Study Abroad

Today, we heard two stories, one, a significant individual from Israel's past, the other a prominent Orthodox Rabbi very much involved in the current spiritual life in Israel. Rabbi Ian Pear Our morning began with a conversation with Rabbi Ian Pear. From his recent book, Accidental Rabbi, Pear is described as a:

Rabbi, lawyer, and social activist living in Jerusalem.  He is the founder of Shir Hadash, a popular Jerusalem based synagogue, Educational Institute and Community Center, as well as an expert  and activist in Israeli and Jewish environmental law.

In his book, Pear describes the capacity Israel has to be a more transformative force in the world today - an "essential role" - by being true to its historical spiritual and philosophical traditions founded on the Torah.  His book deals with the wisdom and contemporary relevance of the Torah and how that wisdom can - and should! - inform modern Israeli life and through Israel bring "positive change for the word at large." We met at Shir Hadash, the synagogue, where Rabbi Pear serves: Our conversations centered how the State of Israel, as a state, is essential in this transforming In our wide-ranging conversation, Rabbi Pear:

• Described how a proper understanding of the Torah can inform solutions to problems faced by all societies, not just Israel.
• Described how modern day Israelis look at the nature of the State of Israel
• Described how Jews in the state of Israel look at the occupied territories.
• Proposed a "solution" to the "problem" of the occupied territories.

The Rabbi started by describing how the Torah, properly understood, can assist in developing a more humane, compassionate, and just society.  He referenced the how the Torah dealt with the issue of slavery, as just one example.  He noted that, according to the Torah, slavery was an "abomination" but sometimes a social reality (necessity?), and if an Israelite were to ever "own" a slave, the arrangement was to be short-lived.  In addition, the slave was to be so well-treated (fed, clothed, paid) that, in effect, the slave was to become the "master."  Rabbi Pear used this as just one example of the Torah's commitment the poor, to what we now call social justice and just one instance on how rabbinic law, based on the Torah, could inform a more just society. The State of Israel plays a critical role in God's command for Jew to become a "light to the nations," for it is in the application of Torah to the challenges of modern life that the world can see its wisdom and relevance.  This outworking of rabbinic law, requires a "test tube" where these principles can be demonstrated and justified.  It is imperative, then, that Jews have a state that allows the integrity of Judaism to be maintained and this social experiment continued. According to Rabbi Pear, the problem of the Occupation is one that many Israeli-Jews wish would simply "go away," and that if an exchange could be made, another "land for peace" swap, most Israeli-Jews would take it "in an instant."  What prohibits this, according to the rabbi, is that there is no way to ensure the security of Israel in an independent, Palestinian-governed West Bank, Palestinian authorities again-and-again demonstrating their unwillingness to acknowledge a sovereign state of Israel. A proposal for peace:  A single state with guaranteed that the state be an "Israeli state." For the reasons listed above, Jewish people need a state in which to continue their theological, even existential, mission to be a light to the nations.  This mission is tied to the land in a way in which it is not so for Palestinians. This all-too-brief summary of this remarkable rabbis remarks serve as representation of the common (majority?) opinion of the orthodox Israeli.  In short:

• Jewish-Israel needs the land in a way that Arab-Israelis do not.
• The abuses of human rights in the Occupied Territories is reprehensible, but over-reported.
• The two-state solution is impossible (for security reasons) and the best hope for peace would be a single state with guaranteed Jewish-Israeli rights.  A complicated business to-be-sure, but a possibility worth considering, in his opinion.

