Missing Israel

Hey! It's been a few weeks since we've returned from Israel and I've just started school. In my Spanish class I accidentally said b'vakashah instead of por favor but Israel has been so present in my life in so many other ways. I often think about the incredible experiences we had, especially our time with our partner cohort in the Upper Galilee.
The only other time I'd been to Israel prior to this trip was when I was 8 months old, so this was pretty much my first time experiencing it all. I was amazed by the history and beauty of Jerusalem. I also loved the juxtaposition of old and new that is seen in Jaffa and Tel Aviv. Visiting Independence Hall was especially meaningful to me because of the significant history of the hall. I thoroughly enjoyed shopping in the shuks, which was something we did in almost every city we visited. Sleeping under the stars in the Negev and then climbing the Ramon crater (while learning about how the crater was formed) was surreal, especially when we reached shade (and had a meditation!) and then when we reached the remnants of an ancient desert shelter. I was so glad that we got to experience the Negev with our partner cohort, Etzba HaGalil, because I had missed them all so much and we had lots of time to catch up!
At the beginning of the Kennes, Avraham Infeld gave an amazing speech focusing on the idea of Jewish peoplehood. It was really meaningful to me because it gave me the feeling that Jews can be united through anything. Although there is, even now, some internal conflict in Judaism and Jews have faced persecution throughout history, we have successfully stayed connected as a people. Avraham Infeld introduced the concept of the five-legged table of Jewish Identity, the legs being memory, family, covenant, Israel, and Hebrew. The following workshops, based on these concepts, definitely helped me to both struggle with and strengthen my Jewish identity.
I loved everything about being in the Upper Galilee – it felt like home, even as we approached it for the first time. Our opening ceremony featured a fantastic video created by some members of our the Etzba HaGalil group and they got us really funny and cute t-shirts, bringing our Diller t-shirt count up to 4! I loved staying in my host Noam’s house, her family was so welcoming – we had a family barbeque along the Jordan and I got to participate in the family Skype with her sister, who is currently working in Kansas. In the Upper Galilee, I really loved going rafting on the Jordan, attending the Maccabi games opening ceremonies and seeing Hadag Nachash, visiting many of the kibbutzim of the Etzba HaGalil fellows, and taking Jeeps up into the hills. Her mom also made me two sandwiches every day (even though lunch was always provided) and cried when I left. I think about Israel (especially the Israeli Diller Teen Fellows) often, and I hope to go back soon. I have read a lot about the recent attacks on Israel and I hope for peaceful resolutions.
My Israel Summer Seminar experience was...magnificent. I am appreciative of each of the members of the SF-UG partnership’s unique personality, which really added so much to the trip. I am so grateful to Helen Diller and the Diller family, as well as everyone who has worked to continue the program’s growth.

- Hannah Rosenblum

SF Diller in Israel

I was stung by jellyfish and still have the faded marks to prove it. I was blind for an hour and got to experience the world that way. I dealt with unbearable heat. I met 239 other Dillers and had one of the most inspiring weeks of my life. I bought a beautiful bracelet and lost it. Twice. I stayed at an Israelis house for a week. I could list for pages all the things I did this summer in Israel, that would be easy. But what I find difficulty in is describing how much each of those things affected me, and describing in actuality how much this summer meant to me, because I feel that no words can do it justice. I will try my best though!

The first thing that comes to mind is how comfortable and connected I feel to every single person in our SF Diller Cohort. It is a rarity that anyone should ever find themselves having a group of 19 other people that they can trust and confide in, and know they are loved by. I am beyond fortunate, because not only does this group provide trust and love, but they are all such intellectuals and never fail to have a thought provoking comment to add to any discussion. I found that this summer I became immensely spoiled by constantly being surrounded by such remarkable teenagers!

Many people get the chance to go to Israel and have quite meaningful experiences no doubt, but none of them have ever gone with the 14th SF Diller Cohort. I got to hike and raft and ride buses with some of the funniest people I have ever met. I got to renovate a bomb shelter and the teen center Hafooch Al Hafooch with people who truly had motivation and understood the value in the work we did. It is difficult to not become inspired when surrounded by people striving to do good in the world. Even more difficult when your staff are some of the most hard working and outstanding human beings you've ever met.

