For my final blog post, I wanted to touch on an issue that I haven’t been able to resolve within my own sense of Jewish Identity: my relationship with Israel. During our discussion on pilgrimages, I was surprised that not a single comment was made about the Israeli/Palestinian conflict itself, only that if they had visited during a particularly tense time, they had avoided the “dangerous” areas. Not having had this conversation with many Jews (other than the few whose opinions I am aware are similar to my own), I’m wondering if a)American Jews in particular are undereducated about the logistical/historical details of the conflict b)there is still a lingering strong blind-support of Israel because of the closeness of the Holocaust, or c)the profundity of Jewish experiences while visiting or living in Israel overpower a concern for the state of the Palestinians.

                I was a little concerned when I watched the ads for the Jewish Youth Group trips to Israel. The advertising seemed to manipulate teenage Jews to take this trip under the pretense that they will make friends that will last a lifetime and splash around in the Dead Sea, while none of the comments suggested anything exclusively pertaining to a more meaningful experience. While I’m sure the program provides that, the advertisement itself seemed “sneaky”. Additionally, I hold a personal feeling that programs such as Birthright have a highly political agenda that is unrealized by many, if not all, of their participants. The age group Birthright targets is vulnerable in terms of their religious identity (or rather, are at a critical growing point in their independent identity) and they provide their participants with an emotional and exciting trip under the guidance (and protection?) of an Israeli soldier. How could you not come home loving Israel?

                While I am not yet at a point to commit to either side of the Israel fence, I do feel that it is a serious problem that more Jews are not taking action, or at least speaking out, about the treatment of the Palestinians…especially after our own history of persecution and entrapment. The idea of a Jewish homeland, especially Israel, is a natural road to travel considering even the modern history of anti-Semitism. That being said, however, I can’t help but suggest a certain hypocrisy happening there.

For my research paper I am taking a look at how the “Israel Experience” is packaged and marketed to teens and their families; and then subsequently the outcome, meaning if the programs achieved the intended result. What is really interesting to me in doing this research is that, having been on a trip similar to what I am investigating, the material surrounding the topic has caused me to ask myself questions about my own experience.

One of the major themes of ethnographers analyzing the “Israel Experience” is that the program is packaged and delievered with meticulous precision and caution to ensure that they achieve the desired result. That result being the completion of youth’s Jewish identity and strengthening their connection to Israel. Now being about 2 or 3 years removed from the trip, I am now coming to the realization that much of my experience wasn’t truely authentic. By authentic I mean that when I stayed in a Bedouin tent and rode camels or when I went accended Masada before dawn and saw the sun rise that those were truely manufactured experiences. Or at least that is the feeling I get after going through my research.

But what has been repeated by sources, which I can identify with the most, is that the teens end up developing a stronger connection to their group than to the land of Israel. And that it is actually the group and the collective differences that forges solidarity amongst them so that impact of friendship supersedes the impact of Israel. Not that that is a bad thing. I just find it interesting that I am able to look at different parts of my research and have it agree with my beliefs, challenge them, or do both simultaneously.

When we were shown the painting of the elderly Orthodox men as a form of Judaica I have to admit I laughed. Out of all the items that we went over that day I found this piece to be the most odd. Who would have this is in their household?  That question was answered for me over our recent Thanksgiving break.  I visited my two best friends who are brothers, in their home at the end of their shabbos meal. This is a familiar scene to me, but I feel that our discussion on Judaica caused me to look at this house that I have been in countless times with a new set of eyes. When I stood up from my armchair in their living room I was faced with a sketch of an elderly Jewish man and a Torah scroll swept across the page in an artistic manner. Once again, I laughed. I turned to my friend, Micah, and said, “You know, I just saw something like this in a class and asked myself who owns something like that? Now I know.” He laughed and responded, “Yea we have all sorts of stuff like that around here.” Before he could even finish this sentence I spotted another piece of Jewish artwork on the other wall, this one looked like paper cut outs of a woman and children. Next to this painting, a havdalah set and several volumes of the Talmud rested on a shelf. I then looked into the dining room that I had sat in so many times before, and truly saw it for the first time. I knew that it had been painted to look like the Kotel (The Western Wall); in fact, my Mom and I were some of the first to see this room that their mother was so excited to show off. It was not until I took this course though that I could see what Pilar was so excited about, what this house said about her and her family.

Pilar, like many others I know who convert to Judaism, has taken on the religion with her whole heart and her home is a reflection of this.  When I looked around the rooms I was privately identifying objects that were discussed in Heilman’s article, but now I think that it might be interesting to think about the meaning of these objects in the context of his article, and what I know about this family. The objects that I encountered in the two rooms alone encompass three of Heilman’s categories. The prayer books and Talmud volumes are Klay Kodish, the havdalah set and Sabbath candle sticks are Tashmishey Mitzva, and the paintings are likely R’shoot. I feel that the presence of the objects in the first two categories represent a more traditional Conservative home. The objects help to make religious ritual possible. However, I think that the artwork and Kotel themed dining room are saying something entirely separate. These items are related to the idea of Jewish identity that we discussed in class. Elderly orthodox men have no religious significance in this context, and I would venture to say that many Jews could find more visually appealing artwork. It seems that these paintings serve as markers, much like the mezuzah, that this was a Jewish home.  In class, we discussed these “markers” as more commonly used in less religious households, because the religious have the items they need to identify themselves as Jewish. What about this family’s house though? Many of the objects they possessed were more common among the Orthodox than the Conservative, so why are the paintings needed? I am not sure that I have an answer to this. I think that the incorporation of many types of Judaica is related to Pilar’s conversion. It is important for Pilar to be religiously Jewish, but it is likely just as important that others see her home as a Jewish home, that they see her as a Jew. The Kotel themed dining room speaks to another theme in Judaica that we discussed, a connection to Israel. I am sure that this family has collected many items from Israel over their visits, but even a hundred objects, do not speak as loudly as recreating a part of Israel in your dining room.

Until recently, I have not thought of Judaica as more than the mezuzot and dreidels lined up in my synagogue’s gift shop.  The more I think about it though; objects are essential to Jewish practice and Jewish identity. Much like the secular world, the Jewish world uses different tools and clothing to perform jobs and express individuality.  I look forward to using this new awareness to learn and understand more about Jewish identity and experience as I encounter different Jews and different Jewish homes.