Concluding thoughts

I’ve been back a little over a week. At last I’m caught up and almost past my jetlag.

Some concluding thoughts…

·I’ve received a number of kind comments regarding these emails. Some say that it was just like being in Israel. Although I truly am grateful for the kind words, the only thing that is “just like being in Israel” is being in Israel. One of my goals in writing these emails was to convince you that you should go if you haven’t been in awhile or at all. I have no family tie to Israel and my deep interest is of relatively recent vintage. I’m concerned about my safety just as you are but I’ve found that Israel is safe; so much so that I did not hesitate to bring my wife and three daughters last May. One of my thoughts in writing to you was, if you saw me go and learned that it is safe and rewarding, you might be induced to say, “To hell with it, I’m going.” If I’ve provided a virtual trip to Israel that provides a substitute for going, then I’ve failed to attain an important personal goal. My words are no substitute; only the real thing provides the experience you and Israel need.

·On this visit I felt a clear change in attitude in Israel. There has been a move from dealing with terror to trying to figure out what happens next. Terrorism remains a concern but it has moved well away from center stage. As awful as this may sound, terrorism is at a controllable “acceptable” level. (I heard no one talk about “real peace” with the Palestinians but rather a time of relative peace that hopefully will lead to peaceful interaction.)

·The focus has shifted to Gaza and possible internecine conflict. This in turn has shed a light on the long standing rifts in Israeli society between religious and non-religious, Secular and Orthodox, Right and Left, etc. Those divisions have existed a long time but as external threats recede the internal issues assert themselves.

·Although there is great fear that the evacuation of Gaza will involve violence between Israelis, my personal take is that any violence will not be significant. I could obviously be very wrong…it is just a gut feel. However, even if there is no violence the rifts do exist and will not be easily mended. To be strong Israel will require facing up to these divisions and the Diaspora, which has some experience finding ways to overcome disparate views in order to maintain solidarity, can be of assistance to the Jewish state. And, somewhat to my surprise, we are not seen as meddlers but as needed partners who can be catalysts for improvement.

·I realize that my writings tend to be one-sided in favor of non-Orthodox religious streams. This is where I come from and I am naturally supportive of “my own”. I come to this endeavor carrying baggage. I have no problem pointing out my baggage but I admit I can’t check it with the bell captain. I did try to show positive activities of Modern Orthodox programs and leaders. To a lesser degree I showed the contributions of the non-religious secular leaders and programs. Both ends of the pluralism and identity spectrum have contributed greatly and I’m sorry if I did not adequately present them.

·The part of the religious continuum that is to the right of Modern Orthodoxy is not represented in my emails. Frankly, not just I but seemingly all the more liberal programs we visited seem to have written them off. Only the Modern Orthodox (and to some degree Beit Morasha at Oranim) talked about finding ways to bring the “less modern” Orthodox into the discussion. Maybe through experience those who promote pluralism have it right that there is no point trying to engage with the “super frum (religious)”. Our mission made no attempt to engage them. We probably would not have succeeded with engagement had we tried but we’ll never know. Maybe I just need direct rejection to accept that there is little point in meeting with them. Nevertheless, part of me says we should have explored the possibility.

·It is easier to portray a society on the verge of disintegration even if that is not the reality. There are difficult stresses in Israel but I don’t think it is at the point that the Zionist experiment is doomed to fail.

·I relayed stories that indicated the level of non-Orthodox Jewish identity in Israel is very low. That may not be fair. It is easier to portray the secular as being essentially atheistic and spiritually disinterested and disconnected. The fact is that the term “secular” has a different connotation in Israel. It doesn’t mean the opposite of religious. It covers the whole range of observance that constitutes whatever is not Orthodox. Thus, a Masorti rabbi is secular in Israeli terms even if he davens (prays) every day, keeps kosher, doesn’t drive on Shabbat, etc. There is no question in my mind that Jewish Identity is a significant issue but the lack of identity is by no means universal in the secular community.

·Although I’ve repeated stories that indicate part of an Israeli generation lost to Judaism the fact is that many are searching and know that something is missing. They are exploring and finding their tradition in terms that they are comfortable with. There really is an exciting Renaissance occurring and it is rewarding to know our community is playing a role in an important renewal.

·Expanding on a theme above concerning visiting Israel, I worry about the connection between Diaspora Jewry, especially liberal American Jewry, and Israel. Now that Israel is strong the basis of the relationship changes. At the same time our sense of universal Jewish peoplehood and community has dissipated as we American Jews have gained acceptance into American society. Why should I feel a tie to Israel and a need to support her not just with money but with my physical presence? I’ve found answers (theological, historical and social) to that question but I do not think many of my contemporaries have, if they even ask the question.

·I enjoy traveling and seeing new places. Usually, I can visit a place, get a good sense of it, and say I’d like to return but not feel terribly disappointed if I don’t make it back. Israel is different. In these last five visits, to use a simile I don’t particularly like, Israel has been like an onion. I keep peeling layers but find more and more. In a place the size of New Jersey it is amazing that it is nearly impossible to exhaust the sense of discovery. I’ll not beat this poor horse any more but you really should go.

This will conclude my emails. I’ll send one more when I finish editing the photos and put them on the Clubphoto web site just to let you know they are available for viewing.

Thank you for taking the time to read these posts and I hope they have been of interest.

Gary A

Ra'anana Continued & the Mission's End

Over the next few weeks I’ll edit photos and post them on Clubphoto.com. I’ll send out a notice when they are all uploaded. Gary

Day 6 Wednesday, 3/16/05 Ra’anana (part 2)

After lunch we had two meetings with alternative programs/schools from Ra’anana. Conflicting forces of financial requirements, independence, program integrity and control are at work as these programs move from their initial founding to maintenance and growth. TALI has the opportunity to become the main track in one of the municipal schools but is struggling with issues of independence and control. The Meitarim School is an independent, truly pluralistic school serving grades 7 – 10. It is struggling to obtain funding from the government and may need to be incorporated into an existing public (Mamlachti) school. We discussed the current status of these organizations in Ra’anana with their representatives.

