First Yom Kippur in Israel, by blogger of the month Sahar Romem

What does it mean to “practice” Yom Kippur in Israel? How is it different than practicing Yom Kippur anywhere else in the world? This year marked my fourth Yom Kippur in Israel and I believe that main difference is the atmosphere, the surrounding feeling of belonging, of goodness, and of security. Everyone in the country, both fasting and non-fasting, are focused on the same thing. As opposed to holidays, which center around family gatherings, Yom Kippur requires each individual to focus on their own behavior. The collective reflection of self, although individual, unifies the country.

            So how does the first Yom Kippur in Israel feel? Here are the thoughts of several students from the class of 2018. One of the students he was amazed by the atmosphere. He expressed that back home Yom Kippur was a regular day unless you were fasting and in synagogue. In Israel however, the whole country is shut down: not one car on the road, everyone walking and biking in the street, and kids playing sports.

            Another student found the experience especially emotional. “Being raised in a modern orthodox home, I was taught that Yom Kippur is a time for fasting, praying, and asking G-d for forgiveness, but my first Yom Kippur in Israel meant more than that. I had the privilege of celebrating the holiest day in Judaism with an entire nation of people. It was this special day where all systems (e.g., public transportation, T.V., radio) were shut down, and millions of people were off from school and work. For 24 hours, I felt a sense of unity with a large community of people and Knew I was part of something really great. I have not felt this powerful feeling very much in my life. And it was this experience which helped redefine what Yom Kippur meant to me and more importantly what Judaism means to me.”’

            One of the students decided to fast even though they are not Jewish. “I knew that Yom Kippur is the holiest day of the Jewish year, and because I'm currently living in a Jewish state I fasted not necessarily for the religious aspect, but as a way to actively participate in the larger Israel community. Many of our classmates are Jewish to varying degrees, and most of them fasted regardless of their level of adherence, so I also did it as a way to support their efforts and to be able to understand what it means to fast for a full 25 hours. Having heard from friends who have fasted in the past (both Jewish friends for Yom Kippur and Muslim friends for Ramadan), both groups have always said it's a great time to reflect. So on top of everything, I also thought it might be a good way to stop and reflect on the past two months of my life and the adjustment of starting medical school in a new culture and country.”    - blogger of the month, Sahar Romem

The Cat's Meow, by blogger of the month Aviva Friedman

I read a New York Times article recently that really resonated with me. It was about twenty-something young women re-claiming the term “crazy cat lady” and making it cool again (I mean when was it NOT cool?…but I digress.).



And so, I’ve been saving my best material for this last blog post. Because when people ask me why I choose to attend MSIH, generally, I lie. I say it’s because of the awesome people from varied educational backgrounds with an impossible array of life experiences. I also say it’s because of the global health curriculum and opportunities to travel abroad and practice medicine in unique climates. But really, truly, I came here for the cats.  My classmates will attest to this.

FUN FACT: Israel is home to at least 2 million feral cats (that’s equal to 25% of Israel’s fur-less population)!

Aviva with cat in bike basket

Here at MSIH, we have a kitten of our own that is growing before our very eyes on the grounds of Caroline House, the place where we do much of our studying. We have affectionately labelled her Buba, the Hebrew word for doll (or, if you prefer my Colombian roommate’s latin-tinged version, Bubita), and visits from her are often the best parts of our days.

I had planned to start a blog of my own when I first arrived in Israel; I would have called it Stray Cats of Israel. The idea came to me after I documented my first Israeli cat friend on instagram this summer, the first of so so many that I have met all since then. All of them are an important part of the landscape, diverse and curious, mysterious and intelligent, and not so different from my own classmates, I'd say!

Basically, what I’m getting at is that I made the right choice in coming to MSIH.

(By the way, if you’re interested in seeing MORE stray cats of Israel, follow me on instagram @avivapuff)


 

Shana Tova! by Aviva Friedman, blogger of the month

A common Jewish phrase, usually at the end of the Passover seder, clearly elaborates where we hope to be next year: "Next year in Jerusalem!" Since the Jewish new year is upon us tomorrow, and since our class trip to Jerusalem was last week, I guess you could say it was already last year that we were roaming her streets. The novelty of traveling - and bragging about traveling - to Jerusalem for a day trip has yet to wear off. Our 1.5 hour bus ride through the Negev’s dusty desert scenery was filled with off-key singing and plenty of opportunities to catch some Z’s as the scenery slowly greened and our bus mounted the hills of the golden city. Unfortunately, due to ongoing security concerns, we were unable to visit the old city and her sites. Instead, we were treated to an alternative city tour, starting with some fascinating global health presentations by Hebrew U’s graduating MPH class at Hadassah Hospital, followed by a visit to the Knesset (Israel’s parliament), the windmill, a stop at a must-see Jerusalem lookout, and of course, Mahane Yehuda (aka the central shuk). When my Hebrew teacher asked me the next day what my favourite part of the trip had been, I turned into a giant cheeseball and said that it was spending time with new friends (I bet it would have been the rugalach if I could eat it, though).

As the new year rolls in, we take part in an ancient Jewish tradition: we eat. Besides the traditional dinners that many of us will attend over the next two evenings either with our own or our adoptive families, we will dunk apples in honey to symbolize our wishes for a sweet year ahead with even sweeter friends for the journey (there I go again!). So, though I told my Hebrew teacher today that what I want in the new year is good grades, what I meant to say is that I hope for a wonderful new start filled with only laughter and joy and success for everyone around me. Good grades wouldn’t hurt either. 

As we say in Hebrew: Shana tova u metukah! (Have a happy - and sweet - new year!).