July 29, 2011

We started the morning early, taking a bus to Tzfat at around eight. We arrived close to nine. After arriving, we met our guide, a friendly, eccentric spiritualist with a full beard, a walking stick and a robe. Walking through Tzfat, we saw some of the old city, though much was destroyed during earthquakes. We visited a candle shop that carried both lovely Shabbat candles and a gigantic wax sculpture of Noah's Ark for a measly 10,000 shekels (oy vey!). Our guide then led us to the artists' quarter of Tzfat where we explored much of the beautiful artwork that the city is famous for. Some of us also snacked on Yemenite laucuch, a savory pancake filled with cheese, tomatoes, spices and herbs. While the laucuch is delicious, half the appeal is the show; owner/chef Ronen skillful flips Lauchuch while singing and calling over more customers. After stopping at a lookout to take in the incredible view, we got back on the bus and returned to the Rayman Center. 

Once back in Karmiel, we ate a meatless pasta lunch in honor of the few vegetarians in our cohort. Israeli fellows Stav and Avigail then led an activity titled "What Is G-d to Me," in which we discussed how we connect (or don't connect) to G-d. Afterwards, there was a short song session for Shabbat, and we concluded with short Ma'Agals. We then went home for Shabbat dinner, many of us meeting up again at Ofek Har-Even's house for a pool party. Despite being exhausted, we swam and laughed late into the night, starting the Sabbath off on a high note.

Jerusalem Post Article

http://www.jpost.com/NationalNews/Article.aspx?id=231156

July 28, 2011

Another early rise and shine for the Diller Teen Fellows as they were awakened at 7am on the beautiful shores of Lake Kineret. Following breakfast, we all sprinted down to the waters for a few hours of fun in the sun. Everyone relaxed and had fun splashing, wrestling, playing, and even just floating there in the warm waters of the Sea of Galiliee. We then packed up our gear and took a relaxing bus ride back to the Rayman Teen Center in Karmiel, punctuated by music from Hila. At Rayman's, we had lunch, relaxed for a while, and then were led by the Junior Counselors in a Staff Activity. In the first part we all looked into the future and answered questions about where we would be and what we would be doing in ten years in relation to Diller and the Jewish community. The second part of the activity forced us to focus on the present to create and propose something that would greatly benefit the Jewish world today. We presented to a "Board of Trustees" who informed us that asking for 1.5 billion dollars for an education fund might be a little bit much. After the staff activity and group circles, we each went home to our Israeli's house for a few hours, relaxing, or in some cases shopping, before the Nevo Shachrur's birthday party! We all love Nevo and had a blast at his party where he personally showed off his amazing DJing skills. Another exhausting yet amazingly fun day for the Diller Teen Fellows. 


dont judge

July 27, 2011

This morning we met at the Rayman’s at 9 to leave for a rafting trip on the Jordan River. Emily and Blaine started a game of spoons, which is much like the game “assassin”. Each fellow gets a plastic spoon and a person that they have to “spoon”. You can only “spoon” someone if they don’t have their “spoon” in plain sight. If you “spoon” someone, they are removed from the game. You are assigned their target and the circle of elimination continues. The group is having a lot of fun with the “spooning” concept.

At the Jordan we split into groups and paddled the lazy river. There was a vague sense of Deja Vu among the Americans who all recalled their epic voyages rafting at Ohiopyle in early September.  After a lot of falling out and dunking each other, we put on dry clothes and took a ten minute bus ride to the Majraseh for a hike in the water, whose level was often up past our waists. The amount of bees and everyone splashing one another had the group’s panties in a bunch but we finished right on time. We hopped back on the bus for a few minutes to get to a beach for some community service and some very enthusiastic trash cleanup. We filled so many bags!!! It was really important, mostly to the Americans, to give back to a land that is giving something to us as well.  Again we got on the bus, this time to our final destination of Dugit Beach, on the eastern side of the Kineret. Our plentiful dinner was kindly prepared and served for us by a committed dinner staff of Israeli chanichim. We had our separate ma’agalim and slept in an open campsite. The end of the day was quite memorable, with everyone piled on top of each other. Some slept well, some didn’t, but the day was fun and the togetherness of collective calm heightened our spirit.

Asher & Orly

July 26, 2011

            Today was a day that was both extremely enlightening and incredibly sad at the same time. We started our day today with a tour of an army base, Naura, which is located near Afula. We met a few soldiers who talked to us and gave us information about the IDF.  Most of the Americans had never seen an army base before, so this was a really cool experience. We saw a bunch of tanks and artillery machines and even got to climb on top of them! Then two Israeli fellows, Yuval and Omri, led a discussion about the army and our opinions on Israelis being obligated to join the army. Through this discussion, we were able to hear how the Israelis felt about the army and the fact that they all had to go to the army in 2 years from now.

            The military is something that is a huge part of every Israeli’s life. It is something that they think about when they are young, dreaming of which unit in the army they will go into. They all know someone in the army, whether it be family, friends, or members of their community. As Americans, we tried to put ourselves in their shoes, and this brought up many questions about whether we feel obligated to protect Israel as well, or if we would be scared knowing that we would be entering the IDF in two years. This activity made all of us think and consider what our life would be like if we lived in Israel.

