1995-1996 Rothberg Yearbook

The Rothberg School
For Overseas Students
H ebrew University, Mt.
Scopus
Jerusalem, Israel
1995-1996
־‎1‎ -

THE
ROTHBERG
COURT
O.Y.P, GXP, FRESHMAN, B.A.S.P
P ’j a j l
1995-1996
ELIZABETH HOBSON, EDITOR
JODI SCHULMAN , ASSISTANT EDITOR
SEGEV PERETZ & GUY TAL, COVER
OREN ENTIN & O.S.A STAFF
STAFF : ADEENA COLBERT, MICKEY GALAR, GUY TAL,
VICTORIA HAMBURGER, WAYNE GREEN, ORNAH MEDOVOI,
TAMMY ORLOFF AND OTHERS.
DISCLAIMER:
THIS YEARBOOK HAS BEEN PRODUCED BY THE STUDENTS OF THE
ROTHBERG SCHOOL. THE OPINIONS CONTAINED HEREIN DO NOT IN
ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM, REFLECT THE OPINIONS OF THE STAFF OR
ADMINISTRATION OF THE ROTHBERG SCHOOL.

“D e a r '? r ie n d s ,
d ike everyone *) cam e to *Israel w ith more than m y tw o reyu latio n s u it cases.
*) cam e tactH m em entos fro m home and p ictu res o f those *) le ft behind. *I am leaving
now w ith this yearbook to rem ind m e o f new frien d s and navel experiences in *Israel.
Tile sh o u ld congratulate ourselves for. haviny the couraye to come to a fo reiyn
country,. A d a p tin y to a new culture, and, lanyuaye coax a chatlenye fo r a ll o f u s.
“?or som e o f u s com iny to *Israel brouyht u s closer to our Jew ish henitaye, “?or others
i t w as a n o fsp o rtuu ity fo r a d iffere n t Hind o f education or i t m eant tra v elin y in
foreiyn countries.
“Ibis (fear w as esp ecially unique fo r a11 o f u s. S esid es the d ifficu lties of
livin y in a fo reiyn eountry, toe also had to overcome m any ha rd sh ip s: S a lin e
a ssa ssin a tion , th e fa s bom binys a n d w atchiny m any o f our frien d s return home.
*I hope tve tv ill a ll use th is yearbook a s a w ay to rem em ber our pays and
sorrow s throuyhout our year abroad. Hhis yearbook is fu ll o f p o w erfu l and
everla stin y m emories, ^ y readiny th is collection i t w ill invoke shared m emories
a nd p erso n a l achievem ents. T U tim ately each o f u s brouyht som ethiny sp e cia l to
th is country and tv ill ta k e home a unique an d everla stin y experience.
*) hope you a ll enjoyed your tim e in *Israel and th a t you w ill ta k e home
p o sitive experiences to share w ith your fa m ily and frien d s.
*I w ould lik e to th a n k a ll those who h elped m ake th is yearbook a success. *I
w ould esp ecia lly lik e to th a n k the a ssista n t ed itor fyodi S ch u lm a n fo r a ll o f her
su p p o rt.
בהצלחה,‏
S liya beth D obson
S d ito r - in - chief

You know your in Israel when
- your using blue crepe paper as toilet paper.
- you become fluent in honking.
- your invited to your teacher’s wedding.
- frozen shnitzel replaces frozen burritos.
- coffee flavored drink mix (Nescafe) tastes better than filtered coffee.
- Shimon Peres is sitting next to you at the Cinemateque.
- you are stealing toilet paper.
- your professor hands out their home phone number.
- chumas and pita replace tortilla chips and salsa.
- your socks are “still clean enough” to wear three days in a row.
- your handwriting your papers and still receiving A ’s.
־
the Goldsmith building looks so much like your high school you begin to search for you locker.
־
your Hebrew still sucks and your English is getting worst. - there is a “Beseder” man at every entrance to a building.
־
anarchy prevails over forming a line. - a weekend vacation means crossing continents and borders.
- your watching a flick and at the climax...“hafsakah.”
- your drinking chocolate milk out of a bag.

Alice? your asking everyone who the Fuck is ־
laundry. you dream of doing your own ־
- cockroaches have wings and ants are the size of your fist.
face. “savlanute” means having someone shove their pinched fingers in your ־
- fruits and vegetables are flying over your head and people are screaming shekel
v’chetzy.
- you cannot go anywhere except shabbat dinner on Friday nights.
M-16. every other person is carrying a gun, Oozy, or ־
- the siesta is longer than the hours the stores are open.
out. you turn on the hot water and liquid rust pours ־
“Mahamud!” the cleaning crew works as a communal alarm clock.... ־
stick. your bed looks like a match ־
Dahab. everyone owns a rug from ־
- you are assigned a seat at the movies and the person sitting next you is chatting on
his Pelaphone..
- a flock of goats pass by you on the street.
- there is a designated NON-smoking section.
- you are buy.beer at the university’s cafeteria.
- and you kndw you are in DAHAB when...you see Santa Claus riding a camel on
Christmas day.
-Omah Medovoi-
■ ־‎5‎

10 Reasons Why I
Loved Ulpan
10. Nothing like getting up at
7 AM everyday.
9. 25 hours of Hebrew a week-
Aizah Kef!
8. Learning so many practical,
useful phrases (too bad I
couldn’t understand what
the hell people said back
to me)
7. Nothing much better to do.
6. Feeling like I was really
submerged in Israeli culture
5. Ulpan teachers are a great
introduction to “real
Israeli” attitude
4. Dikduk!
3. Got to hear about my
classmates’ families again
and again...
2. Arik Einstein songs
1. What’s Ulpan?

