Super Diller...Super Sunday - December 8, 2013

Last sunday marks the third Diller workshop for cohort 7, and also Super Sunday. The day was not only filled with Diller activities and bonding, but also with calls to potential donors and raising money, which every teen took part in.

The workshop began with Avodat HaLev from Seth and Cara, followed by a game of KoomCha. Afterwards delicious munchkins provided by the birthday committee were eaten to celebrate the birthdays of Seth, Max B, and Micaela. After that, each Diller participated in a group activity to find which charities they personally felt were the most worthy of the Super Sunday eanings, showing the importance even a small amount of funding can have on a charity. All of this prepped us for the upcoming Super Sunday calling session.

After this, we were all given our awesome Diller T-shirts!

Then, all of the Dillers headed into a room with other teen participants to be taught how to call people for Super Sunday. During this meeting, we all learned how many different parts of the world and organizations benefit from the donated money thanks to the Federation. We also learned how to react when we were calling high profile people like Bill Gates, or angry and annoyed people like Anitta Knapp. Then, we all got to put our skills to the test and call people to ask for donations.

All the Dillers sat together at one table with a lot of phones. We all helped each other and hoped the others did well. One Diller raised $10,000 from one person! Yet, at the end of the night almost 2 million dollars were raised, showing that when we all work together, we can all make a huge impact. It was also good knowing that some of the money we were helping to raise would go towards future Dillers and let other people have the same great experiences as we are having.

Overall, the workshop was fun and a huge success. We all worked together and raised a ton of money for the Federation while having fun.  At the end of the night, a past diller won a tablet in the raffle!

-Cara and Seth

You're Gonna Hear Us ROAR! November 22-24, 2013

[Prologue]
Dear Parents and Readers,
We decided to keep a blog of all our experiences this year in Diller and share with you the learning we undergo. This blog is dedicated to discussing our activities and expressing our opinions on the latest news and events in Diller. Enjoy, discuss, and feel free to share with your other family and friends!

The Dillers all met on Friday afternoon, where they all greeted each other and loaded the bus. Then the Bus Committee lead fun icebreaking activities like assigned seating partners and questions to discuss. When the bus finally arrived at Fairview Lake, the group unloaded the bus with their personal belongings and headed to their rooms to put their things away. After bundling up, the Dillers headed to the CIT center for a fun night.

Why did the Dillers cross the road? To get to the CIT center!!!

When we first got to the CIT center we lit the candles, a beautiful way to welcome Shabbat. The program planned by the Shabbat Rituals Committee was a really great way to start the Shabbaton! Shortly after, our amazing staff had a spectacular program planned for us. We all walked around silently reading parts of the Kabbalat Shabbat service. Under the Hebrew was a translation and then a question, designed to make us think about how the prayers relate to us. Then, the Dillers had a discussion about how we enjoyed the alternative Kabbalat Shabbat service. After some more activities the Dillers said Kiddush which was beautifully lead by Ross and Meredith, and dug into their Shabbat dinners. The night continued with programs run by Nitay, Juliet, Anais and Max. To end the night, the Dillers gathered together for Ma’agal Laila (Night Circle). The activity was meaningful to many; each person chose a Dr. Seuss quote and explained to the group why it was relative and meaningful to them. We also received amazing letters from Diller 6, imparting their wisdom and advice to us for the next 15 months together.

Back at the bunk, the Dillers sat together in the common room where everyone relaxed and snacked (what bonds teenagers more than food?) Then the girls and boys headed off to their separate rooms for a night of sleep.

I want to personally thank everyone who made the weekend so memorable, it was a weekend that I will never forget. Juliet and Nitay, you two are the best JC’s I could ever ask for I feel so blessed to have you in our group! Max, (AKA DJ KIASK DROP THAT BEAT) thanks for joining us this weekend, it meant a lot to have our great grand JC with us. Anais, your smile lights up a room and everytime I see you my mood is instantly lifted. Lastly, but never least: Leah, you are the most wonderful, special, kind, coordinator out there. Thank you for everything that you do for us. Oh yeah! How could I forget? My dear friends, this weekend I was nervous that we wouldn't get along. I was worried that it would be awkward and I would feel lonely. Thank you for alleviating those fears through your caring, warm, friendly personalities. You are a group of people who make me feel comfortable, loved and welcome. I love you all, and can’t wait for the rest of our year together.

