10/29 to 10/30 | Rockets to Weaken, Music to Strengthen

Over the past few days, southern Israel has been hit by a barrage of rockets coming from the Gaza Strip.  To be cautious, the Rothberg International School sent out a text message that said:

With the growing tension surrounding GAZA students are required to use discretion and caution.  More information will follow as the situation unfolds.

A message like that is jolting.  It is frightening to think that parts of the country I am in are under attack.  Thankfully, I am far from the danger, but I sill worry about all the Israelis in the communities surrounding Gaza.  From big cities like Ashkelon and Beersheva to small towns like Sderot, hundreds of thousands of Israeli civilians are made to suffer for one reason: they are Jews living in the Jewish state.  It really makes you realize how little has changed over the centuries.

In the face of such random acts of terror, it is easy to be disheartened.  Israel and the Jewish people as a whole are often alone in the world.  When dealing with such a situation, though, the most important thing to remember is that there are others who care.  Tonight, I had the privilege of attending the Masa Israel Journey opening event featuring the popular musicians of the Idan Raichel Project at the Jerusalem International Convention Center.  More than just a concert, the event was a sort of Zionist pep rally where 3,000 students from all over the world came to show their support for the State of Israel during their semesters or years studying in Israel.  It was very similar to the Taglit-Birthright Mega Event I went to last December, even featuring the same speakers and music.  Both times, I was in awe at the sight of thousands of other young adults who love and support Israel congregating in one room to celebrate all that makes our nation strong.

Soldiers of the IDF in formation outside of the concert.

A view of the welcome hall from above.

The stage in the auditorium of the International Convention Center.

The introduction featured what was possibly the greatest version of Hava Nagila ever.

A representative from the Prime Minister's Office came to welcome and thank us.  He described Israel as the "most exciting country in the world."  I could not agree more.

Natan Sharansky, the current chairman of the Jewish Agency for Israel, came to speak.  He is famous as a former Soviet refusenik and prisoner.

Two guys banging a floating drum hovered above the audience.

A shower of balloons came down from overhead.

The Idan Raichel Project is a group of musicians who create their songs through a fusion of electronics, traditional Hebrew texts, and Middle Eastern and Ethiopian music.  Their sound is totally unique and unlike anything else I have ever heard.

A proud nation.  Images of Israel were frequently on display.

A night of fun and enjoyment in the face of terror.  We win.

10/28 | A Trip to the Markets of the Old City

Today, Matt and I decided to go to the Old City because Matt, a graduate student, needed to buy an Arabic-English dictionary for his Arabic class, which starts on Sunday.  We figured we could find cheap books in the Old City instead of the expensive books sold in the campus bookstore.  We left at around 2:00 in the afternoon and took a bus because the light rail had already shut down for shabbat.  Arriving at Damascus Gate, we entered the Muslim Quarter and began our journey through the markets of the Old City.  Here are some pictures from today's journey:

It is comforting to see Israeli flags flying in Arab areas of Jerusalem.  These flags fly over a building located a short walk away from the Damascus Gate entrance.

Monks walking the Via Dolorosa, the path believed to be taken by Jesus as he carried the cross on his way to crucifixion. Surprisingly, a large part of the path is in the Muslim Quarter.

Stores in the Muslim Quarter.  Venders sell every type of souvenir one could imagine.

The Cotton Merchant's Market in the Muslim Quarter leads to a gate on to the Temple Mount.  In a surprisingly unfair move, non-Muslims are prohibited from entering this way.

A store for everything hookah.

We stopped briefly at the Kotel.  This was my first time to the Western Wall in the daytime since I first arrived.

One of the most, if not the most, awe-inspiring sites in the world.  That I can come here whenever I want is still unbelievable to me.  To the right is the bridge to the only gate to the Temple Mount that Jews are allowed to enter through. Rumor has it that this one will be taken down in place of a more permanent structure soon.

