Birthright Website

When one thinks of Israel one may come up with various words including, holy, homeland, Zionism, birthright, spiritual topography, history, war, Hebrew, prayer, religion, politics, conflict, and Holocaust. Regardless, Israel is associated with Jews and there has been much conflict over its territory and whom the land belongs to. Israel was established in 1960, therefore making it a relatively young country. Today and as a child my grandparents and parents stressed the importance of Israel to Jews and what a wonderful place it is. Fortunately, I was given the opportunity to visit Israel twice in my life and I plan on visiting it many more times in the future. Birthright, a program that is run solely on donations, is a great way for young adults (ages 18-26) to connect to their Jewish roots. The Taglit Birthright website portrays Israel in a positive light with no dangers whatsoever. Birthright illustrates one image of what Israel is like and it primarily promotes its image to Americans. The website shows that there is a lot to do in Israel from the outdoor tourism to beaches and cities. These highlights particularly attract the young adult population because they are probably not as interested in history. They do not include this on their website because they want to attract as many individuals as possible. Nevertheless, while on Birthright, my tour guide, like many others, was very knowledgeable about his country and was eager to share his knowledge with my tour group. The information that is not on the website is not there for particular reasons but when this information is shared when actually in Israel, the individual is content with its results.

Israel - My Homeland

There is a perception and assumption that Jews and Israel are inherently related. This assumption may not be necessarily true because there are over 1 million non Jewish people who reside in Israel. Most Israelis are Jewish and thus, many Jews feel a connection to this holy land. As a Jewish America, I feel a strong connection to Israel because it is the “homeland” to Jews. This homeland acts as a place that Jews have fought so long for and it is a place where Jews can congregate to look at their history. At age seven, I visited Israel for my sister’s Bat Mitzvah and while there my family and I took part in a mission. Eleven years later when I was eighteen, I did Birthright with my sister. Last summer, while on Birthright, I was given the “gift” and opportunity to visit Israel for free. This free trip is sponsored by individuals who donate millions of dollars to the program for people (ages 18-26) who have never been given the chance to visit this sacred place. An individual must have at least one Jewish parent and cannot be active in the practicing of another religion besides Judaism. These mandatory qualifications make it clear that only certain people can be granted this opportunity. While on Birthright, I was able to connect with Israeli culture through my encounters with my Israeli tour guide, Roni, the eight soldiers assigned to my tour group, and my fellow Jewish friends whom I was touring with. I was able to visit all parts of Israel in only ten days – from Zfat, to the Bedouin tents, to Tel Aviv, to Jerusalem. Birthright was an incredible experience that all Jews should take part in and if one does not meet the requirements, they should visit Israel regardless.

Jewish Film

I enjoyed both of the short films we watched in class – “The Unchosen Ones” and “The Tribe.” Both films were very different yet similar in ways. Both films used a narrator to portray the film. For example, in “The Unchosen Ones,” the narrator was Dudik, the camera man. In a way he was a hidden narrator and the film is seen through his perspective. In “The Tribe,” the male narrator is invisible and unlike Dudik, he is reciting historical facts. Nevertheless, both films got its point across regardless of the prescience of voice. In my opinion Iris Bahr is very creative in that she played most of the characters in the film, illustrating various voices and images. I found this film to be funny because it portrayed various Jewish stereotypes including the typical American Jewish girl, a British TV person, and a typical Israeli. The film takes place in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem and has a happy ending. Samantha (the typical American Jewish girl) finds love with the narrator/camera man, Dudik. “The Tribe” was a documentary like film that that seemed a bit disorganized and random. Despite its randomness, it was very interesting and I did not find myself bored. Before this film I was not aware that Barbie was invented by a Jewish woman. It is interesting that the creator, Ruth Handler, depicts Barbie as an Aryan idea of beauty which breaks Jewish stereotypes. Similarly, both films use the idea of Jewish stereotypes. The movie said that when someone says you don’t look Jewish, people sometimes take it as a compliment. I have heard this saying before in real life and it is interesting to see that people take it as a compliment. Why don’t people like to look Jewish? People probably don’t like to look Jewish because it is often associated with certain negative stereotypes. These stereotypes are not portrayed in Barbie because she has a perfect figure with blonde hair and blue eyes.

