Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Blood Libels
Well, that's depressing. We talked about blood libels in class today. Stories were told all over Europe that Jews killed innocent children and used their blood as a spread for their matzah during Passover. (This is utterly absurd, as Jews in no way want to eat blood on their unleavened bread.) Crowds used these stories as excuses/starters for pogroms of murder and rape. Notice the apparent "reblaming" of the Jews for killing an innocent Christ.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Good Quotation from Dave
"Ever heard of the movie 'The Ten Commandments?' The book is much better."
Thought you'd like that, Mum.
Thought you'd like that, Mum.
Utterly Wonderful Dinner
Yesterday morning, Ashley and I chopped tomatoes, feta cheese, and fresh garlic, and placed it in the fridge with some olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and oregano. We fried bread and had bruschetta for dinner. And...our "wonderful" ex-tenants left a ton of stuff in the cabinets along with their mess. For which I am now nearly prepared to forgive them, as they also left a bottle of Merlot. It was a very good night.
The Ethiopians
Ethiopia had a very large Jewish community. Their origins are debated. Several possibilities exist: Moses had a wife from Kush (Ethiopia). Isaiah 11:11 suggests a community in 740 BCE ("...the Lord will extend his hand...to recover the remnant that remains of his people...from Kush"). Perhaps they are descendants from the lost tribe of Dan. They may be descendants of Jews who fled Babylon after being released from captivity. King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba had a son who was the founder of the Ethiopian Solomonic dynasty. And we know that Judaism was common in Ethiopiaa before the Asum dynasty converted to Christianity in the fourth century.
From that conversion onward, the treatment of Jews in Ethiopia went downhill. Coptic Christians forbade Jews from ownling land starting in the seventh century. They were called "Falasha," strangers. Some were sold into slavery or massacred. Many Jews "converted" to ensure survival. In the fascist Italian occupation of 1936, synagogues and schools were closed and they suffered from famines and civil wars.
Israel was the Promised Land. It was foretold in the Jewish religion and they heard about the glories of the state. Several rescue operations and purposeful immigration have resulted in 80000 Ethiopian Jews in Israel. Upon arrival, many of them kissed the ground. They were warmly welcomed and given four times as much aid as Russian immigrants, generous housing subsidies, free language classes, health coverage, and scholarships for university.
But the Promised Land was not really flowing with milk and honey. Culture shock was extreme coming from an underdeveloped, rural area to one of the most tech-savvy countries on earth. Teenagers were often pulled from their families for boarding schools in a misguided attempt at assimilation (sound familiar?). They are still the poorest Jewish group in Israel with high dropout and unemployment rates.
Things are slowly getting better and the future holds hope. They are increasingly seen as a part of Israeli identity and are taking jobs as models, singers, and professors. Many Ethiopians work as security guards. Ethiopian food is becoming increasingly popular.
From that conversion onward, the treatment of Jews in Ethiopia went downhill. Coptic Christians forbade Jews from ownling land starting in the seventh century. They were called "Falasha," strangers. Some were sold into slavery or massacred. Many Jews "converted" to ensure survival. In the fascist Italian occupation of 1936, synagogues and schools were closed and they suffered from famines and civil wars.
Israel was the Promised Land. It was foretold in the Jewish religion and they heard about the glories of the state. Several rescue operations and purposeful immigration have resulted in 80000 Ethiopian Jews in Israel. Upon arrival, many of them kissed the ground. They were warmly welcomed and given four times as much aid as Russian immigrants, generous housing subsidies, free language classes, health coverage, and scholarships for university.
But the Promised Land was not really flowing with milk and honey. Culture shock was extreme coming from an underdeveloped, rural area to one of the most tech-savvy countries on earth. Teenagers were often pulled from their families for boarding schools in a misguided attempt at assimilation (sound familiar?). They are still the poorest Jewish group in Israel with high dropout and unemployment rates.
Things are slowly getting better and the future holds hope. They are increasingly seen as a part of Israeli identity and are taking jobs as models, singers, and professors. Many Ethiopians work as security guards. Ethiopian food is becoming increasingly popular.
