the ceremony that preceded the tree planting, the students declared in whose honor or memory each was planting the tree .
From there, the students had some free time for last minute shopping in Jerusalem, followed by a visit to the Herzl Museum. The museum is located atop of Har Herzl (Mount Herzl). The museum details the life of Theodor Herzl, and describes the many contributions he made to the Zionist cause. A multi media presentation creatively portrays the motivations and visions of the Zionist leader. While the film and the museum depict the greatness of the Israeli cause, they do not pretend that Israel is the perfect state. The film also notes the work that needs to be done to fulfill the original goals of Zionism. The presentation concludes with a beautiful movie showing all that Israel has achieved in agriculture, science, culture and industry. It is a wonderful way to review much of what the students studied during the quin.
Mt Herzl also contains Israel’s National Cemetery where many of Israel’s prime ministers and other leaders are buried. In addition, Mt Herzl also has a military cemetery. Visiting the cemetery gave the students the opportunity to pay homage to Israel’s leaders and heroes. This was an important element in putting closure to the program.
They ended the day with a final discussion in the Jewish Quarter in the Old City of Jerusalem and a chance for a visit to the Kotel one last time. From there they went to the airport.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank you and the staff and administration of the Jack M. Barrack Hebrew Academy for the confidence you placed in us in sending your sons and daughters to us this trimester. It is truly appreciated. I don’t know whether we can adequately express our appreciation and thanks to you for giving your sons and daughters such an important gift; the gift of an educational experience in Israel. We are certain that in years to come you and your children will be able to reflect back to this time in their life and appreciate how much they gained and how much they grew. We are all confident that we always did all that was prudent in caring for the well being and safety of your children. No less important, of course, is that we did all this without compromising the students’ experience in Israel.
We wish our students a soft landing home. All of us on the staff always try to imagine what the reunion of the students and their parents is like. If any of you would like to share this with us or send us any feedback, please do so.
Please visit us when you are next in Israel.
Bivracha,
David
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November 21 - 26, 2010
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11/26/2010
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This was the last full week of the program. Earlier in the week, the students completed the Core studies focusing on many issues relevant to contemporary Israel, especially the Arab – Israel conflict. In addition, they completed the Rabbinic Literature course. They also took their exams in the general studies classes.
On Sunday evening, we were delighted to welcome Leslie Pugach to the campus. She will spend the time with the students and escort them back to Philadelphia
On Tuesday evening the students who hosted the Barrack students in Netivot came to visit.
On Wednesday morning, the students left for their last overnight tiyul to the northernmost region of the country and the Golan. The first day of the tiyul was devoted to the situation in the Northern Galil, especially as related to the security issues facing Israel. The problems have both been constant and changed somewhat over the years as the Jewish settlements faced threats from Syria and Lebanon. On the way north the group stopped in the Teva N'aot factory Kibbutz Na'ot Mordechai to give the students a chance to purchase sandals and shoes
The tiyul began in Tel Faher. This is one of many Syrian bunkers on the slopes of the Golan Heights captured in the Six Days War in 1967. From this bunker the Syrians had a good view of the northern Hula Valley and posed a constant threat to the kibbutzim below. In this bunker, the students understood the background leading up to the war in June 1967.
From the bunker they drove a short distance and hiked in the Banyas nature reserve along one of the tributaries that flow into the Jordan River. They saw one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Israel. This is a beautiful area that the Romans had dedicated to the god Pan (There is no letter P in Arabic and so the Roman Paniyas became Banyas in Arabic).
The last place visited was Kibbutz Misgav Am, the northernmost settlement in Israel near the border with Lebanon. They met Ariyeh Ben Yaakov, an American Oleh who was a farmer on the kibbutz for many years. Ariyeh spoke about his personal Aliyah story, why he chose this particular kibbutz and the special challenges of living in this region of the country. He was able to convey to the students all that is special about living in this area as well as the challenges.
On Thursday, the students drove up to the Golan to the present border with Syria. They stopped at “Emek Habacha” (the Valley of Tears). There, one of the most important tank battles of the Yom Kippur War took place. Because of this battle, the place is also known as the “Valley of Tears”. The heroism of the tank crews and infantry units who fought in this battle stopped the Syrian onslaught and prevented the Syrian army from overrunning the Golan and invading the valley below. The memorial to the 77th battalion enabled the students to pay tribute to these heroes of the IDF. Overlooking the battle area and the present border, the students were especially able to understand the situation that existed before 1967 and future issues that arise from any potential negotiations with Syria.
From this battle site, presently the border with Syria, they drove to the nearby Kibbutz Elrom; a kibbutz that was attacked during the Yom Kippur War. On the kibbutz they saw an audiovisual presentation about the battles on the Golan, especially the battle in Emek Habacha.
The students ate lunch in Katzrin. Lunch was a “special project”. The group stopped in Katzrin, the city on the Golan, and each group of students purchased different items and prepared lunch.
The tiyul ended in Gamla. Gamla is known as the Massada of the Golan because of a similar story of heroism that took place there during the revolt against the Romans. Gamla is a fitting place for a final discussion. This discussion enabled the students to reflect on all they studied and experienced throughout the Israel program.
The students returned to the campus where we all met for a festive Thanksgiving dinner. The chef prepared several whole turkeys as well as the traditional trimmings and side dishes.
Today the students are completing the course and reviewing for the final. Later this morning, we are expecting some Akiba/Barrack graduates studying and or living in Israel for a reunion with our current students. In the afternoon they will have some free time and prepare for Shabbat on campus.
Shabbat Shalom
Chaim Fischgrund
Headmaster
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November 14 - 19, 2010
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11/19/2010
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Studies this week were devoted to issues and challenges facing the State of Israel. The main focus was on the Arab – Israel conflict as well as the relations between Jews and minority groups within Israel. In the Rabbinics class we continued rotating the three topics that the students have been studying: Women in Judaism, Shabbat and Halcahot of Eretz Yisrael
On Sunday night we conducted a "Back to Israel Fair". We invited representatives of many gap year and university programs as well as MASA, the umbrella organization that coordinates these programs
Tuesday’s tiyul was devoted to understanding some of the environmental issues facing Israel as well as highlighting how Israel is in the forefront of dealing with some of them. The students drove to the Lachish Regional Council. Many experimental concepts in settlements were developed in this area in the past and present. They met with Ari Odess, Alan’s son, who is a member of a community that was originally in the Gush Katif area in Gaza and are rebuilding their community in this area. Among other issues, the students heard about how the new settlements are meeting the environments needs as well as bureaucratic challenges they faced.
The next stop was the Yarkon River. This river starts a bit south east of our school and meanders through Ramat Gan and Tel Aviv until it spills into the Mediterranean Sea. Until recently the river was polluted by industry and waste water. Furthermore, most of the water coming from the springs that are the source of the Yarkon was pumped and used for other purposes. The students heard about the problems that are caused by the pollution in the Yarkon. Israel has slowly been recognizing "the right of nature to its water." For the Yarkon (and other rivers) it has meant not pumping as much water from the rivers, as well as treating waste water better so it will not pollute the rivers, as well as enforcing restrictions on industry. The students took a stroll along the banks of a portion of the Yarkon. They were able to see two streams, one polluted and the other well on the way to recover flowing into one another. In a nutshell they were able to see the problem and possible solutions
The place they visited was Better Place. This is a venture-backed company that aims to reduce global dependency on petroleum through the creation of a market-based transportation infrastructure that supports electric vehicles . Better Place is described in a fascinating book Start Up Nation as the prime example of Israeli entrepreneurship. Some of the students are reading the book which I highly recommend to you.
According to Shai Agassi , the company's founder and CEO, his vision was inspired by a question asked by Klaus Schwab at the 2005 World Economic Forum in Davos , Switzerland : "How do you make the world a better place by 2020
Better Place is building its first electric vehicle network in Israel , and among its partners has selected Denmark and Hawaii as the other two test markets due to their small size. Better Place plans to deploy the infrastructure on a country-by-country basis with initial commercial sales beginning in 2012.
The Company opened its first functional charging station in Israel the first week of December 2008 at Cinema City in Pi-Glilot, and additional stations in Tel Aviv , Haifa , Kfar Sava , Holon , and Jerusalem are being planned and installed. Better Place's primary R&D facility is located in Tel Aviv , Israel .
The company was publicly launched, as Project Better Place, by Shai Agassi on October 29, 2007. As of April 2009 it has already raised $400 million and several countries and states have offered tax breaks .
In January 2008, Better Place reached an agreement with Renault- Nissan to build the world's first Electric Recharge Grid Operator (ERGO) model for Israel. Renault has committed to develop a car with swappable batteries. The initial cars were already developed. The floor-mounted battery packs in these electric cars are designed to be changed out in only a few minutes, less time than in a standard gas station, allowing for battery-swap services.
The students visited the Better Place Center and saw a wonderful presentation about the project. They also had a chance to ride in the car.
In the evening the students saw "Unsettled", a documentary that deals with the Disengagement from Gaza in 2005. The film describes the background to the decision to unilaterally withdraw from Gaza as well as the controversy it generated within Israel. The documentary follows one of the families who left their home as well as the soldiers who were involved in the disengagement
On Wednesday the group went to Givat Haviva. Givat Haviva is an education, research and documentation center, founded in 1949 by Hakibbutz Ha’artzi Federation, in memory of Haviva Reik. Haviva Reik was one of the Israeli volunteers who parachuted into occupied Europe during WWII and is probably less famous than Hannah Senesh is. The mission of Givat Haviva today, as defined by the center, “is to cope with the major issues that are on the agenda of Israeli society, and to foster educational initiatives, research and community work in the fields of peace, democracy, coexistence, tolerance and social solidarity.”
