As some of you may know, after I graduate, I am hoping to spend a year working at an international school overseas. I thought that while I'm spending a semester living overseas, it might be a good time to get my feet wet and maybe make a contact. So after some research, my father and I discovered the Anglican International School of Jerusalem. Their mission and goals totally resonate with me, and I got so excited just reading about it. After much resume-polishing and personal statement-writing, I e-mailed the director of the school to let him know of my interest. This morning he e-mailed me back and said they were very interested in talking to me, and he'd ask the principal of the elementary school to contact me to arrange a time to meet! I can't wait...I'm hoping that I'll be able to go by and help out on a weekly basis :)
ALSO: Enjoy this gem from today's Hebrew class lesson Rosh HaShana :)
Saturday, September 24, 2011
You're getting to be a habit with me...
Hello, dear readers! I apologize for the dearth of posts recently; ulpan is almost over so there's been little news, there have been few expeditions due to the tensions over the UN vote, and overall I haven't had much to share. However, I did have a couple of adventures this week!
First of all, I have a confession: my name is Grace Hudkins, and I am addicted to French Hill Falafel. The falafel store that is a two-minute walk from my apartment serves the best falafel I've had in my life for less than $3 -- delicious, convenient, and cheap! It's the trifecta. I honestly don't know how I'm going to be able to return to American falafel. I've already told Ian that upon my return to the US, we will be scouring the Bay Area for the second-best falafel!
In other news...for the most part, it's been a pretty quiet week. On Wednesday, I visited the shuk with my friends Carolyn, Arielle, and Cara. This was easily the best trip to the shuk ever, and I will tell you why: Yosef. Who, you ask, is Yosef? Well. Carolyn and I had been discussing cooking on the train ride over, and we discovered that we both have great Indian food recipes. But, we lamented, we didn't have the spices to make them. What's a poor girl to do? Go find a spice shop in the shuk! We were strolling through and stopped to look around the outside of one shop.
Who wouldn't stop to look? (Photo courtesy of Arielle!) As we lingered, the gentleman who was working there came out with a scoop of a combination of spices and told us all to put out our hands and try it. We each tasted it, and it was really good! Cara bought some to add excitement to her couscous. Enticed by the delicious flavours, we ventured inside. We got to talking with the gentleman, Yosef, in both Hebrew and English. He welcomed us to Israel, helped me find the many spices I need to make dal, and then told us to go behind the counter so he could take a picture for us! And here is proof of our expedition:
From left to right: Cara, Carolyn, me, and Arielle! We also visited Berke, an international student at HU who is from Mexico, who recently got a job at the fancy cheese shop. We tasted some delicious Jarlsberg, I eyed an imported cheddar (oh how I miss good cheese...). Carolyn wound up purchasing some, but I had other things in mind.
(Another photo courtesy of Arielle.) I stopped by the fresh pasta shop next door and bought some delicious cheese and pesto ravioli. It was a bit pricey, but after making one serving, I can confirm that it was worth the price! I don't think that it will be a weekly purchase (2 servings was about the same price as an imported pint of Ben & Jerry's -- approximately $10), but, like Ben & Jerry's, it is a luxury that I will allow myself from time to time! All in all, It was quite a successful outing.
On Thursday, after ulpan and a quick meeting with my advisor (I have now officially added The Emergence of Biblical Israel!), I packed up my backpack with water and a hat, I met up with Kate, Esther, Robert, and Rachel, and we boarded a bus to Ein Karem. (Warning: here is where the picture-heavy part of the post begins! I apologize that not all of the pictures are mine...I stole a few from a friend, credit is given below.)
Ein Karem is a village on the western edge of Jerusalem. It's one of those places that's like an oasis: you're amazed that somewhere so near a city can be so quiet and peaceful. We met our tour guide, who was sadly notNigel Yossi, but he was a nice guy named Yaan. (We determined that the reason for different tour guides is because Yossi is a devout Jew and this tour focused on visiting several churches. But we missed him!)
Our first stop was the Church of St. John the Baptist, a Franciscan church which is believed to be the site where Elizabeth gave birth to John. As our tour guide told us the story of Elizabeth and Zachary unexpectedly having a son, I couldn't help but smile -- this history I knew! Esther, a Jewish friend, was amazed by the parallels between the New Testament and the Old Testament (e.g. Elizabeth and Zachary compared with Abraham and Sarah, the Passover story and Herod's slaughter of the innocents). This riffing off the Hebrew holy texts lent credibility to the authors of the Christian texts! For those who don't know the story, Elizabeth and Zachary were an older couple who had given up on having children as she had gotten too old. Then one day, an angel came and told Zachary he would bear a son. He didn't believe the angel, so God took the power of speech from him. But, lo and behold, Elizabeth was pregnant and gave birth to a son. (People who know the story -- yes, I'm skipping a few details here, but I'm going to come back to them later!) Just as they were about to circumcise him and name him after his father, Zachary wrote, "His name is John." Thus he regained the power of speech and said a prayer. Outside in the courtyard of the church, they had beautiful tilework that bore, in countless languages, the prayer that Zachary said.
The church is built on the ruins of a Byzantine church, of which parts have been preserved:
After hearing this story and wandering the courtyard a bit, we went inside the church, where there was a service going on. My friends and I went straight to the spot where John is believed to have been born, then stepped outside to watch the service, listen to the music, and look at the incredible artwork.
Because it's a Franciscan church, the decor of the interior is very Spanish with beautiful tilework:
We wound through the streets of Ein Karem, taking in the beautiful scenery, and eventually arrived at the convent of Notre Dame de Sion, founded by two French brothers. It is home to nuns who work in the community, nuns who live and study only in the convent, and occasionally, terminally ill people who wish to spend their last days in an idyllic and beautiful setting. There's also a guest house for people who want to get away for a while. There were lovely gardens and breathtaking views:
From there, we could also see an absolutely gorgeous Russian Orthodox church in the hills. We unfortunately couldn't visit because it's apparently a bit tricky to get in, especially in large groups, but we still heard a bit about it. It was commissioned by Elizabeth of Russia, but construction stopped after she was killed in the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917. Construction didn't resume until after the fall of the Soviet Union, and it was completed only a few years ago.
Our next visit was my favourite site, and also the most difficult to get to: the Church of the Visitation. It was several flights of stairs to get to the church itself, but the vista was incredible and the church was beautiful.
This is a church that was built on a crusader church, as you can see here:
This church is venerated as the site of Elizabeth and Zachary's summer home where she and Mary met. (Here, New Testament dorks, is where we add the details that were neglected before!) In Elizabeth's sixth month of pregnancy, she was visited by her cousin Mary, who was in her third month. When Mary announced her pregnancy, it is said that the child leapt in Elizabeth's womb, and Elizabeth blessed her. After this, Mary said a prayer now known as the Magnificat, which is, like the Church of St. John the Baptist, written on tiles in the courtyard, and "Magnificat" is written in bricks at the entry.
There's also a lovely sculpture depicting the visitation:
Inside the chapel, there was some incredible artwork, including what is now my second-favourite depiction of the Virgin Mary and Jesus:
(Photo credit: Robert Pines.) There was a lot of other beautiful artwork depicting scenes that I am so familiar with from my Episcopalian upbringing and my New Testament course. It's one of the times that it's nice to be a goy!