We left the restaurant and took the bus to the Samueli Center, the home of the Ra’anana’s Reform/Progressive congregation, Kehillat Ra’anan. Several years ago our committee did something that was then considered quite out of the box. We funded some of the initial costs for the design and approvals needed to construct the Center. Generally, we fund programs but the committee understood that to establish a viable non-Orthodox congregation a real home is necessary. Although I usually look askance at “build it and they will come” thinking, I have found that a strong alternative congregation needs a physical home to become viable. (In Mevasseret Zion the synagogue has been under construction several years but will at long last open its sanctuary this fall. They anticipate strong membership growth when they open the doors. In Modi’in, you will recall, the struggle with the municipality was about funding for a synagogue. For that community to become strong it needs an attractive physical presence.) The facility in Ra’anana is beautiful thanks to a major American donor and it is being fully utilized. Remember that government money is usually available for synagogue construction in Israel but has generally been denied to non-Orthodox congregations.

At Kehillat Ra’anan we met with their dynamic Rabbi, Tamar Kohlberg.

I met Tamar on my first MetroWest visit to Israel back in 2001 and have maintained contact since. She, almost single-handedly, has put Reform on the map in her city. She is often in conflict with the local establishment but perseveres and works tirelessly. (I often wonder how she finds the time to correspond with so many others and me.) There is extensive programming both in the facility and around Ra’anana. The congregation has two kindergarten classes as well as programs for olim and those with special needs. Rabbi Kohlberg is in the schools constantly providing Jewish education and often those programs continue at her facility. She runs bar/bat mitzvah programs not just for the kids but for the whole family and thus brings the richness of our tradition to Israelis for whom “Jewishness” has long lied dormant.

At our meeting with Rabbi Kohlberg, we met with the Reform Movement’s director of education (Maki ? – I don’t recall her last name although I’m ashamed to admit I met her once before in 2003). She spoke of the need to establish alternatives by means other than prayer communities. Secular Israelis tend to be suspicious of synagogues where the sole focus is prayer…they associate them with the Judaism they have long rejected. Over the last 10 years the Movement has provided other paths to Jewish renewal in Israel through study, holiday programming, programs for teenage girls and their mothers, youth groups, etc. Her stated goal is to simply help secular Israelis be able to say I know what it means to be a Jew. Her other focus is the public school teachers where she hopes she can influence growing numbers of kids.

We met with parent representatives of Ra’anana’s Democratic School, another alternative school (you may be picking up on a “trend” here…there is deep dissatisfaction in Israel with public education but I’ve gone on too long already).

Democratic School parents with Sandy Hollendar

They have been working with Rabbi Kohlberg in an effort to bring Jewish learning to their children. The parents, who described their fiercely secular backgrounds, attested to the Rabbi’s non-threatening approach…”Rabbi Kohlberg is not making us “Reform Jews” but knowledgeable Jews.” They also describe to us the great need for such programming with one example. When their kids play-act a wedding it is not a Jewish wedding. The pretend wedding takes place in a pretend church with a pretend priest or minister. Why? Their kids never see a Jewish wedding and most movies and American re-runs show Christian weddings on TV. These parents are realizing that their heritage is in jeopardy and are turning to Rabbi Kohlberg for help.

Rabbi Kohlberg described the issues that confront her. There is such great suspicion among secular Israelis about anything “religious”. She gave an example. She has been running programs with the MetroWest High School in Ra’anana. As part of her program she invites the kids to visit her synagogue to see ritual objects including the Torah. It took five months before any of the students would visit. They needed that much time before they could overcome their aversion.

That suspicion carries into the municipality’s government and cultural establishment. There have been repeated struggles to obtain needed cooperation. The latest travail is an attempt by the city to impose heavy taxes on the congregation, taxes that would effectively put the congregation out of business. Imposition of such taxes does not occur with Orthodox synagogues (quite the opposite since they receive government funding). To an American, the idea of taxing a religious facility is so alien. The situation makes one wonder about the true motivation. Obviously there is a “disconnect” between the municipalities view of its level of openness and the Rabbi’s perception of that openness.

We left Rabbi Kohlberg once again impressed with her incredible energy. Our bus took us to Tel Aviv for our delegation’s final dinner before we went our separate ways. Dan and Barbara Drench hosted us at their beautiful home not far from the Rabin memorial in Tel Aviv. The Drenchs made aliyah from MetroWest a few years ago and spend about a third of the year in Israel and the rest in the U.S. or traveling. The evening was spent talking about the preceding days. We toasted our hosts, Hannah Goldman, our committee Chair, as well as Mandy Kaiser-Bluth and Amir Shacham of the staff.

Hannah with Joyce Goldstein




Mandy - a wonderful job organizing and directing our delegation

With that our band broke up to go back to the States or to other destinations. I headed to a hotel to rest up for my trip to the Negev (previously reported).

This is my penultimate email (I always look for an excuse to use penultimate in a sentence). Hopefully the last email will go out in a few days and then you are done with me for a while. The last one will recap some general thoughts…if I have any thoughts left.

Gary A

I thank those of you who have commented on my emails and postings (usually with kind words). You are welcome to add comments here as well...just click "Comments" at the bottom of each posting. Also, if there is anyone you think might enjoy or get something out of these postings you are welcome to forward them or to pass along the blog address.

Ra'anana Day 6

With this posting I go back to cover the last day of our mission. I left chronology to focus on my trip to the Negev...this and a following post close out our delegation's visit.

