Day 2: The Conference Begins

Today was a great first day!  Besides having an afternoon of listening to some great classical music, led by some of the world's best conductors, Itay Talgam (pictured above) presented on Leadership as Vision & Values through the multiple conducting styles of the various conductors.

Itay, who also served as an Assistant Conductor to Leonard Bernstein, shared with the group the importance of leading from a place of "higher consciousness" (known as "Transcendence" in Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs) which is actually beyond Maslow's original highest level of "Self-Actualization."

The whole afternoon really allowed the 11 of us (unfortunately 3 fellows were delayed because of the storm that hit the northeast on Saturday night) the opportunity to do some of our own critical thinking and self-reflection to see where we fall in the variety of leadership examples, as well as which leadership would work best in our respective Jewish educational arenas.

And if all of this was not enough, in the morning we were all invited to work on a Google Wave together to better understand how this Web 2.0 application can be used down the road...when this comes out for Beta testing this will change the way we currently communicate through instant messaging, etc. This is REAL TIME communication online?!?!

Anyway, that should be it for now, so have a great day, and stay tuned for Day 3 when we visit the Bar Kochba Caves (made of "mysterious limestone formations in the southern region of Israel. It was here that the Jews took refuge from the Romans, who persecuted them. In the year 132 C.E., the Jews planned and began their revolt against the repressive regime [from these caves].")

Lailah tov! (Good night)

Israel: Day 1

After almost 20+ hours of travel time from PHX to Tel Aviv we finally arrived at 10:15 am local time.  Both flights were uneventful... exactly what flights should be.

When I landed I was met by Ira Kerem, TIPS staff liaison in Israel.  TIPS is the acronym for Tuscon, Israel, Phoenix and Seattle, which is our P2K (Partnership 2000) region with Kiryat Malachi and Chof Ashkelon in Israel.

Of all the many years I've spent coming to Israel, and the multiple 10's of trips I've taken around our homeland, I have to admit that I don't recall ever having visited this region.  But that will now change.  Having spent the day (thank you Ira) visiting Kiryat Malachi and Chof Ashkelon I now look forward to returning to Phoenix and designing a curriculum for our 8th grade students to interact and "meet" their Israeli P2K Kitah Chet partners online before they get here in May.

<<For more information on this wonderful region and the P2K TIPS partnership follow http://tips-kmha.blogspot.com/>>

So after this great day of new experiences, meeting new friends and potential partners, Ira dropped me off at Kfar Maccabiah which is the host site for the quadrennial Maccabi Games in Israel; and which will be our primary place of residence for our Jim Joseph Fellowship winter 2009 retreat.

Can't wait for the program to start!

Giving Thanks...

It is in this week's Torah portion where we read a verse which so clearly overstates a single word that one cannot miss it's suggestive message in the greater context of what the Torah may be trying to tell us.  We learn very early on in our Judaic Studies classes that there are no coincidences in the words of the Torah; and we learn very early on in our Language Arts classes that when trying to communicate a specific idea that one should state things in similar ways but consciously not use the same word again and again; so why this obvious attempt in the Torah to go against everything we know about written communication?


"And he arrived upon a certain place, and he spent the night there because the sun had set; and he took one of the stones of the place and put in under his head, and lay down in that place to sleep." (Genesis 28:11)


It certainly does not require an extensive degree, or years of experience in biblical exegesis to realize that the "place" being referenced in this verse from Parashah Vayetzei is clearly important.  So what happened in this "place" that G-d wants us to make sure that we don't forget?  Maybe it's not even the exact place G-d is drawing our attention to, but rather, it is what happens in this place that G-d wants to make sure we remember?


For me it is clearly the latter.  It is the what happened here which I will elaborate upon on this Thanksgiving Day; although it should also be noted that only a few verses later we do in fact find out this place's name "And he called the name of that place Beth-El" (28:19).