Before descending back into the village, we sat outside of the courtyard looking out on a magnificent view and listening to Bach's Magnificat. It was pretty incredible!
Before returning to Jerusalem, we stopped and got some delicious ice cream (glida in Hebrew) -- mine was chocolate chip cookie flavoured :)
(Photo courtesy of Robert!) Since the tour, I have left the apartment very little and the K'far not at all -- the city is on high alert because of the current political situation. In fact, the only reason I went on the Ein Karem tour was because it was sponsored by the university so I was guaranteed to have protection and not get lost. We're all watching and waiting and praying for the best. I've been studying my Hebrew, reading articles on the situation, and relaxing.
It's nice; I've started to become more comfortable with daily life, the city, and the university. I'm hoping to spend next weekend venturing out and visiting the Old City or Ein Karem again, or familiarizing myself further with the city center. But things are about to change...tomorrow is the last day of ulpan class, Monday is the final exam, and then I plan to do some traveling during the Rosh Hashana break before the semester begins! At the recommendation of Jennifer, MHC and HU alumna, I've hoping to visit Akko and Cesaria over the course of three days, then returning to Jerusalem to spend Shabbat resting up and preparing for the semester to begin :) The rest of this afternoon is to be spent in bed with my Israel travel guide figuring out how to get there, where to stay, and what to do. Stay tuned...
First of all, I have a confession: my name is Grace Hudkins, and I am addicted to French Hill Falafel. The falafel store that is a two-minute walk from my apartment serves the best falafel I've had in my life for less than $3 -- delicious, convenient, and cheap! It's the trifecta. I honestly don't know how I'm going to be able to return to American falafel. I've already told Ian that upon my return to the US, we will be scouring the Bay Area for the second-best falafel!
In other news...for the most part, it's been a pretty quiet week. On Wednesday, I visited the shuk with my friends Carolyn, Arielle, and Cara. This was easily the best trip to the shuk ever, and I will tell you why: Yosef. Who, you ask, is Yosef? Well. Carolyn and I had been discussing cooking on the train ride over, and we discovered that we both have great Indian food recipes. But, we lamented, we didn't have the spices to make them. What's a poor girl to do? Go find a spice shop in the shuk! We were strolling through and stopped to look around the outside of one shop.
Who wouldn't stop to look? (Photo courtesy of Arielle!) As we lingered, the gentleman who was working there came out with a scoop of a combination of spices and told us all to put out our hands and try it. We each tasted it, and it was really good! Cara bought some to add excitement to her couscous. Enticed by the delicious flavours, we ventured inside. We got to talking with the gentleman, Yosef, in both Hebrew and English. He welcomed us to Israel, helped me find the many spices I need to make dal, and then told us to go behind the counter so he could take a picture for us! And here is proof of our expedition:
From left to right: Cara, Carolyn, me, and Arielle! We also visited Berke, an international student at HU who is from Mexico, who recently got a job at the fancy cheese shop. We tasted some delicious Jarlsberg, I eyed an imported cheddar (oh how I miss good cheese...). Carolyn wound up purchasing some, but I had other things in mind.
(Another photo courtesy of Arielle.) I stopped by the fresh pasta shop next door and bought some delicious cheese and pesto ravioli. It was a bit pricey, but after making one serving, I can confirm that it was worth the price! I don't think that it will be a weekly purchase (2 servings was about the same price as an imported pint of Ben & Jerry's -- approximately $10), but, like Ben & Jerry's, it is a luxury that I will allow myself from time to time! All in all, It was quite a successful outing.On Thursday, after ulpan and a quick meeting with my advisor (I have now officially added The Emergence of Biblical Israel!), I packed up my backpack with water and a hat, I met up with Kate, Esther, Robert, and Rachel, and we boarded a bus to Ein Karem. (Warning: here is where the picture-heavy part of the post begins! I apologize that not all of the pictures are mine...I stole a few from a friend, credit is given below.)
Ein Karem is a village on the western edge of Jerusalem. It's one of those places that's like an oasis: you're amazed that somewhere so near a city can be so quiet and peaceful. We met our tour guide, who was sadly not
Our first stop was the Church of St. John the Baptist, a Franciscan church which is believed to be the site where Elizabeth gave birth to John. As our tour guide told us the story of Elizabeth and Zachary unexpectedly having a son, I couldn't help but smile -- this history I knew! Esther, a Jewish friend, was amazed by the parallels between the New Testament and the Old Testament (e.g. Elizabeth and Zachary compared with Abraham and Sarah, the Passover story and Herod's slaughter of the innocents). This riffing off the Hebrew holy texts lent credibility to the authors of the Christian texts! For those who don't know the story, Elizabeth and Zachary were an older couple who had given up on having children as she had gotten too old. Then one day, an angel came and told Zachary he would bear a son. He didn't believe the angel, so God took the power of speech from him. But, lo and behold, Elizabeth was pregnant and gave birth to a son. (People who know the story -- yes, I'm skipping a few details here, but I'm going to come back to them later!) Just as they were about to circumcise him and name him after his father, Zachary wrote, "His name is John." Thus he regained the power of speech and said a prayer. Outside in the courtyard of the church, they had beautiful tilework that bore, in countless languages, the prayer that Zachary said.
The church is built on the ruins of a Byzantine church, of which parts have been preserved:
After hearing this story and wandering the courtyard a bit, we went inside the church, where there was a service going on. My friends and I went straight to the spot where John is believed to have been born, then stepped outside to watch the service, listen to the music, and look at the incredible artwork.
Because it's a Franciscan church, the decor of the interior is very Spanish with beautiful tilework:
We wound through the streets of Ein Karem, taking in the beautiful scenery, and eventually arrived at the convent of Notre Dame de Sion, founded by two French brothers. It is home to nuns who work in the community, nuns who live and study only in the convent, and occasionally, terminally ill people who wish to spend their last days in an idyllic and beautiful setting. There's also a guest house for people who want to get away for a while. There were lovely gardens and breathtaking views:
From there, we could also see an absolutely gorgeous Russian Orthodox church in the hills. We unfortunately couldn't visit because it's apparently a bit tricky to get in, especially in large groups, but we still heard a bit about it. It was commissioned by Elizabeth of Russia, but construction stopped after she was killed in the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917. Construction didn't resume until after the fall of the Soviet Union, and it was completed only a few years ago.
Our next visit was my favourite site, and also the most difficult to get to: the Church of the Visitation. It was several flights of stairs to get to the church itself, but the vista was incredible and the church was beautiful.
This is a church that was built on a crusader church, as you can see here:
This church is venerated as the site of Elizabeth and Zachary's summer home where she and Mary met. (Here, New Testament dorks, is where we add the details that were neglected before!) In Elizabeth's sixth month of pregnancy, she was visited by her cousin Mary, who was in her third month. When Mary announced her pregnancy, it is said that the child leapt in Elizabeth's womb, and Elizabeth blessed her. After this, Mary said a prayer now known as the Magnificat, which is, like the Church of St. John the Baptist, written on tiles in the courtyard, and "Magnificat" is written in bricks at the entry.
There's also a lovely sculpture depicting the visitation:
Inside the chapel, there was some incredible artwork, including what is now my second-favourite depiction of the Virgin Mary and Jesus:
(Photo credit: Robert Pines.) There was a lot of other beautiful artwork depicting scenes that I am so familiar with from my Episcopalian upbringing and my New Testament course. It's one of the times that it's nice to be a goy!
