Israel Army Shuts Down Gaza Strip
Margot Dudkevitch

After a day of violence in Gush Katif, Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz and top security chiefs decided on Thursday morning to immediately impose a closure of the Gaza Strip ahead of the implementation of this summer's disengagement plan. The imposition of the pre-emptive closure aims to prevent additional right-wing extremists from entering the area. (Jerusalem Post)

Two Israeli Teens Murdered by Palestinian Gunmen by Amos Harel

Aviad Mansour, 16, of Otniel, died Sunday of wounds sustained Friday in a drive-by terror shooting near Beit Haggai in which Avichai Levy, 17 (pictured), of Beit Haggai was also killed when two Palestinian gunmen opened fire from their car on a hitchhiking post. "Without a doubt, the terrorists took advantage of the easing of restrictions to launch the attack," said IDF Col. Moti Baruch, the Judea district commander was quoted by The Jerusalem Post. (Ha'aretz)

New Jersey Student Returning to Israel in Newspaper Internship
by Joan Hritz

Daniella Cheslow is going home again. She left last week for an unpaid summer newspaper internship in Israel, working on The Jerusalem Post, where she expects to report about aspects of Israeli life.

A dean's list student enrolled in the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill., the 20-year-old woman also has created on online journal of Israeli news and culture geared toward teen and college-age readers. During the summer, she will use the Weblog to communicate with readers. The Web site is called Doogri.com, which she loosely translated from Hebrew as meaning "tell it like it is." She wants to use it to keep her readers informed of happenings as Israel disengages from the Gaza Strip.

The country has come to feel so much like home that whenever she is away from it for more than a year, "I feel I've got to go to Israel," she said. This summer's stay is "partly journalistic and partly a test run of working in the country," she added.

"I love Israeli culture so much," said Cheslow, who learned Hebrew while attending the Solomon Schechter Day School in East Brunswick from pre-kindergarten through sixth grade.

At Northwestern, where she will enter her junior year, "I'm always trying to share Jewish culture. I've thrown parties where we dance to Israeli music." Cheslow had a Passover potluck party for which "I sent out directions on how to keep kosher for Passover to 90 people. I sing in Yiddish and play clarinet for a klezmer band on campus. I talk Israeli news to people and wear Israel clothes most of the time. I went through an Israeli Army phase where I wore Israel Army pants," she said. On weekends, she has taught fourth-grade Jewish studies at a Hebrew School in Evanston. (Courier News)

12 of Baltimore's Brightest Students Graduate from Elijah Cummings Youth Program in Israel

Two years of leadership training and four weeks in Israel paid off for 12 area high school students when they graduated from the Elijah Cummings Youth Program in Israel (ECYP) and the Jerold C. Hoffberger Leadership Development Program last week.

"This program has done a great deal to promote a change in African-American and Jewish relationships but I also feel that this program is an advocate for change in relationships between one's peers and one's views on life," said graduate Christina Bruce of Owings Mills High School.

Before traveling to Israel in 2004, the graduating class completed half of their two-year leadership development program – focused on diversity, public speaking, test taking skills, and conflict management. While in Israel in 2004, ECYP students interacted with the Palestinian and Arab communities; attended workshops on the history, politics and culture of Israel and the Middle East; and toured the country.

The newest students in the ECYP were also inducted last week. The 2005 class selected last year will travel to Israel on June 27, 2005. The ECYP operates in conjunction with the Hoffberger Leadership Development Program and is a partnership between the Baltimore Jewish Council and Congressman Elijah Cummings. (Baltimore Times)

"West Wing" Actor Visits Israel by Talya Halkin

Josh Malina, 39, who plays political consultant Will Bailey on the hit US TV series The West Wing, was in Israel last week on a personal visit. Malina spoke to The Jerusalem Post about his real-life role as a Jewish, pro-Israel actor on the set of an award-winning political drama.

What brought you on this visit?

I feel a connection to Israel, but I think it's just not so meaningful if you don't come. I'm not a big star, but I've started to get involved with the Jewish federation, and my pet peeve has become this: Hollywood is filled with big Jewish stars, so why don't they speak out about the State of Israel? It's silly that anybody cares what an actor thinks, but since people do, it would be nice if they did.

