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May Updates

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5/30/08

Senior awards speech
Vered and Shira

We are sure that in the week your children have been home you have heard tons of stories about Neshama 2008. We knew going into the trip that we would travel from north to south, but we never expected to get so much more out of it.
Our journey began in Eastern Europe where many of us were pushed to our emotional limits. Our staff brought an Israeli flag with them that was passed between group members as we walked from camp to camp. It was comforting to see the symbol of Jewish pride out of the corner of our eyes while we stared at the atrocities in front of us. While it was a difficult part of the trip we acknowledge that it was necessary. By journeying to Poland it is now our responsibility to pass the stories on from generation to generation. For many, this trip to Poland was an opportunity to walk through their relatives’ and grandparents’ footsteps and walk out to tell their stories. Beginning the trip in such a somber way made us ecstatic to finally arrive at Israel’s Ben Gurion airport.
Whether it was your first time in Israel or your 18th, being in Israel on its 60th birthday with your closest friends and 4 hilarious Israelis was an unforgettable experience. Many of us, who thought we knew the country, were shown numerous times how much more there is to see and fall in love with. Even more special than finding four gummies in your gummigam, was being in Israel for yom hazikaron and yom haazmaut. Commemorating and celebrating with Israeli society made us feel less like tourists and more like we belonged. On yom hazikaron, watching the country stop everything during the siren in memoriam of its fallen soldiers was moving and eye opening. But it wasn’t only these special ceremonies that made us feel connected to Israel; we also connected to Israel through nature. As you’ve probably heard, Neshama 16 went on a lot of hikes.
Even though we are a group of pampered kids from New Jersey we still learned how to rough it. During yam el yam, a three-day hike from the Mediterranean to the kinneret, we slept in the wilderness and cooked our own food. It was not a normal campsite with running water but simply a field of thorns. Although it wasn’t easy and not everyone loved it, the experience gave us a unique view of the country and brought us all closer. We supported each other throughout our 14-kilometer a day hikes even when we arrived at our bug infested campsites and just wanted to rest. We all helped to prepare the most amazing dinners on the trip together.
The second best food on the trip was during our Mifgashim in Ofakim and Ra’anana. There, we had the opportunity to live amongst native Israelis. In Ra’anana, we even attended classes at the Mor Metrowest School. It was weird to see the kids who’d visited our school in December in their own school. In Ofakim, together with other Israeli teens, we went to Sde Boker, Israel’s first desert Kibbutz. We had a really fun time with the Ofakim Mifgash, and some of us are still in touch with our hosts.
Another important part of Israeli society is the Army. And we got to experience it! At Gadna, which is Israeli boot camp, the grade was split up into four tzvatim, or units. After 7 hours of sleep, we woke up bright and early to eat breakfast, do chores (a LOT of chores) and generally do what soldiers do. Each tzevet, along with their Mefakedet (commander) had to do kitchen duty. We prepared meals for the entire base, and cleaned up after, too. Gadna was a time to push yourself to your limits and get a taste of the Israeli Army.
Aside from the physically challenging hikes and tours, there was also an intensely emotional aspect to the trip. Over the course of our time in Israel, we developed a strong Jewish identity. In particular, shabbatot in Israel had a lot more meaning. We spent our last Shabbat in Jerusalem davening at the kotel. We had so much ruach and energy. Everyone participated and danced to the Friday night niggins. We all came back with a new found love of Israel and a strong sense of pride.
Guiding us along this journey were four famazing madrichim – Keren, Hadar, Yoav and Dana. We were more than just their chanichim for three months they became our closest friends and confidantes. They pushed us to do things we believed we never could or would have done. They were our friends and our therapists. We could talk to them about anything at anytime. They were always excited to hear our questions and made an effort to get to know each one of us on a personal level. They stopped their lives for three months and devoted all their time to ensure our happiness, even though we were challenging at times. We weren’t always the easiest to please but they tried their hardest. Our counselors helped make Neshama 16 the best Neshama yet.
However, it wasn’t all thanks to the counselors, Neshama 16 was made up of an amazing group of students. In the past for many of us our relationships consisted of a wave in the hall or a simple hello. After Neshama we feel comfortable talking to anyone about almost anything. Close friendships became even closer and new friendships blossomed. The shared experience unified the grade as it never has been before.
Such a great experience would not have been possible without the tireless work of the grown ups behind the scenes. Thank you to Morah Lilach Bluevise for putting the trip together and being our American-Israeli liaison. You helped prepare us for this amazing journey and keep our parents informed while we were away. Thank you to her Israeli counter part, and the brains behind our program, Michal Zur. Always popping up unexpectedly, Michal was more than willing to offer a helping hand. Thank you to all the parents who were willing to part with their kids for three months and allowed them to have this incredible experience. Some of us came home already seeing the effects of such an awesome experience, and for some, the influence Neshama had on us will not be understood until later on in life. Lastly, thank you to the class of 2008 for making Nashama 16 the best 3 months ever! Congratulations on graduation and we love you all!

5/18/2008

This past week, Neshama 16 split up during the morning to volunteer. People went to a food band called Latet, Tza’ar Ba’alei Chayim (an animal shelter), and to Mesila, an organization that helps Foreign Workers and their children in Tel Aviv.
When we set out for our week (more like a half week) of volunteering on Monday, the Mesila group went to Latet in the morning because our orientation wasn’t until the afternoon. We organized food by type, put them in boxes, and tossed the sorted boxes over to their specific area against the far wall of the warehouse.
It sounds boring, I know, but it was actually really fun. Everyone got really into packaging their food and there were even contests to see who could package, close, tape, label, and throw their boxes onto the piles the fastest. Once the stacks of food got up to my shoulders (and that’s really high) the manager would arrive on a baylor and cart the boxes away.
Working with Mesila was a totally different experience. We volunteered at two different nurseries, just entertaining the kids.
In my nursery, there were four rooms. Two of the rooms were entirely lined with cribs - some of the infants we babysat were as young as three months old! There was one central room where the children ate, and the nursery room where about twenty kids played all day.
I played with the “older” kids (aged two and up) in this room, along with Gaby, Raina, Melissa, and Lexi. It was really fun to get to know these adorable little children – they were always so excited to see us! All the kids had in their room was a TV and a couple of stuffed animals.
Each day, the kids got friendlier and friendlier (though not necessarily with each other). So much so, in fact, that one of the kids, Manuel, felt comfortable enough to go to the bathroom on me on Thursday. Most of the children had shared at least one bodily fluid with all of us.
It was really great to see this other side of Israel – even though it’s sad, I think it is an absolutely necessary part of the trip.
See you all in a week!!!

