October 2008 Archives

I was totally cramped and I had just banged my head on the low ceiling. My knees were sore from crawling and my hands were filthy. We finally emerged from the tunnels feeling an odd sense of accomplishment. A group of Year Course participants, including myself, had just finished worming our way through these intricate man-made tunnels. We were all tired and in the midst of assessing our various minor injuries; all the while though we were thinking about the people who actually needed to travel through those tunnels, all those years ago.

The story goes like this: Around the year 130 or so, when the Romans controlled Israel, Shimon Bar Kochba led the Jews in a revolt against their despotic rulers. This tunnel system was used in that rebellion for storing and transporting weapons and soldiers. Here we were, almost 1900 years later, making our way through the very same tunnels. Now, we did make some small jokes; when we were really uncomfortable and cramped, someone would say something like "No wonder this rebellion failed." But all the while, we understood just how significant what we were doing was. We were re-living history.

I had been through these tunnels before, on a summer tour I went on two years ago. The difference now, though, was tremendous. I am no longer visiting this country- I live here. The story of Jews wishing to live freely in Israel rang so much more meaningful now that I am a Jew living freely in Israel.

Also, I had learned more about Bar Kochba in my Jewish day school at home than I knew about him then. Getting to see, touch, smell, hear and taste what you've only learned about is one of the most rewarding parts of my stay in Israel.

Just before we went to the Bar Kochba tunnels, we stood above a valley, where the battle between David and Goliath is said to have taken place. Listening to that amazing story was so much more thrilling because we were actually there. As our tour guide told us, here in Israel you can use the bible as your map. For instance, when I take the number 18 bus to Tel Aviv, it passes by the old city of Jaffa. The port of Jaffa is where Jonah is said to have left Israel from, when he hopped on a boat before being swallowed by that helpful whale. When I sat in synagogue on Yom Kippur as they read the story of Jonah, I was reminded of my bus rides through Jaffa. "I was there last week," I said to myself, "I bought a backgammon set from the Jaffa shook [marketplace]."

No matter where I go, I can not avoid tripping over something historical. We are literally living and breathing Jewish history here. One last story to illustrate my point: When I spent a Shabbat on a moshav (settlement) near Modi'in, our host decided to show us around his estate. He took us around his beautiful house and we saw the different fruit trees in front of his house. Then, as he concluded the tour, he said "Wait, I want to show you the ancient Byzantine wine press that archeologists found in my backyard."

Oh ya, of course, the ancient Byzantine wine press that archeologists found in your backyard. 

I arrived at the Fenster's house around 9:00 pm Tuesday. The day had already been a hectic one, after a midnight slichot in Jerusalem had kept me up all of Monday night and sleeping all of Tuesday morning. Packing frantically in the early afternoon, already late for the mandatory gym time scheduled for the Athletic Track, I almost started crying. What in the world does one bring to a four-day holiday with an Orthodox Jewish family? Would they let me wear pants/shorts/tank tops? Was the rugelach I bought for them as a hostess gift kosher? Was rugelach ever not kosher?

When I got to the house, I first met the mother and the father, Miriam and Mayer, and got to observe their four youngest sleeping. Later that night, their oldest, 15-year old Tamar, returned from her Yoga class and we immediately settled into a conversation about our respective schools and educations. She attends the public Orthodox high school, and I learned about the pressure the school puts on students to enter the science track, even if they aren't interested in it, the lack of competitive and interesting physical education, the boring grammar classes, and the good and bad teachers. However, my previously mentioned, incredibly long Tuesday forced me into bed by 11:00.

I woke up early Wednesday morning to crying babies; the twins, Yosef and Merav were awake. I stumbled down stairs to meet the rest of the family: thirteen-year old Smadar, seven year-old Alon, 4 year-old Reveva, and of course the 1-year old cuties. I then had the pleasure of going on a walk with Smadar and the twins to a nearby park where we played with the kids and I continued to learn about the lives of these young, Orthodox Jews.