GIVAT N M CRA/1)

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Down On Skid Row: An Adventure In Lower Resnick
There is a growing problem spreading around the campus of the Hebrew University; If this situation
continues to spread, it will surely rock the very foundations of this fine institution.
No, it’s not the internal left-right struggle currently strangling Israeli society; Unlike that problem,
this one knows no political boundaries. No, it’s not the “Tastes Great-Less Filling” match either; Unlike
that classic debate, this one has nothing to do with beer. (Well, everything has something to do with beer, but
let’s not get carried away.)
The debate up for discussion is the ever-increasing polarity between the two dormitory projects
currently housing One Year Program students: Upper and Lower Resnick.
Upper Resnick (UR), encompassing buildings 1-12, is closer and more accessible to amenities such
as Goldsmith High School, all e-mail rooms, and the main campus of the Hebrew University.
Lower Resnickians, as they like to call themselves, argue that they have made a “pragmatic lifestyle
decision,” whereby they can live in relative peace, quiet, and harmony without the excessive noise found in
Upper Resnick. Hey, wait a second before I go on. I ask any of you UR’s: 1) Have you ever actually seen
or been to Lower Resnick? 2) Do you know Lower Resnick’s ugly history? Let me explain by chronicling
my brief visit and study of the site.
Lower Resnick is the quintessential example of urban decay. Roaming its dark, labyrinthine
alleyways, I encountered things that one would only expect to find in inner-city American ghettos: women of
the night, used syringes littering the streets (barely visible beneath all of the other garbage defecating the
area), bums rummaging through dumpsters to find a discarded morsel of a Bonker’s bagel. Coming from the
lush greenery and beautiful courtyards of sunny Upper Resnick, the gross entanglements of barbed wire and
innumerable oversized rats and alley cats took me by surprise and horror.
The people I encountered reflected the environment. Despots and ne’er do wells [sic] filled the
streets, joined by Night of the Living Dead-ish zombies-tumed-students, or vies versa. Finally, in the
distance I saw a beacon of light... the sweet, sweet staircase back home to Upper Resnick.
My horrifying and haunting visit to Lower Resnick, not unlike an episode of Saved By the Bell: The
College Years, brought a tear to my eye. How could 100 meters make such a difference between two
seemingly similar housing projects? The answer, my friends, is not blowing in the wind, but in the history of
the Lower Resnick site.
I discovered that in the history of the Roman occupation of Jerusalem (Post 70 CE), the site was
used exclusively as a pagan sacrifice and burial site; As recently as 1966, the same site housed a Jordanian
mental asylum. It is no wonder that Lower Resnick has become the bleak nightmare it is today. I urge all of
you Upper Resnick residents to stay where you are and not to make any drastic “pragmatic lifestyle
decisions”; Stay in Upper Resnick, land of peace, harmony, and the Amer. .. I mean the Israeli dream.
by Josh Tizel

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-14-

GUATEMAL A

Mv Life as a Freshman!
I am a proud student: proud and honored to be a part of the Hebrew University's
prestigious FRESHMAN program in Jerusalem, Israel. It's tough enough being a Freshman
Now with all of the pressures of the middle east, it has become insurmountable... (Am I supposed
to say that?)
No, seriously, folks, back at home in the US and England and wherever you might be
hiding, Israel is the place for your FRESHMAN kids. Hey, look at a guy like me, hard worker,
got all good grades in High School, accepted to Harvard, Stanford, Yale, and the infamous
College of Marin, I chose to drop it all, to drop my future and kick it in the old middle east. And
I think it was a perfectly correct decision for me to make. (Have you seen the Israeli women!)
Now really, seriously, mom and dad and all of the others who probably won't ever see this
yearbook, I have to try and convince you, on the payroll of the yearbook staf£ to try and convince
your little 18 year old babies to leave you, leave their American identity, and join us at the
University for an electrifying, stimulating, stunning, exhilarating, arousing year at Hebrew U.
Wow, so many thesaurus words!
And for all of you One Year Program people, I would like to quote our first Prime
Minister, David Ben Gurion, "I would never let my kids go on the One Year Program, I would
only send them to the Freshman Program, or not let them go to college at all." And from the US
president Lincoln, "All cool Jewish kids go on the Freshman Program..."
NOTE FROM THE EDITING STAFF: miS׳ IS NOT A PROMOTION OR PROPAGANDA
NOTICE, BUT A YEARBOOK STORY.
Sorry. I want to say a little about my experiences in Israel, and tell the world community
what the Freshman Program did for me. Just in one year, I have done so many things there are
just no words. So I won't write anything.
But: I was involved in he University's poetry publication, the Likud group, the student
Gilad Aviv right wing group, the Fascists chib, the Meir Kahane memorial group, and the student
drive to regain the East Bank of the Jordan. I don't know why my roommate calls me a commie!
I am so busy on this Freshman Program I knew not one word of Hebrew before I came
here, and my friends said, "The best way to leam is to get an Israeli girlfriend." I listened
carefully, but unfortunately there were none to be found. For some reason, all the Israeli's in this
school are taken. Enough of women. If you leave this paper remembering anything, remember
this:
NO MATTER YOUR BACKGROUND, RACE, SEX, COLOR, SHOE SIZE, AND SEXUAL
ORIENTATION... THE FRESHMAN PROGRAM IS PRETTY GOOD.
Thank you. And good-bye, until next year when I do the Freshman Program again.
Adam Sager, Freshman 1995-1999
P.S. Special thanx to Roni Perlman... You're the best.
־‎16‎ ־

