New Years Eve in Jerusalem

We woke up and walked over to Mount Herzl, which is Israel’s national cemetery for the country’s fallen leaders as well as soldiers who have passed away during Israel’s wars. It is a beautiful cemetery, full of trees and other vegetation surrounding and covering the graves, creating an incredible juxtaposition of life and death. We paused at certain gravesites to pay respects to soldiers who were particularly interesting or famous and to hear their stories. Our first stop was Ivan’s friend that was in the K-9 unit with him in the Army. Next we stopped at a grave to learn about a soldier who heroically jumped on a grenade to protect his fellow soldiers from the blast. We also saw the grave of former Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, who was assassinated in 1995 by a man upset with Rabin’s efforts for peace with surrounding countries. Lastly, at the top of the mount on which the cemetery was built, we visited the grave of Theodore Herzl, a man who was instrumental in the creation of the Jewish state. Before we left the cemetery, we sat down to discuss the issue of anti-Semitism which we face in our own lives.

            After breaking for lunch, we walked to Yad Vashem, Israel’s museum for the Holocaust. The museum’s architecture was incredible, starting with a dark, closed triangular space, gradually transitioning into smaller rooms, moving uphill, and heading towards the natural light at the end of the museum. The museum focused on telling the personal stories of the Holocaust’s victims, to give the tragedy a personal feel for those learning its history. There was even a separate memorial outside the museum that spoke all the names of all the children who were victims of the Holocaust. We ended by watching a documentary that featured a Greek man telling his personal story of survival in the Holocaust.

            We then took a short break for dinner and to pack for the next day’s excursion to the desert before visiting the Maale Film School, the world’s only Jewish film school. We watched two short Jewish films about issues that many Israelis and other Jews struggle with in the life, and we had the opportunity to talk with the producer of one of the films. Finally, we celebrated the New Year out on the town at a pedestrian mall in Jerusalem, giving each of us a New Year’s Eve we’ll be sure to remember for the rest of our lives.

~Louis Glazer and Lesley Read

Don't forget to check out our website. www.hillel.org.vt.edu

Tel Aviv

We woke up early for the first time today, and we were all somewhat tired because of that.

We went to Tel Aviv and admired all of the beautiful architecture while waiting for our soldiers to show up. When our soldiers arrived, we showed them our drawings of what we expected them to look like, and we did some icebreakers to get familiar with their names. They are all in our age group and they are all very polite and fun.

After meeting our soldiers, we went to Yitzhak Rabin Square and talked about political assassinations and the reasoning behind Rabin’s assassination. We also discussed its effect on Israel and its people and how we connect to that as Americans.

We then drove to Independence Hall and learned a lot about Tel Aviv and its founding. We also learned about the history of Israel and the hardships of the people.

We went to Jaffa and wandered around the marketplace for lunch and shopping. There was a flea market there that some of us wandered in to. The soldiers came with us and showed some of us around.

Shakked then took us on a small tour around Jaffa. She told us about how important Jaffa has been to Israel. We were also able to reflect on how much Tel Aviv has grown. It was a nice, long, day.

Brittany Vitner and Brett Gallahan

A Day of Rest in Jerusalem

Upon awakening in the holy city of Jerusalem we felt refreshed and ready for a quiet day of reflection and contemplation. Breakfast was early for those of us who slept through dinner the night before and was filled with great coffee and an interesting assortment of Israeli foods such as avocados and cheese. Our group activities started in the morning with optional yoga or a discussion with a local rabbinical student in Jerusalem. Afterwards, we feasted on lunch and in the afternoon we went for a walk and saw many of the government buildings such as the Knessett, the home of the Israeli parliament. We then concluded the walk with the Wohl Rose Park of Jerusalem where we played a fun game and had a stirring Hillel discussion about the uniqueness of being a Jew. We returned to the hotel where we are about to embark on a night of fun with new friends. Katelyn Flippen and Daniel Diner

Bus #1039 Overlooking the Old City of Jerusalem for the first time!

Welcome to Israel!

We started our trip at Newark Airport at 9.15am. After being interviewed by El Al officials, we sent our bags away, went through security and then boarded the plane. On the Boeing 777 we found out that everybody was assigned to random seats. There were a lot of Hassidic Jews aboard which was a cool culture shock. The flight lasted a daunting 10 hours.