Before descending back into the village, we sat outside of the courtyard looking out on a magnificent view and listening to Bach's Magnificat. It was pretty incredible!
Before returning to Jerusalem, we stopped and got some delicious ice cream (glida in Hebrew) -- mine was chocolate chip cookie flavoured :)
(Photo courtesy of Robert!) Since the tour, I have left the apartment very little and the K'far not at all -- the city is on high alert because of the current political situation. In fact, the only reason I went on the Ein Karem tour was because it was sponsored by the university so I was guaranteed to have protection and not get lost. We're all watching and waiting and praying for the best. I've been studying my Hebrew, reading articles on the situation, and relaxing.It's nice; I've started to become more comfortable with daily life, the city, and the university. I'm hoping to spend next weekend venturing out and visiting the Old City or Ein Karem again, or familiarizing myself further with the city center. But things are about to change...tomorrow is the last day of ulpan class, Monday is the final exam, and then I plan to do some traveling during the Rosh Hashana break before the semester begins! At the recommendation of Jennifer, MHC and HU alumna, I've hoping to visit Akko and Cesaria over the course of three days, then returning to Jerusalem to spend Shabbat resting up and preparing for the semester to begin :) The rest of this afternoon is to be spent in bed with my Israel travel guide figuring out how to get there, where to stay, and what to do. Stay tuned...
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
A Song of Peace
My dear readers, I promise that soon I will post about my recent adventures: I'm visiting Ein Karem tomorrow and I had an exciting trip to the shuk this week, but this is something that I really want to share now.
When I do my homework at the apartment, I will sit at my desk with my notebook and textbook, and I will put my "Folksy Girls" playlist on shuffle and leave it playing softly in the background. This playlist includes the Indigo Girls, Blame Sally, Joni Mitchell, Catie Curtis, Dar Williams, and Vienna Teng, and Ani DiFranco.
Today as I worked on writing an advertisement for Kibbutz Harduf, the song "Finlandia" by the Indigo Girls came on. (Many also know this as "This Is My Song" or "A Song Of Peace.") I first became familiar with this tune when I was about seven or eight years old, and my children's choir at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church learned and performed it. I loved it even then; so simple, truthful, and beautiful. And now, a decade and a half later, the Indigo Girls version always makes me stop in my tracks and just listen; it is a hauntingly beautiful a cappella arrangement. I can't find a version of it on YouTube that I'm satisfied with, but if you're interested in checking it out, it's from their album "Rarities."
Given the current situation in Israel, this particularly resonated today. Everyone here is watching and waiting as Palestine approaches the UN to petition for statehood. No one can predict what the fallout will be (whether the Palestinians succeed or not), but everyone is trying to. There could be protests, demonstrations, violence, or it could stay very quiet. It's nearly impossible to find an unbiased article on the subject; everyone has strong feelings on the topic, and sometimes it's hard to sort fact from opinion.
I'm still not sure what I think; I'm listening when others talk, I'm reading articles, I'm trying to get to know my own mind. (Interestingly, if a Palestinian state is established, the Mount Scopus campus of Hebrew University will no longer be in Israeli territory.) But what I do know for sure is that my greatest wish is for peace: for their land and for mine.
When I do my homework at the apartment, I will sit at my desk with my notebook and textbook, and I will put my "Folksy Girls" playlist on shuffle and leave it playing softly in the background. This playlist includes the Indigo Girls, Blame Sally, Joni Mitchell, Catie Curtis, Dar Williams, and Vienna Teng, and Ani DiFranco.
Today as I worked on writing an advertisement for Kibbutz Harduf, the song "Finlandia" by the Indigo Girls came on. (Many also know this as "This Is My Song" or "A Song Of Peace.") I first became familiar with this tune when I was about seven or eight years old, and my children's choir at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church learned and performed it. I loved it even then; so simple, truthful, and beautiful. And now, a decade and a half later, the Indigo Girls version always makes me stop in my tracks and just listen; it is a hauntingly beautiful a cappella arrangement. I can't find a version of it on YouTube that I'm satisfied with, but if you're interested in checking it out, it's from their album "Rarities."
Given the current situation in Israel, this particularly resonated today. Everyone here is watching and waiting as Palestine approaches the UN to petition for statehood. No one can predict what the fallout will be (whether the Palestinians succeed or not), but everyone is trying to. There could be protests, demonstrations, violence, or it could stay very quiet. It's nearly impossible to find an unbiased article on the subject; everyone has strong feelings on the topic, and sometimes it's hard to sort fact from opinion.
I'm still not sure what I think; I'm listening when others talk, I'm reading articles, I'm trying to get to know my own mind. (Interestingly, if a Palestinian state is established, the Mount Scopus campus of Hebrew University will no longer be in Israeli territory.) But what I do know for sure is that my greatest wish is for peace: for their land and for mine.
Friday, September 16, 2011
Rose, Thorn, Bud
Let's play a camp game! This is something we'd do before lights out at Camp Farnsworth: rose, thorn, bud. Each person (if they so desired) would share a rose (something good about the day), a thorn (something bad about the day), and a bud (something that they were looking forward to). So here's a quick recap for me, with a few of each:
Roses: Today at the shuk, I was going to get a falafel sandwich for lunch. I went up to a stand and asked for "falafel ehad," one falafel, and the old man at the stand handed me two falafel balls for free! It pretty much made my day. To be fair, it wasn't the best falafel I've had in Israel, but it was warm and tasty and free :) I also found a bunch more sponges and some cheap Tupperware for the apartment, and I found someone at the shuk who sells fresh basil! It was so crowded being at the shuk right before Shabbat, but it was also really interesting. Alison and I also saw a woman playing an electric ukelele and singing "Edelweiss," it was super exciting! It was also a relaxing evening...I made dinner and then watched some TV while munching on chocolate covered almonds.
Thorns: I couldn't fall asleep last night, and I didn't sleep very well...as a result of my slow morning, I almost didn't make it to the shuk! Alison and I had a devil of a time finding plums at the shuk (although we did eventually track some down), and then I wanted to go to the market for a few things but they had already closed for Shabbat. No milk, chocolate milk, diet Coke, or paper towels until Sunday! Then I had a really bad headache, but fortunately it felt better after a nice long nap. I made bruschetta pasta for dinner, but sadly, it is not the same without garlic-basil linguine and Dubliner cheese. (Family, take note: this will likely be the first thing I make when I get home! I'm also dying for a burrito.)
Buds: Tomorrow will be a wonderful, restful Shabbat. I finished my weekend homework right after class on Thursday, so tomorrow I hope to watch TV with Alison, make some tasty food, clean my room, maybe do some laundry? Also, as of now, I have no plans after ulpan for Sunday through Wednesday, and I'm hoping to make the trip back to the Old City that I'd hoped to this weekend (stupid sleepless night and resulting headache!). I'm also visiting the village of Ein-Kerem on Thursday evening, and it should be an interesting experience. I'm also excitedly anticipating the end of ulpan, Rosh Hoshana break (five days in which I hope to travel), and the beginning of the semester!