Day 6 Wednesday, 3/16/05 Ra’anana

This turned out to be a whirlwind day; not that the others were not. We left Haifa early and headed south for Ra’anana, the Israeli Boca Raton. This is a prosperous town with many Anglo Israelis. It is a MetroWest partnership city going back many years. In the early years of the relationship MetroWest funded a variety of programs related to social needs. As the town prospered the focus of the relationship changed. Places like Ofakim, a Negev settlement town for poor olim became the object of our “needs” funding. Ra’anana became an important locus for our pluralism efforts.

An argument can be made that Jewish charitable dollars should be sent only on the neediest in terms of shelter, food and education. However, if you are going to address issues that are affecting the social fabric of a society, you must also spend where basic needs are less of a concern. An experiment in building a pluralistic environment has a greater chance for success where the residents have resources to start new institutions and the time and desire to influence the municipality to make changes. Ra’anana provides fertile ground for advancing a pluralistic agenda because with a little bit of outside help the residents can take over and build. Starting a non-Orthodox synagogue, an alternative kindergarten or a new independent school will find support in financially stable, well educated communities. In addition, a modest strategic investment helps maintain a long and meaningful relationship between our two communities that both sides desire.

We started our visit to Ra’anana at the municipal building where we met with Mayor Zeev Bielski and members of his administration.



Waiting for me in the municipal building was Fanny Nachmana, mother of Gal, with whom I had lunch on my first day in Israel. Fanny is the director of the cultural affairs department and I had let her know we would be in town. It was nice to see her once again.

We were ushered into a conference room where the Mayor spoke of the municipality’s efforts to be welcoming to all and to support the programs we were promoting. Hannah Goldman, our Chair and head of our delegation, talked about the positive steps the municipality has taken, praised the mayor for his support and expressed our hope for continuation of that support. I recalled for the mayor that when I first met him he had provided me with a valuable education in the Israeli conflict with the Palestinians and my behest we went off agenda for a few minutes. I asked the mayor for his insights on current events and he discussed the coming evacuation from Gaza and its effect on Israel. The mayor recited some history regarding Gaza. Then he eloquently spoke of the need to understand the legitimate concerns and beliefs of the Jewish residents of Gaza but also referred to the need to follow the direction of a democratically elected government.

From the meeting with the mayor we headed to the TALI Megged school, a pluralistic pre-school program. We presented the school with a new boom box that was much appreciated. The children were preparing for Purim so we saw lots of costumes. There was a musical program followed by a brief repast of Persian dishes.



From TALI we headed to the Bilu School, a Modern Orthodox grammar school. The kids were lined up outside the school and we heard a choral presentation.


Also, new olim carrying the flags of their countries of origin were introduced.


Inside we met with the schools principal, Chana Zweiter, as well as representatives of two programs conducted in the school, Rosh Pina (Kaleidoscope) and Yesodot, both of which we support. Rosh Pina provides a mentoring program for teachers in both the municipalities religious and secular schools. The program promotes education pertaining to tolerance and pluralism and influences the teachers to incorporate those lessons in their own teaching. Yesodot, under Orthodox auspices, provides similar programming emphasizing democratic values in Judaism and is working with Rosh Pina in the Ra’anana schools. Shlomo Fisher, of Yesdot, spoke of the conflict that can arise between religious values and government/legal systems. The potential for violence from these conflicts (the Rabin assassination and the situation in Gaza) is great. His organization is trying to bridge abate that conflict.

Next we went to MetroWest High School to participate in the Meitar Jewish Israeli Culture class. This is an elective class that does provide credit toward matriculation. The program serves about 24 students. Usually kids take more “useful” classes for their concentration but the popularity of this programs indicates the growing desire of teens to learn about Jewish values. Meitar, headed by Martin Ben-Moreh, is focused on providing a common language of Jewish culture and values that will allow all elements of Israeli society to communicate better. Our group broke up into smaller units and joined two or three students to discuss the class and the subject matter.

We left the high school to join the municipality’s head of education for lunch at a local restaurant. (Although food was not the focus, I enjoyed sweet potato soup and an oriental style salad.) The education minister (I did not record his name) spoke of the municipality’s commitment to pluralism and its efforts to provide pluralistic curriculum at the earliest stages. The elementary schools have a bar/bat mitzvah project. There are yiddishkeit programs. He spoke of a program called 100 Concepts of Heritage that is given in the junior school and which includes an exam. All high school students take one hour per week of Jewish Identity education in a program created by the Hartman Institute. His goal is to have all the schools operate in the spirit of the TALI program. Unfortunately he could only be with us for a short time so we did not have much opportunity for dialogue.

To be continued…

Gary A

From Marvin Rosenblum

I'm so very grateful to all of you for permitting me, as an interloper and MetroWest greenhorn, to join the Pluralism sub-committee's Israeli mission.

The memories will be everlasting; the companionship and rapport enjoyable, and the education fulfilling.

Individual plaudits go to:

1) Amir, for being the stoical Israeli shepherd,

2) Mandy, for being so responsive and organized,

3) Arthur, for having endured we woeful secularists,

4) Jane, for her humanity and smile despite proselytizing reconstructionism ,

5) Ava, for her Israeli cultural and knowledge of Hebrew,

6) Sandy, for his commanding presence and his derriere as a bus isle obstruction,

7) Rosalyn, for being the worrisome Jewish mother,

8) Joyce, for her commitment to the cause and camaraderie,

9) Ellen, for the spark, the catalyst, the leader that only Ellen could be,

10) Hannahila, for her experience, knowledge, uncanny intuition and leadership,

11) Marty, for being the "grumpy sage" who could not see Judaic Humanism as part of the main stream but evidenced its characteristics in his understanding of humanity and pluralism and who even beat me with physical prowess,

12) Dan, after whom the word "mensch" was coined,

13) Barbara, whose infectous smile and gregarious nature belied her expansive vocabulary, and who nurtured the team as a genteel farewell hostess,

14) Gary, whose romaticism overshadowed the facade of an erstwhile pragmatist, and whose individualized writings cataloged a week of accomplishment for all of us.

