Bye Bye Otzma! Hello rest of life!

Our last few weeks of OTZMA we had a lot of final ceremonies, a final tiyul, and a lot of activities to wrap up the year. It’s hard to wrap up an experience like OTZMA, an experience that has had such a tremendous impact on my life and everyone around me, but in the end I think these past few weeks have really given me a chance to sum up my journey on OTZMA and look forward to what will come next.

         Our final journey started with a final ceremony in Jerusalem to formally sum up the year, where people from the partnerships came and each city talked about their experiences on OTZMA. I may have had a song here or there, and it was a really great opportunity to hear about everyone’s different experiences throughout the program. Then we finished our internships and I had a final party there to sum everything I was doing, but they couldn’t keep me away for to long because I had to come back again later to celebrate a birthday and say another goodbye. After that we embarked on our final tiyul, where as an OTZMA group, we spent a few remaining days together, sharing our final thoughts, analyzing the year, and getting some quality bonding time before we are no longer just an egged bus ride away from each other. We had some fun hikes and swims in the north, getting some last opportunities to work as team, bond, and enjoy the beautiful natural land and sea of Israel.

At night and over the Shabbat, we had activities and discussions to prepare ourselves to go back to the “real world” and to try and figure out what we will take from this year on OTZMA. I came to the realization that what was so amazing about this year and especially the last 6 months was that I was able to put together 2 different “me’s”- regular world me and “camp-world” me. Being in Israel and being a part of the OTZMA community, as well as being in the Beit Shean community and at my internship with YJ has given me the opportunity to really be everything I now know I can be. I never thought that songs from camp, coloring everything orange and blue, and basically just living my life with spirit and fun could fly in the real world and be considered appropriate, but clearly I was wrong. This year I have been immersed in communities that appreciated me for these very reasons, for ability to not be constrained by what most of the world deems normal behavior and to just have fun with everything- whether it’s a new English lesson or the endless process of a payoneer card.  If there is one thing I have learned from my year on OTZMA about myself, it’s that I can be the goofy girl from camp in the real world, and I don’t have change or out-grow any of the things I love to do. This year has given me a lot to think about and after everything; I realize I’m not willing to settle. I want to be a part of a community where I can be 100% myself and not have to fake my way, doing what’s normal and expected. I’m not going to settle for an ok job, or halfsies relationships, or be a part of a community where I don’t feel comfortable being the person I want to be. The possibilities are out there for everyone to be extraordinary, everyone just has to find their niche, and I have found mine. Now that I have- I won’t settle for anything less amazing.

Our final tiyul ended with our final final final ceremony over-looking the Tayelet where different people gave their blessings to the group and we said our goodbyes. It was sad to say goodbye to everyone but kind of remarkable to see how people have grown over the past year and see what a family of Otzmankim we have become. That night most of the people flew back to the states, while a few stayed in Israel for various reasons, I stayed an extra week to wrap up my loose ends, say goodbye to some people in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, take one last trip up to Beit Shean and end back at my internship and say my final goodbyes there. It was great for me on a personal level to be able to go back the visit the communities I was working with and friends I had made along the way, but weird to do so without my fellow Otzmanikim. People that are back in the States have been saying that OTZMA seems like a dream, and that they are back home where they left off and it’s hard to imagine the whole year has happened, but I don’t want that to be the case. I want to be able to take everything I have learned and experienced this year and use it in my future endeavors. As I sit her in the Ben Gurion Airport, watching the really cool water fountain that a county with major water issues chooses to display, I can’t help but think a- Israel stop wasting so much water and b- there is no way I can go back to the States and forget this year happened. This year has been not only rewarding for me on a personal level, but I have made so many friendships that I can’t imagine losing, I have so many more people now to skype with and come back and visit in Israel. My connection to Israel and my Jewish identity is based now on so much more than the holidays and rituals, it’s based on the people I have met and the experiences I have had with those people. Whether it’s my fellow Otzmanikim or everyone I have become close with in my volunteering and internship, I can’t wait to continue all the friendships I have started. The ending of OTZMA, is not really ending, it’s the beginning of a new chapter. What will come next- we will see. 

Jerusalem roomies getting ready for a hike!

OTZMA 25 and all our personalities =)

Our last 0's up!!

Celebrating at our final tiyul!

Jerusalem If I forget you...