The Rise of Zionism
Love for Israel and the longing for the Jewish homeland is (like discrimination against Jews) nothing new. But Zionism (like Antisemitism) itself is a modern term and a relatively new philosophy. Zionism is, in many ways, a nationalistic and secularist shift - a longing for Jerusalem and Israel on the principle of Jews as a nation rather than Jews as a religion.
At its beginning (and even today), the Zionist movement received opposition from religious Jews. In the Jewish religion, a covenant between God and the Jewish people promises that a commitment to God's laws will result in prosperity for the Jewish people. Exiles from the land of Israel, then, are seen as divine punishments. In ancient days, the Babylonians were acting as God's arm. Religious Jews living in Europe believed that a passive recommitment to the commandments of the Torah would eventually result in the coming of the Messiah and a return to their homeland. Zionism, then, was seen as an inappropriately proactive stance that ignored God's will and subverted God's plan. The self-reliance and strength of humanity that were great values of the Enlightenment were, for religiously devout Jews, blasphemous. Jews had no right to try and make their own way back to the land of Israel.
But secular and some religious Jews saw a crisis facing Judaism. Three critical factors led to the emergence of the movement: the rise of Antisemitism (discussed in the post below), a historic love of Zion (where the Jewish nation first lived and where many religious holy sites are), and the development of other national movements. Empires were breaking up and countries being formed as nation-states. A nation was defined as a "common group" of people who shared land, language, history, and culture. The purpose of the state is to protect and help the people sharing these four factors flourish - to protect the national life. Zionism, as a movement, sought to take the nation of Jews to their historic homeland in order to have a state where they could escape the dangers of Antisemitism and live as a majority in their own nation-state.
At its beginning (and even today), the Zionist movement received opposition from religious Jews. In the Jewish religion, a covenant between God and the Jewish people promises that a commitment to God's laws will result in prosperity for the Jewish people. Exiles from the land of Israel, then, are seen as divine punishments. In ancient days, the Babylonians were acting as God's arm. Religious Jews living in Europe believed that a passive recommitment to the commandments of the Torah would eventually result in the coming of the Messiah and a return to their homeland. Zionism, then, was seen as an inappropriately proactive stance that ignored God's will and subverted God's plan. The self-reliance and strength of humanity that were great values of the Enlightenment were, for religiously devout Jews, blasphemous. Jews had no right to try and make their own way back to the land of Israel.
But secular and some religious Jews saw a crisis facing Judaism. Three critical factors led to the emergence of the movement: the rise of Antisemitism (discussed in the post below), a historic love of Zion (where the Jewish nation first lived and where many religious holy sites are), and the development of other national movements. Empires were breaking up and countries being formed as nation-states. A nation was defined as a "common group" of people who shared land, language, history, and culture. The purpose of the state is to protect and help the people sharing these four factors flourish - to protect the national life. Zionism, as a movement, sought to take the nation of Jews to their historic homeland in order to have a state where they could escape the dangers of Antisemitism and live as a majority in their own nation-state.
The Emergence of Anti-Semitism
Discrimination against and hatred for Jews has been going on for ages. Anti-Semitism, though, is a fairly recent phenomenon. The word was first used in 1879 by a German anti-Semite. But with the rise of nationalism in Europe also came a more systematized racism. Nations were grouped by ethnicity. Anti-Semitism is not simply hatred of the Jews as a religious group, but a biologized, racialized, and secularized discrimination that stated that Jewish blood was inferior to pure European blood. Jews were seen, not as a religious group, but as an ethnic one.
Romanticism of the past suggested that European countries should go back to a time when Jews did not have citizenship rights (received in the 18th century as they scattered through all of Europe and began cultural assimiliation).
In a Marxist analysis, anti-Semitism becomes a class issue. As a capitalist, a great way for the bourgeoisie to deflect hatred from the oppressed proletariat is to point at a specific group (here, the Jews) as a scapegoat.