5/16/2008

Shalom all,

Next week at this time, your students will be having breakfast with you at home- it really flew by so fast.

Now they are getting ready for their last Shabbat in Israel (for now…) in Kibbutz Tzuba. They still don’t know about the Shabbat letters so please continue to keep it a secret until they get it (thanks so much for all who wrote them).

As you can see, during the students' last week in Israel, we continue to provide many meaningful programs. This week Michal and the madrichim will lead few Peulot (activities) that deal a lot with processing and reflecting. You may want to ask your students about these Peulot, since the discussions they raise are meaningful and inspirational and their effect is long lasting.

We would also like to thank the Paul family for connecting us with Knesset Member Gideon Ezra, whom we will meet this week- Todah.
Warm Shabbat Shalom wishes to you and your families (and see you next week at the airport at 5:05am…)

Lilach

Yom Haazmaut and Yom Hazikaron-5/8/2008

This update is not one of happiness and not one of sadness. This update is one of mixed emotions, mixed activities and one about the change in mood of a country in the matter of a minute.

Our Yom HaZikaron activities started two nights ago (here they start holidays the night before and do them the day of) when we went to a youth ceremony in Rishon LeZion in which we commemorated the lost soldiers in battle, the people who have died in terrorist attacks, and as a group we promised to never forget the past, yet always look to the future. Immediately after we went to the Leaders Park where we stood in front of the area honoring Yitzhak Rabin and read the speech he made to America and to the King of Jordan. It spoke about the war for peace, a war that people battled then, a war that we battle now, and a war that Rabin was not able to continue because he was assassinated. We also listened to the siren signaling the start of Yom HaZikaron, and watched how the whole country stopped, cars stopped moving, people stopped talking, everyone stood at attention and for once all you could hear was the siren and the silence of the moment. To see a country commemorate their lost soldiers so respectfully and so nicely was really powerful. We then went to bed for the night, looking towards the next day knowing that it would not be an easy day to get through but something we knew was important. We woke up to an amazing display put together by our counselors all about the wars, people that have been lost, and their past. It really put everything in perspective- we heard their stories of when they were eighteen, just like we are now, being sent off into battle not knowing whether they would see the next day or whether they would see their friends. We all worry about if we will stay in touch with our friends in college; they worry about if they will have the choice to stay in touch with them. I think hearing the stories from our own counselors made it so much more real because these are people we know, we care about and people we have developed a bond with. After lunch, we watched a movie called Beaufort about a group of soldiers at a base. It was really an amazing movie- the hardship these people have to go through, the last second decisions they make that decides the future of peoples lives and how regular eighteen year old girls and boys are turned into men and women overnight. This day was one of emotion for all of us- whether it was just because of stories, or because of loved ones we have lost in life or in battle, or our family we have here who are fighting to protect this country- we all connected with each other, our counselors and now what is our second home.

As the night continued we transitioned from sadness to an amount of happiness that cannot be described in words. We started Erev Yom HaAtzmaut last night by going to Ben Yehuda Street to a concert/parade/reason to throw silly string on each other. There were SOOO many people there it was so much fun! There were many other American groups at the parade including March of the Living, and groups from other private schools all over the U.S. To be with so many people supporting Israel, wearing the flag with pride and just letting their Zionism and their Religion connect them was a life changing experience. We listened to live Israeli music, we ran around, and we enjoyed an amazing light show with lasers, and pictures illuminated onto the walls of buildings. The Israeli culture was truly shown here and it made us so proud to be here for the 60th birthday of this amazing country. We did not return until 1:00am, we were all tired but it was so worth it. The fun continues today, right now actually as we are making a barbeque (Mangal) to celebrate, along with other families and friends making their own barbeques to celebrate. With music, food, friends and the country around us, what could be bad? The answer to that is nothing. We miss you guys and cannot believe that in two weeks we will be home already.

-Becca Liben

Gadna and Yom Hashoah-5/5/08

 Atten-hut! Or as they say in the Israeli Armi, Hakshev! After a relaxing Passover vacation, we prepared to get our tuchuses kicked at a week of army training at the base Gadna Tzalmon. We traded in our traditional garb of white Hanes shirts and Soffee shorts (for the girls) and t-shirts and shorts (for the guys) for the significantly less flattering army green IDF uniforms, most of which did not even fit correctly. We were immediately transformed from your typical high school seniors into a variety of blue collar employees: construction workers, janitors, zookeepers, and postal workers. While some did not quite look like army material, others fit the part. With a newly glistening head and an open mind, Ben Julie was either overly ready for Gadna or enlisting in the marines.

Both the boys and girls were split up into two groups, creating four Tzevetim that made up our Machlaka. Our first night, we participated in an initiation ceremony complete with drill sergeants and flag-raising. With our newly received badges (aka laminated strips of green paper) on our shoulders we were ready and excited for our week at Gadna. With our first army meal at dinner came the responsibility of kitchen duty. We were plucked from our comfortable lifestyle of throwing our dishes in the dishwasher (or at our mothers) and placed in a world of soap suds and squeegees. Each group was also given a squeegee of their own, who would become an integral part of our Tzevatim. We also named them so that we would never forget them anywhere. Names included Frankie Broom, Studebaker, Luigi, and Your Momma. You have not lived until you’ve heard a commanding officer in the Israeli Army yell “Where’s Your Momma?” or “Why is Your Momma lying there on the floor?”

