Back in Indiana, Missing Israel

Shalom friends!
It sure feels weird writing a blog post from America. I have been home for a week now and I am still having trouble adjusting to the American lifestyle. I miss Israel very much and I keep reminiscing about the past four months.

The final week of TRY was busy and exciting. Even though it was the final week, I didn't feel like I was going home until I saw my family at baggage claim in O’Hare airport. For our final tiyul, we went up North to the Golan and Galil. It was a gorgeous three days. The first day we went to the Mitzvah Hashalom (Peace Vista) where we had a beautiful view of the Kinneret (Sea of Galilee). It's hard to remember everything we did and every place we went now. But I do remember that we went on a nice walk/hike at the Gilbon Stream Nature Reserve where we saw a gorgeous rainbow in the waterfall. We also got to go shopping at the Naot shoe factory and visit a memorial for the 73 soldiers who were killed in a helicopter collision in 1997. I found our visit to Kibbutz Misgav Am very interesting. The kibbutz shares a perimeter with South Lebanon. From the kibbutz you can easily see the homes from which rockets were fired during the Second Lebanon War. Being so close to the border really makes you realize how close Israel is to its enemies, and how quickly another war could begin. The final day we woke up early to experience the sunrise on Mount Arbel followed by a nice hike. Our last stop we went to a water park on the Kinneret.

When we got back to the Chava Thursday afternoon, we had to start packing and cleaning up the dorms. Thursday evening was the last time to go to Ben Yehuda and hang out. Ben Yehuda became so familiar, it was sad leaving not knowing when I would be going back. It took a looong time to pack, as the dorms were disgusting. Our final Shabbat we spent together on the Chava. On Saturday night we had to finish packing and had the final party. Everyone stayed up most of the night hanging out for the last time. Sunday we had our last day tiyul and went to Mount Herzl, the Kotel, and had a closing ceremony on Mount Scopus - the same place we had our first ceremony.

After the final dinner we headed to the airport for a 1 A.M. flight. The next twenty-four hours were filled with many tears and hugs. I didn’t think I was going to be so upset leaving, but it was very hard saying goodbye to some of my good friends I made, and I am still having a difficult time adjusting to American life. Now I am home and still reminiscing about the past four months. I can’t believe it has been a full semester; everything here is just like when I left. American living is so different than Israel, and I feel so much more comfortable in Israel. While I am stuck here for at least another year, I know Israel will be there for me in the near future. I hope you all enjoyed my blog and learned a little bout Israel at the same time. It is an extraordinary country and I seriously urge each and every one of you to visit the land. As the famous poet Yehuda Halei once wrote, “My heart is in the East, and I am at the ends of the West.”

Shalom until my next journey,

Hannah

Last Post from Israel!

שלום שלום
(As the security guard always says)

Wow! When I was thinking of a title for this post, it hit me that this is probably my last post written from Israel!! Today is May 22nd and I am of course with Bri and Sheli in Modi'in! But, I will get to that later. This past week has been pretty stressful with finals and I am also an editor of the yearbook so I have A LOT to do by Sunday evening and I don't really know how it all is going to get done...

Last Sunday and Monday were the final day of classes. Even though I should have been completely focused and glad I had time to study, it also was a somewhat boring week. And, I am someone who hates not being busy all the time (just ask my parents). Tuesday was the ICC final. The test took me 5 hours! Even though it was long, I didn't really mind much because Israel's history and current events are what I found so interesting. I can easily say that my ICC course has been the most rewarding of all my academic courses. It has inspired me to continue learning about Israel.

Tuesday evening we celebrated Erev Shavuot. Before this year, I had no idea what you did on Shavuot or what was being celebrated. I know now that Shavuot celebrates the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai and is the second major pilgrimmage festival to the Kotel (other pilgrammages include Pesach and Sukkot). You are supposed to study Torah all night, eat a lot of dairy, then pray early in the morning . We had dinner together, then starting at 10 P.M. we had study sessions till 3 A.M. at which time we walked to the Kotel. It was really neat to be walking at such a hour with many other people who had the same destination. Once we got to the Old City, the sun was rising and with a bunch of others (many American's from different programs) had Shacharit at Robinson's Arch. We then went to the Kotel, which was very crowded, and the mechitza(separation of men and women) was extended, keeping women from using bathrooms on the other side of the men's section. The Chabad was passing out little bags with cakes for everyone. We then headed back to the Chava and stopped on the way at a park for breakfast. Exhausted, we slept all day until dinner and then had a Peulah for Shavuot in which we had to make a Torah out of food provided for us (like Ironchef). My group's Torah was not very good, but it tasted delicious. Once Shavuot was over around 8:15 P.M., we had a short free night and I went to Ben Yehuda with several friends.

