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May 27 - 30, 2011
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5/31/2011
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Dear parents,
This is the last update I will send this session. I am writing this letter the morning after the group departed Israel to return to the US. In the updates that were sent, we tried to convey to you the students’ experiences. We are certain that your children told you throughout the semester how the program affected them. No doubt, they shared their exciting stories with you.
As I previously wrote, the students’ last Shabbat was spent on campus.
On Friday evening, the group conducted a Kabbalat Shabbat service led by the students. It was a very lively service with lots of singing and dancing. This was followed by an optional Ma’ariv service. After Shabbat dinner, the madrichim conducted Oneg Shabbat programs for each of the buses. On Shabbat morning there were three two options a traditional mechitzah minyan, an egalitarian service and an alternative session that included yoga and meditation. After lunch, the groups had activities planned by the madrichim, followed by some down time. After Havdalah, the students began packing.
On Sunday morning the students had wrap up discussion sessions with their teachers. We then asked them to share with us their feedback on all aspects of the program. In the afternoon they continued packing and had time for personal errands. Some of the students also went to the beach.
Yesterday was “Symbolic Day”- the last day of the program. We refer to this as “symbolic day” because the activities we choose are symbolic to help the students review much of what they experienced to bring closure to the program. The first activity of the day was to plant trees in the AMHSI forest, which we are developing with the JNF. This symbolic act helps solidify the students’ connection to the land and all that they experienced. Before planting each of the buses held a ceremony in which the students declared on whose honor or memory they are dedicating the tree.
From there the students drove to Har Herzl. Mt Herzl contains Israel’s National Cemetery and is the burial site of many great Israeli leaders including Herzl, Jabotinsky, Yitzhak Rabin, Levi Eshkol, Golda Meir, Teddy Kollek and others.
Har Herzl is also one of Israel’s military cemeteries. Visiting Mt Herzl was an opportunity to pay homage to Israel’s leaders and heroes. This was an important element in putting closure to the program. In addition, the students also visited the Military Cemetery on Har Herzl to review the contributions of some of the heroes they studied about and [ay respects to them.
The group continued to the Jewish Quarter in the Old City of Jerusalem. There they had their final discussion and a chance for a visit to the Kotel one last time.
This discussion enabled the students to reflect on all they studied and experienced throughout the Israel program. The Kotel was very crowded as many Israeli schools were visiting as part of the Yom Yerushalayim celebrations. Yom Yerushalyim will begin tonight. This "organized balagan" added much to the festive atmosphere in the city.
Last night the group had a wonderful banquet on campus. The evening began with dinner in one of the campus lawns. This was followed by a lively final evening of goodbyes to their staff and friends. Representatives of the class spoke so warmly about each of the teachers and madrichim. It was wonderful to see how much the students bonded with the staff and how appreciative they were of everything that the staff did to make this such a successful program. During the evening some of the students also performed, mostly in song. There are many talented students in the group. The students the watched a slideshow reviewing the program.
Late last night and early this morning the students left the campus for the airport.
On behalf of the entire AMHSI staff, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for the confidence you placed in us in sending your sons and daughters to us. It is truly appreciated. We 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.
Throughout the semester, we received letters from many of you, with valuable feedback. If any of you would like to share your re-union with your children with us or send us any feedback, please do so. We look forward to hearing from you.
Please visit us when you are next in Israel.
At the dinner last night, I extended my best wishes to the students for a pleasant summer and smooth entry whether to college in the US, participation in gap year programs in Israel and enlisting in the IDF in the fall. I would like to repeat these wishes in this letter.
Kol Tuv,
Chaim Fischgrund
Headmaster
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May 22 - 27, 2011
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5/27/2011
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This was the students last full week in Israel. Throughout the week the activities and tiyulim dealt with contemporary history of the State of Israel as well as many issues and challenges facing Israel.
The theme of Sunday’s tiyul was the relations between the Jewish majority of the country and its national minorities, the great majority of whom are Moslem Arabs. 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. She is probably less famous than Hannah Senesh who was also one of the paratroopers. 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 had a view 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.
In the afternoon the students visited Druze villages in the Carmel Mountains. They had some free time in the Shuk of Daliat el Carmel. The day ended in Ussefiya, a Druze village in the Carmel. The students were warmly hosted in four different homes in the village. 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. One of their principles is loyalty to whatever state they live in and 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 visit to the homes included dinner and Druze music.
The tiyul on Monday focused on the challenge of co-existence between Israel and its citizens with the people living in the territories that Israel captured during the Six Days War in June 1967. Giving a name to these territories – Judea and Samaria, West Bank, Occupied Territories, Liberated Territories is not merely an exercise in semantics but goes to the heart of the issue. I will therefore use the neutral term – administered territories. The students had a chance to view some of these territories as well as to hear from a Jewish resident in one of the towns and a representative of the Palestine National Authority.
On the way to Jerusalem the students had a chance to see neighborhoods in "East Jerusalem". This too is a political term meaning neighborhoods in Jerusalem that were under Jordanian rule pre-1967. In fact Ramot is in the west, Gilo is in the south and Mt Scopus is in the north of the city. The students drove along what was the border (the so called "seam line") from north to south, stopped in some of the Jewish neighborhoods beyond what was the border in 1967, were able to see the crossing into Bethlehem, the security wall that separates Jerusalem and understand the complexities of the issue.
After the morning tour they had lunch and some free time in center of Jerusalem.
The students met Mark Provisor, a resident of Shiloh. Mark made Aliyah from Philadelphia in 1978 and has been living in Shiloh for the past 18 years. He spoke about the historic link to Shiloh in particular as well as the other Jewish towns in the heartland of Israel. He spoke about his vision for the future and was open to many questions which ensued. Mark criticized us for not taking students to Shiloh or other towns beyond the Green Line
At the conclusion of his talk the students walked to the Notre Dame Hotel. The hotel was on the border dividing Jerusalem across from the Old City's northwest corner up from the Jaffa Gate. There they met with Rami Tahboub, the Director of the North American Division of the Foreign Ministry of the Palestine National Authority (PNA). He explained the position of the PNA on many issues including the two state solution, the refugee question, right of return, the Fatah – Hamas agreement and more. A relatively long Q & A session ensued and some students continued their conversation with him when the session ended. Rami Tahboub was also critical of us for not bringing the students to Ramallah
We walked back to Bet Shmuel for dinner and the final program of the day. Representatives of Seeds of Peace joined the students for dinner. The organization, founded in 1993 "is dedicated to empowering young leaders from regions of conflict with the leadership skills required to advance reconciliation and coexistence" (according to its website). After dinner each of the bus groups met with an Israeli and Palestinian member of Seeds of Peace where they had an opportunity to hear about the challenges presented to them. They learned about the camp in Maine that they attended as well as the activities of the organization.
On Tuesday morning the students debriefed in their groups about the previous day's activities. They discussed what they learned, what they felt and to what extent their views changed or deepened on the topic.
After this discussion the students went to Tel Aviv to focus on various aspects of Israeli culture and society. They chose from among five options: a guided tour to some of Tel Aviv's art galleries, a tour of the Tel Aviv Museum, a tour of the studio home of Reuven Rubin an important artist in pre-State years and the first 30 years or so of the State. It is now a museum. This group also toured the original city hall which is now a museum of the history of Tel Aviv, a meeting with Maor Zaguri, an award winning and successful director with Habima (Maor was a madrich of CESJDS group several years ago while studying theater). The fifth group spent the morning with Bina, a "secular Yeshiva" which is involved with social action in south Tel Aviv.
All the students met up in the Nahlat Binyamin pedestrian mall which on Tuesday's has arts and crafts fair. They spent the rest of the day on the beach in Tel Aviv.
