tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22705515052985212232024-02-07T08:16:18.220-08:00Rabbi Bloom's Sabbatical BlogRabbi Mark Bloomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13950758046996988977noreply@blogger.comBlogger47125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270551505298521223.post-11083820768218910252017-07-25T13:00:00.001-07:002017-07-25T13:00:40.082-07:00Border Troubles, Troubled Youth, Syrian Refugees, Shiva Visits, and FamilyMy final days on this AIPAC AIEF sponsored trip were as eventful and impactful as the first. The emotional swings were gigantic as well as brutal. And I am thankful for every one of them.<br />
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We heard directly from the great Natan Sharansky about his frustration with the compromise between the Israeli government and the Women of the Wall falling through. A man who survived many years in Soviet prison will not give up so easily, though, and neither should we.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The incomparable Natan Sharanksy</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoRz7gvSRKc-LGq5XCmrb5HUc5OX0Gax9m_eNEU8qjsg6LYiSsgDl4k7tid5tuDPhNrpHPdzuYbwYx6iNFceHIYOq-kv2uMt14VqGba20UMVWKrOK7VL5kKXgGc2Ll5XW8dEd0ejVMX_It/s1600/Colonel+Haim+Moriah.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoRz7gvSRKc-LGq5XCmrb5HUc5OX0Gax9m_eNEU8qjsg6LYiSsgDl4k7tid5tuDPhNrpHPdzuYbwYx6iNFceHIYOq-kv2uMt14VqGba20UMVWKrOK7VL5kKXgGc2Ll5XW8dEd0ejVMX_It/s200/Colonel+Haim+Moriah.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: x-small; text-align: start;">Colonel Haim Moriah </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Colonel Miri Eisin</td></tr>
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We met with three different Israeli Colonels, two of them female, about impending threats facing Israel that are even more disconcerting than their problems with the Palestinians. We learned from Colonel Haim Moriah about the growing rocket power from all the surrounding nations, including Iran. We learned about the growth of Hezbollah's weaponry just meters from the Israeli/Lebanon border in the North and the practical inevitability of a 3rd Lebanon War with Colonel Sarit Zehavi. With Colonel Miri Eisin we stood meters from the border of Syria, looking directly at camps with fighters from Assad/Hezbollah, Al Qaida, and Isis. Yes, they are all there, and fighting one another at the moment rather than Israel.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Colonel Sarit Zehavi</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><br />
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Three possibilities for war, but balanced out by three moments of incredible inspiration.<br />
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We had the sacred opportunity to meet three wounded Syrian men who were being treated by an Israeli hospital in the Galilee for their wounds. One was a fighter, the other two happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, one in his home and one having a bomb explode right outside his car. Israel has treated over 1500 Syrian victims of the conflict, as word has gotten out that that is where they will get the best treatment. It costs Israel approximately 10 times as much, on average, to treat these men, as it does their average patient, and yet, unappreciated by the world, Israel presses on helping people. The motto of the hospital is human to human, and that is exactly what they do.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNg6X-T-gaoveDgZvuVnAU1Zk6LuHtyLLNzr7h0Z63lbgBot0jNWRSNyTyHlvR_mRQIBRvWzmghRVsgPSwBFLjqPwa_n1iooCaUeVlRhApPJk0Uhja4vEfiETkzccYL5LxSmI6PdegWZfP/s1600/Human+to+Human.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNg6X-T-gaoveDgZvuVnAU1Zk6LuHtyLLNzr7h0Z63lbgBot0jNWRSNyTyHlvR_mRQIBRvWzmghRVsgPSwBFLjqPwa_n1iooCaUeVlRhApPJk0Uhja4vEfiETkzccYL5LxSmI6PdegWZfP/s320/Human+to+Human.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Human to Human: Motto of the Galilee Medical Center, Where Syrian War Victims Are Treated</td></tr>
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We went to the village of Yemin Orde, which is a boarding school/village for troubled teens, many of them Ethiopian, and they work very hard to show them that they have value so they can contribute to society. We were shown around by a woman named Batya, who herself came over as part of Israel's Operation Solomon, an airlift of 10,000 Ethiopian Jews in just a few days that was happening while I was in my first year of rabbinical school. The reality of Israel for them has not been able to match the dreams of this Zionistic community, but they continue to work at it.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd7a2gliY2gpSw4k_UMAtTtNHU6V3F5pY4-Qz-W1HryHNORcHj7oLEfrqc3kbPvUwMf0Y-KV8kwCdQd3U4RLB7iWkV3sK3WdQ3GFovIArOGwpxxiQ4arKFuMmGog3O5IkFp5aKY5eHs43u/s1600/Batya+at+Yemin+Orde.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd7a2gliY2gpSw4k_UMAtTtNHU6V3F5pY4-Qz-W1HryHNORcHj7oLEfrqc3kbPvUwMf0Y-KV8kwCdQd3U4RLB7iWkV3sK3WdQ3GFovIArOGwpxxiQ4arKFuMmGog3O5IkFp5aKY5eHs43u/s320/Batya+at+Yemin+Orde.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Batya in the Synagogue At Yemin Orde Village for At-Risk Youth</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7eZayi3m6jbuWF3WXt3rSI2kGMQep3hzveCoweh8eLYqknkFqF-UKOPhufZ2AxXveiONruSbLE7mfV28uOvAa2-H1jQDD8Od-rjhEYwOTnS76xH8xmvi4XkQUssNscSDOMMkoY6Hq-SH_/s1600/IMG_2753.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7eZayi3m6jbuWF3WXt3rSI2kGMQep3hzveCoweh8eLYqknkFqF-UKOPhufZ2AxXveiONruSbLE7mfV28uOvAa2-H1jQDD8Od-rjhEYwOTnS76xH8xmvi4XkQUssNscSDOMMkoY6Hq-SH_/s200/IMG_2753.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shiva Tent for Salomon Famly</td></tr>
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Almost the last thing we did was visit the shiva tent set up<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: inherit;"> for the beautiful Solomon family, three of them struck down by terrorists this past Shabbat during their Shabbat dinner celebrating the birth of a baby boy. Though the custom is not to speak at these gatherings, the son actually spoke to us about his time as an Israeli shaliach at a Camp Ramah on the East Coast. It meant so much to be there for all of us. We stand with our Israeli brothers and sisters and grieve with them in their loss. We were there to fulfill the mitzvah of comforting the mourners. Zichronam livracha, may their memories be for a blessing.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4esXa1nQGk7b1iPGCE5Tc14QGM4secKqJidPCIzeWxtiK_L6Sn4yQ9rqHih-I4LPEbfjDKj7LWenyfcXZuLfNk93j0g_646gvHgxrAjKP5MWWDSB6wsvrKIii5bttTtZzwi-FvPBlI9ay/s1600/IMG_2755.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="391" data-original-width="586" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4esXa1nQGk7b1iPGCE5Tc14QGM4secKqJidPCIzeWxtiK_L6Sn4yQ9rqHih-I4LPEbfjDKj7LWenyfcXZuLfNk93j0g_646gvHgxrAjKP5MWWDSB6wsvrKIii5bttTtZzwi-FvPBlI9ay/s200/IMG_2755.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Salomon Family, Victims of Terrorism While Celebrating Shabbat </td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgfr4F87ic7-Xxc75tDbzGYZ-jK11d2-GmuVCv6EuF9aYPjaEREZZYfVPzCYtf9Ev0wfYtOA6hdsJuL9g9N-y5ZNg2Ogc8LJVWu1ObZHfAN-Wp-Op9-VrPwQXJW9fX5ZXr74A2ufMwuBl9/s1600/IMG_2756.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">All of this, the constant need to defend the nation, the striving to do better, the mitzvah, the people, the tragedy and the triumph, are part and parcel of the place I call my second home, Eretz Yisrael. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: inherit;">In this week's Torah portion, the first word Devarim, which means words, is read by our rabbinic sages, as Devorim, which means bees. Why so? Because the words of Torah can feel like the sting of the bee but can also be as sweet as the bee's honey. So, too, with the land of milk and honey. That is what we saw once again on this trip, hearing it from the mouths of some of the most knowledgeable people in the land. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: inherit;">A very special trip with some very special rabbis.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: inherit;">But it's even more special to share Israel with the people I love the most. Pictured below are Karen and me with a former Beth Abraham Bat Mitzvah, Sheli Schacker, our dear friends from Australia the Guths, and some random kid we met in Israel.</span><br />
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Rabbi Mark Bloomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13950758046996988977noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270551505298521223.post-46768173209125735842017-07-22T11:01:00.004-07:002017-07-22T14:58:22.861-07:00Why Does Terrorism Always Interrupt the Beauty of IsraelAs is so often the case on a trip to Israel, terror intrudes on all the fun and the learning. I will share with you all the interesting things the group has been doing the past few days, but, to be perfectly honest, it feels somewhat hollow, given the acts of terror and the rising of tensions. Not wanting to bury the lead, I will start with that.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK18Fr_HnqO0zkEf5cG5zpUXXi7nfVK_Nugi8fi7s4kpbj1V3zzs01ROIk0KYwL4yFRkwd-hGB6xPJL6nz7hq43QxPkG_L2Ia1CvfJdX6_UlG4r49dvKPWZpT-tRWgFgA-azGA4rMv2Iiy/s1600/Druze+Police+Officers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="357" data-original-width="635" height="111" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK18Fr_HnqO0zkEf5cG5zpUXXi7nfVK_Nugi8fi7s4kpbj1V3zzs01ROIk0KYwL4yFRkwd-hGB6xPJL6nz7hq43QxPkG_L2Ia1CvfJdX6_UlG4r49dvKPWZpT-tRWgFgA-azGA4rMv2Iiy/s200/Druze+Police+Officers.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Druze Police Officers Kamil Shnaan and Haiel Sitawe</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioqdavGjLVZdqs-p443F-1Dws4EBhSZnqQ7mWTtL2J5kMeOidrIp_K7v2zlyuibtC-nqF9s6d-ABix-oFv0GDK1007EUdPh59r3wuXOH30OiXmQF_UWTCNYUY9k2K_wZqV9h8EphvYAT2g/s1600/Temple+Mount+Protests.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="640" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioqdavGjLVZdqs-p443F-1Dws4EBhSZnqQ7mWTtL2J5kMeOidrIp_K7v2zlyuibtC-nqF9s6d-ABix-oFv0GDK1007EUdPh59r3wuXOH30OiXmQF_UWTCNYUY9k2K_wZqV9h8EphvYAT2g/s200/Temple+Mount+Protests.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
It started last week with the <a href="http://www.timesofisrael.com/haiel-sitawe-30-and-kamil-shnaan-22-both-druze-named-as-officers-slain-in-temple-mount-attack/">murder of two police officers</a>, both Israeli Druze on the Temple Mount. The Israeli response was to put up metal detectors to make sure no guns could be smuggled in. There are metal detectors at the Western Wall, metal detectors at the Vatican, even metal detectors at Mecca and Medina. However, many Palestinians, ever worried about Israelis wanting to rebuild the Temple and take over the Temple Mount, saw this as a change in the status quo, and thus called for protests (actually they called for a "day of rage," not the kind of peaceful protests you might be thinking of from Selma, Alabama) to defend the Al Aqsa Mosque. These protests turned into rioting led to 3 Palestinian deaths.<br />
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To avenge that, an Arab terrorist broke through the security fence, and stabbed a 70 year old Grandfather and his two sons celebrating a Shabbat meal in a settlement called Halamish, something you can read about here, <a href="http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4992716,00.html">Murder in Halamish Settlement</a>.<br />
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I should probably just leave it there, but I can't help putting in a little bit of commentary. So far, you have innocent Israeli police officers shot, a reasonable response of putting up metal detectors, and more Palestinian terrorism. Yet much of the response of the world and, I might add, the group I am traveling with, seems to be "what could Israel have done differently to prevent the terrorism." Answers range from working with the Waqf (Muslim religious authorities who control the Temple Mount) to simply backing down and not putting up the metal detectors, as reasonable as they seem. My view is that in cases like these I think nothing Israel would have done would have prevented the violent response. As Jews, while we must ask ourselves these difficult questions, history seems to teach us that whether Israel responds or doesn't respond, tries to accommodate or refuses to accommodate, keeps occupying (the West Bank) or ends an occupation (Gaza), the response is violence and the blame is always placed on Israel. That's just how I see it.<br />
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On the other hand, you are driving, even if you have the right of way, it's better to yield than to die. Sometimes, Israel needs to do the same thing. They were absolutely justified in putting up those metal detectors. It's counter intuitive, but as reasonable as metal detectors are, this response did ultimately lead to more violence rather than less, and it could get worse from here. Metal detectors usually save lives; in this case, they may have cost lives. And never underestimate Israel's ability to overreact and increase the tension, either by official responses (demolishing homes, bombing terrorist centers) or by vigilante groups like "Price Tag," who will avenge the murders, killing innocent Palestinians in the process. All of this is quite depressing, of course, but if I am talking about what we are seeing in Israel while I am here, this has to be front and center. In any case, back to the trip.<br />
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One highlight was a meeting with activists in the LGBTQ community in Israel. Several were involved with Jerusalem Open House, which is an organization which provides support to lgbtq people of all kinds, Israeli and Palestinian, religious and secular. I particularly enjoyed hearing from Daniel Jonas and Zehorit Sorek, pictured below. Both are Orthodox and Gay, and Zehorit is a candidate for the K'nesset. A fascinating part of their stories is that, despite Orthodox law's disapproval of their sexuality, they refuse to give up their observance of commandments (other than the ones against homosexuality because it is part of their very core). Both said their parents cared less about their sexuality than their observance of Shabbat and other mitzvot, which upset many of our group, because it seemed insulting to other streams of Judaism and religious pluralism. It felt like we were speaking two different languages, but it is important for us to hear their stories for what and who they are, even if our entire agendas don't necessarily match.<br />
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We shared Shabbat lunch with Anat Hoffman, director of the Israeli Religious Action Center and best known for her work with Women of the Wall. Her group does a lot of other important human rights work as well, particularly through the courts. Their group has made it illegal for El Al to ask women to change their seats on flights just because Orthodox men might feel they are unable to sit next to women, done essentially the same thing with Israeli buses, are fighting against racism within Israel, and, of course, continue their work with Women of the Wall. The delay by the Israeli government of the compromise of opening a new section which allows mixed prayer at the Wall, essentially created by Anat and Natan Sharansky, is especially painful right now, but the work goes on. To learn more about this cause, click here: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hd3TFsnZJHM">Women of the Wall</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr-qOODnNYaQzDhUKxdvZGhKADQDRKpiplgB_cHl7wkqzaFEfVM9V9XH4WtwXGNT0roICYtrv20UIdfnCEu1pFDfA9E0reMv7Nhh7B-f1m8K8a9pvX9n0EpOAWWYbNlRGBQB_KhtBVYlJ5/s1600/Machane+Yehuda+at+Night.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="547" data-original-width="972" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr-qOODnNYaQzDhUKxdvZGhKADQDRKpiplgB_cHl7wkqzaFEfVM9V9XH4WtwXGNT0roICYtrv20UIdfnCEu1pFDfA9E0reMv7Nhh7B-f1m8K8a9pvX9n0EpOAWWYbNlRGBQB_KhtBVYlJ5/s200/Machane+Yehuda+at+Night.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="200" /></a>There were other speakers, but I have written too much already. Our evening concluded with a visit to Machane Yehuda at night, something I have never seen before. That is a serious party that I am way too old for. Still, it was fun, especially the Kosher beef bacon burger at a restaurant called Crave. And we had a night tour guide whose name was Karen, who pronounced it exactly the same way my wife does, because she was also from Philadelphia. She talked about all kinds of friendships going on between religious and secular, Israelis and Palestinians, artists and scholars, and that includes the ultra Orthodox. It was great to end such a sad day with such a positive, hopeful message. Hatikvah.<br />
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On to Tel Aviv and the North tomorrow.<br />
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Shavua tov from Jerusalem!<br />
<br />Rabbi Mark Bloomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13950758046996988977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270551505298521223.post-53870721269066876052017-07-20T19:38:00.000-07:002017-07-20T19:38:07.734-07:00Builders, Negotiators, Pollsters, and Settlers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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As busy as Day 1 was, Day 2 was even busier. Today was a story of conflicting narratives, and once again, what an incredible job by AIPAC's Educational Foundation for exposing us to such a broad range of experts.<br />
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The day started at 5 in the morning with a visit to one of the many checkpoints in the Security Fence. built to prevent suicide bombers from coming to Israel. We got to hear about it from the main architect of the entire project, Col. Danny Tirza, as we observed what was a relatively smooth day of Palestinians coming into work from the West Bank. Most of the time it is an efficient operation, though it can feel humiliating for Palestinians to have to pass such a checkpoint every day. Most of the time it runs very smoothly, though Col. Tirza explained how they actually have prevented 22 pipe bombs in the past year at this checkpoint alone, including one found in a 7 year old's backpack. At most places, it is a fence, not a wall. He hopes it will come down one day, but for now, his goal is to balance security with the dignity of those who have to go through the process.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Col Danny Tirza, Main Architect of Israel's Security Fence</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Palestinians workers having passed the <br />
checkpoint, waiting for rides to Israel</td></tr>
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We next met with Saeb Erekat, Chief Negotiator for the Palestinians. He has been involved from Oslo until now and has seen it all. He represents an odd combination of hope and despair, believing that peace is both right around the corner yet perhaps never really achievable. He is still fully committed to the idea that a 2 State solution is the only way. He is certainly anti-extremist, at least theoretically, and it was important to hear his differing perspective and narrative. The pictures below, from a pamphlet given to each of us by his office, are illustrative of this. What we call a security fence he calls a wall. His version of the map of Israel/Palestine is very different from the ones we usually see, and that is something we need to unders But when we asked him his thoughts on why Palestinians keep naming streets and schools after terrorists/martyrs (which we asked him in several different ways), his answer was always to blame Israel for not making peace. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chief Palestinian Negotiator Saeb Arekat</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A map paints a thousand words</td></tr>
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Our meeting with Palestinian pollster Kalil Shikaki was another combination of optimism and pessimism. I love numbers and polls, so I enjoyed his presentation immensely. He talked about the idea that 67% of Palestinians actually support the idea of a two state solution, a number that is up versus 2 years ago (I should point out that what that means to them, in terms of borders is very different than Israel's view), but it was fascinating to hear and gives us some reason for hope. Unfortunately, about 50% support violence against civilians, which is problematic, to say the least.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Palestinian Pollster Professor Kalil Shikaki</td></tr>
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Our next visit was to Rawabi, a new city built from scratch in the West Bank with entirely private capital. It is beautiful,with arcades and soccer fields and fancy stores and restaurants. Its founder, entrepreneur Bashar Masri, is a fascinating guy, straight out of Tech Central Casting (he looks and sounds like a venture capitalist from Silicon Valley). Of course he would love a peace process, but he's not waiting for it. His view is that you have to improve the lives of Palestinians through economic investment. You can't wait for peace to do that, so he isn't.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWLrijCOZDAipnxOE6GvMhSe9UIlx31TDyX0Of08IsoJ1PVyAEN5NKouezZKttP0vLDeLI2PiEnZnoW8XpWN_N_TwT9dIfxR_L3zX2TWq-UsXDklRUNP7Lw2qVCNvrerMFWLUBlYYGyK-W/s1600/IMG_2705.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWLrijCOZDAipnxOE6GvMhSe9UIlx31TDyX0Of08IsoJ1PVyAEN5NKouezZKttP0vLDeLI2PiEnZnoW8XpWN_N_TwT9dIfxR_L3zX2TWq-UsXDklRUNP7Lw2qVCNvrerMFWLUBlYYGyK-W/s200/IMG_2705.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Palestinian Entrepreneur Bashar Masri of Rawabi</td></tr>
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Not so far away in terms of kilometers but a world apart in terms of everything else is the Israeli West Bank City of Efrat. Efrat, next to Bethlehem, is essentially a suburb of Jerusalem but is over the "green line," and thus considered an illegal settlement. In any theoretical 2 state solution, however, it will be "swapped" to be part of Israel. Uniquely, there is no security wall around it, thus allowing relatively free access to surrounding Palestinian villages. According to their colorful Mayor, Oded Ravivi, he and leaders of the villages made their case to people like Danny Tirza (see above), not to build it there, so plans were scrapped. He claims to have excellent relations with the villages (hard to tell for sure, because he is quite the storyteller), but he has evidence. See the fascinating story below, whereby he invited leaders of the surrounding village to his Sukkot party. They ended up taking selfies with Israeli soldiers and police, for which they were promptly arrested by the Palestinian authority. <a href="http://www.timesofisrael.com/pa-releases-palestinians-arrested-over-sukka-visit/">http://www.timesofisrael.com/pa-releases-palestinians-arrested-over-sukka-visit/</a>. Arrested for grass roots relationships without permission? We have a long way to go.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Efrat Mayor Oded Ravivi</td></tr>
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Finally, our evening concluded with a talk from Times of Israel Editor-in-Chief and Founder David Horowitz (not to be confused with right wing columnist David Horovitz). If you don't read this publication, you should. It provides multiple perspectives on all aspects of Israel.<div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> Times of Israel Editor and Founder David Horowitz <br /><br style="font-size: medium; text-align: start;" /><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 12.8px;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12.8px;"> </span><span style="font-size: small;">And, finally, a little video message from yours truly.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="http://aipac.hubs.vidyard.com/watch/HSHkffq1UjuoLYEoT3We3p?">http://aipac.hubs.vidyard.com/watch/HSHkffq1UjuoLYEoT3We3p? </a></div>
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Rabbi Mark Bloomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13950758046996988977noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270551505298521223.post-44138774008890009642017-07-19T13:09:00.001-07:002017-07-19T13:12:01.326-07:002 Knesset Members, 3 Sacred Documents, 1 Arab Citizen of Israel, 1 Institute for Democracy,Protests, a Day of Rage, and That's Just the 1st Day!<div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-1885679297986092321" itemprop="description articleBody" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 520px;">
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What a day! It started at 3 AM. That wasn't on the schedule. That was just the jetlag. I couldn't get to back to sleep, so after tossing and turning for several hours, decided to take a morning jog down to the Western Wall. The Wall has dominated the Israeli news in the last few weeks, first because of the suspension of the deal the Israeli government made to open up a better space for egalitarian prayer and then because of the killing of two police officers on the Temple Mount (that is why this picture includes the policeman; there is so much extra security there right now, even at the crack of dawn). One of the things we hope to do here is both lobby Israelis to reopen the egalitarian prayer space project, since I, and most American Jews feel so strongly about the concept. Yet, even with all its problems, I am mystically and inevitably drawn to it. It was the first place I wanted to visit, even at 6 AM, and I literally ran to it.</div>
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Our day officially started with a visit to the K'nesset.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_nb-WvYHaqawnZgoJdFmvSPwGuK12xQFliFVEXMpP4csRc2pAigogMGLAJ2uwIEbJ4ezQLN3Sfg2cjdqbKkIu1Txh5N0pLff7XhBqHWCjIx2FfBJhIlF4l-wXgAVOmAamfTnHHdKvRc2F/s1600/IMG_2685.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; color: #888888; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-decoration-line: none;"><img border="0" data-original-height="702" data-original-width="960" height="146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_nb-WvYHaqawnZgoJdFmvSPwGuK12xQFliFVEXMpP4csRc2pAigogMGLAJ2uwIEbJ4ezQLN3Sfg2cjdqbKkIu1Txh5N0pLff7XhBqHWCjIx2FfBJhIlF4l-wXgAVOmAamfTnHHdKvRc2F/s200/IMG_2685.JPG" style="background: transparent; border: none; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 10.56px; text-align: center;">Just the California Rabbis</td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4tXjbYI4rybzBX8uAriS_hgGHAvOlm0ZytwrE8kMIXB1BcstKXe2eGHXOEC1ZQU2F3Bt0srw1B8HByOmNRGm1gjls76v5-Ga75TJD-m2WIO1LHNwvzcK-v2i4hF-GcXl8e69d4Yi4YrNK/s1600/IMG_2686.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="color: #888888; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-decoration-line: none;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="960" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4tXjbYI4rybzBX8uAriS_hgGHAvOlm0ZytwrE8kMIXB1BcstKXe2eGHXOEC1ZQU2F3Bt0srw1B8HByOmNRGm1gjls76v5-Ga75TJD-m2WIO1LHNwvzcK-v2i4hF-GcXl8e69d4Yi4YrNK/s200/IMG_2686.JPG" style="background: transparent; border: none; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 10.56px;">The Full Contingent of Progressive Rabbis on this Trip</td></tr>
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Upon our arrival we were met by protesters, but not the ones we were expecting. We were expecting something having to do with the "day of rage." Palestinian leaders declared that today should be a day of rage? Why? Because in response to Palestinian terrorists shooting and killing those two policemen (who were Arab Druze, by the way), Israel put up metal detectors leading to the Temple Mount. They have had them at the wall for years. But some of the Palestinian leaders read that as an Israeli claim to sovereignty, as ridiculous as that might sound. When people use guns to kill, metal detectors for security makes sense.</div>
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Instead, though, we were met by people from the North of Israel wanting the government to invest more in green energy. It was wonderful to see that Israelis care not only about things like security, but about the environment.</div>
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We met with two K'nesset members. First was Stav Shafir of the Zionist Union (formerly Labor) party, the moderate left wing party. She is only 32 years old and was elected at 27, after leading a grass roots social justice movement for fair housing. She is really quite a rock star, the kind of progressive Zionist most people in our community would likely support. She is a big believer in religious pluralism in Israel, and her dynamic presence is inspirational.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvnAxmN5NDJHmhRzwNh9BMY07HlNxS25pALszzwzoQVJsqD6eOAuvKI9R0Zq2H2PfRi7akz78AsDepHOMP6rclTxAxgjo9kYuLQhyphenhyphen-UdMQ8YfKL3QoeacWMg8tLvMozesrEx1EeNJFkmFW/s1600/FullSizeRender+%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="color: #888888; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-decoration-line: none;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvnAxmN5NDJHmhRzwNh9BMY07HlNxS25pALszzwzoQVJsqD6eOAuvKI9R0Zq2H2PfRi7akz78AsDepHOMP6rclTxAxgjo9kYuLQhyphenhyphen-UdMQ8YfKL3QoeacWMg8tLvMozesrEx1EeNJFkmFW/s320/FullSizeRender+%25283%2529.jpg" style="background: transparent; border: none; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Knesset Member Stav Shafir</td></tr>
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We then met with another member of Knesset, Yehuda Glick, who is a member of the ruling party, Likud. He was not expected to actually be in the Knesset, since he was way down on the party list (in Israel you vote for the party, not the person), but when others dropped out, he ended up serving. He is not like most politicians; he is completely unfiltered. That's the refreshing part about him. The problem with him is that he is a fanatic. He wants to build the Temple back on the Temple Mount, which no other member of his party does, since it would likely bring World War III immediately as well as change how we "do" Judaism. Even stranger, he is a big supporter of religious pluralism (meaning rights for Reform and Conservative Jews within Israel), despite his fanaticism about other issues. Israel is a strange country. But I give a lot of credit to AIPAC for making us meet with him as well as those we are inclined to agree with. We kept hearing from, just about every speaker across the political spectrum that, including Arab citizens of Israel, that as American Jews, we must engage with all Israelis, not just the Left. That's how we will have the most influence. Pressure and protests only increases Israel's feeling of isolation and entrenches Israel in its positions. I don't know if I completely agree, but it was certainly something to think about.</div>
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We then paid a visit to the top secret Israeli archives, where we saw several important documents not available to the general public, including:</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 10.56px; text-align: center;">The actual peace agreement<br />
with Egypt </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhngo-cc2GJlgIr9BNytppsjn-Y_9sOb0U3R3YTHRS_iLralNzyULzCpllhBLWkz1ApBPeJbffFa3rPUR1BDDgW7KY77JxTn80d9y3GOFTPAlJ0Mi2r51kdJTk2lD1sdJKlSgz7AbTGLYnC/s200/FullSizeRender+%25284%2529.jpg" style="background: transparent; border: none; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 0px 0px 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 0px;" width="150" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 10.56px; text-align: center;">The U.N. Statehood Vote</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizHOnG7vZJLNiz7xF62Ti53nLcRSo2aR9-Ev4wu0P6Qe-FRkPOEqR3Ed3PVky72q5LGPWOWKLcYCEc_RZLaEj2MHxgyw3lKRep_kkAaSfd6ppl5Vy9fc_QgM1c3XddddBZdWmRCymoBFgV/s1600/FullSizeRender+%25285%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="color: #888888; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-decoration-line: none;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1120" data-original-width="1600" height="140" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizHOnG7vZJLNiz7xF62Ti53nLcRSo2aR9-Ev4wu0P6Qe-FRkPOEqR3Ed3PVky72q5LGPWOWKLcYCEc_RZLaEj2MHxgyw3lKRep_kkAaSfd6ppl5Vy9fc_QgM1c3XddddBZdWmRCymoBFgV/s200/FullSizeRender+%25285%2529.jpg" style="background: transparent; border: none; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 10.56px;">Gun used to assassinate Yitzchak Rabin</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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We also met with speakers from the Israeli Democracy Institute, Haaretz Commentator Amos Harel, and Mohammed Darweh, an Arab Citizen of Israel who serves as an advisor to the Palestinian Authority, Jordan, and Israel. He talked about Israel's poor record on rights for Arab citizens of Israel, socially, economically, and politically. He did not pull punches, giving it to us straight. Again, credit to AIPAC for showing us a real insider's look at Israel, warts and all. But he also pulled no punches with the Palestinians. The advice he gives them is that the road to peace will go through Tel Aviv, not Brussels or the United Nations. Israel has proven time and again that pressure doesn't work.</div>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh__-1y23yu_2hbD82rAqDb0_xyzx0uJ-feS4r6qmfjhG1Yk9Rskjjw6hIkHZFDPzmhPQADAt0wf_zJoQJH_WKweXHJBsc_u2K_pqGie2NtCMtkV2kSwgYYELi8osEqZ0LejkOgmn6m4TsF/s1600/FullSizeRender+%25286%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="color: #888888; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-decoration-line: none;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh__-1y23yu_2hbD82rAqDb0_xyzx0uJ-feS4r6qmfjhG1Yk9Rskjjw6hIkHZFDPzmhPQADAt0wf_zJoQJH_WKweXHJBsc_u2K_pqGie2NtCMtkV2kSwgYYELi8osEqZ0LejkOgmn6m4TsF/s320/FullSizeRender+%25286%2529.jpg" style="background: transparent; border: none; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 10.56px;"> Arab Citizen of Israel and Advisor Ohammed Darweh</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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And that was just the first day. I look forward to sharing more tomorrow when we visit a border crossing, Ramallah, and a West Bank Settlement.</div>
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Laila tov! </div>
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Rabbi Mark Bloomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13950758046996988977noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270551505298521223.post-18856792979860923212016-04-04T20:36:00.002-07:002017-07-19T13:08:01.939-07:002 Knesset Members, 3 Sacred Documents, 1 Arab Citizen of Israel, 1 Institute for Democracy,Protests, a Day of Rage, and That's Just the 1st Day!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
July 19, 2017</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmdNwAlPXe2QR1knhrbrHdtCewDuPbZmCyR56Qgnxf5PO_F3-QvugIbNgCLiNIKTyAeKoCRh0V5-gmMB1KAYhwsxZA8xOU4o3rfqH7zA0VGYi_RkkLMowM7KlKdqVJHBM0OZ9xhBTZhGmq/s1600/Wall+with+Police.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmdNwAlPXe2QR1knhrbrHdtCewDuPbZmCyR56Qgnxf5PO_F3-QvugIbNgCLiNIKTyAeKoCRh0V5-gmMB1KAYhwsxZA8xOU4o3rfqH7zA0VGYi_RkkLMowM7KlKdqVJHBM0OZ9xhBTZhGmq/s1600/Wall+with+Police.jpg" /></a></div>
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What a day! It started at 3 AM. That wasn't on the schedule. That was just the jetlag. I couldn't get to back to sleep, so after tossing and turning for several hours, decided to take a morning jog down to the Western Wall. The Wall has dominated the Israeli news in the last few weeks, first because of the suspension of the deal the Israeli government made to open up a better space for egalitarian prayer and then because of the killing of two police officers on the Temple Mount (that is why this picture includes the policeman; there is so much extra security there right now, even at the crack of dawn). One of the things we hope to do here is both lobby Israelis to reopen the egalitarian prayer space project, since I, and most American Jews feel so strongly about the concept. Yet, even with all its problems, I am mystically and inevitably drawn to it. It was the first place I wanted to visit, even at 6 AM, and I literally ran to it.<br />
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Our day officially started with a visit to the K'nesset.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_nb-WvYHaqawnZgoJdFmvSPwGuK12xQFliFVEXMpP4csRc2pAigogMGLAJ2uwIEbJ4ezQLN3Sfg2cjdqbKkIu1Txh5N0pLff7XhBqHWCjIx2FfBJhIlF4l-wXgAVOmAamfTnHHdKvRc2F/s1600/IMG_2685.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="702" data-original-width="960" height="146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_nb-WvYHaqawnZgoJdFmvSPwGuK12xQFliFVEXMpP4csRc2pAigogMGLAJ2uwIEbJ4ezQLN3Sfg2cjdqbKkIu1Txh5N0pLff7XhBqHWCjIx2FfBJhIlF4l-wXgAVOmAamfTnHHdKvRc2F/s200/IMG_2685.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just the California Rabbis</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4tXjbYI4rybzBX8uAriS_hgGHAvOlm0ZytwrE8kMIXB1BcstKXe2eGHXOEC1ZQU2F3Bt0srw1B8HByOmNRGm1gjls76v5-Ga75TJD-m2WIO1LHNwvzcK-v2i4hF-GcXl8e69d4Yi4YrNK/s1600/IMG_2686.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="960" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4tXjbYI4rybzBX8uAriS_hgGHAvOlm0ZytwrE8kMIXB1BcstKXe2eGHXOEC1ZQU2F3Bt0srw1B8HByOmNRGm1gjls76v5-Ga75TJD-m2WIO1LHNwvzcK-v2i4hF-GcXl8e69d4Yi4YrNK/s200/IMG_2686.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Full Contingent of Progressive Rabbis on this Trip</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Upon our arrival we were met by protesters, but not the ones we were expecting. We were expecting something having to do with the "day of rage." Palestinian leaders declared that today should be a day of rage? Why? Because in response to Palestinian terrorists shooting and killing those two policemen (who were Arab Druze, by the way), Israel put up metal detectors leading to the Temple Mount. They have had them at the wall for years. But some of the Palestinian leaders read that as an Israeli claim to sovereignty, as ridiculous as that might sound. When people use guns to kill, metal detectors for security makes sense.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjty6cN9RyRiAyEh3x-HsYvL2uwMXBof4lnwQ1FJxO2rzMp-pDBrL3veIYMWq2a6wooKdJGA_GuxtIonEzrh7Ynbu9Tzu9KDpoHXLHANDrTCiEpNJ-Cyw1XPiEfHUiyTEj0h0UAxzVb91gH/s1600/IMG_2668.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjty6cN9RyRiAyEh3x-HsYvL2uwMXBof4lnwQ1FJxO2rzMp-pDBrL3veIYMWq2a6wooKdJGA_GuxtIonEzrh7Ynbu9Tzu9KDpoHXLHANDrTCiEpNJ-Cyw1XPiEfHUiyTEj0h0UAxzVb91gH/s320/IMG_2668.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
Instead, though, we were met by people from the North of Israel wanting the government to invest more in green energy. It was wonderful to see that Israelis care not only about things like security, but about the environment.<br />
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We met with two K'nesset members. First was Stav Shafir of the Zionist Union (formerly Labor) party, the moderate left wing party. She is only 32 years old and was elected at 27, after leading a grass roots social justice movement for fair housing. She is really quite a rock star, the kind of progressive Zionist most people in our community would likely support. She is a big believer in religious pluralism in Israel, and her dynamic presence is inspirational.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvnAxmN5NDJHmhRzwNh9BMY07HlNxS25pALszzwzoQVJsqD6eOAuvKI9R0Zq2H2PfRi7akz78AsDepHOMP6rclTxAxgjo9kYuLQhyphenhyphen-UdMQ8YfKL3QoeacWMg8tLvMozesrEx1EeNJFkmFW/s1600/FullSizeRender+%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvnAxmN5NDJHmhRzwNh9BMY07HlNxS25pALszzwzoQVJsqD6eOAuvKI9R0Zq2H2PfRi7akz78AsDepHOMP6rclTxAxgjo9kYuLQhyphenhyphen-UdMQ8YfKL3QoeacWMg8tLvMozesrEx1EeNJFkmFW/s320/FullSizeRender+%25283%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Knesset Member Stav Shafir</td></tr>
