Purim at the Kotel

I guess there are no other words to describe our Purim aside from WOW, Women of the Wall. I know that not all of you were lucky enough to hear the Purim story read with costumes, yelling, our very own Ariella, and a whole lot of pride, but I think it was a fascinating experience. Here's some background of who the Women of the Wall are, basically they are a group of Jewish women from around the world who strive to achieve the right, as women, to wear prayer shawls, pray and read from the Torah collectively and out loud at the Western Wall. On Friday, we went to the Kotel to hear the Megilah and it was awesome. 

Yes, we yelled at by women, yes we heard people say rude and negative things about what we were doing, but we also had an amazing expeirience with an ultra-orthodox man. He went up to Ariella and asks 'Are you with Women of the Wall?' Ariella replies hesitantly, but with pride, 'yes we are' and he responds to her saying 'col hakavod, keep doing it, what you guys are doing is important.' I think that is amazing. No one expected a man like him to say anything like that and aside from the multiple people boo-ing and yelling at us, for some reason, what that orthodox man told us means a whole lot more. I'd say it's very empowering. 

And I mean how could anyone in today's world think that the above picture is such a wrong thing? Maybe it's the inner feminist in me, but I think that what Women of the Wall does is amazing and very inspiring. After to reading, we had a few photo ops, not to mention made it on the Women of the Wall facebook page!!

So now after a good few days of celebrating Purim, and really seeing Israel light up, my question is, what is a tradition that you and your family celebrate at home that you saw here, and what were some of the traditions that were new to you that you found interesting? 

HUC Speakers

Shalom Chaverim,

Today we went on an amazing tiyul to The Hebrew Union College to learn about three sects of Judaism.  The streams of Judaism started in the early 19th century. The three main streams are Conservative, Reform, and Orthodox. Reform started to make Judaism appeal to the modern people. It happened along with the time of the French Revolution when Jews were recognized as citizens and we began to see more enlightenment and inclusion in society. The ideological ideas can be seen to come from Moses Mendelssohn and then the “father” of the movement is Avraham Geiger. Conservative Judaism started as a response to the Reform movement, keeping more of Halakha. Conservative is in the middle of Orthodox and Reform. Reform became the largest stream of Judaism in the early 20th century in America.

I thought that the Orthodox (even though in Israel he’s more national-religious) talk was the most interesting, but I most strongly associated with the Reform.  There was a lot I learned today, that I would have never expected.  They kept emphasizing that everything they said was their view and not everyone in their movement felt exactly the same way.  There was obviously a lot of tension in between the movements.

The Conservative movement speaker, spent a lot of time talking about how flexible they actually are.  It came as a huge shock to me, seeing as I did not realize how all the movements had actually modernized. They discussed gender roles and how in their conservative movement, it is acknowledged that the roles have changed over time. It was a lot less strict than I originally thought. The Conservative movement resulted from the tension between the Reform and Conservative sects. They believe that while the Torah did come from God, it was transmitted to the people to write and has a human element. The Conservative people generally accept Halakhah but do believe that the law should change and be flexible with the modern times like allowing men and women to sit together in synagogue.

Learning about the Orthodox/National-religious movement was such an eye-opening experience.  It is not something I, along with most of you guys probably think about on a daily basis. Gabe, started out as a NFTY-EIE teacher, but as he learned more he began to realize that the Reform movement did not suit his beliefs. Orthodox people believe that God did write the Torah and gave it to Moses. They believe in the five books of Moses and Oral Law. They also believe that Torah came to us unchanged and contains 613 mitzvot.

The Reform movement believes that the Torah was not written by God but rather written and put together by many people. Reform people also do not believe that the observance of commandments is obligatory. However, they do retain the value and ethics of traditional Judaism, that we see in ethical monotheism through the prophets.

As a Reform Jew, this visit made me understand my stream of Judaism. It made me glad to be a part of the Reform movement because it fits more into my way of thinking and lifestyle. I realized from this Tiyul that Reform started as a way of bringing Judaism into the modern world.

Since we are part of a Reform organization at NFTY, I agreed with a lot of what was said.  He said, “What is the point of people going to pray at some rocks?” about the Western Wall, although it was a bit harsh and very opinionated of him to say that.  I somewhat agreed because I do think that although there is historical meaning behind it, now times have changed so much.  I don’t see the need to go there for Shabbat to pray or all the rules that go with it. My question for you is… Which of the movements did you most identify with and what did you find most challenging about the ones you didn’t?  

