First Day travels to Tel Aviv

Newark, New Jersey to Tel Aviv, Israel!!

After our long flight we arrive in Tel Aviv. We learned about the historical beginnings of Tel Aviv and how she was literally built from the sand. We took a visit to Independence Hall, Jaffa and Rabin Square. We ate and shopped on Shenkin Street. Now we are traveling north to Tiberias to relax, unpack and join together with our group to bring in the New Year. What a remarkable place to be for January 2010!! We will write more tomorrow after we get a good rest from the long flight with little sleep. Happy New Year to all!

Snow in Blacksburg

As we draw closer to our date to leave for Israel, we get to enjoy the snow.
Record snow fall hits the whole east coast.

December 13, 2009

With 14 days left until we leave for Israel, I am excited to share this amazing experience with such a wonderful group of students. Remembering the first time I was in Israel 32 years ago, I am brought back to the first time I felt the reality of a Jewish state. Israel was a place I felt truly comfortable, part of a community since the culture and upbringing were so much like mine despite living so far away.

To be able to share this experience with others for the first time and see Israel again through their eyes is something I am really looking forward to experiencing.
I am grateful for the opportunity. I look forward to this journey.
Sue

Only 25 days!

25 days left until we leave for Israel.

TAGLIT BIRTHRIGHT ISRAEL BUS 857

It's really exciting to be leaving for Israel in 32 days!!!!

The Hidden City

We went to a very poverty-stricken area called, Shantitown (Oculta Ciudad - The Hidden City). Here all of the houses are made from materials found around the town, like pieces of metal and things like that. The roads are not paved and there are dogs roaming everywhere. Also, the main part of Buenos Aries does not visit the Shantitown and the people of Shantitown are not welcomed to the outside either. It is a very dangerous place; however, I did not feel that scared. We worked with an organization called L.I.F.E., who has been working there for a few years. L.I.F.E. basically helps the town with basic needs and supplies and also visits the town every so often; they are very respected there. This is the reason I was not that scared. Since the locals saw we were with this organization that they didn’t bother us. We painted, tutored local children, and also helped to prepare a meal for around 300 people. Being there, though it was scary at times, meant a lot. This was the poorest place that I have ever seen in person and it was very sad to actually see people living that way. I think that they really appreciated our help, because I know that any service that we could provide benefitted the community. It was definitely an eye opening experience.

Rachel Lamanna

As a Jew I am now motivated to learn my further understanding of other Jews living around the world as well as the history and culture of the geographic region in which they now live. Although we do have Israel as our foundation or home, the Jewish are still very much separated. It is our responsibility as a Jew to seek out our other Jewish people and connect with them so that we can feel as one, and prove to the world that we are one despite the distance.

Kelly Fineman

Since coming to Argentina it has been an eye opening experience to see the way people live and how different it is from my life in America. Some worry day to day if they can feed their families when all I worry about is if I’ll have time to do my homework , grab some food on campus and go to the gym before I go out and have fun with my friends. Seeing and learning about these hard ships has put life into a different perspective for me and I would really like to give back to other communities more often.

Arielle Rumore

Feliz Purim!

Day numero dos and the fun has yet to stop! Today was a mix of fun and hard work. After waking up to an early 6:30am wakeup call, we ate a traditional Argentinean breakfast consisting of toast, croissants, and fruit, then we took a nice one hour bus ride to a Jewish Community Center. Here we learned about how the school (JCC) had gone into foreclosure nearly 10 years ago, forcing them to sell part of their land to the government to in order to maintain the actual building and pay off their debt. Due to lack of funds, the building was abandoned and books, supplies, furniture and school work done years ago were the only items left scattered in the dusty three story building. Classes are still held every week; the kids must walk through the shambles to their appropriate paint pealed, dusty classrooms in order to obtain a lesson from their maestro each Sunday.

As part of our tzdek service to the Argentian community we were asked to clean the building, paint the walls and furniture, and design and paint a mural on one of the outside walls. We were split into multiple groups and all assigned activities to help rebuild this Jewish community. Eight hours later the group came together to discuss the progress made. As one group we will design and paint the mural on our next visit to the JCC on Wednesday.

