Today was a fast day... which I did not know until this morning. I'm still a bit unclear on why we're fasting, but I think it's to commemorate the fall of the temple. Fasting was optional, and I abstained. I'm impressed with people who made it through a day in the desert without drinking any water.
One of the things we did was get a tour of Alon, the tiny town the school is in. There are 180 families that live here - that's it! There is one shop that sells pizza and... champagne. And there's a gas station. There's a synagogue, and a school. That's literally all there is. I was still a little puzzled that the political location of the school still wasn't really discussed. Maybe it won't be...? That would be crazy.
The hills are SO beautiful, though. I can't wait to get my camera back. Here's a pic from Ro's camera of our group at the Alon lookout point:
Class Highlights
-At the beginning of David's career, he has the very modern Israeli attitude of commanders saying "I'm in front!" and we see that deteriorate as he ages and recedes into his city while his warriors fight for him.
-With complete success like David had, you often lose your sense of hunger, your instincts and ambitions
-The narrative implies some guild on David's part regarding the death of Uriah, because he wills Nathan's prophecy into being. He sends his son into exile and provokes his revenge. He leaves his concubines in the open for Absolam to take, to "guard the palace" which makes no sense at all unless David seriously forced his own demise to happen.
-Amnon's disgust with Tamar after he rapes her points to the hatred we have for our victims. Instead of hating ourselves, we hate subjects of our misdeeds.
-SO the relationship between Europe and Israel is not the relationship between Europe and Israel, it is the relationship between Europe and its own past. So much easier for Europe to hate its victims, to find constant fault in them.
-You either despise or become your victims
-The Bible always offers extreme alternatives, but never offers a moderate option. It usually offers the path not to walk.
-Though luckily, the fact that there are multiple interpretations of the Bible makes the point that we are not doomed to react in a certain way.
-"The Bible will never answer a question you do not ask it."
-Herzel wrote, "'Jews, get out!' Are we to get out now? And where to?"
-"The greatest happiness: to be able to be what one really is." - Herzl
-"Zionism has been the Sabbath of my life." - Herzl
-Prof Troy said: "I'd love for us to build a non-neurotic Jewish identity. That's not Holocaust based, that's not trauma based, that's not they-hate-us based... but we can't do it! Because the world won't let us. But also, we won't let us."
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