־‎17‎ -

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רמטכ־ל,‏
שד מדינאי,‏
ביטחון ודאש ממשל

Old Myths Die Hard in Israel
My feet dangled from the concrete awning over Hebrew University’s outdoor amphitheater as I listened to
the eulogy for Yitzhak Rabin. A war hero (or terrorist, depending on one’s point of view) who helped to procure for
Israel the very strip of land between Jerusalem and the Dead Sea - the West Bank, Judea, call it what you will - that I
stared at while munching on a falafel. I couldn’t help but contemplate the irony that this land so lustfully coveted by
millions of people means more to some than the very life of a man who had dedicated himself to championing the
cause of peace.
Rabin signed his life away when he signed the Israel - PLO autonomy agreements stipulating that Israel will
remove its menacing and often brutal military presence from selected Palestinian towns in the Territories. In
conceding a limited modicum of freedom and self-determination to Palestinians repressed by military occupation for
over a quarter century, (and thereby creating the best chance for peace that Israel has ever known) Rabin made the
fatal mistake of underestimating the power of a myth; the myth of “Eretz Yisrael.”
I realize that to speak of Eretz Yisrael as a myth may hurt the sensibilities of those who stake their identity
on the biblical history of this land. However, consider that myths are everywhere, pervading even those “truths”
which we all hold dear. America, for example, is founded on the myth of “manifest destiny”; that the land exists for
the white man, irrespective of those peoples and cultures which resided there for hundreds, if not thousands of years
previous to European colonization. Every nationalism, every religion, indeed every community of identity is
predicated upon certain myths from which they derive their sense of being and purpose.
Yigal Amir brought the myth of Eretz Yisrael to its illogical conclusion when he slaughtered Rabin on the
altar of God’s promise to Abram (Genesis 15). Whether one speaks of the land of Israel, the land of Palestine, amber
waves of grain blowing in the breeze from sea to shining sea, or any other myth from which truths are extorted and
battles fought, the result is always bloodshed and the destruction of human community.
At the very least, the power of communitarian myth promotes the most loathsome of all human divisions;
race. One of the Israeli Right’s key criticisms of Rabin’s government was that its parliamentary majority came from
five seats belonging to Arab parties within Israel, the Arab Democratic Party and the New Communist List, whose
votes enabled Rabin’s peace policies to pass the Knesset by a 61-59 margin. The government actually comprised a
Jewish minority, and Orthodox religious factions and even members of Likud therefore labeled it illegitimate.
This is worth thinking about. Rabin was branded a traitor because he collaborated with Arabs, both in the
Knesset and in the PLO. Once these nonsensical polemics circulated among status quo-minded circles for a couple
of years, people actually came to believe that Rabin was a murderer, personally responsible for every isolated attack
on Israelis by fringe elements of the Palestinian resistance movement. This simply because he had made friends
among the sons of Ishmael.
Ultimately, Amir and all of those who share his ideas are haunted by a paranoia intrinsic to their reactionary
and racist world views: ‘They are the Arabs; terrorist; evil. We are the Jews; chosen; upright.” This sort of
rejectionist identitarian discourse creates an unbridgeable gulf between Jews and their Palestinian neighbors with
whom they must make peace in order to survive.
This assassination exposes a festering sore on the backside of Israel’s body politic: A fundamental clash
between myth and facts on the grounds; between ethnocentrism and democracy. An entire nation’s self-proclaimed
pretense to “ light unto the nations,” was shattered by three shots from an ideologue’s gun. Let us hope that those
who support Israel will awaken from their myth-tainted slumber, recognize Israel’s position of power in the Middle
East, and continue to protect the light that Mr. Rabin tried to share with the rest of the world.
by Jay Lininger
־‎33‎־

To
mmm

* * * ) B U S B O M B I N G S * * *
By Adam Sager
In this new age of “peace” in the Middle East, we have experienced first hand
a new wave of terror never before known in Israel’s history. Terrorists have been
free to travel to and from major centers of Israeli life, from Diesengoff Center in Tel
Aviv to Yaffo Street in the heart of Jerusalem. The three bus bombs in Jerusalem,
bus #26, bus #18, and bus #18 again, have effected the students in a multitude of
ways, from despair to disdain and even to going home. Approximately 55 students
left Israel as a direct result of the bus bombs, while everyone’s parents felt at least
some kind of worry for their children most often thousands of kilometers away.
As time moved on, life continued for the overseas students. For the students
who didn’t know any of the victims, life went on almost as normal. Students talked
to each other, to the Madrichim, and to their parents and friends to comfort,
themselves. Like most other things in life, time moves on and people move on.
It is, though, important never to forget what has happened, why it has
happened, and to whom it has happened. These bombs are an eternal scar on the
people who caused them, and a lifetime sorrow for the family’s of the victims.
■

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־‎39‎‏-‏

Jeff Seidel: Next Year I'm gonna be a Priest!
Interview by Adiv Parrott
Q: Jeff, How long have you been doing what you’re doing?
A: Fourteen years and ten minutes
Q: Will you ever change your hair style?
A: If I could I would. I would like to be the Dennis Rodman of Jerusalem
Q: How many students do you help every year?
A: I’m not sure, MacDonalds and I are in never-ending competition
Q: In how many countries do you know Jewish families?
A: About 50
Q: How did you start with all of this?
A: I saw the gap between the American students and the religious world and I
decided to do something about it.
Q: What is your favorite costume in Purim
A: A gorilla, but next year I am going to be a priest. I love Purim, but for me every
day is a holiday because I enjoy my work
Q: What is your future plans
A; I can’t tell you, but ask me what is
”? השבוע “ favorite my
Q: Ok. What is your favorite
‏?”פרשת השבוע “
A: Its “ ‏”פרשת in Genesis because
this is the השבוע that I got married in
‏(־:‏ Q: Thanks Jeff. And good luck
פרשת
פרשת
תצא כי

