A Blind Man’s InSIGHT

 

I had an incredibly inspiring and uplifting experience a couple of weeks ago at my school in Bat Yam.  It all started with the bus ride from Jerusalem to school.  I boarded the bus as usual and then a blind man came and sat in the row in front of me.  I fell asleep and woke up about an hour later and exited the bus.  I took my 10 minute walk to school and upon entering the teacher’s lounge I was surprised to see the blind man who was on the bus with me sitting there enjoying salad and tea.  He was there to give a talk to the students in 5^th and 6^th grade.

He started by telling the kids about himself.  He wasn’t always blind.  It wasn’t until he was 14 years old that he completely lost his vision.  He told the kids that he was expected to have his room clean and bed made just like his siblings.  When he made himself tea he also made his mother tea.  He was just like every other child in the house.  Now he is living in Ramot, Jerusalem married with 6 children.  All of his kids are able to see and live very normal lives.

This man then went on to pass out braille sheets for the kids to look at.  He played a game with them where he showed the braille on a board up front and they had to tell him which letter or number he had made.  He then showed them how he uses his braille machine to type braille.  He showed them his Siddur (prayer book) completely in braille.  He even showed the kids a game he had made so that he can easily play games with his kids at home.  It was very interesting because some of his children are still so young that they don’t yet understand that he isn’t able to see.

The main goal of the visit of this man to the school was to teach the kids that he is just as normal as any of them but he can’t see.  He is able to do anything around the house that his wife needs.  He can live a normal life as a father and member of society.  Yes, things may be difficult for him, but he is completely happy and content with the way he was created and he chose to see it as a positive thing and live life to the fullest.  He doesn’t feel sorry for himself and doesn’t want anyone to feel sorry for him.

He cracked a few jokes to the kids with the ultimate goal of giving them some insight into how to act around blind people; how to speak to them (i.e. to remember that their ears do work, so you don’t need to yell), how to help them cross the street, and how to simply say hello when you pass them on the street.  The kids walked away with the feeling that these people are just like them, but may need your help in giving them the correct bus number or crossing a busy street.

Additionally, he worked with the Israeli government to create new Shekel bills that have some sign on them so he knows what kind of bill he is holding.  As of now, he folds each bill differently in his wallet so that he knows how much he is pulling out when he needs to pay someone.  His idea has worked its way through the government and according to him there should be new bills being introduced to the country sometime in the short term.

The opportunity that was given to these children by bringing this man in to speak to them was one like many children will never have.  To me, this experience was eye opening.  It taught me so much about the important things in life, and how everything we have is given to us for a reason and we should never take it for granted.  He is a proof of this statement and I only hope that these wonderful students took something away from the incredible person they were lucky to hear from.

Channukah

I made a classic mistake on Tuesday (erev Channukah).  I went to the school I work at in Talpiyot in Jerusalem without my camera.  Now on a normal day I would have been just fine, but erev Channukah is no normal day.

The students have been working for weeks on a טקס חנוכה (channukah ceremony).  Little did I know that that ceremony was taking place on Tuesday.  Once I arrived at school I quickly realized that I would not be meeting with all of my students and that something special was coming my way.  I had no idea just how special this would be.

I arrived in the auditorium where parents and students were already seated.  In the center of the gymnasium there were chairs set up with Cello’s awaiting their talented students.  There were girls dressed in all black wearing jazz shoes on the right side.  There was a giant menorah off to the left ready to be lit by the students.  There was a piano, a stereo and two large microphones to be used during the ceremony.   At that point I knew I was in for something spectacular. And spectacular it was.

When 2nd-6th grade students took the stage to play tunes on their violins and cello’s I was blown away.  The sounds that came from that group of students were absolutely mind boggling.  I have never seen so many talented children in one group before.  Additionally, there was a solo and a duet.  The solo was played by a 2nd grade girl on the violin.  Her precision and what looked like effortless playing was enough to make you smile for days.  Then two girls who were in 5th grade played a beautiful duet together accompanied by a piano.  Afterwards the whole orchestra played a famous channukah song together that the entire school sang along to.

