Honestly, it is sometimes very difficult to live in a country away from your family, where the national language is one you don't speak, and you have to go to classes instead of enjoying the beautiful scenery!
However, every time I feel this way about my stay in Israel, something always happens to remind me how much love I have for the country. This time, it came in the form of Savta, my good friend Chantal's grandmother, who lives on Kibbutz Menashe, about half an hour away from the Carmel Mountain. Savta (grandmother) invited us all for some snacks, and then proceeded to tell us all about how she survived the Holocaust. Growing up, Jewish children hear so much about the Holocaust, but it is rare for a survivor to feel so comfortable sharing their experience with people they barely know.
Savta was born in Poland, but was taken to Czechoslovakia during the war, where she saw her sister and parents for the last time as they were being taken to a concentration camp. She worked at the camp until it was liberated, and was smuggled into Italy at the end of the war. From there, she as able to take a boat to what would become Israel, which is where she met her future husband and was able to start her life.
It is stories like this which make me more fully understand how important it is to be in Israel, and how much other people would give up in order to come here. I left her house that day feeling so blessed that I was able to be spending time in a place which so many people yearn to visit, and I can't believe how quickly the semester is coming to a close...!
Another scenario occurred today, June 2. Today there was a state-wide Emergency Alert Drill, in order to prepare for the possibility of a future attack. Although the situation seems terrifying, the siren itself is not scary, and only lasted about a minute. Leading up to it, however, I realized that I have never felt as attached to Israel before, and how I would want to support the state in whatever happens, and I know that the second I step on the plane to leave, I will be hoping that the state of Israel will make it until I can return again, and wondering what she will have to endure in the time between...
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Petra, Jordan
The Treasury in Petra
That's right, a camel riding in the back of a truck!
Entering the Heshemite Kingdom of Jordan
Last weekend, some friends and I went on an adventure to Jordan together. We took a bus down to Eilat, the northern part of Israel, which is similar to Miami, where we stayed for Thursday through Sunday. After a day on the beach and some shopping on the tayelet (boardwalk) on Friday, we went to sleep early at our hostel in order to prepare for our trip out of the country the next morning.
On Saturday, we took taxis to the border between Israel and Jordan, and were the first to arrive. We went through with changing our shekels into dinar, and then through border control and multiple security checks before being able to enter Jordan, where we met our driver who drove us to Petra. After a few stops to take pictures at specific overviews of the country, we arrived at the Petra Visitor's Center, where we met up with our guide for the rest of the day. We began our tour through the syv, or valley, with a horseback ride, and then continued on foot to see the hundreds of monuments built into the stone of the mountains. These amazing creations had survived for millions of years - Petra is the second oldest site to ever be excavated, and stood taller than anything I had ever seen.
The most breath-taking one that we saw was called the Treasury. It was built by the Nabateans in approximately 100 B.C. when the tribe inhabited the area. Petra was later conquered by the Romans, who believed that the Nabatean king kept his treasure in the building, giving it the name it still holds today. The other monuments were also impressive, not only in how beautifully they were built, but in how amazing their preservation has been. Hopefully the pictures do a little justice...
After our tour, we were driven to a small restaurant in Petra for lunch, before heading back to the border to return to Israel. As unbelievable as it was to see Petra, we were also all relieved to be back in the country we have called home for the past semester. It was definitely an experience to travel to Jordan, and one of the coolest things I have ever done. I had no idea what the fuss was about before I went, but it was amazing!
More to come soon... lots of love!
Friday, May 1, 2009
Dead Sea and Masada!!
Hello to all and Shabbat Shalom!
I am sitting in my friend Stefanie's dorm room at Hebrew University in Jerusalem, where I am so graciously being hosted for the night, and I want to tell you all about the great day I just had! I stayed at Hebrew University last night with Miriam, and woke up sooo early to meet an Egged bus at 8:45, which would take me, Debby, and her boyfriend Eric on an organized tour through the area of Masada and the Dead Sea.
