The End is in Sight

The end of the semester is quickly approaching with only three days left. The last final was today, we have our faculty v. student soccer game and final party tomorrow, and we pack up on Thursday. Not surprisingly, I'm feeling a little bit anxious and "pre-nostalgic" (as Elinor so eloquently put it). I am more than ready to leave in some ways, but in others, I am really sad to be going. The people are the best part of this program. I've made some really great relationships and had the privilege of getting to know some very special and interesting people. We've also had some really good times here despite the frustrations and difficulties.

I am responsible for putting together the yearbook. Don't ask me why I agreed to do it. Let's just say it was in a moment of mental lapse that I decided it would be fun. Not that I'm not enjoying it, but as with everything else here, it's hectic and last minute. Getting others to work on portions of the yearbook was like pulling teeth. In fairness, though, some have been really great about contributing. Anyway, the point is that I have been looking through hundreds of pictures and thinking about what should be documented. It has helped me remember how much fun I actually have had here. With finals, a war, and figuring out what comes next (a saga in itself), it has become easy to focus on the frustrating, dysfunctional parts of the program.

But what about our impromtu parties? Hikes in the mountains? Nargila and araq? The tiul? We did a lot at the beginning of the year that seemed to trail off as winter (if you can call it that) set in and as academics began to control our lives. I haven't done nearly as much hiking recently, but I have been baking a lot with Elana, which has been amazing. We've also been doing Saturday morning breakfast club, mmm french toast.

Looking back has also made me think about how my relationships with people have developed. I came here with certain expectations and goals about gaining new perspective and understanding about the conflict and how it affects the lives of Israelis and Palestinians. There is definitely a component of that at the Machon, but in some ways it isn't the focus, and I've realized that it shouldn't be. One of the Israelis articulated it well for me when she said that it's really nice for her just to be friends with Palestinians, to not have to talk about the conflict all the time. We're all people, we can connect in other ways. She's right, and it made me relax a bit about the fact that it isn't always the focus here. But I also realized during the war that talking about it is also important. Build the foundation - the friendship and trust - and then you can talk about the hard stuff with more empathy and without demonizing the other. Because how can you demonize your friends?

This wasn't supposed to turn into a philsophical post, I've just been thinking a lot about the fact that I have had some amazing experiences these past few months, and they are definitely something I will cherish. I'll even cherish the very frustrating and infuriating moments - also memorialized in Yalla - that have turned into some great inside jokes. Too bad I won't be with the people who will understand them soon...

Mmm, Granola

My very own granola! Well, Anna and I made it together, and we adapted it from some other recipes, but for all intents and purposes, I have my own recipe! The Machon put on a party for the kibbutz children today and I agreed to make some of the food. I made tahina cookies (sooo good...I can't take the credit for this recipe, though). They are basically shortbread cookies with Tahina, and they don't use any eggs. Anyway, I also decided to make granola. It seemed fitting given that we are a bunch of crunchy environmentalists.

We also made pita. The dough is so easy - basically flour, water, salt. We made the dough in advance and then gave little balls each of the kids so that they could bake it themselves. I don't know what the contraption is called that we use to bake it, but it looks like an upside down wok that is placed over an open fire. We brought chocolate spread, date spread, honey, zaatar, and labneh as toppings. And Lior made some delicious herbal tea.


Homemade Pita!


And the fixings


The rest of the party also turned out to be a great success...there was mud building (which just turned into the kids taking mud baths), arts and crafts, face painting, and some musical instruments. I was really surprised at how everything came together so easily. I guess it's fairly easy to entertain children when getting dirty and food is involved.




Mud building got a little out of hand

It was a nice change from the normal tense relationship that we have with the kibbutz. Although, we may have made things worse for ourselves when they find out how hard it is to get all of that mud out of their kids' hair and clothing.

