A Community Of Education - Teens | Community Foundation for Jewish Education of Metropolitan Chicago

Community Foundation for Jewish Education

Intro

Adult Education Network Seminar

CEIP

Day School Council

Early Childhood Education

Educator Placement

Hebrew Language

Informal Education

Israel Education

Principals’ Intensive

Principals’ Sharebank

School Opening Institute

Teens

Overview

Ta'am Yisrael:A Taste of Israel

Panim el Panim, "Face-to-Face”

Rosh Hodesh: It’s a Girl Thing!

Write On for Israel

TA'AM YISRAEL 2008 - WEB JOURNAL

Ta’am Yisrael 2009

Ta’am Yisrael 2010

TA'AM YISRAEL 2008 - WEB JOURNAL

February 17, 2008 – 11 Adar I, 5768 - FINAL POST

MiShoah LiTkumah.

From the ashes of the Holocaust to the establishment of the Jewish State.

This was the theme of our final day in Israel. In truth, after a week learning about the ancient and modern history and the challenges leading up to the creation of the state, it couldn’t have been anything else.

We spent our morning at Yad Vashem, Israel’s national Holocaust Memorial, by hearing from Asher Ud, a Holocaust survivor, who changed his name from Anshel Sharatzky. (The name Ud is symbolic, as the word “Ud” in Hebrew refers to the dark remnants remaining after a fire.)

Our Yad Vashem guide prepares participants to enter the children's memorial.

Asher spoke to us for about 35 minutes. He spoke of how he was too young to be selected to the work camps, but managed to get in representing his brother who was older when his brother was ill. He spoke of how as a young boy he was held at gunpoint by a Nazi officer. He spoke of riding in the train cars, and seeing Dr. Mengele deciding who from the line should go to the left and who to the right.

He also revealed that he hadn’t spoken of his experience in the Holocaust for fifty years after being liberated before deciding to speak out. He was motivated to finally tell his story when he saw the increasing number of people denying the Holocaust, and now speaks regularly to many groups of students and teachers. He has spoken to groups from the United States, Germany, and Japan, among others.

The most poignant moment of his presentation, however, came during the question and answer session. A student asked how it feels to be standing up on stage telling the story of a horrible experience to a group of students.

“I feel this is my victory,” Asher said. “It is my honor to do it.”

What can we as young American Jews do to help? someone else asked.

“I want you to be my ambassadors. When you come back, [speak out] so that the people will not forget the Shoah. Do not forget. If we don’t forget, it will not happen again.”

Participants place rocks upon the grave of Theodor Herzl, the father of modern Zionism.

From there, we went to the Holocaust History Museum, which opened in 2005, so even those who may have visited Yad Vashem before have much to see at the new exhibit.

The museum is laid out in a long, closed-in triangular structure that reflects the way the Jews in the Holocaust were caged in. Similar to the United States Holocaust Musuem in Washington D.C., the exhibit takes attendees through the multiple stages of the Holocaust, beginning in 1930s pre-war Germany and continuing through the different stages of the Holocaust itself. The exhibit is extensively detailed, utilizing pictures, texts, signs, videos, and artifacts.

Near the end is the Hall of Names, which lists the names of millions of victims—but which is still missing millions more. At its end, the new museum opens up its view to look out over the hills of Jerusalem, symbolizing the ultimate victory of the Jewish People over the Nazis.

At the Herzl Museum Ta'am Yisrael participants sit among the members of the first World Zionist Congress, which took place in 1896.

To end our visit at Yad Vashem, we walked through the children’s memorial, remembering the 1.5 million children who perished in the Holocaust.

After lunch, we then headed for Mount Herzl, Israel’s national cemetery, where heads of state, dignitaries, and soldiers who died during their military service are buried. Ta’am Yisrael participants were given a crash course in Israeli prime ministers, as they saw the graves of Yitzhak and Leah Rabin, Levi Eshkol, and Golda Meir. (David Ben-Gurion and Menachem Begin chose to buried elsewhere.)

Also featured at Har Herzl is the new Herzl museum, which takes attendees back in history, as it recreates the First Zionist Congress which Herzl convened in Basel, Switzerland, and explores the difficulties Herzl endured as he laid the groundwork for the future establishment of the Jewish State.

Walking through the trenches of Ammunition Hill, whose capture was a key factor in the reuniifcation of Jerusalem in 1967.

From Mount Herzl we headed to Ammunition Hill, the famous battleground that was a key factor in reuniting Jerusalem in 1967. Participants walked through the trenches that were occupied by Jordanian soldiers and learned of the courage displayed by Israeli soldiers as they led the way to overtake the trenches.