On Wednesday the students departed for an overnight tiyul to the northernmost region of the country and the Golan. The activities on Wednesday were devoted to the situation in the Northern Galil. There was a special emphasis on the security issues facing Israel.
The first stop was at Tel Faher, a Syrian Bunker captured in the Six Day War. 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 better the background leading up to the war in June 1967. At Tel Faher, the students learned about Eli Cohen "Our Man in Damascus" (the titled of a wonderful biography about him) and his contribution to Israel's security and victory in 1967. Cohen was caught and executed in 1965 but the information he passed on to Israeli was extremely valuable even two years later.
From there, the group drove to the present border with Syria at a 1973 battle zone known as Hill 77. There one of the most important tank battles of the Yom Kippur War took place. Because of this battle the place is also called the “Valley of Tears”. It was the heroism of the tank crews and infantry units who fought in this battle that stopped the Syrian onslaught and prevented the Syrian army from overrunning the Golan and invading the valley below. The memorial to the 77 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. The students then saw an audio visual presentation about the Golan at the near-by Kibbutz Elrom; a kibbutz that was attacked during the war.
After lunch the students kayaked on the Jordan River.
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 morning the students had two hiking options. Nearly two thirds of the group chose the more extreme option of hiking on the Yahudia River on the Golan. The others walked in the Banyas Nature Reserve and then went biking in the Hula Reserve.
The students met up in the afternoon when each of the bus groups had its final discussion for the tiyul. This discussion not only reviewed what they learned and experienced during these two days but it was the beginning of closure discussions for the entire program.
Again the students had options regarding the ride back to campus. One bus stopped at Kibbutz Naot Mordechai where they were able to purchase sandals and shoes at the Teva Naot factory. Other opted to go to Kfar Saba for Dinner on the Streets and rest preferred to come directly to Hod Hasharon.
This morning the students had a chance to sleep in late and enjoyed a special breakfast prepared by the madrichim. They met with Asher Epstein, a CESJDS graduate who spoke to them about entrepreneurship while in college and in Israel.
The group will spend the last Shabbat of the program on our campus
Shabbat Shalom
Chaim Fischgrund
Headmaster
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May 15 - 20, 2011
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5/20/2011
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Below is a brief description of the activities at the various volunteer locations. Roz Landy visited us this week. She went to each of the volunteer places. Yardena and I accompanied her on two of the three days. We could see how happy the students were and their sense of accomplishment in each place. We will get more detailed feedback in the week to come but we can certainly say that it was a successful period
Lavie
In addition to the regular work details, the students had several activities. On Sunday they had a volleyball tournament. In the evening the y had a discussion about the "Nakba Day". On Monday they had a tiyul in the filedds in the area. On Tuesday they went to the Kineret and on Wednesday to Karnei Hittim. In the evening they had closure activities which included gifts and pain war
Sde Eilyahu
Durinmg the week the students had several opportunities to leave the kibbutz for nature activities nearby. They went to several springs in the area the highlight being the Sachne on Thursday before their return to campus
Keramim
On Sunday the students had a birthday party for one of the students. On Monday they went to Beer Sheva for bowling and to hang out. On Tuesday they were hosted by kibbutz families. Later in the evening they had drama and yoga activities with members of the kibbutz. On Wednesday they went paintballing on the kibbutz and had a farewell activity. Throughout the week they planned and painted a mural on the youth clubhouse in the kibbutz
Kfar Hassidim
The students helped arrange a herbal tea garden. The girls joined the students in the village in cooking lessons. On Monday evening Rabbi Menachem, the rabbi of the youth village, told them his Aliyah story. He walked from Ethiopia to Israel. On Wednesday all the students worked on projects which they left as a farewell gift to the village – they painted benched with a colorful design as well as a board with the names of the students. The staff of the village had a farewell program with the students that included a powerpoint presentation of pictures. In the evening they had a pre-Lag Ba'Omer bonfire and birthday party. On Thursday each of the staffs around the village found a way to say thank you and bid the students goodbye.
Tzfat
In addition to the work places, the students painted a mural in one of the central streets in Tzfat. On one evening they had a martial arts program. On one evening they hiked from Birya Forest to the synagogue in Navorya in the area. The students participated in a "music festival" in which they wrote music and performed on ancient instruments. On Thursday they had a festive farewell lunch before returning to campus
All the students returned to campus on Thursday night. It was their opportunity to get back to their rooms, unpack and take care of personal chores.
Today began, as all campus days, with Tefilah options. The students then met with their teachers and began to address different issues that face Israel. Until the end of the program we will examine different aspects of life in Israel, social, political and cultural. Today the viewed the film "Unsettled". It is an award winning documentary that deals with the disengagement from Gaza in 2005. In the words of the film's producer "it is the story of a generation on the fron lines of a nation's battle against itself. It tells the story of three young people who will be forced to leave their home. For one participant the pullout plan sets off a desperate struggle to convince Israelis and the world that the withdrawal, or as some called it the expulsion, is a crime against God. It tells the story of soldiers who must prepare for a mission against other Israelis to face protests and a prospect of violence. Still another participant joins a cross-country tour in support of the withdrawal even as she mourns a sister killed by Palestinians. The movie deals with religion and democracy, soldiers and civilians, and the young people on the front lines of the debate.
After lunch the group will drive north first hiking in the Gilboa and then continuing to Ma'ayan Harod. This area of the country brings them back to the Biblical period. The weather earlier in the program did not permit us to do the hike in the Gilboa while Ma'ayan Harod relates to the stories surrounding Gideon.
Shabbat Shalom
Chaim Fischgrund
Headmaster
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May 8 - 13, 2011
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5/13/2011
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Dear Parents,
Below is a brief description of the activities at the various volunteer locations. The students, of course, are continuing the various work options.
In all the places the students commemorated Yom Hazikaron and celebrated Yom Ha'atzmaut. The Remembrance Day is dedicated to the memory of Israel’s fallen soldiers and fighters dating back to the pre- State period and in recent years, it includes ceremonies in memory of the victims of terror as well. Throughout the country, a siren is sounded at 8:00 PM, which ushers in the day’s activities. The students, as everyone else in Israel that very moment, stood at attention to pay their respects.
There are ceremonies again during the day. Precisely at 11:00 AM, a siren was sound throughout the country and hundreds of ceremonies take place in army bases, military cemeteries, memorials and schools. The entire country comes to a standstill for two minutes as we commemorate Memorial Day and pay homage to the many who made the supreme sacrifice to enable us to live in an independent country.
As somber and sad the atmosphere is on Memorial Day, so overwhelmingly joyous is Yom Ha’atzmaut. The students were able to experience both. During Yom Ha’atzmaut, the mourning gave way to celebration. It is a day that recalls the miracle of the state’s founding in 1948, and its survival from the war launched against it the very next day by an array of powerful Arab armies. Unfortunately the fighting has never stopped. The juxtaposition of a national day of mourning followed immediately by a national day of joy may seem jarring to many. However, this is the rhythm of life in Israel, where succeeding generations have learned to appreciate our independence and life more deeply and fully precisely, because we recognize the sacrifice many made to give us this precious gift.
Lavie
On Sunday evening the students joined the Memorial Day ceremony in the kibbutz. Later they had a program about Ro'I Klein, viewing a film and then a discussion. Roi'I Klein was a Major in the Golani Brigade. Klein was killed during the Second War in Lebanon in 2006. In 2002 Klein received the Chief of Staff Citation for his conduct during a skirmish in Shechem. During the battle in Bint Jbeil a hand granade was thrown into the house where Klein and his unit were present. Klein told his men "Report that I've been killed" and subsequently jumped on the live grenade and stopped the explosion with his body. The soldiers reported that Klein recited the Shema as he jumped on the grenade. For his actions during the war Klein received the Medal of Courage posthumously. Roi Klein became a symbol for heroism in Israel. New Schools have been named for him.