- Meredith Weinerman

Saturday

Saturday morning we woke up and breakfast was waiting for us in the common room. Following that was a group meditation led by our phenomenal Israeli Staff Anais. She had all of us lie on our backs as she led us through a relaxing journey, one in which we were cognizant of the world around us but not fully present in the room. It was an incredible experience, and another alternative Shabbat experience (if you were lucky enough to stay awake that early in the morning, that is!). It put us in a different, more peaceful and united mental space for the day to come. After meditation Anais led us in another interesting activity where we paired up and had to feel our partner’s energy by looking deeply into his or her eyes until we could mirror each other without one being the leader. It was amazing and the beginning of a morning devoted to group bonding. 

We then bundled up and headed out of our new home to the field across the road, where we played a few games and were met by Elise. She led us through various trust exercises in the woods at the camp’s facilities. The first activity was a blindfolded walk, where your partner from earlier had to guide you along a path. This was relatively simple to start us off, (unless you were like me, i.e. dumbfounded when it comes to telling right from left!), but it eased us into relying on each other. Next, we headed over to a dual wire setup where we had to walk along these wires, one partner on each, and lean in to support ourselves as the wires got further apart. This required a lot more trust, and was a lot of fun. Most of us did well, but we were all shown up by Leah and Max when they tried after us! We then went to a clearing with two trees and a log about six feet up between them. It was our job to get the whole group over the log to the other side. Using our brawny Diller boys, we got everyone over safely - though I’m not sure I would say gracefully! This activity in particular created a lot more trust in the group, and helped us bond and support each other through embarrassing moments. The last stop was called an acid river, and we had to get across a patch of land walking only on cinder blocks and planks of wood. This required some creative thinking, and resulted in trios of us squeezing together on cinder blocks while planks were being moved. Forcing us to work together and lean on each other, these activities contributed to the trust in the developing bonds we were creating.

We went on to have lunch at the CIT center and do a few activities, including acting out the week’s Torah Portion in groups. The Torah Portion being the story of Joseph being deserted by his brothers, our acting and attempted accents resulted in the addition of funny Italian and Australian characters to the story. We discussed the forgiveness of Jacob’s brothers and had some fun before we headed back to our cabin for some free time.

We had time to relax, do homework, or play games back at the cabin and it was one of the highlights of the weekend. Max brought out a game called Jungle Speed, which resulted in hilarity as it intensified. Everyone was playing cards, snacking, hanging out and warming up while we bonded. We were already very comfortable with each other, and our budding friendships gave us a glimpse into what the future would hold for us as a group. Before we left the cabin to head back over to CIT, it began snowing and we ran out to greet the snow together as a new Diller family.

- Claire Singer

Saturday Night and Sunday

After dinner we all went outside and took part a very spiritual reciting of havdala. This is where everything got a little crazy. We were told to put our coats on, and then we were each  handed a blindfold, one of Leah’s scarves-that hopefully she got back. Then we were put into a single file line, and told to hold onto the shoulders of the person in front of us. What ensued after that was simply amazing. We were marched into the forest in the freezing cold and snow. We couldn’t see anything in front of us; all we had was trust in each other to keep us safe. After about 15 minutes of blind walking we arrived at our destination. We were sat down one by one, and each given two glow sticks. After everyone was seated but still blind, we were debriefed by Nitay and Juliet on what was about to transpire. The first thing we would do was remove our blindfolds. Then each of us had to shout out our deepest fear, and after that we each cracked one of our glow sticks. After everyone shared their fears, we then individually shared something that defines us as people and cracked the second glow stick. This activity was truly a unifying experience, and really made everyone share something with the group that they usually wouldn't share at this time in their relationships. For me personally, I know I will never forget this part of the shabbaton, and I’m sure it was meaningful to everyone else as well.

We then headed back to the bunk, and had free time before curfew. This time was spent laughing, with Anais playing guitar and singing, all of us hanging out, and the evening ending with the Diller Mitzvah song which everyone got a kick out of. Overall, we were creating strong bonds for the upcoming year.