I suppose the biggest thing I have taken away from the entire Diller program, lesson wise, is how to truly be my own advocate and to take responsibility for anything I want to accomplish. There is no group project I can't take on now. When a problem arrises, I have no doubt that one of the problem solving strategies I have learned will be able to solve the issue. I also snap incessantly at everything I agree with, one of the many little Diller fads that has stuck.

As I predicted, I am already four paragraphs in and I still haven't covered half of the things I could say about my summer. But what I want to emphasize is this: If you are reading this blog right now and you have not reached your Junior year in High School yet, KEEP DILLER ON YOUR RADAR! There is no other experience like it and I am confident it will make a huge impact on your life. You will discover, or find yourself on the path to discovering your Jewish identity, you will learn the beautiful positives and surprising negatives of our Holy Land. You will serve your community in a meaningful way and you will find a new strength of leadership within yourself you may not have known you had. And you will make friendships not easily made in other aspects of your life. At least I know I did, how lucky am I?

In conclusion all I can say is a thank you to everyone who has helped create, nurse and improve the Diller Teen Fellows program, and of course a HUGE thank you to Helen Diller, for without her vision none of this would be possible.

-Gaby Bornstein

Reflections on Israel

Every night for almost a week and a half after I returned home from Israel I had dreams about the trip and about all my friends in Diller. This alone shows what an impact the trip had on me. The first few days after I got back I could not stop thinking about all my Israeli and American Diller friends, our inside jokes, and all the memories we shared together.

I thought as time went on and I got back to life in America I would think about the trip less and less. But I didn’t. Everything I do reminds me of something I learned or some place we visited on the trip. Whenever I hear Party Rock Anthem I immediately think back on our stunning performance at Kennes. I constantly hold back from yelling “YA YOU ARE!” in everyday conversation with my family and friends. And I always think something is missing when I get in bed each night. Then I remember I did not have a magal lilah (night circle).

All the conversations and feedback had such an impact on me. It has truly changed me as a person. The experience taught me so much about who I am as a person and who I have the potential to be. From the visit to an orthodox synagogue in Jerusalem to the discussion of the relevance of the Covenant in our lives today at congress, I questioned my Jewish identity in ways that changed and strengthened my beliefs and practices.

I feel this way because our cohort became like a family. I felt so comfortable and supported by every fellow and staff member. Although I experienced this continually during the trip, I felt it most strongly during feedback sessions for the leaders of the day. All of the specific comments and suggestions showed me how much everyone in our cohort truly cares about the development of others as people and leaders. Our friendships are unique because we connect on many different levels. We know how to have fun and laugh. Just look at our endless games of bunny bunny. But we also know how to be serious and thoughtful, anyone who sat in on one of our night circles would be able to see this. This for me is what makes the Diller experience unique.

Thousands of teenagers participate in Jewish programs and trips to Israel every year. But not everyone gets to lead and participate in intense discussions about the American belief of capitalism verses the Kibbutz belief of socialism, or to explore the role the army plays in the lives of Israelis and Americans. Not everyone gets to hear first-hand accounts of what it’s like to lose a sibling or child in the army. Not everyone gets the experience of spending a week being hosted by an Israeli teenager, including having Shabbat dinner with all 25 of her relatives. Not everyone gets to spend their summer with 39 amazing teenagers and form friendships that last a lifetime.

But I was lucky enough to have this experience. For this I am forever thankful.

Ilana Crankshaw

Israel in the US

The Israel Summer Seminar experience not only gave me memories to last a lifetime but also provided me with insight and friendship. As I have begun the college essay process, I have come to realize that almost everything that I write, whether about my favorite book or an experience that touched me, seems to link back to Diller, Israel and/or Judaism. After the initial jetlag wore off and I started to get back into my regular California routine, I realized how much of an impact this past Diller journey has had on me. I find myself looking up at the sky here in the city and remembering sleeping in the Negev where we were dependent upon natural lights, the stars and the moon. From there, I remember how materialistic our adolescent lives here in America can be and I remember that I have a choice in remembering and appreciating the little things, the important things, in life. Similarly, I can not stop thinking about Congress and how we had some of the most intense discussions I have ever participated in in such secure, safe, stimulating environments. From Congress, I learned not only about Judaism and Israel but about identity and emotional strength. Finally, our last week in Israel in Kiryat Shemonah holds a special place in my memory because I started off the week so scared, so nervous and yet by the end of the week found myself feeling so comfortable and at-ease. I can honestly say that I learned more during our three weeks in Israel than I think I have ever learned in a classroom. I learned about community, friendship, and myself and these are lessons that I can take with me far beyond high school.
My last words are for the Diller family. Thank you all for such an incredible opportunity and an unforgettable summer. I have so many new perspectives on life because of all you and the impacts that each one of you have made on my Jewish identity. Thank you.

