2013 International congress!

Finally! After touring, Community Week, and two days of Kenness, we have reached Congress 2013! 

We were initially divided up into tribes solely with other North American Dillers for Kenness. I was a member of the Issachar tribe (pronounced is-his-car), in which my JC gave a handy piece of advice to carry on with us for the remainder of Congress: #YOCO - you only congress once. 

Okay, so I know this hash tag sounds a little cheesy, but believe it or not, it actually sums up my Congress experience. What are the odds that I will ever again learn and socialize with 400 other motivated teens my age from all over North America and Israel and build connections with so many leaders in my Jewish community? Exactly. The odds are quite slim, so why not make the most of it?

Yes, at first Congress was difficult. I mean, we were finally getting situated as a group of North Americans, making new friends and gaining knowledge about our Jewish identity. And just after two activity-filled days, buses loaded with energetic and loud Israelis changed the whole dynamic.

Our tribes doubled in size, debates and discussions now were held in both English and Hebrew translations, navigating the Dining Hall during lunch was a feat to be proud of, and the various types of personalities to meet and work with were infinite. 

And to be honest, it was overwhelming to try to meet so many different people and attempt to learn a handful of names ( I use the term "learn" lightly). But that paled in comparison to the feeling of talking with Israelis in broken English, only to find out that you have a friend in common or that your grandparents are related.  And as the week progressed, I became more comfortable speaking with and having meaningful conversations with diverse teens from across the world.  

I remember one day during our tribe meetings, I took a trip to the restroom to freshen up a bit after what was an extremely long day. There, I stumbled upon about six other fellows, all in the restroom for the same reason as I. Except rather than sit and complain about how hot it was (a common complaint) or how we only got four hours of sleep, we continued the discussion that we were each having in our respective rooms. So there we were, teens from all different walks of life, initially leaving our tribe meetings to take a break, only to find ourselves holding a completely self-motivated discussion of our own about the significance of North American Jewry on the state of Israel. 

Furthermore, not only did I grow as a Jew and leader from the knowledge I gained through meeting others and participating in discussions, but Cohort 6 grew into one big family. It's crazy to think how far we have come as a cohort on this trip and how all twenty of us are finally one tight knit group. Be it the funky juice in the cafeteria or the fact that by spending so much time with other teens we have grown to miss the fellows we have known for almost a year, I can honestly say that Congress has brought each and every one of us closer than we could have ever imagined. It's incredibly fun to socialize with so many different kinds of people and meet teens that you have so much in common with, but sometimes you just want to hang out with a familiar face and talk about anything and everything.

As we conclude Congress 2013 and embark on the next few days of touring, I will make sure not to forget about any of the lessons I learned, experiences I gained, and people I met. For,  although this part of my Diller experience may be coming to a close, the memories will last a lifetime and I look forward to seeing the rest that Diller Teen Fellows has to offer!

-Michelle Banayan

Highlights from the rest of community week and Kennes

Highlights from community week: By Noah Baum

Friday - Judaism day

Friday morning began at alma where we discussed jewish people hood and Hebrew as more than a language. We read some interesting text to stimulate our discussion. After the discussion we went to lunch at ( where) and had chicken skewers with humus and salad and pita.

Sunday - Army and Zionism day

On Sunday I was dropped off at the Issac Rabin museum where we took a great tour.  The army day tzevet split us all into different groups of the army in order to add a fun competitive element to the day. After the museum we went to a local high school where we spoke to two idf soldiers, one from Los Angeles and the other from Australia. I think that this discussion and panel was really for people who were thinking about making Aliyah or joining the idf to ask about fears and hear first hand experiences. After the panel we were allowed have lunch on a nearby street. Most of us had schnitzel which was delicious. After lunch we met back in the room and had an activity about language led by our coordinator Sami. We then went to a park where we met two Israeli soldiers who did some fun physical "training" activities with us. 