Unfortuanetly, my whole sleep schedule was really screwed up from Shavuot and I was up all night. But I am so used to the lack of sleep it isn't a huge deal. Thursday I had my math final and had a recheck exam at the ear doctor, which was pretty pointless, then had some free time on Ben Yehuda. It was so different during the day! Many more stores were open and the streets had completely different vibes! I loved being out in Israel during the day rather than being stuck on the chava.

After a very long week, I was so excited for Friday afternoon to come to see Sheli! We had a wonderful day in Tel Aviv. We walked around the Tel Aviv shuk and the Nachlet Binyamin, which has a ton of art vendors. I love the shuk in Jerusalem, but this shuk was even better!! I could spend so much more time in this area! There is so much to do!! I was waiting for Friday evening all week. We went to see Batsheva Dance Company (my absolute favorite dance company)!!! It was amazing! I wish it never ended! Now it's Saturday and we are going to explore Tel Aviv some and return to the Chava tomorrow morning.

This next week we have a couple days of finals, although I am pretty much done. Then we head up north for our final tiyul in the Galilee and Golan. I will talk more about this in my next post, which will probably be done from Crown Point, Indiana!


שלום שלום
חנה

Article I wrote for ZimZoom Magazine

I was so excited to have a chance to write an essay regarding my feelings for Jerusalem for ZimZoom, a magazine distributed to Jewish day schools and Hebrew schools. Here it is minus photos:

Hannah Katz, an 11th grader from Crown Point, Indiana, is in Israel for the spring semester on a program called Tichon Ramah Yerushalayim (TRY- the Ramah Jerusalem High School). The program includes regular school classes like English, math and science, and also trips around Israel, Hebrew classes, and a course on the history of the land of Israel. On the occasion of Yom Yerushalayim, which celebrates Israel’s reunification with Jerusalem’s Old City in the War of 1967, we asked Hannah to explain what the Old City means to her.

Old City, New Connection
By Hannah Katz

Ever since my first trip to Israel when I was 13, the Old City has given me an indescribable chill. For most of humankind, the Old City is one of the holiest places in the world. For Jews, in particular, the Kotel symbolizes Jewish persistence and survival for thousands of years.

For as long as I can remember my family has said, “next year in Jerusalem,” and as we spin the dreidel on Chanukah we say, “Nes Gadol Haya Sham: A great miracle happened there.” Now I am actually there, in Jerusalem, for four months. Living and studying here, I feel a new relationship with the Old City for several reasons. Some of these include my new feelings of my role as a Jew, an increased appreciation for the state of Israel, and my growing knowledge of the history of our people.

Thanks to my coursework here, I was able to walk through the City of David and understand who King David was and how he conquered Jerusalem 3000 years ago. Now when I stand outside the Old City walls, I am able to visualize how David and his troops conquered the city, and how 300 years later King Chezekiah and his troops dug the underground tunnels to provide water for Jerusalem. By walking through the tunnel like Chezekiah’s men, rather than just reading about it, I felt a part of our history.

As I visit the Old City of Jerusalem, I think about how sad our Jewish brethren must have felt when they were forced to leave the city during the War of Independence in 1948. I cannot imagine the Jewish homeland without access to the Old City. However, I also feel the joy that our troops must have felt when they reconquered the city during the Six-Day War in 1967. Despite all odds, Israel defeated Egypt, Jordan, and Syria and regained Jerusalem. During my first trip to the Kotel, I had the opportunity to see IDF soldiers being inducted into the army. I stood in wonderment as each soldier received his rifle and Tanach. This ceremony truly made me realize the situation of Israel and how important it is to protect our homeland.

