Kuwaiti-Finnish Orthodox Jewish Wedding in Israel

One of the more remarkable stories I heard on our recent trip to Israel was of an Orthodox Jew who was born a Muslim in Kuwait and married a Finnish woman whose father was a Lutheran minister.

It sounds like a joke, but it's not.

My pal, Gil, wrote the story for the Jerusalem Post. Re-printed below with his permission.

And, obviously, given our family's unique relationship with Finland, this was icing on the cake ;-)

Wedding season underway as Kuwait- and Finland-born Jews tie the knot

 

by Gil Zohar

With Tisha b’Av over, the summer’s wedding season began this week. And one of the most festive weddings this writer has ever attended was the nuptials of Kuwait-born Mark (Mordechai) Halawa and Finland-born Linda Brunell that took place Wednesday at Nes Harim in the Judean Hills.

 

Officiating was Rabbi Israel Weisel of Bnai Brak. Among the hundreds of guests were streimel-wearing Belzer Hassidim, sun-burned Swedish Lutherans who had flown in from Scandinavia in a demonstration of Zionist support and family ties, and friends from Abu Dhabi.

 

Halawa, in his mid-30s, spoke about the divinely-ordained path that brought him back to Judaism.

 

His grandmother, Ruwaida née Mizrachi, was born in Jerusalem during the British Mandate of Palestine. She married Muhammad al-Masri. a Jordanian soldier from Nablus, and the couple ended up stationed at Zarqa, Jordan. Following the 1970 Black September uprising, al-Masri – who was a high-ranking officer in Jordan’s Arab Legion - was cashiered when King Hussein purged his army of Palestinians. The family relocated to Kuwait.

 

Thus Halawa’s mother, whose name Mark prefers not to cite, moved as a teenager to Kuwait. There she met and married her husband, whose name Halawa similarly declines to mention. Opening an engineering and contracting business, the family grew wealthy on government contracts from Kuwait’s ruling as-Sabah clan. But the good times came crashing down in 1990 when Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein occupied the tiny Gulf emirate,

 

Halawa’s family, which was on vacation in Spain when the invasion of Kuwait took place, became exiles. They ended up in London, Canada, where Mark studied psychology and business at the University of Western Ontario. There in a fateful meeting at the school’s library he fell into a conversation with a long-bearded professor of philosophy named Yitzchok Block. After considerable probing, the Chabad rabbi pronounced Halawa halachically Jewish by virtue of his being the descendant of a Jewish woman. Halawa protested that his is a Muslim.

 

But the truth won out. After much soul-searching, including years at Jerusalem’s Aish ha-Torah Yeshiva, he returned to the fold of Jewish life.

 

Linda Brunell’s family story is equally extraordinary. Her father Ole Brunell was born in a Swedish-speaking village on the west coast of Finland. Growing up in an insular community, he attended seminary and university in Turku, Finland, and was ordained as a Lutheran minister. After leading several congregations across Finland, he and his family relocated to sunny Australia to minister to a Finnish-speaking church in Brisbane,

 

But Brunell and his wife Runa began to question the theological underpinnings of Christianity. Finally in 1991 he renounced Christianity and left his job as a minister, along with its car, vicarage and status. After a long and difficult path, the family converted to Judaism and made aliya in 1996. Ole and Runa became Shlomo and Ruth. All four of the Brunell daughters have married Israelis.

 

Linda Brunell works as a patent paralegal with a major Tel Aviv law firm. Mark Halawa is a businessman with extensive contacts and dealings across the Middle East. He also is a speaker on the Chabad circuit in North America and Europe.

 

“This is the happiest day of my whole life,” Brunell said. “Mark and I share the same goals, despite our different backgrounds, of building a family in Israel. I’m very grateful to my parents for bring my sisters and I on this path. And I’m sure they’re happy to have their last daughter married off.”

 

“Many people asked Linda and me, ‘Where are you going to get married?’ Is there a better place than the land of my ancestors? I’m only sorry that my immediate family isn’t here, but I’ve gained a whole new family – the whole Jewish people is now my family,” said Halawa. “My dream of marrying a Jew and establishing a Jewish home has become a reality. Baruch ha-Shem.”

Gil Zohar is a Jerusalem-based journalist and tour guide and can be reached at gilzohar@rogers.com

A 2000+ Year Tradition of Nicknames

Longtime readers know of my penchant and love for nicknames.

So, I took a  (very, very, very) small amount of joy at the top of Masada when we visited the section of the "lots." 

This was where the last few standing people (who had to do the terrible job of killing everyone else before the Romans arrived) drew straws ("lots") to determine who would be the final person--and thus have to commit suicide-which is forbidden in Judaism.

The sign said that the pottery shards were inscribed with both names and "nicknames."

Knowing that I am upholding a 2,000+ year old tradition gives additional meaning to my nicknaming and my efforts to instill it in the next generation.

Israel 2016- Reflections On A Spiritual Friday

Anyone who has visited the Western Wall (aka the Kotel) which is regarded as Judaism's holiest place knows that it is almost always a bustling sea of humanity full of all kinds of noise.

The sounds of the muezzin from the Dome of the Rock/Al-Aqsa complex will, on occasion, also punctuate the air.

So, when my friend Jeremy (no, not talking about myself) Lustman suggested that we get up at 5am to go to the early morning service on Friday for a different type of spiritual experience, I was up for it (literally and figuratively).

The purpose of this service is to say the morning prayer at the exact first possible moment.  The particular prayer is a silent meditation and can be said roughly at the morning's first light.

As we arrived, there were probably 150+ men praying in groups of 10-15. There was a din of noise as each group moved through the introductory prayers at their own pace.

However, when the moment arrived, the entire place fell silent. All we heard was chirping of the birds.

Utter and complete silence otherwise.

It was surreal and powerful. To be in the holiest place and have total quiet.

If you ever get the chance, you should go.

On our way out of Jerusalem, we stopped at the Mahane Yehuda (central market). Another place that is usually chock full of people, noise, and smells.

Since it was so early, we were able to experience the market coming to life. Vendors setting up their stalls and being able to walk unimpeded, appreciating the world of commerce coming to life, much as we had so appreciated the spiritual world awakening only moments before.

That afternoon, we experienced another side of humankind's spiritual existence.

We learned on Thursday night that the uncle of a close friend of ours was to be buried in Israel (after flying from the US) on Friday afternoon at 2pm.