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Welcome to Givat Haviva! After saying a temporary goodbye to Tel Aviv and our Israelis the LA teens joined the Baltimore cohort on a bus ride filled with naps and excited teens. Once we finally arrived in Givat Haviva we were finally split up into our tribes, I stood alone. I was the only teen from the Los Angeles cohort to be put into the Ephraim tribe. I gained so much knowledge about the history of the Jews, Mount Sinai, North American Jewry, and oh so much more!  Avraham Infield gave a great speech about the five legs of a stable table to be the basis for Jewish Peoplehood.  The five legs include memory, Israel, family, covenant, and language. I personally connect to family the most. His speech became the basis of Congress. I really enjoyed his speech and liked the way he incorporated jokes and meaningful thoughts. I am excited to see the Israelis tomorrow! I have had a great time getting to know the North Americans (shout out to Pittsburgh) and hope to continue to grow closer to them and create new friendships!

-Sadie Abergel

Our first half

Hard to believe we just finished our second shabbat! Here are some highlights from our fellows...

Travel days:

Hey Guys! After a walking tour of Jerusalem’s old city on Shabbat afternoon our group walked over to the Kotel to experience Havdallah. There are always many people praying at the wall but at havdallah there are hundreds of people gathered together to say goodbye to Shabbat. We met with the Diller group from Boston and did havdallah together as one group. After that we spent time at Ben Yehuda street, an area with many shops and restaurants. After a delicious schwarma, we walked around the street doing a little shopping but mostly just soaking in the Jerusalem night life. The next morning we woke up and went to Yad Vashem, Israel’s largest holocaust museum. The museum was filled with a lot of interesting information that was supplemented by stories told to us by our guide. After the museum itself, we went to the children’s memorial. The next stop was Har Herzl, Israel’s military cemetery which also contains the graves of many political leaders. Among those who we saw were Yitzhak Rabin, Golda Meir and of course Theodore Herzl. After a very serious and somber morning we lightened it up a bit at the Dead Sea. Many of us covered ourselves in mud and washed it off in the Dead Sea. It was very fun just floating around weightless in the water. Next up was a sulfur bath, which did not smell nearly as bad as I expected, and then a dip in a freshwater swimming pool. To close out the day we went to the Masada Guest house where we ate a good dinner and rested up for the next day.

- Aaron Schimmel

As darkness began to dissipate in the skies above and steep desert rock filled the earth below, a group of twenty teens embarked on a journey to witness the sun shine in a way they have never seen it before. What began as a long treacherous journey resulted in the most honorable of achievements, making it to the top of Masada. 700 steps of pain, sweat, and complaints was endured but it was all worth it when we began to see the red peek of the everlasting sun rising above the Jewish homeland. The history of Masada itself is a reminder that we should always trek on especially if it is for something we believe in. The martyrdome that occurred in Masada sets the example of what Israel shall never do in the future, lose their homes and their lives. 

Later in the day we dumped our heads in the fresh waters of En Gedi and embraced the relaxed atmosphere of this fine oasis. The cold water served to relieve the beating sun that shone.

- Aviv Oren

Community week begins!

Monday evening we kicked off community week at a local park when our bus full of American fellows was greeted by 20 energetic Israeli fellows. After copious hugs, and a couple of games, we made our way to Shlomo's home in northern Tel Aviv where our Israeli buddy's parents greeted us and took us to their homes. 

Tuesday morning all forty of us met up at the very first train station in tel aviv and went on to explore Tel aviv's first Jewish Community. The history themed day continued at Independence Hall, followed by a scavenger hunt around the city. We enjoyed falafel and spent time with some of last year's tel aviv fellows. We then went to the place Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated and discussed our visions and dreams about both personal and global issues. The night concluded with easily the most incredible surprise a tourist could ask for: the israelis took us to the roof of the azrieli building giving us a breathtaking view of Tel Aviv at night from fifty floors up. The city looked (and truly is) magical. 

- Chava Friedman

With Kennes and congress just around the corner, be sure to keep checking out our Facebook page for pictures: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Los-Angeles-Diller-Teen-Fellows-Program/590721644273869?ref=hl

See you soon, chevreh

Shalom L'olam,

I am currently in home hospitality in Tel Aviv staying with Ron Arbel, a Tzama member this year. After spending the entirety of the last week doing preparations for Kennes and Congress, I have had the chance to reflect on my own experience as a Chanich and would like to use this space to offer my own final pieces of packing and preparation advice for my fellows that will be boarding flight LY006 direct to Tel Aviv in less than 24 hours!

