Iyar is the month of healing.
The Hebrew letters for the name Iyar spell out the initials of the verse "Ani Yud-Yud Refecha - I am God, your Healer."
According to dictionary.com
the verb heal (used with object) means:
1. to make healthy, whole, or sound; restore to health; free from ailment.
2. to bring to an end or conclusion, as conflicts between people or groups, usually with the strong implication of restoring former amity; settle; reconcile: They tried to heal the rift between them but were unsuccessful.
3.to free from evil; cleanse; purify: to heal the soul.
This new month that begins Thursday night May 5th is an opportunity for each of us to detox. There is so much negativity, pain and sickness in the world. Our purpose here as Jews is to refine our character traits, improve upon our weaknesses and learn to serve a power higher than our own wants & needs. This month we can open ourselves up to health, wealth and well being in every aspect of our lives. We can let go of what's toxic and replace it with the clean and pure energy the month of Iyar makes available.
Often when we are judgmental of others, and critical to the point of being degrading it is a clue as to how our inner voice sounds too. When we practise being kinder to others, suspending judgement and giving others the benefit of the doubt, we soften not only our exterior energy but also our internal dialogue.
Since both the Mann (the near perfect food given to sustain the Jews in the desert after leaving Egypt), and also the well that provided the water for the nation which was given in the merit of Miriam were first provided in this month of Iyar, food and drink are an essential part of the healing process. Food and drink represent our physical needs. In the desert, these needs came directly from a merciful G-d.
In today's "dog eat dog" world we push others down and walk all over them to get our "needs and wants" met. Let's consider how much we really "need". A few years ago I began a practise called the Master Cleanse, it is a detox by which I partake of absolutely no food for 10 days. A specific drink is concocted that supplies the needed nutrients for the 10 day detox. At first I could not believe that this cleanse was possible. But after experiencing the exuberance and health I felt at the completion, I decided to take this on as a regular annual experience.
It always reminds me that what we think we need to survive is so much beyond what we really need. I also remember the basics of being grateful for the sweet uncomplicated taste of a fresh fruit that comes off a tree and less excited by the chemically processed condition of most of what we take in. I am able to flush my system with much water, and find ultimately that not just my body but my soul is cleansed and revitalized.
Every physical act of eating, just like every action we take in our daily lives has the potential to create something holy.
We are each gifted with the free will to choose to elevate the most mundane physical actions into an act that heightens self awareness and a connection to the Oneness of the Universe.
This month for our monthly women's gathering celebrating the new month, we made earrings. Traditionally, jewelry has always been used to adorn our external appearance, yet even such a seemingly physical and superficial act can be made holy. When the Jewish women gave willingly of their jewelry to contribute to building the Mishkan, we see clearly their highest priorities. Enjoying fine things in life like food and beautiful clothes is part of recognizing ourselves as created in the image of Hashem. Each time we do a mitzvah, we beautify our inner essence and build that relationship; just as we nourish our bodies with good food, and our self image with pretty clothes and jewelry.
Saying a blessing with meaning when we take that delicious bite, or that thirst quenching sip, or giving ourselves a gentle loving smile when we look in the mirror, or saying a kind word to a harried individual obviously having a bad day...All these are well within the realm of our possibilities.
The choice is yours
:)
Chodesh Tov!
When I was a rebellious teenager, holy to me, meant cutting holes into my
clothing to defy the institution of being proper. As I have matured and
grown, my understanding, needless to say has changed rather drastically. Over the last 10 years I have become more involved in my Jewish heritage and have spent time asking questions and investigating our very long history.
The concept of a holy person, a tzaddik, always seemed to me some far away individual with whom I somehow always struggled to identify. I grew up in a secular world, where a person’s value is determined by the service they offer to the world, and how much society is willing to pay for that service. So, this idea of each individual having intrinsic value as a human being, bound by a holy mission to serve God and fulfill a granted potential seemed rather foreign.
Especially, the service part. Being a proud and well defined rebel, the last
thing I wanted was to serve. Until, with shocked resignation, I understood,
that I was indeed serving---serving my own desires for whatever I wanted,
that is…
This past Shabbat I heard a woman speak. She is a holy woman. I was so moved by her words, her challenges, and her strength that it inspired me to
improve my own level of service and to strive to live a more holy life.
The Jews were singled out to be an “am kadosh - a holy nation.”
I’d like to explore what that means.