Jerusalem if I forget you…

So leaving Beit Shean I was really upset, sad about what I was leaving behind, and wasn’t sure how Jerusalem was going to compare. I’m not sure what expectations I had coming into living in Jerusalem, bur I can say that I am blown away by how amazing my experience has been. It has been a completely different experience from Beit Shean, but once again I’m super sad to leave. There are so many things that make Jerusalem special, and that have made my time here special.

Jerusalem- the holy city.

I love the city of Jerusalem itself. There is something so unique and special about this city, that everyone is drawn to live here. Jerusalem is arguably the most important city in the world, and the center of several world religious as well as entire nations. You can feel the importance in the air, and it’s amazing to people-watch every day and see the diversity of everyone here. From religious Jews to secular Jews, from religious Arabs, to secular Arabs, to religious Christians, to secular Christians, to tourists, to natives, to everything in between. Riding the bus from Har Hotzofim into town (what I do every day) I literally see almost everyone from that list everyday. Also the landscape in Jerusalem is beautiful. While the hills are annoying to climb, and sometimes are confusing when you are lost, they are also make the city’s landscape interesting and unique. Every street looks different, and walking around is like a little adventure every day. The city has a mix of the new and the old, all throughout blending ancient days with modern society. The views in the old city never get old, and the new bridge, the train that I’m convinced will never actually run, and the new mamilla shopping center all create an awesome new atmosphere. I love just walking around Jerusalem and taking of advantage of the time I have here to explore this amazing city.

My Internship- Woo Young Judaea!!

My internship with YJ has been top notch! I have had a wonderful experience interning with all the short-term programs staff here in the Israel office. I have learned a lot about young Judea, Israel programs in general, and random office stuff. I have been able to contribute a lot to the office also, which has been really rewarding.  Today was my last day, and a I had a very nice goodbye, where everyone in the office said some really nice things to me about my time working there. Everyone thanked me for my warm personality, willingness to always help, and ability to get a lot done.  One one hand it was so wonderful to hear all these things, on another hand it makes it hard to leave, when everyone is being so awesome. OTZMA is an incredible program, but it has this tendency to yank me out of places just as I get completely in the zone.

Like in Beit Shean, I’m not exactly sure what it is that I’m doing so well, but apparently I have done a really great job. This point is getting to be repetitive, but really this year has been such a “year on” for me. I have also really enjoyed working with all the people in the office they are great group of people, who have been so welcoming, friendly, and fun to work with. Overall I am so happy to have had this opportunity, I was able to see how a Youth movement works from the inside, and got to meet some really amazing people.

My Awesome OTZMA Roommates

5 girls in one apartment seems like it would be one big drama-filled disaster, but the 5 five of us living together has been the complete opposite, Jen, Tracy, Lauren, Erin, and I have all clicked so well together and really created a little family in our apartment. There has been no drama and no problems, and every day we sit down and talk about our days. I have gotten to know everyone so much better, and I am so glad that I got the opportunity, because everyone in our apartment is fantastic each in their own ways. Having such a smooth running, happy, friendly apartment has made my experience in Jerusalem that much more enjoyable and fun. I know I will keep in touch with all these girls when I go back to the states, and I am so happy to see the bond we all have formed with each other.

Overall my experience in Jerusalem has been unforgettable, between the city itself, my awesome internship, and living with some of the coolest girls around, I really am starting to connect to Matisyahu’s “Jerusalem if I forget you, let my right hand forget what’ it’s supposed to do…” I have loved my time in Jerusalem and I can’t wait to come back! Next year in Jerusalem!

My awesome roomies! <3 

Amazing YJ staff!! <3

My "don't go" cake-- so cute but kinda sad =(

my view every morning walking to the bus...nbd

                                                                    the old city

Living the Life in the City!

Welcome to Jerusalem, where people speak English, the buses are super confusing, and streets are always super busy and filled with people. I guess I am not in Beit Shean anymore! My first week in Jerusalem I was more confused than anything trying to learn my way around the city and get used to living in a place that holds more than 18,000 people. I was super-intimated by all the Haredi people on the bus, afraid I would accidentally fall and hit one of them, and didn’t want to get lost and end up in a wrong neighborhood, either Arab or super-religious, but now after almost a month of living here, I think life is getting easier. I have had so much fun in Jerusalem (and sometimes Tel Aviv) because there is always fun stuff going on and I like being with lots of other otzmanikim, and other Americans and people my age. Beit Shean was wonderful, but I did miss going out and being with people my age. We have had a few extra-fun events within our Otzma family or Israel in general over the last month.

