Yitzhak Rabin - A Soldier of Peace

Robert Venezia, a 5-month Jaffa track participant from New Jersey, shares his thoughts surrounding the anniversary of the murder of Yitzhak Rabin.


On the night of November 4, 1995 in the center of Tel Aviv, a peace rally was held in Kings of Israel Square and over 100,000 Israelis attended, including the Prime Minister of Israel at the time, Yitzhak Rabin. Rabin even sung the popular Israeli song of peace Shir LaShalom. For many of the previous weeks Rabin was called a traitor and a Nazi, because he had agreed in principle to make peace with the Palestinians. He also made peace with the country of Jordan the year before. To many settlers and their supporters, Rabin was selling them out and was turning over the holy land of Israel to their enemy. Many Israeli politicians did nothing to stop the incitement against Rabin and the country of Israel became deeply divided. As he was leaving the rally a right-wing extremist named Yigal Amir fired three bullets at Rabin, two of which hit him. Rabin was rushed to the hospital, but died less than an hour later. The assassination scared Israel, because it was a Jew who had killed one of their political leaders. The incitement against Rabin was not tamped down, and many politicians who did not agree with Rabin’s goals did nothing to stop the comparison of him to a Nazi. In America being called a Nazi is insulting, now just imagine a Jewish leader being called a Nazi, it’s so much worse.

However, in killing Rabin, Amir did in a sense accomplish his goal - the peace process died with Rabin.  Peace has been close, but no Israeli politician has had the military credentials that Rabin had and been trusted to make peace. It has been 18 years since Amir killed Rabin and there is still not peace in the Middle East. Since 1995, Israeli settlements have grown, Palestinians have fired rockets and launched suicide attacks inside of Israel, and people on both sides are still crying for their dead. Rabin's friend King Hussein of Jordan said at his funeral, “You lived as a soldier; you died as a soldier for peace.” Rabin was indeed a soldier of peace and it cost him his life. 

Now I enjoyed attending a rally to honor a personal hero of mine, 18 years after his life was ended. His life was ended before he was able to accomplish the goal that he ended up giving up his life for - Peace. Now, the question remains what is Rabin’s legacy and how will it be achieved? Is Rabin’s legacy going to be of what might have been if he had not been killed? Will we remember decades later, what would have happened had Rabin not been assassinated? Or will Rabin live on in those in this generation who strive to make peace between Israelis and Palestinians? Rabin, when he won the Nobel Peace Prize, said, “"And so we are determined to do the job well -- despite the toll of murderous terrorism, despite the fanatic and cruel enemies of peace. We will pursue the course of peace with determination and fortitude. We will not let up. We will not give in. Peace will triumph over all its enemies, because the alternative is grimmer for us all. And we will prevail." So we as the next generation must strive to make Rabin’s legacy complete, by achieving peace and an end to discrimination and racism in Israel.

The poster at the Rabin Rally
Remembering the murder. Pursuing democracy. 

The rally on October 12, 2013 in Rabin Square, which was renamed after the assassination to honor Rabin, was incredible and according to police drew over 30,000 people. The vast majority of those in attendance were young people who were very young or not alive when Rabin was killed. This is a great sign, because it shows that the next generation desires peace just as Rabin did. The rally started with Israeli singer Shiri Maimon singing Shir LaShalom the Song for Peace, which Rabin himself sung the night he was killed. In fact, at the Rabin Museum there is a bloodstained copy of Shir LaShalom which Rabin was singing from, the night he was assassinated.  Every one of the speakers made their speech in Hebrew, but luckily we found our Ulpan teacher Elliot who translated the speeches for the Americans in attendance. Yair Tzaban, who served as Minister of Immigrant Absorption during Rabin's premiership, blasted those politicians who did nothing to speak out against the incitement that was occurring by Rabin’s opponents. Hadassah Froman, the wife of the late Rabbi Menachem Froman who strived to make co-existence with Israelis and Palestinians, said, "striving for peace is the lifeblood of this country and will that Israel will continue to seek peace despite those killing and conspiring against it." This land, she added, does not absolve "those who shed the blood of the innocent."  I found the most compelling and moving speaker to be Rabin’s grandson Yonatan Ben Artzi, who asked the current Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu to honor his late grandfather by making peace with the Palestinians.  He said, "My grandfather was murdered over peace and you owe this peace to us, to all of us.” I was grateful to be in attendance with 30,000 Israelis rallying for peace and honoring one of my political heroes. 