Due to flight delays, the funeral didn't begin until close to 4 and with the arrival of the Sabbath imminent, there wasn't much time for a long ceremony.

In fact, it was short. Very short. And informal. Some were wearing jeans and t-shirts.

But, as opposed to some American funerals, there was an authenticity to it due to its fast pace and, more interestingly, the fact that people aren't buried in coffins. They are buried wrapped in a simple white shroud, an act which I think makes the process even more real due to its rawness.

Obviously, when you attend a funeral, you can't help but think about mortality and ask yourself questions about how to make the time you have on earth as rich as possible.

Thanks to Jeremy Lustman, I had a day I won't soon forget and may never experience again.

Israel 2016 - Day 5: Working the Land for a Good Cause

The history of Zionism is full of many different philosophies.  Political, Social, and Labor.

Labor's idea was that the working of the land in agriculture was critical to Jewish self-sufficiency. When I lived in Israel for 4 months as an 18 year old, I spent 2 months working on a Moshav and much of that time was in the fields, doing all kinds of work.

It was tiring and hot, but it connects you to the land in a unique way.

Now, many years later, we volunteered to spend about an hour working for an organization called Leket Israel.  [Check them out and donate!]

It was started when Joseph Gitler attended a wedding in Israel and noticed how much food was going to waste after the event was over.

He resolved to connect the leftover food with those who were needy.

From that simple act, it has grown to a nationwide organization that not only takes food that would otherwise be wasted to the poor, but also takes crops from specified fields or where the value is too low and donates it to people in need.

After only 1 hour in the sun, I couldn't help but think about the people who do this type of work all day every day, whether Arabs in Israel or Mexicans in California and I found a new sense of appreciation for their efforts.

I was also reconnected with the land of Israel, which has a special meaning for me.

But the most powerful moment of the day was when we were done and our host for the day told us, "you just picked enough peppers to feed 300 families."

That made us feel like our work had meaning.

If you go to Israel, please take some time to donate your labor. It will inspire you in ways that writing a check alone (though you should do that as well) never could.

Israel 2016: "Raining Cats and Dogs"

Travelers to Israel know of the omni-presence of cats.

What's relatively new is the increase in the number of dogs. Tel Aviv is apparently the world's most dog-friendly city.

One answer I heard is that there's a perception that Arabs fear dogs and that during the most recent spate of "lone wolf" attacks about a year ago, there was an increase in dog ownership (as well as gun permits).

Another theory I heard was that the increased dog ownership is actually a proxy for increased wealth.

As my friend Gil said, "when you have food and housing security, you feel like you can get a dog."

Israel 2016 Day 3 Observations

I don' t know if I'm alone in this feeling or not, but I kind of feel like the drive to the Dead Sea through the Judaean hills and desert is the "real" Israel.

That of the Bible. Where, to this day, you still see shepherd boys riding donkeys tending flocks.

There is a rawness to the land, a peacefulness that comes of the desolation of the environment. Bordered by the Dead Sea and 400 meters below sea level, you are whisked away from the hustle/bustle of Jerusalem through a time warp to another era.

Stop 1 was Herod's fortress of Masada, the site of the last stand against the Romans which ended in a mass suicide and which has become a symbol to the State of Israel: "Masada shall not fall again."

It's an engineering marvel on top of a mountain (and a mini-series that my brothers and I used to love) and, in an ironic twist for me, represents both the old and new Israel at the same time.

The last time I was there, was 1991 and the parking lot was dirt and there may have been a ticket booth and the cable cars.

Now, there is a world class visitor center with indoor parking and much more.

That's the new Israel.  I felt the same way when I first landed at the new airport in 2002 (I think) and I said, "ok, the country has arrived."

The Masada team knows that the tourist industry makes or breaks them.

It's about an hour or so drive from Jerusalem and very pleasant.

We elected to take the cable car up (smart), walk around for an hour with the map and read the signs while educating the kids and then walk down (possibly smart). It's very doable, but with kids, it definitely takes longer than the advertised 30 minutes.

It was hot.

As I said to them many times, the "key to Israel is water, hat, backpack, and sunscreen."  If you have those, you're off to the races.

The way to experience Israel (or any country for that matter) best is by foot and hiking in Israel is a special component.

Figuring we hadn't walked far enough, we then went to Ein Gedi, which also has Biblical significance, most notably as the hiding place of the future King David by his father-in-law Saul. 

The best part is jumping into the cool spring water stemming from the oasis that forms the basis of the nature preserve.

The 2nd best part is meeting other travelers...including a group of 10 pastors from around the world on a trip to the Holy Land.

When I lived in Japan, I remember visiting Kyoto and thinking "this is eternal Japan." When you see the desert surrounding Masada and Ein Gedi, the hills leading to Jerusalem, you can't help but think that this is a part of "eternal Israel." 

Israel 2016 - Day 2- Jerusalem

You can walk through the Old City of Jerusalem 100 times and each time, see something new.

Such was the case on Sunday as we took a walking tour with a guide (something that is worth doing no matter how many times you've been there).

One of the unique moments for me was going onto the rooftops above the Arab Souk (market) and looking into it from above. From the same vantage point, you could see all 4 quarters...the Jewish, Muslim, Christian, and Armenian.

I had always wondered why the Armenians had their own quarter (as the other ones certainly made sense), but our guide explained it as the fact that the Armenians were (apparently) the first country to fully adopt Christianity and thus received a quarter of their own.

Another was discovering small synagogues tucked away into corners and back alleyways, inlaid with fantastic and inspired designs.

The guide had a nice graphical illustration (looked like the South Park characters) that showed who ruled Jerusalem all the way from the time of the First Jewish Temple until the modern day.

Again, one of those things you kind of know, but seeing it all laid out on a timeline helps you internalize just how deep, rich, and complicated this place has always been.

Being there, walking the ancient streets, passing through the walls...you just know that the people in foreign capitals who are trying to impose a solution...well, I think there's a lot of wishful thinking there.

Of course, the highlight of the day was, as usual, the visit to the Kotel-the Western Wall, where we were able to put in notes (as is the custom) expressing the prayers which we hope God will answer, and say additional prayers.  My girls were there with some of their cousins, which made the visit all the more meaningful.

What's so inspiring to me about Jerusalem is how it can be experienced over and over again while being both new and old.

It's almost like pulling a layer back on history and your soul at the same time whenever you go there and explore.