ב״ה
טייערע חבריםת,‏
איך בין אנגעקומען אין אוגןסט צו א נייע סביבה און א נעיים אופן פון לעבןת טויזענטע
קילאמעטער פון מיין היים אין טאראנטא.‏ פונקט ווען מיין פיס האבן אנגערירט די אדמת-‏
הקדושת האב איך דעמאלט געוווסט אז איך שיף זיך איין אויין אויף א יאר-לאנג נסיעהת עפעס
וואט וועט שטענדיק בלייבן זייער בולט אין מיין זינען.‏
איינע פון מיינע באליבסטע דערמאנונגען עיז געווען יום-כפור אין ירושלים.‏ איך געדענק ווי איך
האב געגען דעם קריכגיכן פארגיין פון דער זון איבער די ווענט פון דער אלטער שטאוטת פון דער
הכט שולת הויך אויפן הר הצופים.‏ דער הימל איז געווארן צער אין מער כאפנדיקת מיט יעדער
ווארט פונעם חזנם ״כל נדרי״.‏
יעדע חנוכיה,‏ ימנטאשת פאן,‏ סוכהת מצה,‏ דריידל און קניידל זעט מיר אויס מער ספעציעל
ווייל איך האב געפייערט די ימימ-טובים אין ישראל.‏ ניט קוקנדיק אויף אונדזערע שמחות במשך
רעם יארת האבן מיר אויך געהאט פיין און ליידן,‏ די באמבעס,‏ רבינס רדח,‏ און די קאטיושעס.‏
מיר זיינען געווען עדות צו דער געשיכטע.‏ מיר האבן עט איבערגעלעבט.‏
איך בין געקומען אין ירושלים,‏ די אייביקע הויפשטאט פון ישראל.‏ און דא האב איך גאטראפן די
וועלטץ איך האב געטראפן סטודענטן פון אומעטום,‏ וואט האבן געבראבט מיט זיך זייער
קולטור,‏ רעליגיע,‏ מינהגים און שפראך.‏ צו אייך,‏ מיינע חברים,‏ איך וועל אייך תמיד געדענקען,‏
און איך ווינטש אייך מזל און גליק,‏ אויף אייביק.‏ ״בשנה הבאה בירושלים״,‏
משה קייטס
טאראנטא,‏ קאנאדע
Dear Friends,
I arrived in August to a new surrounding and a new way o f life, thousands o f kilometers
away from my home in Toronto. A s soon as my feet touched this holy soil, I knew that I was
embarking on a year-long journey, something that would always remain very vivid in my mind.
One o f my favorite recollections was the celebrating o f Yom Kippur. I remember watching
the slow setting sun over the walls o f the Old City, from the Hecht Synagogue, high atop Mount
Scopus. The sky grew more and more breathtaking, as the chazan sang w ord after word o f Kol
Nidrei.
Each chanukiah, hamentash, flag, succah, matza, dreydle and kneidle seemed to be more
special to me, as I w as celebrating the holidays in Israel. Despite all o f our happiness during the
year, w e did not go without our pain and suffering; the bombings, Rabin's murder, and the
Katyushas. W e witnessed history in the making. We were living through it.
I came to Jerusalem, the eternal capital o f Israel, and here, I met the world. I met students
from all over, bringing with them their culture, religion, customs and languages. To you, my
friends, I will never forget you, and I wish you much success and happiness, always.
"Bashana haba'ah B'Yerushalayim",
Marc Kates,
Toronto, Canada
־ ־‎41‎

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־‎44‎‏-‏

־‎45‎‏-‏

P o L cxnD
Auschwitz
Auschwitz is now a tourist attraction, but with a difference;
here there are no rides.
The people roam around with despair on their faces.
The sun shines with a bright light over the buildings,
like a memorial candle.
The wind blows through the trees
and sounds of screams
whisper through the rustle of the leaves.
The smell of death envelopes the buildings
and inside the buildings is an unbelievable silence;
a silence so deafening.
So many years ago the people living in these buildings
had to pay with their lives.
And for what?
For being Jewish.
Wayne Green (BASP)