The last presentation of the morning was a group of about 60 girls dancing to famous Israeli channukah songs.  It was so evident how much work they had put into their dance, and how proud of themselves they were.  They worked as teams to create such a beautiful expression of their joy for Channukah, and were quite successful.

This Chanukah ceremony was an event that I will never forget.  Unfortunately, I will have to keep those pictures fresh in my mind since I didn’t have my camera there to capture the moments!

Chag Chanukah Sameach.  חג חנוכה שמח

Vincent Van Gogh

The 6^th grade curriculum for English in Bat Yam teaches them English through learning about famous places or people.  For example, earlier this year they focused a lot of their time on London.  The students took time to write persuasive letters to a friend convincing them to visit a particular site in London.  Some examples included the Duck Tours, Big Ben, and Hyde Park.  However, what I found most interesting was their recent study of Vincent Van Gogh.

Most of us are familiar with the extensive artwork of Van Gogh.  His paintings are copied and purchased around the world and hang on many walls in peoples’ homes, including my own.  But what surprised me the most was how focused the curriculum was on his life.  The students learned in-depth information about who he was as a person and the difficult life that he lived.  Students learned the meaning of the word lonely while learning about Van Gogh.  They also got a taste of what it can feel like to be famous and world renowned, but be failing on the inside.  (It is interesting to note that in general people aren’t able to tell from his artwork how sick he actually was.  His works tell stories and are created with bold colors that bring the picture to life).

At the end of their study of Van Gogh, the 6^th grade students created an eye-catching display about Vincent Van Gogh.  One student replicated through sketching and painting “Starry Night” while other students wrote facts about Van Gogh around the painting.  Additionally, a group of students researched other famous paintings of his and wrote brief statements about how that particular painting “spoke” to them.  The end result was an incredible exhibition of student work that catches your eye when you step foot into the school each morning.

In my mind, for these students, this exhibition is a clear meaning of the word “success”.

Ants

I am grateful to have the experience of working with a young student in the 2nd grade in Talpiyot twice a week.  This boy has a personal star chart for each day of school in order to make sure that he is behaving nicely in his classes.  He has a smile that lights up a room and a passion for living things.  So what better subject to be working on together then science.

The first time I met Oren* he was so excited to share his love for animals with me.  He drew a picture that displayed ants living amongst trees, flowers, a sun, and many clouds.  He also drew birds flying through the sky of his picture.  We spent our first day together talking about why he decided those particular animals and that kind of atmosphere.  Therefore, it was no surprise to me when we went to the library to choose our first book to read and he immediately found the one about נמלים (nemalim-ants).  The cover shows two ants feeding each other on a large leaf.  He was excited to get working on Thursday.

Now finding a book in a school in Israel to work with a student on means homework for me :).  I took the book home, sat down with my trusty Google translate and got started trying to understand the world of ants (which is beyond fascinating).  I quickly realized how interesting it would be to compare and contrast, through art, the lives of human beings versus ants.  I decided to only read the first 9 pages with Oren on Thursday because I wanted to have time to begin this project that I hope to continue throughout the entirety of the book.  My goal is that at the end of the book Oren will be able to gather all of his knowledge on ants and present a final project to Na’ama (the woman who runs the program called Ma’aleh that I work in) and myself.

As of yet, Oren has left my class with a star on his chart each day and is showing that he understands what he reads and reads fluently.  It is the beginning of a rewarding year working with students just like Oren.

*name has been changed for privacy reasons

 

Entering a New Phase

When we shift our mindsets from our everyday lives to that of the onset of the holidays we essentially bring ourselves into a completely different world.  We are focused on the meanings of the holidays that have just passed and on celebrating with friends and family, food, dancing, and singing.  But now we enter a new phase.  The beginning of a new year. A fresh start.

