|
|
|
Click here to download a print version of the following exercise. Un-packing It All In: Preparing for Your Israel Trip For thousands of years, Jews had been making pilgrimages to Eretz Yisrael, the Land of Israel. During this 60th anniversary year, take the opportunity to revisit the meaning of Israel travel with the following exercise to mentally prepare for a trip to Medinat Yisrael, the State of Israel. As you will see, the journey begins well before you check in at the airport. Packing or Unpacking? Contrary to the normal course of events regarding travel to and from somewhere far away, packing and unpacking for a trip to Israel should happen in reverse order. As a result of the different ways by which Jews experience Israel—liturgically, through news media, Israeli acquaintances, friends and/or relatives—preparation for a trip to Israel does require a different approach. Weeks and months before even one suitcase is brought out of storage, travelers should begin to unpack their minds. Then there will be room to pack in and fully appreciate the experiences during the visit and upon return. Instructions The following is an exercise for individuals, groups, and/or families to do before a trip to Israel. You may want to jot down some notes as you go through the scenarios. First-timers and veterans alike can benefit from the questions, discussions, and activities. Make sure to revisit your notes during your trip and a few weeks after you return! In each “Think” section, spend 10-15 minutes thinking individually about the answers to the questions, and then share your thoughts with each other. Listed in the “Act” sections are activities that you can do as a group or on your own before, during, and after your trip to Israel. C’visah: Unpacking for Israel is about "laundry." Think In your Israel "wardrobe," what is clean, what is dirty, what do you have to air out? When you "wear" Israel, what does it look like and how does it feel? Are you covered from head to toe in layers, or are you mostly naked, wearing only the bare minimum? How prepared are you for the climate?
Mazkeret: Unpacking for Israel is about souvenirs, too. Think The Hebrew word for souvenir is mazkeret, related to the word zikaron, memory. Have you been to Israel before? What is your strongest memory from your last trip? Along the journey of life, what memories have you collected about Israel? What trinkets and tchatkes have you picked up or been given? A flag pin here, a red string there…If you attach any emotional significance to your souvenirs, what are the emotions? Act
Chazarah: Returning home, to routine, and to your daily life post-trip. Think What has changed since you’ve last been to Israel? If you have never been, can you predict what it will feel like when you are there: A national calendar based on Jewish holidays and weekends that end when the Sabbath Bride leaves—not when the shopping malls close on Sunday? How can these experiences shape your interactions with Israel when you are back at home? Furthermore, what is the Jewish Homeland? Is Israel a Home for you? What do you think it means “to return?” Act
Nesiah Tovah! Have a nice trip! When you unpack for a trip to Israel, you are making room in the suitcase of your mind for answers to the questions above. You will bring some of those answers with you to Israel, shift them around, and certainly make room for more as you move from place to place in the country. The next time you plan a trip to Israel, remember to unpack your mind before you pack the suitcase.
|
|