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We then met with another member of Knesset, Yehuda Glick, who is a member of the ruling party, Likud. He was not expected to actually be in the Knesset, since he was way down on the party list (in Israel you vote for the party, not the person), but when others dropped out, he ended up serving. He is not like most politicians; he is completely unfiltered. That's the refreshing part about him. The problem with him is that he is a fanatic. He wants to build the Temple back on the Temple Mount, which no other member of his party does, since it would likely bring World War III immediately as well as change how we "do" Judaism. Even stranger, he is a big supporter of religious pluralism (meaning rights for Reform and Conservative Jews within Israel), despite his fanaticism about other issues. Israel is a strange country. But I give a lot of credit to AIPAC for making us meet with him as well as those we are inclined to agree with. We kept hearing from, just about every speaker across the political spectrum that, including Arab citizens of Israel, that as American Jews, we must engage with all Israelis, not just the Left. That's how we will have the most influence. Pressure and protests only increases Israel's feeling of isolation and entrenches Israel in its positions. I don't know if I completely agree, but it was certainly something to think about.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkmKrC7au7vgume9G-LcvnHl2FNB6stvX3hyphenhyphenJW6bztYYvuiul3Z_v67VMmevKLjN0tLYf4xFvkBHG9DzBWlvMwU8p1PXIwD0zid9DSfY8x1q6tMlEPH31YT8UXgIbWb-xCn7vhTsf-s97o/s1600/FullSizeRender+%25287%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkmKrC7au7vgume9G-LcvnHl2FNB6stvX3hyphenhyphenJW6bztYYvuiul3Z_v67VMmevKLjN0tLYf4xFvkBHG9DzBWlvMwU8p1PXIwD0zid9DSfY8x1q6tMlEPH31YT8UXgIbWb-xCn7vhTsf-s97o/s320/FullSizeRender+%25287%2529.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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We then paid a visit to the top secret Israeli archives, where we saw several important documents not available to the general public, including:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhngo-cc2GJlgIr9BNytppsjn-Y_9sOb0U3R3YTHRS_iLralNzyULzCpllhBLWkz1ApBPeJbffFa3rPUR1BDDgW7KY77JxTn80d9y3GOFTPAlJ0Mi2r51kdJTk2lD1sdJKlSgz7AbTGLYnC/s1600/FullSizeRender+%25284%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlmaF7fmzLFF-pJeW_jY6c9Bd_DvlPNk_DrdrEvU_wj6wQwnsZCyQFhnHai-BCakppMpLV0bBuOc0YozDn7ghMox95R374DEJIlKJrvwkPEbKA6iDzMnESNrbqG0Tbpx4dXPE7vjppcfSB/s1600/IMG_2677.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlmaF7fmzLFF-pJeW_jY6c9Bd_DvlPNk_DrdrEvU_wj6wQwnsZCyQFhnHai-BCakppMpLV0bBuOc0YozDn7ghMox95R374DEJIlKJrvwkPEbKA6iDzMnESNrbqG0Tbpx4dXPE7vjppcfSB/s200/IMG_2677.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The actual peace agreement<br />
with Egypt </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhngo-cc2GJlgIr9BNytppsjn-Y_9sOb0U3R3YTHRS_iLralNzyULzCpllhBLWkz1ApBPeJbffFa3rPUR1BDDgW7KY77JxTn80d9y3GOFTPAlJ0Mi2r51kdJTk2lD1sdJKlSgz7AbTGLYnC/s200/FullSizeRender+%25284%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="150" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The U.N. Statehood Vote</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizHOnG7vZJLNiz7xF62Ti53nLcRSo2aR9-Ev4wu0P6Qe-FRkPOEqR3Ed3PVky72q5LGPWOWKLcYCEc_RZLaEj2MHxgyw3lKRep_kkAaSfd6ppl5Vy9fc_QgM1c3XddddBZdWmRCymoBFgV/s1600/FullSizeRender+%25285%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1120" data-original-width="1600" height="140" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizHOnG7vZJLNiz7xF62Ti53nLcRSo2aR9-Ev4wu0P6Qe-FRkPOEqR3Ed3PVky72q5LGPWOWKLcYCEc_RZLaEj2MHxgyw3lKRep_kkAaSfd6ppl5Vy9fc_QgM1c3XddddBZdWmRCymoBFgV/s200/FullSizeRender+%25285%2529.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gun used to assassinate Yitzchak Rabin</td></tr>
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We also met with speakers from the Israeli Democracy Institute, Haaretz Commentator Amos Harel, and Mohammed Darweh, an Arab Citizen of Israel who serves as an advisor to the Palestinian Authority, Jordan, and Israel. He talked about Israel's poor record on rights for Arab citizens of Israel, socially, economically, and politically. He did not pull punches, giving it to us straight. Again, credit to AIPAC for showing us a real insider's look at Israel, warts and all. But he also pulled no punches with the Palestinians. The advice he gives them is that the road to peace will go through Tel Aviv, not Brussels or the United Nations. Israel has proven time and again that pressure doesn't work.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh__-1y23yu_2hbD82rAqDb0_xyzx0uJ-feS4r6qmfjhG1Yk9Rskjjw6hIkHZFDPzmhPQADAt0wf_zJoQJH_WKweXHJBsc_u2K_pqGie2NtCMtkV2kSwgYYELi8osEqZ0LejkOgmn6m4TsF/s1600/FullSizeRender+%25286%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh__-1y23yu_2hbD82rAqDb0_xyzx0uJ-feS4r6qmfjhG1Yk9Rskjjw6hIkHZFDPzmhPQADAt0wf_zJoQJH_WKweXHJBsc_u2K_pqGie2NtCMtkV2kSwgYYELi8osEqZ0LejkOgmn6m4TsF/s320/FullSizeRender+%25286%2529.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> Arab Citizen of Israel and Advisor Ohammed Darweh</td></tr>
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And that was just the first day. I look forward to sharing more tomorrow when we visit a border crossing, Ramallah, and a West Bank Settlement.<br />
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Laila tov! </div>
Rabbi Mark Bloomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13950758046996988977noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270551505298521223.post-13589119407855704492014-07-12T12:34:00.000-07:002014-07-12T12:34:23.318-07:00The Obligatory Slide ShowI didn't take as many pictures as I would have liked. But this may be the most memorable trip ever--for good and bad.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwf0qsFLxQicOG6ZorjnLbUNN4hWUCwj-mrLxW18h4pIqbdPQCqgj69Te_hjXphZ8X1qwia9yEU8tvufyrBrQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
L'hitraot Israel. I am sure I will see you again soon.Rabbi Mark Bloomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13950758046996988977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270551505298521223.post-42331843607784401472014-07-10T13:46:00.000-07:002014-07-10T13:46:01.587-07:00Red Alert Jerusalem<br />
<a href="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcT5YAxK7UX04njgyAP5QhIA4-NzFkk0lMD4mWx6z9tQ0jwODpAP" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcT5YAxK7UX04njgyAP5QhIA4-NzFkk0lMD4mWx6z9tQ0jwODpAP" /></a>Did you know there's an app for that? Yes, there is a real app on the iphone called "Red Alert" that sounds an alarm on your iphone and warns you when a bomb is on its way and in what locale. From there, you have somewhere between 15 and 25 seconds to take cover, preferably in a bomb shelter. If not a bomb shelter, you are instructed to move anywhere indoors that you can. If you don''t have time to get indoors, take shelter beside a parked car. If you still don't have time for that, hit the ground and cover your head with your hands. After that, well, I suppose you can continue to pray.<br />
<br />
<br />
All day long, as Hamas, the Al Aksa Martyr's Brigade, and other Palestinian terror groups reigned over 100 bombs on Israeli civilian targets, the app kept ringing. Most of the alerts were for the cities in the South--Sderot, Ashdod, Asheklon, Moatza Ezorit, and others. The fact that bombs were not falling close to where I was staying in Jerusalem riddled me with guilt. After all, these are still the people of Israel, people I think of as nothing less than my extended family. Am I so self centered that my first reaction is not "how terrible for the people of the South," but "thank God that my family and I are safe?" I also can't really begin to imagine what it must be like having to worry every single moment that a rocket may be on its way in about 15 seconds. <br />
<br />
But around 6 PM, as we were sitting in our apartment, the alert suddenly read "Jerusalem." Now I had my family's moment of worry. We quickly put on shoes and headed for the bomb shelter in our building. Why didn't we hear the siren? The other people in the shelter told us that it was quite loud. Why didn't we hear it? It's nice to be staying in a quiet apartment, but sound proof? Can we pay less for an apartment that's not completely sound proof?<br />
<br />
The all clear came about 2 minutes later. Four bombs actually made their way to the Jerusalem area, two of which were intercepted by the Iron Dome, while the other two landed in open fields just outide of the city. Debris from one of them fell onto the roofs of some houses in a religious community of Jerusalem. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirahEcVTQdGWXoyOKz-NAjhwpfuUdqxGbIBZLtpHR6U7i79f_klU0lCMjClmNLv8J0IHjBLf6Ct3tEC3yWM-WPpDwBglr5W9LREo_5G7U1ClexmOYih6TkSSmXZx0Mpj5vWhmX1iCtdJAZ/s1600/Bom+Shelter.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirahEcVTQdGWXoyOKz-NAjhwpfuUdqxGbIBZLtpHR6U7i79f_klU0lCMjClmNLv8J0IHjBLf6Ct3tEC3yWM-WPpDwBglr5W9LREo_5G7U1ClexmOYih6TkSSmXZx0Mpj5vWhmX1iCtdJAZ/s1600/Bom+Shelter.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Heading down into the bomb shelter or "miklat" in our apartment building.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
What to do now? Do we hunker down in the apartment for the next two days or do we try to "not let the terrorists win" by returning to normalcy as quickly as possible? And is this the time for making statements with my actions or making sure my children are safe? The guilt has taken a new form now.<br />
<br />
Well, we decided to go out to dinner anyway. Restaurants have bomb shelters too, right, and at least there we could be sure we would hear the sirens. We expected to see nobody out on the streets, and while it wasn't as crowded as usual on a Thursday night on Ben Yehuda Street, there were definitely plenty of folks out and about sitting in the restaurants and cafes.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3aee2TRXB9ZzC_-gPRJYqdcxxxLZHbY_3eJTNWfWZNR4LVX4_ZV8gZy5gy9fwiOO0Avj62AgV-M600rFlRdSZV3HhWHa1J_bSJ6_XwjXsSeHjHY2y6nji0RRH7-_fy9r2fKss1eV1R28z/s1600/Brenda+and+Mark+in+BBYO.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3aee2TRXB9ZzC_-gPRJYqdcxxxLZHbY_3eJTNWfWZNR4LVX4_ZV8gZy5gy9fwiOO0Avj62AgV-M600rFlRdSZV3HhWHa1J_bSJ6_XwjXsSeHjHY2y6nji0RRH7-_fy9r2fKss1eV1R28z/s1600/Brenda+and+Mark+in+BBYO.jpg" height="125" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">BBYO Regional Presidents Then</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQKCgki-AAY7SOZi8J5FqJ5CWd4xfXPuNG5V6a_6XaezZudwmODqQtHS9swLcVhFsds030QQY63PsxcBVNdzm3KPonbMtyVfMkoIx8weoUFgozDrh1G1pVT_nbZkKgKmjZgYgu8TxgjE7y/s1600/Mark+and+Brenda.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQKCgki-AAY7SOZi8J5FqJ5CWd4xfXPuNG5V6a_6XaezZudwmODqQtHS9swLcVhFsds030QQY63PsxcBVNdzm3KPonbMtyVfMkoIx8weoUFgozDrh1G1pVT_nbZkKgKmjZgYgu8TxgjE7y/s1600/Mark+and+Brenda.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And Now</td></tr>
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We met my long-time friend Brenda and her husband at our favorite place, Rimon Bistro. Brenda and I were the Regional Presidents of BBYO in the Bay Area back in the early 80's, and it's like we never stopped, both of us still working in the Jewish community on different sides of the world. Fortunately, there were no bombs in Jerusalem during dinner, though Red Alert reminded me that at least 14 more fell in the rest of the country during our leisurely meal.<br />
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But now, having the illusion of it "not being in our yard" shattered, every sound on the walk there made us just a little bit jumpy-- a truck running over a metal grate, a chair falling down, a siren from a police car with an extremely loud announcement from a loud speaker, which turned out to be just a police officer pulling someone over for speeding. The strangest sound of all, though, came from a car blasting a radio. The drum beat, in our state of mind, sounded like an explosion. It was just music, though. </div>
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Then again, it wasn't "just" music. After we decided it wasn't a bomb, we thought that maybe it was a rap song. But no, the car was blasting the song from the morning service. "V'ha-er eineinu b'toratecha, v'dabek libeinu b'mitzvotecha," enlighten our eyes with your Torah, and let our hearts cleave to your commandments." </div>
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And there was our sign. In this time of fear and uncertainty and red alerts, I pray O God, for the people of Israel, for the peace of Jerusalem, and that none of us of any religion or nation should live in fear. Instead, let us cleave to You, O God, and elighten our eyes to Your Torah, to peace, and to hope.</div>
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And now, a few pictures of our friends who are here weathering the storm along with us and beyond.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirahEcVTQdGWXoyOKz-NAjhwpfuUdqxGbIBZLtpHR6U7i79f_klU0lCMjClmNLv8J0IHjBLf6Ct3tEC3yWM-WPpDwBglr5W9LREo_5G7U1ClexmOYih6TkSSmXZx0Mpj5vWhmX1iCtdJAZ/s1600/Bom+Shelter.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a> </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHVaKpLD0RMNVktcDHlog5Wbhl3qhKlGuvL72VRWt8WbOEqv0FyHS7FYxkPPQ_bgadIqqQCd13yZDYE9YZYrsI6tEra58cFyMDpf3LkO3sbd0yNtj2nwGm05bHP7hlN_xlXZUElo7MmoIl/s1600/Blooms+and+Aliza.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHVaKpLD0RMNVktcDHlog5Wbhl3qhKlGuvL72VRWt8WbOEqv0FyHS7FYxkPPQ_bgadIqqQCd13yZDYE9YZYrsI6tEra58cFyMDpf3LkO3sbd0yNtj2nwGm05bHP7hlN_xlXZUElo7MmoIl/s1600/Blooms+and+Aliza.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With our former Office Manager, Aliza Schechter, at a Cafe in Tel Aviv</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR5IOvoJnNgq8qNl4FWjAc-PgzuWeNebRrSH_QFvdeHqhu0YF_OtOAS8IdKCItz7enH7ndfJtK9GOu29sXzGXlqDUtI43pdDTsBJncI9jhPh5KoXe-q5r5DWKhz2V6DGORNYe1tUHPSvBZ/s1600/Mark+and+Eva+Sasson.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR5IOvoJnNgq8qNl4FWjAc-PgzuWeNebRrSH_QFvdeHqhu0YF_OtOAS8IdKCItz7enH7ndfJtK9GOu29sXzGXlqDUtI43pdDTsBJncI9jhPh5KoXe-q5r5DWKhz2V6DGORNYe1tUHPSvBZ/s1600/Mark+and+Eva+Sasson.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With former Bat Mitzvah student and future entrepeneur Eva Sasson in Jerusalem</td></tr>
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Rabbi Mark Bloomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13950758046996988977noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270551505298521223.post-13735553622871596872014-07-08T14:24:00.001-07:002014-07-08T14:24:43.726-07:00Safe and Sound Yet Concerned and ConfusedDear Friends,<br />
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The short version is the title above. All the rest is commentary, as Rabbi Hillel might say.<br />
<br />
Warning: Political opinions ahead.<br />
<br />
Today is probably the first time I have had to think about my personal safety in Israel since at least the second Intifada in the early 2000's and possibly even the Gulf War in 1990/91. My brain understands that I am much more likely to be the victim of a violent crime in Oakland than a bomb in Israel, but my heart and stomach are still tied up in knots.<br />
<br />
We were actually out to dinner with our friends from the congregation, Gary Sherne and Sandy Frucht, in Tel Aviv tonight, when the wait staff calmly told us to follow them to the "miklat," the bomb shelter nearby. We followed the wait staff to the center of the building where the restaurant was located, away from glass. After about 5 minutes, the all clear was sounded and we went back to the table. After dinner, we drove back to Jerusalem, wondering what we would do if a siren sounded. Would we even hear it? We decided we would do whatever the other cars on the road were doing. The drive was uneventful, except that every time the GPS would act up, we were just a bit more nervous than usual that we might get lost.<br />
<br />
What is most unusual about this particular time is that bombs have never really reached Jerusalem or Tel Aviv before. When Hamas bombs Sderot or Ashkelon, it hardly makes the news. But Jerusalem and Tel Aviv are different. As thankful as we are for the quiet times of the last two years, Hamas has used that very quiet to arm themselves with more sophisticated weaponry. The very same calm that gives us hope creates conditions that make the conflict that much worse when tensions inevitably resume. Thankfully, the Iron Dome is interecepting nearly all of these bombs and not a single Israeli has been killed as of this writing. But again, there goes the brain. Logic only takes us so far when there is a rock in the pit of your stomach.<br />
<br />
On the emotional side, I feel a tremendous solidarity with the people of Eretz Yisrael. We are getting a small taste <span style="font-family: inherit;">of</span> what it is like for them every day, living with the reality that their civilian population can be deliberately targeted at any time. <br />
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It is important for me to add that the retaliatory crime of the Israeli teenagers who murdered Muhammad Hussein Abu Khdeir was a heinous and horrific crime. It makes me sick to my stomach. My heart goes out to his family. Actually hearing that one of the families of the three Israeli teenagers who was murdered and kidnapped reached out to them was unbelievably heart-warming. I was also proud to hear that Israel had found the suspects and arrested them immediately. There was and is no denial. And yet, the anger I feel that Hamas' reaction was to bomb the heck out of as many Israeli cities as possible is real and raw. And the Israelis are my family. When my brother is attacked, my first reaction is to defend him. Only later can I begin to deal with the more difficult questions that might follow.<br />
<br />
For now, I leave us with two prayers.<br />
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Baruch Ata Adonai Eloheinu Melech Ha'olam, she'g'malani kol tov. <br />
Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Sovereign of the universe, who has delivered me from danger in order to do good.<br />
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Baruch Ata Adonai Eloheinu Melech Ha'olam, haporeis sukkat shalom aleinu v'al kol amo Yisrael.<br />
Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Sovereign of the Universe, may God spread over us a Sukkah of peace and over all the people Israel.<br />
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L'shalom,<br />
<br />
Rabbi Mark Bloom<br />
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Rabbi Mark Bloomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13950758046996988977noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270551505298521223.post-33369146891551157212014-07-06T22:49:00.002-07:002014-07-06T22:49:25.508-07:00Exploding Soccer Balls and Broken Door Handles<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKSdtSnqxeTBo4MMMH9QjpCGPfLMPMtTnOav8y1xojmNLecz5hJY97soYhkU1_03JV2Tsc3M7MBLwWdOKvR-Xso3XT5WYeWQbuGEFY1NTon2-zLZ7m4wzP6DxEw0iBJoLlToTCPiFqFdqm/s1600/Jewish+Quarter+Families.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKSdtSnqxeTBo4MMMH9QjpCGPfLMPMtTnOav8y1xojmNLecz5hJY97soYhkU1_03JV2Tsc3M7MBLwWdOKvR-Xso3XT5WYeWQbuGEFY1NTon2-zLZ7m4wzP6DxEw0iBJoLlToTCPiFqFdqm/s1600/Jewish+Quarter+Families.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our traveling companions the Morris' and the Zangwill's</td></tr>
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This was probably the strangest Shabbat I have ever spent in Jerusalem. While the tension continues over kidnappings and murders, there are bombs being sent from Gaza to Sderot and what they are calling a Jewish "terrorist cell" kidnapped and murdered a Palestinian youth in retaliation for the three Israelis who were murdered, it feels odd to be writing about such seemingly trivial problems, but here we go...<br />
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<strong><u>Exploding Soccer Balls</u></strong><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq6k6MBRoduoZgaTzwtcG4rlFeWO8mYaslWYRywSN_FRgNpqcSJu-uRrRKkIj6k3cxlbREinsJdyeHeLJlQLlnUO0xkhSgLBS_9jzTe9Ab_H2Pl8_gEvK-lrlZ7E1jWITrCOVa_Du5xdED/s1600/Exploding+Soccer+Ball.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq6k6MBRoduoZgaTzwtcG4rlFeWO8mYaslWYRywSN_FRgNpqcSJu-uRrRKkIj6k3cxlbREinsJdyeHeLJlQLlnUO0xkhSgLBS_9jzTe9Ab_H2Pl8_gEvK-lrlZ7E1jWITrCOVa_Du5xdED/s1600/Exploding+Soccer+Ball.jpg" height="175" width="200" /></a>In anticipation of visiting playgrounds on Shabbat, we bought a very cheap soccer ball for my boys to play with. The store owner actually warned us that this was not a good ball and that we shouldn't buy it, but since we only needed it to last 10 days, we went ahead and did so anyway. Well, before Shabbat even began, my boys were walking across the street with Micah carrying the ball in his drawstring backpack, when they heard an explosion that sounded like a gunshot right next to them. They, along with several other people they tell me, immediately ducked down on the ground in utter fear and panic. When you hear something that sounds like a gunshot or a bomb in a place like Israel (or Oakland, for that matter), it's a frightening prospect. Fortunately, the source of the explosion was the soccer ball. It literally exploded in Micah's backpack, tearing a hole in it. Quite a scare, so we knew it was going to be a strange Shabbat.<br />
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<strong><u>Broken Door Handles</u></strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBqoKEp_ZyOpsvWouTg-8vMyxm9n8ou9FCjyRoLNR0DnMjUi96nzHV0MN8FAOOtQC34we9DWeSrd-nXIWea5O9nd4pt1HU4whuXPjTna4pgMFzy-oxiv6WUN8bMwdbf0A7ESJuKQjRBlqD/s1600/Locksmith+Recepit.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBqoKEp_ZyOpsvWouTg-8vMyxm9n8ou9FCjyRoLNR0DnMjUi96nzHV0MN8FAOOtQC34we9DWeSrd-nXIWea5O9nd4pt1HU4whuXPjTna4pgMFzy-oxiv6WUN8bMwdbf0A7ESJuKQjRBlqD/s1600/Locksmith+Recepit.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The locksmith receipt</td></tr>
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Just before Shabbat began, we noticed one of the handles on the door of our apartment was loose. We called the landlord and they said they would try to send someone to fix it, but it was almost 6 PM on Friday. We hoped it would make it through Shabbat.... Well, it didn't. We arrived home at 10 PM from synagogue (the very spirited Modern Orthodox synagogue Yakar), andwe had trouble getting in. The handle then fell off the door completely. We were locked out on Shabbat! I don't like to carry my phone on Shabbat, but I had this feeling. So we called the landlord--no answer. We called the landlord 5 minutes later and 5 minutes later after that--no answer. The neighbors tried in vain to help us, but tweezers and screwdrives and paper clips could not get us inside. <br />
<br />
So, time to call the locksmith. But wait, what locksmith is open on Shabbat? Ths smartphone gave us several numbers, most of which said "24-6." A few said 24-7, and I called them. But all I could do was leave messages in my very broken Hebrew. Finally, one of our traveling companions, Stuart Zangwill, found one on the 4th page of google. Whoever gets to the 4th page!? But he reached one. He was secular and was only annoyed to be taken away from the World Cup. So by 11:15, we were in. Whew!<br />
<br />
And, at least we got to have the greatest challa in the world from Ugat Chen in Machane Yehuda!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDl-sZPF6BliuDBHFRRaUpiku0xV_9NDaUww5U37hbIts1QYFUxwvOxESqyxvteW_QR7eMyuExspoBcPNzfokJHhSI93gb2YFjrfZ3jBYXfglsBx1YVoDlqIFYiYkEI6rvKM7XErr4tnEh/s1600/Ugat+Chen.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDl-sZPF6BliuDBHFRRaUpiku0xV_9NDaUww5U37hbIts1QYFUxwvOxESqyxvteW_QR7eMyuExspoBcPNzfokJHhSI93gb2YFjrfZ3jBYXfglsBx1YVoDlqIFYiYkEI6rvKM7XErr4tnEh/s1600/Ugat+Chen.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<strong><u>Meanwhile</u></strong><br />
We are having a wonderful time as we always do in Israel, spending a delightful Shabbat, running into Beth Abraham members on the street (hello Golub family, Werthan family, Berrol family, Edelstein family, Hebrew school teacher Ariella) and many other people I know in this "small world," eating incredible food, and visiting and revisiting favorite sights (tunnel tours under the Western Wall, the City of David, old City Scavenger Hunt, Yad Vashem, and much more).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4yTllJJxzYZnTvFgtgxfNRFycUm9aAkb5k49fQgVZpXl9rYmwOz6PA4WPGT8TjDe8xMDVjNw6POM4eNfS0BTmpTFrhEeDZ38uRqMYdTTwIp57udXfBCv77t0eK_fPyzPPF-Z-uqz0GR3-/s1600/Micah+Avshi+David+Tefilin.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4yTllJJxzYZnTvFgtgxfNRFycUm9aAkb5k49fQgVZpXl9rYmwOz6PA4WPGT8TjDe8xMDVjNw6POM4eNfS0BTmpTFrhEeDZ38uRqMYdTTwIp57udXfBCv77t0eK_fPyzPPF-Z-uqz0GR3-/s1600/Micah+Avshi+David+Tefilin.JPG" height="200" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The former Gan Avraham Justice League wrapping tefilin</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blooms and Zangwills on Edlestein Balcony in Yemin Moshe</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Western Wall Tunnel Tours</td></tr>
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Shavua Tov from Jerusalem!<br />
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Rabbi Mark Bloomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13950758046996988977noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270551505298521223.post-13810606107139175852014-07-02T11:20:00.002-07:002014-07-02T11:30:13.061-07:00Always an Interesting Time to Be in IsraelDear Friends,<br />
<br />
It is always an interesting time to be in Israel. You never know what crisis of the moment will be happening when you book your trip months in advance. Right now, as I'm sure most of you have read about already, the crisis is responding to the tragic murder of the three Israeli teens, Naftali Frenkel, Gilad Shaer, and Eyal Yifrah.<br />
<br />
First of all, my family and the other TBA families with us are all very safe. For the most part, we are touring the sights of Jerusalem--the Old City, Western Wall, Bible Lands Museum, the Jerusalem Time Elevator, Yehuda Street, Emek Refaim are the ones we have hit in our first two days here. Generally speaking, people are going about their every day lives, and it doesn't feel any different than it ever has when I have visited in the past.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bloom, Zangwill, and Morris Clans in the Jewish Quarter of Old City</td></tr>
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So most of the tension that is in the air is felt by reading or listening to the news here, and there is, of course, much more attention devoted to it here. During our stopover in Toronto, for instance, there were only 10 seconds devoted to the story. Here in Israel, it seems as if it is the only subject discussed. <br />
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However, we did run into a counter protest today.<br />
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The sign in the background reads: "an eye for an eye makes everyone blind. Revenge will not bring back our boys." While the situation obviously calls for response--more security, efforts aimed at finding the killers, a continuing discussion about whether nations should be dealing with a unity government which includes Hamas, there are also calls for vengeance from extremists on the Israeli side. Tragically, a Palestinian teenager was found dead in a forest today, and it is quite possible that this was an act of vengeance. It doesn't take much fuel to light a tinderbox, and the next few weeks will be critical. So the Israeli police and military are left working overtime trying to control violence on all sides. <br />
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My guess is that you will read about the calls for vengeance. I am guessing that you will not get to read about the peaceful protests led by young Israelis like the one we saw today. But that's part of Israel's democratic process at work. It's a fascinating and moving thing to watch.<br />
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In the meantime, please don't worry about our personal safety. We are safe. <br />
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Please do pray for the peace of Jerusalem and Israel. All our prayers are needed.<br />
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And let us say mazel tov to David Morris, who will be celebrating his Bar Mitzvah tomorrow overlooking the Old City of Jerusalem. <br />
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L'shalom,<br />
<br />
Rabbi Mark Bloom<br />
<br />Rabbi Mark Bloomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13950758046996988977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270551505298521223.post-20624229187863033862013-08-11T23:54:00.000-07:002013-08-11T23:54:10.121-07:00AJWS Trip to India Slideshow<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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While my sabbatical is long gone, here is a slideshow of an impactful trip to India with 16 other rabbis sponsored by the American Jewish World Service.</div>
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<br />Rabbi Mark Bloomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13950758046996988977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270551505298521223.post-20718779665754599842011-08-14T05:46:00.000-07:002011-08-14T23:09:30.760-07:00The Last, the Very Last--Final Sabbatical Thoughts<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKDGAcmJ9MZj_eojaA-aG0OkK-vpJS9i8RTnauIl2gTaiuLactH7EQt-tFiYTH_juRkEXcoivHzTG2ADzq5VGkLlZehc8h8GQhyAQfFFGXaa1h4b0sZPYpz6l6u7kuOWwIqXT3XSVu2PZv/s1600/Wall+Final+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKDGAcmJ9MZj_eojaA-aG0OkK-vpJS9i8RTnauIl2gTaiuLactH7EQt-tFiYTH_juRkEXcoivHzTG2ADzq5VGkLlZehc8h8GQhyAQfFFGXaa1h4b0sZPYpz6l6u7kuOWwIqXT3XSVu2PZv/s200/Wall+Final+2.JPG" width="150" /></a></div>I can not believe that my sabbatical is nearly over. In about 30 hours we will be on our way to the airport. One minute we're lying on the beach in Fiji with nothing but time and adventure ahead, and the next we're going to our last Shabbat service in Jerusalem, visiting the Western Wall one last time, eating the last felafel, schwarma, etc. I appreciated almost every moment of this incredible adventure, but one can't live a life of just leisure and learning forever. Time to go home, as the many songs in the video below say. Here's the slideshow of our trip packed into nine minutes of pictures. It's long, but the music is great. Click on it to view.<br />
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<b><u>Concluding Thoughts About Israel</u></b><br />
First, I realize that we were not living in reality. Spending four months without having to work in the holiest city in the world is not the same as grinding out the reality of life. It's time to wake up, but that doesn't mean I don't get to appreciate the dream.<br />
<br />
Second, we were lucky enough to be here during one of the quietest periods in Israel's history. We weren't sure that was going to be the case. When we went to pick our kids up on the first day of their Ulpan the road was blocked off because of a bomb scare. For a moment, we were not sure if a bomb had exploded or it was just a suspicious object, nor did we know exactly how close it was to the school or, in our worst nightmares, even inside the school. It turned out it was just a suspicious object (a backpack or something that was left unattended). We walked 4 blocks out of the way, but our kids didn't even know about it (until now). We did not want to traumatize them, and as with all terror, the best way to defeat it is to get on with life. Despite the auspicious beginning, there was almost no terrorism or even action between Israel and the Palestinians during our 4 months here. That is likely about to change, however, with the upcoming Palestinian declaration of Statehood at the United Nations in September. It is tragic that we can't somehow freeze time and appreciate and maintain this quite status quo with the economy booming in both Israel and the Palestinian territories. But, ultimately, I believe that a Palestinian State is both necessary and inevitable, whatever the borders may be. Unfortunately, the declaration without a negotiated settlement will likely bring great disappointment and much bloodshed along with it. As Greenday says, "wake me up when September ends."<br />
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Third, the biggest issue while we were in Israel was the housing situation and the gigantic tent protests that continue to occur throughout the country. Israel's transition from semi-socialism to semi-capitalism has come at a cost. There are no easy answers to be found. The protests are non-violent, the government is as responsive as any in the world, but any solutions will demand .significant change by the government and self-sacrifice by the people that I'm afraid neither are willing to make. The change it has to come, we know it all along, but the people who seek the change want smart phones and cars and cappuccinos, not Kibbutzim and cooperatives and plain black coffee. Still, this was all fascinating to watch as an interested observer.<br />
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Fourth, I am not good at Hebrew. I try really, really hard, but I just do not have the skill. All told, I had 12 weeks of Ulpan, and 6 of them were only one hour a day four days a week, but my progress was slower than my peers. In almost every class I took, I had the largest vocabulary, could conjugate verbs with the best of them, but was still amongst the worst at speaking and understanding. Since I have a "good ear" when it comes to music and accents, this is surprising, but we all have learning "differences," and this is one of mine. This means I will likely never achieve spoken fluency. Still, I am not as sad as I might make it sound here; I enjoyed the classes and learning what I could. In light of this, however....<br />
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Fifth, if I had to do it again I would take more text learning classes, probably at Pardes (where I found the teachers to be the best) and at the Conservative Yeshiva in lieu of Modern Hebrew. The classes I took were very valuable, perhaps for future teaching but certainly for Torah lishma, Torah learning for its own sake.<br />
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Sixth, my kids are Zionists, at least for now. They both told me "they are considering making Aliyah when they graduate college" as well as a "gap year before college." I know that they are kids and that they live in the moment, but they are attached to Israel, which is all we could hope for. <br />
<div><br />
</div>Seventh, making Aliyah is no longer as exotic as it sounds, as Israel seems to be filled with twenty somethings post college, from America, most of them very modern Orthodox, having a great time meeting one another, working in a variety of fields, and enjoying themselves. It would be a great option for my kids, but this is now, and who knows what will be with Israel in the world in 10-15 years. Again, "wake me up when September ends." <br />
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What will I miss the most? The two things that I was able to take for granted in a good way, loving Israel and observing Shabbat. People can argue about what is best for Israel, how they should negotiate, what should be given up or not, etc., but it is all done from a basic perspective that Israel has a right to exist and defend its citizens. This is often not the case in discussions about Israel and Northern California. <br />
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I love our Shabbat services back in Oakland and our neighborhood Havdalah services, but having the entire city quiet down, having nothing to do but rest, read, play and hang out with friends, and greeting complete strangers in the street with "shabbat shalom" is a special, sacred feeling that can't be replicated anywhere else.<br />
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Yes, loving Israel, Shabbat, and really good and plentiful Kosher meat. These are the things I will miss the most.<br />
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<b><u>Concluding Thoughts About Travel</u></b><br />
First, thank you, thank you, thank you, Temple Beth Abraham. What a precious gift this was for me and my family. I will appreciate it forever, or at least for the next 10 years, im yirtze Hashem, God willing, until my next one. I'm hoping for two or three more in our time together. <br />
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Secondly, we chose a great itinerary. We could have gone to Europe instead on our way to Israel, but the combination of relaxation in Fiji, old friends in Australia, and adventure in China and Dubai, two places we never would have gone to without good friends in both places, was perfect.<br />
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Thirdly, we brought the right amount of clothes, stuff. Other than forgetting to bring shorts, we packed surprisingly well.<br />
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Fourth, almost all went smoothly. A couple of broken suitcases, lost electronics, and the lack of a proper visa in Israel were almost the only bumps.<br />
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Fifth, the kids were mostly the right age for travel. They both learned a lot and appreciated what we were doing. It was tougher on Micah than on the rest of us.. I'm not sure if it was the age or the personality, but he really, really missed his friends and complained about it often. He did learn an extraordinary amount about Israel and the Hebrew language, despite all that. Jonah just loved every minute of regardless.<br />
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Sixth, what did we miss most? Our family, our friends, the synagogue, the dishwasher, the washer, the dryer and vegetarian burritos, thought not necessarily in that order.<br />
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Seventh, we did not miss the cars. Sure, sometimes we did, but it was wonderful to walk everywhere. We rarely even used taxis or buses once we were in Jerusalem. <br />
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Baruch ata Hashem, Elokeinu melech ha'olam shehecheyanu v'kiamanu v'higianu lazman hazeh.<br />
Blessed are You, O God, who has given us life, sustained us, and enable us to reach this season.<br />
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Amen!<br />
<div><br />
</div>Rabbi Mark Bloomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13950758046996988977noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270551505298521223.post-84764556563017191252011-08-14T04:32:00.000-07:002011-08-14T23:09:03.618-07:00Synagogues in JerusalemThis is a compilation of my weekly synagogue visits to Jerusalem during my sabbatical from April-August in 2011. One of my major goals was to attend as many synagogues for Shabbat as possible. When I'm home I generally only get to attend one, so this was a real treat for me.<br />
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As you read these please understand that:<br />
(1) which synagogue a person is most comfortable in is very much a matter of individual "fit" and taste.<br />