In Israel, as I spoke about in my last post, the world around you transforms. One week later, we see another transformation.  People are reunited with their coworkers and the work that they left sitting on their desks 8 days ago.  With no hesitations, life goes back to the way it was prior to Rosh Hashana, everyone refreshed, full :), and ready to tackle the year ahead.

Here I am back at work after not being in the office for 12 days and I sit thinking about my upcoming week.  Two days being spent in Bat Yam and two days working with a variety of students in Talpiyot.  How will this new year affect the children I spend my days with?  What will I do to brighten their day and enrich them the best I can?  These questions as well as many others can only be answered by entering the field each day ready to create change and embrace differences.

Currently I am working with students in Bat Yam on a short comic strip that develops basic conversation skills between two people.  One student wrote all about a trampoline-jumping contest that he won because he jumped the highest.  The young girl in the scene was very excited for him and the story ended with them being great friends.  The second story that was told was of a soccer game.  Through tremendous teamwork as depicted in the simple words and detailed pictures, the team scored the needed goal to win the game.  I look forward to continuing this project as the school prepares for it’s inspector to visit and work with the English teachers to develop a detailed plan for the school’s approach to English in this new year.

In Talpiyot I have yet to meet all of my students.  In fact, I have only met one of them.  I will be working with these students in various subjects such as science, math, Hebrew, and English.  This week we are focusing on learning about each other, and what we all want to get out of my time in their school.  After all, school is about the child, and if we cannot focus on giving them what they need, then we cannot see our job as being complete.  Therefore, this week will be about learning about each individual child and what they are expecting from me this year and what I am expecting from them.

The start of a new year presents many opportunities for growth, learning, and exhilarating experiences.  Together with my many interactions with my students and coworkers it will surely be an experience to keep note for the rest of my life.

 

 

As the City Transforms…

Around this time of year in most countries Jewish families come together and work towards building a temporary home in their backyards.  Walls go up, wood or tarp line the sides, branches of long leaves cover the top and this is the families new home for a week.  Each small home is concealed behind the family’s larger house and is a place where they will eat delicious meals and welcome many guests.  The latter aspect of this home is true in Israel, however the former differs greatly.

Between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur the entire city of Jerusalem begins its transformation.  Where merpessets (porches) once stood empty, now sukkah’s fill the space.  Outside dining halls in hotels sukkahs are built.  In parking lots that are usually packed with cars, sukkahs stand.  Restaurants begin building their own so people have places to eat during Chol Hamoed.  Everywhere you look a sukkah stands proud, awaiting the days when it will be filled with joy, laughter, singing, family, and friends. 

What will this Succos bring for me?  Well, that is a question that I continue to ponder everyday.  In fact, I have approached each of the chagim this way over the past couple of weeks.  It is said that one should enter a chag and come out of it a different person.  The holiday should spark something in you that changes a small part of your heart.  Being in Israel, and experiencing the holidays here has brought a new sense of introspection to my everyday life.  Now as Succos quickly approaches I have to find the meaning for my life in the holiday and use it to better myself.

As the city around me continues to physically transform 24 hours a day, all of Klal Yisroel is in the middle of their spiritual transformation that will only be made stronger by the holiday of Succos.

I am wishing everyone a Shana Tova, and a beautiful Succos amidst family and friends.

Rosh Hashana

Growing up, Rosh Hashana was always a family affair.  Mom made her incredible brisket and carrot ring, we all attended synagogue together, and we often found ourselves enjoying these delicious meals and wonderful moments amongst our closest friends and family.  Then I went to college and worked my way to Hillel and Chabad to try and make the most out of the holiday without my family.  After college I found my place in Scottsdale with an amazing community.  Once again I was reunited with a sense of family and wonderful meals (although nothing compares to that brisket recipe).  And now I have experienced Rosh Hashana in Jerusalem…and what an incredible holiday it turned out to be.