Thoughts/impressions As our group processed our time with the rabbi, we expressed an appreciation for the experienced and could not help but be impressed with his thoughtfulness, knowledge of the rabbinic traditions, and sensitivity to the current issues confronting life in Israel today.  He exhibited what appeared to be a genuine commitment to peace, justice, and reconciliation.  He expertly summarized Orthodox, Conservative, and Reformed Jewish thinking and how each groups views the current political and social issues in the country. As the rabbi talked, we were well aware that we were receiving a perspective, a decidedly Orthodox Jewish perspective situated in the current state of Israel.  Those in our group who had visited the West Bank, and have viewed the conflict from the perspective of the occupied, thought the rabbi "understated" level of Israeli oppression and that his explanations of the violations - that they were overstated, and often the result of over-zealous, 19-year old IDF soldiers - was not compelling. His proposed modified one-state solution (a single state with a guarantee of Israeli-right protection) was intriguing.  His solution, much like That said, the rabbi was a most engaging, knowledgeable speaker.  We left thinking it would be a most intriguing idea to have the rabbi debate a representative from B'Tselem, our host from yesterday. The Rebel: Menachem Begin We next visited the Menachem Begin Heritage Center.  Israel does not have a presidential library history, as we do in the United States, and not every former Israeli prime minister has a dedicated to his or her accomplishments.  Menachem Begin's place in modern Israeli life almost required this kind of memorial.  Most certainly, this representation of his life advanced an hagiographical account of his life - highlighting his military and political accomplishments and understating his failures (misdeeds, crimes??) in each area.  As is often said:  One person's terrorist is another's freedom fighter, which can most certainly be said of the former primer minister. I wont go into the details of Menachem Begin's life - that is easy enough to do with a simple read of the Wikipedia entry.  Suffice it to say, his inclusion at this stage of our trip added to the story of Israel from the Israel perspective.  It is a story that is both owned by many in the country who are members of the dominate political and ethnic group, and the lens through which they see modern life.  It is also a story at odds with others in the land who do not enjoy their advantages. We are beginning to gain a better understanding of the competing narratives in Israel-Palestine.  Our time has been, at once, enlightening, disturbing, enriching, infuriating, and inspiring. Much more to see - much more to learn!!

[Note:  As mentioned in my original post, there are more than two-sides to the story and in the “Arab/Israeli conflict, the original story sub-divides into ever-so-many fragments, even within individuals.  We begin, now, to hear from some of those stories – in this instance, we hear from an Israeli, pro-Palestinian research/advocacy group. My apologies in advance – these summaries will be far too brief, so much more that could be written.  For these entries, I’ll need to be brief, just covering the basics, will write more reflectively later.]

Chances are you have never heard of B’Tselem; equally likely, though, is that you probably have heard from those who know of this pro-Palestinian, Israel advocacy group.  B’Tselem is:

The Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories was established in February 1989 by a group of prominent academics, attorneys, journalists, and Knesset members. It endeavors to document and educate the Israeli public and policymakers about human rights violations in the Occupied Territories, combat the phenomenon of denial prevalent among the Israeli public, and help create a human rights culture in Israel (from their website).

On Thursday, we met with two researchers (Adam and Amit) from B’Tselem, who are among 40 individuals who, as their website announces, purpose to raise awareness of Israeli human right violations in the occupied territories.  They work with many in various political (e.g. the BDS movement), academic, and artistic circles, providing them with documentation of these violations.  Their work, however, is not without criticism, as noted below. We had a difficult time locating the meeting room, as there was no obvious sign of the organization’s headquarters from the street, and, given the controversial nature of their work, we later understood why! For many in the West, being pro-Israeli is the political default position among most – but most assuredly not all – political and religious groups.  I have known many individuals knowledge and experience of the conditions in the “occupied territories” (not a phrase many Israelis would use), and would often be harshly critical of Israeli’s treatment of the Palestinians.  B’Tselem mission is to bring the Israeli abuses of Palestinian rights to light The session was be too long to relate in its entirely, but here is the highlights of our time together – and the basics of the issues in the West Bank/Occupied Territories:

