THE NEWS^Aufust 1981—Page 12
Israel — An Unforgettable Experience A««de«ty Director
by Barbara Huberman
(Ed. note: The writer has taken ex
cerpts from her journal on her re
cent trip to Israel with Rabbi Krant-
zler’s group. She is the wife of Jef
frey Huberman and mother of
Marc and Amy who had their Bar
and Bat Mitzvah at Masada.)
8 a.m., June 22, 1981, Masada,
Israel
lOO” — brilliant blue sky with a
haze over the Dead Sea that makes
Jordan seem farther than it really is
— five kids in their “best” tennis
shorts, a UNC baseball hat on one,
shiny ne>v yamalka on another.
Parents dressed in an assortment of
tropical clothes that are already
soaking wet with perspiration from
the sun climbing high over the
mountains. Two hawks are circling
overhead which sporadically touch
down on the rocks to see what is
happening.
Does this sound like a Bar or Bat
Mitzvah?
On June 10, our group of 19
from Charlotte assembled at Ken
nedy Airport and began our
journey to Israel. For the next two
weeks we would share some un
forgettable experiences and
memories.
Our guide and Mercedes bus
picked us up at Ben Gurion Airport
and became our home and security
base as we saw the new, the contem
porary and the ancient; visited kib
butz and ruins; learned about the
Druids and the Hassidim; and took
us to Masada, the culmination of
our trip.
The five children, David and
Daniel Bernstein, Marc and Amy
Huberman, and Leslie Kaplan, had
con:p!eted ths traditional training
with Sam Wallace and Rabbi
Krantzler and had spent the night
before reviewing their speeches.
The State of Israel had prepared
their certificates and sent gifts; each
boy received a tallit and the girls
were presented olive wood candle
sticks. We parents had hauled
cookies, wine and gifts up on the
cable car and the Rabbi had prayer-
books and a small Torah he carried
all the way from Charlotte.
The synagogue riiins atop
Masada were exactly as 1 had envi
sioned it from books but 1 was un
prepared for the emotional impact
of what being in this place and
witnessing the Bar and Bat Mitz-
vahs would have on all of us. Not a
dry eye among us as the Rabbi
opened the service with a prayer.
Cameras clicked, tourists peeked
over the walls in awe, and we felt
privileged to be a part of Jewish life
that had been celebrated for cen
turies in this special place. The
presence of the Zealots — the
strength, determination and com
mitment brought us closer to each
other as we prayed together. Our
“family” surrounded us: Dan and
Faye Green, Dave and Lila Mann,
Helen Krantzler, Jeannette and Lee
Sachs (friends of the Greens from
Florida) and Leslie, Dave and
Dan’s little sister. Their love and af
fection for our children had grown
strong from traveling together these
past two weeks.
The sun climbed higher, the
temperature was now 110*, but the
Torah is uncovered and each child
stepped forward to read his and her
portion. They read so well — much
better than in any practice session.
Though we know we will
remember, Jeff records with his
small dictaphone each of the
children as they read their Torah
portion and give their speech.
1 think 1 can speak for Bobbie
and Don (Bernstein), Sis Kaplan
and Jeff when 1 say there has never
been a moment when I’ve been so
proud or loved our children more.
Here in this holy place on Masada,
our children have chosen to express
their Jewish heritage and celebrate
their Bar/Bat Mitzvahs. They have
given us a day we will never forget.
We sense their impending maturity.
their growing sense of self-
confidence. their energy and excite
ment about their future. As their
ancestors before them, they respect
and believe in themselves and their
experiences in Israel have brought
them closer to being adults.
The final prayer in a circle closes
our service and jubilation rings out
over the hills as the children cheer
and are bombarded with the hard
candy. Masada lives!
Holocaust Survivors
Everywhere — we were together
— the plane over and back — the
hotels, restaurants, historical sites.
Their presence and conversations
will never be forgotten. That we
were a part of their “Gathering”
was such a marvelous experience.
The Good Fence
At the northern Lebanese border,
the Israelis allow Lebanese sup
porters, many of whom are Chris
tians, to come through “the Good
Fence” for water and medical care.
In the midst of turmoil and war,
there is compassion.
