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We are honored to share with you the reflections of our ISTers direct from Israel. These journal entries are submitted for publication each week in the Intermountain Jewish News, and are posted weekly on our Web Site, as well. Note the passion and love for Israel and Judaism that awakens in our teenagers as the trip progresses, and enjoy watching teenagers becoming young adults during their summer IST experience. No more introduction needed; enjoy! This is the first of 5 communiqués direct from CAJEs Israel Study Tour. Sixty-nine teenagers are living and breathing the homeland of our ancestors. Their journey began in Jerusalem on June 22 where they celebrated their first Shabbat. Then it was on to a three-day experience in the Negev where they hiked and slept beneath the same stars Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob did so many years ago. Their second Shabbat was celebrated in Sefad. Here are some of their reflections so far. IndexJuly 30, 2001Communiqué for July 30, 2001: This is the last communiqué from the Israel Study Tour. The teens and their counselors spent 6 amazing and incredible weeks studying the land and the people of Israel and touring the ancient and modern sights that define us as a people. On trips like these we have many experiences that turn into great memories that we carry with us for the rest of our lives. One such experience for me was the 4-day hike during options week. We traveled from the peak of Mount Herman to the exquisite waterfalls of the Banias. Not only were the surroundings beautiful beyond belief but the experience was enhanced by the people. Included on the hike were 3 other groups, a group from LA, and two groups from Ethiopia. The Ethiopian groups did not speak much English. At first, they were hard to communicate with but soon the group as a whole broached the language barrier. I made relationships with these people that will last a lifetime. They even invited me to stay with them on my next trip to Israel. These memories are truly ones I will never forget. Ben Newman I have gained so much from the past 6 weeks here in Israel. Most of all and most importantly I’ve come to see the value in family and community. Here on IST, we have family groups, I feel extremely lucky, because during the allotted to be with each other I have grown to love each member of my family. Some might say that the best thing in life is to find the similarities amongst people. But I feel that people’s differences and unique personalities are what makes life and the journey so incredible. Being part of a wonderful family and amazing community back in Denver has strengthened my appreciation for what I have. So as I end this amazing summer and experience I want to say thank you to everyone who made the IST community such a wonderful place to spend my summer. Shabbat Shalom. Alyce Blum This land is holy, and it would remain so had religion never even touched its soil. There is something profoundly spiritual about Israel that the passing traveler can’t help but become a part of. The sun rises and falls with a vibrancy that stirs the soul. Timeless wastelands give off a power and mystery that will shake even the most confident. Rivers and seas boast spectacular waves and waterfalls that spill over the land and into the mind. And the night sky, clouded with starts, opens the observer to complete tranquillity and oneness with nature. In the presence of such phenomenal beauty, it is impossible not to be moved in some way or another. It’s very simple. If you don’t find spirituality in Israel, Israel’s spirituality will find you. Ari Finkelstein IST is hard, the hardest part is not the sunrise hikes nor is it all the sunburns or the blisters, the hardest part is being around 68 youth who are clamoring for each others approval just as you are clamoring for theirs as well. The hardest part is praying with somebody who gets mad when you put the mothers into the amidah, praying with someone who doesn’t acknowledge your Judaism. But really the hardest part is knowing that death is all around and now that you have made Israeli connections perhaps the next death will be someone you know. The hardest part is maybe coming onto the trip or perhaps it’s the middle when you can neither remember the start nor see the finish. Or maybe it’s the end when you realize that you will no longer see the beautiful polished stoned streets to which you have grown accustomed. IST is not a vacation, it is a study tour on which you do precisely that, study. I for one have learned a lot. Caitlin Smith. July 23, 2001Every day I discover something new. Whether it is something about a new friend or myself. I am so excited to share all of my stories and adventures when I come home. This week was a lot of fun. I went parasailing in Eilat, went to the desert and rode camels. I drank the best tea I have ever had in a Bedouin tent. I climbed Massada on about 3 hours of sleep and saw the sun engulf the entire sky in its warm glow. I also left a part of myself on Massada, since I was so touched. My love to all of Colorado. Love to the Drucker clan, the Coopers and Grandma Klubock. See you really soon. Natalie