When it was time for curfew, the boys and girls headed back to their respective parts of the bunk. Little did everyone know that the boys had no intention of going to sleep for a few hours. The boys became deeply engrossed in conversation, and this was no quiet conversation. The girls were up talking and bonding as well in their room, but they managed to do so quietly. The boys were then warned multiple times by Juliet, Nitay, and Anais. After a while they realized the boys were too busy bonding instead of sleeping.. Though this might have been a strenuous process for our Staff, it made for some great laughter and long lasting friendships.

On Sunday to start the morning off we had feedback on the Shabbaton, and committee placement. The general consensus on the Shabbaton was very positive. When the bus finally arrived we piled on quickly as it was extremely cold. As we arrived at the federation we had a great surprise in store for us, it was Diller 6!! It was amazing to see how close they were with one another after going through the entirety of the program. Hopefully our group is like that also. 

We had a brief meeting with the Tzameret Gap Year Program in Israel which made everyone think for a second about after high school plans regarding a gap year in Israel and college. Then we all participated in the creation of a music video that will be sent to our Israeli cohort. Thank you to Diller 6 for helping us with that!! It will also be the first time our Israeli cohort sees us, so hopefully it makes a good impression!

- Greg Artman

Watch the video we made for our friends in Rishon LeZion!

Self-Management Shabbaton!

FRIDAY:

Lindsey and Sarah pose for a picture!

It was amazing seeing everyone after a month apart, but there was a bittersweet feeling that Diller 6 couldn’t shake. After a year together, we have become a family. We began as strangers and turned into life-long friends, and we had come together for the final Shabbaton. The only thing that hadn’t changed was the ridiculous amount of stuff that we thought we needed to bring for a weekend retreat. To Hannah’s surprise and delight, we promptly loaded the bus on time and drove to Fairview Lake for the last time as Diller 6. The drive over was scenic and a great time as always. We exchanged stories about our day-to-day lives and shared memories from our incredible summer in Israel. We arrived at our beloved Wickapeck cabin and jumped into loading our bags off the bus. Everything seemed easy and relaxed. We were all so happy to be together for an amazing final weekend. After we unpacked, we put on our Shabbos best and headed to the CIT lounge for Shabbat services. There, we were served a gourmet meal and given a domestic lesson by none other than our little homemaker herself, Rebecca Cooper. She taught us about formal dinner interactions in different countries and their specific meanings. It was an informative and interesting way to start off Shabbat dinner together. After dinner, Corey lead a workshop about music and how lyrics influence and affect our daily lives. We discovered how music can heal any wound and lift any spirit. Afterwords, we went back to our cabin for a night of fun, conversation, and fighting over who got to hold the Veggie Straws.

A breathtaking image of the Diller 6 cohort.

SATURDAY MORNING:

We began our Shabbat morning with an easy breakfast and a service. For the first time in our history, we had a real Saturday morning service–compared to the frequent alternative services we do–and it was incredibly successful. Eli put our Siddur together, and it was beautiful and personal, so I believe we would all like to thank him for it. It was filled with readings and prayers, so it was engaging and meaningful, and it created a sense of Shabbat in our community. We also had a particularly hilarious parsha of the week, where we acted out the scene of Abraham going to sacrifice his son Isaac with many different accents. Then, in high spirits, we left for a nature walk through the Red Oak Swamp. We got to see some fun stuff, like lighting methane bubbles on fire, and we even got to shake an entire tree (as strange as that sounds, it was actually pretty cool). Then we ended our walk in a separate section of the woods, where all the trees had changed colors, and we were reminded of the beauty of nature, and the peacefulness of Shabbat.  

SATURDAY AFTERNOON: 

Lindsey Max potentially have too much swag.

