SUMMER 2013 Pre-Trip Information and Travel Companion GET CONNECTED THROUGH sOCIAL mEDIA Taglit-Birthright Israel doesn’t just begin when you board the plane to Israel, or end when you say your last good-bye. Stay in touch with us, your friends, family, and the entire Taglit-Birthright Israel community by connecting in our social media space.

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Tag your photos #BirthrightIsrael TABLE OF CONTENTS

1 Beginning Your Journey

5 What is Taglit-Birthright Israel?

9 What Happens on these Ten Days?

11 Where will You be Traveling?

19 An Encounter with Israeli Peers

23 Learn More

35 Suggested Packing List

37 expectations of the trip

41 after the Trip

43 Notes

48 The Traveler’s Prayer

BACK Cover Travel Hebrew

Now entering our 14th year of operation, we are proud to reflect upon the impact we’ve had in making a trip to Israel a rite of passage for every Jewish young adult. Ultimately, what makes the gift of Taglit-Birthright Israel so powerful is that the true journey lies beyond the ten day trip. A much larger Jewish community is now open to you, and we want to make access to it as easy as possible. With this idea in mind, we have just re- designed our website: www.birthrightisrael.com and established a social media presence (see facing page). So, go ahead and post a picture or video, ‘like’ us on Facebook, or add a comment on our Twitter feed using #BirthrightIsrael. We look forward to connecting with you!

Table of contents You are boarding an airplane and flying several thousand miles away.

You are well-traveled. So what’s the big deal? This time is different. This time you’re going to Israel.

beginning your Journey For your distant forebears, your great-grandparents, and maybe even your grandparents, what you’re doing would have been an inconceivable dream. For the Jewish people, what you’re doing is a revolution.

For the majority of Jewish history, most Jews dreamed about a place called Zion, Eretz Yisrael, or Jerusalem, but most of them had no idea what the place looked like and mere handfuls actually went there. Israel was a figment of the Jewish soul and imagination – a place “saturated with prayers and dreams,” in the words of the poet Yehuda Amichai. Even in the first half-century, after the State of Israel was established in 1948, a minority of the world’s Jews came to Israel. You are part of the first generation to create a mass movement that is turning this imaginary dreamland into a real place to be visited.

That’s a big deal.

YOUR HOST

Taglit-Birthright Israel is taking you on this journey. But who is Taglit-Birthright Israel? Who are these strange people who have invested their money and tremendous effort in giving you a free trip to Israel?

The folks behind Taglit-Birthright Israel are Jews in Israel and abroad who deeply believe that Jewishness is a positive dimension of life, and that Israel is a central aspect of that Jewishness. The gift of the 10-day trip is being provided by our partners: the people of Israel through the government of Israel; Jewish communities around the world (through The Jewish Federations of North America, Keren Hayesod, and the Jewish Agency for Israel); and some 25,000 individual donors and philanthropists from all over North America. We are not simply worried about the future; we care about the present, too, and we wanted you to have a chance to experience this 21st-century miracle first-hand, right now.

We don’t have some secret agenda; there’s no fine print to decipher. Let’s be honest: We think being Jewish is meaningful, and we believe that Israel has great personal messages for Jewish life. But we’re not doing a hard sell so you’ll endorse our product. We want you to come to Israel, see it, experience it, talk about it, and think about what Israel means for you and the Jewish people. Then, after you go back home, consider opening some doors and continuing your Jewish journey – if you so desire.

beginning your journey 2 Let’s be straight, too, about what this is not: It’s not a ploy to get you to live in Israel. It’s not a training course in Zionist advocacy. It’s not a comparative political science course on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. All these things have a time and place, and it’s your decision to pursue each or any of them at some point. But this trip is, quite simply, a journey in Jewish meaning-making. It’s a gift of 20th-century Jewry, because we care for you and we believe in Jewishness.

Even though we’re absolutely sure that you’ll have fun on this trip, we don’t think of you merely as “tourists” on a simple vacation to somewhere like Cancun or a ski resort in the Rockies. We think of you as people who want to experience something more profound, learn something about yourselves, think and grow and meet new people. The hundreds of thousands of people who’ve already taken this trip seem to affirm that we’ve got it right.

YOUR JOURNEY

You can do a lot in 10 days, but you can’t do everything. So Taglit-Birthright Israel had to be selective in planning your trip, and focus on a few main themes.

You’ll unearth the historical roots of the Jewish people. You’ll briefly get to meet Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel and Leah. You’ll visit King David in his walled city, and the defenders of Masada in their last battleground, so you can better understand the Jewish people’s longstanding connection to the land.

You’ll also learn about the Jewish people’s return to Israel in the past century. So you’ll meet the founders of kibbutzim in the Galilee region, the father of modern Hebrew, and David Ben-Gurion – who announced the establishment of Israel in 1948. You’ll get to learn the linchpins of contemporary Zionist history and the story of the founding of a country, achieved through years of sweat and toil.

3 beginning your journey But this isn’t just a history class or an educational program. On your trip, you’ll discover a modern country with a diverse and dynamic culture: hip music, cutting- edge art, world-renowned literature, and more. Forget the stereotypical images of bearded men in caftans riding camels through the desert. Today’s Israelis are more often found wearing jeans, talking on cell phones, working in high-tech industries, dancing at clubs, or sitting in urban cafes, arguing about everything from politics to philosophy to last night’s soccer match.

You won’t spend all your time looking at ancient buildings from thousands of years ago; you’ll meet real live people. Young Israelis – often soldiers – will travel with you for at least half of your trip. You’ll get to know them as your peers, your contemporaries, actual people with their own individual opinions. They’ll share their points of view with you; Israelis aren’t known for being shy. And, of course, you can share your point of view with them in return.

ON THE ROAD

So you’re on the road. You are the new “pioneers.” You join hundreds of thousands of peers who have already changed Jewish history by coming to Israel. Their great- grandparents and grandparents are kvelling (Yiddish for saying “you’re awesome”). But more important is you and your trip. Some thoughtful Jewish leaders cared enough to give you a chance to get on the road of Jewish exploration. Some people depict Jewish history as a continuous road of suffering, persecution, and struggle. We at Taglit-Birthright Israel see it differently; we see Jewish life as a yellow-brick road of ideas, ideals, values, questions, periodic bumps, and much fulfillment.

Have an incredible experience! Barry Chazan, Education Consultant for Taglit-Birthright Israel

beginning your journey 4 What is taglit-birthright israel? Taglit-Birthright Israel has been providing the gift of first-time, peer group, educational trips to Israel for Jewish young adults ages 18 to 26 since the winter of 1999-2000.

Taglit-Birthright Israel acts as an umbrella organization that provides the gift of the trip, authorizes different providers – Trip Organizers – to run the programs, and sets down the guidelines, standards, and security policies overseeing each and every trip.

ABOUT TAGLIT-BIRTHRIGHT ISRAEL

Taglit (Hebrew for “discovery”)-Birthright Israel is a unique partnership between the government of Israel, local Jewish communities around the world, and leading Jewish philanthropists. The founders of the program created this project to send thousands of young Jewish adults, from all over the world, to Israel as a gift in order to strengthen each participant’s Jewish identity; to build an understanding, friendship and lasting bond with the land and people of Israel; and to reinforce the solidarity of the Jewish people worldwide.

In the fourteen years since its inception, Taglit-Birthright Israel has brought more than 330,000 Jewish young adults to Israel from 62 different countries, and from all 50 US States and all Canadian Provinces and Territories, including students at nearly 1,000 North American college campuses. Additionally, 60,000 Israelis have participated on the trips as part of the mifgash program (see page 20).