BONUS: Thanks to reader Billy for sending in this video in response to yesterday's post.

Israel 2016- Day 1 Thoughts

The experience of Arabs in Israel and vis a vis Israel is obviously complex and multi-faceted, but sometimes I feel like it is oversimplified.

I was thinking about this as we arrived at Ben Gurion airport and I was struck by the number of Arabs at the baggage claim and passport control, mostly because of how perfectly normal it was for everyone there.

I had the same thought when, on our first full day in country, we took a 2 hour raft trip down the Jordan River at a place called HaGoshrim. It was really fun for kids of all ages, anyone above the age of 5.  In adjacent rafts on the river were a number of Arab teenagers, having fun, splashing us and others (as we were to them).

It was just a moment where I kind of thought..."you know, I think most Israelis and Arabs just want to get along in 2 states side by side and it's only a few percent of haters that keep the animosity going."  It was both sad and uplifting at the same time.

Then, I contemplated the inverse...how would Hassidic-garbed people or people in yarmulkes get treated arriving in Riyadh or Beirut or engaging in a recreational activity in Egypt or Algeria.  That just made me sad.

But I'm burying the lead.

The primary reason for our trip is to celebrate my nephew's Bar Mitzvah next week. In the lead up to that, however, 33 (yes you read that number correctly-- THIRTY THREE) people (all related to each other) spent shabbat together at the Kfar Giladi Hotel on Kibbutz Kfar Giladi.

It is rife with history (in fact, tomorrow is their 100 year anniversary celebration).

It wasn't cheap (full disclosure), but it was SO worth it.

The food spread was...RIDICULOUS, but again, I'm burying the lead. The surroundings were magical.

We were right on the border of Lebanon and had beautiful vistas of the Hula Valley, the Golan, and Mt. Hermon.

The weather was perfect. Balmy, a nice breeze, and secluded.  I took a few long walks around and it was a perfect space for reflection and meditation and family bonding.

I also took advantage of the sauna, workout room, and the kids utilized the pool.

The rooms were great as well.

I can't recommend it highly enough (well, I didn't love the cats, but as any visitor to Israel knows, that's not unique to this one place.)

This is visit #11 or #12 (I think) for me to Israel and it's always fascinating to see how the country stays the same and how it changes from trip to trip.

One thing that has stayed the same, for me, at least is the genuineness of Israelis.  I noticed this in many encounters. I think it comes from a deeper appreciation of how tenuous life is and recognizing that it's not always worth it to sweat the small stuff (though, of course, they have their moments).

I particularly enjoyed a chat I had with 2 ten year old twins (and their dad) who were born in Ukraine and came to Israel 8 years ago in the sauna.  They were so cute, saying "everything we learned about America, we learned on the computer and everything in America is just SO MUCH BIGGER!"

I'm on a bus with 16 kids now so it's a bit hard to concentrate, but we're headed to Jerusalem now and I'm sure that it will be (as always) stimulating.

Moral Equivalency Anxiety

I have to admit that there is a streak of naivete within me.

Every time that Hamas attacks Israel, true to its charter of destruction of the Jewish state, I think to myself “ah, maybe this time the world will see that there is no moral relativism.”

We all know that Israel isn’t perfect. No secret there, but we all don’t seem to get the core issue…denial of Israel’s right to exist.

I think it’s just so difficult for the Western mind to comprehend that one side doesn’t want the other side to even exist.

So, it’s difficult to believe that there isn’t some “path to peace” since it’s just a huge misunderstanding.

But, like every time before, I am reminded about the reality that moral relativism does exist.

And it makes me anxious about the world in which my children will grow up.

Classic Israel Moment

For those of you who have been, this will make sense. For those of you who haven’t, it kind of sums up the Israeli mentality.

And, oh how I wish I had a picture. I’ll do my best.

Tonka and I were walking along Pierre Koenig St. in Jerusalem (a fairly busy street).

Coming down the street, on the outside lane, was a disabled woman (she had very short arms) and was smallish in general in her motorized wheelchair.

Again, this wasn’t on the sidewalk, it was ON the actual road. She was probably going 10-15 mph.

She was navigating the wheelchair using a joystick on one hand (which I think had a cigarette in it as well) and in the other hand, she was holding up the microphone part of her headset because she was talking on her cell phone.

Israel—Crossing the country…in 60 minutes

Intellectually, I know that Israel is really small. We’re talking the size of New Jersey roughly.

Still, it’s pretty dramatic to start on the Eastern side of the country and then, about 1 hour later, get to the western side. It reminds you of the stark reality of the precariousness of the situation. The distance that a missile can cover in about, what, 10 seconds?

Zippori-Layers of History

We were based in Zippori, where we stayed at the guest houses of some 60-something, Baby Boomer, Americans who moved to Israel 30+ years ago. Not religious, but believers in the Zionist idea. What struck my brother-in-law and me was that this particular genre of person…grew up with a strong Jewish identity, but not religious per se is really almost a relic of history now. Fact is, there just aren’t that many American Jews who fit that mold anymore.

Panorama of inside of Crusader fort (Zippori, Israel)

A very short drive from the guesthouses (which we really liked save for the dogs that chased me like crazy when I tried to run and the rooster that didn’t get the memo that he is supposed to wait until dawn to start crowing) is the ancient ruins of Zippori.

It’s one of those places in Israel where the multiple layers of history all coincide at the same point. A Jewish settlement that was destroyed by Romans, the Roman town, infrastructure, mosaics, the fort built by French crusaders….all coming together.

What’s more, it was the home of the Rabbinic court, the Sanhedrin, for a time and it was where Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi codified the Mishna…some heavy stuff.

Add to that is the hill from which you can see for miles in many directions and really appreciate the geographic landscape of the Galilee.

Nahariya—German Jewish town gone askance

We decided that our best option for lunch would be in the seaside town of Nahariya, about 6 kms south of the Lebanon border.  I had been there in 1991 and remembered it as a very quaint, well-kept town. As I recall, it was founded by German immigrants for whom organization and cleanliness were important and the town reflected that. I also remember a boardwalk that was very pleasant.

Well, either my memory was incorrect or the town has changed dramatically. It’s not kind of run down and drab. It’s unfortunate. A lot of Russians seem to be living there—not saying there’s a connection between the two—just an observation.