Roses: Today at the shuk, I was going to get a falafel sandwich for lunch. I went up to a stand and asked for "falafel ehad," one falafel, and the old man at the stand handed me two falafel balls for free! It pretty much made my day. To be fair, it wasn't the best falafel I've had in Israel, but it was warm and tasty and free :) I also found a bunch more sponges and some cheap Tupperware for the apartment, and I found someone at the shuk who sells fresh basil! It was so crowded being at the shuk right before Shabbat, but it was also really interesting. Alison and I also saw a woman playing an electric ukelele and singing "Edelweiss," it was super exciting! It was also a relaxing evening...I made dinner and then watched some TV while munching on chocolate covered almonds.
Thorns: I couldn't fall asleep last night, and I didn't sleep very well...as a result of my slow morning, I almost didn't make it to the shuk! Alison and I had a devil of a time finding plums at the shuk (although we did eventually track some down), and then I wanted to go to the market for a few things but they had already closed for Shabbat. No milk, chocolate milk, diet Coke, or paper towels until Sunday! Then I had a really bad headache, but fortunately it felt better after a nice long nap. I made bruschetta pasta for dinner, but sadly, it is not the same without garlic-basil linguine and Dubliner cheese. (Family, take note: this will likely be the first thing I make when I get home! I'm also dying for a burrito.)
Buds: Tomorrow will be a wonderful, restful Shabbat. I finished my weekend homework right after class on Thursday, so tomorrow I hope to watch TV with Alison, make some tasty food, clean my room, maybe do some laundry? Also, as of now, I have no plans after ulpan for Sunday through Wednesday, and I'm hoping to make the trip back to the Old City that I'd hoped to this weekend (stupid sleepless night and resulting headache!). I'm also visiting the village of Ein-Kerem on Thursday evening, and it should be an interesting experience. I'm also excitedly anticipating the end of ulpan, Rosh Hoshana break (five days in which I hope to travel), and the beginning of the semester!
Thursday, September 15, 2011
עברית לו פיקניק
For those who don't speak Hebrew, the title of this post reads, "Ivrit lo piknik," Hebrew for "Hebrew's no picnic!" One of our teachers, Sheron, says this on almost a daily basis. Here's a sample of one night of homework, studying for a quiz, the textbook, etc:
On the bright side, a few minutes ago I had my first entirely Hebrew exchange outside the classroom -- ordering a falafel from the stand around the corner from K'far HaStudentim. I was so excited to be putting my Hebrew to practical use! Plus the falafel was simply delicious :D (Although the pita was torn, so things got a bit messy!)
Also, a bit of a Hebrew funny for you all, which helps to explain what makes Hebrew so tricky.
In Hebrew...
she = היא (he)
he = הוא (who)
who = מי (me)
me = אני (ani)
It certainly keeps us on our toes!
In other news, today I met with my advisor, Dr. Alick Isaacs. He is just the sweetest guy! I spent a very enjoyable twenty minutes chatting with him and figuring out my schedule. Here's what I'm registered for -- most of the course titles are hyperlinks in case you'd like to read the syllabi (Miriam!).
Intensive Modern Hebrew -- Alick said that I should absolutely, no question take the intensive course if it was offered. I submitted my name as an interested party, so here's hoping so do 16 other people in my level! They won't offer it if there's fewer than that...cross your fingers for me :)
Jews in the Greco-Roman World in the Second Temple Period: Assimilation, Adapation, Resistance -- This course is looking at the same period I did in my first two religion classes at MHC, but with a Jewish perspective instead of a Christian one. I didn't technically have the prerequisite (one course in Jewish studies or ancient studies), but Alick approved me after hearing about what I'd done so far.
Perspectives on Islam: Religion, History, and Culture -- When I realized that Archaeology of Jerusalem would be a long shot (the wait list is twice as long as the list of registered students!), I began looking for another course, and my dad and I found this one. It should be called, "Issues in Islam that Grace Finds Interesting." Soooo excited.
Issues in Israeli Society -- Syllabus isn't up yet, but it's taught by Alison's advisor and she's taking it as well. I was turned off by the late timing (6:30 - 8:15 Monday and Wednesday), but I keep feeling so ignorant about current events and I'd love to know more. Plus if I have a friend to walk home with, it won't be so bad :)
The Battle Over the Bible: The Bible in the Eyes of Jews, Christians, and Muslims -- Alick said this class has a very Jewish slant, so if what I'm looking for is really a balanced view, it might not be the best fit. But he encouraged me to check it out, just to keep that in mind.
Largely because of the uncertainty of the last course, Alick also suggested that I attend other courses that I'm interested in just in case I decide to make some changes, and that way I can save myself some catch-up work. So a few other courses that I'm interested in and am planning on sitting in on during shopping week (what they call the week between the first day of classes and the add/drop deadline):
The Emergence of Biblical Israel -- Just discovered this one this afternoon. I think that it's closer to Michael's Old Testament class that I had wanted to take last semester. After spending a whole semester studying the New Testament (which, as Alick and I discussed, is a very Jewish text), I'd love to spend some time working with the Torah and the Old Testament.
From Jewish Jesus to Christianity -- Looking at Jesus from a Jewish perspective and discussing when the true split began between Christianity and Judaism. Not sure if it'll be too close to what I've already done in Michael's classes, though.
I wish I could take them all! As usual, religion-dork Grace cannot wait for the semester to begin so that she can take all those fascinating classes :)
On the bright side, a few minutes ago I had my first entirely Hebrew exchange outside the classroom -- ordering a falafel from the stand around the corner from K'far HaStudentim. I was so excited to be putting my Hebrew to practical use! Plus the falafel was simply delicious :D (Although the pita was torn, so things got a bit messy!)Also, a bit of a Hebrew funny for you all, which helps to explain what makes Hebrew so tricky.
In Hebrew...
she = היא (he)
he = הוא (who)
who = מי (me)
me = אני (ani)
It certainly keeps us on our toes!
In other news, today I met with my advisor, Dr. Alick Isaacs. He is just the sweetest guy! I spent a very enjoyable twenty minutes chatting with him and figuring out my schedule. Here's what I'm registered for -- most of the course titles are hyperlinks in case you'd like to read the syllabi (Miriam!).
Intensive Modern Hebrew -- Alick said that I should absolutely, no question take the intensive course if it was offered. I submitted my name as an interested party, so here's hoping so do 16 other people in my level! They won't offer it if there's fewer than that...cross your fingers for me :)
Jews in the Greco-Roman World in the Second Temple Period: Assimilation, Adapation, Resistance -- This course is looking at the same period I did in my first two religion classes at MHC, but with a Jewish perspective instead of a Christian one. I didn't technically have the prerequisite (one course in Jewish studies or ancient studies), but Alick approved me after hearing about what I'd done so far.
Perspectives on Islam: Religion, History, and Culture -- When I realized that Archaeology of Jerusalem would be a long shot (the wait list is twice as long as the list of registered students!), I began looking for another course, and my dad and I found this one. It should be called, "Issues in Islam that Grace Finds Interesting." Soooo excited.
Issues in Israeli Society -- Syllabus isn't up yet, but it's taught by Alison's advisor and she's taking it as well. I was turned off by the late timing (6:30 - 8:15 Monday and Wednesday), but I keep feeling so ignorant about current events and I'd love to know more. Plus if I have a friend to walk home with, it won't be so bad :)
The Battle Over the Bible: The Bible in the Eyes of Jews, Christians, and Muslims -- Alick said this class has a very Jewish slant, so if what I'm looking for is really a balanced view, it might not be the best fit. But he encouraged me to check it out, just to keep that in mind.
