Issue #3 - United Synagogue Youth

Volume 6, Issue 2 December 2011USY’s Israel Newsletterדרך ארץDerech Eretz and Me:My way to the land, my way in the land and my way for theland!To learn aboutdifferent SA/TOprojects USYershave done in Israel,go to Page 2!To read aboutUSY’s L’takaynOlam IsraelPilgrimage, checkout Page 3!To check out somecreative writingabout Israel, go toPage 8!To try your handat an Israel-themedword search, checkout Page 9!

1Volume 6, Issue 2December 2011Jessica SchwartzHechalutzon EditorHatikvah, now the Israeli national anthem,is about the Jewish people’s two-thousandyearold hope to be a free nation in theland of Israel. On Friday July 8 th , 2011, Istarted my day on Eastern Europe/IsraelPilgrimage with Shacharit at Tikochin, anold Jewish shtetl, where a beautifulsynagogue is still standing.After learning about what Jewish life was like inTikochin and some confusion regarding finger puppets(chicken kippah’s, like a macher), we drove to theLupuchova Forest, a site of mass graves near Tikochin. Aswe walked solemnly through the forest, our tour guide,Shlomo, described to us how the Nazis herded Jewsthrough the forest, forcing them to sing ―Hatikvah‖ as theymarched to their death. They never would see that hopefulfilled. When we sang Hatikvah in that very same forest, Icried, knowing we would fulfill that hope in just a few days’time when we flew to Israel.Unlike the Jews now buried in that forest, we havea state of Israel to call home. I believe that all Jews shouldvisit Israel. Israel is unique because although it is a Jewishcountry, it provides religious freedom for all. Only underIsraeli rule have all religious groups been able to safely visittheir holy sites in this historic land.In the Torah, the Jews are referred to as ―B’neiYisrael‖, the Children of Israel. The Children of Israel facedthe horrors of the Holocaust very recently, yet Israel hasalready been able to turn it around and is now the onehelping those in need instead of the one needing help. TheJews of Tikochin were never able to see Israel and fulfilltheir hope, but today, Israel is fulfilling the hopes of others.After the earthquake in Haiti, Israel sent reliefteams to provide humanitarian aid to victims of the disaster.This is just one example of how Israel works toward TikunOlam; Israel provides all types of humanitarian aid to alltypes of people. Read this issue of the Hechalutzon tolearn more about SA/TO in Israel!Sarah HoffmanUSY Israel Affairs VPMy first trip to Israel left onelasting memory in my mind: playing gofish,the childhood card game, with myolder cousin Tali after her BatMitzvah. Needless to say, I was onlyabout four years old and did not retainmost of my first exposure to thecountry.Since then, each trip I have taken to Israel has continued toteach me something new. In contrast to my first trip, whereI learned the art of a simple card game, my latest trip toIsrael taught me various lessons about friendship andmaturity. Though each time I visit my favorite place in theworld I grow and mature as a person, I still get the samefeelings when experiencing the land every time: feelings off a m i l i a r i t y , e x c i t e m e n t , a n d h o m e .Everyone experiences something new when visitingIsrael, and it is up to the individual to choose what he or shewill take away from that privilege. This is why, in my USYcareer, I have pushed myself to be involved in the IsraelAffairs aspect of USY. Almost every Jewish teen will talkabout their incredible experiences when visiting Israel;however, USY teens take this to a further level. USYers willtake what they have learned about Israel back to theircommunities and will willingly share theirexperiences. USYers state their opinions about Israel, andwill actively listen to those who do not agree. USYers takeloving or caring about Israel to another level; they live andb r e a t h e I s r a e l .This issue of the Hechalutzon exhibits the impact Israelhas had on USYers as well as the impact that USY has hadon Israel; read it and understand why USY and Israel havesuch a strong connection. Personally, my connection toIsrael now goes above and beyond the card game of gofish,and I can strongly thank USY for this—what about you?עוד לא אבדה תקותנו,‏ התקוה בת שנות אלפים,‏להיות עם חפשי בארצנו,‏ ארץ ציון וירושלים.‏Although all articles are written by USYers, opinions that appear in The Hechalutzon do notnecessarily reflect the positions of United Synagogue Youth, or its parent body,the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism.

