HUC Speakers

On Wednsday we were given the opportunity to meet with three different rabbis at HUC and gain insight on their beliefs and values within reform, conservative and modern Orthodox Judaism. The first speaker Rabbi Loren Sykes (The upcoming NFTY EIE principal ) talked about conservative Judaism. He focused on theory vs. practice and explained to us his general views about the Torah. he believes that how one interprets the Torah and whether or not it is a human based document or if it is a Devine book from God. rabbi Loren Sykes also touched upon social justice laws and how those commandments such as giving tzedaka are obligatory in conservative Judaism.
Our second speaker who is a representative of HUC, was reform Rabbi Haim Shalon. Haim believes that Jewish law as a concept is not central to what it means to be Jewish. He also explained that the nature of humanity is progression therefor he belongs to Reform Judaism because as people grow and mature so does Reform Judaism and it's "rules or ways to live by" are not set in stone. He made an analogy saying that Judaism is like a game of chess and Reform Judaism is Chess with the exception of creating new rules. Haim told us that he personally does not believe that Jewish people are the chosen ones and that we in fact are just another realign like Christianity or Islam. He talked about secular vs religious Judaism and that he feels like prayer is not necessarily central to Judaism.
Our last speaker and former Jewish History teacher of EIE was Modern Orthodox rabbi Gabe Reiss. Gabe is religious Zionist and was very honest about his viewpoints. He has the same view of oral Law as the ultra orthodox do. He explained to us that the torah is the fundamental basis of Judaism and that God ultimately wrote it for our people because he needed to convey his message. He honestly told us that although he believes Reform Jews are legitimate Jews, the way we practice and continue to evolve and interpret the religion is not correctly representing what it means to be Jewish. He said that it order to truly be Jewish we have to live Torah in all levels of our lives.
Rabbi Haim Shalon also shared with us some information about the HUC campus. Because it was created in 1967, the Jordainian border ran right through the colleges property. The URJ purchased this land because it was cheap and although it was not than considered to be safe, today in Jerusalem HUC is now in a prime realastate location.
All three speakers brought up very interesting points about Judaism. Do you agree or disagree with what Rabbi Gabe Reiss said about Reform Judaism not practicing properly in a sense that Reform Judaism evolves with people and time , where as Orthodox Judaism is set and stone and along side of the Torah and not allowing change or evolution.

Leviticus 19:19

"You shall observe My statutes: You shall not crossbreed your livestock with different species. You shall not sow your field with a mixture of seeds, and a garment which has a mixture of shaatnez shall not come upon you.

What this is literally saying is that you should not mix specific things, but my interpretation of this has to due with intermarriage. Intermarriage is banned "Because he will lead your son astray from Me and They will serve strange gods" (Deuteronomy 7: 4) This works with the idea of not crossbreeding because it dilutes the bloodline. These can be put together to make the connection that intermarriage mars the bloodline of Judaism. The reason that the line says "he will lead your son astray" and not she, is that the possession of the children belonged to the mother. If the mother of the child was not Jewish, then the child is not Jewish. This idea of matrilineal descent is still present in Orthodox and most Conservative movements. It is fairly clear how to uphold this mitzvah, just if you're a women you aren't supposed to marry a non-Jew. Of course this isn't as easy as it sounds, with in America every other Jewish marriage is one of intermarriage.

 

The above photo is of a mikveh, a ritual bath with many uses in the Jewish world. One of these uses is for conversion. While Judaism isn't a mainly conversion focused religion, it is allowed. The reason it is not widely done is that by converting, you are promising to live an Orthodox lifestyle. Marrying someone who converted is completely ok. I have many friends back home who's mother converted to Judaism. All of this just shows how even though there are things prohibiting us from certain things for the sake of Judaism, Judaism still leaves us a way to get what we want.

Oral law assignment

The mitzvah that speaks the most to me would be "love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt". The reason I chose this mitzvah is because I think while it speaks a small truth in all of us, it's also saying that we've been in the same or like position and we should really consider that. I think this is saying that naturally as humans we tend to hold ourselves above others on a mental note and that this phenomenon happens with all of. That being said, this line is telling us to really consider that and try to (despite that) look past whatever we might be thinking in those situations. I think that if we actually try to follow this mitzvah at least once or twice a day, it ' d really make a change in us and maybe those affected by said actions. In terms of Judaism I think this specifically teaches the loving of oneself but no more importantly the loving of others, something very needed in society nowadays.

                                                                情意

I picked the character "cing ji" which generally translates to affection or goodwill. It's a simple visual but I think it means something strong. First of all, as one of the most spoken languages out there today, this character would be recognized as affection and goodwill by not only a lot of people ... but by a community. Even further, there are those of a different foreign tongue who would still understand and though nationally they are not part of that community, they'd still be accepted as an addition without any form of persecution. In a sense this represents unity and to us Jews I find that unity is a rather important aspect of our people.