During the community service, one of the townspeople came over to my group. He explained how he had a child that attends the JCC every week and how much it meant to him and his family that we were helping to rebuild his community and helping to make it a welcoming place for all. Even though I do not know more than this man’s name, his words will stick with me forever. It feels great knowing something I did will help to strengthen a community in need, especially a Jewish group.

After this strenuous and emotional activity we were given a two hour siesta break. It was so nice to finally have time to just relax and reflect on the past two days. But our day didn’t end there, immediately following our siesta we traveled as a group to the Hillel house and learned about the history of Argentina from a Jewish perspective. We were also supplied costumes and were told the story of Purim. The night ended with a Purim celebration with all three groups: Virginia Tech, UNC, and Kenyon, as well as various students studying abroad and our fellow Argentine friends. A few hours of sleep and we’ll be at it again….

Community Service at IERU

Welcome to Argentina!

After a week of cold weather and snowing, Blacksburg started to look like spring the Saturday before Spring Break. It was sad leaving the beautiful weather of Virginia Tech but worth it knowing that in less than 20 hours we would be in Argentina. We flew out of Roanoke to a layover in Dulles before arriving in Buenos Aires, Argentina on Sunday morning. Our group was welcomed by open arms by the Hillel in Argentina. They drove us to Belgrano, the barrio where would be staying for the week.


We dropped off our bags at the Cristal Palace, our hotel for the week, and took us to the Hillel House, a local hangout with Jewish people in the area.


We met the groups from University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill and Kenyon College, and headed to Recoleta, an open air market in the middle of the city. It felt like the entire town of Buenos Aires was celebrating their Sunday off from work. People filled the field listening to musicians, shopping in the flea market, watching Capoeira (a Brazilian street fight-dance), and laughing at the street performers. With the help of a local Argentine friend we met at the Hillel House, I bought a leather passport case and a container for drinking matea, the local tea that everyone in Argentina socially drinks.

The architecture of the area was beautiful and the history was rich. We browsed through a collection of above-ground graves, including the famous Evita whose grave was lined with flowers for National Women’s Day.

After a full day of shopping, we took the bus to Palermo, a local collection of bars, stores and restaurants. We shopped, drank water and ate some empanadas. We ended our day with falafel at the Hillel House and a full night’s sleep at the Cristal Palace.

Alex Weaver

Alternative Spring Break to Argentina!

Hillel at Virginia Tech's
Alternative Spring Break to Buenos Aires
March 7-15, 2009

Students Share Their Thoughts About Why They Want to go to Argentina for an Alternative Spring Break

Mandy Tehaan
I am excited about the upcoming trip to Argentina because it will give me the opportunity to be a part of the important mission to help others. I know intellectually that community service, as a Jewish value, is important work but by going to Argentina and actually helping hands on, I will feel it and understand it in a different way. As a campus rep for TOMS shoes, I promote the company that runs their business with the motto “one for one.” For every pair of shoes bought, a pair is given to a child in need. TOMS does some of their biggest shoe drops in Argentina. To be able to go help a community where my passion for community service is already invested makes my hard work that much more meaningful. I feel that I have a blessed life and I want to be able to give back to others who may be less fortunate. It will inspire me to continue community service and support as well as motivate me to engage others with the knowledge that I will have experienced and gained.

Alex Weaver
Throughout a previous backpacking trip in Central America, several things amazed me. First, the lives these people led were simple but happy because they appreciated the people around them rather than the material things. Second, the people in Central America were so happy and overwhelmed by us fixing their homes, playing soccer and drawing with their children, cleaning up their village and appreciative of our fascination with their culture. I hope to make the same difference in South America when I visit Argentina with Hillel. After seeing the effect community service has on lesser developed areas firsthand, being able to travel to Argentina and work with children while fixing their schools, I know the long-term effect will last past my old age as generations will continue to perform the same service. After graduating next spring, I hope to join the Peace Corps and the service I will be doing in Argentina will make a huge impact on my skills working with other cultures and improving their lives.