(2) these are not meant to be reviews, but rather, a reflection of what we liked and disliked, how we felt, etc. <br />
(3) most of the synagogues were Orthodox, as there are very few Conservative and Reform synagogues here. This made the experience a little less fun for Karen in the women's section.<br />
(4) almost all of these synagogues experiences were amazingly uplifting, often in contrast to North American synagogues. Because of the knowledge base of the people who attend these services, the ruach (spirit) is really fantastic.<br />
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The first two in each section, Kol Rina and Mizmor l'David in the Orthodox section, and Hod v'Hadar and Moreshet Avraham in the non Orthodox section, were our very favorites, in retrospect. The others are in the order we attended them.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><b>ORTHODOX SYNAGOGUES</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><b><u>Kol Rina--Nachlaot</u></b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">This was probably our very favorite synagogue in Jerusalem, especially for Friday night. Kol Rina</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> in the Nachlaot neighborhood, a good 35 minute walk from our place. For those who know Jerusalem it is relatively close to the Machane Yehuda "Shuk." Friday night was one of the most uplifting, spiritual services I have ever attended in my life. The ecstatic spirit of 200 people singing at the top of their lungs and then ecstatically dancing around the room in the middle of a prayer is really an amazing experience. Many, many synagogues try to have this style of service, but they often feel forced. This one was the opposite--really authentic, spontaneous, and awe inspiring. It was impossible not to get swept up in it. Their tunes come primarily from the late Shlomo Carlebach, which .are very popular these days, When not everyone is participating, they can fall flat, but and when done right, are incredibly beautiful and exciting. About two thirds of the group appear to be English speakers, but the overall diversity was impressive. There were teenagers, black hatted ultra religious Haredim, tatooed hipsters, old time hippies, and plenty of "regular" folks all in attendance singing and dancing their hearts out.<br />
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After such a stirring Friday night, Saturday morning was almost a completely different place. It was much more sparsely attended (except there was a BBYO group from "March of the Living There," which was fun), and, though they tried, it lacked the same spirit evident on Friday. The 20 or so regulars there, though, were very friendly. They offered me an Aliyah, struck up many conversations wtih us afterward, and had a wonderful warmth about them. They wanted my boys to lead "Anim Z'mirot, " an extremely long Psalm done at the end of the service, but they did not know it yet, so they had to decline. It is very, very difficult, but Micah wants to take up the challenge. Well, I am bribing him, but I'm still proud of him. Addendum: <i><b>We returned 3 months later, and he did it, beautifully!</b></i></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">The view from the Mechitza was: "They tried." It's a sheer curtain, which they open for the sermon, and they bring the Torah to the women's section for them to kiss it, but it's still in back of the men and can be hard to see. But on Friday night, the women sing loudly and sometimes even dance (but not the time Karen went), so they are clearly participating openly.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b><u>Mizmor l'David--East Talpiot</u></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b>Mizmor l'David</b>, a very modern Orthodox synagogue in the Talpiot neighborhood. They have a side by side mechitza, so women feel much more comfortable here, and a woman takes the Torah and carries it around the women's section so all have the opportunity to kiss it. The ruach here is tremendous, with people singing in wonderful harmonies at the top of their lungs to mostly Shlomo Carlebach melodies. The people also try to dance after Lecha Dodi, both the men and the women, though separately. If I hadn't attended another Carlebach style synagogue called <b>Kol Rina</b> the week before, this would have been amazing, but It's hard to compare anything to the ecstatic feeling created there. This was just an energy notch below. However, the Saturday Musaf at Mizmor l'David was the best Musaf I have ever seen. The person davening had an amazing combination of good voice, ruach, and sincerity. Unfortunately, the 3 1/2 hour service which preceded Musaf didn't enable me to enjoy it fully. Still, I have to give many kudos to the men and women sustaining this shul. It's certainly a great one and would be one we could see ourselves joining if we lived here.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><u style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 18px;">Shira Chadasha--Emek Refaim in the German Colony</u></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">The first one we attended was the closest to our house and is called <b>Shira Chadasha</b>, which means "new song." The ruach (spirit) there is incredible, with people singing all service long in harmony. It is Orthodox, but they push every envelope you can push ritually. There is a mechitza dividing the men and women, but women are allowed to chant Torah and chant certain parts of the service. It's also a place that many Americans frequent, though the service is, of course, entirely in Hebrew and so are the announcements. We returned there with our congregational trip as one of three synagogues we saw in one morning, and they did not take kindly to our getting up and leaving. They scolded my wife, saying "we are not a museum," and it was rather offputting. I understand their point-of-view, but it left a little bit of a bad taste in our mouths at what is generally an amazing place to pray.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b><u>Kehilat Har Horev--Helamed Hey Street in Katamon</u></b>I was originally planning on attending a synagogue called "Yedidya" this week, another left-leaning Modern Orthodox synagogue that was more family-oriented, but when I walked outside for the 23 minute walk, I noticed a whole lot of folks walking with Siddurim. I decided to follow them instead to whatever neighborhood synagogue they going. I ended up at a place called "Kehilat Har Horev," which turned out to also be modern Orthodox, but much more Israeli. The service was Ashkenazic, as were most of the people there, but the pronunciation was Sephardic. I found it relatively easy to follow. While there was more mumbling/davening than at Shira Chadasha, when the congregation did come together to sing, it was lovely. Lots of kavanah (intentionality) in their praying and singing, and I found it quite enjoyable. On Friday, I enjoyed the sing alongable tenor voice of the man who led the evening service. There was also a sermon, all in Hebrew. I understood the majority of the words, since it was about the Haggadah, but I didn't understand what point the speaker was getting at. It may have been my lack of Hebrew knowledge, but when I saw the people on both my right and left sleeping, it may just not really have had a point. On Saturday, I was honored with the hagbah (Torah lifting). I was rather hesitant to accept, since I didn't know the weight of the Torah, but I got lucky. The first of the two scrolls was the light one, and the reading is in the middle of the Torah, so I had no problem. One man with 5 boys was very friendly (he looked like Roxy Bernstein), and the overall atmosphere was vibrant. The downside was that despite a very modern building, they did a very poor job with the Mechitza. It is both elevated and has a curtain, so Karen reported that she could see almost nothing from the Women's Section. (Note from Karen: I actually reported that I could see ABSOLUTELY nothing from upstairs. I didn't know where Mark and the boys were sitting, I couldn't see the Torah, Ark, or people at all. The prayerbooks were only in Hebrew; after about 20 minutes a woman handed me one and asked if I wanted to follow along for Musaf - at least that's what I think she said, to me it sounded like "blah blah blah musaf?" At least I could hear the davening.)</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><u><b>Ezrat Yisrael--German Colony</b></u></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Ezrat Yisrael, which means the help of Israel, was very similar to "Har Horeb," except that Karen could see better from this mechitza, and I was given Galila (Torah dresser and roller) rather than Hagbah, and I did a very poor job. There was no slit in the cover, and it had writing on both sides, so I put it on backwards, and we had to change it, plus there was an extra piece with the word Pesach on it that kept flipping around). It was still a very nice, enjoyable morning with lots of people davening with Kavanah (intentionality). The best part was that there were kids playing outside in the courtyard the game called "Chayei Sarah," a sort of Israeli dodgeball, so Micah and Jonah were happy.<br />
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<u><b>Yedidya in Baka</b></u></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">We spent much of our Shabbat with our good friends the Greybers from Camp Ramah, including doing a sleepover exchange where Micah went to their house and their middle son, Benjamin, slept over at ours. The boys are so much happier when they are with other kids and away from each other for a while. Yedidya is a very modern Orthodox synagogue. I say very because the mechitza is very small, and the Torah is passed to the women's section and carried by a woman (Karen got the honor this week), things that are not allowed in every Orthodox synagogue. I had an Aliyah. This week was a very long Torah portion, but it was a pleasant service, with very knowledgeable people lending their voices and enthusiasm to the service. It was not as spirited or raucous as Kol Rina or Mizmor l'David, but compared to virtually any synagogue in America, it is kavanatically (that's a made up "Heblish" word meaning with intention) superior. I pray that I can bring some of that back with me without disturbing the comfort level of our own congregation. <br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b><u>Yakar in Katamon</u></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Yakar is another spirited modern Orthodox synagogue with a lot of Anglos. They actually have two separate services. The first one, downstairs, is more meditation-oriented, though it's the loudest meditation I've ever experienced. They sit rather still in their seats and sing many niggunim (songs without words) at the top of their lungs in multiple harmonies. It is beautiful, though some of the songs drag on for quite a while. Lecha Dodi was taking a very long time, when we suddenly heard the spirited Shlomo Carlebach tunes we have come to love emanating from somewhere else in the building. So for the second half of the service we went upstairs and joined in there. Lots of ruach, which Jonah tells me he personally hopes to bring back to Temple Beth Abraham. ON Saturday morning, this place is known for their Kiddush snack, which they do as a break in the service between Torah reading and Musaf. They also have a shiur (lesson) during this time, which is what makes this place unique. Unfortunately, they had neither the week we attended, so if I were grading this shul I'd have to give it an incomplete.</span></span><br />
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</span></span><b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Shir Chadash in Katamon</span></u></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">Shir Chadash is not to be confused with Shira Chadasha where we spent our first Shabbat. It was a little quieter than some of the places we've been, but it was very sweet and in the Carlebach style we love. On Saturday morning there was a sermon in English. They had a long-time Gabbai saying an emotional goodbye to the congregation the week we were there, and it was very moving. There were also two grooms, and they did a little dance around the Torah table with each of them. Jonah joined in, as he seems to be some sort of good luck symbol to people. Micah got to do Gelila (dressing the Torah), though he was disappointed that he didn't get to do Anim Zmirot. Anim Zmirot is a very long, difficult hymn of glory that he has been working very hard on. He knows it now, but this synagogue followed the not as common custom of reciting it early in the service rather than late, and we didn't get a chance to ask anyone if he could do it. Thus it was led by the regular davener, and not all that well!</span></span></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal"><b><u>Mayanot (Rehavia/Nachlaot Borde)</u></b></div><div class="MsoNormal">After our family service on the congregational trip and dinner I took about 20 people to an additional service at one of the spirited Carlebach services at a place called Mayanot, about a 20 minute walk from the hotel. There are a lot of Haredim there (ultra Orthodox), and they weren't terribly friendly to us. They dance around the reading table and bang on it as they pass by, which is an interesting way of doing things. I did not enjoy it as some of the other places I have been, but it was great to have some of our members witness the joy of a Jerusalem synagogue. Unfortunately, the joy was mostly just on the men’s side of the mechitza. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><u>The Great Synagogue in Center City</u></b></div><div class="MsoNormal">The Great Synagogue is a massive and beautiful structure, much like the large synagogues in America. It is Orthodox, but in style it resembles an old time Reform synagogue. There is a paid professional choir of all men who sings along with the operatic Cantor throughout the service. If you like choral music, this is the place in Jerusalem. In general, though, I don't especially in a prayer environment, and neither did most of our synagogue members who went with me and likewise did not enjoy the lack of participation.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b><u>Yemenite Synagogue in the Greek Colony</u></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">In this particular week we decided to go a little more exotic and went to a small, neighborhood Yemenite Synagogue at the corner of Elazar Hamodai and Yehoshua ben Nun streets. As far as we could tell it had no formal name, but they were certainly warm and friendly. There were only about 20 people there, including our family, so it was very intimate. The Yemenite traditions are quite different than standard Ashkenazi synagogues.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">1. There are many small liturgical changes, as basic prayers like the Amidah, Aleinu, Ahavat Olam, Kaddishes, Adon Olam, and many more have slightly different wording. We assume all our prayers came directly from Sinai, but looking at what happened when they spread out to different parts of the world, customs and even sacred wording varies. They also stand a lot less frequently.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">2. The Yemenites do everything aloud. There is no mumbling followed by chanting when you see the open box a la Sim Shalom or Art Scroll. </span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">3. The sound is very different. Lots of ululation in a very repetitive musical mode. They gave me an Aliyah, which I attempted to do Yemenite style. The Gabbai asked me if I had any relatives who were Yemenite after that. He was teasing me, but I tried. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">4. They auction off the last three Aliyot. Mine was free.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">5. They read from the Sephardic style of Torah in the large wooden casing with the Torah standing up. They do hagbah before the reading rather than after. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">6. After each line of Torah, another reader chants a similar sounding line. What he is chanting is actually an ancient Aramaic translation of the Hebrew Torah called the Targum Onkelos. At one time it must have helped the listener understand what was going on. Today it just adds length. Yemenites do not speak Aramaic (nor does any other Jewish tradition at this point in time). The Torah reader was straight from central casting, about 4 foot 10 and 70 something, with a great Yeminite look and voice. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">7. Some of the men wear Tallitot on Friday night. People also get up and lead from their seats. Perhaps all the leaders were wearing Tallitot, but it was hard to tell if that was the case. </span></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">We spent one Friday night at the Western Wall. There are many minyanim at once going on there, so we tried to find one to stick with, but it was very hard to hear. What we did enjoy was seeing a large group of Israeli soldiers dancing up a Shabbat storm and singing songs on both the mens' and womens' sides. The release of joy for such hard working young men and women whose mission is to protect this holy place was joyful and inspiring. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Saturday morning was spent at the Hurva Synagogue. Architecturally, it was amazing. Spiritually, it was lacking. The Hurva is in the Old City of Jerusalem and was rebuilt to its full beauty just a few years ago. It was destroyed by the Jordanians immediately after the 1948 War of Independence sort of gratuitously. Only the arch from the large dome-like structure still stood. When the Old City was recaptured by Israel in 1967, the original decision was just to leave the arch without rebuilding. Eventually, some U.S. donors decided to restore it to its former glory. It is certainly a beautiful synagogue, but the service was almost all Ashkenazic mumbling. The participants are the black velvet wearing kippa crowd, and not a soul talked to any of us. They also do not do the prayer for Israel or the Israeli army. It's almost a non-'Zionist relic stuck in the middle of Jerusalem, very strange and unsatisfying to us. Fortunately, all the people we spent Shabbat with later in the day made it holy instead.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Because we were not in Jerusalem, we had to drive to synagogue this Shabbat, and we drove to TBA's sister synagogue in Israel, a Masorti/Conservative synagogue called <a href="http://www.hodvehadar.org/eng/aboutus.php" style="color: #cc6611; text-decoration: none;">Hod v'Hadar</a> in K'far Saba. It was nice to be able to sit together as a family, and even nicer that Karen got the Aliyah instead of me this week. There was a Bar Mitzvah there, but an Israeli Bar Mitzvah is incredibly informal, really just a small part of the service. The kid was sweet and adorable. The place felt like home to us, very similar to a TBA service and atmosphere, and the degrees of separation in the game of Jewish geography were very small there. We ran into both a former Cantor of Torat Yisrael in Rhode Island, where I used to work, a man named Shimon Gevirtz (we were there 20 years apart so we knew each other only by name), and a woman who was married at TBA many years ago named Beverly Shulster, who had none other than the Pencovic's sign her Ketuba! It was a lovely Shabbat.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b><u>Moreshet Avraham in East Talpiot</u></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">This synagogue was a bit far away (a 45 minute walk) and is the main "regular" Conservative synagogue in Jerusalem. It is mostly Anglo, but the service, sermon, and announcements are all in Hebrew. They have great family programming--kids' services for both 4-10 year olds and 11-12 year olds. Micah actually has a couple of friends there, so it was easy to get him excited for shul this week. The tunes are Carelbach-ish on Friday night and fairly standard Conservative on Saturday morning. It was very standard during Shacharit, since I actually led it. Ruach was a bit mediocre. We have made some friends who go there, which was nice, and the overall atmosphere was friendly and war, though not quite as cheery as at our sister Conservative synagogue in Kfar Saba, Hod v'Hadar, where we were the week before. Still, if we lived here, it's a place we might join. Between this and Mizmor l'David, I guess we'd have to live in East Talpiot!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><u><b>Moreshet Yisrael in Rehavia</b></u></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">The "Inheritance of Israel" is the synagogue attached to the Conservative movement/USCJ facility in the center of Jerusalem. We were welcomed warmly by Rabbi Adam Frank, the brother-in-law of TBA member Debbie Weinstein. The service feels just like a Conservative synagogue in the U.S. They use Sim Shalom and Etz Chayim, and give the sermon in English. We also saw many other people we knew, including Kayla Ship, who is in charge of the congregational Israel trip through Keshet, Rabbi Jerry Epstein, past Executive VP of United Synagogue, Rabbi Danny Schiff, who is a rabbi I have known in both Pittsburgh and Australia and, a man named Yehiel, who used to frequent TBA but now lives in Israel (he wears white and looks very Chasidic; many of you would recognize him). I was roped into doing Haftarah, which I don't mind, and it was a very comfortable place to be. When we arrived 5 minutes after the service started, we were literally the only people in the room besides the person leading and the Rabbi), but the place eventually filled up with regulars (mostly elderly) and Day School groups from Florida and Connecticut. With all of the visitors, it's virtually a different shul every week. This was our week, as next week, I think we'll try the more Israeli Conservative synagogue.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b><u>Kol Hanishama--German Colony/Baka Border</u></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Kol Hanishama was where I spent most of my Friday nights in Rabbinical School. Reform services in Israel are almost entirely in Hebrew, and Kol Hanishama is known for their wonderful singing and energy. Some of the tunes we use often at Beth Abraham come from here, including the song "Kol Hanishama" and one of the melodies we use for Lecha Dodi. They still draw a large crowd, and we enjoyed ourselves, though we did not enjoy being relegated to the back in the "non member" section. On the one hand we understand that the regulars need places to sit, but it's not the warmest feeling when you walk in.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b><u>Hebrew Union College</u></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">On Saturday morning we went to Hebrew Union College on King David Street, which is where I attended my first year of rabbinical school. They do not have services every week there anymore, but this was a week in which they did hold them. I was pleasantly surprised by the ruach in the room compared to when I attended 21 years ago. With a congregation made up mostly of rabbinical students and alumni rabbis, though, I shouldn't have been that surprised. I did see some old colleague/friends that I hadn't seen in many years. I enjoyed many of the tunes, though they go very, very slowly, so some of them seem to take forever. The boys commented that the singing was a "little too much like the opera," though, having never been I'm not sure how they would know that. The Torah reading was very short (only three small Aliyot). I didn't mind, but it was strange for us. Still, it was fun to remember what it was like praying in that very same chapel as a student 21 years ago!</span><br />
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<div><u><b>Beit K'nesset H'klali</b></u>. <br />
We went to this one only on a Friday night, because it was advertised to us by a friend as a Bratslav (a particular Chasidic sect) style synagogue with lots of ruach. I don't know if we hit a bad night, but it had neither ruach nor Bratslaver Chasidim. It was hot, crowded, and smelled like smoke, but their version of L'cha Dodi was spirited and unique. Micah loved it, though, because one of his friends from camp was there. </div><div><br />
</div><div><b><u>Chesed v'Emet</u></b><br />
We were only on a Saturday morning, and they begin their services at 7 AM! I know that sounds frighteningly early to most of you, but we're up at that hour in Jerusalem .anyway. It came highly recommended by, of all people, a wine steward at the restaurant Gabriel. It was Sephardic, mostly older people, but with a certain amount of spirit and uniqueness to it. The men took turns reciting Psalms from their seats at the beginning, which is a custom in many Middle Eastern communities, and that's always interesting to see. </div><div><br />
<b><u>Yemin Moshe</u></b></div><div>After that we went to the Ashkenazic synagogue in Yemin Moshe, which is known for their great Kiddushes. This synagogue felt very familiar, much like any Conservative service in America, except with a Mechitza. Othewise, both the atmosphere and the tunes were familiar, and there was even a fairly traditional Bar Mitzvah (but the kid read the entire full Torah reading!). And, yes, the Kiddush was really, really good.</div><div></div><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b>OUT OF TOWN SYNAGOGUES</b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b><u>Berav Synagogue in Safed</u></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">On Friday night we drove to Safed to find a place to welcome Kabbalat Shabbat. We very much wanted to be there on Friday night, because Kabbalat Shabbat (the part of the service that goes from Yedid Nefesh through L'cha Dodi) was invented in Safed in the 16th Century by the Jewish mystics or Kabbalists. Every Friday after candlelighting they would gather to ecstatically greet Shabbat like a bride. That mysticism and religious fervor, along with many artists, is still the most prevalent thing about Safed today. I have been there many times, but never without a tour guide, so we had a very difficult time finding anything. We had intended to visit both the Ari Synagogue (the synagogue in the name of Rabbi Isaac Luria, who passed down the Kabbalah that we know today) or the Caro Synagogue (the Rabbi who wrote the Shulchan Aruch, the law compendium we still follow today). Unfortunately, we couldn't find either. We did enter the Bratslaver synagogue (famous for the great Rabbi Nachman of Bratslav, one of the greatest storytellers in Jewish history), and settled into the Beirav synagogue. While the <a href="http://www.safed.co.il/Synagogues/Beirav.html" style="color: #cc6611; text-decoration: none;">Beirav </a>synagogue building is nothing special, built in the 1800's and looking like a run down schoolroom, they are famous for having the most spirited Jewish services in the world. Not much spirit on the women's side, unfortunately, but the men's side was a party. Dancing and singing and jumping everywhere you turn at every prayer. It was part spiritual ecstasy, part hora, part fraternity party. I had a great time dancing with Micah, Jonah, and a bunch of happy strangers I will never see again.<br />
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<u><b>Tiberias Synagogues</b></u></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">The next morning we searched for a synagogue in Tiberias. We started at the Great Synagogue of Tiberias, which is a Rav Cook synagogue. Rav Cook was the first Chief Rabbi of Israel and one of the very few Orthodox rabbis who was a Zionist early on. The place was very Israeli and had some vibrancy to it. We probably should have stayed, but we were too late to find a seat. We next tried the Orbach Shul, known as the Shtieblach. There are a few different minyans going on at once there in different study rooms. There were no seats in any of them, and the davening was almost entirely silent. We finally made our way to a Chabad synagogue, where they had seats, but unlike most Chabad houses, very little joy. I had an Aliyah which I tried to mumble as fast as possible in imitation of the other Aliyot. It was still a little too audible. I did enjoy the sermon, however, which was about the menorah in the parasha Beha'alotecha, and how every tribe leader had to help light it, not just the High Priest. All of us, in the Jewish community, need to follow their example and help to light our own souls, not just rely on our leaders. I liked the message, but I mostly liked it because I could understand it even though it was all in Hebrew. The American accent and simple Hebrew of the Chabad Rabbi helped. Plus, if it's about the Torah portion, I usually know most of the words already and what they are likely to say. This is much easier for me to understand than a simple news broadcast.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b><u>Ofra Community Synagogue in Ofra</u></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">The synagogue there was quite interesting. They have one large synagogue which almost the entire community attends each Shabbat, The Shaliach Tzibur (prayer leader) decides each week whether they will use the Ashkenazic or Sephardic minhag (custom). In our case, Shacharit was led Sephardically and Musaf Ashkenazically. The mix of people is incredible. There are Ethiopian Jews and Yemenite Jews and quite a few <a href="http://www.bneimenashe.com/" style="color: #cc6611; text-decoration: none;">B'nai Menashe</a>, which are Jews from India who are ethnically Tibetan/Chinese. The place is a real melting pot, and nearly everyone knows each other.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small; line-height: normal;"></span></span><br />
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</span></span></span></div>Rabbi Mark Bloomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13950758046996988977noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270551505298521223.post-44981361415823335572011-08-14T04:27:00.000-07:002011-08-14T04:27:48.924-07:00The Final Week in Jerusalem<div>Mostly this week has been relatively uneventful, though tinged with a great deal of sadness upon our leaving. We are certainly excited to come home, see our friends, return to work, etc., but it's never easy to leave our other home, the holy city of Jerusalem. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Karen and I ended our time at the Conservative Yeshiva with tiyulim (mini trips around the neighborhood) and a lovely song session on the final day. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8AB6Xx1PB9uN5NC1nL_XxhYQ_heO9N0LmfTErS5M2JNL42ov34TWbk-xqPMb99cfuRW8WhDbaXrKqyMp2Z8O4uG_Xt3rpyWJJcLxIcYS8EZkyBdr4q1uljzgspIbB7khGwrlC1emYoUfE/s1600/Conservative+Yeshiva.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8AB6Xx1PB9uN5NC1nL_XxhYQ_heO9N0LmfTErS5M2JNL42ov34TWbk-xqPMb99cfuRW8WhDbaXrKqyMp2Z8O4uG_Xt3rpyWJJcLxIcYS8EZkyBdr4q1uljzgspIbB7khGwrlC1emYoUfE/s200/Conservative+Yeshiva.JPG" width="200" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;"></span></a></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilRaOgTMGV1Q32uQC9ViJzZyZWMdzqkh3G4KUrrSiHzSgVWoHXTKNPzZqxQNrBzv6aHJw_QZbnq-ywt1DVudDPq-gLuEd3eCc2XGVwlzRHrvsngThwdpzy2DkSYT1ex2dwixkvKxjqOBED/s1600/Ulpan+Mark.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;"></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilRaOgTMGV1Q32uQC9ViJzZyZWMdzqkh3G4KUrrSiHzSgVWoHXTKNPzZqxQNrBzv6aHJw_QZbnq-ywt1DVudDPq-gLuEd3eCc2XGVwlzRHrvsngThwdpzy2DkSYT1ex2dwixkvKxjqOBED/s1600/Ulpan+Mark.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilRaOgTMGV1Q32uQC9ViJzZyZWMdzqkh3G4KUrrSiHzSgVWoHXTKNPzZqxQNrBzv6aHJw_QZbnq-ywt1DVudDPq-gLuEd3eCc2XGVwlzRHrvsngThwdpzy2DkSYT1ex2dwixkvKxjqOBED/s200/Ulpan+Mark.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">My classmates at the Conservative Yeshiva Ulpan</span></div><div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbc8FKvuW-Zw0r1y-TK2kEcEIaZXSpOLCBAncTwx3HlZ-YApSRUOUABcF9ESJ_v7hH-5KPkZTBX_xYL-JfmqZNQu2uqXafHcmbRWtg_0oaAALrLZTutVmvQrJklCJrk4Zzl28egvSXq9I6/s1600/All+Star+Mincha.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbc8FKvuW-Zw0r1y-TK2kEcEIaZXSpOLCBAncTwx3HlZ-YApSRUOUABcF9ESJ_v7hH-5KPkZTBX_xYL-JfmqZNQu2uqXafHcmbRWtg_0oaAALrLZTutVmvQrJklCJrk4Zzl28egvSXq9I6/s200/All+Star+Mincha.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mincha Minyan at the Stadium</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdjfrYJAsY9qurQJqkXLHKpJyij6cUcWQ-Oz-G9YjTjhVz4uTal-aGBSTs160KI27zSvgMwOz_MSSfJQX8it7QmZUMMt5yUf0-bWFsDamR8ew89XDMHBb4zBjhCKScuNVexqbqDJe93WhW/s1600/All+Star+Kraft.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdjfrYJAsY9qurQJqkXLHKpJyij6cUcWQ-Oz-G9YjTjhVz4uTal-aGBSTs160KI27zSvgMwOz_MSSfJQX8it7QmZUMMt5yUf0-bWFsDamR8ew89XDMHBb4zBjhCKScuNVexqbqDJe93WhW/s200/All+Star+Kraft.JPG" width="200" /></a>Jonah and Micah ended their fourth week the All Star Sports Camp at Kraft Stadium, which they loved. They made a lot of friends and played a lot of dodgeball, among other sports. There was also a family night, where the parents played dodgeball, watched the movie <i>Space Jam</i>, and ate ice cream sundaes. In between, I was part of a mincha minyan in the middle of the field at Kraft Stadium, a unique and somewhat bizarre experience to be sure. We also went to the first ever organized Lacrosse game in Israel at said stadium, Jerusalem vs. Tel Aviv, and the kids got to take shots on the goalie at half time.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzegKTOUsRti7O5c1UNy3TDdSE0hZjfMamOAJqLlpyzbggC1_wbmBXlM-vNhQoHTO2oXxcDRYQ2iFVHwpptZr8WrXL7ynCuJZuDExCfZ_hOyBd8zC7JYx6-XBnHLQAOd8OrGzLW6u1JioI/s1600/All+Star+Sruli+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzegKTOUsRti7O5c1UNy3TDdSE0hZjfMamOAJqLlpyzbggC1_wbmBXlM-vNhQoHTO2oXxcDRYQ2iFVHwpptZr8WrXL7ynCuJZuDExCfZ_hOyBd8zC7JYx6-XBnHLQAOd8OrGzLW6u1JioI/s200/All+Star+Sruli+2.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Micah and his best buddie Sruli</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4WGnX6wH2VyEDtJDht7fC2azQpzgjXoP5HKCPUiDzZhhDllcMRhrr7aNdOue2nkcNryub1JczoxcmIK-cwZoXknlERysh4xJEIEa5sh13CpLxFUPoEiOERoKwjmJdZOvS2aUoENO3fVCp/s1600/All+Star+Tzvi.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4WGnX6wH2VyEDtJDht7fC2azQpzgjXoP5HKCPUiDzZhhDllcMRhrr7aNdOue2nkcNryub1JczoxcmIK-cwZoXknlERysh4xJEIEa5sh13CpLxFUPoEiOERoKwjmJdZOvS2aUoENO3fVCp/s200/All+Star+Tzvi.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jonah and his best bud Tzvi</td></tr>
</tbody></table>We made our last visits to the Wall, enjoyed our last Shabbat (with our good friends and neighbors from home, the Margolin/Zangwill's, a good transition to coming home), and enjoyed our favorite burgers, shwarmas, felafels, ice creams, etc. one last time.<br />
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</div><div><b><u>Shuls of the Week</u></b></div><div>We managed to get three in in one Shabbat. On Friday night we went to Beit K'nesset Hak'lali, which was advertised to us by a friend as a Bratslav (a particular Chasidic sect) style synagogue with lots of ruach. I don't know if we hit a bad night, but it had neither ruach nor Bratslaver Chasidim. It was hot, crowded, and smelled like smoke, but their version of L'cha Dodi was spirited and unique. Micah loved it, though, because one of his friends from camp was there. </div><div><br />
</div><div>On Saturday morning, we started at a synagogue in our neighborhood called Chesed v'Emet, who begin their services at 7 AM! I know that sounds frighteningly early to most of you, but we're up at that hour in this place anyway. It came highly recommended by, of all people, a wine steward at the restaurant Gabriel. It was Sephardic, mostly older people, but with a certain amount of spirit and uniqueness to it. The men took turns reciting Psalms from their seats at the beginning, which is a custom in many Middle Eastern communities, and that's always interesting to see. </div><div><br />
</div><div>After that we went to the Ashkenazic synagogue in Yemin Moshe, which is known for their great Kiddushes. This synagogue felt very familiar, much like any Conservative service in America, except with a Mechitza. Othewise, both the atmosphere and the tunes were familiar, and there was even a fairly traditional Bar Mitzvah (but the kid read the entire full Torah reading!). And, yes, the Kiddush was really, really good.</div><div><br />
</div><div><b><u>Wine of the Week</u></b></div><div> <img height="320" src="http://www.taborwinery.com/ItemImages/329/450X450_%D7%9E%D7%A1%D7%97%D7%94%2005.jpg" width="158" /></div><div>Tabor Mescha 05 Bordeaux style blend. This was the winery we chanced upon near Tiberias, and this is a very tasty, flavorful red that we tried there and was our favorite. Great berry/currant notes, and a 91 rating from me. </div><div><br />
</div><div>It's not going to make the blog, but on my very last night I am going to the Israel Wine Festival at the Israel Museum. For 70 shekels ($20 or so) you get a glass and can taste as many wines as you like from more than 30 Israeli wineries. I leave for the airport at 2 AM the next morning, but how can I not go? I can't wait!</div><div><br />
</div><div>For more on my final thoughts as the trip comes to an end, click here.</div><div><br />