The day began with exercises related to breaking down stereotypes. Later the discussions focused on Arab Jewish relations and issues of discrimination. In addition, with meeting with members of the staff of Givat Haviva, the students also met an attorney from the near-by town of Jat who spoke about his life as an Israeli Arab.
After several discussions and lectures at the center, located in the northern Sharon east of Hadera, the group drove along the “green line”. The students viewed the security fence and discussed the security needs for it. In addition, they also discussed the human reality of building the fence. For example - They overlooked an Arab village (Barta’a) which was divided as a result of the War of Independence becoming two villages; one in Israel and the rest in Jordan. Today the “Jordanian” section of the village is part of the Palestinian authority territory. After the Six Days War in 1967 the people was able to mingle and visit each other but the villages remained separate entities. Now the fence is dividing them once again. This tour and the few places where they stopped illustrated the complexities of the issue.
The day ended in Ussefiya, a Druze village. A local resident hosted the students. They learned about this religious ethnic group. The Druze are an offshoot of Islam founded in Egypt in the 10th century. Much of the religious principles of the Druze is a secrete known only to the initiates of people. Druze believe that When one man dies, his soul goes to a baby boy being born. The host shared with the students his personal story and how he feels personally connected to this concept. One of their principles is loyalty to whatever state they live in. As such, the Druze are loyal to the State of Israel and serve in Israel’s armed and security forces. Discussing the Druze and how they have integrated into Israeli society enabled the students to understand the relations between Jews and other minority groups living in Israel. The students ate dinner and had lots of fun dancing and singing
Today after class, the students will depart for home hospitality, the last open Shabbat of the program
Shabbat Shalom,
Chaim Fischgrund
Headmaster
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November 5 - 12, 2010
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11/12/2010
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On Friday Novemebr 5 the students went to Jerusalem for Shabbat. The wonderful Ru'ach and spirit that they developed and experience in Tzfat the previouys week continued in Jerusalem with much singing and dancing at every opportunity. Kabbalat Shabbat was at the Koptel Friday evening followed by Shabbat dinner and an Oneg Shabbat program. On Shabbat morning, the students attended service at a synagogue of their choice. Later in the afternoon the madrichim conducted values clarification excercises with the students regarding Jewish identity issues. After Havdalah and dinner on the streets, the group returned to campus
The students were in the southern region of the country Negev, Arava and Eilat this week. They will remain in the area enjoying Shabbat in Kibbutz Keturah. These 4 consecutive Shabbatot in Krakow, Tzfat, Jerusalem and Keturah illustrate the rich variety of their experiences during the Barrack Muss Program
After the campus on Sunday morning, the students went to the Hatzerim Air Force base near Be'er Sheva in the south. At the base they were greeted by one of the navigators of the F16I Sufa fighter plane. He explained the workings of the plane and how it differs from a civilian jet. The students saw several short films and then walked over to the hangar to see the plane close up. The visit to the base concluded with students able to view several planes taking off.
Many of us take the routine operation of the pilots and navigators for granted. We are reminded of the constant danger of the operational flights when we read about accidents, as so tragically happened this week. Majors Amichai Itkis and Emanuel Levi were flying the lead aircraft in a formation of four F-16I Sufas and were drilling dogfights with enemy aircraft over enemy territory when their plane crashed on Wednesday. I'm listening to the radio describing the funeral of the crew of the downed air craft as I am writing this update. Yehi Zichram Baruch
From Hatzerim, the students drove to the GADNA base in Sde Boker. GADNA is a Hebrew acronym for Gdudei Noar, youth brigades. Teen-agers younger than 17 served in these brigades in a variety of auxiliary positions during Israels War of Independence. Today the GADNA is a program for high school students in Israel during which they get a foretaste of army life.
After arriving on the base, the students were welcomed by the base staff. The students quickly learned about military disciplined and got used to being in a totally Hebrew environment.
During the GADNA program, the students were given uniforms, lived in tents and heard lectures on the structure of the army and army life. They also learned about some of the military heritage of the country, the structure of the army and the role of the army in the life of Israel.
There were many highlights during the week. A particularly enjoyable activity for the students was Yom Sadaut field maneuvers day on Monday. The students learned how to camouflage and crawl, how to build bunkers as well as other military skills.
Another major highlight was at the rifle range. The students spent many hours learning about the safety of the rifle as well as an important lecture about the IDFs code of ethics and what is generally referred to in Israel as "Taharat Haneshek" - the purity of weapons. This may sound like an oxymoron how can a weapon be pure? The concept is that we must be pure in how we use the weapons. This is a very important concept that is much more than just the rules of engagement. It also means knowing when not to fire.
The students also performed many tasks and duties that included kitchen duty, cleaning the bathrooms and showers and cleaning their tents.
On Wednesday at noon, the students had a closing ceremony on the base
The teachers met the students in Sde Boker to continue the tiyul. The group drove to Mitzpeh Revivim , a kibbutz that was established in 1943. Here the students learned about the importance of the Jewish settlements in the Negev in the pre-State days and during the War of Independence. Kibbutz Revivim was one of the deciding factors in persuading the UN Special Commission on Palestine to include the Negev in the proposed Jewish State in 1947.
From there they continued to the Han Hashyarot, The Caravanned Inn. The students rode camels. The dinner was a special Bedouin style hafla, feast during which they also learned a bit about Bedouin lifestyle.
On Thursday morning the students drove towards Eilat. They had a beautiful hike on Har Yoash. The rest of the day was spent in the Eilat Beach.
This morning, the students stopped at Holot Kasui, a beautiful sand dune where they had a lot of fun rolling and playing in the sand. From there they continued the Coral beach, where they are snorkeling as I write this update. They will have lunch on the streets and have a chance to swim in the beach or just hang out in Eilat before traveling to Kibbutz Keturah for Shabbat.
We did not have the opportunity to add pictures to this weeks photo gallery as the madrichim have the cameras. We will do so on Sunday
Shabbat Shalom
Chaim Fischgrund
Headmaster
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October 29 - November 5, 2010
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11/5/2010
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The students were in Tzfat on Shabbat October 29 - 30. It was a wonderful Shabbat. One of the staff said the students "were on fire" they brought tremendous energy to Tzfat, continuing the energy they felt after returning from Poland
Kabbalat Shabbat was celebrated together with the Gann students. After lighting candles, the boys went to the Beirav synagogue, a Carlebach style Minyan. The Tfilah in this synagogue is particularly spirited. The girls conducted a women's service with the staff and one of the artists in Tzfat. The students returned to the hotel for Shabbat dinner. The students really got into the singing with much Ru'ach. Later in the evening, the boys with their teacher went to the Ari Mikveh
On Shabbat morning, most students opted to catch up on their sleep. Some, however, went to Synagogues for Shacharit. Later in the morning, the entire group walked around the old city of Tzfat. Many students reported meeting interesting people in the streets and relayed their conversations.
After lunch and some free time, the group walked to the top of the mountain to the ruins of the old citadel. This fortress dates back to Roman times, and was used by various other rulers throughout the centuries, including the Crusaders. From this high point, there is a great view of the city. After some activities , which included singing in a cave in the park, the students returned to the hotel for Seudah Shlishit, which also included lots of singing. Shabbat ended with a wonderful Havdalah service in the Beirav synagogue.
This week the students studied about the establishment of the State of Israel and the first decade of independence.
The tiyul on Monday focused on Israels War of Independence in 1947 1948. The first stop of the day was at the Kastel, a hilltop fortress overlooking Jerusalem. The war, of course, was waged all over the country and we could have chosen many battle sites to illustrate the difficulties of defending the young state. We chose to do this in battle sites that related to ensuring that Jerusalem would remain an integral part of the Jewish State. Defending Jerusalem was not an easy task as the city was surrounded and the Arabs placed a difficult siege around the city.
At the Kastel Tzahal had an important victory that led to the lifting of the siege. This victory helped ensure that Jerusalem would be under Israeli control. The Kastel is one of the important battle sites in the war. It is also a place where many values of Tzahal were established, especially the concept of Acharai officers charging the battle and protecting the noncoms. It is for this reason that many army units visit this place during their military training.
The next stop on the tiyul was Latrun. In this area Joshua fought one of his important battles in Biblical period and the Maccabbees had one of their important victories. In the modern period the British built one of their Tegart fortresses in this strategic location. Latrun was the site of one of Tzahals painful defeats in the war. With Tzahals inability to capture the fortress the siege to Jerusalem was not entirely lifted and alternate routs were needed.
Despite the defeat some important things happened in the battle. It is one of the places where Mickey Marcus, a Jewish American Colonel distinguished himself becoming Israels first Aluf (general). Unfortunately Aluf Marcus was killed in a tragic mistake by friendly fire not far from there.
At Latrun Israels Armored Corps was born. It is for this reason that Latrun today is a museum and memorial site to the Armored Corps. In addition, the amphitheater is the location for the graduation ceremonies of many courses in the army (basic training, swearing ceremony for some units, officer training course etc.
The day ended at the Palmah Museum. Israel has many museums and monuments dedicated to the creation of the state and those who fought for it. This museum is unique. The Palmach was the strike force of the Haganah, the pre-state underground defense organization that was eventually incorporated into the IDF (TZAHAL) after 1948. The values, which the Palmach promoted - mutual responsibility, assistance, sacrifice and contribution to the greater good - are key values of the IDF.
Bet Hapalmach is not a museum that enables the visitors to wander around on their own. It is a tour that takes groups of visitors from chamber to chamber. The tour begins with a memorial to the fallen. The next room is a scale version of Tel Aviv's Herzl Street in 1941. Here, the multi-media experience begins, with a newsreel of the war in Europe projected onto the street scene. This sets the stage for the formation of the Palmach, which was created to deal with two threats: the advance of the Germany army towards Egypt and attacks by hostile Arabs on the Jewish community.