Romanticism of the past suggested that European countries should go back to a time when Jews did not have citizenship rights (received in the 18th century as they scattered through all of Europe and began cultural assimiliation).
In a Marxist analysis, anti-Semitism becomes a class issue. As a capitalist, a great way for the bourgeoisie to deflect hatred from the oppressed proletariat is to point at a specific group (here, the Jews) as a scapegoat.
"The Forgotten Refugees"
We saw a documentary about Mizrahi refugees in Yael’s class today. Mizrahim means “Easterners” in Hebrew and refers to Jews from the Middle East – Arab Jews. Prior to the creation of Israel, Mizrahi Jews lived in Iraq (where they first came to existence during Babylonian conquering of Jerusalem), Libya, Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria…
Under Muslim rule, Jews and Christians (the “Peoples of the Book”) were “dhimmi,” protected people. They had to pay certain taxes and were decidedly not equal to Muslims, but they were allowed mostly normal lives and protected by law. With the rise of Arab nationalism (which closely followed European nationalism and was, in many ways, exacerbated by the history of European colonialism in the region), though, Jews began to be treated worse and worse. A strong Nazi influence led to increasing pogroms, small-scale massacres, and pushing Jews out of the country. Hundreds of thousands of Jews fled Arabic countries to Israel. They were in camps in Israel for many years.
Today, Mizrahim make up about half of the Israeli population. Especially at the country’s beginnings, they struggled for equality and good treatment within the state. Because so many European Jews arrived in the region prior to the creation of the state, this is partially because the Ashkenazim already had infrastructure and had set up the basics. The Mizrahim had to work to get into the pre-existing solution. In some cases, Mizrahi Jews face racism and discrimination from Ashkenazi Jews. Because of this, and the history of mistreatment by Arab countries, many Mizrahi vote right. In many ways, the “socialist” party that was formed by the Ashkenazi did not give enough attention to Mizrahim. When a more rightist party paid more attention to them and spoke against the Arabs, many Mizrahim feel they have found a sympathetic ear.
In today’s secular Israel, society (schools, marriage, etc.) is incredibly integrated. There has been a great deal of progress, making Israel one of the most diverse (and, in some areas at least, arguably the most racially equal) places on earth. But there are still many issues, particularly in Orthodox and ultra-Orthodox Ashkenazi communities.
Under Muslim rule, Jews and Christians (the “Peoples of the Book”) were “dhimmi,” protected people. They had to pay certain taxes and were decidedly not equal to Muslims, but they were allowed mostly normal lives and protected by law. With the rise of Arab nationalism (which closely followed European nationalism and was, in many ways, exacerbated by the history of European colonialism in the region), though, Jews began to be treated worse and worse. A strong Nazi influence led to increasing pogroms, small-scale massacres, and pushing Jews out of the country. Hundreds of thousands of Jews fled Arabic countries to Israel. They were in camps in Israel for many years.
Today, Mizrahim make up about half of the Israeli population. Especially at the country’s beginnings, they struggled for equality and good treatment within the state. Because so many European Jews arrived in the region prior to the creation of the state, this is partially because the Ashkenazim already had infrastructure and had set up the basics. The Mizrahim had to work to get into the pre-existing solution. In some cases, Mizrahi Jews face racism and discrimination from Ashkenazi Jews. Because of this, and the history of mistreatment by Arab countries, many Mizrahi vote right. In many ways, the “socialist” party that was formed by the Ashkenazi did not give enough attention to Mizrahim. When a more rightist party paid more attention to them and spoke against the Arabs, many Mizrahim feel they have found a sympathetic ear.
In today’s secular Israel, society (schools, marriage, etc.) is incredibly integrated. There has been a great deal of progress, making Israel one of the most diverse (and, in some areas at least, arguably the most racially equal) places on earth. But there are still many issues, particularly in Orthodox and ultra-Orthodox Ashkenazi communities.