More markets in the Christian Quarter.

The Church of the Holy Sepulcher where Jesus, or Yeshua in Hebrew, was supposedly crucified and buried.

The end to a great day!

For all of our searching, neither Matt nor I could find an Arabic-English dictionary.  We did, however, have a great time exploring one of the world's greatest wonders.  I even ran into Charlotte, the other American University student, in the Christian Quarter!  The Old City of Jerusalem is a focal point for three faiths (although only Judaism can claim it as its absolute holiest place for some 3000 years and counting).  It is a source of inspiration for anyone who has the privilege to actually experience it in person.  It is not without its flaws--rude shopkeepers, dirty streets, etc.--but for all of its shortcomings, it really is Ear HaKodesh, a Holy City unlike any other in the world.  

10/27 | The Tomb of Shimon HaTzadik and a Walk Around Mea Shearim

Today after class, Steven, our new roommate Matt, and I went to explore the ultra-Orthodox neighborhood of Mea Shearim.  Mea Shearim is one of Jerusalem's oldest neighborhoods and is inhabited by an insular Haredi community that shuns the outside world.  Plastered on many of the buildings are signs warning tourists to dress modestly and to avoid congregating in groups so as not to offend the residents.  The neighborhood has been compared to a modern-day shtetl, where everyone is required to wear a kippah because strict observance of Jewish traditions is the standard.  I was here last for kapparot during Yom Kippur, but we did not really get a chance to explore, so this was my chance to check out the world-class Judaica, cheap clothing, etc.

As we rode the light rail to Shivtei Israel, the stop closest to Mea Shearim, we passed the Shimon HaTzadik stop, where we noticed many religious Jews congregating.  Letting the curiosity get the best of us, we headed towards the Shimon HaTzadik neighborhood adjacent to the less-than-safe Arab neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah.  Shimon HaTzadik is named after the tomb of Simeon the Just, a Jewish High Priest during the time of the Second Temple.  Its location serves as a point of contention because the Arabs claim it as their own, so the police were out in force as everyone swarmed towards the grave, located in a cave.  We soon found out it was the yahrtzeit of Simeon the Just, meaning it was the anniversary of his death.  As we walked through a sea of black hats and wigs, we came to the entrance of the cave and saw hundreds of Jews paying their respects.  It was quite a site!  Here are some pictures from our journey to the tomb of Shimon HaTzadik:

The beginning of our adventure was met with an awe-inspring view over Ammunition Hill, the site of one of the fiercest battles of the 1967 Six-Day War.

The mass of Orthodox Jews at the entrance to the Shimon HaTzadik neighborhood.

There was a strong police presence throughout the Shimon HaTzadik neighborhood.

There was a parade of people marching to and from the tomb.

The women's section outside of the tomb of Shimon HaTzadik, or Simeon the Just in English.

This mosque, located in Shiekh Jarrah, is only a few feet away from the entrance to the tomb of Simeon the Just.

Shimon HaTzadik is not too far from Mea Shearim, so we walked the rest of the way when we were done at the tomb.  Mea Shearim is packed with stores selling everything related to Judaism and Jewish tradition.  Judaica shops are next to bookstores are next to tallit venders are next to kosher restaurants; any and everything thing an observant Jew could need can be found in Mea Shearim.  After doing a bit of shopping (I didn't buy anything), we stopped for dinner at a falafel restaurant.  Afterwards, we continued shopping until we had seen enough.  Then, Steven and I headed to Ben Yehuda Street before heading back home to the Student Village.

Occasionally, the Breslov chasidim ride through various neighborhoods in their vans blasting music meant to make people happy.  Rebbe Nachman of Uman, Ukraine once said, "It is a great mitzvah to be happy always."  Graffiti that says, "Na Nach Nachma Nachman MeUman" can be found all over the country in memory of the great rebbe, who died in 1810.

A busy street in Mea Shearim after dark.

