Adventure!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    The past 10 days I have been on more adventures than the entire past year. We set off two Wednesdays ago to Masada. After a long bus ride, and nowhere near enough sleep, we woke up practically in the middle of he night to embark on the hike up Masada. To say it was hard is an understatement; it was one of the most difficult things I've ever done, but seeing the sun rise over the Dead Sea can't be compared to anything. It was one of the most beautiful things I've been lucky enough to observe and we got some pretty sick pictures. The next day, we started off with a hike leading to a natural spring, and later headed off to a relaxing few hours at the Dead Sea.
    It seemed like the most relaxing vacation of our lives until we stepped off the bus at Gadna two days later. Our little glimpse at army life was eye-opening for all of us. Personally, I really enjoyed these few days and got a lot out of it. However, when Thursday morning rolled around, I was more than ready to head down to Eilat. We spent three amazing, fun-filled days exploring the boardwalk, snorkeling, and of course working on our tans on the beach. Despite this being a fun break from school, I can definitely say that I learned so much more than I thought possible from a vacation like this. It was so incredibly fun to explore the country that I grew up in and sadly haven't been to in so long. It was educational, eye-opening, and all sorts of fun.

A Nice Break

    This past Friday, I ventured out of the kibbutz. My uncle, along with his two kids picked me up early afternoon and we embarked on our weekend adventure. After a few hours and countless roller coaster rides at KifTzuba, we headed to their home in Kibbutz Lehavot Haviva. It was a loud, chaotic, and fun filled night with three children running around aimlessly. Despite the craziness, it was beyond fun to be back with family and immersed in the Israeli culture I have missed so very much. After finally getting a goodnight's sleep, we made pancakes then headed off to grandma's. After having food shoved down our throats, we put on our hiking shoes and headed out for the climb up Mount Gilboa. Reaching the top was rewarded with even more food and of course, countless pictures, Overall, it was a fabulous weekend with my little cousins and i couldn't have asked fro a better way to spend it. Most of all, it was nice a nice break from the food here in Tzuba.

Not the Usual Program...

    A few days ago, during our evening program time we participated in an activity dealing with sexual assault and advertising. We began by looking at advertisements in which they appeared to be selling provocative images, and had to guess what the actual product was. Some of these were extremely shocking and surprised us all. It was kind of sad seeing how unmoved we were by this method of advertisement. We have grown up seeing these types of things everywhere, and sadly it's become a part of our society.
    As the program went on, we shifted into a conversation about certain scenarios and whether we agree or disagree with how they happen. The more we discussed many of these things, it was obvious that the way we all say things should be isn't realistic. For example, one scenario described a  certain way that women dress as them "asking for it". Of course everyone immediately said "disagree", but as the conversation went on, we realized that it really is a common thought among many people. We also discussed the reality and shocking fact that most instances of rape are between people who know each other quite well. Although many of these topics were hard to talk about, I think this was a conversation that needed to be had. The more people who are talking about these issues and openly communicating about them, the better. Sadly, there's no way to put a stop to these horrible occurrences, but it is so very important for all people to be educated about this topic.

The Subversive power of Jewish Humor

In this article, George Jochnowitz mentions multiple aspects of Jewish humor. It is used very subtly sometimes and in different manners. Often times, it is also included subconsciously in works of literature and other forms. One example given in the article of how Judaism affects different works involved comedians. It consisted of information about various Jewish comedians and their real names compared to their stage names. For example, Woody Allen’s real name is Allan Stewart Konigsberg. Like many other celebrities, he came up with a name to go by so fans would laugh with him and not at him. I thought the idea of an audience laughing in regard to a comedian being undignified due to their Jewish nature was a sad but a very probable occurrence.

The article as a whole made me think of the circulating stereotypes involving Jews and how we as a Jewish public often conform to fit into society. We’ll change things that may have sentimental or cultural value such as names or the way we speak publically about our beliefs. Even in the Tanakh, a sacred text, there are instances of Jewish humor and sarcasm. It is in our bones, our genes, and our history, and we should not have to sacrifice certain parts of ourselves for it to be heard and respected.

Tel Gezer

    Our first tiyul of the semester took place this morning when we took a hike through Tel Gezer. For me this trip was a unique experience. In the past I have learned the stories of the Torah as just that, stories. Unlike our few previous lessons, this experience allowed us to be immersed in the story and everything it stands for. Just like the Canaanites did so long ago, we scouted out the land for the aspects that were the deciding factors of where to build a settlement back then. After finding their resources for food, water, defense, and trade, we took a deeper look at what made this civilization special. One thing that really stood out to me was how strategic all of their structures were. For example, when looking at their walls, it appears as if there were rooms built into the walls. Our discussion led us to discovering that in times of being attacked, the Canaanites filled these rooms with debris to prevent the enemy from entering. A normal lesson about old architecture would not have interested me in the slightest. However, seeing these structures up close and standing on the ground on which everything took place was extremely powerful.
    While applying for EIE I had the opportunity to talk to an alumni of this program. She told me a lot about Jewish History, a class I didn't think I would enjoy very much, but I was proven wrong. As she spoke about her experiences, one thing stood out to me. She mentioned their first trip and how it felt to really experience the things that they were learning about in class. Sure I was excited for new experiences and learning opportunities, but I wasn't expecting to have that kind of moment. Funny thing is, I just did on that same exact trip. Standing on top of Tel Gezer looking at the amazing view, it sunk in that all of Israel is my classroom for the next four months. I had the best time exploring the first of many historical sites to be seen this semester, and am beyond excited to see the rest.