Wednesday, April 21, 2010

It’s hard to believe that it’s been 3.5yrs since I was last in Israel! I was very excited to return and see many of my friends. I arrived in Israel at 4am and when I left the airport I hopped on a train and went straight to Be’er Sheva…the place where I used to live in Israel. It was wonderful to be there again, it felt as if I had returned home. I have such great memories of being there! My seminar in Jerusalem began on Sunday. It was nice to meet other people on my fellowship that are living in other places around the world. Monday was Yom HaShoa…Holocaust Remembrance Day. We had a great discussion about how to forgive when you have experienced such atrocities. We made some connections to the experience in Rwanda…it was a very interesting conversation…I’m going to write another blog on this soon. After the seminar I spent a day with Gilboa who had my position in Rwanda last year. He took me to the Kibbutz where he grew up. I learned a lot while I was there. I got to ask lots of questions about cows and the technology that they use on the Kibbutz. They have been organic since the 60s. They grow bugs in greenhouses. They sell both good and bad bugs. The good bugs help the organic plants and the bad bugs are food for the good bugs. I also got to go hiking with my friend Amos. We went to this place that has limestone caves.

Seeing great friends and eating LOTS of ice cream…who could ask for more!

At the end of the seminar, they asked each of us to present a story, song, poem, picture, or activity. I took the song that I wrote at our first seminar in December that was in NY and changed the words. It's to the tune of Wagon Wheel. Here's the song:

I’m living in Rwanda the land of 1,000 hills
There are some frustrations but mainly thrills
Reflecting on my time
And thinking my placement is quite right!

I’ve been here for 3 months
Ready for more
Planting the seed and watching it grow
Excited for this adventure

Chorus:
So, I’m going to teach the youth, teach them well
Give them hope, I can tell
Hey, we’ll have a good time
Teach the youth, help them grow
Teach the youth what they want to know
Hey, we’ll have a good time

Comin’ to Rwanda from the USA
Working on the farm all the day
Cultivating and Planting
Growing and Picking

Oh, I work with wonderful kids in Family 7
Hanging out in the house or having dance parties
Also, drinking too much tea
To livin’ the good life in Agahozo

Chorus

Walkin’ round the village, what a wonderful place
Creating big new projects
w/ chickens and cows
Working with Rwandan staff
To riding on Solomon’s bike

And I’ve shed lots of sweat, but it’s been lots of fun
Caring about these children
Is the vision of everyone
Tikkun Olam
Creating the leaders of tomorrow

Chorus

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