An amazing day in Nazareth

Wow. Today was amazing. At 3 pm me and a couple classmates headed to Nazareth with one of our Arabic teachers. Since the start of the program, we have had the opportunity to study with a couple different groups of students. We used to study Arabic with a group of "Shabbab" (Arabic for youth) who were training for the Israeli army. We also studied with people in their 20s who were merely interested in learning Arabic. Now, every Wednesday, we study with a group of 10 adults who are 30-65. I've noticed that any Israeli above the age of 21/22 (post-army) who chooses to study Arabic, does so for a similar reason; they all have a glimpse of hope that Israel will someday be in a more peaceful situation than it is today. I used the word "glimpse," because many are doubtful.  Especially in these times, I've noticed many people having a sense of lost hope in ever reaching a peace agreement. Coming from America, it's hard to fathom, there are two nations living here. Both of these nations have religious influences on their politics, beliefs, and daily lives.
Back to today.. we met our classmates in Nazareth. We are such a diverse group.. I love it! One woman is a former member of Kinesset (Israeli Parliament), one a pediatrician, one a manager of Cafe Cafe (an Israel Cafe/food chain), and many are retired. Our first stop was a Church. A class full of Jews studying Arabic, visiting a church.. if I haven't made it clear how special of a country Israel is.. idk what more to say.

Apparently in China, mother Mary and Baby Jesus are Chinese

After the visit to the Church, we went to an incredible organization for Arabic-speaking children  with Diabetes. The founder of the organization is only 26, and was diagnosed with Diabetes when he was 19. There are currently over 180 children from around Israel who participate (both Christians and Muslims. Christian Arabs are a small minority in Israel). There still exists a stereotype in the Arab culture that being "sick" with anything is shameful. Many children who suffer from diabetes are too embarrassed to admit it to anyone outside their direct family, and keep it a secret. Such a large part of the Arab culture is being welcoming, and feeding your guests several cakes and other desserts. These children accept the offer, because they don't want to explain why they can't have them. This organization works at decreasing the stigma of being diabetic, and using insulin. These children are taught to be brave, and not fear being open with others about their health conditions.

My classmates, and the volunteers at the organization, introduced ourselves (in Arabic of course), and answered this question. This intro took almost 2 hours.. 

Afterwards, at 9 pm, we stopped at a local Falafel place, and stuffed our faces.. Middle Eastern style. We even went next door and got some Kinaffe (an Arabic dessert which has melted cheese in the middle..yum!). We got back to the Kibbutz at around 10. It still surprises me how much I learn everyday on this program!

Mix of Emotions

It has been over a month since my last blog entry. When I first started my program, everything from cuisine, to the Kibbutz experience, was new and exciting to me. As I approach my 4th month in Israel, most things that were strange or foreign to me have become normal. I feel that I have acculturated even more than when I was abroad two years ago. Commemorating Yom Hashoa (Holocaust remembrance day) and Yom Hazikaron (Remembering the soldiers who lost their lives in Israel) has a much more eerie feeling than in the Sates. Yom Hashoa has always affected me because my Zady (Yiddish for grandfather) was a Holocaust survivor in one of the most horrific concentration camps (Auschwitz). The main difference between Yom Hashoa in Israel, and the rest of the world, is the loud siren that sweeps across the entire nation. Everything stops. Traffic goes to a halt, and everything falls silent. I can't help but get emotional whenever I hear it. Yom Hazikaron had a much deeper effect on me this time than ever before. While living on the Kibbutz, I have become good friends with soldiers from Israel, and also from abroad. Knowing what they go through to defend this country, some without a choice, has been a lot for me to handle. When the siren went off for Yom Hazikaron, I couldn't help but cry thinking about them and what they do every day and how thankful I am they're still alive. 

If you could imagine, there is almost a non existent time gap between commemorating those who have lost their lives, and celebrating the independence of Israel. The holiday's merely blend. 

For Yom Haatzmaut (Israel Independence day) I decided to stay on the Kibbutz. It was a huge celebration with fireworks, dancing, cake, etc. 