2Volume 6, Issue 2December 2011SA/TO in IsraelMy favorite social action projectthat I took part in while in Israel was lastFebruary during the USY ChalutzimSeminar. My group and I went to anorganization called Save A Child's Heart.Save A Child's Heart brings children fromdeveloping countries with life threateningcardiac problems and other issues toIsrael to receive surgery. During their stayin Israel, these children and generally aparent stay together with other childrenalso receiving surgery. The Chalutzimparticipants and I had the chance to go tothis home and spend time with some ofthese children. I don't think any of themspoke English, but we all had such agood time playing with these children.The kids were all so sweet and it washard to believe what they were goingthrough. I remember that I was paintingwith a little boy and I pointed to myselfand said my name. The next thing I knew,he had written my name of the painting hewas working on and handed it to me.Even though it was one morning, I knowwe all walked out of there with smiles onour faces. It was such a meaningfulexperience seeing this incredibleorganization at work in Israel.--Adina Beiner, HanegevFact: Israel is the only country inthe world that entered the 21stcentury with a net gain of trees.USYers aren’t the only ones that enjoy doing social action projectsin Israel; roughly 1 in 3 Israelis volunteer in their free time.A few years ago, while on a summer trip to Israel with my synagogue, I was lucky to have an unforgettable experience.While having been an activist against the genocide in Darfur for a few years, I had never gotten to meet any of the people that Iwas standing up for. Though I deeply cared about the issue, the Sudanese people who needed my help were halfway acrossthe world, and though I persisted in making donations to various organizations and attending rallies, I had no expectations ofever meeting any of them.To my surprise, as my tour bus was reaching Be’er Sheva, the capitol of the Negev, I was informed that there wouldbe a group of Darfuri refugees leaving my hotel. When the bus parked, I quickly ran off and was encountered with a largegroup of refugees who had been welcomed into Israel. Who would have thought? A Chilean girl, living in the United Statesmeeting Sudanese people in Israel! Well, as I’ve learned, this scene was not so shocking.As Jews we have the perception that Israel is our homeland, and therefore we are and always will be welcomed in.However, how often do we think about Israel’s genuine morals and their appearance to rest of the world? These refugees,coming all the way from Africa somehow ended up in a hotel in Israel’s desert. After a long and hard journey, these refugeesfound a safe haven in Israel, just as countless of others have, too. As not only a Jew, but a strong for advocate for Israel, I amproud of our homeland and its values.--Adina Karpuj, HaNegev

3Volume 6, Issue 2December 2011L’Takayn Olam PilgrimageA four-week trip to Israel that includes both sightseeing and social action projects on a daily basis.Spend time volunteering in Haifa, Jerusalem, the Golan, with the final week focused on helping theland of Israel flourish. This program is a chance to explore the Jewish homeland and lend a hand tohelp make it better.―Harachaman, Hu Yivarech et Medinat Yisrael, ReishitTzmichat G’ulatenu.‖ Just about all of us are familiar with thisblessing, which we chant three times a day as part of BirkatHamazon, the Grace after Meals. Usually the person leadingBirkat HaMazon sings the first part alone: ―Harachaman HuYivarech et Medinat Yisrael… May the Merciful One bless thestate of Israel…‖ And then the rest of us join in with the last part ofthe blessing: … Reishit tzmichat g’ulatenu, The beginning of ourredemption.‖ But what does that phrase really mean??The Hebrew word ge’ulah - ―redemption‖ refers to Godredeeming the Jewish people from their various exiles. Theconcept of being in the land of Israel has always been connectedto redemption. The first line of the prayer for the state of Israel,which you can find on page 416 of your Siddur Sim Shalom, prettymuch sums up our view on Israel: this is a special country. It’s oneof the only countries in the world that simultaneously defines itselfas a religious country AND a democratic secular country. It’s alsothe only Jewish country.But let’s get back to redemption: Israel’s purpose, from aJewish perspective, is to strive to be a fulfillment of the highestJewish values and ideals of the Torah, and above all, it’s meant tobe a sanctuary. The whole modern idea of Israel was to be anation for the Jewish people to escape persecution as pogromsravaged across Eastern Europe in the 1800’s, culminating inHitler’s rise to power and the eventual Holocaust in the 1940’s.