Idan Raichel

On Sunday night I went with a group of about 40 students, some in my Overseas Students Program, some in MAPMES (MAsters Program in Middle Eastern Studies) and some in the Columbia Medical Program, to Jerusalem. All of us shared one thing: we are apart of the MASA scholarship program which sponsors Jewish students to come study in Israel. After a welcoming of some of Israeli cabinet members, one being Natan Sharansky (!), we had a concert featuring Idan Raichel and the various artists in his project.

"The Idan Raichel Project burst onto Israel’s music scene in 2002, changing the face of Israeli popular music and offering a message of love and tolerance that resonated strongly in a region of the world where headlines are too often dominated by conflict. With an enchanting blend of African, Latin American, Caribbean and Middle Eastern sounds coupled with sophisticated production techniques and a spectacular live show, the Idan Raichel Project has become one of the most unexpected success stories in Israeli music history... "

It was an outstanding performance, and I am so beyond glad I decided to go in the end...

For more information on Idan Raichel, please click here.

nadine's post -- Keith Haring

My friend, Nadine, wrote a great entry on her blog today. It's about Keith Haring, and reading her post made me remember my facination with Keith Haring--one that I keep hidden, for some reason, until something brings it out of it's box. Her post did that today. I love him, always have, and enjoy his story, messages, at art.
I am linking her blog to this post in hopes that you all will check it out.

Shalom, Cheers, and Peace
Staci

Spotlight: Mystical Lit

Out of the four courses I am taking here at Ben-Gurion University (not including Hebrew), I cannot decide which one is my favorite because I like them all equally and differently. So, I decided to write a spotlight on each of them, starting with Mystical Literature.

I signed up for this class because the syllabus looked interesting to me: using text from Judaism, Christianity, and Islam to experience mysticism. Thus far I have had four lectures and have been studying the Judaism aspect, and love every minute of this subject both inside and outside of the classroom.
We have read the Torah, the Zohar, articles, summaries. We have studied Freud and compared his theory of dreams to that of Jacob; we have discussed journeys and Abraham, and we have discussed God's warrior-like qualities in the Torah in comparison to "everyday beliefs."

With only an hour and a half of this class once a week, I don't ever want it to end! My professor, June Leavitt, is a brilliant woman who brings the material of ancient days alive, and I cannot express how much I appreciate this class.

Yam L'Yam (Sea to Sea)

There was no way I could resist posting all of these pics...
Over our Sukkot break, my friends and I hiked across Northern Israel: four days and four nights from the Mediterranean Sea to the Sea of Galilee. It seemed fitting, with the Sukkot being the festival of harvesting, being outside in observance of this week-long holiday. With lots of uphill and downhill trails, rough sleeping conditions, wild horses, scenic views that can blow your mind, and "bonding time," this was a trip I will never forget. It was intense both physically and mentally, but it was the most spiritually fulfilling thing I have done since I have been here. I would not trade part of it away for anything, and I thank everyone who made it so awesome!

Pictures provided by my lovely friends, Rebecca (Rivka) and Dori...thanks guys

Shalom, Cheers, and Peace
Staci

Flash Mobs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7EYAUazLI9k
http://www.oprah.com/article/oprahshow/20090908-tows-flash-mob-dance
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQ3d3KigPQM

I am editing this post after watching more of the Flashmob and Improv Group videos. This is my original post:
"I suppose these became famous after Oprah's opening show, but this group has been doing this way before the show. They also do ones where they freeze in supermarkets, grand central station--just stay in one spot. Both kinds are pretty cool in my opinion. I think there is something to be said for the smiles people give when they see this.
Check it out, it's cool."

I feel it is necessary to restate how much I appreciate them. I don't know why I am obbsessing over it (if you're here with me you know I love to watch them over and over again), but I really think that they way they go about making other people happy is totally cool. I know if I were to be stranded in a train station, having missed my train or soaked by the rain or running late for work, seeing a dance like this would totally cheer me up. In fact, I'd be one of the people trying to follow along in the middle of the dance floor.
I am encouraging everyong to DANCE. Wherever you want, however you want...