Next we went to have lunch and then had a break for about an hour and a half. Following was a transitional game led by Shir and Nevo. The staff then led an activity involving the 5 legs from Avraham Infeld’s speech: Israel, Family, Language, Covenant, Memory. Also we talked about the speech given to the U.N. before the statehood of Israel took place. Following this a terrific family talked about their beloved son who passed away in the I.D.F. It was pretty much a question and answer activity. The night was over and every fellow went back to their respective homes.

            From these activities we truly were able to take our previous knowledge a step further. In the first staff activity we all developed standpoints on certain items. For example a picture of a baby reading a prayer book made us all have different opinions and because of this we all learned more about our Jewish identities. After this meaningful experience for all, we listened to Arbel Reich’s parents. Arbel died in the I.D.F. This experience showed us all how parents of soldiers feel; the good and the bad. This connected with Omri and Yuval’s discussion from earlier. With both of these similar activities in a short time, the Diller cohort was able to reflect and see the risk soldiers must take. The day was truly inspirational and left us all wanting to learn more.

July 25, 2011

Our first day of home hospitality opened with four great volunteering opportunities. Each fellow went to one place and completed the assigned task. The places we went were an immigration center, a foodbank/goodwill, a school supplies center, and a farm. Every person had a unique and valuable experience whether it be playing with a foreign child or picking tomatoes. As the blog writer for the day, I think I can speak for everyone when I say how lucky we are to live in such a wealthy and thriving environment where we have people to talk to and food to eat every day.

Later on we returned to the RayMan Youth Center for lunch and discussion

After lunch, the day took a more serious turn. The fellows welcomed Sigailt, who came to give us an unbiased history of the Israel-Arab conflict. After some history and questions, Iman, an Arab woman who lives in Madgdal Krum, an Arab village near Karmiel, came to speak to us. Both the American and Israeli fellows were bursting with questions, and everyone was disappointed when she had to leave. To most of the fellows, this was an incredibly unique experience, unlike anything they had ever done before. Everyone had grown up around different opinions of Arabs, which made the program even more intriguing. Some fellows were completely at ease, while some Israelis were uncomfortable at first. The Americans had a lot of questions for the Israeli fellows regarding how they view Arabs and how society views them. After Iman's session, we tried to have a group discussion of the topic, but it proved difficult because of the large number or people (and opinions!) and because some Americans were not completely educated on the issue. Because of this, Steve talked to us and gave us a lot of information about the history of Israel's borders and conflicts with them. Speaking to some of the American fellows, this was very helpful and gave them a more educated opinion on the issue. After this, the fellows had a short break with a snack and a quick game of Wah to ease the mood. Then, we divided into four groups to discuss everything we had heard and our opinions regarding the issue. Each group was given a discussion question: Do you think Arabs do have equal rights as Jews in Israel, and do you think they should? Although the groups did discuss this, everyone veered from this topic to discuss their opinions on a huge variety of issues connecting to the Arab conflict in Israel. Some opinions clashed, which led to heated conversations, but everyone learned a lot. We ended the day with an evening ma'agal, where we wrote letters to ourselves that we will open on our final event. Lastly, we returned to our host families for another fun-filled night! I think it is safe to say that everyone, especially the Americans, learned a lot today and were exposed to a variety of opinions and issues. We can't wait for tomorrow!

By: Hannah Busis and Felicia Tissenbaum

July 24, 2011

Good afternoon parents,

     Today was an invigorating and challenging final day of the Diller International Congress.  We woke up at 7:00, bright and early, in order to prepare our luggage for the bus ride.  After a hearty breakfast of french toast, eggs, and cottage cheese (the latter two seeming to be a common theme in Israel) we attended our final Congress session in our color groups.  We entered into deep discussions about our connections to Israel, the land and state, which often erupted into arguments between Israelis and Americans over the importance of each community's role.  A general conclusion was that Israeli Jews serve as protectors of the Jewish homeland while Diaspora Jews serve as advocates to the international community about the Israel's perspective.  

     Next, we had a crucial feedback session in which we worked with the Junior Staff of Diller to provide constructive criticism about our Congress experiences.  After lunch, we attended a session about Diller follow-up opportunities, such as becoming a Junior Staff member or enrolling in a Massah program (Massah means Journey in Hebrew).  For all interested parents, these programs include gap year, half year, and semester abroad sessions with focus on hands on connection to Judaism and involve studying topics related to your area of career interest.  

     Afterwards, we took a look at our memories from Congress with a special presentation shared by the Junior staff and said goodbye to our new friends from the other ten cohorts.  It took us approximately an hour bus ride to reach our next destination, Misgav, where we took a tour of the village Ya'ad.  Ya'ad is the oldest modern village in Misgav and is where the Israeli fellow Shir Ribon lives.  Next we took a tour of Karmiel itself, led by Noy Fridman.  