When we landed, we went straight to Jerusalem on a bus to start our first busy day. There was little nap time and much to do. We started by stopping at a street ledge that overlooked the city of Jerusalem. We said the shehechianu, took pictures and danced. After getting back onto our tour bus, we headed straight to the old city. What a remarkable experience that was.

The city was hustling while getting ready for Shabbat. We toured the old city and saw the old ruins of the original market and city centers. Afterwards we arrived at the old temple in which our tour guide gave a very interesting brief history of the temple and the plaza’s significance and how it shifted hands through different people throughout the years. Next stop…the Western Wall!

Beautiful, historical, breathtaking and powerful are words that describe this landmark. Many of us wrote notes or said prayers in front of the wall and bestowed our wishes and prayers within. We later continued our adventure to the shuk which was impressively busy. The alleyways were crowed with people young and old getting ready for Shabbat. The market included fresh fruit, fish, falafel, candy, spices, breads and desserts. This market was hoppin’!

By this point everyone was exhausted. We headed to the hotel, lit the Shabbat candles and got ready for the Shabbat dinner. Now we are ready for bed!!

~Michael Callo and Jennie Cohen

Don't forget to check out our website. www.hillel.org.vt.edu

Upcoming Winter Trips!

Taglit-Birthright is departing from Newark Airport in 9 days! We can't wait to accompany so many Virginia Tech, Radford, and other Virginia students to Israel in just over a week! Keep an eye out for a post here every day from those students! The JNF alternative winter break trip to Israel is also leaving in just over a week! Three Hokies will be returning to Israel to do service work and agricultural work in the Negev! Keep an eye out for their reflection here sometime in January! Virginia Tech's first EVER interfaith alternative break will be leaving on January 9th to go to the Dominican Republic. Their experience will be here on the Hillel blog as well! Check back soon for more updates! Amanda Herring Coordinator of Engagement and Initiatives Hillel at Virginia Tech Don't forget to check out our website. www.hillel.org.vt.edu

how do you hug a porcupine?

Today was a more relaxed day because we started out the day on a later start! We met at 10 AM this morning and hopped on the bus with Larry to head down to the park. We went to the Audobon park across the street from Tulane University. Then, we walked around the beautiful park admiring all the ducks (there were some funny looking ones). Under the gazebo by the water, our group discussed poverty and our affiliation and view with the issue. The conversation became a little heated, but in the end it was eye opening for most of us.
Then, we joined Larry on the bus again and headed off to watch an IMAX about Hurricane Katrina. The movie was an hour long, but it covered most of what we were learning about throughout this trip. There was a scene where a person was riding his bicycle through the storm which may not have actually happened. We had to time to walk along the pier after that and saw the riverboats in the dock. The sky was gray and cloudy, but it was still a beautiful day! Then we celebrated Shabbat as a community, Jewish and non-Jewish people alike, which was a special treat for those who had never done a Shabbat service! It was a lot of fun and the food afterwards was great! (Especially the chocolate cake!) :)

AFTER!

Tired but Happy

Today was an exciting day, it was our last day of doing service work, and we finished painting the body of the house. It looks really great and the smile on Mrs. Banks’ face when she came out to see it made the long days of working worth every second. The house looks great and it felt really good to see all our hard work come into a finished product. The group is looking forward to all getting a nice relaxing rest of the day finished up with a nice trip to the famous Café du Monde for some beignets. What we accomplished will make a difference in the community and in New Orleans as a whole. According to Devin, our site coordinator, when one house on a street is painted, you can come back to visit in a few weeks and many others will have followed suit. We didn’t just paint one home; we changed the atmosphere of a community. We are all very excited for tonight and to sleep in/ Shabbat tomorrow.
Sam Costanzo
Mike Nenner
Eliana Janssen

