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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!
Index
Week 1: Forty-four teens
departed on June 14 for the CAJE Israel Study Tour program. Their first week
was spent in Poland, touring historic sites, including cemeteries and
concentration camps, and exploring the remnants of Poland’s once thriving
Jewish community. ISTers reflected on their experiences by speaking with
peers and tour leaders and writing in their journals. These letters are
excerpts from some of those writings.
Week 2 of CAJE IST brings our teens from the
darkness of Poland into the light of Eretz Yisrael. Memories of the
Holocaust lingering in their minds, the teens experience a spiritual moment
at the Kotel, spend 3 days experiencing the Negev, hiking, camping, building
bonds around a blazing campfire. Their second Shabbat is spent in the
mystical city of Safed.
(Written on the plane to Poland)
I AM IN EUROPE! There is nothing like it…and I haven’t even seen it. All I
saw was a glimpse of coastline that faded away and out of view in seconds.
But just knowing that I’m here brings about such indescribable happiness, a
thirst for tradition and history, awe and a dream fulfilled. I’m actually
here. I’m among terrible wars and centuries long of civil society. I’m in
the place where it all happened. I’m in the world’s most detailed and
amazing textbook. Even though I’m 30,000 feet above everything, just knowing
that I’m in Europe, that I could travel 100 miles in any direction and see
the most incredible things…My joy is indescribable
After a long plane ride from Newark to Poland, we began our journey the
second we climbed onto the bus and headed for Warsaw. One of our first
stops, the Jewish Cemetery of Warsaw, really impacted me. I was a little
nervous to be visiting a cemetery; but as we walked through the entrance
from a busy downtown street, I felt more comfortable. After a history of the
cemetery, we were urged to explore it – to see the beautiful stones,
possibly find friends and family, and then pay respects. The cemetery is one
the most beautiful places I have ever walked through. It stretches in all
directions and is filled with intricate tombstones surrounded by towering,
swaying trees and rich greenery. I left feeling serene and also thankful
that a cemetery like this still remains in a place where a lot of Jewish
culture has been lost.
It’s 6:00 in the morning. All 44 of us are half asleep. Monday, June
14th, the start of IST. We are all eager, eager for freedom, for fun, for
education, for Poland and Israel.
Then we are sitting in the Newark Airport and it hits us, we are going to be
in Poland the next morning. Poland, the land where our grandparents and
their parents and siblings suffered.
You see the Holocaust portrayed in movies and TV shows, but you can’t get
the real effect of the Holocaust until you’ve actually gone and seen the
horror.
We went to Majdanek, our first concentration camp that we will visit. For
many of us, it is the first camp we have ever seen. Most of us didn’t know
what to expect. The first thing you walk into is the bathhouse, then the gas
chambers. That’s when it hit all of us. Seeing the blue stains on the walls,
you realize that there are sick people in the world full of hate and the
only reason they killed so many people was because they were Jewish.
My third attempt. This is my third attempt to try and write what it was
like for me to just have walked through my first Death Camp, Majdanek. Right
now we are sitting in the literal crematorium. I can’t understand how ANYONE
could hate another HUMAN BEING so much to do the things that I saw today.
The smell of thousands of shoes before your eyes is terrible. The knot in
your stomach when you see your ancestors’ ashes in front of you is
nauseating. Brushing past the dissecting table where they searched for
valuables gave me the chills I will NEVER FORGET. Today I am supposed to
understand how six million people died, I get it now. Six million of MY
ancestors died – no, were brutally murdered – out of HATE. I get that part
now, but to have hate to that degree – that is something I will NEVER
understand.
When we got to Majdanek it was like I was watching a movie. It was like I
was reading my text book. So at first it was nothing special, but then we
walked up to the “bath house.” This is where the Nazis showered the
prisoners and next where they gassed them. When the IST group got to the
“bath house” I went inside but once I saw those shower heads I lost it and
broke down crying. All I could think of was what lay in the next room…the
gas chamber. The Holocaust has never felt so real and so personal to me.
This is my story. It has continued where so many stories ended. Yet mine
continues. I put my kippah on to remind me of this: that G-d is watching
over me and that he was watching over those killed and those who survived.
G-d is the author and the Book of Benny still continues. For that I am
thankful.