Our first stop was to the mountain range of Masada, where the remnants of King Herod's castle still stand today. We took a cable car ride up the side of the mountain (hiking usually takes a little over an hour), before getting a tour of the historical site, which was beautiful in the forefront to the sunny blue skies.
After Masada, we made a crucial stop at the AHAVA outlet, where everyone enjoyed some time to shop for the famous hand creams, body washes, massage oils, and the like. We then hopped on the bus again, this time to head to the Ein Gedi Spa, where we had some lunch before changing into our bathing suits for our much-anticipated arrival to the Dead Sea!
Although I had been before, the experience was so amazing! The beach behind the resort was a short trolley ride away, and made up completely of salt, not sand. We found some chairs by the shore, and then Debby and I went on a hunt for some genuine Dead Sea mud. We found some and put it all over our arms and legs, which most people do for its exfoliating and soothing minerals. The mud dried pretty quickly in the sun, and made it a little difficult to walk, but also made our skin feel like silk once the salty water cleansed it off.
Immediately after I walked into the water and felt the sharp poking of its salty bottom, I remembered why I had worn water shoes during my last visit! We eased our way out to where we could float, and spent almost a half an hour relaxing in the sun-heated water. Eric had never seen the Dead Sea before this, and was in awe of how easy it was to stay afloat. Even though Debby and I had been to the site before, we still had a great time in the water, soaking in the view, the sun, and the joy of being in Israel!
After our dip in the Dead Sea, we all showered off and got some ice cream before heading on the road with our group back to Jerusalem, where I met up with Stefanie at Hebrew University, where I will be staying for tonight before heading back to Haifa sometime tomorrow!
Pictures to come soon, I promise...
Lots of love!!
Elyse
I am sitting in my friend Stefanie's dorm room at Hebrew University in Jerusalem, where I am so graciously being hosted for the night, and I want to tell you all about the great day I just had! I stayed at Hebrew University last night with Miriam, and woke up sooo early to meet an Egged bus at 8:45, which would take me, Debby, and her boyfriend Eric on an organized tour through the area of Masada and the Dead Sea.
Our first stop was to the mountain range of Masada, where the remnants of King Herod's castle still stand today. We took a cable car ride up the side of the mountain (hiking usually takes a little over an hour), before getting a tour of the historical site, which was beautiful in the forefront to the sunny blue skies.
After Masada, we made a crucial stop at the AHAVA outlet, where everyone enjoyed some time to shop for the famous hand creams, body washes, massage oils, and the like. We then hopped on the bus again, this time to head to the Ein Gedi Spa, where we had some lunch before changing into our bathing suits for our much-anticipated arrival to the Dead Sea!
Although I had been before, the experience was so amazing! The beach behind the resort was a short trolley ride away, and made up completely of salt, not sand. We found some chairs by the shore, and then Debby and I went on a hunt for some genuine Dead Sea mud. We found some and put it all over our arms and legs, which most people do for its exfoliating and soothing minerals. The mud dried pretty quickly in the sun, and made it a little difficult to walk, but also made our skin feel like silk once the salty water cleansed it off.
Immediately after I walked into the water and felt the sharp poking of its salty bottom, I remembered why I had worn water shoes during my last visit! We eased our way out to where we could float, and spent almost a half an hour relaxing in the sun-heated water. Eric had never seen the Dead Sea before this, and was in awe of how easy it was to stay afloat. Even though Debby and I had been to the site before, we still had a great time in the water, soaking in the view, the sun, and the joy of being in Israel!
After our dip in the Dead Sea, we all showered off and got some ice cream before heading on the road with our group back to Jerusalem, where I met up with Stefanie at Hebrew University, where I will be staying for tonight before heading back to Haifa sometime tomorrow!
Pictures to come soon, I promise...
Lots of love!!