Largely because of the uncertainty of the last course, Alick also suggested that I attend other courses that I'm interested in just in case I decide to make some changes, and that way I can save myself some catch-up work. So a few other courses that I'm interested in and am planning on sitting in on during shopping week (what they call the week between the first day of classes and the add/drop deadline):
The Emergence of Biblical Israel -- Just discovered this one this afternoon. I think that it's closer to Michael's Old Testament class that I had wanted to take last semester. After spending a whole semester studying the New Testament (which, as Alick and I discussed, is a very Jewish text), I'd love to spend some time working with the Torah and the Old Testament.
From Jewish Jesus to Christianity -- Looking at Jesus from a Jewish perspective and discussing when the true split began between Christianity and Judaism. Not sure if it'll be too close to what I've already done in Michael's classes, though.
I wish I could take them all! As usual, religion-dork Grace cannot wait for the semester to begin so that she can take all those fascinating classes :)
Decisions, decisions...
As you may recall, last week I posted asking for opinions on whether I should act in/tech/be involved with the Hebrew University English production of Les Mis. Those who know me well know that I love to stage manage, direct, work tech, and sing, and that acting used to be a huge part of my life. So yesterday I went to meet with the director, Michael, and asked him if it would be possible for me to have a tech position that would not require me to attend the performances (e.g. set construction/painting, lighting hangs, etc.) -- the performances span the entirety of the ten days my parents are visiting, and they're my priority! He said no, you're a theatre person, I saw your resume -- you need to try out. (He also tried to convince me to stage manage, but I shied away from that; in my experience with stage managing it takes over my life!)
This is not what I wanted to hear.
I went and thought about it for two hours, agonizing over my calendar and ranting to Alison. After miscalculating the time difference and waking up my father (oops), I finally posted a Facebook status and got some wise responses from beloved friends affirming what I had thought all along: I didn't come to Israel to be in a musical, I can do that anytime at home. I came to Israel to experience being in Israel. So would this mean a semester of no theatre? This is practically unthinkable for me. I talked to my dad and told him my decision, and he agreed that I'd made the right choice: no theatre was better than nothing but theatre.
But I decided to see if I could have it both ways. So I went back to Michael and explained, I really do just want to bring my parents to one performance and say, "I built that flat, I hung that light, and isn't this show great?" He said okay! I met the stage manager briefly and she told me she's never stage managed before. Yikes, what a show to be a rookie stage manager on! I volunteered to mentor her and assist however I can. I'll also be meeting with Michael to see if I can help out on builds or assist their lighting professional who is known simply as "God." (We'll see if he can hold a candle to Natti!)
What a dramatic two hours that was. But now it's almost the weekend! I've got plans to head to the Old City again and celebrate a friend's birthday :) Stay tuned...
This is not what I wanted to hear.
I went and thought about it for two hours, agonizing over my calendar and ranting to Alison. After miscalculating the time difference and waking up my father (oops), I finally posted a Facebook status and got some wise responses from beloved friends affirming what I had thought all along: I didn't come to Israel to be in a musical, I can do that anytime at home. I came to Israel to experience being in Israel. So would this mean a semester of no theatre? This is practically unthinkable for me. I talked to my dad and told him my decision, and he agreed that I'd made the right choice: no theatre was better than nothing but theatre.
But I decided to see if I could have it both ways. So I went back to Michael and explained, I really do just want to bring my parents to one performance and say, "I built that flat, I hung that light, and isn't this show great?" He said okay! I met the stage manager briefly and she told me she's never stage managed before. Yikes, what a show to be a rookie stage manager on! I volunteered to mentor her and assist however I can. I'll also be meeting with Michael to see if I can help out on builds or assist their lighting professional who is known simply as "God." (We'll see if he can hold a candle to Natti!)
What a dramatic two hours that was. But now it's almost the weekend! I've got plans to head to the Old City again and celebrate a friend's birthday :) Stay tuned...
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
The Old City
Last night I had the opportunity to go on a night tour of the Old City of Jerusalem. Now, I’d like to note that the Old City is a lot of the reason that I decided to study abroad in Israel. This place is the site of so much of what I’ve studied for the last two years: the Dome of the Rock, the Kotel, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. I had been looking forward to this for so long – and it absolutely surpassed my expectations. (Emilie, Miriam, Sarah, Hannah, and Michael all being there with me would have been the only thing that could have improved the experience!) 
When ready, we took a charter bus with Yos, one of the madrichim, to the Old City. I sadly had to spend this time studying; two quizzes awaited me the next day. When we arrived we met Yossi, our fabulous tour guide. Hi, Yossi! 
He's originally from Manchester, England and has an adorable accent. He's been living in Israel for five or six years now. Following Yossi, we entered the Christian quarter through the Jaffa Gate, one of the six gates into the Old City: 
As you can see, there are several different types of stone in different layers; some from ancient times, some from the crusaders, and, as Yossi pointed out, the inside is a modern Israeli museum! They’re also pretty sure this isn’t the actual site of the Tower of David. Oh well. 
Then we had the opportunity to go into the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which commemorates the place where it is believed Jesus died, was embalmed, was buried, and rose again. Yossi would not enter for religious reasons, so we did not have a formal tour of the space, although he gave us some background before we went in. These are the lamps over the spot where he was embalmed, and after that is the tomb that he was laid in: 
There was also some truly beautiful artwork. It was a really incredible experience for me...I loved being there. 
Then we hung out in the Armenian quarter for a very long time while Yos and our guard, Eliahu, went to find someone who’d gotten lost and Yossi spend five minutes on the phone with him trying to explain where we were. So Rachel, Robert, Esther, and I got kinda silly. 
This is Esther Benatar. AKA Benatar the Transformer. Benatar knows krav maga (a form of self-defense that derives from the Israeli army). The image above is a simulation of what we thought would happen if Benatar tried to protect us in Eliahu’s absence: put on her sunglasses, then crash into a wall. We felt safe. 
After that, we went up onto the roof. It’s said that you can spend an entire day exploring the roof of the Old City! An interesting tidbit: the transliteration of the Hebrew word for Jerusalem, Yerushalaim, has the plural ending “–im.” Yossi explained that Jerusalem is two cities: the heavenly city (the Old City) and the earthly city (the new city). There we had a really interesting discussion of what “holy” means to each of us and what we consider holy places. The word for “holy” in Hebrew actually means separate rather than sacred, so that brought an interesting dynamic to our conversation. 
Finally, we walked to the Kotel, otherwise known as the Western Wall or the Wailing Wall. We began at what Yossi says is the second-best view, and the best view you can access at night. From there we could see into the Islamic Quarter, and saw the Dome of the Rock and the Temple Mount...you can barely see the latter, but I'll hopefully be touring it soon: 
We discussed the significance of these sites and where they were built: on the site of the Second Temple of Jerusalem, which was destroyed in 70c.e. (This is the beginning of what we studied in the Michael class I took last semester.) The Western Wall is the last standing wall of the temple, and is a common site of prayer for Jews. But there’s a very controversial point...can you spot it? 