• A description of the various communities in the West Bank (“occupied territories” for Palestinians; “Judea/Samaria” for many Israelis).  In accordance with the Oslo Peace Agreement, the region was carved into three distinct regions:
  • Area A (full civil and security control by the Palestinian Authority.
  • Area B (Palestinian civil control and joint Israeli-Palestinian security control): 
  • Area C (full Israeli civil and security control): initially
• Under the Oslo II Peace Accord:
  • The Interim Agreement on the West Bank and the Gaza Strip commonly known as Oslo II or Oslo 2, was a key and complex agreement in the Israeli–Palestinian peace process. . . . The Oslo Accords envisioned the establishment of a Palestinian interim self-government in the Palestinian territories but fell short of the promise of an independent Palestinian state. Oslo II created the Areas A, B and C in the West Bank. The Palestinian Authority was given some limited powers and responsibilities in the Areas A and B and a prospect of negotiations on a final settlement based on Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338. The Accord was officially signed on 28 September 1995 (from wikipedia).
• According to B’Tselem, the Israeli government has never lived up to either the intent or the expressed demands of Oslo II, but rather, began and continues a campaign of abuse that has as its goal, the subjugation and ultimate removal (or at least diminishing) of the Palestinian population and ultimate Israeli domination/control.
• Abuses include:
  • Unlawful killings
  • Detention
  • Manipulation of natural resources (mostly water) to the disadvantage of the Palestinians
  • Restrictions on movement, especially the erection of the so called “barrier wall”
  • False imprisonment
  • Demolishing of homes
  • And so on . . .
• The work of B’Tselem is to investigate and provide documentation these events, collect and distribute videos, issue reports, and work with advocacy groups to advance social and political change.
• Part of their strategy is to distribute video cameras throughout the West Bank so that human right abuses could be documents – a picture being worth ever-so-much more than a thousand words!!

• The abuses listed above are a part of a concerted effort by the government, military, and legal communities to both subjugate  and, ultimately encourage

B’Tselem acknowledges that they are not without their Israeli supporters (see here, here) and distractors (see here, here), In summary:  As mentioned in at the onset, our trip is focus on hearing from multitude and perspectives, and B’Tselem is one of them. With only a brief time to describe our interaction it would be difficult to relate the effect of the presentation on our group.  The videos presented (especially the video of the recent shooting of an already-wounded Palestinian was quite disturbing.  See account here) were shocking, to say the least.  Our hosts were knowledgeable, apparently fair-minded, and were committed to their work despite criticism (both from public figures and even, in some instances their own families and friends). I left quite sobered and disturbed by what I saw.  Perhaps I should have known more about what i was about to see than I did – but I didn’t.  The images I saw will be difficult, if not impossible, to expunge from my mind.  Perhaps that’s the point – they shouldn’t be. Why do members of B’Tselem do work, we wondered as we debriefed later?  Why run the risk of being labeled traitors, “betrayers” their country?  What seemed obvious from our time with Adam and Amit is that they believed deeply in Justice and believed that their work is necessary if the country would ever find Peace!!! As we talked about the day’s event over at dinner, Bret told us that there was “another side to this story,” which will will hear today – hard to imagine what anyone could say after what we just saw!

We’ve been traveling for about 24 hours when we entered the cab for a ride to the hostel. Our cab driver, greeted us with a few quite-polite english phrases, enquired of our destination, and off we went!!

On Tuesday, May 16th, a team of three faculty and several FPU students will travel to Israel/Palestine. This is not a typical “Holy Land Tour,” where the purpose is to visit religious/historical sites. This trip is designed to become better acquainted with individuals and groups involved in the various PEACE MOVEMENTS. I’ll write at the end of each day a reflection of that day’s events