(Brought to you by Ellie Rosenthal)

The Final Hoorah

It's been seventeen days since we've been home. Seventeen. I don't think any of us imagined how big of an impact this trip would have on us until we got back home and couldn't really understand WHY. Why were we back? Why was it not 100 degrees everyday? Why were we not constantly surrounded by at least 20 teens at once?

These seventeen days have personally been filled by remembering endless inside jokes, anecdotes, and memories that are impossible to share or express with people that weren't part of the trip. Being asked to share my final thoughts on the Israel Summer Seminar, all I can say is this: I am beyond grateful. Not only did the Israel Summer Seminar, or ISS for short, inspire and influence me to be a better leader and citizen of the world, but it also allowed us to form friendships and relationships that I would have never imagined possible. It's easy to say, now, that we miss our Israeli sister cohort, Etzba HaGalil or Upper Galilee, just because we spent so much time with them and are now far away. But honestly, the 40, well...39, of us became a family on this trip. We ate together, slept together, worked together, fought together, laughed together. We were strangers in their homes for a few days, and then became integrated into their families, routines, and lifestyles. We couldn't speak their language, and even though most of us still can't, we learned words and catch-phrases here and there.

It's strange to think that the 20 of us from San Francisco are now either fully embarked or soon to embark on our journey into our final year of high school. In a few months, we'll be done with applications and we'll know where we're off to for the next few years. The 19 of the Upper Galilee kids, however, won't know what college they're going to or what field they will be majoring in; they'll know what field of the army they'll be going into. They'll be those men and women in the green uniforms that tourists always ask to take pictures with! And while we think about the danger and intensity of the army and they think about how odd it is that we're in school for so long, in the back of our minds, I am confident that we'll still all be thinking about each other and the absolutely life-changing, incredible, unbelievable three weeks that we got to spend together.


With love and endless appreciation,
Ari

Kiryat Shmonah

Hello all from the hot and humid Upper Galilee!

Today's post will be written by Ellie and Dani and will not specifically pertain to one day in particular but rather focus on certain aspects of our trip. Mainly the ones that we have thought to be the most interesting and valuable (as well as fun) throughout the journey.

Over the past three weeks, our cohort has had some very intriguing and thought-provoking discussions, amongst ourselves and with the Israeli fellows as well. The first one that comes to mind occurred Monday afternoon during our day devoted to military education. We spoke about the differences and similarities between the American and Israeli armies as well as our personal views and beliefs about service and joining an army. One of the most intriguing differences we came up with was the Israeli draft. Specifically, this draft envelopes the evident dedication to Israel and its well being. On the other hand, many Americans had never even thought of themselves as individuals who would join an army and even went so far as to say they would be opposed to an American draft. On that note, very few of the American fellows knew any young people currently in the army or even thinking of joining the American armed forces. This discussion was extremely eye-opening and sparked some really interesting interactions.

The next conversation that stands out in our minds happened a few days ago after we heard a lecture from Ortal's (one of the Israeli fellows) grandfather about the establishment of kibbutzim in Israel. All forty fellows embarked on the never-ending discussion of socialism vs. capitalism (with the idea of kibbutzim as the key component). Everyone had something to add to the conversation and nobody wanted it to end. Though we didn't come to a conclusion, everyone learned a thing or two about the pros and cons of communal societies as well as the underlying "American dream" that most of the American fellows just couldn't let go of.

