November 8, 2002
Israel | Hebrew Union College |
Travel | Family |
Fun | Thoughts |
Recent Photos | Home
Every Friday, as I sit down to think about my week and write to you, I marvel at how quickly time goes by. So many things have happened in the last seven days, yet I feel like it was just minutes ago that I wrote. And if time plays similar tricks on you, then it must seem like a constant string of my e-updates arrive in your inbox. As I mentioned before, I enjoy writing and I appreciate open and interested ears. More than that, though, I miss family and friends and this is one way to maintain connections that are very important to me.
I'm happy to say that Mark is back in Jerusalem after a wonderful 10 days in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Colorado. As promised, he brought back great stories, pictures, and hugs from home. And he even managed (believe it or not) to return with a couple of pints of my very, very favorite treat in the world -- Starbuck's Java Chip ice cream! Dry ice, a secure cooler, and a little creativity was all it took. This is one guy who seriously knows how to make me happy. :) By the way, for those of you who are coffee ice cream fans, but haven't tried this brand, I'll just say that it's worth the hassle of schlepping halfway across the world. Anyway, it's great to have him home and I really appreciate the thoughtful goodies the "Miller gang" snuck in his suitcase (shoe). :)
During the time I worked for United Jewish Communities, I often spoke to college students about people who benefit from tzedakah (which literally translates to "justice," but essentially is the word for charity). The American Jewish community has raised incredible amounts of money for causes all over the world. One such cause has been to bring thousands and thousands of Ethiopian Jews, often out of war-torn and poverty-stricken areas, to Israel since 1980. To this day, there are about 400 new immigrants arriving every month from Ethiopia. These brave souls come to Israel to start a new life and are met with completely unfamiliar ways of doing things (including getting water from the tap, using a refrigerator, etc.), not to mention the major cultural differences and the language barrier. This past Monday was the first of many evenings I'll be spending with an Ethiopian family of 6. They have been in Israel for just over a year. I can already see, just from spending a couple of hours with them, that they are very special, lighthearted, and courageous people. We all struggled with our Hebrew to communicate (which is one reason this is such a good match, it's much less intimidating for them to be with someone who is also learning a new language), but mostly connected with our eyes and smiles. It's an honor to have this opportunity. If you're interested in learning more about Ethiopian Jewry, here's a good place to start: The History of Ethiopian Jews (http://www.ujc.org/content_display.html?ArticleID=1511_)
To follow-up on the political update from last week, things are crazier than ever in the Knesset. It looks like we're going to be here for elections (the end of January). Prime Minister Sharon called for new elections (he didn't have much choice, as he couldn't pull together a new coalition). Bibi Netanyahu came on board as Foreign Minister and there are already public tensions between him and Sharon ... which isn't a surprise, as they're going to be opponents in the fast approaching elections. Very interesting times! But then again, you know all about interesting political happenings. What a week it has been, all over.
All for now (trust me, I always try to make these short :).
My love and thoughts are with you,
Rachel Ann
