GRANADA - SPAIN

Granada – Spain

We left San Diego in the morning and flew to Spain, to Granada. After we got to our rooms in the hotel we walked to Alhambra palace gardens. From that hill we looked over Granada and then we were divided into groups and summarized the summer trip till then. The palace gardens are really beautiful and very special, it gave me a feeling that this place has a historical value. The conversation in the garden was about the year 1492, as a turning point in Spain and in Europe.( discovery of America by Columbus, deportation of Spain Jewry, the end of the Muslim kingdom in Spain).
After dinner the teenagers were divided randomly to couples of a dwarf and a giant, every participant served another teenager and was served by another one. the game was anonymous and lasted during our stay in Spain. At night we visited the Alhambra palace inside. Even though the light was weak the palace looked mighty beautiful and very especial, an authentic remembrance to the Muslim reign in south Spain.
The next day we visited in the new Islamic center of Granada. There was a great view point on the town and the palace. Our hosts received us very nicely and explained to us the relationship between Spain and the Islam. The old renewed building that is now the place of the center together with the mosque tells us that there is a good relationship among the Muslims and other Spainish population.
From the Islamic center we walked down town Granada to the Arabic shuq bazaar. Each of us got money for food and two hours to go around in the markets. Later we gathered and we drove towards Cordova.
The pictures and the video clips tell the story of Granada summer trip better then words.
Some question arose from those day activities:
A. why isn't the power of Islam in the middle ages in Spain expressed today by the Islamic leaders?
B. Does the Islamic minority in Spain act as a peace bridge between religions?
C. What do our Bedouin brothers from Israel really feel when they visit Alhambra palace and the other places that remind us the Islam in its greatness? (I'm really waiting for an answer)

PICTURES OF THIS DAY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4tkPXffLRY

FIRST DAY IN GRANADA - VIDEO CLIP

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLuImJ9_jBY

SECOND DAY IN GRANADA - VIDEO CLIP

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=um6yupjwRh8

enjoy

itzik koren

Last Day in San Diego

This was a day that in the morning we mentioned the holocaust and in the evening we visited the sea world.

The last day in San Diego opened with a holocaust memorial ceremony. It was near the memorial wall courtyard of the JCC. The memorial wall view is a combination of grey colors and voices of flowing water that symbolize death and revival. Shaar Hanegev participants prepared a touching ceremony. Afterwards, we gathered to hear the testimony of Mrs. Sindler that told us about her family before and after the holocaust and how she and her husband built their life in the states. I heard many testimonies and stories and again I noticed that luck helped them to stay alive and escape from the Nazis killers. The Bedouin participants had never heard a holocaust testimony in a personal before, and after Mrs. Sindler finished her story I heard one Bedouin girl sum: "they destroyed everything, killed all your relatives the Jew had no place to go I am understanding now why you chose Israel from all of the places in the world" I think that this insight, lights the need to expose the Arab teenagers to the Jewish national tragedy that happened during the holocaust and from that situation and evidences to be very sensitive to the Palestine national tragedy and only from that process to find fair solution to their problems.
At noon we reached San Diego city hall. We heard an interesting lecture about education subjects in the city and we met San Diego mayor that found time within his work to come and to meet us and to appreciate Jitli project. Then we moved to the city council hall and we saw San Diego democracy in action. I saw in that hall a lot of respect, efficiency, equality, technology. For me it was an admirable event.
We had "scavenger hunt" in downtown San Diego. We went to the port the business center downtown, high and interesting building, a lot of people walking, beautiful promenade with a lot of statues. I loved the statue of the sailor that kisses his girlfriend before leaving. I love San Diego view.
Before evening, Jitli 2008 went for a farewell visit to Sea World. There were funny shows, taming sea animals to amazing unbelievable performance. It was very American with a lot of fun. The evening finished with wonderful show in big aquarium with fireworks..
We returned to the JCC to pack and to be ready to continue the next day to Spain.
I thought about the following:
A. Can we really learn from historical events? From the holocaust? How can we contain them? How can we reach personal conclusions from such events?
B. How come the mayor of San Diego found time to meet us and here in our country everyone is so busy?
C. Taming sea animals to amazing unbelievable performance, is it a man victory or failure to control so nature and animals?
We finished our visit in San Diego , during all the events ( and afterward in Spain and Israel) Gary and Jerri-Ann Jacobs were with us, they made me feel their personal commitment to the Jitli project, to the participants, and to the brotherhood among us, and to the Israeli Negev. I really admire them.