Seth and Bonder share ahug after a meaningful Havdallah

After a surprisingly delicious lunch of fried chicken, we began the segment of our shabbaton that we do best, free time. At this closing hour of our Diller journey, we value just simply spending time with each other more than anything. Before we are a group of Jews, or a group of leaders, we are a group of amazing friends that can’t seem to get enough of each other. Free time activities included noshing (of course), joking around, and a tad bit of the inevitable homework. By no means is Diller all play and no work, as we regimented part of our free time to work on our tikkun olam projects. It was so exciting to clarify our ideas and turn them into a tangible goal. This may sound corny, but I really felt the skills I learned in Diller come to play while working on the projects. Shortly after, we began our workshop with our resident JC Juliet! Her workshop was about memories that related to our guiding lights, the Diller Pillars. Not only was this a way to recount a lot of meaningful yet comical moments from our journey, but to see what aspects of Diller we really have taken with us throughout the year. We then trecked to the CIT center for dinner time, everyones favorite, mac and cheese. After the meal we dove straight into another stimulating workshop by Annabelle. In this workshop we wrote our biggest fear and our life’s dream on different pieces of paper. As is the Diller way, we discussed how these things made us feel, and how our fears truly do prevent us from doing what we want. As we are released into the world from Diller, it was really important to realize that the only real obstacle we have in front of us, is ourselves.

SATURDAY MA'AGAL: 

Saturday Ma'agal was very special. The committee provided notebooks to each of us and we went around the circle and wrote a personal letter to each of the fellow dillers as well as Leah. They also surprised us with a letter from one of the Israelis. It was SO amazing to hear from our Israelis. But the surprises didn't stop there. Leah had Rachel and Meital write letters to us (even the committee didn't know about this.) A bunch of us cried. It was a very long ma'agal, but worth it. Reading the letters that my fellow dillers was so cool, to think that a year ago we were awkward together and now we are like family is so crazy. I hope Diller 7 experiences that too. Afterwards, we just hung out until the late hours of the morning.

I don't even...

SUNDAY: 

Lauren, Coop, and Eden at the Friendship Circle walk!

Diller 6 shows off their fabulousness in a 
group shot at the Friendship Circle walk!

We had a decent wake-up, breakfast and packing.  We left and headed to the Friendship Circle walk. It was a great opportunity to help out a great cause. 
















We all felt satisfied walking and volunteering to help this amazing organization thrive and raise funds for their new building. Lots of hugs took place and we said our see you laters'.

It happened.

Super Sunday and Final Plans for the Last Shabbaton!

Our meeting began with lots of chit chatting and catching back up. The school year has hit many of us really hard, and we were all sharing in the common misery that is high school. 

We met at Sarah Nelson’s house, and so we headed to the basement to begin our official meeting. We started with a Ma’agal, (a circle,) and used it as a time to catch up as a group, and sort of help each other out with our problems. Because we know no other way, we shared our greatest fears and what was really plaguing our hearts, and it was the perfect segway back into the Diller atmosphere. 

Later, we filmed the song-parody for Super Sunday! We chose to film outside - for some reason - and it was wet and rainy and cold, but we made a fun video which should be super exciting to watch! 

We also split up into our groups for the self management Shabbaton, and had a last minute check-in with Leah, making sure everything was ready. 

I can’t wait another two weeks for this Shabbaton… it’s going to be most definitely an amazing experience and it’s going to end in a way that’s very special to me, at the Friendship Circle Walkathon. 

Also, a gigantic thank-you to Sarah’s family for letting us invade their home for 5 hours while we had our meeting!

A #tbt, (throw back Thursday,) photo by Lindsey Blenden from our very first Shabbaton all together to get us in the mood for our very last one that has come up much too soon!!

Together Again: Moving Forward

This was the first time we have been together as a group since we all returned from Israel. Naturally, we had a lot to catch up on about how our summer was post-Israel and how the school year was going. We had a surprise video call from Meital and Rachel who we miss SO much! It was so great to hear that they’ve adjusted to the college life well and that they still remember who we are. We quickly segwayed into a Ma’agal to just check-in and see how everyone was doing. We then split into committees to start planning for our Shabbaton. We spent a lot of time doing that, and then braked for lunch. It seemed as though we had a really fun Shabbaton underway! After lunch, we wrapped up with our committees and talked about the community service projects that we will be partaking in past our Diller experience. The meeting ended with the blink of an eye and then Diller 7 had their orientation with our very own Juliet Felsen as one of their JCs….Who said Diller 7 was allowed to happen?

Coral sent us a message from the army!

Meital participates in Challah for Hunger at Pitt!

Rachel goes to Hillel at UMD with
Baltimore and Boston JCs!

Annabelle and Max pose with a new member of Diller 7!