The dictionary definitions are:
dedicated to religious use; belonging to or coming from God; consecrated;
sacred
spiritually perfect or pure; untainted by evil or sin; sinless; saintly
regarded with or deserving deep respect, awe, reverence, or adoration
The holy woman I mentioned is Rivka Namir, a mother of 12 and pregnant with her 10th at the time she was expelled from her home in Gush Katif. She
described her family’s complete belief that somehow against all rationale,
they would not be removed from their home. After surviving the fall of 6000
missiles, and truly living a miraculous existence, I could understand their
faith. My heart broke when I heard how her husband greeted the soldiers in his military uniform and handed his medal of honor to the commander of the
same army who was now evicting him.
The Israeli government had sent in their army, the IDF (the *Israeli Defence
Force*), whose stated mission is the protection of Israel's citizens. On
that day, its goal changed radically. It was now forcibly removing its most nationalistic and loyal compatriots from land historically belonging to the Jewish people. The Namir family, along with hundreds of other Jews who had settled Gush Katif and built it up to a near paradise, were now being forced to leave.
Rivka explained to us that nothing can happen in this world without Hashem willing it from above. She said she could ask lama - why, but instead she learnt to ask leh mah - for what can I learn from this? Losing her home and all of her possessions, having her children completely uprooted, and losing faith in the government that had promised to protect her…what did she have left? She shared that it took her over a year before she was able to honestly give thanks to the Creator. She poignantly described how, once the expulsion occurred, she had to make peace with the fact that this was the Will of God and to somehow find the good in it.
She says she knows now what the destruction of the Holy Temple must have *felt* like. Not just intellectually, but in her heart. Her prayers and desire for the Messiach are more genuine now. Her kids joking around that they no longer have to do their homework as they no longer have a home, shows the uncanny ability of this family to decide to be, exactly as the dictionary definition describes:
dedicated to religious use; belonging to or coming from God
The practice they took upon themselves to write down, each day, 10 things for which to praise God, encouraged each family member to be grateful for everything in their lives, even in the most trying of circumstances. She spoke with peace and calm and joy about her dedication to serve God in this world and accept His Will.
200 families from Gush Katif have now settled (still in caravans) on the
yeshuv of Yad Binyamin. Their presence there has affected the entire
community. They inspire all who come into contact with them, by their
hope, joy in service and love of the Almighty.
What could possibly be more holy?
Tragedy strikes. Two weeks ago a three year old girl named Shula Swerdlov was run over by a careless driver. This accident brought up intense fear in me about bringing a child into this dangerous world. How could we possibly protect those we love from things beyond our control?
Within the Jewish framework, when there is a death, very specific laws apply. The process is called Shiva. For the first seven days the entire community comes to visit and sit with those grieving. It’s as if when there is a unity, the loss and the pain thereof is somehow dispersed among those present. Shloshim is the Hebrew word for 30. After 30 days have passed since death, there is another plateau of slightly lesser intensity. There is a custom to publicly mark that event by a gathering of brief duration, devoted to the “Three pillars upon which the world stands”: Torah study, Prayer, & Charity. The Schwartz family held this memorial service on November 17th, 2009. May her sweet soul be elevated, and all the countless good deeds of your unbelievably special family carry her gently into the next world. May our prayers go up for the healing of the pain your family is going through.
Death happens to us all sooner or later. This is part of the cycle of life. It often feels senseless, terrible and so awfully sad. There is nothing we can do. The reality of our helplessness could send us into deep depression. Rambam, one of the greatest Jewish sages, says in his Guide to the Perplexed - “the sole object of all trials…is to teach man what he ought to do…so that the event which forms the actual trial is not the end desired; it is but an example for our instruction and guidance.”
I remember when my brother was in a very serious car accident a few years ago. Standing useless at his hospital bed, watching him suffer, moaning and struggling despite elephantic doses of sedatives, tubes attached to his throat and lungs and genitals, bandages and stitches all over. These were, without a doubt, the most painful moments of my life…knowing the suffering of a loved one and being absolutely helpless.
It does not make sense that we are created in this world to suffer. It could not be that individuals are given tests that they simply do not have the potential or strength to overcome. We must make peace with the knowledge that we do not see the full picture. The way H-shem runs the world and how things really work in the Infinite is beyond the mind of man to comprehend.
We do however know the legacy of the Jewish nation. We submit our will to His. During the Akeidah, (the binding of Isaac) Avraham was willing to sacrifice not only his beloved son, but also everything he held dear about himself as a person - his values, dreams and beliefs to follow the commandment of G-d. Throughout our history, as individuals and as a people we have burned in the fires of tribulations and triumphs in order to cleave to the Torah as G-d’s expressed Will for us in this world.