THE FUNDING PARTNERS

There are three primary funding partners of Taglit-Birthright Israel: the people of Israel through their government; individual donors and philanthropists; and Jewish communities around the world. In North America, community funding is provided by local Jewish federations through The Jewish Federations of North America. Outside of North America, Keren Hayesod-UIA and the Jewish Agency for Israel are our other community partners.

GOVERNMENT TRIP ORGANIZERS OF ISRAEL

INDIVIDUAL TRIP ORGANIZERS DONORS & PHILANTHROPISTS TRIP ORGANIZERS JEWISH COMMUNITIES TRIP ORGANIZERS WORLDWIDE (This organizational chart represents a simplified explanation of our structure. Read on for more details.)

what is taglit-birthright israel? 6 GOVERNMENT OF ISRAEL

The government of Israel has been a partner in the funding of the Taglit-Birthright Israel gift since the inception of the program. The people of Israel and the Israeli government recognize the importance of strengthening the relationship between Israel and the next generation of Jews in the Diaspora, and in connecting them to the land and people of Israel. Every year members of the Israeli Knesset have to vote through a budget to continue supporting the program, and it is this conviction in reaching outward that has been a leading force in the success of the project.

The government of Israel understands that a trip to Israel goes beyond building emotional ties to Israel; it also demonstrates the centrality of Israel to world Jewry, introduces the notion of Jewish peoplehood, and starts participants on a journey of self discovery of their Jewish identity.

INDIVIDUAL DONORS & PHILANTHROPISTS

The Birthright Israel Foundation and the Birthright Israel Foundation of Canada were created to fortify and expand the foundation of financial support and broad public awareness on which Taglit-Birthright Israel can flourish and grow. To that end, the dedicated professional staff and committed lay leadership develop and implement fundraising initiatives to engage thousands of individual donors including Taglit-Birthright Israel alumni and their families for the purpose of building a broad, sustainable base of support through an annual campaign.

Many of the most prominent Jewish philanthropists from around the world and Israel are partners in the project, viewing it as a significant part of their investment in strengthening the next generation’s ties to Israel and the Jewish people.

JEWISH COMMUNITIES WORLDWIDE

In North America, our community partners are the Jewish federations in each community. Jewish federations serve as the central address for Jewish communal needs and resources. Federations build and strengthen Jewish community, reduce Jewish poverty and hunger, rescue and resettle new immigrants, and spur Jewish renaissance worldwide. You can learn more about the federation system and locate your local federation online at: www.jewishfederations.org.

A growing number of federations across North America are choosing to increase their giving to the program to ensure buses are comprised of local area participants.

7 what is taglit-birthright israel? These community buses allow for participants who live in close proximity to one another to build relationships not only during the trip, but with their Jewish community upon returning home.

Outside of North America, Keren Hayesod-United Israel Appeal (UIA) and the Jewish Agency for Israel partner together with local donors in each participating country to help support sending participants from their own community.

THE ROLE OF TRIP ORGANIZERS

While the funding and the setting of logistical, security and educational standards are overseen by Taglit-Birthright Israel, Trip Organizers are our partners who actually plan and operate your ten-day trip. They represent well-established educational, religious, and tourism companies that are highly qualified in leading groups within Israel. They are responsible for recruitment, staff training, insurance, and all land arrangements, including buses, hotels, attractions and meals.

All Trip Organizers must meet Taglit-Birthright Israel’s rigorous standards in order to be eligible to offer trips. All Trip Organizers are subject to unscheduled inspections, participant evaluations, and on-site monitoring. Those found to be in violation of Taglit-Birthright Israel rules and regulations are banned from operating trips.

Regardless of which Trip Organizer you travel with to Israel, rest assured that you will have an enjoyable experience that you will never forget. A complete list of approved Trip Organizers and their contact information can be found at: www.birthrightisrael.com.

Hillel

SACHLAV

A Tlalim Project

what is taglit-birthright israel? 8 WHAT HAPPENS ON THESE TEN DAYS? Taglit-Birthright Israel trips are conducted by multiple Trip Organizers. Each has been accredited by Taglit-Birthright Israel and each has a unique approach and perspective on how to introduce and show you the beauty of Israel. At the same time, there is a core program with several themes that are common to all trips. CONTEMPORARY TRAVELING AS ISRAEL A GROUP You will visit modern Israel, a You will be traveling with your peers contemporary state with people from a from across North America. In addition, variety of cultural, ethnic, and religious several Israeli peers will join you for backgrounds. You will see how a country at least half of your trip (see section combines a very old tradition with 21st- ‘An Encounter With Israeli Peers’). century life: cutting edge business and You will be guided by a team of highly technology, higher education, fashion skilled staff, including an Israeli tour and culture, and military readiness. guide/educator, as well as talented and committed North American staff.

NARRATIVES OF LEARNING THE JEWISH PEOPLE THROUGH Your ten days will help you experience EXPERIENCE and learn about some of the basic periods of Jewish history. In Israel you The program includes touring, hiking, will literally walk in the footsteps of group discussions, social events, camel the Bible: archaeological sites, nature and jeep rides, and even a little sleep. reserves, and desert and mountain There is lots of learning too, but instead scenes serve as the backdrop for this still of a lecture hall with professors; Israel unfolding historical drama. is your classroom, and experience is your teacher. VALUES OF THE JEWISH PEOPLE THE BOTTOM LINE Your ten days in Israel will seem like a Your ten days will include programming lifetime full of experiences. You will laugh in which you will relate to some key and cry, see and think, question and ideas and values that have been a part of wonder, taste and touch. It’s a chance for Jewish life throughout the ages. Tikkun you to connect with your people, your Olam (repairing the world), Shalom history, and your future. (peace), and Klal Yisrael (the unity of the Jewish people) are just some of the topics you will discuss and experience.

What happens on these ten days? 10 LEBANON SYRIA 5 STUDY THE MAP OF ISRAEL Golan In a country relatively the same size as the state Heights of New Jersey, Israel has an incredible variety Tzfat of terrain, flora and fauna, and cultural diversity. 4 Galilee The varied geography includes physical as well Haifa as cultural, political, and religious dimensions. Learning about the land of Israel, Eretz Yisrael, ISRAEL and walking through it are significant parts of the Taglit-Birthright Israel experience! Samaria

West Tel Aviv 2 Bank

Jerusalem 1

Judea Dead Gaza 3 Sea Masada MEDITERRANEAN SEA

Beer Sheva

SINAI 6 The Negev JORDAN

WHERE WILL YOU BE TRAVELING?

Eilat

RED SEA EGYPT SAUDI ARABIA The following is an outline of sites in Israel, not all of which you will visit. However, most groups do visit many of the sites in what is a very short amount of time. You’ll just have to make a list of things to do and places to visit on your next trip!

1 JERUSALEM

Jerusalem, a city holy to Jews, Christians and Muslims, as well as to Arab and Israeli alike, has witnessed 3,000 years of religious and national conflict. Since 1967, the reunification of the city and renaissance by the State of Israel have created new realities that have yet to be finalized, as political conflicts endure.

A short stroll through Jerusalem’s streets is a trip through history and the eternal connection of the Jewish people to its sacred sites. The Western Wall, the southern wall excavations, the Jewish Quarter and the modern city reflect some of the diversity of this complex kaleidoscope of culture and history. Within the walls of the Old City are also located the Dome of the Rock and the Al-Aksa Mosque, holy to Islam, along with the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, the site of the burial of Jesus, holy to Christianity.