Class Notes
A disclaimer: Blog posts labeled as "Class Notes" are summaries of what I'm learning in class. They may be long and filled with historical facts you may or may not know/agree with. Know that I'm essentially relaying information as its organized for me in class. That being said - PLEASE feel free to comment with other viewpoints or additional information.
The Jewish Holy Trinity
So we're chatting about where to start a book about Zionism. The word itself first cropped up in 1891. But an argument can be made that it goes back to Abraham and a Holy Trinity for Jews: Covenant that includes God, the Jewish people, and the land of Israel. If they keep God's commandments, all will be well and they will multiply in the land. If they screw up, life will be miserable. The Covenant of Judaism has a deep relationship with the land of Israel itself, making it as a religion very different than Christianity.
This means that Exile is seen as punishment.
This means that Exile is seen as punishment.
Monday, June 28, 2010
Three Contextual Questions
We are starting our class on the Emergence of the Jewish State with these three critical contextual questions:
Three main questions:
1. What are the historical contexts of Zionism? When, where, why?
2. How did Zionism realize its goal of creating a Jewish state in Palestine?
3. Zionism wasn’t interested only in a Jewish national home (that’s the politics), but also very interested in trying to change Jews. What was this concern with Judaism, Jews, Jewish people, and what led to the sense of needing to change the Jews?
Three main questions:
1. What are the historical contexts of Zionism? When, where, why?
2. How did Zionism realize its goal of creating a Jewish state in Palestine?
3. Zionism wasn’t interested only in a Jewish national home (that’s the politics), but also very interested in trying to change Jews. What was this concern with Judaism, Jews, Jewish people, and what led to the sense of needing to change the Jews?
Dave's Kids
We got into a discussion about Israeli names today. Dave’s eldest’s means “small wave.” His daughter is Yael (what they call mountain goats/ibex in Hebrew, but also a Biblical character who put someone to sleep with hot milk and then stuck a pin through his skull). And his youngest is Itay (David’s general who sent Bathsheba’s husband to the front lines). He was talking about how crazy it was that they named the children these names, but they just liked the names. I asked why on earth his wife had allowed her husband named David to name his son Itay.
Fieldtrips!
On the agenda for Dave's class:
Trip to Tel Aviv (including Independence Hall, Rabin Square, and the beach)
Trip to Memorial Mountain (Military Cemetery)
Up north (Golan Heights, where I was with Eric's group)
On the agenda for Yael's class:
Tour of the Old City
Trip to the Golan Heights (again)
Trip to the Dead Sea/En Gedi
Trip to Tel Aviv (including Independence Hall, Rabin Square, and the beach)
Trip to Memorial Mountain (Military Cemetery)
Up north (Golan Heights, where I was with Eric's group)
On the agenda for Yael's class:
Tour of the Old City
Trip to the Golan Heights (again)
Trip to the Dead Sea/En Gedi
David Mendelsson
He goes by Dave. He speaks as a Brit. He started the morning declaring that the back three rows do not exist. I'm kind of in love with him. This is going to be a very good semester.
The Ashkenazim
I had my first class meeting with Yael's "Israeli Politics and Society" course. We spoke about the Ashkenazim - Jews primarily from Eastern Europe, though it can apply to Jews from North America and Russia. The term literally means "German Jews."
In pre-state Israel, the majority of Jews who came to the region came from Russia, Poland, Hungary, and Germany. There were some Mizrahim (Jews from the Middle East, Spain, and Africa) living in the region prior to this who essentially never left (i.e., were left behind during Jewish exile).
So why did the Ashkenazi Jews want to come? Part of it was religious, certainly. Religious Jews longed to go back to the original homeland from which they were exiled. Orthodox Jews prayed three times a day facing Jerusalem. Many of the Jewish religious holidays focus on returning to the land.
But religious ideologies were not the only reason for desiring a Jewish state. The late nineteenth century saw the rise of nationalism. Empires were breaking up and nation-states being formed. Many Jews see "Jewish" as a nationality rather than or in addition to a religion. The age of nationalism gave Jews a mechanism through which to argue for their own state.
