Final Reflections

August 12, 2012

I am writing this blog from the plane on the way back from Israel. This trip has been absolutely wonderful and such an interesting mix of worship, fellowship, politics, and cultural activities which is an excellent representation of what Israel is all about. This trip has truly changed my life and I can only hope that people can learn from what I have experienced during my time there.

I hope that my first hand accounts can teach people that Israel is not the way that the news oftentimes portrays it but rather a peaceful country of rich culture and history. I thank God and CUFI for giving me this incredible life changing opportunity.

God bless Israel.

Last Day- Wah

August 11, 2012

Running on once again very little sleep I headed to my regional meeting where we met with our regional director to reflect on our time in Israel and talk about plans for CUFI in the fall. We then had a final wrap up from Avi and had practice debunking some of the myths that people have about Israel.

You cannot compare disruption (security fence) to death and destruction

All in all, the Palestinian government has done its citizens its greatest disservice due to its lack of leadership, corruption and its allowance of terrorism.

Financially supporting Israel is an investment in our future as Americans

Another interesting point of discussion was on whether or not Israel will respond to Iran’s nuclear weapons. Israel has a six-month window to wipe out the nuclear weapons. Will this happen before our election in November?

If Allah tells you to do something and someone tells you not to do it will you listen to them? No, so how can you tell me not to listen to God to defend Israel

After we went to have our farewell dinner in Jaffa and then headed to the airport to depart back to the US. SO SAD!

The Final Countdown

August 10, 2012

After two hours of sleep we embarked for Rehovot and the Ayalon Institute, which is a code name for the secret bullet factory established by the Haganah and disguised as a kibbutz during the War for Independence. I found it so interesting that forty-five people worked in this underground factory and 90 people in total worked on this kibbutz.

The rest of the day was pretty free to have lunch, walk around and go wine tasting. We tasted some beautiful bottles of wine from Israel.

Later we returned to the hotel for Shabbat dinner then had one of the most fun nights of my life. After everyone got dressed up for a night out on the town we went to the beach for some drinks. It ended up just being Samuel and I at one club and everyone else at a salsa club because of course I need my electronic music fix. So we show up at this club that looks like the front of a store. We wait in line for a while and are very confused as to why this is taking so long. The bouncer explained that the “selector” has to select you to come in. Thanks to Samuel’s Hebrew and the fact we are American we got in with no problems. As soon as I walked into the club and heard EDM filling the room and a crazy light show I was in heaven! We had the time of our lives. Five hours later we decided it was probably time to go. Upon leaving the club we realized it was six am and light outside! Instead of going back to the hotel we decided to sleep on the beach for a few hours and then eventually make it back. At 10:30am we finally got back to the hotel, got around two hours of sleep and then had to make it to our regional meetings!

Friends its Now or Never

Friends its Now or Never
8/9/2012

Our first stop of the day was to the Jerusalem archeological park located on the opposite side of the Western Wall. We learned here that in Palestinian textbooks it makes the claim that there was never Jewish history in Israel. However we saw firsthand that there were over fifty ritual baths and coins that are over 2,000 years old. The artifacts and stones we saw also have Hebrew inscriptions on them. We also got to see the original stairs that took people up to the Temple Mount. It was an incredible feeling to walk on the same stairs Jesus did! We then got to spend some more time at the Western Wall and leave our prayers.

Next we went to Save a Childs Heart which is an incredible organization that brings children from other countries for heart surgery. This organization sees 250 children a year, 40% from Africa, 50% from the Palestinian Authority and Iraq, and 10% from other countries. So far this organization has had children from 43 countries. Not only do they bring children from other countries for surgery but they train doctors from these countries to practice back at home along with training medical professionals here in Israel.

Later in the day we went to Independence Hall where Prime Minister Ben Gurion established the state of Israel. This place was chosen because Jerusalem was under siege at the time.

Friends its now or never

We then got to swim and hang out at the beach in Tel Aviv which was so much fun!

