Monday, July 30 - Last Day of Congress

Greetings Diller parents and friends!
I am writing to you as our last day at the Diller International Congress sadly comes to an end. It has been an amazing and action packed week, and each and every one of us has had an experience that shall never be replicated.

Today started off with an out of this world breakfast that lead to an early (well, we all thought it was)morning activity in our color groups, and after a short break we had yet another morning activity in our color groups. Lunch was surprisingly edible and after lunch we had some much needed break/pool time. We then gathered back in our color groups to plan out our skits for the closing ceremony. It’s amazing what you can accomplish when you put 24 teen leaders in a room together. At the closing ceremony we all got to see each others’ skits and we even got to watchour junior staff give us their renditions of “things chanichim say”, or stuffthat we the fellows say.  The ceremony was concluded by Diller co-director, Liat singing a song dedicated to all of the wonderful Coordinators from the different partnerships.

With the heat and humidity, the white tent (teen hang out spot) has turned into a watergun fight that involves music and dancing. I will really miss congress and all the new people I met it was a learning experience that taught me about both friendship and Judiasm. The five pillars of judiasm were instilled into us and now as Jewish leaders we can spread our ideas and help the jewish world continually grow in a manner that will help the Jewish world prosper.

- Julian Amkraut

Sunday, July 29 - Covenant & Memory

We first started off our day with an early morning breakfast at 8:30 with delicious assortments of salad and berakas. From there, we then went to our color groups to learn about the covenant (brit). The covenant, one of the five legs, describes the contract between the nation of Israel and God. We then had a much needed break where we watched the Olympics.

Then, we went back to our color groups and discussed another leg of the table – memory. We talked about our past as a joint nation and how it affects us. After, we had lunch.

After lunch, we were extremely fortunate to meet fifteen of some of the most renowned Jewish leaders in the world. I had the pleasure of meeting Michael Biton. He was a mayor of a city in Israel and was extremely cool to speak with as he gave his advice and opinion on how to become a better leader.

After meeting with the speakers, we then met with some Diller alumni who are leaders in their careers today. My Diller alumni, Natanel, talked about the legal immigrants coming in from Sudan, to Israel. After this, we had dinner and learned about other ways after Diller to still make an impact in our Jewish community. Straight from there, we went to our ma’agal lilah. We had a nice refreshment in twizzlers.

-Zach Broder

P.S. Mom and Dad I love you, and YES I am brushing my teeth!!!!!!!!!!!

July 28 - Shabbat!

It was so great to wake up Shabbat morning in Givat Haviva knowing that I was surrounded by 200 other Diller Teen Fellows from around the world. After breakfast, we started our day with a morning meeting with our cohort. Throughout the day we had multiple workshops and discussions, one of which was about the ‘family leg’ of the ‘five legged table’ that we had learned about from the speaker, Avraham Infeld. It made us miss our families very much, especially when later in the day we received the letters that you parents wrote to us. It was overwhelming for some people, but in the best way possible, as it reminded us of how much we love all of you back at home. After sharing some tears, we had break where a lot of the guys hung out together and it was a great bonding experience for us. After dinner, we had Havdallah, which was a little different than usual because of the fast day of Tisha B’av beginning. Most of us were bummed that the overall feeling wasn’t normal because we couldn’t make the blessings and we couldn’t sing them in the very much loved tune. Tisha B’av is the day we remember the destruction of the two holy temples, and we commemorate the day by fasting and an overall feeling of a somber mood.  Later during that night we had a seminar for learning things about Tisha B’av. We talked about different customs and what the sad holiday is all about. Learning all together as a community with sixteen different cities from America and Israel made the start to the holiday very meaningful and something I will always remember.  

-          Nathan Ullman

P.S. mom and dad I got your letter, it was very meaningful and made me miss you a lot. I can’t wait to see you guys when I get back. Love you!

Friday, July 27 - First Day of Congress

First day of congress has arrived meaning that we’ve already been here on Givat Haviva for three days and 120  Israeli Diller Teen Fellows joined us. Crazy, right? Right. The North Americans had a really great two days together, and to be completely honest, were a little anxious about having an extra 120 Israelis mixed in to the melting pot of Jewish diversity. The Israelis showed up group by group until we saw our partnership cohort Rishon L’zion. We greeted them with shouts of joy as if the two days without them was actually two months. All three hundred of us piled into the auditorium for opening of Congress, and cheered for our partnerships so loudly that I’m surprised no one heard it at home. The anxiety was gone. The Israelis were divided into the groups that we already were a part of and we proceeded to play ice breakers and get to know them. Much to my surprise, the doubling in size of the color groups only helped the conversation topics presented to us by the staff. The Israelis brought unique perspectives and opinions to the table that the Americans alone did not think of. Today was a fun and tiring day and I think I speak for almost everyone here when I say I can’t wait for Shabbat together as an entire Diller community.