As we stood in the crematorium in Majdanek, the wind picked up. We stood
in silence, all 44 of us, and listened as the wind howled through the camp,
sounding like the cries of thousands. That was when I realized why I should
be passionate about the country of Israel, why it was meaningful to me,
besides the basic fact that it was the Jewish homeland; without Israel, this
could happen again. Israel insures the survival of the Jewish people, and I
am going there in three days. I am lucky enough to travel through Poland and
see the terrible devastation that the Jewish people had to endure, and then
to go to Israel, a place where a Jews can prosper and live their daily lives
without hiding their religion and culture. I am going to Israel.
The Israel Study Tour began in Poland nearly two weeks ago. We learned
about our heritage as Rabbi Levi Cooper guided us through one of the most
significant events in Jewish history, the Holocaust. Throughout the week,
our group participated in several discussions about what we had seen and
about our thoughts. We continued our journey to Jerusalem, the holiest city
in the world. I was in complete awe of the entire city. It is so rich with
beauty and history. This is my first trip to Israel; I was anxious to go to
the Kotel. As the sun was setting we were given time to experience the Kotel
for ourselves. I didn’t know what to feel, I was so amazed that I was even
there. But as I looked around, I realized that what I felt was an
overwhelming sense of unity. The girl on my left was weeping while praying,
and the girl on my right kissed the wall as she finished davening. I was
standing at the one place that connects Jews everywhere in the world, the
one thing that unites us all. I was so happy to be there and to be a part of
something so great. It was an amazing and life-changing experience.
When it comes to summer travel, I have been very fortunate. I have
traveled the past 4 summers of my life and seen many wonderful things.
However, nothing I have ever experience can compare or even relate to my
previous week on CAJE IST. From Auschwitz to the Kotel, the entire spectrum
of emotions has been covered. During the group’s last few days in Poland, we
visited Auschwitz, the camp of Jewish tragedy. I can’t write down how
emotionally upset I was, but it was like no other feeling. To see the gas
chambers and crematoriums is simply unbelievable. We walked out of that
terrible place, and I realized that every Jew is a survivor of the
Holocaust.
The flight to Israel was anxious with anticipation, but exciting. 44
Jewish teens were singing and clapping and once I reached the ground, I
could not have been happier. Poland just made me appreciate Israel even
more, and this appreciation heightened the entire experience. In Israel, we
went to the Old City. It’s remarkable to think that I was walking in a place
with so much importance to my culture. We went to the Kotel and I was
amazed. It was so simple, but beautiful; it was crowded but still
individually powerful. I have never felt closer to Hashem or more connected
to Judaism than at the Wall. Our travels next took us to the hot Negev. The
desert was beautiful and fun. I have been fortunate this summer, and I have
no doubt that my fortunes will continue.
Only one functioning synagogue remains in the very modern city of Krakow.
The synagogue is tiny, and there is standing room only on the Shabbat we
were here. Walking toward the doors of the shul, we separated: men to the
left and women to the right. The women’s gallery was tiny, between the main
sanctuary and the gallery there is a thick wall, with 3 barred windows. I
followed along in one of the siddurim, the only one with an English
translation. When we reached the Torah service, everyone came together,
united in song. I heard at least 5 different languages in the shul, but
everyone united in prayer, everyone found a connection to our people and to
Hashem through our common language, the holy language, Hebrew.
Rocks are everywhere. Though we pass them every day underfoot, we never
seem to give them the notice they deserve. Rocks form gravestones, telling
the life on one single person. They line the path to a death chamber, or are
a part of the Wall Jews travel to; they touch it, kiss it, tuck prayers into
it. Every pebble, every stone, every mountain has a story. The rocks lining
the railroad at Auschwitz are those which have seen suffering, screaming,
crying, sweaty, dirty hands grabbing for children, mothers, husbands,
fathers, spouses. They felt the feet of those doomed. Boulders in the Negev
have witnessed millions of passing moments; from dinosaurs to 44 Jewish
teens, they sit motionless, watching. They store the memories in a bank
inaccessible to a human; a bank in which only time holds the key. Carefully
placed bricks stand strong as the last remaining wall of the Second Temple.
They see joy, sorrow, pain. They hear the loud voice of devoted prayer. A
stone, always there, barely noticed. We are just a small pebble, we are
nothing but a split second in their memory. They have so much to tell. We
are listening.