The falafel restaurant we ate at had pictures of famous Jewish figures all over the walls.

What looks like a large Santa Claus converted into an Orthodox Jew at a tallit store.

The Museum on the Seam is across from the Shivtei Israel light rail top.  This museum is unique because it is located where Mandelbaum Gate used to sit between the seam line separating Israeli West Jerusalem from Jordanian East Jerusalem.  The building still bears countless scars of war including broken arches, bullet holes, and peeling paint.

On the Museum on the Seam is a sign that says, "Olive trees will be our borders" in Hebrew, Arabic, and English.  It is a nice wish, but those days seem to be a long ways off.

10/24 to 10/26 | Returning to School and a Field Trip Back to the City of David

Since I do not have class on Sunday, my week began on Monday with Hebrew at 8:30 in the morning.  It was a rough way to start school after such a great break, but I am finally starting to get back to a routine.  In all of my classes, the work is starting to pile up.  Hebrew requires a great deal of time for the various exercises we are assigned, not to mention all of the studying that must be done.  We just learned future tense, though, so I am very excited that I can now speak in Hebrew about events that are happening now, events that happened in the past, and events that will be happening: everything necessary for a proper conversation!  In my Business Ethics class, I have write-ups due for every class detailing the issues we have spotted in that days assigned reading.  We also have a term paper coming up, so I had to write a proposal and outline detailing my topic, Ethics within the Business Practices of the Israeli Diamond Industry.  Foreign Policy of Israel is great as always, but there is a lot of reading to do.  Fortunately, I enjoy everything we have been assigned so far.  A term paper is also coming up for this class, but he has yet to discuss it.  Finally, Archaeology of Israel is going well, especially because we have so many field trips coming up.  I have a quiz for this class next Tuesday, but I plan on doing much studying over the course of the weekend.

On Tuesday, I returned to the City of David with my Archaeology of Jerusalem class.  I was only there last week with Beit Tal, so it was not new to me, but it was nice to have a tour guide that spoke English this time.  We started by taking a look at the Old City and the surrounding area from above at an observation point on the Mount of Olives, or Har HaZeiteem in Hebrew.  I have long wanted to see the Mount of Olives in person and was pleased to finally get a chance.  The Mount of Olives is interesting because it has been used as a Jewish cemetery for over 3,000 years and contains over 150,000 graves.  It is covered in beautiful olive trees and contains a number of sites holy to Christians and Jews.  Here are some pictures of the amazing views from the Mount of Olives:

The Mount of Olives offeres incredible views of the Temple Mount esplanade and the entire Old City.  The gold dome in the center is the Dome of the Rock, where the holy temples used to stand thousands of years ago.  It sits on the holiest site in Judaism, but is currently inaccessible to Jews because of Muslim prohibitions.

Notice the cascade of graves down the side of the Mount of Olives.  These graves contain Jews from all different eras in history.

The gray dome belongs to Al-Aqsa Mosque.  It is considered the third holiest site in Islam, mostly because of the sanctity given to the Temple Mount by the Jews.  Muslims call the entire complex the Noble Sanctuary because they believe this to be the spot where Muhammad ascended into heaven.

The gold domes here belong to the Russian Orthodox Church of Mary Magdalene.  Again, notice the cascade of graves in the foreground.

The sealed gate here is known as the Golden Gate or the Gate of Mercy.  It is believed that the messiah will enter through this gate.  Sultan Suleiman I sealed off the gate in 1541 to prevent the Jewish messiah's return.  The Muslims also put a cemetery in front of the gates because the Jewish high priests, or kohenim, are not allowed to make themselves impure by walking through a cemetery.

The Seven Arches Hotel is located at the top of the Mount of Olives.  It was built by the Jordanians during their occupation of Jerusalem from 1948 to 1967.  As was the case all over the Mount of Olives, the access road to the hotel was built over thousands of destroyed graves.