There is an idea from our Torah, that when Adam & Eve ate from the tree, they changed the way the world works. Up until that point, the choice between good and evil was more distinct and was equally weighted. After they chose to go against G-d’s Will, the body became the dominant over spirit. There has been a further progression since then. We live in physical worlds, with physical bodies, relying on physical activities such as sleeping, eating and breathing for our survival. How then is it possible for us to achieve our purpose of allowing our neshama (soul) to direct our physical desires that run after worldly pleasures? Is it possible that G-d would create a system where we could only fail?
So, the Ramchal teaches that after the sin, this system had an integral change. Previously only through spiritual means such as meditation and prayer, which we all know are lofty and often hard to attain, our striving for illumination could be achieved. After the chet (sin), G-d gave humanity the potential to illuminate the physical not only through spiritual means but also through doing physical actions. These are called the mitzvahs or commandments. When we light Shabbat candles, or eat a kosher meal, give charity or do a kindness for someone we change our physical makeup. We may not register this subtle change but it’s a physical change that happens. This means that we can go through life illuminating our physicality through everyday living.
This is all we can do. Move through our lives doing as much as we can to bring G-dliness to ourselves and the rest of the world. Not just through our spiritual aspirations and learning but through our everyday interactions with people and everything we come across. Each one of us is a vessel to bring truth, love and light into this world. Even and especially in the most difficult moments…
So, in short and hopping on one foot this is how the story goes. ..
Chana desperately wants a child. Her husband, Elkanah, loves her dearly and even though he has another wife, Pnina, who has borne him 10 sons, his affection and his heart still belongs to Chana. (In those days, having multiple wives was kosher yet somehow always led to mishap). Elkanah’s love does not help our sorrowful Chana who feels lost and without purpose unable to produce a child. After this slightly dysfunctional family goes up for the yearly pilgrimage to offer sacrifices, Chana realizes that even her husband has despaired of her ever conceiving. At this point, she pours her heart out to G-d, promising to dedicate her son‘s life, the one she so desires, to the service of G-d. The High Priest Eli thinks her drunk and reprimands her. But when she firmly educates him of his error he apologizes and promises her prophetically that her request will be fulfilled. She then bears a child, who becomes Shmuel, one of the greatest prophets of the Jewish people.
The above story is given over as the textual basis for the way we pray today. Join me on a journey to explore a little deeper the concepts this tale reveals about human nature, communication with our Creator and our true purpose.
What is prayer?
Often we have dreams, desires, hopes for our lives. When we ask for these things, is this prayer? Understanding our deepest desire is the first step. What is it that we truly want? Is it really that dream vacation, the fancy car, the prestigious job or the attractive spouse or do we want something more essential and more lasting? True prayer is asking for your ultimate purpose to be fulfilled. When we tap into our greatest potential, discovering our gift and our true contribution to the world according to the highest Will, this awareness then becomes prayer. Chana knew she had the potential to bring a soul into the world that would change the course of Jewish history. She would never find fulfillment until she had actualized this mission.
When do we pray?
Up until the point in the narrative when Elkanah says to Chana “am I not better for thee than ten sons”, Chana had been dependent on her husband to pray on her behalf. She now realized he too had given up and that only she could plead her case. At this point she “rose up”. This is referring to her realization that she is the only one that could take responsibility and it was her efforts alone that would make the difference. We pray when we know that we need G-d’s help in fulfilling our destiny, when we realize that what we request is not just our will but it is truly the Will of G-d. In the granting of our request, G-d’s Will is fulfilled too.
How do we pray?
Chana was not reading her prayer out of a book. In fact, Chana "spoke in her heart, her lips moved, but her voice was not heard…” Chana “poured out her soul before the L-rd”. Chana spoke to G-d, she begged him directly. Her heart was broken and she saw herself as a handmaid sitting outside the gates of the King, asking for a scrap off His table. She clearly knew G-d is capable of anything and that what she was asking for was possible. We pray through exposing our deepest pain and longing, when we trust that the One above knows what is best for us and that His Will is higher than anything we can possibly dream of.
Why do we pray?
Chana was of a “sorrowful spirit”. Her rival, Pnina, "also provoked her“ and would mock Chana about being barren, causing Chana much agony. She knew her purpose and yet was unable to fulfill it. She had to deal with this knowledge being thrown in her face by a woman who seemingly produced ten sons with no effort. Sometimes, in life we see others accomplish with ease what we have set our hearts on. This takes nothing away from our mission. It should only strengthen our resolve in knowing that we need to expend the necessary effort and work with G-d to bring into fruition our true role in this world.
