San Francisco Cohort 18 Orientation- Welcoming our Chai Group!

Today we say hello to our 18th cohort in San Francisco. 
We began with a lively orientation for parents and fellows together. 

After a warm introduction by our National Director, Tal Gale our fellows had an opportunity to create a family portrait and share a bit about their families with one another. 

       
               

Following the activity Gabi led a short "Limmud" with the families as well as an overview of the Diller Teen Fellows program. Overall, a great first meeting with the parents.

In the afternoon, the fellows stayed on to partake in our fellow Orientation which began with fellow introductions. The fellows and staff introduced themselves in creative ways such as interviews with people around the world, a movie theme song and a T-shirt show!

we continued with creating a facebook profile to get to know each other and play a game of "Friending" each other by knowing facts from our profile. 

 

                                                 

We continued with a speed dating activity to have some one on one time with the fellows. 

Then came time to begin Team building! 

 We ended the workshop by setting expectations for the year and processing the day.All and all a good start to our Diller Journey!
The fellows enjoyed getting to know each other and the program and we are looking forward to the rest of the year.

Gabi 

Tikkun Olam Overnight Cohort 17

The overnight began Saturday night and was a nice opportunity to get together after TOSS and get back to routine Diller programming. We had a campfire and Maaal Layla. 

Sunday was Tikkun Olam Project day. After an early breakfast, we gathered in our main building for a lesson on making an impact led by senior counselor Ariel Light. Fellows discussed the relationship between proximity and responsibility, while each of us brainstormed problems we feel responsibility to solve in preparation for our upcoming tikkun olam projects.Then we broke into our committees to plan upcoming workshops. As the next Diller cohort (cohort 18!) begins to meet, responsibility for planning our workshops will shift from Gabi to us.

 

After the committees met, we reconvened for a program about charity led by fellow Jack Goldstein. Jack walked us through the different categories of causes a person can contribute to, and provided some excellent examples of charities that already exist. Soon after his program ended, we had a reflection of TOSS, the series of activities we did during the time when we would've been in Israel. We concluded that TOSS ROCKS.

After a fantastic vegetarian lunch, we gathered back in our building. We then had a Q&A session with Alumni Barry, Rachel Katz, and Ariel Light. They shared their experiences connecting with Israeli partners during their trips and working on tikkun olam projects.

Fellows Ophir and Chelsea, who were in Israel when the trip was cancelled, then led an exciting program exploring the situation in Israel. Afterwards, we had a chance to begin planning our tikkun olam projects. And then, after our eval session, the overnight was over.

-Paul, Cohort 17 

TOSS 2014-Mini Israel day Cohort 17

The Israel day was a great way for our cohort to be able to spend our last day of TOSS together. We began our day with a check in and then skyping with a couple of Israelis and discussing their daily lives these days and their political thoughts. Afterwards, Rachel led an entire program for us through Skype! We talked about what the phrase "רק פה/rak poh" or "just here" means in context of a song by an Israeli band called Hadag Nahash. 

We had a program I led about Tisha Be'av and the concepts of ahavat and sinat chinam, which led the cohort to think about what it means to appreciate people and whether intentions matter if the same result is obtained either way.

We had a wonderful falafel lunch and resumed our mini Israel with a program led by Sam and Jack about different neighborhoods in Jerusalem. The conversation about neighborhoods was a very fascinating way to see how different members of the cohort perceive their neighborhoods. 

Samara and Moriah led a program about coexistence relating specifically to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. It was really cool to be able to express our views through that concept and to see an outsiders take on the conflict through a short video clip. Gabi also led a fun activity that involved the cohort acting out different things related to Israel. A movie and dinner followed this as well as a maagal. The day was a wonderful way to incorporate people's programs built for ISS into TOSS.

TOSS 2014-Peace Village Interfaith Summer camp cohort 17

Two years ago, I was a Teen Leader at an interfaith summer camp called Peace Village. I was disappointed when I realized I couldn’t work there this summer, because I was going to be in Israel with Diller. Since we didn’t go to Israel, I decide to contact my rabbi and the others in charge about having Diller help out. It worked out perfectly since they needed volunteers to watch the children during lunch.