some video clips

sea world

enjoy

itzik

LEADERSHIP

Leadership
We began the day at Joan Embery's ranch. This is an ecologic ranch keeping the nature and the environment around in its best situation. In our first activity we got agricultural tools and some seeds from the natural plants and we had to put its in the ground randomly and to cover its with the tools. So when the rain will come part of the seeds will sprout to plants that this is their natural place to grow (house spread). The plants will make seeds by themselves so the view of that area will change to its natural view. Afterward we walked to the ranch. There, some volunteers treat animals that were found in misery or stressful situations or found by man who did not know what to do with them.
In that ranch Beth Jacobs volunteered so she showed us with the others, the diversity of animals that stay in the ranch: snakes, porcupines , local animals like woodchucks to parrots and cheetah with an angry glance. At lunch time I walked around in the ranch area and I sawhow this phenomena of allowing the simple and beautiful things and survive . The web site of the ranch is: http://www.joanembery.com/index.php
At midday we arrived at the Islamic center of San Diego. The Islamic teenagers guided us in the building: the Mosque, the school, the library, and then we gathered and they answered our questions, and afterward sheikh Taha explained to us again the principles of Islam . As I understood them, hearing and doing not arguing. He spoke about the personal jihad that every Muslim has to ask himself if he behave like real good muslin, if he control himself today, if he contribute enough to his society today, the personality, the quiet and the wisdom of sheikh Taha impressed me and all the teenagers very much. He is a real leader.
In the afternoon we reached the UJF – United Jewish Federation, There we listened to a very interesting panel about "leadership within minorities" (Jewish, homosexuals, lesbians, African-Americans, rich people). They spoke about trustworthiness, public service, sensibility, ability to forget special ideas for the sake of the public, and about leadership in the digital era. Most of our teenagers listened carefully to the speakers, some of them were tired and it was difficult to them to take part in the conversation. Scott H. Silverman one of the panel participant and Gracie father is a pioneer and idea man, motivated to make a difference. He sent us a report about his project : second chance - http://www.sdnews.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2008/08/30/48b900e0c7aa8
at evening we returned to the JCC and we heard another story from a man that somebody murdered his only son without reason. His name is Azim Khamisa and the website is http://www.azimkhamisa.com/

He spoke about his and his family's changeover. How they changeed revenge feelings with mercy, understanding the other feelings, he told us about his connection with his son's murderer. His story was fascinating and inspired a lot of thinking.
I slept in a sleeping bag in the JCC library room and there I thought about these questions:
A. We were exposed to a lot of examples of leaders during this day: natural leadership, leadership that grow from sorrow, religion leadership, leadership to save the world, leadership of minorities, I thought really changes a man to be leader? All the peoples we met today were sincere, and dealt with subjects that were really important to them.
B. I love the idea to sow in nature again, especially in places that men destroyed. Where can we do it in Israel? Is the Negev is a good place to that idea?
C. Why doesn't the Islam succeed to make people all over the world know, that the Islam is very human considerate, why don't people know about the personal jihad on purpose to adapt it? There is self restrain in Judaism and Christianity .
D. Activities for community. Can you, the reader, give your personal example?
E. The ability to turn a heavy personal tragedy into personal growth yours and your enemy's? is there something more noble than that?
For me it was one of the most fascinating days in 2008 JITLI trip

SOME VIDEOS

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0IGtxZ6NpI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5raFA3dK4l4&feature=user

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMJahdCgBVM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brl1NpIbwBY&feature=user

enjoy

I am waiting for your comments

ITZIK

Sunday in San Diego - 13.7.08

Sunday in San Diego
We were invited to the African-American Church to be part of Sunday prayer. A row of girls welcomed us as we got off the yellow bus. We entered the church and we sat down on our marked honor places. During the prayer they sang, danced, thanked god and their leaders spoke and asked for money and blessed us especially because we agreed to be their guests. I looked around on the prayers; they were dressed in their best clothes, bright with happiness and joy. It happens every Sunday prayer. After the church they invited us to eat lunch, we all noticed that they made efforts to make this event unique. It was for me a once in lifetime experience. Before we got on the yellow bus I looked around and noticed that the church is located not in a rich neighborhood of San Diego. It was late so we hurried to QUALCOMM Stadium to see a baseball game.
Our places were excellent; we were near the players so we could watch the game. During the game ee got typical American food: hamburgers, ketchup, mayonnaise, cola, peanuts, and some fruits. Again we found ourselves eating and really enjoying. The American participants explained the rules of baseball. Some Muslim American teenagers were with us in the stadium, we visited them in their mosque the next day.
The baseball game is a real American experience, this huge stadium was almost full, in one place above sat American soldiers with their uniform, the audience reacted to what happened in the game vocally and in time.
After the game we went to Balboa Park for Jitli time. There we talked in groups about faith, religion, mutual respect, tolerance. We noticed that in our groups we are so different in severity of our personal faith, and in our tolerance behavior to each other.
In the evening we reached the JCC (Jewish center) , there we slept the next nights , the JCC offers a lot of activities to adults and children from that area, not only Jewish, swimming pool, power room, places to play with balls (tennis, basketball, football).
After supper the boys first and after it the girls played in the swimming pool.
After this day I asked myself:
A. what is the real role of religion in people's lives? That day we saw the beauty of religion but I know that the biggest crimes in history were made in the name of god.
B. we visited the African-American community, we saw it in her daily life and holidays, and now one of its son Barak Obama is a candidate to become the US president. Did we have the chance to look to the American dream? Is it not a long way to accept somebody or to have equality among people?
C. what is so interesting in baseball? can non Americans understand it?
D. What is the importance to belong to community? What personal forces do we get?

I'm waiting to your answers.
ENJOY!!!!
Some video from this day.
African-American Church

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rX3l4MxGDvY

Base Ball Game

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1vhWaPSUpk

JITLI Time

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9s26ztF0gUc

Photo Stort 4th Day

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-Gn5KPnexM

i'm waiting to your comments

Itzik Koren