• Our first weekend in Jerusalem
• Yom Zicharon and Yom Hatzmaut
• Mayumana and Kohav Nolad
• Birthday/Going away party extravaganza

Our first weekend in Jerusalem was really nice, and a good opportunity to get acquainted to Jerusalem. On Thursday night we all went to town to experience some J-lem nightlife and ended up finding this great bar we all like that is an abandoned toy factory. On Friday for Shabbat, Erin, Alex, and I went to a woman’s house he knew who was a holocaust survivor. She was super nice and her apartment was really cool filled with lots books, and interesting things she acquired. Her kitchen door also had little notes from her husband that he wrote her everyday to tell her how much he loved her. It was also really nice to have some yummy Ashkenazi Jewish food, after all the Sephardic food I had been eating. It was nice to be at a Shabbat dinner, where we ate Matzo ball soup and in spoke in English, discussing everything from Politics to family. On Saturday, we all did a bar-be-queue together in the kfar (the place we all live) outside on the grass. It was a really nice way to spend a Shabbat, everyone brought some food and we all shared and ate together, sitting outside for hours, eating, talking, and enjoying the weather.

Yom Zicharon and Yom Hatzmaut are Israel’s Memorial and Independence Day, which happen back to back. They take place on back-to-back days  because in order to have a state and independence there were many sacrifices that had to be made. Memorial Day in Israel is a somber day with lots of memorial services taking place throughout the country’. Everyone in Israel either knows someone that died in battle or has family or friends that know someone who died, so this holiday is very personal and affects the entire country. I went to a ceremony given by MASA, which highlighted several people with interesting stories who died in recent years. One story, which I have heard before, but always stands out to me, is Michael Levin. He made aliyah to Israel and joined one of the elite combat units by his own choice. He was visiting his family in the States, when the Lebanon war broke out, and when he heard the news he immediately flew back to Israel to help fight, again by his own choice. He died fighting that battle at 21 years old. The night was filled with other stories and comments from the fallen’s family friends. It was a very moving ceremony to set the mood for the day. During the day there is a siren that lasts 2 minutes, where everyone literally stops everything they are doing and stands to remember the fallen. People stop in the middle of busy streets, cars pull over on the road and people get out to stand, it’s really an amazing moment. There is another siren the week before for Holocaust Remembrance Day, where the same thing happens.

Upon sundown of Yom Zicharon the country switches from memorial mode to party mode really quickly. Yom Hatzmaut (Israel’s independence day) is like 4^th of July x 10 with crazy and bar-b-ques and parties all throughout the country. I was in Jerusalem for the night, and went down to the center to experience the street parties of Jerusalem. There were tons of people everyone, lots sporting blue and white and Israeli flags, live music, people spraying shaving cream/silly string and cheering down the streets. It was a really cool sight to see, so many people and everyone being so patriotic. The next day is a holiday from work and school, but it’s secular which means transportation runs and things are open! I went to the beach in Tel Aviv with some friends to spend the day relaxing and enjoying Israel’s 63 wonderful years! Happy Birthday Israel!!

Last week was a musically inclined weekend, with two fun events that I attended. The first was Mayumana, which is like the Israeli version of stomp. It was really cool to see and so were the performances leading up to it, as part of MASA’s final event. Then I went to live studios of Kohav Nolad (A Star is Born—The Israeli version of American Idol) to see the show for this week. It was really cool. The performances were pretty good and I got to see what it’s like to film those types of shows behind the scenes, with the stage manager coming out all the time to tell us when to cheer and be quiet. Also the promos were all live for the hours before the show and in between we had fun dance parties in the studio, while we were waiting for the show to start.

Then this weekend, we had a bunch of people come to Jerusalem to celebrate Lauren’s birthday and Eli leaving. We had a nice Shabbat dinner, like we used to in Ashkelon, where everyone made something and we all ate together. Then we had a big party to celebrate, which was really fun! It was just one of those great parties, without lots of drama, where everyone got a long and had fun. There may have been a song I wrote that Tracy and I sang for Lauren and Eli, and altogether, it was a really great night. Then we bar-bequed again on Saturday and spent the day relaxing and hanging out with everyone who came to visit.