Moving into the next chamber, the group is in a eucalyptus grove at night. Here, a movie is projected onto an entire wall, introducing the visitor to a fictional unit of seven new Palmach recruits meeting with their commander for training orientation. The story of these characters carries the visitors throughout the rest of the program, which lasts over one hour.
Over time, the unit gains training and experience, and personalities emerge. Some are assigned to blow up bridges, others to lead supply convoys to Jerusalem or to bring in immigrant ships. The visitor watches as they expectantly listen to the UN vote on the fate of the country, as they battle through the War of Independence and as they express their grief at the gravesides of those who did not make it. The realistic sets, sounds, lighting, special effects and even moving rooms make the visitor feel part of this extraordinary experience.
Tuesdays tiyul was devoted to learning about the pioneers who developed the urban centers of Israel as well as understanding Israels cultural history. We chose to do this in Tel Aviv, a city that has grown from 66 families who built their homes on the sand dunes in 1909 into a large modern city that is the cultural and commercial center of Israel today. It is significant that in 1909 both the first Kibbutz as well as the first Hebrew city were founded. The students learned about the history of the city and understood why a group of pioneers decided to found an entirely new city; which was originally called Ahuzat Bayit.
The tiyul began in Neve Tzedek, the neighborhood between Yaffo and Tel Aviv. After an introductory class to the day, students walked through Neve Tzedek, hearing interesting anecdotes about some of the early residents homes, and buildings in the neighborhood.
From Neve Tzedek the students continued to Ahuzat Bayit, the neighborhood built in 1909, which became the nucleus for the new city. In Ahuzat Bayit area, the students visited the former home of Meir Dizengoff, one of the founders of Tel Aviv and its first mayor. In this house, Ben Gurion declared Israels independence in 1948. Today the house is a museum of history. The exhibits and film in the building helped the students to understand the history of Tel Aviv and the modern Hebrew culture that has developed there. One of the highlights of the visit to Dizengoffs house was the re-enactment of the Declaration of Independence.
From there the students went to Nahalat Benyamin and Shenkin streets where they conducted interviews with people they randomly met. These interviews served as the basis for a discussion on many topics relevant to understanding how Israelis view themselves as citizens of their country, as Jews and their relations with Jews around the world. During this time the students also had lunch on the streets.
After lunch, the students visited the studio of Reuven Rubin, one of Israels most important artists. Constructed in 1930, the house on Bialik St opened to the public as a museum in 1983. The museum's permanent collection, spanning from his earliest works painted in Europe following the First World War, through his early Eretz-Israel art to his late lyrical landscapes of the 1960's & 1970's, enabled the students to understand and appreciate how art reflected the growth of the Jewish community in Israel. It also helped explain how and why Tel Aviv became the center of Modern Israeli Hebrew culture.
At the conclusion of the tiyul, the students went to Rabin Square. The students discussed what they learned during the day, especially their findings in the street interviews. Having the discussion in Rabin Square enabled the students to pay respects to Israels slain Prime Minister at the place where he was assassinated 15 years ago the anniversary according to the Gregorian calendar was yesterday November 4. The official commemorations took place two weeks ago on the 12 day of Cheshvan
In the evening, the group went to a very special theatrical experience in the ancient port in Jaffa. A group of 12 deaf and blind actors in Israel have formed the Na lagaat theater group. Na lagaat means do touch in Hebrew, and the name of their acclaimed show is Light is Heard in Zig Zag. The group met in a drama class, and founder and director Adina Tal recognized the potential of the group and fell in love with its people. The troupe toured North America, performing in Montreal, Toronto, Boston and New York. Each actor is accompanied onstage by an interpreter, who help with timing and costume changes ... and tap the actors knees to communicate applause. The troupe's website is www.nalagaat.org.il . It is the only professional deaf blind theater company in the world.
On Wednesday morning, Murray Greenfield spoke to the students. Murray was a merchant marine during WWII and volunteered to serve on one of the Haganah illegal ships. His talk captivated the students and successfully conveyed the atmosphere of the period to the students.
The rest of the morning was devoted to Rabbinic Literature.
Today after General Studies classes, the students will depart for Jerusalem where they will spend Shabbat
Shabbat Shalom,
Chaim Fischgrund
Headmaster
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October 24 - 29, 2010
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10/29/2010
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As David wrote in his updates earlier this week, the students returned from Poland on Wednesday afternoon. I am sorry that I was not on campus to greet them. The staff reported how excited and happy the students were to be back in Israel and the AMHSI campus. The bus driver told me that the students were singing as they were boarding the bus at the airport. This morning I had the opportunity to get some feedback from a few students about the experience in Poland
Thursdays tiyul was devoted to learning about Israels struggle for independence during the 1930s and 1940s. The tiyul helped the students understand the concept "MeSho'ah letekuma" from Holocaust to rebirth. The first aspect of the struggle that the students studied was the struggle for immigration, which the British termed illegal. To learn about this important chapter in Israels struggle for independence, the students went to the beach at Atlit. On the beach the students learned about and re-enacted how the clandestine immigrants (so called illegal), mostly Holocaust survivors, made valiant attempts to break through the British blockade.
Next, the students visited the Atlit detention camp. It was in this camp that the British detained many of the immigrants who were caught on their ships. One of the important incidents related to the camp was the organized escape led by Yitzhak Rabin, then a very young PALMACH officer. At the camp the students saw a movie about the camp and the escape.
The last site visited on the tiyul was in the Acco prison. Here many of Israel's underground fighters were imprisoned including some that eventually became Israel's leaders. At the prison the students discussed the ideology and activities of the Jewish underground movements in fighting for independence and protecting the country. In this prison, too, some of the fighters made the supreme sacrifice for Israels independence as the British executed some of the underground fighters. The students ended the visit to the prison in the gallows room with a moving ceremony in which they paid our respects to the dedication and tenacity of the fighters who made the State possible.
The day ended with a visit to Rosh Hanikra, the beautiful grottos in the Mediterranean Sea on the border with Lebanon.
Today the students had general studies class. In the afternoon they will travel to Tzfat for Shabbat. They will spend Shabbat with the Gann students
Shabbat Shalom
Chaim Fischgrund
Headmaster
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Poland Oct 26, 2010
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10/26/2010
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This morning the group drove to Warsaw, where they spent their last full day in Poland. They started the day at the area around Grobowski Square, made famous by its description in one of Peret'z stories. From there they went to the Nozyk Synagogue (the only synagogue in Warsaw today). They then continued walking around the area, seeing the home of the Yiddish Theater.
From here they went to the Jewish Cemetery, and visited the graves of some of the "greats" of Polish Jewry- including, Esther Kaminska (famous Yiddish actress), Y.L. Peretz (Yiddish author), Ludwig Zammenhof (inventor of Esparanto, the "international" language), Adam Cherniakow (head of the Warsaw Judenrat), and many others. Visiting these graves gave the students an opportunity to learn about these important Jews and appreciate the richness and plurality of Jewish life in Poland before the Holocaust. The tombstones reflect the variety of Jewish culture and life in Poland in general and Warsaw in particular. Unfortunately, there are no other remains of Jewish life in Warsaw.
From the cemetery they went to the remaining portion of the ghetto wall and continue to walk in areas where the ghetto stood. It was cold and drizzling, so they did a bit of their touring by bus, receiving explanations along the way.
The group then drove to the Umschlagplatz (the deportation center from where the trains departed to Treblinka). Today it is a memorial site to the hundreds of thousand of Jews who were deported from this place to their death. They walked to the Rapaport Memorial Monument, along the “path of heroism” – a number of monuments dedicated to Jews who exemplified various forms of resistance. Along the walk, they stopped at a number of places, learning about people and events:
They learned about Shmuel Zygelboim, who committed suicide, in protest of the complacency of the world to the Nazi atrocities. They stopped at Mila 18, Mordechai Anilewicz's headquarters during the Warsaw Ghetto revolt. They learned about Yitzhaq Katzenelson, who wrote about the Nazi atrocities and the Jewish heroism. He had said of the Nazis: "...you kill and we kill, the difference is that we can stop killing." They ended the walk at the Rapaport Memorial (its replica is in Yad Vashem which many of you must have seen when visiting Israel) that depicts on one side the Warsaw Ghetto Revolt, and on the other "The Last March" of Jews from their town, to their unknown destiny. The students had their wrap-up ceremony in the Ghetto Square in front of the monument.
After dinner they had a bit of time to relax in the mall. Tomorrow morning they will be getting on their flight home to Israel. If all goes according to schedule they should be landing around 14:45—making it to campus between 16:30-17:00.
We are all anxious to greet them on campus to hear and share their experiences .
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Poland Oct 25, 2010
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10/25/2010
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Last night the group reached Tarnow. Tarnow is a town in Galicia, approximately 70 km east of Krakow. Before the war around 25,000 Jews lived there, 50% of the population. On 9 November 1939, Tarnow’s synagogues were set on fire. The first transport of Polish prisoners to Auschwitz departed from the old mikveh building in Tarnow. These 728 prisoners (708 Poles and 20 Jews) were the first victims of the camp. They were deported in order to rid the town of its political leadership. The 20 Jews were deported, not because they were Jewish, rather because they were among the town leadership. On arrival they were tattooed--the first inmates of Auschwitz to be tattooed. On the morning of 11 June 1942, 7,000 Jews were killed in Tarnow itself and in the Buczyna forest, where they were buried in large pits. While these events were taking place, 11,500 other Jews were marched to the railway station, where they were loaded into railway trucks and deported to their deaths at Belzec. Eventually the ghetto was liquidated, with the Jews being sent either to the labor camp at Plaszow (in Krakow) or to Auschwitz.