Douglas Holt
I recently traveled to Israel through Birthright and it really changed my life. After this trip to Israel I decided to travel more, experience new things and try to better understand how to make my life more fulfilling through service to others. I feel that this trip to Argentina is a great way to accomplish this goal.
I plan on taking this experience and applying it to the direction I want to take my life post-college. A corporate job to simply earn money does not feel right for me and I hope having these new experiences will help guide me in the future.

Kelly Fineman
I see this trip to Argentina as a great opportunity to experience an entirely new and foreign culture and connect with its people, and also a way to give of myself in return. I am a Spanish minor and would love to practice the language as well as help out with any needed translation while on the trip.
Furthermore, I am excited to meet with people that have such a different life compared to mine, however still share the same religion as me. I plan to be open-minded and to immerse myself completely so that I can take as much as I can away from this experience to share with the campus community at Virginia Tech and beyond.

Lisa Lefkowitz
This year’s week long Alternative Spring Break trip I will be traveling to Buenos Aires, Argentina—home of the largest Jewish community in Latin America, and will be focusing on rebuilding a local school and working directly with children affected by their economic collapse in 2001. In the wake of the economic collapse, one third of Argentina’s Jews have sunk below the poverty level. Businesses have shut down, health services have become unaffordable, and monthly bills have put many families on the verge of eviction.
This trip is going to highly impact my life. This opportunity will provide me with the skills necessary to not only help rebuild the once vibrant Jewish community in Argentina, but also to bring those skills home and help to make my community at home stronger.

Paula Sherman
Being lucky enough to go to Argentina and work with Jewish children in impoverished conditions will provide me with a life changing experience. It will not only expand my interest in Jews and their lives worldwide, but it will also focus my attention on what I can do as an individual to help individual living in these conditions. I hope to carry this awareness to the entire community and student body at Virginia Tech upon my return. After an experience such as assisting Jewish communities in Argentina I plan on taking a more active role in supportive and fundraising groups for foreign countries and areas that need aid economically and emotionally. I will also share my experience with those on campus to strike an interest within them and let them know what a rewarding opportunity it is to assist abroad in a low-income area. Going to Argentina will further give me the opportunity to interact with people I may not have had the chance to before and will give me the ability to learn how to work in a different setting that will be more emotional and more physical. These are all aspects that will assist me as I take on leadership roles and pick up new activities to participate in throughout my future stay at Virginia Tech.

Julianna Wind
Since I joined Hillel at Virginia Tech five years ago, it has provided me with many opportunities. I have visited Chicago, been to the White House, met many professionals and networked with many people that I never believed I would get the chance to meet. However, nothing pales in comparison to my experiences participating in alternative breaks with Hillel. Since joining Hillel, I have realized that community service is something I want to take part in for the rest of my life. I believe that Tzedek and the opportunity to give back to our community is very rewarding. Because of the opportunities that Hillel has given me, I have chosen to work only in non-profit organizations as they give me the opportunity to be giving back to my community. As the leader on the alternative break to Argentina, I will have the chance to continue this journey. I hope to share the connection of Judaism to Tzedek and community service so that other students will have a life changing experience as I have.

Rachel Lamanna
Going on the Alternative Spring Break trip to Argentina will greatly impact my life. My future goal is to become an Elementary school teacher. On this trip, we will be working directly with children in helping to rebuild a school. All the experience that I can get with children gives me more confidence to be a better teacher. The impact and joy in the children’s eyes is one of the best things to witness. This experience will expose me to new experiences and help me to understand various cultures. I will gain through this experience knowledge that I will be able to apply in the classroom. Being exposed to various cultures allows me to see how different children act, learn, and communicate. Thus I will be able to relate to more students and solve the many challenges that come with teaching. A program that I am hoping to enter after I graduate is Teach for America. In this program, you go to an inner-city school or an extremely rural town to teach. Most of these places are poverty-stricken and have few resources. I believe that by going to Argentina and witnessing first had a poverty-stricken environment that it will help me to deal with the students that I will see in this program. The Alternative Spring Break trip to Argentina is a life-changing experience that I cannot pass up and am tremendously excited to be able to seize this opportunity.