In this era of nationalism, many Jews were treated as a nation, not a religion. The rise of citizenship and emancipation gave Jews hope that they would finally be treated equally. But the Jews, even those that were officially citizens, were often seen as truly belonging to a different nation.
A third worry arose that fueled Zionist ideology - assimilation into European nations and secularism meant that the Jewish Diaspora was no longer held together by Orthodox religious practices. What was to hold the Jewish community together?
Modern Zionism predated the Holocaust, as did purposeful and ideologic immigration to the region. Pogroms (persecution involving store-burning, riots, murders) occurred in Poland, Russia, Hungary, and Germany before 1948. Jews fleeing from these regions to Israel were often sent back by the British Palestinian Mandate.
When they were allowed to come, they entered a region that was under Ottoman rule. Syrian, Lebanese, and Palestinian landlords owned land on which serfs worked and farmed. Ashkenazi Jews would purchase land from the landlords. With the socialist ideology prevalent in much of the early Israeli settlers, the Ashkenazim wanted to work the land themselves. It stemmed from an ideology of egalitarianism and justice, but turned out rather badly for the fellahin (poor farmers).
In the forties and fifties, Jewish arrivals to Israel adopted an ethos of new identity. They pushed an "Israeli identity" as opposed to the previous Diaspora identities. The Diaspora and Diaspora Jews were weak; therefore, Israel and Israeli Jews would be strong. People took on new names, learned a new language, took on new occupations.
Because the Ashkenazi Jews were the first to arrive and organized right away (before the state was officially formed, the community developed healthcare, a military, political parties), they had a strong political influence in the early days of the state. In many ways, this seems to exacerbate issues of racism or discrimination against Mizrahim and other, non-Ashkenazi communities.
The 1980s till today has seen nearly a million immigrants from the former Soviet Union. These Ashkenazi Jews generally do not take on a new identity, name, occupation, or language. Because the community is so large (especially the Russian immigrants), they are able to retain identities. Ideologically, many Jews feel that, as the country matures, they can hold onto their culture and still be Israeli. This has resulted in an interesting shift to multiculturalism and contributes to the secular nature of the society.
But the communities that were once the elite at the state's beginning now often face discrimination. Many of them could not find employment in their fields because there was not enough demand. Thick Russian accents and other indicators of "new arrival" status often result in poor treatment by Israelis who feel that the new arrivals from Russia are "less Israeli." For some Russian Israelis, this results in feelings of solidarity with Palestinian Israelis and other minority communities. But the majority of Ashkenazim tend to vote on the right, politically. This is partially because Israel - especially compared to Russia - is such a tiny country that Jews from Russia feel that Israel cannot afford to give up any of its land.
In pre-state Israel, the majority of Jews who came to the region came from Russia, Poland, Hungary, and Germany. There were some Mizrahim (Jews from the Middle East, Spain, and Africa) living in the region prior to this who essentially never left (i.e., were left behind during Jewish exile).
So why did the Ashkenazi Jews want to come? Part of it was religious, certainly. Religious Jews longed to go back to the original homeland from which they were exiled. Orthodox Jews prayed three times a day facing Jerusalem. Many of the Jewish religious holidays focus on returning to the land.
But religious ideologies were not the only reason for desiring a Jewish state. The late nineteenth century saw the rise of nationalism. Empires were breaking up and nation-states being formed. Many Jews see "Jewish" as a nationality rather than or in addition to a religion. The age of nationalism gave Jews a mechanism through which to argue for their own state.
In this era of nationalism, many Jews were treated as a nation, not a religion. The rise of citizenship and emancipation gave Jews hope that they would finally be treated equally. But the Jews, even those that were officially citizens, were often seen as truly belonging to a different nation.
A third worry arose that fueled Zionist ideology - assimilation into European nations and secularism meant that the Jewish Diaspora was no longer held together by Orthodox religious practices. What was to hold the Jewish community together?
