We had a seminar on Thursday that discussed the democracy-theocracy issue in Israel. When the state of Israel was created, there was no constitution ever written. Today, this issue still stands and it is what creates the tension between secular Jews and religious Jews, "secular" and "religion" being broad terms as well as "Jewish" and "democracy." For this seminar, "democracy" was simply people electing people and "Jewish" referred to demography. "Secular," however, was much more defined by stating that the State of Israel does not subject them to restrictions based on the laws written thousands of years ago. "Religious" was a state in which everyday life is run by the laws and customs that are the basis for Judaism. The problem with no clear definitions of what any of these terms are (ie no constitution) the issues that arise in the political arena are numerous. We heard about the problems with conversion if you are not halachically Jewish and how they can lead into issues later with marriage and possible divorce. We heard about the civil service of the yeshiva boys versus the Army for secular Jews. My personal opinion of this is not a positive one. While I think that the duty of these men and women is a great way to contribute to Israeli society, it is not the same as the Army. At all. Maybe the conflict is relatively peaceful now, but those in the Army are risking their lives to defend their country. They don't have a choice. They have to be there because the Israeli government says so. The Year of Service is nothing compared to that. Working in hospitals or shelters or schools is not the same as being in the Army. On a separate note, the Israeli secular Jews are drafted into the Army, but aren't even considered legally married while, conversely, Israeli religious Jews don't serve in the Army yet are still dictating the laws of the state.
The Charedi Rabbi that spoke with us doesn't see anything wrong with this. He doesn't believe that in 20 years, secular studies will be needed. The students at the yeshiva schools aren't learning math and science. They are unable to succeed in the modern world because they all study Torah and Tanach and know only basic math skills. Some people in the group tried arguing with him that it is possible to be religious while in the modern world and used New York as an example. The Charedi there learn when they are not working. It's a compromise of the modern world. The government should not be subsidizing such activities if the people aren't supporting themselves. It's the welfare of Israel. Later in our small discussion groups, we were told that their society is slowly changing. Five years ago, you wouldn't have seen a cellphone, but now they have kosher phones (no internet, no texting. Just dialing). The material of the clothing has improved slightly and the women, especially the teenage girls, dress nicely.
We were also told that the Orthodox women are more outspoken about their rights. A Reform lady who is a women's rights activist told us stories of how the women are standing up for themselves. They try to pray in their own way. Some of them do not like the fact that they have to look over the separation barrier of the Kotel to see their son read from the Torah. A few of these women have joined her organization called Women of The Wall.
The whole day was thought provoking and as I exited the seminar into the streets of Jerusalem, it was not hard to see the dichotomy of people. How much should the non-religious be willing to give? How willing are the religious willing to let go? The problem with the religion aspect of the conflict is that it makes Israel what it is. What other country shuts down for over 24 hours? What other country can you walk into a restaurant and know you are eating kosher meat (putting aside high kashrut standards)? Where else in the world can you walk clad in black with peyis without a second glance? All these things are what make Israel such a special country, but like everything else, there is a limit to how much is too much. What is fair?
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
"What is a Jew?"
A Jew in Israel, An Israeli Jew, An American/Australian/Hungarian/Russian Jew. All different things, as I learned on my Shabbat trip to Ein Gedi.
We began with "What is a Jew?" I think that it is important to note that it didn't say "Who is a Jew?" The difference being the identification process. "Who" involves the personal identification whereas "what" involves how others see you. The list included about 35 items ranging from "celebrating the major holidays and feasts" to "practicing Jewish values--'...if I am not for myself who will be for me.'" to "creating my own Jewish identity" Individually, we chose five items that we thought were the most important and then in small groups narrowed them down even more. The one the mostly everyone agreed on was "creating my own Jewish identity" and the most debated one was "being born from a Jewish mother". I agreed with this statement because Judaism is a religion that can be interpreted however you want, but I think that there is a line between tradition and modernity. The laws that have been in placed have kept the Jewish people alive. Sure, you can say "it's only one law", but then why not throw out the other ones that you don't agree with. The hard part about this question was that there was a girl in my group who considers herself Jewish, but was born to a Jewish father and still hasn't halachicaly (based on Jewish Law) been converted, although she is planning to. For her, this is a sensitive subject as she considers herself a (reform) Jew, but more religious Jews do not. She is a Jew in Israel.