Rosalie Wind
Going to New Orleans on an Alternative Winter Break last year was an amazing experience. Getting to rebuild an old junkyard into a recreational facility for children and helping clean up an emergency maintenance community was a fulfilling and life-changing opportunity. We met people of New Orleans, heard their stories, and even met new people from other schools who were doing what we were doing. When we saw the damage to the Lower Ninth Ward on one of our last days in New Orleans, I decided that I would invest time into helping rebuild fallen and destructed communities. No one should ever have to go through what the people of New Orleans, or what the impoverished people of Argentina have gone through. By going to Argentina in March, I would be helping communities, children, and the being of Argentina. I would love this opportunity, and I know that by going, I would be helping many people, as well as helping myself learn more about who I am and who I want to be.

Arielle Rumore
The Hillel International Alternative Break trip to Argentina is something I have been looking forward to for a long time. I am currently a Psychology and Human Development major here at Virginia Tech, hoping to become a clinical psychologist with a specialty in children. I feel that this trip will be an amazing experience for my future and myself. We will be working on rebuilding a local Jewish day school along with working with the students. The service of being able to help this school in a time of need will be something I will keep with me forever.
In addition, it will be an education to be able to interact and understand the difference in cultures among the children. I hope to bring back a better understanding of the way people interact and the differences in children among a culture different from our own. I am currently involved in research among the daycare students at the Virginia Tech Daycare and to have first-hand experience with children from another country will help me immensely in my studies and my research.

Samantha Kurtz
As an engineering student, I am dedicated to building green and environmentally friendly homes and commercial buildings. I am a student of civil engineering, building and construction engineering with minors in leadership and green building.
This trip to Argentina will help to inform my connections between Judaism and community service. It will give me an opportunity to experience the culture of South America. I would like to take these experiences back home to be a leader in advocacy for repairing the world. I would also like to share my experiences about the culture of South America in other leadership opportunities.
I look forward to continuing projects that will be inspired through this incredible experience. I believe experiences like these are important in developing leadership and connections to community service and Judaism.

Jared Thomson
My name is Jared Thomson, and I am lucky enough to be joining eleven other students going to Argentina with Hillel at Virginia Tech. I have been talking to the student leader of the Hillel over the last few weeks about opportunities to join in the service trip and learn more about the Jewish faith. I enjoy the community that surrounds the Hillel at Virginia Tech, and I hope that I can help work together with them on this trip. I am drawn to this sort of faith that brings people together to do work for a good cause during their alternative spring break.

Kyle Murphy
I am looking forward to joining Hillel in traveling down to Argentina and volunteering my time for an alternative spring break. Last spring break, eleven others and myself traveled down to New Orleans with Hillel to volunteer and to rebuild the city one step at a time. I have been honored the award of Eagle Scout and one of the oaths behind scouting is the idea of helping the community through volunteering. So this trip is important to me because I will be able to benefit the Jewish community and in return it will give me a chance to learn about the Jewish faith and culture in Argentina.

Alex Weaver writes about Argentina and serving others

Throughout my backpacking trip in Central America, I was amazed by several things. First, the lives these people led were simple but happy because they appreciated the people around them rather than the material things. Second, the people in Central America were so happy and overwhelmed by us fixing their homes, playing soccer and drawing with their children, cleaning up their village and our fascination with their culture.

I hope to make the same difference in South America when I visit Argentina with Hillel. After seeing the effect community service has on lesser developed areas firsthand, being able to travel to Argentina and work with children while fixing their schools, I know the long-term effect will last past my old age as generations will continue to perform the same service. After graduating next spring, I hope to join the Peace Corp and the service I will be doing in Argentina will make a huge impact on my skills working with other cultures and improving their lives. Thus,the trip to Argentina won't just make me a better person and help me serve the Jewish community to the best of my ability, it will change the lives of these children that we are helping so that in turn they can do the same thing for others.