Back at the hotel we heard a lecture from our tour guide Avi about the Knesset and the make up of the Israeli government. Most of this was a review for me however I did learn a lot about the situation with the Ultra Orthodox in Israel. There currently exists a conflict in Israeli society in regard to the Ultra Orthodox. In order to work they have to go into the army but they don’t so instead of working they study and read all day. They do not serve in the army because it is not conducive to their every day life. Such as the co-ed nature of the army, the lack of the same kosher standards, and also if a conflict were to arise between the rabbi and an officer they would go along with a rabbi. They are also not suited educationally for the army. Additionally the Ultra Orthodox community has not accepted the legitimacy of the Jewish state.

Later in the evening a few of us went to get drinks on the boardwalk. Afterwards we took a hookah someone brought down to the beach. Mojitos and hookah on the beach in Israel= Perfection. Then at around 6am we decided it was time to head back to the hotel.

“I’ll take you to the candy shop”

August 7, 2012

The day commenced with a discussion regarding the Israeli security fence which is a hot topic in today’s political discourse. The fence is located on the southern edge of Jerusalem. The other side of the barrier is a slope to topographically prevent a car driving through the barrier. Every thirty or forty minutes a jeep drives by on the road with a Bedouin tracker to see if anyone has crossed over. There is a wall rather than a fence to prevent traffic. From where we were standing to the first house in our line of vision, someone with a bomb could get to us in fifteen minutes.

Along with learning about the security fence we also learned about the demographics of Jerusalem. 22% of Arabs in Israel have equal rights. In Jerusalem, 10% of the population in Israel lives there, 36% of the people are Arab and 64% of the people are Jewish. These demographics are so important because in order to be a Jewish state Israel needs to have a Jewish majority. We also talked about the settlements and how other than in Jerusalem people are not in consensus about the settlements. In all negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians, the Palestinian Authority has never demanded the evacuation of settlements, demands are Arab East Jerusalem and the entire Old City.

None of us believe that good fences make good neighbors but in the case of Jerusalem… it has protected the lives of all citizens

Our next visit was a meeting with the Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem. According to the Deputy Mayor, Israel supports two states and two people that is clear however what is ambiguous is where are the borders? How do you manage to treat a city that’s treated as something on an operating table by the rest of the world? Some services cannot be divided but must be shared. How does Israel function as a pilgrim city for three religions? Jerusalem has these three unique populations with their own neighborhoods. People chose their cultural context and the neighborhood they want to live in however the public domain is shared by all.

Israel does not need to be on the defensive because we have nothing to be defensive about

Following this informative visit we traveled to Bethlehem. In Arabic, Israel means house of meat and in Hebrew it means house of bread, I found this to be extremely interesting. This unique city is home to 50,000 people 40% Christian and 60% Muslim. The mayor and minister of Bethlehem are always Christian. They also celebrate three Christmases per year: the one on the 25th of December, the Armenian and the Greek. Bethlehem is under the control of the Palestinian Authority.

In Bethlehem, we had the opportunity to visit the Church of the Nativity, the oldest church in the world. The entrance of the church has a small door to prevent camels and horses from getting in it also causes people to bow down to get in. The first church was built in 326 by Queen Helen, Emperor Constantine’s mother. The Church of the Nativity is divided into a Greek Orthodox, Catholic and Russian Orthodox church. The basicila is divided into five naves and contains eleven columns (12 disciples minus Judah) We also go to go underneath the church to see where Jesus was born. It was so powerful to be singing Christmas carols and be standing where Jesus was born.

Our Palestinian tour guide then took us to his restaurant and shop. At the shop I bargained in Arabic very successfully even at the fine jewelry counter! After getting back on the bus a man was trying to sell us head scarves and I ended up speaking to him for quite some time. By the end of the conversation he was singing to me Candy Shop by 50 Cent… The bus trip from this point on in the day was SO ANNOYING because everyone bought flutes in Bethlehem and no one knows how to play them…

We then headed back to Jerusalem to see the Israel Museum. On the grounds of the museum is an extensive model of Jerusalem. Additionally a small exhibit where the Shrine of the Book exists.