In the morning, the group walked from the hotel to the town square. They then went to what was the mikveh. It was from the mikveh that the transports were sent form Tarnow. From there they went to the remains of the old synagogue of Tarnow. Only the bima remains after the Nazis burned the synagogue. The group did some singing and dancing there before returning to the bus.
From Tarnow, the group traveled to the Buczyna forest, where they saw the mass graves of the thousands of Jews, including 800 children (as well as 2 thousand non-Jewish Poles).
The group continued traveling east to Lublin, where they went to the death camp, Majdanek. Majdanek was a concentration and extermination camp on the south-east border of the town Lublin, about two miles from the center of the city. It can be seen from all sides; it could not be more public or accessible. The Majdanek concentration camp is located in an entirely open area with no wall around it to hide the. There was no security zone established around the Majdanek camp, as at Birkenau, and there is no natural protection, such as a river or a forest, as at Treblinka. People driving past the camp, while it was in operation, had a completely unobstructed view, being able to see the tall brick chimney of the crematorium wafting smoke from the top of a slope not far away, and the gas chamber building which is a few yards from a busy street.
The first transport directed toward Majdanek consisted of five thousand Soviet POWs. Arriving in the fall of 1941, they soon died of starvation and exposure to the harsh climate of the season. All subsequent transports were made up mainly of Polish Jews, although many Polish prisoners were also shipped to Majdanek. In the autumn of 1942, the camp was converted into a death camp for Jews. The first Jews deported to the camp came from Czechoslovakia, and next from rural Poland including Jews from the Warsaw, Bialystok, and Lublin areas. Jews from the Netherlands and from Greece were also sent to Majdanek. The number of Jews killed at Majdanek is estimated at 125,000. Of these, 100,000 were Polish. Estimates of the total number of people who died at Majdanek, whether through execution or simply by having the very basics of life denied, ranges widely from 200,000 to 1.5 million. It may never be known how many Soviet prisoners of war were executed at Majdanek or at any of the other extermination centers. Their number must run into the multi hundreds of thousands.
Initially, victims were killed by mass gunfire in a nearby forest and the bodies were buried in mass graves. A particularly deadly day for the Jews occurred in November 1943. In reprisal for resistance actions in the ghettos and the uprising and escape from both Sobibor and Treblinka, the Nazis decided to expedite the murder of Jews in the Lublin district calling this action – the “Harvest Festival.” Toward the end of the war, the SS tried to obliterate all traces of this massacre, using prisoners who had been brought in from nearby labor camps.
Gas chambers were built for mass executions using Zyklon B pellets. Afterwards, the bodies of the victims were cremated.
When Russian soldiers liberated Majdanek on 24 July 1944, only a few hundred prisoners of various nationalities were alive.
At Majdanek, one can vividly see the killing machine the Nazis used to murder the Jews of Europe. The students moved through the barracks, the gas chambers, and the crematorium and saw the physical remains of the “Harvest Festival.” It was a very moving experience for the students. The group conducted a ceremony below the mausoleum of the camp.
After the camp, the students went to one of the few Jewish buildings still in Lublin, the Yeshivat Hachmei Lublin. This Yeshiva, founded in 1930, was to teach 400 dormitory young men. The Yeshiva was founded by Rav Meir Shapira. He was also a member of the Polish Parliament. When once asked what 400 new rabbis will do every year, he answered that two will find communities to serve and the rest will be learned congregants! Rav Shapira was also known for starting the Daf Yomi project. This idea of the entire Jewish world learning a page of Talmud--the same page-- daily has taken on mind boggling dimensions in this age. At the Yeshiva, the students studied a piece from the page of the day. Afterwards they had a maariv service and then went to the hotel.
The staff has been telling me that the students have been very moved and affected not just by today, but by the whole trip thus far. They are a very special group, helping one another cope with their emotions and supporting each other in a beautiful way.
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Poland Oct 24, 2010
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10/24/2010
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There are hundreds of Israeli high school teens in Poland at this time, and our group is running into different Israeli schools almost everywhere they go. On Friday night the Barrack students had a Carlebach style Kabbalat Shabbat and Maariv Tfilah at the Isaak Synagogue. They had tefilah with two other Israeli groups. The Isaak Synagogue, built in 1664, is considered by many to be the most beautiful synagogue in Krakow. It is named for its founder, Izaak Jakubowicz, a resident of Kazimiers. The story goes that Isaac had a dream about a treasure hidden in Prague , near the Charles Bridge. He immediately went to the city, where he found the bridge filled with soldiers. One of the soldiers approached Isaac and asked him his business there. When Isaac explained about his dream and search for treasure, the soldier laughed at him and said, "Only a naive fool would come so far for a dream! I myself keep having this dream that in a house of a Krakovian Jew named Isaac, son of Jacob, there is a treasure hidden under the furnace. But I'm not so foolish as to go to Krakow and look for it. After all, every second Jew is named Isaac, and every third, Jacob!" Isaac thanked him, returned home to Krakow, dismantled the furnace, and found a great treasure. He became one of the wealthiest citizens of Kazimiers and founded this synagogue in 1664. Inside, the early Baroque building has a beautiful, stucco- decorated ceiling and fine arcades in the women's gallery. The walls bear faded frescoes of Hebrew texts. The synagogue now houses an exhibition on the history of Polish Jews. On display are moving photographs of former Kazimiers residents and their families as well as the main treasure: several older documentary films on Kazimiers that run continuously during the day. The most haunting of all are the silent newsreels filmed by the Germans as they cleared the Jewish Quarter of its residents in 1941. After services the group had dinner at the synagogue—where there is now a kosher kitchen. After returning to the hotel, the group split into class groups to discuss impressions and feelings from the past day. On Shabbat morning, the group attempted to join the community’s T'filah in the Remu Synagogue. Again, there are so many others in Poland now that there was no room there, so they returned to the Isaaks Synagogue for Shaharit. At lunch, the students met with Lech Rostashevsky (my spelling is certainly incorrect), a professor of history and a Righteous Gentile. He talked to the students about how closely connected the Poles and the Jews were for centuries of Polish history. Lech was a partisan and he hid 7 Jews in his home during the War. They had free time in the afternoon and then met for seudah shlishit and a tisch. The session was chalk full of song and story. From their visit to the Remu synagogue on Friday, through Kabbalat Shabbat and then the tisch, the students did a lot of singing and dancing! They concluded Shabbat with Havdalah at the Hotel. Today the students went to Auschwitz-Birkenau. The camps are actually in the Polish city of Oswiecim. At first, the transports only reached the town train station, and the prisoners were forced to walk from there to Auschwitz. The group passed the train station and drove to the camp. At Auschwitz, a local docent of the Auschwitz Museum guided one of the groups hrough the camp, and the other was guided by one of our teachers. After lunch, they went to Birkenau. Reuven reported that their ceremony at the end of the day was very moving, as students shared feelings and things they wrote, as well as other relevant materials. The day ended in the Lomdei Mishnayot synagogue in the town. Prior to WWII Oswiecim had a 70% Jewish majority (8,000 Jews lived in the town). The town agreement was that the Mayor would be a gentile and the Deputy Mayor a Jew. It was a typical Jewish community with “all kinds of Jews” and many synagogues and shtibles. One of the synagogues was called Lomdei Mishnayot, as those workers who frequented the synagogue would daily learn Mishna. It has been renovated as a small museum and Bet Knesset. They learned the Mishna of the day and then they davenned maariv. From Oswiecim, the students are driving the to Tarnow, one of the important cities and Jewish communities in Galicia.
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Poland Oct 22, 2010
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10/22/2010
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Last night after dinner, the group went to the Galicia Museum for a klezmer concert. When we think of klezmers, we think of the Jewish person with a fiddle, saxophone, or a violin playing away, becoming him/herself the instrument (thus the term kle zmer from the Hebrew Klay Zemer = musical instrument). Well, the art form made its way to the Polish non-Jews, as well. The Klezmers in Poland today are almost all non-Jews, as were those who played last night. After the show, many students took advantage of the book store at the Museum and purchased books. This morning the group went to tour the Jewish section-- Kazimiers--of Krakow. The group went to various synagogues in Kaziemirs. I will describe them to you, not necessarily in the order they went. The Remu Synagogue was built for Rabbi Moshe Isserles by his wealthy father in the 16th century. Isserles was a halachic genius. The RaMA prepared a book of Halacha for the Jewish people. Just as it was ready for publication, he received a fresh off the press copy of Caro's Shulchan AruchShulchan Aruch and commented every time the Ashkenazic custom of Poland differed from what Yosef Caro had stipulated. Thus we have the Mapa--Tablecloth for the Shulchan Aruch--the definitive work for Ashkenazic Halacha. At thje back of the synagogue is the old cemetery of Krakopw where the Rama and his family are buried. (Prepared Table). The RaMA was devastated, feeling all his work was for naught. However, his followers reminded him that the Sphardic and Ashkenazic customs often differ. He took the They also went to the oldest synagogue still there--the Altschule, the town square, and, at the old Jewish cemetery heard stories of famous people connected to acts of Hessed. At the “Temple” a Neologue synagogue, the group saw a large and beautiful synagogue. The group visited the old market area of the Jewish neighborhood. This is where Spielberg filmed the ghetto scenes of Oscar Schindler. The actual ghetto was located across the river.I spoke to the staff of the group as they were finishing lunch and getting on the bus to go to the Ghetto. After that they will drive to the Schindler's factory, a remaining section of the Ghetto wall, and will conduct a ceremony to conclude the day at Plaszow, before returning to the hotel to prepare for Shabbat. Shabbat Shalom, David |
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Poland Oct 21, 2010
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10/21/2010
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The Barrack students arrived to Poland and are completing their first day there. After eating lunch near the place where the first Beis Yaakov school was founded they moved on the the Wawel Castle. This was the political and religious seat of rule in Poland for many centuries, from Boloslav the Brave in the 11th century until Pilsudski after WWI (although the capital was moved to Warsaw in 1609). From here the Nazis ran their General Government in Poland. Pope John Paul served as the Cathedral for 20 years following WWII.
