OT Connects with Israel
Travel
See Israel with OT ! OT had a wonderful
time in Israel. See the photos that our
travelers sent home. Contact
Rabbi Kalender for
more information.
 Israel
Ride 2011
OT's Rabbi Ita Paskind and Allon Shiff are participating in the annual
Hazon/Arava Israel Bike Ride from November 8-14, 2011, to benefit two Jewish environmental organizations (Hazon and the
Arava Institute) doing groundbreaking work in the US and Israel.
Together with Barbara Klestzick they make up the Northern Virginia
Riders team. Click the map to the left to see their route.
Notes from Rabbi Paskind
Tuesday, November 8: For the last 9 months,
I have been counting down to the Israel Ride… and it’s here. I arrived safely and happily in Israel last Wednesday and have been enjoying seeing friends and family in Jerusalem… and eating good food. I even took a day trip down to Kibbutz Sa’ad, the kibbutz where I lived for a few months while on Nativ in 2000, to see my adoptive family there. I spent this morning in the shuk, sampling the best of Israel’s fresh produce (red pear), pastries (warm chocolate rugelach, cappuccino), and a newspaper. I’m pretty sad that my time in Jerusalem is rushing to a close and am already looking ahead to the next time I can come back, but it’s time to transition into phase 2 of this adventure—the Ride.
Seventy-nine riders have now converged on the Dan Hotel next to Hebrew University, including our team, the Northern Virginia Riders—Allon, Barbara, and myself. The place is a frenzy of bike parts and gear. My bike, which was
in many pieces from its trip to Israel, is now whole again and has taken a
test ride around the university campus.
We'll be in Ashkelon by tomorrow afternoon.
So far, as a riding group, we have raised over $295,000—amazing! I want to take this opportunity to thank all of you who have helped me get this far on my fundraising efforts. As of today, I’ve raised $2,467 in support of Hazon and the Arava Institute.
Wednesday, November 9: What an amazing first day of riding! We rode from Neveh Shalom—the first (intentional) Jewish-Arab community, located in the hills outside of Jerusalem—all the way to Ashkelon, located on the Mediterranean Sea.
For me, riding in Israel is about combining the physical challenge with spiritual nourishment. I feel most in touch with myself when I feel my body working and succeeding, and I am strengthened by the beautiful views, the Hebrew that surrounds me, and the chain of ancestors who walked with their feet the very land on which I pedal. It’s surreal at times, and yet there are regular reminders of the real Israel—honking horns, mostly.
When we arrived in Ashkelon today, the sun was setting over the water. As a group, we recited the bracha “oseh ma'aseh breishit”, thanking God for creating the work of Creation. I thought back to the incredible sunrise over Jerusalem this morning, shining not only on the Jerusalem-stone buildings, but on the golden Dome of the Rock, too. And I turned around at the beach to see the full mid-month moon rising in the darkening sky.
From Jerusalem to Ashkelon, nature was singing to me and to 80 other riders, and we responded with renewed strength in our legs. Tomorrow, we leave the center of the country and head into the Negev
Thursday, November 10: Another great day of riding today.
A highlight of today's route, for me, was passing the gate of Kibbutz Sa’ad, my kibbutz from my year on Nativ. Although today’s ride was longer by about 10 miles, it went by pretty quickly. We rode at a great pace, and whenever I found myself toward the back of a pack, I took the opportunity to race up to the front. Each time, my legs surprised me and I felt really strong the whole day.
Passing Kibbutz Sa’ad also means that we rode pretty close by the Gaza Strip. At one point, we were just several hundred meters from Gaza, and from that distance, it looks pretty quiet. Of course, we know otherwise. I have to say I’ve felt 100% safe the entire time I’ve been in Israel, as I usually do, but the potential for rockets and bombs is always in the back of my mind. Won’t it be amazing one day to come to Israel and not have to worry about them…
Unlike yesterday, I had the chance to talk with a bunch of folks while riding today. Jewish Geography was the name of the game, and while I don’t always win, I do very well. Funny how many connections you can make with people you’ve never met. This group is teeming with amazing stories and people.
Tomorrow—the challenge of a 3rd straight day of riding. It’s gonna be great.
We’re now officially in the Negev, sleeping at Kibbutz Mashabei Sadeh (Desert Resources)—and there’s a pool (yes!). No internet until Sunday night, so Shabbat Shalom!
  Monday, November 14:
Eilat!!!! We made it! The final day of riding was wonderful for me and
for the entire group. I woke up early to ride up (in a car) the large
mountain not far from Kibbutz Ketura so that I could experience a
thrilling downhill with a handful of switchback turns. I was not
disappointed. I was going so fast at 1 point that my bike was shaking
from the wind, and I felt that thrill that keeps me motivated when I’m
training on a big hill. After a quick breakfast, we set out for a
brand-new route to Eilat: a straight shot down Route 90, otherwise known
as kvish haÁrava, or the Arava Highway. It’s a long, straight highway,
sometimes 2 lanes, sometimes 4, sometimes with a divider, sometimes
without… and it’s known for super speedy drivers and, unfortunately,
many accidents each year. We came through just fine as a group, and
overall the cycling was simple—a little bit of up and down, but mostly
flat. We enjoyed a triumphant group entrance into Eilat, surrounded by
police and gawked at by pointing Israelis…
Since the riding was relatively short, we headed for the beach and enjoyed taking pictures in the Gulf of Aqaba for the last few daylight hours. (Also: check out the team pic of the Northern Virginia Riders in Timna Park.)
This morning, I was on a plane at 6:55am, flying from the little Eilat airstrip to a small strip outside Tel Aviv called Sdeh Dov. As I write now, I’m waiting to board my return flight from Ben Gurion Airport.