It started off with 3 days of cooking and preparing.  Buying all of the food from the 3 different stores, cleaning the house, and cooking, cooking, cooking.  The house smelled so delicious and we were overwhelmed by the aromas of the carrot soup, chicken, green beans and roast.

   

Everything went onto the blech or into the oven, and I was all set to light candles and head to shul for services.  In Har Nof we are surrounded by an assortment of yeshivas and shuls to choose from.  However, we were very lucky to have a connection with a Seminary that is just down the street that held services for free.  They turned their Beit Midrash into a shul and had wonderful chazzanim throughout all of Yom Tov and a great atmosphere.  Dan and I shared a few meals just the two of us at home and a couple of meals with friends.  It was fantastic. Another wonderful thing about a community like this one, is that when something goes wrong you always have neighbors or friends to fall back on.  We put our blech (hot plate) on a timer so that our house wouldn’t get to be overwhelmingly hot.  At around 3AM the first night, the timer broke leaving us with no way to heat our food for the remaining three meals.  Our wonderful neighbors opened their home to us and let us come in and out as we pleased and needed to heat our food!

Due to the fact that Rosh Hashana was two days and ended on a Friday, we rolled right into Shabbat.  We joined our good friends from back home at their apartment Friday night and took a long leisurely walk back to our house.  The weather was perfect, the streets were filled with people, and it was a wonderful evening.  The next morning we had 4 girls over for lunch, and then 3 of them stayed to play games for the majority of the afternoon.  Our friends from Friday night also came by to hang out and a friend I hadn’t seen forever came by to say hi.  It was an eventful afternoon that was followed by a relaxing third meal with just Dan and I, eating challah and chummus and closing out the 3 day chag.   Rosh Hashana in Jerusalem was an incredible experience.

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On Sunday morning I woke up and headed out to Talpiyot where I visit a school there twice a week.  I had the opportunity to meet a young girl named Yarden.  She has been working very hard to learn English, and it was incredible to sit with her and enjoy 45 minutes of learning and laughter.  At the end of our time together we made each other Shana Tova cards.  After Yarden, I had a chance to sit in on an individual lesson in math with a young boy.  We played Bingo with multiplication and division facts and used markers as a resource when we couldn’t figure out the problem.  He worked so hard, and was rewarded with some time to choose an activity to do before heading back to his classroom.

Overall the days before, during, and after Rosh Hashana have been extremely uplifting and warm.  I guess Jerusalem just has that effect on you!

Freezer Frenzy!

This past week we have been searching tirelessly for a small freezer to buy.  Our refrigerator is not standard size, and since Rosh Hashana and Succos are coming up, we need more freezer space.  So we set off to find the perfect small freezer.  Let me explain to you what a freezer is in Israel.  When it is attached to a fridge, it is normal.  When it is a stand alone it has drawers throughout (this is aggravating b/c it minimizes your space).  They do this to help keep out the frost, because for some reason frost takes over entire freezers and you often have to defrost them.  Okay, back to the story…We were hoping to find a good deal, but things were looking pretty grim because I needed it by Thursday night so I could start cooking on Friday.  Well Thursday afternoon, I took a long walk home from work and walked into an appliance store that had 1 freezer left.  It was 100 shekel cheaper than all of the other ones we had seen so I bought it!

Our new freezer!

Here is where the funny part begins.  We didn’t want to have them deliver it because they charge so much money, and we live around the corner from the store, so we decided to take it and put it in a taxi.  Well, we all know Israelis, and even more so Israeli taxi drivers, and they don’t like to be inconvenienced.  We quickly realized that we were two Americans, standing on a street corner with a freezer, and no taxi was going to take us home.  Meanwhile and man drives up with a big white van and parks in front of us.  He and his son venture into a store nearby and about 10 minutes later come out.  We must have just looked pathetic, because in pretty decent English he asked us where we needed to go.  He then opened his trunk, put the seats down and we loaded our freezer.  His son removed the car seats and reorganized some of the groceries they had bought so there was a seat in the back for me.  Dan sat in the front, I sat in the back, and the little boy sat in the trunk for the short ride to our home.  When we offered them money, the man denied us and told us he was “collecting mitzvos”.  So now I have a freezer to cook for YomTov, and a great story to go along with it.