   

     Finally, we made our way to the Rayman's, Karmiel's version of the JCC, and had an amazing welcome ceremony.  All of the host families arrived while we were discussing our day in a Maagal (which also involved an activity prepared by us.  Go friendship bracelets!).  After the most unique dinner most of us have probably ever had, consisting of ethnic foods provided by each host family, we listened to welcoming speeches from Partnership Together (the new name of P2K), the Youth Committee of the aforementioned organization, Ilai Cohen, who represented the Israeli fellows, Hila, Steve, and us (Lizzie and Alex). 

     Ultimately, we were whisked away to our respective hosts' homes, exhausted but satisfied, and so here we are now.  And as respresentatives of the group as a whole, it is safe to say that we definitely feel at home.

With much love and much excitement, Diller Home Hospitality Week begins!

Lizzie Shackney and Alex Josowitz

July 23, 2011

Shabbat Shalom!

 Greetings from congress day number five. The morning started out with optional Saturday morning services. Those who chose not to attend were all excited to sleep in until nine! The morning officially started out with a short Ma’agal between Pittsburgh and  Karmiel/Misgav lead by our wonderful JCs. We played a couple of games to get us in the Shabbat state of mind.  After our Ma’agal, we went to our color groups. Today was the day that we talked about the fourth leg of Judaism which is language. We discussed how language brings us together. The question that brought the most debate was if all Jews should know Hebrew. On one hand, the language would unite us as the Jewish people. On the other hand, it isn’t very practical to assume that all Jews would learn and love the language. By lunch time, everyone worked up an appetite debating.  After lunch, there was pool time for all the fellows. Some of us cut pool time a little early and wrote our song for closing exercises.  We decided to write it to the tune of You’re an All Star by Smashmouth.

After practicing the song countless times, we all prepared for Havdallah. Havdallah was divided by circles of sister cities on the large quad. First, we preformed all of the Havdallah rituals. Then we swayed in a circle singing familiar camp tunes. It was a great way to start the new week.  We then walked up to a Diller-wide barbeque! Immediately after the barbeque, we watched every cohort’s closing ceremony song or skit. I may be a little biased, but ours was the best. We then had a short Ma’gal to reflect on the day. It didn’t last long, because we were all so excited to head to the last Teen Zulla! My personal favorite part of the Zulla was dancing like crazy with the cohort to Wiz Khalifa’s Black and Yellow. Everyone was so tired from the Zulla that we all fell asleep very easily when it was time to go back to our rooms. Seeya tomorrow!

-          Blaine Dinkin and Emily Gorby

P.S. Here are the song lyrics

The bus driver once dropped us, at the Diller congress

Sayin’ we’re the coolest kids in this pla-ace

We were lookin’ kind of dumb comin’ from the desert sun

With a farmers tan on our shoulders

Well, the schnitzel keeps comin’ and it won’t stop comin’

“Back to teen zulla” the sama keeps bummin’

Didn’t they say the food would suck?

We made a lot of friends -- We had a lot of fun.

Colors by day ma’agal by night

So what’s wrong with teen zulla all night

People hood here we go (OH)

You’ll never learn if you don’t go.

Hey now, we are Pittsburgh, Misgav, Karmie-el

Hey now, we are leaders, thanks to ben and Ya-e-el

The bus driver once dropped us, at the Diller congress

Sayin we’re the coolest kids in this pla-ace

We we’re lookin’ kind of dumb comin’ from the desert sun

With a farmers tan on our shoulders

Well, the scnitzle keeps comin’ and it won’t stop comin’

“back to teen zulla” the somma keeps bummin’

Didn’t they say the food would suck

We made a lot of friends, we had a lot of fun.

Colors by day ma’agal by night

So whats wrong with teen zulla all night

People hood here we go (OH)

You’ll never learn if you don’t go.

Hey now, we are Pittsburgh, Misgav, Karmie-el

Hey now, we are leaders, thanks to ben and Ya-e-el

Amir and Re’ut too.. congress was a blast, thanks to you-ou

It’s a hot place, and they say it gets hotter

The AC is broken and we all need water

Well the staff all begs to differ,

While the whole world is hooked Diller.

Everyone loves Shosh Hilla and Steve

Cohort two, we never wanna leave.

Our group is on fire, howbout yours?

That’s the way we like it and we never get bored

(CHORUS)

The bus driver once dropped us, at the diller congress

Sayin we’re the coolest kids in this pla-ace

We we’re lookin’ kind of dumb comin’ from the desert sun

With a farmers tan on our shoulders

Well, the scnitzle keeps comin’ and it won’t stop comin’

“back to teen zulla” the somma keeps bummin’

Didn’t they say the food would suck

We made a lot of friends, we had a lot of fun.

Colors by day ma’agal by night

So whats wrong with teen zulla all night

People hood here we go (OH)

You’ll never learn if you don’t go.

Hey now, we are Pittsburgh, Misgav, Karmie-el

Hey now, we are leaders, thanks to ben and Ya-e-el

Amir and Re’ut too.. congress was a blast, thanks to you-ou

It’s a hot place, and they say it gets hotter

The AC is broken and we all need water

Well the staff all begs to differ,

While the whole world is hooked Diller.