(—Penina Beede, continued on Page 7)Tootzi Toot! Tootzi Toot! Clap! Clap! When in Israel thissummer with L’takayn Olam Israel Pilgrimage we had theprivilege of volunteering at The Ofakim School, a schoolfor kids with cerebral palsy and muscular dystrophy. Ichose to work with the younger kids, when one of theteachers at the school found out we could sing and thatDavid Sperber had a guitar, she got so excited. She hadus practice dance routines and songs for about three orfour hours, we all came to a conclusion that this lady wasnuts, we didn’t think that these kids were really going toenjoy watching us sing in broken Hebrew with halfremembered dance moves to songs with nonsense lyrics.When the end of the day came we went and started ourperformance I looked around the room and all of thesekids were staring at us with huge eyes and smiles on theirfaces It was truly an amazing sight, all these kids weresmiling and laughing the entire time it didn’t matter if wemessed up the words or if we forgot the dance moves. Wewere there having fun with them and that’s all that reallymattered. This happens to be one of my favorite momentsfrom my trip because it shows no matter how small an actit can make a difference in someone’s life, and I think thateven though we may have looked pretty ridiculous it didn’tmatter because we brightened the day of kids who don’thave it so easy all the time. --Molly GimbelWe were awakened at 4:00 am that morning. The usual groans of ―Guys we should probably get up…‖ were followed fifteenminutes later by the almost ritual frantic springing out of our bunks. Somehow that day we managed to scarf down breakfast, fillour water bottles, and hit the road before 5:00am. It would be an hour drive from Jerusalem to the airport in Tel Aviv, an hourthat slipped quietly away as I shut my eyes again on the bus.As soon as we arrived, we were on the move. In a whirl of signing in, sticking on name tags, receiving bagged lunchesfor later, and praying Shacharit (the morning service), we were eventually guided into a large waiting area. Whatever clouds ofsleep still lingered quickly dissipated as we waited in anticipation for the morning’s event; we, along with many others, would bewelcoming a group of 80 people who were making Aliya to Israel. To make Aliya means to move to Israel and become an Israelicitizen. Greeting these people would be a tremendous mitzvah (good deed) to add to our group’s ever-growing list of serviceprojects. We had already worked with kids with Cerebral Palsy, prepared meals at a soup kitchen, gardened at a home formentally disabled adults, trimmed trees to aid in the prevention of forest fires, and more. Standing in the waiting area, therewere a myriad of thoughts on my mind: how could so many people commit themselves to a lifetime away from their home? Werethey leaving family behind? Were they afraid of life in a country that was constantly on the news, under the ever-presentpressures of anti-Semitism, bias, and prejudice?My thoughts were temporarily quelled as I was thrust into the growing crowd of greeters, provided with breakfast, andgiven a balloon hat and commemorative shirt. Decked out and spirited, I stared up at the large television screen whichmonitored the plane’s arrival. There it was: a growing white speck. My friends and I quivered in excitement behind our homemadewelcome posters. (Shannon Stocks, continued on Page 8)

4Volume 6, Issue 2December 2011I casually opened my eyes from my nap and arose from my deepslumber. Surrounded by strangers and the sound of snoring I had forgottenwhere I was. It was a stormy flight from Eastern Europe, where my group hadspent the past two weeks intensively learning about the Holocaust and Jewishhistory. The exit signs and floor lights dimly illuminated the cabin as therushing sound of compressed air poured out from the knob above my seat.The plane was cold, dark, and asleep. Within minutes of my awakening afamiliar beep buzzed overhead and the pilot requested our preparation forarrival. The silence of the plane was broken as the wheels descended fromthe belly of the aircraft. Seatbelts clicked, chairs pulled up, and tray tablesreturned to that familiar ―upright position‖. As we glided safely onto the runwaymy fellow passengers erupted in song. ―Am Yisrael Chai, Am Yisrael Chai,Am Yisrael, Am Yisrael, Am Yisrael Chai!‖ we chanted. I could not see thosearound me, but I heard their music and felt their excitement. Lethargy turnedinto enthusiasm as our voices joined together in beautiful harmony.After five minutes of taxiing and another ten of bottlenecking out theplane door, my group and I finally made it into Ben Gurion Airport. Havingnever been to Israel, I waited anxiously to feel that ―vibe‖ or those spiritual―chills‖ everyone seems to experience when stepping foot in the holy land.Strangely, I didn’t feel anything. It was amazing to see every sign in Hebrew,to watch as natives spoke the language of my people, and to see the beautifulsun rise over this land which I have learned so much about. But where wasthat feeling? Once we made it through security and boarded our bus, wethought we were going to the Fuchsberg Center for Conservative Judaism(The