Some of the Tikkun Olam participants at the rally

 

Tikkun Olam 2013-14 Begins!

Elana White, a 5-month Internship Track participant from the Bay Area, talks about her highlights of the beginning of the program. 

Shalom!

I have now settled into my apartment in Yafo (Jaffa), Tel Aviv. I live with 3 other people in my apartment and then other people in my program live across the hall and upstairs. There are 13 of us here in Yafo which is about half of the total participants. (The other half live in South Tel Aviv.) After we started our program we were instantly whisked away for the first couple days to a kibbutz near Eilat and the Jordan border called Kibbutz Ketura. We got to know each other really well and went on a beautiful walk in the desert where we did some reflection. Then almost as soon as we got back to Yafo it was Yom Kippur (the day of atonement).

Location of Kibbutz Ketura

View at sunset facing the Arava Valley

Yom Kippur was really an incredible experience. A bunch of us went to Kol Nidre (services on the evening of Yom Kippur) on top of a roof in Tel Aviv. It was a bit of an alternative service, but so beautiful at sunset. Afterwards there was a discussion in English about forgiveness and Yom Kippur. We read a section from the Talmud and then debated it, which was extremely interesting. Overall I learned that forgiveness is for both the one who wants to be forgiven and the forgiver. It is a process that is not mentally easy to go through. Judaism places a huge emphasis on the NOW rather than what will happen in the future, which I find very interesting. I’m glad that I was able to do something that felt meaningful for Yom Kippur.

On the actual day of Yom Kippur, my friend Rachel and I went to morning services at an egalitarian minyan nearby. It was nice to see a female rabbi and a community that seemed accepting, especially in Israel, which can be hard to find. Afterwards we walked through the old city of Yafo and up to Tel Aviv by way of the promenade by the beach. Now the cool thing about Yom Kippur in Israel is that everything is closed and there are absolutely no cars on the streets. You can walk in the middle of any major road and not be worried for your life and stuff. In fact people use the opportunity to ride their bikes or even play cricket (as we saw today) in the middle of the street. That was definitely an experience.

Right now we are on Sukkot break. Before it started on Wednesday evening, we were in intensive Hebrew study for 4 hours every day. It was a lot, but I think my Hebrew is improving a little bit. Words are starting to come easier. That being said, I still have a LONG way to go until I can speak Hebrew as well as I want to. This time, before our internships and volunteering begin, has been really nice for getting to know the other people in my program. I’ve already made some close friends, and the people in my program seem extremely genuine.

I’m discovering that I live in a very central area. I’m right next to one of the main streets in Yafo, a 15 minute walk from the beach, and a short bus ride into the center of Tel Aviv (or less than an hour’s walk). My neighborhood is diverse and safe. When I was in the grocery store, I noticed all kinds of people: Ethiopians, Arabs, Muslims, religious Jews, secular Jews…Really anyone you can imagine (in Israel) is near my neighborhood. Additionally, there is a Mosque extremely close to my house, so 5 times a day (if we’re in the apartment) we can hear the call to prayer, which is a cool and almost majestic experience for me.

Today I went for a bike ride from Yafo to the beach in Tel Aviv, which was about 30 minutes. Now, I just learned how to ride a bike in July, so I’m still pretty bad at it. A couple of my friends from my apartment building took me out though, and were supportive and helpful the whole way, which was great. Though I fell a couple times, it was still an incredible experience for me. The bruises were worth the freedom that I felt while riding. As long as it’s a big path and no one makes sudden movements, I’m fine.

And this was our view on the way back. How can I complain?

Overall, I am LOVING living here. I feel so blessed and privileged to have this experience and appreciate being given the opportunity, not to mention the support from my family and friends. Yes this is my Oscar speech.

Tikkun Olam in the Jerusalem Post

Current Tikkun Olam Coexistence Tack participant Lara Robinson wrote about her experience living in Jaffa and in Israel, in a piece that appeared in yesterday's Jerusalem Post.

Click here to check out what Lara wrote!

