Journeys With Julie

Sderot -Leadership Institite

2010-04-22T18:44:00.000-07:00

Here we are having lively disussions at the Leadership Institute in Sderot about Judaism, the current and future state of Israel and the Jewish People. Many different opinions on varying subjects including : Is Israel a democratic state if it only allows Jews to be citizens (with some non Jews living in certain areas) and does Israel need diaspora Jews to survive and vis a versa? How are they affected by each other? If Israel is a state of the Jewish people should ALL Jews regrdless of where they live be allowed to vote in Israeli elections? All these topics that REALLY made us think.

We also broke into smaller groups to discuss what we thought about Israel's civil laws being ruled and overseen by Orthodox rabbis.

Jerusalem Forest - Planting A Tree

2010-04-22T15:00:00.000-07:00

Here is Joanna beautifully showing us how to plant a tree in Israel. (Picture courtesy of Rachel Butt's facebook page.)

I have been told Israel is the only country to end the 20th century with more trees than it started. From the Yale University forum on religion and ecology (http://fore.research.yale.edu/religion/judaism/projects/jewish_national.html)
" JNF has planted more than 240 million trees in Israel over the last century, making Israel the only country with more trees at the end of the century than it had in the beginning. JNF has recently adopted a new policy of species diversification, based on growing awareness of the importance of biological diversity as well as a desire to cultivate tree species native to biblical Israel. By purchasing trees through JNF’s online tree planting center, Jews from around the world can help green the land of Israel.:

Jerusalem - An Orthodox Biker

2010-04-22T13:14:00.000-07:00

I was bummed ai kept missing pictures of orthodox men riding in the slippery cobblestone streets of the old city. I finally got my camera out in time to at least catch this observant Jewish man unlocking his bike outside of Keren Kayemet offices (Jewish United Fund)

Jerusalem - High Speed Rail???

2010-04-22T12:00:00.000-07:00

This is RIGHT outside the Old City walls. I was pleasently surprised to see that a high speed train in being built in the city. Jerusalem's streets are VERY narrow and driving can be just painful. Most of the streets follow old animal paths. I found a humorous post on a blog called Jerusalemite.net in the environment category.

" ... there is another train slowly but unsurely making its way to the Holy City: the long-awaited high-speed Israel Railways line from Tel Aviv. The line, which will replace the hideously slow and outdated current inter-city train, has been beset by constant delays, from the simply bureaucratic to the bizarrely "only-in-Israel" (how many construction projects in other countries get delayed because workers keep uncovering ancient Jewish graves?)"

Herzl - Our Bus Driver

2010-04-21T19:37:00.000-07:00

Can you believe his name?? And do you see the license plate? Ha!

Jerusalem -The Old City

2010-04-21T13:11:00.000-07:00

Jaffe Gate. One of my favorite facts about the old city - the gates do not allow one to enter straight, you must turn. This helped slow down invading chariots and horses.

From Teach All Nations Inc -
"Jafee Gate is named because the road leading from it goes to the port city of Jaffa (Joppa)...The wall next to the gate was torn down and a moat filled in 1898 by Sultan Abdul Hamid, so that Kaiser Wilhelm II could ride into the city. It retains the L shape interior, an ancient defensive method of slowing the advance of armies through the gate and forcing a turn that exposes their unshielded side. A legend says that Sulieman was angry about the architects not including Mt. Zion in the walls of the city, so they are buried in the two graves inside the gate. This gate was also the famous scene of the English General Allenby's entrance in 1917."

The Wailing (Western) Wall Its a tradition to place a note in the wall thanking G-d or asking for something. I didn't write anything this time.

