Week 3 in Jerusalem: I can cook! The real life “office.” What’ll it be; Unity or Elections?

I’ve gotten to know people on my program better through cooking and having dinners together- last night I teamed up with my roommate to make Korean Bim Bim Bap with Marinated beef, rice, fried egg, and assorted vegetables which was a favorite for the people at our table. Although I may be a college aged kid, Food is still fuel for the soul and ramen doesn’t quite cut it.

Bim Bim Bap was a crowd favorite

Working in an office has been an awesome experience, and I think working in an Israeli office has certainly spoiled me. Half the time people are up making themselves coffee, laughing, chatting, multitasking. One time my co worker on the social media team quipped that “it is too quiet,” to which I responded “Of course it’s quiet, people are working.” a minute later, I hear Sir Mixalot shout “I like big butts and I cannot lie!” He played baby got back to get people laughing. The whole office was in stitches. Additionally, people want to get to know you; I’ve gone to lunch with different people from the office and heard their stories. And yes, It’s a bit like an israeli version of “the Office,” sans a Dwight Schrute. On Thursday I finished a project at work that I had been working on since the beginning. Although certainly it was the type of mundane work only an intern should have to do, I am confident that what I did is productive to the Stand With Us social media operation.

In the nighttime, the Shuk switches over from greens to good times or vegetables to vice- however you want to look at it. While being the legal drinking age is fun and all, my understanding is that I am a guest in Israel. If myself (or people in my group) have had drinks and become boisterous In the streets, the israelis start looking at us as disturbers of the peace. This isn’t right. So I’m always searching for the right group to go out with and some nights I have found this. Sometimes though, the right group turns out to be just me and my guitar.

Tuesday was elections day, and with my interest in politics I talked to everyone I could, from Israeli citizens to my age, to co-workers, to my RA’s, to people who made aliyah, religious, secular- the whole 9. It has become clear that Israeli citizens have very different views on the future of Israel. I had to be careful that my own biases did not color my understanding as an American acquainted with a two party, right and left political climate. The facts on the ground here are so different, and thus the platforms of the American left and right don’t transfer. It has been argued that this election is a referendum on religion and state; while Bibi’s likud believes in catering to the increasing influence of the religious by enforcing shabbat as the day of rest (mandatory store closures, no busses on saturdays), Gantz’ blue and white caters to those who want to preserve the opportunity for a secular society. This divide is uniquely Israeli as it harkens back to the early days of Zionism when the question was raised; what should be the nature of a Jewish state? Should it operate under Jewish law so that it may become a safe place for jews to live as they are commanded? Or alternatively, should it be a safe place for Jews, but operate under secular values as to preserve freedoms for those who wish to live in their own way? Today, Israel is a multicultural society; 70% Jewish, 30% of other faiths. Even given that the state is majority Jewish, being Jewish is not defined by religious observance. It is defined under Jewish law as having a Jewish mother. Thus, many ‘Jews’ are not so religously and support a secular society. With this being said, the religious haredim and their parties are gaining in numbers and political influence, voting in the israel they want which follows the commandments. With a divided view on the future of Israel, The vote ended in a near tie between the two biggest parties. This means, either the parliament will become a unity government wherein Gantz, Netanyahu and the other parties come together in one giant coalition, or citizens are off to the polls again. Of course, politicians make promises they can’t keep. Before the elections, Gantz said he would never join a unity government with Netanyahu. Currently, Netanyahu says he won’t go to elections again. Time will tell who will break their word.

There’s so much more to share. If you ever have any questions, or want to talk, contact me.

Week Two in Jerusalem; the Plot Thickens

Good sabbath to those celebrating. To set the scene I am sitting on the balcony in the morning light, listening to the about 30 combined orthodox kids in the two apartment buildings next door make havoc before breakfast. It is neat to be part of a city as it wakes up. This week has been a big week full of classes, experiences and my internship. I am taking four different classes; the Arab Israeli conflict, social psychology, the faces of politics and Hebrew.

The Arab Israeli conflict class will help me better understand both the Israeli Palestinian conflict, but also geopolitical conflicts in the region both historical and current. Social psychology is focused through the lens of how social interaction works in a diverse society between people with clear differences. The faces of politics will help me understand the Israeli government including its actors and what elections are in a parliamentary system with over 30 parties in the Knesset (Israeli parliament.) Our first session on that blew my mind… I thought our congress was zany. And lastly, I am taking a Hebrew class which I certainly desperately need- I’ve gotten by so far on words and phrases; Ken (yes), lo (no), ani rotze (I want), but those ain’t gonna cut it for long- now that I work at an Israeli company.