- Eric Lederman



Thursday, July 26 - Second Day of Kennes!

Second Day of Kennes!!! (But blogging from a later date due to Shabbat). On that day, we had a motivational speaker who was equally hilarious and inspiring and was able to keep the majority of us awake even though we were so tired. Avraham Infeld spoke to us about what he referred to as the 5 legged table of Judaism. What possibly has 5 legs? We were a bit confused. He explained that a table is at its strongest when it stands on 5 legs, but it could also stand on 4 or 3 legs. The mission was to have us relate and incorporate at least 3 of the 5 legs into our lives. But the 5 legs don’t exactly refer to a table. They refer to the staples of Judaism and what we can take away, and also what we can give back.

Leg #1: Memory. It is imperative that we remember history as if it happened to us. During Passover each year, we are told to pretend as if we were the slaves coming out of Egypt. The Jewish people must live their lives as a collective memory and never forget.

#2: Family. Family is an essential part of all of our lives and we’ve really come to realize it on this trip. Learning about what a Jewish family means to us, struck a chord in our hearts. I think more than a few of us were a bit homesick. I realized how much I appreciate my family and how hard it is to be without my parents (though fortunately, I have my sister). But we have also created a new family; a Diller family.

#3: Mount Sinai. This key point illustrates the Covenant we made with G-d. This was a crucial point in Jewish memory/history, yet most of us felt the least connected to this specific event. So for each leg, we have a workshop to further discuss and enhance our understanding of the different aspects of the “table.”

#4: Israel. Being here in Israel, we felt like we had stepped into a new home. So many of us feel the connection to Israel and will keep this strong bond for life. Israel is important to the Jewish people, and I feel privileged to have set foot in this land.

#5: The Hebrew Language. Most of us are probably not fluent and can only say a few words in Hebrew (and that’s okay). But being able to pray/sing/or simply enjoy the language of our ancestors is something truly special.

As leader of the day, I felt obligated to keep everyone informed about what we are doing in all those workshops. I’d be lying if I said all of us were awake, but we are all having a good time.We have really come together as a second family and I think together, we can stand against almost anything. So with that, lilah tov! It’s time to pass the torch onto the next Diller super hero.

-Daniela

Wednesday, July 25: “Yaaaa-lelelelelelelelelelelelelelelelele!”

When the time came for me to become leader of the day, I dawned the hat and cape with pride knowing that today was going to be awesome.  It started early, 6:45am to be exact.  The first thing that Yuval Bensal, my Israeli co-leader, and I accomplished was a special birthday wake-up for our Junior Counselor Aliza.  Secretly, we woke up all the Dillers and sang “Happy Birthday”, while our coordinator Leah created balloon animals which could be a dog, a crown, or a backwards parrot depending on how you held it.  We then gave Aliza her birthday presents: a very luxurious passport case from her mom and a tote bag which Rachel Forman described as “Super, super, cute”. 

After yet another delicious breakfast of Borekas and cottage cheese, we greeted our friends with a song describing why it was going to be so much fun while Bensal and I “had absolute power, for at least a couple of hours”.   Then, with the help of duct tape and fake mono-brows and mustaches, we became the supreme leaders Saleem and Achmed, the perfect guides to lead Diller through the Druze village. 

                “Attention!  The supreme leaders of the day have an announcement”, said Achmed/Bensal.

                “Yaaaa-lelelelelelelelelelelelelelelelele!”, I said in response. 

Once the Dillers overcame the shock that Achmed and Saleem were actually Bensal and I, we organized some warm-up games.  “Wah” was played, and so was “Jamousse”, but unfortunately they were cut short because it was time to depart our first stop.

Around 45 minutes into our hour ride to the Druze village called Pik’in, Bensal and I read some fun facts about some of the Jewish residents of the town, all of whom live peacefully together and for more than 2000 years.  When we arrived the first place we visited was the cave of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yocahi, also known as the Rashbi.  Our tour guide Lior told us the history of the cave, telling how the Rashbi hid in the cave for 13 years and could even burn people with his hard gaze.  I think that would be a really cool super power. 

Our next stop was at an ancient synagogue.  It wasn’t very big, but it proved that the Jews had always been in the Holy Land, and is on the back of the 100 Shekel bill.  We took a quick look around, and started walking to lunch at the Druze Hospitality.

The Druze hospitality was amazing, the mood was cool, the food was great, but most importantly it had some of the best air condition we’ve had in Israel.  After filling ourselves with Drewish food, we sat down with a Druze to learn about the Drew’s religion.  After that long talk, we got onto the bus and got ready for congress.

