Journalism by Jewish college students, for Jewish college students.
This week my group took a little trip up to the Golan Heights. We spent one night in a hotel and two days hiking and sight seeing around the area. On the first day, we went to Mt. Bental, an old inactive volcano that houses an old army barrack turned tourist attraction. The mountain is…
Earlier this week, the world celebrated the twentieth anniversary of Nelson Mandela’s release from South African prison. Though Apartheid wouldn’t officially end for another four years, Mandela’s release – more than anything else – heralded the racist institution’s imminent demise. As Umkhonto weSizwe leader Kebby Maphatsoe would later remark, “on that day we knew that…
Here I set out to explore and explain Israel’s numerous spices and flavors, but first I suspect I should set out to explain who I am. If I truly did that, we would all die of starvation (because I would never get to the food), so for now, I will just explain the basics. My…
Although the main chunk of my volunteering in Israel revolves around tutoring English in Israeli schools, another opportunity is to work at the local soup kitchen in Nes Ziona. Many people really enjoy it because it is different from the schedule of the schools. The lady who runs the kitchen is full of spirit and…
I was in Wadi Musa Jordan to see the ruins of Petra, one of the seven wonders of the modern world, when our Bedouin tour guide called me “cousin.” This was the first time I had ever been called “cousin,” and I was unsure how to take it. I was traveling with seven friends from…
Today is the 1,324th day of Gilad Shalit’s captivity. In fact, as I write this, it’s been 1,324 days, 14 hours, 19 minutes, and roughly 31 seconds since Shalit walked free. I know this not because of any particular concern on my part, but because everyone in Israel knows this. It’s impossible not to. Along…
There is no Two-State Solution. The IDF physically forced my grandparents from their home and chased them down the street, said Anwar, an Israeli-Arab. A group of us, mostly Americans, were sitting in a friend’s dorm alongside a full moon when the topic came up. She was recounting the story about the Nakba, cataclysm in…
I hear this sentence a lot. It is in response to where I live in Israel. It is generally accompanied by a bewildered, or even a smug face. Most Israelis, including those from Modi’in have no clue that there is an 8-acre farm, along the outskirts of their town. It is not surprising. Modi’in has…
Welcome everyone to my sparkly new MASA blog. To give you a better idea of where all this is coming from, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Sam Melamed, I’m 22 years old, and I graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison last May, having studied history and philosophy. Besides studying abroad in Cape…
Wednesday January 27th, 2010, marked the 65th year since the liberation of Auschwitz by Soviet forces. Each year, leaders from around the world make their way to Germany in order to commemorate the day. This year, photo ops showed Bibi in Auschwitz and Shimon Peres giving a speech in the German parliament. People all over…
I am in a deeply committed relationship with mud. Like most relationships, it caught me unexpectedly. One day, I was working on a farm, learning about whole-systems and planting some kohlrabi, when bam! It happened. Mud came into my life and somehow I am now specializing in mud building at Chava v’ Adam Ecologit. But…
My heart hastened its pace as we our bus passed through the security check point and crossed into the West Bank. The guards stared at the tinted windows and held fast to their M-16s. We, my friend Deb and I, were on our way to Karnei Shomron, a Jewish settlement a half hour north of…
Last week, I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to have a traditional Shabbat in the Old City of Jerusalem, with a group of my friends. Together, we were 5 North Americans, and we were all hoping the same thing: to get some of that “sparkle and spirit” that one always hears about from…
Each morning, I wake up to the playful sound of “RooCoo!” The crowing alerts the group of Americans and our madrich, or counselor, that breakfast is ready. I emerge from my cocoon of blankets and sleeping bag and peel off one of my several layers. I stumble from my geodesic dome and step out into…
It was a beautiful sunny day with a crystal clear sky. Outside the airplane’s window we could see Gaza and the ocean beyond. The jump instructor asked my friend, Regina, where she was from; she had such a pretty accent, but he couldn’t place it. Germany, she told him. Alright, her instructor shouted, just like…