If you were writing the script for next season, what would you like to see taking place in Israel?

I don't want to be one of those loud Americans who think they always have the solution. But I'd like to see peace, a two-state solution, and I pray that the disengagement in Gaza is successful and is able to be carried out in a way that isn't disastrous for the country.

So most evenings you're home making spaghetti?

Absolutely. I do almost all the cooking, for better or worse. I like cooking heavy Eastern European food such as cholent, stuff that sticks to your ribs. I make a lot of chicken soup, too. The truth is, all my recipes come from my mother.

My focus in life is trying to raise nice Jewish kids. I'm much more interested in being a good daddy than being a good actor - even though I hope I'm both. (Jerusalem Post)

There's a New Force in Women's Flag Football by Aaron Kaplowitz

On Sunday evening, the Israel national women's flag football team held on for a tight 33-32 overtime victory over Pygargues, France's top women's team, in the Flag Oceane tournament final. With the score tied at 31 at the end of regulation, each team attempted, and succeeded, to score from the five-yard line, forcing another set of attempts by each team.

Quarterback Shana Sprung knew that one mishap could cost her team the title. "We worked so hard for two months to get to this point," she said, hours after returning to Israel. "I didn't want it to go down the drain. It was so stressful. It's only five yards, but anyone can come in front and knock [the football] down. We used the pick play and it worked, thank God."

The Israeli women, who were appearing in only their second international competition, opened the Le Havre, France, tournament with a 36-13 loss to Pygargues. The girls bounced back, though, to string together three consecutive shutouts 40-0, 18-0 and 24-0 over three different French teams, setting up a rematch with Pygargues in the final. "[Pygargues] was reinforced for the championship," said Mishaan. "We let them take other girls from other teams, because we wanted to play against the best."

Due to the fact that most of the Israeli players are religious, tournament organizers and team officials, including American Football in Israel president Steve Leibowitz, made sure that Israel did not have to play on Shabbat - even though that meant that all of their games were on Sunday. "I believe that we are the only national sports federation that accommodates the needs of religious players," Leibowitz said. The team prayed in a Shabbat minyan and they brought kosher food in from Paris, a two-hour train ride from Le Havre. (Jerusalem Post)

Camp Profile: Camp Chi of the Jewish Community Centers of Chicago

No Matter What I See, I See Israel! by Jordan Kahana

During my SIT (Staff in Training) summer in 2003 at Camp, we hosted many speakers who came to us to discuss Jewish life in America and in Israel. My SIT class had 81 people, and more than half of that group had never visited Israel.

I decided to take a break from my summer home of Camp Chi and visit our Jewish homeland; Israel. I chose the Young Judaea’s Ma'apilim program spending 4 1/2 weeks in Israel. I had been to Israel many times before this trip but always with my family. We never hiked along the Kinneret or snorkeled in the Red Sea.

After going on the Young Judaea trip and attending Camp Chi, my love for Israel has strengthened and my pride of being a Jew has never been higher. I think about Israel and the program that I went on everyday and how much I miss Israel. I do know that being at Camp Chi and practicing Judaism are two steps closer for getting me back to the place I love, Israel.

Jordan Kahana is a 2005 graduate of Highland Park High School in Highland Park, Illinois. Jordan has visited Israel ten times. Jordan was a participant in the 2003 Camp Chi Staff In Training program, a leadership training program which also focuses on Israel Advocacy.

Kol hayeladim koftzim rokdim, merimim et haydayim gvoah lashamayim. On a hot night at Camp Chi, these words were performed to the 2005 SITs (Staff In Training) by the delegation of shlichim at Camp Chi. The shlichim were Israelis, trained in Israel to be leaders for camps, and they were chosen to work here, at Camp Chi, to teach us about Israeli culture The dancing and singing they taught brought me just a little closer to Israel, and I have now learned an Israeli song and dance that I am planning on teaching whenever I have the chance.

The night was full of Israeli culture. But to someone on the outside, we might have looked like a bunch of kids jumping around and yelling gibberish. But to us who experienced it, it was a connection with Israel. We got to feel the way other Israeli kids felt and we got to have a good time.

Karen Hoffman will be a junior at Deerfield High School in Deerfield, Illinois. Karen has been to Israel three times. Karen is currently a participant in the 2005 Camp Chi Staff In Training program, a leadership training program which also focuses on Israel Advocacy.