Purim in Nawlins

It was a long, hot, but not unfulfilling day of painting primer and the first coat of paint on Ms. Banks’ house we are all very satisfied with the work we have done so far. The color we are painting on her house is a pastel yellow, and seems to go along with a style very specific to New Orleans.
After returning to the church we’re staying at we had begun preparations to travel to an orthodox synagogue to celebrate Purim. Even with our high expectations and excited attitudes this celebration surpassed our greatest hopes. The community was willing and happy to accept our Virginia Tech community into their home, and with an open bar and live jazz band this was very evident. Towards the end of the night after the staff went home, instead of going to the French quarter the rest of us stayed at the synagogue and got the real party started. The band moved out into the street and so did all the dancing, one of the little girls in the synagogue was screaming “this is just like Jewish Mardi Gras,” and I have to say we all agreed with that. This was the best Purim celebration that any of us have ever been to and we look forward to seeing everything else this city has to offer.
Mark Moskowitz

The ninth ward

Today our group did a short walking tour of the ninth ward. We were lead by a tall man named Darryl. He had a large white beard, big beer belly hid under a tan flannel shirt and spoke with an authentic New Orleans accent. He walked us around the neighborhood while discussing the various effects of Hurricane Katrina and issues that have arisen because of it. He showed us small details of the houses that highlighted how reconstruction effects have been averted due to neighborhood conservation effects and environmentalist influences such as solar panels and marsh rehabilitation efforts.

The walk was comforting. We finally witnessed the ninth ward. The long avenues were drenched in thick greenery. The rich marsh soil allowed nature to reclaim abandoned lots and homes. Darryl spoke about the construction of the new homes and the various historical influences. Factors such as tax code, barge construction and boat styles affect the real estate of New Orleans.

The tour ended with a brief look over a body of water. Chopped down Cyprus trees dotted the water. Darryl told us that this was once a marsh, but deforestation removed the roots that once held in the rich soil and the Cyprus trees can no longer grow as a result of the salty water ruining the land.

While we were waiting for the tour to start, a random man with thick salt and pepper hair addressed the group directly, so the group assumed he was related to the tour. He was not. He simply knew that we were volunteers and wanted to thank us for our work. The work in rebuilding New Orleans is not complete. More is to be done, but I am happy that I'm here. My small part painting Ms. Bank's home will make her a little happier and a neighborhood a little brighter and for that I am thankful.

Max Goldbas

el dia numero

Hello!

We started out this break with a paint scraper! Today we went to an elderly woman's house to start reconstructing her home which was damaged from the weather. The work began with chipping off the rusted paint. Volunteers also participated in helping to remove steel window security bars. After brushing off the rust, we repainted them. In the post-lunch era, we cleaned up the work space, and headed back for more information sessions. After the information sessions came the best part of the day: dinner! Succulent and delectable vegetarian Jumbalaya with a side of kale and delicious succotash! By far one of the best vegetarian meals I have ever consumed. The vegetarian Jumbalaya was so good and rich that even one of our volunteers questioned if the chefs used real meat! (Thankfully they did not!) The chefs were very friendly and personable when we thanked them after their heavenly meal and said they were delighted that we loved their food so much! One of them even offered to write down a few recipes for me to take home which I will definitely will. More updates to come soon!

Eric Avissar
Jessica Lieberman
Stephanie Parey

Hillel's Alternative Break to Nicaragua January 9th to 15th

The students in Nicaragua did not have any computers or electronics with them on the trip therefore these blog entries were written in the group notebook and typed and entered here later. Enjoy!

Monday Jan 9

Tonight, the group went over our “rose and thorns” of the day. My rose was getting to go to the village and meeting everyone we would be working with. The awkward silence turned into playful bantering as everybody, workers and Hillel, got to know one another. My thorn, however, is one I will never forget. Considering my small stature, I was happy with my digging progress so far. The trench seemed to be growing! However, my shovel kept getting taken away in order to hasten the process. I was given a pickaxe, go figure, me with a pickaxe. Cuidado,” be careful, Atruro told me. Not three minutes later, I had managed to cut a tube, with water running through it, in half. Water rapidly hit me in the face as I the community began to laugh. Trying to cover it with soil did nothing to help the cause. I was so embarrassed, I will never pick axe again!...until tomorrow! Great experience. Can’t wait for another wonderful day here in Nicaragua.
-Sydney Sarfan

Tuesday Jan 10

Today I continued to work on digging the trenched so the community can have running water. The first half was uncomfortable because the locals who I was near weren’t very friendly. They would not talk much or smile. After our break I moved to be near people closer in age to me who were much nicer. I tried speaking to them in Spanish that Lom taught me. They were very nice and willing to try to communicate with me. Raphael, who is one of the other workers, told me he is studying to be a maestro, or foreman. Manuel said he is not in school. They were also very curious how much money Andrew made and how much his gloves cost. After lunch we are walking 30 minutes to a hibiscus distribution plant.
-Abby S.