Tikkun Olamer and Combatants for Peace on Israel's Memorial Day

by Rachel Rothendler, current Coexistence Track participant

The author (right) on a Tikkun Olam hiking trip

Israel has been my home for seven months now as I study and volunteer with Tikkun Olam in Tel Aviv-Jaffa.  Joining the Coexistence Track in Jaffa, I knew I wanted to be part of the efforts to encourage dialogue among the Arab and Jewish populations there and among Palestinians and Israelis on a larger scale.  I did not know what form I wanted this work to take, however, until the heightened conflict between Israel and Gaza last November.  This period was so difficult for me, not because I was constantly in fear for my physical safety, but because of the outright fear and unconditional hate I witnessed on all sides, as well as because of the countless misrepresentations and misconceptions caused by the mass media.  I did not know then where to direct the anger and frustration I felt at the things happening around me.  

At about the same time, I began a course as part of my program that dealt with state laws and human rights groups in Israel, sparking my interest in NGOs committed to peace activism in the region.  Soon after, I was introduced to the group Combatants for Peace, a multi-national NGO that promotes mutual understanding between Israelis and Palestinians through joint volunteer activities, tours, lectures, film screenings, etc.  What struck me most about the group was not their political platform, but their commitment to belief in a reality for both Israelis and Palestinians different from the one lived today.  Now there was a concept I could hold onto.  

Currently, I am helping to fundraise for CFP’s 8^th annual Israeli-Palestinian Memorial Day Ceremony in Tel Aviv on April 14^th.  The goal of this event is to bring the two sides together to both acknowledge each other’s losses and to share in mourning, and in so doing, to promote a dialogue of peace.  I hope that others in Israel and Palestine as well as in the international sphere will share in my and Combatants for Peace’s efforts to realize a different reality for people here.  The Memorial Day event is open to the public, and donations are still welcome!  We hope to raise 40,000 NIS (~$10,000) by the time of the event.  Please see the links below for more information.  THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!!!

Link to the donation site: http://www.razoo.com/story/The-Alternative-Israeli-Palestinian-Commemoration-Ceremony-Held-By-Combatants-For-Peace

More information on the event: http://cfpeace.org/?cat=7&story_id=3611

The official Facebook event page: http://www.facebook.com/events/455284221217648/
Combatants for Peace's website: http://cfpeace.org/

Introducing: Tikkun Olam Internship Track!

We are proud to introduce the new Tikkun Olam in Tel Aviv-Jaffa Internship Track!

Tikkun Olamer Sarah assists pregnant asylum seekers and refugees at Hagar and Miriam

The Internship Track is your chance gain valuable career experience in the non-profit sector by interning for 5 or 10 months with an organization serving disadvantaged communities in south Tel Aviv and Jaffa.  Choose between organizations working towards Arab-Jewish coexistence; advocating for disabled and special-needs populations; providing services to refugees from Darfur and other parts of Africa; and much more!

Tikkun Olam's Internship Track was designed specifically for non-profit internships.  As a Tikkun Olam intern, you'll get a complete experience -- you'll live amongst the communities that you serve; you'll learn about the issues facing those communities specifically, and Israeli society as a whole; you'll enjoy seminars on social entrepreneurship and get to know different non-profits all over Israel; and you'll do it all alongside Israeli peers -- Tikkun Olam is the ONLY Masa program where you live and learn with Israelis!

You can find more information on our individual internship offerings on our website, where you can also register to get started this September.  

We'll also be highlighting a different internship each day this week and next on our Facebook page.  So head over there and give us a LIKE to keep updated!

Volunteering in Tikkun Olam

Current Coexistence Track participant Yael Kurganoff from Chicago, recently blogged about her volunteering placements in Tikkun Olam.  To have an experience like Yael's starting this September, get started on your application now on our website.

A few weeks ago, we finished the orientation period and started our regular schedule. We volunteer three days a week ( Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday), have two study days (Monday and Thursday) and then we have the weekend off (Which here is Friday and Saturday).  I am happy to report that I got all the placements I wanted :)

Sunday was my first day volunteering. One of them is still in the works, so I only went to the Elderly Center, which was a lot of fun. Everyone was speaking to me only in Hebrew, which was good but I was a little lost sometimes :) 

On Monday we had our first full day of classes, which included three hours of Hebrew, a Coexistence Track meeting, lunch and two classes- Jewish Peoplehood, and Social Justice in the Jewish Texts (with everyone). It was a long day, but I found both classes to be quite interesting.