I know that in my own life experience I feel that I’ve received so much blessings, far more than I ever imagined possible. The lesson for me was that my own desires and supposed “needs” actually are limiting my potential. So, rather I try and focus my prayers to do the Will of my Creator, as these are the most grand, pure and appropriate for me as an individual. After all, who knows me and my potential better than the One that is responsible for my creation and being in the world?
In conclusion, prayer is when we have delved into the depths of our souls to really dig out our true function in this world. “For it is not by strength that man prevails”. When we become partners with G-d, our selfish motives are superseded by the desire to be of real service - “and the L-rd has given me my petition, which I asked of him; therefore also have I presented him to the L-rd“. Chana dedicates her son to the service of G-d. This means that at the age of two she brings him to the Temple and hands him over to the priests. This action is the enactment of her prayer to Him, Chana worked together with Him to bring forth her individual mission.
This is how we as mankind are able to truly be in His image and likeness by Creating. We can pray to the Infinite Dreamer that we live His Will for us. When we reach this point where our will becomes His, we have understood what prayer is all about.
I recall the feeling of the speed of the bike as we cruised. The smell
of the fresh sea air, the crisp wind and the force with which it hit
my body. We were biking through the Malibu mountains, a few months
after the destruction of the Malibu fires of 2007. What remained to
mark those days only a short time after was some charred black ground.
But bright, healthy green vegetation was sprouting everywhere. We
drove through the winding canyon roads and marveled at the sheer life
that was obvious on these mountain tops that had been ravaged by
fires so recently.
Hearing today about the recent fires in Los Angeles, I recall another
set of fires I witnessed in the Valley. The sky was red and the sun
swollen. Ash rained down and it felt like the end of the world. These
natural phenomena come to teach us something.
I sit here in Jerusalem, for the last 2 weeks, learning day in and day
out about the process of Teshuva (repentance). We are in the month
of Elul. This is the month we are told we have the ability to do the
inner work necessary to not only undo our previous wrongs but
if done in accordance with certain prescribed guidelines and correct intention, have the opportunity of turning them into merits.
Really? How could we possibly do that?
That sounds unbelievable and almost counter intuitive but the Torah
teaches that not only is this possible but this is what we should have
as our objectives over the 10 days starting with Rosh Hashana and
gearing up to Yom Kippur.
Michal, get back to your point…What’s the fire connection? you ask…
What fires do at their essence is eliminate old growth and begin the
regenerative process.
So it is with proper Teshuva (repentance). Just as all was growing
and alive prior to the fire, so too can our regret and pain over past
mistakes be burned away completely over this fortuitous time of
the year. When we hurt ourselves or another person or act against
a moral code of values we know to be correct and holy, on a
spiritual level a blemish is created on our soul. True repentance
means putting our souls through the fire. It's going to be just as
painful as it sounds. For purification to take place and for us to
truly remove these stains WE need to be the ones setting alight
the sparks of this fire.
This all sounds very intense and scary but there is a practical
step by step way of accomplishing this:
1. Acknowledge your wrongs and have the desire to not repeat them.
2. Vidui - Confess all of it to G-d. Speak it out in your own words.
3. Charata - Feel regret for these transgressions.
Another enlightening piece of information I learnt relates to our
motivation to undergo such tribulation. There are two reasons
motivating this process that create two differing results.
a) Yirah (awe or fear): We do Teshuva this way when we are
tired of the bad things we’ve done and want them to stop already
or we are afraid that it will all catch up with us or that we may
get punished sooner or later. When we do such Teshuva we
are no longer held accountable for our transgressions. Our
slate is wiped clean and the blemishes removed.
b) Ahava (love- the desire to give to our Creator): This is all
about knowing that we are loved by the Creator and His
entire universe and so each moment is an opportunity to
connect and get closer. We look back at those instances
we regret and instead of retribution, see Him giving us a
path to be better people and show ourselves to be truly
created in His image. The end result of this is our previous
misdeeds actually become points of merit as we were able to
not only remove them but have them bring us closer to the
fulfillment of our ultimate potential in this world.
What an unbelievable system! Who else other than an all
loving and merciful Being could devise such a plan? I am
so thrilled to be here in the Holiest of cities. For the first time
in my life I truly appreciate what this opportunity is and plan
to dig deep to pull out and sacrifice my sins on the altar that
I am building to serve a higher purpose. That being, working
on being a better person, refining my character traits
and striving for growth.
Success = being a GOOD person.
So, I bless us all that we are able to identify our pain,
bring it out to be burned in the fire, and emerge a confident,
loving, sparkling gem of God’s creation.