On Monday evening the students joined the members of the kibbutz for a festive Yom Ha'atzmaut dinner which was followed by dancing and a party.
On Tuesday the students at Lavie, Kfar Hassidim and Tzfat met up for an Independence Day BBQ.
Today after work the students will be going on a tiyul to Karnei Hittim
Sde Eilyahu
On Sunday afternoon the students met with a member of the kibbutz who spoke about his experiences during the Yom Kippur War and Yom Hazikaron means to him. After joining the kibbutz for the Yom Hazikaron ceremony they also participated in a special evening of songs dedicated to the day.
On Monday the students went to the regional high school located on the kibbutz to join the ceremony. It was a very moving ceremony as the kibbutz lost 25 alumni in the various wars.
In the evening they had a ceremony to note the end of the day and the beginning of Yom Ha'atzmaut held a discussion about the meaning of these days for them and joined the party at the kibbutz – ate and danced the night away.
On Tuesday the students at Lavie, Kfar Hassidim and Tzfat met up for an Independence Day BBQ. On the way back to kibbutz they stopped to swim at the springs
On Wednesday after work the students went to Nachal Hakibbutzim (named for the river that flows through several kibbutzim). They floated down the river on inner tubes and went through water slides returned to the kibbutz for a bonfire and made pitot.
Thursday after work the students departed for an "open" Shabbat
Keramim
The students joined the members of the kibbutz for the ceremonies. On Monday night they drove to Be'er Sheva for the local celebrations. On Tuesday the group went to the beach and returned for a BBQ dinner
Kfar Hassidim
On Sunday afternoon the students had a cooking workshop with the students of the youth village. In the evening they joined the students in the Yom Hazikaron ceremony.
On Monday morning the rabbi of the Youth Village took the students to Ramle where they joined an army unit in the Yom Hazikaron ceremony. At night they went to Haifa for the celebration
On Tuesday the students at Lavie, Kfar Hassidim and Tzfat met up for an Independence Day BBQ. On the way back to kibbutz they stopped to swim at the springs
On Wednesday after work they met with Moshe Ibgi, an alum of the youth village and one of Israel's leading actors
On Thursday the rabbi's wife helped the students prepare an "Ethiopian" dinner.
Tzfat
On Sunday the students had a tiyul to Gamla on the Golan. In the evening they wemt to the local ceremony and had a group activity. On Monday they joined local ceremonies and celebrated Yom Ha'atzmaut in Tzfat.
On Tuesday the students at Lavie, Kfar Hassidim and Tzfat met up for an Independence Day BBQ. On the way back to Tzfat they stopped to swim at the springs near Kibbutz Sde Eliyahu.
On Wednesday they went to the "Color Festival" painted on various objects inspired by music.
On Thursday after a BBQ dinner they departed for an "Open" Shabbat
Shabbat Shalom
Chaim Fischgrund
Headmaster
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May 1 - 5, 2011
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5/6/2011
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Dear Parents,
Below is a brief description of the activities at the various volunteer locations
Lavie
The students are working in the cowshed (Refet) fruit orchards, in particular the Sukkot Arba Minim, laundry and hotel
In addition to the work, Liron arranged various activities – they participated in the Kibbutz Yom Hasho'ah ceremony. Among the kibbutz founders were many who were in the Kindertransport to England. This makes the ceremony particularly meaningful. The students saw movies and played football (soccer) with the teens of the kibbutz. They toured the synagogue furniture factory. Some students commented that th furniture in their synagogue was produced at Lavie. This is an open Shabbat. Some students opted to spend it relaxing on our campus
Sde Eilyahu
The students are working in the vineyard, olive grove and date palms, dining room, kitchen and swimming pool. Danny arranged various activities for them. They have daily phys. Ed training with him. They saw a movie about the Warsaw Ghetto as part of commemorating Yom Hasho'ah. They had a tractor ride to a nearby spring and swam there. They also went to the Sakhne pools. They will spend Shabbat on the kibbutz and will be hosted by kibbutz families
Keramim
The students work in the kindergartens, dining room, landscape as well as with adults with autism. Reut arranged the following activities: Yom Hasho'ah ceremony with members of the Kibbutz, discussion about the Negev and the area, meeting and activities with the pre-army prepatory program that is on the kibbutz. The students helped prepare booths for the spring fair on the kibbutz. They will spend Shabbat on the kibbutz and will have Shabbat dinner with kibbutz families.
Kfar Hassidim
The students work in the kitchen, petting zoo, paining murals, landscaping, and maintenance and with handicapped children.
Naama arranged the following activities: a tour of "Yankale's Shtetle", a model of a shtetle located on the Moshav, The students participated in Yom Hasho'ah ceremonies both in the evening and morning with children in the school. They met with children who are Bnei Menashe and learned about this group. Also known as the Shinlung, the Bnei Menashe relate their history of exile from the Northern Kingdom of Israel in 721 B.C. across the silk route finally ending up in India and Myanmar (Burma). The story of these people is an amazing one. After thousands of years of exile they have rediscovered their roots and are returning to Judaism. The girls learned Ethiopian dancing. One evening they had a kumzitz. On Thursday the boys got up early to milk the cows. Everyone had a tractor ride to the Kishon River. This is an Open Shabbat for the students
Tzfat
The students work in different kindergartens, library, renovations and assisting with the elderly
Omer arranged the following activities: The students participated in the town's Yom Hasho'ah ceremonies and had a discussion about the siren that is sounded./ They had tiyulim to nearby areas. The girls participated in a women's Rosh Chodesh minyan in the forest. The students worked in the cheese factory. They had options of various workshops – Challah preparations, glass blowing, ceramics and Kabbalah. The students will spend Shabbat in Tzfat
Shabbat Shalom
Chaim Fischgrund
Headmaster
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April 29, 2011
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4/29/2011
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It was wonderfully seeing the students return to the dorm after the Pesach break. I enjoyed meeting some of the parents when they either picked up their children or returned them to campus. I appreciated hearing the wonderful feedback and happily shared it with our staff.
Yesterday the students conducted a seminar with StandWithUs. Quoting from its website it "is an international organization dedicated to bringing peace to the Middle East by educating about Israel and challenging the misinformation that often surrounds the Middle East conflict. Through brochures, speakers, programs, conferences, missions to Israel, campaigns and Internet resources, we strive to ensure that Israel's side of the story is told on university campuses and in communities, the media, libraries, and churches around the world. If you are interested you can review SWU's various Web sites for more information by going to http://www.standwithus.com StandWithUs now has 12 offices and chapters around the world.
In the evening they had dinner in a restaurant in Jaffa. After dinner they went to see a Play called "Na Laga'at." People who are mostly deaf, dumb, and blind put on this play. The students were very moved by the play and the actors. Much of the dialogue is done by speakers who either read sign, or have the actors "write in sign" on their hands, which they then translate for the audience. After the play, many students ate some of the bread the actors prepared during the performance, and spoke with actors.
This morning the students participated in a seminar that was devoted to several issues regarding solutions that have been offered to solve the Arab Israel conflict. They also spoke about Israel's political landscape as it relates to the conflict. At first Dan Rothem of the S. Daniel Abraham Center for Middle East Peace discussed the core issues of the conflict. He addressed how the conflict was managed in the past, what solutions were offered before and keyed in on the two state solution. Ari Varon who worked for several years in the Prime Minister's office in the Sharon and Olmert administrations (he is now working on a PhD) discussed how the various segments of the population and various administrations in Israel related to the conflict. Both speakers used power point presentations to illustrate their ideas. There was a very active Q & A session and many students continued with their challenging questions after the session ended.