Before I came to Israel, I had always pictured the fighting between
Israel and the neighboring Arab countries to be a far-off problem that only
was dealt with by the IDF in the middle of a desert, but as I stood on top
of the Golan plateau looking into Lebanon and Syria, I realized that the
fighting wasn’t just theoretical and distant, it was right there. To me,
Israel has always been a kind of salvation for the Jewish people and now I
am here, learning about the country that is a homeland for my people. And
still, after two weeks, I can’t believe that I am here, I can’t believe how
lucky I am to be here with 43 of my best friends.
I stood on a hill in the far north of Israel looking out across the
country of Lebanon toward the Mediterranean Sea. Across the border, no more
than a mile off, three yellow flags flew proudly on the opposing hill. These
are the flags of the terrorist group Hezbollah. I had always believed
terrorist to be hidden in dark caves in far off countries. But there they
were, just across the border. Mike, the security director and 30-year
resident of the area explained what life on the border was like. He told
stories of terrorists kidnapping children and Israeli incursions into
Lebanon. Mike commented several times that with one phone call he could have
the entire area swarming with Israeli troops in two minutes. “Why do you
stay in such a dangerous place,” I asked him. “Because the Jewish people
have been running for 2,000 years,” he told us, “and I am tired of running!”
I think of those three yellow flags, symbols of the fear and violence
connected to terrorism all around Israel. I am tired of running. Fear will
not force me from my homeland. Peace to everyone at home and to my family.
Israel, the Jewish homeland. Many people think of Israel as the land of
Judaism, or some country in the Middle East. Others think of it as a terror
stricken land. I’m here to say, “Israel is one of the most exciting and
joyful places I’ve ever seen! Sending 44 kids from the United States is
amazing…our tour group from the US represents the unity of the Jewish
people. We went on a 36-mile bike ride through the Golan. I completed 28
miles of the ride and then hopped on the bus. I met up with Justin along the
way and he remarked, “How did Moses wander in the desert for 40 years and I
can’t even bike 40km!” Our group has bonded, and all 44 of us have turned
into the best of friends. Israel is a life changing country overflowing with
life, tradition and love. This country has changed all of our lives.
When trying to remember all the places we’ve been, things we’ve done in
the past few days, it’s hard to believe that we’ve been in Israel for not
even 2 weeks. We’re a busy bunch! We’ve all been pretty close since our 3
days together hiking in the Negev. The sights were amazing, even though it
was a challenge to hike uphill from dawn to dusk. And, if you’ve never
experienced 44 teenagers without showers for 3 days in a hot dirty desert,
we highly recommend being jammed on a bus with them for a three hour drive!
We can now each call ourselves “hardcore” thrillseekers after experiencing
Israeli kayaking! Things are fab here, keep those letters coming!
The last few days have been some of the most interesting days of the trip
so far. I went on a 38 ile bike ride to help raise money for the ALYN
Hospital. This hospital specializes in helping handicapped children. We also
went on a water hike where we waded through some of the greener parts of
Israel. At one point we went through some water that rose past my hips and
almost swallowed up some of the smaller members of our group. We went
kayaking in 2-man rafts, through part of the Jordan River. We’ve had some
interesting adventures!
During the past week, I have met one amazing man, and seen one of the
most beautiful places on Earth. The person was Rabbi Avram Loewenthal, the
only Kabbalist I have every met. And he is also the only Israeli I have
talked to who talks like a surfer from California. His lesson was fun and
because of him I now actually talk out loud to G-d! The Golan was one of the
most awesome places I’ve been to. In spite of being pushed into the water
twice, it was fun and absolutely gorgeous. Each day brings new experiences
and I look forward to the next 3 weeks.
Week 4 brought many new experiences to the 44 teens
on CAJE IST! They studied the face of Israel’s future with a visit to
Independence Hall, Rabin Square and the Diaspora Museum. They reflected on
the past with a visit to Yad Vashem, and planted trees in the forest. And
they spend an amazing few days with Israeli teenagers from all walks of
life. Challenged by the blazing sun, intense schedules, they found strength
in their Judaism and the growing friendships that will last a life-time.