Elyse
Monday, April 20, 2009
Yom HaShoah
This evening marks the beginning of an important series of Israeli holidays which are to come in the next few weeks. Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day) starts at sundown tonight, and continues until sundown tomorrow night. Less than a week later comes Yom HaZikaron (Memorial Day) and Yom HaAtzma'ut (Israel Independence Day). The first two are somber holidays, so much so that a siren rings out through the entire country, stopping all activities to elicit Israelis to stand silently and remember the ones who have fallen for the sake of the Jewish people.
To start Yom HaShoah, the International school organized a second-generation Holocaust survivor to come and speak to us. As I listened, I decided that it was one of the most influential things I had done thus far in Israel. Oranit seemed to be in her upper 50s, and had the most soothing voice I had ever heard. She spoke so matter-of-factly about her parent's experiences during the Holocaust that it was hard to imagine how they actually lived through it. It would be a failed attempt for me to even try to recreate anything that she said, but I will mention some points that stuck out in my mind.
She started off by telling us that her parents considered themselves 'graduates' of the Holocaust, not survivors, and that there is no one who truly survives such an experience. Both parents were lucky enough to escape the lives of concentration camps, but, since they were young children when the war started, their disturbed childhood persisted as they became adults. Oranit described her mother as a 'fixer' - she could not handle what was going on in her mind, so she set off to fix the problems of others instead. This lifestyle landed her in mental hospitals many times, but she later became a painter, and used beautiful landscapes and still life to suppress her memories of losing her father and fleeing from the Nazis.
Oranit's parent's marriage only lasted for five years, which she believes was typical of those who lived through the Holocaust. Her father was violent, and built a wall between himself and everyone else around him. Because of this, Oranit felt that she grew up with very little nurturing and love, and says she is only just beginning to learn about herself. Throughout her speaking, she encouraged people to ask questions, so I decided to ask about her feelings towards Yom HaShoah, knowing that the Holocaust is a part of her daily life. Of course, she replied that this is a question she hoped no one would ask... oops. Anyway, she went on to explain that thinking about the Holocaust is like looking at a picture book - usually, it is important to keep the book closed, and on a shelf, and not to plaster the pictures all over our walls and live with the pain of them. However, we also need to open the album and take a look at the pictures every so often.
I know that tomorrow and next week will bring a very different perspective to being in Israel, so I will post more once it happens...
Lots of love,
Elyse
To start Yom HaShoah, the International school organized a second-generation Holocaust survivor to come and speak to us. As I listened, I decided that it was one of the most influential things I had done thus far in Israel. Oranit seemed to be in her upper 50s, and had the most soothing voice I had ever heard. She spoke so matter-of-factly about her parent's experiences during the Holocaust that it was hard to imagine how they actually lived through it. It would be a failed attempt for me to even try to recreate anything that she said, but I will mention some points that stuck out in my mind.
She started off by telling us that her parents considered themselves 'graduates' of the Holocaust, not survivors, and that there is no one who truly survives such an experience. Both parents were lucky enough to escape the lives of concentration camps, but, since they were young children when the war started, their disturbed childhood persisted as they became adults. Oranit described her mother as a 'fixer' - she could not handle what was going on in her mind, so she set off to fix the problems of others instead. This lifestyle landed her in mental hospitals many times, but she later became a painter, and used beautiful landscapes and still life to suppress her memories of losing her father and fleeing from the Nazis.
Oranit's parent's marriage only lasted for five years, which she believes was typical of those who lived through the Holocaust. Her father was violent, and built a wall between himself and everyone else around him. Because of this, Oranit felt that she grew up with very little nurturing and love, and says she is only just beginning to learn about herself. Throughout her speaking, she encouraged people to ask questions, so I decided to ask about her feelings towards Yom HaShoah, knowing that the Holocaust is a part of her daily life. Of course, she replied that this is a question she hoped no one would ask... oops. Anyway, she went on to explain that thinking about the Holocaust is like looking at a picture book - usually, it is important to keep the book closed, and on a shelf, and not to plaster the pictures all over our walls and live with the pain of them. However, we also need to open the album and take a look at the pictures every so often.
