Sunday, March 30, 2008
Aish.com features Bradley this week
Bradley Cohen, 30, has ascended the Nepalese Himalayas, camped in the dangerous wilderness of the Chinese Northern Korean border, and weathered summer typhoons during his hike across a Japanese island. But today he climbs the peaks of an even more arduous, unmapped terrain -- seeking his own Jewish identity in the heart of the Old City of Jerusalem...
Read more at http://www.aish.com/spirituality/odysseys/All_for_the_Kids1.asp
The Night Before
Antiquity and Middle Ages
Safed is not mentioned in the Bible. The Canaanite city of Zephath (Judges 1:17) is located in southern, rather than northern, Israel. There is a legend that Safed was founded by a son of Noah after the great flood. Safed is sometimes identified with Sepph, a fortified Jewish town in the Upper Galilee mentioned in the writings of the Roman Jewish historian Josephus (Wars 2:573). It was mentioned in the Jerusalem Talmud as one of five elevated spots where fires were lit to announce the New Moon and festivals during the period of the Second Temple. [2]
In 1289, it is said that the chief rabbi of Safed, Moses ben Judah ha-Cohen, went to Tiberias to pay homage to Rambam.
In the early 16th century, the Ottoman Empire under Selim I conquered Palestine. Under the Ottomans, Safed was part of the vilayet of Sidon.
In 1491, mention is made that the rabbi in the town had to supplement his income through a grocery market. After the expulsion of the Jews from Spain in 1492, many prominent rabbis found their way to Safed, which became the key center for Jewish mysticism, known as Kabbalah. Among the prominent kabbalists who made their home in Safed were Isaac Luria (Arizal) and Moshe Kordovero. Besides the kabbalists, Safed also attracted numerous other Jewish scholars and spirtualists, including Joseph Caro, the author of the Shulchan Aruch and Shlomo Halevi Alkabetz, composer of the Sabbath hymn Lecha Dodi. The influx of Sephardi Jews made Safed a global center for Jewish learning and a regional center for trade throughout 15th and 16th centuries.
A Hebrew printing press is established in Safed in 1577 by Eliezer Ashkenazi and his son, Isaac of Prague. [3] It was the first press in Palestine and the whole of the Ottoman Empire.[4] It was also the first printing press of any kind in Asia.
The 8,000 or 10,000 Jews in Safed in 1555 grew to 20,000 or 30,000 by the end of the century
Modern era
Prior to 1948, about 10,000 of Safed's 12,000 residents were Arabs,[5] most of whom left in 1948. Among the residents who became refugees are Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and his family.[6][7]
In 1974, 102 teenagers from Safed on a school trip were taken hostage by Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine while sleeping in a school in Maalot. Twenty-one of the hostages were killed.
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Day 1: Tel Dan
Tel Dan ("Mound of Dan" תל דן in Hebrew) is an archaeological site in Israel in the upper Galilee next to the Golan Heights. The site is quite securely identified with the Biblical city of Dan, the northernmost city in the Kingdom of Israel, which the Book of Judges states was known as Laish prior to its conquest by the Tribe of Dan. Due to its location close to the border with Lebanon and at the far north of the territory which fell under the British Mandate of Palestine, Tel Dan has had a long and often bitterly contested modern history, most recently during the 1967 Six-Day War.
Finds at the site date back to the Neolithic era c4500 BCE; from the remains found, which include 0.8m wide walls, and pottery shards, it appears that the site was occupied in Neolithic times for several centuries before being abandoned for up to about 1000 years.
Within the remains of the city wall, close to the entrance of the outer gate, was found a fragment which seemingly was originally from a stele. This basalt fragment, the Tel Dan Stele, contains an Aramaic inscription, referring to one of the Aramaean kings of Damascus; most scholars believe that the king it refers to is Hazael (c 840BCE), though a minority argue that it instead refers to Ben-Hadad (c 802 BCE). Very little of the inscription remains, but the text appears to contain the letters 'ביתד וד' (BETD WD; the "WD" is at a slight angle, with a sizable gap from the "BETD"), which most archaeologists agree refers to House of David (Beth David in Hebrew; Hebrew script from the era is vowel-less), which would make the inscription the first time that the name David has been found in any archaeological site dating before 500BC.