The most remarkable part of the city—and arguably the entire trip-was on our way into town. I was telling the kids about the city’s German origins and began by saying, “ok, we all know the bad things about German culture, what are some of the good things?”

Which is how I introduced things like organization and punctuality.

As we were talking, however, Nadia (age 5.9) said, “You know, I was reading in my book about Anne Frank and she was hiding in Germany.”

“Actually, it was Holland.”

She continued. “And there was a man, his name was A-dahn Hitler.”

“You mean Adolf Hitler.”

“Yeah, right,” she responded. “He wanted to be an artist, but he wasn’t very talented. Then, he decided he wanted to kill all the Jewish people.”

I turned to the NFO and said, “Did that actually just happen?”

Amazing what kids pick up.

Rosh HaNikra—Lebanese Border

A short (very short) drive up the coast and you reach Rosh HaNikra which is on the border with Lebanon.  It’s also the location of some magnificent grottos through which you can walk and admire how the sea and land have crafted some majestic pieces of art.

I had been there before, but wasn’t aware of some of the historical significance to the place until we watched a movie about it…located on a railroad track in a railroad tunnel.

Apparently, the British had designs on creating a rail network from Beirut (after they got it w/the fall of Vichy France) all the way to Cairo. The coast made the most sense, so they blasted 3 tunnels along the edge of the mountains separating Israel from Lebanon and where Rosh HaNikra is. They also built a small bridge over one gap in the land.

On the eve of Israel’s independence, some members of the Hagana (the pre-state militia) performed a stealth operation right under the noses of the British troops and sabotaged the bridge. The reason? There was concern that an invading force from the north would use the tunnels, bridge, and train tracks to transport weapons and materiel.

Now, the first tunnel (on Israel’s side) is open. The 2nd tunnel (at the border) is walled off—and a movie theater. And the 3rd tunnel? No idea.

From what they told us, it’s also the only place in all of Israel where it’s not a sandy beach, since the rock goes directly into the sea. And, I’m told, but not sure, that it’s the steepest cable car in the world (though not particularly long).

Kids loved it. We loved it.

Adventures on the Way Back to our Base—thanks to Waze

As I wrote, everyone in Israel uses Waze. Which is great, because you get reliable, real-time traffic information. You can also share information about broken down cars and speed traps.

However, after having Waze announce 4 times “Warning! Speed trap ahead” and seeing nothing, we simultaneously made the observation that maybe the police are using Waze and just letting it do the speed monitoring work for them.

But, that wasn’t all of it.

As we came down Road 6, Waze suggested an alternate route that would “save 4 minutes,” so of course, we took it.

After about 25 minutes, we came to a guardpost, manned by soldiers with a huge gate. We asked the soldiers if it was ok to go to Hashmonaim and she replied, “yes, you’re just going through the ‘Shtachim” which is the Hebrew word to describe the lands conquered in the 1967 war (with a few exceptions.)

We both had the same reaction…nervous. And “is this really a good idea?”

The soldier said, “it’s fine. Don’t worry about it,” but the NFO and I know enough to know that on any given day, it could be the day when some people decide to throw rocks (or worse) at cars with Israeli license plates.

It was dark and there were fewer cars. No houses, villages, stores, or gas stations. For about 12 minutes, we rode in total silence…my heart was definitely beating faster and my senses were fine tuned to both the road and the surrounding areas. I was on full alert. When you have moments like that, you are ridiculously focused. And I was.

As we came to the checkpoint on the other side, we saw about 10 men in their late teens, early 20s cross the road in front of us. Even though we were in site of soldiers, we held our breaths. It’s just the sad reality of life in the neighborhood.

Nothing happened and we made it back to our base, but it’ll be a while before I forget that feeling.

The 3 Israels

After the trip through the “Shtachim,” the visits to Nahariya and Tiberias, and the base of operations in Hashmonaim and meetings in Herzliya and Tel Aviv, it dawned on me that there are-at least-3 Israels. Maybe more.

Of course, it’s not universally true, but in general

1. the high-tech, modern Israel. Advanced, everything you would find anywhere else in the first-world and even more so. Cutting-edge.
2. the “left behind” Israel. Places that are sorely in need of economic development and just a paint job.
3. the “other” Israel. Which includdes:
   1. some Israeli Arabs
   2. the ultra-Orhodox Jews with 7, 8, 9 or more kids who are on welfare and live in poverty
   3. many of the Arabs who live in the Shtachim (but, I need to be clear, I’m not saying there plight is all Israel’s fault-it’s not)

The Peace Process, John Kerry, and Jerusalem

The NFO had to fly home a day early, so I was on point with the 3 kids alone. More on that later.

But, we took the opportunity for Paco and Nadia to reconnect with some classmates who had moved from Maryland to Jerusalem for a playdate. That gave me the chance to hear what their dad, Jack Kustanowitz, had to say about his perceptions of the Peace Process.

He had read my earlier post saying that “no one talks about the Palestinians. People are focused on Iran” and he agreed with it.

The sad reality, in his opinion, is that outside of Israel and the Arabs, no one really understands the situation, nor why it is intractable.

In fact, the night before, after my run, I was just thinking, “you know, there is just NO solution whatsoever.”

When all is said and done, it comes down to the question of: Can the Arabs who want to destroy Israel succeed or can Israel succeed in preventing that from happening?

Jack’s observations were spot on.

On the one hand, when “things are quiet,” and there’s no terrorism, most Israelis are of the mindset of “hey, things are good, why should we rock the boat and give the Palestinians a state?” Which leads to stalemate with Palestinians…which is what we are seeing now.

It’s only when terrorism occurs that people get frantic are inclined to talk (not all, of course, but some) because the same terrorism emboldens the hardliners even more. Which leads to a stalemate w/in Israeli society, so no progress occurs.

In either way, no progress occurs.

But, that’s not it….because the same lack of understanding about the Palestinians is at play.

Most Westerners think “it’s about settlements and it’s about Land,” but when they think about it, they think it’s about the land captured in 1967.

What they don’t realize is that it’s about the land “occupied” since 1948…that is all of Israel.

It’s just such a foreign concept. No one can comprehend that the US would come out with a position tomorrow of, “you know, we don’t want Guatemala to exist. And we mean, just erase the country. Give it to its neighbors and change the map.”

But that’s exactly what is wanted.

So, I suppose, in some respect it does come down to Settlements…if you are of the position that Tel Aviv, Haifa and Be’er Sheva are settlements that need to be uprooted.

