On the Ground in Israel A personal view of our efforts in Israel from Amir Shacham, UJC MetroWest Director of Israel Operations

April 14, 2008

RP2KIOEC

During the last couple of weeks, we have hosted an impressive number of senior leadership on the ground in Israel. They came in delegations, missions, and committees, with special interests or assignments. They visited projects and monitored programs around realms of UJC MetroWest activities connected to various combinations of letters like: P2K, RP, IOC, and IEC. They did a good job in evaluating and planning for allocations. However, if you ask them about the highlights of their visits, they will probably not name a structured project but rather people’s names, incidental experiences, unique scenes, quotes from someone, or unplanned human encounters. The beauty about visiting Israel with MetroWest is that suddenly, when one lands here, everything merges and blends into one concept. The dichotomy between important things like RP, P2K, IOC, and IEC is artificial. Everything is connected, feeding each other, and together

creating the special mix and fascinating complexity of Israel. It sometimes feels like: RP2KIOEC.

Here are a few examples from the last few days:

• The Partnership 2000 steering committee decided to visit Sderot. The town is not located in our partner region and yet it is only 20 minutes away from where we were and represents the “hot spot” of Kassam attacks, and security and social needs. It was a unique scene to see our mixed group of Americans and Israelis walking the streets of Sderot, sitting in the town’s café, and learning about the situation first hand. Everyone in our group heard about the thousands of Kassam rockets that have landed in Sderot. However, it was a highlight to stand in front of the huge pile of rockets and to hear a first-hand explanation by the local police chief. Everyone in our group heard about the thousands of Israelis who come to Sderot to shop, to assist, and to show solidarity. They had a special encounter with a group of IDF reservists who volunteered to spend two days there painting old homes. It was another highlight to be able to support them morally and financially in their holy work.
   
• The Religious Pluralism subcommittee spent the next morning in the Sha’ar Hanegev high school, located within the Sapir college compound near Sderot. We returned to the Kassams and Red Alert land, now wearing our other hat as RP. We heard from the principal, Araleh Rothstein, that the security threat does not prevent them from thinking about and dealing with their Jewish identity. On the contrary, we learned that only by exploring the values and the roots of the nation can one cope with such existential threats. We also heard that in spite of the constant attacks and hatred from Gaza, Araleh believes in the “day after” and teaches his students to seek peace. They are now building a new reinforced school and in its center there will be a synagogue, a secular one. Here again, the complexity and the mix of values and terms build the unique mosaic of Israel: security/Jewish identity/terrorism/peace/secular/synagogue/ today and the day after, all in one session.
   
• We spent a day experiencing the struggle of the first pioneers in the Jezre’el valley up north, to live as Jews, as human beings, and as new Israelis, aggressively leaving behind the old culture and roots of exile. This is a fascinating story that was brought to life for us by our partners Roni Yavin and Moti Zeira, a story of the renewal of the old synagogue in Moshav Kfar Yechezkel and the cemetery of Moshav Na’halal. We sat in that synagogue and went through its old diary. We walked through the paths of the cemetery and visited the graves of the first settlers along with the graves of General Moshe Dayan and Captain Ilan Ramon, the first Israeli astronaut. We spent time with the new generation of the Halutzim (pioneers), listening to the Jewish renewal journey they are going through. These are all highlights that I am sure will remain forever with our group. Again, a unique mixture of defending the country, settling it, and creating identity.
   
• On a personal note: The next morning after everyone had returned to New Jersey, we took our youngest son Yotam to “Ammunition Hill” in Jerusalem. Together with hundreds of other parents, we came there to send off our children for their army service. It is an emotional and exciting moment in the lives of all Israelis, and one could see in the crowd a nice mixture of tears and smiles. The kids, though, were all happy. For them this is the first day of their mature lives; for us it came too soon. Yotam is going to serve the country for four years and, although we already went through it, this is the second child that we are sending off and it comes with unavoidable mixed feelings. When we hugged and kissed farewell, I was thinking about life in Israel, about some of the above highlights of the previous days and about the future. I felt a bit dizzy. Perhaps it was due to the fatigue of the last few days, perhaps it was because of the emotional moment, everything suddenly blended and mixed in my mind. It felt like: RP2KIOEC.

Wishing you a meaningful, happy, and kosher Pesach.

Drishat Shalom,

Amir

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On the Ground archive

• March 31, 2008
• March 17, 2008
• March 3, 2008
• February 13, 2008