Days one and two were also filled with cleaning duties, obstacle courses, and counting down the shniyot until we completed our tasks. We also had gun lessons that taught us about safety and prepared us for operating and firing a loaded gun. Day three was our long-awaited field day. After a “hearty” breakfast, our Mefakdot (commanders) prepared to take us to the fields (no, not those twins in our grade we all know and love). We arrived at the Shetach, which turned out to be a fenced in area of dirt and rocks located at the center of the base with a picturesque view of our barracks mere feet away. After the Mefakdot HaMachlaka (Mem-Mem) locked the gates, we were trapped. Our bathrooms and beds were so close, yet so far away. Throughout the day we learned various army field tactics: how to crawl, walk silently, evade a grenade, and camouflage ourselves. With mud on our faces, trees in our hair (Yes, Mom that was me Dani), and leaves everywhere, nobody could see us. Really! Another big part of our field experience were the lovely boxed lunches and dinners. You could cut the excitement with a knife when we heard that the food was marked Kosher for Passover (one week late). Peanuts and Lof (Israeli Spam) never tasted so good. A near perfect night was capped off by a 4 ½ km walk down a nearby road, following army commands the whole way and occasionally stopped to jump into wheat fields for “cover”. Though some wore reflective vests, the mud smeared on our faces ensured that the enemy would not spot us. When we returned, we readied ourselves for sleeping in the tents that we built with our blood, sweat, and tears. During the night each tent of two had a ten minute shift of guard duty, which consisted of shivering while circling the tents and surveying the area for suspicious activity (in our fenced in field, on the base). We were all awaken at 5 am, moon still shining brightly, to conclude our field day.

On our penultimate day, we brushed up on our gun knowledge in preparation to fire at cardboard enemies the next day. We were also forced into weeding the grass around the barracks. In the early afternoon we met Steve, an American immigrant to Israel now fighting in the IDF. The girls all “listened” intently as he tried to convince us of the virtues of making aliyah and joining the IDF.

On our final day, we woke up early and did a final thorough cleaning of the barracks, ready to kiss our army training goodbye! But before we could leave, there was business to attend to – that’s right, we fired M-16s! Some scattered their target with holes, while others missed the mark, but everyone would agree that it was an exhilarating experience. Our last day also fell on the sad day of Yom Hashoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day. We participated in a ceremony and listened to the 10 AM siren during which all of Israel stops for a whole two minutes and respectfully remembers. Poems were read and songs were sung to commemorate this sad part of our Jewish past. After Yom Hashoah ceremony, we had our own closing ceremony to celebrate our survival and switched back into our traditional outfits. All in all, it was an exciting and rewarding week. We learned about the Israeli army, how to shoot a gun, and about how unified we could truly be as Tzevatim. Some understood all of the Hebrew that was spoken during the week, but we also helped out those that understood less by translating. It was a week filled with running, cleaning, push-ups, but also one of teamwork and motivation. Unfortunately, there was one casualty. Zach Stern, in a violent rage, brutally murdered Studabaker, his group’s trusted squeegee.

-Dani N. and Adam B.

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April Updates

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4/17/08

Greetings parents! Hope everyone is great, we miss you very much and are very excited about the upcoming Passover break! Today was an amazing day spent together laughing, having fun and most of all spending time together. Today was Neshama Day, the first ever one by the way, it was so fun! This day was kept a huge secret from everyone that is not in the Neshama Day committee but all of the waiting was worth it! We woke up at 9 which is sleeping late for us and had an amazing breakfast of bagels! Really great bagels- the first time in a while that we had good breakfast in Israel. We all left feeling very full and very happy about the upcoming day. We then walked over to Ben Yehuda Street and had time to shop, eat ice cream and enjoy each others company in a very relaxed setting. Then the day got interesting- we went paint balling!!!! It was so much fun! The groups were very competitive and everyone took it very seriously. Except for a few minor bruises it was super fun and a really nice way to hang out before we left for our Passover break! After that we had dinner at a huge mall/movie/restaurant complex which was really delicious and than we saw a movie called "Married Life". The reviews of the movie were, interesting, but to just see a movie with all of you friends was really cool. We did not get back until very late but thoroughly enjoyed the whole day. I must commend everyone on the committee because it was really a great and fun filled day- something we all needed. We all miss you very much and are awaiting our Passover break and then of course Gadna right after.

-Becca Liben

A Letter from Michal Zur, Neshama Director in Israel, to the Families-4/17/08

Dear Neshama Parents,

Tomorrow is Erev Pesach and it is my privilege to wish you a happy holiday and to write this letter about the meaningful journey your kids have taken over the past eight weeks. I would like to take this opportunity to share some thoughts with you:

* Hamishpacha Shelanu (Our Family) - For the past three years, the school has invested a lot of efforts in developing a meaningful connection partnership with the Merchavim High School, With the support of UJC MetroWest, we were able to create a partnership with the Israeli students, their families, and their teachers. Two weeks ago we were hosted in Merchavim with warmth and kindness. Today I visited Merchavim under tragic circumstances. Matan Ovdati, an 18 year old graduate of the Merchavim High School, and a soldier in the Givati Brigade, was killed yesterday morning while defending the border between Israel and Gaza. Matan, a resident of Moshav Patish, volunteered to serve in a combat unit, despite the fact that he lost his father a year ago. I learnt a lot about his dedication to his family and our tradition from the story his commander told his grieving mother today. He said that 2 weeks ago, Matan had asked for special permission to go home every Friday night, so he could say the Kiddush for his mother and younger brother and sister. I don’t know if paying a shiva call gave comfort to the family, but I felt that this was our duty. SSDSEU is connected to Israel in many big and small ways, and this connection makes Matan a child of our extended family in Israel. Yehi Zichro Baruch.
* Manhigut V’Meoravut (Leadership and Involvement) - On a completely different and happier note, today we were proud to see your kids planning and running the first “Neshama Day”. The Neshama Day Committee, joining the Tzedaka, Updates, Shabbat, Spiritual, Sports, Rooming, Birthday and Evening Programs Committees, has become an opportunity for the students to lead, to be involved, and to influence the itinerary and spirit of the trip. Though they have experienced madrichim guiding them, it is truly amazing to see how determined and committed they are in getting what they need for this trip to fulfill its greatest potential!
* Tiyulim (Hiking) – From the mountains of Eilat in the south (ok, so we didn’t really hike there…) to Masa Miyam El Yam (from the Mediterranean to the Kinneret) in the north, Neshama students hiked everywhere! Some of the hikes were more physically challenging, some were an opportunity to enjoy the view and take beautiful pictures, and some afforded an opportunity to meet the people who created the unique Israeli society - pioneers who established the first Kibbutzim at the beginning of the 20th century, pioneers who are developing the Negev today, and minority groups such as Druze, Bedouin, Bahai, and Israeli Arabs. They visited a wide variety of settlements such as Moshavim, Kibbutzim, development towns, mixed towns and two holy cities. I can promise you that, the next time you visit Israel, you will be so proud to see your kids acting as your private tour guides.
* Ma Halaa? (What’s next)? We are now starting the “urban” part of the program. We will deal with current events, Israel’s political and social issues and discuss the million-dollar question: “Where do I go from here?” We will deal with Israel advocacy in college, democracy and the students’ roles as future leaders of the Jewish people. (Yes, I expect them to be our leaders!)
* Chag Sameach (You all know this one…) I know it must be hard to celebrate Pesach away from your children. Though they miss you, you should know that this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for them. They will experience the special atmosphere of holidays in the Jewish homeland. Everything stops, everyone is in a festive mood, and people everywhere, in stores and coffee shops, wish each other Chag Sameach. I know they will never forget it.