There’s a partition about two-thirds of the way down the wall, which divides where men can pray (in the larger portion) and where women can pray (in the smaller portion). (Miriam, I know you’ll have SO much to say about this! Your voice was in my head the whole time I was there.) Despite the controversy, it was absolutely fascinating to be there. 
Finally we boarded the buses and returned to K’far HaStudentim, the student village. I wrapped up my night studying for Hebrew...par-tay. Alison and I are planning on visiting the shuk on Friday morning (apparently it’s a good day to go...we’ll see why that’s so special) and then spend the afternoon in the Old City on our own. Something to give me a push through the last day of ulpan week 2!
This began with me dressing in what I have dubbed my “Old City outfit.” As I prepared for this trip, my mother and I went shopping for a modest outfit that would be appropriate for the ultra-conservative, ultra-orthodox areas of the city. In the most basic sense, this requires having one’s knees and elbows covered, but ankle-length skirts and full sleeves are not uncommon. Here’s what Mom and I put together:
When ready, we took a charter bus with Yos, one of the madrichim, to the Old City. I sadly had to spend this time studying; two quizzes awaited me the next day. When we arrived we met Yossi, our fabulous tour guide. Hi, Yossi! 
He's originally from Manchester, England and has an adorable accent. He's been living in Israel for five or six years now. Following Yossi, we entered the Christian quarter through the Jaffa Gate, one of the six gates into the Old City: 
Yossi explained to us that Jerusalem is a city that has been built upon and built upon, with many different layers. He demonstrated this by putting several hats atop the head of a girl named Charlotte, each hat representing the settlement of the group that had conquered the city. Then we saw a more real representation: the Tower of David.
As you can see, there are several different types of stone in different layers; some from ancient times, some from the crusaders, and, as Yossi pointed out, the inside is a modern Israeli museum! They’re also pretty sure this isn’t the actual site of the Tower of David. Oh well. We then walked to the Mosque of Omar and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which are adjacent to one another. This is because Omar, the third most-important prophet to Isalm, refused to enter the church because he believed that would cause it to become a mosque. So, he built a mosque right next to it:
Then we had the opportunity to go into the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which commemorates the place where it is believed Jesus died, was embalmed, was buried, and rose again. Yossi would not enter for religious reasons, so we did not have a formal tour of the space, although he gave us some background before we went in. These are the lamps over the spot where he was embalmed, and after that is the tomb that he was laid in: 
There was also some truly beautiful artwork. It was a really incredible experience for me...I loved being there. 
Then we hung out in the Armenian quarter for a very long time while Yos and our guard, Eliahu, went to find someone who’d gotten lost and Yossi spend five minutes on the phone with him trying to explain where we were. So Rachel, Robert, Esther, and I got kinda silly. 
This is Esther Benatar. AKA Benatar the Transformer. Benatar knows krav maga (a form of self-defense that derives from the Israeli army). The image above is a simulation of what we thought would happen if Benatar tried to protect us in Eliahu’s absence: put on her sunglasses, then crash into a wall. We felt safe. Then the lost person returned, and Yossi gave us a bit of background on the Armenian quarter. Interesting to note: this is the one quarter that is not a religion. The other three are dedicated to each of the Abrahamic religions. Armenia is believed to be the first nation that made Christianity its official religion. It was also the first nation in the modern day to have been the victim of genocide.
After that, we went up onto the roof. It’s said that you can spend an entire day exploring the roof of the Old City! An interesting tidbit: the transliteration of the Hebrew word for Jerusalem, Yerushalaim, has the plural ending “–im.” Yossi explained that Jerusalem is two cities: the heavenly city (the Old City) and the earthly city (the new city). There we had a really interesting discussion of what “holy” means to each of us and what we consider holy places. The word for “holy” in Hebrew actually means separate rather than sacred, so that brought an interesting dynamic to our conversation. 
Finally, we walked to the Kotel, otherwise known as the Western Wall or the Wailing Wall. We began at what Yossi says is the second-best view, and the best view you can access at night. From there we could see into the Islamic Quarter, and saw the Dome of the Rock and the Temple Mount...you can barely see the latter, but I'll hopefully be touring it soon: 
We discussed the significance of these sites and where they were built: on the site of the Second Temple of Jerusalem, which was destroyed in 70c.e. (This is the beginning of what we studied in the Michael class I took last semester.) The Western Wall is the last standing wall of the temple, and is a common site of prayer for Jews. But there’s a very controversial point...can you spot it? 
There’s a partition about two-thirds of the way down the wall, which divides where men can pray (in the larger portion) and where women can pray (in the smaller portion). (Miriam, I know you’ll have SO much to say about this! Your voice was in my head the whole time I was there.) Despite the controversy, it was absolutely fascinating to be there. 
Finally we boarded the buses and returned to K’far HaStudentim, the student village. I wrapped up my night studying for Hebrew...par-tay. Alison and I are planning on visiting the shuk on Friday morning (apparently it’s a good day to go...we’ll see why that’s so special) and then spend the afternoon in the Old City on our own. Something to give me a push through the last day of ulpan week 2! I had hoped to write more tonight, but it’s bedtime. More soon!
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
News of the Jews
Hello, readers! I hope all of you are having fabulous weeks -- mine is going pretty well :)
A few highlights from the last few days:
* We finally have internet in the apartment! I think I've already said that, but I'm still so excited.
* I went to an internship orientation on Sunday. Rothberg International School has a program where you can set up an internship for eight hours every week and earn one credit. It sounds like a pretty big time commitment (especially because the internship I wanted was at a school, meaning I couldn't use weekends), and Mount Holyoke wouldn't recognize the credit. BUT, my dad helped me find the Anglican International School of Jerusalem, and I'm going to try to independently set up a weekly volunteer position with them. Yay!
* Yesterday during Hebrew we went on a campus tour that was mostly in Hebrew. It was really interesting, focusing on how the history of Jerusalem fits in with the history of the campus and the architectural styles. For example, did you know that for nineteen years, the Mount Scopus campus was not in use because it was in East Jerusalem under Jordanian control? This led to the founding of the Givat Ram campus, which now houses math and sciences. Also, there's two styles of buildings on campus; some older built before 1948, and some newer built after 1967.
* The UN vote over whether Palestine should become an official state is coming up next week. Keep the situation in your thoughts and prayers; we're all hoping that there's no violence or serious fallout, especially because anything too major might cause them to cancel the program or cause people's home universities or families to pull them from the program.
* Tonight I'm going to the Old City of Jerusalem, which is a large part of the reason I came to Israel in the first place. It is home to the Western Wall, the Dome of the Rock, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and so much other history related to the Abrahamic religions. I can't wait! I'll be posting about that soon, no doubt :)
* I also have advising coming up at the end of this week, so expect a post about how excited I am about all of my classes! They have some really awesome course offerings, and I'm really stoked to meet my advisor.
Thanks for reading, and I promise a post about the Old City soon!
A few highlights from the last few days:
* We finally have internet in the apartment! I think I've already said that, but I'm still so excited.
* I went to an internship orientation on Sunday. Rothberg International School has a program where you can set up an internship for eight hours every week and earn one credit. It sounds like a pretty big time commitment (especially because the internship I wanted was at a school, meaning I couldn't use weekends), and Mount Holyoke wouldn't recognize the credit. BUT, my dad helped me find the Anglican International School of Jerusalem, and I'm going to try to independently set up a weekly volunteer position with them. Yay!