Anyway, here is the granola recipe:

3 cups rolled oats
3/4 - 1 c. almonds (chopped - or crushed with an empty wine bottle because we couldn't find a decent knife)
3/4 - 1 c. pecans (chopped)
cinnamon (unfortunately I don't know how much of the spices I put in, I was eyeballing it)
nutmeg
3-4 T. vegetable oil
6 T. maple syrup
2 T. honey
1 t. vanilla extract
1.5 c. dried fruit (I used cranberries and chopped apricots)

Preheat oven to 350. Mix oats, nuts, spices. In separate bowl mix wet ingredients then pour into dry mixture. If it looks dry add a bit more oil. Spread into baking dish. Stir it every 10 minutes or so - Anna explained that you have to move all of the granola away from the edges and then stir it and spread it out again to stop the outside from burning. It should take about 30 minutes until it is ready. Once it has cooled some add the dried fruit.

Mmmm...I hope there is some left from the party!

Tensions Rising

We've had our share of heated discussions throughout the year, but people are finally letting their guard down. I honestly expected it to happen much earlier in the semester, but I guess between having a relatively large group, people leaving on the weekends, and staying occupied with classes, we haven't had the chance to get on each other's nerves so much. That has finally started to change, though. I mean, among a few individuals it has already happened, but that can't be avoided. I'm talking about more widespread frustration and tension that has been building up and is starting to boil over within the group as a whole.

Gershon Baskin, founder and co-director of the Israel Palestine Center for Research and Information (IPCRI), came to speak to us about "the day after" or what possible scenorios will be when a ceasefire takes effect in Gaza. He came before the ceasefire was declared this week. He has done some really interesting work including working directly with Hamas in an effort to free Gilad Shalit, the soldier who was captured shortly before the beginning of the Israeli-Lebanese war in 2006. He ended up talking a fair amount about his role in the situation and his opinions on why Israel decided to invade Gaza, why the Israeli public is so supportive, etc.

The talk quickly deteriorated into a heated discussion between a number of students, mostly Arab and Israeli. There were a lot of triggers throughout the talk, and people reacted emotionally and directly at one another. Despite the fact that the academic director and executive director were sitting in on the discussion, very little facilitation occurred. Mr. Baskin literally had to yell above us to quiet everyone down on multiple occassions. It was intense.

The most controversial parts of the conversation were about Gilad Shalit and Palestinian prisoners. Why do Israelis care so much about one soldier? What message is it sending that the option of a prisoner exchange would be one soldier for hundreds of Palestinians? There was a lot of frustration over talking about the treatment of prisoners, how Hamas and the Israeli government are handling (or not) the situation, and how the Gaza invasion was affecting everything.

It was interesting to see the back-and-forth that occurred. We have had similarly difficult conversations, but they tend not to devolve into a shouting match. I think that people are finally able to start saying what they think without worrying about someone else not liking them. Between the increased comfort with each other and the incredibly high tension from both within and outside the Machon, it makes perfect sense to me that this would be happening now. What doesn't make sense to me is why the Machon hasn't done anything to address it. Maybe Avodah is too engrained in me, but there are ways of dealing with these issues in a constructive way. And since the Machon has been around for 10 years and has been dealing with these very issues, it seems that they would have some tools for us to use.

In the meantime, everyone is hibernating in their rooms studying for exams. But the end is in sight. It'll all be over next week...

AIES Night

Despite the conflict raging 200km north of here, life has to go on. And our instructors haven't let us forget that. We're coming to the end of the semester, so final projects, papers, and exams are happening. We have plenty around here to keep us distracted from what is going on around us. Probably one of the best, though, was AIES night.

The students who did independent research projects and those pursuing a master's degree had the opportunity to present their findings to faculty, staff, and kibbutz members. It was really great to see the variety of projects and how creative people can be in their presentations. It was also really nice just to be able to watch and not have the pressure of showing my work as well.

You never know what to expect with Joel, and he didn't let us down this time. He started off the night as a coral. He has been diving all semester in the Gulf of Aqaba and trying to figure out how to best transplant soft corals so that a new reef can be built. He was so entertaining to watch, though, wearing a bright orange curtain and a red, pointy hat. As usual, he got lots of laughs from the crowd.

Sarit worked with compost. She tried to use a method that theoretically speeds up the time it takes for waste to breakdown into usable compost. It wasn't successful, but she has another semester to try. She passed around some good compost and a sample from her compost pile. Who would've thought that so much goes into have a good compost pile?