We listen to the Torah story of Abraham, Sarah and Hagar told by Rabbi Callie. The campers were hearing the story told from different perspectives throughout the week. It led right into a program I led about perspective and point of view. Each fellow wrote down what they remembered from the first Diller meeting. So much had happened, we had all forgotten quite a bit, however, each person remembered something a little different, and had felt slightly different emotions.

After our brief Diller program, we went out to watch the campers while the Teen Leaders, many of whom I am friends with, had a break for lunch. Initially, all of the fellows were hesitant to move over to the tables were the campers were sitting. This is partly because they were all getting up to wash their hands. When we all finally sat down, the fun began. One girl began telling me the backstory of all her dragons. Some of the boys began throwing airplanes at Jack.

Soon the campers had devoured their lunches, so Ophir began leading some games. We played Sharks and Minions, and Chain Tag. The kids loved it. We all ran around smiling having and blast. Too soon it was time to leave; all of the kids looked really sad when we had to leave. It was so much fun connecting and playing with wonderful kids.

We, the fellows, ended the day with a pizza lunch from Amici’s and CREAM and T-Pumps for dessert.

-Katie Wysong 

TOSS 2014- "Hamotzi" Volunterring day Cohort 17

 

The fellows arrived at Sherith Israel by 11:30, and after some initial chatting, made their way to the kitchen to start working. We sanitized, put on aprons, and split into task forces before confronting our mission for the day - food preparation. 

I was in the group responsible for slicing and dicing, and we followed Gabe and Gabi's lead as we cut our way through various vegetables, and eventually, a ball of turkey. The cutting process was completed without any injuries or mishaps, although the onions left some of us feeling very emotional. The food was then prepared and cooked, and fellows who found themselves with free time set about cleaning up. Once the food was ready, it was time to package everything for distribution. 

Soup had to be ladled, chickens were placed, and oniony side dishes were allocated appropriately. While making food may not seem overly extraordinary at first glance, our experience was eye-opening in a very comforting way. Not only did we have the opportunity to give food to people in need, we got to see for ourselves that at least in this synagogue, those involved with this process make a powerful effort to produce healthy, delicious food and seem to find real value in what they are doing. Furthermore, we as a group were able to do good anonymously, which was considered by Maimonides to be one of the highest form of mitzvot.

-Jay Varhula 

TOSS 2014 Camping trip- Finding our Path Cohort 17

Our Diller camping retreat kicked off as we arrived at the Mother Lode River Center, where we would camp the night a river raft the next day on the American River. As we arrived, we quickly took note of the weather, as it was scorching hot! Danny, Samara’s (a fellow) father, came along the ride and cooked for us amazing meals, and to start the retreat we quickly ate lunch and started with some fun activities. 

Even though it was incredibly hot,  we still managed to have fun and meaningful activities, such as a trust walk—led by Jacob and Micah— and an arts and crafts based Tikkun Olam activity—led by Micah, to get the fellows thinking about all the different things Tikkun Olam can mean.

 After some free time, dinner was served, and we set up our sleeping arrangements for the night, however most of us slept under the stars. Soon after, Caroline led a program that called for the fellows to write heartfelt and touching letters to IDF soldiers, to remind them of our support and gratefulness. As the sun started to set, Micah and Claire led a campfire, with s’mores and songs, followed by a discussion about our upcoming senior years. To finish the day, Phillip and Gabi led the Maagal layla, right before our night under the stars.

-Micah Light 

During our night next to the river we slept out under the stars. It was gorgeous and some of us even saw a shooting star. The next day we had a delicious breakfast, graciously prepared by Danny Meyer. After breakfast Sam and Jay led a morning service, they gave us time to reflect and think about life while praying. 

We then had free time and people played catch and sang songs. We had a hurried lunch before we set out on the river. For many people this was their first time out on the river so there were definitely some nerves. However, those nerves quickly past. The riverboat guides were excellent, funny and nice. They calmly led us down the river and through the rapids. It was a gorgeous day on the river and even though the water was freezing we quickly warmed when we got back on the boat. There was an opportunity for us to jump off a rock into the water and although that was scary it was an exhilarating experience. 

We got back from the river and after a brief evaluation of the trip got on bus bound for the city. We got back a little after eight. We had a fantastic trip and memories for a life time.