Oral Law - Sami

Leviticus 19:18

“You shall neither take revenge nor bear a grudge against the members of your people; you shall love you neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.”

While reading Leviticus 19, I came across a mitzvah that really stood out to me. “You shall neither take revenge nor bear a grudge against the members of your people; you shall love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.” I believe that this means no matter what, you must treat the people around you the same way you would want to be treated. This verse to me is like the “golden rule”. It just shows that even in biblical times respect was a huge deal as well as now. This verse also states that you should not get revenge. I really like this part because I believe that taking the “high road” is a very important skill everyone should have. There is no reason for people to get back at others purposefully, no matter how much wrong the other person may have done.

We all live under the same sky together and the infinity of the world and the universe are so much bigger than any of our problems. We should appreciate being alive and take advantage of all the wonders God and nature has given us and not focus on the small things like grudges and revenge. In other words, do not sweat the small stuff. Instead, figure out how you can do good in the world Let everything else go.

The Israel Museum

I awoke that morning, tired and exhausted, not knowing that I'd be going to one of the most interesting museums. Inside the museum were pieces of our ancestry in diaspora, which I will be talking about in this blog. So lets get started! As we learned in class, during the middle ages the Jewish people were geographically split, thus came different cultures, traditions, and characteristics. To this day, there's the Ashkenazim, and the Sephardim. Ashkenazic (Hebrew word "Ashkenaz" refers to Germany) Jews are the Jews of France, Germany, and Eastern Europe and their descendants. Sephardic (Hebrew word "Sepharad" refers to Spain) Jews are the Jews of Spain, Portugal, North Africa and the Middle East and their descendants. Lets compare them! To begin, the Sephardim were known to be more integrated into surrounding non-Jewish culture, as they were able to live peacefully with others under Islamic rule. The Ashkenazim unfortunately didn't have that easy. Under Christian rule, tensions were high and the Jewish communities were often isolated from the rest of the people.  

In terms of synagogues, the Sephardim and Ashkenazim were quite different.  The Sephardim tended to have the Bimah be in the center of the room, where as Ashkenazim had the Bimah be up against, or closer to the wall. 

  

Up above is the our beloved Evan , and the one and only JENNA, standing in an Italian synagogue. Nice huh 

 

What a ceiling... This is a German Synagogue 

Indian Synagogue, who knew? 

We also learned about artifacts from different life cycle events in Judaism. 

  

Lets say a baby is born, and the parents want to know if the baby is the Messiah? No problem! Just sit down in the Chair of Elijah and you should know right away.   

 

For those who got married in Germany, instead of breaking the glass with their foot, they'd smash the glass against this stone!  

 

When there was a death, the Chevre Kadisha would sit with the dead until their burial, sipping wine from this goblet! wow  

Hope you enjoyed what I had to say. Now here's a question: Were you able to relate any of these artifacts to your Sephardic or Ashkenazi ancestry? Which ones, and how did it make you feel?  

Belvoir And Tzfat!

WHAT A DAY

EY ZEH DIA

So! We started at the fortress of Belvoir, and learned that Belvoir means "beautiful view" which was extremely fitting. Let's take it back a couple of thousand years to a Europe in distress. Amid a lot of tension between the Pope and Kings, Pope Urban II delivered a speech in 1096 encouraging the Franks to go take Israel. His reasoning behind this push was (1) a blood libel or the Jews kidnapping and killing Christian children to use their blood for matzah and bread, (2) desecration of host or Jews stabbing the holy wafers that represent Jesus, and (3) the Jews poisoning wells. And so the crusaders or carriers of the cross were birthed, traveling to the holy Jewish cities to slaughter the masses. Belvoir was one of the crusaders fortresses. The large structure was made of dark stone and surrounded by a huge moat. These Tatnu massacres lasted from 1100-1300 until Saladin defeated the crusaders. 

THEN, after a nice nappy and a cool view of the Kineret, we arrived at Tzfat a couple of hundred years later. In about 1550, Tzfat became a major center of development in Israel. We discussed the labor pangs of the messiah and preparing for him/her to come, with the main lesson surrounding Tzfat was about Kabblat Shabbat, the welcoming of the Sabbath. We learned about 3 major rabbis who contributed to the idea of Jewish mysticism in different ways. Firstly, Yosef Karo was a rabbi who wrote halacha in great detail, leaving the people with the ability to interpret for themselves (much unlike Rambam). Then we heard about Moshe Cordovera who discussed the philosophy behind the laws that Karo wrote, asking questions like what? how? why????? Lastly, we learned about Ha'ari Hakadosh or Rabbi Yitzchak Loria who brought both ways of the other rabbis together, and said we need to pull down the law and made kabblat shabbat. We saw beautiful synagogues and spaces in Tzfat that were full of color.