People talked about biogas, embodied energy, growing plants with hypersaline water, and how the desert ecosystem is affected by the date orchards. Two graduate students are doing their research on the Red Sea-Dead Sea Conduit, a proposal to take water from the Red Sea and pump it to the Dead Sea. The idea is that the water can be desalinated and used primarily by Jordan (which has very little drinkable water), that the leftover water can replenish the shrinking Dead Sea, and that it can act as a peace-building measure between the two countries to make the treat signed in 1994 more than a piece of paper. There are numerous concerns over the ecological and environmental impact of such a project, but it's an interesting idea.

We were also treated to organic snacks during the coffee break including some delicious feta cheese, homemade date bread and seed and nut bread, olives, halva, carrot cake, and cookies. I was so not hungry for dinner afterwards.

The entire evening was really fun and inspiring; a good pick-me-up after a few depressing weeks. Hopefully this is a sign that we're ending on a high note.

Marc Gropin

Marc Gopin, a professor a rabbi and an ambassador of sorts, came to speak to us earlier this week. He is the director of the Center for Religions, Diplomacy, and Conflict Resolution at George Mason University. I have to admit that when I heard he was going to talk about spirituality and conflict (or something like that) I was not expecting much more than some hippie dippy, peace and love sort of pow wow. But I was pleasantly surprised. Professor Gopin is a realist and has done some very impressive things to act on his beliefs, to use his skills and understanding of human nature to make tangible changes.

He talked about the shortfalls of current international relations theory and how it fails to adequately take into account that humans are involved in the process, that decisions made are often not rational or logical according to economic models, and that individuals really do have an incredible amount of power. When we think of individuals having power in the context of conflict, we often think of non-state actors, i.e. terrorists, and states emphasize this threat. Professor Gopin contends that the power of creative thinking and action is actually scarier and more dangerous for the state - they know how to deal with terrorists and what an "appropriate" response is to them, whereas someone looking to create positive change may mobilize people and weaken the regime. That being said, Gopin is suggesting that peace activists can be influential, both on the grassroots level and at the higher levels.

I say that he is an ambassador of sorts, because he has worked with some very influential government officials, and has been able to change how people perceive the conflict on his own and not through any official channels. Despite his independent status, he is seen by others as representing more. He has been working with the Syrians for the last several years and he told us of his first visit to the country. After a fairly adventurous trip up to the Syrian border (by way of Jordan) he was questioned by some of Assad's men. The first thing they said to him was something to the affect of "We've contacted your government (meaning the Israeli government) many times and haven't received a response. What do they have to say?" He was speechless. I never did have the opportunity to ask him how he answered them.

This association with another entity also worked to his advantage at times. When he did something powerful and meaningful, it reflected well on the Jewish people as a whole.

It sounds as though he worked closely with Yassir Arafat for a time. Gropin spoke highly of him in some ways. He said they learned together once. I think it was during the second intifada, but it wasn't entirely clear. Gropin visited Arafat in his compound in the West Bank, and at one point Gropin said to Arafat "without justice there can be no peace," taking a line from the Talmud (Sanhedrin, I think, but my knowledge of Jewish sources is quite limited). Arafat understood that Gropin was saying that without a just solution to the Palestinians' needs, there can be no peace. But Gropin finished the idea, "but without peace, there can be no justice" essentially rebuking Arafat for the violence that was occurring. It sounded like a very powerful moment.

I really liked a couple of other things that Gropin said about peace. First, he talked about the importance of complexity. It is much harder to hurt people, to kill them, to wish them ill when they are not all evil monsters. When complexity enters the picture, as it has here at the Institute, it becomes much more difficult to perpetuate violence. When relationships are formed, when internal dissonance and conflict arise and the world is no longer black and white, whether or not to shoot also becomes less black and white.