The Old City is divided into four historic areas: the Jewish Quarter, the Muslim Quarter, the Christian Quarter and the Armenian Quarter.

THE WESTERN WALL: Holiest of all Jewish sites, it is a remnant of the Temple Mount complex and has been a focal point of Jewish yearning and prayer since the destruction of the Second Temple on the 9th day of the Hebrew month Av, 2,000 years ago. History, continuity, sacrifice and the centrality of Jerusalem to the Jewish people are etched in the ancient stones of the Wall and are reflected in the thousands of notes tucked into the crevices between them. (See page 47 to add your own note to the Wall.)

JEWISH QUARTER: Rebuilt and excavated since 1967, fascinating remains of the 2,000 year-old Jewish community have been uncovered in numerous archaeological sites. The Herodian Mansions reflect the wealth and status of the priestly class serving in the ancient Second Temple but serve as the backdrop for the tensions of a divided Jewish society on the verge of revolt and destruction.

THE CARDO: Ancient Jerusalem’s “downtown” and main thoroughfare in the sixth century. Excavations have revealed a Byzantine street, Crusader shops and the remnants of a broad outer defense wall from the Israelite period, 2,700 years ago.

where will you be traveling? 12 MOUNT SCOPUS: Superb panoramic views of the city, the Temple Mount and the Judean Desert looking toward Jordan can be enjoyed here. It is the site of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, founded in 1925, closed during the War of Independence and reopened following the reunification of Jerusalem in 1967.

MAHANE YEHUDA MARKET: One of the most interesting places to interact with locals is at this outdoor market, or shuk. You will find endless stalls of fresh fruits and vegetables and other produce, freshly baked breads and pastries, candy shops, and carts of colorful and fragrant spices. On Friday afternoons, this becomes one of the most crowded places in the city as people buy groceries as they prepare to welcome in Shabbat.

THE KNESSET: Israel’s Parliament building reflects the unique combination of old and new, unique and mundane, Jewish and Israeli in the modern nation state of Israel. Jewish architectural themes and artwork grace the building in which the mechanism of governing the Jewish State is located.

BEN YEHUDA STREET/PEDESTRIAN AREA: In the heart of modern Jerusalem, this is an area full of shops, restaurants, bars and night clubs, which are all connected via cobblestone streets. This will be a chance for you to taste some of the local food, buy gifts for friends and family back home, and spend some free time taking in the local scene.

MT. HERZL: This is the burial place of Theodor Herzl (1860-1904), the journalist and visionary who helped inspire the Zionist movement and organized the First Zionist Congress in Basel, Switzerland, in 1897. Former Prime Ministers Golda Meir and Yitzhak Rabin are buried here as well as hundreds of soldiers.

YAD VASHEM: Israel’s Holocaust Memorial is located on Memorial Mountain adjacent to Mt. Herzl. Unique exhibits in addition to the historical museum include the Children’s Memorial, the Valley of the Communities and the Avenue of the Righteous Gentiles. In addition, research, educational activities and teacher training are undertaken here.

13 where will you be traveling? 2 TEL AVIV & THE MEDITERRANEAN COAST

Israel’s Mediterranean coastline is dotted with perfectly planned resort towns, old and new, and well-preserved archaeological sites that are cherished and visited frequently by tourists and Israelis alike. Some of the cities on the shore include: Ashdod, Ashkelon, Caesarea, Haifa, Herzliya and Netanya.

TEL AVIV: Established in 1909, the Tel Aviv metropolitan area is now a bustling modern city that serves as Israel’s center of entertainment, culture, big business and international trade. The city reflects the modern trends in the Zionist movement rushing to be Western and in tune with other Mediterranean cosmopolitan centers. In Tel Aviv, one can celebrate the creativity of new technologies, popular culture, free enterprise and freedom of expression.

RABIN SQUARE: This large square which often houses cultural events, concerts and political rallies was renamed after Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated here at the end of a peace rally on November 4, 1995. A monument now commemorates the site, and graffiti drawn on nearby walls in the days following the event is still preserved.

INDEPENDENCE HALL: Located on historic Rothschild Boulevard, this is the site where, on May 14, 1948, Israel’s first Prime Minister, David Ben Gurion, proclaimed Israel’s independence. A recording can be heard upon visiting the museum. (See page 29 for the full text of Israel’s Declaration of Independence.)

TAYELET: The Tayelet, or promenade, is a strip of restaurants, cafes, hotels and bars that line Tel Aviv’s beautiful sandy beaches. Always crowded, the Tayelet is full of people biking, going for a stroll or sitting to take in the beautiful ocean view.

where will you be traveling? 14 JAFFA: Old Jaffa’s cobblestone paths and winding alleys twist through the massive stone fortifications that surround the city. The colorful port is alive with restaurants and nightclubs while the nearby artist colony offers art galleries and high-quality craft shops. Visitors can view Tel Aviv’s new coastline from Jaffa and recall its humble origins in this ancient port.

3 DEAD SEA

The lowest point on the earth, famous for its curative powers, the Dead Sea is the saltiest and most mineral-laden body of water in the world. Visitors can float in its waters, cover themselves in the mud from the salty shore and relax in one of the numerous health spas and hotels in the Dead Sea area.

MASADA: This ancient Roman fortress is synonymous with the Jewish resistance to Rome in the Great Revolt (66-73 CE). The story of the Zealots on this mountaintop has endured for it is here, according to the Josephus account, that they committed mass suicide rather than go as slaves to the Romans.

EIN GEDI: This desert oasis is a nature reserve complete with cascading waterfalls, small pools for swimming, and flora and fauna unique to the Judean Desert region. One can view the ibex (a desert mountain goat) in its natural habitat and enjoy the challenge of a short or long desert hike.

BEDOUIN TENT EXPERIENCE: Relax and enjoy the hospitality of your Bedouin hosts as you partake in a genuine Bedouin feast and learn about the culture and people who inhabit this arid land. Ride a camel, or donkey, and enjoy the tranquility of this desert oasis, as you sleep beneath the stars and ponder your place in the universe.

15 where will you be traveling? 4 GALILEE

Pastoral green valleys and mountains characterize Israel’s northern region. Kibbutzim and moshavim – agricultural settlements – dot the biblical landscape of the Galilee. These communities embody the pioneering spirit of the early waves of immigration and the values of the collective.

SAFED (TZFAT): Perched atop the Galilee mountains, Safed is a holy city associated with ancient Jewish mysticism – Kabbalah – and the 16th century renaissance of the Jewish community. The Ari, Joseph Caro and Abuhav synagogues of the Jewish quarter provide the backdrop for deliberation about identity and spirituality.

SEA OF GALILEE: The Sea of Galilee, a fresh water lake known as the Kinneret in Hebrew, serves as the source of 30% of the country’s drinking water. In this region pioneers established the first kibbutz, organized the first defense organization and developed the ideological foundation of the new Jewish society evolving in the land of Israel.

JORDAN RIVER: This famous biblical waterway descending from the Dan, Banias and Hazbani Springs, separates Israel from Jordan and connects the Kinneret with the Dead Sea. In spring and summer, kayaking and canoeing are common.

5 GOLAN HEIGHTS

A high volcanic plateau tucked into the northern corner of Israel, the Golan Heights stands as a border to Syria, Lebanon and Jordan. Considered strategically essential to Israel by many citizens, previous governments nonetheless placed this land area on the negotiating table with Syria in an effort to reach a peace agreement. Beautiful rivers and waterfalls cross the Golan, spilling their water into the Kinneret.

where will you be traveling? 16 6 THE NEGEV

This southern region accounts for more than 60% of Israel’s landmass, yet less than 3% of the total population. The vast landscape of mountains, canyons, craters and rocky terrain offers numerous opportunities for off-the-beaten-track hiking and exploration. Trekking through the Negev desert provides an escape from modernity and a flashback to the Jewish people’s wandering years.