Budapest to Tel Aviv - The El Al Flight

2010-04-20T13:28:00.000-07:00

Here are my seatmates, opps i forgot their names, They are twins from my trip who speak little English so I helped them at the airport. Pretty unique story about their family. Their mom was born in Jerusalem! Her family came from Iran in 1896, same year Herzl had the first Zionist Congress (hope I have my dates correct. Another picture will prove me right or wrong)

Here is a picture of the plane as we landed. I can't begin to tell you what an emotional experience it was to land in Israel. Something I haven't felt in many years. I was smiling from ear to ear and everyone was singing as we touched the ground. Why these strange emotions? Two reasons. First of all, travelling through Europe, following Herzl and his plight to save the Jewish people, and learning first hand about the atrocities that happened to my people and then landing in the Jewish state was intense. Second, getting stuck in Budapest, where I don't speak the language, and we didn't know when we would get out (or have to miss out Israel trip entirely) was reason enough to cheer, smile and sing as we touched ground. It wasn't just getting there that was exciting, it was the entire group's excitement that collectively we got there that also was poignant.

Budapest - Airport Screens

2010-04-20T12:58:00.000-07:00

Note our flight is one of the few that is not cancelled.....

Budapest - My Boarding Pass at The Airport

2010-04-20T01:00:00.000-07:00

My boarding Pass!

Budapest - Yom haatzmaoot Cruise on danube

2010-04-19T14:53:00.000-07:00

What an emotional experience to be floating on the Danube in Budapest, singing Hebrew songs, at the same place where Jews of Budapest in 1944 were shot, killed and drown.

Budapest - sheket Group

2010-04-19T09:06:00.001-07:00

This was a cool hungrian group we heard last night.

Budapest - Shira Beer

2010-04-19T09:02:00.001-07:00

My yummy beer. I bought Anna wine as well. Total cost =600 Hungarian currency = $3!

Budapest - Shira and Anna

2010-04-19T08:58:00.000-07:00

Here is Anna at this hip pub called Shira. So many bikes, even inside. We will be celebratng YOm Haaztmoot there as well (Israel's Independence Day)

Budapest - Yom Hazikron (Remembrance Day)

2010-04-19T05:17:00.000-07:00

We had a very meaningful ceremony last night for Israel's Memorial Day. Songs, poems, speakers. All were held at the Israeli Cultural Center in Budapest. It's been amazing how well the organization has been able to take care of us here and do meaningful programs. The ceremony was prepared by my some members of my group, Dor Hemshech.

Budapest still here but with no wireless internet

2010-04-17T17:53:00.000-07:00

so we were supposed to leave for tel aviv today but like the rest of europe canát fly yet. i am hoping we will be able to leave soon but no one knows. for a while they were talking about a 3O hour bus ride to athens and then hopefully get on a plane but they changed that. as far as i know we are staying at the hotel again tonight. its a beautiful hotel. budapest is a fairlz cheap city so to get starnded a few days here isnt the worst thing....

regarding the internet it was down in the hotel and then we heard the whole city. its working here in the business center but i dont think we have wireless yet. so thats why some of my Ys are zs and i have no pictures to post at the moment.

We are planning a yom hazikron ceremony tonight here since we were supposed to be at har herzl for the main country ceremy. yom hazikron is israels memorial day.

last night we went out to a super cool pub-music venue. a lot of bikers. i made a new friend named anna, she lives in the moishe house here. cool

Vienna - My Goulash Soup at Café Griensteidl

2010-04-17T15:58:00.000-07:00

Two words - Yummy!

Vienna - Café Griensteidl

2010-04-17T15:45:00.000-07:00

This famous cafe was home to many intellectuals. Read about it in wikipedia here ( note Herzl is mentioned) -

"Unlike some other café traditions around the world, it is completely normal for a customer to linger alone for hours and study the omnipresent newspaper. Along with coffee, the waiter will serve an obligatory glass of cold tap water and during a long stay will often bring additional water unrequested, with the idea being that you are a guest who should feel welcomed and not pressured to leave for another patron.

In the late 19th and early 20th century, leading writers of the time became attached to the atmosphere of Viennese cafés and were frequently seen to meet, exchange and to even write there. Literature composed in cafés is commonly referred to as coffee house literature, the writers thereof as coffee house poets. The famous journal Die Fackel ("The Torch") by Karl Kraus is said to have been written in cafés to a large extent. Other coffee house poets include Arthur Schnitzler, Alfred Polgar, Friedrich Torberg, and Egon Erwin Kisch. Famous writer and poet Peter Altenberg even had his mail delivered to his favorite café, the Café Central.