I'm proud to know y'all.

Marvin

Final dinner and goodbyes

Days 7 & 8 Thursday & Friday, 3/17 & 3/18/05 (Part 5)

Now that we were back at the Ohannas there was time for a quick shower before dinner. At dinner there again was a plentiful array of salads along with various main dishes. One topic of conversation was different practices between Sephardic and Ashkenazi Jews. Earlier Meni had proudly shown me the family’s complete set of the Zohar, a multi-volume set of Kabalistic teachings. He also referred to his grandfather as being very knowledgeable about Kabalah. During dinner I asked about how they celebrated Passover. Meni told me that before the start of the Seder several members of the family would wrap themselves in blankets and go outside. In effect they were playing the role of down-trodden slaves. The slaves would go to the front door, knock and call out asking to come in. The first two times they would be ignored. On the third attempt to gain entry those inside respond we will let you in and the door would open and the slaves would enter. I his telling I heard echoes of the line in the Hagaddah, let all those who are hungry enter.

The Seder is conducted with a complete reading of the Hagaddah in Hebrew and Aramaic. Participants take turns reading. Meni said that by chance participants would often end up reading portions that they had read the prior year, thus adding to the mystical nature of the gathering. Meni, for example, seemed to always get the reading about the Wise Son. Unlike our experience there is no special reading of the Four Questions by the youngest; the person whose turn it is to read reads that portion regardless of their age. Also, in addition to Elijah having a cup of wine set aside, he gets a reserved chair and place at the table.

We compared typical Seder menus. They ate chicken soup but without matzo balls. Their charoset was made from dates instead of apples. One delicacy I would not miss was the traditional serving of goat’s head. (The head fortunately does not appear at the table but that only helps a little.) They serve fish but not gefilte fish.

Following dinner Roni Alon, the women who hosted my daughter Alix and I in her home last May stopped by.

It was nice to see her again. We talked about the purpose of my trip this time. She inquired about my family and I inquired about hers. We spent about a half hour catching up but I’m afraid I was fading fast. We said our goodbyes and I went to bed so that I would be ready for the drive to the airport the next morning.



On Sunday morning (a work and school day) I said goodbye to Yakov before he had to go for the day. Meni took a picture of us together and through Meni Yakov invited me and my family to visit again. The goodbyes and photos were repeated with each family member. Then we packed up the car and Raya drove me to the airport and Meni accompanied us. I thanked Raya for her hospitality and good food as I gave her a kiss. I shook Meni’s hand and left them to go into the terminal. Thus, I ended a very meaningful visit to Israel.

Gary A

Yom haShabbat - Saturday with the Ohannas

Days 7 & 8 Thursday & Friday, 3/17 & 3/18/05 (Part 4)

Someone asked me for a little more information about how and why I was visiting the Ohannas and Iri Kassel. Regarding Iri, I had met him a few years ago. Although MetroWest does fund projects and synagogues that are part of his institution, the IMPJ, we developed a nice non-business relationship. He offered his hospitality and I accepted. We talked very little about the Movement during the 26 hours we were together. It was really an effort on my part to learn about Israel and to build personal relationships with Israelis.

As to the Ohannas, when I took my family and a group of friends to Israel last May, Amir Shacham, the director of the MetroWest Jerusalem office recommended “home hospitality”. The hotels in the south are not great but more importantly Amir believes strongly, as do I, that there is a great need to develop strong connections between Israeli and Diaspora Jews. My wife and two of my kids were guests of the Ohannas in May and really hit it off. Susan urged me to visit them and with Amir’s help I did.

When I woke up early on Shabbat morning I got dressed and headed out for a long walk. I walked to the edge of the Ma’aboim development and saw the new homes under construction. Most of the housing was attractive middle class single family homes. In the area where the new construction was, there were several very large homes; one actually took up two lots and was quite impressive.


I walked through an empty lot to the field beyond. The development is bordered on three sides by farmland. I took the tractor path along the edge of the field and headed west. I stopped from time to time to take pictures of flowers and the view. Again there were lots of yellows with some reds and purples. Further on I turned on a tractor path that headed into the fields and found myself in the midst of a lemon orchard.

The trees had both ripened fruit and new blossoms and I stayed busy with my camera. As I started my return I sighted white birds with long necks walking in the fields. I tried to get close enough to take pictures but I didn’t do a very good job. I caught a few shots of the birds in flight but I can’t say they are keepers.

Looking at the fields reminded me of part of my conversations with Iri just two days before. He talked about settling the land and the intensive work it took. When we were at Sde Boker he mentioned Ben Gurion University and its focus on finding ways to make the desert productive. At Avdat we looked down from the Roman and Nabatean ruins to see an experimental farm where they were trying to learn the secrets of agriculture in this region as it was farmed over the millenniums. Even the walk through the drip irrigation factory showed the focus on making the land bloom while conserving precious resources.

The mythology (in its denotative and not connotative meaning) of the Negev is that of pioneers taking arid desert and miraculously turning it green. The image is large in the mind of both Israeli and Diaspora Jews and along with the images of draining the swamps and images of strong, handsome and beautiful soldiers plays a role in the romantic perception of Israel. I try hard not to be a romantic but the facts are that a portion of our people has performed miracles. Iri, a couple of days prior, reminded me that for all the conflict and problems facing Israel has truly accomplished great achievements. My early morning walk confirmed the reality of miracles.

I returned to the Ohannas’ home to find Yakov sitting on the porch playing with the puppy, Slash and drinking Middle East coffee from a glass.

On Yakov’s feet were slippers in the shape of puppies so Slash was having a good time playing with pretend friends.