     My day-to-day life in Jerusalem has been really great also. I love my internship with Young Judaea! I really like the people I work with in the office, and I think the organization is really great and I would love to possibly work with them in the future! I also seem to be doing pretty well in the office, after I had a nice meeting with the director and am always receiving lots of positive feedback. It’s kind of like Beit Shean, where I am just in my element. This whole year, I really haven’t done anything crazy out of the ordinary, but I have been flying with success and it all has been so natural. Whether it singing songs with 4^th graders or talking to birthright people about a YJ program at the bars, everything I have been doing is just my natural personality coming to life. It’s such a great feeling to know that just because I’m being me I am being successful.

     Overall my life in Jerusalem has been really fun and interesting. It has certainly been more hectic than Beit Shean, but now that I know at least the basic buses I need and generally how to get around, it’s not quite as confusing. I have had a lot of fun and have continued to be successful in my volunteering. Yeah, my life is great! =)

memorial day ceremony

Israeli independence day!!

                                              MASA final event!

                                                          Mayunama!!

kohav nolad contestants

kohav nolad judges

the whole gang at kohav nolad!

partying in jerusalem with otzma friends! t-mac!=) 

Throwing out the NY for lauren's bday! go yankees!!

Passover vacay

Passover in Israel is a time to clean, clean, and just when you think you’ve cleaned as much as humanly possible you clean some more. It’s also a time to buy lots of new stuff, particularly stuff for the house, whether that is some new bedding, a stovetop, or a whole new kitchen and living room. It was really funny to see how crazy people get around Passover both in terms of cleaning and buying all kinds of new stuff. On the eve before Passover, I got to experience a “Hametz hunt”. The main reason for the extensive cleaning process is to get rid of any possible residue of hametz (anything that is forbidden to eat on Passover like bread, cookies, etc). So the night before the holiday, once it gets dark all the families (at least in Beit shean) took out their flashlights, shut the lights in the house and went around looking for any traced of hametz. It was so cute and the kids were so excited, it was like a treasure hunt or something, like they had mission to make 100% sure there was not a crumb in the house.

         For the actual seder, I went with my host family to a moshav near Jerusalem where Ilana’s whole side of the family got together to celebrate (over 60 Sephardic Jews). It was interesting to say the least. The seder itself was very long and they spoke really quickly, so it was a bid hard to follow, plus there were about 10 children under the age of 3 that were getting very ancy and I was trying to calm at least the ones from my host family down throughout the 3ish hours I believe the seder was. One of the highlights of the seder was Nissim and another guy (they were leading the seder) decided to put on a costume and pretend to be Egyptians and yelled at everyone else like we were slaves. Passover is supposed to be more meaningful if you actually feel as if you are leaving from Egypt, so maybe they were trying to evoke that or maybe they were just trying to be funny. Whatever the case, it was really entertaining and my favorite part of the seder. The foods were different from a typical Ashkenazi seder too. For example this is definitely the first seder in which rice was served. Sephardic Jews eat rice and other grains, unlike the Ashkenazim. Although, they do use different spices, which makes the food all, taste a little weird. Also the charoset was like a paste, which was a little weird but pretty good. I still missed the charoset I’m used to though; I think I will have to make it for fun one night to get my yearly fix. Anyway the moshav we stayed at was in the middle of the woods and we all stayed in log cabins. The next day it was hag (like Shabbat), which means that you can’t drive, use electronics, etc. So the whole family hung out together, kind of like on Shabbat, barbequed and enjoyed the wilderness. It was very pleasant, the place was beautiful, and it was a great opportunity for me to hang out with my host family and to use all the Hebrew skills I gained from my time and Beit Shean.

         After the Seder, I went to visit Moriah for a few days, where I saw a bit of the center of the country, without being in Jerusalem or Tel Aviv. It was a really nice city, not to big, not to small, and her family was awesome. Her parents are American, so they speak English in the house, but the kids have so many Hebrew expressions that can’t really be translated, so they end up talking hebglish, which is very entertaining. Even I have started to mix together the two languages to come up with a unique mixture of things I like to say from both. While I was with Moriah, we went to the mall and saw a really cute balloon display for Passover, which showed the whole story, from all the plagues, to pharaoh, to Moses parting the sea. My time with Moriah and her family was really fun! They were so welcoming, warm, but unlike the people of Beit Shean they were very American so it was easy to relate to them.