I know that tomorrow and next week will bring a very different perspective to being in Israel, so I will post more once it happens...
Lots of love,
Elyse
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Day Trips
Since it is still spring break here at Haifa University, I have been going to a few more places around the northern area of the country that I have yet to see. On Monday, I traveled with Debby to Old Akko, a beautiful port city. Akko is mostly inhabited now by Muslims and Arabs, and is a huge tourist attraction because of its ancient buildings and breathtaking landscape.
Debby and I first went to look at the Al-Jazzar Mosque, which was built in 1781 (according to my trusty guidebook), but were not allowed in because we were considered "naked" in only shorts and t-shirts. Luckily, many of the sites in Old Akko are close to each other, so we kept walking until we found the Citadel, which proved to be the main attraction of the day. This massive structure was built and rebuilt for many years, with tunnels and grand hallways. Part of the Citadel was actually used as a prison for Zionist leader Vladimir Jabotinsky in the 1920s. The size of the Citadel was unbelievable - even more still that it stands to this day.
After viewing the Citadel, Debby and I decided to take a taxi to Rosh Hanikra, which is a beautiful area near the border of Israel and Lebanon. We took a cable car ride down the side of the white cliffs overlooking the clearest water I have ever seen, which ended at the Grottos which developed in the sides of the cliffs. At this point, it was getting late, and neither Debby nor I had eaten all day (the only Kosher for Passover food we saw was in a vending machine), so we decided to head home to the University.
The next morning, Debby's Israeli roommate Keshet invited us to spend the day with her family in the Carmel National Park, near Haifa University. Since it is Passover break, most children have no school, and work hours are much more flexible. Keshet and her parents picked us up at the University, and we met up with two other families at the park for a Passover picnic. It was so nice to be around families again, and Debby and I were able to use some of our Hebrew to talk to everyone. We ended up staying for hours, relishing in the ability to relax in the park on a Tuesday afternoon. If there is one thing that I have learned from studying in Israel, it is how to relax!
Unfortunately, the past two days have been a lot cooler and even rainy, so I haven't done much touring. However, spring break has left me in a very 'sieze-the-day' morale, so I will hopefully be planning many more day trips to come!
Lots of love,
Elyse
Debby and I first went to look at the Al-Jazzar Mosque, which was built in 1781 (according to my trusty guidebook), but were not allowed in because we were considered "naked" in only shorts and t-shirts. Luckily, many of the sites in Old Akko are close to each other, so we kept walking until we found the Citadel, which proved to be the main attraction of the day. This massive structure was built and rebuilt for many years, with tunnels and grand hallways. Part of the Citadel was actually used as a prison for Zionist leader Vladimir Jabotinsky in the 1920s. The size of the Citadel was unbelievable - even more still that it stands to this day.
After viewing the Citadel, Debby and I decided to take a taxi to Rosh Hanikra, which is a beautiful area near the border of Israel and Lebanon. We took a cable car ride down the side of the white cliffs overlooking the clearest water I have ever seen, which ended at the Grottos which developed in the sides of the cliffs. At this point, it was getting late, and neither Debby nor I had eaten all day (the only Kosher for Passover food we saw was in a vending machine), so we decided to head home to the University.
The next morning, Debby's Israeli roommate Keshet invited us to spend the day with her family in the Carmel National Park, near Haifa University. Since it is Passover break, most children have no school, and work hours are much more flexible. Keshet and her parents picked us up at the University, and we met up with two other families at the park for a Passover picnic. It was so nice to be around families again, and Debby and I were able to use some of our Hebrew to talk to everyone. We ended up staying for hours, relishing in the ability to relax in the park on a Tuesday afternoon. If there is one thing that I have learned from studying in Israel, it is how to relax!
Unfortunately, the past two days have been a lot cooler and even rainy, so I haven't done much touring. However, spring break has left me in a very 'sieze-the-day' morale, so I will hopefully be planning many more day trips to come!