Wednesday Jan 11

This place is hit with poverty that causes sadness, but then if you step back you can see the beauty. During the day, there is a spectacular view of the volcano and lively conversation with friends. At night, a light breeze flows through the place accompanied by the gentle hum of insects. This is the beauty of the place. It lies in the spirit of the people and the land they inhabit. It is amazing to hear the young children talk about their aspirations, fun to laugh with people my own age, and humbling to converse with adults about how they work for survival.
But about today, we saw the well that serves the entire community. On the way there from the work site, we saw he length of trench yet to be accomplished. I can’t believe how much farther the pipe needs to go. It will take months before the community can use the well as a resource. It is sad to see a community without the things I take for granted at home, but I am happy to see that these troubles have not diminished the fight of the human spirit.
-Robin Roston

Wednesday Jan 11

Today was my first experience walking through the markets and the town square. Here was a variety of fruits, vegetables, and other products available for sale as we went on our scavenger hunt. I took several photos and enjoyed the local architecture. One particular example was the church we (me, Sydney, Izzy, and Liana) walked through that was built in the 1800’s in a colonial Spanish manner. Our third day at the digging site was far more enjoyable as well. My back did not hurt as much as before and my ability with a pickaxe has developed. His experience in Nicaragua has been enjoyable, and I look forward to further trip with Hillel.
-Max G.

Thursday Jan 12

Today has probably been our busiest day, but we saw a lot in the community so it was worth it. After a couple more tough, but conversation-filled hours of digging, we split into two groups to venture deeper into the community. We saw the well that currently provides water for the 200 or so families in Los Castillos and is powered by a pair of oxen. It was eye opening to see the amount of work that went into producing just one bucket of water, and how one liter of water costs a family 2 Cordoba, which can really add up when you think about how much water a family of 5 or 6 uses. It really made me stop and think about how much water I use at home and how accessible it is. I will definitely remember this experience the next time I want to take a really long shower.
In the afternoon we visited a nearby medical clinic in Nandaime. I thought it was really interesting how the public clinic offered all of its services, including immunizations, a pharmacy, and a maternity ward, to the community for free because it really shows that they are trying to make health care accessible to people who don’t have enough money to go to a private clinic. It was a little awkward walking through the clinic and seeing sick people in their rooms, but overall, I really enjoyed the experience.
-Liana

Thursday Jan 12

This morning we worked on the trench again. Sue and I worked with a man names Portfil and learned that he has a brother who lives in LA and owns his own rental car company. Portfil knows a little English and he plans to leave for the United States in a couple of years. This afternoon we visited the homes of people within a community and it was surprising to see how little these people live with. We also got to see the baca pulled apparatus for lifting water from the well.
Tonight we had a discussion about the reason why we are here and why AJWS organizes these trips. I learned that the trips are not necessarily for the communities but for us to learn about the culture and bring the information back in order to cause change. This makes me want to go back and work towards creating products that will serve a purpose in communities like Los Castillos.
-Robin Roston

Friday Jan 13

Friday. 5:18PM. The challah is braiding and baking in the oven. We will light the candles when the sun does down in a few minutes.
It was our last day of work in Los Castillos. We dug 344 m and there are 282 m left. The mayor promised to bring in a machine to finish the digging because the land is getting hard and dry.
Around noon we joined the community for a closing ceremony they had planned for us. We each prepared a few sentences to share in Spanish. The community members presented us with gifts. The first was a doll made of sugarcane base, crafted by hand. As we stood to accept the dolls, I began to feel incredibly uncomfortable. I was taking a gift from people who do not even have half of the things I do. It was so thoughtful of them, but I could feel myself sweating even more. As unnecessary as the dolls were, the community members went on to present us with beans, lentils, rice, corn, dried, hibiscus, sugarcane, sweet lemons, and a few other pieces of food. The hardest part of this tri was accepting this gift basket…I had a conversation with an 83-year-old man earlier today about how so many people are starving. So the follow up of taking food was really difficult. Of course, not to accept it is even worse. Being in this situation motivates me to be much more conscience of the resources I use to avoid wasting anything. I also want to make better consumer choices, such as buying organic products. This week has taken our group far out of our comfort zones and what we’ve learned from it will help us to be better people in the future.
-Izzy Shockit