Drucker. The trip is now in its final week. It is hard to believe all that we have done in this tiny yet amazing country. We finished up last week by traveling back to the desert to stay at the Bedouin tents. We were served unbelievable food, given comfortable mattresses to sleep on, and we even got the chance to ride on camels, which left a lasting impression in more ways then one. This final week is going to be difficult. Many emotions are flying through our heads. Some of us are anxious to see our families and friends while others are struggling with the idea of leaving the family that has been created during these last 6 weeks. No matter how we are feeling, we are excited to finish up the trip in a positive, memorable and exciting way. Annie Abramson This country pulls me in - the land, nationality and union of Jews. Never before in my life have I watched the sun rise in another country, say Shabbat Shalom and have the other respond understanding our connection, and understand what it really means to fight for one’s country. The feelings I have come to understand were never before realized and I don’t think I can begin to describe it. The words I use cannot scratch the surface of what it is that I mean, but to be here is to be in love. My Israeli brothers are here with their own story and outlook on life; how I’d love to learn them. To end my letter now, cutting it short, is perfect, because the rest would be repetitive and I still know very little. I need to come back to Israel. Eli Goldstein. "You never really leave a place, you take part of it with you and leave part of yourself behind." This is what my best friend told me after going to Israel last summer. I didn’t really understand what she meant until our amazing sunset hike on Mt. Ardon. I don’t want to leave in a week. I’m scared of leaving Israel behind and IST ’01 becoming only a memory. But the more smiles I see and laughs I share, I’m coming to realize that I’m not leaving Israel behind, I’m taking part of it with me and leaving behind part of myself. Phyli Seldin July 17, 2001A small bite into the Tzahal left many in euphoria and most in awe. From the beginning we brave ISTers learned the value of discipline and the rewards of teamwork. From forming chets in seven seconds to cleaning the kitchen in an hour, our short experience in the army was amazing. In less than a week we learned lessons that years of school could never teach us. This week was exciting, inspirational, and extremely enlightening. We tourists were exhausted after a short week yet our peers in Israel perform these arduous tasks week after week, year after year. The fact that they can handle such harsh conditions and such a stressful atmosphere for a prolonged period of time illustrated to all of us that even our seemingly most unreachable goals are with persistence, achievable. More than simply inspiring us to reach higher and teach us to try harder, Gadna, instilled a deep profound respect and appreciation for the soldiers that every day risk their lives for our beloved homeland. David Sherry After one of the most mentally challenging days of my life, I was walking around the Gadna base when I ran into an Israeli girl. She asked me if I was going into the army and with a slight smile on my face I replied, "definitely not." Then she asked me an extremely frustrating question that I had been asking myself since I arrived at Gadna. She said, "Why, because I live in Israel and you don’t do I have to die for our country and you get to live?" Being at base Gadna Tzalmon was an extremely challenging experience. It was hard to have to do things that seemed pointless or irrelevant and not be able to question why. The days were like years and the nights like seconds. But through the exhaustion, pain, hunger, frustration and hot Israeli sun, the thing that I found the most difficult was losing my identity. IST is all about individuality, self-pride and self-discovery. And after 3 weeks of that, it was a major culture shock to lose everything we had been focusing on. But in the end, as it is with all IST adventures, I was left with nothing but a sense of accomplishment and pride. And even though I do plan on going to NYU and not Tzahal, to all the amazing soldiers… Kol haKavod. Rachel Gordon This past week was our options week on IST. I chose to go on the Arts & Culture week. We went to two museums, one in Jerusalem and one in Tel Aviv. At the Jerusalem museum we saw ancient Jewish art, beautiful Jewish symbols, and modern Jewish art. There was a gorgeous Katubbah with elaborate designs encasing the ancient Hebrew writing. At the second museum we learned about ancient Israel and the way the people accomplished their tasks. On one of the nights an Israeli musician, Aaron Razel came to sing with us. We sang Hebrew nigguns – tunes that can just be sung over and over again. We danced and sang and had an amazing time. Later in the week we tie-dyed shirts, played drama games, saw some sites and heard some stories from authors and script writers. All in all, it was an incredibly enlightening experience, opening new windows into Jewish culture and history. Stacy Dorenfeld Of all the options, I never once regretted going