Raya joined us and offered me food and drink. I accepted coffee and we sat outside enjoying the morning. I went in and took a quick shower. Later the boys were up and we went in for breakfast. Every meal thus far had included small bowls and plates in the center of the table. In the plates were various salads, tehina, babaganouch, cucumbers, peppers, etc. For breakfast I was served a cross between a pita looking bread and pastry that was rolled up. It was sweet and I think it had soft cream cheese baked into it. I was given its name but I failed to retain it. (The name is Jachnoon) All I can say is that it was delicious but a steady diet of it will kill you.

.

After breakfast we got ready to visit Eshkol Park which is just outside of Ofakim, about a 20 minute drive. Meni had read that there would be a shuk, market, there with food and crafts for sale. First we had to borrow a second car since there were six of us going and the family car was not large enough. We walked around the corner to Meni’s maternal grandmother and grandfather’s home. I met the grandparents, a cousin, an aunt and assorted other relatives. Everyone was very warm. Meni borrowed the car and we met up with his family.

Meni has had his license for only a few months but he is a good but perhaps overly cautious driver (but better overly cautious than hurt). We stopped for gas (no female attendants…pump your own) and then headed to the park. It was busy as it was a beautiful day, not too hot with a light breeze. The park reminded me of county parks in New Jersey, pleasant but nothing special. The shuk was small with modest crafts, some toys and clothes and some food items. In one corner some Bedouins had set up a tent and were baking Bedouin pita. There were rugs and pillows in the tent and people were lounging and eating. I got a pita which was rolled up with spices and soft cheese inside. Very good.

The Ohannas set up in an area near a pond. They had a cooler with drinks and food. Oz had a fishing pole and fished in the pond. I took a walk around the park. It was much larger than I expected and I found myself walking quite away. I heard talking and laughter and decided to investigate. I discovered that there were adults and kids standing along a stream which had been hidden from view.

I don’t know if the steam runs year round or if it is a wadi that dries out but the kids were wading in it while the parents watched and talked. As I got closer to the stream I looked into the distance. Far off there was a desert mountain range, a surprising view in what I had discounted as a run of the mill park.


Returning to the Ohannas I observed families picnicking all around the park. They were cooking al ha-aish (barbeque) and enjoying the day. There were Arabs and Israelis throughout the grounds.

Upon my return I was given some water and sat for awhile just watching the crowd. We decided to leave the park. Meni had made inquiry and had learned that there was a nearby dirt road that followed the river I had found. The stream is called the Nahal Besor. The road winds around the backcountry. It has beautiful views of the desert, fields of flowers and the stream below.


So this is the desert!!!

There is an ancient quarry which we looked at (sorry but it just looked like rocks to me) and at the end there is a narrow rope-style bridge over the small gorge created by the steam.

It is a popular local attraction because it’s hard to keep your footing when you cross it. After driving and walking the length of the road we headed back to the Ohannas.

The Ohanna Men

Just a little more later…

Gary

Erev Shabbat

Days 7 & 8 Thursday & Friday, 3/17 & 3/18/05 (Part 3)

I awoke from my nap and spent some time talking with Meni (short for Menasha). He is a very bright teen, tall and darkly handsome. He was in the U.S. last summer as part of a youth group visit. He will be returning this late this summer as a Rishonim (or Shinshin) to spend a year in MetroWest working at our day schools and Hebrew Schools and with youth groups. This means he is postponing his military service one year. Some at his school say he is a “friar” (sucker) for delaying his service. They prefer to get their service over so they can get on with their lives. They also don’t get public service, especially going to the U.S. to serve. This is a shortcoming in Israeli society. Concepts of service, charity and tzedakah are not always held in high regard. There is also a growing attitude that you don’t want to be seen as a “friar”…you should get all you can get with as little effort as necessary…doing something for nothing is foolish. Fortunately there are forces at work trying to change this attitude. Among them are the initiatives supported by MetroWest’s religious pluralism funding. A strong self-image and some courage are required to overcome this group-think peer pressure and fortunately Meni has what it takes.


Meni & Oz Ohanna


Adiel Ohanna

I joined the family for Shabbat dinner. Having seen lunch I anticipated quite a meal and I was not disappointed. Candles had already been lit. The Ohannas are a Sephardic family and the Shabbat traditions differed from those I am use to. In addition to the two Shabbat candles there were 30 or 40 little tea candles lit. Meni told me his mother and grandmother hold the record for lighting these candles. According to Meni, these candles are lit to help the spirits of deceased friends, relatives and holy people rise to the world to come.


Raya Ohanna

Meni said the blessing over the wine. The cup was filled to the brim and there was a saucer beneath it to catch the overflow. Yakov drank first from the cup and then Meni. I followed and handed the cup to Adiel, the youngest…a faux pas for which I was corrected…the cup is passed down by age.

Next was the Motzi, the blessing over the bread. There was a short introductory prayer which I did not follow. During the prayer there was a choreography that was unfamiliar to me. The family members touched their eyes and lips and then held up their hands. I believe it is a psalm they read but I’m not sure of the movements’ meaning.

Dinner was, like lunch, exceptional. We ate and talked. I learned more about the family and a bit of politics. They have cousins living in Hebron. They are not particularly happy with the withdrawal from Gaza.

A little later Raya’s brother-in-law stopped in. He is a lively guy in his late 20’s or early 30’s. I think he came to see the American because he would like to move to America. He installs fire sprinklers and is willing to do anything is America. He was tired of Israel. He said he use to be a patriot and was willing to die for the state but no more. He wants to get away from the Arabs. I’m not sure what was making him unhappy in Israel but obviously the pressure had gotten to him. Unfortunately for him his wife is tied to the family and unwilling to move.

