Tzfat Tiyul

by Leah Sehati,      11^th grade,          Ventura CA

Last Thursday we took a class tiyul to the city of Tzfat located in Northern Israel. Tzfat is one of the holiest cities in Israel and is best known for being the site of the start of Jewish mysticism. It is a very touristy town that is famously known for its art and judaica.

mural by the famous street artist Solomon with mystical images that appears in Tzfat

One of the kabbalist rabbis of Tzfat, Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai who is also known by the name of Rashbi shares his view on the coming of the Moshiach in the holy book of the kabbalah called the Zohar, which is a mystical text that talks about the secrets of the Torah. After the expulsion from Spain in 1492 Sephardi Jews settled in the city and were intent on waiting for the Moshiach to come immenently. They believed that the reason why the Moshiach hasn’t come to the world yet was because the Jewish people were not performing all the mitzvot in the correct way.

inerior of the famous Yosef Karo synagogue in Tzfat

One important Kabbalistic concept we learned about was the ten Sefirot or the ten attributes of Kabbalah. These ten Sefirot were the main plots for the Kabbalah and stand as the creative forces that intervene between one’s self and the "Ein Sof" or the unknowable God, and the world that was created for us. At the top of the ten Sefirot is the crown (Keter), right below there is wisdom (Hokmah) and understanding (Binah), below wisdom there is love (Hesed) and below understanding, there is power (Gevurah). Following love and power there is beauty or Tiferet. Under beauty there is splendor (Hod) and Eternity (Netsah), below there is foundation (Yesod) and last but not least there is God's presence or Shekhinah.

stain glass window in the Ari synagogue in Tzfat showing the 10 sefirot

In the early 16^th century, the famous mystic and Torah scholar Rabbi Yosef Karo believed that the reason why the Moshiach had not yet came to was because the Jews weren't doing all the mitzvot in the correct way and order. This led to him writing the Shulchan Aruch to teach Am Yisrael how to be Jewish in a more modern world.

the main corridor of the artists quarter in Tzfat

Another mystical element that was created in Tzfat  was Lecha Dodi, or “Come my beloved” which is a song that is sung during Kabbalat Shabbat cthat onnects Jewish communities with each other not only because it has a very catchy tune, but it can also be interpreted in a way where God is telling us Jews to come to view the Shabbat as a taste of the world to come (HaOlam HaBa). Although Tzfat is one of the less wealthy cities in Israel it really has so many gems that attract tourists to go visit. The city of Tzfat is very gifted in all types of art, such as paintings, wall art, jewelry, handmade sculptures, music and much more.

an immense candle of the biblical Samson at the Tzfat candle shop

a giant candle of Noah's ark at the Tzfat candle shop

Religious Freedom in Judaism

by Leah Bohbot,     11^th grade,       Chicago

It’s written in the Tanakh that Jews are meant to spend the month of Adar, Adar II in Jewish leap years, full of joy and celebration. During Rosh Chodesh, the beginning of the month, the Jewish organization Women of the Wall goes to the Kotel to pray and sing and dance and overall bring in the new month with joy. The organization was started by orthodox women hoping to have access to Torah and prayer as men do in the men’s section. It’s believed that it’s not kosher to hear a women sing and the people of the Women of the Wall are often called satanists and other negative names. However, this Rosh Chodesh was the most dramatic in the history of WOW. For weeks before, countless ads were put out in Israeli papers calling for mostly Chasidic and ultra-orthodox Jews to converge on the women praying and stop it.

This past Friday morning the students of Heller High went to the Western Wall to join WOW for what was not only the beginning of the most joyous month in the Jewish calendar, but also their 30th anniversary. We woke up around 5 am to attempt to get a spot at the Western Wall and join in our respective sections. When we arrived we were rushed up to an observation deck above the plaza where our principal, Rabbi Loren Sykes, stood to talk to us.

Despite the strong desire of many to join downstairs, we were told it simply wouldn’t be possible. As we looked down, there were orthodox jews around us as well. Not knowing what they could be thinking, some were worried, others intrigued. Rabbi Sykes and his daughter Mira had been there earlier and were immediately separated, he tried to protect women being attacked for their praying and she was called terrible names and was kept from getting close to one of the holiest sites in our religion. After speaking to the group about their experiences and the decision to not allow us to go down and praying together, my friend and I spoke to Mira more in depth about the traumatic event she had just gone through.

