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July 29, 2005

Had a great trip to Israel! I painted watercolors of my experience there...

Thanks ARZA for putting together a great trip to Israel for us at Temple Emanu-el in Tucson, AZ! While on the trip, Instead of taking photographs, I made watercolor paintings of all the sights we visited. I painted them as our tour guide took us around Israel.

I even made a painting of our tour guide Muki, and one of the ARZA tourbus.

When I got back to Tucson, the Temple arranged an exhibit of the work at the Temple's Judaica Gallery.The exhibit is currently up, and runs through October 30. After that, it moves to the Tucson Jewish Community Center for 2 months.

To view the article published in the Jewish Post of Arizona please click here. I've also published a book of the paintings that I've made while on the ARZA tour.

I had a very moving, enriching, and spiritually energizing experience while in Israel, courtesy of ARZA travel.

Howard Salmon
Tucson, AZ
www.howardsalmon.com

Posted by ARZA World Team at 10:43 AM | Comments (0)

July 25, 2005

Interactive virtual Herodian Temple Mount is the star of Jerusalem's Archaeological Park

One of the highlights of the Jerusalem Archaeological Park's Ethan and Marla Davidson Center is a real time visual simulation model of the Herodian Temple Mount on display in the Center's interactive classroom.

This model was constructed for the Israel Antiquities Authority by Lisa M. Snyder of the Urban Simulation Team at UCLA following the reconstruction plan of Jerusalem Archaeological Park.

Real-time models are very different from the computer animations that are common today. Animations use a sequence of pre-determined and pre-rendered images and create the illusion of movement along a fixed path. This type of animation is very limited in terms of user interaction, comparable to a rented movie on video - you can play it, you can rewind it, and you can play it again, but little beyond that. In contrast, the individual frames of a real-time simulation model are rendered at the moment of interaction, allowing the user complete freedom to explore the modeled environment. This experience is roughly comparable to a military flight training simulation.

ARZA World travelers can experience the Ethan and Marla Davidson Center and the virtual exhibit on their next visit to Israel. ARZA World is committed to using a holistic approach to the educational experience.

Our programs are designed thematically and introductory sessions (discussions, workshops presentations) precede most topics of study. Site visits are conducted with text in hand, always connecting the various sites to the specific daily and weekly themes.

Posted by ARZA World Team at 09:31 PM | Comments (0)

July 22, 2005

Commission on Social Action/ARZA | Mitzvah Corp in Israel

A brand new program just ended that brought together the resources of the Movement's Commission on Social Action and ARZA - the Tzevet Mitzvah adult Mitzvah Corp trip to Israel. Over the past two weeks, the participants of this trip have been learning about social action issues in Israel as they travel the country and meet with activists and Movement leaders.

Experiences have included painful visits to childcare centers for foreign workers, gleaning fields and speaking with a range of committed leaders who are bringing the values of our Reform Movement to the State of Israel. Each member of this group is gaining a deeper understanding of how Israel is still striving to reach its potential as a Jewish and democratic state that fulfills the vision of both prophets of the bible and of modernity. For a firsthand perspective on how the group experienced last week’s bombing in Netanya click here. For more information on participating in a future program such as this, contact Rabbi Feldman at mfeldman@urj.org.

Posted by ARZA World Team at 03:43 PM | Comments (0)

Israel, Again!

By Rabbi Jeremy Barras (Temple Beth El of Chrlotte, NC)

Yes, I know. I go to Israel a lot. And on August 1st, Susan Jacobs and I will embark on our 2nd Temple Beth El Teen trip to Israel with fourteen 10-12th graders. While we are one of the very few congregations who offer these incredible opportunities to our teenagers, this year we have added a new wrinkle, which as far as I know, is unlike any other program in the country. To learn more about ARZA's new NOAR program in cooperation with NFTY for confirmation classes and Reform youth please click here.

