5/19/14
The name “Tel Aviv” is a nod to
Theodor Herzl’s iconic book, Altneuland (“The
Old New Land”). “Tel” refers to an ancient archeological site, while “Aviv”
means “Spring.” When taken together, the words “Tel Aviv” capture perfectly the
tensions that define the city, the country, and the Jewish people more
generally.
We started our day with a visit to
Rabin Square. While standing at the very
spot where Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated in 1994 we listened to
the personal recollections of our tour guide. To this day the fact that Rabin
was assassinated by a fellow Jew continues to cut deeply into the soul of every
Israeli and every Jew, with the exception of the few extremists who consider
the murderer to be a hero. Rabin’s story is the story of a man who fought as a
soldier his entire life and eventually became a soldier in the war for peace.
We ended up in a discussion of the BDS movement (Boycott, Divest, and
Sanction). Though it’s not an easy topic we seized the opportunity to make sure
that our kids understand that the “Israel” that they will encounter on college
campuses, and possibly even in high school, is not the real Israel. When they
encounter anti-Israel sentiment we want them to remember Yitzhak Rabin, but
even more we want them to remember the children at the Hagar School in Beersheva,
our Muslim bus driver, “Moody,” who loves Israel and calls it his home, and the
many other daily truths that show how foolish and misguided the BDS movement
really is.
From Rabin Square we travelled back
in time to the 1940s and the struggle for the formation of the State of Israel.
The Palmach Museum brings this complicated period of Jewish history to life via
a multimedia experience that focuses on the story of a small group of young
Jews who lived at that time and whose successes and losses are evocative of
what actually happened. All of our kids enjoyed the creativity of the museum
and many found the story of the Palmach to be inspirational.
If Rabin Square is recent history,
and the Palmach slighty less recent, swimming the Mediterranean Sea is
timeless. After lunch we had a few hours to enjoy the cool water and splash
around with the thousands of Israelis and tourists that camp out on the
pristine beaches every day. This year the lifeguard took a particular interest
in our group. Using the loud speaker he told us all to have a good time,
summoned us back when we swam too far, and told us when it was time to get out
and enjoy an ice cream treat. As per usual, the kids wanted more time to enjoy
the beach. As we still had several more stops ahead of us we weren’t able to
grant their request. Wanting more time, making the most of our time,
appreciating the time we have—it’s amazing how a simple day at the beach can
evoke these universal themes.
We returned from the beach with the
intention of showering before heading to the Israel Sports Center for the
Disabled and the ancient city of Jaffa. We now know what happens when 71 kids
try to shower at once—the water stops flowing. Gathering in the lobby we
encountered kids in varying states of cleanliness, each with a different story
about how the water crisis affected them.
The Israel Sports Center for the
Disabled—which has benefited from the generosity of a number of our kids and
families—is a truly special place. We learn a lot about a society by how it
cares for its vulnerable populations. To be physically or mentally disabled in
Israel is a real struggle. On the long list of things that make Israel an
incredible country, accessibility isn’t one of them. At the Israel Sports
Center for the Disabled we met people who have dedicated their lives to helping
people with disabilities be precisely that—people with disabilities, rather than disabled people. One of the young
men that spoke to us from his wheelchair recounted how he climbed Mt.
Kilimanjaro. Another guide, a young mother, shared how her life changed when
she was in an accident and how she managed to relearn how to “skateboard” while
being bound to her wheelchair. It turns out that we all face challenges and
disabilities of varying degrees. Without minimizing the true adversity that so
many people face on a daily basis, we had a chance to contemplate the power
that resides within each of us regardless (or possibly because of) our
circumstances.
Spending a few hours in Jaffa it’s
easy to understand why there’s at least 4,000 years of human history there.
Jaffa was the point of arrival for many of the early Jewish settlers. Today
it’s a beautiful port city that summons the artist within each of us. We
wandered the ancient alleys, enjoyed the quiet, and had dinner there. We even
had a chance to shop.
Tonight we had our “closing circle.”
We gathered on the roof of our hotel and took a few moments to reflect on the
2014 Israel trip. Listening to the kids speak, it was clear that each of them
will find their own balance of “Tel Aviv.” For some, Judaism will be more about
the “Tel”—honoring tradition, studying our rich history, and so on. For others
it will be more about the “Aviv”—the constant relevance of Judaism, Judaism’s
impact on the world around us, and the potential for personal and communal
growth and renewal. Hopefully this Israel trip will help each of us strike a
greater balance between these two different entry points into Judaism. The
truth is that they are a mutually reinforcing tension that is built into the
fabric of what it means to be a Jew. Now that our kids have really experienced
Israel they’ll be able to weigh in on this conversation in ways that they never
could have before.
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