Israel is the Land of Our Stories

I’m in Israel finishing a week helping lead AIPAC's Leffell Fellows Educational Seminar for two dozen rabbinical students from Conservative, Orthodox, and Reform seminaries.

It has been an incredible - and exhausting - experience. 

We met, listened to, and learned from thought leaders such as Rabbi Dr. Daniel Gordis and Yossi Klein Halevi. We learned about the Israeli-Arab experience from noted activist Mohammed Darawhse, and got the Palestinian perspective from Chief Palestinian Negotiator Dr. Saeb Erekat. We learned about the left from Yariv Oppenheimer, former General Director of Peace Now, and got the settler perspective from Ored Revivi, Mayor of Efrat and international spokesperson for the Yesha Council of Judea and Samaria. And this is only a partial list of presenters and topics. 

In trying to sum up the experience and leave the students with a message, I explained that Israel is the “Land of Stories.” We can debate politics, discuss policy, and explore the philosophical and historical underpinnings of the issues of the day. At the same time, it is important to realize that Israel is a place in which real people strive to live meaningful and productive lives that positively impact themselves and their children. Their stories make up Israel. Their stories are an essential part of our story. 

Some examples:

            

On a visit to Ir David, we walked the recently uncovered “Pilgrimage Road,” which was used by Jews on their way to visit the Beit HaMikdash. We literally walked in the footsteps of our ancestors 2,000 years ago and saw the ash that remains of the fires the Romans used to destroy the area.

It is impossible not to feel part of the story of Jewish tradition when visiting this place. 

                         

The Kuchinate Collective is a place for some of the 30,000 asylum seekers in South Tel Aviv to come together for support. We heard the stories of the Israelis who work with his population and discussed how Judaism approaches this complicated issue. 

Israel is a place with a very active civil society story in which well-meaning people give so much of themselves to others in dozens of transformative ways. 

  

         

                  

While overlooking the Gaza border, one can see just how close Israelis live to the terrorists controlling Gaza. In a visit to Kibbutz Kfar Aza, we saw the remnants of missiles that fell in a very nice woman’s backyard. And life goes on!

It is impossible to ignore the seriousness of the story of Israel’s security situation and not be impressed by the resilience of Israel’s citizens.

                       

                                                             

Our group visited Ramallah and, in addition to Saeb Erekat, met a young woman who is part of a group of young entrepreneurs working to better their lives. On the way in and out, we had a police escort. 

In Israel, the story of the Palestinians is not only about failed negotiations. It’s a story of people, too. 

 

Late Saturday night, some of us visited the graves of the Rambam and Rabbi Akiva. Both were active places even as midnight approached. People were praying, studying, and singing. 

It may not be everyone’s favorite Saturday night activity, but, in Israel, we encounter the spiritual story of our people.

These are a few of the stories we encountered. The complexity, history, spirituality, tradition, and intensity of encountering these - and so many other stories - is a connection to the land which must always remain a powerful part of who we are as Jews. 

I feel the power of being part of the Jewish story every time I visit Israel.  I hope the future Rabbis of the Jewish community feel this.  What’s your connection to the Jewish story and what will each of us add to the next chapter?