Kabblat Shabbat was used as a time to discuss this weekly holiday in Israel. Most of the people in this group were not religious, although there were a few, and it was evenly split between Foreigners and Israelis. All the non-religious people agreed that having no transportation in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv is a pain because they can't go anywhere. At the same time though, they find it nice to spend that one day during the week with family. For me, as a Conservative Jew, I like that Israel shuts down on Shabbat. There is no where else in the world where nothing is opened for over 24 hours. I like that on a Wednesday when I go to the shuk, the tenders will wish me Shabbat Shalom. However, as a Conservative Jew, I like to do Shabbat in my own way. If I were to live here, I'd live in Tel Aviv. It's a secular city where there is no transportation and if I really wanted to keep Shabbat, it would be easy, but if I didn't want to then I wouldn't have to.
By dinnertime Friday night, the Israelis and Americans had become good friends despite the fact that we had only met each other a few hours before. This allowed us to speak openly about the issues that would come into play. We talked about the stereotypes of how the other sees us. One girl commented that she resented being viewed as rude because it gave a bad name to the country. However, every other Israeli disagreed commenting that it's not their rudeness that Americans dislike, it's the fact that Israelis are so blunt. We talked about it is like to be Jewish in our home country, which included US, Canada, Russia, Australia, Hungary, and Guatemala. Both the US and Canada have communities that are Jewish and unless you live in small town or a mid-western state, it is unlikely that you will not encounter a Jew. Yes, there are places in the US where you can walk for miles without encountering one, but there are also places where you can barely go one block without encountering another Jew. The girl from Australia and the guy from Hungary both said that there is a very small Jewish community and you could walk for days without seeing another Jew. Most of the Foreigners were able to grasp this concept, but many of the Israelis could not. They walk down the street without thinking twice about their Judaism. In America, I am always aware of being Jewish. There is never a day where I don't mention my Judaism, but here, there is no need to explain anything. Everyone understands. The majority of people here are Jewish.
The Jewish people have a long history. Out task on Saturday morning, was to decide the most important event. We were given a list from Abraham to Moses. From the Second Temple to the Diaspora. From the Holocaust to the State of Israel. I personally chose receiving the Torah at Mount Sinai because without it, Judaism would not be what it is. It is the basis for the religion and relays the rules and regulations as well as stories and morals of behavior. Everyone was all over the place with their choices so there was no majority. The Madrich tried to challenge our decisions to help us think about the Jewish people.
After a short break of lunch, a short walk through Ein Gedi, and a Swim in the Dead Sea, we concluded our dialogue by discussing if the issue at hand was "b'seder" (ok) or "lo b'seder" (not ok). We talked about both American and Israeli issues from American Idol to Bibi and Obama. The last question the Madrich asked was "dating a non-Jew" Most of the Israelis said "lo b'seder" and most of the Foreigners said "b'seder". We then explained to them that when you're in Israel chatting someone up, you don't have to think about if they're Jewish or not because most likely, they are, but in America that is not the case, and it is much harder to find a Jew who you are willing to go out with. One of the religious girls compared it to her finding someone with the same religious standards as her. Not everyone is as religious as she is and there are people who are more religious than her. While it's not quite the same, as it is easier to become more religious than to change religions, I respect her comparison.
But. A Jew is a Jew no matter where you are and a random one will most likely invite you to a Shabbat dinner if you need one.
