Tomorrow is the last Friday of the year. Please remember to bring Tzedakah. We are sending it to YAD LAKASHISH in Jerusalem. An organization that helps the elderly people.       Thank you!!!

A blog in three parts:

 

Part one.

I. Wednesday afternoon.

 

We just had one of the most amazing experiences, one I did not expect yet I am not surprised that happened.

 

After a great day (Tuesday)  in Latrun, visiting a farm and Neot kedumim we arrived at the Kibbutz. We saw a very nice Shavuot celebration and then went to dinner. As we were eating I felt that we are not truly feeling the atmosphere of the Chag – so when we were done with the food, I started singing. Slowly some students joined, and then others, there was still a group of students whom still “did not get it” – but I did not give up. We kept singing Zemirot louder and louder, the atmosphere became energized and eventually even the “stubborn” students – those unwilling to let go of their image for the sake of a spiritual experience gave in. We ended up dancing around the dinning room, jumping up and down, and singing until our throats hurt.

We then went to the Moadon – the clubhouse we had a room in. We first summarized the day as we always do. I was so happy that half the group said how singing after dinner was their highlight of the day, they used words as; family, friendships, spirituality, joys. It was all so positive that I decided to offer them a “Tikkun” – usually on Erev Shavuot Jews stay up all night studying Torah – to “fix” the mistake done by the fact that in the past we built the Golden calf as we waited for Torah. I offered them to have a “tikkun” a fix for the 8^th grade. They had a safe space to thank a member of the group or to apologize to any one in the room.

I will let your children tell you what was said in the room, but I will summarize by saying that we – the staff- all cried at the end from the things that were said, the love and forgiveness that was displayed. We were so proud of them and so happy they could use this time in Israel to become the support group they will need as they continue to high school.

 

At midnight – when we were finally done- 20 students stayed to study with me. I was in shock (yet again) from the level of discussion – at Meyer when they study the text and talk about it in Hebrew the conversation is limited. Here we read in Hebrew and English and discussed in English. It took us 2 hours to go through the first 7 phrases ! we talked about conversations, about immigration – what not. It was incredible.

We had to stop at 2am because there was an issue I had to address but if it were not for that – they would have gone on and on.

On Wednesday morning we prayed and did study text – we had a long discussion about the nature of people – are we good or bad? Again the students had amazing insights and it was clear that they are capable of studying a text and analyzing it in a very high level – more important even, is the fact that we no longer have to deal with issues relating  to behavior, we have created a group atmosphere that participation, volunteering, being serious and opening up and sharing feelings is the behavior that is rewarded. The few that had a hard time at the beginning have changed direction and are even among the leaders of this change.

Example: In the first two days it was hard to get a volunteer in the group – today before I finish asking 15-20 hands are  in the air. If  3 months ago at the Meyer when I tried to have a circle in which they would share feelings all I received was giggling – now we have a circle every night to talk about the day and it goes on forever and ever.

 

II. Thursday afternoon: We just finished our first day with the Israeli Kids. The connection was immediate and strong. When we arrived to the beginning of the hike they stood out side our bus and each student was screaming the name of their American friend. With in moments the conversations were flowing. By the end of the day, as we left the site of the kayaks on the Jordan River, some were already having a hard time to say goodbye.

 

I’m sitting in the front seat of the bus, the laptop is on my lap, to my right and left – the golden-brown thorn fields of the Golan Heights. Farther away in the distance I can see Mount Hermon on one side, still covered with some snow, on the other side the mountains of the upper Galill.

 

It is so beautiful.  I have not visited this area in such a long time, I almost forgot how magical this scenery is.

 

In the back of the bus the kids (I know I should say students but by now I feel like their father so I’ll say kids) are singing. THEY ARE GLOWING WITH HAPPINESS. They are singing in English, and then they switch to Hebrew, and back to English. They are seated in their seats but truly they are one inch above the ground.

In every tour to Israel there is a moment in which you just feel the magic, everything comes together, a harmony that is hard to describe in words. I think this is the moment.

 

A few moments ago, one of the girls came to Ayelet and said “I don’t want to go back home” and in that short sentence she managed to say it all. Today is the moment that the “connection” happened. For the past six days we had to move from a state of initial shock and overcoming tiredness to a state of ecstasy, of being energized beyond anything known before. We had to move from a mindset of  students not very interested in learning to students BEGGING me to stay up late and continue to study with them the book of Ruth. We had to move from being individuals wanting to impress each other by doing inappropriate things to a group that knows why they are here, and does not waste time or energy on anything that is negative. We had to move from a group full with internal problems to a group that will do anything to support others and help them make good decisions.

 

And all of these changes I am describing –and others – actually happened. It is just amazing, I hope that you are able to tap into what is happening here even from far away

 

Part three:

Saturday night:

Its 3am in the morning and I want to post this before going to bed so you can read it before we return home.