Everyone loves Shosh Hilla and Steve

Cohort two, we never wanna leave.

Our group is on fire, howbout yours?

That’s the way we like it and we never get bored

(CHORUS)

While the whole world’s hooked on Diller.

Everyone loves Shosh Hilla and Steve

Cohort two, we never wanna leave.

Our group is on fire, howbout yours?

That’s the way we like it and we never get bored

(CHORUS)

July 21, 2011

Dear our wonderful and inspiring parents,

Today was exhausting, and we can put it at that. From a long night of dancing and socializing with the other North American cohorts, the wake up at nine o’clock seemed so early. The day started out with a breakfast in the large cafeteria where we were able to stock on food to get us through the first set of discussions and activities.

After breakfast, all of us had to pack all of our belongings because we were moving because the Israelis were soon to arrive. Around 10 o’clock we reunited with our Israelis. Following that, there was an introduction where we all became familiar with the strange faces that just joined the Diller Congress. In our small group discussions, two Israelis from each cohort (city) were added to our group. So in each group, there are four fellows from each partnership so there were approximately 24 kids in each group. Groups were led by junior counselors and regional coordinators (Steve is ours.)

Our first discussion was about “breaking the ice.” All of the fellows went around in a circle and literally held a block of ice telling strange facts about themselves until it was cold to hold. In the middle of each ice block there is a bag of chocolate where the group got to share after we “broke the ice.” Ironic? Funny?

Later that day, we had lunch and a short period to rest. Soon after that was over, we had our second discussion which was about Judaism and the connection that we have to not only our family, but to our kinsman as a whole. We were able to discuss and lay out a large map where we could each tell the history of our families and it was intriguing to find out how different our families’ histories were, and how similar others were. It was a great experience where we were able to connect and discuss the different stories of how people are able to find Judaism and passion for the culture and heritage of the Jewish people.

Thank you guys for always being there for us and we all miss you. Pittsburgh is probably the same and we are having the time of our lives. We are almost half way through our experience in the Israeli Summer Seminar and we will be home before you know it, so don’t miss us too much.

                                                                                                                Xoxo,

                                                                                                                Your children

Written by: Zeesha Braslawsce and Eli Gelernter 

July 20, 2011

Today was the first full day of the North American Kennes. It was also Hannah Busis’ birthday today and we had several celebrations that spanned the entire day. Yesterday, we were split into several color groups consisting of 1 or 2 people from each city. In those color groups we had three meetings in which we had activities and discussions about breaking down our personalities and Jewish identities. We also had one guest speaker named Avraham Infeld. He spoke about the Jews, the Jewish homeland, and Jewish culture/peoplehood describing being Jewish as needing the support of a five-legged table; we need family, memories, Hebrew, the covenant, and Israel to survive. Later in the day, we were highly entertained by the music/storytelling of the very talented Robbie Gringrass and his guitar-playing partner, Adam. The night ended with a ma’agal, as always. We had a compliment activity led by Jacob Kander and Noah Gup. After the ma’agal, there was an optional teen get together with music and dancing called the teen Zoola. Overall, it was another great day in Israel.

Love to say and blog but we gotta go party at the Zoola,

Katie and  Barry

July 19, 2011

To our beautiful parents, 

            Today, we woke up in a Bedouin tent. Basically a Bedouin tent is a community where different people live and they opened their arms to us for the night. The differences between a Bedouin tent and our homes is that we all slept on the floor with each other with few lights while at home we have our own bed, and electricity is unlimited. The leaders of the day were Jacob Kander and Noah Gup. They woke up early and got everybody up, preparing people to go to breakfast and get ready to pack up the bus.

            After our plates were clean and our bags and our bags were packed, we were on our way to our first activity of the day, which was repelling. Although most of us were nervous, there was no Israeli or American that didn’t repel down the mountain. With sunscreen soaked in our skin, we spent a long two and hours in the Negev while everybody went rapelling. We all enjoyed the experience of stepping out of our comfort zone and doing something that we have never done before.

            After rapelling, we were on our way to Congress. When we got there, we were greeted by the other five Diller chapters: Montreal, San Francisco, Baltimore, Los Angeles and Metro West (New Jersey and New York). We departed from our Israelis and they headed home back to Karmiel-Misgav only for one night because they will be joining us at the Diller International Congress. We had an opening ceremony where all of the Diller groups performed introduction. Our introduction was our own version of the Fresh Prince of Belair, where we each had two lines describing our own personalities and who we are as a group and individuals.

            Following the opening ceremony, we had dinner and our first meeting with our separated groups, where two people from each Diller chapter are put with two other people with each chapter and talked about the importance of remembering who we are as Jewish teens by creating a time capsule where we would pick a group of items that if we forgot our memory, what would remind us of who we are. A teen zullah (dance party) occurred after our final meetings with our small groups.

                                                                                    Love.