Maya Alkalay (your medic) Says Goodbye for Now

My dear American friends…
10 days ago I thought I was just going to be a medic in a trip called “Taglit” and guard some stupid American students that are “living in a movie” (it’s a Hebrew “slang”) and now, after I got to know you guys I can truly say that I Love You! You touched my heart! It was an amazing trip for me and it is all because of you (and of course because of Nahi’c the other medic … not really)
you are more then welcome to visit me next time you’ll be in Israel and if not you can just add me to your Facebook!
So… Toda Raba, I won’t forget you, now that I have 40 new American friends… hugs and kisses from me and my gun…
Maya Alkalay – your medic !
My E-mail address: mayaalkalay@hotmail.com
p.s – Jordan (Meir) don’t forget to “bring the light” and to diluteeeeeee it


This trip to Israel has been the most amazing experience of my life. Being able to relate so quickly to almost everyone on our bus was something I never expected. Having the Campus Entrepreneur (CEI) students on this trip made that possible. Their outgoing personalities and welcoming dispositions made it very easy to open up and become the close knit group that we are now. Coming into this trip I knew only one person and was nervous that I would end up clinging to her the entire time. As soon as people began arriving into JFK airport those fears were alleviated. She quickly introduced me to the CEI students she worked with and instantly a bond seemed to form and everyone settled in a large circle and we talked about anything and everything. From that point on I knew I would be able to make new and lasting friendships. Our entire bus just seems at ease with everyone. Our clothes are being shared; we talk about our pasts and personal lives and plans being made to get together back at school. They have taught me not to hide my Jewish heritage. I cannot wait to go back home, down to South Carolina and wear my Jewish star. I know now that when people ask me what church I belong to I can proudly say I don’t have one and I am Jewish. There is no reason to hide that piece of my life anymore and this experience and the voice of reason from the CEI students has proved that to me. Within these short 10 days we have become a large family that has had one of the most remarkable experiences of our lives and being able to share it with these people that I can now truly call some of my best friends has made it that much better.
Alex Hall

Our skin IS-RAELI soft

Greetings from the Dead Sea!

After a long, cold night sleeping on the floor in the desert of a Bedouin tent, we thought a day at the spa was in order. But boy were we wrong! We first had to earn our beautification treatments by climbing Masada. The 5,000 year old ruins overlooking the Dead Sea and mountains of Jordan were awe inspiring! It looked like we were standing in a painting. It felt as if we were walking amongst the old kings. When we touched the walls it was as if we were touching history and we could almost hear the whispers of our ancestors who gave their lives for our survival.

Several hours and a 40 minute descent later we definitely were ready for mud baths and salt treatments! People spend hundreds of dollars in the States on mud baths such as these, so we knew we were in for a treat! We covered ourselves in the mud hoping it would remove the eau-de-camel, but little did we know we were in for something much worse. The smell of rotten eggs from the sulfur baths to remove the mud and complete the treatment nearly made us run back up Masada! The next stop on our spa adventure was floating on the dead sea, which felt as if we were rafting on the clouds. In fact, our skin was covered in salt so we even looked like we had been playing in the clouds. But in the end, our skin was glowing, giving us the confidence to browse Jerusalem for Israeli princes.

... and we're still looking.

Love from Jerusalem,
Randi Lieberman, Mandy Tehaan, Samantha Kurtz



Bedouin Camp (Day 6)
After visiting Beit Shean National Park we hopped on the bus for a short ride to the Bedouin camp. Immediately after arriving we unloaded from the bus and hopped on camels and donkeys that were there waiting for us. While most of the group rode on the donkeys, I ended up on a camel. The camels were making loud grunting sounds as they stood up; it was a startling sound to hear! It was funny to look over at the part of the group that ended up on the donkeys. This was only until the middle of the camel ride where the group ended up switching places. It was a lot less fun to be the part of the group looking hilarious on the donkeys.

Back to the bus to grab a day pack. Our group was then led over to the tent that we had been assigned to. It was a fairly large tent and every one ventured in to grab a sleeping bag and a ground pad. Then it was off to stake out a sleeping location. On my way to the tent I ran into a friend who is on birthright through the University of Wisconsin. This was a pleasant surprise.