         Then Arielle and I went on our adventure to Greece. We went to Athens, saw the Acropolis and all the other historical sites and then we had 2 more days. Athens was cool, but you don’t need more than a day there, especially not on Easter Sunday and good Friday when nothing is open anyways. The acropolis was really neat though and I got the best jumping picture ever in front of. I’m pretty sure Athens should use it for an ad. Then we ferried to Santorini where Arielle and I played endless games of Yaniv. We arrived to Santorini and Stavros (the hostel owner) was there waiting for us to take us to our hostel. He was the best! He was so kind and went above and beyond to help us with anything we needed on the Island. Santorini itself was so beautiful, it was amazing to look outside and basically see a postcard. We saw the sunset in Oia (my favorite part of the trip), went to the volcano, red rock beach, black beach, and all over the whole Island. We rented an ATV so we could go and explore the island how we wanted and it was so much fun! Plus the ATV was orange and blue!! (Along with our hostel room, and so many things throughout Santorini- it’s a gator-loving place =)) The only problem was that it was quite cold, and not beachy whether like we had planned. The vacation was still really fun though, especially Santorini- I recommend going there; it’s a wonderful place for a vacay (or holiday as the rest of the world calls is).

         Then we came back to Tel Aviv to go to the beach and embrace the warm weather and the Hebrew we missed so much. It actually did feel very comforting to start hearing Hebrew in the Cyprus airport, and then to come back to Israel, which has been our home for the past 7 months. We have created a life here, something special; something I think will connect us all to Israel, and make us come back as often as we can to visit. In Tel Aviv I met with Dana and tried to explain how wonderful Beit Shean was, but I still don’t think I convinced her. In a Tel Aviv state of mind, Beit Shean seems so far from reality, that it’s hard to see how wonderful it can be. It’s definitely a developing town, people have true points, but I still think until people go there and spend a significant amount of time with the people, you can’t judge, because there is something special in Beit Shean that I haven’t seen anywhere else. From Tel Aviv I spent one more night with Moriah and then I was off to Jerusalem for the last part of my program! 

passover cleaning!!

moses parting the sea

passover bread

acropolis

fun in athens

olympic stadium

orange and blue atv!

volcano

santorini!! <3

sunset in oia! 

Shalom Beit Shean

After my last week volunteering in Beit Shean, I don’t even know where to begin to try and summarize my experience living and volunteering in this wonderful city. These past 3 months have made such a tremendous impact on my life and I have loved every second. I came to Israel on the OTZMA program to try and figure out what I want to do with my life, to find a direction, something I know will enjoy doing and something I will be passionate about. I knew I liked working with kids and the idea of teaching had definitely crossed my mind, but I never had any formal classroom experience and I wasn’t completely sure that was a track I wanted to pursue. Volunteering in the schools here has been amazing! I have loved getting to know all the classes, teaching them songs from camp, and helping in other aspects of the English classes. I was able, especially with one of my fourth grade classes, to really connect with the kids in the class and get them to love English by singing. Through my time here I decided that there is no way I should not be working with kids and I actually felt extremely comfortable in a classroom setting, but I want something more. I want to teach, but I also want to be involved with informal Jewish education through summer camps, youth leadership programs, etc. All of these things I had thought about before as options, but until Beit Shean I didn’t see how easy, fun, rewarding, and natural it really is to pursue this.

         This past week I have felt more appreciated than I ever have before. I have said before that the people in Beit Shean are wonderful and appreciative and just all around amazing, but this week was extra special. I had 2 goodbye parties at both of my schools and then a final goodbye party from the partnership. At each of these parties I received all kinds of gifts and tokens of appreciation from all the kids, Liat (my teacher), the school, my host family, the partnership, the city, and more. From my pillow with the whole 4^th grade class to the hand drawn cards of all the kids, to cakes and flowers and soaps of the like, pictures and memory books, certificates and more. It was so unbelievably touching and I will treasure each and every thing as a memory of my time here in Beit Shean. Beyond all the stuff though, was were the real magic lies. The things that people said, the way everyone has been acting is really hard to describe in words. There is a mutual feeling of admiration that I have felt over the past few weeks with everyone I volunteered with and within the partnership. It’s funny too because all I have been doing is just being myself and sharing what I already know. Whether it’s singing the moose song in class or staying up late to make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for the class, everything has been so easy and fun for me to do. There are a few relationships I want to highlight with people I have really connected with.