So, in Jack’s estimation, if the relations between Israelis and Palestinians is like a repeating curve (think Sine wave), the objective for Israel is simply to reduce the altitude of the curve so that the periods of intensity are not as intense and just modulated.

Call me a pessimist.

The First Station and a Long Walk

Tonka and I left the Kustanowitz residence and headed to Emek Refaim where I said to her, “if there’s one place in Israel where there’s a high probability of my running into someone I know, it’s here.”

5 minutes later, straight out of ‘Father Knows Best,” I ran into Devorah Plotkin Walder. Yay.

Tonka and I then set out to follow the refurbished train tracks between Emek Refaim and Baka that are now a first-rate pedestrian area (it used to be an eyesore) and walked to the terminus which is called “the First Station,” because as difficult as it may be to believe, it was the First Train Station built in Israel (well, British Mandate Palestine) in the late 1800s. Now, it’s a great mall with shops, restaurants, etc.

We then walked back to Talpiyot (about 3 km) to vist a friend, Isaac Hassan, who has founded a co-working/incubator space designed to inspire all Jerusalemites (Jews, Arabs, etc.) to become entrepreneurs. You should check it out www.picojerusalem.com

Headed for Home: Appreciating the Kids

I always enjoy traveling to Israel. And, after the fact, I’ve always enjoyed traveling with kids. In the past, there have been moments of huge hassle—strollers, diapers, fighting, etc.

This time, however, was different.

Sure, they had their moments, but pretty much from start to finish—and I’m including plane rides, these guys were world-class troopers.

This trip was about and for them…and I feel like we succeeded.

I could see their wonder, their curiosity at every turn, their appreciation for the sites (ok, mostly) and the joy of the overall experience.

I could FEEL the family bonding taking place. And it was worth it.

It’s not easy-especially for someone who loves his work as I do-to slow down for this period, but I am so glad that I did. This was about creating a memory for a lifetime.

Most nights, when they eventually conked out, I found myself just staring at them as they slept, appreciating the people they were becoming. Similar in some ways, very different in others.

I love seeing the sibling partnership and camaraderie forming. Like the time when they were bickering in the backseat and the NFO said, “let them resolve it.”

Within minutes, they had reached the conclusion that it was more fun for them to sing songs together than fight and we were regaled for an hour with their chorus. A mental snapshot.

Even flying back with them (though I got them up early and the day was long) was fun. Sure, the 3 iPads helped, but when push came to shove, they moved when they needed to (e.g. our short transfer in Istanbul) and even slept in their clothes the night before our depature, thinking it would save us time during our early morning departure.

As you all know, in any travel experience, there are so many variables. In Israel, because of security, there are even more. Anything can throw you for a loop. There’s always waiting, no matter where you are, and no matter what, you have a choice.

You can whine and complain or you can open your eyes and look at the world around you, wonder why it is the way it is, and share your questions and opinions.

When you do that, you become richer.

And I really feel like that is something that my kids started to really understand on this trip. It is something I hope they take with them on the great trip through LIFE.

 

appreciating kids

Israel in 2013-Hannukah in the Land of the Maccabees

Unlike my personal and professional life, I take a very laid back approach to travel, particularly with kids.

Long ago, in my backpacking through Europe days, I gave up on the notion of “trying to do it all” and instead take a mentality of “whatever you are doing, you are doing in <place you are visiting>.”

Now, that doesn’t mean I just sit in a café all day and work on my laptop and, of course, try to marry this with my philosophy of “do things that are unique to <place you are visiting>,” but it’s a balance.

In short, my goal is “one big objective per day” and then everything else is bonus. I don’t want the travel experience ruined by the “we have to get here” mentality and not being able to appreciate the subtleties of a location like “what are rest stops like here and why?” or “how do people shop?” and more.

Ok, enough background. On with it.

Background

We found the deal of the century on Turkish Airlines ($700 RT per ticket), which everyone universally agrees is a great travel experience, so I was of the mindset of “whatever we do in Israel, it didn’t cost that much to get us here “. Plus, between it being Thanksgiving time and Hannukah, the stars were aligned…or should we just say that yet another miracle occurred.

Base of Operations

One of the challenges of any travel scenario is establishing your base of operations. Fortunately, my brother-in-law lives in Hashmonaim, which is near Modi’in. The location is ideal, about halfway in between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. The only downside is that Foursquare seems to think it is Palestinian Territory.

The Phrase that Sums Up Israel

I was entering the bank in Jerusalem and the security guard asked me a simple question: “Do you have a gun?”

I said “no,” and moved on.

But in that moment, you get a rich appreciation for the complexity of life here.

Agree? Discuss below.

Daily Goals

Day 1-Technology and Business

Knew it would be challenging because of kids’ jet lag (though I have to say they were absolute, 100% rockstars on the flight over. 3 iPads were deployed and the kids didn’t even get up once on the flight from DC to Istanbul—not even to use the bathroom).

As a result, the NFO was very accommodating in granting me one “business day.” Not only do I like this for the benefit of building the personal and professional network, but one of my favorite things in every trip to Israel is to understand how the Israeli business and technology sectors are evolving. As the home of Start-up Nation and the country with the 3rd largest number of public companies on the NYSE (after US and Canada), in my opinion, you can’t understand modern Israel without investigating this side of the story.

I was aided in my efforts this time by the indefatigable and unparalleled Jeremy Lustman, who heads up the DLA Piper office in Israel and is mega plugged in. He set up 2 solid meetings for me.

Israel’s prowess in technology based on military/defense needs continues (as it must) and I’ve long said that the irony of the ongoing Arab war/vilification of Israel is that its existence is what gives Israel so much potential and wealth.

Places like Herzliya reflect this. With the names of pretty much every technology company you can think of on buildings, it’s a testament to the recognition of the world’s largest companies of this reality. The proof is in the dollars.

What I also saw, however, was that Israeli companies, which historically have been very weak at marketing are starting to turn that around.  It’s something I saw a few years ago and I think is a reflection of the natural evolution of the country’s business leaders. More international experience in terms of management and understanding of the expectations of what it takes to survive and thrive.

Day 2-Jerusalem of Gold

No trip to Israel is complete without a trip to Jerusalem, the ancient and modern capital of the Jewish state and the epicenter of Judaism as a religion.

Still, that emotion is overcome by the fact that, well, it’s really a hassle getting in and out of town by car. Still, we deal with it, right?