Modern Zionism predated the Holocaust, as did purposeful and ideologic immigration to the region. Pogroms (persecution involving store-burning, riots, murders) occurred in Poland, Russia, Hungary, and Germany before 1948. Jews fleeing from these regions to Israel were often sent back by the British Palestinian Mandate.
When they were allowed to come, they entered a region that was under Ottoman rule. Syrian, Lebanese, and Palestinian landlords owned land on which serfs worked and farmed. Ashkenazi Jews would purchase land from the landlords. With the socialist ideology prevalent in much of the early Israeli settlers, the Ashkenazim wanted to work the land themselves. It stemmed from an ideology of egalitarianism and justice, but turned out rather badly for the fellahin (poor farmers).
In the forties and fifties, Jewish arrivals to Israel adopted an ethos of new identity. They pushed an "Israeli identity" as opposed to the previous Diaspora identities. The Diaspora and Diaspora Jews were weak; therefore, Israel and Israeli Jews would be strong. People took on new names, learned a new language, took on new occupations.
Because the Ashkenazi Jews were the first to arrive and organized right away (before the state was officially formed, the community developed healthcare, a military, political parties), they had a strong political influence in the early days of the state. In many ways, this seems to exacerbate issues of racism or discrimination against Mizrahim and other, non-Ashkenazi communities.
The 1980s till today has seen nearly a million immigrants from the former Soviet Union. These Ashkenazi Jews generally do not take on a new identity, name, occupation, or language. Because the community is so large (especially the Russian immigrants), they are able to retain identities. Ideologically, many Jews feel that, as the country matures, they can hold onto their culture and still be Israeli. This has resulted in an interesting shift to multiculturalism and contributes to the secular nature of the society.
But the communities that were once the elite at the state's beginning now often face discrimination. Many of them could not find employment in their fields because there was not enough demand. Thick Russian accents and other indicators of "new arrival" status often result in poor treatment by Israelis who feel that the new arrivals from Russia are "less Israeli." For some Russian Israelis, this results in feelings of solidarity with Palestinian Israelis and other minority communities. But the majority of Ashkenazim tend to vote on the right, politically. This is partially because Israel - especially compared to Russia - is such a tiny country that Jews from Russia feel that Israel cannot afford to give up any of its land.
Issues in Development
The “paper” is done. Several sections have been added recently, so go check out the page. Several of the lectures and topics we discussed during Eric’s program didn’t receive their own blog entry but do have a section in the paper.
Internet
So, we have steady internet in the university buildings. Our dorms do not have it unless we pay. We are currently having fun negotiating with whether or not the 120 shekel price for the summer is wireless or Ethernet. If it is wireless, we can all split that cost with no problem and have internet in our rooms. But we think the guys are trying to make everyone pay separately…and that’s not going to fly. So down I head to haggle with Israelis.
Well, argh. The relatively cheap price is just for one person, wired. That’s obnoxious. We are hoping that we can set one up in the living room and use all our laptops on it. But we’re not sure. I am currently typing these all up on a Word document. I’ll leave early for class and post them all in the university building.
Well, argh. The relatively cheap price is just for one person, wired. That’s obnoxious. We are hoping that we can set one up in the living room and use all our laptops on it. But we’re not sure. I am currently typing these all up on a Word document. I’ll leave early for class and post them all in the university building.
Move-In Time!
Sunday was…insane. But wonderfully so. Yael went with the three of us who did Eric’s program and are also doing hers to Hebrew University (HU) in a taxi. We got up to registration. Shaun had a nightmare getting things taken care of…yay for bureaucracy. Other folks from MSU were coming in, so Yael was hanging around getting us all taken care of. And then we realized that the office had not placed us all in the same suites. The “dorms” here are all apartments with five to a suite. The folks from MSU are supposed to all be in the same place. We weren’t at all. So Yael had a bit of a nightmare figuring that out and trying to move us. We didn’t get exactly what we wanted, but I’m rooming with someone I had in a previous Madison class (Ashley), Lauren (who was with me on Eric’s trip), and a very sweet girl we met during registration (Megan). Our fifth roommate is from Russia and doesn’t speak fluent English or Hebrew. But she knows enough of Hebrew for us to communicate the basics. She hasn’t been around all that much.