Participants also saw the film that tells the story of Ammunition Hill and the recapturing of the Old City, which included the famous call that went out over the radio, “Har Habayit B’yadeinu!” (The Temple Mount is in our hands!”)

From there we headed to our final dinner, taking place at Ramat Rachel, a kibbutz outside Jerusalem that doubles as a guest facility. After dinner we held our concluding discussion, reflecting back on what we saw that day and addressing the theme of MiShoah LiTkuma, the relationship between the Holocaust and the establishment of the Jewish state.

Participants shared heartfelt thoughts about their experience at Yad Vashem. Some talked about how it could have been avoided. Some addressed the question of God’s role during the Holocaust. Some commented on how they still experience anti-Semitism in their schools.

The experience sparked many unique feelings and emotions in all of the participants, but for many, the call to arms laid down by Asher Ud said it best. Act. Speak out. Don’t stand idly by. It’s never too late to take action.

In our last official program in Israel before heading for the airport, we stood together for a final Hatikvah. For the participants of Ta’am Yisrael 2008, after what they've seen, heard, felt, and experienced these last seven days, Hatikvah will never be the same again.

February 16, 2008 – 10 Adar I, 5768

So how do you get a room full of eighth graders to sit quietly and pay close attention while 87 people share personal thoughts and reflections?

Simple – just ask them.

At least in the case of Ta’am Yisrael, anyway, since that was all it took to get the participants ready for what would become an emotional and powerful end to our Shabbat in Jerusalem. During a 90-minute program at the end of Shabbat, students sang songs, shared what the Ta’am Yisrael experience has meant to them, and listened respectfully as their peers also shared their reflections. We concluded with havdalah followed by a few bonus songs.

Waiting in line for fast food at the Jerusalem Mall.

Though perhaps the most powerful, the program was not the only time students demonstrated respect and maturity on Shabbat. They did so Friday evening as they attended three separate congregations for services. And again on Shabbat morning, students sang, participated, and listened respectfully throughout our own service which took place in the hotel. A handful of students volunteered to read verses from the Torah, while another student was called to the Torah in honor of her upcoming birthday this week.

On Shabbat afternoon, we played the “Neighborhood Game” in the Jersalem neighborhood of Yemin Moshe. In this game each small group works as a team to follow a map and utilize clues to identify certain objects or symbols found on the walls of buildings.

After the game, we headed back to the hotel for a picnic lunch outdoors, followed by the “Alphabet game,” a Ta’am Yisrael tour guide classic. Students then had a bit of rest time in their rooms, after which they attended a brief educational session by Rabbi Shaul Feinberg of HUC-JIR, who also assisted us in our tefila Shabbat morning.

After Shabbat, Ta’am Yisrael participants enjoyed a robust contrast that is a microcosm of modern Israel: we started off at the food court in the popular Jerusalem Malcha Mall, where participants had about an hour to shop while in small groups.

Tour guide Yoram explains the landscape of the Temple Mount, using a a model inside the Western Wall Tunnels.

From there, we left for the Old City and walked through the Western Wall Tunnels, seeing the extensive excavation that has been done there, revealing the base of nearly the entire Western Wall that King Herod built nearly 2000 years ago.

After a final, brief return visit to the Western Wall itself, we headed back to the hotel to finish packing and get some sleep, since tomorrow will be another full day, capped off by our return flight home.

February 15, 2008 – 9 Adar I, 5768

Today’s update will be brief since it is Erev Shabbat, with Shabbat set to “come in,” as they say in Jerusalem, in less than 90 minutes. At the moment we’re busy showering and getting dressed for Friday evening services, which will be followed by a nice Shabbat dinner here in the hotel.

Today was a day of journeys. Though our physical journey to the Old City may have only been less than two miles, it was a journey that took us back 2,000 years.

We saw the outskirts of the Old City, and learned about the outer perimeter of the Temple Mount. A virtual reality recreation of the Temple Mount taught us in greater detail about what the experience must have been like for people who came up to Jerusalem and the temple in celebration of the holidays.

We also saw how recent excavation conducted in the last few decades has really opened up the areas adjacent to the more well-known Western Wall Plaza.

Before approaching the Western Wall area, we enjoyed a brief ceremony welcoming us to Jerusalem. We then had our time to see the Wall, during which each of us had the opportunity to approach the Wall individually. We’ll have more time there tomorrow night after Shabbat, when we return to go through the Western Wall tunnels.

And of course, we took the obligatory group picture in front of the Western Wall, shown below.

To end the day, we enjoyed a “Time Elevator” ride, taking us back through the 2,000 years of Jerusalem’s long and complex history – in exactly 30 minutes.

