Tag: Adar

By Adar

Though I’m not leaving Israel for another week and a half, and I won’t be in the United States for another month, my semester is over and this is my last written reflection on my time abroad, for now.

Before I came to Israel, I had already known quite a bit about it. My family has been here for generations, and I grew up visiting every couple of years. But at the end of the semester, I realize that I really knew nothing five months ago. I have learned so much, both through my history and politics classes and through going out into society, that I have such a different concept of what it means to be Israeli, Jewish, or just someone in the Middle East. Israel is a combination of so many things: the politics of the region, the history of a nation, the ethnic clashes of humanity, the growth and development of western society in the 21^st century, the search for spirituality, and the intense blending of traditions from all over the world.

It’s a country that is misunderstood by everyone, even those who live here, and I don’t pretend to be any different. But from what I’ve been able to observe, Israel is not a violent country. It’s a country filled with scared people, who put up intense psychological and military defense mechanisms to protect themselves. There are people in Israel who are fanatic, and in many different directions. There are people who do not believe in peace because they have never known it. There are those who are perpetually optimistic and those who really couldn’t care less about anyone else and who just want peace and quiet in their lives. Sound any different from anywhere else?

I think I’ve developed in three particular ways this semester. ...continue reading "The Last: Com"

By Adar

My last day in Haifa felt like the shortest day I’ve ever had, though in reality it was one of the longest. I was up at six, going over my notes for my last written final in Hebrew class, which I took at 8 and finished at 10. I then had my last goodbyes to the staff at the international office. I did my laundry, helped my friend buy a bus ticket (the website was in Hebrew) and ordered a sherut, or shared cab, for us for the evening. I then locked myself away from 11:30 to 4, working on an essay that I really wanted to finish. In Israel, or at least at the University of Haifa, papers are due after the semester has already ended. On the one hand, it means you have a little bit more time to do them, but on the other it means you can’t really start a break until you finish, up to a month and a half later. So within those four and a half hours I managed to crank out about eight pages worth of text in addition to the two I already had, and sent it in. I’ve still got two more papers to write to look forward to. ...continue reading "Leaving Haifa"

By Adar

Being a Poli Sci minor, and taking mainly courses related to conflict and societal cleavages, I often think about Israel in terms of the deep scars and strife that bog down the country. But I wanted to devote this post to some of the things that I see day-to-day that make me say, "that's so Israeli". Sometimes I think they're weird. Sometimes genius. Sometimes just different. And sometimes hilarious.

1. Animal-shaped iphone cases

Mainly bunnies. They're large and neon plastic cases that are supposedly cute.

2. Straws ...continue reading "Israelisms"

By Adar

Somewhat similar to our Fall Fest and Spring Flings, the University of Haifa puts on a “Student Day” once a semester; hiring big name performers and DJs in between, handing out giveaways and t-shirts, and selling food and drinks. Our Student Day was last Monday; right before Shavuot, and I thought it would be fun to go.

I think I heard that there were about fifteen thousand people there, and I’m quite sure that seemed accurate. It was packed in an outdoor closed-off area, with a giant stage at the front and a sprawling grassy area where everyone stood. It was themed WhiteFest, probably for Shavuot, and the majority of people wore white. Looking out onto the crowd and seeing the same color on thousands of people made the atmosphere so much more collective, I think. The bands were not my absolute favorite, but we were all still happy to be there and dance until the small hours of the morning. ...continue reading "Student Festival"

By Adar

By Adar

For the past couple of months I've been volunteering each week at a place called Beit Cham Lenotzlim HaShoah, or Community Center for Holocaust Survivors (rough translation). I go with a couple of my friends from school and help set up tables for dinner, or any other little tasks they have, and then sit and chat with residents there during dinner. It's really quite pleasant and entertaining, I'm not quite sure how it counts as volunteering. The first person I met was a man from Romania named Yakov, who is such a character. He enjoys singing Romanian songs and telling stories about famous people he’s seen on his travels with his grandchildren. He and his wife told me the story of how they met and other amusing heartwarming anecdotes. I quite enjoy going to this senior center.