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</div>Rabbi Mark Bloomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13950758046996988977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270551505298521223.post-2628992887680770892011-08-10T07:16:00.000-07:002011-08-10T07:16:21.215-07:00Tisha b'Av, Tents, and Pigeon EggsThere were three separate happenings this week that are all connected by a common theme of homelessness.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><img src="data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAQAAAQABAAD/2wBDAAkGBwgHBgkIBwgKCgkLDRYPDQwMDRsUFRAWIB0iIiAdHx8kKDQsJCYxJx8fLT0tMTU3Ojo6Iys/RD84QzQ5Ojf/2wBDAQoKCg0MDRoPDxo3JR8lNzc3Nzc3Nzc3Nzc3Nzc3Nzc3Nzc3Nzc3Nzc3Nzc3Nzc3Nzc3Nzc3Nzc3Nzc3Nzc3Nzf/wAARCABzAOIDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAHAAAAQUBAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAABgADBAUHAgEI/8QAQhAAAgEDAwIEBAMHAgQDCQAAAQIDAAQRBRIhBjETIkFRB2FxgRSRoRUjMrHB0fDh8RYkQlJDU3IlNVViY3SCk6L/xAAaAQACAwEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABBAACAwUG/8QALxEAAQQBAwMCBQMFAQAAAAAAAQACAxEEEiExE0FRBSJCYXGBsRSh0SMyY5HB4f/aAAwDAQACEQMRAD8A0ux1Eyx9+FTFCt7ma8kKngmrLTVYaTcXAzheKh6fF4hJbuTmub6lk9KEFP4sQD3Kb0wzJqAgY8AE1P6tuFhit9zqpZyBk4ycdqjacog1yAkYDxkfehj4hSvddU6fCsreA0Jwnif9QY87fTg4z61bGytWF1SqSRg5IAV7oOoRpfLIWBUjg+9MGE3Us03q0hqPa6c0emh1z+6Xg/SrXQUEtk2R5g5zXGzvUxLi6mdjummRiN5cFTXCNBIy+leGYmARegOTVtqkStbO69wwH61TvGUkMbAg9uaZwMl82Pf2V3adQKnzRNFpUAxzMc1A8MkEj0IWinXYFSPTlA8q5X/+aoNoBdfa4WmZ31MWeG2sYXXHfkrySyKjPtTSxTeGcHyetSru6KyyRjue1PWhxaTwyDEqe/zrkNnyY4up2/lNENuihKS+u4eoEgUlbYLtb55HfPyP9au1RvGj3csxFUiRSlLm+uFOFOM/Q44+VXOlzi5MFw0ispAIdT5T86fxZXzSBoOwVJdLWkqd+GkOpoiKfMwPFOapbk6s8bDkc0WWlrFlZgAXA9PSqLqcCDU7Ocf+J5T9q6Oawsx3lnKRgm1Si1YdP3Cppojc48KQrXt9eKuqWqBvbOD7mhp7po45whxmWuZVuo4l1BgWMci5z6LnvVf1zIomazuaUOMXOcVddS3TW17AU/7P60PXMrXMzykVddRSJcXVtIp8rQEiqa1KsjAEEb1GfvzVMrIdrLAO4W2PG0R6++6vtR0/w7KADOSoyKHJojFIyN3B7UbahdwpqNpbsw5OfpzQzqEJuNXuVi5AJOR7U1kMJaNKxxn07fhQhL+48Ieprh4WUAntU61tAIhMwHPIp66g3WfiKOwzXBn9QuQMHHC6DGBu/lQ7BgtxuJwAK7sZ2W5OB/GTio0ETythM+Y4oghso47+wTHG85+flJpxuayOSOBvJKxlYPc4qusrySC5kjz/ABcVNsITueTHzpm5simuyRoOM5+1WNq6Kk8fG4LXYaD3SDyOyZNzz3pVUM53Hn1pUbQ0KLa9Stb9MiN7JmaWRxK4YKqLnAOT9uPnTGl6qTJO0flSAKWMnl3Z74z7YoeS4upIzYxsWjkflWX+XtSudcOj2rQzF45Jbrwjggfu8HcQe24fOk5I4skiN2+yv1Hwtc7yUX9S6nLbWdvqWnhW2g8sCcAj2rP4bi+1OU6hPvOyR3TJJCBsHAz8/wCdGWgSjUOip4ZHErQKyZPeu+itKju+kbuTaM7mGce1eehyJMeF+OBek19k8zTYkKm2epRx9KyyMfOVxye+a76R1ZJYb3xAiYCsiq3/AMvzoP6n8S16OkBLhPEVSQPShHStc2RSeE7eI67G3DjjPb/PSr4mCJ8SRre7llK8NlAPBWvzXgbQ5L6RTsWTPB7jPz4qtvuobN7nxLlI4VEgAw4yBnjdk8Hg1Yz2oPwoffyzWuSaxYamyuJLmQSkIFVSCVB98fc/nXU9Gh6bHsd5tKZkrtQLPmtt1/qqwljg8Jj5JgSxYcAqRgDOSc4H2NUo1Tx9RS2toy/iOHZjwFx/Os1i1mISOHyFEfDcktg8fzrVPh7ZJfMlwRzszzzgmp6t/Sd1GCyRSvhS3GQ7shvqnVr621AxxXMcCswVCF82cZzk59qlaHfXQvTBLfSXstzsZXck7R69/wBaa+ImnmHqK2jZcCaRSrY9jj+tFfS/S8dtq0c7ruKjIJ5rnuygMVsNe535CbLfd1SV51rBFpHRFy2AGK4+5oG0fWb2bSbKEwLHGII1DFSd+PUk9u1Tvjlrskk0ekW5G0Ptce5wP7imegbK41H93eeeSGJU3ebzKBxnPqBx9qYwQ3BxnyO8/wC+yXJMjg0n6og0/qjVBcNJuVo1iBm3gYHJyR7dxzTdp1BJ1HqdtaNJ4ssDyNMuAPCPGBxkH1/zFC3xSgGn3NtCZGiCgFCpxhgeMirD4CWv4nWNWupPN4cSpnOfMTyc/PFNvndk4RczlyyLRHPt2V7a3Bn1ZrBkbKyZY470cahaxxaRcBwAvhNkfaommaVE2sTXIUZ3+1V3xe1xtE6WIiO2a5cRL9+9cOON2czWfhoD6pmSUagBxygI9T30WpRWl8Vmh34iESYYA+mfXj61ax6pZxGGOPdGJd7qZDjfg54+1DUljdy6FbayjqFBIZyewPB7VXdPxPf9Q27NdeKvKhBuZR88ng5+Veg6sJx3OvdvP2WAL25Ab8JWpaHBfa7YXGpzM24ufw+7ghR2zTOk6/ZW1xdx3Umy6ML4Ddsjvz2o70OzWy0iGFQFCrnFYrawft3r66iBBhiuC2MemaRimkhBmebDhdeFrfUto7LQLo/hdFt5WUhXUckYxmpdrsn0ldvm3DH1p/q2FDpMVug9hxUbTP8Alo7W2PYkDmvMZILTpB3u0w15LLXsNktq8Ibgs3HzqwuisGpWBbIBdsk/+k1B60vk06504A4LSDtUb4iIZdEjKMQwlUgqcHmnoYXw5bXyHgrJ7zIB81X6j1haWHUN2ZrR5Uj8qkNtJI75B/ztVPcdVGBzci3YpL2Gf9KE4JpLSaRbl/3LS5ZQxywII79sdqtpreSextoobUzFRkkE4/WvYzyUWae6Sga7U8O7KV/xSW5/Zz88/wAf+lKkvT2qFQRp3GOOR/elW+gLPqlRdGuE/abEqcouQcetCnW1xMt9dW5YbFk8ZB6jcvOPviiSRDY3SOcEtGRwPXihvrDa96LgdzEBXHYDDmb+F0JGieGwiDoXXIYun760eT94yZGfUkUffDlJLboqUSd2aRgD61gWkXXg3iZYrnAzn17f59K+i9JaODSYYF/hMfb6iuT6wDiEuZ8Z/wCf+qROEkdDsqfqyw8foG5dFDSKvibce1YfYqzsd6hcnChAB2Py7nmvom4Mcuky2rfwtCV5rFhoRhvmVA4DSZOMbQfXireh5bWRvadq3VJoXPcCFqWr6mlt8MEUkbmtlQAe9YDJM4t1VwVk3Zy3c1qmuTyDTLex8MOEX+Eng/2oc1DTba8tj4UMal1Ql95G3ABzjIGe4+3ftXV9K2jLj3P7KuUzQQEFCQlAc5H8Oa3L4P6tEVNmWHiiPPJ9qw65t3tnaM7iVIByuMHv9v50UfDfVWs+rbLJwjkox+RrX1KIyQlzeW7hZ45Ath7rRPjfeC2fSLlRlhIf0xRf0Xr0Oq2qyxEFgnP6Vlnxt1AXdxYWsT7jEpY8+9QfhPr8trrH4SRz4bqQB864px3y4Tcn422f3TX+MrnrW+ln6o16NiNiXG+M7gCCBtGD9ccfWtC+E1rJb280lx/ExzzQBfaZPe9a3e7PgSTeIcfX/etUs5Y9M095BxgE1X1LK0wRxs5NIRwluonus8+PEqvq9o0fdVOeOKvvgHC1toepXTDHjTDHzwP9aAde1P8A4k1Z0kG5jJhSTjaM+nv61q3Q3gWWiNbQkeV/MPtWuXPJjYLWfFyoIQ4k/ZXnTusRyTzI7AOZCMUMfGy8EWn6dKxbaJHA2nnO3g0I/t2Sw6tjgD7Ua45/Op/xxvVbTNMi7kzs35KP71hiNlhyIovhdujkRNAJHhXfTccV58JbpCM7o5iDnJzz71nPQc9vH1HZnZIgUbGLOSB/arLRuqVsPh+9gGKySblBHpmg2TUJItRWdHUtEB50zhuSc8/XH2rpwQSOE7HCgSaWLhpcxfVN9frbaVNMCAscLMOflWJfDq7VeqJ5423PKGeVD/0HJ/nVxpPVj6x0LfRytmeNCp59KoPhpL+KuL+5kUb0jxu9T7foK57RL+nmbNy2gtmR08VwUfP1HFqGqi13jIkxjNXt7EY7u1l7KrCsITWGsuojcF+BMePcVtd3qkT6F+MJG1YRICPpXNzsJ2O6Mt7/AJWxIOw+ipev743+rpDboJTBCXOCAV5HvxV31JL4ug2/i9ztJz61j+m69cXupTOwfM8qxsw/7D25+tah1g0h0NUt03urIAAcV0cqJzHQRO5JNrGMiyRwEH61Bbxb7naq8DDBRkc+lc20aBVcySbRwB4hX74qvmtNZlt3gk02Qyv/AA7O5Gf87UTS6XqNxFa/8hcBkU5Ct4ZBPvz27cV6eCHQ0B29JLIltx0d154i/wDnv/8AvP8AelUU6VdZOYboH/7hv70qYsJTSfKs9ZsCkMe4HCk7GBB3j3Hl+f6UMX+hwX0agvckYx5So4+4rQbiwjhskjPnI5yx7Gh2S2AZlKDGfQYrnSt1OD+662OQGlhVFbfDzS5bQzw3uoGdQWWLYp3MPqo9f0oy0mctZRoJ+UADFhz8u1VTyi1g24YZICneVyc/3NePbXlgq7S/huAfKDj1pfOxhlMAPIUgIieQeClfa89lqD27SBlwGyPnVNa6pFPqwyFHJ7e/9asHkMmPEWPnGQ8YJx+VcrYKG3x2top9AIBkH3yKVi9Oa0GtimnStaQpN5HFdXUbA8Y7+1Cd9ZwwagXGwTJ/CzZGQew/T/aiQTOjFWRFI/8ApimZljmJaS2t5PQ74ga1w4ZIXUTsqzBr2bISkgivnmthsiUE72diMc9xjue3HtVb+CXTbyG7s7rxUUrkkYOffHtxWn6fDY3TmK7sbGcgAKr2oJx7DI+tcX2m2K3QiXS7CNS+Mi3UD6EY47iurVt0rmi2yWVmtrdNq+vkXLFtxwM80zoJksupkKggJIc49s4rU/2XaGwEkGmWEc6PlXW2RWP3xTKWltNYuzWVqZo8kOYQW79gfzNZGPlg4IW/VBAcebXk+pW8Mrz8b+1OtrK3WlOu7h4yMA1X7ldTm3hKngeQVwGhjBCW0JXnsmMVxj6bsPIXQMjDygG1lMGrIxYsoy3LZ5Pei7onqTF3ewSsfMdy4+VWlto+nTRux0yxMmCwYxgH/fntTp0/TIbVJYNLs4pU7skIBNdXIxmTxkO8JFk+k6fms/1q7La6typ/8XP61M+I2rftSexUE4jhzj5miQ2mnlwXsbVuckmIGp+nWunTlkuNKsJkI3ASRg4I/WhHE3Wx1btV5iQxyybxGNuifxAf9NXGnW8E+kSpNEFwwG9Rhh88mtKl0PSFuT/7G09FIyF8FT/SoElrYRPNGmn2ixN/07AAftTE1hvt8peOnuN+EP8ASEcNvYagizHZLBko3fIJHH1qN0dqyabbaiozl+BxRlcWVmAj2mm2USOgBEUQG4fP3rqTQtLZo8aXZhBgMqRKCfv61g7FEhfq+Kv2WjMgMa0eFkt3OZ5m/wDVnOPetIudZKdBCPdhmtlUVcPo3T0RLLpFi20cHwxgn7mq5I7F1SN7O3MAIBjkTK49qGXjtk6YrgqQSXrJQJ0zIUvYQV4JUgkeoOf6VsGp3RngZM8ZB4+RocNtpYcC306xhGSfJHgjj3p1rp0Yxs4f6DFZ5eL1JmyeFbEcA0tKvYSJby3HicbMgk8VbwOVkAYL5uPNkChO3vWWdHVFwoHOR/UYq3l1ISxbZoUYKdxA4zwfy/OuiN0m8UU7Ld4lcfipF8x4AHH6UqjCd8DFspHvk/2pUaVKTnU/UQ0SxW5liLRZCnA557UEyfEGykkLeDMMn/sB/rWkX2k217EBdW/iRjnBORx8j9ayn4mWNrYz2sdpBHEPPnYuM8Cl2AE0U6He22qTcda2N5JEngzAhhglRjPv3qz1vX00lI2ljlzIQcg7ucfPGO3pVj0v0zaah07Y3BtozL4SHOwc8UNfFC2a1/CIVCoGIAH0qUNQAVyRpN8hWtnqcU9iLs42kByD/wBINVf/AB9ZwSP4dvK4BIVlAAx9zU3SrJ7no1BuChoApYsAACO5JoT0qy1rTZJvwunwXJOAxIWUD2xg0Wgbov7UFbSddW087ObeVckkkKvr96v7CaK9shdW2WjIyD2oP1a51UWo/amhQJEGHm8Ipz6cg5ot6RkiuunGeyh8AAEbN24Bs/M5+dFze4UB7H8JrpvqGHUNUFtHGyna2dy8AZAPrRLrly2k25vTkxwpnyLzjufqTWRaDc6jaatLLpEPi3IDcbd3G4Z4+uKutW1bqu50+eK/sSluYz4jeERtX1PejprhZag73EIu6f6ki1pmSJJAEIXzIPb0+dWtzIbC0m3tsjGWcEYwPf59qBvhk21rjkDMqgg+vHb/AFqT8SdaZEGnxv55BmXaMELknH3NSjqpAtBpxUUdYWk0pQeIBITy0Yxz6nmizTLcXUDHbkghVP27GswubfThosXhXUTXqne4A759B9P6UZdC9TqLaO0nkxMB4YO0HPtz8/6UdIG4RcS4aSim3gkthKMhV3YOOMkVxPBOEcCMMpU42nI/zmrKOZmiL43An/y1wD9M969b8Q1nJJHhUGQQVA+9E8JdtFwWYSdT2sEsiEShkJT+AY44PrXVv1hZRSK5hc4GMFB/eh+1/EDXLj8LbJcS75P3b9iNxyatJ11iWGRDosAG08hBkDHfvVS1oKaDy5p/hGuga3bazK0schySF8NvKE/z3qq6l1qGw1FYplYlhkbOfXHPNVnw4EIlmCOfH4LAjAA9D86ldR6LqOratD4MEfhI2TL2Y89sfaoeaVWgD3AbostSZbXccggYUen+lQdb1mPR4vGn3gHgbeSc/X86soYWgtMPgFRntjn+tZh1NqK6rrCwNPston2+Iewx3P8ASiDazLWhxPbsiWz6og1KU26LIm4FiGAGffFSbt/wkLSKjOqjJUEE/lQRqr2dnqMN1o8ysoA8q5G0jjn6j+taHo5i1WxSWLtIuQCB/mfSi7haNoH8/RU2i6zb6jdHwGZCpBIcAZH9qutaeKzha+kYY2gsQDwR/figTVrSTpzqENtIhYlgMd1z5h9v7VK6w1Rr2WCwtWMgIRiF9cgbRUrsof7tR7Ih0PV49VJSGJwqnlnXAGfp7Cip4VCqqAllG7dtJHP+fWqXpLT7bTbaC0M8AuCMtG0ihyx5yFznsPaiIyKJVAHI+Y832zUasZSCdl4sPlHft70qmLEm0ZK5x6mlVllal2sihcuXIK8kvkfzoH666X1DXJo5LXw1SIt/Hkd8ew+VFsciKY0t2YR7TkMcnufWrCB4Gym92jwD34z86XB3TLSGjjlU3RcdzZaRFZ3EZRrdQhO/hsccVQ/ELpy71yaH8GEjSJicyMcNkYxxn2o4h8FJ3ZfFUnGFycYIzx88106xMMMmVIGSzE57/P50RY3U1jUdkJ6V07dHpR9NnTLLF4ZZW4Y49KDI/h/1Hp0rixvEjz/EVLKT+Wa15GaKR8lwjNnysTnjH2pueNL2FlM1zEmSGZGKkjn19uxqzTXCJkvkLJrjovqq7Xwbu/8AERiPI0jkZ9PSi7p/QZNA0ZreUlmfO5i20bj8s0XxyCRgSJgpbIVu447nnvS2LGY+JW8xPmJOfT3+Y/MUd0BIAbpZf0j0tfaX1BJNcGNwVIZUJzhip78f4aL+qdPN3o09lbLtklTww7yeUsTgevf0q1mtrUXBuVMxnO6NtpdiV44wM8AimLh4ZZ4o3lkVzl2QowLMpDAgkdxj75oG0Op8kHdKdNaloKXQnKFpMMpRjj78Cq+PobUdQ1k3usPG0MpLFUJB7cDt2rQtQhbUY0Fu9zEyOshCkgg4IwajdNaff2mmtb6rdzTyxyu0RDHAjP8ACCRy3Yn7gURd2oZRQFIaHw+00ABbXfnOT4pGD6DvVJp/Rmoadrwli8F4VkwEcndjv3x3FaRndtSOWcK/CvuYHcOD8xjBrqSSNLuXz3AcSbgXLAHI9Pl71N0OrXIXiCJLUp4LiWNScITgZxnPOD61BkS6m09/AMiuGbeCc9vYZ9q91a8W0sp5oWckKRmXcec98D7/AKVD0W+kvLKFRO4diFcElS/AByCPWiN9lndG0EP0Jr0d9LcWsyQlmZlZWYEAk8EgV7/wf1R/8SPPf99J/atTuzNEBJ4zRoAc8+n+/wDah2TrC0jvYrJFa4kYAO6tgA/WiriX5Ks6L6QudJle4nkV5JAEG3gD5Z9aK1iWKcrKpJXgYHAp23uypG93j3KGCsO3pXkstrthuJDLIjPgmPnPB7/KpSq5+pV3U8F1eWJt9MiCTSKdruT5fcjH0oM0LoWCMzLrAErg8bCQB7+3+Ci+86qsLG8iwJJYN7KZUySp5xgHkj/evbXUbaeZjLFKGYBoncEeKxH8Kjvnv3xQVg8AAEIe1PoGyS0kFtEVkZfI28nafzpdIaFq+jPJDcGNoc7l2scqfX7HFGMV3HOiMhlVNozvUgj1p4uPEcOzbWwM4I9PejSnV8hC/XOhNq0CxwRkTIQyueRnOCPpQ50/0dPYaqs2oOjiP+FVzw3zyK0W4bOWAZiSMADJbk9uKhvdSmWUMuSvIOOB9iO/FT6ICTbcbqv/AGfcQ6p+PEymHCAxbcHyqV7+mc1PubqFEkZSMoFOTzjA/XmuZbv924B2tj6nj5UG9P3+rXcM51V5d6BPDWWNYySQc44GfT9Kt2WI5R54r+rvn5YpVDWWN1DBLjBGeFNKjupsrSJVlYJtYn0BHPavbW4RbloFSYN/3GM7D781wlyN/AbKgZxGRgelSIpirgZfPuIz8v6UuWrYO2UkLMzB/Px3wO/ypx1jKctIT74ptZpCASW2HsQoAH506XKru3nCj270dKlrxnjbhmceb1UjP6Vx4ojJRTLtOSWVc4+p9K5WRhIqnxMt3wnApANjcrPknI8oH14JqAKWF3G8VtGiF7iTLgebzMPmT7V0jpLtK+JjseO3Of7flUYoyyb3uJdrdkCrjt74z/vUG3v0t52tJLyR7ppSygooxHnAyB/PvV6VbUu48ZXyXkBJzjAz+lJJUuEUn8ShDbEGwjBIwccfXmmJ4zLPG7SSeXCMUwuV5OD968uJiWQKl0QjCQGLHmI9CSRkHPajSFhd2c74lkEkwBwMPg4XHB7evf65ros7Sr4TyszEK2DgKADjI/LtzTduDH5R4vmGGLHIX2AB+tdNIyMNruG3+gH8OO3y+1QBQkJqGVrtFnildmjJKnA5B+XHzr2bxSwZvGLqeFCjHPGTTFuBaRsYRcKNyqUY7jtDdxk8DGT9KqtY6pFnqPgQ2s8jjBchMDGOM59KNIWrKaWK4EazmXDELs2d+R6Y+v2FU99BqLyJPoLGOEHOWUHn355x34qygljj09WLzLtUHc45H1Oew+dNRMsNnMkRmaOM4jUoGYjHuce5/KppKhOycW4um0wS3M80imMsZPCwGB9Rx254Htihey0tINXEyRSSxiTnaoBH+xx+dE3jMLMWqSSrGAIgjQ4OOBzz7VGgkW6tnR3mjny2S0QB78YIPbA+tTSVA7ZTHuFhR55vFk242hU82c9sevf9KkWs2Y1jmIUKwKjb3zmotrJEgW38QyOqhsMnJGcE/mRTwmzIWEwKDsDER278/nVqQtU2t2CX12paVy4KsE2+Vft61aWzJHAIio8RJFaMEAAcY7e/LVxfzWdvOl205WJFzIxQ8AZ57V7BdQMWbx1KliUbwiPL6cH5Y/WhppHUCumuGSGPM4RS2GIXjBH047/pXs2qRwRZnvFSLIVy2BtGT649qhzsjIBHP+ad8dj2OKousbkDQWjJHJAGBjJHeiAgTavLbqfT7++e3s75dyv5dyYDcc4PrUbUyZJPGWVzI7bm8MYBUH3x7/Os00CZ4tWhZGAO7GSM1pS30ew+LLCuMAcGrUFUml64WSULPu37RkFMYHfj3Oc+tVF5d3InmkVZvCTaAzjA4IySAOx57VdSakss6gzxHgkbW9/eol7eQyRMniRsGU92HPFTSqkqyF+wGA+APYGlVTb6Y5t4it1KFKDAEhGBj2zxSqUhaJopHy654JAI/KpMdxKHKh8AZ9B86VKsStwpVrIzgq53AtyCPn/pUncREe35UqVHsomWJLRjPcEn8651H91aXDxnaywkgjjBpUqIQUTWLiaCz3RSMrKyAHPu2DTU8MYufG2/vBtAb1FKlU7oJyOWQRREOclAe/rTU8j5I3HGQMf/AIk/zpUqsouzNJtg87fvJQrc9xz/AGpjTp5Z7FJZnLORnJ98kf0pUqiC6gdnWMsckxEn8hUYQRNcsGjU7gN2R3pUqKieYlrWQHkYxjHHaoyyOLcEOew9aVKigV0zFWfaSMsSfyFQwdkrSqFDsoDHaOR3/mTSpUUE6JHijneNiGYK5OfXj+wri1UQ2ypFkL5mxnPJLE/qaVKoVYKDr0UclnFbOgMIONnYcDin9MJ/BRjPZfXn0pUqqFHKS7sYVYnnGc4oa66Zv2XtycbjSpUVUcoQ6V/992/1P8q0vxH2A7iDjPBpUqKj+VzISFHmPbPJzQVqE0hVWLcqzEe3GAOKVKrqivHdldlVmCg4AB7UqVKggv/Z" /></div><br />
<b><u><br />
</u></b><br />
<b><u>The Homeless Bird</u></b><br />
There is a very strange commandment in Deuteronomy 22:7: called Shiluach Haken, The verse tells us that if you chance upon a Mother bird sitting on her eggs, do not take the mother with the young. You may take the young, but be sure to let the mother go, so that it may go well with you and you may have a long life. It's a very mysterious mitzvah. Theoretically, according to Rambam and other commentators, it is more humane to send the mother bird away since it would be too cruel to see her watch her eggs being taken away. You may or may not agree with the commandment, but that's the mitzvah anyway. I never imagined me fulfilling this mitzvah, because the few times I have seen nests, they have been in trees, and why would I want or need to do anything with the eggs.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGTLlx-ijzESZvChWQPVaWygYDFKJUHKaKczqDiWaJ_-rD-_zwW9Y3u15XShyphenhyphenFjvybdiW-xQDCse8S4dji8tHdNjVfp8ZVAM4bqYWXACEpWs5zXpXtN2Tou7g21hNs4YsdjI7L413hAafX/s1600/Eggs+and+Nest.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGTLlx-ijzESZvChWQPVaWygYDFKJUHKaKczqDiWaJ_-rD-_zwW9Y3u15XShyphenhyphenFjvybdiW-xQDCse8S4dji8tHdNjVfp8ZVAM4bqYWXACEpWs5zXpXtN2Tou7g21hNs4YsdjI7L413hAafX/s320/Eggs+and+Nest.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Pigeon's Nest on our Windowsill</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Well, a pigeon made a nest on the windowsill of our bedroom window. These are not clean birds, and having the mother bird and, potentially, the baby birds there presents a health hazard. So we had to remove the nest. We opened the window, and almost as if it knew the Torah line, the Mother bird flew away. We then removed the nest (well, Karen did, actually), placing it on a bush nearby. I'm not sure the bird ever found the eggs, but, as strange as it sounds, this was quite a spiritual moment for our entire family. It was all still twinged with a little bit of guilt that we may have created a couple of homeless baby birds.<br />
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<b><u>Tent Cities</u></b><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tent City in Downtown Jerusalem</td></tr>
</tbody></table>When you think of tent cities you think of homelessness. There are tent cities springing up all over Israel today, but not for homeless, but rather, as the centerpiece of one of the largest protests in Israel's history. Hundreds of thousands of Israelis are protesting the cost of housing in Israel, which continues to rise. Some say it has been deliberately planned by the left wing to bring down the Netanyahu government. In point of fact, many of the left wing groups in Israel are providing funding for the tents, the food, the speakers, and the entertainers. It also appears that many of the protesters are young people having the time of their lives. I was particularly uncomfortable last night when about 50 of these folks were walking with torches on King George Street in the center of town, though fortunately trailed by both police and fire trucks.<br />
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But you also see people from across both the religious and political spectrum involved in these protests. And you see passion and dedication and caring from people about meeting the basic needs of their country and its people. And you see that, perhaps, the agenda for this country in future elections will be not only about security and terrorism but also about the economy and about the society in which the people want to live. And you see a responsiveness on the part of the government that you don't see in most of the world, as they try and figure out equitable solutions for all. <br />
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What you don't see is a government crackdown on the protesters like you see in the rest of the Middle East. What you don't see is violence and looting like you see in England.<br />
What you don't see is hopelessness and despair.<br />
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Solutions are another matter Everyone wants more affordable housing, more affordable daycare, and higher paying jobs. but exactly how one gets it is another matter entirely. And I'm not sure the very people who are protesting would be willing to take buses and forgo owning cars or live in Kibbutzim instead of private homes or subsist on a diet of lentils and rice and chickpeas and black coffee instead of hanging out in cafes and sushi bars. Still, that people are having a dialogue about such important issues is a very good thing, all catalyzed by a bunch of tents symbolizing people without a home. <br />
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<b><u>Tisha b'Av</u></b><br />
<div>This week we commemorated the holiday of the 9th of Av, which, in a way, is a holiday about the homelessness of the Jewish people. The holiday originated as a way to commemorate and mourn our exile after the destruction of both the first and second Temples. It was and is, in a sense, a holiday of homelessness. It is also the day when more bad things happened to the Jewish people than on any other day.= in our history This includes not only the destruction of both the 1st and 2nd Temples in Jerusalem, but also the edict of the Spanish Inquisition, the liquidation of the Warsaw Ghetto, and, Biblically, the day the ten spies brought back the evil report about the land which determined that the Israelites would have to wander for 40 years in the desert. It's a day of mournfulness, fasting, and reading the Biblical book of Lamentations.</div><br />
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I have found that many Jews have difficulty relating to this holiday. Some tell me it is because although we are sad that the Temples were destroyed, they are not sad that animal sacrifices will not be reinstituted, and thus do not want to fast or even recognize this day of tragedy. Others say that we should not observe this holiday because we are no longer in exile. When you look out at Jerusalem you see it has already been redeemed, at least partially so. Others have told me that the holiday is too particularistic, and that Jews do not have a monopoly on suffering. Still others say that they just don't believe in a holiday which glorifies tragedy and melancholy.<br />
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Personally, the holiday does resonate with me. If I can't deeply identify with my people's suffering at least once a year, I feel like I am doing a disservice to my people, my land, and my God. I always find the haunting chanting of Eicha, the Book of Lamentations, to be starkly moving. It was especially beautiful this year for me, joining a few hundred others at the egalitarian service at Robinson's Arch right next to the Western Wall.<br />
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In the daytime, I attended another fabulous program at Pardes, where I heard Natan Sharansky speak about his life story, Rabbi Daniel Gordis speak about the nature of a people that is/are still broken, a rabbi named Gideon Weitzman speak about the Biblical spies' evil report in the context of exile really being about the idea that we are in exile when we are not ourselves, and a Professor named Naftali Moses speak about the loss of his own son in a terrorist attack on the Mercaz Harav Yeshiva three and a half years ago. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>This day of learning and mourning and connectedness was very intense but worthwhile. The Jewish people have a home now in Eretz Yisrael, but until we are free from terror, normalized among the nations of the world, we still feel a certain homelessness and rootlessness. <br />
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During announcements at many of the synagogues, they would say, "hopefully, Jerusalem will be completely redeemed in the next few days, weeks, etc,. but in case it is not, we will have a Tisha b'Av program on August 9, etc." I find these words comical but comforting. Not only should the tragedies never be forgotten, but hope should never be forgotten as well.<br />
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Rabbi Mark Bloomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13950758046996988977noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270551505298521223.post-28829896433729582922011-08-06T12:28:00.000-07:002011-08-06T22:11:01.214-07:00Jerusalem Week 16--Blooms are Illegal, Hadassah, and another wonderful Shabbat<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
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<u><b>It's no fun being an illegal alien</b></u><br />
Anyone remember that 80's song by Genesis? It turns out that our family was in Israel illegally for about 3 weeks. When an American enters Israel you get an automatic stamp for a 3 month visit. We are in Israel a total of 4 months and 3 days. Despite my thorough checking for entry and exit requirements for Fiji, Australia, China, and Dubai, I was quite careless with Israel. I come here so often without incident that I didn't think to check about the time limits here. The stamp in the passport says 3 months from date of entry, but I didn't bother to look. When I was renting a car, however, they looked at my passport and told me: "you are no longer a tourist according to your passport, you have to pay the higher fee that includes the tax."<br />
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At that point I realized that our family was actually here illegally, having overstayed our official welcome. What to do? We could have just gone to the airport on our way out and maybe paid a small fine, but that could endanger any future trips to Israel. So instead we went to the Misrad Hap'nim (the Office of the Interior) to apply for an extended tourist visa. I tried calling, but as with many bureaucracies you can't reach an actual person, so I had to go in person. I did, but all I could do there was make an appointment for two weeks later. They also told me that I would need to bring a letter from a rabbi stating that I was Jewish. I write those letters for others, but I wasn't allowed to write one for myself. Rabbi Dardik from Beth Jacob happened to be in town, so fortunately, he wrote one for me. <br />
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When we arrived two weeks later we were supposed to see Miri at Window 5. When we arrived, the woman at Window 5 was surprisingly pleasant and smiley, so I was not concerned. We approached her at our appointed time, and she informed us that we did not have an appointment with her, and that Miri now worked at Window 9, So we went to Window 9, and Miri was not smiling at all. "Did you hear your name called?" she asked/shouted. "No," I replied. "Then please go sit in the waiting room until you are called." Another person who had come from Window 9 was practically in tears. At this point I started to worry. Perhaps I would need some divine intervention or, at least, some good karma.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thanks for the good karma!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>A moment later an Ethiopian woman approached me and asked if I could help her fill out her forms for her daughter who was applying for citizenship. Her 9 year old daughter, like her, had arrived a few years ago on foot, believe it or not, so she didn't even know her entry point. She spoke only Hebrew, much better than mine, but she really wasn't able to write Hebrew. So, together, we filled out her form. At this point, I felt that karma or Hashem was with me. Our name was called, and we approached Miri again. She told me to sit down. I said: "Where? My boys are in the chairs." "Send them to the waiting room, then." She couldn't have been more miserable. Nevertheless, 30 minutes, about $200, and several questions later, we had our extended tourist visas. And Miri even cracked a smile or two along the way. She wouldn't let us take her picture, or she'd be in here too.<br />
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<b><u>Hadassah Windows</u></b><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLicracpSNzHKqaLdpdSrXakobgOZvbcAcW2nWAxvOe84wjGsdVTcRagg6VkQwgZgW0nU2favqz-UTYhN75QdkngUcs-Z7QKy3kmyUWcJfg1USRIt9MgTS9mila80q2MNHqSXqv9vGb9B5/s1600/Chagal+Windows+5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLicracpSNzHKqaLdpdSrXakobgOZvbcAcW2nWAxvOe84wjGsdVTcRagg6VkQwgZgW0nU2favqz-UTYhN75QdkngUcs-Z7QKy3kmyUWcJfg1USRIt9MgTS9mila80q2MNHqSXqv9vGb9B5/s200/Chagal+Windows+5.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUSrP1OxljnHMY4HNRLIEzqQSOG3zX4k-oazIUJQHz0kWrd0rbYgCWV0qvmwLhhVfsjdehrw0nanBaMdNY2uUyKyX1IaHiHXTyBdpN4DiyY4OOJOsSILqONOm6mOdI5ntYOEhhalf3vdbt/s1600/Chgal+Windows+7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUSrP1OxljnHMY4HNRLIEzqQSOG3zX4k-oazIUJQHz0kWrd0rbYgCWV0qvmwLhhVfsjdehrw0nanBaMdNY2uUyKyX1IaHiHXTyBdpN4DiyY4OOJOsSILqONOm6mOdI5ntYOEhhalf3vdbt/s200/Chgal+Windows+7.JPG" width="150" /></a>It took us nearly 4 months, but we finally got to see the Chagall Windows at Hadassah Hospital in Ein Kerem. Not only did we get to see them, but we got a personal tour from Past National President and current Executive Director of Hadassah Barbara Goldstein. She also showed us the magnificent facilities and even gave us a ride home. Karen was especially thrilled with this particular afternoon, having spent so much of the last 10 years volunteering and organizing for Hadassah.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Karen and Exec. Director of Hadassah Israel, Barbara Goldstein<br />
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<b><u>Friends and Caves in Beit Shemesh</u></b><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mark with BBYO buds Zev and Brenda</td></tr>
</tbody></table>We got to spend time with two of my good friends from my high school days in BBYO, Zev Landau (formerly Bill London) and Brenda Ganot (formerly Brenda Fishman), both of whom live in Beit Shemesh, which is about 30 minutes outside of Jerusalem. Zev and his wife Monica fed us a nice brunch, and Brenda and her husband Steve drove us around to visit the caves of <a href="http://www.parks.org.il/BuildaGate5/general2/data_card.php?Cat=~25~~131474600">Beit Guvrin</a>, most of which were from the early 2nd Temple Period, and .included columbarium caves (for raising pigeons), bell caves, and olive presses. I had never seen them before, and they were marvelous. It was also great to spend the time with old friends.<br />
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<b><u>Repeat Shabbat</u></b><br />
As it was almost our last weekend, we decided to return to one of our favorite synagogues during our time here, Kol Rina in the neighborhood of Nachlaot. There were a lot of bashert moments to this Shabbat. First, we couldn't find a bus stop near the Central Bus Station to take us back to our house. so we ended up at the Machane Yehuda market, where I picked up my favorite challa in the world. I went on Thursday as well, but they were out, so it looked like I was going to have to pick up my challa somewhere else this week. <br />
The challa and other treats at this bakery called Ugat Chen are so sweet that bees literally swarm all around the place. This week there were an especially large number of them, I was afraid to hand the shop owner my money. He exhorted me not to be afraid, and that they wouldn't harm me. The first word in this week's Torah portion, D'varim, is reread by the rabbinic sages to say D'vorim, which means bees. The words of Torah are compared by these sages to bees. The sting is sharp, but ultimately, they produce sweet honey. It was as if the shop owner was telling me not to be afraid, ever, of teaching or living the words of Torah, as challenging as they can sometimes be.<br />
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We then made our way to services at Kol Rinah, which are long but extremely spirited. The boys joined me in the dancing during the Calrebach melodies of Kabbalat Shabbat. It really was a spiritual and "ruach" high that I have not been able to replicate at a service in the United States, not even at our own Rock & Roll Shabbat (though we sometimes come close). Anyway, the night was getting a bit long, though, so we left a little early. On our way out we ran into Avi Margolin, who lives outside of Jerusalem, but despite our best efforts, we had not been able to see him yet. Had we not left early we would not have run into him, so there was Divine Providence or serendipity or whatever you choose to call it giving us another sacred moment.<br />
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We returned there on Shabbat morning, where Micah proudly led Anim Z'mirot. Anim Z'mirot is an extremely long and difficult prayer at the end of the service. When we had gone there three months ago he was asked to lead it, but he didn't know it yet, so he had to decline. He decided he would learn it if the occasion should ever come up again, and he did it beautifully. I could not have been prouder. <br />
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We then went to lunch at people we were matched up with over the internet. We went to www.shabbat.com and requested to be hosted somewhere near the synagogue. We lucked into meeting a wonderful family with four children. It turned out that the host was the Torah reader at the synagogue, the kids went to the same camp as Micah and Jonah, and we all had a wonderful time and a delicious meal. All in all, it was a very special Shabbat.<br />
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<b><u>Wine of the Week--Carmel 2007 Limited Edition</u></b><br />
<img height="200" src="http://csimg.leguide.net/srv/FR/28031631510/T/140x140/C/FFFFFF/url/carmel-limited-edition-2007-un-des.jpg" width="200" /><br />
This is one of the top rated wines in Israel, a Bordeaux style blend from Carmel (not your Grandfather's sweet wine). It was a very good wine with a smoky flavor. Daniel Rogov gives it a 93, though I give it only an 89 (which is still very high). The quality was there, and I enjoyed it, but I'm not sure I'm in love with the unique smoky flavor that infuses this wine.Rabbi Mark Bloomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13950758046996988977noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270551505298521223.post-67611904404776072892011-08-02T07:33:00.000-07:002011-08-06T12:10:57.827-07:00Israeli WinesI have enjoyed Israeli wine immensely during my 4 months here. Every week I would buy a bottle of wine for Shabbat and review it in the blog. These are those reviews all in one place with a few adjustment.<br />
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I can't believe how far Israel has come in the last decade. The days of Manischewitz/Magen David syrupy sweet wine which we associate with Judaism are long gone here. Today, many of Israel's wines rival Napa Valley's, and in terms of Kosher wine, very few can compete. <br />
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Covenant, Hagafen, and B.R. Cohn are the only American wines which can rival Israel's, but the amount of brands and varietals in Kosher wine is unparalleled here. In addition, most of the Israeli wines are not "mevushal," a process similar to flash pasteurization, which renders it fit to be poured by anyone, Jewish or non Jewish in order to remain Kosher. This means it is relatively easier, in a way, to make good wine here. The climate is ideal, like in the Napa Valley, with the right combination of sun exposure, rainfall, wind exposure, humidity (or lack thereof), and temperature. <br />
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My wine reviews are strictly amateurish. I know enough to be dangerous, but that's about it. For the real deal on Israeli wines see <a href="http://www.mykerem.com/">Daniel Rogov's</a> wine blog. Here is simply what I enjoyed, with its heavy emphasis on Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Bordeaux style blends.<br />
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<div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-1501064420169436046" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 520px;"><b><u>Yatir Shiraz 2007</u></b></div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-1501064420169436046" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 520px;">Their very best wine is the Forest Blend with the red seal. I did not end up buying one of these expensive bottles, but tasted someone else's (thanks TBA!). I probably liked the Shiraz even better, because the Forest Blend needs a year or three of aging in the bottle. As for this one, simply yummy. Smooth, blackberry, plum-like flavor with very mild spice. This is a lesser known Israeli wine from the Judean Hills outside of Jerusalem, and it costs a little more, but you can get it from kosher wine websites in America. It was a 93-94, probably my favorite wine in Israel.</div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-1501064420169436046" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 520px;"> <img src="http://www.cellartracker.com/labels/78739.jpg" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0976563) 1px 1px 5px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(238, 238, 238); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(238, 238, 238); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(238, 238, 238); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(238, 238, 238); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0976563) 1px 1px 5px; cursor: move; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px;" /> <br />
<b><u>Yatir 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon</u></b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-1501064420169436046" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 520px;">We did a ton of wine tasting the week we opened this bottle up in the Northern part of Israel. Most were good but not amazing. But on Shabbat we opened a 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon from Yatir, which is my favorite brand in Israel. Pure, rich, oaky Cabernet, about a 93. The wine comes from the Negev, believe it or not, but specifically from the Yatir Forest, which has a very high elevation. I've got to find a way to get some of this brand when I'm back in the U.S.<br />
<img src="http://appellationkosher.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/yatir-cab-20051.jpg" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0976563) 1px 1px 5px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(238, 238, 238); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(238, 238, 238); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(238, 238, 238); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(238, 238, 238); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0976563) 1px 1px 5px; cursor: move; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px;" /></div><br />
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</u></b></div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-1501064420169436046" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 520px;"><b><u>Barkan 2007 Reserve Shiraz</u></b>.<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">It was very, very good, like a 92 or so on the scale. I have had Barkan wines before. As one of the first non Manischewitz style Kosher wines, they have been readily available in America for quite some time, but in the past, I could really only call them good for Kosher wine. They have really improved in recent years, however, and this Reserve wine was very good. Great body, smooth flavor, but with good Oak and Cherry overtones, almost Cabernet like. I was very impressed. It's definitely the best one I have had yet here.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><img alt="" border="0" height="200" id="ProductImage" src="http://barkan-winery.com/Uploads/resshiraz86x355.jpg" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0976563) 1px 1px 5px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(238, 238, 238); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(238, 238, 238); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(238, 238, 238); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(238, 238, 238); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0976563) 1px 1px 5px; cursor: move; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px;" width="47" /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span></div></div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-1501064420169436046" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 520px;"><b><u>2008 Psagot Shiraz</u></b>. </div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-1501064420169436046" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 520px;">This was not a winery with which I was familiar, as it is not widely available outside of Israel (though their website says it is sold in the United States). This was a 91. I liked it almost as much as the Barkan Reserve. Its color was especially beautiful--like a perfect plum. It was smooth and rich with very soft tannins. It is made in the Jerusalem Hills, and Karen remarked that this was her favorite so far.<br />
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<div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-45836210636233881" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 520px;"><b><u>Castel 2007 Domaine du Castel Grand Vin</u></b></div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-45836210636233881" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 520px;">The first is a 2007 Domaine du Castel Grand Vin. It is supposed to be the best wine in Israel. It is a heavy red blend similar to a French Bordeaux, made up mostly of Cabernet, but also with small amounts of Merlot, Petit Verdot, Cab Franc, and Malbec. It was quite complex, hard to identify individual flavors within it, but very good. A few others have suited my tastebuds even better, but the high quality is immediately apparent. 90.<br />
<img src="http://www.castel.co.il/data/uploads/Images/grand.png" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0976563) 1px 1px 5px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(238, 238, 238); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(238, 238, 238); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(238, 238, 238); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(238, 238, 238); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0976563) 1px 1px 5px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px;" /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b><u>Adir 2009 Shiraz</u></b></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I had tasted this one at the winery itself so I knew it was good. 89 good, because it could use some aging. Great spice flavor but not enough wood age for a 90.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br />
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<b><u>Carmel 2007 Limited Edition</u></b><br />
<img height="200" src="http://csimg.leguide.net/srv/FR/28031631510/T/140x140/C/FFFFFF/url/carmel-limited-edition-2007-un-des.jpg" width="200" /><br />
This is one of the top rated wines in Israel, a Bordeaux style blend from Carmel (not your Grandfather's sweet wine). It was a very good wine with a smoky flavor. Daniel Rogov gives it a 93, though I give it only an 89 (which is still very high). The quality was there, and I enjoyed it, but I'm not sure I'm in love with the unique smoky flavor that infuses this wine.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">This week's wine was one of the ones I tasted during the wine trip and bought, a 2008 Cabernet Franc from Na'aman Winery. That's the one by the former filmmaker who names many of his wines after rock groups and songs. This was a big, bold wine, though without too much wood flavor despite a fairly lengthy French Oak aging process. I think the grape's flavor was so powerful that it over shadows the oak. That's not necessarily a bad thing at all. In the movie</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><i>Sideways</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">, Miles doesn't like what most American wineries are doing with the Cabernet Franc. Rami Na'aman is doing something very right with it, though. 88 points.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU-dZsSShOhZevd-bnhary7Krto0qcRYGuHNq9n3E3ODG9peT-2bx0_v2oAS75rTANoyrnj8axp2P797pO1TPNmqUvpt3Ttl1cpt06l7uIHmPsJikyf-SkPHCfqOm8keuaLOtAZKpXYfnX/s1600/Na%2527aman.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="color: #cc6611; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU-dZsSShOhZevd-bnhary7Krto0qcRYGuHNq9n3E3ODG9peT-2bx0_v2oAS75rTANoyrnj8axp2P797pO1TPNmqUvpt3Ttl1cpt06l7uIHmPsJikyf-SkPHCfqOm8keuaLOtAZKpXYfnX/s200/Na%2527aman.JPG" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0976563) 1px 1px 5px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(238, 238, 238); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-color: initial; border-left-color: rgb(238, 238, 238); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(238, 238, 238); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(238, 238, 238); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-width: initial; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0976563) 1px 1px 5px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px; position: relative;" width="150" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b><u></u></b></span><br />
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<div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-3898815127019106836" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 520px;"><b><u>Galil Mountain 2008 Shiraz</u></b></div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-3898815127019106836" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 520px;">With the Seder and Shabbat this week, we had two more Shiraz' to try. The first was a 2008 from Galil Mountain Winery. It was very similar to the Dalton Shiraz. It was full bodied with great spice to it and "berry"ish in flavor. I'd give it an 89. Later in the trip, when my brother and I did some wine tasting up north, we discovered that they had great Bordeaux blends as well.<br />
<a href="http://www.galilmountain.co.il/Images/Uploaded/15.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img alt="Galil Mountain Shiraz Cabernet" border="0" height="320" src="http://www.galilmountain.co.il/Images/Uploaded/15.jpg" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0976563) 1px 1px 5px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(238, 238, 238); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(238, 238, 238); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(238, 238, 238); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(238, 238, 238); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0976563) 1px 1px 5px; cursor: move; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px;" width="143" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br />
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<div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-45836210636233881" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 520px;"><b><u>Dalton 2007 Reserve Cabernet</u></b>. </div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-45836210636233881" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 520px;">Karen didn't like it (thought it burned), but I thought it was quite smooth and well balanced We had the chance to visit the winery with the congregational trip, and this was much better than most of the wines we tasted there. 88.<br />