After getting situated we were sent over to a tent with some of the Bedouins. They made coffee and tea, both of which were good but a little on the sweet side. These were made over a fire in the tent. The Bedouins are always very welcoming people but if they give you a full cup of coffee it is time to go.

The group was gathered up by Sue and Larissa, who had us follow them out away from the camp. As a group we discussed what was important to us and reflect on the parts of the trip that we had experienced this far on this already amazing trip. After the discussion Sue described to us a meditation technique which involved sitting still for one hour. Most likely after one hour you will be in discomfort and dealing with this will help you reflect on and appreciate everything else that you experience. We all sat in silence in the cold desert night for about 45 minutes and watched the sun set.

Dinner was amazing! It consisted of turkey kabobs, rice, pita and a delicious salad. Immediately after dinner they told our group to go over to a tent for a drum circle. “If you get lost just listen and follow the music” they told us. The drum circle was very entertaining. During the drum circle the brought out a bunch of bongo’s and taught us how to play.

Then it was time for more free time. We enjoyed building an amazing fire. This was only after struggling for some time due to the fact that they left wet wood at our camp site. I decided to call it an early night to catch up on some sleep. An exciting day laid ahead with hiking Masada and floating on the Dead Sea on tomorrows Itinerary. ”
Alex Niderberg

Many Oportunities For Learning

Mysticism of Safed

Day 4:
Today we traveled to the old and historic town of Safed in Northern, Higher Galilee. Already before reaching the city winding through the rising hills surrounded by the fading mist of morning one is struck by the aura of the Israeli frontier and the idea of mysticism that was to be the defining point of the day. Upon reaching Safed I was struck by the remote beauty and the sheer vastness of the valley spreading beneath the town, a beautiful rainbow spreading across it as if to herald the rest of the unfolding day. We went to two ancient synagogues and perused the art section of the city, browsing through the shops and developing a sense of the essence and spirit of the old town. We discussed the idea of mysticism pervading throughout our Jewish history and heritage which truly struck home while sitting inside the beautifully sculpted and designed synagogues. On the way through the town’s art shops and stores I was drawn into one small room by a religious man named Avram and he showed me how to put on the tefillin and say the appropriate prayer. After doing it I was struck with both sadness and nostalgia, a sadness when I realized how long it had been since I had put tefillin on as well as a nostalgia for my days back in Hebrew school where I had learned and first taken part in this custom. I realized that what I was feeling was something I hadn’t felt in a long time, a complete comfort and satisfaction with being Jewish that I haven’t felt since before high school and certainly not in college. I don’t know if it was the atmosphere or the kindness of the man that affected me most but for the first time in such a long time I felt like I had completely reconnected with my Jewish roots. I sent a picture of myself in the tefillin to my father, and as the rain came down walked back to the bus through the quiet streets I think I understood the message of the mysticism of Israel and our heritage.
Guy Topaz
- Also I was constantly informed by all that I have a very Israeli name…go figure

Shabbat by the Sea

Day 3:
The view here at Ohalo is amazing. I started the day with group yoga on the lawn. The sun was shining and the breeze was perfect. We meditated while staring at the beautiful mountains lining the Kinneret. I was excited to hear Ma-tov-vu, my favorite prayer since I was in Hebrew school many many years ago. After a fruitful lunch, everyone put on their summer clothes and played throughout Ohalo. There was an ultimate Frisbee game in the field next to a group of boys passing a football. Everyone was smiling and laughing and taking pictures. My close friend had family visit: her Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, and little cousins. It was heartwarming to see how happy their family was to be reunited after such a long time apart. After lunch, we went on a nature walk to a cemetery close to the Kibbutz. Although it is unlike Jews to visit a cemetery on Shabbot, it was ok because we were celebrating the life of well known Zionists who were buried there. After deciding the walk we took was not full of as much nature as we expected, a couple of friends and I ventured away from the group and walked along the beach. The view along the shore was positively surreal. My friends seemed annoyed at the fact that every other sentence out of my mouth was “Oh my God, we’re in ISRAEL! Do you see what I see? Oh my God…” We stood at the end of a pier in the middle of the Kinneret. I was surrounded by beautiful water, tree covered mountains, millions of birds, and a couple close friends. It was all I needed. This was honestly the most peaceful, restful, and BEAUTIFUL Sabbath I have ever experienced. No Shabbot will ever be the same.
By the way, hearing “Shabbot Shalom” as you pass by every single person you see is a beautiful thing.
Shabbot Shalom everyone,
Jordan [Jackson]
p.s. Uncle Wayne, I did this for you. And don’t get mad at my grammar. I love you!