As I sit knee deep in clothes inside Room 801 of Hotel Ma’ale Hachamisha
outside of Jerusalem I ponder what to share with IST’s fans back home. I
could share how I have changed spiritually or how I’ve bonded with my fellow
ISTers, but instead I’ll share a lighter side of IST. (Wondering what to
write about I easily get distracted by the “intense” game of Israeli
basketball on TV. And, by intense, I mean AZA basketball puts them to
shame.) But, back to the past few weeks. For all who have been fortunate
enough to visit Israel, you may know Israel wasn’t exactly designed for the
big guy in mind. Between two hotels 3 of the larger IST men have broken 2
beds, 1.5 wooden staircases and a handful of chairs! If it wasn’t for the
gift of “GoldBond powder, the heat rash would be unbearable. Journeying
through the narrow tunnels of ancient city ruins, the old question arose,
how do you fit the circle block into the square hole? Well for a few of us
on the trip we answered that “we suck it in as much as we can!” Besides the
spiritual discovery and personal conquests of a large man, IST has a few
laughs here and there! Shabbat Shalom.
It was only 3 weeks ago that our entire group was viewing the destruction
and devastation of the Jewish people in Poland. This Tuesday, just a few
weeks removed from witnessing the horrors of the Holocaust, all of us
visited Yad Vashem to honor the victims of the Shoah.
Many of the items and pictures inside Yad Vashem were places or other
objects that we had just seen or visited in Poland. It was a bit of a
surreal experience to know that 60 years ago, it might have been impossible
to come from Poland and be in Israel, but today our group has come from the
fires of Hell in Poland to the glory and overwhelming feeling of life and
joy that envelopes Israel. Not only that, but we were able to pay our
respects to those who can never make the journey. I felt deeply privileged
to be able to walk out of Yad Vashem and to immediately see the hills of
Jerusalem and realize that we are the living proof of “Am Yisrael Chai!”---
the Jewish people live on.
Throughout this trip, I have realized how fortunate I am to not only be
able to wake up every morning in the Jewish homeland of Israel but also how
privileged I am to live in the United States where Jewish life is thriving.
After viewing the decimation of the Jewish community in Poland, I’ve taken
it upon myself to live life to its fullest in order to best honor the
victims of the Holocaust, who were deprived of the little joys in life in
their last years, so that I may do my part to try and carry on Jewish life
that was so tragically cut short for 6 million of our fellow Jewish
brethren.
For me this week has been one of the unique and valuable experiences
since IST began. The past few days we have been interacting with Israeli
teens with the Koby Mandel program. I must admit I had my apprehensions
about meeting them, but I found out that I really had nothing to worry
about, for they are some of the friendliest people I have ever met. We had
done introductions and played silly games, but it wasn’t until we packed
food for needy families that we truly began to get to know each other.
However, the volunteer work would only be the beginning of our friendship.
Today left me with a bittersweet feeling. We started the day with an
archeological dig and the explorations of several caves. We stopped talking
to the Israelis as foreigners and began talking as friends. However, the
evening would take on a different tone. All of the teens were friends of a
victim of a suicide bomber. Hearing them express their emotions and their
love was difficult and moving. It was extremely comforting and powerful to
hear those Israeli teenagers refer to us as family, despite the fact that we
had known them less than 48 hours. Upon hearing of how much impact this one
boy’s life (Kobey Mandel was a victim of terror) had made, I couldn’t help
but remember a plaque from Zefat: “A large world is a small man, and small
man is a large man.”
26 of us arrived at Tzalmon, a city located near the Sea of Galilee to
begin the experience of a lifetime --- serving 4 days in Gadna - Israeli
“basic training” for teens, similar to that which so many 18 year old
citizens of Israel are required to do in the IDF (Israeli Defense Force).
Over the following days our group would undergo a mentally and physically
challenging week where we would be treated like soldiers, uniforms and all.
Our time was spent doing chores around the base, learning military tactics
and history, competing in teams, and finally on the last day firing a M-16
rifle. However the most important concept nurtured during our time on the
base was teamwork. Our IST group was part of a larger Machlechah, or
platoon, comprised of 4 groups similar to ours. Needless to say CAJE IST
dominated the competition a testimony to our attitude, willingness to
participate, and respect of those who give at the least 3 years of their
life dedicated to supporting and protecting Israel. We are proud to say that
Tzevet Arba came to our tasks with a vision and a goal in mind. We were told
that we were the best group ever to attend the program and were rewarded
with extra free time and extra ammunition. This week has truly changed all
of us and the change is even more visible now after the individual option
groups have reunited. This week was a humbling week in the sense that we
only spent 4 days experiencing only a fraction of what real IDF soldiers are
required to complete. Only fighters in the IDF could relate to spending 72
hours lying in ambush, in silence, rolling over only to go to the bathroom
or to eat. We now have a greater appreciation for the freedom given to us in
America and a greater respect for the bravery and heart that is put into the
Jewish homeland. We walk away from Gadna together, united as a team. During
the week not much of a tangible reward was given as a result of our effort;
it was more of a heartfelt sense of accomplishment, and a knowing feeling
that you were respected as a team by your commanders. It is hard to express
in words the meaning that his week has given to IST, it can only reveal
itself in the final weeks of our life changing journey through Israel, a
journey that will build our group up to a new level of respect,
appreciation, and accomplishment.