My afternoon was equally interesting, with a religious discussion of the Kol Nidre, a prayer I had never heard because I am a Reformed Jew. The family then prepared for the fast with a large and delicious feast at 3 pm, before setting off for schule at a quarter to 5 for evening services. Services were of course an experience as I struggled to follow the Hebrew, felt intrigued by the rocking and chest-thumping Jews around me, and generally admired the prayers, the cantor, and those who had the prayer book memorized.

Thursday was a rather uninteresting day, with me trying to expend little to no energy, feeling very hungry, attending more services, and finally breaking the fast at 6:30 that evening. I was impressed that even Smadar, at 13, had successfully fasted, seeing as I didn't have the will power to really fast until last year.

Then, Thursday night we watched Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium and I learned that being Israeli doesn't spare Natalie Portman from the ridicule of her compatriots.

Now the holiday's over and I am back at home reflecting on my Day of Atonement and getting ready for Sukkot. I enjoyed the time I spent with the Fensters, navigating a kosher kitchen with two sinks, and benefiting from their vast knowledge of the Tanakh. I'm glad that I had the opportunity to experiment with life in a religious household. Oh, and my rugelach was indeed kosher.

It's the most wonderful time of the year! It's the most wonderful season of all! That's right ladies and gentlemen, the Holiday Season has arrived! I know what you're thinking: "Isn't it a little early for the Holiday Season? I haven't seen any decorations or anything!" Well, here in Israel, the Holiday Season comes a little early. There are no Christmas trees and crazy sales on electronics this time of the year, but there is certainly a tremendous sense of holiday spirit. We are currently in the middle of the first Jewish month, Tishrei, which is laden with many wonderful holidays, beginning with Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year, followed by Yom Kippur, Sukkot, and Simchat Torah. While I have been celebrating these holidays for the last 18 years, celebrating Jewish holidays in the Jewish state is a completely different experience.

            In any synagogue in America, there are obvious differences between a regular Shabbat and the High Holidays, like in the size of a congregation or having to purchase tickets to attend services. In Israel however, there are obvious differences everywhere you go. Before Rosh Hashana, there are vendors selling apples, honey, and flowers for the New Year on every street corner, every supermarket is having deals on wine and honey cake, and most noticeably, every person you pass on the street stops to say "Shanah Tovah," meaning happy new year. On Rosh Hashana itself, all the stores in Israel are closed, and it is a day for everyone in the country, religious or secular, to spend the New Year with their families and relax.

            The ten days between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur are called the Aseret Yemai Tshuva, or the Ten Days of Repentance. During these ten days, there are special services customarily us held late at night called Slichot, or apologies. Shalem took us on a trip to Jerusalem to daven our Slichot at the Kotel. I have been to the Kotel many times, but I have never experienced something like this. The entire Western Wall was packed, there were more people there than I could have imagined. The chazzan, or leader of the prayers, was reciting his prayers into a loud speaker so everyone could hear him, and every so often we would hear the sound of  a Shofar being blown over the loudspeaker. Countless Jews from all over Israel and all over the world, of all different religious backgrounds were gathered together to repent and pray together

            The fact that this incredibly spiritual experience was only an hour busride away from my apartment in Bat Yam is amazing to me. Additionally, I was fortunate enough to be able to spend Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the year, in Jerusalem, the holiest city in the world, which was remarkable. On Yom Kippur, the entire city of Jerusalem stops. There is not a single car in the street. I walked back and forth from synagogue three times on Yom Kippur, all of which I was accompanied by tons of people walking in the middle of the street, dressed in white, and wishing each other inscriptions in the book of life, what we ask God for on Yom Kippur.

            Sukkot is about to begin here, and once again the country will transform for the holiday. Sukkot are already being built everywhere, and people will soon be eating, sleeping, and just hanging out in these temporary huts we build for the eight day holiday. Living in Israel year-round is a phenomenal cultural experience, but this time of year specifically, the entire country transforms to celebrate Jewish holidays. You can't get that anywhere else in the world.