Following dinner Meni and I walked to the home of the Artovs. I had a package (hats) to deliver from Jim Rubenstein who was with us on our May 2004 visit and had stayed with the Artovs. When I met Shabbatai and Ilana I was warmly welcomed. We sat and talked for about an hour. They are both social workers. Shabbatai provides services to jailed prisoners and tries to rehabilitate them. Most of the Jewish prisioners are guilty of drug crimes or financial crimes. Generally rehabilitation works with these prisoners.


I delivered the hats in the package and then went home. By then I was very tired and went directly to bed.

Out of order...this goes before the one below

Days 7 & 8 Thursday & Friday 3/17 & 3/18/05

I’m skipping a day and jumping to the Negev. I’ll get back to Ra’anana eventually…probably tomorrow (Sunday) or soon there after.

On Thursday morning I left my hotel (The Carlton in Tel Aviv) after breakfast and took a cab to the train station to catch the 8:08 train to Be’ersheva. Along the way the I talked to the driver. He told me business was better but that he hasn’t seen a big pick-up in tourists; mostly there have been more business people. I got his opinion on the withdrawal from Gaza. He is against it…he’s not against leaving but against giving it up without getting something in return.

At the station security made me open my bags but it was mostly just going through the motions. I got my ticket without much language trouble and managed to get my bags down the stairs to the platform. I found a seat and waited for the train. As I suspected there were a lot of soldiers using the train to get back to their bases. One was sitting next to me The Da Vinci Code in English. I asked him if I was in the right place for my train. He said yes and I asked to make sure I got on the right one. He just laughed.

Will sitting at the station I called Amir and Hannah. I had read the Jerusalem Post at breakfast and discovered that MetroWest was in a front page article concerning our meeting with the mayor of Modi’in. It looks like we stirred things up.

The train was comfortable and fast. I was able to work on the computer without any problem.

In Be’ersheva Iri Kassel met me outside the station. I had met Iri just a few days after he had become the director of the Israel Reform Movement about three years ago. Since then we’ve been in contact off and on. When I saw him last he invited me to visit him at his kibbutz. I took him up on his offer.

After getting a cup of coffee we took off on a tour of the Negev. Iri is an old fashioned labor Zionist of the Ben Gurion school. He lives in one of the remaining true kibbutzim and believes deeply in the need to settle the Negev. His love for the region was clear in everything he told me as we drove.

Here is evidence of a settlement in Be’ersheva going back to 5000 b.c.e. After the British took control from the Turks there were three Jewish settlements existing. Then on Yom Kippur in 1946 the Hagannah and the Jewish Agency directed the illegal establishment of 11 new settlements over night. This began to serious settlement of the Negev.

As we left Be’ersheva Iri jokingly apologized. He had wanted me to see the desert but it was spring. This time of year there are often lots of wildflowers, fields of them, everywhere. It is a bit disconcerting to have a picture of desolate sand and rock in your head and then see the reality of greens, yellows and reds.

From Be’ersheva we headed to Sde Boker, the site of Ben Gurian’s home and resting place. Israel’s first prime minister became devoted to the idea of settling the Negev and when he left office he moved to the dessert. His home is very simple and it has been preserved as he left it.

Ben Gurian's bedroom

There is also a small museum that tells the story of his life and the history of the Negev’s development. Being there with Iri was a special experience. He told me his story of meeting Ben Gurian at Sde Boker. Iri had grown up in the North but while in a youth group had been challenged to become one of the new pioneers. This lead him to becoming a resident of Kibbutz Hatzerim, one of the first kibbutzim established near Be’ersheva. I could tell that Iri saw Ben Gurian as an heroic guiding light and Iri continues to speak of the need to bring more people to this area.

We drove to Mitzepeh Ramon, a large geological site about an hour south. It is one of Israel’s great natural wonders.

Iri Kassel at near Sde Boker and the Ben Gurion grave site
Although not the scale of the Grand Canyon the crater is quite vast. From the top it looks like a moonscape.

At some point I’ll be able to post pictures again and one will go here.

I can’t describe it in words. One contrast to the Grand Canyon, here a major north/south road runs through the crater so that it is easy to get a wide variety of views. Some day I hope to get back here and hike in the crater.

On the way back north we stopped at Avdat, an archeological sight with Nabatean and Roman ruins.

The Nabateans populated the region from Petra to Egypt and worked the trade route.

Most of the ruins are Roman from the period following Jesus. There are two churches with great columns and arches.

There is also a complicated system to collect and preserve water using spillways and cisterns. Interestingly there was agriculture going back to the Nabatean period which suggests that they had found ways to grow food even in difficult conditions…a precursor to the Israeli effort to make the desert bloom.


On the way from Avdat to Iri’s kibbutz he received a call from his younger son. He was on a military post in Arad and had just completed his pre-entry screening for an elite unit. We made a detour and pick him and two friends up. There are several special units and my experience has been that the best and brightest readily volunteer for them. Here the army is an experience shared by almost all and the desire to be in these units stems from both patriotism and the status received which lasts well beyond service. To get into these units following high school teens go for a two day extreme workout at the unit’s base. I learned from Iri’s son that about 170 were invited to participate and about half dropped out. From the remaining group a smaller number will be selected by the officers. Some of the torture they endured included doing repeated push-ups with full packs on, running and hiking all day, having officers yell at them, being awoken in the middle of the night and forced to exercise, etc. I could see that Iri’s son was exhausted and that his body was sore from the way he walked.

More later…

Gary

From Iri to Ohanna

Days 7 & 8 Thursday & Friday, 3/17 & 3/18/05 (Part 2)

We arrived at Iri’s home in Kibbutz Netzarim, a little west of Be’er Sheva, in the early evening. There I said hello to his wife, Saralee, and his younger daughter. I met his wife when I met Iri in 2002. She is originally from Jacksonville, Florida but has been in Israel 30 years or so. His daughter is headed to Vancouver as a shiliach next week. We a light snack before leaving for dinner at the kibbutz dining hall. Netzarim is the traditional style kibbutz, seemingly a dying breed, where most members dine in a common room and serve themselves cafeteria style. Everyone shares responsibilities for the work of the kibbutz including working in the kitchen on a scheduled basis. At one point someone approached Iri to remind him that he had guard duty coming up.