Shalom, Cheers and Peace
Staci

High Holidays, Take One

Rosh Hashana in Jerusalem... woooooow.

Let's rewind.
First, I left on classes on Thursday with a "farewell, L'Shana Tova" toast. It was great... pomegranates, apples and honey, cards. All wonderful (see pics).





By Friday morning I was on a bus on the way to Jerusalem. When we got there, we explored the old city for a while, got lost, and found our way into what I thought was an exit--it was actually the entrance into the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. We made note of that, and went on our merry way to the Reformed Rabbinical school just a ten minute walk away from one of the most Holy Christian Sites in Jerusalem.

My friend, Rossanna, and I stayed with two first-year HUC students, one cantorial and the other rabbinical. They are just four years older than I am, leading services, and doing exactly what I want to be doing in four years. AND, they are two of the NICEST, FUNNIEST, and WELCOMING people we've met since we've been here.

Friday night we went to services at HUC where we watched Amanda be one of the three cantors, and had the service be lead by "the first female rabbi ever ordained in Israel, ordained in 1992." It was great, a reformed service was JUST what the doctor prescribed for me.
Saturday morning we woke up and went to Hallel, a reformed synagogue in Jerusalem with a female Israeli Rabbi and a Male Cantor who was born in America. Everything was in Hebrew but I was happy to be able to follow along...a combination of improved Hebrew and memorization of the Holy Day prayers. Then lunch with the rabbinical students at one of their apartments, then to Tashlich. This is the ritual where Jews throw breadcrumbs into a running body of water to "cast away their sins," and we looked back on our actions month by month to remember the good times and bad times that occurred in the year. Ending the ceremony with "Eli Eli," I left the park feeling refreshed and ready for my two-hour "Shabbat nap," yes they do exist, and then dinner with the rabbinical students again.
Sunday morning, second day of Rosh Hashana, Rossana and I woke up and went to "The Great Synagogue," a modern orthodox synagogue in the center of Jerusalem. What was cool about this was that their was one Chazzan, Cantor, who lead a 12-male choir and literally read from the Machzor (prayerbook) the entire time. That was the service, and the music sent chills up and down my spine.
After that we went to meet our friend Josh, after dancing in the RAIN ...IT RAINED... and explored the Old City again. First Rossana and I went to the Kotel, Western Wall, and then all of us went back to the Church, this time on purpose. It was a very good experience, and with it being the last day of Ramadan and us in the Arab quarter, we got a taste of all religions!

After a New Year/Shabbat/weekend like that, I can't even explain how weird it is to be back in the desert. But we are going back up to stay with our gracious hosts on Sunday night and I can barely contain my enthusiasm. I even have an excited face just for Yom Kippur!

This time is my all-time favorite part of any year. It is a time of ultimate renewal of body, spirit, and mind. The New Year, in Judaism, is not a time of partying or watching the ball drop, but it is a time of reflection on the past year and aspiring for the years to come. During the next ten days, I will be looking back on all of my actions before our day of judgement, and I encourage everyone to do the same.

L'Shana Tova Umetuka -- May this New Year bring EVERYONE Health, Happiness, and Joy!
Shalom, Cheers and Peace
Staci

Shay

The first couple of weeks we were here, there was a student with us who is going for his Master's degree at Brandeis University. He is married and a father of two, so he was here for the short ulpan before going home to his family and school. But the first time I was in Jerusalem, I learned how knowledgeable of Israel he is because we toured the ramparts of the old city and he was a better tour guide than anyone we could have gotten. He will be TA-ing in my major back at Brandeis and so I am eager to maybe be able to take his classes...I can learn a lot from him.
The reason why I am sharing this on my blog is because in the JERUSALEM POST today, there was an article about the very same Shay I am talking about! How cool!

Please read it...he is an inspiring person and a role-model for all!