"I just want to find someone to love me", the pretty 23 year old bar
girl expressed earnestly.
Having traveled in Thailand and been jarred by the large number of
prostitutes I saw hanging out at the myriad bars we passed, in
Bangkok, Chaing Mai, Koh Samui and Koh Phangnan I had questions. How
could an entire country seeminlgy support such overt prostitution?
After doing some research I discovered that prostitution in Thailand
has been illegal since 1960, however this law is neither enforced nor
implemented. Mostly due to the support of Thai men from all levels of
society, especially government officials who actively promote and
protect the sex industry. Direct proof of this attitude towards women
is described by MP Thirachai Sirikhan, informing The Nation newspaper,
"To have a mia noi (mistress) is an individual's right. There should
be no problem as long as the politician causes no trouble to his
family or society".
This attitude has its roots in the time of the Khmer Empire when it
was customary for emperors to have as many as a thousand concubines.
As a result, it was also common for men to have multiple wives and mistresses.
Consequently, women expect their husbands to cheat. However, this does
not seem to distress them; to the contrary, Thai women were cited as believing that the availability of these prostitutes will actually decrease the
incident of rape. In modern times, the continuation of this phenomenon
was enacted by the uneducated, rural women that served the sexual
needs of the large numbers of US troops passing through the area
during the Vietnam War.
"It's quick and easy money" my interviewee said to me with absolutely
no embarrassment. "I was a hairdresser in my village and it was boring,
I prefer it here on the islands, there is the beach, better shopping and
I make good money and have fun at the bar". This young lady sends
money home to her family and is saving up her cash to someday be
independent. Her parents know her profession, yet say nothing, as her
earnings support them and their agricultural existence.
How does the system work? The bar girl is one of many that service
a particular establishment. She encourages customers to drink and gets
a commission of 40 baht per drink. If the customer wants to take her
back to his hotel, he pays a "bar fine" of anything from 250 - 700
baht. Additionally, he negotiates a price with her. Typically, costs are
approximately 1000 baht for a "short time", generally one hour, and
can rise to 3000 baht for "long time," which is the whole night. Please
note that $1 is equivalent to about 33 baht.
The age of sexual consent is 18 in Thailand and due to the large numbers of sex workers, an estimated 2 million women, and 10 000 on the small
island of Koh Samui alone, it seems that the government has instituted
systems to monitor sex workers and control sexually transmitted
diseases rather than do anything to prevent this "sex tourism
industry" that Thailand has become infamous for. Girls get checkups
every three months or face fines.
These girls aim to have a Western boyfriend or sponsor that sends them
regular cash or pays their rent. Sometimes, they have multiple
financial supporters. In fact, private investigative firms have sprung
up that claim to checkup on a bar girl and ensure she is being
faithful and staying away from the "call of duty".
I found there to be such a marked difference to these ways of thinking to
the Jewish value system that I have been striving to learn for the last few years.
Judaism teaches us that our bodies are temples and should be used for
holy purposes and in the service of God. Although in Jewish history we
have also had incidents of Kings with over a thousand concubines, and
men with multiple wives and we, too, have very poor neighborhoods where people are starving and suffering economic hardship, we have never had and never will have such an open and accepted level of prostitution.
Why?
The sexual act in Judaism is a holy one, meant to be shared between a
husband and wife. Our belief is that this holy union is the most
intimate two people can get. Putting a dollar price on such an act reduces
its priceless value and makes it cheap. Jews place the highest
emphasis on family life. Only through marriage and a family can we as
individuals truly fulfill our potential in this world and grow as
people. Our moral value system restrains us from walking a path of
careless, crass disrespect of our own bodies and souls.
Although Jewish and Thai culture have similar histories in terms
described above, over time, there has been an obvious divergence.
However, over 1000 years ago a Jewish ban on multiple wives was
instituted and the role of women changed significantly. The focus
became the family unit, and each member had valuable input. In the
Thai culture, the focus was survival at any cost; women were accustomed
to using their bodies for economic gain which then became accepted
and popularized over the years. Therefore, we have reached such
different platforms today.
A survey in Chicago revealed the following: Most men said they viewed
their interaction with prostitutes as a business contract in which
payment entitles them to treat the women any way they like. Women
surrender the right to say no to anything once they accept a
customer’s money many said. “Prostitutes are a product, like cereal,”
said one man. “You go to the grocery, pick the brand you want and pay
for it. It’s business.”