This Ride has been inspiring in many ways, both physically and intellectually.
This last week has been a reminder of the treasure that is the Arava Institute. Israelis, Jordanians, Palestinians, and Americans who devote months and years of their lives to living together and working toward co-existence within the framework of environmental studies is more challenging than much of what each of us does on a daily basis, and while it’s difficult for these students, they are committed to making a change in their and our world.
Alumni of this program are working both in Israel
and in Jordan in environmental leadership positions, both on local
levels (eg: starting an organic co-op in Jerusalem) and on institutional
levels (eg: founding an organization to green institutions in Jordan).
The Arava Institute dreams that their alumni will one day serve as the
environmental ministers in Israel, Jordan, and Palestine—and they will
all collaborate as they learned to do while at the Institute. It’s a
lofty and worthy goal, and it’s been my honor to raise funds to work
toward that goal and all the smaller ones along the way to reaching it.
Melton
Israel Seminars. Students of the Florence Melton Adult Mini-School
have a unique opportunity to explore and study Israel with other students
through one of the Melton Israel Seminars. Read about
OT congregants' travel to Israel with
Melton.
Teacher Trips. The Jewish
Federation of Greater Washington’s Israel in DC initiative and The
Partnership for Jewish Life and Learning (PJLL) offer a program to help
preschool teachers establish connections to Israel in their classrooms.
The program is called Israel in our Heart, Mind, Soul and Gan (school).
Read about an OT teacher's trip to Eretz
Israel with the PJLL.
Koach Birthright Israel.
A worldwide program that sends thousands of college
students to Israel, at virtually no cost. The program exists thanks to the
philanthropy of many generous individuals and the government of the State
of Israel.
Birthright Israel for Young Professionals and Graduate Students. Jewish Federation of Greater Washington and its local Taglit-Birthright Israel program have organized a special free 10-day trip to Israel for Summer, 2008, for young professionals and graduate students, ages 22 to 26, who live in the Washington, D.C. area.
Registration opens 9:00 a.m., on Tuesday, February 12. Visit
www.birthrightisrael.com for registration information or contact Jackie Terry at (301) 230-7257
(Jackie.terry@shalomdc.org) Themed trips focus on community service, politics and other areas.
Legacy Heritage
Internships for Young Scientists is a six-week summer program that
takes scientifically gifted high school students to Israel for the summer, at no cost. For more information about the program, please contact
Marci Karoll, (212) 578-8190 x126.
Ramah Israel
Seminar. The Israel
Seminar offers teens who are former Ramah campers realistic insights into Israel, its people, achievements, dreams, and
challenges.
USY Summer
Programs. USY offers six Israel and Israel-Europe summer programs for teens.
Weizmann Institute Dr. Bessie F. Lawrence International Summer Science Institute
is a fully-funded four-week summer program for for students who have just
completed 12th grade. Students spend three weeks working on a project at
the reknown Weizmann Institute in Rehovot, Israel, and then attend a field
school in the Judean Desert for their last week.
Nativ – Gesher
is a gap-year program for high school graduates from North America that will focus on the centrality of Israel for one’s Jewish identity while creating a relationship with Masorti communities (Conservative Movement) in Europe. The first half of the program will match an academic semester, with a second half composed of visiting and volunteering in Masorti
communities in Europe. Living in Israel at the beginning of the program will not only accomplish the Nativ program goal of connecting with the land and the people, but it will give more substance to serving the European communities.
The first semester will be spent at Oranim College, Israel’s leading education school, located outside of Haifa. This opportunity for academic credit will focus on Jewish identity, history of European Jewry, and Israeli society. Students will also participate in an Ulpan
program. The second semester will be centered around two stays in European
cities, each four to five weeks. The program will commence in September 2009 and run through May 2010. Information regarding this new program can be found on the Nativ website at
www.nativ.org. Online applications will be available as of September 1st 2008. For more information please contact the Nativ office at 212-533-7800 ext 1119.
Join
Masorti, a pluralistic, religious
movement in Israel, affiliated with Conservative Judaism.
Mercaz USA,
the Zionist organization of the Conservative
Movement. Mercaz USA is the voice of Conservative Jewry within the World
Zionist Organization, the Jewish Agency for Israel, the American Zionist
Movement and the Jewish National Fund. Through Mercaz USA we
support religious pluralism in Israel and strengthen the connection
between Israel and the Diaspora.
Read
Stay connected with
Haaretz and the
Jerusalem Post, the online daily newspapers. The Embassy of Israel provides daily updates of the
Gaza situation at http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA. (Best viewed in Internet Explorer.)
USCJ Statement of Support for
Israel
The United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism supports Israel in its response to the unremitting violence directed toward its citizens from Gaza.
Although United Synagogue’s leaders realize that many Palestinian lives are at risk and grieve for them, and acknowledge with great sadness that some already have been lost, we see no other way for Israel to protect its citizens, who have been the targets of unremitting savage violence directed at them by Hamas. We feel great sadness for the people of Gaza, who have been betrayed by Hamas, which has brought them nothing but violence, starvation, and misery. Israel is doing what it must do -- no civilized country can leave its citizens unprotected. The great irony of this attack coming from Gaza, from which Israel has tried to disengage since 2005, should not be lost on any observer.
We are heartened by the response of the United States, coming both from President George W. Bush’s administration and from President-elect Barack Obama. We pray that the violence soon will end and that the people of this battered region finally will find peace.
Donate
Contribute to Israel through an established charity or by supporting an OT project.
Donate books and cash to support
school libraries in Israel.
Donate through
a classroom tzedakah box (for example, grade 5 is collecting to support
the IDF). Contact the office for other ways to help.
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