Conservative Movement’s home base in Israel) where we would bestaying periodically throughout our four weeks in Israel. However, our staffannounced that we were making a pit stop.Immediately they swarmed the bus and covered our eyes withblindfolds. After driving for about twenty five minutes, we came to a stop.Guided carefully down the steep steps of the coach bus, we were told to placeour hands on the shoulders of the person in front of us. We cautiouslyfollowed directions about where to step up, when to step down and which waywe should turn our bodies. Eventually we were told to stop talking and listen.After a brief moment of silence, permission was given for our blindfolds to beremoved. Above me I felt the blazing morning sun blanket my bare neck inwarmth. Behind me I listened to the daily rush of traffic and movement ofIsraeli life. And in front of me, I witnessed thousands of homes lining abeautiful landscape. There were cars, trees, buildings, schools, hospitals,grass, hills, and valleys. Hebrew School posters came alive as I stood beforea magnificent view on an overlook known as Haas Promenade. The Dome ofthe Rock glistened as the old city blended into an amazing scene. I stoodthere beside my forty three new best friends as we davened shacharit (themorning service) to start our day.That is how the most incredible summer of my life began. For fourweeks I embraced Judaism spiritually, culturally, and historically. I madelifelong friends, took spectacular pictures, and made unforgettable memories.Through music, hiking, and learning, I became one with a land that hadalways been so far away. As I reflect on my summer on USY’s EasternEurope Israel Pilgrimage, I can sincerely say it changed my life. Everyoneshould have the opportunity to visit Israel with USY. There is nothing likespending Shabbat with your closest friends overlooking the old city. Also, youcan’t find a program that is as safe and responsible as this one. Lastly, thestaff are inspiring, educated, and passionate individuals who give ofthemselves to create the best summer possible. USY’s Eastern Europe IsraelPilgrimage changed my life. When I opened my eyes at Haas Promenade Ifinally felt that special feeling run up my spine. I was safe, I was happy, andmost importantly - I was home. --Josh Ull, HagalilIsraeli banknoteshave brail on themso the blind canidentify them.―The Negev offers the Jews theirgreatest opportunity to accomplisheverything for themselves from the verybeginning,‖ David ben Gurion said in hisMemoirs. ―Nowhere, not even inJerusalem, is the continuity with the pastso meaningful as it is here.‖ FromAbraham to the founders of Sde Boker toUSYers on Pilgrimage camping in theNegev, Jews keep the spirit of the desertalive. One of the memories that I’ll neverforget from USY Eastern Europe/IsraelPilgrimage 2011 was our DesertExperience. We arrived at our campsitein the Ramon Crater after a day ofrappelling and bus riding. We cookeddinner ourselves and unrolled oursleeping bags on huge tarps. Before thestars came out, a guide led us along agravelly path away from the campsite toshow us what the desert was like withoutother people around.Gradually each person turned offthe path to find a rock to sit on. Here, thesolitude surrounds you like a warmbreeze, makes you think thoughts asdeep as the night sky. The silhouettes ofthe crater walls dart in front of you likeshifting desert warblers. Sounds in thecrater travel impossible distances, rollingalong on the flat earth and echoing off atwilight darkness so dark it’s almost animpenetrable wall. That is, until the starscome out.Mark Twain once said,"If the statistics are right, the Jewsconstitute but one percent of the humanrace. It suggests a nebulous dim puff ofstar dust lost in the blaze of the MilkyWay. Properly the Jew ought hardly tobe heard of, but he is heard of, hasalways been heard of.‖ The Milky Way’svisibility is greatly affected by lightpollution, so it’s hard to see it unlessyou’re in a rural area, like the desert. (—Becca Kahn, continued on Page 8)

5Volume 6, Issue 2December 2011Did you know? Israel was thefirst nation in the world to adoptthe Kimberly process, aninternational standard thatcertifies diamonds as "conflictfree."Davening at the Western Wall really changed myoutlook on what prayer means, to me, in Judaism. OnShabbat, in Israel, I walked to the Western Wall and had theopportunity to participate in Shabbat morning services. As Iwas sitting there in the heat, the Rabbi asked me in Hebrewif I wanted to do an Aliyah, or prayer before the torahreading.I had done Aliyot in USY before but never had Idone an Aliyah in Israel.Before I read the prayer, the Rabbi took my tallisand draped it over my head, saying a prayer over me fordoing this mitzvah. After I had completed the Aliyah andservices were over that day, I felt differently about praying,than I ever had before. In USY, I would pray to be a part ofthe community, whether I was truly interested or not. Butafter that moment, I wanted