We began with "What is a Jew?" I think that it is important to note that it didn't say "Who is a Jew?" The difference being the identification process. "Who" involves the personal identification whereas "what" involves how others see you. The list included about 35 items ranging from "celebrating the major holidays and feasts" to "practicing Jewish values--'...if I am not for myself who will be for me.'" to "creating my own Jewish identity" Individually, we chose five items that we thought were the most important and then in small groups narrowed them down even more. The one the mostly everyone agreed on was "creating my own Jewish identity" and the most debated one was "being born from a Jewish mother". I agreed with this statement because Judaism is a religion that can be interpreted however you want, but I think that there is a line between tradition and modernity. The laws that have been in placed have kept the Jewish people alive. Sure, you can say "it's only one law", but then why not throw out the other ones that you don't agree with. The hard part about this question was that there was a girl in my group who considers herself Jewish, but was born to a Jewish father and still hasn't halachicaly (based on Jewish Law) been converted, although she is planning to. For her, this is a sensitive subject as she considers herself a (reform) Jew, but more religious Jews do not. She is a Jew in Israel.
Kabblat Shabbat was used as a time to discuss this weekly holiday in Israel. Most of the people in this group were not religious, although there were a few, and it was evenly split between Foreigners and Israelis. All the non-religious people agreed that having no transportation in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv is a pain because they can't go anywhere. At the same time though, they find it nice to spend that one day during the week with family. For me, as a Conservative Jew, I like that Israel shuts down on Shabbat. There is no where else in the world where nothing is opened for over 24 hours. I like that on a Wednesday when I go to the shuk, the tenders will wish me Shabbat Shalom. However, as a Conservative Jew, I like to do Shabbat in my own way. If I were to live here, I'd live in Tel Aviv. It's a secular city where there is no transportation and if I really wanted to keep Shabbat, it would be easy, but if I didn't want to then I wouldn't have to.
By dinnertime Friday night, the Israelis and Americans had become good friends despite the fact that we had only met each other a few hours before. This allowed us to speak openly about the issues that would come into play. We talked about the stereotypes of how the other sees us. One girl commented that she resented being viewed as rude because it gave a bad name to the country. However, every other Israeli disagreed commenting that it's not their rudeness that Americans dislike, it's the fact that Israelis are so blunt. We talked about it is like to be Jewish in our home country, which included US, Canada, Russia, Australia, Hungary, and Guatemala. Both the US and Canada have communities that are Jewish and unless you live in small town or a mid-western state, it is unlikely that you will not encounter a Jew. Yes, there are places in the US where you can walk for miles without encountering one, but there are also places where you can barely go one block without encountering another Jew. The girl from Australia and the guy from Hungary both said that there is a very small Jewish community and you could walk for days without seeing another Jew. Most of the Foreigners were able to grasp this concept, but many of the Israelis could not. They walk down the street without thinking twice about their Judaism. In America, I am always aware of being Jewish. There is never a day where I don't mention my Judaism, but here, there is no need to explain anything. Everyone understands. The majority of people here are Jewish.
The Jewish people have a long history. Out task on Saturday morning, was to decide the most important event. We were given a list from Abraham to Moses. From the Second Temple to the Diaspora. From the Holocaust to the State of Israel. I personally chose receiving the Torah at Mount Sinai because without it, Judaism would not be what it is. It is the basis for the religion and relays the rules and regulations as well as stories and morals of behavior. Everyone was all over the place with their choices so there was no majority. The Madrich tried to challenge our decisions to help us think about the Jewish people.
After a short break of lunch, a short walk through Ein Gedi, and a Swim in the Dead Sea, we concluded our dialogue by discussing if the issue at hand was "b'seder" (ok) or "lo b'seder" (not ok). We talked about both American and Israeli issues from American Idol to Bibi and Obama. The last question the Madrich asked was "dating a non-Jew" Most of the Israelis said "lo b'seder" and most of the Foreigners said "b'seder". We then explained to them that when you're in Israel chatting someone up, you don't have to think about if they're Jewish or not because most likely, they are, but in America that is not the case, and it is much harder to find a Jew who you are willing to go out with. One of the religious girls compared it to her finding someone with the same religious standards as her. Not everyone is as religious as she is and there are people who are more religious than her. While it's not quite the same, as it is easier to become more religious than to change religions, I respect her comparison.