The group will spend Shabbat on campus
On Sunday they will depart for their volunteer period. As you probably know, the students were able to choose from five options: kibbutz Sde Eliyahu, Tzfat, Kibbutz Lavie, Kibbutz Keramim and Kfar Hassidim Youth Village. Yardena worked very hard to find enough places on the kibbutzim as well as making arrangements in Tzfat. All the students were placed in places that they chose although not everyone was able to get his/her first choice. Below is a brief explanation of each volunteer place.
VOLUNTEERING OPTIONS
1. Kibbutz Lavie
This is a typical modern Orthodox Kibbutz close to Golani Junction in the north (About 10 min drive from Tiberias). Kibbutz Lavie is famous for its hotel and a special furniture making factory.
The work options are: working in the kitchen, Chadar Ochel, Hotel rooms, Hotel Kitchen and Dinning hall, preschool, laundry room, agriculture, Beit Knesset furniture making factory, landscaping.
2. Kibbutz Sde Eliyahu
This is a typical modern Orthodox Kibbutz close to Beit She’an in the north.
The kibbutz produces dates , grapes , pomegranates, spices and field crops, as well as raising dairy cattle and poultry . The kibbutz uses all organic farming methods and no pesticides.
Your work options are: working in the vineyard, kitchen, Chadar Ochel, laundry room, landscaping and in the spice factory.
3. Kibbutz Kramim
Kramim is a small, unique, pluralistic and ecological community in southern Israel . In addition to the kibbutz members, the students will be with pre-army aged Israelis that live and volunteer there as well. There will be many different activities and workshops run by the members of the Kibbutz.
The different work options are: working in the daycare, informal education with the kids, agriculture, landscaping, painting, kitchen and Chadar Ochel, helping in a preschool.
4. Tzfat
Tzfat is a city in the Galil that the students have already visited. The volunteers will join Livnot Ulehibanot in renovating the homes of disadvantaged families, renovating a park, teaching in schools, working in a soup kitchen, food bank, Gmach(free clothing distributor), visiting hospitals and nursing homes, working with young Ethiopian immigrants.
5. Kfar Hasidim youth village – ëôø äðåòø – ëôø çñéãéí
Located near Haifa, at the eastern base of the Carmel Mountain, Kfar Hassidim Youth Village has stepped up to the challenge of working with 600+ teenage immigrants and at risk Israeli born children to live up to their full potential. Immigrant groups include, Bnei Menashe (one of the ten lost tribes), children from Ethiopia, and Russian speaking students. These young people hope to obtain a high school degree, enter the army or national service, get an advanced degree and one day secure a job and build their own Jewish home in Israel. Extracurricular activities, after school programs, therapeutic support and professional training will enable these teenagers to assume productive roles in their own community and Israeli society.
CESJDS students will be living in the youth village and working in painting, gardening, petting zoo, cow dairy, special needs program, after school program, tutoring, kitchen, and maintenance. Madrichim will accompany the students to the volunteer places.
Shabbat Shalom
Chaim Fischgrund
Headmaster
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April 8 - 15, 2011
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4/15/2011
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On Friday April 18, the group drove from Eilat to Midreshet Sde Boker, for Shabbat. Midreshet Sde Boker can loosely be described as a College for Desert Sciences. There is also a high school there for desert studies, as well as a small community of families who live around the educational institutions. A Field School was started there in the 1960's by one of the members of Kibbutz Sde Boker, through the backing and encouragement of David Ben Gurion. The students had a beautiful Kabbalat Shabbat outdoors facing the desert, followed by Shabbat dinner and singing. After dinner the madrichim conducted Oneg Shabbat programs.
On Shabbat morning, there were different T’filah options. Those who wanted Orthodox Tefilot joined the local community in its synagogue. There were a number of different discussion groups led by both teaching staff and madrichim. In the afternoon some rested while others went on an optional hike. This led to Seudah Shlishit/dinner and Havdalah. In the evening the madrichim prepared the students for the GADNA experience. The students had a very meaningful Shabbat and were well rested for the coming week's activities.
On Sunday morning the madrichim led many group activities by bus as this was the last opportunity for quite some time for the students to be in their sub groups. Next drove the short distance to the GADNA base, which is at the entrance to Midreshet Ben Gurion.
GADNA is a Hebrew acronym for G’dudei No’ar, youth brigades. During the War of Independence (November 47 through March 1949), teens younger than 17 served in youth brigades in a variety of auxiliary positions. Today the GADNA is a program for high school students in Israel during which they get a foretaste of army life.
The GADNA staff welcomed the students upon arriving on the base. The students were given uniforms and divided into squads. The students quickly learned about military disciplined. This included learning how to address the commanders, being on time etc. The students quickly got used to being in a totally Hebrew environment. The opening ceremony was very exciting and emotion filled and concluded with Hatikvah. Throughout the GADNA program, the students also performed many tasks and duties that included kitchen duty, cleaning the bathrooms and showers and cleaning their tents. Much cleaning takes place in the week before Pesach in all army bases. The students are probably experts in Kashering kitchens
Monday was Yom Sada’ut” – Field maneuvers day. The students spent the day out in the field learning how to camouflage themselves, how to walk in different positions, how to crawl etc. Lunch that day was field rations.
On Tuesday and Wednesday, the students spent many hours learning about the safety of the rifle as well as an important lecture about the IDF’s code of ethics and what is generally referred to in Israel as the “purity of weapons”. This is much more than the “rules of engagement”. It focuses on knowing when not to fire. 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, as well as the responsibility of the country towards soldiers who are taken captive. By the end of the day on Wednesday everyone had a chance to shoot M-16 rifles.
On Thursday morning, the group had its concluding ceremony on the base During the ceremony, several of the students received certificates for their performance throughout the week.
The students cleaned their area and returned the equipment and returned to campus.
In the evening we had a festive dinner bidding our students a Chag Same'ach before their departure for Pesach. Some students had already departed for the US and others will be leaving Friday or Sunday. We were happy that Jonathan Cannon and Susan were able to join us for dinner
We have uploaded the pictures from last week and this week in the group album rather than the albums by bus.
With warm wishes for a happy and meaningful Pesach
Chag Same'ach
Shabbat Shalom,
Chaim Fischgrund
Headmaster
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April 3 - 8, 2011
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4/8/2011
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The tiyul on Sunday was devoted to the struggle to establish the State of Israel. The first aspect of the struggle that the students studied was the struggle for Clandestine (known sometimes as “illegal”) immigration. To learn about this important chapter in Israel’s struggle for independence, the students went the Beach. An activity and simulation on the beach helped the students identify with the struggle of the “illegal immigrants”. The weather also permitted the students to have some fun on the beach. From the beach the students continued to the Atlit Detention Camp where they learned how the clandestine immigrants (Ma'apilim in Hebrew), mostly Holocaust survivors, made valiant attempts to break through the British blockade.
Unfortunately, most attempts were unsuccessful and the immigrants were caught by the British. It was in the Atlit Detention Camp that the British detained many of the immigrants who were caught on their ships. One of the important incidents that related to the camp was the organized escape led by Yitzhak Rabin, then a very young PALMACH officer. The students also discussed the ideology and activities of the Jewish underground movements in fighting for independence and protecting the country
The group continued to the Acco prison. In this prison, many of Israel’s underground fighters were imprisoned including some that eventually became Israel’s leaders. In this prison, too, some of the fighters made the supreme sacrifice for Israel’s independence as the British executed some of the underground fighters. The students ended the tiyul with a moving ceremony in the gallows room during which they paid 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. Rosh Hanikra with the Mediterranean Sea in the background was most fitting for the outdoor Tefilah options. In addition to a traditional Mincha service the students were able to choose meditation or discussion groups.