After a brief description of what we were seeing from the Mount of Olives, we continued on our way to the City of David.  The City of David, or Ear Dahveed in Hebrew, is the original location of the ancient walled city of Jerusalem.  The Old City of today extends west and north of the Temple Mount, but the original walled city was south of the Temple Mount on a hill bounded by two valleys.

A view of Al-Aqsa Mosque from the south.  Below the mosque are excavations from the temple period.

A view of all the graves on the Mount of Olives from the City of David.

The entrance to the City of David.

The Stepped Stone Structure believed to be part of an Israelite royal palace.

Houses in the neighborhood of Silwan are built on top of old Jewish tombs.

Warren's Shaft is an archeological feature believed to have been part of the city's early water supply system.

Continuing archeological digs at the City of David.

Orthodox children entering Hezekiah's Tunnel in their swimsuits.

An ancient quarry showing the marks where stones were carved.

The Pool of Siloam, which collected water from the Gihon Sping for residents of the ancient walled city of Jerusalem.

The way back to the entrance is through a central road in Silwan on foot.  Our guide told us not bring attention to ourselves, that it wouldn't cause a pogrom, but that it wouldn't be good.  Comforting, right?  This is one of the mosques in the Silwan neighborhood.

This is a sign for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), the agency that deals with the Palestinian refugees.  For over 60 years, this agency has exacerbated the conflict by refusing to settle these people, as is done with every other group affected by conflict.  All other refugees in the world fall under the umbrella of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees.

10/20 to 10/23 | The Israel Museum, Shabbat, and Relaxing Before School

For the most part, the last three days of Sukkot vacation have been very leisurely.  Between now and the time I come home on January 6, 2012, we effectively have no more days off.  The next ten weeks will be completely dominated by school, meaning not much time for anything else (traveling, family, etc.) except on weekends.  Fortunately, I do not have class on Sunday, so I will consistently have three day weekends throughout the months of November and December.

Thursday was my first day since I got here that I planned nothing for the day.  I woke up around 2:00 in the afternoon, and went to a friend's place for lunch to exchange stories about Eilat.  Other than that, that day was totally devoid activity, which was nice because it allowed me to recharge after such a busy week.  At night, I finally left the Student Village to get a pizza at a restaurant in the French Hill--HaGiva HaTzahrfahteet--neighborhood.  That was the extent of my activity for the day.

Friday was much more interesting than Thursday.  On Friday, I was supposed to wake up early to meet Jacob at the Israel Museum at 10:00 in the morning.  I woke up around 15 minutes before ten because my alarm did not go off in time; when I tried to set the alarm time, I accidentally reset the clock.  So, I dashed out of my apartment and took a bus to a place that I thought would put me somewhere near the Israel Museum in Givat Ram, near the Knesset.  I thought I got off close enough that a taxi would be able to take me there in very little time; however, I must have gotten the worst taxi driver in existence because he was not only clueless about the Israel Museum, but he took me to the Nature Museum instead.  Just for context, this would be like not knowing about the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.  Finally, I got to the Israel Museum where I met Jacob about 45 minutes late.

The Israel Museum is a fascinating place filled with artwork from around the world.  While it is geared towards Judaism and Israel, it also has objects from Asia, Africa, and South America.  Not surprisingly, the Israel Museum is best experienced in pictures, so here are some images from my trip there:

View of the Knesset from the entrance to the Israel Museum.

The ramp in the entrance hall of the Israel Museum.

A wing of the Israel Museum featuring objects of the Jewish life cycle from birth--leeda--to death--mahvet--and everything in between.

Examples of Jewish craftwork.

Jewish dowry items from a wedding.

One of the most fascinating initiatives of the Israel Museum is to save and preserve synagogues--Bahtee Knesset in Hebrew, which literally translates to Houses of Meeting--from around the world.  Through this program, the Israel Museum has deconstructed three synagogues from Italy in Europe, India in Asia, and Suriname in South America and reconstructed them for everyone to see in the museum.  Here is what they look like:

An elegant synagogue from a city in Italy.