For my Hebrew class final project, we need to get into pairs or groups of three, choose a topic and interview an Israeli, then present on it. My group is with two girls, Lena and Elana, and because all of us go to this center we asked to interview the woman who runs the place, Chava. ...continue reading "Tea With Chava"

By Adar

One of the things that continues to stun me about Israel is its geographical diversity. Whereas a couple of months ago we were trekking through the Negev desert, this weekend the international school organized a hiking trip to the Golan Heights and Galilee. Both are valleys and hills, covered in forests and brooks. Yesterday's hike brought me back home to Northern California, with its woodsy feel and endless rolling hills. The trail started at an ancient mill, which was not in use anymore but we talked about how the economy of the 14th and 15th century operated under the Ottomans. We stopped in a stream and futzed around for a little bit, then continued up and up to the end of the trail. We camped somewhere near the Kinneret (Sea of Galilee) though I'm not quite sure where, and just had the evening to enjoy the sunset, and cook dinner together. A few of us sang songs for Kabbalat Shabbat (friday evening services) at a picnic table that was perched on top of a stream, and we roasted marshmallows after dinner. The marshmallows here are awful, but I'll get to that later. We spread our sleeping bags out and joined more than a few mosquitoes and spiders for a night under the stars, laying on the grass.  ...continue reading "Stop and smell the olive trees"

By Adar

At 8pm the evening after Yom HaZikaron begins Yom HaAtzmaut, Independence Day. It's to commemorate May 14th, 1948, when Ben Gurion officially declared the independence of the State of Israel. And people go crazy. It's a celebration very similar to Fourth of July, with fireworks at night and barbecues during the day. In Haifa, there was a giant street party called Tzubachutz (a slang translation for, roughly, get out on the streets) in the center of town, with big name bands like Hadag Nahash (http://www.youtube.com/user/hadagnahashofficial) and street vendors. It was several hours long and over 60,000 people were there. I tried to find my adoptive student but the cell reception was so bad, and it was so crowded, that after looking for each other in a space of about ten meters for a solid fifteen minutes, both of us gave up and went back to our friend groups. It was a ridiculous night and everyone was dancing and having a good time. People wore silly hats with Israeli flags on them, and had blow-up plastic boppers to cause havoc. It was an all-ages event, though really I questioned parents who were pushing their kids' strollers through the loud, pushy crowd. You should probably wait a couple of years before bringing your kid here.  ...continue reading "Independence Day"

By Adar

Israel's memorial day has two sirens: one at 8pm on the evening before and one at 11am on the day of. Wherever you are, people stop their cars. They stand up, stay silent, and look straight ahead. An entire country completely pauses for a minute during the siren, to pay respect for those lost in combat and affected by the 14 wars Israel has been involved in since its start, 65 years ago. Unlike Memorial day in the United States, which is a great excuse for sales, picnics and parades, Yom Hazikaron in Israel is fairly somber. Israeli flags are everywhere, and many businesses are closed. There are ceremonies and services, and thousands of people visit Har Hertzl, a military and diplomat cemetery in Jerusalem.  ...continue reading "Security First"

By Adar

Twenty-Four Exposures In Jordan

I’ve always been jealous of people who have the ability to just “pop down for a weekend” in a different country. And Israel is fairly limited in countries you can pop over to. Lebanon? Absolutely not. Syria? Forget it. Egypt? It’s extremely uncomfortable to go there and you’d have to go through the Sinai, which is incredibly dangerous. Saudi Arabia? Iraq? The only country we can really visit is Jordan, and last weekend we did. I took my film camera and had to choose my shots very carefully. Haven’t gotten them developed yet. ...continue reading "Twenty-Four Exposures in Jordan"