We did a lot on the bus to congress: we wrote our song, planned our entrance, and applied superhero face paint to prepare for our first meeting with the other hundred North American Diller Teen Fellows.  As excited as we were to go to congress, we were also sad to be saying goodbye to our friend/tourguide Lior and our Israelis.  When we arrived at congress, we had the pleasure of hauling our fifty pound bags what felt like miles in the scorching Israeli sun.  Yet, when the opening ceremonies started, everyone was full of energy.  Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Montreal, L.A., San Francisco and now Metro west were now all present.  Each cohort had a skit and a movie, and of course ours was the best. 

Next we split into color groups for some activities.  Eric and I were in the dark green group, and after an hour and a half of ice breakers I could feel that this congress was going to be fun.  The last part of the workshop had us learning about our Jewish history, and just how we, as Jews, managed to come to North America.  We closed the night with a deep ma’agal, and then went to hang with our new friends.  It was an exhausting day, but one of the most memorable of the trip so far. 

- Noah Lisser

Living on the Border - July 24, 2012

On July 24, we started the day by heading to Tzfat.  We learned about the religious views of the people there.  The Kaballah center of the world is in Tzfat and so many residents are very mystical in Kaaballistic learnings.  After learning about Kaballah and Tzfat ‘s role in past societies, we were able to go to a synagogue and view the beautiful murals all over the walls.  Next, we visited a candle shop.  They made amazing representations of religious and pop culture scenes entirely out of wax along with a large assortment of different candles.  My favorite was the representation of Samson pushing away columns from the biblical story of Samson and Delila.  At the shop, workers were creating new candles in front of a glass screen so that visitors could see how different candles were made and they gave out some of the new candles they made for free.  Finally, we were given free time to visit the shops at Tzfat and explore the city even more by ourselves.Next, we got on the bus and climbed up the Manara Cliff to a beautiful lookout point. We could see really far into the distance.  I really liked seeing the farms in the distance and the contrasts between the mountains and valleys. 
After taking a cable car down the mountain to the bus, we were on our way to the Jordan River.  The bus ride was short and everyone was really excited to go rafting.  Once we got there, we split into groups to raft.  We started off in a river close to the Jordan, until we met a split in the river that signified that we had entered the Jordan River.  I had a lot of fun sitting in the middle of the raft while Zach Broder and Julian Amkraut paddled for me.  We got shot at with water guns by every raft we passed, including non-Dillers!  The Jordan River flowed slowly and was deep, so the ride was very mellow and special for me.

Once we changed, we headed to another lookout over Metulla and met Liat, Co-Director of Diller in Israel.  Since Metulla is so close to Lebanon, we actually went to the border of Israel and Lebanon and a few kids picked apples.  We then went to Liat’s house and had dinner and were taught about Metulla’s role in Israel’s history.

Finally, we drove a few minutes to a place where we camped out.  It was extremely close to Lebanon, and we saw the Israeli soldiers potrolling.  The Israelis and Americans each had their own Maagals and we all attempted to sleep as best as we could inside sleeping bags on top of a thin mat over the ground.

Ultimately, it was a great day, but was one of our most eventful and tiring.  The experiences that I personally encountered are things that I will always remember with my Diller family.

-Coby Levine

The first full day with the Israelis! - July 23, 2012

Today was definitely one of the best days on the trip so far. We had our first full day with the Rishon LeZion group and we were back to being a big Metro-Letzion family. Breakfast was at 8 AM which is always too early for everyone to wake up and get ready. We started the day off with an amazing hike called “Madrasa” in the Jordan River. We hiked in the river with water up to our hip for about 2 hours. The hike was really fun, everyone getting wet, splashing, and joking around. We ended the hike with one more obstacle to get through. While exiting the river we had to avoid a huge bee hive with hundreds of bees swarming around. Marisa Parnes was very scared of bees and with the help of her friends, she overcame her fear and just ran through the bees and survived.  Next we all changed our clothes and went to a barbeque on the Kinneret/Sea of Galilee. For me this was the best part of the day and maybe the trip thus far. We all had a fancy BBQ lunch and went in swimming in the Kineret. There was music blasting, people were jumping off the dock, and enjoying the beautiful views. Everyone had a great time all together at the “Diller Mesiba ba Kineret.”

Then we went to a lookout point in the Golan Heights called MIspeh LaShalom and saw beautiful views over the Sea of Galilee. The water was so clear and still, it looked like we were looking a huge sheet of glass. We stayed there for about half an hour and took a big group picture. Then we loaded the bus and headed back to the Kibbutz Sha’ar Hagolan for an activity. The activity was planned by me and Omer as we were both leaders of the day. We played a game called the Blind Fold Shoe Shuffle. Everyone was laughing and having fun. Then we had tour of the kibbutz and learned about the ancient artifacts found here and artillery and bunkers found there from the Independence War.   The Kibbutz community was actually started by a small group of people from Rishon LeZion and moved to the north in order to protect the border between Israel and Lebanon.