Seeing a human being as a product on the shelf with no soul, feelings
or potential is the consequence of being able to buy another's body
for your own pleasure. This leads directly to the loss of respect and
value of the women involved. Once the woman is seen as "only business,"
any evil intent including murder can be justified. The deterioration of
morality and collapse of decency is bound to result from the mindset
of “every person has their price.”
Rabbi Tzvi Fishman states: "If sexual sins become rampant on a
national level, this can cause a total blockage, or the drying up of
the channel of the Yesod (the spiritual channel that brings Divine
illumination and blessing into the world), bringing destruction and
exile to Am Yisrael (the nation of Israel.) When the Yesod was damaged
Above through Israel’s transgressions, it was only a matter of time
before the enemy succeeded in destroying its physical counterpart
embodied in Zion and Jerusalem below."
So in conclusion, women of Israel, remember that you are daughters of
the King (bat Melech). We must guard our bodies and sexual conduct
vigorously. We could call destruction upon ourselves and our entire people from on high. The answer... learn and practice the ways of modesty instead of succumbing to the social pressure of free love and flippant intimacy.
We have been given the gift of choice and the luxury of a strong value system that can guide us. We owe it to ourselves to respect ourselves, our mission, our blessings and the world we live in.
References:
http://womensphere.wordpress.com/2008/05/18/men-would-stop-using-prostitutes-if-they-thought-they-might-be-caught-and-prosecuted-say-90-of-men-interviewed/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prostitution_in_Thailand
http://www.breslev.co.il/articles/judaism/concepts_in_judaism/microcosm_of_the_world.aspx?id=8120&language=english
Travel Update - China & Thailand
Well, not even sure where to start.
We sure have been busy.
After spending a wonderful Shabbat in Shanghai and then wandering
around the old town of Sozhou ( a town in China means roughly a couple
of million people live there). Sozhou was quaint with gardens and
canals but still a large city by our Western standards
We decided we had enough of urban living and needed a change of pace.
So, we altered our plans and instead of heading to Kunming in Western China headed straight to Bangkok, Thailand.
In one day in Bangkok we managed to deal with dental work, shopping,
kosher food, and build an itinerary with the tourist authority that
basically planned out the rest of the adventurous honeymoon.
As a direct result, a day later we flew to Chaing Mai in Northern Thailand.
Finally, a scenic town with less than a million people.
It also happens to be a haven for israelis.
We spent Friday exploring on a scooter.
We found amazing waterfalls, temples in the old city and unusual landscapes.
We hooked up with the local Chabad for Shabbat, with at least 100 israelis.
The entire evening was Hebrew only, from the Rabbi, to the guests and all speeches. It felt good to be with the community.
Getting eaten alive by mosquitoes and hanging out at the Riverside Cafe
debating with an Israeli couple drinking cocktails was the order of
business for Saturday night.
Sunday we began our 3 day trek through the jungle.
The hiking was intense, and we went straight up to the hill top tribe
village where we would spend the evening. Rustic is a very nice way to
describe the primitive facilities. The 2nd day was more hiking and we got caught in a torrential downpour. Muddy hiking and soaking wet but warm and slipping and sliding through the very green surrounding is an experience Mike & I will remember always. I was in sandals and as an experienced hiker managed ok. Mike and his Converse shoes did not fare so well.
By the 3rd day we were pretty worn out, flea bitten, dirty and
remembering fondly our home in Beverly Hills. Luckily, the last day
was fun day. We got to ride on elephants, white water raft and then get
pulled along some kind of bamboo make shift raft through the brown and
murky river. Arriving back in Chaing Mai and ordering kosher food and
probably our last meat until after the 9 days was a highlight too.
Please take a moment to comment as I really do appreciate your feedback.
Friends and Family,
We had a 3 day journey that was sold to us as the most beautiful boat
ride in south east Asia from Chaing Mai to Luang Prabang in Laos.
Although the journey was gorgeous, after 2 hours Mike was beyond bored
and we had many hours of travel ahead of us. The main part of the
problem was that they overloaded these boats that were supposed to
contain 60 people, with more like 120 people and cargo. It was quite
an experience. There were bodies strewn haphazardly on the floor and
thank goodness there was a breeze so I have no need to discuss the
possible odors created by too many bodies and foreign cargo amongst which were live chicken, a motor scooter, wooden planks and I‘ll leave the rest to your imagination.
We were thrilled to arrive in Luang Prabang and had only an hour
before Shabbat to secure a room, and get ourselves organized. When we
had originally booked the trip we'd thought there was a Chabad that
would be our focal point but alas, after some government objection,
there is no longer a Chabad house in Laos. So armed with a massive
pack of matzah and a bottle of kiddush wine we were prepared for our
solo Shabbat. We made it in the nick of time.