Belvior, Tzfat and the mighty Baruch

This past Thursday we spent the day visiting the Belvoir fortress from the Crusades and the little town of Tzfat that played a key role in Kabbalah for the Jewish people. During the 11th century Pope Urban II was fighting over authority with The emperor of the Eastern Orthodox. In 1095 Pope Urban II gave his famous speech in Clermont, France. The objective of his speech was to get Europeans to move to Israel (the naval of the world) because he claimed that there was major over population and that those who migrated to Israel could receive salvation, which is remission of ones sins.

The first Crusade took place in 1096. It was a complete disaster for the Jewish people and only went downhill from there. Those traveling to Israel under Pope Urban's command came across rich Jewish merchants at the Rhein River. They were extremely confused because just like the witness theory stated, Christians felt that they were better than the Jewish people therefor they did not understand why they had become so successful. The Tatnu massacres occurred, and thousands of Jewish people were put together and burned alive in different communities. They had the option of being baptised or being killed and because of Kiddush Hashem many chose death over converting. 1096 marked a turning point for the Jewish people of Ashkenaz because they faced major antisemitism.

We saw the Belvoir Fortress that was built by the Hospital of Knights, used from 1099-1187 and was under control of the Crusaders and conquered by Salach Adin in 1187. It was built from mainly basalt because it was harder to destroy then limestone, and it was pretty accessible. The fortress was built where it was because from the structure the Crusaders could oversee the Jordan Valley, Golan Heights, and the Syrian Rift. The fortress was not "easily attack-able", and in addition the Crusaders used guerrilla warfare so that it was harder to successfully attack.

We then went to Tzfat and visited two different synagogues, the Synagogue of Joseph Karo and The Synagogue of Rabbi Isaac Luria. Joseph Karo was very involved with Jewish law, and Moshe Cordovera was a philosopher, and with two of them, HaAri Hakadosh  believed that they could bring the messiah down from the heavens. Both Synagogues were very similar in the fact that they were both old fashioned and the Synagogue of Joseph Karo had a geniza.

Overall we had an amazing Tiyul, and even got to witness Baruch get in a fight with a very un- levelheaded man with a hose and an attitude. What most stood out to you at the Belvior Fortress, and do you agree or disagree with HaAri Hakadosh's theory of the him and the two Rabbis potential to bring the messiah down from the Heavens?

    The mitzvah that I can relate to in my life right now is to love your neighbor like yourself. This means that you should love everyone and care for everyone like you love and care for yourself. Despite the differences between you and your neighbor, it is important to treat them kindly. You shouldn't slander against your neighbor, steal from your neighbor, and help your neighbor if they are in need. Specifically, in my own life now, this mitzvah is so important to follow. Living with three other girls in one room proves to be difficult. Sometimes we are in each other's way and we are a little too loud at night, but we have to remember to be respectful to each other and each other's things.  How we treat each other can dictate our experience, here on EIE. The way I can personally follow this Mitzvah is to keep calm and be flexible. If my roommates and I do not agree on something having to do with our living arrangements, I know I have to just be flexible and take all of their needs in to account. This way, all of us are happy, which is the goal of following this mitzvah.
    This mitzvah is an important mitzvah for Jews, especially in Israel, to follow, right now. All around Kibbutz Tzuba we can see multiple areas that have a majority of Muslims living in them. Everyday, their are more and more attacks between Muslims and Jews. Although internationally, Israel and its neighbors do not care for each other, it is important that within Israel we keep the peace within the Muslim and Jews. The relationship we have with Ein Raffa is a perfect example. We are on good terms with Ein Raffa, even though their beliefs are so different than ours.
    The picture I took showed a little bit of my view from my room at Tzuba. From Tzuba I can see the Muslim villages surrounding us. Although other Muslim groups that are extremists are terrifying to even hear about, I feel totally comfortable living so close to these peaceful groups of people. This picture represents how the Jews can and should value this mitzvah. As long as we are respectful to each other we can get along peaceful.

Israel Museum: Middle Ages

On our tiyul this past Wednesday, our class went to the Israel Museum to study Jewish customs, tradition, and culture as they were dispersed throughout Europe and the Middle East in the Middle Ages.  The Sparad and Ashkenaz, who were two of the major groups that lived around Spain and Germany at the time, showed signs of being immersed in the cultures around them as well as separating themselves from other cultures to show that they were Jewish weather it was by choice of by force in their kehilot (communities).  An example of being immersed in other cultures would be that many of the Jews began to change their dress, language, and names to fit in to the society they lived in.  

Head coverings worn by Jewish women

These pictures show the dress of women that are from a different culture but the head coverings show that they still followed Jewish tradition at the same time.  An example of the Jews separating themselves from other cultures would be that they all still kept kosher, Shabbat, and spoke Hebrew even though they were forced to learn the languages that surrounded them.  