                                                 Your freshly showered children (well, maybe only some of us)

July 18, 2011

Hello from an exhausted group of kids!

Last night we slept out on the Masada Camp in which we were surprised by our Israelis for a surprise visit.  We slept out under a full moon and a sky full of stars. We were also able to relax and reflect within the beautiful scenery of Southern Israel.  Through catching up and playing games, none of us managed to go to sleep before 2 am with a 4 am wake up approaching. Regardless, we all woke up ready and eager to take on the intense climb to the top of Masada.

                While some of us ran up to the top and others managed to inch up the mountain, all 40 teens were able to enjoy and view the sunrise at the top of Masada. Obviously, many pictures were taken and many hugs and smiles were exchanged. As the sun was at a full blaze, our tour guide, Chilit, explained to us the history of Masada and the history that took place on this mountain.  While it seems like noon, we managed to climb up Masada, learn the history, and climb down; it was only eight in the morning. After that, we enjoyed a small breakfast and then we headed to Ein Gedi spa, where most of us got to experience the Dead Sea and sulfur showers for the first time. Another new experience was being surrounded by the smell of raw eggs from the sulfur. With floating Diller bodies all over the Dead Sea, and bodies covered in mud, we all had a fabulous time experiencing and enjoying the Dead Sea.

                With Israelis and American packed into a moderately sized tour bus,  we headed to the Bedioun Tents, where would we spend our last night out before heading to the International Congress where all of the Diller chapters will meet and discuss current events and gain leadership skills with people. Once we got settled in, we all participated in a text study talking about the importance of knowing how it is like to be a visitor and also to be a host. After our study, we were able to participate in a welcoming from the people of the village, understanding the culture and life of these people. Later, we went on a camel ride! We each were paired up with a friend and took a twenty-five minute ride around the town in which we stayed in.

                After our camel ride, we all went into groups of five and went to eat a very ethnic meal, which was delicious! None of us have ever experienced a meal like this one. Parents, we all feel so lucky and fortunate to be on this trip with a great group of people, and although one week is over, we still have two weeks of opportunity, educations, and friendships to grow. So for now, good night!

                                                                                                                Love,

                                                                                                Your Pittsburgh Diller Teen Fellows

                By: Eli Gelernter

July 15, 2011

Today was another exciting day in Jerusalem! We started off the day by eating our last delicious breakfast at Kibbutz Shefayim and loading our luggage on the bus.  From there, we drove to the underground Kotel Tunnels.  Our tour guide, Hilik, led us around the area dressed as _______ and gave us a fun but informative tour.  Then, we entered the Kotel Tunnels.  It was a very narrow tunnel, surrounded by Jerusalem stone and with water up to our ankles.  We walked through the tunnels, sometimes with flashlights but sometimes in complete darkness.  When we emerged, we walked to our bus and drove to Hass Promenade.

Hass Promenade is a stunning overlook of Jerusalem.  We closed our eyes as we exited the bus and held hands as we walked to the overlook.  When we all opened our eyes, an indescribable feeling washed over us.  We were finally in Jerusalem.  Tel-Aviv and the other places we had traveled to were obviously in Israel, but it didn’t truly feel like Israel to me until we walked the streets of Jerusalem.

July 14, 2011

Hello from the land of the milk and honey,

Hmm jet lag anyone? Not for this group. The day started out with a fabulous breakfast at the hotel. Who knew they ate nutella for breakfast? After that, the group headed to the Holon Children’s Museum.  There we were greeted by tour guides who were visually impaired or legally blind. They guided us through a blind museum where we experienced everyday situations such as going to the super market, walking around in your house, or taking a boat ride through the Caribbean.  We really learned the difficulties that blind people go through every day. It was truly a great experience. After that we headed to Tel-Aviv! We toured around learning about the different culture and ways of living. We were then given free time for lunch. Some of us even got to have traditional Israeli Falafel. Most of us went to the market where we had the opportunity to bargain. Some of us bargained for Tanning Oil and got it down to 68 sheckles ( cough cough…Eli. Don’t worry Lauren Goldblum Sarah didn’t buy any).

Challenge awaits! We met in the afternoon for a professional scavenger hunt around Tel-Aviv. Only one team would come out on top. After two hours of clues, decoding Hebrew, taking pictures with local Israelis and a lot a lot of time the Yellow Team had won which consisted of Jesse, Eli, Sarah, Lizzie and Shosh. After a tiring day everyone was ready to head back to the hotel for dinner!

After dinner our tour guide Hilik educated us on the Israeli Palestine conflict.  He taught us about what happened in the past and what is going on now. It was great to learn about it. We are all having a great time and are having so much fun.

Shalom talk to you soon!

  Blaine Dinkin & Jesse Mendelson 

July 13, 2011

Today we started out our day by going for a dip in the Mediterranean. We drove down a dirt road to a secluded beach and got ready to jump right in! We had been warned about the jellyfish, but that didn’t stop us from cooling off in the beautiful sea. A few minutes in, after only a couple waves, we all realized that every limb was stinging. We got out and saw that we had all been stung! Fortunately, we turned this mishap into a positive and had some great photo ops.