Shabbat turned out to be a fine rest for our weary, well traveled
bones and it was wonderful to rest in the luxury of our air
conditioned guesthouse. They were nice enough to include water, lao
coffee (delicious black, and does not even need any sweetening) and
bananas every morning.
On Sunday we hired a scooter and went off to explore the area. Their
large waterfall Kuang Si was exceptional. Its a series of falls, with
a few crystal blue pools to swim in on the way. We enjoyed our clamber
and were flabbergasted by the final falls, that were enormous in their
height and breathtaking in the way they meandered and created various
falls all in one. We got very lost and got to explore more countryside
getting back to town. We had very sore tushies by the time we finally arrived at our guesthouse.
The next morning we flew off to Cambodia. The airport in Luang Prabang
is probably the smallest I've ever been to. It has 5 connections. Laos
is counted as one of the 50 least developed countries in the world.
However, the people were exceptionally kind and welcoming.
We were impressed by Cambodian efficiency and their professional
handling of tourists as we arrived in Seim Riep. We hit a block though
when they took us down the typical tourist trap path which we did not
want to go on. Once we found our sea legs and figured out what we
wanted to do, things got less confusing. The people here are desperate for work and to earn money and try hard to sell pretty much anything, but many services are available and they know how to make things nice.
We spent the day wandering the temples at Angor Wat. We were up at
4:30am to be able to see sunrise at the main Angor Wat temple. It was absolutely worth it. We got hot coffee and chairs from a cute Cambodian who introduced himself as Rambo and we then witnessed the sky brightening with Angor Wat reflected in the nearby pond. Truly tremendous.
We also had some frustrating moments getting nickled and dimed.
Cambodia charges an exit tax of $25. We thought that was pretty
skeezy. An entry visa of $20 I understand and we paid without
complaint, but a $25 "passenger service charge" upon exit?? as Mike
said, what exactly was the service?
Anyway, we're back in Bangkok for Shabbat and we want to wish you all
a Good Shabbos.
As Michael and I were waiting at the train station to leave Beijing on an overnight speed train (traveling 140 miles per hour!!) to Shanghai, we started to get peckish. It just so happened to be the 17th of Tammuz, a Jewish fast day, and my husband and I had spent the day on tour at the Great Wall and Ming tombs- plus we were still jet-lagged from our flight into China two nights before! We were exhausted mentally and physically, but enjoying the prospect of the next 5 weeks of our honeymoon traversing the Asian continent.
20 minutes before sunset (and the end of the fast) I left my hubby to watch the bags and went to hustle up some fruit for our dinner. Since I stand out slightly as a foreigner (yeah, strangely enough, I don’t look very Chinese. Who knew? ), it seemed I was quoted higher prices. Being an Israeli with chutzpah, I don’t take kindly to this differentiation. I insisted on prices I saw other people paying and found that the Chinese, once confronted, would comply without complaint.
So, I proudly arrive back at the station with coconuts, peaches and mango and some bottled water. We promptly consumed the juice and fruit, my husband grateful that I was the one who insisted on the bargaining process. That’s all part of the kick I get out of traveling; for him bargaining with the locals is just a pain in the touches (guess that’s why we get along so well).
Feeling brave after my successful shopping expedition, I decided my next adventure would be attempting to find a kind and generous local in the very large station that would cut open the coconut so we could feast on its meat. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find one to help. So being the go-getter that I am, I got myself a small fruit knife and a pair of scissors. After about 10-15 minutes hacking at my coconut, I thought about giving up and just going without the coconut, but I knew that after all that hard work, I just couldn’t quit. One of us was gonna win that battle, and it wasn’t going to be the coconut! The fascinated stares of the locals around me just added to my determination. After working myself into a sweat, I finally managed to crack it open was able to enjoy the sweet taste of my well-earned coconut.
Upon my return to hubby, I found he had been yelled at by a local until there had been a veritable coup to take over my treasured seat. Without missing a beat, I strode through the reception area until I spied another comfy chair, lifted it high above my head and carried it back to our spot. My husband giggled and remarked how he was unsure if China was really ready to handle a Taviv such as I. Perhaps I should have warned them that I was coming…
There is certainly something to be said for the way the 1.2 billion people in this country have managed to expand to this size while keeping their cities clean and efficient. The people here teem the streets: walking, on bicycles, driving electric motorcycles, scooters and cars. I am unsure of the rules of the traffic flow but somehow it seems to work. The taxi drivers are some of the most aggressive I have ever witnessed (even more than Israeli cabbies!) and zooming between cars on packed highways to reach a destination had us clinging to our seats as if on a rollercoaster ride.