Written By: Cierra Guerra I feel my spirit in the leaves I'm falling falling in the breeze I let you lead me and let you guide me where you want me to go. Where I'll end up only you know. I had started to think that I belonged on the tree. But know I let you guide me, I flow in you and I'm free. You dip me in the river and I begin to flow. And I sink down down way down low. I was starting to think I belonged on the tree. That I belonged in the breeze. But now I feel you, Water, all around me. I'm wet, I'm soaked in your embrace. Then slowly slowly, you let me slip away. It's cold, it's dark, and I'm afraid. But I trust you, still, I trust you anyways. You guide me back to the shore, You say you'll miss me. I say I'll miss you more. Now I belong to the soil: barren, worn, and tired, And I'm ground to dust, and dust to the ground. I stare up at the trees. I watch one leaf become loose in the breeze. And so the story repeats. Are any of us really free? -karma meets me and it greets me. It helps me find love, And let's my spirit soar high up above. But then it takes me and it breaks me til I think I'm at my end, And then it takes me and it makes me begin all over again. But maybe this time, if I was good, I will be bigger- I will be the tree, Or take me to Varanasi And set my spirit free in the Ganges. -CMG 07/07/16 I've been thinking about karma a lot these past few days and what it means here in India versus what the implied meaning and use is of the term karma is in the States. Karma here in India implies being part of a cycle of life in which the concept is, "You get what you deserve." That includes both good and bad. If you live a good life and are a good Hindu person, then you get to have a good next life maybe be a Brahmin or at least better than you were before. However if you led a bad life you might be a lower caste member or a insect that gets crushed or something else bad. This concept plays a lot into how Hindus treat each other as well. They don't feel as bad for lower caste members because of the idea that they probably did something in their past life to deserve the life they have now. However it is important to recognize that karma is both good and bad and not just bad as westerners often stress the bad. Another concept of karma is to find love. Which is a pretty beautiful concept of you think of repeating your life, or going through your life in order to find the love of your life. Karma in the western world however only really emphasizes the, "You get what you deserve concept." Like how the idea of karma allows the Hindus to overlook the injustices of the lower castes, so karma in the States allows for a lack of mercy and a bitterness to harbor in people's hearts. It does take away from some of the getting revenge aspect when someone commits a wrong against you, so instead of getting revenge you say life will get back at them for it basically. It allows you to release it to the world or to God, but it makes you hold on to the injustice longer than needed. A lot of people in the states don't even know the true meanings and originations of karma. Karma is a religious term, and the biggest aspect of it has to do with repeating your life until you get it right. From the Christian perspective this looks like a tiresome cycle that is based on deeds, while Christians are saved by grace through Jesus because we would never be able to achieve heaven on our own. There is a lot of comfort in that. However, to a Hindu karma keeps things in alliance with doing good and treating others right, but a lot of Hindu's are tired of the cycle and go to Varanasi and the Ganges, the holy city of India, in order to die in the city and then have their ashes-or body depending on how they died, spread in the river, which allows them to get out of the cycle of Karma. Which is just a city and just a river in our perspective. It would be like going to Jerusalem and the Jordan and expecting to be saved but never knowing Jesus. But for the Hindu it is access to their god and to heaven and an escape from karma. Karma is more than just a saying, it is an inspiration for the Hindu to lead a good life in order to avoid bad karma, and it is an inspiration to the Christian to pray and to be grateful for our salvation through Christ. Because we don't get what we deserve, we get Jesus and for that we should be grateful and continue to do good deeds like sharing this love, forgiveness, and mercy. With the love of Christ, Cierra Guerra

Written By: Rocio Claros Among the many adventures we have experienced here in Kolkata, India, there is one in particular that I would like to share. About a few days ago we had the wonderful opportunity to go to the state of Orissa with the MCC organization. The purpose of the trip was to see and learn more about the projects MCC is involved in. In order to get to Orissa, we took an overnight train ride. I was not so excited about the idea to go on a train; I had never been on one, not even Amtrak back in the states. Therefore, I was a little apprehensive about the whole situation. One of my worries was that I was going to be left behind or that I’d have to run after it to get on. But thank God none of that happened, we all managed to get on the train and settled in our given bunks. It surely was an eventful train ride. Most of the night I spent killing bugs (people that know me know that I am scared by any kind of bug); I freak out and get paranoid. So, you can imagine. Anyway, we got to Orissa safely and we began our two-day adventure. The person in charge of our tour through Orissa had organized a very nice lunch in a restaurant up on a hill. We got to see such a beautiful scenery. It was raining and it was just amazing. There was so much green in every direction we looked. After lunch we got taken to a guest house which belongs to a Buddhist Monastery. It was a beautiful house and, once we settled in, we had the opportunity to visit the projects MCC is focusing on. MCC has partnered with ISARA which has helped villages find a source of water so that the people from the villages don’t have the need to travel a long distance to get water. Now, that they have water, they have been able to make use of their land and plant crops, grow their own food, and make a living off of their land which has helped them tremendously. That is the short version of what MCC has been working on. We visited some of the villages where MCC and ISARA has completed this project. It was amazing to see how grateful the people are. The first village we went to greeted us with a welcoming ceremony. They had chairs set up for us to sit, away from the rain. They showed us around, showed us how the new water system worked and I could see they were proud, happy, and excited to be able to share what they have been able to do. Back home we take a lot of things for granted, seeing all of this makes me reflect on how much we don’t appreciate what we have, particularly the water we have. It was an awesome experience to be a part of and to learn about things that we hardly talk about back home. There is so much to do; so much to see. I think that God has a plan for this country and his work is just beginning to show. I can see it and sense it as I journey through India and as I learn more about the work that is being done here not just physically but spiritually as well. I hope that God opens the path for us and others to do more of what He has planned.

