בס”ד

by Ariella Daniels, Toronto, Canada

Two Shabbatot ago, a fellow Shalemer took a couple of us to a synagogue in Jerusalem, called Yakar. Through my Sephardic upbringing, I am most comfortable in a kehilla where the services incorporate the vocal participation of the entire congregation. In the shul I attend in Toronto, the chazzan has an incredible voice, and he carries with him the symbolism of being a “messenger” of the people to Hashem.

At first, the service at Yakar was confusing for me; the reciting of the prayers was silent. Where were the over-the-top tunes? How am I suppose to focus on my prayers if I am stuck in a situation where all is silent and my thoughts are able to roam free. It was like this up until the point that I realized I was completely consumed by my prayers, focusing on nothing else. It was almost like I absorbed the kavanah that surrounded me. It was when the community began to sing as one, “Nishmat Kol Chai”, that it became clear to me that it is, in fact, each individual that makes up a community. The kavanah given by each individual is so powerful, that it can even bring tears to a person’s eyes. Until now, I had known this feeling through the inspiring melodies of my father who serves as the chazzan in my synagogue at home, but this time this connection was brought on independently. There is a kind of humility and holiness that the Yakar community portrays, providing power to the most simple of melodies, bringing the atmosphere to another level, to an enlightened state of mind and heart. Instead of relying on the Chazan to inspire us through his kavanah, and through the power of his vocal cords, at Yakar it is the entire kehilla that provides both the intention and the emotion.

בס”ד

by David Jacobowitz, Los Angeles, CA

With Pesach around the corner,  I have started to think about the amazing opportunities I have had this year being able to celebrate all the Jewish holidays in Israel. Beginning with Rosh Hashanah and ending with Shavuot covers all the major holidays of Judaism, and I have been in Israel to experience them all. Yom Kippur was something that I hadn’t expected being from Los Angeles. Witnessing one of the busiest streets in Jerusalem completely empty sent shivers down my spine, for it was inexplicably different than the norm. Five years ago, I was in Jerusalem for Sukkot during my Bar Mitzvah trip, but for some reason this time around it felt more meaningful. Being here without my family made it more of a spiritual holiday for I was able to be in my own sukkah with a new “family” and shake the lulav and etrog not just facing east, but directly towards the kotel.  For the little bit of Chanukah that I was present for in Jerusalem it was on a different level. Watching the capital of Israel transform itself into on of the most joyous areas in the world for an entire week was a tremendous sight to see. Unfortunately I was only here for two days of Chanukah for I took advantage of winter break and went to see the wonders of Paris.

Purim here was insane! Ephraim and I dressed up as Jessie and James from Team Rocket of Pokemon, which may have been my best costume ever. Had an amazing party with Shalem after megilla reading, followed by getting tipsy with the Rabbis. I can’t wait to see what’s in store for Pesach!

Six months in Jerusalem gave me this wonderful opportunity to experience these holidays, but it’s time to move on to Sar-El and then off to Marva. Can’t Wait!

by Sam Spencer, Woodbridge, CT

Every day, twice, with love, a Jew proclaims “Hear O Israel, Hashem is our God, Hashem is One.” Believing in the oneness of the Creator, trusting the omnipresence of the divine, is the cornerstone of our faith. Shalem’s tiyul to Emek Ha’elah last week has led me to a deeper understanding of my Creator as the source of all life. As we simultaneously learned about the trials of Israel in former days and became more familiar with the physical landscape, explored the dark caves where Jews hid from persecution, and hiked the fields where David ran, I realized how our history as a people is intrinsically connected to the land itself. When I looked from a high vantage point north, south, east, and west, the land seemed to speak. From the fields below soaked in the blood of my ancestors to the distant Judean hills upon which Jerusalem still stood, the voices of those who have passed on encouraged me. The blue of the Mediterranean, the refreshing breeze, all the high places and low places, every blue, yellow, red, and purple flower, every olive tree and carob tree, the footsteps of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob – everything testified to one Creator, a common source of form and inspiration. Standing from that high point, looking out at the vast landscape and thinking about the Jews who had carried on and fought there, I understood the meaning of “Hashem is One.”

Now I have been thinking, what is the next step? Inspiration must lead to action, faith is only the first step, the ingredient to something greater: what is the meaning and purpose of realizing the oneness of God, how should understanding the unity of God’s creation improve my ability to live, improve my interactions with fellow men and women?