Next stop, Tel Aviv! We began our tour at the Shalom Towers and talked about the formation of Tel Aviv, the first established Jewish city. We learned about the hardworking group of young people who made a dream become reality. Our experience continued at Independence Hall where we were informed about Mayor Meir Dizengoff, the first mayor of Tel Aviv. Although the city had once been a desert wasteland, it was clear to us that it had come a long way. We were able to sit in the same room where Israel became an official Jewish State.

Next, we got back on the bus and went to explore Jaffa, the Old City of Tel Aviv. We started at the famous clock tower and our wonderful tour guide, Hilik, gave us a tour and we made a quick stop for Shawarma and Falafel. Hilik handed out questions for each of us to ask the locals and we all split up and explored the flea market. We all tried the world famous Jaffa oranges and had our first shot at bargaining. We were able to experience and finally connect with the Israeli locals. Before we left, we visited a famous wishing bridge and saw a really cool floating orange tree suspended by cables! We walked through more of the ancient streets of Jaffa and learned about mythology and also the importance of Jaffa to Christianity.

Exhausted, we returned to the hotel, changed out of our sweaty clothes, and got ready for the amazing food of the Kibbutz Shefayim Hotel. Yael and Ben led rousing games of Sheep and Wah, our two favorites! Everyone expressed their feelings about the day, and although we were all tired, we had really enjoyed ourselves. We were really starting to feel at home in Israel, connecting with ourselves, each other, and our Jewish values. We can’t wait for another exciting day in Tel Aviv!

                                                           Love your exhausted but ecstatic teens,

                                                                Your Diller Teen Fellows

Written by: Lizzie Shackney and Hannah Busis

July 12th 9:32 PM

Shalom from Israel! After a long eleven hour plane ride, cohort two is safe and sound at Shefayim Kibbutz Hotel. Our travels began when we arrived at the airport yesterday.  We completed all airport proto-call and boarded our plane to JFK international airport. At the terminal, we came across birthright trip who accompanied us on our plane ride to Tel Aviv. To no one’s surprise, Zeesha and Steve were the only two who got a significant amount of sleep on the plane. Everyone else’s plane ride consisted of card games, summer reading, tabloid magazines, Ipods, and eating whatever snacks we could find. We were all anxious to get off of the plane at around 1 pm Israel time. We collected our luggage, went through customs, exchanged currency, and sat down for sandwiches in the airport.  I discovered my new favorite drink, frozen coffee. Everyone here is extremely friendly. It’s comforting that most of the population speaks English. When our group comes across someone who doesn’t speak English, we are quick to call over Orly or Asher to translate. After lunch, we boarded the bus and met our tour guide, Hilik. Hilik is awesome!  He learned all of our names in a matter of twenty minutes. On the bus, Hilik prepared us to go to the Caesaria ruins. In all honesty, our group did not have the most positive attitude going into the ruins, but the scenic Mediterian Sea and thousand year-old buildings settled any negative preconceptions. Hilik made the stories come to life as he told the ruin stories from a teenage boy’s point of view. The thirteen year old boy faced the challenge of living a Jewish life in an integrated neighborhood. We then explored the ruins for a little while longer. Asher was asked to  preform part of his monologue on the ancient ruin stage. Zeesha, Asher, Jeremy, Noah, and Hilik raced around the track where the gladiator battles once took place hundreds of years ago. Zeesha wiped out while trying to turn, but he fortunately sprang up quickly and finished the race. At the end of the tour, we hopped back on the bus and got our room assignments.  After freshening up in the rooms for a bit, we met up for an eclectic  buffet dinner, featuring tasty  homemade(?) ketchup as well as a variety of delicious desserts (the highlight being a cappacucino pudding cake).  For Ma’gal, we met on a lawn outside our rooms and reflected upon our days’ activities, as well as playing a laughter-inducing game led by the junior counselors.  The night concluded with a small game of Frisbee in the dark, and a group game of cards.  So far, Israel is amazing, and we are all looking forward to tomorrow.

Challah at ya later

Emily Gorby and Noah Gupp 

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Thursday was quite an exciting day for the Diller group. After a day of shopping in the Waterfront, the Israelis headed over to Riverview Towers, a home which provides a comfortable living environment for the elderly, to set up for the Seder. We planned the Seder to give the Israelis contact with the outside community as well as to share our culture and traditions with the people of the Towers. Later, after our respective schools let out, the Pittsburghers joined the Israelis at the Towers for the Seder. We sat amongst the residents and held our own Seder with songs, prayers, and a meal with matzo ball soup as the headliner. After the meal, we boarded the bus to head to Washington for the next day. The bus rides in the following days were probably some of the most fun parts of our trip because of the extreme bonding that comes from just sitting and talking for hours on end. When we got to our Washington hotel, it was quite late and we headed up to our respective rooms and, with the exception of a few who stayed up to talk, most of us crashed.