Shabbat Begins

Virginia Tech represented as we volunteered to lead the Birthright trips in prayers over lighting the Shabbat candles as well as the blessing over the wine and ha-motzey. Everyone had the chance to light their own Shabbat candles, and for many it was their very first time. We chose from two service options and a discussion about what Shabbat means to you. I chose to go to the conservative Kabalat Shabbat services because it had been a very long time since I had attended one. It was special to me to have shared it with a lifelong friend and the new ones I have made on our journey. The room filled with our voices as we all came together and sang aloud, and those familiar sounds helped to sink in that I was celebrating the Shabbat with my peers (something I don’t do very often anymore). I was reminded how good it felt to sing those psalms and mentally prepare yourself for receiving Shabbat. Dinner was an amazing feast of a vast arrangement of Mediterranean cuisine and everyone ate to their hearts’ content. After dinner it was a sight to see all the different schools sing together different Shabbat and Jewish songs. It was a good feeling to know that no matter where we came from or what different Jewish experiences we have had in our lives that we are able to come together as a Jewish community and embrace the holiday of Shabbat in solidarity and happiness. I would definitely say that this erev Shabbat was one experience that I will never forget for the rest of my life. It was almost too surreal to believe that we had finally arrived and received this holiday in our home land. I felt empowered as a Jew to know that we were doing something that our ancestors prayed for and we were able to live out their dreams.
Shalom and I’ll be home too soon,
Shayna
(just a quick hello to my family- I love and miss you!)

Shabbat Shalom from the Sea of Galilee

see more photos

Day 1:
At long last, we have arrived in Israel after months of anticipation and excitement. When we all gathered in New York you could feel the enthusiasm in the air. Finally, our Birthright experience was beginning, and we could not will the plane to arrive in Tel Aviv any faster. Despite our obvious exhaustion after having travelled overnight, the sights and sounds that greeted us in Israel were electrifying. It seemed surreal that we were standing in the place of our history, the home of our people. From Tel Aviv, we boarded our new mobile “home” for the next ten days and journeyed north to our first stop, the Ohalo Kibbutz on the southern coast of the Sea of Galilee (Lake Kinneret). On our bus, we met Mike, our Israeli educator or rather, our walking encyclopedia on all things Israel who brought us all eight belated Hanukkah presents to help us on our journey through the Holy Land. We were all on the edge of our seats waiting to see what was in store for us tomorrow, but now was time for sleep!

Day 2:
And now the adventure begins! Today we drove an hour north through the town of Tiberius to the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee and the Golan Heights. The Sea is beautiful and the beach looked stunning (too bad it’s too cold for a beach day). Once we reached our destination, we boarded jeeps and took an off-road tour of the Golan Heights. As we made our way down the bumpy, sliding, muddy roads, the breathtaking sites of the Six Day War were all around us. Syrian bunkers from the front and second lines of defense stand eerily abandoned amongst deserted land mines (no worries, guys, we were safely secure behind the wired fence!) to remind us the extent to which our people have defended this land to preserve it for us and our future. Our next stop was a short fifteen minute drive northeast to the Syrian border. We looked out from the hills and could see Syria on the horizon!

After returning to the Kibbutz, sundown was approaching and it was time to celebrate Shabbos! We are all having an amazing time and it seems impossible that we have only just begun! I for one cannot wait until tomorrow!

With love from Israel,
Randi Lieberman
(p.s. Hi and big hugs to Mom, Dad, Pamela, Eric and Greg!)

2 Days until we leave for Israel

As the conflict in Israel continues, I think about all the students and parents of Taglit-Birthright Israel trips that told us how grateful they are that they or their child had the opportunity to experience Israel firsthand and make personal connections with Israeli soldiers and citizens.