The Jewish kehilot can be looked at as both separated and unified.  One reason some of the kehilot were looked at as separated from each other was that they adopted contrasting customs and traditions from living around many different societies and cultures around them.  An example of the different customs and traditions that the kehilot followed were the life cycles of birth, Bar/Bat Mitzvah, weddings, and death.  A few customs that I learned about were the Huppa Stone that was used for weddings in Bingen, Germany in 1700 to break the glass.  I also learned about the reuse of prayer shawls at circumcisions and Bar Mitzvahs that came from Morocco in the 20^th century.  On the other hand, the Jews were considered to be unified from the use of Hebrew as their universal language that everyone spoke.  Because many of the Jews were merchants and traveled for months at a time, they used Hebrew as an advantage to get food and shelter from the Jews that lived in other kehilot.  The use of one language allowed the traveling merchants to keep kosher, keep Shabbat, and celebrate holidays while they were away from their families and kehilot to continue tradition.  Another thing that many of the kehilot had in common was the use of Menorahs that were found and used by Jews all around the world.  In the museum, we got to a room that had the many Menorahs that were found and we were able to see the similarities and differences between them from the different kehilot and cultures.

Horb, Germany synagogue

Horb, Germany synagogue

Cochin, India synagogue

Because of the changing traditions that the Jews experienced from the involvement in other societies, different types of synagogues were built which represents the difference in Jewish culture in the different kehilot.  We were able to see an Indian and German synagogue to see the different types of artwork and what they valued in each kehilot. 

Manuscript with bird heads

We also got to see the illuminated manuscripts which showed us the importance of art and Judaism through it's writings while the Jews were dispersed throughout Europe and the Middle East.  Some of the artwork in the manuscripts were shown with the words but other artwork showed pictures of people with faces and others showed pictures of people with bird heads to avoid avodah zara.  This shows the true importance of Judaism while the Jews were spread out and how the artwork from the cultures around them eventually affected the Jewish culture. 

Throughout the Middle Ages, the Jews were dispersed but somehow managed to keep language and some similar traditions.  Would you say that the Jews were separated or unified in their many kehilot?  Why?  If you were a Jew living in the Middle Ages, would you want to blend in with the other cultures around you or would you want to distinguish yourself as a Jew?

Current Events HW for Sunday

Please read the following article and respond.
What are your thoughts of Netanyahu's speech in front of the World Zionist Congress? Do you support it? Why or why not? What do you think of the criticism he received for this speech?

Netanyahu blames Jerusalem mufti for Holocaust, is accused of ‘absolving Hitler’



(Feel free to check out more recent articles about this as well, since this is still on the headlines)

Also, please check out the following article as well, about the ARZA delegation to the World Zionist Congress. Having spent some time last Shabbat with Rabbi Josh Weinberg and other delegates, you will find this article very interesting!

At World Zionist Congress, Reform stakes its claim in Israel’s future

Oral Law (Leviticus) Assignment

I personally resonated with chapter 19: Verse 31 from Leviticus. The mitzvah stated here says, "Do not turn to ghosts and do not inquire of familiar spirits, to be defiled by them: I the Lord am your God". This specific verse stood out to me for a multitude of reasons. One being that, Since we have been in Israel, my spiritual connection with God has gotten much closer. Because of this I feel as though I now have a stronger obligation to strengthen my belief in God by praying more often. Another reason that I believe in this verse is because I often find myself focusing on the negative things in situations, and not that that is "turning to ghosts", but I feel that I need to have more belief in myself and have more self confidence and not turn to "ghosts" in my life. This verse reminds me to look through a more positive lense and to keep my belief in God.

I chose this picture that I took when we were snorkeling in Eilat. It represents chapter 19:verse 31 because it reminds me of a ghost. Its translucent as if it were a ghost. It lets light in, Just as God gives us light, but its blurry because I believe that he still is just a guiding source. The water represents the fact that just like we need water to survive, I feel that God is a necessity to believing in Judaism.   

 
   

"You shall rise before the aged and show deference to the old."

         I choose this mitzvot because I think it is very true. We should honor and respect our elders because there lives are coming to an end and they are the most wise people we will ever meet. For me growing up, I always enjoyed just sitting on the couch next to one of my elders and listening to all they have to offer my brain. I think this is something that is overlooked in todays society but that should definitely be encouraged more. This mitzvot is interpreted as to respect, visit, talk, and listen to your elders because you don't know how much more time you will get with them. In my daily life I can fulfill this mitzvot by talking to the elders in my community or giving one of my elders a call. This mitzvot can be a guideline for me as a Jew in the modern world because it is a part of being a good person. Elders have so much to share with the world, and how else will tradition be passed down from generation to generation.

In the picture above you can see my Great Grandmother Ora, my two brothers Ben (left) and Alex (right), and myself. Even though this picture was taking a while ago I remember what is going on at that time. At that time my Great Grandmother was living in Long Island in a old aged home. We were saying goodbye to her after visiting for the day, and we weren't going to see her a while because she was moving down to Florida. This photo represents the Jewish value that I selected because my brothers and I were taking the time to connect to out grandmother and to listen to all she has to give to us. 

