A Week of Celebration, Reflection, and Jerusalem
It’s been another very full week for the Muss Fall Semester! With Rosh Hashanah approaching, the week was spent exploring Jewish tradition and celebration. On Monday, students made candlesticks from clay, learning about the significance of lighting candles on Shabbat and the holidays. Tuesday brought a very different kind of celebration, with a New Year party complete with DJ, food, and dancing. And on Wednesday, the students headed to Jerusalem for a tour of the Knesset.
The tour gave an inside look at Israeli parliament and a chance to better understand topics from the classroom. The students transitioned from politics to food as they headed to Machane Yehuda. The chaos of the shuk, complete with sights, smells, tastes, and noise showed the students the vibrant culture that makes the Israel experience so unique.
Later that day, the group took part in a 9/11 memorial ceremony and the took time to reflect. While the week was packed with such joy and celebration, it was important to create space to stop, remember, and mark the significance of the day together.
Thursday was another day in Jerusalem, but this time the students traveled back in time to learn about the history of Ir David (the City of David). Beneath modern-day Jerusalem the group discovered an entire ancient world within the old tunnels, because at Muss, simply learning about ancient history isn’t enough; we need to walk through it too! After exploring, the students visited the Kotel, bringing another Jerusalem day to a meaningful close.
There was one final celebration: a special Rosh Hashanah banquet. After a week that has moved between learning, celebration, and remembrance, this was the perfect way to head into the holiday together.
Students will now travel to their host families across Israel to celebrate Rosh Hashanah, a chance to experience the holiday in Israeli homes, recharge after an incredibly busy week, and eat incredible food!