StandWithUs is an Israeli education organization that advocates against BDS. I am interning in their social media department which has already been fascinating. Before our internships we had a session to explain Israeli work environment which is much more casual and very different from anywhere else. To help us understand what we were about to encounter, our teacher shared a psychological study. A psychologist named Hofstede, upon noticing the trend of different relationships between boss and employee in different cultural contexts, created an index of power distance. This index described per country the extent to which difference in rank plays a role in workplace interaction. The U.S ranks a 40, meaning that you may not be friends with your boss and perhaps you may not speak their mind fully you don’t agree with your bosses’ decision. Israel however, has one of the lowest power distances in the world. Sure enough, when I went into the workplace I was treated casually and respectfully; the people responsible for me immediately asked me about my personal life, looked up my Spotify, invited me to lunch and joked around with me.

There is so much more to share from the week, and most of it is written in the journal that I write daily. I will end with a few observations and experiences both good bad and human. we had an impromptu potluck sabbath dinner last night with over 25 people. We made tacos- yes, my jewish mother sent me with bags of Old el Paso Taco Seasoning! It was awesome to share in a meal and singing together. On a serious note I have been disturbed by the Anti Muslim and Arab prejudice from some people within the program. Whether it’s a joke, or a comment it disturbs me that American society has failed to teach tolerance and we as a minority oft plagued by prejudice don’t always combat prejudice when we see it. A person who has family in France spoke about the Muslims and Arab refugees bringing crime to France, purposefully having a ton of children, and not assimilating adding that France was now over 50% Muslim. In reality, Muslims only make up 10% of the population. I urged him to be cautious in his judgements. When you judge another people by a stereotype of their immutable characteristics rather than individual merits, and in language that is used to oppress the Jews as outsiders, you lose capitol to be able to fight antisemitism when you ultimately fall victim.

The other night I had an indescribable moment. I went up to the roof alone to watch the sunset. The city’s Jerusalem sandstone shone in gold, the sun kissed the pines on the hill, and for a moment the chaos of the kids, and cars, and shopkeepers below seemed to disperse. I told my parents yesterday that I had fallen in love with Israel but not to worry- I hadn’t decided to make aliya (the act of a Jew becoming an Israeli citizen)… yet.

Smiling with my StandWithUs swag (cool fold up sunglasses not pictured)
Laundry mat photo shoot with Jono (we are learning)
The dome of the rock from Temple Mount
When your mates come back with frozen chicken for dinner because they don’t understand you can’t defrost chicken in 30 minutes… time for the emergency chicken nuggets ????

My First Week in Israel: wow

I am currently writing this Saturday morning which is the sabbath day of rest. I am sitting out on the balcony in the sun with my coffee and peanut butter toast listening to the apartments across from me come alive. When Jono and I arrived in Israel we got a big hug by two strangers I had never met- such is israeli friendliness. For the first few days in Israel Jono and I stayed with those strangers who were of course his Israeli family. They brought us back to stay in their moms house outside of Tel Aviv. We had a great time at the beach, talking, eating local food (of course), and even making a song with Jono’s cousin who is a talented Jazz guitarist.

On Monday, we met up with the Aardvark program people and moved to Jerusalem to settle into our apartments. We are centrally located in nachlaot- a 5 minute walk from machne yehuda market. I live with 3 other boys, only one of whom knows how to cook… we have lots of learning to do about living on our own in addition to living in a foreign country. The past few days have been orientation; we’ve done explorations of the shuk; in the day when the vendors and commotion are exciting and in the night when the nightlife and music gives the place a wholly different face. For two days we took a trip to the north where we hiked and got to know to each other.

Back in Jerusalem for the Shabbas, we went to the western wall and prayed- a moving experience full of song, dance, and spiritual energy. The collective passion and prayer creates a power in the air unlike any other. The western wall is the holiest spot for the Jews because it is the closest place we can get to the holy of Holies- the rock upon the Temple once stood. This rock is the rock from which we believe the earth was created. I pressed myself against the wall and spent a moment feeling the connection between body and spirit.

Next week, we start classes and internships- so much excitement and new experiences await. Stay Tuned!

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