Appreciation often forgotten amongst other emotions can be renewed by
inspiration. Over the past 3 days, I was lucky enough to work with kids at a
youth home in Kiryat Gat. We managed to make such unique bonds with
youngsters with whom we could barely communicate. We are reluctant to take
required language classes, whereas they picked up Spanish and English from
us. Teaching English to Hebrew speakers in Spanish was unforgettable. Each
child who taken from a broken home to live at the youth home, renewed my own
appreciation of my loving family.
The past 4 days many of us participated in Gadna; an abbreviated basic
training of the Israeli Defense Force. Prior to IST I didn’t realize what a
major role the army played in the lives of Israeli citizens (especially
young adults) lives. I was glad to participate in this experience, and even
gladder that I only had to do it for a few days. One of the best parts was
when we camped out and learned some survival skills of Israeli soldiers. We
camouflaged ourselves with mud and leaves and followed battlefield commands.
We learned how to walk and crawl when an enemy is near, how to wait to
ambush, and what to do if a grenade is thrown. In addition to this
adventure, we did a lot of cleaning, following orders, and learning about
the Israeli army. Our group learned to work as a team and make sacrifices
for a common goal. Upon arrival, we left behind all inhibitions and senses
of cleanliness and comfort. Though difficult at times, our dedication and
hard work was rewarded with a unique and powerful experience.
Six Ethiopian Israelis, ten American Jews and one Russian Israeli come
together with one thing in common: their Judaism. After washing our faces in
the Mediterranean Sea, we set out on a 4 day journey through forests, over
hills, and across Israel. In the beginning, we didn’t have much to talk
about with the Israelis other than what we had been doing for the last few
weeks. By the last day, we had created our own secret handshakes! After
spending 4 days walking, talking, andeating with them I learned that I have
so much more in common with them than just our Judaism and a shared fear of
wild boars!
“Imagine yourself lying here for 3 days not knowing when your enemy will
come and you will have to defend your life. You are thinking about your
family left at home and when you will see them next.” Our commander Anna
shared these words with us while we laid in open fields mimicking the
preparations for an ambush. I couldn’t help by appreciate how luck I am to
have the opportunity to attend college in a year rather than have no choice
but to risk my life serving in the army. In theory, I might think I could
risk my life for my country, but in reality, my experience in Gadna showed
me how scary that idea really is. Gadna made the situation in Israel more
tangible for me and it made me value my life in America all the more.
In this past week, IST first separated into 4 groups for Shabbat and then
into 3 groups for options week. I experienced Gadna with 26 other IST’ers. I
can describe this week as a week of rough changes, transitions and
comparisons. Shabbat was quiet and peaceful. Gadna was loud and hectic. We
slept under the same sun that shined in our eyes on Shabbat. Our commander
woke us at 5 a.m. by banging on the door. I slept in a hammock under the
same stars that I slept under when we camped out on a field full of rocks,
scorpions and fire ants. However there was still one dominant feeling that
didn’t change throughout both experiences.—the feeling of togetherness. I
felt the bonds strengthen when we all chanted together and when we screamed
our anthem in Gadna. The transitions and/or similarities for both of these
experiences are so important to me because they aren’t only crucial to our
trip, but they are crucial to help us make decisions in the transitions that
we go through for the rest of our lives.
The encrusted dust that covered my hands and legs and face is a reminder
of Israel’s beauty that I will never forget. The Sea to Sea hike from the
Mediterranean Sea to the Sea of Galilee followed a path over mountains full
of trees and along babbling brooks that lazily track through deep ravines.
It was stunningly beautiful and safe, but that is not what made the hike
special. It was the time I spent connecting with people. Not just people.
Jews, incredible Jews with families and cultures from different corners of
the world, united by Judaism. That is the magic of this land: Jews being
Jews together. I implore all of you to share this magic. Stop whatever
you’re doing and call a Jewish friend and make plans to make this Shabbat
special! The beauty of this place is in its people. Safe and happy days to
all.
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