The heyday of the coffee house was the turn of the nineteenth century when writers like Peter Altenberg, Alfred Polgar, Karl Kraus, Hermann Broch and Friedrich Torberg made them their preferred place of work and pleasure. Many famous artists, scientists, and politicians of the period such as Arthur Schnitzler, Stefan Zweig, Egon Schiele, Gustav Klimt, Adolf Loos, Theodor Herzl, Alfred Adler,[4] and even Leon Trotsky were constant coffee house patrons. In Prague, Budapest, Cracow, and Lviv (Lemberg) and other cities of the Austro-Hungarian empire there were also many coffee houses according to the Viennese model.

From 1950, the period of "coffee house death" or Kaffeehaussterben began, as many famous Viennese coffee houses had to close, perhaps due to the popularity of television or the appearance of modern espresso bars. Nevertheless, many of these classic Viennese spots still exist, and tourism and a renewed interest in their history have prompted a comeback."

Vienna - Holocaust Memoria

2010-04-17T15:16:00.000-07:00

This Holocaust memorial is located in the old Jewish square, Judeplatz. It is a supposed to be a library with 65,000 books facing out, to represent the 65,000 Jews deported from Vienna and killed in concentration camps. The names of the camps are enscribed on the memorial as well.

Vienna - Jewish Museum

2010-04-17T12:25:00.000-07:00

Israeli Ambassador to Austria speaks to us over breakfast.I unfortunately slept through it

Budapest - Hotel

2010-04-17T10:22:00.000-07:00

We are in Budapest staying at The Corinthia Hotel (just like the slippers say). If we get stuck in Europe, I wouldn't mind having to stay at this fancy hotel another night. But of course I would rather be landing in Israel tomorrow and see my sister!

It's out of my control though.... so we will see what happens with the volcano and the wind pattern. We may be better off being in Eastern Europe as opposed to farther north and west (closer to Iceland).

Overnight train from Zurich to Vienna -

2010-04-17T10:20:00.000-07:00

Here is picture of my roommate Rachel in our tiny tiny sleeping car on the train from Zurich to Vienna. It was so small we could not walk in this closet of a room with both of our bags on the floor. But it was an adventure and I am paying for it now with a cold :)).
I took the top bunk, and we somehow found a ladder behind Rachels bed. Before that we have no idea how I would get up and down. More to come on that adventure.

I just found this picture on facebook, thanks rachel!

Paris Initial Thoughts

2010-04-15T14:06:00.000-07:00

I just arrived in Paris, what an amazing city! I was here 11 years ago but remember little since my friend Gali I was travelling with spoke French and navigated for us. This time around I've already taken in so much architecture, culture, food, etc.

Here are some initial thoughts (I'll attach pictures as well):

-The French people in general have been much kinder than I anticipated.

-The Metro system (train) is so easy to navigate. You can get from one part of the city to the other so quickly!

- I'm seeing more bikes here than Chicago. They have a free bike rental program called Velio all over the city and there are many bike paths and lanes. Most of the bikes have generator lights that go on when it gets dark

-No one wears hats here, but many wear scarves

-Parisians chose to sit next to each other, both facing the street, instead of facing each other at outdoor cafes. Even on a busy street!

- Crepes are good (duh).

- I can't tell just by looks who is a native and who is a tourist.

- I've only had to pay for 1 toilet so far, it was .40 euro. When I left the attendant said "au revoir", which means "see you soon". Huh?

Basel, Switzerland - Found A Hebrew Bike Jersey

2010-04-15T09:41:00.000-07:00

Gidi, the bike guy of KKL gave me a Hebrew bike jersey! It's an XL so it may go my dad.

Who would have thought I would have gotten a bike jersey in Basel, Switzerland in the same room Herzl announced his idea of a state for the Jews. Fitting maybe?

Basel, Switzerland - Transportation

2010-04-15T09:35:00.000-07:00

The streetcars and bicycles outnumber cars 5-1. So cool! And they don't honk their horns. I haven't heard one "beep beep" yet.