At home in Indiana where I am the only Jew in my school, I often feel alone and out of place, but as I stand in the Old City surrounded by Jews from all over the world, I feel united and at home. When I kiss the Kotel today, I do not just feel like I am kissing some ancient wall; I feel a connection to the land, people, and country that I never felt before.
ZimZoom 13

Only Two Weeks Left

שלום חברים!

Sorry I have not posted for a couple of weeks! As usual I have had little time to sit down, yet alone asleep. But I guess by this time I should be used to the lack of sleep! I am going to try and remember everything that has been going on! On top of everything else, I once again have a really bad ear infection! It has been very hard to function and get work done in school. I finally got to go to an ear specialist this past week, and I think after about three weeks it is beginning to clear up. I will be glad to go to my ear doctor back home who knows my history.

I also have been loving ICC because we are now into current events and issues of Israel all of which I find so interesting! Aside from general studies on Tuesday we went to Ammunition Hill, which was the key battle in the fight for Jerusalem during the Six-Day War in 1967. It was a very sad place in memory of the soldiers who lost their lives to regain Jerusalem from Jordan. I wish we could have spent more time there; definitely one of the places I will visit again. There we also heard a left-wing speaker give his views and ideas of the future (I won't go into detail on my opinion of what he had to say).

On Thursday we went into Judea and Samaria (West Bank) to Gush Etzion and Efrat. Gush Etzion includes four Israeli settlements which were all destroyed in the War of Independence in 1948 by Jordanian forces and reestablished after 1967. We then walked on a part of the Patriarch's Road to help understand the ancient religious and biblical significance of Judea and Samaria. We went to the settlement of Efrat, where we heard a right-wing speaker who represented a conservative approach to the Arab-Israeli conflict. I really enjoyed the speaker and his ideals. Our final stop of the day was at the Tayalet Goldman from which you can see the separation barrier and discussed the security and diplomatic consequences of the barrier policy.

On the evening of Tuesday, May 4, we had the opportunity to go to a Hapoel Yerushalayim basketball game. Even though I'm not into basketball, it was interesting to see the difference in Israeli basketball. The fans have a lot more spirit and sing the whole time.

This past Shabbat the group was divided between host families in Efrat and Ashkelon. I went to Ashkelon. We went to different homes in pairs, but went to shul and meals together. The teens from Ashkelon were very nice and fairly secular. During free time on Saturday I went with a couple other girls to one of the host's father's jewelry store in the mall. It was cool because the mall was closed, yet we got to go in and I got a couple more ear piercings!

We headed back to Jerusalem Saturday evening. Sunday and Monday were general studies days. Tuesday afternoon we heard from a Palestinian who told us his opinions about Israel and the conflict. Then we toured the Supreme Court and the Knesset (Israel's legislature). At the Knesset we watched part of a session and were lucky enough to hear Bibi Netanyahu (Prime Minister) speak!! Before we left we heard from a member of the Knesset, Aryeh Eldad..

Wednesday evening Jerusalem celebrated Yom Yerushalayim, which commemorates the reunification of Jerusalem and Israel control of the Old City in 1967 for the first time since the War of Independence. I could have gone to the Kotel that evening, but I went to Ben Yehuda instead. I am glad I decided not to go to the Kotel because I heard it was totally chaotic.

On Thursday rather than go on an ICC tiyul, we went to Tables to Tables, which is an organization that collects produce to give to those in need. We picked a lot of onions! In the afternoon we did a walk for Shutaf, which is a camp and afterschool program for kids with special needs as well as those without. TRY has been raising money for Shutaf for several weeks. We had a little party at the end of the walk to celebrate the money earned. Thursday evening we had a bbq for alumni of TRY and learned about what the alumni are now doing in Israel.

This Shabbat I am once again in Modi'in with Bri! We walked around Modi'in a bit this afternoon then went out to Bri's favorite restaurant called Zula's. It was delicious! Tomorrow we are going to make sushi then go shopping in Herzliya along the marina. I love our host Sheli! She has really become my second mom here and is an amazing person. I also have a lot of studying to do as next week is finals and I have the AP Lit exam on Friday. I will be sooooo glad when this next week is over!