For most Israelis those bonds include a common religion or a shared commitment to democracy, freedom, and the well-being of Jews everywhere. We say "most Israelis" because Arab Israelis - almost 20 percent of Israel's population - are not Jewish, but they participate fully in Israel's democracy. On a less optimistic note, Israelis also share a common threat to their individual and collective existence in the form of Palestinian terrorism or Muslim jihadi fundamentalism dedicated to Israel's extermination.

Several organizations in Israel are committed to making those shared bonds between Israelis even stronger.

Gesher is dedicated to breaking down prejudice and negative stereotypes in the secular and religious communities. As Gesher explains, "Secular Israelis often see their fellow religious citizens as fanatics who aim to impose their own values and deprive others of the freedom to choose their lifestyles. Religious Israelis often regard their secular peers as libertines whose values are limited to their own self-gratification. To combat these destructive prejudices, there can be no intervention more effective than authentic encounter, dialogue, and recognition of the other's common humanity."

Tzav Pius "works towards creating dialogue between the different sectors of the Jewish nation in Israel." According to the organization, it "was established in 1996 by The AVI CHAI Foundation and began its activities as a publicity campaign after Yitzhak Rabin's assassination. Responses received to this campaign showed that many in Israeli society view reconciliation and dialogue as crucial for our survival. These responses led us to broaden our activities and to initiate projects that will help foster tolerance in our society."

Tzav Pius is one of the sponsors of Sof HaDerech, Israel television's version of "The Amazing Race." Unlike the American show, the two-person teams never met each other before, and more often than not, the pair comes from different segments of Israeli society – a religious man teams with a new immigrant woman converting to Judaism, a religious mother teams with a secular army veteran, or a religious teacher teams with a secular man who, it is disclosed later in the show, is dying of cancer. Besides presenting exciting challenges and breath-taking Israeli locations, the show focuses on the teamwork and communications between disparate segments of Israel's population.

Two organizations working to bridge the gaps between Israel's Arab and Jewish communities are Sikkuy and Givat Haviva.

Sikkuy ("a chance or opportunity" in Hebrew), the Association for the Advancement of Civic Equality in Israel, "develops and implements projects to advance civic equality between Arab and Jewish citizens of Israel in government budgets, resource allocation, hiring policy, and land usage. Founded in 1991 as a Jewish-Arab advocacy organization, Sikkuy's actions are motivated by the right of every citizen to influence government decisions and policies."

Givat Haviva's Jewish Arab Center for Peace Programs strives "for better relations between Arabs and Jews, better understanding of the essence of democracy and citizens' rights in Israel, and building bridges with our Arab neighbors." In 2001 the center won UNESCO's prize for peace education.

Lessons from Jewish History

Ancient history is full of calamities that befell the Jewish people because of internal divisions and civil war. According to rabbinic literature, the Jewish Temple fell because of sinat chinam, senseless hatred of one another, while the Romans were laying siege to Jerusalem. The prescription for rebuilding the Jewish Temple, the rabbis teach, is unity and love for one another.

Israel is going through a period of internal debate, protest, and demonstrations, all the while fighting off the terrorists at its gates. It is all too easy to destroy the modern temples of Israel's civil society: the rule of law, mutual respect, public decorum, and reverence for religious and national symbols. The omni-present media is always at the point of ignition to fan the flames. It is a time for all Israelis and friends of Israel to cool things down as we approach the hot days of summer.

Discussion Points

* Israel strives to be a pluralistic society. "Pluralism" is defined as "a condition in which numerous distinct ethnic, religious, or cultural groups are present and tolerated within a society." Can Israel be pluralistic and democratic as a "Jewish State?" [See Myths & Facts item on the left.] Who determines and defines what is "Jewish?"

* Israel strives to meet the pledges in its Declaration of Independence from May 1948: "The State of Israel will … be based on freedom, justice and peace as envisaged by the prophets of Israel; it will ensure complete equality of social and political rights to all its inhabitants irrespective of religion, race or sex; it will guarantee freedom of religion, conscience, language, education and culture; it will safeguard the Holy Places of all religions…" How well has Israel done? (The Israel HighWay)

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