Since last Monday we have been in orientation week and as of today we are officially students - having begun our Hebrew Ulpan and the summer class schedule. Orientation was comprised of a number of sessions aimed at helping us get to know each other, expectations, and a bit more about the Year In Israel (YII) program. Basically we talked and talked and then talked some more. It was wonderful - I mean that. Over the past week I've had some high quality conversations and bonded with my classmates. There are 37 of us in Israel this year and we each bring something unique to the table. There are people who have just finished their undergraduate degrees, people like me who have been working for a few years, people who have left successful careers to pursue a new path, people with Masters degrees - we've been referring to my new friend Adam as a rocket scientist a lot lately, because he is!
Adam, Myself, Jeremy, and Lenette at our Israeli Dinner on Day 1. *
A lot happened this week, but there are some moments that stand out. At the end of our first day, we walked over to Har Zion (Mount Zion) for a view of Jerusalem as the sun set. Once there we sang some relevant songs accompanied on guitar by Rabbi Yoshi Zweibeck, the Director of the YII program, on guitar - turns out he's a bit of a big deal in Jewish music circles, check out his band Mah Tovu. We also were given some history of the location and a description of what we could see. As our day came to a close and we finished singing, off in the distance we could hear a group singing HaTikvah - the national anthem of the State of Israel - it was a beautiful moment. We sat on a hill with our backs to the old city, in reflective silence, and had a collective moment. When the silence broke, tear stains could be seen on many faces. Personally, I wanted to jump up and down with excitement when I heard the anthem being sung in the distance - acknowledging how perfect the timing was - instead I curled into a ball trying to resist the urge.
This was just one of many moments resulting in tears throughout the week. I do not know if students beginning other Masters or PhD programs have this experience, but it seems that the journey to becoming a Jewish professional is an extremely emotional one. No matter what we did this week, it was always interesting to see how it affected us. There were moments in our group discussions about why we are here and moments in prayer services, moments in Havdallah and moments with new friends. It is clear, whenever I look around me, that I am surrounded by people who are deeply passionate about the Jewish people, religion, and their career. We are thrilled, to the point of being overwhelmed, to be starting our programs at HUC.
Another highlight this week was a program called Yerushalayim Sheli. On Thursday night we signed up for activities being hosted by Israelis not necessarily connected to HUC and got to explore the city through their lens. This program was brilliantly coordinated by our amazing interns - Leslie, Amy, and Daniel - and was definitely a great experience for everyone. At 7:30 I met 7 of my classmates and 2 new Israeli friends - Aviad and Shevy - at HUC. We went for dinner at Moshav 54, a reasonably priced restaurant nearby, and then to the Israel Museum for a special program that included a Wi Party. What's a Wi Party? It's a party where you get a headphone set, put it on, and the music only plays in the headphones. If you take the headphones off, all you see is people dancing and you don't hear any music. This was so much fun and absolutely hilarious. I highly recommend participating in a party like this if you ever get a chance.
Side note about this trip - the enjoyment that our group took in seeing ancient biblical texts and imported synagogue decorations from all over the world was quite amusing. Of course the Rabbis, Cantor, and Jewish Educator in training visiting the Israel museum are going gaga for this stuff!
The Group at Dinner at Moshav 54 *
Ready to get our dance on! (L-R: Shevy, Daniel A, Me, Elle, Rachel S, Jeremy, and Kenny) *
The final highlight of this week that I'd like to share with you took place on Shabbat. This week I was able to celebrate Shabbat as a settled in want-to-be Yerushalmi (Jerusalemite) as opposed to a half asleep tourist from Toronto. It started with our outdoor Kabbalat Shabbat service from the Feinstein Garden which overlooks the Old City. This was one of those "wow" moments for many of us in the group. Then Saturday followed as a great day of contemplation and discussion. Saturday morning I, along with all my classmates, attended services at HUC. This was the first time that I participated in a formal Reform service as a congregant and not a visitor. On a whole this was a very positive experience for me. However, one part left me with a lot of questions. Many Reform congregations say the Mourner's Kaddish as a Kehillah (community), however I have been raised with the custom of only saying Kaddish if you are a mourner or have lost one of the 7 people that qualify you as a mourner. I have never discussed this custom with my parents, but, as their custom is that which I was raised with, I sometimes feel as though it may be disrespectful to them to say this prayer while they are alive. Seeing as I have always been sent out during Yizkor on my father's insistence that "Your parents are still alive, get out"(said with love) I think this is a safe assumption. Although, I see the beauty in the Kehillah saying Kaddish together, I am not comfortable doing so at this point - with or without my parents' approval. In my experience, the instructions at the time of Kaddish will be to "rise if it is your custom," at this service these words were not said and I was left feeling awkward about whether to stand or remain seated. This moment opened up some good conversations for me throughout the rest of the day and kick started some of my grappling with prayer that I hope to do this year. In case you're wondering, I have decided it will be best to stand in silence the next time that happens.
Shabbat was closed with a great Seudah Shlishit and Havdallah back on campus. After our own Havdallah ceremony in the Spanish Garden, which may be one of the best hideaways on this campus, I stayed back with Rachel S (Rabbinic student and Havdallah leader extraordinaire), Elle (pronounced Ellie, Rabbinic student) and Jessie (Rabbinic student) to help lead Havdallah for a Kesher Birthright Trip. As someone who is crazy about informal education, Meaningful Jewish Experiences (MJEs), and Havdallah, this moment was wonderful and very exciting. It was a great way for the 4 of us to enhance our evening, but it left us pondering, are you allowed to say Havdallah twice? Did we just separate ourselves even further from Shabbat? (Joking of course) However, if you know the answer to the first question, please share.
Ok, I can feel this blog getting long - I mean really long - so I will condense my last few thoughts.
Today we started ulpan - I am in Kitah Gimel - there are only 3 classes, so I am in the highest. This makes sense and my parents might wonder where all there tuition went if I was not at this level. My class is great and I am very excited to challenge myself to reach fluency by the end of this year. This evening I went to a nearby cafe and ate dinner while doing my homework - it was a great.
After class today, I went with a few friends to see Harry Potter 7.2. This was not only a great HP experience, it was a great adventure in Israeli cinema. We saw the film in 3D, which is the best offering in the area, Jeremy and I agree that we don't understand why there is not greater IMAX availability in this country. For all their technological achievements, why do I have to go to Eilat to see a film in IMAX?! To sum up the experience of watching a film with Israeli children and teenagers I will say: if you enjoy the quiet, often beautiful moments in a film, don't go to the movies. There were also tears throughout this movie, not just for me, but I will not share the names of the others who cried in order to protect their pride. That is the moment I decided we cry a lot and decided that would be the best title for this particular blog.
*Photo Credits to Jeremy and Sarah Gimbel.
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