Last year on our inaugural trip, we toured the country with eight participants who experienced Israel for the first time. This year five of them are returning as part of this year’s trip. However, this time they will have a much different itinerary. Although they will fly over and back with Susan and I, and the nine first-timers, when we get to the airport in Tel Aviv, we will then part ways. Our group will meet our guide and begin our tour while the "veterans" from last year’s trip will meet their new friends from Congregation Ohr Chadash in Haifa. Through a connection that was cultivated by our congregant Stephanie Block (who recently spent a summer studying in Haifa), we have worked out an exchange program with Ohr Chadash. Our students will stay with families of their congregation who have students their age. Under the supervision of Ohr Chadash’s talented and innovative Rabbi Edgar Nof our students will have the opportunity to live as Israelis for ten days. In addition, they will take daily trips to various parts of the country that they did not see last year and spend quality time in Haifa getting to know their hosts families.

In the future, we hope that each participant who experiences the Israel trip will opt to return for the Haifa exchange. I know that it is going to be a very positive, educational and transformative experience for our students. Last year’s participants returned from Israel with a renewed love for Judaism and a heightened awareness of their own Jewish identity. There is only one place in the world that can create that type of impact – and that is why I keep taking people there!

Posted by ARZA World Team at 02:35 PM | Comments (0)

Phenomenal Israel Trip!

Dear ARZA Travel:

Just a quick note to let you know that the July 10-20 Israel Trip for Beth Haverim & Beth El exceeded the Young Family's high expectations. Politically, religiously & culturally, it was so much more than just a sightseeing tour. Zvi Levran is an expert guide who goes far beyond normal efforts, & having Rabbis from both congregations wth us, made sure that no questions went unanswered. The accommodations & food at the Dan Panorama Hotels & Pastoral Kfar Blum were very nice. We would recommend your services to anyone. Thank you for your excellent arrangements.

Mark, Jane & Harry Young
Mahwah, New Jersey

Posted by ARZA World Team at 02:29 PM

July 19, 2005

You've been talking about going - now is the time!

No experience has the power to bring Judaism to life like a trip to Israel. And no vacation could offer greater adventure.

You will walk the ancient cities our ancestors walked, climb to the rebel fortress atop Masada (or enjoy the view from the cable car), relax at the Dead Sea, marvel at the vitality of the modern State of Israel, and so much more!

For those soon to become Bar or Bat mitzvah, you can even celebrate your milestone with local Israeli Reform Congregations!

Whether you are a first-timer or a veteran traveler, a single, a couple, or a family with children, we promise you a tour you’ll never forget. So take a journey that will open your mind, touch your heart, and replenish your spirit! For a list of scheduled programs click here, or give us a call!

Posted by ARZA World Team at 03:37 PM | Comments (0)

July 14, 2005

Second group of "Argentina Ambassadors" travels to Buenos Aires

Twenty-one college students from North America recently traveled to Argentina with ARZA World to spend two weeks with the country's Progressive Jewish community.

They stayed with host families in Buenos Aires and spent five days working on social action projects together with members of the local branch of Netzer Olami; the work included feeding the homeless at the Chavurah Social Assistance Center and painting classrooms at the Arlene Fern Day School. As part of their work, they met with Rabbi Sergio Bergman, a leader of Argentina’s Progressive community and founder of a network of voluntary organizations that has fed and clothed the needy during the country’s recent economic crisis. The students also visited a number of Jewish interest sites, including Avigdor, a pre-war agricultural colony for Jewish refugees from Nazi Germany, and the AMIA Jewish community headquarters building, which was bombed in the early 1990s, with heavy loss of life. In addition, they spent Shabbat with members of Buenos Aires’ Libertad Synagogue and Congregation NCI-Emanuel.

This was the second time an organized group of North American college students has spent time with Argentina’s Progressive Jews, the first having been in May, 2003. The Argentina Ambassadors program is sponsored by the Union for Reform Judaism’s KESHER College Department in association with the World Union, with funding from the David Heller Foundation, the Norman Lear Family Foundation Fund for Alternative Spring Break Programs of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, the North American Federation of Temple Brotherhoods, and an anonymous donor. (source WUPJnews #160)

Posted by ARZA World Team at 12:58 PM

July 12, 2005

Israel does something to the soul

(Rabbi Richard Steinberg is the senior Rabbi at Congregation Shir Ha-Ma'alot in Irvine, CA. Rabbi Steinberg returned on July 9th from Israel. Seventy three members of Congregation Shir Ha-Ma'alot experienced the magic of Israel with Rabbi Steinberg!)

