Poland pt. 1

On Sunday I had the opportunity to travel to Poland to tour various sights from World War 2. We visited many places where horrible things happened and being there gave me more of an insight into the horrors that took place during the war. The sights had a very different effect on everyone. I know people handle sad things differently, but I didn't think people would have such different reactions. Personally the sights did not make me nearly as emotional as I thought they would. Before we departed I was very nervous for the toll these sights would take on me. Upon arriving and touring, these places didn't really upset me. I found the sights to be more like a museum than a real place where the horrors of the war took place. I couldn't grasp the idea that these places were the real sights I had learned about in my history books for so long. I think going to Poland was a very informative experience and I believe all Jews should make the trip to these sights at one point in their lives.

Palestinian People

The issue of the state of the Palestine becomes a bigger and bigger issue in the Middle East (specifically Israel) everyday. The solution it seems like were in the direction of is a two state solution. This seems like the most logical solution, but the issue of the Palestinian people arises with that. Considering there hasn't been a state of Palestine since 1948, is there really still a Palestinian race? I definitely support the idea of a two state solution, but it's difficult considering the size of Israel and how densely populated the land already is. There are also many problems with the Palestinian race having their own country. If we just give them the land, it's very likely they will continue asking for more which could easily break into war. Also it's likely an extremest government would take over Palestine and not be friendly towards Israel which would also encourage military activity. At the end of the day I believe the Palestinians are a race and deserve to have their own state but there's also always going to be conflict and there's a lot more problems to work out before it can happen.

Tel Aviv

This weekend I went with my mom and some friends to Tel Aviv. I had never been here before and I honestly had low expectations. I was expecting a grimy city, maybe similar to Las Vegas. When I got there I was very surprised. I instantly fell in love with the city and I can't wait to return. I never even considered living in israel later in life but after this weekend my views have very much changed. It has such a different vibe than the rest of Israel, and I hope to go back soon. 

Monday Tiyul

Today we visited a Jewish cave of tombs and an ancient temple. Both sights had been heavily decorated with Roman influences. Some of the tombs had Roman Gods carved on them and other non Jewish symbols. In the middle of the temple mosaic floor there was a large zodiac and a Greek God. A lot of people thought this was not okay and strongly going against Judaism. Personally I don't think it matters if people mix cultures, but it depends on the intent. I believe at the time it was just the style to have roman influence in art, which is completely alright. I think if they were adding those symbols because they believed in those cultures, then it would not be okay. These were very interesting sights to visit and I enjoyed learning about the culmination of cultures. 

Beersheba Security Park

Binyamin Netanyahu has recently announced the building of a cyber park in Beersheba. Beersheba will become the cyber capital of Israel and one of the most cyber security important places in the world. The government is pouring millions of dollars into this cyber park, which I believe is a good idea. Internet safety is a problem that many people over look from day to day. Israel already puts so many of their resources towards the IDF, they should start putting resources towards defense on the internet as well. I think this is a very interesting project and I am excited to see its progress to come. 

Masada

The night before our ten day trip, we packed up our rooms and bags, and set our alarms for 2 A.M. Early that morning we hopped on the bus and drove about 2 hours to Masada. We hiked and hiked the snake path till we finally made it to the top. We had Jewish History class while watching the sunrise on a mountain so important to Jewish history. It was the sight where a large group of jews committed suicide to escape slavery. This topic still raises controversial debates among Jews today. Some people think they did the right thing while others believe they broke a sacred law that says a Jew cannot commit suicide. It was very interesting to be at a place with so much history. Although it was an early wake up and the hike was difficult, it was completely worth it to tour and learn about such a significant sight.

Controversial Art Exhibit

This week I read about a New York art exhibit called "What I Be: Jews of New York". The creator, Steve Rosenfield, showcases people's insecurities, some of which people might perceive as controversial. Yeshiva University pulled out of the exhibit last minute due to some of these controversial topics involving the Orthodox community. There are a lot of issues in the Orthodox community that are never spoken about, which is showed in Yeshiva university backing out. Art is way people express themselves and the struggles they go through. I believe communities shouldn't shun a project due to parts of it being "controversial". Art is supposed to be an outlet for people to let out creative energy that they have been keeping inside. If we continue marking art as too controversial people will no longer have a way to healthily express themselves.

Gadna

Following three weeks of school, our EIE group went to an army base in the Negev and experienced a week of Israeli army training. I had opposing thoughts on this experience as a whole. For most of the week I was very discontent and didn't see a real point to what we were doing. I didn't see how running from one tree to the next in ten seconds would better me as a person. At times I definitely had feelings of resentment towards EIE for making us do it. But looking back I also am grateful that I was able to experience something that is such a big part of Israeli society and culture. Kids grow up knowing that when they graduate high school their required to join the army. Although I'll never know what it feels like to have war be such a big part of my country's culture, I liked being able to participate in such a large aspect of Israel's culture.