Oral Law Assignment: Leah

I chose Leviticus Chapter 19, Verse 15 "You shall not render an unfair decision: do not favor the poor or show deference to the rich; judge your kinsman fairly." because I think that this verse can somehow relate to everyone when we judge someone before we truly know who they are.  I interpret "You shall not render an unfair decision" by people making unfair decisions about others when they choose not to talk to them simply based on appearance or anything else.  This can also be defined as prejudice.  We are all guilty of prejudice but it is human nature to judge someone before actually knowing them.  Everyone should try to keep the feelings of others in mind to strive to make the world a more welcoming place by starting over and not letting the human nature of prejudice affect the decisions we make about people.

I chose a picture of the sunrise that I took on top of Masada because to me, it represents starting a new day with pureness and no judgments of anything.  I believe that with a fresh mindset, we can take away "unfair decisions" or judgments that we already have on others and make the world a more sincere place.

המצוה של רמב"ל

ספר: ויקרא

פרק: י"ט

פסוק: ל"ז

"ושמרתם את-כל-חקתי ואת-כל-משפטי ועשיתם אתם אני י-ה-ו-ה:"

"You shall faithfully observe all My laws and all My rules: I am the Lord."

Of all the מצוות, why did I choose this one? One so broad that almost anything could be said about it. Well, I believe I just answered my own question. And since we are able to use this מצוה to talk about anything, I would like to talk about how this affects Reform Judaism.

    Reform Judaism is known for, (I guess for lack of a better word), reforming Judaism. But here lies a great problem. Reform Jews do still believe in the 613 commandments given to us (and accepted by us) from god; and how each one has something to learned from. But what happens when a Reform Jew comes across a פסוק in the תורה like the one stated above? Do they just read past it pretending it never happened?

    This מצוה gives no room for choosing which מצוות one should do. It clearly states that we are supposed to do all of the commandments set forth by the Almighty. Yet, what do we see? We see Jews all around the world choosing which מצוות they want to do. Yes, it is understandable that we cannot perform the מצוה of sacrificing a lamb due to the destruction of the בית המקדש, but the ones which we can perform, well why do we not see Jews doing them? 

    I personally believe this מצוה is stating that one should- no, must- carry out the commandments given by god. And not just do them because he or she was told to by some all powerful being, however, do them out of faith. After all, you shall faithfully observe all his laws.

Calvin and Hobbes

    I chose the above photo because it tells us of some of the commandments we do telling us not do certain things. One example (which Calvin mentions in the above comic) is the מצוה of not killing another person. Another, fraud (embezzlement). And then he even mentions not stealing. Those are three מצוות he mentions in only one sentence!

"Love your fellow as yourself."

“Love your fellow as yourself."

           I think that this mitzvah means that we must treat each other as fairly as we want to be treated. We shouldn’t exclude others for being different from ourselves. You should be as good a person as you can, and try to keep the world peaceful in your own way. Personally, I try my hardest to be as nice as I can to those around me, and I try to make people at least smile, in hopes that their day can stay good. I think as a Jew this is very important because Judaism is very focused on Tikun Olam as well as Tzedakah, which to me can be represented in keeping the world peaceful and happy. 

           This picture is really simple, but to me it speaks volumes. It's a random moment, but everyone just jumped into the picture that Zach was taking at the water fall after we had spent awhile hiking in the sun. To me, it showed that even though we weren't all that close, the people that didn't usually hang out shared a moment of success together. To me, this fits into loving your fellow as yourself because our differences were put aside as we were simply excited to be together after a hot hike. 

Lissie Levitt Oral Law: You shall not render an unfair decision

 I chose this because I think it is important to us to not judge a person by their skin color, financial status, sexual orientation, religion, and many more important characteristics of a person. I know my fellow class mates here about this organization Camp Jenny a lot, but I think I can say that the idea can be related. For those reading, Camp Jenny is a camp over memorial day weekend for elementry schoolers in inner city Atlanta all living in poverty. This camp encourages the students to work hard and have a positive attitude, and gives them opportunity for their future. The staff do not judge the campers based on the situation they come from and love the campers for their passion towards learning and gorgeous smiles.

The picture above is me and my camper Nikeria at Camp Jenny. It is so important for the world to give kids like her opportunity with out judgement, and I hope that this can help bring us one step closer to a little less hate toward people living with all different characteristics. I know we also recently had the tragedy in Charleston , in which a man came and took 9 lives because of his judgement toward African Americans, in which these 9 African Americans came to church that noght to study the bible, discuss it, just as we are now on this blog. I hope for a world and future with less judgement. We passed a law allowing Gay Marriage this summer. Two steps foward, one step back.

Ben Walton's Oral law assignment

         I chose Leviticus 19, verse 4: "Do not turn to idols or make molten gods for yourselves: I the lord am your G-d." Learning from history we find that a lot of the time Jews were assimilating and loosing their religion as they turned towards foreign worship avodah zara. G-d made this law so no one would be tempted to turn away from their Judaism. Today even though there are not many pagans around I can still relate to this law. Today I would put into context of the modern age in America. I live in the U.S. today where there are many Christians. If you were to walk into a church today you would probably find a cross. I believe that the cross is a form of avodah zara because people depict G-d from the cross. I believe people are committing avodah zara in the same way with the tapestries in my synagogue. On the tapestries in my synagogue we have art depictions of biblical stories and other unkosher art.