* Yesterday during Hebrew we went on a campus tour that was mostly in Hebrew. It was really interesting, focusing on how the history of Jerusalem fits in with the history of the campus and the architectural styles. For example, did you know that for nineteen years, the Mount Scopus campus was not in use because it was in East Jerusalem under Jordanian control? This led to the founding of the Givat Ram campus, which now houses math and sciences. Also, there's two styles of buildings on campus; some older built before 1948, and some newer built after 1967.
* The UN vote over whether Palestine should become an official state is coming up next week. Keep the situation in your thoughts and prayers; we're all hoping that there's no violence or serious fallout, especially because anything too major might cause them to cancel the program or cause people's home universities or families to pull them from the program.
* Tonight I'm going to the Old City of Jerusalem, which is a large part of the reason I came to Israel in the first place. It is home to the Western Wall, the Dome of the Rock, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and so much other history related to the Abrahamic religions. I can't wait! I'll be posting about that soon, no doubt :)
* I also have advising coming up at the end of this week, so expect a post about how excited I am about all of my classes! They have some really awesome course offerings, and I'm really stoked to meet my advisor.
Thanks for reading, and I promise a post about the Old City soon!
Friday, September 9, 2011
Honor Code
Sorry to post again so soon, but I just remembered this right after I posted the last entry. Something that happened today made me really miss being in Mount Holyoke's honor code community. I had gotten out of class early, so I was sitting and waiting for Alison so that we could head to the market, and another friend came and sat with me. While we were chatting, a guy from her class came over and said thank you. She asked why he was thanking her, and he explained that he had "borrowed" a few answers from her test.
WHAT.
After he walked away, I turned to her and said, "I can't believe him. You should report him to your teacher," expecting her to share my frustration and shock.
"Yeah, but...he's my friend's roommate and I don't want to cause trouble for him," came her reply.
"But cheating happens only because we allow it to. Give me his name, I'll report him if you don't feel comfortable doing it yourself!" I urged her.
"I don't want him to get kicked out of the program," she told me. She wouldn't give me his name.
I was absolutely shocked and disappointed by her cavalier attitude toward scholastic integrity. Why should any one person unfairly benefit, and why should we as members of the same community allow that? I'm sure all my fellow Mount Holyoke students recall Penny Gill's heartbreaking e-mail regarding the Honor Code last year. For non-MoHos or those who don't recall, I've pasted the text here:
"Dear Students:
"I write to you with a heavy heart. We are in the midst of an epidemic of cheating this year. I have had more cases of academic dishonesty in the last month than in any semester since I became dean. These are not the usual honor code cases, of failing to note a quotation or provide a citation. These are cases of intentional cheating: taking notes into a test, copying another student's exam, using materials that are not allowed on a take-home exam, and sharing answers to problem sets.
"As a community, we have some serious thinking to do. Do we wish to BE an honor code community and college? Are we willing to undertake the hard work of self regulation and mutual support which that requires? Do we believe it is possible for students from around the world, who hardly know each other, to embrace these values, live according to them, and trust each other to do so? Will current students be willing to teach these values and practices to new students? Are we willing to name those who violate these very high standards of ethical behavior and individual responsibility?
"And what if we don't answer yes to these questions? First, faculty will necessarily impose many more restrictions on when and how you do your work. A deep contract of trust and shared responsibility between students and faculty will inevitably erode and disappear. If students tolerate cheating by other students, grading students on a "curve" would effectively change the incentive structure for non-reporters, for example. Our much admired system of self-scheduled exams would probably come under scrutiny. Ultimately, I imagine the value of a degree from Mount Holyoke College would be undermined. The fundamental fabric of our college would be deeply threatened, and we all would lose.
"I am also speaking of this to the faculty, as this directly affects every aspect of their teaching and their relationships with you. I hope that all of us can stop now and think deeply about this, and consider how we can turn this around before it infects every aspect of our life together. We can do so much better at being who we believe we really are.
"With best wishes to each of you,
"Penny Gill
"Dean of the College"
This experience today has truly made me appreciate how much I love being a part of an honor code community. To have a student so blatantly confess to cheating to another student and for that student not to come forward? I think that's simply an abomination. This past year at Mount Holyoke, I witnessed an instance of cheating, and I immediately reported it to the professor. I'm not entirely sure what the fallout was, but I felt it was really important to the integrity of our community to make sure that she was performing fairly. I understand that it's not easy to report such instances, but what's right isn't always easy. As Thomas Paine once said, "The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph." The work it takes to maintain the integrity of an honor code community is worth the struggle.
In high school, honor codes didn't mean quite so much to me and I felt okay about breaking them, and it led to some serious consequences. As I've begun to grow and mature into a true Mount Holyoke woman (which I hope to become someday), I've come to deeply value the importance of honor and integrity. College was turning over a new leaf for me, a blank slate. I want to be a person of integrity; I don't think it's right to benefit over my peers unfairly, I'd rather earn everything that I receive. How could I appreciate these benefits fully if I felt I did not deserve them? For the last two years, I am so proud to say that every good grade, every election, every audition, every job that I've earned has been because of my own hard work and devotion. I appreciate complying with the honor code not only for the purposes of avoiding such consequences as I had before, but because being a part of an honor code community is such a special, unique thing, and it's part of what makes me love Mount Holyoke so much. Yes, being a member of such a community is hard work, as Dean Gill points out in her e-mail. But isn't it worth it?
I just pulled out the Honor Code card that all first-years receive and sign at the Honor Code Ceremony their first semester at Mount Holyoke, and I discovered that I received mine exactly two years ago today. Even here in Israel, I've carried it around with me in my wallet as I have since the day it was given to me.
I realize that the picture quality is poor, so for those who don't know these words, it reads: "I will honor myself, my fellow students, and Mount Holyoke College by acting responsibly, honestly, and respectfully in both my words and deeds."
Tonight I am so deeply missing my beloved Mount Holyoke community, nearly to the point of tears.
WHAT.
After he walked away, I turned to her and said, "I can't believe him. You should report him to your teacher," expecting her to share my frustration and shock.
"Yeah, but...he's my friend's roommate and I don't want to cause trouble for him," came her reply.
"But cheating happens only because we allow it to. Give me his name, I'll report him if you don't feel comfortable doing it yourself!" I urged her.
"I don't want him to get kicked out of the program," she told me. She wouldn't give me his name.
I was absolutely shocked and disappointed by her cavalier attitude toward scholastic integrity. Why should any one person unfairly benefit, and why should we as members of the same community allow that? I'm sure all my fellow Mount Holyoke students recall Penny Gill's heartbreaking e-mail regarding the Honor Code last year. For non-MoHos or those who don't recall, I've pasted the text here:
"Dear Students:
"I write to you with a heavy heart. We are in the midst of an epidemic of cheating this year. I have had more cases of academic dishonesty in the last month than in any semester since I became dean. These are not the usual honor code cases, of failing to note a quotation or provide a citation. These are cases of intentional cheating: taking notes into a test, copying another student's exam, using materials that are not allowed on a take-home exam, and sharing answers to problem sets.
"As a community, we have some serious thinking to do. Do we wish to BE an honor code community and college? Are we willing to undertake the hard work of self regulation and mutual support which that requires? Do we believe it is possible for students from around the world, who hardly know each other, to embrace these values, live according to them, and trust each other to do so? Will current students be willing to teach these values and practices to new students? Are we willing to name those who violate these very high standards of ethical behavior and individual responsibility?