Oral Law

The mitzvah that I find most meaningful to me is, "You shall each revere his mother and father, and keep My sabbaths: I the Lord am your God." Respecting my parents is a standard in my family, but in addition this also relates to how respect other adults as well. To me Shabbat is less about the fundamental laws of Sabbath, but more about a time that I need to spend with my family. We always have a nice dinner and we are sometimes accompanied by family friends. To me the idea of Shabbat and respecting my parents are very closely related. As Shabbat dinner is on a Friday night and there plenty of other things to do, spending time with my parents is a very good way to show them I appreciate them.

Jesse Strod Oral Law

Leviticus 19:33-34

“When a stranger resides with you in your land, you shall not wrong him. The stranger who resides with you shall be to you as one of your citizens; you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I the Lord am your God”   

I chose this Mitzvah because I think that it is a great mantra for how to live your life. The way that I interpreted it was to be open to everything and always have empathy for others. It preaches to love others as yourself. For me, this means that you should be open to everyone being as special as you, and when you meet someone, always expect to be amazed. The second part of this is somewhat more repeated in the Tanakh, but it has meaning for me, even if it is just a concluding phrase. It says that we were strangers in the land of Egypt. We should remember all of the hard times that we went through and try to help those who are in challenging situations themselves. Do not judge someone by how they are acting because we do not know what is going on in their life. We have all acted irresponsibly or rudely ourselves because of stress or tiredness and instead of being offended, we should remember this and try to help them with whatever is wrong.

This picture reflects the Mitzvot of being open to everything and having empathy for others through the people in it. This is my family friend Mohammed, his wife Wafa, my parents and I. The Mitzvot I chose are the reason that we are friends. Wafa met my grandmother in Germany while they were both learning German for the first time. They became very close friends, helping each other with problems and creating a bond that has lasted across generations to today. If either of them had been close minded the day that they met or had not tried to help the other, the friendship they created may never have happened and we would not know each other today.    

Oral Law

"Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the lord." (Leviticus 19:18)  I chose this because I believe its very bad to hold a grudge. It only hurts you and usually the person isn't very concerned about it.  I also do not believe that doing something for revenge is ever necessary.  You would have spent a lot more time thinking about it, and harming yourself then it would effect them.  We have always been taught to treat others how we want to be treated.  This is a relatively easy one to fulfill, but a lot of people still don't.  They let their feelings control them instead of controlling their feelings.  It is something people should really consider and pay more attention to.  A Jew in the modern world can try to be more open and understanding to the events happening all around us.

I chose this picture because it was an Arabic restaurant, but a lot of the people eating there were Jews and I think that shows really well how if you do not hold a grudge and "love thy neighbor as thyself" then you will get along with whoever.  I also think the lights were really beautiful and everyone could come together and enjoy the setting.  In the end, people will act how they want to, but this is a very good one to try and follow.

Joey House Oral law

 I chose “‘When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the Lord your God.” (Leviticus 19:33). I interpret this mitzvah as saying that you should not discriminate against someone just because they not from the same place as you. I can use this in my daily life by being more kind to the people I meet on a daily basis. As Jews in the modern world, we are a people that is not very big in terms of numbers, so we need to be conscious of the Jews around us and not have infighting within the Jewish people, but rather embrace our different interpretations of Judaism as a people. 

I chose this photograph because it displays how in such a short amount of time, I have made some of the best friends of my life. Most of the people on EIE are not from the same place, but we have all bonded so much over the past month and a half. I have achieved this by being myself and being the nicest person I can be, and hoping to get the same treatment in return. I love the people here as if I have lived with them my whole life, and that’s what this mitzvah is all about.

Mosque Tiyul

The muslim religion is one that is surrounded in mystery in our society. It is full of misconceptions that are mostly contributed by the biased media in the world. The media only portrays the radicals, people who take enjoyment in blowing things up and stabbing people. Today we learned about the real Muslim Religion, and it was very interesting to see them refute everything that is told by the media and politicians around the world.

