What is Israel?

A major goal of this trip is to gain some insight into the realities of life in modern Israel. Of course, such a task is infinitely diverse and complex and we cannot hope to fully understand it all. But little by little, we are chipping away and getting some sense of what it means to live here today.

What is Israel? Israel is a military society, where the IDF forms a fundamental part of Israelis’ awareness. We began our day with a visit to an organization founded about a decade ago dedicated to preparing and sending care packages to soldiers in the IDF. Some of our students prepared bags full of clothing, food, and other essential articles, while others wrote letters of encouragement and support. Based on commentary afterward, our students found it meaningful to make a difference in this way, especially after interacting with some troops who came to pick up the packages. Please check out their website at www.apackagefromhome.org and help if you can.

What is Israel? Israel is a religious society, but one that struggles with religious pluralism. We heard from Izhar Hess, the executive director of the Masorti movement in Israel. Officially, many aspects of religious life in Israel are controlled by the Chief Rabbinate, which, with its orthodox bent, has often presented obstacles to Jews practicing within the Reform and Conservative strains of Judaism. For instance, weddings can only be conducted by rabbis via the Rabbinate, and many couples are now choosing to get married outside of Israel, often due to complaints that the ceremonies officiated by these rabbis are devoid of feelings and emotions. Some thirty years ago, the Masorti movement, which is the name of the Conservative movement in Israel, emerged to represent more egalitarian strains of worship and has consistently represented various causes since that time. We learned about its efforts to conduct marriage ceremonies, to promote the conversion of many Soviet Jewish immigrants, to assist with the Bar and Bat Mitzvahs of teenagers with special needs, and to support the growth of more and more Conservative congregations. Discovering the challenges and rewards of being a non-Orthodox religious Jew in Israel was definitely an eye-opening and moving experience.

What is Israel? Israel is a sovereign nation facing tremendous challenges in the security arena, both today and throughout its history. In the afternoon, we returned to our study of co-existence by learning about the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by visiting various sites that brought that history to life. At a panoramic overlook of the city, we saw the border boundary that separated Israeli controlled West Jerusalem from the Jordanian controlled East Jerusalem from 1948 to 1967 and discussed what it meant when Israel re-conquered and annexed East Jerusalem during the Six Day War. Moving further south, we saw the Har Homa development block, which was built after the 1993 Oslo Accords in the territory of East Jerusalem and discussed the impact of such settlements on any future agreement. And finally, and perhaps most powerfully, we visited the southern boundary of present-day Jerusalem at Gilo, overlooking the Palestinian village of Beit Jala. For the first time during the trip, we saw the Security Barrier and discussed the reasons for its construction and the impact it has had. Finally, we made our way to Rachel’s Tomb, which just ten years ago stood on the open road from Jerusalem to Bethlehem, but today stands overshadowed by a special corridor surrounded on both sides by massive concrete walls. Needless to say, the mixed feelings and emotions of going to a holy site while being entirely engulfed by these gigantic drab walls were powerful and begged for much reflection. We returned to the hostel and for some time discussed the emotions of the day thus far.

What is Israel? Israel is a political democracy, harboring many viewpoints across the political spectrum. In the early evening, we heard from a speaker representing Peace Now, an organization that works across the Zionist political spectrum in order to educate and raise awareness of the possibilities and obstacles to peace. We learned about their activities with regard to Settlement Watch, which monitors the building of settlements in the territories (since they are officially under military control, that information is not readily available to the public) and about their general awareness and publicity campaigns. Students asked important questions about the current state of peace negotiations and the possibilities of peace in the near future.

And finally, to conclude our day, we returned to the themes of our morning by meeting with a mechina, which is a pre-military gap year service organization for Israeli youth. Led by alum Jacquie Zaluda, our students visited the parents of Gilad Shalit who have been holding a daily sit-in for him for some six months right outside our hostel. We then returned and discussed the delicate and complex situation faced by the IDF and Israeli society with regard to Gilad and why, after nearly four and a half years, he still remains in captivity in Gaza. For our students to have an intimate session with peers only a few years older and to discover the type of life they lead had a tremendous effect on their awareness.

So, our answer to the question grew more complex but we are far from finished. So many pieces of the puzzle remain and we shall continue our search.