MITZPEH RAMON AND THE RAMON CRATER: Mitzpeh Ramon is located alongside one of the world’s unique geological formations: the Ramon Crater. The Ramon Crater is 40 km. long and 2-10 km. wide, shaped like an elongated heart. It is a part of the Ramon Nature Reserve that includes the surrounding Negev mountains.

EILAT: The southernmost city in Israel, Eilat hugs a slope that leads to the Red Sea. An important tourist destination with Israelis, the city is popular with those seeking time on the sand and in the surf. In addition to the casual tourist doing some snorkeling, the coral reefs attract scuba divers from around the world. Eilat is also a gateway to reaching the ancient city of Petra (Jordan) to the East, and the Sinai Peninsula (Egypt) to the West.

17 where will you be traveling? IS IT SAFE TO TRAVEL IN ISRAEL?

We constantly review all safety procedures and implement the most stringent security measures throughout your trip to ensure that we provide a comprehensive safety umbrella.

These precautions include careful planning and review of each group’s itineraries on a daily basis. Our trips do not travel to or through areas of the Gaza Strip or East Jerusalem, with the exception of the Jewish Quarter of the Old City (changes are possible when permitted by the security authorities). Throughout each day, itineraries are cleared through the official government authorities who also review all educational field trips for Israeli schools and educational institutions.

A GPS (Global Positioning System) is carried by each group so that authorities are aware of their location at all times. Any itinerary can be changed immediately to reflect any heightened risk or security concerns.

A safety and security orientation is held for every group upon arrival in Israel. Additionally, your Trip Organizer will brief you daily as you travel to different locations throughout the country. The orientation and briefings will include guidelines for free time and general travel safety. Free time is considered a group activity and participants are given specific boundaries that are safe to walk within.

The trips do not use public transportation and you are advised to avoid the use of public transportation at all times. The tour bus companies and drivers are subject to Taglit- Birthright Israel approval, and drivers are instructed never to leave a bus unlocked or unattended. In addition, at least one Israeli security escort accompanies every group. AN ENCOUNTER WITH ISRAELI PEERS Israel shouldn’t just be seen through the bus window or learned by listening to the guide’s narrative. Only by meeting and getting to know Israelis will you truly gain a sense of the country and its people. Only then will you leave the “tourist” behind, and become the “pioneer” who makes Israel his own.

THE MIFGASH

One of the core components of your adventure in Israel will be traveling alongside and living with Israeli peers. Every trip includes a structured mifgash, or encounter, which consists of Israelis your own age – most of who will be from the Israeli military – joining your trip for a minimum of five days (and some for the entire ten days).

WHO ARE THE ISRAELIS?

Israelis are a complicated people from diverse backgrounds with conflicting views about their personal, religious, and political identities and ideologies. Your trip will provide you with an opportunity – both formally and informally – to meet Israelis and interact with them.

Israel, like most of the Middle East, is a rare cultural hybrid, caught halfway between East and West. You can sit in a super-mod, Yuppie-filled café and hear Middle Eastern music; you can easily find a kosher Burger King right next door to a falafel stand. In Israel, this kind of cultural mix-n-match is just part of daily life.

Israelis are something of a hybrid as well; Jews and non-Jews; Western and Eastern origins; old and new immigrants; secular lifestyles and varying degrees of religious observance; urban and rural existence; a high-tech economy and ancient traditions. In a country just turning 65 years old, the definition of “Israeli culture” is still up for discussion.

THE MILITARY EXPERIENCE IN ISRAEL

Army service is one of the most important aspects of Israeli life. Awareness of the army begins early, since all children have relatives in “the service.” Later on, Israeli teens begin to plan where they want to serve, the experience they want to have and where it might lead them.

an encounter with israeli peers 20 Young men ages 18 and older are required to serve three years, and young women 20 months. Ultra Orthodox Yeshiva students are exempt, and Orthodox females can opt not to serve. Still, the vast majority of Israeli youth join the armed forces, and many volunteer for elite combat units. That makes the military a unique melting pot for Israelis from all backgrounds.

FAST FACTS ABOUT YOUNG ISRAELIS

• After their army service, many Israelis go on a long backpacking trip (from a few months to a year or more), usually to the Far East, Australia, Latin America or Africa.

• Most Israeli students begin university at age 22, after serving in the army and traveling. Many Israelis get married while in school for their undergraduate degrees.

• Israeli universities require registration to a specific department – undergraduates have to choose their major before they apply!

• The most popular university departments in Israel are business management and communications.

• Most Israeli students work their way through university, many of them holding full-time jobs while studying full-time.

• Israeli university students can lower their tuition by joining Perach (Flower), a tutoring/mentoring project which pairs students with kids in need of academic help or just an older role model.

21 an encounter with israeli peers A SPECTRUM OF RELIGIOUS OBSERVANCE

In Israel, most of the population defines itself as “secular” and the great majority of people do not observe strict religious rituals, although several Jewish traditions and holidays are observed. Across the spectrum of religious observance in Israel are: religious or strictly observant Jews (what North Americans call Orthodox); Masorti Jews (the Conservative movement in Israel); and the Israel Movement for Progressive Judaism (the Reform movement in Israel). Most Israelis observe basic Jewish practices, including Passover Seder, fasting on Yom Kippur, Bar/Bat Mitzvah and the celebration of Chanukah.

Unlike in the United States and Canada, where Reform and Conservative Jews are a majority, non-Orthodox movements are a minority in Israel. Israel’s all-Orthodox, government-sponsored Rabbinate presides over all official life-cycle rituals in Israel (circumcision, marriage, divorce, burial) as well as all conversions.

A small but growing Jewish “renaissance” is taking place in Israel as secular and religious Jews search for non-Orthodox alternatives to study and worship.

THE SABRA OF THE NEW MILLENNIUM

The Israeli character has been shaped by a unique set of ideas, events, and influences. From the Middle Eastern climate to the Arab-Israeli conflict, from agriculture to the military, from the emotional legacy of the Holocaust to the rise of post-Zionism, there are both contextual and internal forces that make Israelis who they are.

The image of the “Sabra,” or native-born Israeli – a cactus fruit that’s prickly on the outside and sweet on the inside – has evolved a great deal since the early days of statehood. Still, much of that tough-yet-sensitive character remains today.

an encounter with israeli peers 22 LEARN MORE DID YOU KNOW? Traveling in Israel may have all the comforts of a Western country including a modern transportation infrastructure, internet cafes, ATM machines, luxury accommodations and fine cuisine, but there are differences that make being in Israel an interesting cultural lesson as well!

• Jews are not the only visitors to • Israelis are not known to be Israel. Religious Christians and reserved or shy people; honking car Muslims, as well as history buffs horns, public arguments and loud from all over the world are frequent cell phone conversations are to be sights throughout the country! expected!