We stopped at Mahane Yehuda, the big, open air market, where all types of fruits, vegetables, fish, and more are sold. While the NFO and the kids walked through there, I was able to meet up with some longtime friends on Ben Yehuda (the main pedestrian mall) including Noa Choritz, Neil Gillman, and Gil Kezwer. 

I like maintaining relationships…that’s no secret, but I love hearing the diverse perspectives of those who have lived here for a while. Some have become more right-wing (though I heard the best statement of all time from Gil’s wife, Randi who said, “I have become more right wing but I realize that it takes both wings to fly.”)

People and walking…those two things are fail safe ways to enjoy any trip anywhere.

After a short lunch at the Village Green (great vegan/vegetarian food), we set off on foot to the Old City, making our way down through the Shuk (market), we arrived in mid-late afternoon at the Western Wall, Judaism’s holiest site and the last remnant of the 2nd Temple.

For many, it’s a spiritual place and a time for reflection. My last few visits there didn’t really hit that high mark for me. This time, after stuffing a special note into the Wall, as is the custom, my nephews, Paco, and I were sitting on some chairs watching people do their thing and I had a moment of spirituality myself, one where I felt the weight of Jewish history on my shoulders. I felt like I had to impart some of a sense of history, as my friend Jen Pearlman says “of living vertically,” so that these boys would really understand why this place was of special importance and why it needed to be protected and defended.

An awesome feeling indeed and I did my best. A different type of spirituality, outside of myself, I suppose.

One of the things that always strikes me about Israel, but Jerusalem in particular is how you see Arabs going about their daily business and…no one really cares. They are a part of the fabric of life here. It’s stark primarily because of the opposite situation. I believe you would be hard pressed to find the capital of an Arab country where you would see religious Jews openly identifying themselves and walking with zero concern for their personal safety.

Day 3 and 4-Take It Easy

As Day 3 and 4 were Friday/Saturday, things tend to be a bit slower (well, hectic leading into the Sabbath) and then quiet (depending on where you are) on the actual Sabbath. We took the kids to a local park and then had a great time with my brother-in-law and his family.

Day 5-Go North, Young Man.

On this trip, I was determined that my kids learned that there was more to Israel than Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. On our previous visit, we had planned to go South, but, well, there was a war with Gaza, so we couldn’t do that.

This time, we thought our luck would be better in the North, so we went to Tiberias, on the Sea of Galilee (the lowest freshwater lake in the world), having a nice lunch on the promenade. On the way, we were struck by the beauty of the open land around it, the rolling, rocky hills and the agricultural wonder that has occurred there in the past 60 years.

Tiberias is one of the 4 holy cities of Judaism (Hebron, Safed, Jerusalem) and was the place where the Talmud (Jerusalem version) was codified because Jews couldn’t live in Jerusalem following the Bar Kokhba rebellion against the Romans in 135.

Unfortunately, for a city that has so much to offer, it really shows its age. It’s like the city got left behind by time and is stuck in the 1960s. What’s worse, in my opinion, it seems like they are leaving a ton of money on the table since the place is a mecca for Christian pilgrims (yes, I get the multi-religious semi-pun) because of the proximity of Nazareth, the miracle of the fishes, sermon on the mount, etc.

It’s a shame.

But not nearly as big of a shame as what happened to the tomb of Maimonides. Arguably the greatest Jewish mind of all time, he is buried in this city in a glorious tomb.

I was there about 20 years ago and it was marvelous and spiritual. Now, there’s a massive iron sculpture above it (which isn’t so bad), but the travesty is a white Home Depot-like fence that splits it down the middle and serves as the divider between men and women (since people tend to come and pray at his grave).

Now, I get that men and women are supposed to be separate during services and I’m ok with that, but this is a freaking grave…not a synagogue and the morons who put this piece of crap have turned a beautiful piece of art into nothing more than a utility. The opposite of how it should be.

It’s kind of like splitting the Mona Lisa down the middle and saying “ok, you can look at half the canvas and you’ll appreciate Leonardo just as much.”

Ugh. Embarrassing and silly.

Not that I don’t understand the reasons for why the fanatics who did this, did this. It’s just that I don’t agree with it at all.

That night, we stayed in a quaint Zimmer-style cabin near Moshav Zippori (itself a historic place). I really liked it.  Relaxing, peaceful…and great wi-fi.

Day 6-Onto the Heights

When you see the Golan Heights up close and think about the military challenges that faced Israel in the 1967 war, you can’t help but be in awe that they were able to accomplish what they did.

Today, the vistas are breathtaking (even with the fences that identify live minefields), but under heavy fire? Going uphill?

Are you kidding me?

Once you get to the top though, it’s like the Great Plains…flat, peaceful, few trees, serene. I felt so at peace when we arrived in Avnei Eitan, a cooperative of about 100 families calmly situated in, well, the middle of nowhere…and about 10km from the Syrian border. 

The reason for our visit to this outpost was the “Automatic Dairy” where the cows go through a machine called the “Astronaut” which is, well, just fantastic.

Each cow had an RFID chip around its neck and it enters a massive machine 3 times per day. The chip tells the machine which cow it is. The machine knows things such as how much milk the cow gave last time and the entire history of the cow. Frankly, it’s and Electronic Medical Record for each cow (they can do it for cows, just not healthcare.gov website).

The cow is on a scale, so the weight is recorded and the proper amount of food is distributed.

Meanwhile, 4 suction cups are attached to the udder of the cow but only after the teats have been cleaned with a brush (like a car wash) and their exact location targeted and pinpointed by laser. As each of the 4 compartments are drained, the suction cup drops away until all are done. The teats are washed with some anti-biotic spray and the gates open (even if the cow isn’t finished eating). Precisely 17 seconds later, a shock is delivered in order to encourage the cow to leave.

Of course, after the first few times, all of the cows leave at the 15 second mark. No muss, no fuss.

This technology, which costs about $150,000 has enabled the dairy to move from 10 cows to 75 with very limited additional increase in manpower. In fact, our tour guide told us that now she is able to leave the dairy, which she wasn’t able to do before (or someone had to be there) and they can manage/measure the entire process…from their iPhones!

I loved this tour as it reflects the ingenuity and spirit of innovation that is Israel.