After a long day we had a nice big dinner at the kibbutz. Next we all showered up, changed, and had a Ma’agal Laila. This was a very meaningful Ma’agal Laila and I think everyone got something important out of it. The Americans were very tired and went to sleep right after the Ma’agal Laila, but as usual the crazy Israelis who never get tired wanted to stay up for a few more hours. Today was an amazing day and we can’t wait for the next.

-          Ben Sabin

July 22, 2012 - Carrying on our history...As leaders.

The Holocaust was a terrible tragedy and more and more people should learn about it so that nothing like it happens again. Yad Vashem and Har Herzl were both very emotional experiences. Our day began with a visit to Yad Vashem, the Holocaust memorial museum in Israel. Yad Vashem was designed in an arch with the walls facing in, which is to make it feel like it is caving in on us. At first, we watched a video that showed how the Jewish people were before the holocaust. To walk through the building we went through a journey that someone back then would have went through.  I learned many things,  but one thing that really stood out was that the yellow star that the Jewish people had to wear which I learned was not only to make them stand out but also tell others that they have a type of disease so others will stay away from them. Another thing that was really amazing was we saw a room, that was covered in tons of pictures of people. Behind us, there was a well with water in it and when we stared at the well, suddenly, we could barely see the reflection of the faces. This symbolizes that once a person passes away, to remember them is to tell their story to other people. At the end of the museum, we looked out and saw Jerusalem. This moment was amazing because it represented time passing on and after all we have been through this is what it has come to.
After Yad Vashem we walked up to Har Herzl. Har Herzl  was amazing because we could see the graves of all of the soldiers that passed away. Not only were they just soldiers, but they took it to the next level and did something amazing for Israel. After the sad part of the day was over we headed to a rose garden to eat lunch and debrief.

We all were talking about our experience we just had while eating some lunch. After about three bites of my pasta we see a random group of kids out of the corner of my eyes running. I thought they were crazy to be running when it was so hot out. Then, as soon as we recognized it was our Rishon Dillers approaching us, we all went running towards them. It was amazing,  after all the passed time the bonds we made on the NAS were still there. This is just the beginning of our time together and it has already been amazing. I can’t wait to see what else is to come.


- Rachel Scheckman  



July 21, 2012: Shabbat morning, the Old City, and Havdalah at the Kotel

Since this trip is my first time in Israel, I have obviously heard many generalized things about how this trip is supposed to go. Visiting Jerusalem and the Kotel was, of course, made out to seem like the most incredible experience anyone religious could ever have. I personally have always thought that was over exaggerated and it would be nice, but nothing too special. I can honestly say that I have never been more wrong about something in my entire life. The second we entered the Old City, my heart started racing, and I could literally feel the butterflies in my stomach. We went up on a balcony and saw the Kotel from a distance, and at that moment, I began to think a million things at once. This spot is the center of Judaism, this spot is the ‘east’ that everyone looks at when they pray, this spot is literally the most Holy spot in the entire world, and I am lucky enough to get to be here. It was unexpected, but I began to cry the happiest tears I have ever cried before. I was literally overwhelmed with the whole thing, and I couldn’t wait to get closer. Walking up to the Kotel was breathtaking. The Diller girls and I took our Sidurim and made our way to the wall on the women’s side, which was significantly smaller than the men’s side. It was hard to focus on the Havdallah service with all the tears swelling up in my eyes, but pretty soon I found myself leaning my forehead against the Wall with my note in my hand and having trouble getting my thoughts into real sentences. In that moment, I really felt the most powerful connection I have ever experienced. I knew where I was standing and what I was doing, but I still don’t think I have fully wrapped my brain around it. I am sooooo unbelievably grateful that I was fortunate enough to experience this, and being able to share it with my Diller family made it all the more amazing.

- Marisa Parnes

PS- Hey mom and dad!! I miss you guys so much, but I’m having an amazing time in Israel! I hope Adam and Ben are having fun at camp, and you guys are having a good summer too. I’m doing great and I can’t wait to speak to you soon and tell you more! Love you! Xoxo

Masada Sunrise, Jerusalem, Kabbalat Shabbat

It was already hot and humid at 4:30 in the morning when we started our ascent to Masada. We took the easier of the two routes to the top (the Roman ramp), and climbed it in about 20 minutes. After sweating and schlepping ourselves to the other side of the mountain, we settled down right above the south-facing cliffs. There was a vast openness beneath us, barely visible in the twilight. Lior, our tour guide, instructed us on how to have a conversation with the mountains. We yelled out phrases like “Boker Tov!” and “Diller 5!” and we were mesmerized by the clarity of the ensuing echo. However, as the sun had not risen yet, we moved over to our official lookout. The sky was getting very bright, but there was no sun in the sky. Suddenly, a red sliver appeared behind the mountains and we all grew very silent. The red dot grew slowly, and after what seemed like 10 minutes it was a round, bright red bulb. The sky around it was a mixture of pink, orange, and light blue. We were all silent, but there was an obvious connection between us at that moment. We were Diller. We were one, together. It felt dramatic, but calming at the same time.  We were fortunate enough to witness one of the most beautiful natural processes in one of the most beautiful places on earth, with the greatest friends anyone could ask for.