Following dinner Iri took me for a tour of the kibbutz’s factory where drip irrigation systems are produced. The kibbutz is a world-wide leader and an early developer of these systems. The factory has sales of over $350 million annually; it ships around the world and runs 24 hours a day. It really is quite an operation.

After the tour we returned to Iri’s home, a comfortable condo-like unit with 3 bedrooms and a open dining, kitchen and living room area. We talked of this an that and I retired for the night.

The following morning we had breakfast at the dining hall and then I received the grand tour. First Iri stopped at the kibbutz business office to make a cash withdrawal from the account maintained for him (his salary and other earnings go into the general funds of the kibbutz). He also mentioned to me that he had already reserved a care for his use…the kibbutz owns a fleet of cars and kibbutz members reserve a car for their use when they need one. Unless you get a car from a job outside of the kibbutz you do not own your own. We then walked near the kibbutz dairy farm. We passed the farm and went to the kibbutz grocery and then the common laundry (you drop off laundry and members wash and iron). The kibbutz has its own kindergarten and grade school. Upper level classes take place outside the kibbutz.

We also visited the kibbutz synagogue which I found interesting on several levels. The synagogue is a pre-fab unit that is put in place by a crane. It was given to the kibbutz by the Ministry of Religion before the ministry was disbanded during the Sinui/Likkud coalition. Apparently they had ordered these units that are like mobile homes and needed to get rid of them. It was offered to the local regional government which did not want it and offered it to the kibbutz which was glad to have it.

Typically secular kibbutzim are seen as almost violently secular but Nitzarem is different.
There has been a reasonably long tradition (not from the start but for quite awhile) to hold a kabbalat Shabbat service. It would not be recognized as a typical religious service but it has the basic elements supplemented by the kibbutz’s own printed sidur booklet. Thus tradition is kept alive on the kibbutz.

We walked part of the perimeter of the kibbutz where Iri pointed out the fence that he believes Bedouin cut through to steal his office provided car. Crime by the Bedouin community appears to be a growing problem. On the one hand Iri feels these Arabs need to move out of their hovels and into approved Bedouin cities. On the other, the cities tend to lead the Bedouins to give up their nomad way of life, they don’t find other work and crime increases. Also, these cities have become hotbeds of radical Islam. Both ways the situation is not good and the Israeli government is slow to address it.

Along the perimeter road one of the kibbutz elders kept busy cultivating an extensive cactus garden and using castaway items to create a fantasy land.


We got in Iri's car for my ride to my next host family. Just a few yards outside the kibbutz Iri made a little detour to show me a hidden treasure. A local women had pestered the local government and the JNF to provide fields to create a sculpture park. We drove along a dirt road and with each turn discovered large works along the way.




Iri drove me to my next stop, the Ohanna family in Mabboim, about 20 minutes away in the Merchavim/Ofakim area of the Negev. When I was here in May with my family and some friends my wife, Susan and daughters, Sage and Dana, stayed with the Ohannas.
We contacted them before this trip and they invited me to stay.

There are five Ohannas plus one puppy named Slash. Yakov, the father, is a truck driver and his family came from Morocco. Raya, the mother, is a beautician with a shop in her home. Her family came from Iraq. The boys are Meni, Oz and Adiel. Meni is 18 the oldest and speaks very good English. Oz, the middle son looks to be about 14 or 15 and Adiel is in grade school. Oz understands English and speaks a little as does Raya. Yakov and Adiel speak only Hebrew (but we made due).

When I arrived on Friday about mid-day I was expecting to have to jump in a car and be taken to this site or that. Fortunately, the first thing Meni said was that on Friday (the start of the weekend) he usually “chills”. So after the enormous lunch Raya prepared we sat around for awhile and then I took my first real nap of the stay.

More later…

Gary A

Email from Hannah Goldman

Gary:
It is ridiculously late and I have just finished packing for our early departure tomorrow. (What am I talking about - it is early now") During these last few hours in Israel, I wanted to share an experience that I had in Jerusalem on Thursday, which you may or may not include in the blog as you wish. After a tour of the new Yad Vashem museum, I of course, made a mad dash to begin my shopping marathon. I stopped at the Michal Negri store in the Inbal hotel and ended up in a conversation with the owner and his wife, both "secular I told her what we had been doing in Israel, she immediately started talking about how important it was, "because the schools don't give them anything." She said that she has three children, 29, 18 and a high school teen, and that she could see that the levels of Jewish identity have steadily decreased in her own children. She noted that her older children had the benefit of the influence of their grandparents, who were able to pass along to them some knowledge of tradition. However, the youngest child did not have the same opportunities for interaction with the grandparents and so, knew very little.It may sound like these stories are anecdotal, but they are not, because these concerns are repeated over and over again by parents all over Israel. At the Gordon School, which is a fairly well known ( and somewhat elite) public secular school in Tel Aviv, the parents themselves bear the full cost of enrichment programs which include holiday celebrations and kabbalat shabbat every Friday. Might one have ever imagined that teaching Israeli elementary school kids in a public school about kabbalat shabbat would only be available to those who can pay for it?
Hannah

Israel day 5 part 2

Day 5a Tuesday, 3/15/05

From the cemetery we drove to Maale Gilboa and the yeshiva there, about 10 minutes away. On the way up the mountain we stopped in part of the park to walk among the wild flowers. There is an iris, Gilboa Iris, that blooms only for 3 weeks in March, that we were luck enough to see. It has a black, purple flower.