After a lesson about the beginnings of Poland and the history of the Jews of Krakow, the classes began walking towards the Old City. They passed a home where Copernicus dwelled when he lived in Krakow while studying at the University. They then went to the original Jewish area of Old Krakow. There they went into a courtyard that once housed the Jagliellowskigo University. In the 15th century, Jews were forced to take on Polish borders who were students at the University, as well as loan them money and support them. In the end, the Jews suffered from riots and bloodbaths. In 1495 when the Jews defended themselves from attack , they were expelled from Krakow. They went across the river to the town of Kazimirs. Soon, Kazimirs became a bustling center for the Jews, including synagogues, scholars, commerce, etc. Today the river separating Kazimirs from Krakow is a wide boulevard and one need just wait for the green light to cross from neighborhood to neighborhood!
The next stop was the town square—the Rynek. It is the largest square in Europe, measuring in at 220 meters length and width! Students had some time to wander around. They are now on their way to dinner. After dinner they will go to the Galicia Museum where they will hear a klezmer concert. The Museum hosts a klezmer concert every Thursday evening.
Tomorrow the students will tour the Jewish town of Kazimirs.
Bivracha,
David
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October 7 - 15, 2010
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10/15/2010
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Last Thursday evening the students went to Netivot after dinner in order to have a "mifgash" –an encounter—with Israeli counterparts. Netivot and the surrounding moshavim and kibbutzim are part of the Partnership community with Philadelphia. Upon arrival on Thursday, the groups had a short icebreaker and then went bowling. Afterwards the Barrack students went to their host homes in Netivot. On Friday the group got a tour of the area. They also spent time painting a bomb shelter—plenty of pictures form that are in the web album. After lunch they returned to the host homes to prepare for Shabbat. After Shabbat dinner with their hosts, the entire group met for social time together. They also met on Shabbat afternoon for activities with the Netivot teens. In all the students had an meaningful encounter and most enjoyed the time with their hosts.
On the way back to campus the group went to a soccer match between Israel and Croatia—Israel lost. Regardless of the outcome, the students had an opportunity to see and join in the atmosphere of a soccer game In Israel.
On Sunday and Monday, the students continued studying the transition to the modern period in Europe and its impact on the Jewish People in Europe and Israel. The students focused on the Enlightenment and the struggle for Jewish Emancipation. In this context, the students discussed the Jewish religious responses to the Enlightenment and the emergence of Reform and Conservative (known as Historic in Europe) Judaism. Many of the discussions focused on new challenges to the traditional society and the varieties of Jewish religious streams that emerged. This was essentially the phenomenon in Western Europe. In Eastern Europe, the situation was quite different as the Czars continued to persecute the Jews.
The students also studied the development of modern Anti- Semitism. All of this was the background to the rise of Zionism. Much of this material was in preparation for the study of Zionism that was the theme of the tiyul this week.
On Tuesday, the group conducted a creative seminar in which the students both learned and taught each other the various Zionist ideologies. Much of the preparation for the seminar, especially the research aspect, was done in study groups on Monday evening in the dorm. The presentation during the seminar included posters and skits. The seminar helped the students understand that although Zionists shared common goals for Israel there were different streams and ideologies each emphasizing different priorities. These concepts were the basis for much of the tiyul that took place on Thursday, and will serve the students well in understanding the development of modern Israel. The Zionist streams eventually gave birth to the historic political parties in Israel.
On Wednesday’s the students had their PSAT exam.
The theme for Thursday’s tiyul related to the pioneers who established the early settlements in Israel. The first stop was in Kibbutz Kfar Giladi in the Upper Galil area overlooking the Hula Valley. Here the students were able to see much of what the pioneers accomplished while comparing it to the way Mark Twain saw Israel when he visited the area. His description of the dreary land that he saw could be found in his Innocents Abroad. The contrast is very dramatic.
On the kibbutz, the students visited the Bet Hashomer, the museum dedicated to the Guardsmen organization that protected the early pioneers. Here they learned about an important aspect of the life of the pioneers; the need to defend themselves. Nearby is Tel Hai where the first battle against the Arabs took place in 1920. The personality of Joseph Trumpeldor was the trigger for a discussion of the dedication of the pioneers and the sacrifices they were prepared to make to build the land.
After lunch, the students visited the Hahula Nature Reserve. The reserve in the Jordan River Valley in northern Israel, north of the Kineret has an artificial lake. In recent years, the region has become the winter stopping point for many tens of thousands of migrating cranes and other birds from northern Europe and Siberia who would previously have continued their migration into northern Africa. The Lake is an official Nature Reserve that receives funding from the Keren Keyemet Foundation (KKL). It is also a tourist attraction of growing importance. It is truly one of the most important bird watching sites in the world. The group went there in hopes of seeing varieties of migrating birds. The birds were not as cooperative as usual yesterday.
The students drove south along the Hula Valley to the cemetery on the shores of the Kineret near the Kineret training farm. In this training farm, the idealistic but inexperienced pioneers learned how to farm this difficult land. In the training farm the pioneers conducted many social experiments that eventually led to the kibbutz. Many of the famous pioneers and future leaders of Israel passed through this training farm now being reconstructed. With this visit our students were better able to appreciate the ideals and lifestyle of the Chalutzim. Two of the most important personalities that the students learned about were A.D. Gordon, “father of Labor Zionism” and Rachel Blaustein, the poet who captured the ideals and spirit of the pioneers. Many of her poems have become popular songs in Israel. Naomi Shemer who wrote the words and music of so many of Israel’s popular songs (including Yerushalayim shel Zahav, Jerusalem of Gold) is also buried in this cemetery.
The students concluded the day with an important discussion about heroism and personal commitment. They shared their feelings with each other.
Today after General Studies classes the students have gone off for an open Shabbat.
We have had problems with our picture portion of the website. We temporarily solved it by opening up albums on Kodak gallery. Please go to the photo gallery on our website— amhsi.org and click on to the appropriate link. It will take you to your album and the latest pictures.
Shabbat Shalom,
David Mitchell
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October 3 - 7, 2010
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10/7/2010
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On Sunday the students began studying the Middle Ages period and about the Jewish communities which emerged in the Diaspora. In particular, they learned about the Babylonia Jewish community. In this context, they also discussed the rise of Islam and the influence it had on world history in general and Jewish life in particular. They then moved on to study about the two great centers of Jewish life in Spain—Spharad and Franco Germany—Ashkenaz.
On Monday the students took their second unit test.
The tiyul on Tuesday this week was to Belvoir and Tzfat. In Belvoir the students learned about the Crusader period. The Crusader wars lasting approximately 200 years (from the end of the 11th century until the end of the 13th century) were part of a greater clash between the Christian and Moslem worlds. Belvoir (Kochav Hayarden in Hebrew) was a Crusader fortress built in the 12th century overlooking the Jordan Valley and thus protecting the Crusader Kingdom against invaders from the east. Here the students learned why the Crusaders came to Israel, what they did here and how their kingdom collapsed so quickly. Some of the time was spent re-enacting how the fortress was attacked.
In addition, the students also learned about the impact the Crusaders had on Jewish history both in Israel and in Europe. In fact, the 400 years starting with the Crusades in 1096 and ending with the expulsion from Spain in 1492 were the most brutal in Jewish history that led many Jews to search for meaningful theological and spiritual answers.
Some of the answers were found in Tzfat - the community of Mystics who developed the Kabbalah. In Tzfat we visited the ancient synagogues where the “Saintly Men” (an expression coined by James Michener in The Source) developed their unique lifestyle. The students were introduced to many concepts of Kabbalah and their significance to Jewish history. The students also met with Avraham Lowenthal , a Tzfat artist, whose art is inspired by concepts of Kabbalah.
This was the students’ return visit to Tzfat as they spent Shabbat there several weeks ago. This time they learned about the history of the important community that emerged in Tzfat at the end of the Middle Ages. From Tzfat they also had a great view of Mt Meiron and the area where they hiked during their Yam LeYam experience.
After stopping in Afulah for dinner on the street, the students returned to campus.
The tiyul on Wednesday focused on an important aspect of Jewish - the Kehilla; the Community. Our purpose was to teach the students that what sustained Jewish life in the past were the institutions that the community developed. The students went to Yad LeKashish, the Lifeline to the Old. This is a most fascinating Tzedakah project. This institution enabled the students to understand how a traditional community functions. They saw an important community institution and learned how it interacts with other community institutions. Many of the students purchased items that are produced in the workshops.
From there the students visited Hazon Yeshaya, an organization that operates Soup Kitchens in Israel. It was founded in 1997 by a successful businessman from New York who was helped as a poor refugee from North Africa in soup kitchens in France. Hazon Yeshaya has grown to a nationwide network of three central kitchens serving more than 200,000 hot meals every month at 38 locations in Israel. The students not only learned about this important Hesed project but had an opportunity to work in the kitchen, serve food, and pack boxes.
The day also afforded the teachers to tech about Polish Jewry and the rise of Hassidism. They also began studying the transition to the modern period in Europe and its impact on the Jewish People in Europe and Israel.
The day ended with a visit with Dr. Dina Zimmerman who discussed how the traditional community has transformed in the modern period. The meeting with Dr Zimmerman was very enthusiastic and the discussion with her was very invigorating for the students.