Saturday Jan 14

Today was a rather relaxed day. It was good to be able to slow down and appreciate all of the work we have accomplished this week. It has been grueling, but nonetheless, looking back, it was worth it. We went to the marker and to a peaceful garden. We saw natural medicine plants and learned about a series of useful plants and how they are essential for the peoples’ daily lives here. The walk was hot and long, but well worth the effort. Since it is our last day, it is important to look back and reflect on our experience both to see how we were impacted and how we impacted the community. While it is going to be sad to leave, Nicaragua holds a special place in our hearts.
-Sydney Sarfan and David Umansky

Saturday Jan 14

Last night we celebrated the Shabbat. We spent part of the day each preparing something such as decorating the room or baking challah. We invited all of the people who work at Nochari to come and celebrate Shabbat with us. We all said the prayers over the wine and bread together, then enjoyed dinner side by side. The employees told us that whenever a Jewish group comes to stay here they always know to expect something special on Friday night. We spent the night talking over dinner, dancing to Nicaraguan music, and playing piñata. It meant a lot to me that we were able to share something from our culture and traditions with them. This whole week they have been so open in sharing their culture and welcoming us into their community, it was special to share ours with them. It was great to be able to bring all of us together and celebrate Shabbat as one.
-Amy

Sunday Jan 15

We sleep on thin mattresses on the floor. We bathe under a cold trickle of water. We eat bland food we’re not used to. We struggle to communicate with people those who do not speak our language. We are caked in dirt, we smell, we sweat. There are no cells, laptops, movie theatres. We can’t drink the water. We are not comfortable. But what is comfort anyway? It is the safe. The known. The familiar. The constant. But where does comfort move us? It keeps us one place, the same, assured of the status quo. It is easy, too easy to be comfortable. The hard part is to be comfortable in discomfort. But what is discomfort? It is the scary, the unknown, the insecure. It can be unpredictable and strange. But discomfort exposes us to new things. It moves us in directions we never though we could go. It is productive. Discomfort makes us grow as human beings. It allows us to reflect upon what we can and cannot do, and most of the time, it surprises us. I challenge everyone to put themselves into discomfort as often as possible and to realize the good that it can accomplish. Because before we know it, the thin mattresses will become beds, thin trickles showers, bland food feasts, Spanish understandable, and the technology we once had, an afterthought. And then, we’ll be comfortable again.
-Andrew
Sunday Jan 15

