Aviv: Masa Seminar, Home Hospitality, Masada and the Dead Sea

The past week has seen a return to the constant intensity experienced at the outset of the program. In the past week alone we have spent a few days at a MASA seminar for all Australian gap year programs on the subject of Israel Advocacy, some of us visited Modiin for home hospitality and in the last day or two we have learnt about the Bedouins who reside in the Negev and their history and culture, and finally climbed Masada and visited the Dead Sea, much to the delight of Instagram enthusiasts everywhere.

As we edge towards the final days of our stay in Israel one question must begin to enter the psyches of all Aviv participants, how will our Aviv journey help us to return to Australia and make a difference in our respective Jewish communities? This exact question was addressed in our latest MASA ceremony, co-ordinated by the ever so familiar George Schneider, we were encouraged to explore our own Zionistic thoughts and the ways in which we intended to engage our new skills and thoughts learnt in the holy land in a beneficial way in our Jewish communities at home, whether it be Sydney, Melbourne, Perth or even the perpetual Aviv joke that is Toowoomba’s J-Com. Throughout the 3 day seminar spanning from Tuesday to Thursday afternoon we heard speeches from Jewish people in various fields such as peace and negotiation, education and the Zionist communities back home. In addition to this, MASA generously scheduled time for the entire seminar to view the Socceroo’s epic clash with the Netherlands in the world cup which we came oh so close to grinding out a result in, however the same cannot be said about the state of origin… just ask Toby and Ellison.

We were allowed the opportunity to choose between a few skills sessions, of which I decided to attend one wherein I learnt the ins and outs of interviews and the tactic of speaking with a purpose to one’s agenda as is so elegantly practised by our politicians and ambassadors. Other interesting sessions were also on offer such as ones about advocacy at university and media within the IDF. The seminar offered an opportunity to engage in an Israeli Frisbee prototype known as ‘Patriot’ which is a cross between baseball and Frisbee using a magen david shaped disc, it was odd to say the least. The final session saw state time ensure, wherein we split off into small groups and discussed possible solutions to already present issues within our respective Jewish communities. All up the seminar was fruitful and as well as providing a forum for improving advocacy it allowed people to nourish and begin friendships with indiviudals who they had yet to really meet.

The weekend saw roughly 20 of us head to Modiin where we were paired up with a family for the home hospitality segment of the program. Robbie and myself were hosted by the Ottolenghi family who had three children, Noam (19), Shay (16) and Shalev (10). This weekend really allowed us to become immersed in real Israeli family life and sample some of the everyday fun Modiin had to offer. We were taken to the local swimming pool, the movie theatre, a bar and as well as this we enjoyed delicious home cooked meals for two whole days! Something we had not even had one of in the past 5 months! Needless to say, this experience really made me miss home! It really was an amazing weekend, an experience which I wish the entirety of Aviv had joined us on.

On Sunday the entire program reconvened at Modiin train station and headed south towards the Negev to learn about the Bedouin peoples who reside therein. Our guide Amir informed us of the plight of the Bedouins as well as their history within the land of Israel as a sort of quasi-indigenous peoples who were previously nomadic before the establishment of the modern state who require them to have a permanent residence in order to pay the necessary taxes. It is a plight similar to that of Australia’s native people, the aborigines. We travelled around and were shown Bedouin villages and shanty towns and learnt of their living conditions. Finally, we visited the home of a Bedouin woman who was a prominent artist who regaled us with the tale of her family and herself and the struggles which they had been through, it was fascinating.

The next day we awoke at 4:30 AM, yes that’s right AM, and hiked up at varying speeds to the top of Masada, a mountain which means oh so much historically to the Jewish people. It is the home of the remains of King Herod’s palace as well as the site of perhaps the most famous mass suicide in history where the Jewish people sieged at the summit decided to end their own lives rather than take their chances with the Romans who surrounded them, whether or not they made the correct choice is up to the individual. We made it up to the peak for a truly magnificent sunset which almost made it all worth it. Almost. Jokes aside, it really is a humbling experience which I would recommend as a must do to all travellers in Israel. Following a tour around the historical ruins which were, like every other historical site in Israel, inundated with American Taglit participants, we took the cable car back to the base and ate a quick breakfast before heading off to the Dead Sea. The dead sea really was relaxing, refreshing and fun… before I managed to get salty water in my eyes, mouth and cut myself on a rock, needless to say I was in blinding agony. Again, it was a great experience which everyone must do!