After stopping for dinner in Zichron Ya'acov, the students returned to the campus.
Monday’s tiyul was devoted to learning about the pioneers who developed the urban centers of Israel and to Israel’s 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.
Modern Tel Aviv developed out of the ancient city of Jaffa. The tiyul began in Neve Tzedek, one of the first neighborhoods built outside of ancient Jaffa and eventually became one of the core neighborhoods of the modern city established later. From there they walked to the center of Tel Aviv to visit some important sites. It was raining on Monday in Tel Aviv, which limited the walking tour.
One of the sites that was visited was the former home of Meir Dizengoff, one of the founders of Tel Aviv and its first mayor. In this house Ben Gurion declared Israel’s 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.
The students had time for lunch on Rothschild Boulevard, one of the original streets of Tel Aviv. This street is fast becoming a combination of Tel Aviv's city and restaurant area while maintaining the original Bauhaus buildings.
The day ended at Rabin Square to pay respects to the slain leader who was cruelly assassinated there more than 15 years ago. In addition, each group had a discussion with its teacher to draw conclusions about modern Israel, its culture etc based on the students’ observations.
In the evening the madrichim arranged an "open mike" talent show during which the students performed for their friends.
On Tuesday morning, the group departed for an extended tiyul to the Negev and Eilat. The first stop was at Rahat a Bedouin city in the central Negev with a population of approximately 55,000. As such, it is the largest Bedouin settlement in the world, and the only one in Israel to have city status.
Rahat was established in 1972, by the government of Israel, as a new settlement for Bedouins who lived in the surrounding area without permanent domicile. Until 1980, Rahat was part of the regional council and from then on became an independent entity. In 1994 it was recognized as a city—the first Bedouin city in Israel.
The city has a total of 33 neighborhoods. All but one of the neighborhoods consist entirely of separate Bedouin clans but one is a mixed-clan neighborhood. Between every neighborhood, there is a wadi. The city also has a market, public and commercial services, neighborhood parks, public areas, women's employment centers, children's play areas, and several mosques.
The students met with the head of the municipal department of education who spoke about Bedouin traditions and changing lifestyle and the challenges they face. From there they went to one of the local high schools. There they met with a few students. Some of the CESJDS students conversed in Arabic, a language they studied in school. That was a real treat for them
From there they continued to Kibbutz Sde Boker where they visited the home of David Ben Gurion. Israel’s first Prime Minister settled on the kibbutz after retiring from politics. He saw the Negev as Israel’s “last frontier” and the place of great potential for Israel’s development. After walking through his humble home and learning about this important leader, the students had an important discussion about Ben Gurion’s vision for the Negev. The Negev is both a specific challenge as well as a metaphor for all aspects of modern pioneering and the challenges facing Israel.
One of the most meaningful ways for the students to appreciate the beauty and potential of the Negev is by hiking. We had planned to hike in the Ein Avdat nature reserve which is an oasis in the desert. However, the rains earlier in the week caused flash floods in Nahal Tzin, the Tzin River. It was not safe to hike. Instead, the group drove to a beautiful overview where they can see the majesty of the rushing river, an unusual sight in the Negev. The students were able to understand the metaphor that the Psalmist used in the Shir Hama'alot poem we recite before the Birkat Hamazon – pleading to God to bring us back to Israel KA'AFIKIM BANEGEV, the streams in the Negev. There they spoke about the desert as the birthplace of the Jewish people, and David Ben Gurion's vision of the Negev as the greatest challenge and greatest opportunity of the future of the Jewish people
The day ended at the Han Hashayarot Camel Ranch. Before dinner, the students rode camels. Dinner was a Bedouin style “Hafla” dinner and learned something about Bedouin lifestyle. After dinner they had a bon fire with lots of singing.
On Wednesday morning, the students drove to Eilat. They stopped at “Holot Kasui”, beautiful sand dune where they had had great fun playing in the sand.
From there they hiked in the Red Canyon where they again had group discussions.
The next event was checking in to the youth hostel and dinner. After dinner they had great fun on a disco boat and some free time in Eilat
On Thursday the students were able to choose from among three hiking options. Most of the group enjoyed a beautiful hike from Mt. Tzefahot down to the bay. From the mountaintop, the students had a view into four countries - Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Israel. This enabled them to understand Israel’s geo-political reality and some of the complexities of the Middle East situation. The hike ends at the Coral Beach, a wonderful opportunity to snorkel, which they did! After that, they had time to enjoy Eilat a bit more. Some students had an extended hike on Mt. Tzefahot. A smaller group opted for the challenging, nearly day long hike in Har Shlomo.
In the evening, the students enjoyed free time in Eilat. Some opted to return to the hotel early for a kumzitz.
On Thursday, the students who hiked in Har Shlomo went snorkeling in the Coral Beach and the others had time on the beach in Eilat.
This morning, after a late wake up, the students are enjoying the beach in Eilat. Those who did not snorkel yesterday are doing so this morning
In the afternoon they will drive to the Sde Boker Field School where they will spend Shabbat.
Shabbat Shalom
Chaim Fischgrund
Headmaster
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March 27 - April 1, 2011
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4/1/2011
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The students were in Tzfat on Shabbat March 27 - 28. It was a wonderful Shabbat, very lively and full of uplifting Ru'ach. Everyone met in the lobby for singing and story telling. After lighting candles, most of the group went to the Beirav synagogue, a “Carlebach style” Minyan. The T’filah in this synagogue is particularly spirited. Many of the girls conducted a women's service with the staff at the hotel.
The students returned to the hotel for Shabbat dinner. The students really got into the singing with much Ru'ach. During the Oneg Shabbat program that followed the Birkat Hamazon, Akiva, one of their core teachers, shared with them his personal spiritual journey. Later in the evening most of the students opted to go on a walk through the Old City of Tzfat soaking in the special atmosphere. Many of the boys also went into the Ari Mikveh
On Shabbat there was a late wake-up with several Tefilah options. Some went to Synagogues for Shacharit. Others had a meditation session and the rest went 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. While there, they sang in a cave in the park.
After some time to rest and free time to walk around Tzfat, they met for Seudah Shelishit which included much singing and a question and answer session with the staff. After a musicasl Havdalah the group drove to the Achziv Field School on the Mediterranean to prepare for the Yam Leyam hike - Israel’s version of going “coast to coast”. This hike is part of the tradition of many members of the youth movements and many schools in Israel. It is an opportunity to “rough” it a bit with hiking, cooking out and camping in nature. It has always been one of the significant highlights of the Israel program for the CESJDS students.
The hike was in the Western and Central Galil. The staff prepared general explanations about the history of the area and the flora and fauna. In addition, this 4-day hike was a great opportunity to introduce the students to much of the nature of Israel, which the students will not see on some of the other tiyulim.
Early on Sunday morning, the students began the hike near the Achziv Beach on the coast north of Nahariya. The tradition for Yam LeYam is to fill a bottle with water from the Mediterranean and spill it later in the Kineret. The students took turns carrying the bottle. The starting point of the hike was near a memorial to the “Illegal” immigrants on the beach
The students began with a bike ride along the Keziv River, dropped off the bicycles near the entrance to the Nature Reserve. The students had the option of three trails; one difficult (Etgary Plus – challenge plus), one quick paced and the other more relaxed. As the week progressed the most difficult and longest hike had the largest group of participants. Throughout the hike there were many opportunities for silent and solo walks as well as meditation. There was also a Hashkama Minyan
The hike continued hiking passed Montfort, a Crusader Fortress, ending the day at Metzad Abirim (the Fortress of the Knights) - if you’re looking at a map it’s just off of road # 89. The students who took the more challenging trail, walked up to the fortress and down into the valley. In the evening, the students had an “early night” at the campsite. People from the nearby Moshav Fasuta brought refreshments for the group. The students were quite tired and had an early night.