Basel, Switzerland - Pretzel

2010-04-15T09:31:00.000-07:00

My new friend Ben holding a pretzel with nuts. It was amazing. TIme for chocolate! Basel is beautiful!

Basel, Switzerland - Bike, BIkes, More BIkes!

2010-04-15T09:24:00.000-07:00

They barely lock up their bikes in certain parts of the city!

Basel, Switzerland - Bikes part of our trip!

2010-04-15T09:22:00.000-07:00

We heard a couple of speakers at the Casino, a music hall in Basel, Switzerland. Here is where Herzl held the 1st and 2nd Zionist Congresses. Apparenty he first saw a bicycle in Basel (they are stil all over) and wrote about their revolution in helping build the Jewish State.

These posters, a the female cyclist, are part of a new cycling campaign of the Keren Kayemet LIsrael/JNF (environmental fundraising org).

Paris - The Opera House Event with the President of Israel and Achinoam Nini (Paris Ballet)

2010-04-14T22:15:00.001-07:00

Paris Ballet

Paris - The Opera House Event with the President of Israel and Achinoam Nini (Shimon Peres)

2010-04-14T22:14:00.000-07:00

Shimon Peres speakingin Hebrew with a French translator.

Paris - The Opera House Event with the President of Israel and Achinoam Nini

2010-04-14T22:12:00.001-07:00

We were lucky enough to be guests at a very fancy event where Shimon Peres, the president of Israel spoke. There were performances by the Paris Ballet as well as singing by Achinoam Nini, a gorgeous Israeli singer and her Palestinian counterpart Miri Awad. More pictures to follow.

Paris - The Opera House Event with the President of Israel and Achinoam Nini (Chagall Ceiling)

2010-04-14T22:12:00.000-07:00

The Chagall ceiling of the Opera House

Paris - Meeting The Group!

2010-04-14T12:00:00.000-07:00

Here are the 60 of us from all over the world. We are touring Paris, Basel, Vienna, Budapest and Jerusalem, learning about Herzl and the history of Zionism.

Paris - Metro Stop

2010-04-14T08:28:00.000-07:00

I just love taking the train in Paris!

Paris - Avi Pazner

2010-04-14T08:26:00.000-07:00

Avi Pazner, former Israel ambassador to France and current president of the World Zionist Movement spoke with us at the Holocaust Museum. I actually stayed awake for his speech. He spoke about the relationship between France and Israel.

Paris - City Hall (Law School Lookalike Building) -circa 1970

2010-04-14T08:17:00.000-07:00

This building was built in 1970. It's the city hall for the 5th arodissement. It was built to look just like the law school building whch was built in the 12th century.

Paris - Law School

2010-04-14T08:13:00.000-07:00

This bulding, across from the Pantheon, was built in the 13th century. Across the street is the city hall which looks almost identical, but built in the 1970s!

Paris - Le Sorbonne

2010-04-14T08:08:00.000-07:00

This is one of the oldest universities in the world, built in the 2 century!

Paris - The Pantheon

2010-04-13T15:00:00.001-07:00

Paris - Eiffel Tower

2010-04-13T14:58:00.001-07:00

Paris -Swedish Touring Cyclist at Eiffel Tower

2010-04-13T14:55:00.000-07:00

I could have spotted his Surly "Long Haul Trucker" from a mile away.... He had just returned from a trip to West Africa by bike.

Paris - How Parisians Sit at Outdoor Cafes

2010-04-13T14:46:00.000-07:00

Here you go, how Parisians sit facing the street (even busy streets) while drinking/eating at outdor cafes.

Paris - Condom Dispensers at the Train Stations?

2010-04-13T14:42:00.001-07:00

Paris - My First of Many Crepes!

2010-04-13T14:41:00.000-07:00

Paris - Bike Lanes

2010-04-13T14:40:00.000-07:00

Paris - Bikes, bikes, bikes!

2010-04-13T14:36:00.000-07:00

Paris - Bastille Area

2010-04-13T14:15:00.000-07:00

This is The Bastille Staute, where I stayed the first night I arrived in Paris. It was at a youth hostel called Auberge de jeunesse. 19 euro a night! Included the infamous youth hostel breakfast, a roll with butter and jelly.