Shabbat In Tzefat was magic. Singing Adon Olam on the roof of the Kabbalah center as the sun was setting – priceless. I hope the students will always  know how to bring a part of this shabbat experience to the one they have at home.

So many amazing moments. Students talked about people that effected their lives – and it was so clear they learned so much about them self, about their friends, about what it means to be Jewish.

 I can’t describe them all. But I will when I meet you in less then 48 hours.

Thank you again for allowing us to take your children on this amazing trip

We learn from our students all the time, as much as we had to give this trip – we are all returning richer from what they taught us.

 

Shavua Tov

 

 

 

Waking up really early was the only “bad” part of the day. First thing at 6 a.m., we got on the bus on a drive to Latrun; an Israeli army museum. At the museum, we climbed on tanks, met two Israeli soldiers who talked to us about what it takes to be in the Israeli Defense Force, and learned about the evolution of tanks through the years. After the stop at the museum, we were back on the bus on the way to a Moshav. A Moshav is similar to a farm. At the Moshav, we went on a tractor ride to the fields where we learned about how cabbages are grown and where Etrogs are grown. We also made pita bread and picked eggs from the hencoop. After our trip to the Moshav, we were yet again back on the bus on our way to the Kibbutz. Once we arrived at Shaar Hagolan, we were given our rooms and time to rest. After our rest we went to the Shavuot festival at the kibbutz where we ate snacks and watched different performances from the children and women of the Kibbutz. After our Shavuot festival, we had dinner at the dining hall and sang songs, prayed, and danced in honor of the holiday. Following our fun dinner experience, we had the Meyer 8^th Grade Tikun. We all sat in a circle and had a chance to say Thank Yous and Apologies to friends and classmates whom we never had a chance to address. After our group Tikun (which means fix in Hebrew) some children went to bed while the rest of the children stayed to study the book of Ruth with Yaron until 2 a.m. We explored so many ideas and shared many opinions about so many things. It was a great holiday!

On Wednesday, we woke up late because we didn’t have a wake up call. Yaron wanted us to recharge and to revive ourselves. Most of us woke up at around 10:00 am. We all met at our meeting spot and  prayed and studied a text about the ten actions the Talmud deems as most important. We had an intense conversation about how to describe Judaism based on the Shema prayer. We ended up with the words: Creation, Revelation, and Redemption. After studying, we ate lunch around 1:00 pm. After lunch, most of us stopped by the pool for a few hours. Some of us slept in our rooms or relaxed at the tower. At 6:00 pm, we walked around the Kibbutz and saw the cows and the Date trees. We all love the smell of the place. Not. At 7:30 pm, we ate dinner, and everyone got some of the new beverages from the new coffee machine. After dinner, we met at our meeting place and talked together and shared our feelings and experiences over the holiday. We finally went to sleep at around 10:00 pm.

We are nearing the end of our journey through Jerusalem. Yesterday we toured the City of David. It is located in Jerusalem in a very strategical place. The city is located right by a water spring. It is connected to the spring through a series of underground tunnels. We had the opportunity to walk through the tunnels. It was such an amazing experience. We walked the tunnels in water shoes, because the water was as high as thigh- deep. The tunnels were dark and a bit scary at first, but everyone had a great time adventuring through the tunnels. After the tunnels, we changed, had lunch, and made our way to the Temple Mount. Before viewing the Mount, we saw a virtual tour of the second temple and the surrounding area. It really made us feel as if we were living in the city, thousands of years. After the virtual tour (and being cleaned in the virtual Mikvah :-) ) we visited the temple mount. It was such an extraordinary experience to walk on the same exact steps that our ancestors did thousands of years ago. We then went shopping. It was exciting, because it was easy to bargain the prices down to buy whatever one desired. Overall, yesterday was a very spiritual and fun day. 

Hard to believe how amazing Shabbat in Jerusalem is. After checking in to our hotel (it's nice and simple, not fancy but has all that we need and is located in the best place in town, a few minutes walk from the old city!) We all dressed up and walked to the Kotel. The walk itself was an experience as a river of people were headed the same direction as us, other tours, orthodox families, young Yeshiva students - all walking in a hurry to greet Shabbat. We arrived to the Kotel, made a circle and had our own Kabbalat Shabbat, then we stepped down to the Wall and had an opportunity to pray. When we returned to our group Yaron surprised us with letters from home - I can't even stat describing the excitement...and the tears. We walked back to the hotel, had dinner and could barley stay awake until dessert - we were just exhausted...everyone slept like a baby last night.