Later in the evening myself and two other Catholic students on the trip prayed the rosary. There are four of us on the trip out of 36 students who are Catholic and three out of the four of us are of Latino descent. We continue to joke how we should start our own group called CLANUFI (Catholic Latinos and Nick United for Israel).
“I’ll take you to the candy shop”
August 7, 2012

The day commenced with a discussion regarding the Israeli security fence which is a hot topic in today’s political discourse. The fence is located on the southern edge of Jerusalem. The other side of the barrier is a slope to topographically prevent a car driving through the barrier. Every thirty or forty minutes a jeep drives by on the road with a Bedouin tracker to see if anyone has crossed over. There is a wall rather than a fence to prevent traffic. From where we were standing to the first house in our line of vision, someone with a bomb could get to us in fifteen minutes.

Along with learning about the security fence we also learned about the demographics of Jerusalem. 22% of Arabs in Israel have equal rights. In Jerusalem, 10% of the population in Israel lives there, 36% of the people are Arab and 64% of the people are Jewish. These demographics are so important because in order to be a Jewish state Israel needs to have a Jewish majority. We also talked about the settlements and how other than in Jerusalem people are not in consensus about the settlements. In all negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians, the Palestinian Authority has never demanded the evacuation of settlements, demands are Arab East Jerusalem and the entire Old City.

None of us believe that good fences make good neighbors but in the case of Jerusalem… it has protected the lives of all citizens

Our next visit was a meeting with the Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem. According to the Deputy Mayor, Israel supports two states and two people that is clear however what is ambiguous is where are the borders? How do you manage to treat a city that’s treated as something on an operating table by the rest of the world? Some services cannot be divided but must be shared. How does Israel function as a pilgrim city for three religions? Jerusalem has these three unique populations with their own neighborhoods. People chose their cultural context and the neighborhood they want to live in however the public domain is shared by all.

Israel does not need to be on the defensive because we have nothing to be defensive about

Following this informative visit we traveled to Bethlehem. In Arabic, Israel means house of meat and in Hebrew it means house of bread, I found this to be extremely interesting. This unique city is home to 50,000 people 40% Christian and 60% Muslim. The mayor and minister of Bethlehem are always Christian. They also celebrate three Christmases per year: the one on the 25th of December, the Armenian and the Greek. Bethlehem is under the control of the Palestinian Authority.

In Bethlehem, we had the opportunity to visit the Church of the Nativity, the oldest church in the world. The entrance of the church has a small door to prevent camels and horses from getting in it also causes people to bow down to get in. The first church was built in 326 by Queen Helen, Emperor Constantine’s mother. The Church of the Nativity is divided into a Greek Orthodox, Catholic and Russian Orthodox church. The basicila is divided into five naves and contains eleven columns (12 disciples minus Judah) We also go to go underneath the church to see where Jesus was born. It was so powerful to be singing Christmas carols and be standing where Jesus was born.

Our Palestinian tour guide then took us to his restaurant and shop. At the shop I bargained in Arabic very successfully even at the fine jewelry counter! After getting back on the bus a man was trying to sell us head scarves and I ended up speaking to him for quite some time. By the end of the conversation he was singing to me Candy Shop by 50 Cent… The bus trip from this point on in the day was SO ANNOYING because everyone bought flutes in Bethlehem and no one knows how to play them…

We then headed back to Jerusalem to see the Israel Museum. On the grounds of the museum is an extensive model of Jerusalem. Additionally a small exhibit where the Shrine of the Book exists.

Later in the evening myself and two other Catholic students on the trip prayed the rosary. There are four of us on the trip out of 36 students who are Catholic and three out of the four of us are of Latino descent. We continue to joke how we should start our own group called CLANUFI (Catholic Latinos and Nick United for Israel).

The Plague

August 6, 2012

This will be a short entry since I was sick all day. We woke up at 4:00am to climb Mount Mosada and before even leaving the desert I vomited. While everyone else climbed Mount Mosada the sick people stayed behind. Unfortunately I was also unable to participate in swimming in the Dead Sea ☹ I did get to see it at least!

I basically felt miserable the whole day and had to go to the emergency clinic and almost get an IV. Turns out I have a stomach virus. Whomp. While everyone else went shopping I slept at the hotel. It is also important to note that one of my close friends on the trip Patrick is the biggest consumer I have ever met. Literally every gift shop, museum, gas station or market we go to he comes out with like ten bags. Patrick is the reason why Israel’s economy is flourishing. Whenever we tell him there’s a gift shop his eyes light up like a kid on Christmas morning.