Because God is the Creator of all flesh, every person I encounter in daily life deserves my respect, regardless of race, religion, or nationality. In every human being there is a common breath of life, in each of us there is an element of all of us. Injustice anywhere is injustice everywhere because as the one Judge, the Holy One Blessed is He considers the dignity and fair treatment of every one of his creations. Sometimes it is hard to believe in the ideal of oneness in a world so torn by war, hate, and indifference. Believing in one God provides for me a sense of hope for a day of harmony and cooperation; faith in one God drives me with a sense of purpose to do my part in bringing the world closer to the day where men and women of every type and color exalt in living together.

bs”d

by Ariella Daniels, Toronto, Canada

This past siyur, Shalem traveled back in time, to the time of the great battle between David and Goliath.  We were able to look upon the places described in the Tanach in Sefer Shmuel 1, when the Israelites were preparing to battle the Philistines.

“Now the Philistines gathered their forces for war and assembled at Sokoh in Judah. They pitched camp at Ephes Dammim, between Sokoh and Azekah.  Saul and the Israelites assembled and camped in the Valley of Elah and drew up their battle line to meet the Philistines.  The Philistines occupied one hill and the Israelites another, with the valley between them.” (1 Samuel 17)

It was an incredible feeling to be able to stand on the same ground as such a powerful man as David just as it is a wonderful feeling to be living in Israel, the home of our forefathers.  David, the youngest of his brothers, the son of a slave, a simple shepherd, defeated the champion of the enemy with a simple tool and a true unconditional faith and love for G-d.  It is no wonder why David, the then later king of Israel is spoken in the same sentence as Avraham Avinu and Moshe Rabainu.  There is something about the journey of these three great men that exposes a parallel between the qualities and progress of the leaders of Israel.  A comparison must be made to help us further understand the true battle that occurred at The Valley of Elah.     

Just like Avraham, the father of monotheism and Judaism, and Moshe, a humble servant of G-d who brought us out of Egypt, David risked his life as a minority in proclaiming his faith.  All three of these righteous men fought in the name of the one and only G-d.  Avraham Avinu established the monotheistic belief in a time of idol worship.  Moshe Rabainu rehabilitated the nation in this belief after freely leaving his idol worshiping household.  And David Hamelech preserved the belief by standing up to an army of idol worshipers.  From all three individuals we learn what it really takes to be a monotheistic Jew, full of complete love, fear, and respect of Hashem.

That is the true battle that David fought in.  David proved the power of the Lord in public and exposed “that the Lord saves not with sword and spear” (1 Samuel 17.47.) because the battle is in His control.  Only a nation filled with belief will triumph.  This is why David was the king of Israel and why the coming of the Messiah is from his blood line.

by David Jacobowitz, Los Angeles, CA

Before this year the most elaborate thing I could make was an omelet and place it in a bagel, but now I am able to make a whole new arrangement of dishes. Now that I’m living in my own apartment I have worry about what I’m going to be eating for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I don’t have my mother anymore to pack my lunches and make my dinner while I lazy around the house. In fact it’s just the opposite; now I’m packing my lunches and cooking dinner for the apartment. Want to hear something that sounds unbelievably weird but at the same time delicious? Deli Dogs. Something I came up with one night on the spot while thinking what my apartment should have for dinner. It’s basically a hot dog wrapped in deli meat lathered in ketchup and barbeque sauce, and then tossed on the frying pan. These have become a favorite in Apartment 2, of 80 Derech Chevron. I recall people doubting Shalem for the sole reason that they “didn’t know how to cook”. Well I was never one who really cooked for himself in L.A, but now that I’m here I have embraced cooking and am now making dishes that I could only watch my mom make in the past. I have made dishes ranging from schnitzel and barbeque chicken to the likes of chicken fried rice, stuffed peppers, and chili. Recently I’ve also taken up baking, which is as easy as it looks. Following instructions off a sheet of paper isn’t the toughest thing in the world. Using my mom’s banana chocolate chip muffins recipe and turning it into cake didn’t really come out the way I planned the first time to say the least, but now I am able to make it the way it’s supposed to come out.
One of the best feelings in the world is when someone tells you that what you cooked is delicious; I’m physically unable to prevent the smile that shows up on my face every time I hear that. I’m glad I didn’t let my inexperience in the kitchen prevent me from coming on Shalem, because it’s just one more thing that I’ve learned from this program.

by Ariella Daniels, Toronto, Canada

This past Shabbat, Shalem had the opportunity to stay at the home of Rabbi Trugman and his wife at Moshav Mevo Modiin.  Our stay was an incredible experience, full of song, prayer and unity.  When entering the Moshav it was very evident that the people of Mevo Modiin are very unique, warm, spiritual, and family oriented.