Yesterday, our two groups had an early start to the day in Kiryat Shemonah renovating three bomb shelters.The bomb shelters and surrounding areas were not in the greatest shape and we spent 6 hours in the hot sun cleaning up garbage, mopping floors and painting the bomb shelters. For the Americans especially, it was very hard to comprehend the concept of having to leave one's home in order to live underground in a bomb shelter and wait for it to be safe to go outside. With this in mind, we fellows really put in 110% to make sure what we left behind was our best work. The mayor of the city even came by for a few minutes to thank us personally for our hard work and to recognize the Diller Teen Fellows' commitment to tikkun olam. Hopefully, we Californians will go back home with a better understanding of the inevitable differences between our culture and that of the Isrealis.

Our stay so far in Kiryat Shemonah has not only been educational but also extremely fun. After we worked on the bomb shelters, we then embarked on a river rafting trip down the Jordan River. Fun fact: Israelis call river rafting kayaking and they call kayaking, kayaking. And, a special bonus, they also do not enjoy actually staying in the boat. Though the San Francisco kids are used to the American River, we found ways to keep the lazy Jordan River exciting. For instance, on our journey, we made friends with not only Israelis and other Americans but also some funny chaps from England. Some of us even saw some people we knew. It was a very fun end to a rewarding day and we all went home happy and satisfied.

~Dani and Ellie

First Day of Upper Galillee!

Wow what a day! We began the day by lugging our suitcases at the awful hour of 7:30 down to where the busses would later pick us up. After finishing up our last couple workshops, the closing ceremony began. At this point we had already seen the final performances from each Diller partnership and personally, I was ready to move onto the next thing.
We boarded the bus at roughly 2:47 pm, and were quickly on our way to the north. Some 2+ hours later Israeli diller hosts and their guests sporadically began leaving the bus, as the upper galilee cohort is spread out in a similar way as the SF cohort is. SF Dillers live from marin to oakland to San Jose and everywhere in between, so too U.G. Dillers are spread out from Metula to Kiryat Shmona to random yishuvim and kibbutzim. But I digress.
Most people arrived at their hosts family with no more than an hour to spare, but somehow my friend's mom urged me to call my parents, and offered to do my laundry within the 30 minutes I was there, before having to rush out again.
But where were we rushing to?
I'm so glad you asked.
The place was called Dubrovin Farm, where an elaborate presentation/opening ceremony had been meticulously planned and flawlessy executed by a small contingent of the Israeli Dillers (So proud!).
So after a delicious dinner and the mandatory accompanying slideshow, the cohorts split for their night circles, then everyone headed to their new homes - hopefully to enjoy a good night's sleep in a comfy, warm bed and as it is nearing that magical midnight time here in Kiryat Shmona, I will say good night!


Tzvi and Dani

July 17: The Day Has Come

The day was finally here. The day we had anticipated for the past 3 months. We would finally be able to reconnect with our Israeli counterparts from the Upper Galilee. None of us knew what to expect when we drove into the hot desert and our feelings were all over the spectrum, from nervous to exhilarated.

We drove to Neot Kedumim, a biblical park in which we ran to the Israelis as they stepped off the bus. Immediately the 40 of us were filled with a sense of comfort and familiarity. Staff from the park led us through short but meaningful leadership activities which gave us a way to work together with the Israelis once again and completing a shared goal. The activities ranged from sheep herding to a rope activity in which are senses were minimalized. The scenery provided us with a historical lesson and a beautiful view of the land around us.

As we embarked on a new part of our Israel journey, we strengthened our bonds with the Israeli fellows. The two groups took a bus to the heart of the Negev for a special camping experience. While some helped prepare dinner for the evening, others played songs and had time to relax with both coherts.

After dinner the fellows laughed over silly ice breakers and had a mini bonfire as we watched the sunset. We couldn’t imagined the repeated harmony of the two groups and the beauty of the desert night. Watching the stars from our sleeping bags while enjoying our time together, we all realized that SF and the Upper Galilee have a bright future ahead of them. We’re looking forward to being with them again at Congress and in the comfort of their homes.

With love,
Nadav and Ari

The Peoplehood Experience: Kennes

Taylor and Ellie reporting here!

We started the day off early. Originally we had planned some community service at the Jaffa Institute, but due to complications, we were unable to volunteer at this place. While some male members were able to clean up an unfortunate spill, the other groups learned about what the Jaffa Institute tries to instill in Jaffa’s poorer communities. The program directors told us about their afterschool programs and food services, along with protections and aid to those who need it. Even though we did not volunteer there as a group, it was nice to see what the members of Jaffa’s society due to try to help their impoverished citizens and those who need help in their community.