Another awesome week down, 7 days to look forward to!

Jake

Aviv’s Expurgated Northern Tiyul

As Aviv slowly winds to a close we have been promised the best few weeks of the program, in which we complete our thorough sightseeing tour of the land of milk and honey, this week we embarked on tiyul in the north, to sample the metaphorical  gems possessed by places such as the Golan Heights, Tiberias and Tzfat. However, somewhat disappointingly, our tiyul was cut to just 2 days owing to a MASA seminar which focuses upon Israel Advocacy.

On Sunday the bus headed off from Jerusalem’s Central Bus Station and following a roughly three hour bus ride we arrived at our initial stop, a Golan Heights lookout over our neighbour’s Syria. The point was formerly a Syrian army base but was converted into a tourist location where one can get an idea of the lay of the land in Israel’s northeast. We were afforded a prime view of Mt Hermon, Israel’s tallest peak, a mountain which it shares with Lebanon and Syria. Much like everywhere else we go in Israel, we were not the only group present, as American taglit groups engulfed much of the site. However, they managed to provide a level of entertainment, as one stereotypical American boy attempted to throw a Frisbee to another it was taken by the wind and hurled at an alarming speed off the side of the mountain, as we all chuckled, they proceeded to look for it despite the fact that it had fallen roughly 200 metres…

Anyhow, we next headed to lunch, a delicious pizza stop enjoyed by all, aside from birthday girl Daena who isn’t exactly the world’s biggest pizza fan. Food-wise, the day just got better and better for junk food lovers such as Zoe and myself as we next headed towards De Karina Chocolate Factory where hey handcraft various forms of chocolate. We played witness to the making of the chocolate before entering the tasting room where our fears that we weren’t going to be allowed to consume any chocolate were relieved. We tasted dark, milk and orange flavoured chocolates, each more delicious than the next. The following room was even more enjoyable as we were let loose with dark, milk and white chocolate and allowed to create and take home our very own customised chocolate bar. Artistic types prospered, chocolate lovers salivated, all enjoyed.

The day was ended by a disappointing water spring, it was cold, tiny and shortly after our arrival populated by numerous only underwear-clad army gentlemen. The only swimmers were Grant and Oded. We soon arrived at our accommodation, known as Poriya, some questioned whether the ‘s’ should be present in its name (hotel or hostel?). 

The following day we awoke bright and early and headed into the spiritual centre of kabbalah, Tzfat. We first visited a fort used in the 1948 War of Independence, Oded informed us o its significance as well as the spiritual and demographical makeup of Tzfat. We strolled around the city, stopping to learn about various kabbalist rabbis and their synagogues as well as numerous other sights. Lunch was consumed in Tzfat’s more touristy area, needless to say my shwarma was delicious.  

Next we headed to the most adventurous of our activities, at Mennara, where we took a cable car up and down a mountain as well as going high speed tobogganing. It was great fun. Finally, the day ended off with the most controversial of lectures we have received in out four and half months in Israel. We headed to Kibbutz Misgav Am where were spoken to by a veteran of 4 of Israel’s most fierce wars, whose opinion could only be classified as an extremist right-wing view of Israel’s political, historical and geographical background and present situation. His speech angered some, challenged others and all in all presented an opinion which until now we had not been privy to. He did not allow our opinions to be voiced and denied us the right to discussion or debate, something which greatly annoyed me. Education is something which cannot be one-sided nor coercive, in my opinion, all should be afforded the forum to express their thoughts and challenge others, and we were not provided this. Luckily, the debate took place between Adi, Grant, Harry and myself on the bus. On the plus side, this ‘educator’ who I personally consider a jaded raving lunatic, managed to help me solidify my own political opinion on Israel and the world, and I thank him for that.

Following this we headed back to our accommodation where some us enthusiastically viewed the night’s world cup games, and were not disappointed by the action. Come on the Socceroos!!

Today we head to a 3 day MASA ceremony with Australia’s many other gap year programs, before going to Modi’in for home hospitality.

Another awesome few days down, 13 days to look forward to! (That number is getting dangerously low…)

Thanks for reading!

Jake