Today is the last day of the trip. We woke up this morning slightly earlier than normal, to eat breakfast at 6:15am so we would have time to say good-bye to the staff at Nochari and have enough time to visit an artisanal market and volcano national park. Our breakfast was simple and yummy; yogurt, fruit, and bread (plus some untouched rice and beans!). We had an emotional good-bye to the kitchen staff Marion and Adela, who we have grown close to over the week. I definitely felt most connected with Cecilia and Lola, plus Lola’s young son Christian.
After a bus ride, we arrived at the marked to find just the kind of souvenir we had been looking for: crafty. I bought a bracelet, a leather bound journal, a woven coin purse and a decorated wooden “R,” for my middle name. Others got t-shirts, musical instruments, wooden carved boxes, wooden figurines, and other objects. We only had thirty minutes before hopping back on the bus to the national park to see the volcano. The volcano park smelled strongly of brimstone, and was so steep, that we had to turn off the A/C in order for the bus to make it up. Once we got to the top we all exited the bus to climb stairs that were cut into the volcano to take us up even higher. At the top, we could see for miles while our hair was whipped in the strong winds. It was an incredible last stop of the journey to get to appreciate the natural beauty of Nicaragua. It is sad to me that because the entrance fee to the park is five U.S. dollars per person, many locals can probably not afford to visit, since it would be 1.5 days wages cutting cane just to enter. II hope they have some days when it free to visit, because natural resources belong to us all.
After that we all hopped back onto the bus one last time to hear to the airport. We arrived with 3.5 hours until our flight and we all immediately ran to the food court to buy meat. Amy, Liana and I all got subway, which had a few more veggie options than we are used to at home. There were also more gift/souvenir shops at the airport that we all got stuff at to use up the rest of our Cordoba. I bought a bottle of water and another of ice tea, which I saves for the flight but were then confiscated prior to boarding in a surprise security check, weird and really annoying. Our first flight was relatively smooth, we all felt good until we landed in Atlanta and no gates were open so we had to sit on the tarmac waiting. And waiting. When we finally got in we had forty five minutes until boarding time on the next flight. Very luckily, customs was very smooth, no one confiscated my sugar lady, and we had time to buy food. The flight we were supposed to be boarding was late arriving form Cabo San Lucas which gave us time to wolf down our food sitting on the floor of the Atlanta airport. Too soon it was time to say goodbye to Andrew (We love you!) and get on the flight.
Now I am sitting here, watching the golden globes on our personal TV. screen and excited to be going home tonight. I am really glad that I was able to do this program, I feel extremely grateful for my life at home and at school. I really do want to be part of a positive change in the world and I feel ready to contribute and take initiative.
Thank you to Sue, Andrew, Lon and all the other VT students for sharing this journey with me. We are all bonded for life in a special way now.
-Abby S.

Monday January 2, 2012

Today was a very different day from all the rest! Unfortunately, it was the first day we faced the elements and whipped out our rain slickers, for it was coming down like cats and dogs! We were scheduled to go to a nature preserve in the Golan Heights and have a short hike, but we were foiled. Instead, we took a long driving tour of the Heights and watched a movie about the Valley of Tears battle that took place there. It was a battle against Syria where the Israeli army was vastly outnumbered and still came out victorious.
Then we had a short activity to start the goodbyes to our Israeli Soldiers. Everybody wrote a short little note about how our new friends affected us in their short time on our trip. The word awesome was thrown around almost excessively.
We then went to Mount Bental where there was an old bunker and lots of interesting artwork created by a local artist to represent the events that took place there and also the lives of the Israeli civilians that live in the area. We got stuck in the bunker behind a loud group of cheering Italians and ended up yelling “Lets Go/Hokies” out of restlessness.
After Mount Bental, we had lunch at a mall in the Golan Heights where the primary customers in the food court were Birthrighters. There was a falafel stand claiming it was “The Best Falafel in the World/Welcome Taglit”. The proprietor was a loud man wearing a Taglit Birthright t-shirt; he is doing great business.
We were headed to an overlook where you can see the border of Lebanon from Israel but the rain was continuing to pour down. Yoav, Amanda and Lauren made a game time decision to take us on a tour of a local Winery! This was a great surprise and went over well with the group. The winery was fun and we tasted three wines and took a stroll around the store. Many people bought gifts to take home to their parents so cross your fingers! You may be getting something tasty and very Israeli, Parents!
Finally, we headed to the bus station in Tiberius to bid our soldiers farewell. Everyone hugged and kissed and made promises to see each other in the future. We are all bummed that they’re gone – we had an absolutely amazing time getting to know our Israeli peers. Personally, I felt they were one of the most beneficial aspects of the entire Birthright trip. Meeting people our own age who are being forced to grow up much quicker for the sake of their country was extremely moving. It put my life in perspective and is giving me a much greater appreciation of all the blessings in my life.
Tonight we’re going to write postcards and enjoy some tea and cookies. The trip is beginning to wind down but I don’t want it to be over any time soon.
L’Hitra’ot,
Nikki Kosnett

Sunday, 01/01/12

"Yes Hamefachedet!" So began a traumatizing 5 minute introduction of what it's like on the first day of IDF bootcamp. Led by our supposed soldier friends who seemed to derive a little too much fun from making us stand attention in rows of three (and do pushups when we failed), we were incredibly relieved when they broke character from their "Full Metal Jacket" routine and we segued into a discussion of the powerful challenges presented to soldiers every day in the Israeli military. Tackling questions like "how do you disarm a terrorist holding a child?" revealed how impossible many of the decisions these soldiers--some of them younger than us--have to address with lightning fast reflexes on a regular basis. To me personally it was the culmination of an emotional day that highlighted how critical it is to be aware of the fact that the status quo simply isn't acceptable; nothing upsets me more than to think of how the burden of this fight rests upon the shoulders of young adults.