After we left the institute, we got back on the bus and went to a park in the center of Jaffa and had a very intriguing discussion about what we had just experienced. We compared Israeli poverty with American poverty and how each problem is dealt with. We also had a very interesting discussion about the sexism pervading in this organization and within Judaism.

This was especially interesting after our orthodox-style Shabbat a couple days prior. It was also an experience to hear the Israeli views as opposed to the American views. After this, our quick-witted tour guide, Lior, gave us a scavenger hunt for Jaffa. Six teams took an hour to explore Jaffa while looking for certain checkpoints along the way. Some people even were brave enough to try their hands at selling at a flea market. We then returned to the park for lunch.

After lunch we got back on the bus with the Israelis and took a drive out to Kennes; the North American Seminar that consists of six North American cohorts from all across the continent (one group is from Montreal). We began with an introductory orientation during which each cohort was able to perform a short skit and many members of the Diller organization spoke about the coming week. Everyone is very excited. We were then split up into color groups. Each group consists of 12 people, 2 fellows from each cohort.

After dinner, we met with our color groups for the first time for a couple hours. As soon as icebreakers finished, we launched into a very interesting discussion about individual identity. We became more comfortable with many different Dillers. We also realized how close our cohort has become over the past week and we’re all very excited to see our connections grow.

We really enjoyed leading the group today and we hope that we hope that we can use this experience later on in life.

Shabbat in Ha'Ir Ha'K'dusha!

Hello there! Aviva and Hannah here, letting you know about our first Shabbat in Israel as part of Diller! We were the leaders of the day, and we chose for the theme of the day to be Reflection and Relaxation. We do a lot every day, so we wanted to give everyone a chance to step back and look back at everything we’ve been doing.

First thing in the morning, some members of the group walked to a neighborhood Orthodox synagogue for services, while the rest of the group participated in a morning circle and a liberal service. After, most of the group went to Jerusalem’s biblical zoo, where we saw many beautiful animals and had a great time. Following a delicious lunch and some intense games, the two of us led a program designed to help everyone reflect on their experience thus far and to encourage people to continue their deepening friendships. We started with a Hasidic story with a pretty ningun and continued with a Shabbat appreciation circle. Then we split the group into pairs for Sichot (conversations), requesting that people take advantage of the opportunity to have a discussion with someone they’d like to get to know better. Participants had 20 minutes to reflect on questions ranging from “ How do you see Israel’s role in modern Judaism after being here for nearly a week?” to “What is the most hilarious encounter you’ve had with an Israeli?” While talking, everyone enjoyed some sweet Shabbat treats!

Following the reflection activity, our National Education Director, Tal, arrived at our hotel to lead an hour of text study and discussion on the concepts of Peoplehood. We studied a biblical text that dealt with the issue of diaspora in its earliest form, and our discussion gave us a little taste of the exciting programs that await us at the Diller Kennes and Congress this week!
Dinner and a beautiful Havdallah led by Tzvi and Danielle were followed by a trip to Jerusalem’s one and only Ben Yehuda street. Not only did we get the chance to shop and meet up with Israeli friends and family, but there was an added surprise: Every North American Diller cohort was on Ben Yehuda Street simultaneously! It was exhilarating to experience the energy of being surrounded by Dillers from all over the U.S.A (and Canada)!

Happy but exhausted, we fell into our beds, looking forward to seeing our partner Israeli cohort and camping out with them in the Negev. Shabbat gave us a chance to collect ourselves, and to experience the uniqueness of Shabbat in Israel. We thoroughly enjoyed it and found it refreshing.

We hope you are all having a wonderful week. You’ll be hearing from the San Francisco Dillers soon!

Day 7: Making the Desert Bloom, Baby!

Gabby G and Danielle here, writing to you from Kibbutz Ein Tzurim. We started our first full day with our Israeli partners in the Negev Desert at 5:00 in the morning. As painful as that sounds, we had the privilege of watching a beautiful desert sunrise before a 3 Kilometer hike along the Machtesh, a natural crater in the middle of the Negev. The hike took about 3 hours with stops to admire the occasional plant and HUGE rocks. It was quite a feat for us to complete such an intense hike, with the day getting hot as early as 7:30. We finally reached the buses ready to go to bed. Unfortunately, it was only 9:30 AM and we had a full day of programming ahead of us.