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

On Wednesday, the Israelis began their day with the usual Ma’agal boker, and then headed out to see different synagogues representing the large span of sects of Judaism represented in Squirrel Hill. They spent time at Poale Zedek, Beth Shalom, and Tree of Life – Or L’Simcha, learning about the synagogues’ varying traditions and practices.
In the afternoon, continuing their exploration of the different Jewish cultures within Pittsburgh, the Israelis met at the JCC with four prominent Jewish leaders and educators in the community: Rabbi Shmuly Rothman came to teach them about Orthodox Judaism; Rabbi Chuck Diamond taught Conservative Judaism; Rabbi James Gibson, who taught them about Reform Judaism; and Malke Frank, who taught them about Reconstructionist Judaism. The four rabbis sat at different tables and gave a brief overview of what made their sect of Judaism unique, and then answered any questions that the Israelis had. Each rabbi sat at a table for ten or fifteen minutes, and then cycled over to the next table so that they could talk with everyone. During this time, the American teens began to arrive, and they were able to provide their own viewpoints on what Judaism meant to them.
When the rabbi forum was over, all the American Diller Teen Fellows had arrived, and families began to arrive as well. A few going-away games were played, such as “How well do you know your fellow?” and dinner was served. None of the Diller Fellows (of either nationality) wanted to say goodbye, so a large group went to Razzy Fresh to continue the evening and get some ice-cream. Unfortunately, it was getting late, so everyone did have to go home.

North American Seminar-Tuesday, April 12, 2011

The American Fellows began their day by going to school. A couple hours later, the Israelis woke up and journeyed to the JCC for a circle discussion.

During the discussion, Israeli Fellows watched and read videos and letters that their families had prepared, and the Fellows' reactions showed the strength of the bonds they share with their families -- Tears and emotions flowed.

Next, the Israeli portion of the Diller teen family met and lunched with some local Jewish seniors. After lunch, the seniors and teens bonded via modeling clay. Together, they produced models of such culturally representative objects as a bite-sized bag of french fries, a hamburger, a donut, and a pig.

The seniors departed, and Hila lead a discussion of how Jewish beliefs should guide the allocation of tzedakah funds. With this in mind, the discussion split into groups. Assuming the role of American Jews, each group decided how to allocate ten-million dollar rainfalls between the Diaspora, Jews in Israel, and local gentiles.

Following this discussion, the Diller teen family would have united and seen the Pittsburgh Pirates compete in a baseball game. Fortunately, inclement weather preserved our dignity. After an engaging and productive day, the Fellows separated to each experience Pittsburgh and Judaism in their own way for an evening.

North American Seminar-Monday, April 11th

After a great weekend at home and a community service filled Sunday, we were back to our normal schedule on Monday. The Israelis began the day with a Ma'agal Boker, or morning ma'agal. After that, they made phone calls from the Federation. Next, the Israelis had a college encounter and lunch at the JUC. They then went to the nationality rooms and were able to walk around. At the end of the nationality rooms, they went to the Israel Heritage Room and talked about what they liked about it and what they would change if it was their room. Then the Pittsburgh Fellow met up with the Israelis at the JCC for a peoplehood program with Tal Gale. The program was filled with a study of the Tanach, looking at the text from different perspectives, and coming up with an idea of what peoplehood is. Finally, we went to Funfest to go bowling. We invited other Jewish teens from the area who are eligible to join Diller next year. We showed them what Diller is about and how much fun they can have if they join next year. After another fun filled day, we were all tired out but looking forward to tomorrow when we have the opportunity to go to the Pirates game!
From,
The Diller Teen Fellows of Pittsburgh and Karmiel/Misgav

North American Seminar-Thursday, April 7th

In the morning, the Israeli Diller fellows met at Blue Slide Park and began with Ma'agal. They played some circle games, such as a game where one fellow hid a water bottle behind their back and Shosh had to figure out which fellow hid it. They then wrote letters addressed to themselves, which will be sent to them next year, so they will have a nice reminder of their time in Pittsburgh long after they will have visited! The group then split up. Half went to Community Day School and the other half went to Yeshiva. They spoke to students at the schools and had lunch in their school cafeterias. After that, they went back to the AJL and began to plan the activities for the week when the American fellows will come and visit. The fellows arrived, we received beautiful necklaces with musical notes on them to remind us of the musical, and we headed off to Allderdice for the spring musical! The show they put on was called “Urinetown.” It was about a large company that rationed out small portions of water to the local people at charged them to use public restrooms. The people revolted and overthrew the large company, which let them go to the bathroom for free. However, the town eventually ran out of water and this is how the musical ended. One of our cohort members, Asher Wiseman, was the lead role and narrator in the musical. He performed his part beautifully and sang like a god. Everyone really enjoyed the musical and couldn’t stop talking about it. The musical was the last time everyone saw each other before the weekend with the host families. Everybody is really excited for the weekend and can’t wait to see whats in store for the rest of the North American Seminar.

Recap Meeting 5 and Get to Know a Diller Teen Fellow-Blaine

2nd Day of the North American Seminar!