That is it for now! It is hard for me to recollect all what goes on over the weeks! I'll be sure to write again once my finals and AP exam are over! Then I can finally breathe!
Lots of love!
חנה

Approaching Modern Time in Israel

Shalom Chaverim!

I just had another busy week! In ICC we are gradually approaching modern Israel history, which I find really interesting! This week we did a cultures project in which there were seven groups that had varied themes and went to different parts of Jerusalem to interview different individuals. My group visited Mea Shearim, an ultra-orthodox Haredim neighborhood. Our theme regarded serving in the Israel Defense Force. The issue of Ultra-Orthodox Jews deferring from army service is a major concern among Israeli citizens. I then created a newspaper article pertaining to this subject. Here's what I wrote:

How do the Haredim Serve the Country?
Is military duty the only way to serve Israel, or does learning Torah contribute to protecting the state as well?
This issue of whether or not Haredi men and women should serve in the Israel Defense Force has been a major issue since 1948 when Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion granted 400 Haredim deferral from military service in order to study in yeshivah full time. According to Hiddush, the total number of Haredi men who request deferrals for the sake of devoting themselves to Torah education is about 55,000(2009).
In a recent visit to Mea She'arim, I interviewed several Haredi men and women about their feelings towards serving in the army. Mea She'arim, established in 1847, is inhabited by Haredim Jews who follow strict interpretations of Jewish law, and continues to retain the flavor of an Eastern European shtetl. During my interviews I asked the Haredim if they felt they should serve in the army like all other Israeli citizens, and if not how do they feel they serve the country. Tami, a Haredi teen said she would never go into the army, and that girls in general should not serve. "I contribute by doing mitzvoth, having good morals, and studying torah." Rachel and Michal similarly felt by learning Torah they do not need to serve the country. "There are enough secular people to go to the army, it's unnecessary for Haredim to go." Both girls also felt Hashem protects Israel, not the army. All three men interviewed agreed that by learning they are helping the Jews. Jacob* said, "The army is not the place for religious Jews, and Rabbis are against it." He further stated that God saves us and keeps us alive.
While the Haredim feel they are fulfilling their duty as citizens in Israel, many people, including myself, feel their reasons are unacceptable. Such attitudes give the Haredim a bad image to the rest of the Jewish Israeli population, who serve in the IDF because it is the law and their duty. Furthermore, a large majority of the Haredim do not believe in the Israeli state, yet they receive government funding in order to study Torah all day with no income, while continuing to have many children to feed. The Tal Law, which was meant to change enlistment requirements for ultra Orthodox Jews in 2005, has proven to be a failure. So what is the answer? Do we continue to let citizens of this nation defer from the army to learn the ancient texts, while we send the rest of our youth into battle? I and the rest of the population would like to know the answer.

On Thursday we travelled to Tel Aviv and visited Independence Hall where David Ben Gurion proclaimed the existence of the modern state of Israel on May 14, 1948. In addition, we toured the Palmach Museum, a very interesting museum with multi-media presentations and learned about the state's early defenders who were instrumental in aiding ships that were trying to help Jewish refugees reach the shores of Eretz Israel after WWII and who were also essential in providing aid via convoys to Jerusalem when it was under seige in 1948.

This past Shabbat I spent a wonderful few days with my friend Bri at Sheli's home. We attempted to make dried fruit and treated ourselves to a visit to a spa (my first time to do so).

Upon returning to the Chava, most of the group attended a bonfire for Lag B Omer. I continued my studies. AP US History exam is approaching rapidly (6 days). I'll be so relieved when AP exams are over! Sadly, that won't be until May 21st.

See you in less than a month!
Love,
Hannah

Sad and Happy All in a Week!

Shalom Chaverim!