From Beginning to End - August 7, 2013

We woke up at 7:15 at the youth hostel right outside Tel Aviv on the last day of our trip. We all were very sad that we were leaving the other half of our cohort family, but we still had a full day of fun and exciting activities. After eating the final breakfast in Israel we broke up into smaller groups and had the final conclusion to the international congress. In this activity we rediscussed the sixth leg as well as talking about Jewish values. With an hour long bus ride ahead of us, most of the cohort decided to take a nap before arriving in Zichron Yaakov, a small town. Aftering touring around the city we headed towards "Mini Israel" which is exactly what it sounds like. There we stepped back from all of our amazing experiences and looked at it from an almost birds eye view of all the historical sights to see in Israel. After dinner we were on our way to Ben Gurion Airport on a fairly wishy washy bus ride filled with many different emotions. Saying goodbye to some of the most unique, friendly, and kind Israelis in all of the Holyland.

At "Mini Israel" we had to answer the questions, Where we found our strongest Jewish connection, Where we found our strongest connection to Israel and its people, Where would we bring the cohort to if we could go anywhere new in Israel, and lastly where would we visit again if we could go anywhere. I found my closest connection to my Jewish heritage in the city of Jerusalem but more specifically the Western Wall. There was just such a strong religious vibe flowing through the city. I could feel, taste, and smell the passion towards Judaism. While at the Western Wall, surrounded by the orthodox men bowing back in forth I finally felt comfortable in my religion and a very homey feeling hit me very strongly. It is safe to say that Jerusalem was my favorite of all the cities that we visited because of combination of amazing history and fun attractions for tourists like me to do. 

In addition to feeling my deepest connection to Judaism in Jerusalem, I also felt my strongest connection to the Israeli people in Jerusalem. As I hinted on it before, being surrounded by such religious people made me feel at home. Being a reform Jew in a town with the majority of Jews being reform, it is not very often to see many orthodox people walking around the streets. First entering the city of Jerusalem for the first time, we drove in with all the blinds down until we finally were in the city completely. That was very powerful for me personally and I'm sure to other Dillers as well. 

When I first wrote down where I wanted to visit again I did not put much thought into it. But during our discussion after the "Mini Israel" tour, Coby told the group that he would've liked to have visited Yad Vashem again. I felt as if the Holocaust Museum was very, very powerful and I would've enjoyed experiencing it a little more and learning more.

During these three weeks in Israel I found my own Jewish identity. For the first time in my life I can honestly say that I'm 100% comfortable with my religion. I am certain that I can speak for the whole Greater MetroWest cohort when I say that we had the time of our lives whether it was with the Israelis or just us. None of this trip would've been possible without the amazing Diller staff we had. Rachel (Rayfo), Meital (Meishort), and of course Leah (Mama Leah) were all so very supportive with anything at all and without them I don't think this trip would've been as special or successful. Sitting on the plane now talking to some Israel natives just solidifies the theories that Israelis really are the most friendly people on the planet. Laila Tov everyone see you in a couple hours.

Corey Basciano

The Light Within - August 6, 2013

Our first full group travel day began early in the morning to the wake up call of roosters at our campsite in Metula.  Our activities began with a tour of  Tzfat, one of the four holiest cities in Israel.  We walked through the different quarters, and learned about the types of people who lived here.  We also met with an artist who taught us about Jewish Mysticism, Spirituality, and how he developed his connection to Israel after growing up in Michigan.  

At the cave of Rabbi Simon ben Yohai, we learned about the 13 years he and his son spent there studying Judaism.  Since our time in Israel is coming to an end, we stopped to reflect on how we grew individually and as a result of other people's actions.  We used the metaphor of each person being a candle and another person reflecting and showing his/her light to the group.  It was meaningful for me to see how close we have come as a group and how we know each other well enough to identify important qualities.  Next, we visited a Druze hospitality for dinner, but not before enjoying a snack of pita druzit in the village.  At dinner, we learned about the Druze religion, culture, and beliefs.  We found it fascinating that the religion is a combination of all monotheistic religions, mainly including Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.  As a Jew who knows how hard we fought for a state of our own, I personally was intrigued to learn about why the Druze do not want the same.  They argue that since they already live peacefully in various countries, they do not want to create violence by fighting for a country of their own.  I think this fact only increased our connection to and pride of Israel for the whole group.  The Jewish people have endured wars to get the country and unity that we are all so proud of, and after touring the country for three weeks,  we cannot imagine the Jewish people without Israel.  This pride is what makes Diller and ISS so important to each of us in a unique way.