• A reflection of the diverse • Israelis’ religiosity is often entwined population, most signs you see will in their political views as well; many be in Hebrew, English and Arabic; men display this with their choice and many Israelis will speak all of head coverings: black hats for the three languages! ultra-Orthodox; knitted kippot for the modern Orthodox; a folded • Israeli Jews come in different shapes, kippah in the pocket for the liberal; sizes, skin color and speak different and a novelty (Yankees, etc.) kippah languages since they come from for the secular! all corners of the globe, including Africa, Asia, Europe and the • Kosher restaurants and products Americas! are the norm, rather than the exception! • You may notice that Shabbat (Friday sundown until Saturday sundown) • Armed soldiers are found is a real day of rest in most of throughout the country, even on Israel, shops will close and mass buses, in the market or on the transportation is unavailable…but street! Since most Israelis are Sunday is a full working day! trained in the army, this is not as alarming to Israelis as it can be to • It is a tradition for Jews who travel visitors! to Israel to bring notes and charity (tzedakah) from family and friends • Nearly everyone you meet will be to the Western Wall (The Kotel), Jewish, including the bus driver, tour the holiest site in Judaism. guides, waiters, soldiers, medics and young adults...all the night clubs are ‘Jewish singles scenes!’

learn more 24 TIMELINE OF ISRAEL’S HISTORY

B.C.E. (BEFORE the COMMON ERA)

1004 960 922 King David establishes King Solomon (David’s son) builds Kingdom divides between North Jerusalem as the capital of the First Temple as the religious (Israel) and South (Judea) — the Kingdom of Israel and spiritual center of the Jewish Jerusalem is capital of Judea People

350 332 313 170 Jerusalem Alexander the Great Ptolemy I Jerusalem conquered by Antiochus captured by (Greece) conquers captures Epiphanes (Seleucids of Syria) Persians Jerusalem Jerusalem

C.E. (COMMON ERA)

66-73 70 132-135 324 614-638 First Jewish Jerusalem & the Second Jewish Revolt Byzantine Jerusalem falls to Revolt against Second Temple led by Bar Kochba, Jews rule the Persians (614), Rome destroyed by the slaughtered, exiled from Byzantines (629) & Romans the city Arab Muslims (638)

1858-1860 1870 1909 1917 Nov 24, 1947 Mishkenot Sha’ananim, Jerusalem’s Tel Aviv British conquer UN proposal calls for 1st Jewish settlement population: founded Jerusalem; British the establishment of outside Old City, is Y 11,000; north of Mandate period a Jewish and an Arab built  6,500; Jaffa begins state  4,500

1948-52 1967 1967-70 1973 Mass wave of Six-Day War; Jerusalem War of Attrition Yom Kippur War immigration from reunified under Israeli Europe and Arab control with free access to countries holy sites of all religions

1985 1987 1988 1989 Free Trade First Palestinian Israel’s first Four-point peace initiative Agreement signed uprising (intifada) intelligence satellite, proposed by Israel; mass with United States begins Ofek I, is launched immigration of Soviet Jews into space begins

1993 1994 1995 1996 PLO and Peace with Jordan; Oslo Yitzhak Rabin 3000 years since the Israel mutually Accords implementation assassinated by an establishment of Jerusalem recognize begins; Israel begins Israeli student at a as the capital city each other withdrawal from the peace rally in Tel Aviv administered territories

25 learn more TIMELINE OF ISRAEL’S HISTORY

586 538-515 515 Nebuchadnezzer, King of Babylon Jews return to Eretz (the land of) Ezra & Nechemia conquers Jerusalem and destroys Israel from Babylon, known as the lead the restoration the first temple, Jews exiled to Return to Zion of Jerusalem and the Babylon Second Temple

167-164 61 37 Maccabean revolts against Hellenistic Roman invasion led by King Herod appointed domination; Jerusalem restored to Jewish Pompei as ruler of Judah by the autonomy under Hasmonean (Maccabean) Romans, restores the Empire Temple

1099 1187 1260 1516-17 1535-38 First Crusaders Saladin Mamelukes rule Turkish Ottoman Suleiman the capture Jerusalem captures Jerusalem Empire (Sultan Magnificent Jerusalem Salim) conquers rebuilds city Jerusalem walls

May 1948 1949 British Mandate ends (5/14); State of Israel Armistice agreed to with Egypt (2/9), Lebanon (5/23), proclaimed (5/14); Israel invaded by 5 Arab Jordan (4/3) & Syria (6/20); First Knesset elected; countries, War of Independence begins Israel admitted to UN as 59th member; Jerusalem (5/15); Israel Defense Forces formed proclaimed capital of Israel

1978 1979 1981 1982 Camp David accords Israel- Iraq’s nuclear reactor Israel’s withdrawal from Sinai signed; contain basis Egypt destroyed by Israeli Air completed; Operation Peace for for settlement of Arab- Peace Force, led by young IAF Galilee launched by Israel to end Israel conflict Treaty pilot Ilan Ramon PLO attacks from Lebanon signed

1991 1992 Iraq attacks Israel with ground-to-ground missiles Diplomatic relations established with China during Gulf War; Middle East peace conference and India; Yitzhak Rabin elected Prime Minister; convenes in Madrid; multilateral talks follow to 25th Anniversary of reunification; Jerusalem’s promote peace and address regional concerns population: Y 392,000;  136,200;  15,000

2000 2003 2005 2012 Second Col. Ilan Ramon becomes first Israeli Israel disengages Taglit-Birthright Israel intifada astronaut; the Columbia Space from settlements in brings its 300,000th begins Shuttle breaks up on re-entry over the Gaza Strip participant to Israel the Southern United States, killing all aboard

learn more 26 THE CHANGING MAP OF ISRAEL

1947 1949 UN PARTITION PLAN ARMISTICE LINES

On November 29, 1947, Following the end of the War Resolution 181 was approved by of Independence in 1949, Israel the General Assembly of the United conducted armistice negotiations with Nations, partitioning the former British its Arab neighbors under the auspices Mandate area into a Jewish and Arab of the U.N. The agreements signed state. In this plan, Jerusalem was to with Lebanon, Egypt, Transjordan (later become an international city, while the Jordan) and Syria set the following Negev, coastal strip and eastern Galilee terms: Israel retained the Negev desert panhandle were to be part of a Jewish and Egypt retained control of the Gaza state. Despite the objective limitations Strip. Jordan controlled the West Bank of such a division of land, the Jewish and the eastern half of Jerusalem. population accepted the plan, while the Borders with Lebanon and Syria were Arabs rejected it. based on internationally recognized frontiers.

27 learn more 1967 1979 SIX DAY WAR BORDERS ISRAEL-EGYPT TREATY

Following increased tensions In 1979 Israel and Egypt signed and threats of war on the part of an historic peace accord at the Israel’s Arab neighbors, on June 5th, end of negotiations begun at Camp 1967, Israel launched a preemptive David in 1978. The 1977 visit of Anwar strike against Egypt, Syria and Jordan. Sadat to Jerusalem paved the way for Following six days of fighting Israel the process, which ended the state captured the Sinai Peninsula, the Gaza of war between the two countries. Strip, the Golan Heights and the West Israeli forces withdrew from the Bank, including the eastern half of Sinai Peninsula in two stages and by Jerusalem. April 1982 the entire Sinai was under Egyptian sovereignty. The cease fire lines left these areas under Israeli control, and would remain For a current map of Israel, turn to Israel’s borders until the Yom Kippur page 11. War of 1973.

