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Th e Hebrew University<br />
of Jerusalem
Letter from the Editors<br />
Well, if you’re reading this, it’s officially over. You are now a proud graduate<br />
of <strong>Rothberg</strong> High. In honor of your achievements we present you with your<br />
yearbook. Consider it a small token of our appreciation and affection, a memento<br />
of your time at the old alma mater.<br />
Oh. we worked sooo hard! We slaved away to bring you this baby... and she<br />
is SSSMOKIN’. You might find some pictures or your friends chowing down on<br />
Ben Yehuda, your 13th Orient hook-up riding a camel in Dahab, your roommate<br />
with his pants down during a sea to sea hike and maybe even some photos of yourself,<br />
taken with that special telephoto lens that we keep handy. Listen, we know we<br />
forgot to get your permission in advance, but some of our best material came<br />
straight from those journals you left unsupervised. Yes, that’s right! Those “maintenance<br />
men” were actually members of our staff, dispatched to collect your best<br />
stories, your juiciest moments. Come on, you didn’t really believe them when they<br />
told you your underwear drawer was missing a screw, now, did you?<br />
So this yearbook might ring true to a lot of you. You might find a bit of<br />
yourself inside- a piece of the Jerusalem, the Israel, the year, the semester- that is<br />
uniquely yours. We hope that we did it justice.<br />
From all of us on staff— we hope the futures that stretch out in front of you<br />
are filled with the kind of beauty that surrounded us in Jerusalem.<br />
Adam Eis, Paula Margulies, Rona Yona,<br />
Merissa Rittmaster, Jeremy Goldman<br />
Disclaimer<br />
This yearbook has been produced by the students of the <strong>Rothberg</strong> School. The opinions contained herein do not in any way<br />
shape or form, reflect the opinions of the staff or administration of the <strong>Rothberg</strong> School.
"Every time I see the 'Peach Pit' when it is all crowded,<br />
I want to walk in with a boom box blasting the 90210 music and start slapping<br />
all my friends five like Brandon and Dylan."<br />
- Kevin Schwartz, <strong>1999</strong><br />
This is OUR <strong>Rothberg</strong> High<br />
Someone actually once had the audacity to ask what makes the Overseas Program at Hebrew<br />
University like a High School.<br />
I don’t know, maybe it’s...<br />
Singing during Hebrew classes - the cafeteria complete with cliques and fashion shows<br />
one building for all your classes - lack of real courses - joke professors - attendance policies<br />
clubs and electives - school play - lack of car - high school band - principal - counselors<br />
disciplinary trials knowing everyone and everyone’s else’s issues - Thanksgiving Prom<br />
This <strong>Yearbook</strong>?<br />
-Jeremy Goldman
"<strong>Rothberg</strong> High"<br />
(to the tune o f "Saved By the Bell")<br />
by Susan Altman<br />
When you wake up in your dorm room<br />
And you hear a sonic kaboom<br />
And your roommate tries to tell you it's a plane<br />
You're worried it's a bomb<br />
But to class you run along<br />
Cause to miss a day of <strong>Rothberg</strong> you'd just<br />
have to be insane<br />
It's alright cuz you love <strong>Rothberg</strong> High!<br />
Cartoon by Naftali Meshel<br />
Then you stroll into your ulpan<br />
Not a friend for you to call on<br />
So you play a game of Jew geography<br />
By the time recess comes<br />
You will know everyone<br />
Cuz they forgot they knew you from<br />
Ramah in Cali!<br />
It's alright cuz you love <strong>Rothberg</strong><br />
High!<br />
So you've been abroad a while<br />
Without your boyfriend's friendly smile<br />
And you're thinking you could use a little play<br />
You throw on your black pants<br />
Run to the Whore*, start to dance<br />
And in the morning you're not lonely cuz you see Josh from 19-3<br />
It's alright cuz you love <strong>Rothberg</strong> High!<br />
*Whore= Orient Express... Student Night Every Wednesday Night...Free tequila<br />
until 23:00!
M&WSMG D A Y - FIRSTSEMESTER<br />
by Adam Eis<br />
You all remember moving day: from the luxurious rooms at Idelson to the 5 star<br />
Resnick dorms. You know what the funny (and sad) thing is? The dorm people at Idelson<br />
actually thought they could get us all out of Idelson in an hour and a half. Believe it, I saw<br />
their schedule. Each group gets a half-hour to “check out,” and since there are 3 groups,<br />
that adds up to an hour and a half. The move started at 2:00 RM. Luckily, I was in the<br />
second group, meaning that I should have been done within an hour of when they started.<br />
Yeah right, and Israelis are patient. Since I was in the second group at 2:30 RM. me and my<br />
roommate got in line, yet there was one problem ...it seemed as if they hadn’t started. I<br />
waited in line for four hours, and I wasn’t even the last person in our group. Not only that,<br />
we were only the second group; they still had to do a third group. From the first group<br />
entering till the last group leaving, it took seven hours. After leaving Idelson, we packed on<br />
to the Egged buses, which took us and our luggage on that 2-minute drive, only to find more<br />
lines. After all the frustration, we got our rooms and settled into our new dorms at 10:00<br />
RM. Finally, this nightmare of a day ended. I must admit, I am not a rocket scientist, but it<br />
seemed to me that the dorm office was just a tad bit disorganized.<br />
The one thing I don’t understand is, since they have done this year after<br />
year how could such a Balagan (problem) happen????<br />
W hatever the problem was, I was sure it was<br />
corrected and the second semester students wouldn’t<br />
have any problems.......<br />
...right?????????<br />
Cartoon by Naftali Meshel
We/cOme to Israc/...<br />
by Nicole Lagnado<br />
The Plane<br />
“Why hasn’t the red line moved in the past three hours?”<br />
“You’re in Alpha Alpha Alpha? I’m in Alpha Alpha Alpha, too! We’re sisters!”<br />
“Didn’t I hook up with you at a USY event/Ramah Seminar/BBYO event?”<br />
“After watching Antz for the third time in a row, I’m beginning to understand the deep sociological implications<br />
for human nature and its relation to evolutionary disciplines. I also like the songs.”<br />
“Wait.. .you’re from New York? Do you know ?”<br />
“You go to a Big Ten school?”<br />
“I’m from____.”<br />
“Are you using that vomitbag?”<br />
“What’s your major?”<br />
“No, I don’t know_____.”<br />
“Yeah, I know____ .”<br />
Upon Arrival at Idelson<br />
“Put our bags where?”<br />
“Oh, that’s your black duffel bag? I thought it was mine.”<br />
“Where did all these cats come from?”<br />
“I thought Israel would be warmer than this.”<br />
“What could be going on in the dorm offices that it’s taking so long?”<br />
Roommate Selection<br />
“Nice shoes-1 mean, without the mud... Wanna live together?”<br />
“Weren't you the one who was talking behind me the whole trip?
“Weren’t you the one who was crying on the plane?”<br />
“You look normal, want to live together?”<br />
O.K., let’s look for two people standing around looking for flatmates.”<br />
“Hi, do you need a roommate?”<br />
Waiting for Apartments<br />
“Ow! You’re pushing me!”<br />
“I wonder if they do this at Tel Aviv U?”<br />
“At least being smushed in here is keeping us warm.”<br />
“Get your backpack out of my face.”<br />
“I’ve been in this @#$%A&* country for two and a half hours and I already hate it!”<br />
“I have to pee so badly...”<br />
“Why did she say we couldn’t touch the heaters?”<br />
“You mean, stupid, insensitive, sadistic Israelis!”<br />
“We’ve only been here for two hours and I feel like I’ve hooked up with the entire trip.”<br />
“They want us to drag our bags up how many flights of stairs?”<br />
Our New Rooms<br />
“We don’t get any toilet paper?”<br />
“Where are the phones?”<br />
“Hey, it’s actually clean...”<br />
“Where’s the oven?”<br />
“Which handle do we use to flush?”<br />
“Where’s the fire exit?”
The New School<br />
by Merissa Rittmaster<br />
For a summer Ulpan-OYPer the move to Boyar was something to look forward to.<br />
The new <strong>Rothberg</strong> Overseas Building was a major improvement from the un-air conditioned<br />
Goldsmith and Humanities classrooms. For those of us who enjoyed the perfectly<br />
heated and wonderfully sticky ovens they tried to pass off for classrooms, it was a relief.<br />
The Boyar building is brand new close to the regular university, and has all the modern<br />
conveniences such as air conditioning and two elevators. To make our adjustment to<br />
living here easier, they put in two rooms full of computers and no printer (they did get<br />
one 2nd semester) so that we would be able to e-mail our friends and family back home.<br />
In case of emergency, there are over 20 computers from the dark ages in the bomb<br />
shelter. Sometimes they all work at the same time. There is even an eating area on the<br />
2nd floor in which to hang out or study in between classes. Now that we have a printer<br />
that works most of the time, and all of the offices for the Overseas School are in one<br />
place, it's a pleasant learning environment with a small library, working toilets, and no<br />
need for portable fans in the classrooms.
THEBOMB<br />
by Aviva Selekman<br />
At 8 a.m. on a sunny Thursday morning (Sept. 24, <strong>1998</strong>), many of us were<br />
blasted out of bed - literally! The bomb that exploded in front of the then Goldsmith<br />
building — only a number of feet from where we were living — destroyed the bus<br />
stop we all loved and cherished and, unfortunately, did not destroy our Hebrew ulpan<br />
classes that morning.<br />
Thankfully, nobody suffered any major injuries. Some students were not allowed<br />
to leave their dorms or the Goldsmith building itself (while security checked<br />
for more bombs) and others were busy telling CNN that the bomb interrupted them<br />
as they were making egg-salad sandwiches. Though at the time it shook some of us<br />
up, the incident became another interesting memory from our year and, sometimes,<br />
something to look back and laugh at. If nothing else, that bomb was the clearest<br />
signal that it was time to move out of the insect-infested, dirt-caked sauna called<br />
the Goldsmith Building!<br />
( Note from editors: Let not this incident deter you from travelling to Israel or attending<br />
Hebrew University. We can assure you that the chances of dying in a car<br />
accident far exceed the chances of dying in a terrorist act. )
( m 11<br />
by Terri Sundvold<br />
Club 11 was opened several years ago by the Student Union at the Hebrew University Mount<br />
Scopus campus. It was most recently owned and operated by Ron, Shragga, and Sagi. Ron and Sagi,<br />
both law students, had to close the Moadon because they were about to start their internships and<br />
didn’t have time to maintain the cafes any longer. While it was open, Club 11 was one of the most<br />
popular night spots for the residents of the dorms.<br />
Especially on Friday nights, when Shabbat made<br />
getting off the hill more difficult and expensive. The<br />
Moadon had plenty of cheap drinks, atmosphere<br />
and shesh-besh partners. Students would often hang<br />
out listening to music, talking, laughing and occasionally<br />
studying until the wee hours of the morning.<br />
Now that the cafe and bar, once literally<br />
outside my front door has closed, everyone is doing<br />
their share to support Jerusalem's local economy a<br />
little more by going into town. People’s dorm<br />
Cooper and Matt at Club 11<br />
rooms are being turned into backgammon dens, and<br />
the political discussions so prevalent in Israel have<br />
been moved outside. While most students are longing to once again spend long nights socializing in the<br />
Moadon, there are a few who appreciate the closure. Their rooms, which face the courtyard between<br />
buildings 11 and 12 had long suffered the overflowing noise created by the dormitory hot spot. Those<br />
students, instead of having to involuntarily join in the fun, are now enjoying a good night’s sleep.<br />
(DtlSOtv 1?<br />
by Ariel Serber<br />
Many people will always remember the<br />
muddiness of our first night in Israel. I will, too.<br />
But I will also remember that it was the first<br />
time I had a beer on this trip. I met the three<br />
guys who became my flatmates and instead of<br />
letting our miserable status all the way at the<br />
end of the line get us down, we went for<br />
beverages. Although we walked around Idelson<br />
a few times before we found it, we eventually<br />
located the door to Club 42. This was where<br />
my flat did the whole bonding thing. It became<br />
a really great place to go on almost any<br />
occasion- when you wanted a break from<br />
“work,” to relax with a beverage or a snack, or to do your homework with the best-looking<br />
waitresses this side of my favorite all night Israeli restaurant in Brooklyn (Hi Tatyana!) There<br />
have been many nights since 42 closed when I’ve wanted to go somewhere nearby that wasn’t the<br />
Hyatt or the Orient Express. But unfortunately, before Idelson 42 could become an Institution, it<br />
was put out of existence. But maybe it’s a good thing; maybe it’s better to bum out than to fade<br />
away. But maybe I don’t want to philosophize; maybe I just want a beer.
Haven't gotten any in awhile?<br />
Want someone who is easier than the classes at<br />
<strong>Rothberg</strong>?<br />
Come to the Whore-ient Express<br />
There is so much to see (and we don't mean the<br />
scenery)<br />
Every Wednesday Night starting at 10 P.M.<br />
Free play till 23:00, then you are on your own!<br />
O m e r a t E x p r e s s<br />
By Seth Kaplan<br />
For some Hebrew U niversity students Wednesday<br />
night separates the week from the weekend.<br />
The lack of Thursday classes means a night to<br />
party. O f course, there are many options: Ben<br />
Yehuda is always jumping, the Russian Compound Real flyer for the Orient<br />
gives people a plethora of bars to get drunk in<br />
and Egon gives us all a place to smoke some nargila. But it's Wednesday night, and<br />
the feeling's right, so why not get your groove on at the Hyatt's O rient Express.<br />
This pseudo-trendy nightclub, which plays all the popular top 40 beats, is only a<br />
hop, skip and a stumble (for those few who choose to drink) away from the dorms.<br />
This inevitably adds to the popularity of a once a week “grind-fest" fo r <strong>Rothberg</strong><br />
High students. Also known as the “W horient Express" or “O rient Sexpress," the<br />
club has received mixed reviews from students. Some have never been and will<br />
never go, and fo r others it has become somewhat of a tradition. When asked,<br />
“Who wants to go whoring?" (this word has replaced "clubbing") some run to put on<br />
th e ir black pants, tank-tops, or nicest sh irt while others turn th eir backs and ask,<br />
“You're going A G A IN ?"<br />
However, the O rient is kind of like the stock market- it has its ups and downs.<br />
When it seems like the whole school is there, when the beats ju st keep getting<br />
tig h te r and when there is fre e tequila, it's bound to be an excellent O rient experience.<br />
When no one is there, when the songs seem old and repetitious and when<br />
the bartender charges you 45 sheks fo r a rum and Coke, it's bound to be a m iserable<br />
O rient experience.<br />
I'm sure many people have seen both these kinds of nights, but it's the good<br />
nights th at keep the crowds coming. I'm willing to guess it's not the dude/chick<br />
you "hooked up" with on the dance flo or last week who is bringing you back. But<br />
then again, I could be wrong. E ither way, the O rient has d efinitely created some<br />
memories, be them good or bad. And every Thursday there are always some sto <br />
ries about the night before. I guess everything has its ups and downs. Isn't that<br />
ju st the way life is?<br />
(Cue the #1 Isra e li hit: “Life, Oh Life...")
Boyar Building<br />
Frank Sinatra Cafeteria<br />
Famous Faces<br />
Around<br />
Hebrew University<br />
‘Erev Keffi” Lady!<br />
Resnick Co-Op<br />
The Friendliest “Secur”ity Guards in the World!<br />
Main Entrance to University
MACHON IMASA SEMINARS<br />
by Adam Eis<br />
While in Israel, I made two mistakes. The first mistake was not going to the first Machon<br />
Masa seminar. The second m istake...not going to the second Machon Masa seminar. The<br />
third seminar was approaching, and as the saying goes, “Third times a charm.” There was<br />
no way in hell I was going to miss this seminar. The weekend came and I was excited. Of<br />
course, when you are having a great time, it always goes by quickly, and that’s exactly what<br />
happened with this weekend. It was as great as everyone said it would be. There was a<br />
fourth and a fifth seminar, which I had to attend (Machon Masa seminars are addicting) and<br />
the results were even better. You are probably asking yourselves what’s so great about this<br />
place. Well, you obviously never attended one of these seminars if you don’t know why<br />
everyone loves it.<br />
WHAT MACHON MASA HAS TO OFFER:<br />
• Hotel room at kibbutz M a’ale Hachamisha (2-4 people per room depending on the size<br />
of the seminar)<br />
• Television, A/C, and bathtubs in hotel room<br />
• Indoor and outdoor swimming pools (outdoor pool opens in may, and is a 5 minute walk<br />
from hotel)<br />
• Hot tub (always filled up by Hebrew U. participants)<br />
• 2 saunas (one is a dry sauna, and the other is a wet sauna.... Whatever the difference is)<br />
• Ping pong<br />
• Weight room (for an extra 20 shekels)<br />
• Great food (5 meals for the weekend consisting of: soup, rolls, many types of spreads,<br />
rice, BEEF, chicken, fish, salad bar, and several types of desserts)<br />
ALL THIS FOR 60 SHEKELS. That’s $15 American dollars, and for all you Canadians (no<br />
disrespect) figure it out yourselves. There is no better deal in Israel... Oh yeah, and if you<br />
would like they have some seminars.
“The world stands on three things<br />
Torah, work, and good deeds. ”<br />
Here’s just a sample of the many volunteer projects that<br />
<strong>Rothberg</strong> students have participated in.<br />
Center for the Blind<br />
The most rewarding experience I have had since arriving in Israel has been working with a<br />
visually challenged Israeli student I met through the Center for the Blind here on campus. The<br />
Center for the Blind at the Hebrew University is one of the country’s most sophisticated institutes<br />
for the visually challenged in Israel: offering an array of services and activities for nonsighted<br />
students in the same courses. Volunteers are needed to read course articles not on tape<br />
and for extra curricular activities like tandem bike-reading. This experience has been positive for<br />
a number of reasons. As luck would have it, I was paired with a great guy with whom I share<br />
common interests. We are now close friends. I have also met several Israelis through him, like<br />
his parents and his old high school gang up in Kiryat Motzkin. More importantly, I have been<br />
introduced to a new reality (the reality of the visually impaired) and have been forced to look<br />
upon the challenges I face daily with a greater sense of humor and patience. In addition, this<br />
experience has provided me with a greater feeling of purpose and place in Jerusalem (I am not<br />
Jewish or religious), whereas before I constantly questioned my decision to come here. Finally, I<br />
am happy to write that I have actually discovered an area of Jerusalem life undamaged by political,<br />
ethnic, and religious tensions. Visually challenged people, after all, can only judge a person<br />
on character, and to be with a person possessing this gift is refreshing to say the least.<br />
-Dawn Morris<br />
Kol Ha-lsha: The Woman’s Voice<br />
Kol Ha-lsha is a non-profit women’s center located in downtown Jerusalem which<br />
promotes a feminist model of social change while addressing the needs of women in Jerusalem.<br />
Kol Ha-lsha includes a women’s resource and referral center, support groups, a women’s art<br />
gallery, lecture series and monthly memorial vigils for women murdered each month.<br />
As an intern with Kol Ha-lsha for the past eight months, I have been presented with an<br />
inside view of the status of women within Israeli society. In Jerusalem, a city diverse in its<br />
population, I worked with Palestinian and Mizrahi women as well as women from Ethiopia,<br />
America and Europe.<br />
The most valuable part of my experience at Kol Ha-lsha was working on a KAB<br />
(Knowledge, Attitude and Behavior) study of Israeli women and the HIV/AIDS virus.<br />
-Yael Cohen
Beit Hillel<br />
Y in JV1<br />
For over 30 years, Beit Hillel has served both Israeli and Overseas students as a social, cultural, and<br />
religious center. Beit Hillel’s multi-faceted programs and activities for overseas students this year<br />
have included lectures, seminars, theater productions, parties, and much more. Beit Hillel also<br />
serves as a resource center for connecting with Israeli society, programming on campus, and what to<br />
do in Israel. Overseas students also enjoy the use of Hillel’s facilities, which include a music/reading<br />
room with English and Hebrew newspapers and magazines, pianos, and a video center where movies<br />
and TV shows were watched.<br />
Hillel Scholars<br />
The Hillel Scholars program is designed for 15<br />
leaders of Hillel in North America who are currently<br />
studying in Israel. The scholars continue<br />
in the development of their leadership skills and<br />
serve as the leadership for programming at Hillel<br />
at Hebrew University. Each scholar chooses a<br />
project they are interested in working on. This<br />
year, the scholars have designed, created and<br />
implemented a wide variety of exciting programs:<br />
Hillel Scholars / UJA Fellows<br />
greeting immigrants from Crimea Fall<br />
Marla Bennet<br />
Jessica Bodack<br />
Karen Eltis<br />
Aileen Goldstein<br />
Elisheva Gould<br />
Bonnie Miluso<br />
Eyal Mintz<br />
David Schildkret<br />
Steven Shafir<br />
Sarah Sherwood<br />
Ben Taylor<br />
Joshua Weinberg<br />
Seth Wikas<br />
Ami Wise<br />
Women’s Group<br />
by Marla Bennett<br />
Women’s Group and Rosh Chodesh Celebrations<br />
Grains of Sand Literary Magazine<br />
Supreme Court Visit<br />
Fall Semester Unity Shabbat, Spring Semester Mock Elections<br />
Post-Pesach Pizza Party, Grains of Sand Literary Magazine<br />
Salame Volunteer Projects<br />
Tuesday Night Lecture Series<br />
Pippin (Theatrical Production)<br />
Hiking Club, Hillel Website<br />
Art Show, Spring Semester Unity Shabbat<br />
Yom HaShoah Programming<br />
Recycling, Mock Elections<br />
OSReport<br />
Hiking Club<br />
Hillel’s Rosh Chodesh group met at the beginning of each Hebrew month to celebrate the new<br />
month. Every four weeks, ten to twenty women gathered to mark the holiday when the moon<br />
changes, a time which is associated with women. The group learned about the holidays in each<br />
month through discussions and projects. In Shevat, the group planted parsley to celebrate Tu<br />
B ’Shevat. In Iyar, the group discussed issues of being female in Israel in honor of Yom<br />
Ha’atzmaut. The women formed bonds with each other and enjoyed meeting every month.
Unity Shabbatonim<br />
by Aileen Goldstein<br />
This year saw the first ever Hebrew Unity<br />
Shabbatonim, the pluralist, on-campus weekend<br />
seminars for overseas students involved in all different<br />
walks of Jewish life. The two Shabbatonim,<br />
one first semester and one second semester, focused<br />
on the ways to unite the Jewish community<br />
without the use of labels and titles. Everyone had<br />
a good time eating, davening, discussing and<br />
spending Shabbat together. This was the first time<br />
all of the different campus religious groups got<br />
together to coordinate an event to unite everyone.<br />
The weekend served to breakdown misconceptions<br />
and uninformed perceptions of various religious practices and movements.<br />
Thanksgiving Dinner<br />
This past November, over 200 <strong>Rothberg</strong> International<br />
students ate turkey and stuffing and danced the night<br />
away at the Dan Pearl Hotel. At what other Thanksgiving<br />
could you do Israeli dancing??? This gala dinner was<br />
sponsored by UJA and Hillel. “This year’s Thanksgiving<br />
dinner was the best Thanksgiving I ever had. I really<br />
enjoyed celebrating with all my friends in Jerusalem,”<br />
said Steven Shafir, a participant.<br />
Beit Midrash<br />
by Reuven Grodner, Director<br />
_ .- m *m<br />
Beit Midrash learners hard at work<br />
The Hillel-Hecht Beit Midrash Program offers<br />
a wide variety of formal and informal<br />
learning experiences. It provides a unique<br />
opportunity for students abroad to further<br />
their knowledge of Judaism through classical<br />
Jewish texts. Students select from a wide<br />
variety of topics including Bible, Mishnah,<br />
Talmud, Midrah, philosophy, history, ethics,<br />
women’s issues, Kabbalah, prayer and<br />
many more Small discussion groups are also<br />
conducted on numerous, interesting subjects.<br />
Weekly Pizza Talk with speakers,<br />
holiday celebrations, seminars and field trips<br />
also enhance the Beit Midrash experience.
U k r a in e H ille l<br />
P a s s o v e r P r o je c t<br />
by Rachel Schlenker and Aviva Selekman<br />
We spent this<br />
Pesach in a<br />
place where I<br />
saw the passage of the<br />
Jewish people from slavery<br />
to freedom. A place<br />
where we brought all our<br />
stories, Pesach traditions,<br />
and hope to a place where<br />
hope was once lost. We<br />
were in the Ukraine participating<br />
in the Hillel<br />
Passover Project. After<br />
spending alm ost the<br />
whole year learning about the Jews of the Former Soviet Union, we went to the Ukraine,<br />
where we were paired up with Ukrainian students. Six Hillel students, 10 kilograms<br />
of matzah, lots of tuna (except Steve!), a van, a guard and driver - and a mission. (No,<br />
MTV did not film us). In<br />
the U kraine we conducted<br />
Seders that ranged<br />
from 10 to 200 people,<br />
went to people’s homes to<br />
visit and to bring them<br />
Pesach, found out about<br />
the harsh reality that once<br />
faced the Jews in<br />
U kraine, and brought<br />
them hope for the future<br />
of the Jewish people. This<br />
Pesach many of us<br />
learned about freedom<br />
and realized how fortunate<br />
we are and how we have a responsibility to the Jewish people. All of us were<br />
impacted by our experience and Pesach will never be the same for any of us again.
I<br />
Pippin, a musical<br />
comedy about a<br />
young prince in<br />
search of a complete<br />
and fulfilling life, brought the<br />
Hillel stage to life second<br />
semester. Music, dance and<br />
plenty of magic captured the<br />
essence of this production.<br />
With a cast of 18 and a crew<br />
of twice that many, this<br />
highly acclaimed Bob Fossestyle<br />
show was directed and<br />
choreographed by David<br />
Schildkret (and his lovely<br />
assistants). The crew built a<br />
creative set complete with<br />
full curtain, dressed the cast<br />
in jazzy attire, and worked<br />
within their own independently<br />
earned budget. The<br />
musicians in the pit practiced<br />
beyond perfection. The cast<br />
put all their heart, mind and<br />
body into developing their<br />
individual characters on<br />
stage. Despite the challenges<br />
and long hours, Pippin<br />
proved to be an exceptional,<br />
complete, and absolutely<br />
fulfilling experience for all<br />
who were involved with it.<br />
-Lilli Weisz
J ls , ! < ^ \/{ i± £ % a ^ f£±<br />
Did you hear the people sing, singing the songs... from this years Beit Hillel production of “Les<br />
Miserables”? If not you certainly missed out. During the cold month of January, 70 students<br />
from the cast and crew of this critically acclaimed musical left seven sold out audiences<br />
(approx. 1,500 people) begging for more “...at the end of the play.”<br />
After a mere two and half months of intense rehearsals under the direction of Michael<br />
Berl, the cast of about 50 students proudly belted out songs, “..filling the [theater] darkness with<br />
order and light”, enhanced by their impoverished clothing, dirty make-up, and of course the<br />
infamous barricade built by crew members, able to hold at least 10 actors at a time.<br />
As smoothly as the shows often went, the high quality professional caliber of the cast<br />
shined through as most of the cast filled the stage, sweetly singing, “Drink with m e... to days...<br />
gone by. Sing with m e... the songs... we knew....” BLACKOUT. Yes indeed, the city of Jerusalem<br />
accidentally cut the power in several Hebrew University buildings on the night of January<br />
13th, in the midst of the Act II, leaving a frightened cast with the responsibility of entertaining<br />
over 200 audience members in the dark. This they did. Kol ha’kavod to the cast of “Les<br />
Miserables”, and we ask that everyone “Raise a glass” to their success. - Zack Lasker<br />
‘Les Miz,’ as<br />
only in Israel<br />
Excerpt of article by Sam Orbaum in<br />
Jerusalem Post Monday, January 18, <strong>1999</strong>:<br />
If you’ve seen Les<br />
Miserables anywhere in the<br />
world, I guarantee it was<br />
nothing like the performance I<br />
saw on Wednesday.<br />
The kids of Beit Hillel were<br />
putting on a fine show at<br />
Hebrew University on Mount<br />
Scopus, when something happened.<br />
It’s always interesting to see<br />
how performers react when<br />
things go awry, and<br />
boy, things did. .<br />
We had just settled<br />
into the second<br />
act. The students,<br />
doing a story about<br />
students, were getting<br />
through the<br />
program very nicely,<br />
and the sold-out<br />
audience was lapping<br />
it up.<br />
They had just Finished<br />
the song,<br />
“Drink With Me.”<br />
At that moment,<br />
according to the<br />
synopsis,, “the students<br />
settle down for a night on<br />
the barricades,” and the lights<br />
went out.<br />
Nice touch, I thought.<br />
“/ liked it best when Michael Berl said ‘that’s a wrap’ backstage<br />
after our last performance...<br />
it was truly an emotional moment fo r me.’'’<br />
- Cooper “Javer” Grodin<br />
The cast of Les Miserables
^ u u e ?<br />
by Natan Hay man<br />
Thank you, Tal, for teaching us<br />
about light, shutter speed, and<br />
how NOT to take pictures with<br />
the lens cap on. W hile being<br />
harassed by an Arab salesman,<br />
selling kafiyas, taking pictures<br />
of noisy American tourists,<br />
wondering is Jesus was really<br />
buried at the Church of the Holy<br />
Sepulchre, and casually strolling<br />
the M uslim meat market (were<br />
those human brains?) I had a<br />
great time getting to know you<br />
all. After capturing Jerusalem ’s<br />
unique sights and personality<br />
through your camera lens you<br />
are taking home memories from<br />
your year in Israel. Most im portantly<br />
- keep on shooting!
(N iiiS<br />
Buses and sleep<br />
“Dudu, Dudu, Ha-madrich!”<br />
Silence<br />
Walking where no man has walked before<br />
Firing zones<br />
Water 1 (Drink up!)<br />
Water 2 (Rivers in the Negev?!)<br />
400 feet falls<br />
The pussy Club<br />
m* m m<br />
Guitars and girls from Invemese<br />
Bonfire<br />
^ Pasta ? ^— soup? Soup Nazi?!<br />
(-2) celcius<br />
The best people ever...<br />
I had the greatest time with Y’all the past year,<br />
you’re the best,<br />
Keep on hiking (Club!) - Amit Down
mm warn<br />
After a week of Ben Yehuda, the Peach Pit, shuk shopping and other mundane Jerusalem<br />
activities, there was something kind of nice about an OSA trip. You packed up your stuff, tried<br />
to get on the good bus, left your copy of Let’s Go Israel at home, and followed your fearless<br />
madrichim into the depths of Israel, where you saw things you probably never would have on<br />
your own. It was free (Since Mom and Dad paid for your points) and you got some amazing<br />
pictures to show for it. Whether psychotic llamas spit on you (Masada), your eyebrows froze<br />
(Hermon), you had major gastrointestinal problems (C-2-C), or you spent eight consecutive<br />
hours at a kibbutz swimming pool (Golan), you experienced Israel like a true <strong>Rothberg</strong> student<br />
should: as a proud member of an OSA trip.
On a sunny Friday morning, 25 of the most athletic students woke up very early and rode to the<br />
beautiful city of Ra’anana, where together with soldiers, children and Israeli champions they<br />
took part in a 19 k. run.<br />
The day was hot, the run was challenging, but we all made it to the finish line and had a great
C-2-C Hike<br />
by Shalom Steinberg<br />
3:45 in the m orning, finally say goodbye to the last person going to Russia for<br />
Pesach and... Woops ! Freak out because there is supposed to be a time<br />
change! Was it actually 4:45 a.m., and I’m not packed, or even<br />
close to ready to go? No. I’m safe. Everything in Israel is<br />
abnorm al, so the time change will occur during the week.<br />
So began the annual Yam l’Yam hike. It looked like it<br />
was going to be great. A rocky start, but adventurous nonetheless.<br />
U nbeknow nst to us, those that we road the buses<br />
with, we would be STUCK with for the next four days!<br />
Finally everyone was on the bus and its 5:30 a.m. Time to<br />
sleep right? W rong...<br />
“WAKEE!! WAKEE!! Hi my name is Omer and<br />
I'm going to be the best m edic you’ve ever had... We<br />
will be having good food, but you know it’s actually my<br />
m o th e r...”<br />
“SHUT UP !!! LET US SLEEP !!! It’s 6 am and<br />
my body says sle— .”<br />
“As I was saying, my m other makes the best<br />
gefilte fish. It’s charif and she makes it with carrots,<br />
but I don’t like carrots... WAKEE ! WAKEE ! I ’m<br />
talking to you !”<br />
“If you don’t SHUT UP, I ’M GOING TO<br />
KILL Y O U!”<br />
The hike turned out to be an amazing,<br />
unforgettable experience which took us through<br />
Omer the medic gets down at the<br />
C2C Disco<br />
beautiful valleys, playful stream s and lush green Galil forests. We ate all kinds of interesting<br />
eggs for breakfast, a variety of cheeses, and quiches and sandwiches for lunch,<br />
not to forget exquisite dinners of potatoes, chicken and beef. But it was all just an<br />
illusion, a break from the drinking, peeing, scratching jum ping falling walking on valley<br />
cliffs and the DISCO.<br />
Tali and Gayle (with map of Israel)
P a u l I V I e n d e / - f l o h r<br />
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m m o m m tm m t o b a s p<br />
BASF is over for another year. 31 people are going back to their respective homes with<br />
memories th at will stay with them for the whole of their lifetimes. The five months that<br />
we have had here have flown by, bet in the time we have had so many enjoyable experiences.<br />
These ranged from dressing up for Purim and dancing like maniacs in Ben Yehuda<br />
Street after having a huge foam fight on Yom Ha’atzmaut. Being on Mount Meron on Lag<br />
B Omer was an incredible experience whilst Sea to Sea was tiring bet great fen. Every<br />
week broeght something new to enjoy and after it seemed that we had done one thing<br />
another activity came along immediately. It’s almost impossible to write down how<br />
enjoyable BASP has been. The idea of coming abroad to stedy at a University on our G-AP<br />
year may sound ridiculous to some but the experiences we have taken from our time here<br />
can only have enriched our lives. Football was a predominant activity for the boys ranging<br />
from the pitch in Reznik that overlooks the Old City (who can claim to do that every<br />
night?/) to travelling across the country to play a Yeshiva. Ulpan was hard- getting up<br />
for 8:30 after Orient Express was sometimes impossible- but fun at the same time, whilst<br />
the ritual o f lunch at Frank Sinatra’s soon died when we realised that the food wasn’t<br />
that good//<br />
The main activity that we all participated in - no, that doesn’t mean going to class and<br />
actively working, was drinking. 31 Brits and Aussies at times managed to be louder than<br />
over 300 Americans and threats to be kicked out of our dorms and other people’s dorms<br />
were rife but always laughed at. Mothing got in the way of our drinking and managing to<br />
close Club 11 down for tw o nights on our second night in Israel for being so loud was<br />
one th at will remain in the memory for a long time. It’s impossible to write in such a short<br />
space w hat everyone has done in these 5 months. Everyone has their own special experiences<br />
that they will take back to England and Australia with them, along with a whole<br />
host o f new friends made out here in a wonderful 5 months. Our vocabulary has been<br />
enriched greatly with some notable additions being felch, rouse and batty to name a<br />
few.<br />
Another stage in our lives is over now, Uni beckons with us taking some great memories<br />
and some great friendships. It’s been great fun but like all good things it has come to an<br />
end.
M S A s n m s t m t t s s t<br />
by Yael Furstenberg, Sheara Abrahams, Jessica Lipman<br />
BASP ’99 was running along smoothly when all o f a sudden disaster struck. There<br />
were rumours, suspicions and outcries: suddenly we heard that our beloved Club 11<br />
was about to be shut No more lazy evenings and 2am ice creams. What were we going<br />
to do? The world was coming to an end!! Complaints against BAJP’s rudeness were<br />
rampant and surely with the closure of our favourite watering-hole they were only<br />
going to get worse! So with tears in our eyes we said good-bye to our beloved<br />
C lu b ll.<br />
There was never a time when it was needed more than when we tried to pull an<br />
all-nighter before facing the horrendous chore of trying to renew out visas at the<br />
infamous “Ministry of Interior.” Where could we get double espressos at 3am and pass<br />
those bleak, lonely hours?<br />
With sunken hearts and tired eyes we finally made our way to town. Deserted<br />
and bare we sought refuge in the warmth of Dunkin’ Donuts and thought back to the<br />
comfort and the memories o f Club 11.<br />
TOM HA-ATXMAUT<br />
by Danny Miller and Marc Abrahams<br />
Israel’s Independence Day: a genuine cause for celebration, or just an excuse for<br />
a big piss-up? Both, which is the great thing about it One o f the biggest nights of the<br />
year started for most BASPers in Peznik with consuming numerous alcoholic beverages.<br />
The girls, of course were retarsed after one sip, Yael and Lee-Ann after a sniff. The<br />
alcohol obviously brought out the true nature of Alice, who remarked that I (Danny)<br />
looked like a “batty bastard” in my shirt (He changed it, but still looked gay, but not as<br />
gay as Blakey-Marc).<br />
We then all stumbled to Ben Yehuda Street and were greeted by hundreds of<br />
thousands of typically friendly Israelis spraying foam in our faces. So, being English, we<br />
took out revenge on them in a big way. We also decided to pay Jeff Seidel back for all<br />
the free meals we’ve been having courtesy of him by foaming the shit out of him. The<br />
street party was truly a wonderful experience, with all the singing, dancing, and fireworks.<br />
After we got tired of battering Israelis (and Americans o f course) we all made<br />
our way to the big party at the International Convention Center, with three separate<br />
dance floors, one o f which was packed with hundreds o f Israelis all practicing for the<br />
next big synchronised techno-dance contest which will hopefully never be held. The<br />
other rooms were the ‘80s room, and also the main dance floor where a certain member<br />
o f our group (you know who you are) danced like the sexy beast he is in his attempt to<br />
woo one of the American girls not particularly aesthetically blessed. Everyone thoroughly<br />
enjoyed themselves at this party, as it was a chance other than Orient Express<br />
for us to publicly show -off our superb dance moves. All in all, a brilliant evening and one<br />
to remember.
FOOTtMU<br />
by Ben Forman & Daniel King-Scoff<br />
“Foofball is nof just about life and deafh. I t s more fhan fh a f” - Bill Sharkly<br />
On fhe 261hJanuary <strong>1999</strong> (6 monfhs affer fhe world cup) 13 English yebloos<br />
turned up a f Heafhrow wifh fhe infenfion o f belying only one fhing (alrighf - maybe<br />
fw o fhings - defy free cigareffes can never be ignored). We ran info fhe sporfs shop<br />
fo bey a foofball. bef dee fo fhe price we had fo w aif 'fill we arrived. Finally, affer<br />
aboef 1 week we finally g of ‘roend fo beying a “commenal” ball.<br />
The firsf serface fo serface daily baffering was fhe small bef exfremely effective<br />
patch o f grass oefside Reznik #7 which was soon ferned info a perfect "one<br />
boence pitch. If took a while, bef affer a long tiresome sfreggle wifh fhe yanks, and<br />
their pathetic game of basketball, we laid claim fo fhe coert af Reznik for a foofball<br />
pitch. Many a memorable game has been played there, and there is nothing more one<br />
can ask for fhan fo play fhe tidy game overlooking fhe holy city!<br />
At firsf, for us Westerners, it was extremely strange to have fo start fhe week<br />
on Sundays. But w hat helped immensely was knowing that there was always a United<br />
Nation foofball match (on fhe H yaff pitch) to look forw ard to every Sunday night Of<br />
course us Brits turned up without fail (even in fhe pouring rain), but other nationalities<br />
committed fo fhe cause were: the Dutch, Israelis, French, Scottish, Welsh, Australians,<br />
South Africans and Brazilians and last, but certainly least .. fhe sole Argentinean representative<br />
- who certainly does Maradona and the Argentinean footie team proud, with<br />
his love of fair play and commitment fo keeping within fhe rules of fhe game (YEAH).<br />
As the founders of world civilization, one of fhe new British inventions now<br />
adapted even by Americans, is fhe beautiful game of “one bounce” No matter what the<br />
situation, you’ll always find a game, whether if be af a Motorway (Highway) service<br />
station, or on fop o f a mounfain(as Sea to Sea).<br />
A big thank you must g o f out fo the owners of Zolly’s the Tavern, fhe Road Bar,<br />
and Champs, who have all had fhe privilege of hosting a group of drunken English bloks<br />
all intent on concentrating on fhe game, and certainly not on providing them wifh any<br />
business. Israeli pubs may be willing fo accommodate for British foofball but Channel 5<br />
was certainly nof. Firstly, during a major English cup final between the Spurs and<br />
Lechesfer they had fhe audacity fo switch back and forth fo an irrelevant Celfa Vigo<br />
game. For this reason we blame and hate Chaim Ravivo. Secondly, on send final day,<br />
Israeli cable decided fo go AWOL in fhe center o f Jerusalem. The British contingent was<br />
forced fo run around Jerusalem like headless chickens, fo find fhe games and some even<br />
resorted fo watching if in an electrical store selling TV’s (in fhe Canyon). Yet again<br />
Celfa Vigo and Chaim Ravivo interrupted. We’ll never forget having fo convince a university<br />
professor to reschedule a lecture fo accommodate our watching, and also when a<br />
whole male population o f fhe class cuts class fo see a game/<br />
Just fo get one fhing straight - “Handball” is so-called because they use their<br />
hands and a ball - - “Football” is so-called because fhe players kick fhe ball wifh their<br />
feet/ Why do you (fhe Americans) insist on calling is SOCCER? P.S. where did your hoops<br />
go?
a -x<br />
A is for Alcohol (Always a good start/)<br />
B if for Battiness and goatees<br />
C is for chasteness (or lack thereof)<br />
D is for Dizzy, like a whirlpool<br />
E is for Exams<br />
F is for “Felching for Peace”<br />
G is for G-rass (Don’t walk on it)<br />
H is for homophobia (piss o ff you bastard/)<br />
I is for Intelligence - gone to waste<br />
J is for Jeff “Golf Shoes” Seidel<br />
K is for 0 Computer please work/<br />
L is for a Lorra Lorra laughs<br />
M is for Ministry of (you’ve all been shafted up the) Interior<br />
N is for Not on your life your fat, American bint/<br />
0 is for over-sleeping. “God bless us all”<br />
P is for piss-ups and football. Op the arse<br />
Q is for e-mail strictly<br />
R is for Rock Bar (men only/)<br />
S is for Strudel (need we say more?)<br />
T is for Tel Aviv. Wish you were there?’<br />
0 is for Olpan’s heady asinine days<br />
V is for Vivacious BASP babes. Any takers?<br />
W is for Whorient (see above)<br />
X is for Xenophobia of Americans<br />
Y for Yoel “your friend and mine” Nesson<br />
Z is for Z722222... (and plenty of them).<br />
1<br />
\<br />
W# %
0 0 0<br />
cW%at<br />
Ezra Androphy... five shekel falafel<br />
Larry Brooks... anything at the Hyatt<br />
David Berm an... Kinley<br />
Seth Kaplan... a stray cat<br />
W u m tA<br />
carrion .-st****<br />
Suzanne Kurtzer... Nutella<br />
Paula M argulies... a wad of chocolate<br />
Shoshana Eisenberg... a Kinder Egg<br />
Evan Jacobs... a M ilky<br />
M ichelle Farbenblum... "lollies"<br />
Rachel Schlenker... Nescafe<br />
Eva Price... free tequilla at the Orient<br />
George Farah... Terrayaki<br />
/<br />
Shari Adler...eggplant<br />
. a t -<br />
/<br />
iTK<br />
Gaby Schoenfeld...M arzipan<br />
Jay Ben'O us... a pomello<br />
Adam Eis ... a Forum Hamburger<br />
Jeremy Goldman ... free pizza from Jeff Seidel<br />
Rona Yona ... a sandwich<br />
Merissa Rittmaster ... Afarsemonim (persimmon, that is)
T h e C@"@ p S w e e p<br />
by Pamela Berkowitz<br />
So, you haven't gone grocery shopping in two weeks.<br />
You're out of pasta, cereal and peanut butter, and your pita is moldy. Know what time it is? Time for the<br />
"Co-op Sweep." Ready? Set? Go!<br />
You walk to French Hill, grab a cart, and let the nice man at the door check your backpack. You turn<br />
right, and enter the produce section. You throw some veggies and fruits into a bag, and then it hits...<br />
The Shuk Guilt! How can you pay 32 shekels for mushrooms when they only cost 10 at the shuk?<br />
Forget Econ 101 and opportunity cost- you'll spend all day tomorrow at the shuk. Besides, vegetables<br />
only rot anyway! So you turn the corner and enter the salad section. You grab a small container of<br />
hummus- Wait, you better get the big one. Then you go to the dairy section. Get some chocolate milk,<br />
chocolate yogurt, chocolate milkies, and then move on. Don't forget to stop by the freezer section.<br />
What is life without shnitzel? OK, so now you walk down the cleaning aisle...there are cleaning supplies<br />
in Israel? Who knew? You remember that you need eggs and milk. You start walking back to the<br />
refrigerator section and then remember that only silly Americans refrigerate milk and eggs! Silly you,<br />
they're right on the shelf next to the canned goods. You can't help but wonder why everything good in<br />
Israel comes in a bag...milk, cake, Bissli, Bamba... kind of makes you think. Next comes the beverage<br />
aisle, and with it the age old question- bottled or Brita? Well, you haven't changed your Brita filter<br />
in...about...never. Basically, you'd better get bottled. Well, now that you got water, you better get some<br />
beverages with flavor. Vodka and wine will do. You opt for quality this time and get the citrus flavored<br />
12 shekel vodka...anything less would be a sin. Then the wine. White or red? Dry or sweet? Better get<br />
one of each. Now it's time to approach the check-out. You knew that all the time you spent on amusement<br />
park bumper cars as a kid would come in handy sometime. Do you dare try and wait in the express<br />
line with 11 items in your cart? You finally get up to the cashier and pay your 200 shekels. But<br />
there's more! The cashier informs you that you've gotten a free gift. What could it be? $1 million, a<br />
new car, a free trip to Paris... Oh, it's a bottle of grape juice. Well, you take the grape juice and throw it<br />
in some nice yellow Co-op bags and walk outside. You walk home<br />
and put your food away. An hour later,<br />
you feel your tummy growl. You walk to<br />
the kitchen, open the refrigerator and<br />
$ISL/<br />
cupboards and realize that you have<br />
nothing to eat...better go out for dinner.<br />
l<br />
l<br />
o<br />
r c jo M io e c o u p o n s ,<br />
op r t f e Is r AEu & ai><br />
p y p .m ii)
The Shuk<br />
by Sarah Sherwood<br />
It’s Friday m orning and you are in Israel. You wake up, talk to your room mate<br />
about the night before, and<br />
pull up those rickety shutters<br />
in your dorm room to let in<br />
some of that M iddle Eastern<br />
sun. But som ething is m issing.<br />
Shabbat is 8 hours<br />
away— it isn’t that. You feel<br />
the distinct need for som e<br />
thing loud, crowded, exhilarating,<br />
and just a bit d irty ......<br />
OF COURSE !!! You are due<br />
for your weekly trip to the<br />
shuk !<br />
As year or sem ester<br />
students at <strong>Rothberg</strong>, one of<br />
our aims is to experience the<br />
sights, sounds, culture, and w ell... smells of our local host country. And one of the best<br />
ways to do that in one fell swoop is a trip to the M ahane Yehuda Shuk. W here else can<br />
you get such a feast of colorful fruits<br />
and vegetables, vendors screaming<br />
“Banana b ’eser! B -Eser!” . Not to<br />
mention a variety of clothing from<br />
tank-tops to long skirts, from blackhats<br />
to kafias.<br />
Many of us made a quick adaptation<br />
to Israeli life by participating in<br />
the local custom of the Friday morning<br />
stampede before Shabbat to buy all<br />
the fresh fruits, vegetables, spices and,<br />
of course, humus and pita that our<br />
hearts could desire for the coming<br />
week. Despite the crowds and the<br />
push and shove — or perhaps partly<br />
because of them — most of us will<br />
have fond m em ories of one of the<br />
most characteristic shopping experiences<br />
Jerusalem has to offer.
N<br />
t? ^ 'V 'K ) T ^ Nv 'lsO<br />
Living on French Hill and Mount Scopus can sometimes get to be a bit boring and dull. An<br />
amateur might ask, "W here can w e go?" As Petula Clark once said a few decades ago,<br />
"You can always go...DO W N TOWN ."<br />
That's exactly what a lot of us have<br />
done. During the day there's food<br />
shopping at the shuk or clothes shopping<br />
on Jaffa and King George. For late<br />
afternoon or nighttime, there are a<br />
wide range of activities for a wide<br />
range of people. There's the Russian<br />
compound, Yoel Solomon, and we can't forget Ben Yehuda. Strolling down the Midrachov,<br />
I can recall many regular and eye-catching sights: the woman with her guitar and dancing<br />
puppet, the drummers surrounded by a crowd of onlookers either quietly tapping their<br />
feet or dancing in the middle of the circle, the crowd of men thinking they can outwit the<br />
dealer in a game of 3-Card Monty. And w e can't forget to mention those ever present<br />
yeshiva kids chattering away on their pelephones or drinking alcohol from a bottle in a<br />
brown paper bag in Kikar Zion.
Name: Jeff Seidel<br />
Height: Shorter than you<br />
Last Seen: Harassing students at:<br />
Strudel’s<br />
Mike’s Place<br />
Tel Aviv<br />
Nicolai’s<br />
Sergei’s<br />
Glasnost<br />
Frank Sinatra<br />
All over the Boyar Building<br />
Ben Yehuda<br />
Idelson 2 to 42<br />
Resnick 1-19<br />
The Old City<br />
The Kotel<br />
Last time you got out of the shower<br />
In your kitchen<br />
Your bathroom<br />
Your closet<br />
Your dreams...<br />
Jeff Seidel Logic Question<br />
If Jeff Seidel leaves his student center on French Hill at 20:30, travelling in his van<br />
at 60 KMH taking the 4H (that is not an H, that is an Aleph) route, and his clone<br />
leaves Tel Aviv, after pestering secular Americans, at 21:00, which one can you<br />
exploit for more free pizza?
tonem D'oniooni D'vysn Vvj niyoin man<br />
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“There were lots of Arabs. ”<br />
Elishe Rothenberg on her thoughts of<br />
Jordan<br />
PETRA<br />
By Adam Eis<br />
In October, I was one of four American citizens who decided<br />
to cross the Jordanian border to visit Petra. After we<br />
left Israel and paid our fees (60 shekels at the time), we got<br />
to the Jordanian side and that’s where they got us. 33<br />
Dinars to enter Jordan doesn’t sound like much, but when<br />
that adds up to $45.00, it’s a hell of a lot. And that is just<br />
getting in to Jordan. I felt like I was paying for Hussein’s<br />
Chemotherapy (at the time of our visit he was alive, and<br />
receiving treatment). After emptying our wallets out at the<br />
border, and no ATM machine in sight, we finally got to<br />
Petra. Spending one day in Petra is more than enough time<br />
to visit the infamous Treasury (Yes Indiana Jones and the<br />
Last Crusade was partially filmed there), the Roman Theater,<br />
tombs, tombs, and more tombs, and even climb up more than 800 steps to the Monastery.<br />
Petra is a very unique city, as it is all hand built out of mountains. After a long day, if you are<br />
tired, you can even sleep in one of the caves (See “Mike’s Criminal Record” for more details).<br />
Africa<br />
by Mike Shinewald<br />
Over February break, twelve <strong>Rothberg</strong> students from the U.S. and<br />
Canada travelled to the East African countries of Kenya and Tanzania.<br />
Activities ranged from hiking Mt. Kenya to safaris in Masai<br />
Mara, Ngorogoro Crater, and the Serengetti. We also relaxed on<br />
the coastal towns and islands of Zanzibar, Mumbasa and Lamu. The<br />
beautiful plains of East Africa offer a wide variety of birds, reptiles<br />
and land animals. The natural beauty of East Africa is something<br />
that will stay with all<br />
Mt. Kenya<br />
of us forever.
Sinai<br />
by Jerem y G oldm an<br />
A hhhh, Sinai! Hopefully you h ad th e m agnificent o p p o rtu n ity to<br />
check out th e w o n d e rs of this desert p en in su la d u rin g your stay. I've<br />
learn ed th e re are tw o p ath s you can take w h e n you visit this region. You<br />
can explore th e g rea t desert once w a n d e re d by the ancient Israelites,<br />
gazing u p o n colored canyons an d aw esom e m o u n ta in s via jeep ride or<br />
camel. This is o n e of th e m o re a m azin g places to hike in the M iddle East<br />
... or so I’ve h e ard . See, I always opted to take the second option con cern <br />
ing Sinai — EXTREME RELAXATION. M an, w hat a place... Chilling takes on<br />
a n ew elevation as your body n u m b s to th e effects of the desert sun,<br />
B edouin hospitality (" ch y a a fa " in Arabic — I learn ed it in Ze’ev M ag h en 's<br />
class), cheap a n d often delicious food (especially w h en you’ve got the<br />
m unchies), com fortable lo u n g in g areas, skunky schwigity schw ag (also<br />
k n o w n as " b a n g a ” by the local E gyptians and " t r e n n a by the Bedouins)<br />
and friendly people (m ost of th e m are n a m e d M o h am m ed w hich m akes<br />
your life a lot easier).<br />
On m y first trip to Sinai I h ad an experience l will never forget. 1<br />
was in T arabin looking for som e e n te rta in m e n t and 1 was referred to,<br />
you'll n e v er guess, a B edouin n a m e d M o h am m ed . He guided m e out of<br />
the city, across th e h ighw ay (m ore like deathw ay... Egypt has the n u m b e r<br />
o ne death rate o n th e roads), an d up tow ards the distant m o u n tain s. We<br />
chatted alo n g th e way an d finally reached a small te n t nestled in the foothills<br />
of th e Sinai M o u n tain s. The view from w ith in the ten t was spectacular.<br />
You could see all of T arabin an d N uw eiba City lying beside the glorious<br />
Red Sea w hich stretched across to Saudi Arabia. In w o n d e rm e n t, T<br />
w aited in com plete silence w hile Asus, m y soon to be B edouin friend,<br />
en tered . He knew n o English b u t w as fluent in H ebrew for he had lived in<br />
Israel for seven years after 1967. We chatted for a long tim e as he m ade<br />
m e au th en tic tea (this is th e real stuff) and rolled joints of the local to <br />
bacco (yeah, right) w hich w ould have im pressed Willie Nelson. He told<br />
m e to com e back w ith friends - to leave m y wallet b e h in d - and he w ould<br />
take us o n a "tiyul" w e w ould n ev er forget. The next day T re tu rn e d and<br />
he w as rig h t. A fter a lo n g hike w e re tu rn e d to his te n t w h ere his servants<br />
(?) h ad p re p a re d for us a hearty m eal of fresh fish, rice, an d potatoes. We<br />
keep in touch.
Amazing Thailand<br />
"Monks” Photo by Avi Fogel<br />
“Oh, pilot of the storm who leaves<br />
no trace<br />
Like thoughts inside a dream<br />
Heed the path that led me to<br />
that place<br />
Yellow desert stream<br />
My Shangri-La beneath the summer<br />
moon<br />
Will return again<br />
Sure as the dust that floats<br />
b'hind you<br />
W hen movin' through Kashm ir”<br />
- Led Zepellin<br />
India<br />
“Kashmir” Photo by Kevin Scwartz
(Hj Criminal ReC© r d<br />
by Mike Lebson<br />
First of all, let me just say that the only country where I<br />
could have legitimately gotten in trouble with the law was<br />
Jordan. In Russia and Egypt I was innocent, I swear!<br />
I guess the students of the One-Year Party have an international<br />
reputation for trouble-making, because in every country outside<br />
of Israel that I toured this year, I had run-ins with the law. In<br />
October I toured Russia for 3 Vi weeks. I learned a lot during<br />
that time, including how the “law” works in Russia: it doesn’t. Mike (left) bringing out his feminine<br />
side with travel partner Eyal<br />
I met an Australian backpacker in my hostel the second<br />
day I was in Moscow, and we decided to tour the capital together. Our first stop was to be<br />
Lenin’s body (preserved and heavily guarded on Red Square for your viewing pleasure). As we<br />
were walking toward the Metro station in our usual happy-go-lucky, Ha-ha-communism-felland-capitalism-didn’t<br />
way, we crossed a wide road to get to the other side. Just as we were<br />
poised to enter the Metro station, the police closed in on us in a high-precision sting operation....<br />
Ok, so one G.A.I. (traffic cop) stopped us, took our passports and visas, and ordered us into his<br />
unmarked van. Since he had a submachine gun and our only means of international identification,<br />
we were forced to obey, despite much protesting and an attempted 10-ruble - about 68<br />
cents U.S. at the time - bribe (hey, we’re cheap). After a half hour of interrogation in the van<br />
(interspersed with offers of vodka and beer which we declined), we learned the ultimatum: 300<br />
rubles ($20 U.S.) each, or be booked at the police station and released for free. Our crime?<br />
Crossing the street at a place other than a crosswalk.<br />
Being the shrewd backpackers that we were, my Australian friend and I opted for the<br />
police station. After another fifteen minutes or so, it became clear that we had accidentally<br />
called his bluff, and we finally got to leave for free (which, I found out later, is extremely rare...<br />
so don’t try this at home, kids).<br />
My encounter with the Egyptian law in February did not require as much<br />
fierce mental strategy, but rather driveling pleas for mercy: while my friend<br />
Eyal and I were waiting for the Metro train - which seems to be the only<br />
common denominator with my Russian quasi-arrest - in Cairo, I decided on a<br />
whim to take a picture of a clock with Arabic numerals hanging from the<br />
ceiling. (Hey, admit it, that’s a pretty neat picture!) An astute young soldier<br />
noticed my felony, and promptly marched me to his commander upstairs.<br />
Clock in Egypt This time, at the wise suggestion of Eyal, I had surrendered my student ID<br />
card instead of my passport. Drawing from a wealth of knowledge of Arabic (“Ana khawagga”<br />
- “I am a dumb tourist”) gleaned from my Let’s Go guide, I was released with a wag of the<br />
finger and a snicker. My crime? Pictures are forbidden in the Metro.<br />
Jordan is a little different story. Travelling alone, I decided to save time and money, both<br />
of which were running low, by sleeping inside one of the ancient caves carved into the rock face<br />
of the old city of Petra. This wasn’t exactly “legal”, but I couldn’t see it hurting anybody. It<br />
must have looked strange, though, leaving at 7:30 in the morning when all the other tourists were<br />
coming in, because a man with an authoritative air (which is often the only way to tell who is in<br />
charge in Egypt or Jordan) stopped me and sternly asked if I had slept in Petra. Once again the<br />
Quick Thinker, I told him that I had just entered, and now I was leaving again because I did not<br />
feel well. He grunted and I kept walking quickly, clutching my stomach for emphasis.<br />
I really can’t extract a common moral from my international run-ins with the law, other<br />
than: When the police stop you for no good reason, don’t get too worried. :-)
" t<br />
'-mb. jm **f.<br />
'"MW* : S •I '<br />
■Hr
To:<br />
CC:<br />
Attchmnt:<br />
Subject:<br />
My Brother Niss (niss@aol.com)<br />
TOP SECRET TOP SECRET TOP SECRET<br />
Well Niss, I have to say that with the exception of using your apartment<br />
as a second home I really am not missing my normal life at<br />
school! I love Israel- it kicks so much ass that it hurts. Except<br />
for a few minor exceptions I am having an amazing time. These exceptions<br />
are school, and some of the extracurricular activities that I<br />
am doing for school. For example: In the mornings I spend a few<br />
hours making license plates for the Iraqi government. The afternoons<br />
are spent rescuing Israeli hostages from Palestinian concentration<br />
^ camps. Then I have lunch, after which I groom<br />
my assigned camels for an hour or two,<br />
which leads me right into machine gun<br />
11 1 waxing and film sessions of guerilla<br />
warfare tac- tics. Then I take phone calls from Israeli settlers<br />
who are complaining about living in the Gaza strip. The most common<br />
thing they complain about is rotator cuff injuries from throwing<br />
rocks and hand grenades. Then I have dinner. Then I have my night<br />
courses. They start with my Palestinian propaganda class, where I<br />
learn to subliminally make Palestinians into 2nd class citizens<br />
through the joy of public speaking! Next, I have an Israeli bestiality<br />
class, which specializes in camel humping! I'd rather not<br />
speak in detail about that class. I finish with my terrorism<br />
class, where the final is to hijack a plane. All<br />
in all, things are going well and while this is not<br />
quite what I expected from the program, (especially<br />
when the head of the program spoke to us about making ourselves feel<br />
right at home) I am learning some valuable war tactics and military<br />
machinery clearance. I hope all is well at home and I will speak to<br />
you soon.<br />
“ft* R t*{ 7*'*4 "<br />
f t j t e A c c trm<br />
7am*am* 'Sf<br />
Later,<br />
Benji Khabie<br />
P.S. I have broken a school record by<br />
signing four different peace accords!<br />
ing, huh?<br />
already<br />
Amaz-
"Scenes From Roth berg (H igh)"<br />
Professor: Do you know the answer?<br />
Student: No<br />
Professor: Why?<br />
T H E f o n T i C S<br />
O ^<br />
Student: I don't recall<br />
Professor: Did you do the reading?<br />
£>r.O k> T * A F F rlC
The Common “Arse"<br />
IS FOUND IN THE<br />
WARM REGIONS<br />
OF THE MIDDLE<br />
EAST. THE ARSE<br />
FEEDS ON<br />
GAR’INIM AND<br />
TRAVELS IN<br />
PACKS. DURING<br />
THE MATING<br />
SEASON, THE<br />
MALE “ARSE”<br />
USUALLY<br />
WHISTLES AT<br />
THE FEMALE<br />
(ALSO KNOWN<br />
AS “FRECHA”),<br />
AND EXPOSES<br />
HIS PHALLIC<br />
INSTRUMENT,<br />
THE PELEPHONE<br />
(SEE ILLUSTRA<br />
TION). IN SPITE<br />
OF THEIR<br />
STRONG SCENT,<br />
A COMBINATION<br />
OF CHEAP CIGA<br />
RETTES AND<br />
CHEAP PERFUME,<br />
“ARSIM” HAVE<br />
RARELY BEEN<br />
KNOWN TO BE<br />
DANGEROUS
M a tc/ im a k e r, M a tcA m ia k e r<br />
by Karen Foxman<br />
One of the many expectations placed on 20 year old college students spending a semester in<br />
Israel is that they will find a significant other while residing in the Jewish homeland. O.K.... Let’s be<br />
realistic. Forget the concept of significant others.<br />
Cousin Rachel met her husband Joshua while she was studying at Flebrew University. Aunt<br />
Ruthie’s neighbor’s nephew met his wife when he was in the laundromat on French Hill. That guy that<br />
my mom works with (I think his name is Shloime), he was feeling bored and lonely one day so he<br />
decided to go to the Holy Land and come home with an ex-chayelet, soon to be Mrs. Shloime Levine.<br />
Needless to say, my Grandmother calling me and asking if I’ve met that “nice boy” from Long<br />
Island whose mother goes to synagogue with my cousin Florence does not help me to forget that people<br />
think that Israel is the place where matches are made. If this is indeed the case, then let us examine the<br />
endless possibilities. Of course, in order to do so we must extend our horizons beyond <strong>Rothberg</strong><br />
International High School and the extremely well-balanced female: male ratio (what is it, 4:1?)<br />
From my experience, whether it is walking to class fully clothed in the morning or jogging with<br />
a friend wearing shorts and a tee-shirt around Ramat Eshkol in the afternoon, I find the mating rituals<br />
of Israel men quite alluring. Please keep in mind that I do not intend to downplay the mating rituals of<br />
American men, it’s just that the Israeli method blows them away.<br />
The incessant honking is one method. I can just see Udi and Ozzi sitting in their terrorist van<br />
and Ozzi saying to Udi, “Ehhhhhh...Look, Udi! There are girls wearing sweatpants and sweatshirts.<br />
Let’s honk at them and see if they like us!”<br />
Or perhaps they think that pulling up on the side of the road and mumbling incoherently in<br />
some language will tempt us to jump in the vehicle and drive off with them to Eilat. Or maybe I’d<br />
rather go to Eilat with a large beer bellied man who, while working in a gas station, decides to take a<br />
little “hafsakah” and stalk my friend and I for a few blocks before realizing that we do not go out<br />
jogging for the purpose of making “special friends.”<br />
When I am not jogging or walking seductively through the streets of Jerusalem, I am collecting<br />
telephone numbers from cab drivers. “Oh! You from America... Speak Hebrew to me...Sounds Bea-u-<br />
ti-ful... Yofi! Like a baby, when a baby makes his first words... Are you married? Here is my<br />
pelephone number...Call any time! All day! All night!”<br />
Ari, Avi, and Ababa are still waiting for a phone call.<br />
The big winner in the Great Boyfriend and/or Israeli Man of the Year contest is a certain<br />
Hebrew University Guard who shall remain nameless. It is very reassuring to know that I can feel safe<br />
while wandering around the <strong>Rothberg</strong> High complex in the dark (because the University has decided<br />
that they will save electricity costs by turning off the outside lights at midnight, because no one is<br />
outside between midnight and dawn and anyway, the stars provide adequate lighting). When I was out<br />
past my curfew one night, I asked a security guard why the lights turn off at 12 AM and why it is dark<br />
for the remaining six nighttime hours. My hero’s response was, “Ehhhhhh.....Don’t worry. You<br />
don’t need lights...I am here... I will protect you...Ehhhhh...What is your name?”<br />
Then again, maybe I don’t need him. Maybe Hal will protect me. I see him all the time. On<br />
the plane ride here.
THINGS THAT HAPPEN IN<br />
ISRAEL AND NEVER AT HCME<br />
By Adam Eis<br />
1) Pushing old ladies - don’t deny it. You know you’ve done it at least once.<br />
2) 20 year olds wanting to look 17 - if you never asked for that card, you lost<br />
out.<br />
3) Perpendicular/diagonal parking - The Israeli motto is, “If it doesn’t fit,<br />
never quit...there’s always room for your car, whether it’s parked diagonal<br />
or perpendicular.”<br />
4) Buses pulling over for a falafel - don’t believe m e....just walk to the 5 shek<br />
falafel store (actually hut) and you’ll see.<br />
5) M16’s everywhere - It’s not in every country that people walk down the<br />
street with M16’s. Back at home if people see an M l6, they will run for<br />
cover.<br />
6) Checking bags when you enter and not when you leave - need I say more?<br />
7) Your falafel dealer is also an oral surgeon - rumor has it that you get a free<br />
falafel with every check-up...<br />
8) Chefetz Chashud - If you leave a bag unattended here, it gets blown up. If<br />
you do the same at home, it gets stolen.<br />
9) Ridiculous Store Hours - Why is it that stores are always closed during your<br />
free time, and open when you have classes. Can you say conspiracy?????<br />
10) Bezek - There is no way you will ever, and I mean ever, have an experience<br />
like this back home.
y Adam Eis and Jeremy Goldman (yes, we ARE that funny)<br />
THE BOMB ... Soccer vs. Basketball fights ... Kevin and Jeremy’s BBQ ... Jeff Seidel ... The<br />
Elections ... Five Shek falafel ... The “Erev Keffi!” lady at the co-op ... Club 11 and Idelson 42<br />
... The 9 Bus ... “Nargucci” Mike ... Lunch and Learn, and after<br />
that Bench and Bang (there ya go, Darin) ... Basketball on<br />
Shabbat overlooking the Old City ... Arab<br />
sheruts (honk) ... The Move ... Cartis No’ar ...<br />
Arsim ... Fight at Strudels (you fought well,<br />
Matt)... 4 to 1 exchange rate ... Stanley<br />
Kubrick Marathon ... Water chugging in the<br />
Golan... Doo-Doo Ha’Madrich ... Gavi ...<br />
Sprinzak ... The “Whore”ient ... Russian<br />
(American?) Compound ... Chefetz Chashood (suspicious objects) ... Sonic<br />
BOOM ... Idelson construction workers (“Hey American girls!”) ... The<br />
_____ STRIKE ... The Late LATE Show ... We actually visited Bumblefuck Egypt<br />
Z<br />
/ ... “Used” toilet papers (Resnick Dorms) ... Oleh Yarok ... Drago at the gym<br />
—---- ... Goodbye Goldsmith, Hello Boyar ... BEZEQ shalom ... Machane Yehuda<br />
... Shavuot fights at the Kotel ... Sunday School ... Yom Ha’atzmaut in town<br />
... Ulpan ... Rugelach from Marzipan (MMM...Rugelach) ... Sports Night at<br />
Seidel’s ... Ma’ale Hachamisha (Machon Masa) ... PELEPHONES ... Shesh Besh ... Aryeh<br />
Deri ... Everyone speaks English ... For you my friend, special price ... balagan, sababa, staaam<br />
... Organization (yeah, right) ... smoking on the hill ... Galgalatz (biglal hamusica) ... The<br />
Cinemateque ... Kinley ... Stairs ... Microwaves in Idelson vs. No Fridge in Building 5 ...<br />
California elitists ... Cooper, Mike, and Ari ... Ani Iparon ... Imagine ... vertical money ... El-<br />
A1 ... Hebrew U. goes to Turkey and Greece ... Cindy and Marcela ... Movie “hafsaka” ...<br />
TECH-NO (put your hands up in the air) ... campus doctors ... Les Miz blackout ... Caveman<br />
... bomb shelter e-mail ... Choco Yotvata ... Peach Pit ... <strong>Rothberg</strong> High
jnjT ftr& iD ,<br />
1Jf*3 «• ■»*"»*»’*»*»»<br />
'Sr 672537<br />
Regular Cards<br />
Advantages:<br />
1) clear conscience<br />
2) you look your age,<br />
by Adam Eis<br />
As an overseas student, the only way to get<br />
around in Israel is to take those splendid Egged<br />
buses. When getting on the buses, one must make a<br />
very difficult decision. Should I buy the Cards Noar<br />
(youth card), or the Regular Cards? To make your<br />
decision a hell of a lot easier, we shall look at the<br />
advantages and disadvantages of each card.<br />
Cartis Noar<br />
Advantages:<br />
1) you get 2 rides for the price of 1<br />
or at least older than 17 2) you can actually pass for 17<br />
Disadvantages:<br />
Disadvantages:<br />
1) You only get one free ride 1) To tell you the truth, we can’t think of any<br />
Some advice:<br />
If you have a Cartis Noar and the Egged checker ask you, “Ben/Bat Cama Ahta/Aht (How old are you) just answer<br />
B’Anglit (In English). If he translates to English, just respond 17. If he wants identification, tell him you don’t<br />
have any. Worse case scenario is your card is taken away (which I never heard of before), but look at the bright<br />
side....throughout your year, you have saved enough money to buy a new one.<br />
m M J W l M 2 3 M W B y Jeremy Goldman<br />
I have always said that I have a “love-hate” relationship with the 23 bus. Hell, the kids across the street at Beit<br />
Riklis are not even permitted to ride on the 23 bus for whatever reasons. I’ll break it down to a few of the “goods”<br />
and “bads” of the 23...<br />
GOODS<br />
- No coincidence that the 23 is also the great Michael<br />
Jordan’s number. Soooo fast... We’re talking Mt.<br />
Scopus to Kikar Tziyon in like 6 minutes on a normal<br />
day.<br />
BADS<br />
- Fast? I once waited over an hour downtown for the<br />
stupid 23 bus. Saturday nights at the Central Bus<br />
Station are even worse. I just take cabs nowadays.<br />
- The bus is swift when driving through East Jerusalem. - There is a reason why the driver likes to get the hell<br />
He seldom stops and if so, very '<br />
out ot those neighborhoods. I needn’t continue...<br />
m m *<br />
- The drive past the walls of the Old City is truly - Damascus Gate can be scary. My roommate got shot<br />
magnificent. What a view! It’s worth it just for the there with rubber bullets.<br />
scenery.<br />
- This crazy freak often takes the 23 from the shuk and<br />
- The 23 goes straight to the shuk which is<br />
aents of how he likes my English and spells out<br />
you have lots of bags on the way back.<br />
words for me like “S-U-P-E-R-S-T-I-T-I-O-N” ... very<br />
irritating.
'Who wouCcC<br />
you vote for?<br />
T h e <strong>1999</strong> Elections were quite<br />
IsraeCis said:<br />
56.5% 'Barak<br />
43.5% Biln<br />
an experience in Eretz Yisrael...<br />
The issues, well, were not so<br />
important to consider when you<br />
took a good look at these FINE<br />
looking candidates for the Prime<br />
Minister office. Eventually, the<br />
citizens of Israel cast their<br />
ballots and 56% decided that they<br />
preferred the sensual body of Barak<br />
over the lovely curviture of<br />
Bibi Netanyahu.<br />
All in all, both put on quite a show<br />
and despite the mudslinging and<br />
name calling, the editors find both<br />
Bibi and Barak extremely sexy in<br />
both physique and personality.<br />
Nice job girls...
ELECTIONS <strong>1999</strong><br />
Israeli election<br />
a s<br />
by the opposition<br />
religious parties<br />
happy with the<br />
developments<br />
rent governm ent,<br />
ing was, well, a topoliticians<br />
resorted<br />
and mudslinging.<br />
conviction of Shas<br />
Deri for embezzlecrimes<br />
and despite<br />
Shas’ earning of 17<br />
kenesset, only 2<br />
At the time of writ-<br />
witnessing an<br />
The previous keneset, led by Benyamin Netanyahu,<br />
brought down<br />
Barak wins<br />
stunning victory<br />
By HERB KEINON, Jerusalem Post<br />
JERUSALEM (May 18) - One Israel's Ehud<br />
Barak trounced Prime Minister Binyamin<br />
Netanyahu last night, according to Channel 1<br />
and Channel 2 exit polls, leading Netanyahu<br />
to concede defeat and tell stunned<br />
supporters that he is withdrawing from<br />
politics...<br />
Barak is still in the process of forming a new coalition. Good luck Barak!<br />
- Jeremy Goldman<br />
and various<br />
who were undeadlock<br />
and<br />
within the cur-<br />
The campaigntal<br />
balagan as<br />
to name calling<br />
Also was the<br />
leader Aryeh<br />
ment and other<br />
the court ruling<br />
seats in the<br />
short of Likud,<br />
ing this article,
v N J I<br />
“Secular Jew”<br />
Roses are red and violets are bluish<br />
Lots o f people say the w ay I live isn't Jewish<br />
They're a fra id o f another point o f view ooh ooh<br />
But the only person w ho can tell you if you're a Jew ...is you<br />
Chorus<br />
Its ok to be a secular Jew<br />
And it ’s ok to be conservative to o<br />
And if you daven in your orth od ox shut<br />
It's ok to be any kind o f Jew<br />
I l&Mgg<br />
,A m<br />
r<br />
Now. I'm recon struction ist and people say “w hat?"<br />
Does it mean th a t I'm evil if I drive on shabbat<br />
I live in the 90’s and listen to ro ck<br />
Even my Rabbi w ent to w oodstock<br />
m<br />
Chorus<br />
There’s a division between the le ft and right<br />
They light the candles; they discoteqpe Friday night<br />
You can listen to Carlebach o r Metallica<br />
V”ahavta L’reacha Kamocha<br />
Chorus<br />
/'<br />
0, i Xm mm<br />
WwMv.'<br />
p i i<br />
wLm m<br />
« ; , y mm' m mmmmA ‘m VMmmsmM Ufa<br />
! >i , J iL<br />
I ^ w r g f w w l ' wSMm<br />
This internal fighting ju st cannot go on<br />
When brothers hate brothers th a t’s called sin’a t Chinam<br />
So throw out the hatred and unite all Jews<br />
If you don’t judge me, man. I won’t judge you<br />
Chorus<br />
-v m i<br />
rWm’<br />
3 P ;.<br />
"" 'ty.<br />
HERITAGE<br />
by Eileen Shelden and Stella Bruno<br />
“If the bus is on time, the<br />
driver is not drunk, there are no flat<br />
tires, the food hasn’t been stolen and<br />
the roads havent been blocked by the<br />
snow, it is a good day.” These were<br />
the words of Michael Berle, Heritage<br />
Seminars program director as he<br />
prepared the 30 anxious students for<br />
their one week excursion to Poland.<br />
On Feb 9, <strong>1999</strong> 30 students along with Vicky Burglass, Heritage Historian, Jack<br />
Handely, Auschwitz survivor and Michael met at Ben Gurion Airport to begin one of the<br />
most powerful experiences of our year. Our journey began in Warsaw with stops at the<br />
Warsaw Ghetto, the Jewish Cemetery, and other sites related to the Jewish presence in Warsaw<br />
prior to the Holocaust. Next we found ourselves walking around the old Jewish area of<br />
Krakow. We walked through its many shuls (which are now museums or decrepit abandoned<br />
buildings), the Krakow Ghetto, and Jewish cemeteries. After Krakow it was off to Lublin<br />
where we walked through the Lublin Ghetto and Old Town Square. Vicky, our extremely<br />
knowledgeable historian was a constant source of information about Jewish life and tradition<br />
in pre-Nazi Poland. She always had a story to share to make every location come alive for us.<br />
She also had a lot to share about life in the camps. We visited the remains of Treblinka and<br />
walked through the still standing Auschwitz, Birkenau and Majdanek and also visited the<br />
location of the Plazsow work camp featured in Schindler’s List. We were fortunate to have<br />
with us a survivor of Auschwitz, Jack Handely, whose personal stories touched us all and gave<br />
us insight to the lesser known communities of Greek<br />
Jews that perished in the Holocaust. The experience<br />
was completed by singing various Chassidic niguns<br />
(tunes) and folk songs which allowed our group to<br />
bring back to life the rich culture that once existed in<br />
Poland.<br />
Heritage Seminars not only focused on the<br />
tragedies of the Holocaust but also provided us the<br />
opportunity to rediscover our roots and prove to the<br />
world that Hiders Final Solution was unsuccessful.<br />
“He who forgets history is condemned<br />
to repeat it.”<br />
Auschwitz-Birkenau<br />
-George Santayana<br />
A rose on the railroad track in Auschwitz
Holocaust Memorial Ceremony<br />
First they came for the Jews<br />
And I did not speak out<br />
Because I was not Jewish<br />
Then they came for the communists<br />
And I did not speak out<br />
Because I was not communist<br />
Then they came for the Catholics<br />
And I did not speak out<br />
Because I was not a Catholic<br />
Then they came for the Trade Unionists<br />
And I did not speak out<br />
Because I am not a trade unionist<br />
Then they came for me<br />
And there was no one left<br />
To speak out for me<br />
by Pastor Niemolier<br />
At 10 a.m., the siren was heard, and Shimon Lipsky opened the ceremony with the reading<br />
of the Yizkor. It was a special occasion for me, to commemorate this day together with hundreds of<br />
students from all over the world. I felt this strongly as six fires were kindled by Jews from different<br />
cultures, different backgrounds, and in different languages, all uniting in memory of the Holocaust.<br />
Hearing the Yiddish song: “It’s burning, brothers, it’s burning”, describing a person calling<br />
for help, asking his brothers to lend a hand and extinguish the flames of his burning shtetl, truly<br />
affected me.<br />
Ceremonies I have attended in the past never had such a strong influence on me, but<br />
perhaps this one was different. Having seen the process of choosing the texts, and then rehearsing<br />
them, gave new meaning to poems I knew before, like “The Butterfly”, and was even shocking, as<br />
in the dialogue of “A Mother and her Daughter”, which was new to me.<br />
I found it significant that ‘The Vow’ was read, in order not to forget that atrocities are still<br />
going on in Europe today, and that ‘Hatikva’ was sung, in order to appreciate the fact that today,<br />
those fleeing anti-Semitism have a home. I wish to thank all those who participated and helped out:<br />
Cooper, Elna, Deb, Naomi, Suzanne, Carmi, Katie, Gido, Olga, Becca, Anita, Shelly, Aliza, Esther,<br />
Ann-Marie and the a-cappella choir.<br />
-Naftali Meschel
Yom Hazikaron<br />
We are sitting at the memorial<br />
Tel Aviv,<br />
amidst a sea of Israelis.<br />
There are songs<br />
and poems and<br />
solemn speeches<br />
that flow through the crowd<br />
on a wave of sadness<br />
concert in<br />
im'Tn di<br />
Yom HaZikaron: We Remember.<br />
But it is not until the first<br />
soldier<br />
walks on stage<br />
that I understand:<br />
It is him.<br />
Ceremony at the Kotel<br />
flowers,<br />
and wander along the tayelet<br />
at dusk.<br />
I see him everywhere:<br />
bus stations, malls, cafes.<br />
There is a gun<br />
swung almost casually<br />
over his shoulders;<br />
reflective sunglasses hide<br />
his eyes.<br />
I have seen him laugh<br />
into his pelephone,<br />
fall asleep against<br />
the dirty window of a<br />
Jerusalem-bound bus,<br />
stop at a kiosk<br />
to buy his girlfriend<br />
And now I see him<br />
in a different light:<br />
as someone<br />
achingly, hauntingly<br />
mortal<br />
Yom HaZikaron: We Remember.<br />
We remember what Israel has lost,<br />
what could be lost still.<br />
-Paula Margulies
Yom Ha’Atzmaut<br />
niNnxyn di1<br />
by Ariel Serber<br />
Separating Jerusalem from every other city, and<br />
Israel from every other country, is the energy that<br />
one always feels. It’s as if there’s a certain aura<br />
and connection creating the diverse atmosphere of<br />
moods and emotions that exists here; changing<br />
yearly, monthly and sometimes daily. In this, some<br />
dates of the Hebrew calendar spur their individual<br />
drama and excitement. On the eve of the fifth of Iyar, after a sorrowful night and day of<br />
memorials and paying homage to the precious lives lost in the battles for this state’s survival,<br />
the country becomes engulfed in euphoria. This transformation<br />
is not marked by a siren, or even song or<br />
fireworks, but a shifting feeling in the air- a silent,<br />
spreading understanding that 51 years ago, on this day,<br />
the state of Israel was born. Celebrations, whether<br />
public, private, large or small are, in essence, all the<br />
same in goal and purpose; to show the love and commitment<br />
people have for this country- its land, history<br />
and future- each in it’s own spectacular way.<br />
5 1 Y<br />
e a r s ! ! !
T h r o u g h M y E yee<br />
by Seth Jaffe<br />
Is there any way to sum up a year or a semester in Israel? Is it at all possible to<br />
qualify the experience, doing it appropriate justice? The answer: probably not, but why not<br />
try anyway? All of us share similar experiences, beginning—for many—with El Al, that<br />
wonderful little airline that just loves security. The El Al motto goes something like, “just<br />
say something stupid about security so we have an excuse to display your underwear to the<br />
other bored passengers waiting in line.” When I first arrived in Israel last July on a group<br />
flight, Hebrew University had no idea who we were or why we were standing at their doorstep.<br />
A group of us, jet lagged and carrying all of our possessions, waited for a few hours<br />
until it became clear that we were, in fact, in the correct place. This was my first—but of<br />
course, not last—encounter with Israeli bureaucracy.<br />
Those first few days feel so long ago. Days when life revolved around ulpan and<br />
first falafels. Ahhhh, the beautiful days of ulpan, sun-filled days full of exploration and<br />
mandatory third grade. If you arrived for second semester, please replace “sun-filled” in the<br />
previous sentence with “rainy/chilly.” Personally, I hated third grade the first time around.<br />
It turns out that I still hate third grade. But those were beautiful days, days when we all<br />
made our first treks to: those fine folks who run the only ship in town and take it as a personal<br />
affront if you show even the slightest annoyance at getting ripped off by inefficiency so<br />
breathtaking that it gives new meaning to the word “incompetent;” but hey, that’s just the<br />
opinion of one person.<br />
Upon my arrival, I was shocked by how many ways Jerusalem varied from my norm:<br />
bartering with cab drivers, bartering with venders, bartering with everyone for everything.<br />
And the aggressiveness; Israel breeds aggressiveness (perhaps a necessary survival skill in<br />
this region). In many ways, this aggressiveness is good. When I returned home over the<br />
semester break, however, I found myself shoving old women and little children out of my<br />
way and even jumping people in line if they left so much as a toothpick’s length between<br />
themselves and any counter. In Israel, this type of behavior is a life skill; anywhere else, it<br />
is a gross violation of etiquette.<br />
And I cannot forget to mention politics. Every aspect of this country centers upon<br />
politics. <strong>1998</strong>-<strong>1999</strong> has been marked by a series of unforgettable events. From the day the<br />
bus-stop outside the old <strong>Rothberg</strong> building blew up, to the eve of a national election, this<br />
year has been anything but boring. We sit on the edge of a new millennium, a time of<br />
profound change for both Israel and the world. In recent years, Israel has experienced a<br />
radical demographic shift; a growth in tension between secular Jews, religious Jews, and<br />
peoples of different ethnic backgrounds; and, for the first time, a negotiated peace on all<br />
fronts seems within reach. The country sits at a crossroads; one road heralding a flourishing<br />
of new opportunities; and the other road heralding a growth in internal discord, characterized<br />
by an increasingly corrosive debate about the role of law and religion in a Jewish democracy.<br />
This year has also witnessed the acceptance by Likud of the land for peace formula,<br />
as encapsulated in the Wye accords. Good or bad, this change is a watershed event. Following<br />
the Wye Accords, we saw the Oslo process frozen by a Prime Minister tied in knots<br />
by a tenuous coalition, a coalition that has since fallen. And as I write this, Israel sits on<br />
the eve of a national election, an election that will shape Israel’s future for years to come.<br />
Whether you love or hate politics, they pervade the very essence of Israel.<br />
But overall, you have to love Israel. For all of the tension and discord, something<br />
tangible remains of the Zionist dream: a place of refuge, a place of hope, and a place of<br />
profound meaning. This state is a miracle, a tribute to the men and women whose sweat and<br />
blood transformed distant dreams into tangible realities. For the overseas student, the Israel<br />
experience requires laughter, persistence, and a desire to learn. For me, this year has been<br />
full of highs and lows, but it has always been magical, something I will carry with me for<br />
the rest of my life. Who knows, maybe it’s something in the air. . .
I<br />
[<br />
--<br />
by Shari Adler<br />
It’s been about five eventful months since we ve anived in Isiael. It wa‘ . n|ace<br />
chilly and wintry January that we boarded the plane, and made our jo u rn e y o the place<br />
that would be our home for the next halt a year. Some of us crie some o *<br />
nervous, others were excited beyond belief, but all of us held the hope that h.s program,<br />
this journey, this adventure would be the one that wou c ange our ■<br />
ever. Whether it was academically, religiously, romantically, or emotiona y wc<br />
hoped for something great. . ,<br />
The first week was hard, full of unexpected surprises. We were covered in mud,<br />
rained on, overtired, and sleep deprived. We saw dorms full of strangers and many<br />
unfamiliar faces. We had to find three random people to live with, deal with Bezek and<br />
housing, and we didn’t have phones for almost a month. However, we survived and got<br />
a few great and memorable laughs from it. Faces that seemed so unfamiliar soon became<br />
our best friends. Within days, doors were opening up, friends were being made,<br />
and Israel was being explored. We began to get into the swing of things and learned<br />
how to wake up at 8:20 and still make it to our 8:30 Ulpan class. We went hiking,<br />
camping, rappelling, and mountain biking. We watched warm, orange sunsets, met up<br />
at Idelson 42, danced at the Horient, and ventured around the Russian Compound. The<br />
first month seemed to last forever. So much happened within such a short period of<br />
time.<br />
Then classes began and we started another chapter of our lives here. We scheduled<br />
our classes around our friends and the weekends, met the first year students,<br />
traveled more, and looked at Israel as if it was our home. We celebrated birthdays,<br />
dressed up for Purim, and said goodbye to Idelson 42. We crammed weeks of lessons<br />
into one night of studying for midterms, visited the Kotel, bargained at the Shuk,<br />
partied on Yom Ha’atzmaut, and relaxed in the sun. We found our happy medium at<br />
<strong>Rothberg</strong> and in Israel.<br />
Abroad programs are interesting because you leave your security blanket and<br />
everyone you know at home. You pick and go to an unfamiliar place with unfamiliar<br />
people. However, most people who attend an abroad program are there on a mission, a<br />
quest. The uncertainty of the program is minute compared to the passion behind this<br />
quest. Most of us came here with the desire to find something. I hope everyone goes<br />
home with the knowledge that they found what they were searching for, and that it<br />
warms their heart every time they think about it.<br />
I cannot believe this letter is a farewell to Israel. It seems so long ago that this<br />
trip was being planned and prepared for and now the journey has come to an end. A<br />
major part of our lives here has come and gone already. So much has happened to all of<br />
us in these past five months. We have seen and done things that we never thought we<br />
would do. These things have now changed and improved us in many different ways. A<br />
piece of our heart will always be filled with the experiences and memories of this trip.<br />
No matter where our lives may lead or how far apart we are, we will never forget those<br />
who touched our lives here.<br />
“I am ready to leave, but not ready to go.<br />
“We always knew we’d look back at the times that we cried and laugh. But we never<br />
thought we would look back at the times we laughed and cry.”<br />
I
^y Ariel Serber<br />
Friday night, Ascent<br />
preparing ascent down kindred rocky road<br />
family of strangers<br />
faceless flowing streams<br />
salting icy passage<br />
gathering atop humble hittk., "<br />
eternally surrounding<br />
divine<br />
chosen city<br />
Protecting wall<br />
bitter with defeating centuries of neglect<br />
crying out to be { \<br />
seen<br />
heard<br />
J. ■ s f '<br />
touched<br />
begging fortunate listeners<br />
to “smell restorations’ fruits<br />
taste sweet rejuvenation”<br />
in narrow streets once occupied<br />
stolen; broken by great giant nothings<br />
echoing hideaways of nameless giants<br />
ancestors of faith unparalleled<br />
Restored<br />
fulfilling latent exiled dreams<br />
in unconstrained childhood Joy<br />
linking diligently inquiring unknown<br />
in incomprehensible, impenetrable<br />
chain<br />
Jaffa gate lampposts, needless<br />
dull appendix, faint<br />
when juxtaposed<br />
with illuminated path<br />
of brightly lit<br />
memories<br />
unmistakably rootward<br />
closed eyes a compass<br />
navigating lost tribes to<br />
destination in stone<br />
Resonating footsteps ascending<br />
testimonial light<br />
confirming life in dead seas<br />
waking of long-buried bones;<br />
gasp-upon first everlasting stamp<br />
of knowledgeengulfs:<br />
Foreign, Identical survivors,<br />
recognizing unknown generations,<br />
raise proud right-hand eyeward,<br />
parting parched thirsting lipsultimate<br />
miracle of ultimate<br />
remembering<br />
liberated<br />
Tongue<br />
speaks as one<br />
J
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■
Hebrew U niversity of<br />
Jerusalem<br />
<strong>Rothberg</strong> International<br />
School<br />
<strong>Yearbook</strong><br />
<strong>1998</strong>-<strong>1999</strong>