<img alt="Dalton Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve \'07" src="https://wwws.onlinekosherwine.com/images/dalton%20reserve%20cabernet%20sauvignon.jpg" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0976563) 1px 1px 5px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(238, 238, 238); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(238, 238, 238); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(238, 238, 238); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(238, 238, 238); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0976563) 1px 1px 5px; cursor: move; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px;" />.</div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-45836210636233881" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 520px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-45836210636233881" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 520px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><b><u>2009 Dalton Shiraz</u></b></span></span></div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-45836210636233881" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 520px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;">This was the very first wine I tried while in Israel. it was the 2009 Dalton Shiraz from the Galilee Region (where most Israeli wines are made). I give it an 87. It was good, reasonably smooth and spicy at the same time with hints of raspberry and a good balance of tannin. Later in the trip we got to visit this winery with the congregation.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaYOEyaWZeZG_wvu26E3MlLEr7bSVNsddBmxUy4-nEnnAg4EmPwjxEGzbO9bRQJUqUgk1sUn-GOQzKQP36SOgwXm652lss9MZfFPYj4HM_aUBL1_DbBFAjCzfvOp2Ytn6R-3X0ZSbEq8sq/s1600/Wine+Dalton+Shiraz.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="color: #cc6611; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaYOEyaWZeZG_wvu26E3MlLEr7bSVNsddBmxUy4-nEnnAg4EmPwjxEGzbO9bRQJUqUgk1sUn-GOQzKQP36SOgwXm652lss9MZfFPYj4HM_aUBL1_DbBFAjCzfvOp2Ytn6R-3X0ZSbEq8sq/s200/Wine+Dalton+Shiraz.JPG" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0976563) 1px 1px 5px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(238, 238, 238); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-color: initial; border-left-color: rgb(238, 238, 238); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(238, 238, 238); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(238, 238, 238); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-width: initial; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0976563) 1px 1px 5px; cursor: move; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px; position: relative;" width="147" /></a></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div></div></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><b><u>Yarden Syrah 2007</u></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><b> </b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">Yarden is widely available in the U.S., and is the top of the line brand of the Golan Heights Winery. This one was smooth and drinkable, with a very pure Shiraz taste. Very good, but not amazing, similar to the Dalton and Galil Mountain Shiraz'. 87</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small; line-height: 18px;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0976563) 1px 1px 5px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0976563) 1px 1px 5px; font-weight: bold;"><u><img height="200" src="http://www.mykerem.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/article_image_thumb/images/Yarden-Single%201.JPG" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0976563) 1px 1px 5px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(238, 238, 238); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(238, 238, 238); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(238, 238, 238); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(238, 238, 238); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0976563) 1px 1px 5px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px;" width="133" /></u></span></span><br />
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<div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-404524272368494919" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 520px;"><b><u>Recanati Reserve Shiraz</u></b><br />
<img src="http://www.recanati-winery.com/eng/images/RIZERV_shiraz.JPG" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0976563) 1px 1px 5px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(238, 238, 238); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(238, 238, 238); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(238, 238, 238); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(238, 238, 238); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0976563) 1px 1px 5px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px;" /><br />
This was about an 83. It was a little too sweet and a little too grainy for my tastes. It actually tasted better the next night after some time in the refrigerator, which is unusual. Still, you could tell it was relatively high quality, just not quite perfect for my taste buds nor as good as the Yatir, Psagot and Barkan Reserve Shiraz'.</div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-404524272368494919" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 520px;"><br />
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<div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-3898815127019106836" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 520px;"><b><u>2008 Recanati Cabernet</u></b><br />
<img height="200" src="http://www.recanati-winery.com/eng/images/sampleWine.jpg" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0976563) 1px 1px 5px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(238, 238, 238); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(238, 238, 238); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(238, 238, 238); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(238, 238, 238); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0976563) 1px 1px 5px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px;" width="143" /><br />
Only about a 73. Pretty good black cherry flavor, but it had a hint of carbonation in it and not enough balance of wood, which I prefer in a Cabernet. May just need to age a little more, but not one of the better wines I've had here. They have a reserve line which is probably a lot better.</div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-3898815127019106836" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 520px;"><br />
</div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-3898815127019106836" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 520px;"><b><u>Tzuba 2008 Shiraz</u></b></div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-3898815127019106836" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 520px;"><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-404524272368494919" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 520px;">(<a href="http://www.tzubawinery.co.il/history-english.html" style="color: #cc6611; text-decoration: none;">Tzuba Winery Story</a>), which is in the Judean Hills West of Jerusalem. All the other wines so far have come from the Galilee Region, where the majority of Israel's wines are grown and bottled. It is made on a Kibbutz where they have found the remains of 3000 year old wine presses. They are not in use today, but the idea that this wine is made in the same place that our ancestors were making wine is a spiritual experience in itself,<br />
<img height="200" src="http://www.tzubawinery.co.il/panel/includes/spaw2/uploads/images/Cabernet%20[minisite500].jpg" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0976563) 1px 1px 5px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(238, 238, 238); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(238, 238, 238); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(238, 238, 238); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(238, 238, 238); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0976563) 1px 1px 5px; cursor: move; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px;" width="108" /><br />
The actual wine was not quite as cool as the idea. It was full-bodied, which I liked, and it was even flavorful (think /black cherryish with a little pepper), but it was a bit syrupy, almost like a Port Wine, and I am not a fan of port wine, The alcohol content seemed a bit higher than usual, as Karen reported feeling tipsy after just a couple of sips and wanted to go to sleep immediately. 68</div><div><br />
</div><div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-3898815127019106836" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 520px;"><b><u>2009 Teva Shiraz</u></b> </div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-3898815127019106836" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 520px;">This wine is made by the Benyamina Winery, also located in the Galilee. It was not good. 2009 is too young, but this one doesn't need mellowing with age. It's just way too watery. It had a decent flavor, similar to the others, but no body. It was kind of like wine flavored water. To be fair, this is the lower end offshoot of the Benyamina winery, and sometimes, you get what you pay for. I give it a 60.</div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-3898815127019106836" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 520px;"> <img alt="Shiraz" src="http://www.binyaminawines.com/App_Themes/en-US/Upload/Content/articles/856.jpg" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0976563) 1px 1px 5px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(238, 238, 238); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(238, 238, 238); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(238, 238, 238); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(238, 238, 238); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0976563) 1px 1px 5px; cursor: move; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px; padding-top: 5px;" /></div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-3898815127019106836" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 520px;"></div></div></div>Rabbi Mark Bloomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13950758046996988977noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270551505298521223.post-22774270540505439972011-07-31T07:12:00.000-07:002011-07-31T07:31:35.768-07:00Jerusalem Week 15--Shabbat in the Settlements, Conservative Ulpan This week was quite eventful, including starting Ulpan at the Conservative Yeshiva, some great visits with old friends, and spending Shabbat with settlers in Ofra.<br />
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<b><u>Shabbat with Settlers</u></b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXAw-vj3GwBFMMtls9iYNZNxUEo-JkW5Sxkcb7AzdlzgkjsiMdLcDhVZke48EPVRZRUHvVVrt5xpfE2abCy6Ojm89TiJ6pGgG6aSSMA9SUjR-wLuUm1Z3d1aCa6FByHo_vbBQt9a772yJk/s1600/Avishai+and+Ruchi.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXAw-vj3GwBFMMtls9iYNZNxUEo-JkW5Sxkcb7AzdlzgkjsiMdLcDhVZke48EPVRZRUHvVVrt5xpfE2abCy6Ojm89TiJ6pGgG6aSSMA9SUjR-wLuUm1Z3d1aCa6FByHo_vbBQt9a772yJk/s320/Avishai+and+Ruchi.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yishai, Ruchi, daughter Michal with Karen, Jonah, and me. Micah is snapping the picture.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>On the TBA trip with Keshet we became very close to one of the tour guides, the incomporable Yishai. He and his wife Ruchi invited us to spend a Shabbat with them at their home on the Judea/West Bank settlement of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ofra">Ofra</a>, and he drove 45 minutes each way to pick us up and bring us home afterward. The settlement of Ofra, just 25 km North of Jerusalem and near the Arab city of Ramallah, was established in 1975 on an abandoned Jordanian Army post. Biblically, it is in the territory of the tribe of Benjamin, and I kept thinking of King Saul and Samuel on the way there.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj54xvH_N8shn0ngkBk9xgPP_E64UJG7vPDGkZx_GJkmRqSeDhqZOck4BASAUyYlDKcibknZtZv7CM4AkVvLuzrag-0xCntxeY1Tpy0TbQ3bHsBbB0QokaCF7HjnHeJPWDRWrY0IZ_x8g5V/s1600/Ofra+Playground.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj54xvH_N8shn0ngkBk9xgPP_E64UJG7vPDGkZx_GJkmRqSeDhqZOck4BASAUyYlDKcibknZtZv7CM4AkVvLuzrag-0xCntxeY1Tpy0TbQ3bHsBbB0QokaCF7HjnHeJPWDRWrY0IZ_x8g5V/s200/Ofra+Playground.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzP_EOzTpmj-756_CwHVm4ThO3X3wyfEtRP-7sGNecdGsrP88g8ZkPz6Yqpk8El9OJNE3pJw1nBpT0ELx2_WVG4_YW-dZNkHgHD1yz5n4SeYi9DVUdn5duTNKiHzr13JpqtMi4mi3eKQhO/s1600/Ofra.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzP_EOzTpmj-756_CwHVm4ThO3X3wyfEtRP-7sGNecdGsrP88g8ZkPz6Yqpk8El9OJNE3pJw1nBpT0ELx2_WVG4_YW-dZNkHgHD1yz5n4SeYi9DVUdn5duTNKiHzr13JpqtMi4mi3eKQhO/s200/Ofra.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"> Play structure where the boys enjoyed themselves. View of Ofra from the top of the hill.</span><br />
If you tell most American Jews you are spending Shabbat on a "settlement," the reaction usually ranges from "how could you" to "aren't you scared?" But it is a very, very normal place. There are about 500 families there, and it feels more planned suburban community Israeli style than anything else. Most of the community is Modern Orthodox, and it is a diverse, .family-oriented place. The synagogue there was quite interesting. They have one large synagogue which almost the entire community attends each Shabbat, The Shaliach Tzibur (prayer leader) decides each week whether they will use the Ashkenazic or Sephardic minhag (custom). In our case, Shacharit was led Sephardically and Musaf Ashkenazically. The mix of people is incredible. There are Ethiopian Jews and Yemenite Jews and quite a few <a href="http://www.bneimenashe.com/">B'nai Menashe</a>, which are Jews from India who are ethnically Tibetan/Chinese. The place is a real melting pot, and nearly everyone knows each other.<br />
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The kids enjoyed playing on the playground and met some very nice Israeli kids there. It was great to watch them communicate in a mixture of broken Hebrew and English, going over names for animals, trying to sing their favorite American pop songs, and playing ball games. Micah and Jonah are in this phase where they joke about Justin Bieber being a girl in disguise, and the Israelis and my boys repeated "Bieber yelda." I don't like them saying this, but watching them all agree in Hebrew was a funny moment. Unfortunately, it was Shabbat afternoon, so I couldn't take any pictures.<br />
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Yishai and Ruchi were amazing hosts, of course, with fantastic food and company. Ruchi works as a translator and has met some of the world's greatest leaders in her work, so we got some amazing stories. You can hear her views about Ofra in the following video article: <a href="http://www.haaretz.com/news/video-inside-ofra-a-settler-s-perspective-1.281234">http://www.haaretz.com/news/video-inside-ofra-a-settler-s-perspective-1.281234</a> .<br />
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<b><u>Ulpan at Conservative Yeshiva</u></b><br />
<a href="http://www.uscj.org.il/images/gallery/guestHouse/guest11s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.uscj.org.il/images/gallery/guestHouse/guest11s.jpg" /></a>I began a 3 week Ulpan and an additional class at the <a href="http://www.uscj.org.il/">Fuchsberg Center</a>, more commonly known around here as the Conservative Yeshiva. It's the headquarters of the Conservative movement in Israel, and there are people of all ages from all over the world taking classes there. The place is great, the Ulpan mediocre. I prefer a more structure environment, and our class is mostly just four hours of the 9 of us sitting around talking Hebrew. That's 4 more hours than I would get any place else, but it's group discussion, not partner discussion, so we don't get to maximize our practice time. The good news is that I am just about at the level I was during my first year of rabbinical school in Israel 21 years ago. The bad news is that is nowhere near real fluency. Realistically, I didn't think I would be fluent, but I had hoped to improve a little more than I have.<br />
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<b><u>Good Friends</u></b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5akOfPDb06Si9u5XJEiI0x87I8Cu9i9xZqZDaMN7mTXTdnqQt1lwhiNZ0kd9YMd6p9O5LySMw3Om-pDXklLlreal2IAUkIPblUZnFz2ufmIJhOmeJsrV_qT6VnzAGxEqROgfaIGxI7uFB/s1600/Debbie+Feld+Family.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5akOfPDb06Si9u5XJEiI0x87I8Cu9i9xZqZDaMN7mTXTdnqQt1lwhiNZ0kd9YMd6p9O5LySMw3Om-pDXklLlreal2IAUkIPblUZnFz2ufmIJhOmeJsrV_qT6VnzAGxEqROgfaIGxI7uFB/s200/Debbie+Feld+Family.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Bloom and Feld/Goldfarb Families--We've come a long way since 6th grade</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Chana Mesberg" src="http://profile.ak.fbcdn.net/hprofile-ak-snc4/23214_758238229_3388_n.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Harold Grossman and Chana Mesberg--Friends from South Salem, New York</td></tr>
</tbody></table>We enjoyed two different dinners with good friends. One was with Deborah Feld Goldfarb and her family, a good and "steady" friend from 6th grade, and the other was with Harold and Chana Mesburg/Grossman, who were some of our favorite members from my first congregation in South Salem, New York. Harold and Chana (formerly Christine, but born Jewish secular in New York) moved to Israel a few years ago and live part time in the Golan Heighs and part time in Jerusalem.<br />
<br />
<b><u>Wine of the Week--Adir 2009 Shiraz</u></b><br />
<img height="200" src="http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQO5-KOGBmGvM8s7P6vAqNy_caScQtURZMkN02fL4ox-WE1hw65" width="75" /><br />
I had tasted this one at the winery itself so I knew it was good. 88 good, because it could use some aging. Great spice flavor but not enough wood age for a 90. <br />
<br />
<u><b>Winding Down</b></u><br />
]It's hard to believe that we only have two weeks left here. It's only in the last few weeks that I'm starting to feel ready to come home. I've missed friends, family, and modern conveniences the entire time, but I love the idyllic lifestyle we've had here. However, it is so hot at night in our apartment that it's pushing me toward thinking about all the other things I'm looking forward to upon our return.Rabbi Mark Bloomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13950758046996988977noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270551505298521223.post-82516877201577546702011-07-23T12:06:00.000-07:002011-07-24T12:01:33.653-07:00Jerusalem Week 14--Reform Roots and Tent City ProtestsThis was a relatively uneventful week. It started strong with the wine tour with my brother, but I already wrote about that. While Karen was doing Ulpan at the Conservative Yeshiva, I don't start mine until Sunday, so I had a few days "off," which I used primarily to start my High Holiday sermons. I know I'll be too busy when I return home to write all of them then, so I wanted to get a jump start. I stayed in my pajamas much of the week, but I accomplished a lot of writing, thankfully. The kids continued to be content at the All Star Sports Camp. <br />
<br />
<b><u>Tent Cities</u></b><br />
<b><img src="data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAQAAAQABAAD/2wCEAAkGBhMSERUTEhQWFRMUFhwaFxgYFxkZFxwaIBwXGBocGR0XGyYeHBwjGhgcHy8iIycpLCwtGB8xNTAqNSYrLCkBCQoKDgwOGg8PGiklHyQqKiw0KSwpLCkuKi4pNCksKSwtLCkpKSkpKiksLCksKSkqKSksKSksLCkpLCwpKSwpKf/AABEIAIYAyAMBIgACEQEDEQH/xAAcAAABBQEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAGAAIDBAUHAQj/xABEEAABAgQDBAYGBwYFBQAAAAABAhEAAwQhBRIxBkFRYRMiMnGBkQcUobHB8CNCUmKS0eEIGFRygvEVFyQzNBZEssLS/8QAGgEAAgMBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQQAAgMFBv/EACgRAAICAQQCAgIBBQAAAAAAAAABAhEDBBIhMSJBE2FRoTIUcYGRsf/aAAwDAQACEQMRAD8Ax04OtSEpUhZQwLFPWbd1nAIccIfK2dUqYkIlEFRYWSPbeOiYlOMiR0hlICekaybjMzDKT2X5mBWp2o6ITOotalkqQ5SlKFKBSSkAuOqo6cRwjzsKbXl39Hofkbi2o9A5XYCZU1SCp1pZ8pBFwDw5xMnZ45BMVK6qtFFKSCe8paCjZmiOImcbIKJSEgKBVxCSDmd+qXJfWM+h2zmU+eXNkrnpSE9GCp0AhTAt32biI6mF+vQnOaivsnoMPqKMFKJfRpnAg5kAgizkBKnBaM3C8NTKl1MtHX6ZGUA/VIJLl2LMbteCDC9qPXqiXTmWpExJmP0inuxzAsBvHB33wsFxSTO+g6J1hKi9kkgXvmYWB43gZIqUmiRmlFNoxsOopkuQhKXQpE1yAX6hdyfuuYPqHFVJTOSpLhKkBJTqyrOb7jw3QKbR7ZUuH9Gno1KWpIdKCzby5Nn6zMNWghRjktVD63KClJUkKAYZlN9Xlf3GOfqMMuy++MlRTzkU0wOkpv2rlwpQsH7/ABgB9IDTKZBCUlaC5UgMMt9dXOh1s0Fuw20SK3p0GUULl3KSrMlsyyLsN6tI82jwpJlLlzEZc/ZYNYagGEYRlhzJyXRpKUckWl7OFpT7InkD5EEuI7OrSpOVLJa7jRn4b2j3DtmlkZiU5Rq9nJ7I/mOjd0d754tWczY7ox10iiAQHDh/a0N9TKTbVn5f2gopAieUS2KXUApwAXSFJO8a5vZB0jZGQJfVQQSeuAb5WYPpblvaMp53BpNdm6wXycuVSLKErKQATYjkOOgaLkmnzWA1SBx17o6Di2zaZUta5KVCUlKVZVH6xDnLaxu7wKYdilN0kiWkOzCaWOUrJLl33O/C0MYfPhDWOCVNhns16P0zWMxSmZ7AcOcGEr0fUiBdKlNxUfhG7SSkpSkBhbSJ1gNDK3LgRzaiU5+PCB2ZsTStaUnxc++OQ4xhn06hlzJEzsjTKFX4NaO+1BCUk8A/sjgOK08zPNExYBVoUuRqDuHKM3BvljGmyuUJbnfReTJpwCTTkb3KvzWYwajFJBcJp781foYudOlNMZQUc+gUUqCbkEuSGAEa+GyJModeWskWKs4IfwCYrBY4/wAzDJ8knUAURXyzYU6Sf52/9YU5Kt0pCf6jB+cIppgcIKX3hwfAiBrEsDQlSkeuy0KPZSVqzh9HGfVjDNY1zX7Em53Tf6MfD1FacxypZRDNw8YUaGH0pRKS6wSzl9XN+PhChKTtuhpUkrCr0mbcSpEsU4T0i5hc5VBkZVA35nhAdU1KVyhNT2SHD7v1Hwgb20UozApWZ2Yk65hrm5xaw6oC6dFOxJUHDDnpfmYUWkUMcWu0O481SlF9Gjsp6R51JP6wSZSmSpncB9QeT3jVq6xInzOs2YEpLOCQrOB1TZyN+4wFYnsvOkozrsSeyL689IjwnDpgqZIPVMyYkBweIFxb9YeWOK5iJ/I2/IO11SfWZtdLJQvpcyOuU5QyQQUXBzKzDu7xG7heN0c6fKqKYKSl5iJqVMCHQdbsxGm4xg7TYGUzRThQSmb1kKPaBsFpJGtmUP0gdpJAkU6kKIDzClTtlJQpuLkEMGbRURY9yd9hjni3SDL0i4dTzMrKZSgJiDldgoJsT3pO+CnCsQoRhKJKahMoSEuvO2Zw5V1XuFEtZ9Y5dUVZIRwAYcABoBFeZNsYxjLivQxLCnTXZv7Hbf01OupJR0QnLR1h1iBmu4/lKiQILMX9IEmokrVIMrp0LUmSla3zCx6QAC4Z7HeNeHDqqUUrWgDUOBy1DQVbHWSpE2X1tEEhj1nzAK0YsHbQPGuTFFoWi2nyEGIY/MmTFSE0oRORKSsrcrQ9iTa+UuGLlvcX/wCCImUQTNUEGZLSosM2VTC7p4HQgxzOqx1fSzZQWRLUMgyjK6CwtZ2I08I1cOnGlw0y1qIE2apJmBZDMlJRlBu1me2hjKWmjS9F8clKRYpdmP8AUplLmpMwqJBYgkEqyueJZ290GEzGkqkzk0s0lVPMRLWshlDrHMQovY9kEc45z/jC1SpmYZ1LkqS5JUUpuQxB3CMnZhVQETDJnIlyyQFpX2TzYggn840libXLLfP69HT6naRSqRNPkXMmTFTGUqY4SlOV86ixdl2sTaBfHNn0S1IWckoGYOuCVBaRZWXLqRqe6MrZLElprFpmr6RCblKXY9ZILA7wkkc4rbV7Rrqqpa1BgCyEaBCRoG42c84Y0un3T7qjOeXZHhH0rhakqloUkgpIzAjQvp7DFfD8aMyfOllKUolqCUqzXUrUjLujjlB6QPVqAU8nOZ8wupWayRYAJ5kDSBxePVaCV9JMSpSnsWBI+WhmUak0JXas+iNosRTLkL6wCiGAe97fGOM1c36Q5m00+dbCC7EFGcxOYzFISoBQUU3Frsw84FqGWsTJySh56bqzMAlO4B9+phPVSeKDlVjekyRlxfJgVFWpctOZMslcwAJS5s+8+HdaN81ABKNVK8y41POBnafGlKIpUBKZmdOZSbBzoHGhcguN0EezdCiSRLChOnDtzPqJPBP2jzjDFjlnim+Bn5VjtDEzZ9M83SWCHBFjcJHvF7aQLbdVKGlgBPSFRJISyuZUeZOm6OnzpLg52UGuCAQR3HWA7bnY5KstVLLS0gZ0AW11SeD2PfD08DjTT4EllUrj7YNbWzSUyiStKim6HtoOtY7yT5Qot7PbIzMRmqUSUSk2zN5JT4R5C8Oi2WNvgq7R42npZkuYjNLUQXSQ72BKSbMWjOoMYSqpk5U5UJUlKRye7niY0NmdipmIpyy5qEmUOsFgli5DDKDbfG/N9Da6dCpqqlKloGZKUSyQTucqPHlFo40o0UnN7rZoYg0yQkqUguoun6wYnUd0ClfOPSS1pUlJlsoPcsCGbffTdFsYo9MFEadofaUScqRysSeQjEFKVEqUTmOsX2xhGiq3N2XqzEOmU8xSixJQVHPlfkTy3NDK+bmQUMkkl8wvdgHvuIGkMlYaneT8+EX6egQzX4i94qnFewrjtE2Iz/oaeW7nK/neM+omsk6Q+plFKwZjnqhIO5oo4ioZSx3OLRj8Mr+htZ4qP2LGahMyoBSezKCVEaZgN3jBLs3VoS5mFKk5PsJcXb6pMc7lqyknhGvQYospWEhIJFrM51aNttC2+0SV049LMWTZJse42Hsgvo6aVOopap03IMhKuqCzve++7jmYDMOwybWLyIQSom/AcSTuHOOm4RsEJctKJyzMYBkXCB/9X8IrNwglv4N9PubdKzn+GYeQkzEFSkOQkK1yuGUQ7AQ+Vi6pFQUVCElIUymFwPusW+MdVGBJDFkhrBgIxsdwUuldiFHKpxbflJ8bf1RlHUY8kqLz004RsAZcwSp0ydJX0gJ10cqJU3HvaKtROzrKiEhSjokMIMazBAUsQLbmA8j+cDM3Ccqs6TmSkjM+qe/y1jq6aMYXL2ITm5VH0aEuiSUggMocS4LN5H2Q+loVzqiXKI6qldY7m1V7A0TSlEhms1iPhDUKY90cRayak7/J0paOEo+PAfYptQmWtCHLklkpQVFgOCQSNfdAFtHtRPRV2CA6U9UpSbXLk8W5xBiuKzUNMQc7WykXBO+1zpfwjEqahU+YuZOBSuZoA4AZuNwGh15Y5ofRz4aaWGat8nmFSTOq0JUlSsy3LXJ1jqhpgkqAGQhnDNch3PsgFwFAM4EDs3URqAOYg2xT/bzpUczaO7sOGrtvjXDC+fwbt1/k2UaRTqcPE2UZR7JOm5gpKm7i0S0k3Mhx3iHlXZBe6m82h2TTg7EmqmjSo5aJMsJSAOQDB98ew2TLDDWzg8dTCjmxSSN5ybYEeizFuiSuSQAtOYKsxNwQeOhIvBNPxOYUzAoIFuql+sXsHHB44lhWMGXNWorUCR2gS+vHujYVNKp2e61GWVAM5JDEe8mJe0LW52Orh1xLs0rtNoZh7Xl2fCGqXFSTMIGZ7qufGLCZjgRjN2zRLix6FcIsSZzRXRrE8lG6CijNJaUrSxDiBvFsKUjNvcHKeP6wQSCdI0EUwWMqg4PzaNIZNvD6MpK+jl1JTlawkaqO+0GOyGzPrRShCSZjuoknIhHFXHu3nzipU4TMlVqEIlhaldjgsGwJ5h2O6zx2rY7Z1NHIy26RZzTCN6vgBoBu84w1OojiV/6GdPj38k2C7LyqSV0coc1KLZlHifgN0WTTi78dQW14taLipv2Q8Vp9QUpUVILAXIIVzvcRyFOWWVv2dKPgqIxSX+sPj5xFiGGCZKUjepJAPA7jbgWjHqdrSiSFoSnMvsgnNl/mZg7bhpeMKdtNUr1mEckskeyHI6TJaZjLVwVogxvZRS0InImzAGByqvlfXhvteK2FYWi6NFqFlX3agh4K9mJ6ZtOpCyCULUC51BBUH/EfERHSbOIKyTMJIYhubtfjaO5uajtOO+7QGzsPMkkhJAF1J4feHLlFeoS9xB7iWFlV2GZO/jyPwgFx7DFSTnQ4Qo6bgeB5Hd4whqNP8i3R/l/0e0+ocPGXRkz5pBB4R7g1CioqQhds6FMQbhQDhn90VK4FTtu3D4Rd2apUibKmhRC0zGbdlym/mwjDDH0NZpKtwT7O06KZapMxSBMUfrM6k7tT7oJZ2GIKCnq3DME29hvFeooETVpVNlImHUKUlyNxZx4xrqwyWR2PByPcYcx6pQe2hScLjYD7U0k6mlJXKnzEoSQlSQzAGz6OIqbKY+9VKRNWTme6lWzAEjX50jS20wyWEg5FJSSQopL6jquCr7TQD47gSES0FKlFRWzFrpJAceMXnNZHwYpNKzruI4smTLKrKJ0Ds7n5vCjmcpQSAE6AMIUQp2DNbICwlaQACi/ePZo0FGyFQB9MWeXK/wDEBh3k+6BaXeSpKuII+e4n8MaWHEokplgsZinU32W0Pio+UZZlcaNcDqVsnIeLVNLGXxiCaliQYt0YdAY6xkkXkx6ZDHvi1SIDxFUziCAbsNRElIdYvRi2XFKLtb2RYp1aRSXqk+HxixIVBKWEGFzUpnoWUZiAQGDqAUwLc9D4QY+sEjKOtr1tE8n4HlGThFHLygo7Krv9bmCe/UaRpYhOCZRAUJalWQdOvqkabyN8D+khkknLki1E8cWkU8SxQUmWYsLWlasqy4CEBnchtIEtp8ZnqmFE45QCwSnscjzfV4IMG2oE1OWoTlctnZ5ZPPcDD9sdnvWZWZA+ll3T94b0/l5b4Zy6ZY5eSVozxahzjwwHBtx5R5miOhU4y7x5xZTJ9u7n+sQsQSB1+Sg3xHx84sy3CsySygzedosmnAQ+9F/LX2PDAoBQLOAdOPKIyIL8GMyZKzzDc9l+HHuiri+EomypkpVhMSz70q3Ecna8Q1O1ycoaWQRpcN3DlGNim3mUNkTmbS6lN5s3fBSbdIjaRy2qp5siYuWSUrQSCOY18I3NkJil5n1JDe1zFXHsU9YUJhSApspbeBo/PdE+xuMIlFSSCVLIADcbeGsCcNr5LRk2qOuYdU/Rjfa3tj2qxQS0knTnFenQyGERTSFWIcGxHfHLx/keyvtAht3jXSAyA/ZzK8RmT+cBFLja1JRKUlCgFBlEEqF3tf3xpbYVJXVzVIuwbvCer8DGLhMoibcEMCdI6MUqErCVEwHQwooTQzt5QoILKi0Ds3c2A74u0nWXm3Ow8Az+LP4xmzq+2g4cx7Iv0c7KhB5E+cZSbrk2SS6ZPXzHUTF6kXlQnjGfLllZc6b4uG5A8ookSTLcvrEE8LmLCp7EWLN+YiNKGQnk8N6T59sWMWyVCyTpwi/Si94oAt8IuUxuAYgAgwjGOhWH/wBtZZXI6BQ+dIMJ0hM1OVV0liO8XBB3EEODHO5pcFoJdkcWzPJWbjsHiNcsaY5NMq0n2U8XxeYib6tlBQFaAdtJLgHmAdYuzZ02j6NJJXKUQ32h90cbbuW6HY6RIqpU9STlYpUpnFw4UDxFxHtGrpldMuylgiSkgslI36hlKG/xEddyTgm1xX7OYoPe+eb4/sDfpBoFUyxVSkvLUfpBoUqO/uVv4HvjLoNoZMxjmyH71hxZ/COoVdMhcvopgzpWClQPBu7XnHEccwE0VSqSSW1QT2VJOhPx5iEofH1I6Fyrg6bhNOlatQpCgQ7uLjj4wPT5aUOFnLlcEs+ln9kCeE7QLpl5pamBu31X5gxa2hxZdQrMcqQu7DTh8NI0enT5TVFVka4aPcQxlJBCSSpiXsB4A3gcNS7vfNre8TWBIBB5/lEZlDlFJZVHxgXSvlldKuEW9lpAVWSUm/0g9l48myWSCPGG4HV9HWSlbs49rj4wrK2maxdNHaJSjwDDziCpYF26t3Zu+94ZRVgVmUNxy+NiYpYxUESZqhplPmbfGEcSd0NZ3as5UteZRcOHJ5xckKS1t3HdFepSHtvhiFNwjoCZNUJzH4x7EOYnX53fJhQAmfTyM2/4xo063SnWKUsZbg3HLjaL8kdUd35RWXReLNilDIA5RLIT1niGhW6RyeJJhI0jMDLoUw8T8IgJ1fv+fCIDOJD8dYlSogAm474KKlqYtiDxialqIyJtUU2OnPy4xArF0AWJfk/vsPZBogWdLccDElMvItwbv3QHJ2nKWZL95/KH/wDUE1RsUi24RNjYDstPViqlALZ0kFQbXn3K0PiIkpqXKSpTAgNbRhuHIDTxjkOD7bz5E1KzlUkFlBmzJ+sOXI8WjrSKlM+UmdKU6FJzJPLmOOoPON1KVbTNpXZdkm72bc+v9v1jE262XTV02ZF58p1oI+sPrJ8RfvHOKVRPWFO9t0X8Dx0FRzqASEvm0YC5JfuipZKjjhl2bje+/nyhi1ta4B14vo5jQx+vSqfMmITlRMWVJFmAd/A725xjTFE6799rxLCOM299dBwhmbd56+yPENp58fCPQBwsO9xACeJmWv7vfHlIhC5qACwd3J4Q1Uy54cRp4wxNKl7kDzbvvBIdUwuXkkJZTs+bQXJJLvGBj+Py1J6GWvMoK67CzDcDobndAsmomhJlpnLKCGUl/wA90Kkpsu/XX5EUUKdhtjFqcw0y+B/tFtcgHQMfnfDVSeBeLgK6mIPvhRL0T/2hQLRamVZsxkkby0PlTXSOQaKk6oKvOHSpjJgNEQQ4Yep4mJKqpCbqLRiJxQpQQmxJN4pLWTdRJPGK7AWac7F06JSSeJPyYpzMVmPqE90VUhy6R47omFKo3LRekiDVTHu5JPGGvzh9PKuHDxYAtZh3awbAQpSQN8W6eW3WJF+EeSw6DdiC7n3ebRI1hcW1tfezWiAZLKl2Lm+ouWYa6coLdh9p+iBpibTD1S+izY6/asO8jiYDKqo0IVffrqNbN8vFfpiFBQPw8OP94hEdhmqzgp01+fjAhtLiZljo06ls3DLwPf8ACN7Z/aGVOpjNXZUpLTDy3K8W83jntXifSzJi1D/cLgbxuSPK0RkFPluAQBkLcfjEMyXlZyMpuPnjxESUs3UEE+bCPKhJzNbLxG73wLRZKyBSrlyOIhhX5xKqSR1VnmGv4g8DC6AAsq76HUeY+RA3IOxkaVH9IclBIe54jUjmIsyqZ7KAHP8ANt3OLM5GjpAPF4G4vsKiJJZ/a2kWJab634gWhrudWPifkwlKD2V3g/CK7mHYiymU28D3e7WHaWG/dCp1W0cbwb+TQ5Mw3yqccLOPL4eMGyUitNQxtYb/AJ4QonKAQ5Nm4F4UAIYj9nOqv/qpD/yrhv7uVX/FSPwr/KFCjYxHp/Z3q2/5Uj8K48/dzqt9VIP9K4UKIQklfs71Qv61I0+yuJf3f6r+Jk/hXChRVkIv3d6l39Zk/hX+UTf5A1Lv6xI8pkKFFgDh6BKpiDUyCNLpX8ISPQHUgEesSNPszIUKASiE/s+VV/8AUyL6dWZ8YZ+7zVN/ypH4VwoUQJNT/s/1aQoetSWUzgCYAbvfjuMPT6AajfUSfKZChRVhR4v0BVTMKqSG0suHj0C1RDGpkH+lesKFASRbcxH0DVRDGokW0OVdv0j1HoIqsuU1Mg7x1FWP5cY9hQaRNzPZfoKqrBVTIIH3V68uUSK9BtSQyqiSQNOqtxChRKRNzIj6Bqk/9xJ5dVZhv+QtTuqZP4VR7CgUibmSy/QbVAf8mT3hK3h6fQhU/wARJfjlW8KFFqQNzPD6Dqn+Ik5uOVfthQoUSkG2f//Z" /></b><br />
When you are abroad you think that all the angst in Israel revolves around the Palestinian issue. Right now, the big news and the big protests center around affordable housing. The Israeli economy has done extremely well despite what is going on in the rest of the world, but a strong economy means housing prices have risen to unaffordable levels, particularly in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. <a href="http://www.jpost.com/NationalNews/Article.aspx?id=230640">Tent city protests</a> have sprung up throughout Israel, and it is interesting to watch as a relative outsider. Sadly, there are no easy answers. <br />
<br />
<b><u>Reform Roots</u></b><br />
This Shabbat was a return to my roots in Reform Judaism. On Friday night we attended Kol Hanishama, where I spent most of my Friday nights in Rabbinical School. Reform services in Israel are almost entirely in Hebrew, and Kol Hanishama is known for their wonderful singing and energy. Some of the tunes we use often at Beth Abraham come from here, including the song "Kol Hanishama" and one of the melodies we use for Lecha Dodi. They still draw a large crowd, and we enjoyed ourselves, though we did not enjoy being relegated to the back in the "non member" section. On the one hand we understand that the regulars need places to sit, but it's not the warmest feeling when you walk in. <br />
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" /></div>On Saturday morning we went to Hebrew Union College on King David Street, which is where I attended my first year of rabbinical school. They do not have services every week there anymore, but this was a week in which they did hold them. I was pleasantly surprised by the ruach in the room compared to when I attended 21 years ago. With a congregation made up mostly of rabbinical students and alumni rabbis, though, I shouldn't have been that surprised. I did see some old colleague/friends that I hadn't seen in many years. One tortured and teased me because I could not figure out who he was at first. I finally got it, but it was rough for me, since I pride myself on my memory. Note to any readers in case I momentarily forget who you are as I get older.: It is kinder just to say who you are so as not to embarrass the person, specifically me! It doesn't mean I don't love you. I enjoyed many of the tunes, though they go very, very slowly, so some of them seem to take forever. The boys commented that the singing was a "little too much like the opera," though, having never been I'm not sure how they would know that. The Torah reading was very short (only three small Aliyot). I didn't mind, but it was strange for us. Still, it was fun to remember what it was like praying in that very same chapel as a student 21 years ago!<br />
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We had a delicious Shabbat lunch at the beautiful home of Moshe and Libby Werthan, the parents of our TBA member Melissa, a great way to conclude the week.<br />
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<b><u>Wine of the Week</u></b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU-dZsSShOhZevd-bnhary7Krto0qcRYGuHNq9n3E3ODG9peT-2bx0_v2oAS75rTANoyrnj8axp2P797pO1TPNmqUvpt3Ttl1cpt06l7uIHmPsJikyf-SkPHCfqOm8keuaLOtAZKpXYfnX/s1600/Na%2527aman.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU-dZsSShOhZevd-bnhary7Krto0qcRYGuHNq9n3E3ODG9peT-2bx0_v2oAS75rTANoyrnj8axp2P797pO1TPNmqUvpt3Ttl1cpt06l7uIHmPsJikyf-SkPHCfqOm8keuaLOtAZKpXYfnX/s200/Na%2527aman.JPG" width="150" /></a></div><b><u><br />
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This week's wine was one of the ones I tasted during the wine trip and bought, a 2008 Cabernet Franc from Na'aman Winery. That's the one by the former filmmaker who names many of his wines after rock groups and songs. This was a big, bold wine, though without too much wood flavor despite a fairly lengthy French Oak aging process. I think the grape's flavor was so powerful that it over shadows the oak. That's not necessarily a bad thing at all. In the movie <i>Sideways</i>, Miles doesn't like what most American wineries are doing with the Cabernet Franc. Rami Na'aman is doing something very right with it, though. 90 points.<br />
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This week, Ulpan!Rabbi Mark Bloomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13950758046996988977noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270551505298521223.post-15010644201694360462011-07-18T12:29:00.000-07:002011-07-24T06:56:40.100-07:00Jerusalem Week 13--Wine Tours and TBA Filled ShabbatI'm going to work backwards this week. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With brother Barry at the Kotel</td></tr>
</tbody></table><b><u>Wine Tours</u></b><br />
I just finished a two day trip up north to the Upper Galilee and the Golan Heights with my brother Barry.. We hit four wineries (<a href="http://www.golanwines.co.il/General_eng.asp">Golan Heights Winery,</a> <a href="http://www.galilmountain.co.il/English/About">Galil Mountain</a>, <a href="http://www.adir-winery.com/">Adir</a>, <a href="http://www.sksint.com/info/naaman/AboutNaaman.pdf">Na'aman</a>), each of which was interesting in its own right. Golan Heights is Israel's second largest winery, after Carmel, and produces about 6 million bottles a year under three different labels: Golan Heights, Gamla, and Yarden. Galil Mountain Winery is the primary business of Kibbutz Yiron right near the border with Lebanon, and they produce about 1 million bottles a year. They have two bordeaux style blends called Meron and Yiron which we found to be particularly good. Adir is a very fancy boutique winery which produces about 20,000 bottles a year, and they also have a gourmet dairy. The last Na'aman produces only 10,000 bottles a year, and the former filmmaker turned wine maker blends bold red wines that he names after rock groups or songs: Deep Purple, Pink Floyd, Bob Merlot, and more. It was great fun.<br />
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<b><u>Jamming</u></b><br />
We also chanced upon this unbelievable jam maker named Sarah, who makes about 100 kinds of homemade jams. It was hard to decide what to get, but we bought sun baked apricot, pear cinnamon, strawberry raspberry, and chocolate orange. Other highlights were a great Kosher steakhouse in the Golan Heights called Bokrim and a trip to a restored Talmudic village in Katzrin. It was also great to spend some quality time with my big brother.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC-YkVzAhanUNw7GY_DKuLMO7TZaKPsrFBAAD-MQAE2E0D4PwkbqRkVDUpDF5rtwjrbOVr2TS0n-Yw1ithKBGmDctKA8SQYl1HuyTQa-ss43TddlT4W2sjIWz8uRHH0AsO4Ag6JVT7cVCY/s1600/Sarah%2527s+Jam+House+Sign.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC-YkVzAhanUNw7GY_DKuLMO7TZaKPsrFBAAD-MQAE2E0D4PwkbqRkVDUpDF5rtwjrbOVr2TS0n-Yw1ithKBGmDctKA8SQYl1HuyTQa-ss43TddlT4W2sjIWz8uRHH0AsO4Ag6JVT7cVCY/s200/Sarah%2527s+Jam+House+Sign.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'll take Sara's over Miss Pearl's any day.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBcvHiamUi-1OLkGZHE2S8SR6bB0C1VACH7Gc47LsIntm3yJ7eXLg3KQdLiTn5QCi5BEevNljfRHYyDyPruDsl_Wbh_tDEjFnSK8ZZNWErPGMHsjh8pXtr5xbdL6KdGijrpcQyIHZFiLn9/s1600/Talmudic+Village+Synagogue.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBcvHiamUi-1OLkGZHE2S8SR6bB0C1VACH7Gc47LsIntm3yJ7eXLg3KQdLiTn5QCi5BEevNljfRHYyDyPruDsl_Wbh_tDEjFnSK8ZZNWErPGMHsjh8pXtr5xbdL6KdGijrpcQyIHZFiLn9/s200/Talmudic+Village+Synagogue.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In front of ancient Katzrin Synagogue</td></tr>
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Shabbat this week was very special, because we got to see not only my brother, but 5 out of 6 Schackers, Sarah Levine, Melissa Werthan, and Aliza Zangwill. It was wonderful to spend time with each of them, bringing together the holiness of Jerusalem with the warmth of friendship. Sarah and Melissa did not stay with us through Havdala; thus we did not get any pictures of them. Services were not quite as good this week.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmmbjnpR2yXM8ixYWFSmaZJ68apl2Z_Ql7BJHiUd88huB48bF3Nsm0CCTN50v6HebCRB_hKDMy2MrQtygMVSbp-bJ5UVWtRpCQpzn9bvc7cARPBJ5E949bSMX1XUESJkiW5Gu30UgGK4kX/s1600/Aliza.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmmbjnpR2yXM8ixYWFSmaZJ68apl2Z_Ql7BJHiUd88huB48bF3Nsm0CCTN50v6HebCRB_hKDMy2MrQtygMVSbp-bJ5UVWtRpCQpzn9bvc7cARPBJ5E949bSMX1XUESJkiW5Gu30UgGK4kX/s200/Aliza.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Neighbor and Friend Aliza</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFObWDwFqPC-7RFcxnQgHFrFTG3dP_X1g-nxMZiG7IO_karrfdima1B9gY5jmxJX6xUsnCv-1IPxvZ7eKfKfH8HYeSjOp6t2ku_8t1aPVuzayusYHIHBbOj2nJoFwURCQOQHXgsP4isCHO/s1600/Schackers.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFObWDwFqPC-7RFcxnQgHFrFTG3dP_X1g-nxMZiG7IO_karrfdima1B9gY5jmxJX6xUsnCv-1IPxvZ7eKfKfH8HYeSjOp6t2ku_8t1aPVuzayusYHIHBbOj2nJoFwURCQOQHXgsP4isCHO/s200/Schackers.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">How many Schackers does it take to light a Havdalah candle?</td></tr>
</tbody></table><b><u>Shabbat Services</u></b><br />
We spent Friday night at the Western Wall. There are many minyanim at once going on there, so we tried to find one to stick with, but it was very hard to hear. What we did enjoy was seeing a large group of Israeli soldiers dancing up a Shabbat storm and singing songs on both the mens' and womens' sides. The release of joy for such hard working young men and women whose mission is to protect this holy place was joyful and inspiring. Saturday morning was spent at the Hurva Synagogue. Architecturally, it was amazing. Spiritually, it was lacking. The Hurva is in the Old City of Jerusalem and was rebuilt to its full beauty just a few years ago. It was destroyed by the Jordanians immediately after the 1948 War of Independence sort of gratuitously. Only the arch from the large dome-like structure still stood. When the Old City was recaptured by Israel in 1967, the original decision was just to leave the arch without rebuilding. Eventually, some U.S. donors decided to restore it to its former glory. It is certainly a beautiful synagogue, but the service was almost all Ashkenazic mumbling. The participants are the black velvet wearing kippa crowd, and not a soul talked to any of us. They also do not do the prayer for Israel or the Israeli army. It's almost a non-'Zionist relic stuck in the middle of Jerusalem, very strange and unsatisfying to us. Fortunately, all the people we spent Shabbat with later in the day made it holy instead.<br />
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<b><u>New Camps</u></b><br />
The boys switched camps from a camp called Shelanu in our neighborhood which had very little int he way of activities to the <a href="http://www.allstarisrael.com/">All Star Sports Camp</a>. They are ecstatic. They play all kinds of sports all day long at Kraft Stadium, which was built by New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft and thus contains the Patriots' logo in the center of the field. The boys are in heaven and making friends, and we are very, very happy for them.<br />
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<b><u>End of Hartman</u></b><br />
Also this past week, I finished my studies at the Hartman Institute. The highlight was a guided trip to the Israel Museum, where my group concentrated on modern Israeli art. We also took a Bible Highlights tour into Bet Shemesh and a few other places that were significant to King Saul, King David,, Samuel, and Saul. We also got to eat lunch at the Ella Valley Winery. All in all, it was very intellectually stimulating two weeks, but two weeks with only rabbis is a lot for me. It is not something I plan to do again in the near future, but I am thankful I had the opportunity. <br />