The Haredi men and women who disagreed with reform and conservative Jewish ideas of prayer had decided to push and stop people from expressing their religion. As we spoke with Mira, we could hear the pain behind her words and we felt it too. Despite being far above the crowd, the hatred and sadness went through us like waves. My friends and I held each other, crying, because of the hopelessness we felt. The screaming and shoving felt unreasonable, like Sinat Chinam, senseless hatred. But then Mira continued, she told us that while this hurt, Judaism and the Jewish people always becomes happy and just again, that we should keep this in mind but not to turn away, to instead continue to move forward. I ended up speaking to an older woman who had lived in Israel her whole life. She told us about her life and how there had been a shift in Israeli Judaism. Her last words to us before she left were that we needed to come back to Israel, words that promised we would come back to a better Israel, the promised land is coming.

Oral Law Tiyul:    Beit Shaarim and Beit Alpha

by Zach Meyers,     11^th grade,       California

**here's the link to Zach Meyers's personal blog that he's writing about Israel:
https://zachmeyers.me/israel-blog/

the cave of the coffins at Beit Shaarim

While I usually don’t enjoy waking up at 6:15 in the morning, I can definitely say that going on the Oral Law Tiyul to Beit Sha’arim and Beit Alpha was not only an enlightening experience, but was also one of the few tiyulim I’ve been on that has really piqued my interest. We woke up fairly early in the morning, hopped on the bus, and drove north for nearly two hours until we arrived at Beit Sha’arim. 

Beit Sha’arim, located in northern Israel, contained well-preserved remains of ancient burial caves (literally called a necropolis maning ‘city of the dead).  Located there were the stone coffins (sarcophagi) of many influential rabbis of the Sanhedrin, the members of the ancient rabbinic courts - these caves were from the 2nd century CE. The Sanhedrin frequently moved around the land of Israel in pursuit of a better economy and Beit Sha’arim was an economically strong location in the late second century. It was also where the Mishna, or Rabbinic (Oral) law was codified by Rabbi Yehudah HaNasi around the year 200 CE. The Mishna is an extremely important Jewish text, since so much of the Torah is hard to interpret or outdated, the Mishna is what connects it to us. In essence, it’s the bridge that connects the Jews to the Torah. I strongly believe all Jews should be educated about the oral law. 

appropriately, next to the ancient Beit Alpha synagogue we prayed the afternoon service

What was shocking about the burial caves is they depicted the influence that other ethnic groups had on the Jews. The burial caves, which were the resting places of some of the most influential rabbis at that time, showed images depicting a Greek god and other animals. Images of this kind are strictly prohibited by Jewish law, considered to be avodah zarah, or idol worship. Shockingly enough, this was replicated at the ancient synagogue in Beit Alpha that was built in 530 CE that also depicted Roman pagan influence. The synagogue’s mosaic floor, far from being just an artistic addition, further depicted avodah zarah and really made me wonder about the power of assimilation -- if the Jews willingly integrated Roman and Greek customs into their religious life, what does this say about human nature and how likely we are to adopt other traditions or customs just because they’re present in our life? American Jews, for example, are already acculturated; many observe non-Jewish holidays such as Halloween simply because they are a part of America’s culture and society.

 

we were lucky to go swimming on our lunch break here at the Sachne natural pools

Overall, I’m really happy I was able to go on this tiyul. It was not only extremely interesting and allowed me to connect to the content covered in class, but I believe it has a strong modern-day application - it called into question the influence that other groups can have on us. While by no means should we turn away from other cultures, and curiosity should be welcomed, it’s important to stay loyal to our values and to avoid making sacrifices for social acceptance. Not to mention, we were able to go swimming in the nearby Sachne natural pools next to Mt. Gilboa with fish swimming around during our lunch break!

Learning about Islam in Ein Rafa

by Talia Hirsch,     11^th grade,       NJ

 

a view of the houses and surrounding area of the village of Ein Rafa

Islam was developed by people who believed Muhammad was the last prophet. They are monotheistic and believe in all of the prophets that came before him like Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and the last they believe was Muhammad. I learned that Muhammad was the last of the prophets who brought what God said to the people. Islam affected the Jewish people of the time by also establishing Jerusalem as a holy sight, the Al-Aksa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock on Mount Moriah. It is believed that Muhammad ascended to heaven on a horse with wings.

 

the village of Ein Rafa with the Judean hills in the background

We were given we a tour around the village of Ein Rafa just below Tzuba by Yasmin and Musa, two of the residents. We saw new developments and houses being built in the city, as well as Yasmin’s friends and family’s houses. I learned from Yasmin that not all Israeli-Arabs speak Hebrew as well as Arabic because their schools are taught in Arabic. But she wanted her children to learn how to speak Arabic, Hebrew, and English so she sent them to an Israeli preschool to learn Hebrew and now sends her 2 boys and 2 girls to a private school where they are taught in Arabic and Hebrew but learn English as well.

 

one of the houses in Ein Rafa with the minaret of the village mosque in the background

Yasmin’s talk about Islam was very interesting because she talked about the status of women and how women are perceived as closer to God. Also, a lot of Arab-Israelis identify nationally and culturally as Palestinians. She also talked about how she views that Muslims are very accepting and open to conversion. Converting to Islam is very easy, she explained, because it is more about a spiritual connection to God than a ceremonial ritual.