Today, Thursday the students began studying about the transition to the modern period in Europe and its impact on the Jewish People in Europe and Israel. The lessons focused on the Enlightenment and the struggle for Jewish Emancipation. This evening the studentrs will be leaving to Netivot, where they will have joint activities tonight and tomorrow, spending Shabbat in Netivot.
We are not able to upload pictures to the site, nor can you get into the picture site at this time. Due to reasons out of our control, the site is temporarily down. Please continue to try to click into the site. When you succeed, there will be some nice pictures from the week .
We have a new nurse who began work this week and lives on campus. Her name is Alessandra Gura. She goes by the name Sandy. The nurse phone remains the same number: 011 972 52 327 0614. The new nurse email address is nurse@amhsi.org.
Shabbat Shalom,
David Mitchell
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September 26 - October 1, 2010
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10/1/2010
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I trust you all had a meaningful holiday season this Tishrei. In Israel we are already in the season known as Acharei Hachagim, after the holidays, when things are supposed to return to routine, while in the Diaspora it is Simchat Torah today
The core class on Sunday was devoted to studying about the rise of Christianity. The focus was on understanding the historic background that led to the development of one of the Jewish sects into a separate religion. The students learned about the life of Jesus and his teachings as reflected in some chapters in Matthew. This happened during the Second Temple days, in the decades preceding the Great Revolt.
On Monday September 27, the students learned about the Bar Kochba Revolt and its results. The theme of the day was the relationship between Jews and Romans after the Great Revolt. It was a period of great achievements yet much tension. All this led to another revolt against the Romans, the Bar Kochba Revolt. This revolt, which took place merely 60 years after the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the Temple, forced many Jews to leave Israel and in many ways ushered in the Middle Ages. Students began the day at Hirbet Midras, a site of caves and underground tunnels that were dug in preparation of the Bar Kochba revolt. In preparation for the revolt, the Jews dug tunnels and mines as places of refuge and escape. It was from these caves that the followers of Bar Kochba conducted their guerilla attacks against the Romans. The students enjoyed squeezing through the narrow underground passages.
At Bet Gubrin, the students first visited an ancient amphitheater. The theater was apparently one of the places where the Romans held some of the captive Jews before sending them to Rome. It was also the site of gladiator fights. While in the theater, the students playfully re-enacted the gladiator games in the form of “chicken flights”.
In the afternoon, the students crawled in the Tel Goded just for fun. In the caves, the students had a lively singing session which they thoroughly enjoyed.
The results of the revolt were devastating for the Jews of Israel and for Judaism. The Roman decrees in essence “outlawed” Judaism. Jews found many ways to meet this challenge.
This was the theme of the tiyul on Wednesday. The group traveled to the Galil to follow the center of Jewish life moved to this region after the Bar Kochba Revolt. This was a period when Rabbinic Judaism completed its adaptation of Jewish life to the new reality that resulted with the destruction of the Temple. The Sanhedrin moved to Bet Shearim and Tzipori (among other places). The tiyul brought us to these places.
The day began with studying texts of Selihot in the Synagogue and Bet Midrash of Bet Shearim, which was likely the synagogue where the members of the Sanhedrin prayed and studied. In Bet Shearim, the students discussed the importance of the Oral Law in the very place where the Synagogue of Yehuda Hanasi, who complied the Mishna, stood. They also conducted a mock Bet Din Gadol on the subject of Pidyon Shevu’im – redeeming prisoners. This is, unfortunately, still a timely topic in Israel as Gilad Shalit is now in his fourth year of captivity
Bet Shearim was an inconspicuous village until Yehuda Hanasi established his Sanhedrin there. As the rabbi's adherents flocked to his religious school, the village's size increased. It became famous throughout the Diaspora. Yehudah Hanasi himself spent the last seventeen years of his life not in Bet Shearim but in nearby Tzipori, for health reasons, but he was brought back for burial in Bet Shearim.
Rabbi Judah HaNasi's burial inspired Jews to be interred like him in Bet Shearim. An alternative to the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem was sought, since in 135 CE the Roman emperor Hadrian had decreed that Jerusalem was off-bounds for Jews. After Rabbi Judah's death, Bet Shearim became the main site for Jewish burial in Israel and the Diaspora, for a period of a hundred years. The graves were hewn out in the rock, and so the city attracted workmen for quarrying, and for stonecutting and sculpting of the entrance doors to the caves, and the sarcophagi or coffins in which the bones of the dead were laid. The students explored this necropolis and analyzed the inscriptions and artistic decorations seen on many sarcophagi (there are 31 catacombs in Bet Shearinm). Many of the items were “Hellenistic”. This inspired discussions in class.
The group followed Yehuda Hanasi to Tzipori where many Jews found shelter during the second century. The city assumed enormous importance as a center of Jewish learning. This prosperous town had collaborated with the Romans during the Great Revolt (66 – 70 CE), and because of its undisturbed tranquility had a thriving Jewish community from the first Century onwards. This is probably why Rabbi Yehuda Hanasi and a host of rabbis, students and Jewish academies settled there in the second Century. During this time, the city rapidly expanded and might have numbered about 12,000 people.
The Romans never destroyed Tzipori and therefore it gives one of the best impressions of Roman and Jewish life in Israel in the first centuries. Whereas other sites are mostly famous for tombs or old synagogues, Tzipori has Roman streets and buildings. In fact, an entire ancient city is currently being dug up.
The city was named after the Hebrew word for bird, 'Tzipor', because it seems to soar from its position on top of a hill. King Herod liked its strategic position and made it his regional capital city
The students toured the town and saw many buildings with exquisite mosaic floors. One of the interesting places is a large mansion from the Roman period from the third Century. It is not known who the inhabitants were and whether they were Jewish or Roman, but they must have been distinguished and affluent citizens. The mosaic panels show excerpts from the life of Dionysus, mostly known for being the god of the wine. The daintily laid compositions of thousands of tiny stones in 23 colors depict wine processions and drinking competitions. On one side is the portrait of a woman with gold earrings and a wreath and a lovely face that acquired the name “Mona Lisa of the Galilee.”
The tiyul ended at the synagogue. There were reputed to be at least 18 synagogues in Tzipori in Talmudic times, but so far, this is the only one which was found. On the floor lie mosaics, including a zodiac and a menorah.
At the synagogue, the students davened Mincha and then discussed the obvious influence of Roman culture on Jewish life. This led to discussions on the contemporary relevance of similar processes. The students talked about acculturation and separation.
Throughout the week the students had different opportunities to celebrate Sukkot. The madrichim conducted activities in the Sukkah. Many students ate their meals in the school Sukkah. During the tiyulim we stopped for lunch in places where there was a Sukkah
On Wednesday, the students learned about the development of Christianity from being a persecuted and hounded religion to being the official religion of the Byzantine Empire. The students focused on how this affected the Jews in Israel. They learned about the attitudes of the Church leaders, in particular Augustine and others whose concepts led to anti Jewish attitudes and persecution. The anti Jewish attitude led to anti Jewish legislation in Israel causing the dwindling of the Jewish community and ending the functioning of the Sanhedrin.
After class on Wednesday the Barrack, AHA and Gann students traveled to Jerusalem to celebrate Simchat Torah. In the evening the students attended services and Hakafot in several synagogues in the area.
On Thursday morning, Simchat Torah in Israel, students went to synagogues in the center of town and some to the Yeshivat Hakotel in the Jewish Quarter. By the time they got back to the youth hostel for lunch it was fairly late. In the afternoon the students rested. After Havdalah, the group had free time in central Jerusalem before returning to the campus. We heard wonderful feedback from the students about their experiences during the holiday.
This morning the students went to the beach. They will return at noon and then most will depart for home hospitality
Shabbat Shalom
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September 17-24, 2010
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9/24/2010
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On Friday September 17 after class, the group traveled to Jerusalem for Yom Kippur. The group stayed at Bet Shmuel, a youth hostel in the center of Jerusalem, so that they could both be close to the Kotel as well be able to attend services at synagogues of their choice. They then went with staff members to synagogues of their choice in the area of the youth hostel.
After Kol Nidrei, the streets of Jerusalem filled with families, mostly dressed in white taking a leisurely stroll. Many of the students commented about their feelings being in Jerusalem for Yom Kippur. Yom Kippur is a special day all over Israel. The country comes to an stand still ˆ there is absolutely no traffic. This atmosphere is felt in a more special way in Jerusalem. One may say that we could offer Yom Kippur, especially how it is celebrated in Israel, as the universal green holiday.
On Yom Kippur morning, the students again went to synagogues of their choice for tefillah. They walked to the synagogue through quiet streets devoid of all traffic. In the afternoon, they returned to the youth hostel for a bit of a rest. The group had the option of a Mincha service or a study session devoted to the Book of Jonah, the Haftarah reading for Mincha. The students had the opportunity to express their feelings about the significance of Yom Kippur to them.
The entire group, with the other students at AMHSI walked to the Kotel for Ne‚ilah. Many of the students found minyanim which they joined while others met to have our own Minyan or chose private moments near the Wall.
At the conclusion of the Ne‚ilah service the students returned to the youth hostel for Havdalah and to break the fast before returning to campus.
In the Core Class the students continued to study about the Second Temple Period. On Sunday morning the students learned about the Hasmonean Dynasty, the independent kingdom established after the successful revolt. The kingdom was short-lived, lasting only 80 years (142-63 B.C.E.) and was conquered by the Roman Empire. Roman rule eventually led to conflict and revolt. During this period one of the kings in Judea was Herod the Great who built many monumental structures that are still visited ˆ the Kotel and Massada to mention two of the important ones. The students also learned about the cultural and social development of the period, which led to the rise of three important sects among the Jews ˆ Sadducees, Pharisees and Essenes. As the political strife with the Romans worsened another group arose, the Zealots who called for revolt.
