Trippin’ 🇮🇱💙🇮🇱💙

 Hey, Fam. Touched down yesterday from another special trip to Israel, and I’d love to tell you all about it. Israel is such a small country, yet every time I go there it’s an entirely different trip. It’s in the middle of the desert but is incredibly advanced in so many fields; medically, agriculturally, government security, scientifically, the beauty and dermatology industries, just to name a few. Artistically and culturally, Israel is at the top of its game. It is churning out quality television, movies, and documentaries. The depths into which they delve into the human condition is astounding. Israel is a volatile and emotional country, and its actors portray human emotion on a staggeringly honest  level. Fauda, Shtisel, and Beauty and the Baker are just some examples of the current Israeli TV craze. I remember going to the Israeli Film Festival in New York back in my college days.

Israel is still such a newborn of a country. Each time I go it’s incredible how much more developed it is. Beautiful hotels, restaurants, social initiatives, state of the art technology, nightlife, art, music and fashion are constantly evolving. It’s a fascinating dichotomy of history, biblical significance, and cutting edge modernity. The passion and sheer obsessive love for Israel, is unmatched by citizens of other nations. What keeps me aching to breathe in Israeli oxygen is how utterly alive the atmosphere is there. The air is electric. Life always hangs in the balance there; they live, love, fight, and play so fiercely because they can’t afford not to. They take nothing for granted. Whether or not they can afford it, they live life to the fullest. Travel is a given, even if that means a backpack and a youth hostel. Israelis don’t waste time in that sense. They soak up every precious moment. It’s this passion that pulls me in continuously. It’s also why it’s so hard to leave. I love America and I’m wild about New York, but it’s a very different existence.

This trip was particularly special since I went to visit my daughter who is in school there. It was wonderful to see Israel through her eyes, eat at her favorite restaurants, hang out with her friends, and even attend school with her. I showed her some places I knew, she showed me some places she knew, and we went lots of new places together. It was a joy for me to see how comfortable she is there and how well she’s acclimated to her new surroundings. It’s still a foreign country in the Middle East (or as Ali G calls it; Middle Earth). In Tel Aviv we stayed at a fabulous, chic hotel called the Drisco. It is in the German colony near the artsy Neve Zedek area, and was the only hotel there 150 years ago. It shut down after WW2, and reopened 7 months ago. Unassuming on a quiet street, it’s a quick walk to many nearby shops, cafes, bars, restaurants, and art galleries. Wandering around Israel is such a joy for me. While my teenage daughter slept late, I’d walk around for a couple hours, weaving in and out of unfamiliar streets. I feel connected to every Jew living in Israel. That might sound naively idealistic but I mean it. There’s a common bond we all share, regardless of political or religious viewpoints.  Israel is the vegan capital of the world, and the food there is off the charts fresh and delicious. Tel Aviv has a fantastic yoga community and gay community. It’s an incredibly progressive and open minded city. I did some fabulous shopping there at Juliette and Arraketa, both very cutting edge in their designs. I love supporting Israeli designers. Another highlight was our walk from Tel Aviv to Old Yaffo/Jaffa. I do that walk every time I go. It’s along the stunning coastline, and it’s wonderful to see Jews and Arabs all just enjoying the same beautiful route. Families enjoying the sunny outdoors all look the same. Once we reached Yaffo we ate at a beautiful restaurant overlooking the sea. Then we went for massages at the Japanese Yoko Kitahara spa. Such a special, healing experience. I got a shiatsu and asked the masseuse to work on my heart space. Her face lit up when I requested that, instead of the expected neck or back issues she usually gets. The reaction in her eyes told me she was my sister who spoke my language. This allowed me to trust her and surrender to her completely. We hugged at the end and I felt so connected to her. In Israel you hug your masseuse🇮🇱. Dinner that night was on a bustling street in Yaffo, where Israeli rap music and hookah pipes created an organic, local atmosphere. The second half of the trip was spent in Jerusalem. I stayed at my favorite hotel in the world, the King David. I first entered it as an 8 year old. It felt like a majestic palace then, and it feels that way still. The fragrance in the lobby is something I have never inhaled elsewhere. It’s a magical place that seriously feels like home. The history in that hotel is unmatched. I had breakfast one day next to the famous Russian refusenik, Natan Sharansky. The King David is around the corner from where my daughter’s school is located, as well as a nice walk to the center of town. I remember all the routes from when I attended school there myself as a teenager. It’s amazing how that muscle memory kicks in after all those years. I take pride in remembering those things, as well as joy in the impression that they’ve obviously left. One day I went to school with my daughter. I loved it. We began the day with a lecture and video presentation, which is a joy for someone who hasn’t been in a classroom for 20 years. That day the school took us to visit different sects of Hasidic Jews in ultra orthodox neighborhoods.