Before we went to the mosque, they gave us some general guidelines for which we should dress. For the boys, it was pretty basic, Jeans and a long sleeved shirt. For the girls is when it got interesting, they also had to wear a long sleeve shirt ands most wore skirts, but they also had to wear a head wrap of some sort. This was kind of a shock to the system, the good thing is that most of the girls embraced the idea and took it in stride. When we arrived at the Mosque a lady in full Muslim garb greeted us at the door, she told us that we would have to take our shoes off once we got inside and to step into the building with only our right foot. Once we climbed a set of stairs into the area where the actual prayer took place, we had to separate by gender. The men sat in front, while the women had to sit in the back. On the wall was  a board that displayed all the times that that days prayers were.

We sat in this place for the next hour or so while the lady and the mosque’s imam explained to us about the Muslim religion. This was a very informative experience. She explained to us that the word Islam means to submit, or to submit to the one true god. She taught us how the Muslim religion reaches into every part of daily life, from what times you have to pray to what you can eat. We also learned what the 5 pillars of the Muslim religion are. The basis of the Muslim religion is that everything is predestined, including death. This means that God has planned every single death out. One of the major pillars is the pilgrimage to Mecca that every Muslim is required to make at least once in their life. We also had a large discussion about how terrorism fits in with the Muslim religion (spoiler alert: it does not).

Now I ask you all a question. What is the extent of media bias that people of the Muslim face faith on a daily basis?

Oral Law Assignment - Nichole Haynes

 I chose “You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against your countrymen. Love your fellow as yourself: I am the Lord.” (Leviticus 19:18). I interpret this mitzvah as do not hurt others, both physically and mentally, and treat others how you would like to be treated. This is a lesson that we are taught at a young age. Though many people do not use it, this lesson is a vital part of our lives. If you want to be respected or treated well you must give others the same courtesy. You can fulfill this mitzvah simply by being yourself. People will treat you exactly how you treat them, so if you want others to be nice you have to act the same way. As a guideline in the modern world, it should serve as a reminder that there is prejudice out there and we have to work extra hard to defeat the stereotypes about Jews. If you want to be treated well in our society, you have to give that respect back to others, even if sometimes they don’t deserve it. Be the bigger person and act maturely, it may be hard but it will definitely take you further in life.

This photograph expresses the Jewish mitzvah/value I chose because we all treat each other as we want to be treated. They are some of my best friends and we all have a mutual respect for each other. This is a mitzvah that is found between friends, if you don’t treat your friends with decency, then I guess you’re not really their friend. Friendship is a strong bond that is built and added to over time, but it can only continue to grow and thrive when everyone acts maturely and kindly.

Oral Law- Iris Hirsch

"You shall each revere his mother and his father, and keep My sabbaths: I the Lord am your God."-  Leviticus 19.3

I choose this verse because each part is an important part of my life today. To me this mitzvah is very clear and one everyone should follow, you shall love your mother and father, keep the sabbath and only realize that we only worship one god. I follow this mitzvah in many ways, first I always love and respect my parents. This is a very important value for me because I recognize how much my parents love and care for me and they deserve nothing but love and respect in return. Also, keeping the sabbath I learned is a very important part of daily life. Since I have been in Israel I have learned to love and enjoy the sabbath. Since being here, we have had services every Friday night and Saturday mornings, even though I do not always want to go, I always have a great time and really realize how great Judaism is and how is brings an entire community together. Another important part of the sabbath is resting, we have such busy weeks here that having those twenty four hours to just relax, unwind and spent time with friends is really amazing and I wish life was more similar back in the US. This mitzvah should be a guide for me in the modern world because as teenagers we are always so busy being social and doing so much for school that we forget how important just winding down is and we should really do it more often. In addition we should always love our parents, never be rude or hurtful to them and spend more time with them because if it was not for them we would not have the life we have today and they should really be thanked for all that they do.

This picture above is my parents, sister and me at the airport when I was on my way to Israel. This picture I feel picture captures Leviticus 19.3 very well. This follows the theme of "revere his mother and his father" because even though at the time this picture was taken, I was leaving my family, they were so loving and supportive of this opportunity to go study in Israel and I cannot thank them enough. Furthermore, this picture follows "and keep My sabbaths" because of my parents I have learned to love Judaism and to follow the holidays and observe the sabbath, but without coming here I would not have learned to love the sabbath like I do now and be able to really appreciate its meaning. 