-Jeremy
Moment of Truth
With everyone's support we've been able to raise about $6000 so far which is definitely an excellent start. As we continue the walk I'm sure things will pick up even more, what with all of the pictures and videos we'll be jamming this thing with over the next 40 days.
On a personal note, this walk will be the culmination of a tremendous spiritual journey that I've undertaken over the last 9 months. My yeshiva, Aish HaTorah, has armed me with the tools necessary to live a truly fulfilling life, and for that I'm most certainly grateful. The quiet solitude of the trail will hopefully give me the chance to reflect on the direction my life is heading in the near future. This experience in the Old City of Jerusalem has included devastating lows, but it's in these moments of pain that I've been able to grow the most as a Jew and as a human being.
With that, we're off to raise some money, walk the same land our ancestors did thousands of years ago, forge friendships, and experience Judaism in a totally new way.
Shelachem B'Ahava,
Jeremy
In the Newspaper Again!
This time Bradley has been labeled a missionary in an issue of North London News. Who knew we were converting people along the way?
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Sunday, March 9, 2008
"Spotlight On" the Ethiopian Jewish Community in Israel
Who are the Ethiopian Jews?
The Ethiopian Jews were discovered by Prof. Joseph Halevi in 1877. Prof. Halevi had heard about the "Falasha" (which means stranger), as the Ethiopian Jews were called, from manuscripts and first hand reports of men who had traveled in Ethiopia and met these Ethiopians who practiced the religion of the Jews. Because they were considered "falasha" (strangers) by other Ethiopians (Christian and Moslem), the Ethiopian Jews moved into the north of Ethiopia in the area around Lake Tana and the Simien Mountains - the area now known as Gondar Province - so that they could live in peace and practice their religion without persecution. Halevi lived with the Ethiopian Jews for a year and was most impress- ed with the way in which they observed the holidays - Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, and especially Passover, when the women destroyed all the dishes and pottery they had used all year and made new dishes and cooking pots from clay for the coming year. He also learned about the Ethiopian Jewish day of mourning called the "Sigd" which took place 50 days after Yom Kippur (like a second Yom Kippur). All the villagers would gather together at the highest point in the mountain around them and pray all day for G-d to bring them to Zion. For the Beta Israel, as the Ethiopian Jews are known, Zion was Jerusalem.
Halevi's student, Yankel Faitlovitch, followed in the footsteps of his teacher, and went to live among the Black Jews of Abyssinia (as Ethiopia was called then). He trained the young Ethiopian Jews to become teachers and leaders. One of his students, Yona Bogale, eventually became the leader of the Ethiopian Jewish community, and Yona and his family were among the Beta Israel who arrived in Israel during "Operation Moses". He died in 1987, much disappointed that so many Ethiopian Jews had been left behind and were suffering in Ethiopia.
How has the life of the Ethiopian Jews changed in Israel?
For many of the Ethiopian Jews, the absorption process has been very difficult. The hardest hit by the move to Israel are the elders of the community. Most of these seniors never learned to read or write in Ethiopia as they had been farmers who lived off the land with their families. Learning Hebrew, adjusting to life in a small, crowded apartment in the city where there is no way for them to work as farmers - the only life they knew - and just living among so many white people have been almost impossible hurdles for them to overcome. The young children go to school, speak Hebrew among themselves and Amharic (the Ethiopian language) only to their parents and grandparents, and consider themselves Israeli.
For those who arrived as teenagers or in their 20's, the transition was extremely difficult. Many had not had high school education, so it was decided by the Israeli government that these young people would be sent to boarding schools to accelerate the learning process. Unfortunately, the Minister of Education at that time was from one of Israel's religious parties, and he decided that these young people had to go to religious (parochial) boarding school, where the emphasis is on religious instruction and not on academic subjects. As a result, many of the high school graduates at that time were not properly prepared for college or university, many students dropped out or opted not to matriculate, nor had they received proper job training to make them employable.