         Gaya: I have a bunch of students that are my secret favorites for various reasons, but Gaya is extra special. Her English is amazing, and I am still amazed to this day about how she learned her English and how smart she is in general. I started visiting her outside of school because she wanted me to come and speak English with her since there is such a lack in Beit Shean, but now we have bonded together a lot and our relationship is built on much more than talking English. She is like a little sister to me, and her family has become like a 2^nd host family. She is so wonderful, so full of energy, so enthusiastic about English, my songs, and just spending time with me in general. She is absolutely adorable and hard not to instantly fall in love with! I will definitely miss her and her craziness when I leave.

         Tomer 4^th grade: Gaya is the 4^th grade at Tomer school, and she and I have bonded, but I have formed a special bond with not only her, but her whole class as well. The 4th graders at Tomer have become my #1 fans and have completely fallen in love with my songs. They are each amazing in their own way and I will for sure miss walking into a room and having every person in it be genuinely excited I am there. They are my song buddies, my little friends, and I will miss the whole class.

         Liat: I could not have asked for a better teacher to work with than Liat. The only reason I even started teaching the kids the songs was because Liat asked me for songs from America. She already had a base of songs that she used to teach the kids, and I think they are so cute and it’s such a great idea. Anyway I was so happy to be able to contribute in a really unique way from the other otzmanikim around the country and I owe it all to Liat! =) She also was a big part of my goodbye party from Tomer which was so amazing and I loved the pillow and picture book she made with the kids! I also really enjoyed getting to know her on a personal level. We had a lot of fun as she made fun of me for my obsession with baseball, orange and blue, falling all the time, and all my other ridiculous tendencies. I also loved getting to meet her family, especially her son who is absolutely adorable! I will miss Liat inside and outside of the classroom, but I am so glad I got the chance to work with her!

         My host family: My host family has been so welcoming and caring, and really just simply wonderful. I have really become like part of the family, playing with all the little babies, hanging out on Shabbat, eating lots of food, and constantly being entertained by Nissim’s craziness and sense of humor. They made me a wonderful book of photos that showed my journey through Beit Shean, and it is really something. My Hebrew has improved so much hanging out with them and speaking back and forth in Hebrew. Really I owe all my skills in Hebrew to them and Nissim’s agreement with me in the beginning that he speaks in English and I speak in Hebrew.

         Lindsay and Alex: Even though I think I drove them crazy sometimes with all my songs and such, I really had a great time living with them. Lindsay was like my partner crime, as we had a lot of our volunteering together and we spent a lot of time together. She was my girl-talk buddy and I am so happy I got to know her better during the whole part 2. Alex has become like my brother—literally he sometimes acts like my brother from home. Whether he is helping me not kill the computer or saying something that prompts me hitting him with a towel, he has acted just like my brother would. I am glad I got the opportunity to really spend some quality time with both of them, and I think we are so lucky to live in such a wonderful, warm community, where together we were able to make an impact on the city and have the most amazing experience ever.

         Moriah: Moriah our amazing soldier friend that we worked with in the chug has been so amazing. She is so much fun and one of the only people our age that we really hung out with in Beit Shean. She always wanted Alex, Lindsay, and I to work on our Hebrew, but I think she was pretty happy with mine =). She definitely helped me in chug though, as my Hebrew is far from perfect. I had so much fun working with her on the chug, and dealing with all the crazy kids. I’m so glad I got the chance to know her and form an awesome friendship that will carry one beyond our time in Beit Shean! I will definitely miss her soo much, but I know I’ll keep in touch with her after I leave!

         Chen. I really don’t think words can do Chen justice. Chen has been a beyond amazing coordinator, and I can’t imagine how Beit Shean would have been for me if it were not for her. Everyday when I see her she brightens my day and although we make fun of her for talking on two cell phones at once, and always running around doing 5 million things, she has done so much for us and I cannot thank her enough. She is the whole basis for my experience in Beit Shean being so amazing and I love her so much! She was one of the people that really helped me to focus on education as a career track and I think that my admiration for her works both ways, as she always seems to have this confidence in me that I will be amazing. I also loved getting to know her family, she has 3 crazy adorable little kids and one more coming =) I love Chen more than words can say and keeping in touch is a given!