to learn the prayers, understandtheir importance, and what they could mean to me.During the rest of the trip in Israel, I asked one ofmy staff to help me lead a Saturday night service. I alsolearned how to do the Amidah, a prayer I had always juststood and waited to finish during services back in the states.I’ve always had a passion for Judaism, with a desire to learnthe history and understand what it truly means to be Jewish.When I was praying at the Western Wall on Shabbat, I thinkI finally understood that prayer could be a powerful idea;prayer could be enjoyable in USY and I wanted toparticipate as much as possible.I’ve always had powerful Ruach at events, but Icame back from Israel with even more energy andexcitement to read from the Siddur during services. Sincereturning from Israel, I am more focused during services,trying to get the most out of my Shabbat weekends withUSY. Praying was important to me before Israel, but it wasstrengthened a hundred times more since then. You’ll findme at the center of Ruach circles, screaming the MetnyRegional Song. You’ll find me at the center of the Slo-achcircle, tearing up during Nachamu, while swaying along withmy region. I love USY and prayer has not hindered my lovefor USY, but only increased it and also increased my lovefor Judaism. —Will Landman, METNYMy favorite memory from one of my trips to Israel waswhen I went in ninth grade with my school, SolomonSchechter Day School. We spent a whole day runningaround and swimming in the Dead Sea with our friendsfrom Israel. We got back to the hotel at 9:00pm and hadto go to sleep because the next morning we were goingto wake up at 4:00am to climb up Masada. The nextmorning, after much fighting everyone got out of bed andgot dressed ready to climb Masada. As we started upthe snake path we were all complaining. All it took wasone person to start singing our song, and then we wereall climbing and singing. When we got to the top wewatched the sunrise and davened Shacharit. We starteddavening by ourselves, and when we got to the Torahservice, we came together as a community and readTorah and finished the service. As we read Torah in thetemple that was half destroyed, I felt so connected to myhistory and ancestors, and reading Torah there made itall the more special. It is a memory I will never forget. --Toren Aronoff, HagalilOver the past 25 years, Israel’sagricultural output hasincreased sevenfold withhardly any increase of theamount of water used.

6Volume 6, Issue 2December 2011In 1984 and 1991, Israel airlifted a total of 22,000 EthiopianJews at risk in Ethiopia to safety in Israel.(Penina Beede, continued from Page 3) Throughout its young life, Israel has saved countless groups of peoplefrom harm, ranging from Operations Moses and Solomon in the 1980’s and 90’s, where they rescued thousands ofrefugees, Jewish and non-Jewish alike, from famine-ravaged Ethiopia, to June 10, 1977, when an Israeli cargo ship enroute to Japan crossed paths with a boat full of 66 Vietnamese men, women, and children. They were out of food andwater, were extremely lost and scared, and their boat was leaking. Their SOS signals had gone ignored by passing EastGerman, Norwegian, Japanese, and Panamanian boats. The Israeli captain and crew immediately offered food and waterand decided to bring the passengers on board and transported them to Israel. There, Prime Minister Menachem Beginauthorized their Israeli citizenship, comparing their situation to the plight of Jewish refugees seeking a haven during theHolocaust. Following this rescue, between 1977 and 1979, Israel welcomed over three hundred Vietnamese refugees.Israel was the first rescue team on sight after the catastrophic earthquakes in Haiti, and enlists many of its army membersaround the world to help with disaster relief.Israel knows redemption. We’ve been through it. We’re here. We have the land. And throughout its life, Israel hasreached out to those in need throughout the world.So now I have a challenge: we know that Israel has been a strong advocate for redemption of all peoplesthroughout the world. But within its borders today, is Israel fulfilling its role as a country of redemption in the best waypossible? To what extent does it create a just and righteous community?This past summer, I had the opportunity to embark on USY’s L’Takayn Olam Israel Pilgrimage, a new sightseeingand volunteering program. If you have any questions about this program, please feel free to ask me. Israel was amazing. Idon’t really think you get it until you go there. And the more you visit, the more you get it. This was my second trip, so Iknew what it was like to be a tourist in Israel. But some things were different this time around. Because L’Takayn Olamemphasizes community service, I had the opportunity to participate in many hands-on efforts to make Israel a better place,from picking potatoes with an organization called ―Leket‖ to volunteering in a zoo in Haifa to planting trees in JNF forests.And I got to meet and work with many of the people Danny Siegel calls ―Mitzvah Heroes.