Today, 10 years down the line, the situation is improving. Ethiopian high school students no longer have to go to boarding schools nor do they have to attend religious schools. More students are attending colleges and universities. Last June, the first Ethiopian doctor graduated from the Hebrew University, and the first Ethiopian female social worker graduated from Tel Aviv University. Two Ethiopian lawyers graduated from Haifa University and several Ethiopian teachers graduated from the Teacher's Seminary in Tivon and the Schools of Education at Haifa University and Bar Ilan University. Progress is being made, but it is slow as these students all have to depend on scholarships since their families can't afford to pay for their children's education. 90% of the Ethiopian families in Israel live below the poverty line, so it is a daily struggle for them to make ends meet.
What can Israelis learn from the Ethiopian community?
The most important lesson that the Ethiopian community can teach Israelis is tolerance. While there was euphoria in the country when the Ethiopians were first rescued and brought to Israel, the fact that the Ethiopians have had to take jobs as blue collar workers and menial laborers has led to them being considered low class by many Israelis. They suffer from discrimination because they are black and poorly educated. But Ethiopian families are close knit, and the whole Ethiopian community responds as it did in Ethiopia when one of their members dies or gets married. They still celebrate their "Sigd" by going to Jerusalem and holding their fast day in the hope that those Ethiopian Jews who are still waiting in Ethiopia to come and join their families in Israel. In spite of all their problems, they are optimistic that life for them and their children will improve. They are fiercely loyal to Israel and extremely proud of their sons who have served and died in the Israeli army.
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Shooting in J'lem
-Jeremy
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
All for the Kids covered in UK's Jewish Chronicle
http://www.thejc.com/home.aspx?ParentId=m11s18s180&SecId=180&AId=58367&ATypeId=1
-Jeremy
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
"Spotlight On" Bet HaYeled
Welcome to the official All For the Kids blog! Over next few days we'll be giving you some deeper insight into the foundations that we're raising money for. Today's "Spotlight On" comes from Yitz Feigenbaum at the Bet HaYeled Merav Children's Group Home (MCGH).
- When was the MCGH established?
In the early 1990s, the members of Kibbutz Merav began to consider several options for long-term educational and social programs. By 1994, the decision was finalized to open a family-home for children from distressed backgrounds. In September of 1994, the Merav Children’s Group Home opened its doors.
- Where are the children from?
The children of the MCGH (also known in Hebrew as “Bet Hayeled” or “Betaynu”) come from all over Israel. Social service agencies faced with children from dysfunctional or non-supportive families have turned to MCGH, via the Israeli Family court system, and placed children with us.
- Where and what is Kibbutz Merav, and what is its relationship to MCGH?
Kibbutz Merav is a religious community in the north of Israel, located on the Gilboa mountain range, about 25 miles south of the Sea of Galilee. Sixty families currently live on Merav, which was founded in the summer of 1982. The children of MCGH are a major priority of the kibbutz. The community has sponsored major funding efforts on their behalf, and has allocated both housing and manpower for the care of these youngsters.
- Where do the children live?
The young people of MCGH live in a two-story home on the kibbutz, with rooms that house one or two children each, in separate boys’ and girls’ wings, a dining area, separate meat and milk kitchens, areas for recreation and study, and an apartment for live-in National Service girls.
- How old are the MCGH children?
The children currently in the MCGH home are between the ages of 7–18. Most of them have been with the program since its inception in 1994, and have grown up in Merav. The home itself houses 10 children, from grades 1-12.
- What happens to the children when they finish high school?
So far all MCGH graduates have served either in the IDF or in the National Service framework. We are currently evaluating options for the return of these young people to Merav after serving their country.
- Are the MCGH children religiously observant?