On Monday, the day began with T’filat Shacharit and again the group split into the hiking groups walking up to the top of Mount Meiron, the tallest mountain in Israel with nearly a mile high peak. At this point, they had reached the highest point of their trek. From the summit they could look into Lebanon in the north, the Mediterranean Sea in the West and the Kineret in the south east. The rest of the hike would be downhill, to the Kineret. The Etgar Plus group walked to one of the springs in the valley where they had a chance to dip in the cold water. .
After lunch, all the students took a trail that led them to their campsite. They camped near the tomb of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, traditionally believed to be the author of the Zohar and founder of Jewish mysticism. According to tradition, Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai died on Lag Ba’Omer. Hundreds of thousands of people come to his grave on Lag Ba’Omer this past Saturday night. After dinner, an outdoor stew, the students had a nice campfire.
On Tuesday morning, some of the students opted to walk to the grave of the RASHBY (Shimon Bar Yochai) for a Hashkama Shacharit service. All the students hiked along the Meiron stream that turned into the Amud stream, and saw the flora turn from forests and ponds to a dry riverbed as they worked their way downwards towards the Kineret. The students seeking an extra challenge walked up to see natural mikveh higher up the mountain. One of the groups opted for a "Hebrew trail" – all the explanations and activities were conducted in Hebrew. The students spent the night at a campsite near where Nahal Amud meets route 85 on the map. In the evening the students organized an activity that included a lot of lively singing.
On Wednesday morning the students did more clean up of the area and completed the hike to the Kineret. During the hike the students were asked to walk for a while alone and in silence to feel more connected with the trail. At the Kineret the group had a closing ceremony that included spilling out the water bottles that they had been carrying and some speeches by students and staff. The staff reported that the spirits were high throughout the hike. The group stepped up to show how much they care for each other and the environment After lunch and time to swim in the Kineret, the students returned to the campus.
On Thursday morning, the students met Murray Greenfield. Murray was a merchant marine during WWII who volunteered to serve on one of the Haganah “illegal” ships. He told the students about his experiences in preparing the ship in the US, sailing it to Europe, meeting the Holocaust survivors who came aboard, and the trip towards the coast of Israel, capture by the British and captivity in Cypress. His talk captivated everyone and successfully conveyed the atmosphere of the period to the students. The rest of the morning was devoted to studying about the history of the State of Israel, its challenges and achievements.
In the afternoon the students drove to the Bet Shemesh – Adulam region which is the Partnership 2000 community. They were welcomed by their hosts and went to their homes in the Moshavim and kibbutzim in the area.
Shabbat Shalom
Chaim Fischgrund
Headmaster
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March 19 - 26, 2011
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3/26/2011
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We asked the students to return to campus on Saturday night to celebrate Purim. All the students currently on our campus gathered in the Bet Knesset, many in costume, to hear the reading of the Megillah. Several of the Megilah chapters were read by the CESJDS students.
On Sunday morning we had a late wakeup as well as our optional Tefilot. All the students met for the reading of the Megillah. The entire campus gathered in the dining room for a festive brunch that was our Seudat Purim. There are four mitzvot on Purim: to hear the Megilah, to have a Seudah, to give gifts (Mishloach Manot) and give charity (matanot la'evyonim). The students thus fulfilled all the requirements. After the Seudah the students departed \for either Haifa or Tel Aviv.
The group that went to Haifa went to the Rambam Hospital with Mishloach Manot. At the hospital they met with representatives of the Victims of Terror who spoke to the students. After visiting the hospital, the students went to the streets of Haifa to enjoy the holiday. The other students went to Tel Aviv to celebrate Purim.
In the evening the students were briefed by the madrichim about the Yam LeYam hike next week.
On Monday morning the students drove to the Sakhne springs and pools in the valley below the Gilboa. We had planned to go there earlier in the session but the heavy rain prevented us from doing so. Warm spring water emerge in the valley at a constant, year-round temperature of 28 degrees Celsius, which means swimming is pleasant here in winter, too. The ŒAmal Stream crosses the entire park, and has been widened into pools.
After lunch, the students drove to Tzfat. In Tzfat, the community of Mystics developed the Kabbalah, partly in response to the questions and issues raised throughout the Middle Ages which the students addressed in Belvoir. In Tzfat the group had free time to walk through the artist quarter and shop. More importantly, they visited the old 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 theme for Tuesday‚s tiyul related to the pioneers who established the early rural settlements in Israel. One of the groups began the tiyul in the Poriah area overlooking the southern end of the Kineret. From that spot they were able to see Kibbutz Kineret, Degania and other settlement. 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. The contrast is very dramatic. The students read a selection of Mark Twain‚s The Innocents Abroad in which he describes Israel as desolate and unlovely because the Deity cursed it. Seeing how beautiful the region is today gave the students appreciation for the accomplishments of the chalutzim, the pioneers.
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From there they went to the cemetery on the shores of the Kineret near the Kineret training farm where the idealistic but inexperienced pioneers learned how to farm this difficult land. Nearby is Hatzar Kineret ˆ The Kineret Yard where the young idealistic but inexperienced pioneers learned how to farm. One of the important projects at Hatzar Kineret was the women‚s farm organized by Chanah Meizels. Meizels wanted to make certain that young women will share equally with the men the joys and burdens of the pioneering life. In this 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 talked about the concept of vision and shared their own personal visions with each other.
The other students began the tiyul further north in Kibbutz Kfar Giladi. On the kibbutz the students visited the Bet Hashomer, the museum dedicated to the Guardsmen organization that protected the early pioneers. From the museum they had a beautiful view of the Hula valley and were able to compare this to what Mark Twin saw as well. 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 (Last Thursday, Yod Aleph Adar was the 91st anniversary of the event). Tel Hai has become one of the important places relating to Zionist history and often compared to the Alamo. 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.
All the students met at Dan Nature Reserve for lunch and hike. The Dan River is one of the tributaries leading to the Jordan River and eventually to the Kineret. The heavy rains that we experienced earlier this winter added much water to the river. This is the only tributary of the Jordan that originates in Israel (the other tributaries originate in Lebanon and Syria) and the students saw the area of the springs. It is one of the largest springs in the Middle East. After the heavy rains in the past two weeks, the spring was very full. The students went there first to enjoy the beauty of the place. Secondly, the students were able to understand the importance of water to this country that is dry for much of the year.
After lunch the groups reversed locations.
On Wednesday we had another Hesed ˆ Community Service day. This time we divided the group into three buses. One bus went to Jerusalem to volunteer in Yad Lekashish and Hazon Yeshaya (I described these projects in an earlier update). In addition, they also worked in a community garden in Talpiyot. Another group remained in Hod Hasharon in the morning volunteering in Golden Age clubs and later in that Jaffa Institute. The third group went to work in a KKL Forest in the morning and then continued to a regional school near Sderot. There they met with the 5th and 6th grade students. They toured the school and saw all the security precautions that are in place including the shelters. Later they conducted a sports day teaching the youngsters some fundamentals of baseball and American football among other activities.
These community service projects are not only important as a concept of Tikun Olam but they enable the students to learn about and interact with various segments of the Israeli society.
The activities on Thursday were devoted to the Holocaust. The group traveled to Yad Vashem, the national monument and museum to study and reflect on the Holocaust. The tour was conducted by the Yad Vashem staff.