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<b><u>Wine of the Week</u></b><br />
Besides all the tasting, we opened a 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon from Yatir, which is my favorite brand in Israel. Pure, rich, oaky Cabernet, about a 93. The wine comes from the Negev, believe it or not, but specifically from the Yatir Forest, which has a very high elevation. I've got to find a way to get some of this brand when I'm back in the U.S.<br />
<img src="http://appellationkosher.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/yatir-cab-20051.jpg" />Rabbi Mark Bloomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13950758046996988977noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270551505298521223.post-458362106362338812011-07-09T11:30:00.000-07:002011-07-09T12:35:55.391-07:00Jerusalem Week 12--Yemenites, Special Guests, and the Hartman Institute<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The steps leading up to our apartment on a street called Dor Dor v'Dorshav. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>On one foot--it's a tough transition from spending all your time with so many good friends (the 65 or so congregants including all those friends for our kids) to spending most of your waking hours with 120 or so rabbis).<br />
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</div><b><u>Hartman Institute</u></b><br />
Last week and this coming week are being spent at the Hartman Institute in a rabbinical study program that goes from 8:30 AM to 9:00 PM. The <a href="http://www.hartman.org.il/">Hartman Institute</a> does a whole lot of wonderful things in Jewish education. My favorite is actually the Jewish ethics training program they do for the <a href="http://www.hartman.org.il/Programs_View.asp?Program_Id=19&Cat_Id=299&Cat_Type=Programs">Israeli Military Officers</a>, but they also provide high quality education for rabbis from different denominations across the world. Rabbis from across the religious spectrum (including my colleague Yonatan Cohen from Beth Israel in Berkeley) are studying Jewish texts with some of the most accomplished Israeli teachers and thinkers. The general theme this year is the individual vs. the community. The backdrop of that is the fact that more and more people view Judaism as something they can do on their own and don't need to join a community, but we are viewing it not only demographically but through various books in the Tanach, Maimonides, the<br />
Talmud, and other slightly more obscure Jewish texts. It's definitely intellectually stimulating. I also took a great elective viewing Israeli society through popular music. The lyrics of pop songs in Israel are so much deeper in terms of social commentary (think sixties Dylan) than most of what we hear in the U.S. these days. They exist in American music, of course, but they don't get the same airplay as they do in Israel. They also offer a course called "Engaging Israel" using over 100 Jewish texts and a bunch of DVD's, and I'm thinking of having TBA purchase it and use it to both learn and have substantive discussions about Israel.<br />
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One thing I don't like about the experience is that there are a few too many "students" with far too many comments/questions that prevent the teachers from going through all their material. That's what happens when the students are 120 rabbis. When I am in the presence of so many rabbis, I tend to make no comments. Perhaps I'm intimidated. Most of my colleagues don't share that approach. The other thing I find slightly irritating is that the institute is a little cultish for my liking. They seem to believe they are changing our lives and offer the best teachings anyone has ever seen anywhere. The teachers are good and the material is stimulating, but I have seen many interesting texts taught by many good teachers over the years. I prefer a little more humility.<br />
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<b><u>Welcome Guests</u></b><br />
In the middle of all this we have seen some great guests this week, current TBA members and longtime friends from the BBYO days. There's always an extra measure of pleasure and holiness when you get to see good friends in Jerusalem.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Longtime BBYO Friend Eileen Sandberg Sunderland</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">TBA Member on a "Mission" from Federation, Elizabeth Simms</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3sHLB3HzFUJ91k54V8JaZyOHV7UiXSrrfaFdX3caSTnytPRpvzKhhdF4SIBhGTb6J1OlX6SXtlTMaKtxcEw5owqLodtbNu6J1GeiGBCKS2c-ph66-p8aytC6DtsiR7d28LQ9k7OxExCs1/s1600/Michael+Sosebee.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3sHLB3HzFUJ91k54V8JaZyOHV7UiXSrrfaFdX3caSTnytPRpvzKhhdF4SIBhGTb6J1OlX6SXtlTMaKtxcEw5owqLodtbNu6J1GeiGBCKS2c-ph66-p8aytC6DtsiR7d28LQ9k7OxExCs1/s200/Michael+Sosebee.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">TBA and Beth Jacob Member Michael Sosebee, on the Wexner Leadership Program</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg81N80RUsaaJ7ZbpVLN0RR-eBoQKXDTGq6601LYHGnMSRzVuNoH6n00-QADKKJ0n-NY2nJHgsWiXa3Z754sZatc7Th8VkaDSmdAeVNdx-ql5d0dm0vhpqRU_KTPg9BzhsD5zMFOdXSk6Kv/s1600/Glick-Gottlieb.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg81N80RUsaaJ7ZbpVLN0RR-eBoQKXDTGq6601LYHGnMSRzVuNoH6n00-QADKKJ0n-NY2nJHgsWiXa3Z754sZatc7Th8VkaDSmdAeVNdx-ql5d0dm0vhpqRU_KTPg9BzhsD5zMFOdXSk6Kv/s200/Glick-Gottlieb.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One last chance to see the Gottlieb/Glick family</td></tr>
</tbody></table><b><u>Shabbat with the Yemenites</u></b><br />
First, last week's Shabbat we reversed what we had done a few weeks ago, attending Shir Chadash on Friday night and Yakar on Saturday morning. Both are mostly Anglo synagogues with lots of ruach. The one disappointment was that Yakar is known for their Saturday Kiddushes and study sessions which usually run in between Shacharit and the Torah service. For some reason, they did not do this the week we were there, so we missed out on seeing this unique way of doing things.<br />
<br />
This week we decided to go a little more exotic and went to a small, neighborhood Yemenite Synagogue at the corner of Elazar Hamodai and Yehoshua ben Nun streets. As far as we could tell it had no formal name, but they were certainly warm and friendly. There were only about 20 people there, including our family, so it was very intimate. The Yemenite traditions are quite different than standard Ashkenazi synagogues. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.hobartsynagogue.org/gallery/torah02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div> <br />
1. There are many small liturgical changes, as basic prayers like the Amidah, Aleinu, Ahavat Olam, Kaddishes, Adon Olam, and many more have slightly different wording. We assume all our prayers came directly from Sinai, but looking at what happened when they spread out to different parts of the world, customs and even sacred wording varies. They also stand a lot less frequently.<br />
2. The Yemenites do everything aloud. There is no mumbling followed by chanting when you see the open box a la Sim Shalom or Art Scroll. <br />
3. The sound is very different. Lots of ululation in a very repetitive musical mode. They gave me an Aliyah, which I attempted to do Yemenite style. The Gabbai asked me if I had any relatives who were Yemenite after that. He was teasing me, but I tried. <br />
4. They auction off the last three Aliyot. Mine was free.<br />
5. They read from the Sephardic style of Torah in the large wooden casing with the Torah standing up. They do hagbah before the reading rather than after.<br />
<img src="http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSTfsTHmoRZYQhGuBD9Gja6I7qPUsjgWv51XI2rkRip0iea_0W9" style="cursor: move;" /> <a href="http://www.hobartsynagogue.org/gallery/torah02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://www.hobartsynagogue.org/gallery/torah02.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="135" /></a><br />
6. After each line of Torah, another reader chants a similar sounding line. What he is chanting is actually an ancient Aramaic translation of the Hebrew Torah called the Targum Onkelos. At one time it must have helped the listener understand what was going on. Today it just adds length. Yemenites do not speak Aramaic (nor does any other Jewish tradition at this point in time). The Torah reader was straight from central casting, about 4 foot 10 and 70 something, with a great Yeminite look and voice. <br />
7. Some of the men wear Tallitot on Friday night. People also get up and lead from their seats. Perhaps all the leaders were wearing Tallitot, but it was hard to tell if that was the case. <br />
I doubt we'll go back, but it was thoroughly enjoyable.<br />
<br />
<b><u>Wines of the Week</u></b><br />
I have two weeks worth of wines to tell you about. The first is a 2007 Domaine du Castel Grand Vin. It is supposed to be the best wine in Israel. It is a heavy red blend similar to a French Bordeaux, made up mostly of Cabernet, but also with small amounts of Merlot, Petit Verdot, Cab Franc, and Malbec. It was quite complex, hard to identify individual flavors within it, but very good. A few others have suited my tastebuds even better, but the high quality is immediately apparent. 90.<br />
<img src="http://www.castel.co.il/data/uploads/Images/grand.png" /><br />
The second was a Dalton 2007 Reserve Cabernet. Karen didn't like it (thought it burned), but I thought it was quite smooth and well balanced We had the chance to visit the winery with the congregational trip, and this was much better than most of the wines we tasted there. 88..<br />
<img alt="Dalton Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve \'07" src="https://wwws.onlinekosherwine.com/images/dalton%20reserve%20cabernet%20sauvignon.jpg" /><br />
Much more wine in a few weeks when my brother Barry comes to visit and we visit several wineries up North.Rabbi Mark Bloomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13950758046996988977noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270551505298521223.post-36282325622570744812011-07-01T03:16:00.000-07:002011-07-01T04:43:13.630-07:00TBA Trip Part Shtayim<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">There's an emptiness the four of us are feeling right now. It reminds me of the end of summer camp. You get very close in a very short amount of time, and then you have to say goodbye. Of course, we will see our TBA friends again in about 7 weeks, but for now, it's tears for the Bloom's, a lot of them, from all four of us. Here's a 7 minute summary of the trip in pictures set to Rick Recht's "The Hope" and Teapack's version of Hatikva.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzsavQIfHYkCl9kse3ID4HxzQ9lNo8ed_j5S3S9Dm_G3NbknqtcpQWiVpelEvogUooBv-UIVukWoaHwYV4bVQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br />
<b><u>The 2nd Half of the Trip</u></b><br />
We arrived at Kibbutz Gonen on Sunday night to find that all of our rooms had jacuzzis in them. The kids had all kinds of fun playing in them.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgApycoGAMBonkA_HrTqiwbslflwbd-Ip6C_gtisBDC47px3EAVuYTNrCFdHLysJNwsrZtFdc74-2DiUSlMBCZaWKfFWJAC-i1JM6SNfy9UgtzRwh1mR7u_DqEaXwDLSM7Y9tMc29d31AzW/s1600/Hot+Tub.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgApycoGAMBonkA_HrTqiwbslflwbd-Ip6C_gtisBDC47px3EAVuYTNrCFdHLysJNwsrZtFdc74-2DiUSlMBCZaWKfFWJAC-i1JM6SNfy9UgtzRwh1mR7u_DqEaXwDLSM7Y9tMc29d31AzW/s200/Hot+Tub.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the life!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;">We spent the next few days exploring the Golan Heights--both its beauty and its strategic value to Israel. </div> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZdKz7unWpLrX_c6Wh-6VtkFwv_S7JmyoTI-geafrFp46QctrXgONOlZ38AL32NhXKolO72VK-uNd2T-oyw9jm3f6ICwF8InyrHxJ2pvfQyCkCezosPSJCdbK4HS-tLZUvcTwdOqwz8EkZ/s1600/8+Golan+Glicks.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZdKz7unWpLrX_c6Wh-6VtkFwv_S7JmyoTI-geafrFp46QctrXgONOlZ38AL32NhXKolO72VK-uNd2T-oyw9jm3f6ICwF8InyrHxJ2pvfQyCkCezosPSJCdbK4HS-tLZUvcTwdOqwz8EkZ/s200/8+Golan+Glicks.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="200" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUgWVQBkQgT09gx9bltSSbXuNtQH7IuN-gHNfOz1Ubnm7f-hE7wm0Gp4nk29IKH950g5JGoCSJ3ghq-zBjXeUYURnyN6biTiNdKy-awtx2Afj1PduZiDTWtSrOQ8UXSYTj1HtTvYVGNtHk/s1600/7+Soldiers+5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUgWVQBkQgT09gx9bltSSbXuNtQH7IuN-gHNfOz1Ubnm7f-hE7wm0Gp4nk29IKH950g5JGoCSJ3ghq-zBjXeUYURnyN6biTiNdKy-awtx2Afj1PduZiDTWtSrOQ8UXSYTj1HtTvYVGNtHk/s200/7+Soldiers+5.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqtmWhg6Y-wtDGWHwfzjQ9A1s1g5G8F_rux7RtwSY_gfPjDneUR-dGKLt5Ck-STRZh4JkyC53r1AwJMtsdQqCQLEe6Zr9F1m_KJDV7dlmBeT1lxqpaS3W85LzJbdYx-zIgFUrPftw-e1iD/s1600/8+Soldiers+and+b+oy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqtmWhg6Y-wtDGWHwfzjQ9A1s1g5G8F_rux7RtwSY_gfPjDneUR-dGKLt5Ck-STRZh4JkyC53r1AwJMtsdQqCQLEe6Zr9F1m_KJDV7dlmBeT1lxqpaS3W85LzJbdYx-zIgFUrPftw-e1iD/s200/8+Soldiers+and+b+oy.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="200" /></a><br />
We met with soldiers, went to several lookouts, tasted wine at the Dalton Winery, and made our own chocolate creations at the <a href="http://www.de-karina.co.il/home/doc.aspx?mCatID=60611">De Karina Chocolate Factory</a>. <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_coLE64ZqPMGjBa7mwcLqli8ZI0FwNPBrlaksswF0OU6kR5Jpd3z6Ly7yfKjKGfBfEaAV0sgn8YYfbltdMZUVfw5VUCY88F6rJ13ETU71mHGlVuIn4F1v3WQZlAErWpSeDs1OOkE57z87/s1600/7+Wine+Yishai+and+Doree.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_coLE64ZqPMGjBa7mwcLqli8ZI0FwNPBrlaksswF0OU6kR5Jpd3z6Ly7yfKjKGfBfEaAV0sgn8YYfbltdMZUVfw5VUCY88F6rJ13ETU71mHGlVuIn4F1v3WQZlAErWpSeDs1OOkE57z87/s200/7+Wine+Yishai+and+Doree.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSxcfFV12AIox1U9QQs20Boehtr0qhemoDkbPrGuEAam6Xy3_ST7XfpF7tsvxsZ5wU23847NNg4pXTnpeo3dZJ0-rkJTZSLBWMOkp3-06B_KiL7ts77oRuV7iZaxizd3ingv5uuToyrqdJ/s1600/8+Chocolate.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSxcfFV12AIox1U9QQs20Boehtr0qhemoDkbPrGuEAam6Xy3_ST7XfpF7tsvxsZ5wU23847NNg4pXTnpeo3dZJ0-rkJTZSLBWMOkp3-06B_KiL7ts77oRuV7iZaxizd3ingv5uuToyrqdJ/s200/8+Chocolate.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="200" /></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"> Our guide, Yishai, and Doree, l'chaim Some of the best chocolate in the world from de Karine</span><br />
By the way, this artisan chocolate, made by a third generation Argentinian immigrant, was some of the best chocolate I have ever had, and I should know, because I have all too much experience eating chocolate!<br />
<br />
Part of our trip up North included Safed, where we had been two weeks prior. We met with a Kabbalistic artist named Avraham, who originally hailed from Michigan. He has beautiful, meaningful art, and in describing it, he sounds a lot like Jeff Spicoli. <br />
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</div><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLaSCplu7hRhZObpLhKHEIUEZvqPzgEOhOzXrA4A1SwcsJigJbH7EN8a_VJ3ASlF8ZK1brB30wQD2PbMy2pNTj8fPYcU8NlvrOlD3CgY9WJ90NX-rPt4N3X0NsE7MoJnULKxVQLCJW5qRd/s1600/7+Safed+Avraham+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLaSCplu7hRhZObpLhKHEIUEZvqPzgEOhOzXrA4A1SwcsJigJbH7EN8a_VJ3ASlF8ZK1brB30wQD2PbMy2pNTj8fPYcU8NlvrOlD3CgY9WJ90NX-rPt4N3X0NsE7MoJnULKxVQLCJW5qRd/s200/7+Safed+Avraham+2.JPG" width="200" /></a>It was a very "Safed" experience, interesting, beautiful, and a bit off the wall. We also looked inside two historical synagogues, the Ari Synagogue (named after Yitzchak Luria, who is really the founder of the Lurianic Kabbalah as we know it today), and the Abuhava Synagogue, the decorations of which are based on numbers from 1 to 13. Most of our group felt they didn't have enough time there. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZHgmSqBzZTjWky9bRjfDZBZI810VZwBUWDREGPyvqETE76GSgFw3UzVsOqt2zUSvzoGowQUpW3Zs6u-aDxsdP1HUWry6fp6Q99QfWMEtI70GURN6ofuuaLGv28bGRG9FU35VWJ18Z9mve/s1600/6+Safed+Abuhav+Miriam+and+Theo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZHgmSqBzZTjWky9bRjfDZBZI810VZwBUWDREGPyvqETE76GSgFw3UzVsOqt2zUSvzoGowQUpW3Zs6u-aDxsdP1HUWry6fp6Q99QfWMEtI70GURN6ofuuaLGv28bGRG9FU35VWJ18Z9mve/s200/6+Safed+Abuhav+Miriam+and+Theo.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Future Rabbis Theo and Miriam</td></tr>
</tbody></table>We added a couple of things to the itinerary based on people's wishes, including a visit that was very today (the Naot-Teva shoe outlet at the factory) and to Beit Shean, an amazingly excavated ancient Roman city. This was especially gratifying to see, because I had spent an afternoon in rabbinical school digging there 21 years ago when it was basically just a hole in the ground. The excavation and restoration going on there today is really phenomenal.<br />
<br />
We ended our journey in Tel Aviv with some beach time, some cafe strolling, a clay making project in the dark led by guides who are blind, a walking tour of Old Yafo, and a sort of reenactment of the day Israel declared its independence at the site of the former Independence Hall. <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGu6fJ2jtPfi9ZWe9ifL2fWtWyucepIJlaPl-zmPTUwGwt96p4jGx-4jF-G4Lcx7ySuV4Y7NSQifcbL6M1I1PcovB9vpFYo58KoJNjZ3_882TxQtU0bD5VJvuLvZGKMWCV8IQ3VHFO4LY7/s1600/10+Tel+Aviv.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGu6fJ2jtPfi9ZWe9ifL2fWtWyucepIJlaPl-zmPTUwGwt96p4jGx-4jF-G4Lcx7ySuV4Y7NSQifcbL6M1I1PcovB9vpFYo58KoJNjZ3_882TxQtU0bD5VJvuLvZGKMWCV8IQ3VHFO4LY7/s200/10+Tel+Aviv.JPG" width="200" /></a><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5MPoiaFyIx0PTlL-ktmavU8fD1RtEWyjVYnmCZBPTdzdkhDYElGB8B0jM4PAYvbZCfzXPs_yDUOe7M2w4abAJxUOeMO5XmGL0HpmGFe6cSbMtrnLkZ8DLrH_VjJ9Of1vJtbD01gFDsJPT/s1600/10+Independence+Flags.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5MPoiaFyIx0PTlL-ktmavU8fD1RtEWyjVYnmCZBPTdzdkhDYElGB8B0jM4PAYvbZCfzXPs_yDUOe7M2w4abAJxUOeMO5XmGL0HpmGFe6cSbMtrnLkZ8DLrH_VjJ9Of1vJtbD01gFDsJPT/s200/10+Independence+Flags.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Theodore Herzl's picture at the site where Israel declared independenced in 1948.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Our fantastic, dramatic guide at Independence Hall wanted us to remember three things about Israel.<br />
1) Israel wants peace more than anything else in the world, 2) Israel wants to live, which is why they can't accept every well-intentioned peace proposal exchanging land for an uncertain promise of peace, and 3) Israel wants you to enjoy its land, history, and people. It really was a very moving part of the trip, and I think our group now better understands and appreciates all three of these things. Thank you Keshet, our guides Yishai and Merav, and our Counselors, Ilana, Noam, and Tehila.<br />
<br />
Overall, amazing. If you are a TBA member, please ask some of the participants directly how they felt about it. And start saving money. In two or three years, im yirtze Hashem, we're going again.Rabbi Mark Bloomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13950758046996988977noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270551505298521223.post-38686902869076490502011-06-26T10:58:00.000-07:002011-06-26T11:44:38.366-07:00Temple Beth Abraham in Israel<div class="MsoNormal">For the last several weeks we have been counting the days until the congregation arrived. Now that they are here and we have spent the better part of a week together, the excitement was truly justified.<o:p></o:p></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixFgIzyas3Lvu_J5VR1S-lvR23JTFaFln_9tpHb6XjsWovmbqwjqKbokq2BIabvb55Na4OPSlavKkU2M26GqPoYXZrheunAMENohP5xxRr_lGmS1VePlAOq3ZHn0F6UDJcjhhJpM2Y5Wgy/s1600/1Hotel+people+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixFgIzyas3Lvu_J5VR1S-lvR23JTFaFln_9tpHb6XjsWovmbqwjqKbokq2BIabvb55Na4OPSlavKkU2M26GqPoYXZrheunAMENohP5xxRr_lGmS1VePlAOq3ZHn0F6UDJcjhhJpM2Y5Wgy/s200/1Hotel+people+2.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In the King Solomon Hotel lobby, so happy to see our friends.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">As I said to the group on Shabbat, I have loved nearly every minute of my time in Jerusalem, especially my experiences in prayer, but I have also missed praying with my own community at Temple Beth Abraham. To pray with my own community is Jerusalem is sort of the ultimate rabbinical fantasy. It’s also just nice to be with so many good friends. For my kids, especially Micah, it has been a Godsend. So much less complaining when they have other kids to hang out with.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjNrKTz3D3NZ_VfFWSoWcfHiQ3sEjLPn_SU4N3XVyZYDaYzraUjptPpiKk1EWWEbrAXWbzHAOr2SxmsVXXrDAN91DYRbXswV8dCmPLowDBuMLZVuPigvnVK0jaFKtYNcmDKtGhtA_fgP_k/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjNrKTz3D3NZ_VfFWSoWcfHiQ3sEjLPn_SU4N3XVyZYDaYzraUjptPpiKk1EWWEbrAXWbzHAOr2SxmsVXXrDAN91DYRbXswV8dCmPLowDBuMLZVuPigvnVK0jaFKtYNcmDKtGhtA_fgP_k/s200/photo.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="149" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The "black hat" frum Rabbi Bloom with Rebbetzin Bloom in background</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">This is how we looked upon the congregation’s arrival. As a gag we decided to look like “haredim,” which means tremblers, known to most people as the ultra Orthodox. I wore a dark suit and a black hat and had not shaved for two and a half months. Karen wore a long skirt, long sleeves, and a scarf over her head. Micah tried to wear payot (side curls), but the rest of his hair was too long for them to stand out. Overall, though, we truly looked the part. We pulled it off so well that the majority of our members did not even recognize us, walking right past us on their way into the hotel! One of our members remarked that he assumed it really made him think about perceptions. He thought I was just “some religious guy” and therefore walked right by me. What are all the other black hatters like underneath the beard and the uniform-like outfits?</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin1lcIP9OJlL0S5HclgJN7pK3Hj0JhAjfNbnRcjPVJQzy4wue-hyjIX6hfM6xOnM976_H2RI05WHn-rhBUJ3qiUwGUi3SWyoPXikoYEx8U7rg-HXYeftcduPHb66EqQMteENozsZefNCXj/s1600/Balcony+Boys.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin1lcIP9OJlL0S5HclgJN7pK3Hj0JhAjfNbnRcjPVJQzy4wue-hyjIX6hfM6xOnM976_H2RI05WHn-rhBUJ3qiUwGUi3SWyoPXikoYEx8U7rg-HXYeftcduPHb66EqQMteENozsZefNCXj/s200/Balcony+Boys.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHVAsiwbPioZ_KXbq6cXt91VuMs47PvIY38qeDpq7NPFzeC_EFWUhuWCgI-e7ncJudPMtQ7GsbA9Q4My7AvIErglwaeCEDZA3fUpRz-GcI1bAtS9WaSAiQoZ0YtcfN2Fr-2cGAENsq2KqT/s1600/Balcony+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHVAsiwbPioZ_KXbq6cXt91VuMs47PvIY38qeDpq7NPFzeC_EFWUhuWCgI-e7ncJudPMtQ7GsbA9Q4My7AvIErglwaeCEDZA3fUpRz-GcI1bAtS9WaSAiQoZ0YtcfN2Fr-2cGAENsq2KqT/s200/Balcony+4.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">These pictures don't quite do it justice, but it was awesome in every sense of the word! </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The other unique thing about our arrival was the unbelievable suite the King Solomon Hotel gave us. With nearly 70 people in our group, one of the largest congregational tour groups this summer, people want to make sure we are happy, So we got an 11<sup>th</sup> floor suite with one of the best views of Jerusalem in the entire city, a 200 plus degree view on our gigantic balcony. Our tour guides say it might actually be the very best view in the city. I was doubly lucky to get the suite since there was a Rabbi Blum staying in the hotel as well, and they almost gave it to him instead. There was also a group from Valley Beth Shalom there, and two 3<sup>rd</sup> cousins of mine, Andrea and Kerry, were a part of that group. It is very “small world” Israel run into people unexpectedly, but I never expected to see my Los Angeles cousins!<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The first day was spent in the City of David, the highlight being the 40 minute wet walk through the tunnels of King Hezekiah. Hezekiah created a system of water tunnels (actually expanded an existing system) which sustained Jerusalem through the siege of the Assyrian King Sennacherib around 720 BCE. The water reaches as high as your waist, and it’s dark and a bit scary in there, certainly not for the claustrophobic. Still, it was a great experience for kids and adults alike. We passed the time by singing songs as we walked, and we all felt great at the light at the end of the tunnel. </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgezx02fM-v95HvJ2XnmQY8qZuxj4zsWa8kIhwoqutULOlkmExbpniWphX6a6nbPY5qzczkdjZvDqSzG6EaEMRmb7lkxO_ja2CCLbMn-Kk5DaLyKWy3qBDZ13ECunxB8z9XRW88uhy3hR6u/s1600/2+Hezekiah%2527s+Tunnels+Kids.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgezx02fM-v95HvJ2XnmQY8qZuxj4zsWa8kIhwoqutULOlkmExbpniWphX6a6nbPY5qzczkdjZvDqSzG6EaEMRmb7lkxO_ja2CCLbMn-Kk5DaLyKWy3qBDZ13ECunxB8z9XRW88uhy3hR6u/s200/2+Hezekiah%2527s+Tunnels+Kids.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the way into Hezekiah's tunnels.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">We then went to lunch in Emek Refaim, our hood, and it was fun to watch people looking through our restaurant recommendations and loving the results. I got the laundry and shaved, coming back with the “old” new Rabbi Bloom. I barely recognized myself. Afterward, we participated in a hands-on archaeological dig through remains that were dumped illegally by the Muslim Waqf. It was fun to discover ancient pottery and mosaics for ourselves.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8cxQSPrq2qEQmhXa2myUTXj_VL547GaTFbXizyBJ7b0tHa5dHnXJljE3hyphenhyphendG8Ip-0c9YRZwC1iJSU-5_1ZBoz8FZizrzfW2mVIQxrwYTA87eM6xp9PcWUD0WvHvvniSpZ_AwT6uAGj2pc/s1600/2+Dig+9.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8cxQSPrq2qEQmhXa2myUTXj_VL547GaTFbXizyBJ7b0tHa5dHnXJljE3hyphenhyphendG8Ip-0c9YRZwC1iJSU-5_1ZBoz8FZizrzfW2mVIQxrwYTA87eM6xp9PcWUD0WvHvvniSpZ_AwT6uAGj2pc/s200/2+Dig+9.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sifting through the archaeological debris for hidden gems.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYtQWVTp1lNpag8GWDFG3AzRJGMuSUO7tbCdzstjmoqg2iwJzid1-Ii4a6aDPDuT4rg1eifjHD8GlN6MaNqIjyy_jJFziy4BaBzNH876GX5CotPaC6oJzRrYCajizT82heBIBMuindM_me/s1600/3+Wall+Joel.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYtQWVTp1lNpag8GWDFG3AzRJGMuSUO7tbCdzstjmoqg2iwJzid1-Ii4a6aDPDuT4rg1eifjHD8GlN6MaNqIjyy_jJFziy4BaBzNH876GX5CotPaC6oJzRrYCajizT82heBIBMuindM_me/s200/3+Wall+Joel.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrJvBAI-4Rjx4TeKW7WLpNFZ-5K5242KOrjN45buqgzPMuyAeX2yS1GW9TD29zsbCKZSpKPeLjjRRgVwSznGbLkFoif-LZHAFRVnuuZw6RV_8su4HQH8uYlE0eR_8jNcRVhlO5sQ1ZU-VP/s1600/3+Wall+Kleinmann.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrJvBAI-4Rjx4TeKW7WLpNFZ-5K5242KOrjN45buqgzPMuyAeX2yS1GW9TD29zsbCKZSpKPeLjjRRgVwSznGbLkFoif-LZHAFRVnuuZw6RV_8su4HQH8uYlE0eR_8jNcRVhlO5sQ1ZU-VP/s200/3+Wall+Kleinmann.JPG" width="200" /></a>The next day, Thursday, was also spent in the old city of Jerusalem. The day included a nifty scavenger hunt to help us better understand some of the sites in the Jewish quarter. Keshet, our tour operator, really does an amazing job of doing things on multiple levels, for the adults who have been here before to the many children of all ages. There are three counselor with us in addition to our tour guides, Yishai and Meirav. In the afternoon we went inside the tunnels behind the Western Wall. What they have done with that site is really amazing, and equally amazing that there is any controversy about trying to discover the past of this ancient treasure. You can see pieces of not only the 2<sup>nd</sup> Temple, but the 1<sup>st</sup> Temple and even before. There is also a little movie that explains how the ancient Israelites were able to move 570 ton stones into place during the building. <o:p></o:p></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA4XGO8GWc2E-KJyXJ-ZHxqlBXVRvjOA_WwBZOrBuibQONw2eV-qR9OOe5DTz1J6E5cIR0UjX1Nyd2ji7SVMxbWhIRsxHvlQgw-IdwY3WvFhaBvMR9nPeQWsaWIwMydgpx0s16483MI16e/s1600/3+Wall+Tunnels+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA4XGO8GWc2E-KJyXJ-ZHxqlBXVRvjOA_WwBZOrBuibQONw2eV-qR9OOe5DTz1J6E5cIR0UjX1Nyd2ji7SVMxbWhIRsxHvlQgw-IdwY3WvFhaBvMR9nPeQWsaWIwMydgpx0s16483MI16e/s200/3+Wall+Tunnels+3.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside the walls</td></tr>
</tbody></table><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyqTKJGhVGz9o4VFF6opeGTb7WVnJIJwgMSgroLV5ETuv2d7gma7w7CzNV9gD7EAd4NiRtW-2BxmLvq0EAmF8QHjvcGRE6Apdv70_4IJzXT6zN8KoRDb1lKRBFKXnfqSW5oqUMCUwQ1jAX/s1600/3+Temple+Mount.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyqTKJGhVGz9o4VFF6opeGTb7WVnJIJwgMSgroLV5ETuv2d7gma7w7CzNV9gD7EAd4NiRtW-2BxmLvq0EAmF8QHjvcGRE6Apdv70_4IJzXT6zN8KoRDb1lKRBFKXnfqSW5oqUMCUwQ1jAX/s200/3+Temple+Mount.JPG" width="200" /></a>I also took a side trip during the break up to the Temple Mount, which today is inhabited by the Muslim Dome of the Rock and Al Aqsa Mosque. I was wearing shorts, so we had to pay 30 shekels for these scarves to put around our legs. The Dome of the Rock is an architectural beauty, but non Muslims are only allowed inside during certain hours. Of course, this was also the site of the ancient Jewish Temple Mount. To some extent you can get the sense of what it must have been like with thousands of pilgrims observing the holiday sacrifices on Passover, Sukkot, and Shavuot. Because Muhammed dreamt of Jerusalem in his famous “night vision” described in the Koran, it became a holy site to Muslims. They conquered it in the 800’s and set up the gigantic mosque to replace Judaism’s holiest site. While we do not have access to it any more (nor would I want to see the ancient Temple Cult with its animal sacrifices set up), there is a certain sadness for me and many other Jewish people when walking upon the hill.<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Friday brought a trip to Yad Vashem for the adults and older children, a trip to the Biblical Zoo for the kids. The new Yad Vashem is a stirring place, with the architecture itself contributing to the story. As you go through the story of the Holocaust the museum narrows, and you feel more and more confined. The combination of technology, artifacts, multimedia, and emotion is overwhelming. This is the second time I have done it, and it felt very special to go through it with Micah. Somewhere along the way, through his own reading, he has picked up quite a bit of knowledge, and I was proud. We ended the trip there in the valley of the communities (stones with the most of the former Jewish communities of Europe) with a ceremony honoring TBA’s survivors Leonard Fixler, Helen Fixler, David Galant, Jack Jeger, Adele Mendelsohn-Keinon, Misia Nudler, Henry Ramek, and Pola Silver. A sad, moving, important day all at once. <o:p></o:p><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiLjFIGjCwyjZT0TsBdNyanoEi25ITqX6xbOLwOgC2mAVDMdLAFnXIONcIdoww2rhcPQXp8i8YwE9b_GNxbuEdh7KJODbougYCzeRR0KZ9Kk3ubBXPHKIU_NQ4CABuaxK1C3VkKqR-uwjR/s1600/4+Yad+Vashem+Children%2527s+Memorial+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiLjFIGjCwyjZT0TsBdNyanoEi25ITqX6xbOLwOgC2mAVDMdLAFnXIONcIdoww2rhcPQXp8i8YwE9b_GNxbuEdh7KJODbougYCzeRR0KZ9Kk3ubBXPHKIU_NQ4CABuaxK1C3VkKqR-uwjR/s200/4+Yad+Vashem+Children%2527s+Memorial+2.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Haunting Children's Memorial at Yad Vashem</td></tr>
</tbody></table>For Shabbat we had early services in a park overlooking the Yemin Moshe neighborhood. It was wonderful being with TBA for services and having our kids lead much of it, as is our custom. I taught some of the Carlebach melodies that I have become so attached to here, and many of the members got up to dance. We have a long way to go, though, to even approach the level of the Jerusalem synagogues, but I’m really proud of our members for giving it a go. More to follow when I get back to the U.S. in late August. We returned to the hotel for a delicious Shabbat dinner. The King Solomon has been terrific—the food, the service, the lobby, everything. I can’t really understand why it gets negative on-line reviews. I think it’s terrific in every way (except that they lost my canteen back in 1994, but I need to get over that). Anyway, after dinner I took about 20 people to an additional service at one of the spirited Carlebach services at a place called Mayanot, about a 20 minute walk from the hotel. It was not as good as some of the other places I have been, but it was great to have some of our members witness the joy. Unfortunately, the joy was mostly just on the men’s side of the mechitza. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 2.75in;">On Saturday morning we went shul hopping. We began at Shira Chadasha, which has great singing and is as liberal as an Orthodox synagogue can be with women leading parts of the service. We had been there our first week and enjoyed it then, but they do have a bit of a self-righteous attitude as if they are the greatest synagogue in the world and no one else is as educated, progressive, or as spirited as they. One of the women scolded Karen on the way out. “We’re not a museum,” she said. She did not appreciate the idea that so many people would get up and leave at once. Karen responded that our group only had one Shabbat in Jerusalem, and we wanted to show them several different places. “We chose you,” Karen said, but this response did not satisfy this woman. I can certainly understand why it bothers some people in a synagogue that guests would be in and out, but you don’t have to react with anger. I would love to have such a problem at our synagogue that so many visitors would want to see our synagogue every Shabbat. By contrast, when we were at the Kol Rina synagogue, and a BBYO group had to leave all at once, the Gabbai thanked them for coming and spending even just a little bit of Shabbat with them. That’s another way to look at it.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 2.75in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 2.75in;">From there we went to the Great Synagogue, which is a massive structure, much like the large synagogues in America. It is Orthodox, but in style it resembles an old time Reform synagogue. There is a paid professional choir of all men who sings along with the operatic Cantor throughout the service. The music was at a very high level, but most of our members did not enjoy the lack of participation.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 2.75in;">Finally, we ended up at Moreshet Avraham, the Conservative synagogue at the Fuchsberg Conservative Center, where we ate a nice Shabbat lunch. After that, we had several hours of free time, before Seudah Shlishit and Havdalah with wine tasting, which took place on our balcony. Most of the nearly 70 people in our group were on our spectacular balcony watching Jerusalem change colors from day to twilight to night. It truly was a special and spectacular Shabbat. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 2.75in;">Sunday, we left early for Masada, which we ascended and descended by Cable Car. The story of the mass suicide by the Jewish zealots still amazes me, and the grandeur of Herod’s building is also awe inspiring, despite having been there many times.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsx1e6FhAwmgIYQ-G6JSKf67GgQ04UCI9QBscM6nxccNB8Xf6bZpEOTOakw9CoNriketo__nAyj11YBHE907THoP9TKgVZuM_dwtzQMl1JYflZ9MBhZeMgE4A5XOxwJTx9xp1Wy8OIqvA5/s1600/6+Masada+9.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsx1e6FhAwmgIYQ-G6JSKf67GgQ04UCI9QBscM6nxccNB8Xf6bZpEOTOakw9CoNriketo__nAyj11YBHE907THoP9TKgVZuM_dwtzQMl1JYflZ9MBhZeMgE4A5XOxwJTx9xp1Wy8OIqvA5/s200/6+Masada+9.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgboNoOE4XdlxWGgYRrr54rer_bgnDGj0QY0fFlNs_E4FNxEOT3ad42fDlr-o44r7YJAXeGi_GFykkk6Biv_qT1JJApAynrCLOtU9ZLMK2CWOOeHFjN8mt8992VIwuaVhfICJJLm_sXafkV/s1600/6+Masada+Cable+Car+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgboNoOE4XdlxWGgYRrr54rer_bgnDGj0QY0fFlNs_E4FNxEOT3ad42fDlr-o44r7YJAXeGi_GFykkk6Biv_qT1JJApAynrCLOtU9ZLMK2CWOOeHFjN8mt8992VIwuaVhfICJJLm_sXafkV/s200/6+Masada+Cable+Car+2.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><br />
That was followed by the Dead Sea Float. It’s quite a sensation, since the extreme salt content causes you to float automatically. Everyone has to do it, but it’s always painful. It hurts every orifice, and Jonah had cuts on his feet, so it was especially painful. He also forgot to bring his water shoes out of the bus, so I had to carry him, I fell down with him at one point, and it was sort of a mini disaster. Still, it's part of the experience.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDcciKRqFNo26lJyBooabwFk0vOep6SW6Le94xQJh_lrD7tKsO5ps7B-MlEtBnRgJ9m-INfVVg4dwn-tRP-kR0PLucI-q92p9YChwWhOBZOaAYm6MrExqAvYWxdO6NrxAl0kTNJ4qoTsnz/s1600/6+Dead+Sea+10.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDcciKRqFNo26lJyBooabwFk0vOep6SW6Le94xQJh_lrD7tKsO5ps7B-MlEtBnRgJ9m-INfVVg4dwn-tRP-kR0PLucI-q92p9YChwWhOBZOaAYm6MrExqAvYWxdO6NrxAl0kTNJ4qoTsnz/s200/6+Dead+Sea+10.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="200" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEaBnjkb2cdnM_oZ0P3P5ySInogLNCjX1r8w1_n3di9zkROyA9XbM_79UqST0Xew-h5krlrA_9Qfv2Om2dhrWWLbU7TKj_bjjd8Z3ahacNYiTJk5F86hlsV3Cgl-HLGZcYiQc29jwbRmgt/s1600/6+Dead+Sea+Micah+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEaBnjkb2cdnM_oZ0P3P5ySInogLNCjX1r8w1_n3di9zkROyA9XbM_79UqST0Xew-h5krlrA_9Qfv2Om2dhrWWLbU7TKj_bjjd8Z3ahacNYiTJk5F86hlsV3Cgl-HLGZcYiQc29jwbRmgt/s200/6+Dead+Sea+Micah+2.JPG" width="200" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoKkUuUqGbZMhNBz4J4yiW-7q3tJdyi6HMgD2ENjeYa1aIsITjqNYF3oQ-iEXNRf0e1vgj25Av0KRdugQT2gguW-97aUTJpMMb5vX00adzhDeg6yUQhvXxijAG_gZZdR9OrVvcc7FFWc05/s1600/6+Dead+Sea+16.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoKkUuUqGbZMhNBz4J4yiW-7q3tJdyi6HMgD2ENjeYa1aIsITjqNYF3oQ-iEXNRf0e1vgj25Av0KRdugQT2gguW-97aUTJpMMb5vX00adzhDeg6yUQhvXxijAG_gZZdR9OrVvcc7FFWc05/s200/6+Dead+Sea+16.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKqWa1Z8Y2jsa7Cwd81XYJBOwsRrdMiRR3viX7ef3YQGF6Um2GZiMmXb9dPthnipgjAIBUvUSeyxNGpG81HST457JVCPxnXXul6Vg13btLxMJf4VqqXD8JQgnV_eHYJbTVA5R5CfC3-mP2/s1600/6+Dead+Sea+9.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKqWa1Z8Y2jsa7Cwd81XYJBOwsRrdMiRR3viX7ef3YQGF6Um2GZiMmXb9dPthnipgjAIBUvUSeyxNGpG81HST457JVCPxnXXul6Vg13btLxMJf4VqqXD8JQgnV_eHYJbTVA5R5CfC3-mP2/s200/6+Dead+Sea+9.JPG" width="200" /></a><br />
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Then we hiked in the Ein Gedi desert oasis, and our group had a great time swimming by the waterfalls there.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHdTr1qv6CFByYUctSNFHz-F_bC6qtcHwCetX_h8dRAyuyNS_WCOutiPRfqe4blPIZdxa1tZRTknaKaAuFjFP3JhtiV7GA6PiI9lBUbUYKVvg9KkBLRZm2dqBgiICdm-CDi_wDLxf9e7h_/s1600/6+Ein+Gedi+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHdTr1qv6CFByYUctSNFHz-F_bC6qtcHwCetX_h8dRAyuyNS_WCOutiPRfqe4blPIZdxa1tZRTknaKaAuFjFP3JhtiV7GA6PiI9lBUbUYKVvg9KkBLRZm2dqBgiICdm-CDi_wDLxf9e7h_/s200/6+Ein+Gedi+3.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfdkQIDreu8sEvS9hvEaFe-y1DtfWrmaGlRqT8o8Do5QvwThJIXoxRJltALerMawBq76Ad08XGGodt7drXTKTeUvIuY49sH_xTLlvnN9ElruVbQfykhpWb_albKiMvgydxY4PtDPuW9UAD/s1600/6+Ein+Gedi+16.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfdkQIDreu8sEvS9hvEaFe-y1DtfWrmaGlRqT8o8Do5QvwThJIXoxRJltALerMawBq76Ad08XGGodt7drXTKTeUvIuY49sH_xTLlvnN9ElruVbQfykhpWb_albKiMvgydxY4PtDPuW9UAD/s200/6+Ein+Gedi+16.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><br />
Finally, off to Kibbutz Gonen where we are spending the next several nights. More to follow soon.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 2.75in;"><o:p></o:p></div>Rabbi Mark Bloomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13950758046996988977noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270551505298521223.post-58574614040061331302011-06-19T04:07:00.000-07:002011-08-08T23:00:27.560-07:00Jerusalem Restaurants<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">An entire post devoted exclusively to restaurants. You might think all we have done here is eat. You're not far off. There are four reasons for that.<br />
