Notes from a Wandering Jew

I am halfway through my trip to Ha Eretz, the Land, Israel. Over the next two weeks I will travel from the Lebanon border through Jordan in back into Israel through Elat. A blog about my trip thus far could be 10 pages of just the "where" and "what".

For example, last week I participated in the 2007 Charlie Awards conference. The Charlie award has been give to 45 young adult leaders from all over the world. This year's class of Charlies were 15 people from 9 countries. As Jewish community leaders living in Diaspora we had the special opportunity to come to Israel through CLI (center for leadership initiatives) and the Schusterman Foundation and receive special tours of amazing projects ranging from innovative medical care to new student-led Zionism to homeless shelters for teens. Each tour gave us a new perspective of Israel and Israeli society. The stories of each project and the leaders that created them and continue to develop them inspired all of us to rethink about our projects and communities.



This week of inspirational stories of Jewish leaders creating a strong and vibrant Israeli society was juxaposed with a trip to Nablus in the West Bank.



Less than an hours drive from Jerusalem (but is usually take 2 to 3 hours with border crossings and check points), Nablus is a vibrant and active Palestinian city with a university. Nablus was the site of a large battle in 2002 and is still considered a hot-bed for resistance and insurgency. So, what brought me to Nablus and why would I allow myself to go there?



Last fall Moishe House hosted a group of young adults from Palestine and Jordan for Camp Tawonga's Peace Makers weekend. When I new I would be traveling to Israel this summer I took advantage of the connections our house had made with these young leaders and contacted two Palestinians. I must say that I was not alone. Isaac who had orginally met the leaders and had participated in last year's camp made most of the arrangements. Together we spent two days in Nablus, first traveling from East Jerusalem to Ramalah and finally being escorted to Nablus by a friend.



In Nablus our hosts were Wagdee and Majed. Wagdee is 22 and speak almost perfect English with a half Aussie and half Texan accent. He claims he only studied English for 4 months and the rest has come from watching videos and taking advantage of every opportunity to speak with foreigners. I wish I had such an aptitude for language. Wagdee recently finished his IT management degree and lives with his family (month, father, grandmother, 4 brothers, and one sister), all of whom are amazingly warm people. In fact everywhere we visited we were offered tea and coffee and food and of course a story or two. Everyone has stories and they were so appreciative that we were willing to listen. But more about that later.



Majed is in his 30s and lives alone in a penthouse appartment overlooking the center of town. Majed attended last year's Peace Makers conference and although he does not speak English he had the most to say of our two hosts. (By the end of the two days Wagdee's jaw and tongue must have been killing him because he had been talking for two people) Majed has started his own organization which tries to organize camps for children. Majed and Wagdee both claim to be unaffiliated with either of the two main political parties, Hamas or Fetah. While Hamas provides many social services such as schools and camps for children in addition to food hand outs and health care, Fetah is seen as a bloated and corrupt party. And still Majed believes that he can make a difference by trying to provide the same services as Hamas without the propaganda and hatred.



Majed is amazing in this way. He is always pronouncing and declaring new ideas and programs he wants to starts. Majed is a doer and very well respected in Nablus. But his respect came at a price. Last year in March his brother was killed. He was a leaders of a resistance brigade and died in a gun battle with Israelis. Posters of Majed's brother are plastered all over Nablus. Majed has several paintings and pictures of him in his home. Despite all of this Majed continues to work for peace.

During our two days in Nablus Isaac and I sat for tea or coffee at least 10 times and each time we got a story. In the old city we met a young man who was planting flowers in an alter for a martyr. The martyr was his brother and his younger bother was helping him (the younger one is named for the older brother who died). He told us how each day he replants the flowers because each night IDF soldiers tear them out. He told us how at the age of 22 he has already spent two years in jail and been shot 7 times. His sister and other family members are currently in jail. He told us how just the night before IDF special force took over the apartment that his family lives in to use it as a makeshift base for the evening.

Clearly with suicide bombings and rockets being launched from Gaza and Lebanon, Israel has real reasons for concern. I did not ask this young man why he had been thrown in jail. Had he gotten into an arguement with Israelis? Was he throwing rocks or molatov cocktails as his brother has been doing when he died? Or was he just a suspect?

While in Nablus you cannot help but notice that life seems relatively normal. Cell phones ring everywhere. Cars honk there horns. Markets are full of people, food, and modern commercial goods. Signs of squawler were no more profound than any other "developing country". According to Wagdee the situation is different for refugees living in and around Nablus. But generally the signs of "oppression" are not as obvious as one might think.

What is apparent once you talk with anyone or spend a night in Nablus is the psychological effects of the conflict. At midnight Nablus is a ghost town. The streets are empty except for a lone taxi and a few ambulence. The informal or formal curfew set by regular IDF raids forces Nablusis off the streets, out of coffee shops and into their homes. If the are on the street they run the risk of harrassment, arrest, or worse the possibility of getting cause in the cross-fire of IDF and resistance gun fire.

With darkness on Nablus, I spent both evenings on Majed's terrance waiting to see the IDF. Each night I did not last much past 1:30am before passing out for the night. In the morning I would get a report from Wagdee of last nights raids. On the last morning I was told that special forces driving a white truck came in at 1:30am. Before going to sleep I remembered seeing a white truck and thinking that it was very odd.

While I watch Nablus I talked to Majed and Wagdee about the situation. I asked Wagdee what was the first thing that came to mind when I said "Israel". He said "Check points." As we both looked across the valley and up to the mountain tops where the only light are beacons from the IDF bases, Wagdee told me his check point stories. The next day I found out exactly what he meant.

