Photo Friday: The Western Wall
It’s a cloudy and cool day in Jerusalem, with occasional rain. Shabbat begins at sundown, so despite the rain I wandered over to the Western Wall to take some pictures (picture taking is not allowed on the Shabbat).
View from the Western Wall observation area
I am always hesitiant at first to take photos at the Wall. The sight of the thousands and thousands of prayers written on slips of paper and stuck in the Wall, and the thought that around you innumerable prayers (of both Jews and Christians) are being raised up to God, is very humbling, and photography almost seems like an intrusion. But, seeing that everyone else is taking photos and no one seems to be paying the least bit of attention to them, I get over it. After all, if you live outside of Israel, how often do you get to the place known as the holiest in all Judaism?
I’m not sure when I’ll get back to Israel, but I’m grateful that I’ve had the opportunity to visit this extraordinary, beautiful, and holy place. If you haven’t, my hope for you is that you’ll one day be able to have the experience. You won’t forget it.
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Friday, November 4th, 2011 at 7:22 AM | David Kuner
A visit to LeZion Berina
Beitar Illit, home of LeZion Berina
LeZion Berina is a Fellowship-funded school for boys from the former Soviet Union that’s located in the beautiful, rolling Judean hills about 30 minutes outside of Jerusalem. Yesterday, Fellowship staffer Amichai Farkas and I went here and got a tour of the facility from its director, Menachem Bombach.
The boys at the school have no family in Israel and lived in dire poverty and need in the FSU. From the moment we walked in it was clear that Menachem has a great rapport with the boys, and that LeZion Berina has become their home, the staff their loving family. Menachem pointed to a plaque indicating that the school had recently an award for academic achievement and beamed like a proud father.
While the school focuses on filling the academic, physical, and social needs of the boys, it doesn’t neglect the spiritual. Menachem made a point of showing us one project, a scale model of the Second Temple that occupies an entire room in the school’s basement. The project was conceived as a way to teach these boys, most of whom had no instruction in Judaism and had been totally disconnected from their faith in their countries of origin, about Jewish faith and history. Menachem couldn’t hide his delight when he told us about the time a group of boys from the nearby Orthodox Jewish school visited LeZion Berina and saw the model — and he found out that, because of their involvement in the project, ”his” boys were in some cases explaining the history of the Temple to the visitors!
The model of the Second Temple at LeZion Berina
Before we left, I asked Menachem how he felt about his work. He thought for a minute, then replied, “The experience of seeing a child come from the lowest rung of society and seeing them come here and developing emotionally, academically, spiritually, is amazing. Each one of these kids will one day grow up and become a father. He will have his…
Read More » Comments (3) »Thursday, November 3rd, 2011 at 8:43 AM | David Kuner
Jerusalem, day 2
It’s been another great day in Jerusalem! After breakfast at the hotel, Fellowship Israel staffer Amichai Farkas picked me up and we drove to the first of two project visits.
Driving in Jerusalem can be an adventure, but after getting off course once on the thin, winding, and sometimes unbelievably congested streets, Ami got us on time to Herzog Hospital, where we met Steve Schwartz, International Director of Resource Development. The Fellowship funds a nurses aide training course at the hospital, and Steve spoke in glowing terms about the program and all it’s done for nearly 200 Ethiopian Jewish immigrants who have completed it.
Graduates of the Fellowship-funded nurses aide training program at Herzog Hospital receive top-quality training and are guaranteed help finding work
Since they come from a society that’s so radically different from Israel’s, once they make aliyah Ethiopians face unique challenges adapting to the language and culture of their new home. Herzog Hospital’s program give them more than 500 hours of training, and guarantees them a job once they’ve successfully completed the course.
This isn’t charity — it’s real, demanding work, and the arrangement turns out to be a win-win for all. Ethiopians who had previously struggled working menial, low-paying jobs are given skills that are in demand, new self-respect, and a chance at a better life. Patients in the hospital — or in any hospital where program graduates end up working – receive top-quality care. And Israel is strengthened by the entry of these well qualified nurse’s aides into the workforce. For Schwartz, it’s what Israel is all about. “For me, a great Zionist picture is seeing an Ethiopian woman in a white nurse’s uniform helping a little kid in respiratory care, or helping an elderly person. It’s a great story, but most important it’s a program that works.”
Next stop was LeZion Berina, an amazing facility for boys from the former Soviet Union that is located in the beautiful rocky, rolling Judean hills about 30 minutes outside of Jerusalem. But more about that later. It’s evening in Jerusalem, and I want…
Read More » Comments (0) »Wednesday, November 2nd, 2011 at 12:43 PM | David Kuner
A walk through the Old City
The Old City begins to wake up to a new day
It took awhile, but after a snowstorm in New York that forced the cancellation of our original flight, and a re-routing through and long layover in Poland a day later, we finally made it to Israel!
The walls of the Old City near the Jaffa Gate
What better way, I thought, to start your first day in Israel than an early walk through the Old City? Along the way I snapped some pictures — but mostly I just soaked up the sights, sounds, and smells of this ancient part of one of the world’s most ancient cities preparing for a new day.
I passed by bakers laying out their wares for the day, and shop owners opening their small tea rooms. Groups of young Orthodox Jewish boys walked by, undoubtedly on their way to school. A young IDF soldier was chatting aimiably and laughing with a group of Arab merchants. At the cavernous Church of the Holy Sepulchre, tour guides were already leading groups around explaning the significance of the amazing Christian art and iconography. On the narrow streets (more like alleyways, really) I also saw groups of Christians walking the Via Dolorosa, remembering Jesus’ torturous walk to his crucifixion. In fact, in Jerusalem virtually every strain of Christianity – Protestant, Catholic, Coptic, Orthodox — is represented.
One of the mammoth domes at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre
What a privilege it is to be here! I hope the pictures give you some feeling for what it’s like to be in this amazing city where ancient and modern, biblical and secular, rub elbows every day.
Comments (13) »Tuesday, November 1st, 2011 at 4:01 AM | David Kuner
IFCJ goes to Israel — update
There is a Yiddish proverb: “Man plans, God laughs.” The meaning is clear. Despite our best efforts at making our lives neat and orderly, ultimately we’re not the ones in charge.
The handful of IFCJ staff and one tour participant from Chicago who went to O’Hare airport today hoping to fly to New York and then Tel Aviv can vouch for the wisdom of this old saying. First, we were told that our flight to New York was delayed. Eventually, we were told that it had been canceled due to a snowstorm in New York. There wasn’t much to do other than to head back to the ticket counter and try to make alternate arrangements.
Well, the arrangements have been made, and we’ll be leaving Chicago tomorrow, arriving in Israel the following day via a different route, weather and God willing. Keep us — and all the Journey Home participants — in your prayers, folks. We’re going to make it to Israel — but clearly we’re not the ones calling that shots here.
Despite the frustration of not being on our way to Israel right now, maybe that’s a good thing to be reminded of.
David Kuner is Editorial Director for The Fellowship
Comments (3) »Saturday, October 29th, 2011 at 7:38 PM | David Kuner
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