It's hard to believe that Israel is only 65 years old. Such a young country, with so much conflict surrounding it. Especially as an Arabic student, I am constantly exposed to many narratives. The day after the Israelis/Jews from around the world celebrate Israel's Independence, the Arabs rename the holiday "The Nakba" directly translating to "The catastrophe." Under Israeli school systems, they are legally not allowed to discuss the existence of "The Nakba." The conflict in this area dominates in all aspects of life here. Whether it be stereotypes learned from a young age, or actual violence, it is imminent. Israel is an extremely young nation, and I can only hope that peace efforts will have more of an effect in the future. After all, neither the Arabs or the Israelis will be disappearing. They live here "side by side," and must be able to do so in a non-violent way. I say this as their was yet another rocket attack into Southern Israel today. I think it's sad that no one even mentions it. The only reason I know is from my Twitter account. As you can tell, these past couple weeks have been a mix of emotions for me. Every week I learn a new layer of the complex situation bearing upon this part of the world. At the same time, I try to see all sides from a neutral standpoint. I have two months left on this program, and I can't wait to further improve my language skills in both Hebrew and Arabic. I am really enjoying my time here, but of course miss my friends and family!! (Shout out to Papa Black for being awesome, and you too Mama Black :). and duh madi. and you too if your'e reading this bro). (and voj. I'd feel like you'd read this). 

J

StandStill

This past week and a half has felt like a standstill. I am starting to realize how intense it is learning another language, several hours a day, almost every day! My brain needs a break. Thankfully, Passover break is coming up soon. Since my last blog entry, there was a giant Purim party at my Kibbutz. My Kibbutz is known as "the cemetery." So.. I was proud when we had the biggest party in the neighborhood! The music was almost all American, there was a smoke machine, and an open-bar. Only in Israel does a party take place in the dining hall. Every other person was chain-smoking cigarettes, in a place where they serve meals during the day. I couldn't imagine this flying in America! Anyways, it was a great party.

Me and my friend Al :)

A couple days later we took a field trip to a place called "Ein Hod." To Israelis, this city is known for its abundance of art. To many Arabs, it is known as a place where Israelis exiled their families during the 1948 war for Israel's independence. The narratives between the Israelis and the Israeli Arabs / Palestinians are completely different. I try my best to take a non-bias approach when learning both narratives. We enjoyed a meal at a fancy Arab-owned restaurant. We ate a disgusting amount of food, as usual.


Yesterday we visited the Green line, separating Israel from the West Bank (controlled by the Palestinian Authority). It was interesting to see the license plates in the W. Bank compared to in Israel. They are different colors. Despite to common belief, the Green line is not a physical barrier. In fact, you cannot even distinguish between the W. Bank and Israel. Below is a picture of my me and my classmates standing in both Israel and the W. Bank. 


Technically, citizens of the W. Bank are not allowed to enter Israel. There is almost no enforcement of this policy though in the area we were in. (We were in an area known as Bartaa). I was pretty surprised at the Graffiti I saw outside a local Arab school. 

The blue writing says "Hamas." Although Hamas is a publicly recognized terrorist organization, many Arab-Israelis/Palestinians support them.

I am starting to realize even more how difficult the situation is between the Palestinians and the Israelis. The Israelis and the Palestinians / Israeli-Arabs have completely a completely different culture, language, and narrative of the 1948 war. Like many others, I am sadly losing hope that there will be a peaceful solution in the near future.

Zaatar!

Helllooo!! I am so glad to be back bloggin :). Unfortunately my computer stopped working a couple weeks ago, but I finally have a new one! (Shout out to Papa Black!) These past couple weeks have been incredible. I am planning on staying here at least through the summer. My Arabic has really improved. All of a sudden I woke up, and could speak! (Well kind of, I still have a lot to learn..) 

Thanks to my program, I have two host families. One Arab, one Jewish. My Jewish family lives on the Kibbutz about two minutes away from me. My Arab family lives in a large city called "Baqa-Al-Gharbiyya," which translates to "Bouquet of the West." I can't begin to explain how much I've already learned about their culture and values. The father, Mufeed, (which translates to "benefit") is a local bus driver. He says he sometimes drives through my Kibbutz! I was surprised to hear his occupation, because his house is HUGE. Seriously, it's a beautiful 3-story home. His wife, faatin, is such a doll! The moment I come into her home, there is always a meal waiting for me! They have 4 kids: Maalak (translates to Angel), Mai, Al-Maas (Diamonds), and Biddih. I absolutely adore all of them! Below are Mai and Malaak. 