On behalf of Dana, Josh, Yoav, Hadar and Keren, I would like to wish you all a Happy Pesach and I hope to see you all B’Shana Habaa Beyrushalaim Habnuya.

Michal Zur 

Yam El Yam Hike-4/15/08

Shalom from Camp Nowhere next to Tz'fat! On April 12th (Mike's birthday) five Israelis, our age, came to stay with us for Shabbat. They are called the "Rishonim" and will be coming to MetorWest next year as ambassadors in our community and our school. They taught us about the importance of water conservation.

On Sunday we began our Yam el Yam (Sea to Sea) hike. Hadar called it Seat to Seat because there was some amount of driving involved...

We started the hike at the Mediterranean Sea where we filled up water bottles with sea water which we will eventually pour into the Kinneret. We had a short drive to Har Meron where the actual hiking began. I personally enjoyed my walking group with Hadar and Shira. We had a few laughs and learned about plants you can and can't eat. Thank God for Hadar!

Noemi and Sabrina compared relatives’ names and found out that they both had Grandma Ritas and Aunt Marcies. How crazy is that?!

While hiking, Sally, our wonderful tour guide brought to our attention that we were passing by Rashbi's grave. We finally arrived at our camp site where soup and chocolate spread were waiting for the 45 hungry children. We ate dinner, sat by the camp fire, had marshmallows and went to sleep.

We had an early start to Day 2 of Yam L'Yam. We started hiking in Nahal Amud. We hiked to Ein Tina, a fortress of water which the British would guard. Back in the day it was used for urban training.

We then continued our journey to a stream where we relaxed and took a nice break. After many hours we came across some new friends: a herd of cows eating along the side of the trail.

-Lindsay, Aviva and Noemi

Tiyul Tzafon, Mt Meron, & Tzfat-4/7/08

Shalom from the north!! This past weekend we stayed with wonderful host families in Merchavim, who made our experience so much more personal. We got to their homes on Friday night. During the weekend, we all spent our time doing different things. Some went to grandparents of hosts. Some (most) caught up on much needed sleep. On Saturday night we did Havdallah at their JCC which quickly turned into a dance where we danced the night away. We learned that Israelis dance much differently than Americans to different music. This made the experience interesting. We all learned different dances including the Israeli electric slide. Also on Saturday was Alyssa Nydick’s birthday. We sang happy birthday in many different languages (including a techno version). Overall, this weekend was very relaxing. All of the host families were great and hospitable. Miss you all!

-Sarah Hoffman

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March Updates

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3/27/08

We returned to the kibutz for lunch (even though we were all full from the ice cream), and had free time until we left for the Nachal Kasui sand dunes. After a short hike to the dunes, we all immediately began rolling down the soft, silky sand. Then we participated in a “desert solo;” an activity where we sat alone in the desert to think.  After a restful night’s sleep, we woke up ready to bike for a reward; ice cream! The trip was 8 kilometers to Kibutz Yotvata, which is famous for its dairy products. Upon our arrival, the announcement of free time created a frenzy around the ice cream counter – who wouldn’t want delicious ice cream after a long bike ride?

Tfilat Yachid - Mincha in Mt. Kturah-3/26/08

On Wednesday, 3/26, our large Neshama group was split into two smaller groups; hiking and volunteering. The hiking group left from the kibutz on a hike called Nachal Keturah, or Keturah Spring, which is the stream that the kibutz takes its name from. While there was no water in the stream during the hike, it was easy to see the walls of the river. Bill, our guide from the kibutz, also taught us about the importance of the Accia tree in the desert. By the end of the hike we could all identify various types of Accia. As a practical joke during one of our pit stops, we snuck a large rock into Sarah Drill’s bag. The look on her face when she picked up her bag was well worth the effort. When our hike was over, we rejoined the volunteering group for lunch and then a hike up the closest mountain to Ketorah. We prayed Mincha individually and sled back down the mountain for dinner. Then we had an activity where we split into groups to create our own kibbutzim. Some of them were very creative, to say the least.

Morning Hike-3/25/08

At 3:30 am, we woke up and climbed on a bus. A tired yet extremely excited group of us began on a hike in the darkness of the night. 5 minutes from the top, and 15 minutes before sunrise, our counselors received a phone call from higher powers. “Everybody, we have to get back on the bus,” said Hadar, the funny, semi-tall (6”7) counselor. Disappointed, we walked back down the tall mountain without even seeing the sun rise. Joel Davis says, “it was amazing waking up at 3:30 in the morning. Not seeing the sunrise while my roommates got to sleep until 9 was very rewarding.” After asking for an explanation, Sarah Drill broke the news: camels were smuggling things from Egypt and that mountain was hazardous to our safety. Hadar then reassured us it was not camels, but rather people doing the smuggling. The camels were innocent. Yoav compensated for the really annoying morning by taking us for crepes and a 5 am swim in the ocean. We then went back to our hotel for breakfast and drove to kibbutz Ketura.