A luxurious 12-hour train ride on the bullet train with soft, comfy sleeper couches, tv and soft comforters was a nice way to travel from Beijing (which has an est. 15 million people) to Shanghai (which has about 18 million). Once we had checked into our hotel, we realized that fruit will only last you so long so after the twelve-hour ride we were starving again. So we began our search for the nearby Shanghai Jewish Center, aka the good ol’ Chabad. After getting slightly lost due to Shanghai’s construction (they are literally rebuilding half the city in preparation for the expo in 2010) we made it into the air-conditioned goodness of the Center. I have never seen Mike so happy to see other Jews!
We wolfed down the first kosher full meal we’d had in days, and for the first time in months I did not bother counting points or calories and devoured everything they put in front of me.
Shabbat gave us some much needed time to rest and recover for our persistent jet lag. And as a bonus, we got to be part of the diverse and unusual Shanghai community for a short time and even felt at home there (in large part due to the tunes and services and meals at the Chabad house). It’s amazing how even in such a remote location a Jew can find such familiar surroundings! It gave us respite from the alien feeling we’d had since our arrival.
After Shabbat ended, we went downtown with another couple and hung out on a rooftop bar overlooking the impressive city skyline. The amount of neon lighting used here is phenomenal and the big cities here make The Big Apple seem small. It was fun to get into political debates and learn about other people’s experiences here. It seems many Westerners move here for business opportunities that are not available elsewhere- that is, once here they learn Mandarin and become a part of the country.
But the differences between the Western and the Chinese mindset is painfully obvious.
As ancient a culture as China represents, my first impression was that there is a lack of creativity here. This, in large part, comes from a consumption and absolute commitment to the way things have always been done. Anything outside of their framework is not understood or accepted easily. Even something as monumental and earth-shattering as the Great Wall (a project that took four Dynasties to complete) shows how the Chinese dedication to their leaders’ wills is unmatched.
Here, they strive for the greater good. Their slogan for the 2008 Olympics, hosted in Beijing was:
“One Dream, One World”
When I asked about the massive population, I was told that Chairman Mao implemented the push to increase the Chinese population to have more manpower in order to crush China’s enemies by sheer numbers. The idea of a whole country unquestioningly following the vision of their leader, whether by having more children, less children, rebuilding a city, destroying heritage sites that are thousands of years old or starving huge numbers of people to create economic reform is radical and hard for us to understand. But in China that’s the way things are done.
So far, I’ve taken away two lessons: 1) the putting aside of certain personal needs (for example, limiting families to only 1 child in the city or 2 in the rural areas to ensure the rest of the population will have what they need); and 2) that we shouldn’t take for granted the extraordinary freedoms that we enjoy both in America and Israel.
As a Western minded, determined and capable individual, ‘chasing the coconut’ is what I believe I was born to do. I find it not only tempting but natural. However, in this country, the mindset is that it’s not always necessary or useful to pursue things that will only benefit oneself or one’s family. We also have to take into consideration those around us who also have needs. As this journey continues, I consider the somehow capitalist yet stated communist country I find myself in: it’s an enigma and a challenge… and I am enjoying every sweaty minute!
Dear family and friends,
I just wanted to let you know that we arrived safe and sound and have
been blown away by china and the culture here.
We've been in china all of 5 days now.
Complete culture shock.
No one speaks English.
We survived on energy bars and fruit for the first few days.
The strange things here include:
the food
the way bathrooms are used
the fact that streets are totally crowded with pedestrians, bicycles, scooters and cars at all times in all directions
the way men walk around with their shirts tucked up and the bellies exposed to deal with the heat
people here have a specific frame of reference, anything beyond that framework is not
possible here and one gets a blank look meaning: does not commute.
So far we've done Beijing and are overwhelmed by the teeming city life.
We saw the Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, Ming Tombs and the Great
Wall of China. We are looking forward to getting to the more rural areas and exploring.
We just made the overnight train ride from Beijing to Shanghai.
We just spent Shabbat with Chabad of Shanghai and made some friends in the community. Going to downtown Shanghai after Shabbat to enjoy the bright and interesting city skyline from a roof top bar was fun. The heat here in the day is oppressive but evenings are ok.
These were my first and rather incomplete impressions of China.
PS. China is much more expensive than one may think. Particularly the big cities. The overnight train from Beijing to Shanghai cost $125.
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