All the above was the background for the overnight tiyul on Monday and Tuesday.
The tiyul on Monday began in Jerusalem‚s Israel Museum with a visit to the model of Jerusalem as it looked just before its destruction in 70 CE. The model enabled the students to see Jerusalem in its grandeur. Seeing and studying this model helped the students to better understand the archaeological remains they saw later in the day. The model is a wonderful didactic tool that enables the students understand the social and political history of the period and place the archaeological remains in perspective.
The students also visited the Shrine of the Book that houses a special exhibit of the Dead Sea Scrolls. It is generally assumed that the Essenes, a Second Temple sect, wrote the scrolls. The Essenes believed that city life was much too influenced by Hellenistic culture. They left the urban life and formed communities in deserted areas. They believed that by their pure living they could bring the Messiah.
After completing the "historic" segment of the visit to the museum the students had a chance to tour the renewed Israel Museum.
From the museum, the students went to the Jewish Quarter where they saw important archaeological digs. They started in what is now known as the "Herodian Quarter", remains of the wealthy section in Jerusalem during the Herodian period. Here they saw the remains of magnificent mansions and fancy stone and glassware as well as other archaeological finds. The excavations were made possible in the early 1970's when the rubble of the Jewish Quarter was cleared. The Jewish Quarter was nearly entirely destroyed systematically during the 19 year Jordanian occupation of the Old City. In the rebuilding efforts of the Jewish Quarter, the rubble was cleared and in laying foundations for the new buildings, many interesting archaeological remains were discovered.
The students‚ visit ended in the Davidson Center and archaeological garden. The Archaeological park features remains spanning 5,000 years. The students focused on the splendors of the Second Temple and the impressive architecture of King Herod, dating to the second half of the first century BCE. Visiting all these sites enabled the students to see and understand the lifestyle of the Jews, how Rome influenced them and why the Jews and Romans were in conflict. This conflict led to revolt which this time ended in destruction, the remains of which are still visible
After leaving Jerusalem, the group drove toward the Dead Sea area. They stayed at the Massada Youth Hostel
On Tuesday, the students arose very early to drive the short distance and climbed the historic snake path to the top of the mountain fortress, Massada. When they reached the top of the mountain, they saw the sunrise and went directly to the Synagogue of Massada, one of the oldest Synagogues discovered in Israel. This is truly a fitting place to begin the inspirational visit to this important historic site. The students had a full Tefilah in this ancient Bet Knesset
The hike gave many students a real sense of accomplishment but this was only the background for the real purpose of the tiyul. The students spent several hours on the mountaintop learning about the values and lifestyle of the Zealots. These values are the everlasting values of the Jewish People and Jewish culture. The students were able to re-enact in discussion much of the story they learned and really felt the history they studied
After descending from the mountain, the groups went to the Dead Sea for lunch and an opportunity to "swim" in the lake located in the lowest point on earth. Swim is a bit of a stretch ˆ float is more accurate.
On Tuesday evening the students decorated the campus Sukkah.
On Wednesday the students had their General Studies classes. After lunch, most of the students departed for home hospitality to spend the first day of Sukkot with families while others opted to remain on campus.
Today, Friday, the Second Day Yom in the Diaspora, but Chol Ha'mo'ed in Israel. We did not schedule class or tiyul for today to enable those students who celebrate two days Yom Tov even in Israel to do so without feeling they are missing anything or pressured not to do so. The students were given permission to remain with their hosts but most just relaxed on campus. This Shabbat is also an "open" Shabbat
I would like to wish you all a very joyous Sukkot Festival, a holiday which the Torah commands us "VESAMACHTA BECHAGECHA" to be happy. Thus Chag Same'ach is not merely a good wish but actually a mitzvah.
With best wishes for Shabbat Shalom and Mo'adim LeSimcha
Chaim Fischgrund
Headmaster
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September 12-17, 2010
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9/17/2010
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On Friday September 17 after class, the group traveled to Jerusalem for Yom Kippur. The group stayed at Bet Shmuel, a youth hostel in the center of Jerusalem, so that they could both be close to the Kotel as well be able to attend services at synagogues of their choice. After eating the Seudah Mafseket, the students met for a brief pre-Yom Kippur discussion and candle lighting. They then went with staff members to synagogues of their choice in the area.
After Kol Nidrei, the streets of Jerusalem filled with families, may dressed in white taking a leisurely stroll. Many of the students commented about their feelings being in Jerusalem for Yom Kippur. Yom Kippur is a special day all over Israel. The country comes to an stand still ˆ there is absolutely no traffic. This atmosphere is felt in a more special way in Jerusalem. One may say that we could offer Yom Kippur, especially how it is celebrated in Israel, as the universal green holiday.
On Yom Kippur morning, the students again went to synagogues of their choice for tefillah. They walked to the synagogue through quiet streets devoid of all traffic. In the afternoon, they returned to the youth hostel for a bit of a rest. The group had the option of a Mincha service or a study session devoted to the Book of Jonah, the Haftarah reading for Mincha. The students had the opportunity to express their feelings about the significance of Yom Kippur to them.
The entire group, with the other students at AMHSI walked to the Kotel for Ne‚ilah. Many of the students found minyanim which they joined while others met to have our own Minyan or chose private moments near the Wall.
At the conclusion of the Ne‚ilah service the students returned to the youth hostel for Havdalah and to break the fast before returning to campus.
In the Core Class the students continued to study the Second Temple Period. The tiyul on Sunday began with a visit to the model of Jerusalem at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem/ It is a scale model showing Jerusalem just before it was destroyed in 70 CE. The model enabled the students to see Jerusalem in its grandeur. Seeing and studying this model helped them place the archaeological remains they saw later in the day in perspective.
While at the museum, the students also visited the Shrine of the Book that houses a special exhibit of the Dead Sea Scrolls. It is generally assumed that the Essenes, a Second Temple sect, wrote the scrolls. The Essenes believed that city life was much too influenced by Hellenistic culture. They left the urban life and formed communities in deserted areas. They believed that by their pure living they could bring the Messiah.
From the model, the students went to the Jewish Quarter where they saw important archaeological digs. They started in the Davidson Center, and archaeological garden. The Archaeological Park features remains spanning 5,000 years. The students focused on the splendors of the Second Temple and the impressive architecture of King Herod, dating to the second half of the first century BCE.
The students‚ visit ended in what is now known as the „Herodian Quarter‰, remains of the wealthy section in Jerusalem during the Herodian period. Here they saw the remains of magnificent mansions and fancy stone and glassware as well as other archaeological finds. The excavations were made possible in the early 1970's when the rubble of the Jewish Quarter was cleared. The Jewish Quarter was nearly entirely destroyed systematically during the 19 year Jordanian occupation of the Old City. In the rebuilding efforts of the Jewish Quarter, the rubble was cleared and in laying foundations for the new buildings, many interesting archaeological remains were discovered.
Visiting all these sites enabled the students to see and understand the lifestyle of the Jews, how Rome influenced them and why the Jews and Romans were in conflict. This conflict led to revolt which this time ended in destruction, the remains of which are still visible.
In the afternoon, the students drove towards the Dead Sea. The group drove up one of the cliffs overlooking the Dead Sea at Metzokei Deragot. They walked into the desert for personal meditation overlooking the dramatic desert scenes. The personal time enabled the students to understand the powerful spiritual impact of the desert environment. Thus, they could better understand why so many spiritual and religious achievements have been accomplished in deserts. The group discussed the concept of spirituality and the desert and it proved to be a very powerful experience for many students who were in the desert for the first time. At the end of the day, they continued to the Massada Youth Hostel where they settled in for the night.
On Monday, the students arose very early to climb the historic snake path to the top of the mountain fortress, Massada. The climb began at first light and the students managed to see the sunrise from the top of the mountain. When they reached the top of the mountain, they saw the sunrise and went directly to the Synagogue of Massada, one of the oldest Synagogues discovered in Israel. This is truly a fitting place and the Shacharit service is certainly a fitting way to begin the inspirational visit to this important historic site. The hike gave many students a real sense of accomplishment but this was only the background for the real purpose of the tiyul.
The students spent several hours on the mountaintop learning about the values and lifestyle of the Zealots. These values are the everlasting values of the Jewish People and Jewish culture. The students were able to re-enact in discussion much of the story they learned and really felt the history they studied
After descending from the mountain, the groups went to the Dead Sea for lunch and an opportunity to „swim‰ in the lake located in the lowest point on earth. Swim is a bit of a stretch ˆ float is more accurate.
The core class on Tuesday was devoted to studying the rise of Christianity. The focus was on understanding the historic background that led to one of the Jewish sects developing into a separate religion. This happened during the Second Temple days, in the decades preceding the Great Revolt. In the evening, the students helped decorate the school Sukkah.
On Wednesday the students had their General Studies classes. After lunch, most of the students departed for home hospitality to spend the first day of Sukkot with families while others opted to remain on campus.