We began our Saturday morning Shabbat in Jerusalem by going to breakfast. Who would have known that the view from the dining room at a youth hostel would be so beautiful? The view from the area where we had breakfast was unbelievable! Everyone tried new things such as the wonderful fruits from Israel or the 5 different cheeses they serve. We moved on to a short walk to the Big Synagogue of Jerusalem (Beit Ha'Kenesset ha'Gadol). The girls and boys sat separately. Everyone was amazed at the beautiful art work (especially the glass windows) It was amazing to see the ark open and the amount of Torah's inside the ark. After spending an hour at this synagogue, the entire group took a walk to these tents where people protest about the situation with Gilad Shalit. There were three women there who explained a little bit about the cause and gave everyone the choice of signing a piece of paper saying that they support and are aware of what is going on. Yaron spoke about how we as Jews don't just talk about justice - we act on it as well. 

 Walking back to the hostel, we decided to take a rest under a shady tree. There everyone sat in a circle and shared their thoughts from their experiences. Some people made really wonderful comments about the way that everyone is getting along and that the thought of who is sitting next to you while we sit in a circle doesn't matter anymore. When we eventually arrived back to Beit Shmuel, we had a beautiful lunch where everyone found something that they liked to eat! We sang V'shamru and the blessing after the meal. Everyone had four hours to relax before meeting up again to go for a walk.

 Many students had visitors and others just enjoyed the company of their friends. After saying goodbye to everyone who had come to visit, we went for a walk to the first building built outside of the Walls of the old city. Everyone learned something new from the many things that were said. Later on we walked up Mount Zion to the Wall that surrounds Jerusalem. Our thanks were expressed to Will G. and Andrew K. for helping get Spencer J. all the way up with his hurt leg! We visited a room that is in a building that is both King David’s Tomb and The place Christian tradition mentions as the last supper room. But its not all - the two rooms are all in an old mosque. Yaron talked about coexistence in Jerusalem and we held hands and sung the song "Salam."

During dinner Yaron taught the true words of the blessing after the meal to everyone since there had been confusion about it earlier that day. The Havdalah service was full of high sprits since we were joined by a Rabbi Aron and his friend Erez the singer. Time to go to bed... Tomorrow we have a great day ahead of us! Shavua Tov!

We are finally here! After a crazy long airplane ride, we landed safely and very happily. Then on to the desert we were. As soon as we arrived at the Beduin camp site, we rode camels which was quite an adventure. Some children rode camels through the desert, while the rest rode donkeys. It was so much fun and so unique to see the sun setting behind the mountains in the desert. After the camels, our 8th grade class learned a bit about the culture of the Beduin while they welcomed us with coffee, tea, and bread all made before our eyes. Following our little culture lesson, we got cleaned up and that night was incredible. Words cannot describe the power of a silent desert at night under a blanket of endless stars with people that you can call your family. Praying in a circle and actually understanding the words we were saying in the Shema, the meaning attached to Rabbi Yaron's words as he explained to us about how Abraham had blind faith in G-d and how our ancestors wandered in a desert similar to the one we were in. That night, everyone felt some sort of connection to G-d or to their Jewish heritage and it was absolutely beautiful. Now today... we woke up at four in the morning to tea and cookies and a happy birthday wish to Yaron. We hiked up the Roman's path to Masada and prayed in the temple on top of Masada. Then we sat on top of the bathhouse together and meditated in absolute silence as we watched the sun slowly climb over the mountains. We sang Hatikvah and learned about Masada's history while we walked around and explored. Then the time for the long journey down the snake path had arrived. No one was hurt, but it was very hot. We ate breakfast, swam/floated in the dead sea, and then went on a small hike to Nachal David. There awaited beautiful waterfalls and perfect picture locations. Lunch then a quick visit to the Ahava factory was followed by our trip to Jerusalem. It was peaceful, gorgeous, and so special for both those who had been in Jerusalem before and those who were "first timers". Our hotel is very nice; it is simple with an incredible view of a the walls of the old city and gorgeous buildings. At the moment, we (the students), are all showering, relaxing, and getting ready for shabbat at the Kotel (Western Wall). This experience is beyond words and students are already opening up and connecting. It truly is beautiful to see. Yaron will be posting videos of our many adventures very soon.

Welcome to Glogster
Students in middle school  are being introduced to Glogster this week.  In an interdisciplinary unit between language arts and technology,  the students will learn a new way to spice up reports and make learning and sharing exciting.  The students will be creating electronic, interactive posters online  in computer class on a Jewish studies topic to be assigned by the Jewish studies teachers.  These posters will be shared online at Glogster.com.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On Monday, April 12th, 2010 we will be honoring the memory of the six million Jews murdered in the holocaust.

3rd to 8th grade students will participate in a memorial ceremony and prayer that will take place in Strauss hall at 8:30am.

Please send 3^rd to 8^th grade students dressed with a white shirt.

If you would like us to light a yahrzeit candle during our service, in memory of a family member please let us know at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

5th grade students using Skype (Video conferencing tool) to reconnect with a former classmate now living in Israel. What a great learning experience for them!