Oral law assignment

In Leviticus 19 verse 14 the mitzvot says “You shall not insult the deaf, or a place of stumbling block before the blind.” Growing up I was taught to never be mean to people who have disabilities but instead help them. To me this Mitzvah says that you should not be mean to people who have disabilities of any sort. They could be mental or physical because it’s just rude. When I was in elementary school there was a Keshet program at my school and I would go spend my recess time playing games and helping the kids in the program learn, and to this day I still go to the school to spend time with the kids there. This can be a guideline for me as a Jew by reminding me that I can’t always be there to stop the rude comments towards people but I can at least help them overcome the situation.

This is my best friend Alex. She has helped me through my parents divorce, many pets passing away, and my mental and physical illness’. I miss her more than I miss my own family and being without her for the past two months have been interesting. She has been me as I am to the kids in the Keshet program.

Oral Law -@zoedress

Zoe Dressner

Oral Law (תושב''ע) Assignment

 “Observe my Sabbaths and have reverence for my sanctuary. I am the Lord.” (Leviticus 19).

I chose this mitzvah because I think that especially in today’s chaotic society, it’s imperative to take time to appreciate our surroundings and reflect on life. Shabbat is so important because it happens so often and is very much an integral part of Jewish life.  While it is a time to come together as a community and take part in prayer, I think Shabbat is also a personal time to turn to the previous week and think about actions we’ve taken or not taken and how we can improve and learn from our recent experiences. Observing the Sabbath not only allows us to pray and reflect, but also to relax and feel no weight and no obligation. The rules of keeping a strict Shabbat are clearly not always followed, but some of them can be modified to create an experience all the meaningful. Since it happens weekly, it has the potential to be extremely beneficial, which is why I chose this mitzvah out of the long, intriguing list.

Having “reverence for [God’s] sanctuary” can be interpreted in many different ways. Traditionally, I think it’s safe to assume that God meant a synagogue or place of gathering where people pray in a group setting, however I like to think of this part of the pasuk more leniently. If the earth is God’s creation, then I would stretch the extent of this “sanctuary” to nature.

On Shabbat, I try to limit my phone use and truly appreciate what’s around me. Leaving friends and noise behind, I feel I can really put myself into perspective compared to the world. Giving work a rest, even for just a few hours on Shabbat, I feel very connected to my surroundings and the “sanctuary” I’m able to find in nature.  

Oral Law Assignment

I think the verse in Leviticus 19:34 really hits home for many Israelis and I. "The stranger who resides with you shall be to you as one of your citizens; you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God." When I read this, I was reminded of the strong Jewish community we are lucky to have and maintain. With our small number, I feel that it is important for all Jews to be included and play an active part in helping to keep and grow this community. Carrying out acts of kindness towards one another, and giving tzedakah are key ways of bringing each other up.                  
  
I took this picture in Jerusalem two summers ago. It was the night when it was announced that the bodies of the three Jewish boys who were kidnapped by Hamas had been found. I thought it was so beautiful that all of these strangers gathered together in the center of the square, lit candles, and mourned together. As the minutes passed, more and more people came, bringing candles, and singing. Although these boys were strangers, they were Jews just like us, and so our ancestors were once strangers together in Egypt. The Jewish people have lived and will continue to live on because of the love that we have for our faith and each other.

עם ישראל חי

Oral Law with Hospitality

“When a stranger resides with you in your land, you shall not wrong him” (Leviticus 19:33).

I chose this mitzvah because I feel a more personal connection with this than the rest in Leviticus 19. I interpret this as speaking about hospitality, and how one must treat people that come to visit them. I can connect with this one so well because I feel that it is very important to be kind to people, especially when they need help, which could have been a big reason that hospitality was so vital in biblical times. In your everyday life, I believe hospitality means sharing with others and welcoming them not only into your home as is a more traditional sense, but also into your friend groups and family. As a Jew in the modern world, this mitzvah comes into play a lot. Religion as a whole, not just Judaism, is created largely to help the less fortunate, which is why hospitality is such a big mitzvah to have as a Jewish guideline.

I chose this picture of my tevet on the last morning of Gadna as representation for the mitzvah I chose. I think this is a good representation because the feelings in this picture accurately match the feelings that should ideally arise from hospitality. When we all got to Gadna, we were very worried and the whole thing was exhausting. Some of us had a few friends in the tevet, but most of us had our close friends in other tevets. By the last morning when this picture was taken, we were tired, but we were all a lot closer and really happy. I think that if you are hospitable towards others, you will be happy too.