On Sunday, we davened together, breakfasted, and Jeff Barak (check out his credentials! ) from the Jerusalem Post came to speak with us to open the seminar. His main theme focused on the large numbers of Haredim and Arabs in Israeli society today and how that is affecting politics, welfare programs, poverty, education, leisure and culture, and Israel's reputation among other countries. It was a really interesting speech and he was a captivating speaker in a journalist kind of way, which was nice; he wasn't charismatic and charming and loud like politicians, but he was quieter and very intelligent sounding, and I think the British accent especially helped. It made me a little worried for Israel's demographics in the future, because it is a democratic state and if these two groups continue with their high birth rates, they can vote whomever they choose into office.
From the opening speech, we divided into groups and went to the Menachem Begin Center. It was surprisingly an outstanding museum. It was so well done because it was almost completely automated. We walked into rooms and our headset immediately started talking to us, tvs immediately started showing original footage of speeches and history, and the rooms were all set up relevant to the topic per room. For example, when we learned about Begin's time in the Irgun, we were in an underground living room/headquarters type of room, and when we learned about the election, we were in a campaign office. The museum flowed, and we were never anywhere quite long enough or comfortable enough to fall asleep. At the end, I was really moved by the unfortunate series of events in his second term that led him to resign, the death of his wife, and finally his own death. It felt like a movie only it was real! A great museum, really.
We had a bit of free time and I took the opportunity to put in my ear drops (a thrice a day ritual that requires immense planning because my head has to be horizontal for a good half hour afterward) and take a well deserved nappy. Feeling refreshed, we all went back to the auditorium for a panel on the Israeli Defense Forces. Three of our Nativ staff as well as another boy and another girl were on the panel, and we talked about some really deep issues. I was amazed at the courage and sense of duty that the past soldiers had. They talked about eating tuna sandwiches three times a day for days at a time (which is actually my personal nightmare come to life) and all I could think was-I could never serve! There are people on Nativ who are planning to join the army either next year or after college and after this talk, I just have sooo much more respect for them than ever before. I think it's amazing that people find a cause so important that they want to volunteer to risk their lives, and if not risk lives, than at least give up creature comforts for years at a time!
Last night concluded in perfect first semester fashion: 6:30 pm dinner in the dining hall, hanging out with friends, spending some quality time in room 632, and getting my full 8 hours. Beautiful.
This morning began with services, for which I mostly horizontal from the waist up, breakfast (Italy made me so appreciative of Agron food!!!!! I regret ever complaining! But wait, let me explain: we usually ate one nice meal a day. The rest of the time, we were scrounging for the cheapest way to get calories to fill us until the next meal. It resulted in quite a few McDonalds milkshake-fries-yogurt parfait situations), and heading off with my group for our day of Israel and the Environment. We went first to an ecological farm where everything is made out of mud buildings and there are donkeys roaming free (one of them was a stray and they found him on the street and brought him to the farm!), chickens chillin, geese, sheep, dogs, and lots and lots of vegetables and trees. It all started seven years ago and it has grown into an amazing place where they reuse things in really creative ways.
Following the farm, we toured a recycling plant outside of Tel Aviv. I learned a lot, but it wasn't engrained deeply enough so that I could teach other people about it. It was super cool to see the garbage and the sorting machines and the mountain of garbage that they're going to turn into a park. The visitor's center had incredible art made out of recycled objects and all kinds of neat things.
The day ended with a movie at a Cinematheque in Holon, at least I think that's where it was. We watched The Lost Islands, an incredible Israeli film from 2009 about twin boys growing up in Kfar Saba in the 1980's. It's about their family, their love lives, their love for each other, their army service, and their dreams. It was so powerful! The main point of the movie, I think, was that the loyalty was to the family for everyone, but at some times, so that you don't die inside, you have to be loyal to yourself first. It was so complicated, and the people had real complex personalities and real screw-ups and the plot was not streamlined or predictable or happy like Hollywood movies. At the end, after watching this family love, hate, and cheat on each other, the dedication read, "to my family, who taught me how to love." I was so confused, and moved, and upset. My emotional range can't handle that though, so I just cried. People laughed. It was a great movie though.
We ate dinner at a really cool mall in the bottom of a skyscraper in Tel Aviv and then we went home on the bus. What a great day. I love life.
Ear update! I will be going to an ear doctor on Wednesday afternoon! I'll let you know how it goes.
No comments:
Post a Comment