‖ Pretty inspiring stuff.But there was something disturbing happening while I was in Israel as well. Maybe it was just that I was older andtherefore more exposed to the world, but I saw in Israel a sort of unrest.Almost 25% or 1 in 4 Israelis live below the poverty line. That accounts for over 1,600,000 people. Israel has alarger percentage of poor when compared to countries that we commonly consider 3rd world, such as Mexico and Turkey.The cost of living in Israel is high, and her citizens are starting to feel it. Starting at the end of July, demonstrators fed upwith high housing and food prices went under canvas and set up camp, refusing to move until their government gets themessage. And they were everywhere: Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Be’er Sheva, and many other major cities in the land. And asthe summer went on, the protests only got louder. The Saturday night before we left, as my roommates and I pretended totried to sleep in our room at the Fuchsberg Center hostel in Jerusalem, there was a major rally going on, down the street,across from Prime Minister Netanyahu’s house.Israel is at a crossroads. It’s facing changes at a rapid pace. Maybe not changes like a total overthrow ofgovernment like its neighbors, but still: change. And hopefully, for the better, too. I was glad to see that the protesters werepeaceful. And also proud that Israel is the one place in the Middle East which is a true democracy and where protestersnot only don’t have to fear violent crackdowns by the government, but where the right to disagree, speak out and protest isguaranteed. Short of going to Israel and putting up a tent, what can we USYers do during this time?I’d like to challenge you with three suggestions:First, keep up on what is going on in Israel. There are great websites which can keep you up to date, and our USYregional and international websites can provide with some excellent and reliable links. You and your family might evendecide to subscribe to a magazine or two. I get a magazine called D‖ash, which is written especially for teens and givesme the latest updates on Israeli student life, fashions, music, trends and Hebrew slang.Second, our sister movement in Israel, Masorti, is very involved in improving life in Israel. Recently, on Tisha B’Av,Masorti rabbis sat with protesters in tent cities to study Jewish texts and discuss how Israel can do a better job in living upto Jewish and democratic values like justice, respect, dignity and religious freedom. So support Masorti! Go to the website,find out what they are doing and give them your tzedakah money. Urge your families and your synagogue to do the same.Finally, as Rabbis always need to write sermons, offer your rabbi an idea! Ask him or her to consider speakingabout Israel, and about the role of the Masorti movement in helping to make Israel a better place, a place that movescloser to the phrase we know so well: Reishit tzmichat g’ulatenu, the beginning of our redemption.‖--Penina Beede, Hanefesh

7Volume 6, Issue 2December 2011(Shannon Stocks, continued from Page 3) The buses of jetlagged soon-to-be Israelis came one by one, each bus greeted withmore enthusiasm than the last. My friends and I pushed our way tothe front of the crowd, waving our Israeli flags. The mass beganshouting ―Am Yisrael Chai!‖, a Jewish song meaning ―the Jewishpeople are alive!‖ Suddenly, my friend took my hand, pulling me intoa circle of dancing women. Some were old and some were young;some were Orthodox with skirts to the floor and others, like me, woreshorts. No matter our appearances, background, or political views,at that moment we were the Jewish people, and we danced as one.When I returned home after that summer, I took a new lookat my quiet suburban town, where previously I had felt that I had littleexposure to a diverse population. In the hallways of mingling highschoolers, I saw a new view. There is a mix of ethnicities; I had justnot fully explored it before.My summer travels and volunteering made me value my Judaismand, at the same time, embrace other people who may have ideasdifferent from mine.--Shannon Stocks, HagalilIsrael is the largestimmigrant-absorbingnation on earth relative toits population. Immigrantscome in search ofdemocracy, religiousfreedom, and economicopportunity.The Ramon Crater(Becca Kahn, continued from Page 5) But when you’re in the Negev, the very land where Abraham planted thefirst tamarisk tree, you can see every nebulous dim puff of star dust.When you sit on rocky sleeping bags shoulder to shoulder with Jews, in a land of Jews, as you stare up at the hazyblanket of sky poked through with bright pinpoints of starry light shining out of its spilled-milk façade, you no longerwonder how the Jew is heard of. Jews have a strength that is as unassuming, as old, as unyielding as the desert.By the time we fell asleep, the stars had intensified into night lights high