Russia

RUSSIA
by Jodi Schulman
Leaving Israel for Pesach. Spending Pesach in Russia and helping to teach the
communities there. For some people, they wouldn't think of doing something like this. For others,
this is only a dream that may never come true. For six North American students in the overseas
program, however, it became a reality this year.
Having been told about this program during first semester, several students quickly went
to work trying to raise the funds in order to participate, but only six students: Lindy Klaff Josh
Berkenwald, Leah Silber, Jessica Feldman, Debbie Bohnen and Jodi Schulman, were given the
great opportunity to spend this past Pesach in Russia.
When we started preparing for the program, we were going to go to the Ukraine which
greatly excited all of us since many of us have family from different cities there. We were to be
split into teams of two and would join the Ukrainian students to go to different parts of the
country. We spent a month and a half in meetings to learn about Pesach and to prepare for what
to expect in the Ukraine. Unfortunately, the day before we were supposed to leave, we received a
phone call telling us that we were no longer going to the Ukraine because the person who was
supposed to be our Kiev contact got hurt and had to be flown to a hospital in Israel. Fortunately,
however, we were going to Moscow and would help the communities there instead.
Three days later, we were on a plane to Moscow instead of Kiev. We were met at the
airport by Genia Friedenhoff, our student guide for the week. After checking into our hotel, a two
minute walk from Red Square and the Kremlin, and a quick lunch at McDonald's, we headed off
to the Moscow Hillel to learn what was to come that week.
Our second day there was the first night of Pesach and the first of our three days of
teaching seders. The first seder was held at the Etz Chayim Day School in Moscow. We
conducted this one with the Moscow Hillel students for college age students and members of the
community. It included songs, skits, and a shadow dance which were used to explain the meaning
of Pesach. We also had the honor to share this seder with the chief rabbi of Moscow. It was at
this seder that I had the most memorable moment of the week. I was talking to a Russian student
and asked him what he thought of the seder. He replied that he liked it and that it was very
educational because this was his first one ever and he was going to teach seders to people in
Omsk the next day. I learned a very valuable lesson from this and that was that I should be proud
of all the Jewish opportunities I have been given in my life. I have been given the opportunity to
celebrate Pesach, as well as other Jewish traditions in freedom, every year since I was bom, but I
have family from the Ukraine and had we not left when we did, I might have been the one who
was celebrating her first seder without having to fear persecution. The next seder was at an
elderly woman's apartment with a few elderly people, and we led this seder with two students
from St. Petersburg. The third and final seder we led that week was with the Society for the
Blind. At this seder, which we led with students from St. Petersburg, we were able to practice our
Yiddish, and a few of us decided this was our favorite seder of the three.
-49-

Shabbat in Moscow was also very special. Just before Shabbat, we gathered together with
Moscow Hillel students to sing Shabbat songs. At this time, it no longer mattered if we were
American and they were Russian, we became one unified body of Jewish students. As Shabbat
began to come in, we fit Shabbat candles and recited Motze and Kiddush and then began Israeli
dancing or just sitting around talking and getting to know each other. The next morning, the six of
us and one of our Russian friends attended Shabbat services at the Great Coral Synagogue, the
main synagogue of Moscow in which five services take place at once. The synagogue was
enormous but unfortunately only about ninety people attended services. Josh, being a Cohen, was
called up for an aliyah. Afterwards, we went to the Chabad Synagogue for Kiddush, and on the
way we met an American living in Russia who invited us to his house for the Third Meal.
Besides for the religious activities, we were able to tour St. Petersburg for a day and
Moscow for a week. We spent a day at Red Square and the Kremlin, saw the Hermitage and
Lenin's Mausoleum, and explored many other places. At night we were able to go to the Old
Circus, a modem symphony and an opera. We all had a very powerful experience and are glad we
went. This was the first year this Hillel program has taken place and next year Hillel will again
send students, but it will be sponsored by the United Jewish Appeal.

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-54-

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fflK T K G , C L O B
It was a dark and stormy night.... from a distance we heard Rafi’s cry “Hiking Club ba, balagan
ba. ” There we were, smack in the middle of the Golan, rappelling down waterfalls into... water
contaminated with excrement. Nice day for a swim, eh? Oh yeah, try not to get lost in the minefield at the
end of the day. It was the first trip of the hiking club and it was awesome! And of course we learned how
to cook potatoes over an open fire with absolutely no organization... but hey, they tasted maarvalous. But
the guys didn’t think that hiking was so maaarvalous after that first day - magic ointment boys?
The excitement continued in the south with our smallest but closest group. We had a great time
climbing Har Shlomo, and viewing four countries with our lovely guide, Asher. Asher enlightened us with
geological dikes, and cultured us with French songs of Isabella. Menachem and Tamir kept us safe. The
long days of hiking were only topped by the sun setting over the Red Sea. We danced on the beach, in the
Dan Eilat (any luck Rafi?), and, of course, on the sea itself. The fun was enhanced by snorkeling,
rappelling, the trampolines (how’s that ankle Bruce?), and those hunter green sweatshirts.
Soon after, we braved the flash floods in... the desert? Oh its Indi to the rescue... never mind, its
just Dave and his hat. Luckily we always had Nick and his questionable English pub songs to keep us
entertained. Ein Gedi may have been gray, but we weren’t.
From the desert we moved north to the banana plantations for the four day Sea to Sea trip.
Forecast for the first day was a rugged hike, cloudy, with a chance of katushyas... make that 100% chance
of katyushas. The sirens went off and so did we. The long days of hiking were followed by night skies
filled with stars and comets under which we slept, next to our renegade campfire. The next day, at the end
of our odyssey, Dror led us in songs and poetry at Rachel’s tomb. That night we ended our escapades,
continuing in our wayward hiking club manner with our renegade dance club... thanks to the mud!
Overall, an amazing year thanks to Rafi, Dror, and our hiking club committee: Mike, Lindy,
Jessica, Nicki, and Nick.
Happy trails everyone!
P.S. If you were stranded on a desert island with...
A t t e . 4 0 9 • . ! ־ + ־ t h e . צ • * - * M
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־‎60‎‏-‏