This tiyul enabled the students to reflect on the meaning of this terrible and tragic period and to draw personal conclusions. Many memorials and exhibits relate to specific themes of the Holocaust. In Yad Vashem, the students learned and discussed many issues including the Righteous Gentiles who assisted Jews, and lessons to be learnt from the Holocaust.
In the evening they were briefed about GADNA by the IDF representatives.
This morning the group returned to Tzfat where they will spend Shabbat. They are scheduled to meet with Avraham Lowenthal, an important artist in Tzfat who will speak about his art and how Kabbalah has influenced his art.
Shabbat Shalom
Chaim Fischgrund
Headmaster
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March 12 - 19, 2011
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3/18/2011
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The group had a wonderful first Shabbat in Jerusalem. The group met near their hotel in Kikar Tzion – Zion Square for a "pre-Shabbat" program with stories and songs. They then walked together to the Kotel. At the Kotel the boys and girls conducted separate Kabbalat Shabbat Tefilot on both sides of the Mechitzah. Soon each of the minyanim became the focal point for many others at the Kotel who chose to join the CESJDS students. Dinner at the hotel was wonderful, followed by lots of singing and dancing, followed by an Oneg Shabbat program.
On Shabbat morning students chose from a number of different synagogue experiences (Reform, Conservative, Carlebach/Chabad, and Ashkenaz with a choir/cantor). They shared their assessments with one another over lunch before then heading to their naps or to Gan Ha'Pa'amon, a local park nearby where they relaxed, played. The group had a Havdalah service in Kikar Tzion and free time on the streets of Jerusalem before returning to campus
The tiyul on Sunday March 13 was devoted to the period known in Jewish History as the Second Temple or Second Commonwealth period. Before departing for tiyul, the students had several "Tefilah options". In addition to a Mechitzah and Egalitarian minyanim, the students had Hebrew poetry and moving speeches groups.
The teachers reviewed some of the highlights of this period focusing on the challenges to Judaism by the Hellenist culture brought to the Middle East by Alexander the Great. This challenge brought about open conflict that led to the Hasmonean (Maccabbee) Revolt. The revolt resulted in an independent Hasmonean Kingdom. The Kingdom was short-lived, lasting only 80 years (142-63 B.C.E.) and was conquered by the Roman Empire. Roman rule also led to conflict and revolt.
The tiyul began in Jerusalem with a visit to the model of Ancient Jerusalem at the Israel Museum. It is a scale model showing Jerusalem as it was 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. We also took the opportunity of being in the museum to visit one of the most important exhibits – the Dead Sea Scrolls in the Shrine of the Book. These scrolls were written during the end of the Second temple period. Many believe that the scrolls were written by the Essenes who were members of a sect of Jews who believed that city life was much too influenced by Hellenistic culture. They left the urban life and formed colonies in deserted areas. They believed that by their pure living they could bring the Messiah.
The students had the opportunity the walk around the Israel Museum. It is the largest cultural institution in the State of Israel and is ranked among the world’s leading art and archaeology museums. Founded in 1965, the Museum houses encyclopedic collections, including works dating from prehistory to the present day, in its Archaeology, Fine Arts, and Jewish Art and Life Wings, and features the most extensive holdings of biblical and Holy Land archaeology in the world. The Museum has built a far-ranging collection of nearly 500,000 objects, representing the full scope of world material culture.
Recently, the Israel Museum completed the most comprehensive upgrade of its 20-acre campus in its history, featuring new galleries, entrance facilities, and public spaces. The Museum houses, among many other interesting exhibits, synagogues from several places around the world. In addition, there are exhibits of various art from various periods and from many cultures around the world.
Next, the group went to the Davidson Center near the Kotel at the southern wall of the Temple Mount. Visiting these excavations 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 the Great Revolt, which ended in failure. The remains of the destruction are still clearly visible both in the excavations near the western and southern walls as well as elsewhere in the Jewish Quarter. The students had a chance to walk to the Kotel again, this time with cameras.
After lunch in the Jewish quarter, the groups drove down to the Dead Sea area. There they went to a beautiful spot to enjoy the nature and sunset, having a spiritual moment in meditative silence.
On Monday, the students arose very early and drove to the foothill of Massada. The climb up the mountain fortress of Massada began in the dark to enable the students to see the sunrise from the top of the mountain, which they managed to do. When they reached the top of the mountain they went directly to the Synagogue of Massada, one of the oldest Synagogues discovered in Israel, for Shacharit service. This is truly a fitting place 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 who inhabited Massada during the revolt. Many of these values are the everlasting values of the Jewish People and culture while others are more controversial. All this was examined and discussed. 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 students went to the Dead Sea for lunch and opportunity to “swim” in the lake located in the lowest point on earth. Swim is a bit of a stretch – float is more accurate. Some of the students partook in the traditional ceremony of covering their bodies with Dead Sea mud.
In the evening we conducted a "back to Israel" fair on campus. Many year programs as well as MASA, the umbrella organization that assists these programs, sent representatives to explain all the options available to spend a year in Israel
Tuesday’s activities were devoted to learning about and participating in important community service projects. Due to the large size of the group, we split the students into several projects. One bus went to Jerusalem. They started the day at 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 in Jerusalem. Many of the students purchased items that are produced in the workshops.
Next, the students went to Hazon Yeshaya. Founded in 1997, Hazon Yeshaya Soup Kitchens has been providing life-saving meals to thousands of Israel’s neediest adults and children, 365 days a year. Hazon Yeshaya was founded by Abraham Israel, a successful businessman from New York. Initially, he set up a small kitchen to serve 17 starving Jerusalem residents. Today, Hazon Yeshaya provides more than 200,000 hot meals each month at 38 distribution points across Israel. In Hazon Yeshaya the students helped prepare food for the soup kitchen
After lunch the group worked in a community garden in Jerusalem.
The rest of the students remained in Hod Hasharon. They volunteered at a "Golden Age" club as well as helping out in the social services department of the city. The students packed packages that the city distributes to the needy. In the afternoon they volunteered at the Jaffa Institute packing food packages for the needy.
On Wednesday, the students learned about the Bar Kochba Revolt and its results. The day began with a brief review of the relationship between Jews and Romans after the Great Revolt. It was a period of great achievements yet much tension. All this led up to another revolt against the Romans, the Bar Kochba Revolt.
We could not take all the students to the same place at the same time. We did a "round robin" with the three buses and at the end all visited the same placesd and did the same activities.
One activity included touring the Hirbet Midras caves in the Bet Gubrin area. There the students crawled through tunnels and underground mines built by the rebels as they prepared for guerrilla warfare.
In addition, they visited one of the amphitheaters the Romans built during this period. Some archaeologists believe that this was the theater in which the Romans conducted gladiator games with the captured Jewish fighters. It is also believed that the Romans executed some of the leaders of the revolt in this theater. In the afternoon they went to another cave at Tel Goded “just for fun.” The results of this revolt, just 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.
During the day the students also participated in an active archaeological dig in Park Adulam near Bet Shemesh. The JNF/KKL sponsored a dig in the remains of the Byzantine village of Burgin. The village apparently received its name from the ancient Jewish village of Kfar Bish, which means "a place for guests" or a hostel. In ancient dictionaries, the concept "Burginate" referred to a hotel owner. The Tel is surrounded by a breathtaking view and fruit tree plantations.
In the evening some of the students went to a TV studio in Herzeliah where they were in the audience for the filming of one of the local TV shows.
On Thursday the tiyul was devoted to the development of Torah Shebe’al Peh (oral tradition), and continued Jewish presence in Eretz Yisrael. After the Bar Kochba Revolt, the Sanhedrin moved to Bet Shearim. The tiyul began with an outdoor Shacharit service in the remains of the ancient synagogue and Bet Midrash. One of the options included songs at a beautiful site overlooking the Yizrael Valley.