Free Time in Tayelet - 3/24/08

We enjoyed a hike in the red canyons. Afterwards, we went to an aquarium and attended a viewing of a simulation movie of the deep blue sea. We had fun in the sun, snorkeling, swimming, tanning, and overheating. From there, we went straight to the tayelet for some more free time to shop and eat dinner. We had an early curfew considering many of us had to wake up early the next day to attend the optional sunrise hike.

Timna Park & Disco Boat in Eilat-3/23/08

Sunday afternoon we made the journey down south to Eilat. We stopped to see a rock mushroom in Timna, with our tour guide; what was her name again? O yes, Yael. After our long day, we had free time on the tayelet, Eilat’s board walk.
That night, we danced our camelback’s off on a rocking disco boat. We requested rap and received a mixture of Spanish salsa and Israeli techno.

Megillah Reading & Schwarma in Holon-3/20/08

An Update from Jerusalem by Dr. Raynor

Dear Parents,
Just a couple of hours ago, I returned to my hotel from spending Purim night with your children. I can honestly tell you that they look wonderful and are having a great time. I first saw them today as they descended from the bus in Jerusalem (from their trip to BeerSheva and the south). We spent about an hour in the park opposite the Fuchsberg Center. The girls took the opportunity to sunbathe while the guys played a game of pick up football. Many students were practicing their megilat Esther section for megila reading in the evening.
While we were just hanging out, I had the opportunity to speak to many of the kids. To a person, they all said that they are having a wonderful time, are learning a lot and are meeting each other as new friends. Most impressive was the fact that they are so comfortable with each other (especially the girls) that they do random rooming when they travel. It does not matter to them who they room with as they are all friends.
This evening we joined forces with SSDS Westchester for megilla reading since both groups are at Fuchsberg. Although it was a combined program, our students did most of the megilla reading and our staff planned the program. While some of the students know kids from the other school, most preferred to remain with their school friends. Our kids had a good time dressing up for the occasion and celebrating the joy of Purim.
Tomorrow they have a choice of synagogues for megilla reading after which they travel to Holon for a major Purim celebration. Then a return to Jerusalem to prepare for Shabbat. We will walk to the kotel tomorrow evening for kabbalat Shabbat and then return to Fuchsberg for dinner and oneg Shabbat. I look forward to spending Shabbat with your children.
There is much to be proud of. Our students are respectful of each other, the staff and the program. They love the counselors and are quite willing to learn from them. They are also open to new opportunities and experiences. It is a pleasure to watch them together involved and clearly enjoying their time in Israel and with each other. We as a school are very lucky to have Michal and her staff leading our group. They are a group of dedicated professionals and your children are flourishing and growing; while they are in many ways the same kids we sent off 3 ½ weeks ago, in other ways, they are more mature and independent young men and women. They will have much to tell you upon their return.
Your children join me in wishing you a hag Purim sameach and a Shabbat shalom.

Desert Experience - Day 2 -3/17/08

The next morning we woke up unsure of what stood before us for the day ahead. We did many things together.
We started off our day with a two - hour walk to the mountain, which we hiked up. Our tour guide spoke to us about ways in which people conserved energy thousands of years ago while walking through the desert. One of the ways, he said, was to walk silently. So one after the other we walked without speaking for about twenty minutes and it really was a remarkable experience. This time was perfect for us to see where we were and reflect upon the trip and what we have taken from it so far. The hot air was almost unnoticeable as the breeze, which comes from Africa, most specifically the Sahara Desert, cooled us.
It was a very intense four - hour hike, but we finally reached the top of the mountain, where we ate lunch. We kept the idea of togetherness in our minds and continued to help each other while hiking throughout the day. The way down from the mountain was a little more difficult. While I thought the hike coming down was also a little scary, the view from the top of the mountain was pretty amazing. Noemi said, however, that “The view from the bottom was much nicer from the top.”
We came back to the camp very tired and very dirty but it was most definitely an experience that none of us will ever forget!
-Nicole Halpern

Desert Experience - Day 1-3/16/08

After a very relaxing free weekend, we hopped on the bus for a two - hour bus drive to the Negev. It was three o’ clock in the afternoon and we already could see signs of the clear desert sky with the image of the moon.
Our first hike was relaxing as the sun was setting and we ended our hike at camp. We began to get settled and pitch our tents. We then spent some time working together to prepare a good dinner for ourselves which included chicken, French fries, tehina, humus, salad, and much more.
We ended our night sitting around a bonfire, singing songs and admiring the beautiful night sky. While we looked up at the moon and stars some of us even were lucky enough to witness a shooting star.
We were off to a great start.
-Nicole Halpern

Post-Poland Workshop-3/12/08

Shalom! Today was another beautiful day in Israel. But instead of spending our times outdoors, we stayed inside doing workshops using art to express how we felt when we went to Poland. There were four different groups you could choose to be in to express yourself; painting, sculpting, music and drama. My group was the music group. We wanted to write a song describing how we felt in Poland and how important this trip was to us. Also we wanted to make sure that in this group, we spoke about our bright futures as Jews in relation to our troublesome past.
With the help of our special Madrich for this activity, Michelle, we were able to turn our ideas, troubles, hopes and feelings into song. At first it was hard with so many of us trying to make a song that included how we all felt, but as we worked together and took our time it came out beautifully. First we wrote down how we felt after our trip, and then tried to summarize that into one sentence per person. Our first goal from that information was to make a chorus that we all felt relayed a message.
The name of our song; “The Blood of My Brothers” was chosen after we wrote our chorus. After finishing that we wrote the stanzas and the bridge. With the help of Michelle we came up with an amazing tune, he is truly talented and we could not have written such a beautiful song without him. At the end of the day we presented our song to the group, after which the group left the room humming the tune. The lyrics to the song and the people that were in the group are listed below: We hope you enjoy the song as much as we enjoyed writing and performing it.