 

we were hosted for lunch at Yasmin and Musa's house in Ein Rafa

My meeting with Yasmin made me more hopeful for the future with Israeli and Arabs because she talked about how peace should start with the younger generations of people than the older people in the country.

Christianity Tiyul to Ein Kerem

by Tallisen Scott,      11^th grade,        Virginia

This past Thursday we went to the last place someone would expect a group of Jews to go: a Church.  However, once we were introduced to the origins of Christianity, it began to make sense.  Christianity began as a sect of messianic Jews.  Jesus of Nazareth, originally called Yehoshua, was the son of Yosef and Miriam, two Jews.  He was Jewish and eventually became a rabbi with 12 followers, or disciples.  However, his intentions were never to begin an entire new religion.

St. John BaHarim church in Jerusalem's Ein Kerem neighborhood

            Shaul of Tarsis, commonly called Paul now began Christianity as a new sect of Judaism that believed that Jesus was the messiah. He described Christianity as a branch of a tree that was healthier and newer (netzer). This began after the death of Jesus. Despite efforts to gain followers, the new form of Judaism was not gaining traction, so Saul decided to rebrand it as a whole new religion. This new religion became Christianity, a religion that now one third of the world belongs to. 

            Although Christianity came from Judaism, it made some significant changes. Judaism is focused around Halacha, or the observance of Jewish law. The focus in Christianity is on faith, rather than how one’s life is lived. Additionally, Christianity is only a religion, while Judaism is a people and a nationality and ethnicity.

an image of Jesus carrying the cross in the St. John BaHarim church

            In terms of the church we visited in Ein Kerem, there were some clear differences, as well as similarities, to a synagogue. Like a synagogue, the church had rows of seats, as well as something that resembled a bimah.  

            There were also differences in the art. Synagogues and sanctuaries often have art, however Jewish art is typically not of people, but scenes, or even abstract art. The church was full of murals, paintings, and glass, all depicting Jesus Christ.

one of the chapels inside of the St. John BaHarim church in Ein Kerem

            The origins and growth of Christianity are extremely significant to Jewish history. In its early years, Christians and Jews had tense relations. Jews believed that early Christians were practicing avodah zara (idolatry), while Christians believed that Jews were followers of an incorrect religion. Over two thousand years, Christianity has grown, changed and expanded, but it still began as a sect of Judaism.

MASADA:  The Experience Of a Lifetime

by Andrew Bonds,       11^th grade,       Philadelphia

 

view of the snake path up the eastern side of Masada

            Nine out of ten times when you ask a teenager to get up at 4:00 AM, you can pretty much guarantee it is not going to be followed with cheers or any sort of positive emotion. This instance however was very different. Even as we went over the supplies list for what we would need the next morning, the overwhelming feeling of joy, nerves, excitement, and anticipation filled the entirety of the room with its presence.

            As hard as getting up before the sun was, we all did and started our journey up towards the top by 5:15 AM. While the hike up was a challenge, the remarkable and breathtaking view at the top made it all worth it. After a long rest and an opportunity to take pictures we had the morning prayer service (shacharit) at the top of mountain led by our classmates and now unbelievably close friends. Finally we split up into our individual Jewish-History classes and began the educational point of the trip. The Hebrew definition of Masada, or מצדה (literally ‘fortress’) was the last Jewish stronghold that served as the Jews last stand against the Romans after the fall of Jerusalem in 70 CE.

             The king who built palaces at Masada was known as King Herod. The main reason The King picked this mountain is because it is on a plateau and while the environment around was obviously consumed by desert they were able to find the necessities to having a successful community that started at around 40 and grew to 900 when it fell.          

In order to have a surviving city that can grow and expand, in class we look at the 4 D’s that are the essential keys any city in ancient times would need.

King Herod's northern palace at Masada

a model of King Herod's northern palace

     The first D is Defense. The height of the mountain presented a successful defense tactic, when attacked they would throw rocks and oil on attackers causing them to plunge to their death. The second D Stands for Drink, Water was acquired by sophisticated water ways that used trenches to guide the water into a holding area on the mountain and was then brought up to the town. The third D is a bit of a stretch but stands for Dinner. To obtain food and nutrition they had multiple forms of agriculture and strategies to provide food for everyone. Because of the heat the soil dies and turns to dust. Their solution was to keep doves, at first thought you would think that has no relativity to anything but in fact they used dove droppings for fertilizer which when combined with the unhealthy dried out soil on the mountain created dirt that let them grow a plentiful amount of fruit trees and plants. In year 2000 they found a pit of a date tree that was from the time period of מצדה. When they found this they took the pit and planted one of the oldest trees in history. I find this so impressive because the Date tree takes the most amount of water out of almost all the plant trees to grow (need the fourth D Dollars).