This is a picture of a golden calf to represent the one that was made by the people at mount siani. I beleive this is amazing symbol of avodah zara because the people gave up on G-d at this moment. When Moses was on mount siani the people turned away from G-d cause they believed G-d had left them it was there were they started praying to a molten G-d which goes greatly against Leviticus 19, verse 4.

Ben Walton

Leviticus 19:29: was G-d a feminist?

I chose Leviticus 19:29 which reads "Do not degrade your daughter and make her a harlot, lest the land fall into harlotry and the land be filled with depravity."
This verse really speaks to me as a feminist. It does not allow slut-shaming, which is still incredibly relevant to our society today. If you do slut shame, or "make [your daughter] into a harlot," the verse continues, you will have cursed the land and filled it with prostitution and sin. (It is important to note that it is not the daughter that has cursed the land, but he who turns his daughter into a harlot.) This is an important message to send in modern times as the word "slut" is thrown around so casually and used so often. Though once in biblical times it was acceptable for a father to prositute his daughter, this verse encourages and requires respect. We must not judge any girl for her sexuality and we must not make the world wicked with the unrealistic amount of girls we call "sluts" and "whores."

I have loved this mosaic since the first time I saw it in the Belmont. I think it beautifully embodies female beauty and expression. I interpret this picture as an African American woman singing in front of an audience. Since singers and those in the media now are often those that are slut shamed and judged by those that have never met them or those that are jealous, I thought this picture was extremely relevant to this commandment. The fact that she is black also ties in the extreme history of the American treatment of African Americans, from slavery to rape and all of the mistreatment in between. I think this woman embodies the ideal female expression and is a perfect example of the commandment, and I commend God for being the first feminist and for God's respect of the female body. 

1.              Write a concluding paragraph explaining how this photograph expresses the Jewish mitzvah/ value you selected.

2.              This assignment must be constructed of 2 paragraphs and a picture. 

You shall not render an unfair decision: do not favor the poor or show deference to the rich; judge your kinsmen fairly (Lev. 19:15)

I chose this mitzvah because of the massive contradictions between it and the interpretation of the ideal in our own legal system in America. In the United States we pride ourselves in the fact that “justice is blind,” but in reality this couldn’t be further from the truth. Many of our judges pride themselves on their strong Christian convictions, but they’re decisions don’t reflect that. Why is that Laura Bush, former First Lady of the White House, can run a stop sign and kill someone without an arrest, or Caitlyn Jenner can kill someone in a car accident on the highway and not even face charges, but police kill Eric Garner for selling loose cigarettes? This clearly is not “judg[ing] your kinsmen fairly.” These cases are definitely showing “deference to the rich” and have effects on all of us as American citizens. We live in that country. The law is laid out fairly concisely—there isn’t much to change. The issue is following it. If I had to build a fence around it, I would create punishments for not living the mitzvah. Perhaps an unfair judge should be put to trial for that crime, or be shamed and ostracized from the community. Breaking this commandment has serious consequences on the entire community—from the defendant, to his family, to everyone who relies on him in some way. While as minors we aren’t part of the legal system, we can still fulfill this mitzvah by doing what we do best—complaining. I write lengthy complaints to my school community about this kind of injustice every month in our paper. When we are able to vote, should we wish, we can choose our judges and our legislators.

This is the picture I chose to express this commandment. Here, George Zimmerman, who was tried for the murder of Trayvon Martin in 2012, is acquitted on Florida’s “stand your ground” laws, which dictate that allows people to use deadly force to defend themselves. Zimmerman, on the neighborhood watch, had a gun and Martin had a bag of skittles. This image shows the opposite of the mitzvah. An injustice was carried out. By our laws, George Zimmerman should be in prison; it’s a dark twist that he is not. Most obvious, our legal system favors the rich and the white in our nation. This is a terrible crime in itself.

-Noah Arnold

Oral Law: Jacob

"You shall not make gashes in your flesh for the dead, or incise any marks on yourselves: I am the Lord." (Leviticus 19:28)

Oral Law surrounding this pasuk (building a fence):

1.  When an individual dies, we are meant to honor and remember their lives; inflicting harm upon ourselves in this circumstance is to defile the beauty of life.
2. Marks inflicted on oneself with malicious intent go against the word of God.
3. Marks or piercings used to adorn one's body that are placed with benign intent are acceptable.
4. Love yourself for you were made in the image of God; any self inflicted markings should be a reflection of this love. 

I chose to interpret this verse as an admonishment against self harm. If all people are created in the image of God, b'tzelem elohim, then it is a horrible sin to commit acts of self harm. Theology aside, self harm is a very real problem that exists, and not necessarily for theological reasons. I believe that a person's soul is beautiful and thus, it should be loved, internally and externally, by the person, and by others. When an individual forgets their own beauty they may turn to self harm and having known people who have done this, this reality is horrible. All you want to do is help the people you love by teaching them to love themselves. 