                As the day closes and we prepare for Shabbat in Jerusalem, I would like to wish a Shabbat shalom to all of the families back home. Aba and Ima, have a great weekend and enjoy your vacation!

- Nitay Caspi

                                                          

Thursday, July 19, 2012 - Floating in the Sea!

We started the day early at Sde Boker, where we enjoyed a very hot night the night before. After breakfast, we headed to Ein Ovdat, where we hiked through the canyons of the Negev. We found that it was really easy to make echoes in the desert, and screamed by enunciating the syllables of “We-are-Dil-Ler-5!” and listened as it echoed throughout the canyon. Afterwards, we took a ride down to the Dead Sea, which unfortunately was much hotter than the hike we had just completed. The water was about 48 degrees Celsius and the sand wasn’t much cooler, however we all spread mud all over ourselves and had a great time floating in the sea while trying to avoid burning ourselves in the process. Afterwards, we took a drive over to the Bedouin tents, and learned about the Bedouin culture. We also met a ton of cool people, all from various European countries, staying at the tent, too. On top of that, we got to ride camels and donkeys, which was definitely interesting and sort of a painful experience. We had a really cool Ma’agal Laila/Night circle in the desert, where we got to stare up at the stars, which was sort of like an IMAX theatre. Afterwards, we chilled by the bonfire and instead of making s’mores, we went the Israeli route and roasted potatoes, but it turned into a sort of hot potato game, while we drank some really good Bedouin tea. My favorite part about yesterday was wearing the leader of the day sombrero, which gave me shade all day.

-Jack Greenbaum

P.S. - Hi mom and dad! Didn’t have a chance to talk to you since I left, but it’s only been a few days. I’m having a great time in Israel with everyone else! Say hi to everyone for me and I will talk to you soon.

And We're off!!

It had finally come!  Months of preparation, the hours it took to learn the difference between Jacob and Issac, Tel-Aviv and Haifa, schwarma, and fallafel, we’re to be put into fruition.

 “Are you ready for Israel?” shouted Leah M, our diligent leader.

Of course, our answer was, “yes”.

After we left Whippany we made our way to the airport, where we were surprised by another group Dillers, from Pittsburgh. (We’d previously decided we were the best looking cohort out there, so it was nice to meet the competition.)

The surprises in the airport continued when Julian’s bag was the heaviest overweight and the girls were all less than 50 pounds.

So we made it through the plane ride! The time went by pretty quickly between our seat rotations, movies, music and lots of bonding. We didn’t get too much sleep, but for the most part we adjusted to the time when we landed because it was still the morning of a fun filled action packed day: Our adrenaline was PUMPING!!!

It is officially our first day!!!  We got off the plane tired, yet waiting for the awesome adventure.  We departed out of the airport at 11 and were off to our first activity of the ISS at Neot Kedumim, a biblical forest. Neot Kedumim is a reserve of plants and animal life from the time as a Bible. It came as a surprise when we learned that we would be going to herd sheep and goats.  It was so much fun when we learned how to be Abraham, Moses, and Jacob. And, in terms of leadership, it isn’t taken for granted that God chose shepherds as leaders of the Jewish nation.   After that we did a few team building activities, made some awesomely aromatic Zatar, an Israeli spice and then left to the desert.  We then visited David Ben Gurion’s grave, where we were greeted by the desert dunes that Ben-Gurion himself marveled at, just as we did.   Once there were no more pictures to take, and no one willing to take them, we departed to our living courters for the night eager to dream of the days we had in store.

- Alex Reiss & Harrison Angoff

Our Arrival to Israel - VIDEO



At Ben Gurion's Grave

Israel: See you in 3 weeks!

          Somehow, over two months have passed since we welcomed our Israelis into New Jersey. With that said, only three weeks, (remain before our much anticipated trip to visit them. Between questions about packing, Kennes/Congress, the flight, the food, and basically any last detail you can think of, the Metrowest Diller 5 Cohort embarked on what would be our very last official meeting before Israel.