But. A Jew is a Jew no matter where you are and a random one will most likely invite you to a Shabbat dinner if you need one.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
It's the Experience that Counts
I hate the Shuk. I hate the fishy odor that wafts only at the entrances. I hate feeling other people's sweat drip onto me. I hate that I don't know how much anything costs because I can't understand if shesh esrey means sixteen shekels or six shekels and ten agurot (agurot like cents). I hate how I can't buy all my groceries there. I feel uncomfortable and immodest in my blue jeans and sweatshirt.
I love the Shuk. I love the smell of fresh pita that swims through the air. I love the crowded pushy people who don't care that you've been waiting three minutes to pay for your items. I love that everything is so cheap. I love that you can taste the spices and dried fruit and no one will say anything. I love how there is a diamond store amongst the fruit stands. I love the chatter of bargaining and the announcements of how much bananas are.
What I hate about the Shuk is also what I love about it. In order to get to the Shuk, the bus I take passes through one of the really Orthodox neighborhoods, Mea Shearim. Most of the time I don't notice that I'm in jeans and a t-shirt, but when the bus passes through the neighborhood, I suddenly become self aware with not only the way I'm dressed, but how I am dressed. By the time the bus arrives at the Shuk, a sea of black and white have taken over. Except me in my bright pink shirt.
I also sort of feel this way when I walk to work. The Wolfson Towers are well-known building that has no religious affiliation. People from my program have gone there for doctors appointments. But, it's located in an Orthodox community. Most of the teachers are religious, although this has a lot to do with the fact that for many of them, this is their Year of Service, instead of serving in the Army. Still, I'm surrounded by long skirts, long sleeves, and Naot sandals. All the girls where them. There are maybe three teachers who wear jeans. Some of the other volunteers aren't religious either, but when they leave at 12, there's just me.
The other day at school, I arrived an hour before lunch time when the kids were starting Massage Therapy. I was told I wasn't needed and could go take a break. Apparently this woman didn't realize that I had just arrived. I wasn't needed, though, because there were seven instructors (teachers and therapists) and seven kids. And me. I sat down anyway knowing I would have free time in a little bit when the kids took their nap. As I was observing and trying to understand what was happening, one of the little girls reached her hands out to me and started crying. Massage Therapy isn't so hard that I couldn't follow along with everyone else. The teacher (this was a volunteer) could have easily given me the child and she would have been happy the whole time. Instead, she cried and fussed and the teacher asked me (yes, I'm sure she was serious. yes, I'm sure that's what she asked me) "why does she like you?" Excuse me? These kids know me! I've been with them for 25 hours a week for the past month. You're with them for four hours a week once a week. They're not going to remember you as well as me. No offense or anything, but a child of year may find your face familiar, but they may not feel comfortable with you if you don't see them regularly. The other two girls in the class have also taken a liking to me. The one that always cried when I touched her gave me a smile today and played with me. I don't blame her for not liking me at first. I'm a stranger who is picking her up and making her wash her hands. The other girl is completely blind, but I think she knows my voice and my touch. When I pick her up she automatically wraps her arms and legs around me.
After being at work, speaking Hebrew and listening to Hebrew, it's weird to go home and hear English. Both are completely different languages. They have different word flow and letter formation. I'm not talking about the physical letters, but the verbal aspect. Hebrew comes from your throat. To me as a foreigner of the language, it sounds like someone is speaking with their mouth full. English, however, sounds more musical and smoother. When I say English, I mean all versions of English. In Hebrew, the letters are spoken more softly than in English which I think is why when Americans speak Hebrew it's so obvious. The word "Lomed" (to learn), for example, uses the tongue behind the teeth. Your tongue dances on the roof of your mouth. But Americans pronounce each letter with more emphasis. The tongue darts in front of your teeth. It also doesn't help the as soon as I say a word with "rrr" in it, everyone knows I'm a foreigner. In Hebrew, the R sound is said with your throat, but in English, it is made with the shape of your tongue. Both languages, however, are beautiful to listen to.