־‎62‎‏-‏

Yom Kesher
by Jodi Schulman
Besides for being the beginning of Yom Yerushalayim 3000, May 16, 1996 was also the
first ever one day Yom Kesher Program (it is the third annual Kesher program but the first two
were Shabbatons). This is a day dedicated to helping the overseas students from all of the Israeli
universities (Bar Han, Ben Gurion, Haifa, Hebrew U., and Tel Aviv) to "strengthen their
connection" between their time in Israel and their return to America. It was mainly run by Hebrew
University Hillel, Gerry Showstack of United Israel Office, and United Jewish Appeal, and the
most visible staff of the day were Hebrew U. students and Naomi Cohen of Hebrew U. Beit Hillel.
Close to four hundred students from America, Canada and Europe who are studying in Israel this
year came together for speakers, workshops, food and fun.
We gathered together in Givat Ram's beautiful outside amphitheater beginning between
9:30 and 11:15 in the morning for registration, a light snack and welcoming remarks from Rabbi
Yossie Goldman of Hillel, Sharyn Lubin Levitt of University Programs of United Jewish Appeal
and Sharon Janowitz who was the Project Coordinator of Yom Kesher. That was followed by our
first workshop session: Current Events in Israel where we discussed the upcoming elections,
events that have taken place this year such as the Rabin assassination and the bus bombings, and
our feelings about the Americanization of Israel. This was followed by our first keynote speaker
of the day, the Honorable Martin S. Indyk, U.S. Ambassador to Israel who discussed his program
at Hebrew U. in 1973, the assassination of Rabin in relation to the peace process, and the
upcoming elections. He closed by stating that we must take advantage of organizations of both
political and Israeli activism on our home campuses. This was followed by a lunch break
sponsored by Bonkers Bagels and then our second keynote speaker, Hirsh Goodman, Editor-in-
Chief of the Jerusalem Report, who spoke about the role of the media in the upcoming elections.
The second workshop session followed with a choice of "Cultural Re-entry" and "Being Jewish
Here and There". In this session, we discussed who we were before we came, who we are now
after spending so much time in Israel and who we expect to be when we return home. It was very
interesting to see how everyone would now describe who we are now in comparison to who we
were when we came at the beginning of our programs. In the third and final workshop session of
the day, the students were asked to decide the perfect Jewish organization on a college campus
today. This was followed by a crafts and information shuk where students had the opportunity to
explore possible future programs in Israel, organizations of campus acitivism, and other Jewish
information. The most popular table seemed to be the one where Jeff Seidel handed out free
copies of his newly published annual Shabbat Resource Guide. Dinner was also served at this
time.
The day's events culminated in a David Broza concert in the Givat Ram amphitheater to
kick off Yom Yerushalayim 3000. Students and teachers alike could be seen dancing and singing
along to some of their favorite Broza hits. The students were so excited by this concert that they
were able to bring David Broza back for an encore. A good day was enjoyed by all, and the
students are now able to go back to their campuses much more informed on how to bring their
Israeli experience back to their college campuses.

V '3 WosT

־‎65‎‏-‏

0 6 , t o i c o n ■.
If, like me, your reply to the question, “what’s up” is still, “fine, thankyou very much, how are you?” then
mazel tov, because in the face of enormous pressure from far too many Americans, you have maintained your
identity as an Englishman, Austrailian, or Scotsman (that’s you, Philp!).
Nevertheless, ignoring the fact that the Commonwealth is, unfortunately, deep in the minority here in
Yerushers ( I refuse to beleive that Bill is ‘The Leader of the Free World’ - G-d save the Queen), BASP and
Hebrew U has been bloody fantastic. Resnick is very cool - picnics on the hill; getting very pissed in random
rooms; and wondering around in the early hours in pyjamas (I know for a fact that’s not just me!); the Orient
- getting very pissed (again), and dancing to various musical efforts; 2 for 1 at Hershele, and wild nights at
Talpiot.
Also mustn’t forget the ridiculous number of pulls generally - everyone seems to have done their utmost to
further international relations! Wicked trips to Masada, Sea to Sea etc. and Club 11 maintaining everyone’s
healthy diet with veggie shnitzels, hamburgers, and even more excitingly, sausages. Luvly jubbly! Oh yes,
how could I forget the course - well, we did all come to study after all! Quite a few stimulating trips to the Old
City with Chaim Weizman, Sir Chroig, Jesus Christ, Prince Joe, and the Rambam, educational yet enjoyable
lessons, and, of course, the one thing which is universally adored - Hebrew! It’s true that some of us attended
more classes than others (admittedly under threat of expulsion and deportation) but it was good to be together.
Well, what can we say? A big thankyou to Dotan - we love you, to Yoel who made it all possible - we love
you too, and to all our teachers who put up with us (lets face i t , some better than others - that’s you Queen
Sharona!)
But cheers to everyone for being such a blinding group - we’ll definately see each other in Oz, Britain or
Switzerland, and probably somewhere in between. Perhaps we’ll even keep in contact with random
Americans and Canadians. If you are one of these and reading this, let me tell you something: yes, of course
we find your accents highly irritating, no, shag does not mean kiss, and if you now understand words like
‘blinding’, ‘geezer’, ‘sound bloke’, and ‘snog’, then congratulations! Instead of your mutated form of the
language, you now speak the Queen’s English!
fr fc w v id o {0*1 ^ f a c i a l e o M e ,
fa u n e l/o y d - Queen Rabbit Award
S wum V u n ity - Miss World 1996 Award
“g o d id S tun u d - The Who On Earth Are You Award
Jlonnie S

s4n O de to■ *Win (4I 4 6 &
(A.K.A. Mr Historical Geography)
Oh M r Glass, oh M r Glass
It’s very plain to see
That nobody gives a shit
About Historical Geography.
Oh Mr Glass, oh Mr Glass
W e didn’t read a thing
Coz the mineral formations of limestone rock
Is not that interesting.
Oh Mr Glass, oh M r Glass
W e were rather amused
When Ram bam and Mickey Mouse turned up
But to laugh you refused.
Oh M r Glass, we missed a class
T ’was about ancient Rome
So run to Yoel, report us all
And get us all sent home.
Oh Mr Glass, oh Mr Glass
This was your final straw
You tested us, we all did pass
But had we seen it before?
Oh Mr Glass, oh Mr Glass
With your ever-present smile
We know that when we all get home
W e’ll realise it was worthwhile.