That aside, when marks such as tattoos or piercings are inflicted on the body, willingly that is, I believe it can be an expression of love for oneself and thus a positive thing. It could even make a person's connection to spirituality stronger. I want tattoos for personal reasons that are a reflection of the experiences that I have had, and these tattoos that I have envisioned as beautiful bracelets, are in Hebrew. As a Jew, even a Reform Jew, every time I bring this up, I find myself having to defend it. My parents are against the idea of me having tattoos because in their minds, it's not a very Jewish thing to do. When I told them I wanted them in Hebrew, I could see in their tight lipped responses telling me to think about it, that they thought I was being sacrilegious. My justification for the Hebrew is that Judaism is one of my core values and Jewish events have shaped my entire life. To decorate my body with Hebrew is one of the biggest mitzvot I can do because I love who I am and I love that God, or some higher power, has enabled me to be Jewish.

This is a photo of the Ahavah sculpture at the Israel Museum, where we have visited twice now. אהבה is one of the words that I want tattooed partly because I am basing my tattoos on the principle that they are an expression of love and partly because I want to always be reminded to come from a place of love, meaning that I want to come into every situation open minded and ready to be accepting. The expression of the concept of love, and in Hebrew no less, means an incredible amount to me as a Jew and I would love to wear it as an ornament for myself and for my Judaism. 

תורה שבעל רמב"ל (רבן מיכה בירון לנט)

רבי יהודה הנשיא Tomb of 

תורה שבעל רמב"ל (רבן מיכה בירון לנט)

Chapter 1

Into the Tomb

Long ago, never mind precisely how long, a cave was discovered under the ruins of a great

ישיבה. But what was in this cave? What is this caves story?

    Well it is learned from the archaeologists of old that this cave lies the body of רבי יהודה הנשיא and his descendants. He was the head of the סנהדרין, and he came after רבי עקיבה whom came after רבן גמליאל whom came after רבן יוחנן בן זכאי whom was the successor of הילל ושמאי. This man, buried here, was so great that after his inevitable demise, his own disciples built a place of learning, a ישיבה, over it. The new center of

Inside the tomb

the סנהדרין where Judaic study would prosper for years to come. A place where the שישה סדרי משנה would be taught and learned in peace.

    Sadly however, Judea was destroyed and now the people of Judea, the Jews, were a minority and the סנהדרין was in hiding. But that did not stop רבי יהודה taking the סנהדרין out of hiding and bringing it to a place of peace and beauty, בית שערים or The House of Measurements, where the tomb was found. 

   There was not only this tomb found at this site, but quite a few. Unfortunately, not all the other tombs were to be so modest as the tomb of רבי יהודה הנשיא. For there was tomb with despicable images (such as lions, eagles, and on one, the deity Nike) engraved on many sarcophagi. Although many of these images were carved only to symbolize the origin of the individual buried in each sarcophagus, it could still have been considered עבודה זרה. But why might it not have been considered עבודה זרה?

ציפורי

Chapter 2

The Menological  Mosaic

    My Bird, or in laymen's terms, ציפורי, became the next great center of the סנהדרין. This new center was located on the top of a hill with surrounding valleys. The beauty of this site was alluring enough for any one to come, especially a Jew. 

   Now imagine, if this place was the center of the סנהדרין, then there must of been a בית כנסת. But what if this house of gathering had images. Images of people. Images of idolatrous works of art. Images that would- sorry, should- never be placed in a place of worship. Well if you are imagining this, then it should be apparent that this center of Jewish study, ציפורי, has one of theses horrendous mosaic floors.

    On this floor, there are images of the very beginning of Judaism and the optimistic future of the Jewish culture. But in between these two sects of the one story, there was a calendar. A Greek calendar. And although there were these disgusting images in the synagogue there, through historical evidence, one can induce that people still prayed there. Now if the engraven images on the sarcophagi were bad enough, just imagine how bad this flooring was in ציפורי! And how can these images possibly be considered okay? At least the images in the tombs were in a place with no worship, but here, in the בית כנסת of ציפורי, is permitted? What the Gehenim??? How can it possibly be considered tolerable in the eyes of the Rabbis then? Would you make something like this in your synagogue?

The mosaic floor of the בית כנסת

This Sunday we were visited by Yasmin,  Muslim woman who lives in the village below us, Ein Rafa. She converted when she was twenty eight. She originally came from a agnostic family from Britain. She has lead the lesson she taught us then for the past ten years, although generally we go to Ein Rafa for the tour. If we had went to Ein Rafa, the tour would have been led by both the Imam of the mosque, and Yasmin. 

Yasmin gave us a brief history of Islam, which coincided with what we had learned in class that day. We went over the beginning of Islam through Mohammad, and how it spread after his death.  We then thought of reasons of how the mass spread of Islam could be positive to Judaism.

Overall it was a very interesting lesson, and I just wanted to ask you, because we didn't have enough time to have all of our questions answered, what questions did you have that were not answered? Also, if we were able to have visited the mosque, what difference would you think it would have made?

