Mifgash

January 8, 2015

Michael A.


Today we visited the cultural education center at Givat Haviva and heard two lectures. The first was delivered by an Israeli named Schlomo, who gave a history of Israel and the general region. This history lesson incorporated cultural and geographic factors that have led to the current conflicts facing Israel today. The lecture also explained some of the major ethnic groups that exist in Israel and the surrounding regions, including Israeli Jews, Israeli Arabs, Palestinians living in the West Bank and Palestinians living as refugees in the neighboring Arab countries. After this history lesson, we had the opportunity to hear from an Israeli Arab named Amir who discussed his life as a Palestinian living as a citizen in Israel.
                While many of my peers on this trip saw this as an opportunity to learn about the conflicts in Israel from the “non-Taglit” perspective or “the other side of the story,” I saw it as something else. My family is an odd mix of various ethnic and religious backgrounds. My father is Jewish and descends from Eastern European Jews. My mother’s family includes Maronites (Catholic Lebanese), Italians, and Puerto Ricans. My parents are both secular and have educated me in the cultures and traditions of all the various aspects of our family background. Because of this, I both feel tied to each of the cultures and ethnic groups that make up my family while also feeling unable of identify as only one specific aspect of this varied heritage. In fact, identity is something I am struggling with at this very moment. Although I am participating in a Taglit Birthright trip, my Jewish identity is in flux. I have grown up with elements of Jewish culture. My father lived in Israel for a few years while in college stays up to date with current events in Israel and has educated me on the conflict. I do indeed feel connected to the Jewish people and the nation of Israel. However, I’m not religious and have another half of my family that participates in another diverse set of traditions. Because of this, I have never fit neatly into one category. While I have always loved the privilege to experience other cultures and be aware of them, it does make “fitting in” a difficult task at times. To some of my non-Jewish friends, I’m the most Jewish person they know. To many Jews, I am a member of their community. But to many other Jews and according to some Israeli laws, I am not Jewish at all. Sometimes I’m seen as Arab, other times as Hispanic and other times as simply white American.
                Hearing Amir talk about his experiences and how they differ from those of Palestinians in the West Bank and the surrounding Arab countries made me more aware of just how complicated the current situation is. Even people with the same ethnic background and same history now find themselves in different situations with different goals. The issues this region faces are typically described as the Arab-Israeli conflict. This experience at Givat Haviva made me realize this is a misleading idea. There are also conflicts between Israelis and other Israelis and conflicts between Arabs and Arabs. Although the people of this region share common histories they also have very different experiences and desires. While I cannot say I completely understand what Palestinians in Israel and the West Bank are going through, I can say that I identify with some of the identity crises they face. Perhaps my varied ethnic background does not need to clash with my connections to Judaism and Israel. Identity may be a lifelong process rather than a label. In fact, grappling with these issues may be the very thing that connects me to this turbulent yet amazingly diverse place.

January 8, 2015

David S.
Earlier today, a group of Israeli soldiers joined our Taglit-Birthright group in Tel Aviv. In no time at all, the students and soldiers began separating into small friend circles and striking up conversations about our similar interests. As we explored the back alleys and street shops in the heart of Tel Aviv, the discussions ranged from our favorite reggae bands to the socio-political tensions in the West Bank. I was personally fascinated by how willing the Israelis were to tackle tough questions and explain their feelings about their service in the army. I can’t wait to continue developing our friendships and learning more about the experience of growing up in Israel!

Avi S.
Today we went to the Independent Hall in Tel Aviv, the location where David Ben-Gurion declared state of Israel. The Hall integrated presentations of the background information with the building itself. When we were shown a picture of the original building, the presenter pointed out that part of the room we were sitting in was shown in the picture. After we were taught the background history, we were brought into the large room where the declaration was announced and signed. From there, we were given a play by play description of the event. On the bus afterward, we realized that none of the Israelis had been to the Independence Hall either, which was surprising, considering the iconic symbolism of the hall. On the other hand, most New Yorkers have never visited the Statue of Liberty, either.