February 14, 2008 – 8 Adar I, 5768

“Well, I’ve been to the Negev (southern desert) on a bus bli shem (with no name), and it’s good to get out of the geshem (rain)…”

So sang the riders of Bus Alef—who have titled their bus “Bli Shem,” or the bus with no name—as they concluded a long day Thursday by embarking on an extended drive from Midbar Yehuda, the Judean Desert, to Jerusalem.

Swimming in the Dead Sea.

Even as rain dampened the day somewhat, it came with the recognition by the participants that this is Israel’s rainy season, and that our inconvenience was Israel’s blessing. Moreover, the students bore witness to a rare event: rain in the desert.

We began our day by saying goodbye to Tel Aviv, and then drove 2½ hours to the Judean desert, where we enjoyed off-road jeep rides in the desert terrain.

More than just a fun ride, participants saw and learned about Har Sedom, a mountain comprised entirely of rock salt. We also learned more about the makeup of the Dead Sea, where we subsequently went swimming for a short time.

We then headed to Massada, where we learned about the stand made by the Hasmoneans against the Romans, and how they survived the Roman siege for so long before committing mass suicide.

Enjoying a good-ol'fashioned Bedouin-style dinner, complete with musical entrtainment.

The late afternoon and evening were devoted to learning about the Bedouins. First, after Massada, we were treated to a quick surprise, pita made on the spot especially for our group in a small makeshift tent. We then headed for Kfar Hanokdim, where we had a more complete Bedouin experience, complete with sitting on the floor around small tables, and music.

Prior to dinner, we enjoyed two presentations. First, representatives of Etgarim (literally, “Challenges”), an organization devoted to working with people who have disabilities, spoke to us about the work they do in helping people go on to face new challenges after traumatic developments in their lives. Our second speaker was our Bedouin host, who explained the ways of the Bedouins, both new and old.

Finally, we wrapped up our evening by marking the transition into a new chapter of our trip, our arrival in Jerusalem. For 2,000 years Jews have longed to be able to hear the words that greeted us as we arrived –Welcome to Jerusalem!

Overlooking a water cistern at Massada.

February 13, 2008 - 7 Adar 1, 5768

Today marked a day filled with emotional connections to Israel, its history, and its people.

It began with a birthday party like no other. Sure, there was music, and people dressed in costumes. The children celebrating birthdays even received presents. But for the participants of Ta’am Yisrael, it was a party they’ll remember for the rest of the lives.

Sifting through the dirt looking for artifacts at the Beit Guvrin archeological dig.

The party wasn’t for any of the Ta’am Yisrael participants. Rather, it was for children at Israel’s Children’s Hospital in Petach Tikvah who are battling cancer or similar diseases. The parties, coordinated by Israeli celebrity Gila Almagor, take place once a month, usually without outside guests, but they were kind enough to allow us to participate and perform the important mitzvah, or commandment, of bikkur cholim, visiting the sick. (Hospital policy did not permit us to take pictures.)

After the party ended, we gave our presents to the children, and then heard more from Gila Almagor about her foundation and the special programs that are conducted for these children. In her message, Gila emphasized the importance of always thinking of the student who misses a couple days of school, or who may not be feeling well, and to never take good health for granted.

Earlier in the day, we spent time at Beit Guvrin, an archeological dig site, climbing through the caves, and digging for ancient artifacts. We learned about the people who lived in these caves, and saw how the archeologists attempt to put the pieces of the puzzle back together, despite many obstacles to overcome.

Later in the day, we were privileged to sit in Independence Hall in Tel Aviv, in the very room where David Ben-Gurion declared Israel’s independence. We heard Ben-Gurion defiantly say “We…hereby declare the establishment of a Jewish state in Eretz Yisrael [the land of Israel], to be known as the State of Israel.” We heard the rabbi emotionally recite the Shehechiyanu blessing. We stood and sang Hatikvah with the members of the gathering on that night.

Getting to know peers from Tel Aviv's new youth parliament.

In a sharp contrast from the Jewish pride we felt in Independence Hall, we then learned about the terrible tragedy of Yitzhak Rabin’s assassination by a fellow Jew, and visited the memorial site known as Rabin Square.

Finally, we spent our evening with youth from Tel Aviv’s new youth parliament, a council of youth from different organizations across the Tel Aviv-Yaffo area. After attending their opening ceremony, we had a chance to spend some time getting to know them, and gave them the Chicago-themed presents we brought for them.

In all, it was a day marked by multiple examples of profound bravery: the bravery of those living in the caves to go on with their lives; of the children in the hospital, fighting their courageous battles with illness; of Israel’s founding fathers in making the decision to establish the state; and of Tel Aviv’s youth leaders, committing themselves to work for the betterment of all youth in their city.