Lots of love,
Elyse
Monday, April 13, 2009
"This Year In Jerusalem...!"
Needless to say, being able to spend one of my favorite Jewish holidays in Israel is something I never thought I would get to experience. While it is difficult to be so far from home on what is traditionally a family holiday, experiencing a Passover in Israel is like nothing else.
Last Tuesday I went food shopping in Mercaz HaCarmel to get ready for the holiday, and found the supermarket like the Natick Mall on the day before Christmas. I managed to make my way through the aisles to do my Passover shopping, all the while marveling at the fact that all things Hametz (bread or other things forbidden on Passover) were covered with plastic sheets and taped off. Later that evening, I headed to Ra'anana, a town north of Tel Aviv, where I would be having seder (literally means order, figuratively refers to the big dinners held on Passover) with some family friends.
On Wednesday night, the official start of Passover, I had my first seder in Israel, and even read from the Hagaddah (prayer book) in Hebrew, with vowels of course...!! The rest of the evening was fairly similar to my usual family seders at home, with a meal that resembled a Thanksgiving feast, complete with four cups of wine. Since the holiday didn't begin until after sunset on Wednesday night, our seder lasted until after 1 in the morning, at which point we all went to sleep to prepare for shul early the next morning!
After the end of the holiday on Thursday night, I met up with Abraham, a friend of mine studying in Italy for the semester who came to Israel for Passover. Together we took the bus from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, and met up with Miriam at Hebrew University, where we stayed for the night. It was so nice to see so many friends! Friday morning we all woke up and took a bus to Emek Refaim, a street near the Old City in Jerusalem, where we were able to eat a meal in a Kosher for Passover restaurant - definitely one of the highlights of spending the holiday in Israel! Abraham and I said goodbye to Miriam, and headed to the home of another friend's family, where we were being hosted for the night. We walked along Emek Refaim before getting ready for Shabbat, and then had a nice hot meal after Friday night shul.
Saturday morning we woke early and walked to the Kotel to observe Shabbat Chol HaMoed (the Shabbat after a holiday) in the holiest site in the world. We stayed at the Western Wall for a little while, and then headed back to Emek Refaim for a more traditional Shabbat morning service at Shira Hadashah, a synagogue which is known for its beautiful singing, and then walked back to our hosts for lunch and relaxing for the rest of Shabbat.
After Shabbat ended, we hopped on a bus and came back up to Haifa, and then spent Sunday on the Haifa beach and shopping in Mercaz HaCarmel before Abraham's flight back to Italy early Monday morning. It was great to spend the first half of Passover in the company of such good friends!
Much more to come on the rest of my spring break! Happy Passover to all!
Lots of love,
Elyse
Last Tuesday I went food shopping in Mercaz HaCarmel to get ready for the holiday, and found the supermarket like the Natick Mall on the day before Christmas. I managed to make my way through the aisles to do my Passover shopping, all the while marveling at the fact that all things Hametz (bread or other things forbidden on Passover) were covered with plastic sheets and taped off. Later that evening, I headed to Ra'anana, a town north of Tel Aviv, where I would be having seder (literally means order, figuratively refers to the big dinners held on Passover) with some family friends.
On Wednesday night, the official start of Passover, I had my first seder in Israel, and even read from the Hagaddah (prayer book) in Hebrew, with vowels of course...!! The rest of the evening was fairly similar to my usual family seders at home, with a meal that resembled a Thanksgiving feast, complete with four cups of wine. Since the holiday didn't begin until after sunset on Wednesday night, our seder lasted until after 1 in the morning, at which point we all went to sleep to prepare for shul early the next morning!