The apartment is amazing. My room overlooks the Old City – I see the Dome of the Rock (the golden dome in the picture at the top of the blog) from my window. We have a kitchen with a stovetop (though no microwave or oven) and a full-size fridge and freezer. The rooms are large.
The previous tenants left a mess, unfortunately. But it provided a wonderful opportunity for roommate bonding. We scrubbed the floors and the shower, Lauren and Megan went shopping. Once everything was scrubbed to within an inch of its life, we heated up the leftovers from the Lebanese on Saturday night, cut up some fruit, and had quite the feast. It was a ton of fun.
The apartment is amazing. My room overlooks the Old City – I see the Dome of the Rock (the golden dome in the picture at the top of the blog) from my window. We have a kitchen with a stovetop (though no microwave or oven) and a full-size fridge and freezer. The rooms are large.
The previous tenants left a mess, unfortunately. But it provided a wonderful opportunity for roommate bonding. We scrubbed the floors and the shower, Lauren and Megan went shopping. Once everything was scrubbed to within an inch of its life, we heated up the leftovers from the Lebanese on Saturday night, cut up some fruit, and had quite the feast. It was a ton of fun.
Dinner in Abu Gosh
Saturday night we had our last dinner as a class in an Arab village near Jerusalem. They gave us a group rate and brought out absurd amounts of pita, hummus, chicken kabobs, rice and beans, salad…it was fantastic. And a perfect ending: mint tea (with real mint leaves) and Turkish coffee (though it was presweetened). Life was good.
Hula Agamon
(Friday, June 25)
Once upon a time, a valley in the Golan Heights (northern Israel) was a huge swampland. But in the early days of the state, agriculture was the goal. So the swamp was drained and the valley turned into farmland. Decades later, people realized that the swamp might have served some important purposes. It was the resting place for millions of birds migrating (Israel is the land connection between three continents, surrounded mostly by seas and deserts). The wetland plants cleaned water flowing from the Jordan River before it reached the Sea of Galilee. Realizing this, many Israelis sought the reconstruction of the swamp. So an area was created and reflooded. The Hula Agamon Park now serves as a site for ecotourism. A banding station bands birds for tracking. Our group got to speak with the banders, and Eric and Persephone both got to release a bird after it was banded and recorded. We visited several observatories and saw lots of pretty birds and cute mammals. A botanical garden is seeking to reintroduce plants native to the swampland that are now nearly extinct in Israel. We did some weeding (to make the desired plants grow more easily) and planted some stuff in the garden (including some plants that needed to be placed in the water itself, so some folks went wading through muck). The guides seemed very happy we were there, and it was fun to get our hands dirty doing something other than hiking.
Once upon a time, a valley in the Golan Heights (northern Israel) was a huge swampland. But in the early days of the state, agriculture was the goal. So the swamp was drained and the valley turned into farmland. Decades later, people realized that the swamp might have served some important purposes. It was the resting place for millions of birds migrating (Israel is the land connection between three continents, surrounded mostly by seas and deserts). The wetland plants cleaned water flowing from the Jordan River before it reached the Sea of Galilee. Realizing this, many Israelis sought the reconstruction of the swamp. So an area was created and reflooded. The Hula Agamon Park now serves as a site for ecotourism. A banding station bands birds for tracking. Our group got to speak with the banders, and Eric and Persephone both got to release a bird after it was banded and recorded. We visited several observatories and saw lots of pretty birds and cute mammals. A botanical garden is seeking to reintroduce plants native to the swampland that are now nearly extinct in Israel. We did some weeding (to make the desired plants grow more easily) and planted some stuff in the garden (including some plants that needed to be placed in the water itself, so some folks went wading through muck). The guides seemed very happy we were there, and it was fun to get our hands dirty doing something other than hiking.