To the Diller Family, April 6, 2011 (the second day of the North American Seminar with the Israelis):

What a crazy two days this has been! Minute by minute, we are getting closer with our Israelis. As fellows, we are gaining great memories and building friendships that will last a lifetime, but we hope that you are also getting something from this experience as well. We would also like to thank you for all the traveling that you have done already (especially Beaver, North Hills, Fox Chapel, and Mt. Lebanon.) Today, most of the Pittsburgh teens arrived at JCC at 4:30 to participate in the evening’s activities. Surprisingly, Emma Kaufmann Camp’s CITs (Counselors In Training) also met with the Diller teens because most of the Israelis housed the CIT’s during their stay in Israel this past summer. It was very exciting to see the relationships that the CITs and the Israelis both had, and it made us look forward to further experiences that we will soon be part of. After playing many games that we all enjoyed, we went to the dining room to enjoy another dinner that the JCC generously provided us. We all thought it was interesting to see the Israelis enjoy spaghetti so much, when it such a regular meal to us, Americans. After dinner, we all headed to J-Site, a school located in the JCC for Jewish teens in Pittsburgh to extend and continue their Jewish learning after their B’nai Mitzvah. Most of the Israelis sat in on a Hebrew class, which was extremely interesting to them because they were able to see how the Americans learned Hebrew. By the end of the night, we played a game of musical chairs, which led to a discussion about conflicts in not only Israel, but in America also. We compared and contrasted different wars that are going on and how they connect to one another. It was an interesting conversation that led to Gilad Shalit, a captured solid, and our new friends provided a new perspective on the army. The Israelis expressed the importance of continuing the tradition of participating in the army and the high concern and urgency to recover and bring back Gilad back to Israel. Today was a great day for both us and the Israelis and we both look forward to the experiences that we will gain from the NAS. We wish you a great two weeks with your guests and want to hear great things and funny stories!

Have a good week and keep checking the blog!

1st Day of the North American Seminar!

Hello Diller followers! It's the North American Seminar and the Israelis from Karmiel-Misgav are here!

This Tuesday morning, our Israelis arrived in Pittsburgh from Karmiel and Misgav after two very long flights. They enjoyed lunch and a hearty welcome from the United Jewish Federation. They visited Mount Washington and Point State Park to see some sights.  Market Square proved interesting, and some were intrigued by the glass facade of the PPG building.  

The Israelis learned about the Jewish Community Center and hung around at the pool for the start of a day of fun. They witnessed and used the building’s amazing spinning dryer, able to dry a bathing suit in twenty seconds.  Then they met the Pittsburgh cohort and saw snow which is quite unusual in Israel.  Israeli and American Fellows lead the group through some ice breaker activities to get to know each other.

Next, Israeli fellows met their host families in a reception.  “Hatikvah” and “The Star-Spangled Banner” were sung.  American Fellows presented Pittsburgh’s new guests with some welcome gifts that represent Pittsburgh such as Terrible Towels.  Steve introduced officials in the Pittsburgh P2K Partnership with Karmiel and Misgav, who explained the program.  Finally, the Americans and Israelis separated and reflected on the day, and families left the JCC to show the Israelis their new homes.

Thanks for reading and remember that the blog is updated daily during NAS so keep checking!

The Diller Teen Fellows

Recap newsletter from meeting 6:

This month there was Empty Bowls at Rodef Shalom in Oakland on the Sunday of our meeting which several of us went to. In case you don’t already know, Empty Bowls is an annual charity event highlighting the problems regular people have when feeding their families. Those who went thought that it was a great event and really enjoyed it. Afterwards, we met at the Agency for Jewish Learning for our actual meeting. Our meeting started off with an amazing guest speaker Evan Indianer who talked to us about the need for Jews to support other Jews through Jewish charity organizations. Next, we had a program by Lizzy Shackney and Emily Gorby about the need for people to accept LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bi, and Transgender) people and teens. But this meeting was mainly focused on our rapidly approaching North American Seminar.  Yes, that’s right; the Israelis are coming! Obviously, we are all extremely excited for meet our Israeli counterparts but also the things that we have planned are going to make it a great time. We ended out meeting with ma’agal in which we evaluated how the meeting went. Overall, it was a pretty good meeting.

P.S. During the North American Seminar the blog will be updated almost daily so keep checking and we’ll keep you posted!

Recap newsletter from meeting 5:

Recap newsletter from meeting 5:

                This month we met at the Jewish Community Center in the South Hills. As always, we started off with pizza and then we were introduced to Tal Gale, the educational director and a very special part of the Diller organization. Next, we worked on our version of the Diller flag that every cohort of every group has. It is based on the Star of David and six words that we have decided as a group represent us and the Diller experience. After that, we did an activity designed by two of the teen fellows, Asher Wiseman and Noah Gup, about the Jewish perspective on protesting in a non-violent way and comparing it to our own beliefs. Then, we talked about our community service projects highlighting the areas we need to work on while conferencing with other groups. Finally, we have our usual end of the meeting ma'agal, which emphasizes both the good parts and less good parts of that meeting. Overall, it was a really good and interesting meeting.