         All of these people and many more have left such an impact within me and have enabled me to leave an impact in Beit Shean. I really have become a part of the community here and it truly is like a 2^nd home. I have been so touched by everyone in the city and it is so bittersweet to leave. It’s so sweet because I look at all that I have accomplished in only 3 months and all the people who have appreciated my time here, my songs, and my contribution to the city, and I am so grateful to have had this opportunity, It’s bitter because my time here has flown by so fast and it’s so sad to leave it all behind. I will miss so much about Beit Shean, but I am excited to keep in touch with all the friendships I have made and to come back visit my home in Israel. I have traveled all around Israel at this point and have seen a lot of the beautiful and amazing country, but by far the place I am most connected to is right here in the Valley of the springs! Shalom Beit Shean, or more appropriate, Lehit Reot (see you later).

my host family! =)

me and gaya! 

one of my peanut butter and jelly sandwiches I made =)

Liat and I! =)

Chen! <3 

the whole gang at one of our final dinners...

surprise party at bicora! 

all my stuff from tomer and bicora! 

6th grade at tomer =)

pillow from Liat and the 4th grade

my beautiful book from Liat and the 4th grade!

goodbye party from the partnership..so sad to leave!

 * I have lots of cute pictures of the kids and I at school from the goodbye parties but I can't put them on blogs or facebook because of school safety laws, but if you want to see more let me know =)

Gallil Minnorities Tiyul

Last week we finally had our first Otzma seminar in north! We traveled to the Galil to learn about the populations who live within the region, which are not typically focused on during a trip to Israel. We started our trip by meeting with someone from Shorasim, a small Jewish village in the Galilee of about 80 families. She gave us a general overview of the region and the consequences of living within very different populations. Not only are there both Arabs and Jews living in the region, but each people has different variations that make them distinctly separate and live life very differently. For example, within the Arab population you have Muslims, Christians, Bedouins, and then Druze (who really don’t consider themselves to be Arabs).

         We then went to Sachnin, a large Arab city, to meet Arab university students who were studying to be English teachers.  We discussed all kinds of topics with them from the political situation in Israel to how annoying the stray cats can be everywhere. Of the girls I spoke to, they all liked living in Israel and felt it was their home. They expressed a strong connection to the land and their families who were rooted here, and that Israel itself was where they belonged. However none of them felt connected to the Israeli community and they didn’t feel like the government was supporting them. None of them had any Jewish friends and one girl said she was afraid of Jewish people (which was interesting because she didn’t seem to be afraid of me). I think the fear is of Jewish Israelis, not really Jewish people, because as American Jews do not appear as threatening. Most of them did not like the government or the fact that it was a Jewish state; they wonted some sort of combined state for Arabs and Jews. They did not want a second state, and if one was created, they emphasized they would not leave to go to it. One of the most interesting things I heard though was in a response to a question I asked. I asked one of the girls if given the situation, if she thought that anything could be done by Jews or otherwise to make the her feel like a part of the community and integrate into society. She told me no, that nothing could be done to make her want to be included in a general Israeli community, because it is all rooted in her and her friends’ families. They grew up being told to live separate lives and were raised to stay in separate communities from the Jewish people. The whole experience was very interesting and something most Israeli Jews never even get a chance to do.

         We then hiked to the Peki’in village, where we experienced Druze hospitality. We ate authentic Druzian food and spoke with a Druze man. The Druze people are a people that are very loyal to the country of which they reside. Having said that, all the Druze people living within original 1938 borders are very loyal to and supportive of the state of Israel. They are so loyal that they demanded to have the obligation to serve in the army like any Jew. The non-religious Druze men are the only Arab people who have an obligation to serve in the IDF. The Druze people loved Israel and unlike the Arab university students, they felt very much a part of the Israeli community.

The next morning we went on a walking tour of Akko and then went to the Western Galilee college in order to speak with both Israeli and Arab students who study together. The dean spoke to us and explained that the mission of the college was to give everyone an opportunity to study without the restrictions of Jewish or Arab. The students are encouraged to leave the politics and their differences at home and work together to achieve all their individual goals. The Arab Israeli citizens here were a more positive about their relations with Jewish Israelis. We spoke with several different students again covering a wide range of issues, but mostly what I took from  this visit was that in some places at least, if both populations work together they can coexistence and live peacefully together in a community, 

Hag Purim!