Rabbi Trugman shared his very strong ideology on life with us through song and words.  He and his community have a very optimistic look on life through what they view as existential experiences.  They value every given moment in life and live it in the most spiritual way possible; through song.  When told we would be spending Shabbat at the moshav of Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach, it was expected that everyone would be singing happily.  But this community’s musical prowess is beyond past the norm, taking us through time and space to worlds one can only imagine.  It is no coincidence that we spent Shabbat Shira at such a place!

For me personally, my parents connect me to Judaism through song and dance.  I will always remember my father singing Z’mirot Shabbat and my mother trying to get me to dance with her.  Shabbat in Israel has been a challenging time for me as I am constantly measuring my Shabbat experience to my Shabbat experience back in Toronto, of my father’s voice teaching me the tunes to every song in the bencher.  Our stay at Rabbi Trugman’s house was the Shabbat I was looking for to feel truly at home.

Moshav Mevo Modiin is filled with nature and the love of an open community.  Their doors are clearly open to all.  Everyone should learn from them and their knowledge on life and their relationship with G-d.  It was truly one of my favourite Shabbatot B’yachad so far!

by David Jacobowitz, Los Angeles, CA

Shalem. What is there to say? From spending Shabbat together in Jerusalem to going on strenuous hikes in the Negev, this has been one of the wildest years of my life. Speaking of crazy, this semester’s schedule has been especially hectic- waking up at 7:30 every morning for tefila, followed by intense Ulpan studies and then off to Chazon Yeshaya (Soup Kitchen). Volunteering has impacted my life beyond measure, for when I see that I contributed to the smiles on my customers’ faces it gives me a feeling that I can’t possibly explain in words. Leaving the soup kitchen is as hard as it sounds but doesn’t compare to the pushing and shoving that I endure in Machane Yehuda while trying to supply my apartment with fruits and veggies. Searching for the best deals while having your eardrums attacked by each vendor’s voice that carries to the other side of the shuk isn’t as fun as it sounds, but an experience nonetheless. Being responsible for the budgeting of my apartment has also given me a responsibility that I have never had before, but will have for the rest of my life. Deciding which milk and which peanut butter is the best deal for the apartment is strenuous work, but I am happily enjoying my role as the budgeter for the experience it will give me in the future. Choosing to come on Shalem was the best decision I could of made for it provides me with both the tools for religious growth and for future independent living .

by: Jared Ebrahimoff, Scarsdale, NY

This past week on Shalem was great! I really got a chance to take advantage of the countless opportunities available to me in Israel. I Volunteer at The Lone Soldier Center in Memory of Michael Levin. Besides being able to help out at an amazing organization, I get to meet amazing people ranging from soldiers to volunteers to random people who want to help out in anyway they can. This week happened to be the center’s monthly Shabbat Dinner at the Great Jerusalem Synagogue where I had the opportunity to meet even more people including future lone soldiers, community members, and the one and only Shyne. I enjoyed Shabbat lunch at the home of a few of the volunteers, and on Saturday night I went to a Lone Soldier get together. Without Shalem I would have never met these great people who I volunteer with every week. Besides my busy and enjoyable Lone Soldier filled week, I was able to visit and hang out with friends and family that I haven’t seen in a while. I can’t wait for this coming week!

 by:  Sam Spencer, Woodbridge, CT    

     The complex life of our forefather Abraham serves as an inspiration to all who delve into the words of the Torah. Far from perfect, Abraham emerges as a man of many layers. He was a man of peace and diplomacy, yet adamantly defended his own honor and property. He was the father of two sons and the father of a new world, engaging the demands of the present while accepting his responsibility to the future. As a man of faith, Abraham infused patience with eagerness as he sought out and served the One God. Abraham’s story reaches readers of every generation because it relates a human journey, involving the vicissitudes and opposing tensions that still define human life today.