Song Lyrics - The Blood of My Brothers
By: Nicole Halpern, Melissa Gruhin, Dov Fields, Adam Butensky, Jackie Baron,
Danny Michaelis, Becca Liben, Joel Davis, and Noah Fields.

Crying out in sorrow
Pain stricken on their faces
Hoping for salvation
From many different places.

Standing, freezing in the cold
Suffering began to seep
Down into their souls
Humiliation ran deep.

The blood of my brothers
Screams from the ground
Death rings in my ears
Though it's hard to hear a sound
But when I look to the sky
And remember their lives
I know the spirit of my people
Will forever survive.

With all the pain and suffering
Our nation went through
I am proud that I can call myself a Jew.

Living with their memory
In my heart at all times
We must carry on their stories
As our population climbs

The blood of my brothers
Screams from the ground
Death rings in my ears
Though it's hard to hear a sound
But when I look to the sky
And remember their lives
I know the spirit of my people
Will forever survive.

When you see a tree, and watch it growing
When you hear the wind, like a song it's flowing
When you feel the heat of the fire burning
Keep it alive in what you've been learning.

We also had the pleasure of meeting meeting Yoav's grandmother, a survivor of Terezin. Off to our first free weekend!!
-Rebecca Liben 

Kotel Tunnels Tour-3/11/08

"Holla from the new 18 year olds! We had exciting birthdays! On Tuesday, Noemi's birthday, we experienced a day in the life of the Bible; we chopped up zatar (that's for you, Poppa Josh Schor) and herded, or in Gaby's case, hugged, sheep and goats. After the full morning, we slaved away making pita, salads, rice, eggs, and apple desserts (carbo load!). After our outdoor trek, we went to the Malcha Mall for shopping and dinner. We then went back to our base for our chugs; salsa (with Yoav), cooking (with Keren and Dana), or 6-8 steps on how to become an Israeli (with Hadar). Noemi is now a chef, and Gaby can be easily confused for a Hispanic dancer. We then had our first Neshama tzedakah auction, and the group raised over 300 dollars - take that, Neshama 07! The night ended with birthday cake (thanks parents) and confetti filled eggs.
The next morning, Gaby was graced by the beautiful voices of Melissa Gruhin, Noemi, Sabrina, Oritt, Lexi, and Shira. After cake at breakfast, in honor of Gaby's birthday, we started our "intense" post-Poland workshop. We spent the day doing arts and crafts, drama, and music. The highlights of the day were sliding around the paint in our bare feet, shaking the egg shakers, and listening to the newest Neshama 08 hit; "Blood of Our Brothers." As Lexi Levine, our musical critic, described, "it was a religious country song with a lot of feelings." To lighten the mood, we sang many renditions of "Happy Birthday" and "Skip Around the Room." After a good four hours of packing time, the enthusiastic and wide-awake group went to the Kotel Tunnels Tour without a single complaint. We all enjoyed the basket of goodies from Gaby's family. Some people ordered midnight pizza snacks before getting into bed for our last night at Agron...for now.
-Gaby Blady and Noemi Schor

Touring Jerusalem-3/9/08

We we went to the old city and toured the walls of the old city. Later we went crawling (walking for the short people) through the Hezzekiah’s water tunnels, even though some people were kind of freaked out, especially when we turned off all the flashlights, we were able to get through it as a group. Then we had to get back to where we started by walking up a giant hill it was all worth it when we got amazing Shwarma for lunch. This week coming up is going to be great because we have our first free weekend. Goodbye all see you soon!
-Ethan Chaleff 

Playing Games-3/8/08

Today we all went to different shul’s ranging from reform to traditional orthodox. Afterwards we went to a Rabbi Paul and Nina Freedman’s house for lunch and we learned a song which we promised to sing all of you. Then after that we changed and went to the park to play soccer, do yoga or tan. Later that night we relived our childhood by telling our favorite children stories and played games like competitive eating and blowing cotton balls across the floor. Group 3 won.
-Ethan Chaleff

First Shabbat in Israel-3/7/08

Today we went up to the Kennedy memorial and went on a trust exercise hike and after we did a scavenger hunt at Mishkenot She’Anananim. This was also one of our first chances to see the Old City from a hill above. Later that day, Shabbat started and we went to a Conservative Synagogue for English speaking students and families living in Israel. It was weird listening to a sermon in English while in Israel (it was also weird hearing a sermon on Friday night.)
-Ethan Chaleff

First Hike in Jerusalem-3/6/08

Shalom from the holy land! Today was our first full day in the amazing, and hot, state of Israel. First thing this morning, a group of about 20 students and our Madrichim went on a jog around the area, followed by some intense exercises that only a true soldier like Yoav could lead.
Before long, we had showered and eaten a nice Israeli breakfast. With the craziness of laundry, exchanging money, and moving in already a day behind us, we were on the bus and moving in no time. While driving down the winding roads on the hills of Jerusalem, staring out the window at the beautiful view, our group met with Chen, our new tour guide. Soon, we arrived at Sataf, for our first (of many) hikes. We even got to crawl through an ancient irrigation tunnel!
After our adventurous hike, the group went to the Harel Mall for some lunch and shopping time. The biggest hits: Kosher McDonalds and of course, schwarma.
With our tummies full, we returned to Agron for a quick rest, and then we were on our feet again. After only a short walk, we were in the middle of the famous Ben-Yehudah Street. We broke down into our smaller groups, and for nearly an hour, we went on a scavenger hunt. One of the more interesting challenges was the “matchbox trade,” where each group started with a matchbox, and had to barter it to get the most valuable item. One group managed to get a $10 chamsa! Noemi Schor said, “The Ben-Yehuda Street scavenger hunt really started to initiate us to life in Israel. We are learning the nooks and crannies of Jerusalem from every angle – Jewish, historical, and social!” Some of our tasks included going into “Castro” to get a bag for Keren (one of our Madrichim, who used to work in the store), taking pictures with strangers, trying to get something from the police (which proved to be surprisingly difficult), and even asking strangers for candy (even though you, our parents, said not to). It was quite an exciting experience, which will stay with us for a very long time.
Until next time,
Ian Mahler