This "place" which we read about this week is where Jacob dreamed the dream which led him to believe that this place was the "Gate of Heaven."  It was here where he dreamed of a ladder reaching the heavens with angels ascending and descending from the heavens to the earth; and it was in this place where G-d spoke to Jacob and promised him the same promise given to his grandfather Abraham, and his father Isaac; that the land upon which he lies will be given to his descendants, and that "thy seed will be as dust of the earth, and they will spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south." (28:14).


But what of the message of this "place", and why it's connection to Thanksgiving?  Because it is in this place where Jacob becomes a "believer".  It is on this spot, in this location, at this "place" where Jacob thanks "G-d for opening his eyes".


All of us have memories of specific places, some of them are ingrained in us because of their physical beauty, for some because of the emotional ties, and for some others because of the history of what might have happened years before.  Whatever the reason we possess a "connection" to the place.


This week, during this Thanksgiving/VIP shortened school week, as I was walking around campus, it dawned on me that this place (JSJCDS) was for many of our students their "Beth-El".  It was here in our school, at our "place" where many of our children find their connection to Hashem.  It is the development of their relationships with their schoolmates, it is their continued studies in the classroom, it is in their daily T'fillah services, and it is in their ownership of our campus, where many of them have made this place their gateway to heaven.


I can only hope that each one of them makes a similar vow as Jacob to be committed to living a life of divine awe, with a responsibility to future generations, and with a sense of obligation and duty to their community...it is for this blessing of possibility for which I am personally incredibly thankful on this day.


Happy Thanksgiving, and may we all be similarly blessed with finding our own Beth-El.

Israel - a different perspective...

First, take a look at the following 6-minute interview...


http://www.cnbc.com/id/15840232?video=1311023934&play=1


Second, answer me honestly, why aren't we as Diaspora Jews talking more about this side of Israel?


Today, I held my weekly class with our 8th grade students.  


[Side note - The course is a 45-minute/week class focusing during the first semester on the events that led to the creation of the State of Israel, the global circumstances which finally brought our Homeland to fruition, along with discussions on regional current events.  During the second semester we will be using our 8th grade Israel trip itinerary to study specific historical/biblical locations, texts, stories, and much more so as to prepare the students for their eventual Israel experience in the spring.]


So today I decided to show the students this "new" perspective of Israel.  This version of Israel rarely discussed or presented by the media.  Here's what a few of the students had to say:

• "I think people need to see Israel's side of the story."
• "Israel knows how to shine through in dark times."
• "I believe that this video showed an amazing perspective of Israel that not many people get to see or hear."
• "I found that Israel being so economically resilient was very interesting."
• "I am proud to be Jewish."
• "Children in Israel have a greater responsibility than children in the US."
• "I feel that Israel has had a very hard time ever since it became a state.  The amazing thing is that the Israelis have never stopped trying to fight back or represent their country.  Israel is very small but has a very large heart."

So I ask once again, why are we not working as the Diaspora Jewish community just as hard to present this image of Israel as anything else we do for our Homeland?  These are our brothers, sisters, cousins, uncles, aunts, and even grandparents we are talking about.


In a "flat world" and a world which has become so "small" because of our society's technological advancements, this is the message which produces great pride and personal connectivity with Israel for the next generation. The metaphor of the small country surrounded by bullies trying to fight for its survival just doesn't speak to these children anymore.  This new message is the one that resonates with them.  Let's share it more often.


Shabbat shalom.

Congratulations & Yashar Koch'achem!!!

What a great week in Jess Schwartz Sports!  From our youngest of teams (the girls 4-6th grade  Volleyball Team pictured above), who came in 3rd place in their conference tournament, through the 7th & 8th grade, as well as the high school, girls volleyball teams who both came in 2nd place in their respective tournaments, through our high school boy's soccer team who too came in 2nd place in their league tournament playoffs.


Nobody gave our students, from a school of 250 strong, their kavod, and so our players walked onto those courts and fields and showed them just how much school spirit and Jewish pride we are made up of; and from there we rose to the championship rounds.


Congrats, and yashar koch'achem to all of you who represented our school and community with tremendous honor...and thanks to all of our fans and supporters who came out to cheer our students on.  We couldn't have done it without you!