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1. My family's life and journals have always revolved around food to some extent.<br />
2. We walk a lot here, so despite our gluttony we are either maintaining or losing weight.<br />
3. We keep Kosher at home, and we don't have all these options. You have to take advantage of it while you can.<br />
4. The food here was terrible 20 years ago and I was on a student budget besides, and it is amazing now.<br />
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<b>NOT IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD BUT POSSIBLY WORTH A SPECIAL TRIP</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>Eucalyptus**** (Yemin Moshe)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.2eat.co.il/eng/the-ecualiptus/images/Logo_20100228_154026438_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="האקליפטוס- אנגלית" border="0" height="79" src="http://www.2eat.co.il/eng/the-ecualiptus/images/Logo_20100228_154026438_1.jpg" width="200" /></a>Maybe the best restaurant in Jerusalem. It's a very special dining experience. You choose 7, 11, or 15 courses, all based on foods from the Bible. Jacob's Red Lentil Stew, Hyssop, Jerusalem Sage, and more. And they explain everything to you as they serve it. Educational culinary fantasy come true. A truly special meal, almost like the Israeli version of French Laundry. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>Rimon Bistro****</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.gojerusalem.com/_media/userfiles/8/48/631.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="rimon" border="0" height="133" src="http://www.gojerusalem.com/_media/userfiles/8/48/631.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="200" /></a>Located just off of Ben Yehuda Street, this is two restaurants in one, a dairy café (which has been there for decades) and a meat bistro. We were shocked at how good the Bistro was. I was expecting great location/high prices/mediocre food. But the menu sounded so good, we just had to go in, and we were rewarded. Karen had a Shepherd’s Pie, I had a steak salad (bite size pieces of Entrecote served on top of a green salad), and my boys had a burger and chicken fingers. All are dishes were excellent, and they may have been the best chicken fingers and burger we have ever had anywhere. The burger was ground fresh in the restaurant from high quality steak and flavored with just a touch of Middle Eastern spices. I was so hoping my boys would get full quickly, and I could devour their meals as well. Unfortunately, they left me only a little. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>1868**** (King David Street)</b></div><div><a href="http://www.1868.co.il/images/Logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="81" src="http://www.1868.co.il/images/Logo.png" width="200" /></a>This used to be known as the best restaurant in Jerusalem. It has very high prices, but we had a coupon. It gets a lot of negative comments on Trip Advisor, but we thought it was terrific. I had a perfectly spiced beef tenderloin and Karen had sea bass (though not the Chilean Sea Bass we are used to). They kept bringing out amouse bouches and a granita palette cleanser, and the dessert trio (which included a pot de creme, a mini chocolate souffle, and cookies) was out of this world. </div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>Tomer’s Bread**** (Hapalmach St or in AACI Building in Talpiot)<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.itraveljerusalem.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/230x132/Screen%20shot%202010-11-19%20at%205.59.17%20PM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Lechem Shel Tomer Bakery Jerusalem" border="0" height="114" src="http://www.itraveljerusalem.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/230x132/Screen%20shot%202010-11-19%20at%205.59.17%20PM.jpg" width="200" /></a>This dairy cafe is always hopping. As the name implies, they have a cornucopia of breads, which can be eaten plain off the rack or used for sandwiche They also have soups, salads, cheese, olives, and an option to just take a wooden board and put whatever breads, cheeses, and other goodies you want on it. All these are very high quality, but what makes this place truly special are the pastries, specifically the Coffee Eclairs and the Opera Cakes. If I see either of these items anywhere in the world, I try them, and these are some of the best I have ever tasted. The Opera Cake falls apart a little too quickly, but the flavor explodes in your mouth. I have had the éclair on multiple occasions (I know, I know); twice it was deeply coffee flavored and the other time a little too bland/creamy. But when they’re on the only coffee based pastries I have ever had that compare to these come from Payard in New York, and I think these might be even better.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
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<b>Tzofiya***+ (Iraqi Part of Mahane Yehuda Shuk)</b><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHq4ujlyKzBO_3nzkN10SXhqkq25PcNRBYXy94WLaBpBtC9U1EJkSNawD1hNPZi4sr0PTNWRlyigJvVp4sW4mXoOG2VLdtycA2mhYO2oAikKvwN8DgtEKXI-Krz-Y9np7RuNYOqgHm2e0v/s1600/Tzofiya.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHq4ujlyKzBO_3nzkN10SXhqkq25PcNRBYXy94WLaBpBtC9U1EJkSNawD1hNPZi4sr0PTNWRlyigJvVp4sW4mXoOG2VLdtycA2mhYO2oAikKvwN8DgtEKXI-Krz-Y9np7RuNYOqgHm2e0v/s200/Tzofiya.JPG" width="200" /></a>Loved the home cooking feel of this tiny hole-in-the-wall restaurant in the Iraqi part of the Mahane Yehuda shuk. Pure, Middle Eastern, authentic food with pots boiling on the stove right in front of your face. We had delicious meatballs with artichokes and an amazing saffron-like yellow rice. Not a famous place, but a great find.<br />
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</div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>Papagaio*** (Talpiot)<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx_CVul_Nq0yuT8I7LqY7U1-jLA2baloinXfzejOmnJ3UU1qZopAfKbWzgte0owpHok789ohfN45LIxGFzinWDAOhFdM7hgbQM4O3UeFNYBrScgkO6bLVKhEwonwicGJlGecnXBfTx19hG/s1600/Papagaio.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx_CVul_Nq0yuT8I7LqY7U1-jLA2baloinXfzejOmnJ3UU1qZopAfKbWzgte0owpHok789ohfN45LIxGFzinWDAOhFdM7hgbQM4O3UeFNYBrScgkO6bLVKhEwonwicGJlGecnXBfTx19hG/s200/Papagaio.JPG" width="200" /></a>This is the Kosher version of the Brazilian all-you-can eat steakhouse. They just keep bringing meat after meat to your table, including: chorizo sausages (made from beef), Kabob (which is really ground lamb), chicken wings, Spring Chicken, regular chicken, beef braised in beer, liver (flavorful but too rich for my tastebuds), and, finally, entrecote. They also bring a variety of salads (beet, roasted sweet potato, a really tangy cole slaw, and one that I couldn’t identify), and a dish of french fries on the side. Until you flip your table sign from green to red they just keep bringing things to you. The only thing that prevented me from giving it five stars is that some of the meats are on the fatty side, but all are definitely flavorful. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>Black Bar and Burger*** (Near Mamilla Mall)</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYarsPYn49JNnLw-apvw_IsAcgE2-0vi5aVWDYndo51MabMlnce96_YQ8Z1Zcsw1BwYgfGbScFK10IL1zqGuHuJZM51mD1SLuVipXP6mJcSsh5UBtIE_6NhUU0WSIUg0HPoPl0nlZtY-db/s1600/Black+Bar+and+Burger.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYarsPYn49JNnLw-apvw_IsAcgE2-0vi5aVWDYndo51MabMlnce96_YQ8Z1Zcsw1BwYgfGbScFK10IL1zqGuHuJZM51mD1SLuVipXP6mJcSsh5UBtIE_6NhUU0WSIUg0HPoPl0nlZtY-db/s200/Black+Bar+and+Burger.JPG" width="200" /></a>Their claim is that they are not only the best burger in Israel, but the best burger in the world. I wouldn't go that far, but we did like it. They have a burger sampler which includes a regular burger, a chicken burger (really grilled chicken), and a Popeye burger, which contains nuts and spinach inside. The Entrecote steak was also really good, and you can have a chocolate syringe for dessert!</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
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<b>Gabriel***</b><br />
<a href="http://www.gojerusalem.com/_media/userfiles/8/562/17235.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://www.gojerusalem.com/_media/userfiles/8/562/17235.jpg" width="200" /></a>One of the best Kosher steaks ever, a filet mignon (or at least some part of the cow made to resemble a filet) perfectly cooked and with almost no fat. Unfortunately, that was my brother's meal, and I only got a quarter of it. My lamb chops were way too fatty--very hard to find the meat. Karen's moullard (a cross between a Peking and a Moscovan duck) was delicious. The wine list was unbelievable. For the true foodie they have things like Kosher foie gras, thought that's not a dish I enjoy. The service was first class. Only the lamb chops prevented the 4th star. <br />
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<b>Darna***</b><br />
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</a>Gourmet food meets Moroccan Kitsch. We went during lunch, so we were the only ones there. I had these Moroccan meat balls with artichoke,which were good, and Karen had meat and vegetable couscous. The meat on the couscous was super fatty. The dessert was a cinnamon tortilla like cream thing, sort of a Moroccan Churro which Karen loved. <br />
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<b>Sima** (near Mahane Yehuda Market)</b><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjakJYC4xrNbkHy3W87pQIDUUVgn35X8TdAAva0waC12t6MwTQhX-3Nfb9zZFgAHG8joIbLYOTl2drschZeKeTkZpy3HmtVtnheSaN7v5eZ9D1H0aWCLW0fwn_XhWqwOGcY8rSdAjVCdmFv/s1600/Sima.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjakJYC4xrNbkHy3W87pQIDUUVgn35X8TdAAva0waC12t6MwTQhX-3Nfb9zZFgAHG8joIbLYOTl2drschZeKeTkZpy3HmtVtnheSaN7v5eZ9D1H0aWCLW0fwn_XhWqwOGcY8rSdAjVCdmFv/s200/Sima.JPG" width="200" /></a>Famous Jerusalem grill restaurant, where you can get the mixed grill of various parts of a chicken or cow you wouldn't ordinarily want to eat, I found the food here to be distinctly mediocre. I had a combined chicken shishlik and lamb kabob dish, while Karen had the Kubeh soup (sort of a Middle Eastern kreplach). The mixed salads, as at most of these types of places, were very good, though. They included: lentils, tabouleh, beets, eggplant, carrots, and two kinds of cabbage.<br />
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</u></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><u>EMEK REFAIM NEIGHBORHOOD</u></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">UPSCALE<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Joy,***+<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNUfuQT9WVzExldnUgR3zLrzFTEXl4HbjXYp1CgZoxhTkVw2Joq11EHqjF8tjwava1J4nlqGlx3BS2oPYUYrM1IEdRXlukr7LbDU-Ye27slKGXQ9iVuUrX_z44pJjKJG3_VoPVMlSXKZEO/s1600/Restaurant+Joy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNUfuQT9WVzExldnUgR3zLrzFTEXl4HbjXYp1CgZoxhTkVw2Joq11EHqjF8tjwava1J4nlqGlx3BS2oPYUYrM1IEdRXlukr7LbDU-Ye27slKGXQ9iVuUrX_z44pJjKJG3_VoPVMlSXKZEO/s200/Restaurant+Joy.JPG" width="200" /></a>Beautiful, upscale restaurant on Emek Refaim. It has a great continental menu with a middle Eastern flair and something for everyone. I had a delicious Entrecote in an amazing sauce, and Karen had Duck with caramelized apples. The only thing that prevents it from getting the 4<sup>th</sup> star is that my appetizer, Moroccan style “cigars” stuffed with lamb and almond tasted too much like an egg roll. The filling was delicious, but the fried dough overwhelmed it. Also, I have had better desserts elsewhere. You just pay more for them here. Overall, though, a really nice place to eat.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Luciana***<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie07QliOIewl9I4KksCfdzjDXMUfvwju0nfECtG6Q3h6zMmb9SP4T7HTbGEb0yqLbYeG9rk7FEJgLcrwrfEIzZbLk8nqX47cVldpsdsySMM1E90jYQMPt0B3v8RZePP8apsmUPShB4Nwb3/s1600/Restaurant+Luciana.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie07QliOIewl9I4KksCfdzjDXMUfvwju0nfECtG6Q3h6zMmb9SP4T7HTbGEb0yqLbYeG9rk7FEJgLcrwrfEIzZbLk8nqX47cVldpsdsySMM1E90jYQMPt0B3v8RZePP8apsmUPShB4Nwb3/s200/Restaurant+Luciana.JPG" width="200" /></a>Italian food in Israel? Why not? Actually, there are many Italian restaurants, most of which are dairy. This one has all kinds of fish and pasta. It is “Israelified,” in that some of the ingredients are Middle Eastern. Karen and I both had pasta. Mine was in a creamy beetroot sauce and Karen’s was in a mushroom/artichoke type sauce. There were many other things I wanted to try on their vast menu.<o:p></o:p></div><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkfVzvs3nPkoR0_u4HJwYXeUKpoYAYDLJJajKU76-KQL9_Hd2W3CqA5rnp0tZ51tqQrqiQDS9EOCjx8SvFdQZH9jwRM9a1eHtYXPYxW1255Sg8qe5kkxd03RIeX3t55XnqSX03lDwhV1Pu/s1600/Olive+Emek.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkfVzvs3nPkoR0_u4HJwYXeUKpoYAYDLJJajKU76-KQL9_Hd2W3CqA5rnp0tZ51tqQrqiQDS9EOCjx8SvFdQZH9jwRM9a1eHtYXPYxW1255Sg8qe5kkxd03RIeX3t55XnqSX03lDwhV1Pu/s200/Olive+Emek.JPG" width="200" /></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Olive**+</b><br />
This is a Mediterranean Restaurant on Emek Refaim with a lunchtime special for $48 shekels (roughly $15 U.S. Dollars which includes an entrée and a side dish. The meal starts with mediocre bread with two outstanding dipping sauces, a creamy garlic and a tomato-based tapenade. Karen had chicken with a delicious honey-date sauce, and I had a dish that was basically spiced lamb burgers. Karen’s was great, mine above average but nothing special. The place had good service and a nice atmosphere. I liked it, but not enough to warrant a second visit.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;"></span><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM6dPEtEDswm6BhvuRevPIumSxLUM1afapl7q8HmLewGZLxiLBuCaSnc8A33COyrUrUeyEwcsf4ZZMY3MxxT_wkSB59qrUUAfbOs4k2RFugUUjXrDnYOTcFS-8NgyYR63TmG-Anqke3HW8/s1600/Restaurant+Sushi+Rehavia.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM6dPEtEDswm6BhvuRevPIumSxLUM1afapl7q8HmLewGZLxiLBuCaSnc8A33COyrUrUeyEwcsf4ZZMY3MxxT_wkSB59qrUUAfbOs4k2RFugUUjXrDnYOTcFS-8NgyYR63TmG-Anqke3HW8/s200/Restaurant+Sushi+Rehavia.JPG" width="200" /></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Sushi Rehavia**+<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal">Micah and Karen ate at this mixed Asian restaurant without me. Reports were excellent on Karen’s oshinko and delicate whitefish sushi; Micah enjoyed his avocado and cucumber immensely as well. They have other Asian foods, but you don’t go to a place called Sushi and not have sushi.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>LaBoca***</b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Latin themed meat restaurant. Chicken, steak, prepared in forms like paella, fajitas, and with all kinds of spices. My Paella was huge and pretty good. My little salad was actually huge, easily a full entree size, and the chicken on top was spiced perfectly. Karen's soup and veggie fajita were also good, but spicy.</div><div><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Ryu**+<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal">I’m not a huge Asian fan, but points for the variety. Egg drop and Won Ton soup, sushi, Pad Thai, and more. I had a Pad Thai chicken, which was a huge portion. Karen had two different kinds of vegetarian sushi, including mushroom. She liked it better than I did.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Buffalo Steak House</b>*<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzOh5GiSVumE-2y1DkPEjSFxIG_bXBpIwtintrzzyzK_c0zj0iBvemCYlzdlPewc1dG4NzqanshL880GanAbXgqIsDVBXwyJYQibpTMMkM4GpFOiUVrrhXIn2iRIbndnfTZryyJlkrHcLG/s1600/Restaurant+Buffalo+Steakhouse.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzOh5GiSVumE-2y1DkPEjSFxIG_bXBpIwtintrzzyzK_c0zj0iBvemCYlzdlPewc1dG4NzqanshL880GanAbXgqIsDVBXwyJYQibpTMMkM4GpFOiUVrrhXIn2iRIbndnfTZryyJlkrHcLG/s200/Restaurant+Buffalo+Steakhouse.JPG" width="200" /></a>This was a huge disappointment to me. It’s an American style steakhouse, and they have a “business lunch special,” which includes an appetizer, steak (or another entrée), and a side dish. The side salad I ordered was just fine, as was the tomato soup, but the sirloin steak was terrible. It had some decent peppery spices on it, but its texture was chewy to the point where it was almost inedible. They had other interesting sides like sweet potato mash, but you judge a steakhouse on its steak, and this one was really not good.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">CASUAL, BUT NOT INEXPENSIVE</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Caffit, Emek Refaim ****<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicsXvJbhyphenhyphenZ836CPx0wDP-8Qv6y_aStxXmZGat0djouIJCvi-YOtMy7XOXxiLFFrsLNIC2RznBlkc-8U_61Dd784mm9hoNxT6Rt38LIV8WfvpN3-47cDhx0kU-yfXZj5S1Au_IvlHC2RHPG/s1600/Kafit.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicsXvJbhyphenhyphenZ836CPx0wDP-8Qv6y_aStxXmZGat0djouIJCvi-YOtMy7XOXxiLFFrsLNIC2RznBlkc-8U_61Dd784mm9hoNxT6Rt38LIV8WfvpN3-47cDhx0kU-yfXZj5S1Au_IvlHC2RHPG/s200/Kafit.JPG" width="200" /></a>One of my favorite restaurants so far. It is another dairy restaurant with huge variety, but almost every dish is creative. Between my wife and I we had a hearty vegetable soup, sweet potato pancakes, and a mushroom quiche. All were bursting with flavor. I also had a really good ice coffee, which was more like a milkshake (as most Israeli “ice coffee” is). There were so many other things on the menu I wanted to try, a sure sign of success.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><br />
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</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Marvad Haksmamim--Magic Carpet***+<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnIRm4zo3Uww2Aw4mqFm474yGeLv5eaE1vGHSWhTrU7i-4lmxHDU-5EwKkd4RtzPq94j1h67icK8SBqcgx6eGB8-mp1O79wZ62eGKDYcvx7o60Ooewp_b6sov9g9G2jzwTlKjnUWQFMPM0/s1600/Magic+Carpet.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnIRm4zo3Uww2Aw4mqFm474yGeLv5eaE1vGHSWhTrU7i-4lmxHDU-5EwKkd4RtzPq94j1h67icK8SBqcgx6eGB8-mp1O79wZ62eGKDYcvx7o60Ooewp_b6sov9g9G2jzwTlKjnUWQFMPM0/s200/Magic+Carpet.JPG" width="200" /></a>This Yemenite restaurant is very Middle Eastern and tons and tons of food. This is a great value, especially at lunch. They give you soup (I had vegetable, Karen had lentil), Yemenite flat bread, an entrée, and a choice of two salads. I had a super tender, super flavorful goulash, and Karen had a grilled chicken breast. Salads included beets, rice with lentils, falafel, and hummus. It was one of my very favorite places, but Karen’s chicken was overcooked, so it didn’t get the 4<sup>th</sup> star.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Burgers Bar ***+<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhCXpyUaZ4FjiGrpQ3f27rCK_Gk117_C6Bg9ljm7J5wGp7sZz851EBI_ihZ0EbM9UX_ouYLIIGyBhGv40HZsyyhxD2tniGHaaONxp-5j-REJ96ppF5vJa8kYkZjtA7iLspNT3GW3mErADb/s1600/Restaurant+Burgers+Bar+Jonah.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhCXpyUaZ4FjiGrpQ3f27rCK_Gk117_C6Bg9ljm7J5wGp7sZz851EBI_ihZ0EbM9UX_ouYLIIGyBhGv40HZsyyhxD2tniGHaaONxp-5j-REJ96ppF5vJa8kYkZjtA7iLspNT3GW3mErADb/s200/Restaurant+Burgers+Bar+Jonah.JPG" width="150" /></a>This is the kind of place I dream about and crave. It has thick, juicy burgers, and you can add things like roasted red peppers, mushrooms, an egg, and a variety of sauces, some American like, some spicy Middle Eastern. You can also get chicken schnitzel, Entrecote Steak, chicken wings, and salads. Burgers can be made out of beef or lamb. This is a chain with several outlets throughout Jerusalem, and most of them have a long line at peak times. Didn’t get the the 4<sup>th</sup> star because it is a zoo in there.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Baba***<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRL6PTM5TaGzfyTtzhfyM0wiN2GXdMPYnxaV_EAczliBeeilrfzM8GDsk-RMMyh1TnLu1eUGoetW2IF4lAjxwCYoJb4qMpPIPS0p_qbVpZPesVWX1XB69zOQF5a_g-q3W3rMfgK49iwzYQ/s1600/Baba.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRL6PTM5TaGzfyTtzhfyM0wiN2GXdMPYnxaV_EAczliBeeilrfzM8GDsk-RMMyh1TnLu1eUGoetW2IF4lAjxwCYoJb4qMpPIPS0p_qbVpZPesVWX1XB69zOQF5a_g-q3W3rMfgK49iwzYQ/s200/Baba.JPG" width="200" /></a>This is a very Middle Eastern place. How many ways can you serve chickpeas? The main fare is a large plate of humus (creamy, a bit oily, and delicious) topped with various grilled meats or vegetables. I got minced lamb with spices atop mine. Karen got chickpeas with falafel balls on top of hers. In her case, that’s whole chickpeas, fried chickpeas, and ground chickpeas in one dish! The falafel balls were tinged with cinnamon. You can also get grilled chicken, mushrooms, chicken livers, entrecote, and many other things atop your hummus plate as well. Everything is spiced really nicely, but not necessarily “charif” or hot. This is a great choice if you really want to immerse yourself in the Middle Eastern food experience.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Waffle Bar***<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKTz9K76DVHzb9kS-he7vxrM3ImLuJPtjOW_E2peO2hoyTZ8lma2QHxeeTiIg5-KNebrg_3GHhSda3chR_U0A5aCMf63AheJi2DU2KmNGo0eAOI7dugqo-j02amoRXFOJH7uHJwQnq9RRp/s1600/Restaurant+Waffle+Bar.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKTz9K76DVHzb9kS-he7vxrM3ImLuJPtjOW_E2peO2hoyTZ8lma2QHxeeTiIg5-KNebrg_3GHhSda3chR_U0A5aCMf63AheJi2DU2KmNGo0eAOI7dugqo-j02amoRXFOJH7uHJwQnq9RRp/s200/Restaurant+Waffle+Bar.JPG" width="200" /></a>This is exactly what it sounds like, a restaurant where waffles are king, especially of the dessert variety. They have salads, pizza, and savory waffles and crepes as well, but it’s really all about smothering thick waffles and thin crepes in a variety of very sweet toppings. Those toppings include . chocolate, caramel, nutella, whipped cream, ice cream, and fruit. Jonah’s was definitely the best, something called the Crepe Café Waffle, which added white chocolate chips to the mix. We all felt a little bloated walking out of there, but it was delicious. There are many other locations of Waffle Bar throughout the city.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Café Café**<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhemqTb9aSE14x6R6nt6Cd3y_FqmZYwWzAodNVFnmaguVseOr-1RWjnF4UKt8jqI1jW0Z-ZGsxVrnlS2vVyySw7y3Xck8MfXGCittgeWbl3U9_YKiuPkF_O_qYn4ZT9L_UgyT8r7ZidFM5J/s1600/Cafe+Cafe.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhemqTb9aSE14x6R6nt6Cd3y_FqmZYwWzAodNVFnmaguVseOr-1RWjnF4UKt8jqI1jW0Z-ZGsxVrnlS2vVyySw7y3Xck8MfXGCittgeWbl3U9_YKiuPkF_O_qYn4ZT9L_UgyT8r7ZidFM5J/s200/Cafe+Cafe.JPG" width="200" /></a>Dairy Restaurant has a huge variety on its menu. I had Shakshuka, which is a Middle Eastern Dish (most say Tunisian in origin) made up of tomatoes, roasted peppers, spice, eggs, cheese, and other goodies. They have several varieties, and they all sound delicious. My “regular” one certainly was. Karen had the Haloumi Salad, which is a green salad with fried cubes of cheese in it, and enjoyed it very much. They also have salads, nachos, fish and chips, pizzas, and terrific pastries of all sorts. Between us and the family who joined us for brunch that day, we tried all of these things, and they pulled all of them off well, with the possible exception of the nachos, which were more pita-like than tortilla like. <o:p></o:p><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Moshava 54**+<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcF_3TBBJl2Rth2LFYRkprNG2fJTM4IG8zoi4F862C0f8r6ukq6AOT5ZamSpvLqqJClrg_L_AiXgVlF-7isyOkagu_bvt-RvKPUnIMZ3nbD169mwE5FGZGsgV-hXmNxCPVak_0kaXGatb_/s1600/Moshava+54.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcF_3TBBJl2Rth2LFYRkprNG2fJTM4IG8zoi4F862C0f8r6ukq6AOT5ZamSpvLqqJClrg_L_AiXgVlF-7isyOkagu_bvt-RvKPUnIMZ3nbD169mwE5FGZGsgV-hXmNxCPVak_0kaXGatb_/s200/Moshava+54.JPG" width="200" /></a>Middle Eastern/Continental/Mediterranean mix with a small but varied menu. I had a salad with steak on top of it. Karen had what amounted to a barbecue chicken wrap. Micah had a very ordinary chicken schnitzel. It was good, but not amazing. The plus comes from the mixed mushroom appetizer, a fantastic mix of sweet and savory<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Ben Ami</b>**<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6mNzrTPmhVKT1pr3j0v5hB2oWhWNjClsL_B-23CfrbxXwVXcJKjdWMRJ23zI_ousJP_0I1LG4l4vhpTgz7079Y83OlaCMmRmxNeV9cbsNLVE9fsNj7TkCd89nyq05mts3vZda5Jz3fLLr/s1600/Ben+Ami.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6mNzrTPmhVKT1pr3j0v5hB2oWhWNjClsL_B-23CfrbxXwVXcJKjdWMRJ23zI_ousJP_0I1LG4l4vhpTgz7079Y83OlaCMmRmxNeV9cbsNLVE9fsNj7TkCd89nyq05mts3vZda5Jz3fLLr/s200/Ben+Ami.JPG" width="200" /></a>Another dairy restaurant with great variety on its menu, especially salads, quiches, raviolis, pizza, and desserts. We were very excited to dig into sweet potato ravioli, but it tasted much more like cheese than sweet potato, and at high prices, we expected more intense flavors. The mousse type dessert was good, but not amazing. We went there during Passover, so perhaps it wasn’t a fair test, and the things they were able to pull off with pesadich food is an accomplishment in itself. Still, it wasn’t good enough to want to go back to, so it only gets two stars.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">FAST FOOD (Moshiko and Meirosh are actually on Ben Yehuda, nowhere near).<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Felafel Doron***<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihuX0QKRvJd7VHpGyccPct4hSzvOlyQ_XBbv9sG5_3WBgkVah-PtxnjOYvgwZTf6BkDnbxMdFJ3Q7FSBMLjhM4NeyRLTklaI31LEe0br0TEM9AQTDz1VTig7OXcPM2d_kfKTUVUYmHalHh/s1600/Restaurant+Felafel+Doron.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihuX0QKRvJd7VHpGyccPct4hSzvOlyQ_XBbv9sG5_3WBgkVah-PtxnjOYvgwZTf6BkDnbxMdFJ3Q7FSBMLjhM4NeyRLTklaI31LEe0br0TEM9AQTDz1VTig7OXcPM2d_kfKTUVUYmHalHh/s200/Restaurant+Felafel+Doron.JPG" width="200" /></a>This is a pretty typical Felafel/Schwarma place. You can get it in a pita or a lafa. Felafel in a pita is about 15 shekels ($5.00) and a schwarma costs about 23 shekels (just over $7.00). It has all the traditional fixings—Israeli salad, pickles, hummus, tehina, cabbage, French fries, and plenty of other things I don’t put in my sandwich. These places are a dime a dozen in Israel, and everyone has their personal favorites, but almost all of them are tasty to me.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Felafel Adir***<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDuh0X0cOCbFBFtjn3VhS4xj-7G7rw425kBvJ7D_-Ghladtp3Yp84iEoEhYZ0ukPIlOJ2tNZLUlxtcH8bU25nwBMUYfhOUwgTDL1epaRZ0XikWK0ABtEleLBXHu7HZ8fWTPVb0x99-lxPa/s1600/Felafel+Adir.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDuh0X0cOCbFBFtjn3VhS4xj-7G7rw425kBvJ7D_-Ghladtp3Yp84iEoEhYZ0ukPIlOJ2tNZLUlxtcH8bU25nwBMUYfhOUwgTDL1epaRZ0XikWK0ABtEleLBXHu7HZ8fWTPVb0x99-lxPa/s200/Felafel+Adir.JPG" width="200" /></a>Very similar to Doron. The Schwarma is slightly better here and the falafel not quite as good. What’s great about it is it looks incredibly out of place nestled in between all the trendy places surrounding it in the neighborhood. They also give free samples out if you’re nice.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><br />
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</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Pizza Italia***<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhphEqgrROQ2CXDPBkhj3IASLC7a8gv0V6bPQTz_wvAx9XB0lFzdfaAOv9jpjoiYlbbYPhHWOMv5SojRfsq2EOF9hzhtAo_eCzP_DkdrW3oLxEDekF3GPGKE5FkxACVEDI5r2phuOxjrI2y/s1600/Pizza+Italia.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhphEqgrROQ2CXDPBkhj3IASLC7a8gv0V6bPQTz_wvAx9XB0lFzdfaAOv9jpjoiYlbbYPhHWOMv5SojRfsq2EOF9hzhtAo_eCzP_DkdrW3oLxEDekF3GPGKE5FkxACVEDI5r2phuOxjrI2y/s200/Pizza+Italia.JPG" width="200" /></a>Pizza Italia’s slices are square, and they are fancier than your average New York style pizza place. They have white pizza, pesto pizza, and very fresh looking vegetables as toppings. Some are very hot/spicy, and the smell wafting from the place as you pass by is always tempting.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Pizza Sababa***<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBqa9nMzI0UiOmR_xdsGZnTVdYA01nH5bG5x-LVdTu1aY4Yuv5iHP0zwf2kJAwUmbYRzds0TxwCvqyvZdMjqHcNRuu-jt4xi6_hP3i06r_rNj9VmFNpXjpWTStFgLctyXlxP63xqXJ6ELM/s1600/Restaurant+Pizza+Sababa.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBqa9nMzI0UiOmR_xdsGZnTVdYA01nH5bG5x-LVdTu1aY4Yuv5iHP0zwf2kJAwUmbYRzds0TxwCvqyvZdMjqHcNRuu-jt4xi6_hP3i06r_rNj9VmFNpXjpWTStFgLctyXlxP63xqXJ6ELM/s200/Restaurant+Pizza+Sababa.JPG" width="200" /></a>One of three pizza places on Emek Refaim, this one has the cheapest slices. They are more or less New York style with all the requisite toppings. It has a good balance of tomato, spice, and mozzarella, and it definitely satisfies the typical pizza craving.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">New Deli***<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3KTtTOFstvzWaDXUJAIbOioX19ypC1KF0GyXq396Rk6hZFx04ucTFwnzjAeaMWOw1Mb_J5lfwgOwLeBofZ0eq626ddc-QAo8cnD8834GrKuZOBhqVimtxhJjQtd8HC3ZTFXfZwHy57R36/s1600/Restaurant+New+Deli.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3KTtTOFstvzWaDXUJAIbOioX19ypC1KF0GyXq396Rk6hZFx04ucTFwnzjAeaMWOw1Mb_J5lfwgOwLeBofZ0eq626ddc-QAo8cnD8834GrKuZOBhqVimtxhJjQtd8HC3ZTFXfZwHy57R36/s200/Restaurant+New+Deli.JPG" width="200" /></a>When I was here for rabbinical school over 20 years ago, it was impossible to find good meat, let alone deli food. This small chain has changed that. The place has a Subway look to it, but the quality of the meats and vegetables is much, much better. You can get the typical, Pastrami or Corned Beef, but also grilled chicken, turkey, or lamb, where they actually put it on the grill rather than in a microwave. You pick your own fixings, and the grilled chicken I had there with pickles, olives, and roasted red peppers was delicious.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Shnitzy</b>**<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1qlv9AFGpZ6cllhbh6nsB4Q9AnVxpunjseXd_VQUbB60DRKaJwxNCcEOsHfqjxrRxg1H1DU5T9LbxuuG424nV-jaXhBILgXap1pf-l2EokuzvC-l_7Z7GvQduPNskF_HBIhnCd4Qr8u_I/s1600/Shnitzi.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1qlv9AFGpZ6cllhbh6nsB4Q9AnVxpunjseXd_VQUbB60DRKaJwxNCcEOsHfqjxrRxg1H1DU5T9LbxuuG424nV-jaXhBILgXap1pf-l2EokuzvC-l_7Z7GvQduPNskF_HBIhnCd4Qr8u_I/s200/Shnitzi.JPG" width="200" /></a>This is a exactly what it sounds like—a fast food type restaurant that specializes in Chicken Shnitzel. You can have it in several styles, labeled Polish, Chinese, Italian, Spanish, and regular, depending on what herbs you want it cooked with. They also have grilled chicken and some other things, but it’s all about the schnitzel. Despite its specialization in schnitzel, I have definitely had better chicken schnitzel elsewhere, and it is multiple napkin greasy. We also got an order of chicken wings with a sauce that ranks as a four star, a combination of pomegranate, maple syrup, and citrus. I dipped bread from my sandwich in it, it was so good, but the rest of the place was not quite up to snuff. You can get a better schnitzel at most falafel/shwarma stands.</div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">McDonalds**<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZVOhwX0wfNLAynRCmnSCFRvO42Jj52JTjwZW2akVcEpiKhpBWqfYX9vz5MK7SFxlVcHckEU8_SIcJ9EoNFshEBmEA8A9eBT8TBm43UXDt3BaQxfCvXUTm_4bYOcBgbze68kfG4ij_pN32/s1600/Restaurant+McDonalds.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZVOhwX0wfNLAynRCmnSCFRvO42Jj52JTjwZW2akVcEpiKhpBWqfYX9vz5MK7SFxlVcHckEU8_SIcJ9EoNFshEBmEA8A9eBT8TBm43UXDt3BaQxfCvXUTm_4bYOcBgbze68kfG4ij_pN32/s200/Restaurant+McDonalds.JPG" width="200" /></a>This may be the only non Kosher place on Emek Refaim, but the meat there is Kosher, so, for some of us, as long as we don’t mix it with a milkshake, it’s good enough. It takes like the McDonalds I remember as a kid before I kept Kosher. I guess the flavor injections rather than the meat is the key to the famed McDonald’s consistency. The fries taste the same as anywhere, and the Happy Meal is available for children. There are a few differences, however. They heat the burgers over charcoal grill, rather than on a fry grill, and they serve an “only in Israel” McFalafel. I confess that I have never tried the McFalafel. I should, but with amazing falafel on every corner, it’s hard for me to justify.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Big Apple Pizza**<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWH-j9RqaFUM2laHOb_rROn2bXrVYPCeaUjbNMprXdIHAxbj1wR8lsic86Bfou57BKyTmPpOe2dPuD6limnGDdARqSZaOMH-bbgrGnodeBmCz4DjiBNgdMakLIEUemkVppnceVZaRbv2-B/s1600/Restaurant+Big+Apple+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWH-j9RqaFUM2laHOb_rROn2bXrVYPCeaUjbNMprXdIHAxbj1wR8lsic86Bfou57BKyTmPpOe2dPuD6limnGDdARqSZaOMH-bbgrGnodeBmCz4DjiBNgdMakLIEUemkVppnceVZaRbv2-B/s200/Restaurant+Big+Apple+1.JPG" width="200" /></a>This place attempts to be the “New York” pizza place, and, as such, it is frequented by Americans. It is decorated in a New York theme, though for some unexplainable reason, they also have signs for other American cities, not all of which have good pizza. The pizza here is not bad, but I prefer the other places over Big Apple any day. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>Moshiko*** (Ben Yehuda Street)<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNYlXE-hvIVDg50lLLgUYSnecV2-yrRvn9A1lXIW58i2o4ppRI6BJqTWjBdosTp1u_VoQeUAwiH_7L8820KSAQKObfaRDHDAdio1HgPYzHZ8jFRey3Fjl4rx2D7UrWVYKnEtbpbqn7zCOO/s1600/Moshiko.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNYlXE-hvIVDg50lLLgUYSnecV2-yrRvn9A1lXIW58i2o4ppRI6BJqTWjBdosTp1u_VoQeUAwiH_7L8820KSAQKObfaRDHDAdio1HgPYzHZ8jFRey3Fjl4rx2D7UrWVYKnEtbpbqn7zCOO/s200/Moshiko.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="200" /></a>Moshiko is one of the most famous falafel/schwarma places in all of Jerusalem. It is located near the bottom of Ben Yehuda Street, and with that prime location, charges prime prices. It is really, really good, though. Typical fixings, but the quality of the schwarma and falafel are somehow just a cut above most of the others.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
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</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>Meirosh** (Ben Yehuda Street)<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2VQHpMYTpl86zcqUfNZiHIXVFjMzYGU-BO11xmR_Yq9fdtaFeL8RnRuvFup0-ShBtH7Pqc_dGBbDD42-1lvhz4W3mxFzOYNt3hNtsy2zr0rQUHgbLJ74-3gL4pBasKUlQbUz1JTaoWUP2/s1600/Hamarosh.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2VQHpMYTpl86zcqUfNZiHIXVFjMzYGU-BO11xmR_Yq9fdtaFeL8RnRuvFup0-ShBtH7Pqc_dGBbDD42-1lvhz4W3mxFzOYNt3hNtsy2zr0rQUHgbLJ74-3gL4pBasKUlQbUz1JTaoWUP2/s200/Hamarosh.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="200" /></a>This place is relatively new and is very close to one of its main competitors, the better known Moshiko. The difference is that, in addition to falafel, schwarma, and schnitzel, they also serve grilled Cornish Game Hen in a pita or lafa. The texture is a bit fatty for my taste, but the flavoring is very special and worth a try.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
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</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">COFFEE AND BAGELS<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Coffee Mill***<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEiAEKw6agHQzCxOjnbxvbta-KEwTeKvzL_uuLhDzlAXt1sybz1eCrylHLbc9XHqiZMsJ0jiWUfzodd3D9yN9uPCeTyOI9Gi5kcURndxxW5KzPakGurOJ1UX-y-6R5Hdsgr1PO1WlbYFo6/s1600/Coffee+Mill.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEiAEKw6agHQzCxOjnbxvbta-KEwTeKvzL_uuLhDzlAXt1sybz1eCrylHLbc9XHqiZMsJ0jiWUfzodd3D9yN9uPCeTyOI9Gi5kcURndxxW5KzPakGurOJ1UX-y-6R5Hdsgr1PO1WlbYFo6/s200/Coffee+Mill.JPG" width="200" /></a>This place is very American, but in a charming, independent sort of way. They have barrels of different beans for purchase, but they also make good cappuccino, mochas, and ice coffee. Ice coffee in Israel has always been more like a milkshake than a coffee. They used to actually put ice cream into coffee and call it iced coffee. Nowadays, it spins in a machine, and you can get it almost anywhere. This place has a stronger coffee flavor in its ice coffee than some of the others.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Old Man on the Corner**<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj85axkuoSVAnPrnuN_-YTI-1rDCIWmTh7liT3GkcnoHxRPbWjfuf78H4r8l2YmQOK9UuzEXYRWUThXW6uffJZdOLKvzUWOq4CH-iRlDr5Y30YYMYU_Dh-2waZdctVkEh9YkgRNypNcNW8I/s1600/Man+on+Corner.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj85axkuoSVAnPrnuN_-YTI-1rDCIWmTh7liT3GkcnoHxRPbWjfuf78H4r8l2YmQOK9UuzEXYRWUThXW6uffJZdOLKvzUWOq4CH-iRlDr5Y30YYMYU_Dh-2waZdctVkEh9YkgRNypNcNW8I/s200/Man+on+Corner.JPG" width="200" /></a>This is not actually the name of the place. I’m not sure it has a name, but this is how everyone refers to it. At the beginning of Emek Refaim (if you're coming from King David Street), there is a little, mustached old man who speaks only Hebrew, so it is fun to order there. He has ice coffee on the menu, but he will tell you not to order it, since there is no machine, and all he would do would be to pour instant coffee over ice. His cappuccino is decent, and he has fresh squeezed grapefruit, orange, apple, and carrot juice as well. But it’s his personality that makes this place a favorite.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Aroma**</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFITQuqsKtFlm0SOYdPiX77GfuDnYV0AyI3CIAoXhMRwb6F9m1GpzTvzZgWUWUoH5OIV8zNPxM6P3iKqzw-_jk8vpQLHTgoCSUgqqaSjS6Q4d1i5fwdDrePS7PE__ExcOdTidgY9g5xWn3/s1600/Aroma.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFITQuqsKtFlm0SOYdPiX77GfuDnYV0AyI3CIAoXhMRwb6F9m1GpzTvzZgWUWUoH5OIV8zNPxM6P3iKqzw-_jk8vpQLHTgoCSUgqqaSjS6Q4d1i5fwdDrePS7PE__ExcOdTidgY9g5xWn3/s200/Aroma.JPG" width="200" /></a>This is the Starbucks of Israel. There is a full menu of sandwiches and salads, as well as pastries, and a variety of espresso beverages. It’s always teeming with people, just like Starbucks.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
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</b></b></div><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Café</b> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Hillel**</b><o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">Another chain with a full menu, including salads, sandwiches, and pastas, it is quieter and a little than Aroma but with a slightly snobbier vibe. The pastries are superior to those at Aroma; the coffee is quite similar.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><br />