Oral Law: Lexi

I chose the mitzvah from Leviticus 19:32, it says, "You shall rise before the aged and show deference to the old." I chose this mitzvah because it talks about paying respect to your elders, and that was always a very important value for me growing up. I interpret this mitzvah to mean that it is important to not only pay respects to your elders, but to visit them and listen to them. I fulfill this mitzvah in my life by doing my best to talk to my grandparents at least once a week, wether it is in person, on the phone, or through a letter or email. It can be a guideline in the modern world today because it is not only important to respect your elders, but it is important to listen and engage with them because they are your history, your ancestry, and you can learn a lot from them.

Pictured above, is me and my grandma on my mom's side. My grandmother is sweet and attentive and is always up for a puzzle some small talk or just hanging out. I love to talk with her about anything and everything. My grandpa is an author, so he alway has a good story to tell. When I was a kid I loved to listen to the children stories he wrote and now that I'm older I enjoy reading his adult literature and sending him my own writing to talk about. I love every minute spent with my grandparents, and it is especially important to maintain a strong connection with them not only because of how happy it makes me, but because of the joy it brings them.

Oral Law Assignment: Daniella

“You shall not insult the deaf, or place a stumbling block before the blind. You shall fear your God: I am the Lord.” (Leviticus 19:14)

“Oral Law” Surrounding this Pasuk (building a fence around this verse)

1. Respect people with disabilities, for they are also created b’tzelem elohim, in the image of Gd.
2. Do not intentionally make more difficult that which is already difficult for a person.
3. Accept the differences of those around you.
4. Do not take personal ability for granted, or boast of it over others.

I chose to interpret this verse as not only referring to the deaf and blind, but to all disabled people. In addition, I took the “insult” and placing of the “stumbling block” as metaphors for a greater concept: one should respect both people who have disabilities and the challenges those disabilities present.

I chose this verse because I feel very strongly about the rights of people with disabilities, and about the ways in which they are treated. My older sister is severely disabled, and I have encountered the prejudice people bear towards the disabled merely because they may seem different on the surface. In my everyday life, I fulfill this commandment by trying to spend as much time with my older sister as possible, even when I fill my time with other commitments. The most important way I connect with my sister is through eye contact, because though she is not capable of speech or sign language, she can communicate so much through her eyes. My sister’s disability makes her slow to initiate eye contact, but spending the time to make that very simple, basic human connection with her is so important to me. Taking this time to connect with my sister consistently brings a smile to her face, because it is not something that most people who see her take the time to do. They think that because of her physical appearance, she must not have things to express or communicate. People who have this preconceived notions about my sister or any person with a physical disability are making an understandable mistake, but one that is based on prejudicial judgements that are due to appearance. I try to show respect for my sister by taking time to talk to her, and by making sustained eye contact with her, as much as possible. This shows a regard for her emotional and social needs that I feel many people ignore.

This photo is of my mom and my older sister during a family vacation. Most of the family had been paddleboarding, but my mom chose to stay in the shade with my sister, Naomi. This is a small and simple example of the sacrifices my parents make in order to respect Naomi’s needs. Although my mom would have loved to have been with the rest of the family doing a fun activity, Naomi’s needs and abilities are just as important as anyone else’s. In addition to showing respect for Naomi’s ability, the part of the verse that states “you shall not insult the deaf,” my parents do countless things every day in order to not “put a stumbling block” before Naomi; they do everything they can to make Naomi’s life dignified and pleasant.

Oral Law Assignment

The mitzvah I chose is in verses 33 and 34, “When a stranger resides with you in your land, you shall not wrong him. The stranger who resides with you shall be to you as one of your citizens; you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I the Lord am your God.” (Leviticus, 20.4, 19, 33-34) I interpret this mitzvah as a form of God saying that as Jews, we have to welcome and accept anyone that’s visiting our land. It’s our duty to be accepting and kind to anyone who is a stranger somewhere because we were once strangers in Egypt as well. In my daily life, I am thankful for this mitzvot every single day. Although it doesn’t feel like it, I am technically a stranger in Israel and I have always felt so welcomed and accepted here. It’s important to me that Israel feels like home, and it's because this mitzvah that has been achieved. EIE, family, friends, and everyone that I have stayed with in Israel have been more than welcoming and I could never shake the feeling that a huge part of that is because we all share being part of the Jewish community. Because of this, I will remember to always apply it to my life at home and as a modern Jew. The obvious application of this mitzvah in Israel has inspired me to always welcome someone who is new to my school or town. Even if that person isn’t Jewish, it’s an important value and mitzvah to have to be welcoming to anyone who is new and isn’t as familiar with everything as I am. Although it has changed in the sense that Jewish or not, I would generally not let any stranger just stay in my house, I will always remember to be as welcoming and kind as the people of Israel have been to me.