After resting, an Arab Muslim Jerusalem Post reporter came to speak to our group. He gave us an in depth explanation of the situation regarding the Arab-Israeli conflict.

Every morning I wake up and thank God I live among the Jews everyday

The journalist brought up an important point that is oftentimes overlooked, the two Palestinian states that we have hate each other more than they hate Israel and are currently at war with each other. These groups however know that that their survival depends on Israel.

We the Jews are prepared to give you what we’ve never given you in the past, when you get your act together, stop the indoctrination and incitement and accept our right to exist, then come to the negotiating table

Deo, Patriae, Amicis

August 5, 2012

On this morning, those who were interested in attending mass in Latin met downstairs in the lobby at 5:45am to head over to the Holy Sepulchre. The mass was beautiful and I was able to understand most of it which was great. It was also fun afterwards to explain the mass parts to everyone who was not Catholic.

After mass we met up with the rest of the group and went to Dome of the Rock. The Dome of the Rock is under Islamic control. In 70 AD the Temple Mount was destroyed by the Romans. The high priest once a year could go to see the Holy of Holies. In 638 the Muslims conquered Jerusalem, in 691 the Dome of the Rock completed, and in 705 the mosque was completed. Looking around at the Temple Mount it was apparent that this area was controlled by Muslims. Many came to pray and talk about the Quran. One question that was posed was:

How and why is Jerusalem holy to Islam? How did they build these structures?

One possible answer to this question is that when the Muslims conquered Jerusalem there was fear among the leadership that they may convert to Christianity. It is interesting to note that the Dome of the Rock is a basilica. Another possible theory is that Islam was expanding so quickly that they were having a hard time controlling their empire.

One fact I found particularly interesting was that Jerusalem was the first direction of prayer for Muslims. The Dome of the Rock was created to commemorate Mohammed’s ascension into heaven and his nocturnal journey. The mosque located on the same grounds as the Dome of the Rock, this mosque is to commemorate where Mohammed prayed when he returned from the nocturnal journey. Some people also believe that the Western Wall was where Mohammed tied his horse and ergo accept as true  that the Western Wall should be considered an Islamic Holy site.

While we were sitting at the Temple Mount learning about the Dome of the Rock a young religious Jewish man escorted by two police men walked by. The young man asked the police officers to take a photo of him in front of the Dome of the Rock. Non Islamic religious prayer or religious books are forbidden on the Temple Mount. Any sign of prayer or reading from another holy book can be perceived as incitement. I find it so shocking that the Jewish people are not allowed to pray at a holy site of the Jewish people.

Our next stop was at the City of David where we walked through Hezekiah’s tunnel. This was by far one of the coolest excursions we did on the trip. If you were to turn off your flashlight in the tunnel it would be pitch black. At some points in the tunnel the water was so high it came up to your knees! We then followed the tunnel to the Davidson Center.

After we continued in the New City of Jerusalem to the Memorial to the Holocaust at Yad Vashem. This Holocaust museum is actually located on the grounds of the birthplace of John the Baptist! Our visit to the Holocaust was relevant and of up most importance in regard to the current state of affairs in Israel. During the horrific events of the Holocaust the Jewish people lost a 1/3 of their population which understandably makes them nervous for their future. The Jews needed Israel to have a place to live so they wouldn’t be put in the gas chambers ever again. Another interesting fact that I learned from this museum was that Albert Einstein and Sigmund Freud fled from the Nazis! What always gets me every time at museums is when they have the shoes of the people who were killed or the last remains found in their pockets or books written by people whom the Nazis saw as unacceptable.

Where they start off burning books they end up burning people

We spent a while in the museum however we could have been there for hours. It is so interesting to look at the statistics regarding the percentage of people who actually emigrated before the Holocaust happened and during. 50% got out however not all survived. I also found it worthy of note that the museum had the collections that Hitler was saving for his museum. Hitler wanted to create a museum to show what he did, the museum had some of these artifacts.

Europe is to the be combed through from West to East in the course of the implementation of the final solution– Reinhard Reyordich

I could go on and on about the museum all day but there is so much else to include! All in all, I thought the museum was incredible. Outside the museum included a beautiful monument dedicated to the children that died in the Holocaust. Inside of the memorial it is pitch black lit with five candles to represent each child that was killed however it looks like an infinite number with the mirrors. Inside the memorial a narrator states each name. One person who visited the museum once said that these candles looked like stars representing God’s promise to Abraham.