Miguel: Before coming to Guatemala my preconceive notions of the evangelical churches were that they were the Holy Grail for the expansion towards the U.S. Especially due to the fact that my home church is Elim. While attending the Neo-Pentecostal Churches like Casa de Dios and by hearing from fellow colleges about La Frater I was able to see that their primary goal has been financial income. Also by studying  the various characteristics of a Neo-Pentecostal church I noticed their differences from my church. Their technological advances used as propaganda and tele network amazed me. While attending the Casa de Dios service I noticed that they have a vison and focus that God will bless them material wise by giving economically.  In midst of this I was blessed by the message that was given. Just how every church has its up and downs the main importance is that peoples lives should be transformed and their character and mind should be change towards that of Jesus Christ. Therefore one can ask what is the Church doing for its nation. Being a musician I stood amazed by the quality of sound, video, and lighting that the church contained. I always longed for my own home church to have all of this, now living it I will still love to have this but now with a different motive and intention. To be able to impact the lives Coming to a conclusion that one cannot change the world by themselves Jesus has already done that but one can change their community and that would create a chain reaction. Jesus: Visiting La Casa de Dios was a different experience because of how the organization of the sound and how they where able to project it as a concert and how myself as a musician was able to hear a different style of playing. The church also felt like and auditorium in being able to see the big building and parking lot.

Written By: Micaela Gutierrez 'Sup everyone! This is Micaela G. reporting live from Kolkata. Well, maybe not live as we our blog is a little outdated considering the WiFi issues but that is just one of the aspects of this exciting Indian experience. Speaking of the Indian experience, allow me to share a little of what I've experienced so far...   India thus far has been quite the wild ride. In fact any time I hop on a Turk tub in a race I or on a bus I'm pretty sure I'm paying for my death. Other than the crazy modes if transportation, Kolkata has been very good to me and very hospitable. In most places the people are the most respectful and polite to you. More time than not you can here anyone calling you auntie or ma'am and offering you more food than you could ever eat. The values and virtues that so many people hold, like hospitality and manners, are actually quite surprising in a place that one would assume would be filled with so much anger and hostility. There are millions of people without the necessary means of life and yet they offer so much to people- it can be quite unsettling to see someone give their last of anything to someone else. The one thing that any westerner may find a bit creepy is the long stares that you get because of fair skin, or in my case because most people can not tell if I'm Indian or not. (Ive come in to contact with many shop owners or mashies at my site who have said I look like I could be half Indian of from the Southern regions.) The experience for everyone is very different though, to each their own would be a more than appropriate saying. I personally have not felt too much discomfort with the people in Kolkata but depending on how well you pick up on social cues there might be a chance it is very different. There have been plenty of people who have pulled on my heart strings whether it be the staff at BMS (our hotel) or the staff working with MCC, my new shop owner friends in New Market or the volunteers, children, sisters, and mashies at my Sisters of Charity site and I can't forget the baristas I have gotten to know at 8th day. Kolkata is a pretty big city filled with a lot of culture and history- which are both things that I truly appreciate; there is never a day that goes by that I do not learn something new. Even the small things are victories like hailing a cab or tuk tuk, bargaining a good price on some new pants, or finding my bus stop through a sea of people on the bus and on the crowded street. Speaking of crowded streets, there is a lot more than just people on them; they are filled with vendors, shops, and dogs- tons of dogs. If anything more though, the smells in Kolkata can be quite strong. Anytime you walk outside you get a whiff of humid air combined with the smells of whatever the guys down the street are cooking up, throw some smog and incense in there and you basically have Kolkata. Nevertheless, the city has its moments when you can just stare at something and be filled with awe and hope. As dilapidated and dirty that most of the buildings are, they still have aspects of craftsmanship that you can be mesmerized by. The kids of the family who sleep on the side walk a little ways down from my comfortable hotel are always running, laughing, and filled with joy- even in the crazy heat of India. While is sit thinking if complaining about how hot it is or how I have no clean clothes, those children give me hope; it amazes me that they can be so happy with so little. On my journey to this country I prayed that God would soften my heart and help me to appreciate the things that I am so fortunate to have. He has defiantly begun this work in me and I can feel myself becoming more understanding of suffering. The situations and sacrifices that so much of this country endure adds perspective to an outsider looking in to their own culture. The things that I have seen in Kolkata have helped me understand more of the ways that God works in this world and among the marginalized. He reveals himself to us in ways that we do not always expect- in the laugh of a child or the craftsmanship of a skilled carpenter or in the beautiful patterns of the clothing. Some people do not understand that as they perfect their craft, God is trying to perfect His. It's hard to come in to a different culture and expect people to understand your worldview or values but the important thing is that through everything you see God and you shine your light.