Wow, wow, wow..., what a great trip! I can't express in words how magical and moving this trip was for all of us.

The bus drivers, the guides, the participants, the sights, and the experiences were truly something special. Israel does something to the soul and you all helped to make that happen. I am most grateful for all of your efforts and hard work. I could go on and on, but suffice to say, thank you so much for helping to make it happen.

Posted by Rabbi Richard Steinberg at 07:51 PM | Comments (0)

July 11, 2005

e-Dan Club membership is now available to ARZA World travelers.

e-Dan Club membership costs nothing and is now available to ARZA World travelers. The e-Dan Club is an Internet club created by the Dan Hotels Israel. Members enjoy exclusive offers, special treatment, and e-Dan Bonus Points that add up to big rewards. Click here to sign up.

Posted by ARZA World Team at 09:01 AM

July 10, 2005

8 Day - Affordable Israel Program starts from only $1469 per person

New York, NY., July 10- ARZA World launched its new 8 Day-Affordable Israel Program. We are excited about this new program which offers 18 new departure dates to Israel and a unique opportunity.

The program is geared to congregations and individuals and offers value and quality.

The program includes non-stop flights from New York on El Al Israel Airlines as well as first class hotels. Passengers can choose to upgrade at a low cost to moderate deluxe hotels such as the Dan Panorama in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.

The 8 Day-Affordable Israel touring program includes such highlights as a Shabbat celebration in Jerusalem a walk through the Jewish Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem and a guided visit to the Western Wall and the Herodian Mansions. We will also visit the 'Life During the Time of the Temple' exhibit at the Davidson Center and Masada, Herod's mountain palace and site of the Jewish Zealots' last stand against the Roman Legionnaires.

Participants will enjoy a walk along the rooftops of the Old City for a behind the scenes look at the various communities in Jerusalem and how they live together.

In the north we will view the archaeological excavations at Beit Shean, one of the largest Roman-Byzantine cities uncovered in Israel and walk through the Tel Dan Nature Reserve located on the largest tributary of the Jordan River and near the Biblical settlement of Dan.

We will also explore Safed, a center of Jewish mysticism for hundreds of years, and a contemporary artists' colony. For a full detailed program please click here

Posted by ARZA World Team at 08:55 AM | Comments (0)

July 06, 2005

"They say you can see the Great Wall of China from the Moon with the naked eye. But the Walls of Zion are seen with the vision of the soul."

The best things we can share with you are the observations of our ARZA World tour participants. Here they are, in their own words:

Mike and Carol Levy wrote: "What an exciting opportunity to be in the land where it all started, with old and new Temple friends and with our Rabbi and Jane. Spending ten days in Israel has given us an understanding of our roots while filling us with a new and deeper understanding of Israel today."

The Friedmans wrote about sitting in services and hearing the familiar melodies sung with such enthusiasm. [At the services we attended] the worshippers sounded like giant choirs. Myra pointed to the "renewal of my faith and pride as a Jew."

Chris and Max Frank wrote: "We received a great education in the geopolitical, historical, and religious realities of old and modern Israel. In the process we were exposed to the local cuisine that is enriched by the tapestry of origin and culture…every person works hard to achieve success, peace, prosperity, freedom, and progress while defending the small sliver of land from all its enemies..."

Margaret Schmit especially enjoyed seeing the Hadassah Hospital Center for Emergency Medicine and the Mother and Child Pavilion. She wrote "The Western Wall was a very emotional experience for me, and the entire trip just kept unfolding new feelings."

Phyllis Seaman was moved the most by the experience of Independence Hall in Tel Aviv at the beginning of the trip. It really put many things in perspective. Michael Seaman saw enormous symbolism in walls – "we examined walls in detail. Walked on them, saw them at every turn and from every outlook. Some built in antiquity, other raw, keloidal scars of lifesaving surgery. He wrote this verse: They say you can see the Great Wall of China from the Moon with the naked eye. But the Walls of Zion are seen with the vision of the soul."

Bonnie Moskowitz wrote "In 57 years the Jews of Israel have reclaimed the desert, revived the language, grown to 6.9 million, built cities, culture, economic and military might. We saw these things first hand as we heard the stories of generations past. The struggles remain palpable as we found a citizen army and armed citizens at every door of every place we went." She correctly pointed to the internal strife among Jews as the most dangerous threat to Israel’s security.