Our next stop was to Mount Hertzel National Cemetery. The cemetery is broken up into two sections: world leaders and military. I found it interesting that unlike the national cemetery in DC, the graves in this one are all identical therefore if you do not read Hebrew you would have no way of knowing their rank or if they were even in the military.

The longest day ever then continued to the desert! And that is when the plague started. On the bus ride over two people had to get off to vomit and many others started to feel sick. When we got to the desert I was not feeling well at all. We had a short camel ride and then spent the night in a Bedouin tent! It was so beautiful reading the bible with a flashlight out in the middle of the desert.

Maybe one day God willing we will ride your camel

Maybe one day God willing we will ride your camel
August 4, 2012

After zero sleep I headed onto the bus for our first stop- Mount of Olives at the Mosque of the Ascension, the traditional site of Jesus’ ascension, followed by a beautiful view of Jerusalem. While Avi our tour guide was lecturing at Mount of Olives an Arab man with a camel kept shouting out his prices making it hard for us to hear so I asked David if I should tell him to leave and he responded in the affirmative. So I told him in Arabic that we were with a church group and we were trying to listen to our teacher but couldn’t because he kept talking. He once again told me the prices for the camels and I explained to him that maybe one day God willing we will ride his camels but today we have to listen. Haha yay Arabic!

Our next stops were Garden of Gethsemane, Saint Anne’s Church and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Via of Dolorosa and the Stations of the Cross. The Garden of Gethsemane was beautiful and serene and in the garden was Saint Anne’s Church. We were told that the acoustics inside the church were amazing so some of our talented singers in the group led everyone in song. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre is definitely one of my favorite sites in Israel so far since it is so important to my faith. Unfortunately though I was really sick and dehydrated this day and couldn’t make the most of out everything. Regardless it was still a beautiful site to see. The church was built in the 4th century by Emperor Constantine. This site is the most sacred shrine in Christianity. After we walked through the Via of Dolorosa and the Stations of the Cross.

After, we went to the Garden Tomb, a rock cut tomb which is the burial and resurrection sight of Jesus. Going inside the tomb was once again something that is inexplicable. I have felt so many feelings on this trip that I have never felt before. This site was just so powerful to think that this was where Jesus was buried and resurrected. The tomb is also adjacent to Golgotha where Jesus was crucified. We then came back to the hotel rested, had dinner and then went to see a beautiful light show at the Tower of David. A projector displayed images of the history of Israel not using any words it was beautiful.

The Escape from Rage Valley to Electric Mountain to Drnkistan to Kazintip to the Israeli-Lebanese Border!

August 3, 2012

Yes the title is a rave reference…

Our first stop of the day was to a site where the Israel Defense Forces were watching over Lebanon- of course the girls in our group were quite excited. The IDF in this area watches over Hezbollah and is most prepared for an attempt by Hezbollah to kidnap a soldier. One person I found particularly interesting was a Beoudin who served as the tracker for the army. Him and I had a great conversation in Arabic! One interesting fact about the IDF is that the army is depoliticized meaning that they are not allowed to express their own political views while in uniform. On the bus on the way to our next destination we were provided a quick refresher on the Lebanese War and the current situation in Lebanon today.

Our next stop was the Jordan River to go white water rafting! Patrick, Stephanie, Samuel and I named our raft team fun in Hebrew and embarked on a disastrous journey down the river where I contributed nothing to rowing and we ended up in the woods several times. We also met some young Israelis who knew a lot of fun songs and chants so we sang with them. This was definitely one of the most fun excursions of the trip thus far.

Our next stop was one of the most emotional experiences for many people on the trip- Yardenit, the traditional baptismal site in the Jordan River. David and John baptized some people for the first time and helped others to renew their baptismal vows. This was truly an incredible experience that words really cannot explain.

Our next stop was emotional as well- The Western Wall. Thousands of Jews and Christians came to the Western Wall this Friday night before Shabbat dinner. Some were dancing and singing for joy while others were mourning and grieving. Seeing all these people come together in prayer really touched my heart and caused me to cry-again!