Here are all of the drawers in the freeze!

Wishing everyone a Shana Tova U’metukah!  שנה טובה

Imagine…

Take a minute to imagine the following scene…

It is 9:30am and you are walking down a long narrow street with apartment buildings aligning each side.  On your left a bright building catches your eye.  It is painted mainly in blue with accents of orange, red, green, and yellow.  You approach the gate at the entrance of the building and are consumed by laughter, shouts, smiles, and heartwarming joy.  You enter the building to find children and adults going about their daily business in an ever so happy and content manner.  This is the Harel School in Bat Yam.

Today I had the most incredible experience.  In all actuality, it was many new experiences all at once.  First of all, I took a bus from Jerusalem to Bat Yam.  It took me through a few smaller cities and then into Bat Yam where it dropped me off about 5 minutes walking distance from the school.  Secondly, I got into the school and began to meet all of the teachers and employees.  Everyone was so genuine and kind and so grateful to have both Helene (this past year’s JSC Fellow) and me there.  One of the most interesting parts of the day is that since Israeli schools let out at 1:30 in the afternoon, the children eat their “lunches” at 10am each day.  When we first arrived, it was right before this time so it gave us a chance to walk around the school and get acclimated. We then spent the afternoon pulling kids out of their English classes, and working with them on various topics.

The Harel school is made up of about 1/3 Ethiopian children.  These students are in a tough situation because many of them are speaking their native African language at home, Hebrew all day in school, and then learning English as well.  This population of students works so hard each day to learn their basic letter sounds and colors.  It is an incredible and unique sight to see.

Every child at this school is set up for success.  They are loved and cared deeply for by each and every one of their teachers as well as their peers.  It is such an amazing dynamic, because the color of your skin doesn’t matter nor does your personal background.  Each child sees their peers as an equal.

Imagine…having the chance to work in this environment in order to create a safe and loving place for many children who will live beautiful and successful lives because of their experiences at this school.

Recognizing Good

There is an idea in Judaism that says that a person should always be able to recognize or see the good things in life. We often take for granted what many of those good things are.  For example, how often do you have to sit on the floor versus on a chair?  We don’t always think about the fact that we have comfortable places to sit and rest when we are tired or want to relax.  However, these are the things that we should be taking note of and being grateful for on a daily basis.

Being in Jerusalem, there is a lot of good to see.  It is a place bustling with charismatic leaders, families, rich culture, and much more.  Everyday  is filled with so many opportunities to learn, experience, and flourish.  Take for example the bus drivers in Jerusalem.  These people are the friendliest people to interact with.  In essence, their entire day is spent punching transfer tickets and checking badges for valid bus passes.  However, many of them take the opportunity to crack a joke or make sure to speak your native language when you need help.  This is the good.  Additionally, the shuk (market) in the heart of Jerusalem is a place that is constantly packed with shoppers.  The clerks are selling the best in season fruits and vegetables, hummus and all kinds of breads.  It is an amazing place to spend a Friday morning shopping.  Everyone is preparing for Shabbat with their families and friends where they will eat good food, enjoy great company, and sing joyous songs.  This is the good.

I could continue on and on about how good Israel is.  It goes beyond the daily interactions you have with the people here, or the shopping you do in the shuk.  It is the beauty, and the feeling you get when you’re here.  A feeling of belonging and safety amidst an ever-changing world.   It is the place where good is great!

When you wake up every morning and walk out of your front door to face the day, remember how much good there is in your life, and then the adventures and learning will begin.