November, 2002
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Dear friends and family,
Happy Turkey Day! We have a week-long vacation right now for Thanksgiving and Hanukkah (it's good to be a student!), so I've got time to relax and send out a little update before this month is over.
Where to begin? I don't think I've written since early October, so there is a lot to review. This week has been both joyous and painful, another example of the dichotomy that is life in Israel. The Kenya attacks are very disturbing, and do not seem to bode well for peace prospects in the region. It is bad enough when innocent Israelis are murdered in their own homeland, but targeting vacationing tourists just because they are Jewish (and I think it's getting hard to distinguish between hatred against Jews and Israelis these days) indicates to me a step up in the war Israel is fighting. I'm not sure what Israel can or will do to respond, but it can only add to the feeling of siege that I think the government is reacting to. It's sad when so many resources are continually poured into security, especially at a time when Israel's economy is in such poor condition. We are, of course, watching the situation carefully and continue to go about our cautious but fun routine. We feel very comfortable where we are, but as I have mentioned before, we haven't spent as much time out and around Jerusalem or Israel as we may have in years past. And even though we are missing out on some of the Israel experience, I also believe that we are privy to an understanding of real life here that we couldn't get other times. Israel will be a permanent part of our lives, when we are here as well as when we are home in the States - but this year is helping to cement a better understanding of what it means not only to be Israeli, but to be a Jew in today's world and inextricably linked to Israel.
On the other side of the coin, Thursday night we ate way too much delicious food with about 30 of my classmates, and last night we lit our first Hanukkah candles. It is such a treat to be in Israel for various Jewish holidays -- not only due to the intensity of celebrating with so many people, but also because you can really feel the connections to history. I never tire of the realization that THIS is where these stories took place. Even as the modern State of Israel is fighting for its existence and modern Jews are struggling to maintain identity in an ever-smaller world, so too did the Hasmoneans fight for the existence of both their society and their culture in the face of the Hellenistic empire. The more I learn, the more I marvel at the myriad ways in which our history and texts still apply to life in the 21st century. The story of the Maccabbees is not just a dusty book to sit on a shelf, it is a passionate tale that roils with meaning and lessons today. The world has changed in so many ways, but we are still just people trying to create a meaningful existence.
As I step off my soapbox, let me go back a few weeks to my trip to Rhode Island and Colorado. I've been very lucky to be part of a program for the last two years called the Institute for Informal Jewish Education. It is a fellowship run through Brandeis University which is attempting to professionalize the field of "informal" Jewish education - in other words, much of the good work that is being done in places outside the standard religious school classroom (and even some of the creative work being done in it). It is a different way to envision high-quality education, and I have been working with some excellent faculty and I enjoy my cohort quite a bit. After four days at the seminar, I felt sure once again that education will play a major role in my future rabbinate. I really believe that the ways in which we transmit our tradition to the next generation (which very much includes the ways we work with adults of all ages, and young families today) is crucial to the Jewish community we will continue to build. And I relish every opportunity to develop my skills and build connections with talented people in the field.
And as long as I was already 'in the neighborhood,' I decided to fly to Denver for a quick weekend visit before heading back to Jerusalem. It was so nice to be home, have lots of time with little nephew Cameron and the rest of my family (Tami even came into town from LA), to get a fix of the mountains, and see lots of friends. And, perhaps most importantly, to spend some time with Chapin! We miss him so much over here - we can talk on the phone and e-mail with everyone, but there's not much you can do but miss a dog ... luckily, Leslie and Roger are taking great care of him, and he's having lots of fun with his cousin, Calvin (who is putting up a good fight, but just can't seem to match Chapin's energy ; )
Returning to Jerusalem, classes keep me very busy. Hebrew is clearly the primary focus of this year. We're learning a variety of subject, and most of them are taught in Hebrew - which means, of course, that we learn less about the subject than we would if the classes were taught in English, but that we learn more about how to work with original texts like the Bible, Talmud, and liturgy.
Rachel Ann has been a whirlwind around town - taking various classes, spending time with friends, and putting a lot of energy into developing her computer skills. In addition to digital photo work, she's been updating our own, personal website with recent photos ... feel free to check it out:
https://millers18.tripod.com/recent.html
If you've stayed with me this far, you must have lots of free time on your hands! Really, there is so much I want to share about our time in Israel, and I hope you enjoy news from the front. Please keep me updated on what's new and exciting in your life.
Talk to you soon,
Mark
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