           With school over with and summer just beginning, everyone was excited to begin the summer the best way possible: with a Diller event, of course! At four o’clock in the afternoon on Friday, Dillers began to arrive at our palace - the Sheraton Hotel in Parsippany, where we were greeted by Leah, Max, Aliza, and our newest honorary Diller member, Leah Weiss. Leah W., or “L-Dubbs”, will also be accompanying us to Israel. 

           To begin the weekend, Max led us off in a new game that he participated in at college orientation, and the game involved much more thinking then we had expected at first. First, Max made a list of different objects he could put under an umbrella, like "uggghhh a pool", "ugghhh some sunglasses", and "uhhh Harrison Angoff". We went around the room from Diller to Diller guessing as to what other objects could also fit under the umbrella. I won’t give away the answer to the game, but we had a lot of fun playing and we’re glad Max introduced us to it.

                Afterwards, as promised, we had quite a while to ourselves for free time and to prepare for Shabbat. First, of course, we all went to put our things away in our hotel rooms, where we were lead to find some Israeli chocolate and chopsticks from Leah from her latest trip to Asia! Then, from the pool, to the weight room, to our hotel rooms, the Dillers wandered around the Sheraton until it was time for Kabbalat Shabbat led by Max and Aliza. We welcomed the Sabbath by learning about different parts of the service and relating it to our own lives by giving our own opinions on what we felt certain parts meant. In addition, we tried to think of popular songs that matched these opinions. It was extremely different from a typical Shabbat service, but that is what Diller is all about!

              During dinner, we were joined by two guests, Rachel Lazar and Hilary Levine. Rachel and Hilary are mentores for our Tikkun Olam Projects. After dinner, we had some time to spend with Tikun Olam partners - and our mentor - to discuss the steps we need to take to follow through with our Tikkun Olam Projects. We’re all looking forward to having these projects completed so we can truly make steps to repairing the world.

                On Saturday, after a wake up call and some breakfast, the Dillers took part in Shabbat Yoga with Alice. Alice has an amazing gift, and through it, we were able to truly center ourselves and focus on the day ahead of us by spending the time stretching and relaxing all while relating our meditation to Shabbat Shal(om). With that said, Meditation with Max is still one of our all time favorite Diller Shabbat activities.

                After meditating with Alice, we continued our Shabbat discussion with a Parshat Hashavua Workshop. In the workshop, we

 discussed the role of leadership between Moses, and Korach. Korach questioned why Moses should be leader, finding it unfair that Moses was not only the leader, but the one who spoke to G-d and whose brother was the Kohen Gadol/Highest Priest. Korach then gathered a group of followers and prepared to rebell Moses’ role as leader, but G-d had him and his followers swallowed up by the Earth for challenging Moses and Aaron’s positions as leaders. Together, we discussed what was wrong about Korach’s actions to become leader. The letter “Hey” in Hebrew is made up of three small lines that represent Thinking, Talking, and Doing; the three main characteristics that make up the best kind of a leader, someone who thinks and speaks before doing the action. The name “Korach” is made up of all letters that are similar to “Hey”, but they are not exactly the same, revealing another way in which Korach could not be a leader for the wandering Israelites. Each letter of “Korach” has something wrong with the process of Thinking, Talking, and then Doing, reflecting on the fact that Korach did not properly think and talk before taking action against Moses. Through this story, we discussed the importance of planning before making an action, in the hopes to improve our own leadership skills before our trip to Israel.

                After lunch, we had "Israel Update" by the Israel Committee, Sarah Resnick and Nitay, which led directly into more discussion about the ever upcoming ISS. In Israel, we will each have the opportunity to be Leader of the Day. Being a leader of the day means that we will become a fifth member to the staff, making us be in charge of attendance, making sure everyone is drinking water, and having the opportunity to hold our very own activity. Leader of the Day allows us to execute an entire day where we can truly be leaders to the group. It’s extremely exciting, and everyone is working hard to make sure their day is special to everyone in the group.

                Later in the afternoon, we were blessed to be joined by a guest speaker, Yaniv Jember. Yaniv is an Ethiopian Israeli, just like the kids who will take part in Masa Diller, the camp we are running in Israel. Yaniv told us all about his family’s journey to Israel, and his own journey in finding himself. This really opened our eyes to the struggles and hardships Ethiopian Jews have gone through. Although Yaniv has never been to Ethiopia, he has dedicated much of his time to research and study about Ethiopian Jews and the history of Ethopia. He knows just about anything you could ever think to ask, and it is extraordinarily evident that he has a connection and love for Ethopia, even though he has never been. While hearing Yaniv’s story, I felt I could directly relate. Although I have never been to Israel, after Diller, I definitely feel a connection. I can’t explain it, but I find myself constantly wanting to know things about Israel, Judaism, and Hebrew. I hope that I can have the same dedication Yaniv has to Ethiopia, with a connection to Israel. Yaniv worked extremely hard in regards to his education and he is an amazing example of a leader. We were truly honored to have him as a guest, as he taught us many new things that I’m so happy I now know.