The Moecklers wrote: "There were people we knew only by face. After our time together, we were a temple family sharing the experience of a lifetime."

Iris Bland wrote: "I have summed up my feelings about the trip. It was really GREAT! Prior to going to Israel I had knowledge of the Jewish experience but upon returning I feel I have lived it! She expressed her personal identification for those who live in Israel:"

Sandy Parker "The trip strengthened my Jewish identity, and awakened my interest in the challenges of modern Israel. How will Israel deal with the challenge of remaining both a Jewish and a democratic state? Will she succeed? I've already subscribed to The Jerusalem Report."

Howard and Janet Solot wrote "We also have finally recovered from the jet-lag, the physical exertion of the trip, and we've caught up with the mail and messages. We feel that you and Jim were great leaders. Beside the planning, explaining and herding, your caring for everyone was very evident. The trip was not only great from a learning and emotional perspective; but it also allowed us to bond with other members of the Temple. It was a great trip, with great memories and it was lots of fun too."

Finally Ryan Warner, radio host of WGCU in Florida. Ryan filed a report on his experience with us on the radio. At first he wondered about safety, but this faded quickly as he got absorbed in the country. Ryan wrote: "This was a very powerful time to visit Israel. Not only did we arrive on Yom Hashoah… Holocaust Remembrance Day... not only did we witness Memorial Day and Independence Day shortly thereafter… we also got a sense for the fierce national debate on Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s plan to vacate Jewish settlements in the Gaza Strip... Israel is an intriguing place where today’s headlines mix with ancient soil... where place with names like "Nazareth" "Bethlehem" and "Jericho" are as common to Israelis as "North Fort Myers" and "Bonita Springs" are to all of us in southwest Florida. Visiting those places is a life-changing experience... for Jew and non-Jew alike..."

Rabbi Jame Perman of Naples Florida wrote: "This is pretty much what happens to everyone who visits Israel. It changes people's lives. and it happened to us as well.

ARZA World is committed to using a holistic approach to the educational experience. Our programs are designed thematically, combining educational and geographical considerations while in Israel. Introductory sessions, usually in the form of interactive programs, (discussions, workshops presentations) precede most topics of study, and site visits are conducted with text in hand, always connecting the various sites to the specific daily and weekly themes. To contact us about your next trip to Israel and the Jewish World call 888-811-2812 or email: groups@arzatravel.com.

Posted by ARZA World Team at 10:04 AM | Comments (0)

July 02, 2005

Naples, FL to Israel with the Permans

(Rabbi James Perman delivered this report to his Congregation, Temple Shalom of Naples, upon his Temple mission's return from Israel on May 20, 2005. Thirty people participated in this 12-day trip. This was the first trip we planned with ARZA, and we would definitely do it again.)

We just returned from Israel three days ago, with little time to reflect. I don't want to go into a "we went here, saw this, did that" presentation, but rather a sense of what is happening there and how it touched us.

Thirty pilgrims from Temple Shalom went on a quest for the very essence of Israel, both ancient and modern. We came back reasonably healthy, still speaking to each other, in fact, still friends, jet-lagged, with heads swimming with sounds and sights and smells and ideas yet to be sorted out. We were a group of congenial, terrific people of all ages who had a great time, enjoyed each other’s company, and watched out for each other.

My message is that Israel is well. It is fraught with problems, many of which are about to be solved, some of which are unsolved, and a few that are probably unsolvable. But the plusses outweigh the minuses, just as in America you’d conclude that a host of sticky issues exist but on the whole, life is good. Well, let me tell you that life is good there, too.

When we started our planning for this trip, I had some specific ideas, and Jane had a wealth of experience to draw from, having done many Israel conferences in her work. We got help from many people both here and in Israel. We all wanted our Temple people to have a unique experience, and we thank many people for their help.