on the 3 day hike. We started off by picking up 15 Ethiopian Jews that were around our age. They didn’t all speak English so it was a little difficult. The hike was a lot of fun and it was filled with variety. The hiking was mountainous, downhill, water, uphill, rocky and flat. It was all kinds of hiking. We were even hiking through people’s orchards. Also, we were with a totally new group of people. It took a while but we got pretty close with the Ethiopians. We all had some of the same interests and differences that we learned about. It was just such a great experience. I think that a big part of the group would even say that the hike was fun but nothing like it actually was. The Ethiopians changes the experience so much. I will remember the hike probably longer and more about it just because of the kind of hike it was. The people and Israel just made it an amazing trip. I think that the hike was the coolest activity I’ve done all summer. Jessica Friedman I have been looking forward to this trip since I was in first grade. It is everything I imagined and more, it makes it really hard to believe that IST 2001 is more than half over. Israel never ceases to amaze me, I feel so close yet so far away from my family, friends and home. Yesterday we had Poland presentations. Even though I didn’t go to Poland they were extremely draining emotionally. In our news update this morning Doron told us that there had been more violence. What surprises me is that more people die in car accidents that they do in terrorist attacks. Our group is amazing I have made some great friends. Liz Sunshine I have had the opportunity to interact with many Israeli people and their conversations with me all lead to the same thing. They are overjoyed, some to the point of tears in their eyes to discover that we are from Colorado. To know that people, teenagers especially, are still coming here makes them ecstatic. I didn’t understand this until I spoke with the Rabbi at an Italian Orthodox Shul in Jerusalem. He said that he could not put the happiness he felt into words that Jewish teenagers from America have come to Israel in her time of need. And no matter how much the US government helps, and how hard Israel fights it is our support that will help Israel through these difficult times. From this, I have gained an understanding that I was right in coming on this trip and if the conflict here is every to be resolved it will be greatly because of the support of the Jewish communities outside of Israel. Dan Banjavic July 9, 2001We have done a lot of exciting things in the past week such as kayaking through the Jordan, water hikes and swimming. My favorite hike was the Gilabun. We went through a jungle/forest, and into waist deep water. What made everyone come together was that when people fell or slipped, someone else was always there to pick you up. A personal experience I had was when I hurt my ankle and my friend, Sam Jones, helped me uphill
the whole way. Towards the end of the week everyone came together as one
group. Not bus Aleph and bus Bet, but IST. We will treasure the memories of
helping forever. IST has been the most incredible experience I have ever had. Poland was
the most horrific place I have ever been, yet I regret none of it. Seeing
the concentration camps and the strong sense of Judaism within them have
made me appreciate my being Jewish more than I ever thought possible. The
suffering of my ancestors in the camps and their will to survive has
displayed the strength of my religion and has set an example for me.
Throughout my Jewish life, arriving in Israel from Poland was the most
powerful sensation I have ever felt. I had come from a country ridden in
hate to the Jewish homeland rich with love and community. My tour of Israel
has surpassed my every expectation and has enriched every aspect of my
Jewish life. The best part about Israel is the spirit, happiness and energy that
everyone here possesses. I feel that the greatest way this is expressed is
through the color and music that is everywhere. As far as the color goes,
people wear the best clothes here. The skirts and dresses that the women
wear, and the desert pants are so vibrant and beautiful! The music and song
goes even further. It started in Poland when Yigal taught us a bunch of
niggunim and Jewish songs. Then when we finally got here, song was
everywhere. People were singing and dancing at the Wall; the Israeli
counselors are always teaching us new songs. In Sefat while we were walking
around I heard teenagers our age jamming in the street. At our hostel in
Keshet, someone was always playing a guitar. It is beautiful. I can’t get