A simple synagogue from Cochin, India.

An exotic synagogue from Suriname.  Notice the Caribbean tradition of sand on the ground in front of the Torah ark.

Jewish ritual items from around the world.

The rest of the museum was spent on different variations of art, including classical, impressionist, modern, contemporary, etc.

Although it is hard to see because of the glare, this is an example of early Israeli art.  The couple to the left, representing the strong, proud Jews of the newly formed State of Israel, contrasts with the couple to the right, representing the lives of Jews in the exile.

Israeli soldiers posing to look like Leonardo Da Vinci's The Last Supper.

Early Zionist artwork.

The figure of a large fallen chess piece.

Examples of Buddhist art.

An Example of Hindu art.

The figure of a broken tree branch.

Golda Meir done by Andy Warhol.

There was still so much to see, but it was Friday so the museum closed at 2:00.  Here is the view when exiting the Israel Museum.

A sculpture done by the same artist who did the Cloud Gate (the Bean) sculpture in Chicago's Millennium Park.  This is called Turning the World Upside Down.

My and Jacob's reflection in Turning the World Upside Down.

On our way out, I caught a glimpse of the Shrine of the Book, where the Dead Sea Scrolls are housed.  I was able to see these last summer, but there was no time for them today.

After our day at the Israel Museum, Jacob and I headed back to the Student Village (he was sleeping on our couch that night).  We decided to head to the Kotel for shabbat, where Jeff Seidel could set us up for dinner.  This turned out to be one of the most unexpectedly interesting/weird experiences I have had to date.  For Simchat Torah, we were set up with a religious family, but there was nothing out of the ordinary about them.  This time, however, we were set up with the Jankovits family.  The Jankovits family also lived in the Old City, but that was where the similarities ended.  In their small apartment, they hosted about 30 people of all ages.  Many were yeshiva students, while others were newlyweds.  Most everyone, however, was very messianic, constantly talking about the arrival of the moshiach and the rebuilding of the Third Temple.  It was a bit intense at times with everyone constantly thanking HaShem for the moment, that there would never be another moment like this.  One guy even announced that according to his calculations, the messiah would be here by next Rosh HaShanah!  It was certainly different and the food was good, but I don't think I would go back.  I pride myself on being a proud Jew and strong Zionist, but the messianic talk was way too much.

A good image of how everyone thought at the Jankovits' house.

After dinner, Jacob and I walked back to the Western Wall.  The other night, we noticed an inscription on the upper stones of the wall, so we were determined to find someone to translate the words for us.  After asking a few people, we found a yeshiva student who explained to us that somebody had carved their name there before the Western Wall Plaza was excavated in 1967.  After a bit of discussion, our impromptu guide offered to take us to the Little Western Wall, known as HaKotel HaKatan in Hebrew.  This is a place I had long heard about but never had the opportunity to see.  It is located deep within the Muslim Quarter in a place that is not particularly safe.  The Little Western Wall is an extension of the section of the Western Wall everyone is familiar with today, but it is much closer to the location of the Holy of Holies.  The Western Wall actually runs the length of the Temple Mount, but most of it is covered by buildings in the Muslim Quarter.  HaKotel HaKatan is an exposed piece of wall that resembles the Western Wall prior to 1967, when there was just a narrow road separating the holy site from the adjacent homes.  It was a remarkable experience because it was completely empty, save for a few Arabs that walked by (not giving us the most approving looks).  We did not stay long, but I hope to return soon in the daytime so that I can take pictures.

Today and tomorrow, I will spend most of my time doing homework.  Break has been nice while it lasted, but school has been a long time coming.  Most everyone in the world is on midterms and we are still just starting.  That is what is unique about using the Jewish calendar, where nothing is static and the holidays jump around all over the Gregorian calendar!