Coming to the end

Quick recap of the last two days (maybe not so quick)-

Yesterday we did a quick processing session in the morning then headed to Tel Aviv to meet with Jeremy Fisher from the Reut Institute about an idea they have called '21st Century Tikkun Olam' to get 14 million people (presumably Jews in the world and Israelis) to participate in Tikkun Olam projects around the world to effect a 1/4 billion people. In essence a type of Israel Jewish World Service- similar to the American Jewish World Service that exists today. They have spent 2 years developing the project and have gotten as far as a PowerPoint. So nice idea but a long way from reality. 

We took a nice hike after that and then heard from a very passionate elderly man named Ginid Shimoni who presented his ideas of what Jewish Peoplehood meant. His conclusion, which he had clearly been working on for quite some time and was convinced was absolute truth, was that the Jews were an ethnicity. This is what I was able to gather of his definition - Jews are an ethnic group, a social entity possessing of a myth of common origin and cultural characteristics, which are mainly but not solely attached to the Jewish religion and the land of Israel. Interesting stuff but the man clearly did not know how to have a discussion. 

Today we began with a wonderful meeting with the Masters in Management of Nonprofit and Community Organizations at the Rothberg International School at Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Fascinating! First, I sat next to a girl who was from Ohio, who wasn't Jewish, who wanted to live in Israel, I was interested by her connection but could understand her interest in Jewish life. We briefly discussed as a group what educational program we were focusing on, our internships, the SJNM Israel seminar, and the differences in the two programs. 

One of the main points of discussion was the fact that we were the "Jewish" School of Nonprofit Management and that the word "Jewish" was not included in their title. The main conclusion from that was that their program is in Israel so it is implied that it is Jewish and/or has Jewish components. It was wonderful to meet those students who had come from all over (Germany, South Korea, Canada, the US, Russia, Greece, Switzerland, and more) to study what we were studying but in the context of Israel. 

Our next visit was to the Jewish Agency to meet with Alan Hoffman. I asked the question "what would you say to someone who told you they had no connection to Israel?" He had a wonderful answer about engaging in conversation with that person and attempting to understand where there might be gaps that a connection to Israel might fill, then help them find a way to connect that makes sense for them. He added that Israel is an add-on to being Jewish, not the core. I greatly appreciated his answer and his presentation!

Back at the hotel we had a panel discussion with Jeremy Leigh from Jewish Journeys, Noa Golin from the ROI Community, and Micha Odenheimer from Tevel B'Tzedek. It began with a wonderful activity on identity by Noa and then a thought provoking presentation by Jeremy about the power of travel, which really resonated with me in regards to the fact that we are currently traveling! It was another wonderful discssion about Jewish connection and identity. 

We ended our evening at the home of Terry Cohen Hendin, a graduate of the SJNM program when it was the School of Jewish Communal Service in 1975. We got to meet other alum, hear about their journeys to making aliyah, and what they are doing now. I was also lucky to spend time with Ted and Sarah who are currently studying in Israel for a year before they join our program this coming summer. 

Now here I am back in my hotel room listening to the 25th anniversary sound track to Les Miserable as I write this (I must say I'm quite excited to see the movie when I get back to the states). These last few days have been really helpful in being able to see myself in Israel. Not in the moving here sense but in the way that it relates to my identity. Over the last couple of days I've seen myself in the people we've met, I've been able to identify with them as Jews living in Israel. Our trip had previously perpetuated my disconnectedness, this very separate secular and religious populations whom I did not see myself in. 

Above all else, I'm Jewish, that is my number 1 identity in the long list of who I am. I can connect with any other person who is Jewish, if not on anything else, on that. That spark that happens in the states when I learn that a new person I've met is Jewish and instatnly begin to play Jewish geography, can happen here in Israel, that I can feel connected if only on that very basic level. 

This trip has been a whirlwind. I'd be lying if I were to say I was not excited to go back to the states but I am so very grateful for this experience. I also know that it will take re-reading my blogs and some post-trip processing to come to more general conclusions about my connection to Israel. At the moment, I feel much better about the way I view Israel, the people who live here, the politics, and the culture, mostly because I see that things are changing to better reflect what I believe a Jewish state should be- a light onto the nations.