I love the Shuk. I love the smell of fresh pita that swims through the air. I love the crowded pushy people who don't care that you've been waiting three minutes to pay for your items. I love that everything is so cheap. I love that you can taste the spices and dried fruit and no one will say anything. I love how there is a diamond store amongst the fruit stands. I love the chatter of bargaining and the announcements of how much bananas are.
What I hate about the Shuk is also what I love about it. In order to get to the Shuk, the bus I take passes through one of the really Orthodox neighborhoods, Mea Shearim. Most of the time I don't notice that I'm in jeans and a t-shirt, but when the bus passes through the neighborhood, I suddenly become self aware with not only the way I'm dressed, but how I am dressed. By the time the bus arrives at the Shuk, a sea of black and white have taken over. Except me in my bright pink shirt.
I also sort of feel this way when I walk to work. The Wolfson Towers are well-known building that has no religious affiliation. People from my program have gone there for doctors appointments. But, it's located in an Orthodox community. Most of the teachers are religious, although this has a lot to do with the fact that for many of them, this is their Year of Service, instead of serving in the Army. Still, I'm surrounded by long skirts, long sleeves, and Naot sandals. All the girls where them. There are maybe three teachers who wear jeans. Some of the other volunteers aren't religious either, but when they leave at 12, there's just me.
The other day at school, I arrived an hour before lunch time when the kids were starting Massage Therapy. I was told I wasn't needed and could go take a break. Apparently this woman didn't realize that I had just arrived. I wasn't needed, though, because there were seven instructors (teachers and therapists) and seven kids. And me. I sat down anyway knowing I would have free time in a little bit when the kids took their nap. As I was observing and trying to understand what was happening, one of the little girls reached her hands out to me and started crying. Massage Therapy isn't so hard that I couldn't follow along with everyone else. The teacher (this was a volunteer) could have easily given me the child and she would have been happy the whole time. Instead, she cried and fussed and the teacher asked me (yes, I'm sure she was serious. yes, I'm sure that's what she asked me) "why does she like you?" Excuse me? These kids know me! I've been with them for 25 hours a week for the past month. You're with them for four hours a week once a week. They're not going to remember you as well as me. No offense or anything, but a child of year may find your face familiar, but they may not feel comfortable with you if you don't see them regularly. The other two girls in the class have also taken a liking to me. The one that always cried when I touched her gave me a smile today and played with me. I don't blame her for not liking me at first. I'm a stranger who is picking her up and making her wash her hands. The other girl is completely blind, but I think she knows my voice and my touch. When I pick her up she automatically wraps her arms and legs around me.
After being at work, speaking Hebrew and listening to Hebrew, it's weird to go home and hear English. Both are completely different languages. They have different word flow and letter formation. I'm not talking about the physical letters, but the verbal aspect. Hebrew comes from your throat. To me as a foreigner of the language, it sounds like someone is speaking with their mouth full. English, however, sounds more musical and smoother. When I say English, I mean all versions of English. In Hebrew, the letters are spoken more softly than in English which I think is why when Americans speak Hebrew it's so obvious. The word "Lomed" (to learn), for example, uses the tongue behind the teeth. Your tongue dances on the roof of your mouth. But Americans pronounce each letter with more emphasis. The tongue darts in front of your teeth. It also doesn't help the as soon as I say a word with "rrr" in it, everyone knows I'm a foreigner. In Hebrew, the R sound is said with your throat, but in English, it is made with the shape of your tongue. Both languages, however, are beautiful to listen to.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)