Today, Friday, is the Second Day Yom in the Diaspora, but Chol Ha'mo'ed in Israel. We did not schedule class or tiyul for today to enable those students who celebrate two days Yom Tov even in Israel to do so without feeling they are missing anything or pressured not to do so. The students were given permission to remain with their hosts but most just relaxed on campus. This Shabbat is also an "open" Shabbat
I would like to wish you all a very joyous Sukkot Festival, a holiday which the Torah commands us „VESAMACHTA BECHAGECHA‰ to be happy. Thus Chag Same'ach is not merely a good wish but actually a mitzvah∑
Shabbat Shalom and Mo'adim LeSimcha
Chaim Fischgrund
Headmaster
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September 3-8, 2010
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9/8/2010
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The group was on campus on Shabbat September 3 ˆ 4. After class, the students had time to relax in Hod HaSharon and prepare for Shabbat. The students had a wonderful and very spiritual as well as spirited Kabbalat Shabbat service as a group. They creatively arranged what in some communities is known as a „tri-chitza‰ service ˆ there was a mixed section as well as one section each for the men and women in the group who opted for mechitzot. It was great that the entire group decided to accommodate each other in the true spirit of pluralism. The service itself was in the Carlebach style ˆ lots of singing. The singing carried on during the festive Shabbat dinner in our dining room. After dinner, the madrichim arranged an Oneg Shabbat program in the dorm
On Shabbat morning, the students had three Tefilah options. Nearly all the girls preferred the women‚s minyan organized by Chanah Stein. Other students opted for a study session and the rest went to synagogues in Hod HaSharon, mainly the Habad shul which conveniently begins services at 10:00 rather than the 7:00 AM norm in Israel. In the afternoon, the madrichim arranged some activities in a nearby park. Most of the day was devoted to resting and conversation. Shabbat ended with Havdalah.
On Sunday and Tuesday, the students learned about the First temple period focusing on both the monarchs and prophets as well as the historic narrative of the First Temple period.
On Monday, the students continued to study Rabbinic Literature.
At night, the Barrack students, along with the students from the Gann Academy and the American Hebrew Academy studying on our campus at present, had a special Rosh Hashanah Fair. The madrichim organized special fun filled activities, which enabled the students to interact with each other. Among the special activities, the students were able to make greeting cards for each other and their hosts as well as other gifts
Today, the group is taking its first Unit Test in the Core Class. After the test, the students will depart for home hospitality for the Rosh Hashanah holiday. The madrichim have been very diligent in contacting the host families and arranging the various transportation needs of the students
I would like to take this opportunity to wish you and your families a very happy new year. May this be a year of good health, happiness, peace and prosperity.
Ketiva VeHatima Tova
Shanah Tova
Chaim Fischgrund
Headmaster
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August 27-September 3, 2010
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9/3/2010
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On Friday, August 27 after class, the students traveled to Jerusalem for Shabbat. Upon arriving in Jerusalem, the students went to the Machaneh Yehuda market. This open air market is always full of action and particularly on Friday afternoon as many people make their last minute pre-Shabbat preparations. The observed and participated in these preparations and had a chance buy some snacks and nosh for Shabbat.
After candle lighting in the hostel, the students walked to the Jewish Quarter and the Kotel. The students conducted the Kabbalat Shabbat service, which included singing and dancing. The girls, on the women‚s side, formed a circle and soon many others joined them as they broke out in song and dance. The same happened on the men‚s side with our students taking the lead. They walked back to the youth hostel for Shabbat dinner singing much of the way. The students were still quite tired form their trip to Israel and the madrichim kept the Oneg Shabbat program brief.
On Shabbat morning, the students attended synagogues of their choice in the area of central Jerusalem: the Reform service at HUC, a Conservative service at the Agron St synagogues and a Hassidic type service at Ma‚ayanot.
After Lunch and some time to rest, the madrichim led the students in activities in the nearby park. After Havdalah, the group returned to the campus having experience a wonderful and spiritual Shabbat.
This week was the students' first full week in Israel and they fully immersed themselves in the program. Studies in the core class this week continued to focus on the Biblical period. They learned about the conquest of Israel under the leadership of Joshua as well as the Judges period. This was in preparation for an overnight tiyul.
On Sunday afternoon, the students were able to experience their first field trip. The tiyul was to Tel Gezer. This tiyul is a hands on experience at an archaeological site. The focus of the tiyul is to learn how an archaeologist researches and the importance of archaeology for the understanding of history. The students walked around and through the remains of a Canaanite City that dates back to the period of the Patriarchs (Middle Bronze Age) and even earlier. It is also the site where the oldest Hebrew document, The Gezer Calendar was discovered.
At Gezer, the students also discussed the differences between the pagan civilization whose remains are visible and the monotheistic culture developed by the Israelites.
On Monday, the core class was devoted to Rabbinic Literature. There are three topics, which the students will be learning ˆ Kashrut, Shabbat and the role of women in Judaism. They will study these topics in rotation.
On Monday, the students also began studying their general studies courses. The syllabus of each course is according to the syllabus in Barrack so that the students will be able to rejoin their classmates in as seamless a way as possible.
In the evening they helped us welcome the students of the Gann Academy in Boston with whom they will be sharing the dorms. On Thursday, the students of the American Hebrew Academy arrived. It is very exciting to have the students on our campus.
On Tuesday, the students departed for an overnight tiyul. The first stop of the tiyul on Tuesday was on Mt. Gilboa. From there the students had a good view of the Jezreel Valley, Mt. Tabor and many other locations which they had studied about earlier in the week. Standing on the mountain top they had a greater appreciation and understanding of the activities of the Judges especially Deborah and Gideon whom they studied about in class. On this mountain King Saul, the first king of Israel was killed in battle against the Philistines.
Mt. Gilboa overlooks one of the most beautiful valleys in Israel, much of which was marshland until the 1920‚s and 1930‚s. Later on in the semester the students will learn about the pioneers who beautified the land. Then they will appreciate the scenery, especially the changes to it by the pioneers, even more. The students hiked down into the "Hidden Valley", a great hike a somewhat challenging. The students stopped for lunch and a swim at the Gan Hashlosha National Park, better known as the Sakhne. This is a beautiful place with springs and pools.
From there the students drove to Jerusalem. The ride took them through the Jordan Valley and followed, to some extent, the rout taken by Joshua when he led the conquest of the land. Arriving in Jerusalem, the students went directly to the Rabin Youth Hostel for dinner.
After dinner, the group drove to Mt Scopus overlooking the ancient city of Jerusalem. The emotional ceremony welcomed the students to Jerusalem and put closure to the day‚s activities. As part of the ceremony, the students heard the story about the song Jerusalem of Gold ˆ Yerushalayim shel Zahav and sang it overlooking the Golden City.
Wednesday‚s tiyul was devoted to learning about the settlement of the land by the ancient Israelites. In addition, the students also learned about the development of institutions especially the monarchy. Starting at the Sataf Spring, a short ride in the Judean Mountains, the students saw the ancient farming methods developed by the Israelites and they walked through ancient terraces and irrigation tunnels. Sataf is a wonderful educational project developed by the Jewish National Fund, which recreated this ancient farm. Studying the ancient farming system was good background to analyzing many of the social justice laws in the Torah. This helped the students to better understand the story in Megillat Ruth that took place during the Judges period. Ruth was also the ancestor of King David and this was a good segue to the next stop of the tiyul.
The students drove to the Haas Promenade overlooking Jerusalem from the south. From the promenade at "UN Hill" (so called because of the nearby UN Headquarters for the Middle East) the students learned how and why King David made Jerusalem the eternal capital of the Jewish people. After that the students drove to the City of David. They saw the remains of the king‚s palace and wondered at the technology behind Jerusalem‚s ancient water system. They walked through Hezekiah‚s Tunnel, built in the 8th century BCE to bring water into the city.
The students ended the tiyul at the Kotel, the Western Wall. This was the spiritual and emotional culmination of the two-day tiyul. After "dinner on the streets" in Ben Yehuda St., the group returned to the campus.
On Thursday, the students learned about the First temple period focusing on both the monarchs and prophets.
Today the students are studying General Studies subjects. They will spend Shabbat on campus
Shabbat Shalom
Chaim Fischgrund
Headmaster
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August 25-27, 2010
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8/27/2010
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This is the first update that we will send to you on a weekly basis. We hope these updates will assist you in following the progress of your daughters and sons throughout the trimester Israel program.
The students arrived safely on Wednesday. The Madrichim met them at Ben Gurion airport. They drove to the campus where the students were welcomed by most of the staff. Welcoming the students in a ceremony is an opportunity to show our students how special they are for choosing to study at the Alexander Muss High School in Israel and the JBHA Muss program. This has been a tradition of the school for many years. The students rested and settled into the dorm and went on a tour of campus and Hod Hasharon.
Yesterday, Thursday, was Orientation Day. The students began their day in one of the three prayer options: a mechitzah minyan, an egalitarian minyan, or biur tefillah (prayer study session). During the day the students heard explanations about the school by Jill, the Dean of General Studies, met Yardena, the Dean of Students, Sandy, the school doctor and nurse, their Core Curriculum teacher ˆ Danny, Alan and Reuven. They had Orientation Day also included a dorm meeting.
In addition to meeting their teachers, the students began studying the Core Curriculum program. The AMHSI Israel program unfolds the living drama of Jewish history using the land of Israel as its classroom. The aim of studying history is not merely to examine the facts of the past but to weave them into an historic narrative, one that teaches students about themselves and their place in Jewish history today. This study enables our students to confront the issues and role models that shaped Jewish history and Jewish life and allows them to draw conclusions relevant to their own lives. The historical narrative method has proven immeasurably more effective than the conventional arrangement of experiences in a thematic, modular format or traveling around the country based on the geography. The tiyulim (field trips) enable us to unfold this drama and provide the students with not only a journey throughout the land of Israel but also a journey through Jewish history and culture.
The focus of the first unit is on the Biblical period. Yesterday and today they studied about the ancient Near East and why the Fertile Crescent became the Cradle of Civilization. Much of the material is, of course, a review of what the students learned in the past but is important information for the understanding of the history of Israel.
We expect to post pictures on our website. Please go to www.amhsi.org and click on photo gallery and the Barrack pictures. We will do our best to have a couple of pictures of each of the students posted weekly. Please be sure to mark the site as a favorite. Each time you wish to see new pictures, go to the SAME album and scroll down.
After lunch the students will depart for Jerusalem where they will spend Shabbat
Shabbat Shalom
Chaim Fischgrund
Headmaster
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