The picture I’ve chosen to express my mitzvah was taken at Tzuba, right outside on my balcony. I chose to take this and use it to symbolize my mitzvah because it serves as proof that I do have a home here, and I feel like I’m at home here. In the picture you can see the Judean Hills, the land that I’m a guest in. You can also see the flags that Tzuba has out right outside the lobby, American and Israeli. These flags are a message to me that I’m welcome here at the kibbutz and in this country. A couple of flags and the immense care of the staff and people here are enough to prove that the mitzvah is true, I am loved as a stranger that resides in somebody else’s home. Those are only two symbols of the mitzvah, along with all of the other times I have felt like I belong here in Israel.

תורה שבעל פה Oral Law assignment

Due: Thursday, October 22

1. Please open the Tanach to ויקרא י"ט (Leviticus 19). Please read the wide range of mitzvot here and choose one mitzvah (commandment) that you can relate to.
2. Please explain why you chose this Mitzvah or pasuk (verse) and build a fence around it. How do you interpret this Mitzvah? How do you or can you fulfill this mitzvah in your daily life? How can it be a guideline for you as a Jew in the modern world?
3. Using a digital camera, please take a photograph that in some way expresses the verse you selected. The photo can be a place, a person, something you’ve created, an object in nature, etc… Be creative! The image may only have meaning for you!
4. Write a concluding paragraph explaining how this photograph expresses the Jewish mitzvah/ value you selected.
5. This assignment must be constructed of 2 paragraphs and a picture. 

Good luck & Enjoy!!!

Ariella

Is the Internet key to stopping attacks? HW for Sunday

Please read this article about the recent attacks and the social media and post a comment sharing your opinion on the matter.

Is the internet key to stopping the attacks? BY SIMONA WEINGLASS October 14, 2015

Is Google making us into electric sheeple?

Google

Hi Kitat Arava!

Happy to have rejoined your class. In these troubling days of news, thought I would change it up a bit and share with you a different type of article that I read on the Times of Israel. What do you think? Is Google turning us all into the same type of thinkers or is it making us better?

http://www.timesofisrael.com/is-google-making-us-into-electric-sheep/

The Bar Kochva Revolt

Today we traveled across Israeli scrub to a network of caves used during the Bar Kochva Revolt between 132-35 CE, where we learned about the last attempted revolution against foreign powers until the end of the 19^th century. Located in Chirbat Midras, or the Ruins of Midras, we walked around stone ruins of public buildings and also saw the nuf of new villages cropping around the landscape.

The reasons for the Bar Kochva Revolt are disputed, but there are a few central theories. Christian sources (Eusebius of Caesarea) point to the idea that the Jews had a false messianic fervor for Simon Bar Kochva, who led the Jewish people at the time. Meanwhile, Roman sources (Dio Cassius and Spartianus) instead propose that it was the result of Caesar Hadrian building a temple to Jupiter on the ruins of Beit Hamikdash, or because of a ban on circumcision, respectively. Last, Jewish texts assert that Hadrian allowed the building of a third Beit Hamikdash, but only allowed treif measurements for the building, generating anger from the Jewish community. Dio Cassius’ claim is most widely believed today due to archaeological evidence and greater inconsistencies in other theories.

A tomb for someone of importance in Midras. Notice the small rocks placed on top of the structure, a Jewish custom of treating everyone in death equal. Instead of placing flowers or tokens, we place rocks.

There are a few major differences between the Bar Kochva Revolt and the Great Revolt of 66 CE. The clearest is in the unified leadership of the Bar Kochva Revolt, as opposed to the factions that led the Great Revolt. Simon Bar Kochva was spearheaded by Reb Akiva and widely accepted in Judea as the Messiah. Caves and supplies were prepared years beforehand, showing the level of planning that went into the attempted revolt. Jews even sabotaged Roman efforts by building subpar weaponry for them in the years before and then using them themselves during the revolt.

Despite the better organization and planning of the Bar Kochva Revolt, its aftermath was the final nail in the coffin for Judea as a Jewish state until 1948. Roman legions destroyed 985 villages, killed roughly 580,000 Jews according to their records and banned the practice of Judaism within the empire. Until Bar Kochva’s stronghold at Bitar was destroyed on Tesha B’Av in 135 CE, he was seen as the Messiah, heralded by Reb Akiva. After his defeat, for hundreds of years he was viewed as a false messiah that led Judea to ruin. It wasn’t until Zionism developed that this idea changed and the public opinion Bar Kochva changed, from someone who brought ruin on the Jewish people to a defender (albeit failed one) against foreign powers.

What I found most interesting about this tiyul was the parallels between the Bar Kochva Revolt and insurgencies in the ghettoes during the Shoah. The Jews of the Warsaw Ghetto, for instance, utilized many of the same strategies as the Bar Kochva Jews, such as connecting buildings together and blocking entrances, guerilla warfare and weapons sabotage. It seems we’ve always been a hardy people. What do you think would have been a better strategy, either diplomatically or defensively, against the Romans? What would be your ultimate goal as a leader during the Revolt? Do you see any other similarities between the Bar Kochva Revolt and other skirmishes and wars of today?

Evan was right. The nuf is never enough