Watching the news each night, we know that this special relationship now takes on a new, important meaning at this time. There are currently thousands of Taglit-Birthright Israel participants in Israel having a wonderful time.

Safety is our number one priority. Our groups are going nowhere near Gaza, Be’er Sheva, Ashkelon or Ashdod. No trips have been cancelled and our agenda is staying as is at this time.

Well, we leave in 2 days! Get psyched!
May 2009 be a year of peace for the world and all Israel.

Sincerely,
Sue Kurtz

Student Reflections

Shauna

After a very long, 14-hour drive on Saturday, we were all anxious to arrive in New Orleans. However, we had no idea what to expect. Katrina hit about three years ago, and for those of us who had never been here, the devastation that still lingers left us all in complete shock. We began our work at a building that used to be a school and has now been transformed into a center for fine arts. The artists pay the rent by teaching classes, as it is slowly renovated back to what it used to look like before Katrina struck. Just by doing simple things like painting and laying carpet, we made such a difference by the end of the week, and it felt so great to know how much we helped these artists.

We also took a tour of the lower ninth ward where the levies broke, and watched a documentary on the disaster, which really brought everything home. This town still needs so much more help, and with what we learned and experienced on this trip, I know I will be back to help, as well as share my knowledge with others and encourage them to do the same.



Leah

Being such a culturally diverse city, New Orleans has had a lot to teach all of us. We have been so fortunate to be able to experience all that the city has to offer from the great Cajun and Creole food to the arts to the nightlife.
During the day, we have been busy helping to paint and lay carpet at a school, which has been converted to a community arts center and community center in the Lower 9th Ward district. Though we aren’t rebuilding houses, I feel so good about supporting the arts and helping to restore public buildings. On New Year’s Eve day, we went to the New Orleans Children’s Museum to volunteer with kids for their New Year’s celebration. We were also able to watch an Imax documentary about hurricanes in this area.
Before this trip, I had no idea about all the devastation and tragic circumstances that had come from Hurricane Katrina. This city needs not only our hands-on help, but the knowledge we can spread and bring back home to new people is so important. I have spoken with local people in the area about their personal experiences and have had a much more personal connection to the city than I would have expected. This has been an eye-opening experience for me and I hope to carry it with me for a long time.

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Volunteer work at Louisianna Children's Museum

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We are always learning

We’re always learning.

New Orleans is such a unique place. It doesn’t feel like a part of the U.S. It has such a unique culture. The music is always playing. Songs of a love that is so strong the people can’t stop this passion for this place. A pride exists that unites the community.

The internet won’t connect even though I was promised free access. There are only 2 thin, small towels in the room. The water is not running with a strong force. People are living on the streets on every block. Buildings are being renovated everywhere. The music plays on. The hearts of the people beat hard. And they welcome us with a warmth and gratitude. “Thanks for coming to visit, to work”.

I only stopped at New Orleans to be able to share a small part of the trip with the 24 students who went there to help rebuild. On my way to Taglit-Birthright Israel I wanted to spend New Years with my husband who was staffing the trip. As always, the students taught me so much. They told their stories of their first 4 ½ days. Through their words I heard how they stepped out of their comfort zone to rip up floor boards, strip floors, paint walls. Their pride and effort showed through the spoken word. They spoke to the people; whispering first, voices getting louder and louder...............Were you here when Katrina came? What have you seen?

Tonight the students saved their leftover food and gave it to the homeless. They didn’t do that the first day. Today they grew and stretched and embraced their experience. We all shared something that will forever change us for the better.

The Garden district contrasts the distraught buildings we are working on. Slick and clean with new paint, crisp lines with sculptured gardens.... In contrast to chipped and fragile walls, wires revealing the guts of the buildings, bleeding with pain, and containing stories never told.

Life is fragile. Time goes fast. We are all part of precious communities. I hold close the incredible sacrifice and decision the students made to come here and work during their break. Thank you, Julianna, for all your work and organizing.

We are always learning.
With appreciation and love, Sue