above. Still, we forgot our exhaustionwhen we davened Shacharit to the backdrop of a pink wispy sunrise the next morning.After davening was a strenuous two hour hike up the Ramon Crater walls. At each stop, we looked down at a view thatcameras couldn’t capture. The crater walls are striped with layers of sediment, hardened into bands that stand proof tothe history inherent in the desert they silently observe, or, put more prosaically, the geomorphologic evolution that’soccurred during the hundreds of millions of years the desert has been here. Hyraxes (resembling a sort of earless rabbit)peered down at us from trees along the hike, and their less sociable peers, the ibexes, roamed farther off the road.Probably the most amusing animal we found in the Ramon Crater was the alpaca, transported here from South Americaand conveniently situated in Mitzpe Ramon’s alpaca farm for USY pilgrims to view. The Ramon Crater brings to mindimages of the ancient Romans it was named for and the droll alpacas that are its latest inhabitants. It brings to mind astifling sun that’s beat down on the heads of Jews for centuries. It brings to mind USY friendships that will last forever.The Crater is just one nebulous dim puff in a world of bustling urban centers. But it’s been here since the first tamarisktree and it’ll be here until the last. —Becca Kahn, CRUSY

8Volume 6, Issue 2December 2011Creative WritingJewish Battles: A different PerspectiveShacharitThere might be no blood,Yet, it’s a battle each dayTo stand, to care, pray.SamariaBorders change slowly,Day by day, the unceasingBattle: settlements.Yad VashemIs it a fight ifWe don’t fight back against them?Countless souls died: gassed.November 4th, 1995Jews against themselves,It happens all too often,Words lead to bloodshed.Israel produces morescientific papers per capitathan any other nation bya large margin -109 per10,000 people –as well asone of the highest percapita rates of patentsfiled.--Elias Strober-Horowitz, METNYWhen Bathed In Light—A Short StoryI opened my eyes, blurry from sleeping on the long plane ride. Pressure was building up behind my ears as westarted landing. My chest tightened because I was starting to hyperventilate. I didn’t know anyone but, I at twenty-three haddecided to make aliyah… smart Cara really smart. When the plane landed and I stepped out into the hot desert air, Iglanced behind me at my last tie to home, to America, the plane that had flown me here, El Al.As I noticed my surroundings, I felt overwhelmed: the people, the movement, the noise, the smells, the clothes, andthe language. I walked out of the airport and managed to flag down a taxi and I gave him the directions to my apartment.After a couple minutes of my playing a very strange game of ―charades,‖ I got him to understand where I wanted to go.Another smart idea Cara, come to Israel only knowing basic Hebrew, good move. As we drove to the apartment I sawglimpses of the old city, the kotel, and the golden dome that everyone thought of in the Jerusalem skyline.In my room I flopped down on the bed, I was exhausted even after sleeping most of the flight. As I lay there I felthomesickness wash over me. My friends, my family, my language, it all seemed to have disappeared in a whirlwind so fastthat it was long gone before I even noticed it was missing. After allowing myself to wallow in self-pity for a good twentyminutes I pushed myself up and changed. There was somewhere I had to go.As I neared the Kotel I felt emotion overtake me. The same kind of emotion I had felt when on Yom Kippur they hadtaken out the Holocaust Torah at my shul and I had kissed it. An emotion so powerful you want to cry but at the same timeyou don’t want to break this moment of solemnity between you and Hashem. I felt that same kind of emotion now as Iwalked up to the women’s side of the wall and put on my talit. When I said the Amidah quietly, under my breath, I felt the tugof emotion increase so much that I was moved to tears. As I got to the section where you can add your own prayers, Iprayed for my friends and family back home and also for myself.I woke up shivering slightly in the coolish night. No matter how much I tried I couldn’t get back to sleep, my bodywas telling me it was time to get up. I hated jetlag. I decided to just get up; my body wanted me to go in one direction… so Ifollowed. When I got off the bus, I found myself at the foot of Masada. Climbing up the mountain was hard and I soon beganto sweat, even without the sun out. When I reached the top, the valley spread out before me. As the sun started to rise, landbegan to glow with an almost holy light. It reminded me of why I had wanted to make aliyah, why I had decided to leaveeverything. As I myself was bathed in the magnificent light, it didn’t matter anymore that I didn’t know anyone or Hebrew. Allmy fears and worries washed away, making me part of the holiness that had become my new home.--Rina Kirsch, NERUSY

9Volume 6, Issue 2December 2011Israeli Fun!