When I asked Maalak (18) if I could take a picture of her for my blog, she told me of course, but she had to put her hijab (head-covering) on first. Maalak and her mother wear Hjiabs outside the home, but Mai (15) and her sister do not. Malak explained to me how it is a personal choice. Her parents never pressured her to wear one. Maalak and both her parents pray 5 times a day. The other siblings do not. 

I spend time with my host family 3 hours every Thursday. Lately, I have been going back for a couple hours on the weekend as well. The first hour (on Thursday) is supposed to be devoted to English, and the rest Arabic. Conveniently, Maalak speaks fluent English. She helps translate between me and Mai if we ever can't understand each other. All of us like the show "Pretty Little Liars" (Yes I just admitted that), so we sometimes watch an episode and translate in both languages. The last time I was at their home I made Zaatar bread from scratch! Sooo delicious. 

I swear all I do in this country is study Arabic and eat!!
Last weekend, many of their relatives from the neighborhood came to see me. None of them had met an American before. One of their cousins is an English teacher! I am supposed to go shopping with her tomorrow, which I am looking forward to. I think it's pretty incredible that in the same day I can spend lunch with an Arab, Muslim family, and then have Shabbat dinner with my Jewish family on the Kibbutz. Israel is a truly unique place.

On the move

Thursday morning we started our day at Kibbutz Mishmar HaEmek. Mishmar HaEmek is different from Kibbutz Barkai, because it is NOT privatized. All Kibbutz members share their entire salary. Interestingly, members of this particular Kibbutz are considered to be part of the upper-middle class. Because all salary is divided equally, no one has to individually pay for heat/water, housing, or even food! (Breakfast/ lunch/dinner are provided in a dining hall.) Me and my fellow group members could not believe the massive amounts of food in the dining hall. We must've appeared like we've never eaten before! I had 4 types of potatoes on my plate, and may have gone up for thirds... Only thing missing was a dessert bar. Some lady told us the only way to get into Mishmar HaEmek is by marriage, since there is a very long waiting list.

One of our guides, Lydia, took us to her new home. She has been on the Kibbutz for 45 years, and made Aliyah from London.

Mishmar HaEmek has an incredible history. Founder Kibbutz members helped fight for independence in 1948. We conversed with an older man, Aleesha, for an hour about his experience on the Kibbutz. He explained to us how he was good friends with Arabs from the area before they became refugees. He used to play with them when he was young.  One day he went to visit some of them at a nearby refugee camp, and was shot in the head. To this day, he still has a bullet somewhere in his head.
Mishmar HaEmek is also home to the first Holocaust children's memorial.

This architect of the model created the woman with disproportionately longer arms. The reason behind this was because many felt as if they didn't have long enough arms to protect their children during such awful times. The memorial presently has bullet marks in it, from bullets that were shot during one of the wars.













Later that day we went to many tour sites, including a national park with several caves. These caves contained the tombs of many historical Rabbis. It was very cool to see, because it reminded me how far back the Jewish connection is with the land of Israel.

Supposedly the inspiration for the Menorah on one of the Israeli coins 

 

Ran into some Israelis practicing martial arts, naturally.

This morning I went to a birthday party with my Kibbutz host family.  Everyone there was excited to practice their English with me. I found the party to be much different than a birthday party in the states. The only form of "entertainment" was food, and each other. (opposed to a disney princess showing up, or a jumpy castle). The very first thing we did was "La-Chaim" (take a shot) to the 3 year old birthday boy. I had an Amaretto shot at 10 AM. (That's a first). I had some really interesting conversations with many of the people there. When they found out I was learning Arabic with Givat Haviva, there was a unanimous response. All expressed some sort of disappointment that there still isn't peace in this part of the Middle East. One older lady told me she participated in Givat Haviva almost 50 years ago. (Givat Haviva is the program I am studying Arabic with. Their goal is to open a dialogue between Palestinians and Israelis, and face stereotypes head-on.) I was disheartened when she told me she has lost much hope over the years. She used to be extremely active in bridging the gap, but recent times has shed some doubt. I can only hope we see a progression towards a peaceful solution in our generation.

