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