On the way up to the Heights, I was telling the kids about the history of the 1967 War and the challenges of scarcity/resource allocation and how “necessity is the mother of invention.” (I also introduced them to the Knesset-Israeli parliament process and they quickly understood why it was such a challenge!)

The machine isn’t Israeli-made (it’s Dutch), but the point was made and they saw how the operation of the dairy could scale because of technology (something I am always happy to have them see!)

Gamla-The afternoon took us to Gamla, aka “The Masada of the North,” a secluded location that served as a refuge for Jews who were trying to escape Roman persecution. Tragically, the 9,000 people there all died, choosing suicide instead of slavery at the hands of the Romans when their situation became desperate.

We took a moment to hear from my brother-in-law about this time in Jewish history while on a 1 hour long like over the hills and terrain, absolutely breathtaking and well worth it. Joined by a longtime friend, Shmuel Goldman-a resident of the Golan-we had a chance to just soak in the earth.

Over 20 years ago, before a trip to Israel, a family friend gave me her advice about how to experience it. To this day, I remember it: “Walk the Land.”

And I do, every time I am here.

Other Observations

1. New Highway 6 is great.
2. A few people talked about Iran. No one talks about the Palestinians.
3. I still can’t understand why coffee from pretty much any shop in Israel is better than most places in US. Certainly better than Starbucks (which isn’t in Israel, btw. They gave up and left due to strength of coffee culture).
4. I popped a Golan SIM card into my Nexus 4 and had connectivity everywhere. Great stuff.
5. Waze is even better in Israel because EVERYBODY uses it. Really helpful for crowdsourcing traffic.
6. As some of you know, I enjoy checking in on Foursquare. Not only can I find friends and suggestions in the area, but it’s a diary for where I go. I was a bit disappointed to see that the Golan Heights, according to them, are part of Syria and Hashmonaim, where my brother-in-law lives is part of Palestinian Territory.

No need to worry…I sent the issue along. We’ll see what happens.

Ok, I cranked this out all in one day. Random stuff that I will realize that I forgot and report on last few days to come.

Out of the Depths-An Inspiring Story of Survival

If you are looking for spiritual invigoration and a renewed sense in the strength of the human spirit, I may have a book for you.

Heading into the High Holidays, I said to the NFO, “I really need a few books to read-particularly one that I won’t feel guilty reading in synagogue when things get slow-or else I won’t make it.”

She responded in a big way and selected Out of the Depths: The Story of a Child of Buchenwald Who Returned Home at Lastby Rabbi Israel Meir Lau, who was Chief Rabbi of Israel.

If that’s all he had done, that would have been a notable achievement, but the story of the man and his struggle is one of the most remarkable I have ever read.

Israel Lau was born in pre-WWII Poland. His father was the rabbi of their town, the 29th generation of rabbis in their family.

The Nazis invade, do an Aktion (a rounding up of all the Jews) and all but Israel and his brother, Naphtali, end us surviving the war.

But surviving doesn’t even do that justice. It’s incredible moment upon incredible moment…and all of this done at the ages of 7 and 8 with indomitable will to survive and the never-ending dedication of his older brother.

Circumstances, luck, miracles, divine intervention…call it what you will, Lau is the youngest survivor of Buchenwald, makes his way to pre-state Palestine, and eventually becomes Chief Rabbi, where he is in a position to affect not just Israeli politics, but world leaders like Pope John Paul II.

Jewish or not, you’ll have a difficult time putting this book down and when you do, you’ll reflect on what makes people persevere in the face of atrocity and inhumanity and our obligation to ensure that such events never happen again to anyone, anywhere.

There are a number of powerful stories in the book and a surprise appearance by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, but the quote that stuck out for me came when he talked about the trail of Adolph Eichmann and Lau confronts another survivor who had testified.

“You coined the phrase, ‘Auschwitz as another planet’-but it is not accurate.

If Auschwitz were indeed another planet, it would be easier to accept the Holocaust. But in truth, the disaster of Auschwitz is that it happened on the very same planet where we had lived before, where we live now, and where we will continue to live.

Those who carried out the cruel murders of the innocent were ordinary people, who returned home from their murderous acts to water the flowers in their manicured gardens. They tended the flowers lovingly and carefully so they would blossom, just after they had torn infants to pieces and shattered the skulls of men and women. Just after shoving thousands of people into the gas chambers to their deaths, they came home to play with dolls together with their little girls, and listen to classical music, eyes closed, engrossed n the uplifting spirituality of Bach and Beethoven.

They knew exactly what was going on in the camps, but were able to continue enjoying life as if unaffected.

Is  that another planet? Absolutely not.

Those were people just like you and me, and that’s the whole problem.

When you transfer all those horrors to another planet, you minimize the issue. You are saying that something like the Holocaust can never happen to us again. In my humble opinion, you are wrong.”

60 Minutes and the anti-Israel bias…

Got this note from Stand With Us. It’s spot and and bears full-on copying and action.

