Shabbat Shalom BAI,
On October 9, I received a letter informing me I had been accepted into the Jewish Learning Venture Israel Fellowship. I had applied over the summer with the hopes of expanding and deepening my relationship with Israel and finding ways to bring Israel education programs back to my community in a nuanced and thoughtful way. It felt all the more so important to do this work now. I am grateful to Beth Am Israel for supporting me in this endeavor, and I experienced a transformative week in Israel. Here are my thoughts chronicling some of what I and 11 other educators learned.
Days 1 and 2: Feb 7 and 8
Hostage Square, South Tel Aviv Graffiti, Stories from families of hostages, Poet Ari Keissar, Stories from the Gaza Envelope (Tkuma, Alumim, Erez, Netivot), Planting trees, Joe Alon Center, Musical duo Robbie and Adam.
It is hard to find the words to describe what it is like to be in Israel at this time. There is a sadness that permeated the air everywhere we visited on Tuesday and Wednesday. We met with people and listened to their stories, starting in Tel Aviv with Hostage Square and then traveling to the Gaza Envelope. Though no two viewpoints are the same, everyone shares the same collective trauma and worries about the future. Feelings of sadness, anger, confusion, shock, fear, frustration, and uncertainty abound.
And, despite the darkness, there are moments of togetherness and resilience. Like during Hanukkah, when the world is at its darkest hour, there are also flickering flames of light. A woman named Molly has been making home-cooked meals for IDF soldiers and serving them out of her home as they travel to or from Gaza. Our group planted plants at a school, their roots sinking deep into their earth, their leaves releasing oxygen into the air for children to breathe as they shout from the playground. We see these moments of light, and we hold tight to them.
Days 3 and 4 (Feb 8 and 9)
Women of the Wall, ANU Museum of the Jewish People, Rabbi Menachem Bombach (Netzach Haredi education network), Dr. Mishy Harmon (Israel Story), Paul Gross (political analyst), Mahmoud Muna (Educational bookshop), Hadas Wolff-Yitzchak (Beit Avichai)
It was difficult to transition from the raw emotions of the first 48 hours in Israel into a more intellectual headspace. Surprisingly (or not so surprisingly), two musical moments helped me bridge that gap: singing Yerushalayim Shel Zahav and shehecheyanu while overlooking the hills of Jerusalem, and watching three men coming down the street, red clown dots on their noses, guitars in hand, singing “mishenichnas Adar.” Like the line in Nomi Shemer’s song Al Kol Eileh, “עַל הַדְּבַשׁ וְעַל הָעֹקֶץ,” there is both honey and sting right now in Israel. Bitterness and sweetness mixed together. We can experience both simultaneously because they exist side by side.
These last two days, I have heard from a variety of people living in Israel. What I have learned is that the current dynamics in Israel, both interpersonally and politically, are complex. Anyone who thinks they have a simple solution to the conflict is missing a part of the story. And no two voices that we’ve heard have been the same.
Days 5 and 6 (Feb 10 and 11)
Shabbat menucha, Walking tour with Maya Yehezkel (former German colony, moon grove park, Hansen House, Hartman Institute), Declaration of Independence with Jonny Ariel, Program planning, Tour of East Jerusalem with Dr. Eran Tzidkiyahu, Peta Jones Pellach (Women Wage Peace), Feel Beit, Ittay Flescher (Kids 4 Peace)
Everywhere we walked the last two days, the land had a story to tell. As useful as maps are, they are not 3D and cannot tell us everything. Maps don’t tell you which walls are covered with bright murals and which are full of cracks. Maps don’t tell you which cities have running water and which lack sewers, navigable roads, and sidewalks. Maps don’t tell you whose building permits have been denied and who is able to move in with relative ease. Maps don’t tell you about the little girl smiling boldly with a pita in her hand and the teenager cradling her white cat on the porch. Maps don’t tell you about the four armed guards that escort a resident home while a security guard watches from the rooftop.
Maps alone are not enough. We have to fill in the gaps.
Day 7 (Feb 12)
Tour of the new National Library, Shuvi Hoffman (National Library of Israel for Educators), Abi Dauber-Stone (Stories for the sake of argument), Shlomit and Nissimi Naim-Naor
“Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I have begun to change myself.” — Rumi
What to say about the final day? History is being written now, and we have a chance to shape the narrative. Words are a powerful tool, as we saw at the National Library. Language can also be a barrier. The same event or person can be referred to using different terms, and if we do not speak the other’s language, we cannot communicate with them. Words can build walls, divide people, and reinforce our stereotypes. Words can also be beautiful, uplifting, and bring messages of hope and peace. I started this trip wanting to improve my Hebrew; I left wanting to improve my Hebrew and work on some basic Arabic.
I’m dreaming of a better future for the next generation, and I don’t have the words for what it will look like just yet. But I hope to be in conversations with others who want to dream with me.
