BBB and a Be'er Shevsgiving

The first three pics are from a concert we had on campus--the student union's welcoming back to all students. It was very fun. Then the rest of the pics are from our Thanksgiving extravagenza, which, with our food, company, and conversation, became a very interesting American night in Israel. I was very fortunate to have great people to share the holiday with.

Shalom, Cheers and Peace,
Staci

Holy Sites in Jerusalem

Last week, a couple of my friends had a day off from class and went to Jerusalem to visit some Holy sites. First, they went to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which I have been to twice, once by just stumbling upon it, and can express how cool it is to explore. Then they went up the Mountain of Olives, and then to the Templen Mount. Since non-Muslims are allowed up on the Temple Mount only between certain hours twice a week, and given the history of that area in each of the three main religions, you can sense how spiritual that experience was for them as well. Thanks to my friend Rebecca (Rivka), I am able to share some of the pics with you guys.

Shalom, Cheers and Peace
Staci

Eilat!

Pictures are worth a thousand words...and thanks to all my great friends (and sadly, thanks to facebook) I have a few pictures!
So let me just say that as my trip here is coming to a slow (PLEASE SLOW!!) end, I am enjoying every moment I am spending here. Eilat was a relaxing, fun, fantastic weekend and I am looking forward to the next couple of weekends we will be spending doing whatever we can!

Shalom, Cheers and Peace,
Staci

welcome to the world, Shoko!

Matt got a puppy!
Yesterday, Hannah and I had the fortunate oppertunity to puppy-sit for Matt's new baby, Shoko. Only five weeks old, he had Hannah and I laughing, taking pictures, talking in high-pitched voices, and crawling on the floor. We love him, and love Matt for trusting us with his precious little one.
Check out Matt's blog for more information on the cutest little puppy Israel has ever seen!

Shabbat Shalom, Cheers, and Peace
Staci

Ashes and Snow

A couple of years ago I walked into my Director of Education's office and saw a beautiful picture on her wall (the last picture I posted). I asked her about it, and she told me it was apart of an exhibit titled "Ashes and Snow." I went home that night and was in awe after going through their online exhibit. All of the photographs are natural, meaning nothing was positioned this way. Just man and nature, and it's outstanding.
For some reason, I thought about it again today and even later on, I am still in awe after viewing something so beautiful. Their video exhibits are also something to check out, they are just as breathtaking.

For their website, click here. Then click "Enter Enhanced Experience," then "Explore." You will not be disappointed.

Shalom, Cheers and Peace
Staci

Yad Vashem

In Jerusalem Friday, my "Sites and Rites of Collective Memory" class took a very interesting field trip. I am going to use this trip to give a spotlight on the class.

My Professor, Jackie Feldman, teaches us about the collective memory of groups of people, primarily of the Jews. We read articles about the past and incorporate how we learn about them today, to discuss ways in which people remember and why they remember; a very interesting two hours.

Last week in Israel, the nation commemorated the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin, a day not taken lightly here. Likewise, November 9th is the memorial of Kristallnacht, when Jews literally remember the "night of broken glass," when Germany invaded Poland and broke Jewish windows, set fire to Jewish stores, and started the killing of the Jewish people.
It was very fitting that my field trip on Friday started at Mt. Herzl, Israeli's memorial cemetery, and ended at Yad Vashem, Israeli's Holocaust Museum.

Holocaust commemoration is very serious here; Israelis discuss the Holocaust in everyday life. What I loved about Mt. Herzl, however, was that the lowest soldiers were buried with the same regard as the highest of all soldiers, that the respect for them all was equal, and that people cared just as much for everyone. Israel has no tomb of the unknown soldier, for example, because this nation works hard to make sure that every soldier buried has an identity, for the family and for the people. Similarly, the memorial for "victims killed in terrorist attacks" at Mt. Herzl made it a mission to find as many names as possible--every life here has meaning from the very beginning until the very end.

There is so much I can and want to say about Yad Vashem. But if I had to mention one part about the museum, it would be the end in "the Hall of Names." "The Hall of Names at Yad Vashem is the Jewish People’s memorial to each and every Jew who perished in the Holocaust – a place where they may be commemorated for generations to come." Again, same theme: Every Jew in Israel, whether here physically or in spirit, has meaning from the very beginning until the very end.

This class too has taught me very much, and I am thrilled to be apart of it and apart of life in Israel.

Shalom, Cheers and Peace
Staci