The challenge on this kind of trip is to not overreach and do too much, even though it is tempting to do as much as you can. The idea was to enjoy Israel, not wear out the participants. So, we planned only two hotel changes before we arrived in Jerusalem: Tel Aviv, where 20% of Israel's population lives, and Kibbutz Kfar Bloom, with access to the entire Galilee and the Golan Heights. We were also able to go into parts of the West Bank that were under Israeli control. And yes, we got to see the amazing high tech Fence running through the countryside. We decided that if that’s how to eliminate terrorist attacks, then so be it. There’s been a 93% drop in terrorist incidents.

Being in Israel is like riding an escalator that goes back and forth through time. What serves for 'old' in Naples, say, the 12th Street Dock, or Olde Naples, is utterly insignificant in Israel's time line where the last four hundred years is considered 'new.' We saw archeological excavations that zoom back through layers of civilization, one built atop the ruins of another. You reach the conclusion that nothing in the world is permanent. Every settlement in Israel since the Canaanites rose and eventually died. Even stone, the most durable of materials, is but a temporary medium there. Just as a river meanders through a valley so civilizations flow back and forth.

The past is always being discovered. Everyone knows what the Western Wall - what used to be called the Wailing Wall - looks like. But imagine a tunnel that runs the entire length of the wall - hundreds of feet in length -- called the Rabbinic Tunnel. Just imagine four-hundred ton [!] stones placed along the sides. You wonder, how did they ever move them? It makes you question the notion of progress, as we understand it.

There are so many things one does not expect, things that surprise, that amaze, that compel one's reflection long after the image has faded. One has a sense of a country on the move. There is an energy, an excitement of constant building, development, expansion. Here, it felt a little like Collier County, where housing tracts, instant palm trees and malls out of nowhere appear almost overnight.

Despite the diversity of the land, I have always felt that Jerusalem is the central core of Israel's life. It was fully half our trip. You see the whole country, and you see Jerusalem, and you understand why it has to remain Israel’s capital, even if Tel Aviv is bigger. Our tradition tells us that the very air of the land of Israel quickens the spirit and contributes to vitality, and so it does. When you see the shimmering golden stones of Jerusalem, especially in the warm late afternoon light, you understand why this place is timeless.

We used the Israeli Reform movement as a useful perspective for understanding the country. It really worked. Israel is a vast social experiment, drawing our people from all over the globe, and creating a new kind of society that reflects both the past and the present. That is the mission of present-day Israel. To the extent that it succeeds in creating a home with open arms to all Jewish people, not just the traditional Orthodox, it also succeeds as a country. So we visited the Israeli institutions of Reform Judaism, and spoke with their leaders. We visited a nursery school run by the Reform movement. We saw the cutest little kids you ever saw, preparing to celebrate Shabbat just as our preschoolers do here at the temple.

We explored the whole religious landscape of Israel. We attended Friday night services at a famous Reform congregation in Jerusalem called Kol Han'shama. We arrived a little early. There was plenty of room. Yet, when the service began it was like Naples in high season. The place was packed. The service was beautiful. Our people were surprised that the service and the rabbi’s comments were entirely in Hebrew. "This is a Reform service?" But they quickly realized that if a principle of Reform is that you pray in the language that you speak, what language should an Israeli Reform congregation use?" The service was very beautiful and very elegant and very musical. It was just gorgeous. A real treat was seeing Rabbi David Wilfond, son of one of our members, who joined us for Shabbat dinner at the hotel. He is the one working to restore the isolated communities of the Former Soviet Union. He’s helping us with the Temple's Hineni Project.

Saturday morning we went to services at the Hebrew Union College Chapel, where the students led the prayers. Our Rabbinic, Cantorial, and Education students all spend their first graduate year in Israel.

It became clear that, while Israel is a country that used to be viewed as a charity, today it is a modern day puzzle. There are more cell phones on the street than you see here. I am still trying to understand why it was funny to see a black robed Armenian Christian priest in our hotel lobby speaking Hebrew on his cell phone! In many places you can pay in dollars or shekels. In some ways, it feels so American it is scary: MacDonald’s, Ben and Jerry’s, Blockbuster. Turn on the TV and you see that they’re getting the best and the worst of our civilization. But on the other hand, it remains essentially Israeli, and when you understand the history of Israel, you realize that this is nothing new because Jews have never lived apart from the popular culture, whether it was Babylonian, Greek, Roman, Turkish, British or American. Jane and I have had the opportunity to live outside the United States, and we know the difference between what is American and what is American veneer. Israel will always be Israel.