                After dinner, we were led in an activity by L-Dubs, called The Hunger Banquet: Israel Style. For some reason, when I first saw this on our itinerary, I wondered if it was going to be anything like The Hunger Games, the trilogy written by Suzanne Collins. Well, I was truly very wrong, but nonetheless, still extremely interested by the subject matter. In the workshop, we were split randomly into three types of groups: high income, middle income, and low income. Only three Dillers made up the high income group, a group that could afford enough food, medical care, and really any other non-necessity they desired. More Dillers were in the middle income group, where most non-necessities could not be had, but for the most part food was available. However, most Dillers were in the low income group, where money was scarce, making food, medical care, and anything else, ultimately unavailable. In addition, the children of these families couldn’t attend schools as they were needed to work for their families. These statistics in face represented Israel. 23.6% of Israel’s population lives in poverty, while 19.9% live with incomes below the national median. This means that over a million people, 35.9% being children, are living in impoverished conditions. In addition, about 700,000 people over the age of sixty-five live in Israel, with every fourth senior being under the poverty line. The facts that were brought up during the workshop were extremely surprising. No one really ever thinks of Israel being a place of poverty, but it was definitely interesting and eye opening to see the poverty issues Israel has.

                Later, we had Havdallah outside on the grass. Havdallah is definitely my favorite service, and having it outside with all of the Dillers wrapped around each other makes it even better. Afterwards, we had a Ma’agal Laila/Night Circle led by the Enrichment Committee. Everyone’s name was written on a sheet of paper, and the paper travelled around the circle where everyone wrote anonymous compliments to whoever they received. At the end, the committee said aloud the compliments, and it was really great to hear how everyone is appreciated in Diller 5. 

                When we came back inside, we participated in one of the most fun contests I have ever participated in - Map of Israel ice cream contest. With various ice creams, toppings, and creative ideas, we each created our own version of Israel. In my group, we put a big chocolate heart over Rishon Le’Zion, and big cherries for Jerusalem, Eilat, and Tel Aviv. Our map even included a whipped cream mountain to represent Mount Hermon, but I have to say, all of the Dillers had amazing Israeli ice cream maps, and it was extremely fun to take part in.

                On Sunday, we worked for a little bit on our leader of the day packets, but soon we were off back home... to the Federation in Whippany, that is. Then, from about ten in the morning until about three in the afternoon, each committee presented it’s ideas about the activities each will do as part of the camp in Israel. We all had fun acting out the activities and making them even better. Seeing all the presentations truly made me realize what creativity we have in Diller. From the Logistics team creating a google document to keep everyone in line, to the Enrichment committee making a Sprite experiment, I truly learned a lot and had fun. However, I do have to mention our break for lunch, as we had Chinese food, and put thechopsticks that Leah’s brought back from Hong Kong to good use!

                Finally, the very much anticipated arrival of our parents came! Well, the very much anticipated ISS Orientation arrived, but it was also nice that are parents joined us, (kidding Diller parents, you know we love you!) We even had the chance to ask some Diller 4 fellows, Arielle and Jason, (who had helped us out with NAS as well,) and our very own JC, Max, some questions about our upcoming trip to Israel. What’s extra important to bring? Should I bring extra of a particular article of clothing? Is there anything you regretted not bringing? 

                 Although we’re all a little nervous for our upcoming trip to Israel, one thing I know for sure, is that it will be an experience unlike any other. I’m definitely ready to experience all the trip has to offer, and even more than that, I’m beyond excited that I’m going with Diller. Over the course of this year, I’ve definitely learned a lot about Judaism, the Jewish people, Hebrew, Israel, and most importantly, myself. I’m ready to be in Israel and have some fun, learn new things, and grow even closer to these people who have somehow become some of the most important people in my life. Despite the nerves, Metrowest is ready for ISS, with our new countoff and all. Get ready Israel, because we’re Diller, and we know it!

             Before our last blog before Israel ends, I’d really like to give a huge thank you to Leah^2, Aliza, and Max for putting together the weekend. In addition, thanks to all the Dillers for contributing their amazing ideas and presentations. Also, congratulations to our honorary Diller member, Leah Weiss, (L-Dubs,) thank you so much for being willing to join us on our trip to Israel, we’re really glad we have you.

             Lastly, just wanted to give a quick shout-out to my girls from room 247! Sara Rosen, Rachel Gordon, and Alex - you guys made this weekend the best! ;)

Check out our new countoff created by Noah Lisser!!!

All About Israel: 67 More Days!