Landing in Israel-3/5/08

Today, we landed in the beautiful land of Israel. Leaving Poland in itself was a very meaningful experience for me because, as our tour guide Morgie said, we knew we were going there and we knew we were leaving, unlike the Jews who died during the Holocaust who did not know their fate. Getting on the plane and watching snow drift down to the ground was exciting, mostly because we knew we would not see snow again until next winter. Our 3.5 hour plane ride was a fun one; with Aaron Paul proposing to our flight attendant after she brought him a piece of pita and our madrichim visiting us from business class and telling us how nice it is up there (coach wasn't bad at all, though-much better than CzechAir.) Finally being able to see the Israeli coast was one of the most amazing things I have ever felt. Since I have never been to Israel before, it was really meaningful to be able to finally see the place that so many of my friends have described as "simply amazing." Nothing could wipe the smile from my face as we descended into the Holy Land. After going through customs and getting our luggage, we went to our bus (after being greeted by Dana and Keren, 2 of our madrichim) and went straight to the Kotel. This was the most spiritual I have ever felt in my life; being able to put my two hands on the Western Wall was so inspiring. To just have come from Poland, a place where the Nazis wanted to annihilate all the Jews, and to walk off the plane and put my hands on the Western Wall felt like the biggest victory in the world to me. I felt like shouting out "We won, Nazis! You couldn't destroy me!" It was elating to know that I had survived and I was a Jew in the Jewish state.
-Arielle Kramer 

Tykochin-3/4/08

Today, we went to a town called Tykochin where Jews once lived. We had the opportunity to visit the town's synagogue that survived the Nazi attacks, and also were lucky to see the house where the town's rabbi once lived and taught. After seeing this center for Judaism, we were taken to the place where Judaism in Tykochin ended; the forest outside of the town. There, almost all of the town's Jews were shot and killed. There we had a small ceremony to commemorate those who lost their lives there, and a few girls, along with our tour guide, Morgie, helped to clean up the memorial area. After we left the forest, we went on to Treblinka, where we learned about the tragedies of the death camp there. We once again had a ceremony, in order to remember all those who lost their lives in Treblinka. 

Warsaw Ghetto-3/3/08

Today we drove to Warsaw. On the bus, we watched the movie "The Pianist," which prepared us for our tour around the Warsaw Ghetto. "The movie depicted important parts in Warsaw history, such as the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising; a very important part in the history of the Jewish people." Said Arielle Kramer. In Warsaw, we were lucky to be able to see the remnants of the ghetto wall and a Jewish cemetery that was used before the ghetto existed and is still used today. Also, Monday was Ethan Chaleff's birthday! Happy birthday Ethan!

Majdanek-3/2/08

Today we had a 5 hour drive to Lublin. During the ride we all were inspired by the heroic acts of Oskar Schindler while we watched the end of Schindler's List. We stopped in a small town, Kreznik, where we went to a shul that was destroyed by the Nazis, which was never renovated. A couple of hours after we left the temple, we arrived at Majdanek. There, we were able to see what the concentration/death camp looked like, from its authentic barracks to the original gas chamber which was left standing after the war. We also saw the crematorium. After our emotional visit, we stopped to do mincha at a yeshiva in Lublin, which is currently under construction. We learned the history of the yeshiva, and of the rabbi that started it.

3/1/08

Jin dobre from Poland! Today was our first Shabbat together, and it was definitely an experience. We started out the morning by going to an Orthodox temple 5 minutes from our hotel. While sitting behind the mechitza was not my favorite part of the morning, it was an experience to see the Ashkenazic service in a way I had never seen it before. “IT was definitely a different experience” said Ben Winter. “Everyone was saying the same words, but in a different way; some Sephardic, some Ashkenazic, and in different languages as well.”
After our daily dose of prayer, we walked to the Galicia Museum. We saw a beautiful exhibit depicting Jewish life before and after the Holocaust in Poland. After looking at the photo exhibit, we went into a small room in the museum and heard a Righteous Gentile, Josef Mironiuk. While he spoke no English (our Polish skills were all put to the test – just kidding! There was a translator there, luckily), his story was so inspiring that when he was finished, we gave Mr. Mironiuk a standing ovation. “it was such an honor to hear a non-Jew doing such beautiful mitzvoth. Knowing that there are still good people renewed my faith in mankind” said Alyssa Nydick. A few of us were lucky enough to be able to see his certificate from Yad Vashem, which stated that he was one of the Righteous Among the Nations. While at the museum, we also met two students from Krakow; Sebastian and Phillip. While we were only able to chat with them for a little while, we were left with the promise that more of their classmates would be joining us for dinner.
After a nice afternoon Shabbos nap and a quick seudah slisheet, we watched as our fellow classmates performed for us on The Drew and Carey Show, with Joel Davis as Drew and Dan Ziv dressing up as Carey, wearing my skirt and looking very good in it. we had some good laughs before Havdalah, and after ending Shabbos, 20 Polish students joined us for dinner and discussion. We learned Polish words and shared with them American culture, and we spoke about Jewish life in Poland and how the Holocaust affected their curriculum and their lives. This was by far my favorite part of the whole day; being able to see things from the point of view of Polish teens were very interesting and a lot of fun as well. All in all, our shabbos experience in Krakow was a good one. Well, that’s all for now! -Arielle Kramer
P.S. love to the Kramer family!