Purim in Israel is one big party. It is a much bigger deal here in Israel than in the United States, but it is not a religious holiday. Most Jewish holidays are filled with rules and regulations associated with religion, but Purim is a secular holiday centered around 4 mitzvot. The first is to read the megillah and make lots of noise (especially when the name Haman comes up). The 2^nd is to send gifts of food (mishloach manot) to your friends (its Jewish holiday- of course there is food involved). The 3^rd is to give to the poor. Last but not least is to eat a festive Purim meal and (if of age) to drink until you can’t remember. In addition to these mitzvots, the holiday is like one big costume party and carnival in one. People gather together and have carnivals or parties where everyone dresses up in costumes.

         These are the basics of the holiday, but Israel makes it even bigger, especially with the kids in the schools. First I should mention that although Purim itself is only a day, and in reality it’s a week, the whole month of Adar is called Chodesh Tov, which means good month. The whole month is celebrated throughout Israel as the happy month with events leading up to Purim.

         So what are the signs that Purim is approaching, happening, or recently happened in Beit Shean? The answer: fireworks being shot all day and night, tons and tons of makeup on all the kids, people wearing costumes, pajamas or anything they wouldn’t normally wear, kids not really doing any schoolwork, people giving out mishloach manot, and last but not least everyone’s attitude is just a little bit happier and goofy.

All of these are things we all have seen this past month/week, or are even still currently seeing here in Beit Shean.

         The fireworks. I don’t know how common this is among Israel in general, since in Jerusalem for BFL I didn’t hear a single one, but here in Beit Shean people shoot them off all day and night. All month long we have had a soundtrack to our lives from these firecrackers going off. On skype it sounds like a bomb or gun is being shot outside, which always gives people a scare. But seriously people are still shooting them off now, even though Purim is technically over. They can be highly annoying especially when they are right next to the apartment, but I suppose I appreciate the fact that everyone wants to celebrate all month long.

         The makeup. Lunchtime has now officially been replaced at many of our schools as makeup time. I‘m not talking about a bit of lip-gloss and mascara- I mean white faces, red cheeks, brightly colored eye shadow, and bright red lips. The girls are the ones putting on most of the makeup, although I have seen a few boys join in the party. All the kids though, boys and girls, and have done a less extreme version by having stuff painted on their faces at school, whether it’s a heart, flower, smiley face, or full on Spiderman. The kids may look a bit ridiculous at times, but it’s cute and they’re having fun, which is really all that matters.

         The costumes. Every school had a party where all the kids dressed up as the costume of their choice. This is normal and expected, what wasn’t so expected was the week leading up to Purim, where kids wore pajamas (for upside down day), kids wearing crazy hats, underwear on their heads, and other silly mini-costumes if you will to get the Purim spirit. It reminded me a lot of homecoming week from high school. Mamash Cef!

         School. Due to the costumes, the kids’ carefree attitude, the teachers going with the holiday spirit, the kids basically did not work for the week of Purim and the week preceding. It was like a big in school vacation for the kids.

Mishloach Manot. Being beloved members of the community and volunteers, we are a popular target for lots of mishloach manot. We received our fill of bamba, chips, chocolate, and other junk food. It was also fun to give out yummy treats to people that we liked around Beit Shean. In addition on Sunday, I am pretty sure every single family in town had a barbeque. The whole town smelled like hamburgers and hot dogs, and every family was sitting outside enjoying each other’s company and the beautiful sunshine.

         Lastly, the holiday spirit is very present in the Beit Shean community. With a holiday that to me feels like a combination of Hanukkah and Halloween in the US, it’s hard not to feel the joy and the air. The kids are crazier than normal, everyone is more relaxed and goofy, and because of this everyone is a bit nicer to each other. It was a very happy month, filled with lots of crazy fun and weird abnormalities- but I think that’s kind of the point of Purim to just celebrate and have fun. Finally a Jewish holiday that doesn’t have any guilt! =)

Purim-themed cooking Chug

Pin Haman on the tree.. haha

Costume Party at school!

Gaya (my brilliant star student) and I

                                                          Purim Dancing!

Purim parade in Beit Shean

Partying for purim! 

Purim play!