Letters from Israel

If these streets could talk they would speak of a world that is only discovered in dreams. Their tales would be of emperors, saviors, prophets, and peoples all shaping history and aiding in the creation of religions that would withstand the passage of time. Each stone, with its own story, remains today as a tribute to all that came before and will soon follow.

Today Jerusalem is a city where the old and new weave seamlessly together to create an exquisite patchwork that drapes across the globe. It is a place of pilgrimage, unwavering faith, and incredible conflict, but most importantly, a place that I called home.

My choice to study abroad in Israel went contrary to all that American news has to say about the Middle East and left many people wondering why I would choose to enter a “war zone.” To me, studying in Israel was living a dream and embarking on a long awaited adventure. While many of my days were filled with classes at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, the remainder was spent soaking up the culture, language and lifestyle. It was outside of the classroom that I did the majority of my learning. What would begin as a simple walk around town, would slowly transform into a history lesson, as I examined an ancient inscription mixed among the modern store fronts; or a language lab, as I bargained over pitot, sabras (prickly pear), and agvaniot (tomatos) at the shuk (market). It was among these crowded streets that I learned the true meaning of tolerance. In a city that is home to the three major religions of the world, where the horizon is interspersed with stars, crescents, and crosses, one quickly understands the importance of recognizing and respecting the beliefs and practices of others. Just as the Shabbat horn quickens the step of an Ultra-orthodox man in the Old City, so too the adhan reminds a Muslim man to perform one of his daily rites of prayer, all while a Franciscan monk guides a group of religious pilgrims along the Via Dolorosa. They all share this small city, walk these same streets, and dream of peace.

Just as these streets guided my ancestors, so too they led me on the journey of a lifetime. They carried me as I struggled with a foreign world, yearning for the comforts of home and witnessed my transformation as I learned to open my heart to change and embrace the world around me. The challenges they presented showed me the vitality and endurance of the human spirit. They reminded me that every day is an invaluable treasure, not to be taken for granted.

Though my time is Jerusalem has since passed, I now find myself full of memories to last a lifetime. I am incredibly grateful to all those who supported me on this journey and made my dream a reality.

Like a seraph's kiss, I'm told,
If I forget thee, golden city,
Jerusalem of gold.” – Naomi Shemer

This is Diane Meskin one of the AJLI scholarship recipients. My Dad told me that you got in touch with him in the hopes of getting my contact information.

In any case I thought it would be a good chance to update you on my experience thus far. I am exactly at the half way point being that first semester just finished and this first half of the year has been truly wonderful. I have already learned so much and been given so many opportunities to grow. I really loved the classes that I took this semester namely about the foreign policy and history of the Middle East as well as Talmud and Israeli Literature (which I was able to take in Hebrew since I am now in the 5th out of 6 levels of Hebrew). For next semester I have been accepted to the Middle East Honors Program where I will have the chance to take part in 2 honors seminars on topics relating to the Middle East as well as a critical reading group. I also plan on taking The Archeology of Jerusalem and Early Settlement in Israel (in Hebrew). I will also be doing an internship in Jerusalem for academic credit (still deciding which one). Over the break I will be interning at the Jerusalem Post as well.

I have loved getting to know Jerusalem with all of her diversity of peoples, places, and opinions. I have been astounded by how much Hebrew I've learned through the intensive Hebrew courses at Hebrew U and have loved being part of the larger international community within Jerusalem. I have also had the chance to travel to other parts of the country such as Haifa, Tel Aviv and Eilat and hope to travel even more over the break.

I am so grateful to AJLI for its support of my experience here this year. I can only imagine that it will get better in the second half. I would be more than happy to spend Shabbat Dinner with some of the AJLI members and other recipients of the scholarship or to meet up with the AJLI mission that arrives later in the year.

My name is Ari Adler, I am currently studying abroad in Be'er Sheva, Israel with the help of an AJLI scholarship. I just completed my first semester of studies here and just wanted to take some time to update the organization as to what I've been doing with my time here.