I ended my last post mentioning Yom Hazikaron and Yom Ha'Atzmaut. Last Sunday (April 18th) was Erev Yom Hazikaron. For those of you who do not know, Yom Hazikaron is the national memorial day for fallen soldiers and for those who were killed in terrorist attacks. As a member of the Vad (committee) I helped plan the TRY ceremony. We all sat together and read several stories of fallen soldiers and meaningful poems. Afterwards we watched the video made by Philadelphia Jewish community in memory of Michael Levin, a lone soldier who had made aliyah to Israel, who was killed during the Second Lebanon War. While the movie was very hard to watch, I strongly recommend everyone seeing it. On Monday we went to the Chava ceremony which was dedicated to past students and staff who were killed in war or by acts of terrorism. Even though I could not understand what they were saying, seeing everyone on the campus gathered together silent and all dressed in white really made me realize the significance of this day and how nearly everyone in Israel has a family member or close friend who has been killed fighting in war or while on duty. Later in the day we went to the Underground Museum in the Russian compound in downtown Jerusalem. While originally built by the Russians, the British turned the compound into a prison for the Jewish underground fighters (also Arabs) during British control. There is a lot more interesting information about the prison which I would also like to study!

Right after Yom Hazikaron, which is basically the saddest day of the year in Israel, Yom Ha'Atmaut (Independence Day) begins. We went as a group to a transition service, which began sad and ended as a celebration. After the service, we walked to Ben Yehuda Street where the party had already begun! On the way everyone was singing and cars were honking. The atmosphere was completely different than the previous day. Ben Yehuda was a lot of fun, and I have some funny memories from that night. On Tuesday we went to a beach in Tel Aviv and had a BBQ, which every Israeli does on this day! The beach was very crowded and everyone was grilling. I don't normally like to hang out at the beach, but I had a good time collecting sea shells and getting an uncomfortable sunburn. I really encourage everyone to try and experience Yom Hazikaron and Yom Ha'Atzmaut in Israel.

On Wednesday we had a normal day of classes, but then left at 1:30 A.M. for a night tiyul in the Negev near Sde Boker, which is where David Ben Gurion is buried and also where we had gone for Gadna. Although completely exhausting, it was a nice experience. I have never seen a clearer sky filled with so many stars. The purpose of this tiyul was to imagine going from darkness to light, as we and the rest of Israel had done the past few days. We walked for a couple hours and did Shacharit during sunrise. The rest of Thursday was a sorely needed rest day.

This past Shabbat I went with my friend Adiel to her great aunt's in Herzliya. We had a delicious Shabbat dinner with a bunch of her family. Saturday afternoon we went to the Tel Aviv boardwalk and walked around. After a nice lunch and ice cream in Raanana, we went to Kibbutz Shefayim for Havdalah. This kibbutz is highly commercialized and has a nice hotel and water park. At the kibbutz there was training for Israelis who are going to be counselors this summer at Jewish camps.
Sunday morning we left early to catch the Tel Aviv bus back to Jerusalem. This week I am really trying to focus on academics, especially AP classes! I am looking forward to next Shabbat as I am supposed to go to a spa with Bri!

Talk soon! Shavua Tov!

xoxo
Hannah

Time Continues to Fly By!

Shalom, friends!

Well, another week has somehow already passed! This past week has not been the happiest of weeks as it began with Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day) and continued with intensive learning about the Holocaust. I was on the Yom Hashoah Vad (committee), and we organized a ceremony Sunday evening that followed the whole campus' ceremony. While it was neat to be with all the kids, the ceremony was all in Hebrew so I didn't get much out of it. During the "TRY" ceremony several kids told stories of their grandparents and other relatives who were in the Holocaust. On Monday we walked to a busy intersection to experience the siren that lasts for two minutes during which time everyone stops and gets out of their cars to commemorate the Holocaust. It was really powerful to see the whole country pause from their busy lives. On Tuesday we had a Holocaust seminar with our ICC class and watched a very disturbing documentary. On Thursday we spent the entire day at Yad Vashem. First we met with a Holocaust survivor, then went through the museum. I have been to Yad Vashem before, but had never heard from a survivor before. To say the least it was an emotional week, but I learned a lot more about the Holocaust and recognize even more how important it is to remember the Holocaust and "Never Forget".

This past Shabbat I was supposed to go to my Dad's friend Zvi's house, but I ended up getting sick and had to stay on the chava. I never get sick at home, but I have been sick several times already here. So many kids are sick all the time here and the dorms aren't the cleanest places in the world.

This upcoming week is filled with Yom Hazikaron (memorial day for fallen soldiers and those who died in terrorist attacks) and Yom Ha'Atzmaut (Israel Independence Day). I will say more about these two days next week!

Have a great week!

Shalom,
Hannah