10Volume 6, Issue 2December 2011Israeli Fun!Q: What is Israel’sfavorite internet searchprovider?A: Netan-Yahoo!An American, an Englishman and an Israeliare indulging in a bit of boasting.The American says, "One of my ancestorssigned the Declaration of Independence."The Englishman says, "That's nothing. One ofmy ancestors was present at the signing ofthe Magna Carta." The Israeli quietly says,"You think that’s something? One of myancestors drew up the Ten Commandments."A leading Israeli Rabbi had a meeting with the Pope. While negotiating a papal visit toThe Holy Land, the Rabbi noticed a distinctive red phone on the Pope’s desk. TheRabbi asked what the phone was for. The Pope explained that it’s a direct line toGod. The Rabbi asked if he could test it, and the pope replied, “Of course, but youshould leave one-hundred dollars for the call.” The Rabbi thanked him and used thephone. A few months later, the Pope was visiting Israel as they had planned, and hemade sure to make a stop to visit his new Rabbi friend. While talking, the Popenoticed a red phone on the Rabbi’s desk. The Pope asked, “Is that what I think itis?” The Rabbi said, “Of course.” The Pope asked if he could test the phone, andthe Rabbi said that he could but that he needed to leave fifty cents for the call.The Pope was surprised: “You use my phone to God and I ask you to leave $100; butwhen I use your phone to God I am to leave only $0.50. Why is that?” The Rabbismiled, “From here it’s a local call.”

11Volume 6, Issue 2December 2011Pilgrimage 2011!

12Volume 6, Issue 2December 2011A Message from the USY Central Shlicha,Avital ElfantThe 10 items that are worth mentioning for 2011 in Israel or Israel’s 2011 Bucket listMazal Tov! You got to the last page of this edition. This is the last one for the year 2011. I was contemplating what wouldbe the fun, cool, and most interesting topic to discuss in this issue and I came to the conclusion that there ar more than justone. Many times, I am asked to talk about Israel and why it is so special. Why should I care? Why is it that unique? What isso Jewish about it besides its population, etc? I hope that this list will answer some of these questions, if not all. I wouldlike to present to you the ―Ten Happenings‖ that define what Israel is today for me. What would be on your list?Shall we begin?1. The People of Israel demanding justice- more than 400,000 demonstrators flooded the streets crying out formore social justice in the Jewish State- Occupy Wall Street, you have a long way to go …2. Gilad Shalit returning home-Do I need to say more? How we react and act in matters of Klal Israel does make adifference (timing , ability to make decisions, and miracles are a major factor as well)3. Former President Katsav sentenced to seven years in jail-Do I wish this had never happened? YES. No one isabove the law in Israel –what greater example can we find than this one.4. Daniel Shechtman received a Nobel Prize in Chemistry- The Israeli brain is still making waves. Even so, manybelieve the government must take serious action and change the education system.5. Moshe Landau- One of Israel’s Supreme Court judges and one of few who sat in Eichmann’s trial passed away. Itis up to us to learn from our past and build for the future. Our ―great builders of the nation‖ are slowly leaving us toa better place, we must figure out our role in the building of our future.6. The “ Rakevet Kala”. The light rail train in Jerusalem is open to the public after more than a five year delay.Nu, so we procrastinate just a little bit…7. Israel sends aid to Turkey after terrible earthquake hits its country once again- Do you recall the Flotilla inMay 2010? Jews may have a long memory but we are also quick to forgive when in need.8. Israel’s doctors and interns are in constant battle to better their contracts and terms of hiring. Yet another wakeup call for social justice, equality and quality of living in Israel.9. The movie “Foot-note” ( ( ‏-‏releasedהערת funny, sophisticated and focuses on aspects of Israeli culture thatdo not revolve around the conflict. It won the best script in the Kan Movie Festival. One of the more famous sayingsthat came out of the movie, and is so Israeli in my opinion: ‖Your idea is beautiful but totally wrong.”10. Only in Israel would the Amazing Race include: Shira and Fares, the Romeo and Juliet of Nazareth, an ―interdating couple‖ where he is an Israeli Arab and she is Jewish; a religious couple, Akiva and Anael which everysecond word they speak is ―Shma Israel‖ on national TV ; two blonde girls, where one is a Russian immigrant; twoYemenite woman in their fifties; and a couple, Tom- a goalie on the soccer team, and Adel a 18 year old girl.שולייםDo you have the urge to find the closest travel agent and book the next flight to Israel? Well USY saves you the hassle,you have the wonderful Pilgrimage programs and the best Gap- Year program around--Nativ. These experiences canactually help you find yourself part of the ―10 Big things‖ and change in Israel in the 21 st century. Who knows? Maybe youwill be one of the next ten items to talk about in the end of 2012.Don’t just talk about it, be a part of it! See you in Israel (and at the Israel Booth)!Happy Hanukkah, full of light at IC Philly,חנוכה שמחAvital