To begin, I arrived at a pretty hectic time. The streets of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem were littered with propaganda either for or against the disengagement. There were constant rallies and the country was very on edge. Even in the quiet desert town of Be'er Sheva, where I've been studying, lots of cars had orange or blue and white ribbons to show which way they stood on the issue. When the big day came I was able to watch alot of the new reports and fortunately the country stayed glued together. A lot of the settlers that were evacuated came to stay in Be'er Sheva and our dorms were used to host some of the soldiers that were conducting the disengagement. It was very interesting to be able to talk with them about it.

The disengagement provided great material for our classes. I took a class on Israeli politics and society, one on Israeli history, one on Negev Bedouin society and even a class on terrorism. (Of course Hebrew was one of my courses too.) My politics class was always scattered since everyday something new would happen in the Knesset. But that's what makes this country so interesting to study.

Being in Be'er Sheva has given me the opportunity to volunteer in the Bedouin community here teaching English. This has been a really fun experience because the kids are great, the families are extremely hospitable, I get to see on the ground what we've talked about in my Bedouin society class and I even get to work on my Arabic with the kids. Be'er Sheva has also been a great place to practice my Hebrew. When wandering around the downtown area of the city we're forced to use our Hebrew. A lot of the adults we run into don't really speak any English.

Another unique experience I had was the chance to travel to Jordan during the Muslim holiday of Ramadan. I got to see some beautiful historic and natural sites and have some very interesting conversations with locals. Sometimes the traveling was a bit exhausting since we were woken up at 5 am every morning by the call to prayer and during the day we couldn't eat in public! But I guess that's all part of the experience.

I'm very excited for the second semester and even more excited to see the country during one of its most historic elections since 1977. Thank you again for all of your help and let me know if you have any questions about Israel, what I've been up to, or anything else.

The Middle East dominates American foreign policy discussion. Despite my home university’s suspension of study abroad programs to Israel, I am spending my junior year at the Middle East's best university, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

When one leaves for study abroad in Europe, his friends say "Have fun" instead of "Be careful" or a more blunt "Don't get blown up." Such are the farewells to travelers to Israel. So why come here? Perhaps I am in Israel because I fear boredom, and surely there is no better way to study the Middle East than to actually be in this fascinating region.

Many different types of people live in this vibrant country that is smaller than Lake Michigan. At any bus stop, one can see a full-bearded ultra-religious Jew wearing all black standing near a young secular college girl wearing virtually nothing at all, who is waiting next to an Arab woman wearing a veil, and she is standing next to a clean shaven eighteen-year-old soldier wearing his M16. When the bus arrives, all are scrutinized by a security guard before boarding. Terrorists target buses, and they know how to disguise themselves to blend in with Israelis at bus stops.

To students at the University of Texas, understanding Israel's daily reality is difficult without actually being here in Israel. Do you take into consideration the effect of an explosion when you choose a seat on the 40 Acres bus? When you see an unattended backpack on the West Mall, do you quickly walk away just in case a bomb is inside? When you enter Jester cafeteria, do you instinctively hold your arms away from your body so that a guard can pat you down? Do you scan the crowd on Sixth Street for a potential suicide bomber? If Austin was Jerusalem, you would.

Yet paradoxically, I do not equate being in Israel with being in harm's way. I feel safe here. More than six million people live here and go about their lives, despite the security situation. Most young men and women here serve in the army (as required by law), thus equally distributing the burden of Israel's security upon the shoulders of every citizen. My Israeli roommate served for three years as a paratrooper, and the army will summon him when his turn comes for reserve duty. Because of soldier-citizens like my roommate, Israel remains vigilant against external and internal threats while continuing to thrive as an open and democratic society.