learn more 28 ISRAEL’S DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE

The Land of Israel was the birthplace of The Nazi Holocaust, which engulfed the Jewish people. Here their spiritual, millions of Jews in Europe, proved anew religious and national identity was formed. the urgency of the re-establishment Here they achieved independence and of the Jewish State, which would solve created a culture of national and universal the problem of Jewish homelessness by significance. Here they wrote and gave opening the gates to all Jews and lifting the Bible to the world. the Jewish people to equality in the family of nations. Exiled from Palestine, the Jewish people remained faithful to it in all the countries The survivors of the European of their dispersion, never ceasing to catastrophe, as well as Jews from pray and hope for their return and the other lands, proclaiming their right to restoration of their national freedom. a life of dignity, freedom and labor, and undeterred by hazards, hardships and Impelled by this historic association, obstacles, have tried unceasingly to Jews strove throughout the centuries to enter Palestine. go back to the land of their fathers and regain their statehood. In recent decades In the Second World War the Jewish they returned in masses. They reclaimed people in Palestine made a full the wilderness, revived their language, contribution in the struggle of the built cities and villages and established a freedom-loving nations against the Nazi vigorous and ever-growing community, evil. The sacrifices of their soldiers with its own economic and cultural and the efforts of their workers gained life. They sought peace yet were ever them title to rank with the peoples who prepared to defend themselves. They founded the United Nations. brought the blessing of progress to all inhabitants of the country. On November 29, 1947, the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted In the year 1897 the First Zionist a Resolution for the establishment of an Congress, inspired by Theodor Herzl’s independent Jewish State in Palestine, and vision of the Jewish State, proclaimed called upon the inhabitants of the country the right of the Jewish people to national to take such steps as may be necessary revival in their own country. on their part to put the plan into effect.

This right was acknowledged by the This recognition by the United Nations of Balfour Declaration of November 2, 1917, the right of the Jewish people to establish and re-affirmed by the Mandate of the their independent State may not be League of Nations, which gave explicit revoked. It is, moreover, the self-evident international recognition to the historic right of the Jewish people to be a connection of the Jewish people with nation, as all other nations, in its own Palestine and their right to reconstitute sovereign State. their National Home.

29 learn more Accordingly, we, the members of the The State of Israel will be ready National Council, representing the to cooperate with the organs and Jewish people in Palestine and Zionist representatives of the United Nations movement of the world, met together in the implementation of the Resolution in solemn assembly today, the day of of the Assembly of November 29, 1947, termination of the British Mandate for and will take steps to bring about the Palestine, by virtue of the natural and Economic Union over the whole historic right of the Jewish people and of of Palestine. the Resolution of the General Assembly of the United Nations. We appeal to the United Nations to assist the Jewish people in the building of Hereby proclaim the establishment its State and to admit Israel into the family of the Jewish State in Palestine, to be of nations. called Israel. In the midst of wanton aggression, We hereby declare that as from the we yet call upon the Arab inhabitants termination of the Mandate at midnight, of the State of Israel to return to the this night of the 14th to 15th May, 1948, ways of peace and play their part in the and until the setting up of the duly development of the State, with full and elected bodies of the State in accordance equal citizenship and due representation with a Constitution, to be drawn up in all its bodies and institutions — by a Constituent Assembly not later provisional or permanent. than the first day of October, 1948, the present National Council shall act as the We offer peace and unity to all the provisional administration, shall constitute neighboring states and their peoples, the Provisional Government of the State and invite them to cooperate with of Israel. the independent Jewish nation for the common good of all. The State of Israel will be open to the immigration of Jews from all countries Our call goes out to the Jewish people all of their dispersion; will promote the over the world to rally to our side in the development of the country for the task of immigration and development and benefit of all its inhabitants; will be based to stand by us in the great struggle for the on the precepts of liberty, justice and fulfillment of the dream of generations — peace taught by the Hebrew Prophets; the redemption of Israel. will uphold the full social and political With trust in Almighty God, we set our equality of all its citizens, without hand to this Declaration, at this Session of distinction of race, creed or sex; will the Provisional State Council, in the city guarantee full freedom of conscience, of Tel Aviv, on this Sabbath eve, the fifth worship, education and culture; will of Iyar, 5708, the fourteenth day of safeguard the sanctity and inviolability of May, 1948. the shrines and Holy Places of all religions; and will dedicate itself to the principles of the Charter of the United Nations.

learn more 30 ISRAEL’S NATIONAL ANTHEM

HATIKVAH, “The Hope,” was written by Naphtali Herz Imber as a poem in 1878. It became the anthem of the Zionist movement; when the State of Israel was established, it became the national anthem.

Hebrew: כל עוד בלבב פנימה נפש יהודי הומיה ולפאתי מזרח קדימה עין לציון צופיה

עוד לא אבדה תקותנו התקוה בת שנות אלפים להיות עם חופשי בארצנו ארץ ציון וירושלים

Transliteration: Translation: Kol od ba-lei-vav p’nimah As long as deep in the heart Nefesh Y’hudi ho-mi-yah The soul of a Jew yearns Ul’fa-atei miz’rakh kadimah And towards the East Ayin l’tzion tzo-fi-yah. An eye looks to Zion.

Od lo avdah tik-va-teinu Our hope is not yet lost Ha-tik-vah bat sh’not al-payim The hope of two thousand years Lih’yot am khof-shi b’ar-tzeinu To be a free people in our land Eretz Tzi-yon vi-rusha-layim. The land of Zion and Jerusalem.

31 learn more SUGGESTED READING

Recent works on Israel THE CASE FOR ISRAEL & THE CASE FOR PEACE, Alan Dershowitz The Harvard Law School professor argues passionately in these two short but potent works.

COMING TOGETHER, COMING APART, Daniel Gordis After moving his family from Los Angeles, a father reflects on the joys and struggles of life in Israel.

Jerusalem: The Biography, Simon Sebag Montefiore The author reveals this ever-changing city in its many incarnations, bringing every epoch and character blazingly to life.

START-UP NATION: THE STORY OF ISRAEL’S ECONOMIC MIRACLE, Dan Senor and Saul Singer A fascinating expert look at Israel’s meteoric rise in the global economy.

Classic novels about Israel EXODUS, Leon Uris The classic historical novel about the heroic founding of the state.

O JERUSALEM, Larry Collins and Dominique Lapierre A compelling account of the War of Independence and the battles for Jerusalem and Jewish statehood.

THE SOURCE, James Michener This novel follows the sweep of Jewish and Israeli history through the various layers of an archaeological dig.

Non-fiction by Israelis Ben-Gurion: A Political Life, Shimon Peres A dramatic and revelatory biography of Israel’s founding father and first prime minister.

IN THE NAME OF SORROW AND HOPE, Noa Ben Artzi Pelosoff Yitzhak Rabin’s granddaughter writes about her grandfather’s life and dreams for peace.

MY LIFE, Golda Meir An inspiring autobiography of a woman Zionist, pioneer, politician and prime minister.

WARRIOR, Ariel Sharon An account of Israel’s battles through the eyes of the military commander who became prime minister.

Other ideas NIMROD FLIP-OUT, Etgar Keret A collection of twisted stories by a young Israeli novelist.

WALKING THE BIBLE, Bruce Feiler The best-seller places Israel in the context of the ancient world that birthed the Jewish people.

learn more 32 ISRAELI POETRY

Another author we recommend, and one that you will encounter during your trip, is Israeli poet Yehuda Amichai. Consider the meaning of the following two poems “Love Of Jerusalem” and “The windmill in Yemin Moshe” as you spend your ten days in Israel.

“LOVE OF JERUSALEM”

There is a street where they sell only red meat And there is a street where they sell only clothes and perfumes. And there is a day when I see only cripples and the blind And those covered with leprosy, and spastics and those with twisted lips.

Here they build a house and there they destroy Here they dig into the earth And there they dig into the sky, Here they sit and there they walk Here they hate and there they love.

But he who loves Jerusalem By the tourist book or the prayer book is like one who loves a woman By a manual of sex positions.

