Ta'Am Yisrael

From the Desk of Anne Lidsky
February 6 - 13, 2006

Jerry and I, along with seven Temple Jeremiah 8th graders, joined 110 other 8th graders for Ta’am Yisrael, A Taste of Israel, from February 6 to 13. Offered by the Community Foundation for Jewish Education, this program offers selected students a meaningful taste of their heritage. Let me share some highlights of this wonderful trip.

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We climbed Masada at 4:00 am, wanting to be on top as the sun rose. As a light rain fell, we took shelter in an enormous water cistern dating back to the destruction of the Second Temple! Our group of 150 climbed down for a morning service in this unbelievable cave-like structure. As we began to sing V’ahavta, the sun rose and shone through two openings on the top, shedding light on our prayer books. Some looked up, others closed their eyes, but for all, it was an extraordinary moment.

We had the opportunity to meet with Israeli teens from Kiryat Gat and Kiryat Malachi, two small, socio-economically less privileged communities in Israel. Our 8th graders reached out, did their best to communicate and realized by the end of the evening how much they had in common.

Other highlights included:
• Visit to Beersheva Hospital to give stuffed animals to patients.
• Visit to an army base where we saw action drills, usually not witnessed by visitors.
• Challenging hiking through a wadi at Ein Avdat with spectacular scenery.
• Swimming in the Dead Sea and the Red Sea.
• Riding camels and then dining in a Bedouin Tent.
• Visit to the Kotel and the newer archeological excavations at the Southern Wall.
• Squeezing through caves to get to an archeological dig.
• Visit to Yad Vashem and hearing from Anne Frank’s best friend who survived the Holocaust.
• Too few hours of sleep and a lot of schnitzel and falafel - enough to last until our next trip.

For me personally, I had the opportunity to know our 8th graders better. Thanks to Jacob Cohen, Alexandra Corwin, Nathan Frankl, Alec Harris, Adam Hendel, Max Ross and Rebecca Weiss for being so wonderful and always ready to turn the ordinary into the extraordinary!

- Anne Lidsky, Ph.D., RJE

- Re-printed from April, 2006 Covenant

View information on the 2007 Taam Yisrael trip.

Our Students Write

“I had a wonderful time, seeing sights, learning and meeting new people. I especially liked my bus. Go Green Bus!” - Jacob Cohen

“I am so happy I got to be part of such an amazing program. This trip was not only educational, it changed all of our lives whether we decide to visit Israel again or look in the paper to see news about Israel. All of us newcomers became more connected to Israel.” - Alexandra Corwin

“Going on Ta’am Yisrael brought new experi-ences to everyone. It didn’t matter if you were going to Israel for the 100th time or your first. When you’re with other Jewish people, everyone absorbs the good energy and realizes how great it is that we are Jewish and we are welcomed in Israel.” - Nathan Frankl

“It was Super Jewish and Super Fun. Truly an awesome experience. Everyone needs to go.” - Adam Hendel

“My Ta’am experience was one that will be with me my entire life. It was an incredible, exhilarating experience, especially being on top of Masada and at the Western Wall. I believe every person should have a chance to experience Israel.” - Max Ross

“I found the Ta’am trip to be amazing and unforgettable, a must-go. You will appreciate your Jewish heritage after this trip, even more after all the sights, sounds and tastes you will experience.” - Rebecca Weiss

The Wall

see the wall and walk to it feeling shy.
There are top hats bobbing up & down and I don’t know why.
An eerie hum of prayers echo around.
A spiritual vibration rumbles the ground.
Where are my friends? I don’t care; I don’t want to be found.

My palms start to sweat as I approach the wall.
The hums fade away and I can hear my spiritual call.
“Embrace the wall,” it repeats many times.
I touch the wall with no smiles, no rhymes.
I wouldn’t trade this moment for one million dimes.

My legs begin to shake and eventually buckle.
No one is laughing, not even a chuckle.
I can see my ancestors standing at this very place,
Thousands of years before at this same Temple base.
I take my time at the wall, it isn’t a race.

I finish my prayer and say “Amen”
And wipe a tear off my face again.
I can feel God now more than ever.
This spiritual moment I hope will last forever.
God is always on my side and He will fail me never.

As I walk away from the wall, I begin to smile.
Because I know God is all around me and He’ll stay for a while.

- Alec Harris (written February 13 on the plane ride home)

View information on the 2007 Taam Yisrael trip.