The day began with studying texts 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 completing his fifth year of captivity. In fact on Tuesday many people in Israel stopped their activities for 5 minutes to note five years of captivity. The students joined in during their volunteering.
In Jewish Law and practice, Pidyon Shevuyim exemplifies the high value that Judaism places on the preservation of human life, provided that it does not lead to extortion. The tradition of redeeming captives is an honored one. This relates to another important value - Kol Yisrael Areivim Zeh Lazeh; the concept that all Israel is responsible for one another leads to mutual support and friendship. The students studied relevant texts from the Tanach, Talmud and later rabbinic sources and applied them to the continuing sad story of our captive soldier Gilad Shalit.
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 Shearim). Many of the items were “Hellenistic”. This inspired discussions in class. the students discussed the obvious influence of Roman culture on Jewish life. This led to discussions on the contemporary relevance of similar processes. They spoke about Jewish identity and what it means to be Jewish in a non Jewish world.
In the afternoon the students hiked in the Carmel area. This was the first time that the staff was able to take students to this section of the Carmel. There was a terrible fire in December that decimated much of the forest. While seeing the terrible results of the fire, the students also saw many wild flowers which were able to grow in the area. Without the shade of the trees, the flowers are actually flourishing. This was an important lesson about the resilience of nature.
In the evening we had a campus wide Purim party and dance. Most of the students wore Purim costumes and quite a few showed their creativity in creating the costumes.
This morning the group worked very hard and enthusiastically in prpering boxes of Mishloach Manot and Matanot Laevyonim. We did thisin partnership with Operation Embrace. Aviva Tessler explained the activites of the organization to the students. Quoting from its website:
"Operation Embrace is a non-profit organization that assists injured survivors of terror in Israel. Operation Embrace helps all people who have been violated by terrorist attacks and does not discriminate by race or religion. Since 2001, some of the activities that Operation Embrace has been involved with include:
• Founded the Foxman Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Program, Rambam Hospital, Haifa and PTSD counseling centers at Hadassah Hospital, Jerusalem; Laniado Hospital, Netanya and Alyn Pediatric Hospital, Jerusalem
• Provided direct financial assistance to more than 800 individuals and families for medical care, rehabilitation therapy, dental restoration, transportation, educational/vocational scholarships, and many other family needs
• Matched victims and their families with local community groups in the USA (Adopt-a-Family program)
• Coordinated Operation Embrace missions to Israel to visit the injured in hospitals, rehabilitation centers and in their homes
• Donated more than 250 laptops connecting victims to the outside world
• Distributed Purim baskets to hundreds of injured people annually since 2002
The students will deliver these boxes to various places in Israel on Sunday
Most of the group departed for home hospitality. They will return to campus on Saturday night for the reading of the Megillah and to celebrate Purim
Shabbat Shalom and Purim Same'ach
Chaim Fischgrund
Headmaster
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March 11, 2011
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3/11/2011
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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 to follow the activities of your sons and daughters throughout the session.
As I wrote previously, the CESJDS students arrived early in the morning on Tuesday flying in from Prague.
After breakfast the students, went to their dormitories. The students had the opportunity to unpack and rest from their night journey to Israel. In the afternoon we had some orientation sessions and time to get to know the campus and Hod Hasharon.
During the orientation session, the students heard explanations about the school and met Yardena Nizri-Spector the Dean of Students and Sandy Gura the school nurse and David Mitchell our Dean of Education. The staff spoke in general about life on and around campus, as well as about the rules and regulations. Time was devoted to describing the various “Tefillah” options that will be available. There will be two daily minyanim, one with Mechitzah and one egalitarian. In addition, there will be a variety of cultural, discussion groups, meditation groups. These options may change from week to week. An important element of the orientation sessions was a review of our security regulations and procedures to ensure the students’ safety throughout the session.
In the evening, the group drove to a restaurant in Ra’anana for dinner. This was a great way to “kick off” the program. During dinner, the restaurant owner gave the students a special treat by turning on the disco machine
On Wednesday, the students met with their teachers for an introduction session on campus. After lunch we had intended to begin our touring going to Tel Gezer. The heavy rains prevented us from doing so. We are very grateful for the rain as we have been experiencing serious drought. But it caused havoc with our scheduling on Wednesday and Thursday. Instead, the students had a chance to hang out in Tel Aviv
The touring thus began on Thursday. The tiyul was devoted to the Biblical period. 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 may teach 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 first tiyul was to Tel Sheva. Tel Sheva, the mound of biblical Beersheba, is located in the northern Negev, several kilometers east of the present-day city of Be'er Sheva. The Arabic name of the mound, Tell es-Sab'a, preserves the biblical name; the archeological finds support its identification with biblical Beersheba.
The ancient town was built on a low hill on the bank of a wadi (dry river-bed), which carries floodwater during the winter months. A close- to-the-surface aquifer along the wadi ensured the year-round supply of water.
The town is mentioned numerous times in the Tanach , often as a means of describing the extent of the Land of Israel , as being from "Be'er Sheva to Dan ". The name is derived from the Hebrew Be'er meaning a well, and Sheva, meaning either the number seven, or "to swear an oath" (both versions are mentioned in the Tanach.
Archeological finds indicate that the site was used from the Chalcolithic period, around 4000 BCE, through to the sixteenth century CE. This was probably due to the abundance of underground water, as evidenced by the numerous wells in the area. The earliest remains of settlement at Beersheba are a number of rock-hewn dwellings (12th-11th centuries BCE) and a 20 m.-deep well supplying fresh water to the inhabitants of the first permanent unfortified settlement of Israelites of the Tribe of Simon. (Joshua 19:2)
The streets of ancient Be'er Sheva are laid out in a grid, with separate areas for administrative, military, commercial and residential use. The town is regarded as the first planned settlement in the region. The site is also noteworthy for its elaborate water system and huge cistern, carved out of the rock beneath the town.
The excavated town is now part of the Tel Beersheba National Park.
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. At the Tel the students discussed the ancient Canaanite culture that Abraham would have encountered. The students also discussed the differences between the pagan civilization whose remains are visible and the monotheistic culture developed by the Israelites. The group returned to campus for dinner.
The students stopped for lunch and a swim at Hamei Yoav. Members of Kibbutz Negba and Sde Yoav who own the site of Hamei Yoav, fondly recall how in the fifties, digging for crude oil in the area resulted only in disappointment and the discovery of a “strange” type of water.
It took some time until, in the mid-eighties, they began using the water for irrigation. Soon they discovered that the water had health benefits and could serve a broad range of people as a source of relaxation and healing. Hamei Yoav opened its doors to tourists in 1990 as a spa
The day ended at Emek Ha'ela – the Elah Valley where the famous battle between David and Goliath took place. The students walked up the tel, and saw the beautiful spring flowers. The rains cut the tiyul and discuission short
After dinner on the streets in Ra’anana, the students returned to campus
This morning the group drove to Jerusalem. The students stopped at the promenade overlooking Jerusalem from the south. There they conducted a very moving and meaningful ceremony welcoming them to Jerusalem. From the promenade they also had a wonderful view of the ancient city.
After lunch they drove to the City of David, the area conquered by David and from which the city developed in the past 3,000 years (give or take a year). They saw the water system of the ancient city as well as remains of the Royal Palace of the first Temple period. The exciting part of the visit was the walk through the Hezekiah Tunnel built to divert water into the city when it was besieged by Assyria 2,700 years ago.
As I write this update, the students are checking into their hotel in Zion Square. They will have some free time preparing for Shabbat in the Machaneh Yehuda Market.
They will spend their first Shabbat in Israel in Jerusalem
Shabbat Shalom
Chaim Fischgrund
Headmaster
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