- Sarah Nelson

P.S. Shout out to Mom, Dad, Eva, and Taffy!  I miss you so much and can't wait to see you in the morning!!

From 400 to 40 - August 5, 2013

After an incredible 5 days at Congress, Diller 6 said a heartfelt goodbye to our many new friends and departed for a much needed day of fun. We first went to an incredible Israeli water park located on the Jordan River for kayaking. After lunch, Diller 6 put on some oddly dirty life vests and boarded our kayaks for an hour of extreme wetness. We paired of into groups of 6 and the Jordan River turned into a battlefield.  Paddles were stolen, water was splashed, and Dillers were knocked off of rafts, but it was an incredible day. After departing from our war on the water, we showered in suspiciously dirty bathrooms and headed to Metula, one of the northern most parts of Israel and also home to Diller's Israeli director, Liat. The town of Metula lies right on the boarder of Lebanon, an area of extreme tension. But the people of Metula live peacefully with their Lebanese neighbors. While in Metula, we met Liat on the top of a mountain and experienced a beautiful view while Liat explained to us the history of the town in which she currently resides. Afterwords, we went to her home for a delicious meal that was much needed after a week of food at Givat Haviva. It was so amazing of her to welcome Metro-Lezion into her home and provide us with a relaxing night of fun and incredible views. Afterwords, we went to sleep outdoors at a campsite. It was a beautiful night to sleep under the stars and a great way to spend one of our final nights together. 

- Annabelle Hanflig

P.S. Shout out to my Mom, Dad, and cats! Also, shout out to Rayfo and Meital for being the most incredible JCs ever and to Leah for being the heart and soul of MetroWest. Tuna sends love to everyone!

The Last Day of 400 - August 4, 2013

We began the day with a group picture of every Diller Teen Fellow wearing the new Diller T-shirts we got. Then we were given a short break before we began our next activity. When we all gathered in the audiorium, we didn't really know what to expect, all we were told was that there was going  to be a panel of leaders answering questions. Finally, they walked onto stage and the panel began. Tal asked a series of questions about modern Jewish issues and "the Jewish problem".  In the second portion of the activity. In this part, we broke off into smaller groups with a specific specific leader. I had Leah Garber, a head coordinator of the JCC in Israel. Leah's job is to foster and facilitate relationships between cities/ communities in the USA and Canada with cities/communities in Israel. For example, her organization joined Greater MetroWest with Ofakim.  She told us about her belief that every Jew has to have a strong connection with Israel, and part of  her mission is to form that relationship. She told us that one of her struggles is that in New York City, where the highest population of Jews exists (Israel not included of course) only 35% of the jews there come to Israel. She also spoke about how many of the Jews in Israel only think about the Jews in Israel, not the Jews in the diaspora. She recounted that when she finally came to the US to  Pittsburg, and she met Jews not in Israel, she discovered how amazing our communities were and she discovered a new portion of her Jewish identity. This was my favorite activity that we've done, because it gave me such a refreshing point of view and she was also a really cool person. After that we had free time and lunch. We then met with our tribes and prepared a closing ceremony. At the closing ceremony we had a BBQ dinner and all of the groups put on little shows that  were really funny and exciting to watch. For example, my tribe rewrote lyrics to "We Will Rock You" and performed it in front of everyone. Our Israeli JC, Mor Filo, even had her acting debut as she was one of the MCs of the night. At the end the counselors put on a show that included dancing and other songs. Finally, we ended the night with a crazy White Tent dance party that lasted until 2 AM. 

- Josh Cohen

Shabbat as One - August 3, 2013

Shabbat at Congress was both relaxing and thought provoking. in the morning, we had the option to wake up with prayer, yoga, or other alternative minyans, but we also had the option for some much needed sleep. After this, we had breakfast and more time to rest. 

After this, the current Dillers were able to attend seminars led by Diller alumni. The alums, all different ages,  hailed from all over North America. The previous Dillers each lead a seminar about different topics such as leadership, creativity, Jewish idenity, the future, and more. I went to one that was about our identities and how they would change over the future. Our group of about 15 people went around the circle and admitted our personal fears for the future and what we aspire to do with the rest of our lives.  

