Weekly Updates

Shalom Chaverim,

Wow! What a week it has been full of Purim fun!!

For Shabbat I visited a friend of mine who lives in Mercaz Shapira, a town near Kiryat Gat. She was one of twelve Israeli teens that came to Camp CHUSY last summer and one of my great friends. Seeing her and some of the other Israelis who joined us at camp and meeting her family was incredible. The area she lives in is a small gated community with a yeshiva and six synagogues. Most people there are observant and there are many families with children of all ages. It was a very warm environment to spend Shabbat in because everybody spends lots of time together outside just enjoying each others company. It was a relaxing a fun Shabbat.

After Shababt I headed back to Jerusalem and while it was Purim every where else, in Jerusalem we celebrate Shushan Purim a day later, because it use to be a walled city. So on Sunday we delivered Mishloach Manot baskets to people within the community and just hung out here. At night it was time for lots of fun. We all got dressed up and went to a shul here in Jerusalem. It was a very unique Megillah Reading because not only did they read the Megillah but they acted it out as well which was very interesting to be a part of. We headed back to our dorm and had a dance party with members of Noam, the Masorti (Conservative) youth movement here in Israel. It was fun to meet them and have a party!!

Monday we began our unit on the Holocaust. While I have studied it many times before, now it is different. As I sit in Israel, a place which many believe became a Jewish State as a result of the tragedy of the Holocaust, the story has an entirely different meaning. We have had many heated discussions about what we would do if we were put into situations like the ones in Nazi Germany and also how we feel about the rising anti-Semitism in the world. This morning we visited Yad Vashem, the Israeli Holocaust Museum. Unlike many museums, it not only goes through the history of the war but has unique art work and memorials commemorating the tragedy. Being there was a reminder of the horror, yet also a reminder that we must work to continue Judaism.

After the museum we did something truly incredible - we took an hour long spinning class! In order to raise money for Alyn Children's Hospital, we had a spinathon. People sponsored us to participate in the hour long lesson which was definitely a challenge. So far we have collected over $3,000.

This week has been very fun, yet also powerful and emotional with our studies of the Holocaust. I can't believe how quickly my time here in Israel is flying by. I continue to enjoy myself daily and attempt to take in as much of this wonderful place as I can.

Again - feel free to email me because I would love to talk to you more about my experiences and answer any of your questions.

B'Ahavat Tzion,

Shoshie Sprague,
2004 USY Israel Affairs Committee