Please Take Action Now

"60 MINUTES" OUTRAGE -- YOU CAN HELP ACTION ALERT!!  UNACCEPTABLE DISTORTIONS IN "60 MINUTES"  EPISODE "CHRISTIANS OF THE HOLY LAND" ON APRIL 22ND WRITE TO HEADS OF CBS AND "60 MINUTES" TO DEMAND CORRECTIONS AND EQUAL TIME On Sunday, April 22, CBS` "60 Minutes" ran a shockingly biased episode, "Christians of the Holy Land" by Bob Simon. Even the always diplomatic Israeli Ambassador Michael Oren called the show a "hatchet job" on Israel.  You can watch the program here: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18560_162-57417408/Christians-of-the-holy-land/?tag=strip.   Ambassador Oren was right. Simon only paid lip service to the violent persecution and flight of ancient Christian communities throughout the region which is the real historical tragedy unfolding in the Middle East. Instead, incomprehensibly, he chose to bash Israel, the only Middle Eastern country that protects Christians. The program scapegoated and demonized Israel, distorting reality to blame Israel`s security measures -- the fence and checkpoints -- for the suffering of Palestinian Christians. Simon interviewed biased and sometimes anti-Semitic sources, treating them as legitimate.  He asked leading questions.  He dismissed the real reasons for the plight and flight of Palestinian Christians: persecution by Palestinian Islamists and the Palestinian Authority. His shoddy, irresponsible research produced propaganda, not journalism. This dangerous misinformation stokes anti-Israel prejudice and bigotry, shifting public attention away from the forces that are imperiling the survival of Christian communities in the Palestinian Authority and throughout the region. Write to CBS executives.  Demand that CBS offer an apology, and give equal time to correct the misinformation and anti-Semitic innuendos. WRITE, E-MAIL, OR PHONE THE FOLLOWING PEOPLE AND ORGANIZATIONS, AND BE SURE TO BLIND COPY INFO@STANDWITHUS.COM IN YOUR E-MAILS. "60 Minutes" Jeffrey Fager - Chairman of CBS News, Executive Producer of 60 Minutes 524 West 57th Street, 9th Floor New York, NY 10019-2930 E-mail:60m@cbsnews.com Phone: 212.975.2006 Bill Owens - Executive Editor of "60 Minutes" E-mail:bowens@cbsnews.com Phone: 212.975.7685 CBS News 524 W. 57th Street New York, New York 10019 Feedback E-mail: weekend@cbsnews.com Phone: (212) 975-3247 (Leave a message at the tone.) SAMPLE LETTER: Dear _______, We were shocked by the shoddy journalism in your April 22nd "60 Minutes" piece, "Christians of the Holy Land." We urge you to run a corrective piece and publicly apologize for the piece`s irresponsible inaccuracies, misrepresentations, and bias. Bob Simon either unwittingly or intentionally promoted hostility toward Israel and anti-Semitic views. In a pattern that he has repeated in the past, Simon interviewed biased sources and treated them as legitimate. He asked leading questions. More disturbing, he ignored and effectively belittled the real threats to beleaguered Christians, which come from rising Islamist persecution throughout the region and in Gaza and the West Bank. Instead, he focused on the one country in the Middle East that firmly protects the rights of Christians. If allowed to stand uncorrected, this program will have misinformed the public and irreparably damaged the reputation of "60 Minutes," which will no longer be considered a reliable news source. Sincerely, Your Name SELECTED DETAILS ON MISLEADING AND ANTI-SEMITIC INNUENDOS IN "CHRISTIANS OF THE HOLY LAND" Despite the program`s claims, Israel is the only country in the Middle East where Christians` rights are fully protected and where the Christian population has grown instead of declined in the last 64 years. Israel`s Christian population grew from 34,000 in 1948 to 154,000 in 2012. Israel has fostered a positive environment for Christians, most evidenced by official recognition of 10 Christian denominations and by Israel`s distribution of free Christmas trees every year at Christmas time. Christians have been emigrating from the Holy Land in a two-century-long trend, not because of Israel and the security policies -- the barrier and checkpoints -- it was forced to implement in just the last 10 years. Major emigration occurred in the 19th and early 20th centuries. In some cases, emigrant Christian Palestinian communities grew larger than their communities of origin in the Holy Land. During Jordanian control (1948-1967), Jerusalem`s Christian population dropped from 29,000 in 1944 to 11,000 in 1961. In Bethlehem, 75 percent of the population was Christian in 1947; in 1967, the percentage had dropped to 46 percent. The program interviewed one businessman only to deny the real problem facing Christians: rising hostility and persecution by the Palestinian Authority (PA) and Palestinian Islamist groups. Why didn`t the program mention any of the following? The PA declared Islam its official religion, committed to Sharia law, and does not offer civil protection to other religions.  A few weeks ago, the PA declared that the First Baptist Church of Bethlehem is illegitimate. Christians in the West Bank have been victims of repeated persecution, violence, and rape. In 2005, Palestinian Christians, including Fr. Pierbattista Pizzaballa, custodian of the Holy Land, documented 93 incidents of abuse and violence by the "Islamic fundamentalist Mafia" against Christians. Christians face intimidation, brutality, theft of their property and boycotts of their businesses. The PA Ministry of Information reported in 1997 that "any Muslim who [converts to Christianity] or declares becoming an unbeliever is committing a major sin punishable by capital punishment." Christian history is denied by Palestinian Muslims, including Yassir Arafat`s and the recently retired Mufti of Jerusalem who claim that the Jewish Temple never existed in Jerusalem. The Christian population in Gaza has plummeted from 2,500 to under 1,000 because of persecution by Hamas. Simon implied that Israel`s policies and the fence are harming the West Bank`s economy. In fact, the terrorist war known as the Second Intifada, not Israel, is what harmed the West Bank`s economy. As the PA has tried to control terrorist groups, Israel has been able to relax its counter-terrorism measures, bringing the PA extraordinary economic growth of 8 percent per year in the last three years. Simon interviewed only biased sources -- and did not bother to investigate whether many Christians were afraid to speak out of fear of endangering themselves and their families. Simon did not interview clergy and ordinary Christians who might have had the courage to speak up, such as Rev. Steve Khourani of the First Baptist Church of Bethlehem; Samir Qumsiyeh of Bethlehem, director of the Catholic radio Station; or the Christian leaders who signed the 2005 document detailing the PA`s persecution of Christians. Simon asked leading questions to provoke answers that fit his political agenda. Simon asked the woman who lived near the security barrier, "How can you live like this?" The barrier may be unpleasant, but his very question suggested it is unjustifiable and intolerable, and he got the answer he wanted. When the woman said she wouldn`t move but would stay and "fight," he never asked what she meant by "fight" or why she didn`t instead say she wanted to seek peaceful coexistence so the barrier could be removed. Instead, he stoked the sense that the barrier was intolerable and her reaction understandable -- even though her anger betrayed why the barrier is necessary. Simon interviewed and promoted anti-Semitic sources. Mitri Raheb, the main pastor he interviewed, is well known for promoting replacement theology which Vatican II condemned as a prime source of anti-Semitism and the Holocaust. Raheb delegitimizes Israel and the right of the Jewish state to exist. Simon uncritically promoted the Kairos Document though it has been exposed as using high-minded rhetoric to camouflage the authors` sinister motives -- delegitimization of Israel, opposition to the existence of the Jewish state, and calls for boycott and divestment from Israel. Simon engaged in anti-Semitic innuendos. Simon claimed that Israel treats Christians well and wants to promote good Christian-Jewish relations because of the money it gets from Christian tourism. In fact, Israel protects Christians, not for tourism dollars -- an anti-Semitic "Shylock" innuendo -- but because those are Israel`s values. FACT SHEET -- Read more about the persecution of Christians by the Palestinian Authority at: WWW.STANDWITHUS.COM/FactSheets/PDFs/PPCPA.pdf.