Our next stop was at Sede Boker, the desert kibbutz where Israel’s first Prime Minister, David Ben Gurion, is buried. After a bathroom stop with real toilets and a short discussion, we reboarded the bus to Shvil HaSalat, an organic farm close to the place where Gilad Shalit was captured. After learning about how the people there have transformed the desert into a productive, commercial farm that grows everything from tomatoes to herbs to super super hot peppers, we released homing pigeons in honor of Gilad Shalit, hoping that he will soon come home, just like the birds.

Another bus ride took us to Yad Mordechai, a kibbutz dedicated to the memory of Mordechai Anielewicz, the leader of the 1943 Warsaw Ghetto uprising. We toured the kibbutz’s Holocaust Museum, which focused on Jewish resistance, especially in Warsaw during WWII. It was also dedicated to the memory of the Egyptian attack on the kibbutz in 1949 when Israel was at war with its neighbors. It was a very personal museum, dedicated to remembering the lives of heroic Jews rather than their deaths.
Finally, after a hot, sweaty day, we arrived here and showered. Now its time to relax, have fun with the Israelis, and get pumped for Kenes and Congress which start tomorrow afternoon.

We’ll be in touch soon.....Shalom!

Day 4: Jerusalem, City of Gold

Shabbat Shalom! Noah Light and Dani Beiser here, blogging from our first full day in Jerusalem. We started the morning in the City of David, which dates back around 3,000 years ago. In the City of David, we traveled through different ruins of what is thought to be King David’s personal castle. Shortly following tours of his “castle”, we traversed an underground waterway, which was one of three main water sources for Old Jerusalem. This waterway directly under the ruins is known as Hezekiah’s Tunnel. While

walking through, the water came up to about our knees, and luckily no one got too drenched.

After drying off, the group descended to the Davidson Center, located just inside the Old City walls by the Dung Gate. The center is an archeological site widely known

for being the location of the second temple. Outside we saw the actual western wall of the Temple Mount and ruins of The Robinson Arch, which had stones that weighed as much as 400 tons. Leaving the Davidson Center we made our way to the Kotel. Fortunately for us, it was not as crowded as some anticipated. We were given time to freely roam around and pray. Some fellows found the experience truly inspiring and moving.

We had lunch in the Jewish Quarter of the Old City and after had some free time to shop. Once we wrapped up an afternoon discussion about the Kotel experience, we walked to the Christian Quarter, which is also in Old Jerusalem. The Christian Quarter is known to be greatly tied with Jesus. For instance, he was supposedly crucified and buried in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Also, we saw many different types of religious sanctuaries within the Holy Sepulchre.

Our Shabbat plans this evening consist of attending an Orthodox Sepharadi Temple for Friday night services. At this time, we have not yet attended the service, but when we do we are positive we will have an awesome experience, just like we have had this whole trip!

Over and out!

Day 3: Moving on Up to Jerusalem

Shalom from Tzvi Miller and Rachel Prensky-Pomeranz in Israel! Currently we are sitting in the lobby of our new hotel Beit Yehudah located on the edge of the glorious Jerusalem Hills. The full moon overhead makes the moment truly magical. We are closing our second full day in Israel. The day started with a hurried traditional breakfast on the beautiful shore of Bat Yam before we set out to our first activity of the day, a museum called Dialogue in the Dark, a total immersion experience to open our eyes to the life of the blind.

Pulling into the parking lot of the Dialogue in the Dark museum, we ran into the Pittsburgh Diller delegation, a very nice surprise! We exchanged waves and smiles and can’t wait to get to know them at the congress. Upon entering the museum, we were taken into a dark room and introduced to a visually impaired tour guide. After the initial screams and anxiety of the extreme discomfort of it being totally dark, we ventured into the depths of the darkness. However within minutes an uneasy silence fell over the group as we turned our focus to enhancing our different senses, attempting to compensate for our temporary blindness.