“J o s tf> K
Beit Hillel Theatre Workshop
Proudly Presents:
"Joseph an d The
Am azing Technicolor D ream co at”
January 17
8:15 p.m .
Beit Hillel Auditorium
Adm it O n e
־‎68‎־

Dear Student,
Today, two weeks before the end of the One Year Program 1995-6, I'm still unsure of
how I can condense my closing remarks to anything less than a small book. There is no doubt that
this year turned out to be an important crossroad in the history of Israel. You were here to
experience the makings of this history- to cry, to mourn, to sing and to hope. In spite of the hard
hours and days (can one forget the night of Rabin's assassination, the bus bombings, the fear?), the
program continued as we tried to provide for you the trips, seminars, lectures and activities that
would explain the situation and setting in which you suddenly found yourselves. We proceeded
forward, incorporating into the Jerusalem 3000 festivities, Kesher Day, and the Photo Contest,
lectures and talks and workshops about Jerusalem's and Israel's society and history. I want to
thank the madrichim- without them a crucial part of your experience in Israel would have been
missing.
Keep these memories with you. Remember. And I hope, someday, that we'll meet again in
Israel. My door will always be open to all of you.
Good luck,
Adrian Kramer, OSA Acting Director
Tel: (02)882606; E-mail:msadrian@pluto.mscc.huji.ac.il

D e a r S t u d e n t 1 5 .
As this rare and extraordinary year draws to a close, we, the Madrichim, would like to
portray to our students how much you meant to us, and how we hoped that you got as much out
of this year as we did.
We have all been through a lot this year, from suicide bombers to assassinations, to
pelephone bombs, to girlfriends and boyfriends, to trips, to friendships made to last a lifetime.
OSA has brought us organized and unorganized throughout the country, and at the same time,
provided us with the warm family feeling back at Goldsmith.
It might have seemed to you that things were not quite in order the whole time over in the
office and on the trips and with everything else you experienced in this crazy country, but we
would like to tell you that we tried hard to make this a special year for all of you.
We would be glad to see any of you when you return to Israel in the future. As Madrichim
and as friends, we did the best to help you out in any way we could, and we hope that in our small
way we were of assistance.
Thank you for everything you have given us, and good luck in the future whether you are
back at home or staying in Israel.
The Madrichim
P. S. Here is a poem by Yehuda HaLevi that signifies some of your feelings about leaving Israel.
Goodbye, and may all of your dreams come true!
My Heart is in the East
My heart is in the east, and I in the uttermost
west-
How can I find savour in food? How shall it
be sweet to me?
How shall I render my vows and my bonds,
while yet
Zion lieth beneath the fetter of Edom...
Seeing how precious in mine eyes to behold the
dust of the desolate sanctuary.
Boaz, Oren A., Lee, Inbal, Rafi, Efrat, Michal, Joy, Shirly, Oren G., Dror, Dotan.

f0«€^
H M f 1 I K
־ ־‎71‎

WUJS Academeet: Building a Dialogue between Israeli
and Diaspora Students
Darkness, silence, our eyes are blindfolded. We strongly hold onto one another, afraid to stumble,
walking into the desert canyon. This is how we began our 3 day WUJS seminar.
The seminar was the opening of the "Academeet" project, which brings together one-year
program students with their Israeli counterparts at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. The idea
for the project arose from the fact that many students from abroad leave the country after a year
without really getting to know Israeli students, and Israeli students have no way in which to meet
overseas students.
The first was held at Kibbutz Ketura in the arava valley near Eilat, part of the Negev Desert. The
desert was always a special place in Judaism. A place where connections were made and have a
chance to grow. The Israelites walked for 40 years in the desert and there they were formed as a
people, a group. The same impact was imposed on us, and from being 60 individuals, we
succeeded in becoming a united group in less than three days.
The group will meet several times during the next year, discussing the different issues facing Israel
and the Diaspora, Jewish Identity and Zionism, all the while making friends and having fun! There
are three more weekend seminars to look forward to as well as some social meetings. The group
will also attend part of the WUJS International Congress and lead some sessions for the
participants who will come from all continents of the world on Israel-Diaspora relations. The
actuality of the need for a dialogue between Jews from different origins was made even clearer
with the timing of the first seminar; little under a week after the assassination of Yitzchak Rabin.
As participants we feel that the aim of the seminar was achieved fully, we often stop to talk to our
new friends in the university. Moreover there are already several initiatives for meetings outside
the framework of the project, including a tour of the Jewish Quarter in the Old City or a party in
the dorms.
We hope that the rest of the project will be as successful as the beginning.
Written by: Jakob Melchior, Sara Sattinger, Naomi Siew, Tllill Klein, Iris Vadislavsky.
־‎72‎‏-‏