Schnitzel
(Written Thursday, June 24)
I had my first chicken schnitzel tonight at dinner – ‘twas delicious! Yesterday (Wednesday) I learned how to order a falafel sandwich with nothing but pita, falafel, and tomatoes in Hebrew. I’m going to need constant review, but I’m getting there!
I had my first chicken schnitzel tonight at dinner – ‘twas delicious! Yesterday (Wednesday) I learned how to order a falafel sandwich with nothing but pita, falafel, and tomatoes in Hebrew. I’m going to need constant review, but I’m getting there!
Forestry and Fires
Thursday we visited a forest run by the Jewish National Fund (a campaign started in the early days to buy land) and the KKL (started in pre-state Israel to plant trees). Forestry scientists there are researching and managing the forests – the best trees to plant, how to care for the land. Particular questions arise during forest fires. Israel has virtually no natural wildfires. All the fires are of human origin, primarily through army training mishaps and recreational/agricultural accidents. What, then, should the managers do in cases of fire? Allow the fire to run or suppress? (Little debate is here…most agree that suppression is the best method, at least in Israel.) In the damaged areas, should the burnt trees and brush be left to recover, or should the terrain be replanted? Issues of erosion and runoff enter the equation, here.
After an introduction to the project, we collected data on soil hydrophobia. Fire often causes soil to transform such that it will not soak up water. Places that have high aversion to water are extremely hydrophobic – a drop of water can sit on top of the soil without filtering through. It was interesting work, and fun to hypothesize about what different factors would increase or decrease hydrophobia.
After a break for falafel, we had a lecture on Israeli trees and forests – what kind of work the forest managers do, the history of trees and forests in Israel (they think the hills were forested before being cut down for charcoal and steam engine fuel), and what kind of trees are native, invasive, and planted in the region.
After an introduction to the project, we collected data on soil hydrophobia. Fire often causes soil to transform such that it will not soak up water. Places that have high aversion to water are extremely hydrophobic – a drop of water can sit on top of the soil without filtering through. It was interesting work, and fun to hypothesize about what different factors would increase or decrease hydrophobia.
After a break for falafel, we had a lecture on Israeli trees and forests – what kind of work the forest managers do, the history of trees and forests in Israel (they think the hills were forested before being cut down for charcoal and steam engine fuel), and what kind of trees are native, invasive, and planted in the region.
Tel Chai Environmental College
Wednesday (June 23) we spent most of the day with Palestinian Israelis. A professor shared with us different challenges and projects near Palestinian villages in the Golan Heights and Upper Galilee. We saw a valley that is wonderful land, but has been made dryer by climate change. The land has become so cut up during multiple generations of inheritances that people now own only a small plot. The professor is trying to get everyone to patch the land back up and do something productive with it; sadly, political and social tensions make the project seem unlikely to be carried out.
On a more optimistic note, they have developed a really cool building that won an award from the UN for being so environmentally-friendly. The building is an environmental teaching site for students. Field trips come regularly to learn about composting, recycling, and environmentally-smart construction. Older students have independent projects at the school.
A large courtyard circulates air beautifully – and, because it doesn’t have a roof, doesn’t count as part of the building square footage and isn’t taxed. Classroom windows and roofs are placed appropriately to avoid heating and receive cooling. Large desert coolers (fans that use water and insulation) do a wonderful job of air conditioning without much cost. Solar panels help provide energy. A nearby water treatment plant uses a variety of techniques to recycle water.
On a more optimistic note, they have developed a really cool building that won an award from the UN for being so environmentally-friendly. The building is an environmental teaching site for students. Field trips come regularly to learn about composting, recycling, and environmentally-smart construction. Older students have independent projects at the school.
A large courtyard circulates air beautifully – and, because it doesn’t have a roof, doesn’t count as part of the building square footage and isn’t taxed. Classroom windows and roofs are placed appropriately to avoid heating and receive cooling. Large desert coolers (fans that use water and insulation) do a wonderful job of air conditioning without much cost. Solar panels help provide energy. A nearby water treatment plant uses a variety of techniques to recycle water.
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