Winding Down and Gearing Up

Firstly, I'd like to remark on a significant element of my previous week which I neglected to mention in my last blog. We spent last monday celebrating Hadassah Day. Hadassah is a phenomenal organization which is the mother organization of Young Judaea (the movement which hosts my program). On Hadassah day we toured two of the most innovative and successful hospitals in the Middle East, Hadassah Mount Scopus, and Hadassah Ein Kerem. These phenomenal institutions have been serving both Palestinian and Israeli patients for many years and have contributed a lot to the field of medicine. It was interesting to see these beautiful buildings for a 3rd time, and learn about the impact they have had on Israel and the world. 

My orientation for the trip to Eastern Europe was a very good experience. It was great to see all my friends from France together in the same place for the first time since we left each-other at the airport. We talked about the logistics and the itinerary for the trip. We will be traveling to Poland, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia (I will post my itinerary as the trip gets closer). We also had a few programs on the Holocaust and on Eastern European jewry from before the establishment of the State of Israel. 

On Saturday night I took a bus to Tel Aviv for a rally commemorating the 13th anniversary of Yitzchak Rabin's death. Israeli Prime Minister Yitzchak Rabin was assassinated after a peace rally in 1995. It was amazing to see the tens of thousands of people once again fill the square which now bears his name, united in a call for peace in Israel. Many prominent Israeli politicians spoke, as well as family members of Rabin, and a representative of Barack Obama (Jimmy Hoffa). There were several moving musical performances, video clips of Rabin's life, and tributes symbolizing the events which occurred on the night of his death. 

Since that night I have been busy with classes, tests, and papers (yet again). This is my last week of classes and final exams and projects are sitting unpleasantly on my mind. It feels like only days ago that I first landed in Israel, and now approximately 3 months later, I am getting ready to pack my bags and head to the next component of my program.

I am very nervous to find out what I will be doing, where I will be living, and who I will be living with for the next three months. I am told that I will be informed this coming Thursday, and I will be sure to mention that on this blog once that information is imparted to me. 

Tomorrow I am headed to Tel Aviv yet again to meet my mom who is here for a while on a business trip. 

Hope all is well!

-Zach