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</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Holy Bagel**</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDPDK5RFXRs9nqKm-gvWGlfy60wlV6FIaLQrx1h6RdByw0sqksgL0KsbO5g9JkuluxfeGwCkE74V0y1heG1gKML7T8QwGJtLCeKdq00DdmeLW81lKEtRPh9hHjSnEuqaSb_6X_vD_3StoM/s1600/Holy+Bagel.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDPDK5RFXRs9nqKm-gvWGlfy60wlV6FIaLQrx1h6RdByw0sqksgL0KsbO5g9JkuluxfeGwCkE74V0y1heG1gKML7T8QwGJtLCeKdq00DdmeLW81lKEtRPh9hHjSnEuqaSb_6X_vD_3StoM/s200/Holy+Bagel.JPG" width="200" /></a>Bagels are a relatively new phenomenon in Israel, and they don’t quite measure up yet. Still, this is the best bagel place we have found. They are a little too soft and wheaty for bagels, but that makes them more edible as well. They have sesame, raisin, poppy, and onion as well as plain. Service is quick and helpful.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Tal Bagel**</b><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKAKEzZfjsmOfkaVLOrFyXqEm2ULsMLQFOaLvSDOE0C4xdOMrFfjxMYSDkPqfOcTTlosf7nLdPC2KAMLoIQaVLoBy-mt_3GmXA8ws-sUraAvxegZ7v-ZHqTbNWJqpzo5U3LLCjrn7odwnS/s1600/Tal+Bagels.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKAKEzZfjsmOfkaVLOrFyXqEm2ULsMLQFOaLvSDOE0C4xdOMrFfjxMYSDkPqfOcTTlosf7nLdPC2KAMLoIQaVLoBy-mt_3GmXA8ws-sUraAvxegZ7v-ZHqTbNWJqpzo5U3LLCjrn7odwnS/s200/Tal+Bagels.JPG" width="200" /></a>This place is a full restaurant and not just a bagel shop, but I can only speak to the bagels. They look like New York bagels, but they are not particularly good. They are sort of hard on the outside and taste toasted even when they are not. I would give it one star, but it is so crowded and popular that it must be better than I think in terms of the prepared food.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">KING SOLOMON HOTEL AREA</b></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">There are four restaurants right across the street from the King Solomon Hotel and very close to the Inbal and Dan Panorama as well. Their quality is distinctly mediocre.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Olive Fish***<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXhqAHWDUdBe19u0zli0m1q2d1Mk9VBJo4sJR3mwoUwM5mE9gbjmdd-ZQSf_NfxL9kGdffRvTNhbeWiN7CLm-fUDnkirsD_w7wOISypZjnHH7VIyy2tsaWQ_RNjpWkyn3rcV6MycnJbT-2/s1600/Olive.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXhqAHWDUdBe19u0zli0m1q2d1Mk9VBJo4sJR3mwoUwM5mE9gbjmdd-ZQSf_NfxL9kGdffRvTNhbeWiN7CLm-fUDnkirsD_w7wOISypZjnHH7VIyy2tsaWQ_RNjpWkyn3rcV6MycnJbT-2/s200/Olive.JPG" width="200" /></a>This is an upscale place focused on, you guessed it, fish. We have not tried it because we have already been to the regular Olive restaurant owned by the same people on Emek Refaim. But that place was tasty, so I’m sure this one is just as good. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Cup A Joe**+<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbfbIVdJpbZTfkSrR9ui9aTuiAYbG1gT-3U8ch7YvIAsFsGjVMLVZdn564Ztsevw0Dm2nafJLHfsRfVJkCpsu1CfM-65mv-dGr0iWowcaR5o7yQYdC2PrjCplFXYEFWkAiqST9v0ZCzNZd/s1600/Cuppa+Jo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbfbIVdJpbZTfkSrR9ui9aTuiAYbG1gT-3U8ch7YvIAsFsGjVMLVZdn564Ztsevw0Dm2nafJLHfsRfVJkCpsu1CfM-65mv-dGr0iWowcaR5o7yQYdC2PrjCplFXYEFWkAiqST9v0ZCzNZd/s200/Cuppa+Jo.JPG" width="200" /></a>A coffee place, as you would imagine, but with a full menu of sandwiches and salads. Service was spotty and the coffee was mediocre. But the mini chocolate soufflé (not really a soufflé, but more like a lava cake) was really good.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Little Italy**<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpPxuuGoY2H3G-wfnD8VWHgoxGWoFVjMlPloQ87qZxabvIgWmOk5xJuOK5-8E_mIsayQaMgIqSaCaIQUbK6JMTxEXslGiLI5kJojS5b9W3AM_COL_ZjLsMT6v9o1Fk55g9NDxSxQgEmMGH/s1600/Little+Italy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpPxuuGoY2H3G-wfnD8VWHgoxGWoFVjMlPloQ87qZxabvIgWmOk5xJuOK5-8E_mIsayQaMgIqSaCaIQUbK6JMTxEXslGiLI5kJojS5b9W3AM_COL_ZjLsMT6v9o1Fk55g9NDxSxQgEmMGH/s200/Little+Italy.JPG" width="200" /></a>Their menu sounds great, but with the kids that night, we ordered plain Pizza Margherita and Spaghetti Pomodoro. So I can’t comment on all the things we wanted to try (various mushroom pastas, fish, and risotto), but I can tell you that the basic pizza and pasta were not very good. The pizza was chewy, and the pasta was oily. Still, it is very convenient.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Paradiso Café and P2 Pizza*<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeM_jk-xUkk0u53bgo0T6Itr645Vo3VqNlENDd1PNH0yTKNyyOB_tv6gDfvQtzfxGvmsVwubKkzZptG4d8Fpd8oFMzlx05_Cr7xtFe2PcpRGPxafi8vHewSUO_w8DYtL3QmLQXUTa0vWfZ/s1600/Paradiso.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeM_jk-xUkk0u53bgo0T6Itr645Vo3VqNlENDd1PNH0yTKNyyOB_tv6gDfvQtzfxGvmsVwubKkzZptG4d8Fpd8oFMzlx05_Cr7xtFe2PcpRGPxafi8vHewSUO_w8DYtL3QmLQXUTa0vWfZ/s200/Paradiso.JPG" width="200" /></a>Truthfully, I have never been here. It gets one star, because it is one of the few flagrantly unkosher places in Jerusalem. You can get pork there if you desire it. It really is out of place in a religious neighborhood where it is located. You have to try hard to find unkosher places in Jerusalem, but here is one.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">B'tei Avon!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHq4ujlyKzBO_3nzkN10SXhqkq25PcNRBYXy94WLaBpBtC9U1EJkSNawD1hNPZi4sr0PTNWRlyigJvVp4sW4mXoOG2VLdtycA2mhYO2oAikKvwN8DgtEKXI-Krz-Y9np7RuNYOqgHm2e0v/s1600/Tzofiya.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHq4ujlyKzBO_3nzkN10SXhqkq25PcNRBYXy94WLaBpBtC9U1EJkSNawD1hNPZi4sr0PTNWRlyigJvVp4sW4mXoOG2VLdtycA2mhYO2oAikKvwN8DgtEKXI-Krz-Y9np7RuNYOqgHm2e0v/s320/Tzofiya.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><b><br />
</b></div>Rabbi Mark Bloomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13950758046996988977noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2270551505298521223.post-50856196501883236592011-06-18T11:29:00.000-07:002011-06-19T13:02:50.372-07:00Settlers in Hebron, Palestinians in the West Bank--Jerusalem Week 10<div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-2226546654246875349" style="position: relative; width: 520px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.4; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; line-height: 19px;"></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-size: 13px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHT4ywAiDF-u-zQ-FtqCeM2EzGtYRcCN4s5RdD1Vt335OMlRyzryMyQ0Ez8rCO1LSfTzuWUUlkXUTDpkLgV-LMWdya2HKKyeTB5V8z9oIVFuS4oG4-K3HlOC9OgYQMq3H3Ys2Owy3q4kJY/s1600/Land+for+Peace.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHT4ywAiDF-u-zQ-FtqCeM2EzGtYRcCN4s5RdD1Vt335OMlRyzryMyQ0Ez8rCO1LSfTzuWUUlkXUTDpkLgV-LMWdya2HKKyeTB5V8z9oIVFuS4oG4-K3HlOC9OgYQMq3H3Ys2Owy3q4kJY/s200/Land+for+Peace.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">In case you can't read it, the Native American is saying: "Ask me about land for peace."</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 15px;">Wow, what a week. Ulpan ended, so I decided to take advantage of the free time by taking day trips to some of the more controversial places in Israel. Things are relatively calm now, and I wanted to take advantage of that. In order to maximize my understanding, I wanted to hear the stories from those who were most passionate about the land--the settlers and the Palestinians themselves.</span><br />
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</div><div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.4;">I deliberately did not tell anyone outside of Israel that I would be heading to Hebron and Palestinians in the West Bank because I didn't want to worry them. I'm safe and sound now, so I can tell the tale, though, honestly, never once did I feel endangered in any way.</div><div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.4;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.4;"><b><u>Hebron</u></b></div><div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.4;">Hebron is most famous as the very first piece of property the Jewish people acquired in Israel. In Genesis, Abraham buys a field from Ephron the Hittite, insisting on paying full price, in order to bury his wife Sarah. That cave, called the Cave of Machpela, is the traditional burial site not only of Sarah, but also of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Rebecca, and Leah. As such, the Cave of Machpela and Hebron are sacred to Muslims. Rachel is buried on the road to Ramallah, and we visited her grave as well. Jews have lived in Hebron for centuries. Built around the burial site is a massive structure built by King Herod the Great. The same Kabbalists I talked about last week in Safed in the 16th Century also established a thriving community in Hebron. There was co-existence with the Muslims throughout the Middle Ages, but Jews were allowed only up to the 7th step leading to the grave. They had no access to the actual tombs. The early Zionists of the late 1800's and early 1900's also established a strong presence there. Even the first Hadassah hospital was established there. In 1928, Jews were actually the majority in Hebron. A massive pogrom in 1929, referred to by most Jews as the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1929_Hebron_massacre" style="color: #cc6611; text-decoration: none;">Hebron Massacre</a>, which killed dozens of Jewish residents, drove most of the remaining members away. Continued rioting in the 1930's caused the British to remove the remaining Jews from Hebron, not to return again until well after the Six Day War. The history of violence there has continued, as sniper fire over the last 20 years has taken the lives of other Jewish residents of the city, including babies. Equally famous was a Jewish massacre at the Cave of Machpela, perpetrated in 1994 by Baruch Goldstein, who entered the cave and murdered 29 Muslims praying at the tomb. Shortly afterward, the tomb was divided into separate sections for Jews and Muslims, as it is to this day.</div><div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.4;"><br />
</div><div style="clear: both; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.4;"></div></div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-2226546654246875349" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 520px;"></div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-2226546654246875349" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 520px;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0MVWN3fYSCVKijBFHR-a7-J67lm3HFf08RM8TZpzJUkdJqnvaireKsAJY1EmB7b2BGAioFR4iOZQPSi4bDIglvxAzSmXZJVM1Fdmebf8OZCm66z69d90-Gv3T8BuvivaCINImVOSsg30E/s1600/Hebron+Baby+Memorial.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0MVWN3fYSCVKijBFHR-a7-J67lm3HFf08RM8TZpzJUkdJqnvaireKsAJY1EmB7b2BGAioFR4iOZQPSi4bDIglvxAzSmXZJVM1Fdmebf8OZCm66z69d90-Gv3T8BuvivaCINImVOSsg30E/s200/Hebron+Baby+Memorial.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Memorial for Jewish baby<br />
killed by sniper fire.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEGoRZUAcdgBouHIFvLMbqTSdBEzCrzGJqUa3tjeqbLYTziiCeZm1xIqICx_jdpM8daJbG1P4hJyDg8IPrI_KBQk3qwKfVQKO-y3Ek6TiJ4wHTw4XPX6Wa-ZtP1t3Jo54ft9Iq23RD2IKW/s1600/Hebron+Coffee+Bullets.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEGoRZUAcdgBouHIFvLMbqTSdBEzCrzGJqUa3tjeqbLYTziiCeZm1xIqICx_jdpM8daJbG1P4hJyDg8IPrI_KBQk3qwKfVQKO-y3Ek6TiJ4wHTw4XPX6Wa-ZtP1t3Jo54ft9Iq23RD2IKW/s200/Hebron+Coffee+Bullets.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coffee urn outside Jewish<br />
home also hit by sniper fire. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>Today's Hebron is dark and depressing, though some light was provided by our tour guide, appropriately named Sarah, who is, as strange as this sounds, a slightly fanatical, but ever so cheerful settler herself. Because of the Jewish history there, after telling a story or visiting a site, she would ask: "isn't it the most natural thing that a Jew would want to live here?" Still, a Jew who does ultimately decide to live in this hardship has to be unbelievably dedicated, some might even say crazy. Life is very hard and very dangerous there. Many Jewish residents there have been shot or stabbed, and many of the courtyards and mini streets are named after the victims. </div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-2226546654246875349" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 520px;"><br />
Hebron is divided into a Muslim area, which has about 30,000 residents and a mixed area, which has about 900 Jewish residents and several thousand Muslim residents. Jews began coming back to Hebron in the late 1970's, but their building is restricted to essentially one street. That street includes the first Hadassah hospital, which now houses a museum about Hebron, a visitor's center, a pre-school, and most of the Jewish residents. It is illegal for Jews to expand there, even in buildings previously owned by and/or attached to Jewish homes. From time to time they try to do so anyway, and they told us of one incident where, after moving into a formerly Jewish owned and currently uninhabited house next door to a Jewish residence, the Israeli army evicted the family and took a sledgehammer to their home. There is a huge Israeli army presence there, as much to protect the settlers from Palestinians as to prevent them from expanding and provoking the Arab residents of the city. What an incredibly painful task it is for the Israeli army to try and protect its citizens while trying to make sure some of those same citizens don't explode the tinderbox!</div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-2226546654246875349" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 520px;"><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3dg3ykOViESX0DcA6lMZvkUZbAIV3H6bqsVQ66yJsdGGhr6TKWmMJiMzOzrJYefNNyVm6MkaSjg3N_2rowNC8KsT99-baijOElypWM8j3-BYfXMgmXL-RVJF8uc0eBUqv7v6pXenLjg6t/s1600/Hebron+Soldier+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3dg3ykOViESX0DcA6lMZvkUZbAIV3H6bqsVQ66yJsdGGhr6TKWmMJiMzOzrJYefNNyVm6MkaSjg3N_2rowNC8KsT99-baijOElypWM8j3-BYfXMgmXL-RVJF8uc0eBUqv7v6pXenLjg6t/s200/Hebron+Soldier+2.JPG" width="150" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsoNyWKLojFGI7w2XBeMquJQFuNReVIhJa2YqGPT9ySqas7IwT2WwX7umjWA3Zn6_jUuvXWWwhIdBPTZJYN9qEoFKZwN2dM5YsDqhCbzJIkP71eyiz1xvHrsXLrvXNql0puTwBXGUdae4I/s1600/Hebron+Soldier+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsoNyWKLojFGI7w2XBeMquJQFuNReVIhJa2YqGPT9ySqas7IwT2WwX7umjWA3Zn6_jUuvXWWwhIdBPTZJYN9qEoFKZwN2dM5YsDqhCbzJIkP71eyiz1xvHrsXLrvXNql0puTwBXGUdae4I/s200/Hebron+Soldier+1.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="200" /></a></div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-2226546654246875349" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 520px;"><br />
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One moving story that our guide Sarah shared with us had to do with the riots/pogroms in the twenties and thirties. During the last series of riots in the late 1930's the British came to evacuate the remaining Jewish residents, who were gathered in the synagogue in great fear. The last to be evacuated was a teenage boy standing next to the ark. The British soldier told him he must leave immediately, but the boy said that he needed to save the Torah, a Sephardic style Torah from Syria. The soldier told him there was no room left on the truck. <i>Imagine long pregnant pause here</i>. Over 60 years later when the synagogue in Hebron was rededicated an old man showed up with a large duffel bag. He announced to the assembled group that he had a story to tell. He took the very same Torah from his bag, and it is housed in the Ark of the synagogue today.</div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-2226546654246875349" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 520px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkshc_xM3xwvKXmlBFmo6f04JJdF5nnW7HlnpLEMNc5pidhv23ETVxbVmtf4fMo9VWr7uvT5Y9JSUbIlDqIccMi32flJ-HmUnXqZ1INUc5a60Q-cd-j3uu6KQnU85MrrQhQBbHf5Ih8uBC/s1600/Hebron+Torah.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkshc_xM3xwvKXmlBFmo6f04JJdF5nnW7HlnpLEMNc5pidhv23ETVxbVmtf4fMo9VWr7uvT5Y9JSUbIlDqIccMi32flJ-HmUnXqZ1INUc5a60Q-cd-j3uu6KQnU85MrrQhQBbHf5Ih8uBC/s200/Hebron+Torah.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Torah with the story</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Despite the pain and darkness of the day, praying at the tomb of Abraham, Sarah, Jacob, and Leah was a very moving experience for me. I'm not sure I will ever go back or if Jews will even be allowed to come back should the Messiah come and there be a peace settlement, but I am glad I went this week.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL6j7_oq4jILaxFm3NcTVpxk4p2816Bsf5M54jwRAJh2nzq2P6IKcclomk1ZaMhlc6l7dTbCQtpDOqVMuMOTfCjT6cpdQZR5aXdhcQkrqNL5XXn9rOCTTUuOxegNATEd68IlO0XFUeE0yX/s1600/Hebron+Machpela.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL6j7_oq4jILaxFm3NcTVpxk4p2816Bsf5M54jwRAJh2nzq2P6IKcclomk1ZaMhlc6l7dTbCQtpDOqVMuMOTfCjT6cpdQZR5aXdhcQkrqNL5XXn9rOCTTUuOxegNATEd68IlO0XFUeE0yX/s200/Hebron+Machpela.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Structure surrounding Cave of Machpela, built by King Herod</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-2226546654246875349" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 520px;"><b><u>Meetings with Palestinians in the West Bank</u></b></div><div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-2226546654246875349" style="position: relative; width: 520px;"><div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><div style="line-height: 1.4;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcOaRLJ32twSq3cP9rexMhr1EHOrGx0J4mwUmmmPodH4Czo1FyDy6n0kgYAtKYQZDbOvpmYVNChCjdW2bkaazumMIajZgv2-krKSMFzcXyMSK27N09-MdFf2UxnDxCm53qFwr7CXkibKpL/s1600/West+Bank+Village+Palestinian+Flag.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcOaRLJ32twSq3cP9rexMhr1EHOrGx0J4mwUmmmPodH4Czo1FyDy6n0kgYAtKYQZDbOvpmYVNChCjdW2bkaazumMIajZgv2-krKSMFzcXyMSK27N09-MdFf2UxnDxCm53qFwr7CXkibKpL/s200/West+Bank+Village+Palestinian+Flag.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">The next day I went on a semi private tour of some Palestinian areas of the West Bank with a rabbinic colleague named Rabbi Arik Asherman, who is one of the founders of the Rabbis for Human Rights. I did not go to Ramallah or Jenin and meet with Hamas extremists or even members of the theoretically more moderate Fatah, but, rather, into tiny villages made up primarily of farmers and shepherds. RHR does work not only for Palestinian rights, but for a whole host of other human rights issues within Israel itself, from labor to health care to Bedouins. In terms of the Palestinians in the West Bank, a major part of what RHR does is work through the Israeli courts to protect Palestinian villages, property and grazing land. Though I certainly do not agree with much of Rabbi Asherman's politics, I respect and admire his passion and work, and it was a very meaningful, if somewhat disturbing day for me.</span><br />
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<div style="line-height: 1.4;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb1J_Myaae3AiowG1ZEU7hX22Y9M6jxp_NrFoQVTeoFxxcA6Ud4fUBlzCWCkr2gYA7x55Kju2rlLNu6n_ftAUyUmXD19rIGy9oWXsIBsm0efLPgK5WheieVFi8MlJX_z5PXmq2CipZYtVk/s1600/West+Bank+Villagers+in+Tent.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb1J_Myaae3AiowG1ZEU7hX22Y9M6jxp_NrFoQVTeoFxxcA6Ud4fUBlzCWCkr2gYA7x55Kju2rlLNu6n_ftAUyUmXD19rIGy9oWXsIBsm0efLPgK5WheieVFi8MlJX_z5PXmq2CipZYtVk/s200/West+Bank+Villagers+in+Tent.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><div style="line-height: 1.4;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small; line-height: 18px;">It is impossible to meet with these Palestinian shepherds and farmers and not be moved by their plight. They get trampled upon from all directions. The first village we went to was called Susia. This tiny Palestinian village of maybe 20 families has been squeezed on all sides, first by archaeological excavations of an ancient synagogue and then by a Jewish settlement by the same name. The families have been forced to move to a</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small; line-height: 18px;"> different hilltop on two occasions, and they are not even allowed to plug into the waterlines or power grid. Recently, settlers from the Jewish Susia have tried to plant a vineyard on land that the Palestinians use for grazing, and RHR has successfully challenged this in court. Sadly, vines have been replanted, as the court rulings often prove more difficult to enforce. As we were leaving, United Nations vehicles were pulling in. Apparently, this is a regular stop on the Palestinian sympathy trail.</span></div></div><div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcCsKhPrksN8_ywIV8B8oEVmULVsDWyEsAy3K8rV8n5UOD7dzxre-CY9az2B2hma_VveYn2yoALUZvr0sRWBA2juOuTGQ3Jf9rl2SYdgej8GqtJQAXpuoWBQ8jmHHj8vm8cqBRX0U2jvpl/s1600/Susya.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcCsKhPrksN8_ywIV8B8oEVmULVsDWyEsAy3K8rV8n5UOD7dzxre-CY9az2B2hma_VveYn2yoALUZvr0sRWBA2juOuTGQ3Jf9rl2SYdgej8GqtJQAXpuoWBQ8jmHHj8vm8cqBRX0U2jvpl/s200/Susya.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jewish Susia</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuLJHdT-6rGOwfBZTNlynITmlyrO2av5toxWLEHIipssSKc0ddECd8O80zor94rm1YKqpUXCfdrUkq7LYIjZME6N7BwZu9BvWxgzOJLq05lgH5pe_OuyTDL_qKSgiOMHZUtIQKdbsilrdh/s1600/Susya+Arab+Village.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuLJHdT-6rGOwfBZTNlynITmlyrO2av5toxWLEHIipssSKc0ddECd8O80zor94rm1YKqpUXCfdrUkq7LYIjZME6N7BwZu9BvWxgzOJLq05lgH5pe_OuyTDL_qKSgiOMHZUtIQKdbsilrdh/s200/Susya+Arab+Village.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Palestinian Susia</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small; line-height: 18px;">The next village was called Brir el-'Eid and is partially built into caves in the harsh Judean Desert. There are only about 5 or 6 families who are sticking it out here, as harsh conditions combined with settler takeover of their grazing lands has made life next to impossible for these families. Their tiny village is only accessible by foot and tractor, and nearby settlers have slashed the tires of said tractor to make life even more difficult for them. They had equally unkind words for the Palestinian authority, who they called "useless," and they have also been disappointed by the lack of assistance from better off Arab towns to which they have appealed. Despite all this, they showed us some of the famous Arab hospitality and served us tea.</span></div><div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small; line-height: 18px;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFGP-W5cPjL4ZcP1GqgxIg-jAH8DY63DTIRpBH4WsRejKcKUq0ppYbnDykgcL-criXZ1IVLcRj1FeJJSw6reesWgkfRLcQZW5zI6dw5Pv-FLSqwmOZhoiwg0Yrhf2UadGiM6POuzjoWL3x/s1600/West+Bank+Cave+Village.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFGP-W5cPjL4ZcP1GqgxIg-jAH8DY63DTIRpBH4WsRejKcKUq0ppYbnDykgcL-criXZ1IVLcRj1FeJJSw6reesWgkfRLcQZW5zI6dw5Pv-FLSqwmOZhoiwg0Yrhf2UadGiM6POuzjoWL3x/s200/West+Bank+Cave+Village.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Built right into the caves.</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small; line-height: 18px;">We also visited a village called Im el Khir, which has more livestock than people. They were effusive in their praise for Rabbi Asherman, as they recently received a court order which stops the Jewish settlement of Karmel from expanding into their grazing land. This was after one of the settlers killed one of Im el Khir's grazing goats. I don't know how long the ruling will hold, but it was nice to see someone thankful for what was undoubtedly a hard fought case with a just outcome. </span></div><div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">We ended our day in the most controversial place of all, in East Jerusalem, in a highly publicized place called Sheikh Jarrah. A number of Sephardic Jewish families lay claim to this neighborhood, as they were apparently living there just before the 1948 War of Independence. When the Jordanians captured the territory in the War, they settled many of the Palestinian refugees from other parts of what then became Israel in this neighborhood. Some of these Jewish families believe these homes should belong to them, and the housing authority uses almost any excuse they can to evict the Arab tenants--late rent payment, remodeling without a permit, etc. We met with a man who had been evicted from his home.</span></div><div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 1.4;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6B-uo-pk5KL-Cb-WAYIf7l7r8lPAo9KC0IWPxYdUWt4kxBE2ZOdt_vVIH0imZy2VNJVsbgZRR4IoA_L5TnHYc82oExWunpkfD_kPFSnrJs0a2EPo0vE0Rfb4x4UVrdVTRdr3yrhpTfUUp/s1600/Sheik+Jarrah+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6B-uo-pk5KL-Cb-WAYIf7l7r8lPAo9KC0IWPxYdUWt4kxBE2ZOdt_vVIH0imZy2VNJVsbgZRR4IoA_L5TnHYc82oExWunpkfD_kPFSnrJs0a2EPo0vE0Rfb4x4UVrdVTRdr3yrhpTfUUp/s200/Sheik+Jarrah+%25282%2529.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="200" /></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPOd7bbUBLT3fAjpJOo7UsNlwPcT4y4tQKSSFHOwbltg9iF3FYNOiSyCbW5f9fJdrtchpasY9SHGkPln75xxMWdyJBkROq7-eC3v_VMOVfbfumB6DhNzs0q55ilUEL1FLzXXRmdf99rdR9/s1600/Sheik+Jarrah.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPOd7bbUBLT3fAjpJOo7UsNlwPcT4y4tQKSSFHOwbltg9iF3FYNOiSyCbW5f9fJdrtchpasY9SHGkPln75xxMWdyJBkROq7-eC3v_VMOVfbfumB6DhNzs0q55ilUEL1FLzXXRmdf99rdR9/s200/Sheik+Jarrah.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="200" /></a></span></div><div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small; line-height: 18px;"> The Eye of the Beholder: Historic Jewish Home or Palestinian Residence</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small; line-height: 18px;">I am very glad I got to hear these stories from the people who have been affected by them. As I mentioned, one can not help but feel great sympathy for their plight. These are not Hamas terrorists, but kind, working people who have gotten a terrible deal. </span></div><div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">At this point, after seeing such a strong military presence in Hebron to prevent Jewish building there, my thoughts turned to why that same logic doesn't seem to apply near these small, out-of-the way Palestinian villages next to Israeli settlements. Is it because they are much more removed from the public eye? That certainly is not the case in East Jerusalem, though it may be in Susia. I'll have more to say about that in a moment.</span></span></div><div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><b><u>The Third Day--West Bank Settlements of Nokdim, Tekoa, and an Unrecognized Outpost</u></b></span></span></div><div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">After my day in the Palestinian West Bank I decided I wanted to hear from some of these settlers themselves, so I went on an organized tour called "Meet the Settlers." The tour was led by a quirky, friendly man named Bruce Brill, a wind engineer/klezmer musician/feelance writer. At this point I should point out that while the West Bank is a geographic designation, Jewish residents who live there refer to the area not as the West Bank, but by their Biblical names of Judea and Samaria. Much more than Tel Aviv and Haifa, this is truly the land of the Bible.</span></span></div><div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLDkNvYsdEBFe8uwmf9P-qiM9XEUns86ETb7PxlJNX5klzC7RY1nncfNIbsYJ1FNjDv6B2jEoRWUM0VRDKsfRDyj1lrfZ4UaZy4WvOzvj8_oBUXUGgexfPauDapi0IQOOXb9uKSthM8nNN/s1600/Judea+Tour+Guide+Bruce.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLDkNvYsdEBFe8uwmf9P-qiM9XEUns86ETb7PxlJNX5klzC7RY1nncfNIbsYJ1FNjDv6B2jEoRWUM0VRDKsfRDyj1lrfZ4UaZy4WvOzvj8_oBUXUGgexfPauDapi0IQOOXb9uKSthM8nNN/s200/Judea+Tour+Guide+Bruce.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">Wind Engineer/Musician/Settler/Tour Guide Bruce</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"></span></span></div><div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">Our first stop was Nokdim, now also called El David, renamed after two Jewish West Bank residents who were murdered by Palestinians. We met with a soft-spoken social worker named Shmuel. Though he believes Jews have every right to be there, he and his family live there less for ideological reasons than for practical ones. It is 15 minutes from Jerusalem, and he could afford to buy a house there. </span></span></div><div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">We also stopped in Tekoa, which is famous Biblically for an unnamed "wise woman" who King David's General Yoav consults in 2nd Samuel. I've always loved this Biblical story so I was quite happy to visit. The modern Tekoa was established by Jews from the former Soviet Union in the late seventies. The wise woman we consulted there was our tour guide's ex-wife. She has lived there for 30 years and, similar to Shmuel, likes its proximity to Jerusalem as well as its diversity. There are Anglos and native born Israelis there, Ashkenazim and Sephardim, religious and secular. </span></span></div><div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOODFktiDJGQt4cOkCLtieqbz-gifigiRV6_HO6TgdbsThv9A-_lgGhEWaNdgOISq4O6knIih_2RJ9rS2lssX5OwzLqoHC9zOZZ6UGnwDs718pvl-IUIpOLiXrml8gfRmOG-dL4rErDOyR/s1600/Judea+Outpost+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOODFktiDJGQt4cOkCLtieqbz-gifigiRV6_HO6TgdbsThv9A-_lgGhEWaNdgOISq4O6knIih_2RJ9rS2lssX5OwzLqoHC9zOZZ6UGnwDs718pvl-IUIpOLiXrml8gfRmOG-dL4rErDOyR/s200/Judea+Outpost+3.JPG" width="200" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">The third place we visited has a name, though I don't remember it. It is an illegal outpost, meaning that settlers have placed modular homes there, probably in the middle of the night, and they are not recognized by the Israeli government. There is a soldier stationed there as well, similar to Hebron, as much to prevent expansion by the settlers as to protect the dozen or so families there. We met with a man named Dan there. He was brilliant, articulate, passionate, and somewhat frightening. He is not religious, but most of us would view him as a zealot. He chooses to live there because he wants to be on the front lines of the war, both philosophically and materially. Though his views are scary, talking to him he still comes across as a nice guy. </span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzsbjh3q2YzFr9eorSaQCotACgNhTWmD6_EpXTnLLaswRHL4OSp39Ife9JWjdM92KuYeDTZAeFUbj3uX4m0lQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small; line-height: 18px;">All these places were fascinating and disturbing at the same time. Bruce was an excellent guide who seems to be on a first name basis with everyone we met. Ironically, many of these people were Palestinian residents of the West Bank, who are the contractors and laborers for the settlement building!</span></div><div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><b><u>Impressions</u></b></span></span></div><div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">If you've read this far, I'm impressed. This trip allowed me to sympathize with the people I met and "humanize" the problems, but it did not fundamentally change my pragmatist views on the Israel-Palestinian issue. Now, imagine Tevya from Fiddler on the Roof.</span></span></div><div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">On the one hand, I admire the passion, dedication, and love of the land of all these people. I also have to say that all of them seem like nice human beings, whether or not I agree with their views on the Middle East, whether or not I believe they should be situated where they are.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">On the other hand, I heard far too many words of dehumanization on all sides during these three days. To the other side, they are Palestinians and Settlers rather than actual human beings. One of the most disturbing things I heard was a comment from a person who joined me on my makeshift tour with Rabbis for Human Rights. This person said to me: "Oh, those settlers are truly evil." I replied: "Yes, some of them really are." She responded: "Some of them? All of them are evil. Why did you say some of them?" I answered: "My experience tells me that there are all kinds of people living in these settlements for all kinds of reasons. It's really wrong to generalize anyone." Yes, it's hard for Bay Area residents to say this, but "settlers" are people too. I am still bothered by this person's remarks. If they are not actual human beings in your mind's eye, it's far too easy to dismiss them. I find this very dangerous.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">Who owns what land and what are the statutes of limitations? </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small; line-height: 18px;">On the one hand, you might say we should go back to the original owners of the land. If a Jew owned a house in Hebron before the riots or in East Jerusalem before it was captured by the Jordanians, he should be able to reinhabit it. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">On the other hand, does the Palestinian from Haifa get to go back to his home too? How far back do we go? To 1966? 1947? 1928? Biblical times? Do we accept Israeli papers, British papers, Jordanian papers, or Ottoman papers? These questions are incredibly complex in the Middle East, and there are no easy answers. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">On the one hand, the left wing in particular and most of the world in general believes that Palestinians have an absolute right to stay in areas where there is a vast Jewish majority.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">On the other hand, the left wing in particular and most of the world in general believes that areas with a Palestinian majority should be Judenrein, completely free of Jews. It is a very cruel irony.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMybIJwK2F2MUDRwanw1hEdC27LtnL9i2DhmCDPhvwvSvcb8DixWD-nYi0nuQEORxknfpnND5Rg2MWdAH9lt4Pno-TlYEsPYawD3J8GzgdPOGyTDCI3jBCUXP914B7WY16OAR2pSBYTHAE/s1600/No+Israelis+Allowed.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMybIJwK2F2MUDRwanw1hEdC27LtnL9i2DhmCDPhvwvSvcb8DixWD-nYi0nuQEORxknfpnND5Rg2MWdAH9lt4Pno-TlYEsPYawD3J8GzgdPOGyTDCI3jBCUXP914B7WY16OAR2pSBYTHAE/s200/No+Israelis+Allowed.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A sign of cruel irony</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 15px;"></span></div><div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small; line-height: 18px;">On the one hand, human rights are paramount in a civilized society.</span></div><div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">On the other hand, protecting a Palestinian's civil rights to the furthest extreme can actually be a stumbling block to peace almost as much as the settler trying to build right next to a primarily Palestinian area. Again, if the Messiah should ever come and enable peace to have a chance here, this peace necessitates some sort of physical separation between Palestinians and Israelis. It only makes sense that, even in the West Bank, areas with a vast Jewish majority will have to remain a part of Israel and areas with a vast Palestinian majority will become part of the Palestinian State. And that means some people are going to have to move. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small; line-height: 18px;">It's somewhat analogous to the one old man who owns the only property that the new road has to pass through. It's not fair, but sometimes, he has to move. He should be generously compensated for that move. But if he is continually told he has an absolute right to stay there, or if he feels that God tells him he has to stay there, or if he feels like someone might kill him for selling his property, it's going to make things much more difficult. Whether we're talking about the Israeli settler whose Biblical convictions tell him he can never leave the land or the Palestinian whose family has been there for decades and is also being threatened with his life for selling to a Jew, the end result is the same. Tradeoffs are going to have to happen, and that is exactly why the Israeli government and the army station the soldiers where they do. They don't want to give any incentive for anyone to move into or remain in areas that don't fit in with a workable future for two peoples and two states.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small; line-height: 18px;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small; line-height: 18px;">Ideology is admirable, but it can also be a stumbling block. Sometimes great can get in the way of good. In the end, I vote for peace over principle. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">All sides in the West Bank/Judea/Samaria seem to detest the Oslo accords and rail against both the governments. But it is much easier to be against something than to construct real solutions in one of the most intractable conflicts in the world. We can only hope that the next generation will be able to make sacrifices that this one seemingly can't.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 15px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Hw1rNRHLwJgVIi8LPC5-TY7b77YX9VAbwKdVw5zJXCPHbJxRi3Cy_PnpNeEFrR-yLwKMhLKNQZ9U2wcVNfwy7-w8VMYiUaP8oYRn-pbrkoTZPgpryhd0eikEhanNEk9EQ-SltfoXOH7M/s1600/Tekoa+Children.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Hw1rNRHLwJgVIi8LPC5-TY7b77YX9VAbwKdVw5zJXCPHbJxRi3Cy_PnpNeEFrR-yLwKMhLKNQZ9U2wcVNfwy7-w8VMYiUaP8oYRn-pbrkoTZPgpryhd0eikEhanNEk9EQ-SltfoXOH7M/s200/Tekoa+Children.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="200" /></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 15px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioKnNjZNAuJKhE9wV2pyk5VAuFJIol743EfAVnTUKWMJ9iyB__o7PzCrXBEtF7O7X69YYn1KkE0XmKcVkX6npEp5gpepphp_XAoxPd801reeAJ4FbPTmXR03-wiwMg78OiQu_9cKOZOrxe/s1600/West+Bank+Kids.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioKnNjZNAuJKhE9wV2pyk5VAuFJIol743EfAVnTUKWMJ9iyB__o7PzCrXBEtF7O7X69YYn1KkE0XmKcVkX6npEp5gpepphp_XAoxPd801reeAJ4FbPTmXR03-wiwMg78OiQu_9cKOZOrxe/s200/West+Bank+Kids.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="200" /></a></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><u><b>Synagogues of the Week</b></u></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">This week we ended up at a different synagogue on Saturday morning than we attended in the evening. It had to do with the fact that I heard on Friday night that the Saturday service would run past Noon, and we were having guests. In any case, on Friday night we went to Yakar, another spirited modern Orthodox synagogue with a lot of Anglos. They actually have two separate services. The first one, downstairs, is more meditation-oriented, though it's the loudest meditation I've ever experienced. They sit rather still in their seats and sing many niggunim (songs without words) at the top of their lungs in multiple harmonies. It is beautiful, though some of the songs drag on for quite a while. Lecha Dodi was taking a very long time, when we suddenly heard the spirited Shlomo Carlebach tunes we have come to love emanating from somewhere else in the building. So for the second half of the service we went upstairs and joined in there. Lots of ruach, which Jonah tells me he personally hopes to bring back to Temple Beth Abraham. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">On Saturday morning we went to Shir Chadash, not to be confused with Shira Chadasha where we spent our first Shabbat. It was a little quieter than some of the places we've been, but it was very sweet, and there was a sermon in English. They had a long-time Gabbai saying an emotional goodbye to the congregation that week, and it was very moving. There were also two grooms this week, and they did a little dance around the Torah table with each of them. Jonah joined in, as he seems to be some sort of good luck symbol to people. Micah got to do Gelila (dressing the Torah), though he was disappointed that he didn't get to do Anim Zmirot. Anim Zmirot is a very long, difficult hymn of glory that he has been working very hard on. He knows it now, but this synagogue followed the not as common custom of reciting it early in the service rather than late, and we didn't get a chance to ask anyone if he could do it. Thus it was led by the regular davener, and not all that well!</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><b><u>Wine of the Week--Yarden Syrah 2007</u></b></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">Yarden is widely available in the U.S., and is the top of the line brand of the Golan Heights Winery. This one was smooth and drinkable, with a very pure Shiraz taste. Very good, but not amazing, similar to the Dalton and Galil Mountain Shiraz'. 87</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">Just a few more days until the Temple Beth Abraham congregational trip arrives. Yeah! For a small preview, we got to see Marissa Halbrecht, daughter of Hildie Spritzer Satomi and Tzutomo Satomi, along with her two gorgeous children, this week.</span></span><br />
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</span></span></div></div>Rabbi Mark Bloomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13950758046996988977noreply@blogger.com1