There are so many sub-sects of extremely observant Jews. It was interesting to get an insight into what makes them define themselves the ways that they do. It did make me a bit sad though; how stringently divisive religion can be. Everyone is striving to reach the same destination, so why does it really matter how we get there? The more religious people are, the more rules, laws, and customs they have. One rabbi told us there’s a 500 page book on what kind of fish needs to be served on Shabbat and how it must be presented on the table. I’m sorry, I just can’t imagine a God that cares about that. I know everyone is just doing their best in however they believe it means to live a life of serving God, I just think that all the fear of transgressions and sins clogs the love aspect. I don’t want to be a god fearing person; I want to be a god loving person. Rules are always a fear based means of control. I respect any good person who wants to live peacefully and contribute to society, but having come from such religious schooling, I feel very grateful that I’ve reached the approach to spirituality that I currently hold. It’s all about freedom and connection to a higher power that I know loves and sustains me, no matter what I’m wearing or eating. One of the rabbis and his wife from a certain sect, the Karlin Stolin Hasidim from Kiev, were adorable. They were like an ultra orthodox Sonny and Cher. Not having been able to conceive for the first 18 years of their marriage, they moved from Brooklyn to the Ukraine to rebuild the once thriving Jewish community that had been destroyed during the Holocaust. What a selfless act of love and devotion to strengthening and restoring Judaism! They turned their pain into passion and perseverance. They are a true inspiration, and were incredibly welcoming to the school group. Their energy was infectious, unlike the first group which was definitely stricter and more intimidating. My best moments of that day were when my daughter and I were kicking a rock back and forth outside the Belz synagogue, which happens to be the largest in the world. It’s always the little things that feel the greatest:). It was also so cool to meet her friends, who are lovely, intelligent, funny young men and women. There’s always such pride in knowing your kids make solid social choices, and knowingly surround themselves with quality people. It speaks to their interior. Another highlight was eating at one of her favorite local spots, the Marakia, in Jerusalem (“marak” in Hebrew means soup). This little spot was so hole in the wall East Village, decorated entirely in random thrift shop finds. Each day they serve four kinds of soup. I swear that was the best onion soup I’ve ever had. Everything I saw through my daughter’s eyes was so delicious. I’ve been on my personal Israel craze for about five years now, and it feels good to have her relate to me on that level. It’s feels so good and aligned to share deep interests with our kids.

The last night she took me to the Shaon Horef cultural arts festival. It was fabulous! It was in Talpiyot, the suburb of Jerusalem where I went to school my year in Israel post high school. I haven’t been back there since then, and it was wonderful to see all the spots I remembered, plus all the new places that have been built. The muscle memory kicked in right away. I find that most very religiously observant Jews in the States mostly only stick with their kind. The boxes are all sadly over-defined, the lines overdrawn. Many religious people won’t mixed dance or engage in activities they feel appear immodest, so it doesn’t really happen in America where Jews of all levels of observance (or none) are united in enjoying one source of fun. This is not so in most of Israel, which is one of the most special parts about this country. What a joy it was to see religious, secular, huge knitted yalkmuka wearers with long payot (locks of hair around the ears), women with head coverings, and people wearing crazy costumes all dancing together. There were several DJ’s dressed as Hasidic men spinning Hebrew music, and a female DJ spinning techno and pop. Anything and everyone went. The unity and lack of religious lines was a beautiful sight. There were spray paint artists, go kart races, jump rope contests, light installations on buildings, and  tons of artistic vendors. This took place on a random Monday night; this is typical of Israel where they don’t put off having a good time. Nothing like that ever happens in my neighborhood, certainly not for no apparent reason. Excellent call by my oldest child, suggesting this as the activity to cap off our trip. It was the perfect way to end a truly special few days. As hard as it is to leave Israel, I take comfort in knowing I can always return. It’s where I started to come alive five years ago. The imprint on my mind, heart, and soul left from that certain time in my life is as much a part of me as my breath. Shalom means hello, goodbye, and peace. Come in peace, and go in peace. And in between the coming and going, live, love,  and be that way.  ☮️✝️☪️🕉☯️🔯