There is much more to this country than what is reported on television. Israel has only one real natural resource: the brain power of its citizens. Outside of Silicon Valley, Israel has the world's highest concentration of high-tech startups. A popular example is Mirabilis, the company that pioneered instant messaging technology, like the kind used in AOL's Instant Messenger. The Centrino wireless Internet technology was developed at Intel's R&D center in Israel.

Environmentalism here is clearly more than a political slogan. Although mostly desert, Israel is the only country to begin the 21st century with more trees than it had at the start of the 20th century. Even the water level of the Sea of Galilee is important enough to make the evening news.

After the tsunami Israel immediately offered humanitarian assistance to tsunami ravaged Southeast Asia. The Jewish state generously delivered aid to Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim country.

Many hesitate to come to Israel because of the security situation. This beautiful country is nothing like the war zone many perceive it to be. Instead of spending a summer in Europe, come explore the land of the Bible. Learn about the people and the politics in the Middle East's only Western-style democracy. You will be glad that you came.

Fear will never interfere with my short life. I love this land, and nothing can ever prevent me from being here. To quote Frost, "I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep." Should God want me, He knows where to find me.

My name is Elizabeth Lerner and I am currently spending my Junior year abroad at Tel Aviv University, partially thanks to the grant I received from the American Jewish League for Israel. I have been here since August. Over the last six months, I have come to regard Tel Aviv, or Ramat Aviv more specifically (the suburb where I live) as home. My time here has allowed me to discover that this is where I want to be. Israel, with all its hardships and faults, is my home. I am ever grateful to the American Jewish League for Israel for helping to make this year possible for me. Since I have been here, I have made many friends and spent a good deal of time with my recently discovered relatives. I have done a good deal of traveling around the country, especially the north, my favorite region. I have been fortunate to spend much time with Israeli friends from quite diverse backgrounds

Most of my classes have been really enjoyable and for the most part, the professors have been outstanding. As my major at my home university, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, is Hebrew Studies, and my academic interest in the Middle East as a whole, I have had the chance to take courses in areas that would not have been available to me otherwise. Perhaps my favorite course is one called "Ideologies, Intellectuals and Intellectual Movements in the Modern Middle East."

Again, I wish to thank AJLI for this opportunity and all that it has opened up to me.

I wanted to take this opportunity to let you know how I've been doing over the past three months in Israel. I began my year here at the summer Ulpan at Ben Gurion University in Beer Sheva. Being in Beer Sheva when the two buses exploded was an intense experience. The way Israelis reacted to the (highly unexpected) pigua made me appreciate the resilience of this country. It's amazing how people can pick up and come together after such a devastating attack and move back into life.

All in all, I enjoyed my time at the Ulpan and still go back occasionally to see friends and go on tiyulim with the Overseas Student Program.

I moved to Rehovot right before Rosh HaShana and have been researching various mathematical applications to cellular biology under my advisor, Prof. Zvi Kam. The group (headed by professors Benny Geiger, Zvi Kam, and Alexander Bradshansky) is researching cell adhesion, and I am currently working on developing methods of image processing on the microscopic images taken by members of the lab. The research is interesting and challenging and I am lucky to be working with such smart and nice people.

Otherwise, I have met some wonderful people, started attending some interesting classes, and have been trying to see different parts of Israel whenever I can. This year in Israel has been (and will continue to be) a defining experience, and I wanted to thank you and AJLI for contributing to make it possible.

