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In this first of an occasional series, Erica Lansky reports from her Otzma trip back home to Detroit.
iary
Er's
Israel D
ica
lose your eyes. Forget about the Pistons game donningblack
for a minute ... coats,
think
Bearded men donning
Israel.
What
comes and
to min
black hats,
praying
swaying in front of the Western Wall? Gas
masks and bomb shelters? Kibbutzniks picking oranges beneath
of Is-
images are an important part
the burning sun.
Right is
... what
and wrong.
While
raelthat
they are
— a these
part. Contrary to popular belief, Israel is
more than just prayer and war and simplicity and heat. Israel is a unique
strip of land smack in the midst of the Middle East. Geographically, it
both separates and joins the Arab world. As a state, it is only 44
years
coy,
Is-
, but has roots that trace back thousands of years. Ideologi
old
rael is both a Jewish state and a state of Jews. try of paradoxes an d dou-
me to the
Confused? Shalom, and welco
ble-edged swords in every sense of the term.
This is Israel, where for every two people you hear three
o
opinions. This is Israel, where the natinal
are
is the pastimes
Holy Land,
debating ... and eating, of course. This
where only 10 percent of the citizens are religious; the oth-
er 90 percent spend Rosh Hashanah at the beach. Yes, this
is Israel where male chauvinism has peaked, but every
female Israeli must serve in the nailitary alongside her male
a
"superiors. is Israel, where I will spend 10 months work-
And learning
this
Wig,
and growing. I have been selected as one of
14 Detroit-area participants in a unique P rogram called
Project Otzma. The Detroit Otzmaniks include: Jane
Berman, Amy Emmer, Robert Fish, Wendy Gach, Michael
Gutman, Renee Himmelhoch, Erica Lansky, Elizabeth
Sam Lulkin., Dana Miller, Eric Rosenthal, Alyson
Levine,
Rubin, Tami Rubin and Rana Trachtman wish
Otzma, primarily funded by various Jewish
federations, has sent 100 young Jewish leaders
(aged 18-25) from North America to become ac-
tive and contributing members in Israeli
life.
People magazine,
I traded my rollerblades,
or
frozen yogurt, friends and familyin exchange
f -
ah Vil
kibbutz life, Hebrew lessons, Youth Aliy
lages, Project Renewal, new friends and adop-
Working With
The Ethiopians
Craig Goldsmith reports on
his remarkable time
in Israel.
CRAIG GOLDSMITH
Erica Lansky
with friends on an archaeological walk.
Erica with
tive
tive families.
might seem like a bunch of fancy words,
but concepts such as Project Renewal and Youth
I be-
Aliyah will be transformed into realities
gin to learn and appreciate their significance
of assrael
I
in my life (as an Otznaanik) and in all .
During the coining months, I would like to share
my adventures, my discoveries and my -
Traveling through rock terrain.
SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS
I
was walking home from
teaching English at an el-
ementary school in Yavne
when I noticed some
Ethiopians from the Mercaz
Clita (absorption center) where
I had worked. Most of these
kids are 6-10 years old and
have only been in the country
for three to five months. Al-
though their Hebrew is not yet
proficient, it is sufficient for us
to communicate. After chatting
with them for a while, I decid-
ed to accompany them back to
their absorption center.
The kids began to argue
about who was going to sit
with me on the bus. Finally,
two of the kids and I packed
ourselves into one seat. I
pulled out a magazine from my
bag and we began to look at
the pictures. On the door was
a photo of M.C. Hammer, the
rap star. They immediately
asked me, "Is he Ethiopian?" I
responded that he wasn't and
chuckled to myself at the naive
, innocence of the question. This
question is one which is fre-
quently asked by the Ethiopi-
ans. In another example, I
pointed to a movie poster with
Gene Wilder and Richard Pry-
or and said that "he is Jewish."
The Ethiopians naturally as-
sumed that I was referring to
Richard Pryor and were
shocked to discover that Gene
Wilder was the Jew.
The bus arrived at the ab-
sorption center and I immedi-
ately had at least 10 kids
holding my arms and hands
trying to guide me in the di-
rection of their house for lunch.
I finally decided on the house.
Before entering it, I said, "En-
dem-na-nech? (how are you?)
to all of the older men and
women standing around the
house. They smiled upon hear-
ing me speak Am Harik and
welcomed me into the house.
In this particular center, "the
houses" are converted army
barracks consisting of two bed-
rooms and a kitchen.
ETHIOPIANS page 36