Yom Yerushalayim.
As controversial as it is, we never talked about it. Every time it was brought up, someone declared it 'too controversial' and we left it. Luckily for me, I have a space to write what I think and know about things.
I know that Jerusalem was captured and separated.
I know that Jews were denied access to some of our holiest places.
I know that the IDf recaptured Jerusalem and the entirety of the city was once again under Israeli authority.
I know that the line that determines where I am allowed to safely go, where the municipality lines lie, and where the wall was built are all different.
I know that there are parts of Jerusalem that I am not allowed to go.
I know that all areas in Jerusalem municipality pay taxes and are part of the city, even if they are outside the wall.
I know that one of my roommates had a rather strong view leaning towards the right side.
I know that one of my teachers had a rather strong view leaning towards the left side.
I think that, technically, Jerusalem is united and is one.
I think that the wall was necessary when it was built.
I don't know if it is necessary now, but I think that it is.
I think that, practically, Jerusalem is divided within itself.
I know that I wish I had more information and discussions about this, but I guess it's 'too controversial to be taught about.'
I know that right after asefah, Dan R, Josh, and I left and walked to the park with the concert. We paid our hundred shek, and walked around avoiding tampon hand-outs. We waved our drinks over our heads and sang as loudly as we could to Halleluyah. As the three worst singers on Shnat, it was a beautiful moment.
The concert was deafening, hot, close-contact, energetic, and youthful, I guess. A student party, technically, it was full of college kids and gap year students. Jumping and cigarettes and empty Carslburg containers and Hebrew and English and (ugh) Australian accents. Israelis either disliking or loving Hadag Nahash. Tourists loving them. Making friends in the crowd. Everybody going crazy.
Josh on one side, Dan R on my other side, arms around each other. Singing Shir l'maalot as loud as we can, our voices joining in with thousands and thousands of Jews. Dan translating things that I don't really need translated for me.
We walk home and fall into our beds at 5:30am, just to wake up at 7:30am. I took a handbag for once, packed a sleeve of Thin Mints for lunch, and then left for Yad v'Shem. It was an experience, to be sure. The main museum part, well, I don't really feel like I've been there. If I can, I want to go back and visit more thoroughly soon. The other memorials were really touching.
The one thing that struck me the most was the connection I felt. Before, I knew that I had no family in the Holocaust. It was hard for me to connect emotionally to the things I saw and heard. But through all the time I've spent in Israel, I've discovered another link to the Jewish people, that of culture and heritage and community. I think that has helped me and I could definitely tell when I was in Yad v'Shem how much of a connection I saw and felt.
Today at the Masa event, we heard from speakers who overcame some kind of adversity and rose to accomplish great things anyway. Three sports stars, a woman whose son and husband died, and Natan Shironsky. All very inspiring talks, if it weren't for the people on either side of me falling asleep on my shoulders. Later we heard from Benjamin Netanyahu. As exciting as it was, he didn't really say much. He spoke about how we should all make Aliyah. He spoke about the tragedy in Yemen. He spoke about being a cutting-edge nation. The only thing that really surprised me was when he mentioned 'Liberal Jews.' It was nice to hear the leader of the nation recognize Reform Judaism and legitimize it in his speech. We just wish he would legally legitimize it in action.
The performance afterwards was mind-blowingly amazing; technology and dance and music and media and just pure talent. I was so impressed; it makes the Etgar boys rendition of Kids by MGMT sound amateur.
A short trip home, loud friend time, quite friend time, silent laptop time. And now for some sleep. I hear we have a class sometime tomorrow.
As controversial as it is, we never talked about it. Every time it was brought up, someone declared it 'too controversial' and we left it. Luckily for me, I have a space to write what I think and know about things.
I know that Jerusalem was captured and separated.
I know that Jews were denied access to some of our holiest places.
I know that the IDf recaptured Jerusalem and the entirety of the city was once again under Israeli authority.
I know that the line that determines where I am allowed to safely go, where the municipality lines lie, and where the wall was built are all different.
I know that there are parts of Jerusalem that I am not allowed to go.
I know that all areas in Jerusalem municipality pay taxes and are part of the city, even if they are outside the wall.
I know that one of my roommates had a rather strong view leaning towards the right side.
I know that one of my teachers had a rather strong view leaning towards the left side.
I think that, technically, Jerusalem is united and is one.
I think that the wall was necessary when it was built.
I don't know if it is necessary now, but I think that it is.
I think that, practically, Jerusalem is divided within itself.
I know that I wish I had more information and discussions about this, but I guess it's 'too controversial to be taught about.'
I know that right after asefah, Dan R, Josh, and I left and walked to the park with the concert. We paid our hundred shek, and walked around avoiding tampon hand-outs. We waved our drinks over our heads and sang as loudly as we could to Halleluyah. As the three worst singers on Shnat, it was a beautiful moment.
The concert was deafening, hot, close-contact, energetic, and youthful, I guess. A student party, technically, it was full of college kids and gap year students. Jumping and cigarettes and empty Carslburg containers and Hebrew and English and (ugh) Australian accents. Israelis either disliking or loving Hadag Nahash. Tourists loving them. Making friends in the crowd. Everybody going crazy.
Josh on one side, Dan R on my other side, arms around each other. Singing Shir l'maalot as loud as we can, our voices joining in with thousands and thousands of Jews. Dan translating things that I don't really need translated for me.
We walk home and fall into our beds at 5:30am, just to wake up at 7:30am. I took a handbag for once, packed a sleeve of Thin Mints for lunch, and then left for Yad v'Shem. It was an experience, to be sure. The main museum part, well, I don't really feel like I've been there. If I can, I want to go back and visit more thoroughly soon. The other memorials were really touching.
The one thing that struck me the most was the connection I felt. Before, I knew that I had no family in the Holocaust. It was hard for me to connect emotionally to the things I saw and heard. But through all the time I've spent in Israel, I've discovered another link to the Jewish people, that of culture and heritage and community. I think that has helped me and I could definitely tell when I was in Yad v'Shem how much of a connection I saw and felt.
Today at the Masa event, we heard from speakers who overcame some kind of adversity and rose to accomplish great things anyway. Three sports stars, a woman whose son and husband died, and Natan Shironsky. All very inspiring talks, if it weren't for the people on either side of me falling asleep on my shoulders. Later we heard from Benjamin Netanyahu. As exciting as it was, he didn't really say much. He spoke about how we should all make Aliyah. He spoke about the tragedy in Yemen. He spoke about being a cutting-edge nation. The only thing that really surprised me was when he mentioned 'Liberal Jews.' It was nice to hear the leader of the nation recognize Reform Judaism and legitimize it in his speech. We just wish he would legally legitimize it in action.
The performance afterwards was mind-blowingly amazing; technology and dance and music and media and just pure talent. I was so impressed; it makes the Etgar boys rendition of Kids by MGMT sound amateur.
A short trip home, loud friend time, quite friend time, silent laptop time. And now for some sleep. I hear we have a class sometime tomorrow.
No comments:
Post a Comment