As 8th grade families are surely scrounging to make last minute plans and preparations for the upcoming trip I want to make sure that we all set aside a few moments to think about some of the most essential "items" we need to bring with us on our trip.
If you're reading this blog and preparing your child for Israel I cannot stress enough how important it is to dedicate a few moments to intentional conversation about how to prepare for Israel. So here are a few additional items that every student should bring...
1) An Open Lev. In the Torah the Hebrew word, lev, means both "heart" and "mind." There's great wisdom here as most of us typically identify as more "intellectual" or more "emotional" in terms of how we navigate our daily lives. The dichotomy between heart and mind, between feeling and thinking, is as old as Western Civilization itself, but it's decidedly false. Jewish tradition has long understood that thinking and feeling are parallel processes that together help us experience the richness of life to the fullest. In Israel the most intellectual kid might find herself overwhelmed with powerful emotions triggered by a holy site or desert landscape. The most emotionally connected student might fall in love with the complex history and politics of Israel. Let's make sure that every child packs his or her Lev.
2) A Huge Appetite. We live in an age of picky eaters and Israel is a smorgasbord. Our kids need to be (and generally are) hungry for Israel. They need to want to feast not only on the delicious food, but on the history, geology, and spirituality of the land and the people. They need to thirst for the stories of our people and drink deeply from the wells of Jewish tradition and wisdom. They need to greet each day with curiosity, with burning questions, with a desire to learn. They must be willing to set down their iPods to listen to the ruckus of the marketplace. If we hunger for growth and transformation we will find it. If we thirst for understanding Israel will help quench our thirst. Forget about snacks. Pack a huge appetite.
3) Menschlichkeit. What we give is what we get. When we bring a willingness to be a part of the kehillah/community we receive the power that comes with being a part of something greater than ourselves. When we bring our ruach/spirit we are energized by the spirit of others and more likely to recognize spiritual experiences and opportunities. When we bring our chochmah/wisdom by sharing our insights, living our questions, and making wise and healthy choices, we are more likely to receive wisdom from our friends, chaperones, tour guides, and the universe more generally. When we treat our airplanes, busses, restaurants, classmates, teachers, and friends with cavod/respect we earn the trust and respect of others and find ourselves in greater synergy with everything and everyone around us. When we try to be tzadikkim/righteous we open ourselves to reward beyond measure. Together we have tried to show our children that these values are intrinsic-- that they reside within each of us. Let's make sure we pack them in an easily accessible place.
This blog will chronicle our adventure through Israel. There will be daily posts. They're written so that you can feel like you are in Israel with us, so that the kids can have an enduring "chronicle" from their trip, and so that we can make sure that the learning that occurs in Israel doesn't pass us by. Feel free to share with friends and neighbors who might wish to "join us" on this journey. If you've got something to say, post a comment and join the dialogue. Updates to the blog will be communicated via twitter (@rabbispen).
Rabbi Micah
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