We ended Shabbat with Havdalah in our partnerships, which was extra emotional because it was our last Havdalah as Metro-Letzion. After Havdalah, the night eded with White Tent, a social gathering amongst all the Dillers with music and food. 

- Eden Posner

PS I miss you Mommy and Daddy but I'm so excited to extend!

The Balance - August 2, 2013

This first complete day of Congress all together began with a sense of excitement and the taste of mediocre French toast. After an early breakfast of 8 am, we moved to our first workshop of the day which dealt with the memory leg of the table. We discussed a few types of memory pertaining to us as Jews, including personal memory, and our collective memory/presence at Mt. Sinai. We then split into North Americans and Israelis to think of events that marked our own countries national memory. We discovered that Israel's national memory was a lot more amorphous and intertwined with Jewish history, reminding us that Israel is before all, the Jewish homeland. This  helped us transition to our next leg of the table, the one I personally feel the most connected to, Israel. As someone who sometimes struggles with their identity as a Jew, an activity in which I got to explore the many facets of israel was especially meaningful. Having the discussion of what zionism truly is with jews both from the diaspora and from  Israel was probably a once in a lifetime experience.The knowledge that half of the people in the room would be receiving their initial draft orders within weeks made me feel a personal sense of responsibility to the state of Israel. This activity only continued to cement my dream of making Aliya, of coming home to where I belong. After a delicious lunch, we went on to our final workshop of the day, choosing a sixth leg of the table, or your own way of connecting to Judaism. It was interesting to see how different each leg was despite the fact we were all Jewish. Most people had others in common with them, but as my mother says "she marches to her own beat" so I ended up defending my leg 'community'  by myself. Having a Jewish community and network is something I highly cherish in my life, and despite being alone, I was proud to speak about my feelings to the rest of the group. The diversity in Jewish beliefs witnessed in the tribes was only amplified by the arrival of the shabbat. We had SIX options of prayer that evening, where I had only been aware of three at most.  I attended the meditation service, which was led by a delightfully pleasant girl named Hannah. Interestingly enough, I felt a Jewish experience from just breathing deeply, but I guess being here does that to you. Sorry to go out of order, but to balance the diversity, and to be my favorite moment of the day, we had what was called the White Parade. Every 2013 Diller in the world, dressed in white, walking  together towards an open field. It is the balance of diversity and unity that makes Diller, and the jewish people, so extraordinary.

Rebecca Cooper

PS Shout out to my family and friends in America, you are the only reason I wouldnt run away and stay here.     

...Crossing Cultures! - August 1, 2013

Diller is sold as an international network of North American and Israeli Jewish teens.  Yet it took until today, almost two-thirds of the way through the Israeli Summer Seminar, for the entire international Diller network to come together.  At 9:30 this morning, the eight Israeli cohorts joined the eight North American cohorts at Givat Haviva, thus ending North American Kennes and beginning the International Congress. Congress, much like Kennes, greatly resembles the seminar that we had just organized in Ramat Eliyahu. It is really interesting to experience the same kind of programming from the other side—now as chanichim. 

We began to digest the lecture delivered yesterday by Avraham Infeld in which he laid out the five legs of the Jewish table. In our first activity with the Israelis joining us, we played several games to break the ice and get to know each other.  Our programming for the day touched upon two of the five legs as described by Avraham Infeld: family and the covenant. We traced our family heritages and genealogies while talking about the values that we value in family relationships.

Congress is giving us the opportunity to meet Jewish teenagers from across the world and bring our own rich histories to the table for an international discussion. While we spend most of the days divided in our tribes with one or zero other MetroWest Dillers, our nightly Ma'agal Leilah allows us to once again spend time with our New Jersey cohort. Tonight, before beginning our Ma'agal Leilah, we celebrated Juliet's birthday with the Rishon LeZion Israelis.  Tomorrow is the second day of Congress. In the evening, the first Shabbat spent with all of the North Americans and Israelis in Diller will begin. While the days remaining in this amazing Israel Summer Seminar are dwindling, we look forward to ending the trip and finishing Congress with a bang.

- Eli Schechner

P.S. Shout out to my sisters and my parents: I already started work on the common app today, so it's all good!