     Abraham strove for peace and understanding with fellow man while fighting to protect his own honor and conviction. He understood that a man must be flexible and diplomatic, but there are moments when one must stand up in the name of self-respect and honor. When the Sodomites took his brother captive along with the possessions of his household, Abraham fought back with immediacy and tact: “When Abram heard that his kinsman had been taken captive, he mustered his clan…and went into pursuit as far as Dan. At night he and his servants deployed against them and defeated them” (JPS Genesis 14.14). Abraham fought to protect his brethren, he understood that in an imperfect world a man must often fight, use force to stake claim to what is rightfully his. Abraham, however, was also a master of peace and diplomacy. At Be’er Sheva, Abraham turned a potentially explosive dispute with Abimelech into a covenant of peace. He reproached Abimelech for seizing his wells but in the end made the wells stand as eternal symbols of the peace between the two men; such was the balance of Abraham, to reproach but make peace, fight but lay down arms. Abraham learned how to adjust his approach towards fellow man based on the character of the individual; he acted according to the tempo and need of a situation.

     Abraham grounded himself in the vital demands of everyday life while directing his eyes to the promises of the future. Abraham lived his whole life as a sojourner, a foreigner in native populations (“he dwelled many years among the Philistines”), yet he knew his life would anchor a new people, found a new nation. When Abraham approached the Hittites of Canaan after Sarah’s death, saying, “I am a resident alien among you; sell me a burial site among you so I may remove my dead for burial”, he was also saying, now I am a resident alien among you, but I am intent on establishing a connection to this place, for my wife’s ashes will become the very dust of this land( JPS Genesis 23:3). Abraham involved himself fully as a husband and father, knowing that his duty to the present paved a road to the future of many nations. He heeded the voice of his wife and relied on her council, he mourned her soul when she passed away. He prepared his sons for greatness knowing that both, in their own way, would carry on his purpose and legacy. Abraham ensured Isaac’s marriage to a woman within his lineage, intuiting that Isaac would continue the founding process of a nation in The Land. He understood the potential of Ishmael; the Lord promised “I will make a nation of him, too, for he is your seed.” Abraham understood that he might not witness the fruits of his own toil; he might not live the reality of his own vision. Through patience and perseverance, Abraham sought to anchor himself in a faith and way of life that he may pass down to his children and his children’s children.

     As a man of faith, Abraham persevered through a long journey with many checkpoints, he patiently climbed a ladder with many rungs. He learned the nature of his Creator in slow, gradual increments, struggling to understand the One God; he tested the limits and potential of his faith, as God, too, encouraged and tried the man’s will. Abraham appreciated the Divine presence with a clearer understanding following each trial in his path. After the first dispute between Sarah and Hagar, God soothed Abraham, “Fear not, Abram, I am a shield to you, your reward shall be very great.” Abraham and the Divine built trust with each other; Abraham believed in His promise for offspring as numerous as the stars, even when his wife was barren, so the Divine strengthened the bond with His believer. He further familiarized Himself with Abraham, “I am the Lord who brought you out from Ur of the Chaldeans to assign this land to you as a possession”, so Abraham would know that the One God is his past, present, and future.  After the final test atop Mt. Moriah – on the mountain, the climax of the man’s lifelong journey – Abraham understood the righteousness of the Lord’s vision, and the Lord understood the strong faith and trust of his earthly counterpart.

     The multi-faceted life of the biblical Abraham tells the story of a man or woman living today. Every person’s life possesses moments of peace and moments of battle; every human being must reconcile opposing tensions, strive for harmony in a world of conflicts. Every life has its own present realities and dreams for the future; desire and will can pave the path of every life’s unique course. Abraham was a man of faith, but his story is not the story of the religious man. His story is the story of the ordinary man or woman learning about his or her own calling and drive, counting his or her own stars in the sky, pondering his or her ability to carve meaning into the world. Striving to live like Abraham means striving to live a human life with all of its trials; trying to succeed like Abraham means committing to a life of vision, courage, and understanding, a life of weakness and strength, a life worth retelling to endless generations to come.

by Ariella Daniels, Toronto, Canada

Today we had the opportunity to volunteer for a couple of hours at an organization called Shekel- Community Services for People with Special Needs.  This organization provides workshops for adults with slight special needs. Some of the activities include candle making, sewing, graphic design, and soap-making.

 Even though the work involved may appear repetitive and tedious, it was not noticeable because we were constantly active and around many people.  It was a lot of fun meeting new people, including some Israelis who are still in high school.  The volunteering involves physical work which helps develop one’s motor skills like putting things together, packing, stacking and screwing.  My fellow chanichim and I shared smiles and laughs with the adults we were helping and it felt really good to work together with them, something we cannot necessarily get in a classroom.

 It was so nice to know that this organization provides services for adults who have special needs, giving them some sort of income and something productive to do.  It gives me such pride to see the State of Israel provide such an important organization such as Shekel, and to have the opportunity to contribute to this organization through volunteering on Shalem.