My Experience in Guatemala City As a first time traveler and first time to go outside the country, I was nervous and anxious on what to expect on this new journey I was about to take. I also had never been on an airplane before, and just to think about it was terrifying.  Although, the flights were not as bad as I imagined and the group was there to support in any possible way. From my arrival till today, everything has been incredibly great! The people here have been very welcoming and not to mention the food! It is very delicious, it is different to the food back in the U.S. but very good. My host family who I will stay with for the rest of the program here in Guatemala City have been very nice and they treat me as one of the family. I have two siblings; a brother and a sister. They both have taught me many things about the culture here and they spend time with me every day. Traveling to Guatemala has been a great opportunity and so far a great experience. Estafani (FPU Student)

By Reilly Reis Today was our last day in Galilee. We started our day off with an approximately 2 hour hike up the cliffs of Mount Arbel. During parts of the bike cables and handles were necessary! It was a fairly intense hike. There were some pretty neat remains of. Castle built into the sides of the cliff that we were able to explore and visit. At the top we took a group picture, which I will be sure do cherish for many years do come. From our bike we traveled to Tel Jezreel where we could see Mount Moreh, En-dor, the Harod Valley, the Nazareth Ridge, and mount Gilboa, all of which we have learned about in our lectures. We then drive to the base of Mount Gilboa, which is thought to be where Gideon chose his 300 soldiers based on whether they lapped up water like dogs or not. We continued on and drove to Beth-Shan, which is said to be the most preserved Roman/Hellenistic cities in Israel. At the site there were massive structures held up by beautifully decorated columns. During our time there we were able to see a theatre, a bath house, restrooms (toilets), and colonnaded streets. Jokingly our group members sat down and took plenty of pictures on the Hellenistic-styled toilets! The toilets were placed right next to each other, talk about have zero privacy right?! While we were at the site I began to think about what modern architectural structures of what everyday objects will future generations characterize our generations by. Ad have made great mathematical, medical, scientific, architectural, sociological, and environmental strides, but when it comes down to it what will our generation's legacy be? Personally, I hope that our "modern" generation will be known did more than our material advances and that we can be a bright, determined, and caring generation. I aspire to be part of a generation of great minds and soft hearts. Our last site of the day was at the western side of the Jordan River. This is said to be one of ghetto more popular baptismal sofas on the West side of the Jordan. As we drove back go to the Jerusalem University campus I was just overwhelmed by how blessed I am to have been given this once in a lifetime opportunity of going on this trip! The sites, the information, and the company has been truly phenomenal! The group, along with the culture of this remarkable land, has made these past three weeks an unforgettable experience. I have grown as a student and a follower of Christ as a result of this trip! I could not have picked a better group, leader, or nation to experience and interact with! Being around these Biblical and historical sites with an extremely knowledgable professor and eager to learn peers has been almost indescribable. Our group's diverse ages, hometowns, and personalities has created an atmosphere unlike any other! God is good!