Gropin also said that we invest billions of dollars in war and only $100,000s in peace. No wonder peace isn't working. Imagine what could happen if we invested the same amount in peace building activities as we did in war. What would the world look like? Hey, I had to get the hippie dippie in somewhere :)

I feel as though I didn't do justice to the lecture Gropin gave, because he was so articulate. He has had some amazing experiences that I did not adequately capture here, but he was inspirational and really made me think about the nature of conflict and the potential for change.

Life during Gaza

I'm not sure that I have anything new to say right now even though it's been a really intense week here. I think I am still processing what has and is happening, so maybe this post will help me do that. The atmosphere has definitely changed over the last week, and I know that a lot of it has to do with the bombings in Gaza, but it is also close to the end of the semester and papers are due and exams are coming up, so the stress level would be noticeably higher anyway. That being said, people are trying to figure out how to continue living in this environment when they are being told by their families to come home, when they feel as though the attacks on Gaza are direct attacks against themselves and their families, and when they realize that they could very well be called up for reserve duty.

It is odd to be here with people who are so directly and personally affected by the events from both sides of the conflict. On the one hand, I see the Palestinians who really feel as though this is an attack against them, who see those being killed as part of them, even though their immediate families are not in immediate danger. I have seen a couple of them sitting in front of the computer watching the news all day long, literally. I completely understand that compulsion - I did that very thing during the invasion of Iraq in 2003. Michael was there, but we had no idea what he was doing, where he was, or when we would hear from him. The uncertainty and helplessness can make you feel as though you are going crazy. And what can you do? Watching the news will perhaps provide a sense of empowerment because you know what's going on, but what do you do with that information. It highlights what you don't know and just becomes torturous. I remember coming home from school, sitting in front of the TV, and not really being able to do anything else. It's a horrible feeling. And it is hard for me to watch other people do that to themselves. There is a point at which it has to stop and reinstituting a sense of normalcy into life must occur.

There are some very liberal Israelis here, to the point that they left their army service early or have refused to do reserve duty ever again (Israelis typically do reserve duty once a year for a month for 30 years - I think - after their army service). And then there are some Israelis who disagree with the occupation, but say they do not regret their time in the army and that they would do it again if they had to do it over. One of the more "right" Israelis who has always defended his military service and the importance of the IDF, may be called up to go to the Gazan border. For the first couple of days, he was very concerned about what he would do should he actually be asked to go. He told us that he has decided that he would refuse to go, because it wouldn't feel right. It isn't a question of loyalty or patriotism, it is a question of current circumstances. He couldn't go fight and potentially kill Arabs when he is living with them and has created friendships and connections.

As one of the other Israelis said to me, how can we look the Arab students in the face? Everyone here condemns the violence on both sides, but it is hard not to think that others perceive you as representing your government as somehow responsible for what is happening. How much of that is self-imposed and how much is actual, I dont' know. I suspect there is a little bit of each mixed in.

Something that has been done here consistently is to try to show that both sides are facing unacceptable situations. Clearly, the bombings in Gaza are horrendous and it is terrible and deplorable that so many people have been killed, but the Institute is always quick to say that the people in Sderot and Netivot, etc are also facing an unacceptable situation. The Arab students have said on more than one occassion that they are frustrated with always trying to strike that balance. The situations aren't equal. There have not been many casualties on the Israeli side, they can go elsewhere in the country to escape the bombings, they can go to bomb shelters. I think that everyone here recongnizes that there is significant asymmetry, but it doesn't minimize the fact that the Israeli public is suffering in this conflict as well. It does not invalidate or lessen the pain and injustice of the Palestinians that Israelis are also suffering. It is something that I have found frustrating in general here. There seems to be an underlying (and unspoken) contest over who has suffered more. As if that somehow gives someone more legitimacy and validation.

On a related note, I find it interesting that a lot has been said here about Sderot and the area surrounding Gaza, but very little has been said about the army. Not only is there concern that some people here might be called up, but what about friends and family? And this may sound heartless, but frankly, if someone's family member has to go to the Gazan border, they are probably in more immediate danger than anyone else's family in the Machon. Why have we not recognized this at all? It is so taboo to talk about the army because Palestinians have such bad associations with it. They see it as an occupying force, an oppressive force.

I don't really know what else to say right now, so I'll leave it at that.