In the first two stanzas of “Love of Jerusalem,” Amichai talks about the daily life going on around him in Israel. People are at work, the markets are alive, and even though there may be homeless people on the street, skyscrapers are being built and life is happening all around. Then, in the final verse, he comments on travelers who miss all these things and only see the sites mapped out in their travel guides.

Will you travel strictly as a tourist taking pictures and mental notes of each site you visit? Or will you embrace the land, the people, and your own personal connection to this country?

33 learn more “THE WINDMILL IN YEMIN MOSHE”

This windmill never ground flour. It ground holy air and Bialik’s Birds of longing, it ground Words and ground time, it ground Rain and even shells But it never ground flour.

Now it’s discovered us, And grinds our lives day by day Making out of us the flour of peace Making out of us the bread of peace For the generation to come.

In “The windmill in Yemin Moshe” (a place that you will likely visit when you are in Jerusalem), Amichai uses the windmill as a metaphor for the existence of the modern state of Israel.

Moses Montefiore had the windmill built in the 1850s during a time of economic hardship for the Jewish population. It has stood there ever since, and has been a witness to the forming of the modern state of Israel. Today, it stands in one of the most prominent neighborhoods in Jerusalem.

In the second line of the poem Amichai actually references another famous poem – El Hatzipor “To the Bird” – written by Hayyim Nahman Bialik in 1892. Bialik wrote his poem while still living in his native land of Russia, and in it spoke of the longing he had for living in Zion and escaping his life in Odessa.

In the present tense of the poem, Amichai is expressing the fact that the Zionist dream has come true. While the windmill never actually worked, it is part of a lovely park near the King David hotel where contemporary Israeli (and Arab) kids play trying to have happy lives. Zionism is little more than 100 years old, yet a state was established and with all the troubles children play and we carve out lives.

On your Taglit-Birthright Israel trip, you will get to experience the Zionist dream of returning to Israel. You also will get a unique perspective into the lives of people who are working everyday to build a peaceful place to live. Think about what a gift you truly have been given in coming to Israel. And, about the generations of your ancestors who never had the same opportunity.

learn more 34 The weather in Israel during the summer months is hot and dry in the day, and cool at night. Casual, comfortable clothes that can be layered are best. On most days you will find yourself wearing shorts and a t-shirt. You should only need one nice outfit for Shabbat; and, given the packed itinerary, assume that there won’t be time to do laundry.

We recommend packing as lightly as possible: one large suitcase or duffel bag (checked baggage) per person, and a school-sized backpack for your carry-on. You will be responsible for packing and transporting your own bags during the trip, so make sure not to pack more than you can comfortably carry.

Important Note Taglit-Birthright Israel reserves the right to remove any participant from the program that is found to be ineligible, involved in criminal activity, engages in inappropriate behavior, or does not abide by the program’s drug and alcohol policies. Participants found to be in violation of these rules will be sent home immediately at their own expense and may become liable for the full cost of their trip.

SUGGESTED PACKING LIST CLOTHING FOR YOUR CARRY-ON BAG 12 short-sleeved t-shirts 3 pairs of jeans/pants Passport * (put xerox copies in 3 pairs of shorts each of your bags) Health Insurance Card ** 3 long-sleeved shirts All medications (including copies of 2 sweaters or sweatshirts 1 light-weight jacket prescriptions) Prescription glasses/contact lens supplies 2 bathing suits (no liquids more than 3 oz.) 1 pair of sweatpants Cash/Debit/Credit Card 12 pairs of underwear (Visa and MasterCard are widely accepted) 12 pairs of socks iPod/MP3 player 1 pair of water shoes (ie. Teva’s) One change of clothes 1 pair of sturdy shoes for hiking/walking Toiletries 1 pair of nicer shoes (for Shabbat) 2 long skirts (women) / nice khakis (men) SUGGESTED ITEMS (for Shabbat) Adapter for electrical appliances *** 1 nicer blouse or shirt (for Shabbat) Books/reading material 1 towel Camera, charger/batteries 1 hat (baseball style) Mini flashlight or penlight ‘going out’ outfits (for city nights) Plastic bags for wet or dirty clothes Sunglasses Sunscreen Travel alarm clock Kippah/head covering (men)

* For residents of North America, you must hold a US or Canadian passport. If you do not have either, you may need a visa and have other restrictions; please contact your closest Israeli consulate for more information. In order to be permitted to travel to Israel your passport must be valid for a minimum of six months beyond your ticketed date of return home.

** All participants must bring proof of health insurance that provides for coverage abroad and covers pre-existing medical conditions. It is also recommended that participants purchase travel insurance to cover domestic flight delay, lost luggage, etc. Many travel insurance policies also include medical coverage as an option should you not have an existing health plan.

*** Electrical equipment has to be adaptable to 220 volts and have a European adapter for the prong. Equipment on a motor (i.e., hair dryer) must be adaptable to 50 Hz (as opposed to 110 volts and 60 Hz for North America).

Suggested Packing List 36 We know that at the forefront of your mind are the thoughts: What should I pack? Who will I meet on the trip? And, make sure you don’t forget your passport!

But, once you’ve dealt with all that, take a few moments before departing on your trip to Israel and try answering each of the following questions. If you want, pack this booklet in your bag, and bring it with you to Israel. On your last day of the trip, return to this page and reflect upon which of your expectations were met, which of your thoughts have changed, and how, if at all, the trip will remain with you.

EXPECTATIONS OF THE TRIP What are your expectations for this trip? (Examples: meeting new friends, having a good time, gaining a deeper sense of Jewish identity.)

What is your biggest hope upon embarking on this journey?

What does Israel mean to you?

What does being Jewish mean to you?

How would you define your personal Jewish identity?

EXPECTATIONS OF THE TRIP 38 “REFRAIN”

My father was born with a severe handicap, a birth defect called cerebral palsy. It occurs during birth and affects the central nervous system. Makes it very hard to walk, very hard to talk, to use any sort of motor skills. So my dad could hardly speak and be understood, and he couldn’t quite hold a pencil to write, but he was a natural performer. My father was a writer – a comedian.

But how?

With humor.

He would hold up his right hand with his left, and tap the letters of the typewriter one by one by one, all night long. That sound, the sound of the typewriter being hit, was the lullaby of my childhood. And it’s funny how things hit you years later. How the pieces take their time to come together. How you can discover something and it changes everything.

The truth shifts.

And my identity did, too. I was raised by my father’s Italian Catholic half of the family, who had so much in common with mother’s Jewish half. But what I remember most was the laughter. The way humor cut across cultures, and unified them as one family. I think that’s what my father taught me most, in the face of anything, in the face of adversity: laugh, deeply and loudly.

We become different versions of ourselves at different times. My father’s death, when I was 15, changed – well, propelled me. It was my father who had loved Israel so much when he was younger. I became curious about that place. And curious about my father, before me.

My grandmother told me very recently all about my dad as a kid. I’ve come to realize I’m very, very much like him. I write like him. I live in New York City like him. But I don’t talk like him, and I don’t walk like him. I am an independent state. My parallel, Israel, is a Jewish state, in a state of tribute to its roots, as I am.

My father had braces on his legs as a kid, to help him walk. My grandma spoke of the nights that she would stay up sewing huge rips in his jeans and cleaning dried blood from the side of his head from when he had fallen down and hit the cement. All in a basic attempt at movement.

But, that’s life, right? To accept. To continue. To try. To fall. And to fight.

To fight.

And sometimes, to die.

39 EXPECTATIONS OF THE TRIP My grandma also told me about the time in the 1950s when my dad broke free: He removed his braces from his arms and legs. Then one day he got on a bus. He must have been 18 or 19 years old, and he just left. He went home, to Italy, to Rome. He said, “Mama, I’ve got to go, I’ve got to see the world.”

