Israel
This week I had cataract surgery on my right eye. Although the surgery went well, it made me realize how fragile we all are. I am lucky; I had family and friends to help me during my recovery, and I could rest in the comfort of my home. I can't imagine how I would have felt if, during this vulnerable moment, the government ordered me to leave my home, my support system, my medical team, and my country. Meet Alex and Yulia. Yulia moved to Israel after marrying an Israeli, and together they had a son, Alex (whose name has been changed here for privacy reasons). Alex is now almost 5 years... Read More
This summer, I have been leading the URJ Camp Harlam NFTY in Israel trip. For four weeks, I have been showing and guiding 15 and 16 year-old Americans around a country that I cherish. This is my second summer doing this job, and I am definitely not here for five-star hotels or gourmet meals. I do it because it is important to me that the kids that I am entrusted with understand the magic of this country, its complexities, and the necessity of its existence. I do the job to ensure that I can pass along what this country has given me – life lessons, happiness, and growth – to the next... Read More
Recently, I visited Israel as part of an intergenerational group of American Reform leaders, thanks to the hard work and generosity of the Association of Reform Zionists of America (ARZA) and several partner organizations, including ARZENU, the WZO, and KKL. One day, we stopped at Sarona Market in Tel Aviv for a quick lunch. I found a vegetarian pasta stand and perused the menu. The person at the cash register, I presume because he noticed my kippah (yarmulke), kindly let me know the restaurant did not have a kashrut certificate (indicating the restaurant adheres to Jewish dietary... Read More
While I was in Israel as part of the 2018 Women of Reform Judaism (WRJ) Wilkenfeld International Women’s Leadership Seminar, a group from ARZA (Association of Reform Zionists of America) was touring there, as well. I was able to join their group for a day, themed “What Are We Talking about When We Talk about Settlements?” First, I invite you to think about what the words “settlement” and “West Bank” mean to you. I certainly had images in my mind. During this visit, I had the opportunity to interact with a number of individuals who choose to make their homes in settlements on the West Bank... Read More
I am sick with sorrow. Sick with revulsion. Sick with tears. On Saturday night, at the corner of El Wad and Sha’ar Barzel streets in the Muslim Quarter of Jerusalem’s Old City, five police set up a human barrier to prevent a gang of young, religious Jews from marching deeper into the quarter. Sha’ar Barzel leads to the Kotel HaKatan – the Little Kotel – the continuation of the larger part of the Western Wall, which almost exactly faces where the Holy of Holies of the ancient Jewish Temple is believed to have been. For the past five years, on the evening of Tishah b’Av, I’ve gone to... Read More
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