After the end of the holiday on Thursday night, I met up with Abraham, a friend of mine studying in Italy for the semester who came to Israel for Passover. Together we took the bus from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, and met up with Miriam at Hebrew University, where we stayed for the night. It was so nice to see so many friends! Friday morning we all woke up and took a bus to Emek Refaim, a street near the Old City in Jerusalem, where we were able to eat a meal in a Kosher for Passover restaurant - definitely one of the highlights of spending the holiday in Israel! Abraham and I said goodbye to Miriam, and headed to the home of another friend's family, where we were being hosted for the night. We walked along Emek Refaim before getting ready for Shabbat, and then had a nice hot meal after Friday night shul.
Saturday morning we woke early and walked to the Kotel to observe Shabbat Chol HaMoed (the Shabbat after a holiday) in the holiest site in the world. We stayed at the Western Wall for a little while, and then headed back to Emek Refaim for a more traditional Shabbat morning service at Shira Hadashah, a synagogue which is known for its beautiful singing, and then walked back to our hosts for lunch and relaxing for the rest of Shabbat.
After Shabbat ended, we hopped on a bus and came back up to Haifa, and then spent Sunday on the Haifa beach and shopping in Mercaz HaCarmel before Abraham's flight back to Italy early Monday morning. It was great to spend the first half of Passover in the company of such good friends!
Much more to come on the rest of my spring break! Happy Passover to all!
Lots of love,
Elyse
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Kibbutz Geva
Last Sunday I had the pleasure of going with Miriam to the Kibbutz that her mother lived on for the time that she was in Israel, located in the Gilboa region of the north. Kibbutzim are communities of families which live and work together, and share all possessions. Kibbutzim were first developed in the early 1900s when Zionist Jews came to Israel to begin their lives, and learned that living together was a good means of survival. Kibbutz Geva used to be one of the major providers of chocolate in Israel, but now produces metal pistons. The Kibbutz employs all of the people who live there, either in the factory, school, kitchen and dining room, or with other work, such as laundry and gardening. Geva is also home to hundreds of cows and sheep, which are milked for drinking and making cheese.
The members of Geva also share a very large bank account - there are no salaries, and no doctor's bills or rent to be paid. Each year, a family receives a budget, which is supposed to be enough to include all expenses. In order to become a member of Geva, people must live and work on the Kibbutz for six months, and are then placed before the other residents (Geva has about 600) in a vote. Since the community is so tightly knit, it is very important for all the residents to get along with one another.
Miriam and I stayed with a wonderful couple, Asnat and Richard, who both knew Miriam's mother when she lived on Geva. They took us to the dining hall for our meals, and showed us around the Kibbutz so we could get a better view of how the community lives. The area surrounding Geva is beautiful with lush green fields and forests; the view from Richard and Asnat's home is an unbelievable site! We spent the afternoon walking around the Kibbutz, and then went out for dinner in the nearby town of Afula, before watching the news in Hebrew and heading to bed. As we walked around Geva the next morning, I thought about how sweet and simple life was in the Kibbutz, and how much I would prefer it to the hassle of paper-writing and food shopping! Hopefully I will be able to go back to Geva during my next two months here!
Lots of love,
Elyse
The members of Geva also share a very large bank account - there are no salaries, and no doctor's bills or rent to be paid. Each year, a family receives a budget, which is supposed to be enough to include all expenses. In order to become a member of Geva, people must live and work on the Kibbutz for six months, and are then placed before the other residents (Geva has about 600) in a vote. Since the community is so tightly knit, it is very important for all the residents to get along with one another.
Miriam and I stayed with a wonderful couple, Asnat and Richard, who both knew Miriam's mother when she lived on Geva. They took us to the dining hall for our meals, and showed us around the Kibbutz so we could get a better view of how the community lives. The area surrounding Geva is beautiful with lush green fields and forests; the view from Richard and Asnat's home is an unbelievable site! We spent the afternoon walking around the Kibbutz, and then went out for dinner in the nearby town of Afula, before watching the news in Hebrew and heading to bed. As we walked around Geva the next morning, I thought about how sweet and simple life was in the Kibbutz, and how much I would prefer it to the hassle of paper-writing and food shopping! Hopefully I will be able to go back to Geva during my next two months here!
Lots of love,
Elyse
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