At the yeshiva we met with Rabbi Yehuda Gilad and Rabbi David Bigman who run the yeshiva as well as several students. MetroWest funds a rabbinic ordination program for this modern Orthodox school. Rabbi Gilad described the school the programs.

Rabbi Gilad had served in the Kenesset. He pointed out that his school is one of the few moderate institutions that have ongoing contact with the Ultra-Orthodox. If the community is to be maintained there must be communication. Rabbi Gilad also expressed great concern about disengagement from Gaza. The gap between left and right is very wide and the voices on both sides have become harsh. He has led an effort to express concern on behalf of the Jewish residents of Gaza while asserting the need to follow the will of the majority in a democracy. He talked about the need to understand the settlers and their deeply held beliefs. In essence his approach is “hugging and evacuating”. He believes most settlers will either leave peacefully or resist peacefully. Nevertheless, there is a significant likelihood of some violence.

Gary A

From Bahai to Moti

Day 5 Tuesday, 3/15/05

I’m still running three days behind. At the moment I’m at Kibbutz Hatzeriem outside of Be’er Sheva in the Negev. I spent a full day yesterday touring the region which is stark but beautiful…more later.

On Tuesday morning I took a walk near our hotel in Haifa. There is a small park with a zoo nearby. I couldn’t get in that early but I peaked over the fence to see a camel and some goats. Haifa really is a beautiful city. I only wish I had more time. I see there are plenty of galleries and museums. The views of the bay and ocean are very nice and some of the modern architecture is amazing.

After breakfast we me with Meir Yoffe of Panim, an umbrella organization for many of the non-profits dealing with Pluralism and Jewish Identity education.

Panim’s primary function is to push for government funding of Identity programs and implementation of the government sponsored Shenhar (sp?) report which laid out the needs and recommended government actions. The report has been out over ten years but not much progress has been made. Panim also advises the non-profits on advocacy and how to obtain government funds.

According to Panim’s statistics only 20% of the population identify themselves as Orthodox or Religious. Nevertheless, the vast majority of government “religious” spending goes to Orthodox institutions. The Shenhar report recommended that 45 million NIS be spent on non-Orthodox education annually. This year arguably 7.5 million NIS will be spent. In short the Ministry of Education is not implementing the report.

From that meeting we walked to the Bahai Gardens.

It has become one of the new wonders of the world. This religious sect believes it must have a home in Israel. On the side of a great San Francisco type hill the sect’s temple, library, meeting center and archives were built. From near the top of the hill to near the bottom runs a long run of stairs as well as gardens and fountains…truly a sight to behold.



From the Gardens we left for Oranim College, about half an hour east of Haifa. It is a teachers college where HaMidrasha B’Oranim is located. HaMidrasha is the brain child of Motti Zeirra and Saraleh Shadmi-Wortman.

Moti (L)
HaMidrasha is another attempt started by secular Jews to reclaim their heritage and also to engage in dialogue with the religious community. Over 100 study weekly and another 400 participate in other programs. Like the program at Herzog groups with varied backgrounds from secular to Orthodox. We briefly met with a women’s study group called Niggun and later engaged in text study (this time a secular poem) led by one of the facilitators, an Orthodox women.

Programs such as this encourage us to believe that common ground can be found, especially by sharing Jewish texts, both secular and religious.

We had lunch at the college where, by chance, we ran into David Wakstein. David teaches art and runs programs for kids all the way down in Ofakim, one of our MetroWest partnership cities. He operates in Ofakim out of the famous art igloo which was renovated with funding from Steve & Lori Klinghoffer. David took us to a new gallery on the Oranim campus just before we left.

Moti is known as one of the leading lights in the Israeli Jewish Renaissance. He spoke eloquently about the growing need for Israelis to connect to their Jewish roots. The Zionist who helped create the state rejected almost all things traditionally Jewish, except the land. Eretz, settling and working the land, was the basis of their Jewishness and they needed little else. They had no problem with identity. The world told them they were Jewish and they recognized their Jewish being through their attachment to the land.

Following his service in the ’73 Yom Kippur War Moti began to feel that his parents’ identity through the Zionist movement was not enough for him. He knew that there were deeper roots and questioned why the tradition was being hidden from him. Something was missing spiritually. He knew the Orthodox Judaism was not for him and that for most Israelis there is a sense that Judaism belongs to others. There became a need to invent ceremony and ritual. He began to study Jewish texts and to bring other like-minded people together to study as a way to reclaim his heritage.

Later he saw the growing division in Israel and needed to find a means of bringing the religious and non-religious together. He had learned from experience that text study led not only to intellectual development but to emotional and spiritual development. More importantly those who studied together created deep relationships. He established study groups that pulled in all levels of observance. There are now over 20 such study groups around the country.

Recently his organization sponsored a conference on Shabbat in which 800 people participated.

Moti remains concerned about the divisions in Israel. He described it as a return to Twelve Tribes. He has been working with the movements and others to find ways to open dialogue. Clearly he feels Israel has reached the point where it needs to seriously deal with concept of community.

From the college we drove to Ein Herod Old Cemetery.

It the burial place for many Zionist settlers (Halutzim) from the early aliyot. Moti joined to describe the hardships; most of those who came to Israel in the early days did not stay. They often gave up due to the hard life required to settle the land. Their rejection of Judaism was evident on their grave markers…no religious markings at all.


Moti described how they knew the traditions but would not follow them. There were silent funerals and Seder-less Seders. The need to break with the past was all controlling. It was this rejection which has been deeply ingrained in the secular society and makes it difficult for them even today to explore tradition and spirituality. In their minds if a program has anything to do with religion, texts, the old ways, etc. it must contain what they have been conditioned to reject and so quickly turn their backs.


More later… Gary

Earlier Postings (Days 1-4) click hear