The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Alumni Association
Welcomes you back home...
Dear Student,
It is quite strange for me to be writing this letter. Nine years ago, I was in your shoes, leaving the Rothberg
School, Jerusalem and Israel after Mechina not really sure what life was going to be like back in the States. The
transition back to your home universities is not always an easy one; we at American Friends of Hebrew University
are here to help the Israel experience live on and help you, as best we can to ease back into life in the States.
First, on behalf of AFHU, I want to thank you for coming to The Hebrew University and for staying in Israel
despite the many tragic events of this past year. You have had an opportunity to see and live Israel at its best and
worst - Jerusalem at 3,000, a nation in mourning, Jews and Arabs at war and peace with each other - and I am
sure that these experiences will become a part of you forever.
From now on, wherever you go or whatever you do, you are part of The Hebrew University family. You are part
of a tradition that stretches backwards into time and forward into a future to which you have now contributed. I
invite you to participate in Alumni Association programs when you return. In the past, the Alumni Association
has hosted parties, lectures with prominent University professors, programs to keep former students abreast of
developments in Israel, and reunions, both locally and in Jerusalem. I hope these activities will help you maintain
a dynamic link to the University.
Having experienced the Rothberg School, Jerusalem and Israel, you are now a qualified representative for the
Office of Academic Affairs. Upon your return, a letter will be sent to you asking if you would like to assist in
promoting the University and its programs on your campuses and in your communities. In the past, we have
received a positive response from students and we feel this has helped the recruitment efforts for the programs.
This is a wonderful opportunity to speak about your experiences at the University and your adventures in Israel, to
answer questions about safety in Israel which concern parents and students alike, to talk about how day-to-day
life is similar in routine to that in the States, to discuss the ways in which the University staff lends its support in
times of distress, and, of course, to let prospective students know what it is like to live in Jerusalem. I encourage
you to become ambassadors for our programs.
As alumni, it is our task to encourage students to attend The Hebrew University, to ensure its future and the future
of higher education in Israel. As you continue to see the Jerusalem sunset, smell the sweet air of the desert and
taste the salt of the Mediterranean for many months and years to come, I hope you will have time to be involved
with American Friends of Hebrew University and University programs in your community.
Best wishes for an enjoyable summer,

American Friends of Hebrew University Regional Offices
East Central
Northwest
David Litwack, Director
Daphna Noily, Director
3659 Great Road, Suite 306 Scott Nebenzahl (Alumni Contact)
Beachwood, OH 44122-5715 703 Market Street, Suit 1100
(216)765-8260
San Francisco, CA 94103-2121
(415)974-6363
Greater New York
Yair Kagan, Director
Southeast
Leah Rosenfield (Alumni Contact)
Deborah Stevens, Director
11 East 69th Street 11900 Biscayne Boulevard, Suite 410
New York, NY 10021-4982 Miami, FL 33181-2726
(212)472-0040 (305)891-2688
Mid-Atlantic
Chapter of the Palm Beaches
Carol Summers, Director
Fran Kaye
Felice Naide, (Alumni Contact)
44 Cocoanut Row, Suite M207
1511 Walnut Street, Suite 310 Palm Beach, FL 33480-4069
Philadelphia, PA 10107-4719
(407)655-8085
(215)561-1740
W estern States
Washington D C. Chapter
Michael Halpem, Director
Toba Penny
Karen Paul (Alumni Contact)
6101 Montrose Road, Suite 201 9911 West Pico Boulevard,
Rockville, MD 20852-4858 Suite 1520
(301)770-1366
Los Angeles, CA 90035
(310) 843-3100
Midwest
Phyllis Friedman, Director
Desert Chapter
Diane Gish (Alumni Contact)
Nat Bent
150 East Huron, Suite 1105 2825 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way
Chicago, IL 60611-2918 Suite 109
(312)642-3110
Palm Springs, CA 92262-6975
(619)322-2774
New England
Neil Goldberg, Director
1 Harvard Street, Suite 303
Brookline, MA 02146-3793
(617)731-6810
־‎74‎־

HEBREW UNION COLLEGE-JEWISH INSTITUTE OF RELIGION
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For information on our graduate programs in:
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'X ^ /rirrt0!! N R abbinic Studies, Cantorial Studies, Jewish Education,
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ל׳,‏rcheology Jewish Communal Service, Studies in Biblical A
Graduate Studies in Judaica, Hebraica, and the Ancient Near East
Please contact HUC-JIR
h
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י
הי ב רו
יוניון
קו ל ג’‏ -
מ כ ו ן
ל מ ד עי
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wishes you success in your future studies.
־ ־
גז־רעי
2
13 King David Street
Jerusalem 94101
Israel
(02) 203-333
FAX: (02) 251-478
One West Fourth Street
New York, NY 10012-1186
(212) 674-5300
FAX: (212) 533-0129
3101 Clifton Avenue
Cincinnati, Ohio 45220-2488
(513) 221-1875
FAX: (513) 221-2810
3077 University Avenue
Los Angeles, California 90007
(213) 749-3424
FAX: (213) 747-6128
המרכז
ליהדות
מסורתית
כירושלים
THE CENTER FOR CONSERVATIVE JU D AISM IN JERUSALEM
Located in the heart of Jerusalem, the Center serves as a religious, cultural, and
educational focal point for Israelis, as well as visitors from abroad.
We hope you enjoyed and found meaning in the extra curricular activities of our
"Center on Campus” program, and wish you much success with your future plans.
נר ה׳ נשמת אדם
2 Agron Street
POB 7456
Jerusalem 94265
Tel: 02-256-386
Fax: 02-234-127
Returning to North America? Be sure to look up our affiliate United Synagogue
College Outreach Program "Koach" on your campus, or call/write Rich Moline at
our North American office: 180 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 1710, Chicago, IL
60601, (Tel: 312-726-1802 or Fax: 312-726-1820).
...and when you return to Israel, whether it be as a visitor, as a student, or for
Aliyah, please look us up and consider us always your home away from home.
Romm. Rabbi Edward .S ׳ ל ה ת ר או ת