Yesterday was my first day at the Shachaf Center (which I am going to be at twice a week). This is the center where kindergarten classes come once a month to learn about the environment and being green. Yesterday was a prep day, so we just got ready for the new month of activities. The women are so wonderful that work there! That evening, I finally got to walk the Tayelet (the boardwalk) from the Jaffa port to the Tel Aviv port. It was a long walk (like 2 hours) but it was great, minus the wind and we got to see a beautiful sunset along the way. We topped it off with going to Max Brenner (a fantastic chocolate place).

Sunset over the Tel Aviv Marina

Today was absolutely AMAZING! I am so happy at the Shachaf Center! Each day there are two sessions (two different classes) with a break in the middle, where the four women and I sat and ate and talked. The morning class was a special needs Jewish school. After a little presentation, they had all these different stations outside (looking at the tadpoles, looking for bugs, painting water colors with feathers etc). The kids were SOOOO adorable. The second group was from an Arab School. That was interesting, because I was not really able to interact with the kids as much as I was with the first group, since I do not speak Arabic. I know I will learn some words eventually :) The last thing I have today is tutoring at an Arab school (which I am headed to soon).

Besides these three volunteer sites, I will be doing the Jaffa Lacrosse once a week as well as Mesilla, which is a unrecognized preschool for migrant worker's kids.

Tikkun Olam Empowerment! Coexistence in Jaffa

Leilani Albin, a 10-month coexistence track participant, writes about her experiences volunteering at Aros El Bahar, an organization dedicated to women's empowerment among the Arab population in Jaffa.  

Applications are open now for Tikkun Olam's 5 and 10-month programs beginning in September 2013.  Visit www.tikkunolamisrael.org/apply-now to get started!

A little while after I arrived on the Tikkun Olam Coexistence Track, I began my work volunteering at an NGO dedicated to empowering the women of Tel Aviv-Yafo. It is run by both Jewish and Arab women, and strives to give underprivileged women of Yafo a place where they can have a support system, feel safe, come to learn, and be part of a close community. Women go there for any number of the services offered including mentoring, entrepreneurial guidance, job placement, support groups, computer classes, Arabic classes, and now English classes. In addition to offering a support system and classes, the center teamed up with an Israeli designer and created a unique line of plush dolls called “Jaffa Dolls.” A group of women who attend the center make the dolls and when they are sold the women receive a portion of the profit. The dolls have become tremendously successful and at the launch that was held at the end of last year they sold out of their entire stock. As a side project in addition to my teaching efforts, I have begun helping to find stores that will sell the dolls Internationally and am working to create a network for sales in the US.

A couple of months ago when I first met with the women who wished to take an English class, I asked them why they wanted to learn English and what they wanted to use it for. Their answers ranged from wanting to start a small business, to having the desire to be able to give people directions in English when asked. The women had all different backgrounds and were at all different levels in their English speaking abilities. I found a middle ground, and began teaching the women using topics that were of interest to them. First conversational skills, then foods, restaurant topics, menus and ordering, travel, and directions. They are very excited to begin geography next week.

The women who attend classes at Arous Elbahar come from difficult backgrounds and have not led easy lives. It is wonderful for them to have this place that they can go for support and to learn, but as I have worked with them I often see the leftover effects from the difficult lives they have. One of my students is often absent from class and her face is full of sadness… she refuses to talk about her home life, and the women often console her when she declines to mention what is wrong. Some women bring their children to class with them, because they cannot afford daycare or a babysitter… they always apologize because they feel as though they are disrupting the lesson, but I always tell them that it’s great to have the children in the room with us. Sometimes I worry that if they feel the children are not welcome in class they will stop coming. In actuality, I think that when the kids are in the room everyone smiles and laughs a little more, and it brightens the day.

I have one student who’s dream is to teach English in a school in Yafo. She never misses a class, and shows up excited to learn every week. She was moving at a faster pace than the rest of the class, and had completed a higher level in English while in University, so I have begun tutoring her on the side… we meet after class and I give her additional homework assignments that focus on separate topics than what I teach in the classes. The more I give her and teach her, the more empowered she seems.

The experience that I have had teaching English has been so rewarding over these past few months, that I have begun seeking additional volunteer placements in this field.