Part of Am Yisrael

       It is so exciting to look back on the first day that I arrived in Israel and to recognize how much my opinions have changed regarding Israel itself. Before the trip, Israel was a place that I was honestly ignorant about, not only the politics and current events, but the history as well. Now being here for almost four months, I can say that I feel immensely informed about Israel as a whole, which only strengthens my connection to the land. I have challenged myself to form opinions on the way Israel runs as state, to look past the often exaggerated and false headlines of the news and look outside my room to the legitimate source of events. That doesn't mean that I agree with every policy, every decision and choice that Israel makes, in fact I disagree with many of them, but I have learned that it is more than ok to not see eye to eye with the actions that Israel takes. It is important to disagree and argue with the other side because it doesn't only give you a different perspective, but it also strengthens your own, just one of the lessons I've learned in my Jewish History class. This does not mean for a second that I am not a supporter of Israel, if I have gained anything from EIE it is that I will never stop supporting the existence of Israel, in fact for me it is crucial for Israel to continue to exist as a Jewish state.
       The people of Israel, Am Yisrael, is imperative for the survival of Judaism and a Jewish state in a world dominated by so many other religions. By identifying as a Jew, you are automatically part of Am Yisrael and its history. No matter where you are in the world, the beautiful and unique factor of Judaism is that there is always a community. Since the beginning of the Jewish people, we have been able to stay connected and thrive through the tangible and intangible relationships overseas or next door to other Jews. I, along with many others, live in a diaspora, but because of the unique quality of inevitable connection, Jews will always find other Jews no matter where they are or what they are doing. It is this distinctive characteristic of Am Yisrael, the ability to stay close and to identify with so many other people, that has kept us together as a strong community and has allowed us to persevere through hard times and thrive through good times.

Separation Barrier

Since I've been in Israel the past four months (I still can't believe I can say that) I have experienced and been exposed to the Israeli culture, the food, the people, and the values that encompass them all. However, living in Eretz Israel has awaken me not only to Israeli situations, beliefs, and events but the way Palestinians are affected in their daily life as well. The ongoing tensions between the two groups are extremely prevalent in every day life, especially the existence of the separation barrier that surrounds the West Bank. This wall was created as a reaction to the first and second intifadas of suicide bombers that threatened the lives of Israeli and Palestinian citizens. Although the safety of Israel is exemplified with this wall, the suicide bombings have ceased for the most part, and I personally think that the wall does not serve as an efficient long term solution. It worked for the situation at hand during the years of the intifadas, but now that the problem has been stopped, is it necessary to still keep the wall up? I think that in order to accomplish peace between the two sides, which everyone hopes for even if they don't admit it, keeping the wall up and limiting the rights of Palestinians is not a step forward in peaceful relations. Keeping restraints on the Arabs living in the West Bank, through permits, unequal rights, and limited boundaries, only results in pent-up anger from the Palestinians towards Israel and the people. To me, this wall serves as a metaphorical and literal separation between Jews and Palestinians, and until there is a change in the situation at hand, progress and change will not occur. 

The Kosher Monopoly

Our group had the opportunity to talk to Anat Hoffman who is the executive director of the Israel Religious Action Center (IRAC) and a founder of The Women of the Wall. She told us about the projects that she is currently focusing on, especially in regard to the Ultra Orthodox and the overpowering monopoly on religious values which they manipulate through the law in Israel. Even in the democracy that Israel claims to be, many civilians freedoms are denied and ignored such as at the Kotel, the legitimacy of reform rabbis, and your right on flight (the right to stay in your own seat even if an ultra-orthodox man forces you to move). One particular topic that Anat raised was the function of kashrut laws in Israel. Under the kosher law, a kashrut certificate must be received by the owner of a restaurant in order for them to claim that they are kosher. This caused problems for two restaurants who were fined because they claimed that they served kosher food even though they were not granted a certificate from the Rabbinate validating this entitlement. Fortunately, with the help of the IRAC, this case was taken to the High Court of Israel who came to the decision that businesses who receive a kashrut certification from a group beyond the Rabbinate are not allowed to be fined as long as they exclude the use of the word kosher. This was a huge win for the Reform Jews in particular, who have been fighting to freely express their identity as Jews in the eyes of the Ultra-Orthodox. However, despite the Attorney General's demand, parties in Netanyahu’s new right-wing government say they will fight for their monopoly on the word kosher. In a state that claims to be democratic, it seems a bit contradictory for a group which makes up only 20% of the population to have such an immense amount of power and say in the daily lives of other individuals. It is unequal for one party to prescribe and hold laws over individuals who don't adhere to the same beliefs. It is vital for Israel to find a balance between being Jewish and being overly Jewish and Jews should have the ability to define their Jewishness to whatever extent they desire and not have a specific group determine how to be Jewish. This is an ongoing problem in the state of Israel, and it is important to realize the significance of people like Anat and individuals working for organizations like the IRAC who are extremely strong and persistent in fighting for a change in the way that Reform Jews are viewed, and to keep growing, questioning and expanding the way we view ourselves. 