She was scared. He might get hurt, he might get harassed. He shouldn’t go alone. But she understood, in that way that mothers do.

She hadn’t heard from him for a couple of days…and the phone rang. It was my dad.

And he said, “Ma, you’re not going to believe it. I’m in Rome and…I just climbed to the top of the Spanish Steps.”

There were hundreds of steps. Those old, ancient, European, wobbly steps.

“And it was the most beautiful view I’ve ever seen in my life, Mom.”

And my grandma said, “Nicky, how’d you do that? How’d you get up there?”

And he said, “I sat down and I pushed myself up backward, step by step by step.” (I imagine him saying this in a tone that is carefree and obvious, like a no-brainer.) It took him hours. And all the people who must have passed him on their way going up, asking him if he needed help, staring, judging – when really, they were watching a young man living.

It’s five in the morning. I’m 19 years old, and I’m standing at the bottom of Masada, this mysterious narrow mountain fortress in the desert. It’s dark. And all of a sudden, I sit down on the very first step and push myself up every single one. Backward: like he did.

“And Mom, it was the most beautiful sunrise I have ever seen.”

Diana Arnold was a participant on Taglit-Birthright Israel in the summer of 2004. Her story is the product of this life-changing experience, and a number of subsequent return trips to Israel. It is these collective memories that have helped to shape her personal Jewish journey.

This essay appears in What We Brought Back: Jewish Life After Birthright, a collection of work by alumni of Taglit-Birthright Israel trips. The anthology was produced by NEXT and Nextbook Inc., and published by Toby Press. For more information go to: www.nextbookpress.com.

EXPECTATIONS OF THE TRIP 40 volunteer opportunities

YOUNG LEADERSHIP

community service projects

AFTER THE TRIP getting back to israel next shabbat Your trip to Israel is just one of the many gifts that the Jewish community has to offer. In the weeks and months ahead you will learn more about the rich variety of programs that are available to you as a Taglit-Birthright Israel alumnus.

A host of partnering organizations across North America are dedicated to working with you so that you can continue your experience once you arrive back home. Whether you’re a student living on campus, or a young professional living on your own – in the United States or Canada – there are boundless opportunities available, and endless ways to get connected.

Whatever your interests, there’s a right answer for you. Whether it’s trip reunions,

jewish cooking classes

Jewish cooking classes, community service projects, Hebrew courses, film festivals, comedy nights, parties and social happenings, or volunteering opportunities, Taglit- Birthright Israel wants to help you connect to your local Jewish community.

So, where to begin? NEXT: A Division of Birthright Israel Foundation can get you plugged in to all of the great things going on in your city. Select your location in their searchable database (www.birthrightisrael.com/directory), and identify different organizations and events catering to alumni in your area. Want to host your friends for a relaxing Shabbat meal? NEXT will provide you with resources and even cover some of the costs to make it a success. More information about this and a multitude of other opportunities can be found on: www.facebook.com/NEXTShabbat.

The experience of a lifetime does not end after 10 days...it’s just the beginning. Learn more at: www.birthrightisrael.com/AfterTheTrip. AFTER THE TRIP 42 Notes

43 notes notes 44 45 notes Note for the Western Wall (see next page)

NOTES 46 Notes in the Western Wall It is a centuries-old tradition to place prayer notes in the Western Wall, which is considered Judaism’s holiest site. Cut out the piece of paper below, and use the reverse side to write your own note to insert in the Wall (The Kotel). THE TRAVELER’S PRAYER תפלת הדרך T’filat Ha-derekh The Traveler’s Prayer is traditionally said at the onset of a trip in hopes of a safe journey. Although the prayer has not changed in hundreds of years, there are more modern interpretations which are equally appropriate to recite.

Hebrew: יהי רצון מלפניך ה' אלוהינו ואלוהי אבותינו שתוליכנו לשלום ותצעידנו לשלום ותדריכנו לשלום ותגיענו למחוז חפצנו לחיים ולשמחה ולשלום ותצילנו מכף כל אויב ואורב ולסטים וחיות רעות בדרך ומכל מיני פורעניות המתרגשות לבוא לעולם ותשלח ברכה בכל מעשה ידינו ותתננו לחן ולחסד ולרחמים בעיניך ובעיני כל רואינו ותשמע קול תחנונינו כי אל שומע תפלה ותחנון אתה ברוך אתה ה' שומע תפלה

Transliteration: Y’hi ratzon mil’fa-ne-kha Adonai elo-hei-nu vei-lo-hei avo-teinu, she-toli-kheinu l’shalom v’tatz’ideinu l’shalom, v’tad-ri-kheinu l’shalom v’ta-gi-einu lim’khoz khef-tzeinu l’khayim ul’simkhah ul’shalom. V’ta-tzi-leinu mikaf kol oyeiv v’oreiv v’listim v’kha-yot ra-ot ba-derekh u-mikol mi-nei fur-a-niyot ha-mit-rag’shot lavo la-olam, v’tish-lakh b’rakhah b’khol ma-asei ya-deinu. V’ti-t’neinu l’khein ul’khesed ul’rakha-mim b’ei-nekha uv’einei khol ro-einu, v’tish-ma kol takha-nu-neinu. Ki Eil sho-mei-a t’fi-lah v’ta-kha-nun attah. Ba-rukh attah Adonai sho-mei-a t’fi-lah.

Translation: May it be Your will, Eternal One, our G-d and the G-d of our ancestors, that You lead us toward peace, guide our footsteps towards peace, and help us reach our desired destination for life, gladness, and peace. May You rescue us from the hand of every foe, ambush, bandits and wild animals along the way, and from all manner of punishments that assemble to come to Earth. May You send blessing in our every handiwork, and grant us peace, kindness, and mercy in your eyes and in the eyes of all who see us. May You hear the sound of our prayer, because You are the One who hears prayer and supplications. Blessed are You, Eternal One, who hears prayer.

THE TRAVELER’S PRAYER 48 TRAVEL HEBREW שלום Hello/Goodbye/Peace shalom בוקר טוב Good morning boker tov ערב טוב Good evening erev tov לילה טוב Good night lyla tov להתראות See you later l’hitra’ot כן Ye s ken לא No lo בסדר Okay b’seder בבקשה Please/You’re welcome b’vakashah תודה רבה (Thanks (very much) todah (rabbah סליחה !Excuse me/Sorry! s’likhah מה שלומך (How are you? mah sh’lomkha? (m מה שלומך (mah sh’lomeykh? (f מה השעה ?What time is it? ma hasha-ah מה זה ?What’s this? ma zeh איפה ?Where? eyfo מתי ?When? matai כמה זה עולה ?How much is this? kama zeh oleh איפה השירותים ?Where are the restrooms? eyfo ha-sheirutim נעים מאוד Pleased to meet you na’im m’od אני מבין I understand ani meivin מסעדה Restaurant mis’adah בית קפה Coffeehouse beit kafeh אתה מדבר אנגלית (Do you speak English? atah m’dabeir anglit? (to m את מדברת אנגלית (at m’daberet anglit? (to f אני עם תגלית I’m with the Taglit group ani im taglit איך קוראים לך (What is your name? eykh korim l’kha? (to m איך קוראים לך (eykh korim lakh? (to f איך אומרים באנגלית ?How do you say that in English? eykh omrim b’anglit אני אוהב אותך (I love you ani oheiv otakh (m to f אני אוהבת אותך (ani ohevet ot’kha (f to m

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