The children come from backgrounds that are at least familiar with the basic framework of traditional Jewish life. In the framework of MCGH, the children all adhere to a religious lifestyle, and learn to respect the observant way of life.
- Where do the children go to school?
Most of the children attend the nearby Sdeh Eliyahu religious day school for grades 1–6. Once the children reach junior high, the MCGH program directors work with each child to best match each boy or girl with a suitable secondary school—some continue in Sdeh Eliayu through high school, others attend the yeshiva high school in Beit Shean, or the girls high school in Tiberias.
- What types of extra-curricular activities do the MCGH children participate in?
Here, too, the MCGH children integrate with the rest of the Merav youth population. Sports activities, art and music classes, and participation in youth movements, both on and off Merav, are the types of activities the children take part in. The MCGH children also are provided with Bar and Bat Mitzvah preparation, as well as individual celebrations, on the kibbutz.
- Do they need tutors?
Tutors are available for the MCGH children both on and off the kibbutz. Over the years, numerous kibbutz residents have served as tutors for the children in such subjects as English, math, and Judaic studies, and when necessary, the children have also been provided external assistance with their schoolwork.
- Do they visit their parents?
Most of the children from the group visit their parents on occasion, but this is obviously a very sensitive issue, and must be monitored carefully, as well as legally. Some children’s family members visit them on Merav, while others never see their families at all. Whenever it is possible and safe, we encourage visits between the children and their families.
- What is the relationship between the MCGH children and the families and other children on Merav?
All of the MCGH children have “adoptive” families from the Merav community, where they can spend free time. The integration with the children of Merav is all-encompassing—they go to school together, play together, and attend activities together. The open, accepting atmosphere of Merav and its children has been a major reason for the success of the MCGH program.
- Are there any plans to expand the program?
The population on Merav is continually expanding, primarily due to the upcoming completion of the first stage of the new neighborhood on the kibbutz. As the Merav community grows, we hope to expand the program, and bring in more needy children to the MCGH framework.
- Who oversees and gives accreditation to the MCGH program?
Bet Singer – Kfar Yechezkial Children’s Home is the main agency connected to the MCGH. The Bet Singer Foundation is associated with the Ministry of Labor and Welfare. MCGH itself is licensed by the Ministry of Labor and Welfare.
- What’s unique about the MCGH program vis-à-vis other similar programs?
The MCGH program is unique in both its size and its environment. Our program is designed for a relatively small group of children within a larger healthy community. It is our firm belief that this unique model, which we refer to as “community adoption,” is what allows the children to achieve such dramatic improvement, as we have seen in the youths here on Merav.
- Does the MCGH receive any financial assistance from the government?
The government provides a minimum stipend for the very basic needs of each child. In addition, we provide supplemental services and equipment to the children, to aid them as they grow and mature within the MCGH framework.
- What are the current private funding needs?
As the MCGH children get older, the funding needs become more demanding. At present, funds are needed to help pay for clothing, psychological counseling, meetings with social workers, and tuition for private religious schools.
- What type of staff does the program have?
From day one, the joint MCGH program directors Irit Zucker and Yitz Feigenbaum have worked with the children of the group home, serving as surrogate parents, teachers, guides, and friends. In addition, there are always two National Service girls who work exclusively with the group and live at the MCGH home, often staying for a full two-year term of service.
- Do the children have any responsibilities in the MCGH household, or on the kibbutz in general?
The children split up and participate in the tasks and chores of the house, as children of any family home do. In the kibbutz community, they take on responsibility just as the other children of the kibbutz their age do—some work a few hours in the petting zoo, others volunteer to work with younger children, either as youth counselors, or in other frameworks, still others take on the responsibility of working in the kibbutz dining hall during community events.
- Who is Aliza Malka?
Aliza was one of the original MCGH children, who, together with her older sister, came to Merav in September of 1994. In a terrorist attack in August 2001, she was murdered by Palestinian gunmen, when she and some of her friends from MCGH were returning to Merav from nearby Beit Shean where they had gone to eat pizza. She was only 16.