In the meantime, it was our privilege to witness the miracles we saw in Israel, as well as feeling our joy in coming home to Naples. The best things I can share with you are the observations of our participants. Here they are, in their own words: (It doesn’t cover all 30 of us. It can't, or we'd be here for a very long time. But these are all representative ideas.)

Mike and Carol Levy wrote: "What an exciting opportunity to be in the land where it all started, with old and new Temple friends and with our Rabbi and Jane. Spending ten days in Israel has given us an understanding of our roots while filling us with a new and deeper understanding of Israel today."

The Friedmans wrote about sitting in services and hearing the familiar melodies sung with such enthusiasm. [At the services we attended] the worshippers sounded like giant choirs. Myra pointed to the "renewal of my faith and pride as a Jew."

Chris and Max Frank wrote: "We received a great education in the geopolitical, historical, and religious realities of old and modern Israel. In the process we were exposed to the local cuisine that is enriched by the tapestry of origin and culture…every person works hard to achieve success, peace, prosperity, freedom, and progress while defending the small sliver of land from all its enemies..."

Margaret Schmit especially enjoyed seeing the Hadassah Hospital Center for Emergency Medicine and the Mother and Child Pavilion. She wrote "The Western Wall was a very emotional experience for me, and the entire trip just kept unfolding new feelings."

Phyllis Seaman was moved the most by the experience of Independence Hall in Tel Aviv at the beginning of the trip. It really put many things in perspective. Michael Seaman saw enormous symbolism in walls – "we examined walls in detail. Walked on them, saw them at every turn and from every outlook. Some built in antiquity, other raw, keloidal scars of lifesaving surgery. He wrote this verse: They say you can see the Great Wall of China from the Moon with the naked eye. But the Walls of Zion are seen with the vision of the soul."

Bonnie Moskowitz wrote "In 57 years the Jews of Israel have reclaimed the desert, revived the language, grown to 6.9 million, built cities, culture, economic and military might. We saw these things first hand as we heard the stories of generations past. The struggles remain palpable as we found a citizen army and armed citizens at every door of every place we went." She correctly pointed to the internal strife among Jews as the most dangerous threat to Israel’s security.

The Moecklers wrote: "There were people we knew only by face. After our time together, we were a temple family sharing the experience of a lifetime."

Iris Bland wrote: "I have summed up my feelings about the trip. It was really GREAT! Prior to going to Israel I had knowledge of the Jewish experience but upon returning I feel I have lived it! She expressed her personal identification with for all of Israel wherever they are, but particularly for those who live in Israel:"

Sandy Parker "The trip strengthened my Jewish identity, and awakened my interest in the challenges of modern Israel. How will Israel deal with the challenge of remaining both a Jewish and a democratic state? Will she succeed? I've already subscribed to The Jerusalem Report."

Howard and Janet Solot wrote "We also have finally recovered from the jet-lag, the physical exertion of the trip, and we've caught up with the mail and messages. We feel that you and Jim were great leaders. Beside the planning, explaining and herding, your caring for everyone was very evident. The trip was not only great from a learning and emotional perspective; but it also allowed us to bond with other members of the Temple. It was a great trip, with great memories and it was lots of fun too."

Finally our participant, Ryan Warner, radio host of WGCU. Ryan filed a report on his experience with us on the radio this morning. At first he wondered about safety, but this faded quickly as he got absorbed in the country. Ryan wrote:

"This was a very powerful time to visit Israel. Not only did we arrive on Yom Hashoah… Holocaust Remembrance Day... not only did we witness Memorial Day and Independence Day shortly thereafter… we also got a sense for the fierce national debate on Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s plan to vacate Jewish settlements in the Gaza Strip... Israel is an intriguing place where today’s headlines mix with ancient soil... where place with names like "Nazareth" "Bethlehem" and "Jericho" are as common to Israelis as "North Fort Myers" and "Bonita Springs" are to all of us in southwest Florida.

Visiting those places is a life-changing experience... for Jew and non-Jew alike..."

This is pretty much what happens to everyone who visits Israel. It changes people's lives. And it happened to us as well.

Posted by Jane and Rabbi James Perman at 10:55 PM