             Just last month I went on a field trip with my Physics class to our local community college. We were visiting a planetarium, and after the presentation, my teacher decided to take us  on a short cut through the campus to get back to our bus. On the way back, we were walking into the main building where students can buy food or study for classes. As we entered, my class passed a seemingly normal man who was handing out something - a pamphlet I thought, what looked to be the size of my palm. I didn’t really think much of it, in fact I tried hard to not look the man in the eye anyway, as I really didn’t care for anything he was going to potentially give to me. Persistent, the man actually came up to me and tried to give me his little black book - a bible, the New Testement, I eventually realized. I was shocked. Of course, I knew that this kind of thing went on on college campuses, however, how could this be happening to me, at my local community college, nonetheless? My classmates were more annoyed than anything, in fact one of my good friends muttered to me something along the lines of, doesn’t he know I already have one? My teacher and one other girl, the only other two Jews in my class of twenty, also were a bit stunned by the man. Even after we got passed him, my teacher was still saying she couldn’t believe he was trying to hand us bibles, as we were clearly not college students. But, as we all learned this Sunday, these passionate activists, whether outspoken or not, are desperately trying to gain the support of college students today, and we, as Jews living in America, must understand the basic facts about Israel to fight back with the truth.

                As scary as it may be, we’ll soon all be on college campuses throughout the country and will most likely have to deal with an issue like this. But, how will we deal with it? Should we walk away, avoiding any kind of confrontation, humiliation, or threat? Or do we stand up for the country we love and point out the various flaws and lies the speakers have in their rants?

                It’s a pretty hard few questions to answer. Although you obviously want to stand up for what you love, but, at what consequences do you decide that this may not be safest option to proceed with? Your heart is in one place to stand up and ask this speaker what his problem is and that he doesn’t know anything about what he’s talking about, but at the same time, you could be potentially putting yourself in a dangerous situation. This Sunday, we discussed how to respond back to these speakers with facts about Israel, and questions to put them on the spot, and force them to tell the truth.

                First, as a large group including many other groups besides Diller, we discussed some basic facts about Israel that we could tell our friends, like how Israel is smaller than New Jersey, and can fit into the state of California about nineteen times. Or how Israel has only ever fought in wars if they are attacked first. Afterwards, we separated into three groups to start more specific case studies.

                We saw Two Sides to Each Story from The David Project, Extremist Speaker from Hasbara Fellowships, and Hate on the Internet from StandWithUs. In Two Sides to Each Story, we listened to a speaker on a campus who shouted passionately while throwing his arms around to gain support from the students, however, his points were baseless and ultimately nonexistent. Together, we discussed asking him questions where he’d be forced to tell the truth. At an Extremist Speaker, we looked at an anti-Israel protist that had been televised, where a Jewish student was interviewed. She clearly didn’t know what to say and although she may have wanted to defend Israel, she did a poor job as her points weren’t strong enough for anyone to understand Israel’s side. Lastly, at Hate on the Internet, we watched a pro-Israel speaker trying to speak to University of Irvine in California. The college is not known for being particularly friendly to Israel, and this was clearly demonstrated in the video. As the man tried to speak, eleven times students who did not agree interrupted him. Embarrassed, the school apologized and threatened the students, but despite all this the speaker was able to keep everything together, asking the students to just pay attention to what he had to say, and maybe he could sway their minds.

                Overall, the program was very successful. The fact that this kind of thing is a very real issue, it is important for us to learn about Israel and learn how to defend it, and when to defend it.

                After this, Diller stayed together to discuss further about Israel, as we only have 67 days left until Israel. Not that we’re counting or anything...

                On Sunday, we, more specifically, talked about Israel’s borders. We talked about the West Bank, Golan Heights, and Israel’s neighbors - Lebanon, Egypt, Syria, and Jordan.

                Some of us were given different places on a general map of Israel, including Israel, Lebanon, Egypt, Syria, Jordan, The Red Sea, the Mediterranean Sea, and Iraq. We talked about when these countries became independent, and the pieces of land that Israel won and lost from these countries.

                In 67 days, we will be in Israel, and it is extremely important that we know these facts about Israel in the time leading up to this experience. I think that we have to be extremely grateful for this past weekend as we were able to expand our understanding of Israel and truly prepare for college campuses and future discussions with our own friends about Israel.

               

We just wanted to say thank you to Noga Maliniak for allowing us to participate in the program and ending the program with an inspiring way to see Israel, along with the presenters and speakers - David Dranikoff, the Israel and World Affairs Chair, Avi Gordon from StandWithUs, Matthew Ackerman from The David Project, and Jesse Shore from Hasbara Fellowships.

                         Can’t wait to discover even more with Diller,

                                    RB

Check out this awesome "Made in Israel" Video: