Edition 4 - Diversity within Jerusalem’s Walls
This Week at Finn
This week, work was full of many lively and diverse projects. Some of these projects include continuing research on Adin Steinsaltz, the work he has done throughout his life, his writings/commentaries, and the awards he has won. On Tuesday, one of the Senior Account Executives who focuses mostly on non-profit clients taught me the basic coding skills used to edit and add references to Wikipedia pages. Then, we started adding in and coding the information that I researched about Steinsaltz and what I believed was the most relevant information to add to his page. He also assigned me to research and look into potential new non-profit clients for Finn Partners to reach out to. I also participated in a brainstorming session for Somatix, a gesture-detection wearable technology company that focuses on assisting people to quit smoking and help monitor the ADL (Activities of Daily Living) of the elderly. We discussed potential writings and articles that we as a PR company can pitch to our client and the media.
A Trip to Gush Etzion
On Wednesday, my Onward program took a day trip to Gush Etzion (an area of the West Bank). While on this day trip, we had a tour guide that took us on a “hike” (a 30-minute walk on a dirt path) along the “main road” of the city. The overlook of the city was breathtaking. Afterward, we went to a winery in the city. We tasted one glass of white wine and one glass of red wine while enjoying a heavenly lunch of pasta, pizza, and salad. Then, we drove to visit two members of an organization called Friends of Roots. This is an organization where Palestinians and Israelis alike have been working together as partners who value dialogue and viewpoints of the typical opposition. We had an Israeli speaker as well as a Palestinian speaker come and share their experiences with the organization and why this is a cause that they are passionate about. Having the opportunity to not only listen to two contrasting viewpoints of the conflict but also being able to witness an organization that was created to help resolve the conflict was an eye-opening experience.
A Rollercoaster of a Weekend
On Friday morning, a group of participants from my program chose to walk to the Old City of Jerusalem to celebrate Rosh Hodesh at the Kotel with an organization called Women of the Wall. We left our hotel at about 6:30 AM to walk over to the Old City to make it to the Kotel by 7:00 AM when the service was set to start. Being raised as a Conservative Jew in America, having the ability to read from the Torah at my Bat Mitzvah, and having the freedom to wear my Tallit at my discretion is something that I have always taken for granted, until now. I have always been aware of the controversy that exists in other, more religious communities over women and what they are or are not allowed to do when it comes to practicing their Judaism but experiencing that controversy firsthand has painted a much clearer picture of the realities that many women face on a day to day basis.
During the Rosh Hodesh service, led by Women of the Wall, many men were standing behind the women's section yelling and whistling to drown out the voices of those choosing to celebrate Rosh Hodesh by davening and praying out loud (which is typically looked down upon by more religious sects of Judaism). However, to be honest, it was not the men that were very bothersome to me. In the women's section itself, there were about 15-20 women and female children who came prepared with whistles and were yelling, whistling, waving their hands and arms, and physically running into us during the service. Children were blowing whistles in my ear while 2 others tried to run through me, screaming. The Rabbi then took me and put her arm around me as well as the woman on her other side and we acted as a barricade to protect the rest of the women during the Torah service.
During the Torah service, 3 women became a Bat Mitzvah, including one of my roommates! Throughout the entire service, there was screaming, whistling, and throwing of pebbles and hot tea. As someone who celebrates almost every Shabbat with my Chabad on Campus back in Providence, RI, and has family who is a part of the more religious denominations of Judaism, I think that it is important to note that although there were many negative presences and experiences throughout the service brought on more religious Jews, there were many who decided that their time at the Kotel would be better spent davening and praying at this holy site. The majority of women in the women's section were doing what women typically do at the Kotel - taking time to pray and have a special and sacred moment between them and G-d.
As difficult and heartbreaking as it was to experience this hatred from people who identify with the same religion that I do, there were a majority of women who were not a part of creating that tension. Some of my friends were featured in many of the pictures that Women of the Wall posted on their Facebook as well as an article that The Times of Israel posted - feel free to check out the links for more information about what they experienced during Rosh Hodesh.
Later in the afternoon, I attended an Onward program called One City, Two People which explored the many religions that the city of Jerusalem and the state of Israel are holy for. We discussed the sites that are sacred for Christians and Muslims and why they are important. We visited The Church of the Holy Sepulchre which is where, according to Christian text, Jesus was crucified, buried, and resurrected. This church was beautiful and encompassed so much history inside its walls. I believe that one of the most beautiful aspects of this country is that it is seen as a holy place for so many people. People travel around the world to come to this country and learn a little bit more about their beliefs and history and create a more colorful picture of their religious views and values. However, I think that people don’t explore what is important and valuable to others and that is truly a missed opportunity to understand each other on a different and deeper level.
After a long day of walking and learning in the Old City, a few of my friends decided to walk to services at a Reform Synagogue near our hotel. After services, we enjoyed a lovely Shabbat meal together. We relaxed and reflected on our past weeks. After an intense week and an even crazier morning, a nice night in was much needed.