After we got back on the bus to the house of a family living in Jerusalem for a typical Shabbat dinner. There was lots of singing and was a great way to bring everyone together. I have attended multiple Shabbat dinners in the past but to go to one in the Holy City was so special.

One of my friends, Emily from CUFI and Stand With Us is currently living in Israel so her and I went out to meet some of her Israeli soldier friends for hookah and to experience social life in Jerusalem.

Secondo Giorno!

August 2, 2012

“When he saw the crowds he went up the mountain and after he had sat down his disciples came to them saying the beatitudes…” (Matthew 5:1)

Questo giorno we went to the mount of the beatitudes which is such an amazing spectale to see because its one thing to read about it in the bible but another thing to be reading from the bible while you’re sitting there! One line that particularly stood out to me in Matthew Chapter 5 was line 14,

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden”

This line directly correlates in my opinion to the idea of American exceptionalism, the idea of America being a beacon of hope, a city on a hill. Such a powerful statement that is easily relateable to modern times.

The Mount of the Beatitudes is a centric, octagonal structure designed for pilgrimage. The stations of the cross are located around the circumference of the church. This site is serene, quiet, tranquil and yet powerful all at the same time. Sitting on a rock in the garden of the church gazing upon the Mediterranean Sea and the beautiful landscape of Israel was breathtaking. Very seldom do I meditate or find myself not thinking about anything-actually never but this was definitely a time to reflect on everything we have experienced even though it has only been one day!

Our next stop was to Capernaum and guess what we passed on the way: LEBANON! The amount I want to go to Lebanon: ALL OF IT. We were just a mere four miles away from the border! However that’s not going to happen for a long time, wah.

Anyways, the next stop was Caesarea Philippi. Turn to Matthew 16:13 to read about it! This site is a nature reserve with an ancient city buried underneath. This ancient city was built by Herod as a temple for Caesar. This site survived the great revolt! Once Herod dies, the Romans divided this into three districts. We are currently sitting in the district of Phillip. When Jesus came here he knew this was a pagan center in the region- a place filled with foreign gods and goddesses. At this site we saw the mountain where Jesus made the covenant with Abraham. HOW COOL IS THAT?

We then went to lunch at a seafood place where I ate straight up Saint Peter’s fish. EYES AND EVERYTHING.

The next stop on our busy agenda was to Capernaum. Turn to Mark 1:16 to find out all about it. Capernaum, on the shores of the Sea of Galilee was the center of Jesus’s Ministry. It was here that Jesus cured the servant of the centurion who had built a synagogue and found his first disciples. Inside Capernaum I went into a Catholic church and translated scripture from Latin to English. I got everything minus one word!
Spectabo. I knew it was future tense but had no idea what it meant (It means to raise up). Yeah National Latin Exam silver medalist in high school!

We then returned to the hotel where we heard from Major Eliott Chodoff from the Israeli Defense Forces. He gave a great speech about the Arab Spring and the threats that face Israel in the region. He started off the speech by citing a book, Gathering Storms which could be used to describe the situation in Israel. What he means by this is that so much uncertainty exists. In regard to the Arab Spring, Chodoff argues that the Arab Spring is neither Arab nor in the spring but rather a “Muslim Winter” because Arab implies that all the countries are the same by batching them all together and by doing so you are missing a lot. Major Chodoff also gave great insight into the Muslim Brotherhood, and the similarities between the Egyptian and Iranian revolutions. He also brought up a good point that the Muslim Brotherhood is not copying the Iranian model of revolution but rather the Iranians did it first but were copying the Muslim Brotherhood playbook. He also made an interesting argument that the US does not understand revolutions because we never really had one since we overthrew an extended power not an indigenous power. He then went on to discuss the current situations in Syria and Egypt.

After the talk Stephanie, Patrick, Samuel and I walked down to the Sea of Galilee where we drank Chardonnay and talked about politics and the future of CUFI. Fun island was actually vacant tonight but there was a yacht right next to it that was bumpin so I named it fun yacht, naturally. Even late into the night the streets of Tiberius were bustling, people dancing in the streets and shopping. I LOVE ISRAEL.