1. Contrary to popular belief, it is hot in Israel. I know, groundbreaking! So bring a hat and a refillable water bottle. You have been thoroughly warned and we expect no complaints from any of you about the heat or dehydration. We're all under the same sun.

2. Remember to eat smart and bring healthy snacks. Though delicious (and my personal favorite) schwarma does not exactly qualify as a well balanced meal. Vitamins are as important as hydration and sickness will surely put a dampener on the trip.

3. Embrace Israel. For some of you this might be your first trip to Israel, for others it might be their 3rd or 4th, regardless take the time to appreciate this great country for its religious side as well as its not do religious side. If you come back in 3 weeks speaking with miserable grammar, an unhealthy desire to put hummus on everything, and more enthusiasm than you know what to do with, you've done a good job.

4. Get excited. Over the past week, 13 North American JCs, 14 Israeli JCs, about 20 Tzama members, and several more staff have been working tirelessly in order to make sure your trip to Israel will be fantastic and unforgettable. We're bringing back old traditions as well as experimenting with new ones (i.e. The Quest: a comedic and high energy competition , created and MC'd by yours truly, that I expect every Los Angeles chanich to attend to prove which Cohort is really the best). This summer is shaping up to be one of the best yet.

So finish packing, say your goodbyes, and prepare yourself to experience the land and people of Israel in a way you never have before.

L'hitraot,
Zach Getelman
Los Angeles Junior Counselor

Hi chanichim! I'm writing to you from THE HOLY LAND. Maagniv, lo? Zach and I have spent the last four days running through programs, sitting in maagalim, learning new words in Hebrew (glidah, anyone?) and becoming one big cohesive tzatz -- staff-- with the Israeli junior staff. After a super duper fantastic fourteen-hour flight, we arrived at Givat Haviva and rejoiced with the rest of the North American Junior Counselor Cohort. We celebrated being back together with ice breakers and then we began programming for the North American Kennes. On Friday we resumed preparation until the Israelim arrived and we began the daunting task of creating the best possible Congress for the Diller chanichim of 2013. We introduced ourselves to the staff of our tribes (Go Yehudah and Zebulon!) and celebrated our first Shabbat together. On Saturday (only our second full day in Israel) we reviewed the luz of Congress, explored Givat Haviva's pool and built team skills with Outdoor training. This afternoon we left the conference center for Tel Aviv and explored the city in an intense scavenger hunt, just like the one you will do when we're all in this amazing city together in a little more than a week! Then we ate at the port for pizur dinner and now we're at Hakfar Ha'Yarok, a kibbutz just outside of the city, far enough to enjoy peace and quiet and close enough to enjoy the view. We will continue building on our connections and working with this extended family the next few days, until you all arrive! Can't wait to share more stories with you soon! 

B'ahava, Spage 

Pre-Israel Shabbaton- Cohort 6

By Ben Klein

Two weeks ago we had our final shabbaton before our trip to Israel. We hadn’t seen each other for a long time, not since the Israelis were with us. We arrived at USC and soon after we walked over to the Hillel. Before Shabbat began we drew up a Shabbat Manifesto. which would enumerate the values and rituals that we consider most important to a successful Shabbat. We included the physical rituals of candle lighting and Kiddush, as well as the intangibles, such as disconnecting from technology and finding silence for reflection. I enjoyed this activity because it really gave us a perspective on each other’s concepts of Shabbat, and how although we come from different denominations, we still have similarities between us on the most fundamental parts of Shabbat. 

We also had an interesting activity where we each anonymously wrote down a thing that we were excited for in Israel, and something we were afraid of as well. We made bead bracelets or necklaces by putting a bead on for every fear or excitement that we associated with. It was really great to see how everyone associated with each other’s fears and hopes. It brought us closer together. The other event that I enjoyed that night was our maagal laila, which is our last meeting of the day before bed, win which we usually have a meaningful conversation. We each chose a card with a picture and a word on it that spoke to us, and we each explained what they meant to us. It was a good way to learn more about each other. We also picked cards for the person to our left, which was nice because we were able to learn how some people viewed us, and it was nice to give and receive compliments.