Summer time

And the living is EZ. First, I would like to send a warm shout out/hat tip/ appreciation to mr. IZones. I wish you the best in your folk rock endeavors. Things here at the MHDC are really heating up. I mean, the whole week has been in the high 90's and humid, I mean shvitzing like a pig. OY! Lucky for us, our 1st floor is always cool. Not to mention the Moishe Men (MM) are the hottest/coolest thing around. As we become more seasoned MM—spicy—I realize that we have gone through a lot. Ups and downs, ins and outs, shifting roommates and members. All in all, we have found a good balance of what to do, what not to do and who should do it—I choose David Blogberg. No, really, we have settled in to a good rhythm and a good crowd. Its always amazing to me how the Moishe congregation is constantly changing—new people come in, some people move away. The great circle of life has even played out in our own moishe house. Oh, and Moishe, our mouse mascot, is back in full force…darn shapeshifters.

LBfromMHDC

The Irreplaceable Yitzchak!

Like all of Moishes I'm very sad to see Isaac leave the program, or at least the side of the program that might at times actually seem like a real job.

Isaac: you have contributed more than anyone to the vibrancy, the scalability, and the sustainability of the Moishe House idea. You must be proud at how the program has grown with you at the helm, how it no longer seems just an experiment but an entire subculture firmly perpetuated by the dozens who call Moishe House home and the hundreds, or maybe even thousands, of guests who can no longer imagine a Judaism without a Moishe.

I'm sure you will bring the same success to whatever you do next.

-Adam in DC

America

After three weeks of traveling I have returned to America, the land of the free. It was a good trip many laughs were had and there was much for me to learn about along the way. I discovered that hookers can communicate in any language, and that mcdonalds is also everywhere. Despite this ugliness that spans that globe, the little place across the pond known as "europe" or "Eurasisa" or at one time pangea...is quite incredible. A couple of things I noticed right away, their is a language barrier between me and most of the world and it can best be summed up in two words or one legend, Ron Burgundy. I told a man to eat cat poop and he thought I was serious.

This led to an ephiphany for ole douglass. And it started with my reflections on my softball award, the doug gardner excellence in maturity award. I like to spend about 50% of my time being mature, I am not trying to push it to be a hero or something. I am just trying to make my way through the sands of time with very little dignity.

In light of this I would like to reveal some of my moments that were not in the most mature of my actions on the trip.

I used my own telescope in the tower of Columbus
I took shots from some girls hand and told her I spoke no language
I took an ash tray from a hostel
I exposed myself in a hostel lobby
I jacked somebody's internet password so I wouldn't get charged
I called some girl depressed and asked her to kill herself or peep up (she did neither)

I snored on the plane on purpose.


Europe was awesome go there.

Good Things Come to Those Who Wait

So after all the trials and tribulations we've undergone to get here, it looks like in a mere 11 days we'll finally have a Moishe House in Philadelphia. There were times when it looked like the whole thing was just going to fall to pieces and all the planning and the house searching and the stalking Isaac on the phone and by email (we'll miss you Isaac) was going to be for naught. I hope I'm not speaking too soon, but it really really seems like it's going to happen now (I mean we signed a lease, I don't think we could get screwed out of yet another house). I couldn't be more excited. We've got events posted on the calendar, good advise from some veteran Moishniks (thank you Isaac and Moishe House DC), a great house in a fab neighborhood, a bit of a buzz around, three super psyched chicas and the cutest pup in town. It's gonna be awesome! There's still lots to do (plant our garden, get a compost bin started, add a little color to those blank white walls, and keep spreading the word about the house), but I'm looking forward to every bit of it.

Congrats to the other new Moishe Houses in Maryland and Argentina. Can't wait to meet all the other Moishes at the retreat. If you have friends who need a little Moishe in their life who live in or near the City of Brotherly Love, tell them to come on by; and if any of you are ever in our beautiful, terribly underrated city, our home is always open to you.

Much love,

Rae of Moishe House Philly

JEWLIE is here

Month #2 of our Moishe House experience is underway. I am glad for this week to take stock and see what we have accomplished. JUNE ROCKED! I am so grateful that the people of this house came together and everyone is putting in the share to shoulder creating this phenomenon. The house is actually clean! and the food in the fridge is fresh!

I am going through a transformative summer, interning as a chaplain in a mental hospital.
With all the intensity and trauma that happens to people, it feels so gratifying to be part of creating compassionate and caring space for people to be who they are.

Peace friends!
Zvi
MH Silver Spring, MD

Devils and DJs

First of all I would like to mention the loss of Moishe House friend Mike B., a wonderful guest our house and especially Lee. Mike passed in a tragic accident this month and we all send out our love and thoughts to his family. He will truly be missed.

This month we of course had our fair share of Poker but we also ventured out to a few concerts. One was for our Moishe House member Lindsay Sinay who rocked the Derby with her new band. The other was at teh world famous Hollywood bowl where DJ Shadow and Cut Chemist mixed together on the stage. It was great to get out of our house with a crew of Jews and enjoy the show together. If you have never been to the Bowl you absolutely must attend a concert there. The formula is to bring a picnic basket full of great food, a bottle of wine, and good friends.

Another event was a trip to go see the film "The Devil Came on Horseback" organized by Nate. The film was a documentary about the ongoing genocide taking place in Darfur. Although it has caught news attention recently, I felt hardly informed of what was actually taking place. The film was a real eye opener and very shocking to know that a holocaust was esentially taking place. It reminded me of the Jewish responsibility to defend any group of people who are being slaughtered in a genocidal fashion. We are constantly reminded "Never Again"........"never again" wll we allow anybody to be killed in such a fashion but it seems that the world including Jews have become so slow to respond to their aid. I only wish that the importance of this message spreads faster to the world in hopes of halting the destruction of the people in Darfur and convicting those responsible.

Hope everyone has a great Fourth of July!!!!!!

~Dave