To backtrack, we began our day at the Supreme Court. While perhaps not the most exciting stop of our trip, we did get to sit in on a hearing that involved five Supreme Court justices, and while I understood approximately nothing said during the trial, the entire event (as well as the very architecture of the building) suggested an approachability and transparency that is admirable. After the courtroom, we learned about the differing judicial systems within the Israeli government (including criminal, civil, and religious court systems).

From the Supreme Court, we left for our central activity of the day, visiting Mount Herzl. We began by a discussion of Theodor Herzl and his dream of an Israeli state, and from there went to visit Herzl's tombstone. Though Herzl was unable to see his idea become a reality, it is pretty incredible to conceive that a mere half century transpired between conception and reality.

We moved on to the graves of former Prime Ministers, and paused specifically at the headstone of Yitzhak Rabin, where Yoav spoke to us about his own memory of Rabin and the assassination by right-wing extremists. I have always admired his passionate pursuit for peace throughout his life, and he ultimately died for what I believe was a faith in a common goodness.

Finally we visited multiple sections dedicated to the fallen of various wars, from old battles to an American citizen, Michael Levin, who lost his life during the Second Lebanon War. Two incidents stuck out monumentally in my mind. First was the children's story we read at the gravestone of Guni Harnik, a war hero who is buried at the 'brothers grave.' Written by his mother, it opens with the line, "Once upon a time, I had a son." No mother should ever have to author such a thought, and those simple and almost innocent words echoed long-after in my mind. Secondly were the numbers; on every gravestone, conspicuous amongst a field of (for me) unreadable Hebrew characters, were numbers: 21, 20, 21, 18, 18, 19, 22, 39, 24, 20, 31, 27, 18. These were, of course, the ages of each fallen member, and was the most sober and profound reminder of the true cost of war. These ages matched my age, and more importantly, they matched the ages of our Israeli friends who were the peers of those who now were passed. We closed our time at Mount Herzl with the singing of Hatikvah, and then left for the marketplace.

As somber and beautiful as Mount Herzl was, the shuk was in every way the opposite: loud, exciting, colorful, and loud. Fishmongers, spice sellers, and every kitschy shop imaginable lined the narrow, covered streets. For about two hours we split up, tasting and taking in the sights and sounds of a Jerusalem marketplace. Returning to the bus, we drove two hours north to the hostel (and partied a bit on the bus) and then enjoyed a nice dinner before the soldiers took over the evening show!

Shabbat/New Years Eve - the three Rs (Rest, Relaxation, Rage)

Saturday (shabbat) morning was a slow start for most of Group 121. With a late rise and late breakfast everyone was able to recover from the night before. Our day started at 11:30am with an activity where we picked from a list about what we thought best described our perceptions of judaism. There was some obvious discrepancies between the Israelis and Americans for example marrying a Jew in Israel is a lot like shooting fish in a barrel, you're bound to hit one. Yet in the states the dating game is not so simple. After some interesting discussion we had ourselves a nice Shabbat lunch at the hotel.

The next activity for the day was the Bat Mitzvah of our own Sarah Montgomery. Rabbi Rich lead a beautiful ceremony and emphasized the importance of love between siblings which Sarah's Torah portion touched on. Candy was thrown, songs were sung, and Sarah came away giddy with self content. It's not every day you get to be Bat mitzvahed in Jerusalem.

As the day progressed so did the excitement of New Years. We met for a havdallah service where the soldiers pumped us up by teaching us the cheer of "A'him", or brotherhood, and setting the tone for the night. With everyone looking sharp we loaded up the bus at 7 o'clock and headed to Jerusalem's main strip, Ben Yehudah, to bring in the new year. Everyone dispersed to end their year to enjoy a night of great food, music, and fun by ringing in 2012 in one of the oldest cities on earth.

L'shana tovah from group 121,

Stacey Weinstock