            On Saturday the more reform fellows participated in a morning yoga session for Shabbat, while the more conservative fellows used different siddurim to pray in their own way. This was nice, I personally did yoga, because we were able to relax and reflect on the week, which is the main purpose of Shabbat. We then began my favorite part of the shabbaton, a debate over whether women should be able to pray at the wall as part of Women of the Wall. We were organized into groups randomly, not based on our own personal beliefs. I was on the side opposite of my belief structure, I had to argue that women should not be allowed to pray at the wall. It was a great opportunity to understand the logic and mindset of those whom I don’t agree. I also love to debate, so I had a lot of fun debating this topic, although I didn’t agree with what I was arguing for.

We then discussed what our passions were, in a community service context. This was initial discussion of our tikkun olam projects, and it was very interesting to hear not only the differences, but also the similarities in what we were interested in. I thought this was a great way to explore the strategies that we would like to apply to the issues that we are passionate about.

 Our havadallah that night was very nice, and in my opinion, the best service we had especially since Havdallah is my favorite service. That night we had a great program run by Naomi Ackerman ( http://www.naomiackerman.com/). It was a combination of improv and learning about the differences between Israelis and Americans. It was a really engaging activity. I think we really began to understand even more how we need to interact with the Israelis, and the cultural differences between Israelis and Americans.

            On Sunday, our final day, we spent the majority of our time organizing in our tzevetin organizing our schedules for community week. We then presented our ideas to both the JCs and Sami, and to the rest of the fellows. It got us really excited for community week and Israel in general. All the schedules sounded fantastic. It was amazing to see how well each group incorporated their day’s theme into their schedule. All in all it was a great shabbaton. 

North American Seminar Reflection

March 17, 2013

This weekend was the first weekend of NAS for the 2013 Dillerim in Cohort 6, Los Angeles/Tel Aviv. It was a weekend filled with interesting initial encounters and a very sweet ending. 

Many of the fellows from both Israel and the US contacted each other through social media, getting to know one another and building bonds by texting their buddies and other members.  However, no matter how much you text someone and stalk their facebook profiles (I mean…we’ve all done it), that pales in comparison to the feeling of seeing and hearing the Israelis for the first time.  Though it was initially awkward getting used to the way Israelis spoke English and interacted, a few classic icebreakers softened the mood.  It was really interesting to learn that in Israel, high school students eventually take specialized classes in careers they want to pursue, whereas in America, all students receive the same education until college.  What if you aren’t sure what you want to do with the rest of your life at 16?

Also, I found out that Americans and Israelis aren’t so different after all.  In fact, Tel Aviv’s culture is quite similar to that of Los Angeles.  Since both groups are coming from large metropolitan cities, we all contribute to Cohort 6’s eclectic and diverse vibe.  Everyone brings a unique characteristic to the table, whether it’s a passion in politics, sports, or fashion.  However, greater than all factors is that despite our differences in the way we were brought up, we are all ultimately united under our religion, and I think that was the most powerful discovery of all. 

We ended Shabbat on Saturday night with a party filled with dancing atop chairs or watching the Israelis show off their talented breakdancing skills.  But after spending the whole day together, each country split apart and had some time to reflect on what they really enjoyed/didn’t enjoy, reminding us that it’s not all just fun and games, but a learning experience, too. 

Sunday was the day when I feel all the dots were connected and people really started forming friendships with each other.  Through the ropes courses, everyone learned the importance of teamwork…and balance – especially when there are 40 teenagers sitting on each other’s laps in a giant circle.  We left JCA Shalom in Malibu and headed to Downtown LA, where we were a part of a really special ceremony for the first synagogue in Los Angeles, which was recently turned into a church and then turned back into a synagogue.  It was really interesting to see the diversity of Jews that attended this event, for each person came from a different background, but all were Jewish…it was really reflective of what we learned this weekend.  We concluded the day with a nice luncheon at a clubhouse near my house, where all the parents got to meet their kids’ buddies and all the other members of Diller. 

This was, hands down, one of the most exciting weekends of my life and I can’t wait to see what else Diller has in store!

-Michelle Banayan