After spending an hourish in the cool blackness, we made our way back to the bus to begin the bus ride to the much anticipated Yerushalayim. Many of us crashed out on the ride, still trying to adjust to the crazy time difference. Upon arriving in Jerusalem, our brilliant tour guide, Lior, showed us the Knesset and led us up to the Wohl Rose Garden for a sandwich lunch, where some fellows took advantage of the sloping lawns to get in a quick Frisbee toss.

From there, we walked through Israel’s Capitol Hill, en route to the Israel Museum, where we saw the Dead Sea Scrolls. We then made our way to Har Herzl which was a powerful and important experience. From Herzel himself to IDF privates and the nation’s pri ministers, we realized that each contributed uniquely to the longevity and success of the Jewish state. The area with the recent fallen soldiers was especially touching for us because of their youth and enforced the harsh reality of fighting for one’s nation.

With Har Herzel on our minds, we quickly shifted gears as we headed toward the bustling “shuk” (market) Machaneh Yehuda. Moving in groups, we explored the different types of booths and stores, from fish and chips to fruits to Jewish regalia. Our first day in Jerusalem can certainly be considered a joyful success with plenty of new and interesting experiences.

The SF Diller teens in Bat Yam by the sea

At Mahane Yehuda in Jerusalem

Day 2: The Old-New City: Tel Aviv

Hello, Sam Maller and Ilana Crankshaw reporting live from Bat Yam at the end of our first full day in the Promised Land. After settling in last night, the Fellows did their best to wind down and get some sleep for today. We started our day by visiting where it all began: Independence Hall is not the most beautiful of buildings, but it offers powerful insight and solid history lessons to all who visit. After the video that everyone told us they’d wake us up after, we saw where it all happened. In the hall of independence that doubled as a bomb shelter we learned about the struggle and events that lead to and followed the founding of Israel.

Then we moved to Rabin Square where we found shade and learned the history of the area. We read the song that Rabin sang after his famous speech and we stood in the spot where he was assassinated (kinda creepy). We looked into his leadership style and were asked the question that he faced – Is it better to lead by what you think is right, or lead by consensus? After taking a quick group photo, we headed to Shankin Street for shopping and Shawarma. After we all got over the humidity and the heat, we all had a great time poking around the Shuk and eating lunch in the park.

Our final program took us to South Tel Aviv where we visited the first and only functioning secular yeshiva in Israel. We got a sample of the studying that takes place in the Yeshiva, which is located in the most impoverished section of the city. After our discussion, we toured around the area in southern Tel Aviv. We saw how little help the people there receive from the Israeli government and learned about what the yeshiva is doing to help. We were all surprised to see this part of Israel which is so different then what we picture when we think about this holy place.

We wrapped up the day with some R&R on the beach where we were all quickly introduced to a school of baby jellyfish that were hanging out in the low tide. We indulged in a great dinner and played games on the beach while we were watching the sunset. After our night circle, we tried to find some peace in the circus that is the lobby of our hotel…which we are sharing with 80 South African teenagers and a group of 20 USY kids.

Until tomorrow…Dillers signing off.

Day 1: Israel, here we come!

HELLO GREATER BAY AREA PEOPLE --

This is Aviva Herr-Welber, coming to you from JFK airport! We're going to be boarding our plane to Israel in a matter of minutes. We are so excited!!! The flight to New York was pretty uneventful, and we even got flight wing souvenirs from an awesome fight attendant. The air here is hot and humid but we're sure it's nothing compared to what it'll be like once we land in Israel. So after some long waiting and a second pass through security, we're finally at our gate and can't wait to begin our journey to the Holy Land. We'll be getting back to you once we arrive sharing more of our escapades and adventures.

L'hitraot!

The Diller Teen Fellows

Shalom SHALOM!!!

Hello World! Meet the San Francisco Diller Teen Fellows. San Francisco Diller Teen Fellows, meet the world.

In this space, we will explore and analyze the most righteous summer trip around: the Diller Teen Fellows' Israel Summer Seminar. We'll be going through tunnels, journeying into the past, herding sheep and goats, visiting historic sites, learning about the land, its people, and, especially, the Upper Galilee region (our partnership community). We are going to eat yummy food, kayak in the Jordan River, and, in general, have the time of our lives. This will be a unique, mind-opening experience. So keep your eyes peeled and your computer screens open. You won't want to miss what these teens have to say!

Holla Back Now,
Aaron