So, let’s talk about the Nativ Gap-Year program so far, shall we?
Written and edited by Shira Rosencrantz
From the city’s scenic and ancient streets, to its spicy aromas and freshly squeezed juice, Jerusalem is both the holiest of cities yet also hosts an atmosphere of acceptance of all kinds of people. Jerusalem (and Israel) provides an intricate and powerful feeling whereby you immediately become attached to the vivid landscape and history as well as its engaging people. Despite the lockdown and quarantine, Nativ has done an excellent job in imparting its knowledge of and passion for Israel to us, of which I am forever grateful for this opportunity.
This is only the beginning of our journey, so why not tag along with us. Hope you enjoy it as much as we do.
THE PAST TWO MONTHS’
TOP STORIES
A photo of my roommates and me (Here, there is no need to socially distance or wear masks, as we live within the same building, on the same floor, and are in the same second semester track, which is Yemin Orde).
Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur
September 18. 2020 to September 20, 2020
Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, the most holy days of the Jewish year, really did awaken our senses. To prepare for both holidays, we rejoiced with one another in celebration for our bright futures lying ahead. During the morning preceding Rosh Hashanah, my friends and I closed our eyes while we listened to the ‘wake- up call’ of the blowing of the shofar.
The whining sounds and staccato blasts allowed for introspection and acknowledgment of our mistakes, as well as the creation of a new year for ourselves. One did not need to be a deeply spiritual person to have felt the universal connection to this unforgettable experience.
Whereas, back in the states, our friends and families would perform Tashlich at a local pond, where we would throw away our sins using bread and afterward would indulge in large quantities of sweet honey. This year, we Nativers walked in three separate groups to the drained Mamilla pond, near Beit Nativ, where we read a meaningful poem in both Hebrew and English regarding the celebration of a new year and the forgiveness and
redemption associated with it. The poem reads: “As I cast this bread upon the waters, lift my troubles off my shoulders. Help me to know that last year is over, washed away like crumbs in the current. Open my heart to blessing and gratitude. Renew my soul as the dew renews that grasses…” (Rabbi Rachel Barenblat). This poem resonated with us because it served as a reminder that we all make mistakes, we are all human, but from those mistakes, we learn more deeply about who we are as a developing generation and how we can evolve in the future.
Then came Yom Kippur, which allowed us to acknowledge our faults, and at the same time, promoted hope for our future aspirations. On Erev Yom Kippur, after Kol Nidre, we partook in an activity which allowed us to reflect inwardly about who we are as people and how we can create change in our and other people’s lives. Even though the Nativers could not congregate in a large group in the streets and sing ‘Slow-ach’, or ‘Slow Ruach’ songs, we were still able to gather with masks and social distancing rules and sing together joyfully. We cherished the peace we felt. The energy invoked by our unifying group activity was amazing and we tried to keep it going for as long as possible.
Most significantly, we observed how the strength of our vibrant community attracted many other people to join our group, both by simply observing or collectively singing along, and this made our night even more exceptional. One of the people recognized me from home and after a few seconds, I realized that I had met her at a bat mitzvah in New York five years ago. These types of coincidences happen all the time when visiting Israel.
The next morning, despite the absence of food, we felt energized by each other. We prayed in shul for the majority of the day, and inevitably, the moon shone and the fast ended. This Yom Kippur was truly amazing and unique and the experience will remain in our memories for a long time.
Sukkot
October 2, 2020 to October 9, 2020
Sukkot, one of the Nativers’ favorite holidays, was celebrated with all the enthusiasm it deserved. We helped build the sukkah a day before the holiday, first assembling the metal bars, then the wooden rods that lay across the top, then the schach, and lastly, the decorations. The final product was absolutely beautiful, where colorful decorations hung from the sukkah’s roof, and the tables were dressed in a royal red with sparkling silverware atop. There were lights that hung throughout as well, illuminating it even more. The first meal within the sukkah was very spiritual, as we spoke about and remembered our Jewish history where our ancestors, the Israelites, sat within similar sukkot, or booths in which they dwelled for 40 years while traversing the desert. Later that night, we sang together at a ‘tisch’, where we initially led songs individually and eventually joined together as one. This was a fantastic night, a celebration of each other and filled with much laughter, as we embarked upon the beginning of yet another holiday.
Over the next few days, we volunteered with Magen David Adom, Israel’s national
emergency service, to prepare Corona kits for medics. From ten in the morning to four thirty in the afternoon, we arranged bags of full-body suits, gloves, face shields, and masks. Although this task was very tiring, we managed to persist through to the end of the day, mainly because of the value of benefit to others in doing so. Helping others handle the pandemic in turn gave us strength and made us feel intrinsically fulfilled.
The next day was exhilarating in a different sense, but was still fun. We were trained in some new defense moves of Israeli martial arts, Krav Maga, which we had not experienced before. Our group learned to punch, deflect, and hook. The best piece of advice our leader shared was to never initiate a fight with these moves, but to use them to protect ourselves in case we found ourselves in such a situation.
The lively activities did not end there. As we approached the end of the holiday, we were given the opportunity to explore Jerusalem with a guided tour by our madrichim, all the while obeying the one kilometer restriction. There, we finally immersed ourselves into Israeli culture and history. We not only learned about the blessings which parents give to their children at the beginning of Shabbat on Friday nights, but also the ancient pulley-system used by the Ottomans to smuggle goods into Israel. Additionally, we learned about Sir Montifiore, the windmill and carriages in the park of Yemin Moshe, and much more. It was, and continues to be, an invigorating experience like no other. We are all undoubtedly creating the best environment possible for ourselves and continuing to make this program memorable because we are in Israel, the land that welcomes the Jewish people. We have classes to attend. We have Israeli food and cooking. And most importantly, we have each other.
