I'm writing to you from Ramat Rachel. Which means we're in Jerusalem. Which means the coming days will see a deepening of some of the more profound and subtle aspects of our time in Israel. But that's yet to come. First, we'll look back at the unique journey we took today.
For what is likely the first time in the history of The Davis Academy's Israel Trip, our kids were checked out of the hotel and ready to leave before our guides. In fairness, that's because our guides had to resolve some sort of billing issue at the front desk. But still... I guess a good night's sleep (or the presumption thereof) counts for something!
Though we ended our day in Jerusalem, which is south of Tel Aviv, we first headed north toward Caesarea and Zichron Ya'akov. Today Caesarea is one of the poshest spots in Israel. For example, it's home to Israel's only golf course. But 2,000 years ago it was... wait for it... also one of the poshest spots. Built by Herod (who also built the 2nd Temple and Masada), Caesarea was an attempt to stay in the good graces of the Roman authorities that ruled the land at the time. While the Romans aren't the heroes of most Jewish stories (to put it mildly) you've got to hand it to them when it comes to engineering and urban planning. Who wouldn't want to sit in an acoustically impeccable amphitheater against the backdrop of the Mediterranean or swim in the fresh water pool of a palace right in the middle of the sea? Today we learned more about Herod's motives for building Caesarea, specifically the fact that he felt caught between two worlds-- a Jewish world and a Roman world. Ultimately the tension proved untenable.
From Caesarea we made our way to the much anticipated visit with our pen pals and peers from the Nili School. Here I'll really let the pictures speak for themselves. We were greeted with dozens of beautiful posters and banners, a huge spread of food, cheers and hugs, and so much more. Truth be told, Caesarea couldn't care less whether we visited or not. But our visit to Nili School is, without a doubt, one of the highlights of their year and ours. It turns out that people are more precious than even the most beautiful Roman ruins. And that's something to celebrate. By the way, our visit to the Nili School is really a testament to Morah Sigal, Morah Liat, and Morah Orna. They work tirelessly to make it happen and make it meaningful. When your kids tell you it was one of their favorite days, feel free to point that out. It's a good reminder that all of us, school and home, only want the best for these kids. We want them to experience the sweetness of making new friends 1/2 way around the world. And today it happened. Full disclosure, I spent the first 20 minutes of the visit with a lump in my throat. It made all the stress of planning this trip worth it to see them celebrate the opportunity to meet face to face rather than screen to screen. I thought about all that we've sacrificed these last few years and how deeply we yearn to reclaim it.
All good things must end. But at least in Israel the good things end to make way for other good things. So from the modest town of Zichron we began our ascent to Jerusalem. Those who have been (and I honestly believe that we've all been, at least in some spiritual or genetic sense) know what I'm talking about. You climb. Physically. And maybe, if you're open to it, spiritually.
Before checking in at our amazing hotel (quite possibly the finest I've ever stayed at on a Davis Israel trip) we went to the Haas Promenade with its famous views of the Old City. Inspired by the view, we only had the kids full attention for a few moments. During that time we simply tried to evoke in them the awareness that we're really here. We're really in Jerusalem. That from this point forward, for the rest of their lives, Jerusalem will never again be an abstract concept. More than a mysterious place that we sing about in synagogue, it's a living, breathing, beckoning, summoning, vibrating center of human consciousness. One that, in the coming days, we will experience with all our senses, creating memories that will surely lead us back here many times in the future. Speaking of that, we had another amazing alum come and visit us at the hotel. How special that he went out of his way to spend a few hours with us even though he only has a few weeks left here.
Trip Advisor: If you're willing to stay a little farther away from the city center, you should consider staying at Ramat Rachel. Boasting spacious rooms, incredible views, delicious food, and friendly staff, Ramat Rachel is also home to 3 swimming pools and the most sought after private membership to the pools and fitness center of any facility in Jerusalem. So far, 5 stars.
It's actually been amazing to see how happy a nice hotel makes the kids (and chaperones). And I get it. It bodes well for the rest of the trip knowing that we have a comfy place to come home to each day so that our daily experiences can really integrate.
So why is this blog post called "Find Your Name"? I know you've been asking yourself that question all along right?
As we were shuffling into the gymnasium at the Nili School over the backdrop of techno music being blasted through their gym's sound system, I heard one of the Nili teachers repeatedly instructing the kids to "Find your name." "Find your name! Find your name!" While I knew she was talking about name tags, the minute I heard her say that, my mind went straight to a different place.
In 7th grade, the kids read a famous poem by the poet Zelda. It's called "Each of us has a name." It's a poem about coming home to your truest self. Who or what that truest self is can be quite surprising. How so? Well for starters, our egos mislead us. Our egos tell us, I'm this, I'm that, I'm good at this, I'm bad at that etc. Most of us take the voice of ego at face value and assume that what our ego tells us is true. Gradually we come to believe that we are a collection of skills, characteristics, capacities, and identities. I'm a Jew, I'm a rabbi, I'm a father, I'm a son, I'm an educator, I'm a musician. And while I am these things, I am not only these things. In fact, becoming overly attached to these things may have the unintended consequence of concealing some deeper and truer self.
I think we all know that adolescence is a time of figuring out "who we really are." But the truth is, that process doesn't begin and doesn't end with adolescence. I'd like to think we're all on a journey toward finding our name. There are moments when we find it, only to lose it again. There are moments when we realize the name we've been given isn't the name that we would chose. The journey toward finding our name, toward discovering who and what we truly are, is lifelong. Experiences like those we are having here in Israel have the potential to radically alter the trajectory of our lives, leading us to truer and more nourishing names, truer and more complete selves. What more could we wish for those we love?
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