Singing Hatikvah in Independence Hall, where Israel's independence was declared.

February 12, 2008 - 6 Adar 1, 5768

A guide from Machon Ayalon explains how the bakery ovens helped cover the stairs to the underground ammunition factory.

Two themes permeated our day today: risk and redemption.

Not risk by the Ta’am Yisrael students, of course, but rather, the risks taken by so many Israelis in order to help bring about the establishment of the Jewish State.

We began our morning at Machon Ayalon, the underground ammunition factory which produced the ammunition that was so desperately needed by Israel’s different fighting forces leading up to the War of Independence.

Ta’am Yisrael participants went underground and saw the machines that manufactured the bullets, as well as the machines used to hide the entire operation from the British.

From there we headed off to hike through Ein Ovdat, a popular canyon in the Negev, the southern part of Israel. The Ta’am participants handled the steep climb with no problem.

After a drive back to Tel Aviv, we visited the interactive Palmach museum, a tribute to the fighters of the Palmach, one of the fighting units that existed prior to the establishment of the state.

Like the workers in the underground ammunition factory, the Palmach fighters risked a great deal to fight for the cause they believed in so strongly: the establishment and survival of a Jewish state.

Ta'am Yisrael participants attempt to follow the dance instructions being called out by instructor Gadi Biton (right).

Next came dinner at an authentic Israeli restaurant, complete with the traditional Israeli salads and laffa bread, and some food off the grill, shishkabob style.

Finally, we wrapped up our day with an authentic taste of Israeli culture, participating in the large-scale Israeli dancing taking place at the Beit Dani cultural center in Tel Aviv. Students joined hundreds of Tel Avivians in their dances for a few minutes, and even presented the dance coordinator with an authentic Ta’am Yisrael hat.

We’re looking forward to another great day tomorrow. Check back tomorrow night for more updates!

Participants climb the steep terrain of the Ein Ovdat canyon.

Monday, February 11, 2008 - 5 Adar 1, 5768

Practicing shepherding skills during a visit to Kfar HaNokdim, a nature reserve highligting biblical living

Early wake-up call, anyone?

Not for the participants and staff of Ta’am Yisrael 2008, who began their travels at 3 a.m. Sunday morning and experienced a full day Monday in Israel. After dinner Monday, Ta’am participants headed off for an early night of well-deserved rest, preparing for a full day tomorrow.

The day began by touching down at Ben Gurion airport shortly after 7 a.m. Monday. If the “Ta’amsters” were exhausted from the long flight and lack of sleep, perhaps the warm weather helped soothe their exhaustion as they took in their first breath of Israeli fresh air. Having come from the frigid single-digit temperatures of Chicago, the mid-60’s in February that greeted us was much appreciated.

An Israeli soldier explains the Memorial Wall at Yad LaShiryon in memory of fallen soldiers from the tanks division.

Our first stop was at Kfar HaNokdim, where participants learned about how our ancestors lived in biblical times. We saw an ancient water well and wine press, and also tested our shepherding skills. We then headed to Yad Lashiryon, the Israeli Memorial to Israel’s fallen soldiers in the tanks division, at Latrun, which also houses some of Israel's retired tanks. The Ta’am participants saw first-hand the thousands of names inscribed in Israel’s memorial to its fallen soldiers.

From there we headed to the Tel Aviv beach for a quick lunch, after which we went to old Yaffo for our “Shehechiyanu” service, officially marking the start of Ta’am Yisrael 2008. In the “Shehechiyanu” service, the participants saw the same view of the Tel Aviv shoreline that Abraham and Theodore Herzl envisioned in HOMELAND, which the students received and used as part of their educational material prior to Ta’am Yisrael.

Afterward, the Ta'am Yisrael program headed back to the hotel in Tel Aviv, where students had a chance to wash up, and then enjoy a sumptuos buffet dinner. For many, it may have been their first taste of authentic Israeli food. For all, it definitely won't be their last.

We look forward to another great day tomorrow. Lailah Tov!

Ta'am Yisrael 2008 participants and staff gather with the Tel Aviv skyline in the background, mirroring the image of Moses' and Herzl's vision for the Jewish People in HOMELAND, a source text for all Ta'am participants.

Overview
Ta'am Yisrael:A Taste of Israel
Panim el Panim, "Face-to-Face”
Rosh Hodesh: It’s a Girl Thing!
Write On for Israel

Search

The Community Foundation for Jewish Education is a support foundation of the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago

Hosted with Jvillage Network