Naomi Cohen

I hope everyone is having a good spring and holiday. I am about wrapping up my spring break. The beginning of my second semester was pretty fun. After returning from Europe, I felt like Tel Aviv was my home, a place where I knew the customs and spoke the language and had a room of my own to come home to each night. My classes are fantastic- one in English called Islam, Terror, and Politics in the Middle East and another in Hebrew called Revolutionary Movements in the Modern Middle East. I am also continuing to take Hebrew and Arabic. I am learning so much history and culture from all my classes that are so easily applied to the happenings around me that while they can never be explained fully, they make somewhat more sense. I am also continuing with my internship. I recently wrapped up a research project on micro-financing and women in third world countries, and my bosses have another big project for me when I return from vacation that should last me until the end of my time in Israel. I am learning so much from the research and helping out at the organization's conferences and workshops allows me to see different aspects of Israeli culture that I would not have otherwise (I helped out at an International Women's Day event in March at the Azreli Mall, and it was wonderful to see women's groups from all sectors of Israeli society gather together for one purpose. The juxtaposition of seeing traditional Bedouin women selling their carpets in the modern mall next to the table with orthodox Jewish women was great!).

Israeli society and everyday life continues to be trying- especially after the Sheik Yassin assassination. Everyone stayed inside for a week, not going out much, waiting for the retaliation, but the whole country became somewhat stir-crazy and life has returned to normal, normal by Israeli standards anyway. I continue to enjoy going out in Tel Aviv and to not enjoy fighting with extensive bureaucracy here to get any tiny thing done, and don't even notice the constant arguing and discussions that go on daily to do something as simple as buy groceries. When I cut in line like any normal Israeli would do, my cousin told me I am becoming very Israeli, and I'm still not sure whether to take that as a compliment or not!

This past weekend I took a 10+ hour to Cairo with my roommate where we spent two very full days touring around (thank you Elly and Sarah for your great advice!). Seeing the pyramids was amazing! We spent Friday there, and at the museum, in Coptic Cairo with the churches and synagogue, taking a felucca ride on the Nile, eating ice-cream from El-Abd's on Talaat alHaarb and smoking nargilah while people watching at night. Saturday we walked everywhere because my roommate did not want to drive on the sabbath and walked from our hotel to the Ibn Tulun Mosque, to the Citadel with the Mohammed Ali Mosque. We were able to see real Cairo by doing this, going through neighborhoods that most tourists would never see. After that we went to Al-Azhar Mosque and University, the oldest university in the world. I loved it! We observed classes there, still taught Socratic method, with the professor and students in a circle on the floor in deep discussion. From there we went to the Khan al-Khalili souk (market) and then back to the Citadel to see the Sufi Whirling Dervishes (that was mind-boggling and wonderful!). In all, the trip was fantastic. Cairo is an overwhelming city, and except for the touristy sights we went to, we did a good job of sticking to true Egyptian Cairo, often being the only foreigners anywhere we went or ate (this was at times uncomfortable, but never bad. It was great to see the way real Careens lived. It was also ridiculously cheap!).

We took the bus back to Israel on Sunday. Going through the Rafah border (right next to the Gaza Strip) was the highest security I had ever been through and also depressing. Even though Israel is such a tiny country, I often feel as disconnected to the miserable situation of the territories as I would in California, and crossing the border with all the Palestinians brought me directly to this depressing and seemingly hopeless reality. Monday, I went to Jerusalem to celebrate the Pesach (Passover- where we celebrate the Hebrew slaves exodus from Egypt) seder with good family friends. Being able to celebrate a true exodus from Egypt in Jerusalem was great! Each year we end the seder saying 'Next year in Jerusalem', and to finally be there made the celebration all the more meaningful Wednesday, my friends and I traveled up to the very top of Israel to stay at a friend's grandfather's kibbutz, near Kriyat Shmona. The air and mountains and scenery is beautiful and we hiked all around, including in the Banias waterfalls.

Today I came all the way back down, to the south of Israel and am staying at another kibbutz near Beersheva, with family friends for the weekend. Next week I am house and dog-sitting for a friend and am very excited at the prospect of living somewhere with internet, a clothing washer and an oven! But really, after being in Egypt, a place with no toilets (just holes in the ground), much less toilet paper, I can't complain much about my student housing.

If anyone is still reading this, I wish you a wonderful spring, and I hope wherever you are, it is as beautiful as Israel is now, with sun and flowers everywhere!