Tel Aviv

Day 1 Blog Post by Christine Weiss

After the necessary “sleep-less” night flight into Ben Gurion, Tel Aviv we were happy to be greeted by traditional sunny hot Israeli weather. We spent just a few moments orienting, freshening up, changing money and boarding our bus for the quick trip to Old Jaffe where we stood on the tel to toast our freedom and the fact that we can just hop on a plane and come here. We remembered that was not always the case and still is not for some. We had a glimpse of Tel Aviv, down the coast line, and learned the beginning of its history.

We joined together again to observe the place that Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated on November 4, 1995 and continued on to Rabin Square.

Sprite in Hebrew

Then the search for falafel began in earnest on the streets of Tel Aviv where we found everything from Shwarma, to falafel to Buddah Burgers, and even pizza for a few pickier eaters!

The weather was hot and jet lag was prevalent but we managed a short stop at Independence Hall to learn a more complete history of Tel Aviv. We sat in the very room where Ben Gurion declared Israel a state on 1948.

Soon we headed to the hotel for a much needed rejuvenating swim in the clear and very warm Mediterranean Sea. The day ended with a welcome meal in the Yemenite Quarter of Tel Aviv where we were served, among other things, falafel!

Welcome to Israel/To Be Free in Our Own Land...

On the airplane...The Leibovitch kids and Lapin family where all smiles when the plane took off, but we were all conked out after a 10 hour flight.

Super Exciting

We have almost made it to the Promised Land. My son, Lev, and I cannot wait to get to Israel and share a post with you once we are there.

The 2010 Tour Group Gets Ready

On July 20, 44 members of the Fairmount Temple community, representing 13 families and three generations, will embark on an 11-day trip of Israel, led by Rabbi Joshua Caruso and congregant Rick Leibovich.

Rabbi Joshua Caruso's Thoughts Before Departure

Jewish novelist Anne Roiphe wrote, “We do have a contribution to make, and to do that we must hold on to our identity, to our place, to our Jewish souls from generation to generation. Israel is where the story began, and we need Israel, the central pillar of our house now.”

Our beloved land of Israel has played a significant and central role in the evolution of the Jewish people. Even when Jews did not inhabit the land of Israel, our people regarded it as a touchstone. It was more than simply a physical space; it was a spiritual oasis during times of oppression and exile. No Jewish text typifies this sentiment more than the Passover Haggadah, which concludes with a message of hope: Next Year in Jerusalem. As a Jew and a rabbi, I believe it is incumbent upon every Jew to make the sacred pilgrimage to our eternal homeland. My first trip to Israel opened my eyes and my heart to how Judaism could impact me as a person of the world. My commitment to social justice was inspired by the example our people set when they journeyed across the desert in hopes of reaching the Promised Land. The State of Israel was created so Jews did not have to live under foreign oppression – so we didn’t have to feel like strangers anymore.

This summer, more than 40 participants will join me in a life-changing journey to the State of Israel – many will arrive as strangers, all will return home with a transformative love for the Promised Land. We will walk the same land our ancestors traversed thousands of years ago, and come to know Israel as a living museum of the Jewish people. In the process, each of us will deepen our connection to the Jewish faith.

Rick Leibovich's Thoughts Before Departure

Our trip to Israel is finally going to happen! We have been waiting a long time for this special family trip. My wife, Ellen Halfon, and I have both been to Israel before, most recently in the summer of 2008 with the Fairmount Temple Israel trip. We went without our kids, while they were at summer camp. Throughout the experience, Ellen and I would comment to each other that we wished the kids were with us. We wondered how they would respond to different things we saw. We knew that we wanted them to experience Israel; in fact we began saving for this trip over 10 years ago, when our oldest daughter, Shaina, was in kindergarten. Now she is 15, and Adin and Mira are 13 and 11. We feel this summer is the window of opportunity when all three are the right age to appreciate the significance of what they will see in Israel.

We are also excited about the other families who will be joining us on the trip, with children of a broad age range. This will give our children the chance to share this experience with their peers. My parents will also be joining us for their first Israel adventure. We are grateful that we were able to participate in the Gift of Israel program, which allowed us to save a significant portion of the trip cost for our children. The Gift of Israel is a matching funds program; the family puts money into a savings account every year, which is then matched with funds from Fairmount Temple and the Jewish Federation of Cleveland. Now the time is right. Although this is my fifth trip to Israel, including a yearlong experience after college, I imagine that, in some ways, it will feel like the first time, as I experience the trip through the eyes of my children.