"And what if we don't answer yes to these questions? First, faculty will necessarily impose many more restrictions on when and how you do your work. A deep contract of trust and shared responsibility between students and faculty will inevitably erode and disappear. If students tolerate cheating by other students, grading students on a "curve" would effectively change the incentive structure for non-reporters, for example. Our much admired system of self-scheduled exams would probably come under scrutiny. Ultimately, I imagine the value of a degree from Mount Holyoke College would be undermined. The fundamental fabric of our college would be deeply threatened, and we all would lose.
"I am also speaking of this to the faculty, as this directly affects every aspect of their teaching and their relationships with you. I hope that all of us can stop now and think deeply about this, and consider how we can turn this around before it infects every aspect of our life together. We can do so much better at being who we believe we really are.
"With best wishes to each of you,
"Penny Gill
"Dean of the College"
This experience today has truly made me appreciate how much I love being a part of an honor code community. To have a student so blatantly confess to cheating to another student and for that student not to come forward? I think that's simply an abomination. This past year at Mount Holyoke, I witnessed an instance of cheating, and I immediately reported it to the professor. I'm not entirely sure what the fallout was, but I felt it was really important to the integrity of our community to make sure that she was performing fairly. I understand that it's not easy to report such instances, but what's right isn't always easy. As Thomas Paine once said, "The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph." The work it takes to maintain the integrity of an honor code community is worth the struggle.
In high school, honor codes didn't mean quite so much to me and I felt okay about breaking them, and it led to some serious consequences. As I've begun to grow and mature into a true Mount Holyoke woman (which I hope to become someday), I've come to deeply value the importance of honor and integrity. College was turning over a new leaf for me, a blank slate. I want to be a person of integrity; I don't think it's right to benefit over my peers unfairly, I'd rather earn everything that I receive. How could I appreciate these benefits fully if I felt I did not deserve them? For the last two years, I am so proud to say that every good grade, every election, every audition, every job that I've earned has been because of my own hard work and devotion. I appreciate complying with the honor code not only for the purposes of avoiding such consequences as I had before, but because being a part of an honor code community is such a special, unique thing, and it's part of what makes me love Mount Holyoke so much. Yes, being a member of such a community is hard work, as Dean Gill points out in her e-mail. But isn't it worth it?
I just pulled out the Honor Code card that all first-years receive and sign at the Honor Code Ceremony their first semester at Mount Holyoke, and I discovered that I received mine exactly two years ago today. Even here in Israel, I've carried it around with me in my wallet as I have since the day it was given to me.I realize that the picture quality is poor, so for those who don't know these words, it reads: "I will honor myself, my fellow students, and Mount Holyoke College by acting responsibly, honestly, and respectfully in both my words and deeds."
Tonight I am so deeply missing my beloved Mount Holyoke community, nearly to the point of tears.
Exploring my fair city :) Shabbat Shalom!
Hello, dear readers! As promised, now a real post :) First of all, THANKS to those who have commented so far with recipe suggestions -- I can't wait to go back to the shuk and do some more shopping! More suggestions are definitely welcome! This has been a fun but busy week! I’ve spent the last six days spending about six hours per day walking to campus, in Hebrew class, and walking back to the student village. But after class, the fun begins! Amidst homework and studying for quizzes and tests (at least one every other day, yikes), I’ve been on a tour of Jerusalem with the madrichim, gone shopping at the shuk with a few friends, cooked some tasty food, watched several episodes of Boy Meets World, had my first Israeli falafel, done laundry...the list goes on!
Let’s backtrack a bit. On Monday afternoon I decided to check out the library. I found little carrel-esque areas that were fantastic for getting my homework done! I also found a book that MHC Chorale folks from fall 2009 will appreciate (sorry for the poor quality):
Yay, Magyars! Then I had a quiet evening by myself, was exactly what I wanted and needed.
Tuesday was a practical Jerusalem tour with the madrichim (during which Alison and I played the celebrity game for five hours). We met at the north gate of the student village around 4:00pm, then got on a charter bus and headed downtown. Along the way they pointed out a grocery store that’s less expensive than the one next to campus, another of Hebrew University’s campuses, and some other useful and interesting sites. We arrived downtown and Ido, the madrich leading our group, led us through a beautiful neighborhood, the shuk (an outdoor market with fresh produce and lots of other goods, much less expensive than local stores!), and around to a few other sites. He also gave us some great insider knowledge about where to get the best hummus, fresh pasta, a few good pubs, some great restaurants, etc. He also told us a great joke: what should we call the Clinton presidency? SEX BETWEEN TWO BUSHES! Bahaha. This was prompted because we passed a park, and Ido told us not to go there at night. We asked why, and he explained that after a certain hour, if you're there, it's assumed that you're gay, and there's lots of sex in the bushes. Good to know. Anyway, here's a few shots from our wanderings:
We also stopped at a windmill from which we had a gorgeous view of the Old City (which I will be visiting next week)! Absolutely beautiful:
ALSO, a pop quiz! How do you know that this windmill is Jewish?
It’s circumcised, of course!
On Wednesday, Alison, Kate, Alex (someone who arrived a few days ago on the second group flight), and I went to the shuk to do some grocery shopping. Kate and I got a pot (finally!), some pasta, rice, a bell pepper, tomatoes, an onion, plums, apples, pesto, and some chicken. We swung by the market on the way home and also picked up some more milk, hummus, and pretzels. That evening I made some pasta with pesto and tomatoes, and Kate, Alison, Esther, and I watched an episode of Boy Meets World and The Princess Bride together.
Yesterday afternoon Alison and I came back from campus and I hung out and worked on homework and studied at her apartment (which has internet...so jealous), then after a second episode of Boy Meets World, Kate and I went to meet Sarah to get our first Israeli falafel. We went to French Hill falafel, a five-minute walk from the student village, where for 10NIS (about $3) you can get a pita with falafel, some vegetables, hummus, and French fries (???). We took a bite – worth every shekel! So cheap, so close to our apartments, and so delicious. We've agreed that this will become a regular part of our diets. OM NOM NOM. Then I returned home and studied for my exam.
Today was less thrilling – Alison and I walked up to the market to get some basics (laundry detergent, chocolate croissants, Nutella, and Diet Coke) and then headed down to the Dominos five minutes from the student village and bought some lunch. We then did some very expensive laundry (19NIS – ~$6!) and watched The Hunchback of Notre Dame. I returned to the apartment, did my hand washing and some other basic cleaning, and called to deal with the internet company yet again. As I type, I am on hold with them. But I’ve got a movie on in the background and am contemplating dinner :) This evening I’m hoping to get my weekend homework out of the way, catch up with some people on Skype (if the internet company ever answers!!!), and go to bed early.
Since it’s almost Shabbat now (less than an hour away as I write this at 6:30pm), the city will be shut down from then until sundown tomorrow night. But this isn’t a big problem for methis week; what I need is a day of rest! It should be a spectacularly uninteresting day of watching movies, visiting with friends, reading, internet-ing (I hope!), and so on. Only one day of weekend this week – back to class on Sunday!
UPDATE: As I post this a couple of hours later, I have internet in my apartment and my weekend homework is done. Time to relax...ahhhhh!
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)