a view of the Judean Desert from the northern edge of Masada

Rather than speaking about the day to day life I would rather talk about how to understand their final act here at Masada. I have no doubt many people question the choices of our ancestors, whether it’s the integrity of the story or just the flat out reasoning behind the choices they made and why. After continues days of worry and fear with the Romans closing in on them once again, it started to become clear to the Jews that this was the beginning of the end for their community on מצדה something had to be done. According to the historian Josephus Flavius, all men were sent home and forced to kill their wives and families. They then proceeded to write down the names of each man and hold a lottery. Ten men were picked at random and told to kill the rest of them, and then one man to kill those ten, then finally after burning down their whole village and leaving nothing of value or use left for the Romans, except the food to portray that there was no sign of an end to this community any time soon. That one man took his own life, leaving no survivors on מצדה and ending its reign. Left on the floor of their synagogue was a quote from Ezekiel's prophesy of dry bones (chap. 37), the prophesy that we would return to Israel, that we would be a great nation on our own soil again.

a model of the water system at Masada and the local dry river beds that would flood

            What do we mean today when we say “Masada will not fall again”? I think this phrase still remains so popular today because of its horrific ending. You realize what happened and can understand why it is necessary for Jewish people to keep the memory of מצדה alive. We have to preserve the idea that the innovations and remarkable skill it took from people to make living in this super hot desert on this super high mountain and not go anywhere else ever is extremely empowering to Jews today.

the "shouting edge" of the south of Masda where your voice echoes!

ISRAEL MUSEUM:  Jerusalem Model and Dead Sea Scrolls

by Eva Zaientz,        10^th grade,           Ann Arbor MI

On Wednesday February 20th, 2019, we the students of Heller High embarked on a journey to the Israel Museum in Jerusalem.  The major exhibits at this museum tell the story and history of the Jewish people through the display of artifacts. Its main purpose is to educate people about the Second Temple period in the city of Jerusalem. The first thing we did after arriving at the museum was explore the Second Temple model of the ancient city of Jerusalem which was built in 1966 but was only moved to the museum in 2006. This model was very overwhelming at first, it was very big and detailed. This model showed us a lot about the culture and style of living during this period. There were two main groups of Jews living in the city at this time. These groups are called the Pharisees (Rabbis) and the Saducees (Priests). Each group had very different lifestyles which is shown by the model of Jerusalem. The priests of the Second Temple period were the most respected and lavish people of this time. They lived in the biggest and most extravagant homes (Herodian mansions) at the top of Jerusalem (upper city), these can be recognized by the red roofs in the model. The priests also liked and respected the Romans who lead Jerusalem at this time, like King Herod, and had a more Hellenistic way of life.

On the other end of the spectrum the Rabbis were very poor and were one of the lower classes during this time. The sewage from the Priest slid down into their small and modest homes, that’s why that specific gate of the old city today is called the Dung Gate. The Rabbis did not like the Romans at all but they felt that it was not worth the bloodshed to go to war. Another group of Jews at this time wear the Jewish zealots who were located at Masada and they were a very messianic people. We also learned about this group even though there were no exhibits at the Israel museum.

The next thing we did was go into the Dead sSea scroll exhibit at the museum. Before we made it into the actual showing of the scrolls we passed through corridors filled with artifacts. As modern Jews, it helped us learn about the daily life and culture of our ancestors. When we made it into the vase shaped room where the scrolls are actually stored it was very overwhelming how long it actually was. Right when you walk in you can feel the importance of this scripture. This writing was one of the most important Jewish archaeological findings to date. It is the oldest written Tanakh ever found, it is close to 2,000 years old. This was so important because it is a huge example of historicity to prove the fourth group of Jews existed, the Essenes. Historicity is when real archaeology backs up what we read about in holy scriptures like the Tanach.

The Essenes lived by the Dead Sea and were very different from the other groups at this time. They were only males and had a very strict way of letting people in. They also were the most messianic group in the Second Temple period and expected the messiah to come within their lifetime. All of these sects developed at this time because they all had different ways of coming back to Jewish life after the Babylonian exile ended and the Second Temple was built. They also had different ways to adapting to the rule of the Romans and ideas about the messiah. I think that I identify mostly with the Pharisees because of their motivation to sticking with Jewish tradition and their modest way of life. However, like the Saducees I have been in many ways acculturated to American culture and can relate to that part of their life.

At the end of this exhibit we went to decompress what we had just learned about at the ahavah (love) statue at the museum. This art piece is one of the most iconic in Israel and people had a lot of fun taking pictures with it!