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February Updates

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2/29/08

Up until this past week, the majority of our group never had the opportunity to witness the atrocities of the holocaust first hand. Now that we’ve seen the evil and devastation that was inflicted by the Nazis, we are in awe of your selflessness, courage and kindness. We can not imagine the strength it must have taken to risk your own life for the sake of others. It is people like you who inspire us and give us hope even after such a tragedy. There is no real way for us to thank you, and all the other righteous among the nations, but we want you to know we recognize and admire your heroicness. Thank you for sharing your story; we will carry it with us forever.
Written by Oritt & Gaby 

Auschwitz - Birkenau-2/28/08


Today was a day that changed all of our lives forever. It was a day of sadness, fear and the odd feeling that we were in the worst place on earth. We woke up very early to get and headed to Auschwitz. In the hour bus ride to the camp we began to watch Schindler’s List. When we arrive, we spent the morning in Birkenau- the most emotional and scary place we have ever seen. A mix of shock, anger, and sadness consumed all of us as we walked through a place that must be seen to believe, to believe that this place could even exist and that people so evil existed on the same planet we live in. there were tears, and angry thoughts yet we were all there for each other. It was really heart warming to be so supported by not only our best friends, but by our Madrichim, Michal and Morah Bluevise. In the afternoon we went to Auschwitz One where the museum about the camp was. The museum was so hard to walk through, many of us had moments where we did not want to go on and see all of this but we all knew how important this is. We are the voices of these people who had their lives cut too short, and it is important that we never forget what happened. Yet throughout it all we carried an Israeli flag with us everywhere we went. We ended the day with a ceremony where we read all of the names of students relatives who perished in the Shoah. This trip to the camp opened all of our eyes to the pride we have in Israel and how important it is to us. We now know our true responsibility to the Jews, to Israel to teach the generations to come about an event that changed history, yet did not destroy us.
-Rebecca Liben

2/27/08

Today we woke up very early to make the long drive from Prague to Krakow. After t’filot and breakfast we spent most of the day on our comfortable and spacious bus. We kept ourselves entertained by sleeping, talking, watching “Friends” (season two – Eddy episodes!), and “Swing Kids,” a fascinating movie about the Hitler Youth during the Holocaust. After numerous rest stops with varying degrees of grossness, we arrived in Krakow, where the bus driver pulled over next to a hostel. We all dreaded that we would be staying in a place that resembled the toilets we saw along the way, but after lugging our luggage a few blocks (with some dragging issues), we got to a three-star hotel. We were definitely satisfied, despite the tiny elevator, but all worked our arm and leg muscles getting up the stairs with our suitcases. You may not recognize our buff bodies when we get home.

After settling in the hotel, we went to the square downtown for some free time. There was a beautiful castle-like building that was actually a nice marketplace on the inside, which we enjoyed exploring with our newly exchanged zloty. We stayed to hear the 7:00 bugle blown from the clock tower before returning to the hotel to eat a dinner that was received differently by everyone in the group, I called it “not-so delicious,” Noemi thought “the turkey meatballs were so tasty!”) Afterwards, we met in our small groups to prepare mentally for Auschwitz, and were relieved to rest in our comfy beds.
Jaclyn Baron

Jewish Prague and Terezin-2/26/08

We woke up this morning for our first official day of Neshama 2008! After a delicious breakfast of bread, jam and hot beverages we all got on the bus headed for the Jewish Quarter of Prague. Our tour began at the Old-New Synagogue. There we told the story of the Golem, the mythical clay creature that is rumored to still live in the attic of that synagogue. From there we went to the Spanish Synagogue which gets its name from the architecture. Each wall was decorated in dark red with golden highlights many of which were Jewish stars. Oritt and Gaby said that the builds were beautifully constructed and extremely unique. We also visited a cemetery and saw the grave of the Maharal, the man who made the Golem. Attached to the cemetery is a synagogue alls are covered with the names of the nearly 80,000 Czeck people who died in the Holocaust. After some much needed free time and shopping, we boarded the bus again for the hour long ride to Terezin (Terezin-Statt in German), a ghetto outside of Prague.

For many of us Terezin was our first visit to a ghetto. It made many people uncomfortable to see how the ghetto is now inhabited by several hundred people. We saw a synagogue that was discovered after the war as a place used for secret prayer. After a walk through the ghetto, we made our way to the crematorium. Adam Butensky eloquently described how many of us were feeling: “I thought I wouldn’t feel much of a personal connection. In actuality, simply the fact that the Holocaust happened to Jews, a clan of which I am a proud member, gives me a connection.” After a draining and educational day, we returned to our regular dining spot. There we celebrated my birthday and had some free time to shop and walk around Prague. Tomorrow we leave for Poland and after today’s events everyone is anxious for what’s to come.
Lexi says Hi!
Much love to the Kleinmans!
- Shira Kleinman

Prague-2/25/08

Greetings from Eastern Europe!! After a 7-hour flight (and just a few issues with the flight attendants) we were welcomed to Prague (or as the locals call it, “Praha”) by our excited Madrichim. Exhausted, but ready to embark on our journey, we loaded onto the bus with our tour guides Zahava and Morgie to learn about the beautiful city which, as Becca Rakib said, was “eye-opening.” We explored mainly by looking (up) at the gorgeous architecture of the St. Vitto’s Cathedral, the President’s Castle, and Charles’ Bridge. Isaac Stone described the setting as “amazing. It was kind of like living in a painting.” We all enjoyed taking pictures of the scenery, artwork, and the guards (we even saw the ceremony of the changing of the guards!), all of which Mike Hochberg said was “intellectually stimulating.” Then we headed to the Jewish Community Center (not as nice as our newly renovated West Orange JCC) where we were served our first great meal of soup, chicken, rice, carrots, and potatoes (Yum! Almost as good as yours, Dad!) before having free time to wander around the Central Town Square. We were all incredibly excited to check into our hotel to nap and refresh for a few hours, Nicole Halpern even said she felt like a “zombie because she was living on five hours of sleep for 2 days.” After short icebreakers in our small groups (we are all getting to know each other VERY well) we went back to our favorite Jewish Community Center for another dinner of soup, chicken, rice, carrots, and potatoes! Alyssa Nydick spoke for us all saying that the “hot soup was refreshing from the cold wind!” After saying “jaquir” (thank you) to our hosts for dinner, we walked in the scenic Prague evening (not as Chilly as we all prepared for!) back to our bus for a good night’s sleep, thinking and missing all of you but excited about our next three months together!
Shoutout to the Schor family!
-Noemi Schor

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