-Jacob Ganz

TOSS (The Other Seminar) 2014 kicks off with A camp Newman Retreat-Cohort 17

Day 1-Friday 

We arrived in the late sweltering Santa Rosa afternoon at URJ Camp Newman.  After unloading our bags near the dining hall and getting some grub, we settled into our bunks.  They were very humble accommodations, but felt very homely.  We all caught up on our summers and anything that had occurred since last seeing one and other.  We set about to throwing a Frisbee or throwing around footballs.  We then were exposed to the Camp Newman Shabbat traditions.  It is Camp Newman tradition that all the CITs and staff play a game of Ultimate Frisbee, so we cowered in shady spots to watch the game.  We mingled and met some of the campers and staff that were about our age, and eventually after an intense game, the staff and CITs tied the game.  We then returned to our cabins.  Because we had been schvitzing so much, many of us opted for a nice cold shower.  After cleansing ourselves before Shabbat, we all put on some nice white clothes.  Soon the procession started, and a horde of hundreds of kids walked down the path all clad in nice white clothing. 

 Before sitting down for the Shabbat services, we made sure to take a beautiful picture of us.  We then sat in on a wonderful service.  After the service, we were ushered down to the dinning hall, or chadar ohel, where the ecstatic camp met their dinner.  Excited voices echoed throughout the chadar ohel for the whole meal.  We then went up to the basketball courts for Shabbat Shira, which is a giant campwide dance party.  Once we had danced to our delight, we went down to the field to start decompressing our feelings about what had happened to our trip.  We walked and thought.  Finally we circled up and conversed.  Gabi found some of the Israeli Mishlachat to talk to us; an extremely interesting conversation ensued.  We verbally probed and prodded about what it was like to be an Israeli in America during a military operation.  They talked of a little guilt, but the general consensus was that what they were doing was very important, and that educating was another very important.  At about twelve we noticed how exhausted we were and were sent to hit the hay.  

-Jerry Katz

Day 2-Saturday 

Waking up, following our cohort’s first Camp Newman Friday shabbat experience, we were all wonderfully serenaded by a fellows’ tefilla service. Following a shmooze and unstructured bonding time, we were brought together to prep a program (completely constructed by a group of fellows) to educate 5th-10th graders about Israel and the struggles many soldiers and Israeli civilians go through on a regular basis. Keeping the kids engaged, many of our groups lightened things up by ending the program off with a little skit. Later, we were brought together for a discussion focusing on our own Jewish summer camp experiences and sharing fun-loving, memorable stories. This was done with only our cohort to continue our steady learning about once another.

We were then lead to our meditation/ letting go Havdalah program led by Gabi, and beautifully we were accompanied by a breathtaking sunset. To end off the night, we all sat down in a much more secluded setting to express our feelings about the Israeli vs. Palestinian conflict. The whole day was a reminder that the reason we are all apart of diller is to model and display leadership, while still creating an unbreakable bond between our amazing cohort and making the people we present to part of our community, and for them to continue educating family and peers.       

-Caroline Rabinovitz

Day 3-Sunday

Today was our last day of our TOSS (The Other Summer Seminar) Camp Newman Shabbaton. We got up early, had breakfast with the younger Camp Newman campers, and started preparing our programming for Nitzanim (the 5th and 6th grade cabins) and Kesher (the 7th and 8th grade cabins). Noah and Katie adapted some of the programs from the Israeli summer camp visit during their Community Week day, so we could lead them at Camp Newman. We broke into small groups and led some activities with Nitzanim about the settlement of the Upper Galilee. The campers played a “minesweeper” type game where they have to navigate through a grid with obstacles to get to the other side and “settle the land.” We then broke up into a couple stations and led activities about communication. My group led a game with the campers called telephone that showed how easily messages can get jumbled around and misunderstood. 

After we finished with NItzanim, we led programming, for Kesher surrounding Jewish youth groups. We broke the campers into groups where they created their own Jewish youth group with purpose, a poster, and a cheer. The campers presented their youth groups and Gabi voted on the best one (it ended up being a 6 way tie between every group). We concluded the day with a reflection on the entire retreat, and feedback session on the fellow led programs, and a surprise party for my birthday, The weekend was a lot of fun and a great way to really start off TOSS.

-Gabe