Givat Haviva - Week 2

At the beginning of the week, me and a couple others from my program visited a town called Baqa Al-Gharbiya where we met an Arab woman named Halima. We arrived at her house where her husband gave us fresh pomegranate juice. We then headed to the old cultural center in Baqa which is now being renovated into a public library. Halima and her husband have been working on this library since the summer, 8 hours a day. Halima explained to us how the general idea of a library is new to the Arab world in this area. Libraries only existed in people's homes. The state of Israel provides the funding for public libraries which is completely dependent on the number of citizens in a given area.  Funding is equally allocated between Arab-Israelis and Israelis in Israel. 

 

The next day we headed to Jatt, another Arab city. We went to an Arab community center where we sat in on a Hebrew lesson. The teacher of the class was an Israeli who converted from Judaism to Islam. When asked her why she converted, her only response was "I've always loved Islam." She spoke Arabic with an Israeli accent. We then headed to an art center, where we met with Arabs participating in a painting class. We spoke with them one-on-one for about half hour, in Arabic. The girl I spoke to was 20 and already married for a year. She was still very excited about being married and showed me her wedding pictures. She was surprised when I told her that people in America don't usually marry until much later. 

 

The day after we visited an Arab-Israeli/Jewish school. This phenomenon of having a mixed school with both Jews and Muslims is almost unheard of in Israel. Schools are mostly segregated, only about 3 or 4 mixed schools exist in the entire country. The school we visited is the only one to exist in an Arab village, opposed to a Jewish settlement. It was a very cool experience seeing both Jewish and Muslim children learning in the same classroom. I helped a little Arab boy with his math, (to the best I could with the language barrier!) and then hung out with a young Israeli girl.  Me and the Israeli (Jewish) girl spoke to each other only in Arabic! We also sat in on one of their science classes where they were learning about plastic. There were two teachers; one who spoke in Arabic, and one who spoke in Hebrew. They switched off teaching the class to make sure all students understood the lesson. All classes are combined except for the language classes, where students study their non-native language. (i.e. The Jewish Israelis study Arabic).

Helping a 1st grader in math 

Combined classroom with Jewish and Muslim students 

1st grade 

"Welcome" in both languages 

Hanging out with an Arab-Israeli and an Israeli student 

This week was full of eye-opening cultural experiences. Today we visited a nearby Kibbutz, which was much different than the one we are currently living on. (Kibbutz Barkai). I will explain the differences between a privatized and non-privatized Kibbutz in my next blog. For now, I have to get back to studying!

XO from the holy land :)

Kibbutz Barkai

Kibbutz Barkai has been my home since last Friday, the 17th. The Kibbutz is located in a region called Wadi Ara. (1 hour North of Tel Aviv). It is surrounded by several Arab villages, mostly inhabited by religious Muslims. The Kibbutz is nothing like I thought it would be! For some reason I pictured it being a huge red barn with animals walking around. The kibbutz is home to a couple hundred families.  It has its own kindergarden/daycare, dining hall, laundry service, and even a pub! My first night on the Kibbutz, me and my classmates grabbed a beer and met a couple Kibbutznicks.

Below are some pictures from a chill place on the Kibbutz where locals come and hang out. 

The program I am on is called Intensive Arabic Semester. I am one of 7 students on the program. Five are from the US, and the other two are from Australia and London.  All of us came to Kibbutz Barkai to learn, or improve our Arabic. We study mostly the spoken dialect of this region, but also have been discussing the recent elections in Israel, and current events in the Middle East. 

There was a voting center on the Kibbutz

Below is the building I live in. I have a roommate, also from the US. Before this program, she lived with a Druze host family in the North, where she learned most of the Arabic she knows now.

The classroom we study in is also a bomb shelter 

Last week we went on a field trip to a nearby city called Umm al-fahem, which translates to "Source of Charcoal." We sat in a local coffee shop, where they also served nargila (Hookah). We conversed in Arabic with a local of the town, Muayid. He explained to us how Arab communities are tight-knit. Until one is married, he/she lives with his/her family. If one decides to leave to study in a University, he/she just about always returns back home.  He said he really enjoys his life in Umm al-fahem.

Tomorrow, me and a couple classmates will be going to another local Arab town to interview a woman about her daily life (in Arabic of course!). Later this week we will volunteer at a local school whose students are both Muslim and Jewish! The school is unique because it is the ONLY one in Israel that is located in an Arab village, opposed to in a Jewish settlement. I am looking forward to exploring the nearby towns and improving my Arabic.

My awesome group I will be spending the next 5 months with :)