Get Up, Stand Up

It is frustrating and disheartening to hear that racism and segregation are still such prevalent problems within our world. People are still not treated as equals, whether it is based on their skin tone, ethnicity, religion, gender, or sexuality there is absolutely no reason that each and every human being should not be regarded as embodying the same rights as another other person in society. The protests on police violence that have been occurring in Tel Aviv is a result of decades of repression suffered by the Ethiopian Jews, a minority community within Israel. Perhaps this is a result of their lack of assimilation into an unfamiliar society, the differences within the culture, which influence disconnection and separation. Nevertheless, the Ethiopian Jews are Jews in every sense in my eyes, they are not any less Jewish than the citizens of Israel or the Jews in the diaspora, living all throughout the world. The protests were a response to a video released of a white Israeli police officer attacking an Ethiopian Israeli soldier, Demas Fekadeh, where the officers pushed him to the ground and beat him. The clashes reflected widespread frustration in the Ethiopian community which, three decades after it first arrived in Israel, has become an underclass plagued by poverty, crime and unemployment. It's sad to live in a world that carries so much beauty on its back, yet oppression and discrimination still lie in the foundation of our establishment. It is vital for this suffering to come to an end, however it seems that wherever a minority lies so too does the hatred of another people. No matter what the situation, no mater what the group, or the individuals who are being discriminated against, it is our duty and responsibility as neighbors, brothers and sisters to no longer sit back and watch these disasters and tragedies take place but to stand up with every bone on our body and join the movement to promote equal rights and equal opportunities for every living soul. 

Staying Connected

I've grown up in a Jewish community that has constantly been involved in the progression and support of Reform Judaism within the United States as well as Israel. One organization that has been brought to light these past few years in ARZA which stands for the Association if Reform Zionists of America. ARZA's platform advocated religious pluralism, gender equality, and represents United States Reform Jews in national and international Zionist organizations. Fortunately my connection to this organization goes beyond just hearing about it through the news because my Rabbi, Bennet Miller, is actually a chair of the corporation. I've heard him make speeches and talk about ARZA in the past, but never before have I been able to relate and connect with the goals and motives behind the organization until now, being in Israel itself. I am able to connect on a greater level to the intentions of the group because almost all of them relate to my life here in Israel and the lives of the people who surround me. The topics of religious equality have come up a significant amount since I've been in Israel for one, the Israeli government pays the salaries of 260 rabbis, 256 are Orthodox, 4 are Reform and only 3 are women. Marriage equality is another issue because only 20% of Orthodox Jews live in Israel, but marriages are only seen as being legal if they are controlled and conducted by the Orthodox establishment. Throughout the trip, our group has been present for the events that have taken place at the Kotel, specifically with Women of the Wall. We have been a witness to the progression and transformation of women equality and prayer at the wall in particular last week when for the first time in history, a full Torah and service was conducted on the women's side. This event and women's equality as a whole has played an important role in my life and is definitely a reason for my support of ARZA in their desire to gain equality at the Western Wall. It makes me happy to know that the experiences and events that I've been a part of miles away from home still has an impact to what is happening back in New Jersey.