Purim

In my opinion, Purim is one of the most fun holidays in the Jewish religion, even before Hanukkah. It is often considered the Jewish version of Halloween but without witches and goblins. Also, because Purim is a national event for Jews, we do not “trick or treat” to people’s homes because most people do not celebrate the holiday. I am a reform Jew and I do not celebrate Purim like I used to. Although I do not celebrate it by dressing up or engaging in Purim activities, I never give up the opportunity to eat one of my favorite Jewish sweet treats – a hamentashen. When I attended Solomon Schechter Day School as a child, I remember dressing up for Purim and eating hamentashens. Hamentashens are the traditional cookie that we eat for Purim. My favorite hamentashens are chocolate filled but they are typically filled with jelly – prune, raspberry, strawberry, etc. “Purim is a festival that commemorates the deliverance of the Jewish people of the ancient Persian Empire from Haman's plot to annihilate them, as recorded in the Biblical Book of Esther” (Wikipedia.com). Purim is celebrated according to the Hebrew calendar and begins at sundown on the fourteenth day of the Hebrew month Adar. As a child I never knew why we celebrated Purim, all I knew was that it was our version of Halloween. Although I am Jewish, as a child, I celebrated both Purim and Halloween. In my opinion, a Jewish child should celebrate both holidays because one is a Jewish tradition while the other is a holiday that all children should engage in by doing the traditional trick or treating in their neighborhoods.

Orthodox Female Rabbi?

Sara Hurwitz is a young woman who is a religious mentor in the Orthodox community. She teaches and learns like a rabbi but does not have the job title of a rabbi. She currently holds the title of “madricha ruchanit,” or spiritual mentor at the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale in New York City. Hurwitz probably will not fight for her title because of tradition. It is not traditional in the Orthodox community for a woman to hold the title as a rabbi. I am curious to know why there is no title for a woman who is just as qualified as a man being a rabbi. Why can’t both men and women be called rabbis? There still seems to be many differences in men and women in the Orthodox world due to the fact that Hurwitz does not receive the same accreditation as any other man would. “Whatever she ends up being called, Hurwitz says she hopes her title will come to reflect a role as a spiritual leader indistinguishable from that of men… Hurwitz’s conferral comes as women continue to make important inroads in Jewish leadership positions, both in Orthodoxy and the more liberal denominations” (JTA.org). These controversial matters differ within the Reform and Conservative communities than they do in Orthodox community. Hurwitz would most likely get the accreditation that she deserves in the Reform and Conservative movements. Had Hurwitz met the criteria, which she most certainly displays she has, there would be no argument about her title.

Divahn

“Divahn” is a Middle Eastern and Sephardic musical group composed of five talented women. The group includes – lead singer Galeet Dardashti, violinist Lila Sklar, cellists Amy Sue Barston and Eleanor Norton, tabla player Sejal Kukadia, and percussionist Lauren DeAlbert. “Divahn, a word common to Hebrew, Persian, and Arabic, means a collection of songs or poetry…The group captures the breadth and diversity of Mizrakhi and Sephardi music throughout the centuries, while simultaneously creating and redefining innovative directions for the music in the present.” (Divahn.com). While at the concert, I liked how the group got the audience involved with clapping and singing along even if they were not familiar with the words. I also liked how Galeet explained stories behind the particular songs. For example, she told the story behind Purim, a holiday that is very relevant and in the near future. Even though I attended Solomon Schecter as a child and participated in Purim activities and events, I did not know the story behind the holiday. Galeet told a shorter version of the story yet getting the point across in the short amount of time that she told it in. I would not usually listen to this music on a daily basis but it was a nice change of pace from what I would typically listen to. Even though I am of the Ashkenazi decent and not of the Sephardic decent, I still felt connected with the music. This music made me feel more connected to other Jews and especially to Israel, a place I hold dear to my heart.