enough of Israel. IST has changed me tremendously. I came here not knowing anyone and now I have more friends than I ever thought. I came with a fear of heights and now I’ve climbed down a mountain. I came thinking I could only swim in water, and now I hiked through a river. But what really blows my mind is that the trip is only half way through. One thing that I will always remember is sitting in a park having a B-B-Que singing and looking at the fireworks on the 4th of July. It felt like everyone was closer together. Choosing to come on IST was one of the best decisions I’ve made. Thank you for letting me have this opportunity. Emily Sturgeon June 30, 2001What an amazing place this is. Not just Zfat but Israel in whole. I cannot believe how much one can feel the land. I have read many books about how people react to the atmosphere and people and the power of being here but never understood. Today was Shabbos and was amazing! I can’t wait for the next one. Everything is moving in absolutely no time. I can’t describe it, what words can I use to explain what I am feeling? Let me try… The land holds you closely, the people speak to you with a single glance, everything is so amazing that nothing can bring it to a ruin, you feel all that develops and has been, you are part of history as time stands still, music that lifts the spirit is heard in every street and building. This is the Holy Land, the center of the world, a place like nowhere else. I am in love with it. Let my heart always remain. The day’s end brings a sadness and still a smile to my face as I know that another day goes by there is another still ahead. Abraham Youngerman The past week I’ve spent in Israel have been unbelievable. All the stories I’ve heard about this place are completely true. After hearing all the stories and seeing all the pictures it’s so great to finally be here. Seeing the wall for the first time was awe inspiring. After coming strait from Birkenau and making the journey that so many people wanted to make but couldn’t made it that much more moving. The desert experience was really hard but really rewarding. Climbing up those mountains and being able to look down on what seemed impossible made me so proud of my self and everyone around me. So far this trip has been trip has been great and I really look forward to another four and a half weeks. Betsy Kessler IST 2001 is a unique experience with my combined endeavors in Poland and currently in Israel. I have changed physically, mentally, and spiritually. Visiting Auschwitz, Treblenka, and Majdenkek, made me rethink what an honor it is for me to be freely Jewish in today’s society. This then caused me to reconsider what my role is in our community. We ISTers are the next generation of father’s, mother’s, teacher’s, Rabbi’s, and keepers of the Jewish spirit for our community. This has never been more clear to me then when we were in the desert for three days facing the blazing heat and the wraith if the wind that whipped our faces at night. This experience showed me how my generation can persevere in the toughest situations while keeping our Jewish spirit alive. Will Bernstein My first week in Israel was amazing. My expectations of what Israel was going to be like was completely true. Finally being able to see what I had learned about in textbooks was very meaningful. Although this trip is just starting, I already feel as though I belong in Israel. On our first Shabbat we went to the Western Wall. I was worried and intimidated at first about stepping onto to massive praying ground, but soon got enough courage and entered in. I walked around for a while, not sure what to do, when finally Noam, the medic, grabbed my arm and pulled me into a group of orthodox Jews running around in a circle, yelling and singing. I was amazed at the sight and jumped in. I could not believe that a group of such religious men would allow me to celebrate Shabbat with them. SCOTT SACHS Lot flight number 151 landed at 4:30 AM in Tel Aviv. Never in my life have I been so excited to be anywhere at 4:30 in the morning. The thirty-eight students and I who experienced Poland sang "Od Yavo Shalom Aleinu V’al Kulam" for what must have been an hour while most of us saw Israel for the first time. Being in Jerusalem was the most spiritual experience of my life. The Kotel was amazing, the city was amazing, the country is amazing. The experiences I have had have been unlike anything that has ever happened to me. One night in Sefat, I spent an hour talking to five Ethiopian Jews who were staying at the hostel. They embodied exactly what I was looking for in Israel, the realization that everyone around me, no matter what color, what nationality, what gender, what lifestyle is the same as mine. I am home. I love you and I miss you. Ali Hoskins IST 2001 thus far has been more meaningful to me than I could have ever imagined. Each day puts the former to shame with the new thoughts and feelings evoked. The experiences I gain give me a greater outlook on life and add one more aspect to the person I am. Simply absorbing Israel – the land, people, and culture is a journey within itself; this place provides such a strong feeling of home that it is almost impossible to feel uncomfortable. As of now, my most significant experience occurred in the old city of Zefat. Our group met with Avraham Leventhal who gave us an introductory lesson on Kabbalah, Hebrew for Jewish Mysticism. His love for Judaism was immense and his dedication to its study was no less than inspirational. He was an excellent teacher and we easily learned this angle of Judaism previously unfamiliar to us. I will never forget the lesson he taught and hope others get the honor of meeting him. Avner Gozani |
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