Tree Planting at
Golani Forest
All of us were amazed and awed
with the “blooming Garden of
Eden” that Israel has accomplished
in arid wasteland. We each planted
tiny cedar trees and across the
^ valley we saw giant cedars planted
years ago by other pilgrims.
Walking into Jerusalem
Our bus stopped as we approach
ed the walled city and we descended
together, on foot, to enter the city.
The Jewish cemetery on our left,
desecrated by the bombs of war —
the Mt. of Olives on our right — the
Golden Gate of the Wall ahead,
sealed, waiting for the Messiah, to
open and allow passage into
Jerusalem.
Swimming in the Dead Sea
Our bodies covered in black
mud, we were supposed to let it
bake on and bake out the impurities
in our body, but the heat was
unbearable and wc ran for the
water to cool off. Alas, the water
must be 100** or more in the sea and
the shower and we struggle into
sticky clothes and head quickly for
the air-conditioned bus.
Bus Win Tel Aviv
Trying to act like “locals” we
hopped a bus to Old Jaffa for din
ner and went way past our stop. As
we approached two young soldiers
and haltingly tried to explain that
we were lost, they laughed and in
good English (they were immigrants
from Bobbie’s hometown in Il
linois) got us back to Old Jaffa.
ne Arab Market
Learning the art of bargaining
seemed a snap for the kids. Marc
was the proud owner of a sheepskin
vest for SIO (asking price: S25),
complete with odor from Israel.
Dan and Dave bought Arab
headresses for $4 and Amy and
Leslie bought them from the same
man, same place, one hour later for
$2. Amy is priceless and beautiful
and the Arabs recognized this. I
stubbornly refused five, then 10,
then 15 camels for her. However,
this handsome Arab continued to
pursue us until we were firm that
she was not for sale.
The Western WaU
We went to the Wall several times
but sunset on Shabbat was special
and moving for all of us. The Wall
was crowded with men and women
praying separated by a fence (such a
shame that the barrier exists). We
clapped and sang and the
Yeshivaites came dancing into the
plaza.
The night before this plaza had
been filled with thousands of Holo
caust survivors who had come
together for their “final gather
ing.” Their spirit is everywhere and
our spirits are renewed as we share
a part of their lost moments
together.
“All religions must be
tolerated...for...every man must
get to Heaven his own way. ’’
— Frederick The Great
(Continued from Page 1)
band Marc, an engineer and full
time faculty member at Central
Piedmont, and her son Ilan, a rising
3rd grader at the Hebrew Academy.
Mrs. Weinglass was the main
organizer of the Havura in
Charlotte and has been its head
during the past three years. The
Weinglasses are members of Tem
ple Israel and the Jewish Communi
ty Center.
Bob Bernhardt also announces
the appointment of Mitchell and
Arnel Greenbetg as secular teachers
in the Academy. Mitch Greenberg
will be responsible for the science,
mathematics and physical educa
tion at the Academy, while Arnel
will teach social studies and
language arts. Both Mitch and
Arnel were awarded B.S. degrees
from SUNY-New Paltz and Mitch
also holds an M.S. in Elementary
Education from SUNY-Brockport.
Upon being asked their thoughts
about teaching at the Academy
Mitch and Arnel said,
“We are enthusiastic and
eagar to assume our posi
tions as teachers at the
Academy. It opens a whole
new world for us. Our goal
is to build and assist each
child to achieve his or
her potential.”
The Greenbergs will be replacing
Nancy Goodman, who will be at
tending graduate school in the
Boston area, and Lani Levine, who
is currently undecided about her
future plans. Both Nancy and Lani
were excellent teachers and will be
missed. Coming back from last year
are Shoshana Ravivi and Cookie
Pollock.
“We have just enough religion to
make us hate, but not enough to
make us love one another,' ’
—Swift
Mitchell and Arnel Greenberg
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■ TAXDEOUCTMLL
!)ontrilbution8
To The
Hebrew Academy
in honor of Amy Bernhardt's Bat
Mitzvah:
Mr. A Mrs. Jerry Hannes
Thank you to all who helped in the
kitchen to make the Academy Din
ner a success:
Peggy Gartner
Speedy recovery to Lynn Lemer:
Mr. A Mrs. Bob Brodsky
For your general fund:
N.C. Association of Jewish
Women
Say It With An
Academy Card
Now a donation to the Academy
can honor memorials, bar mitzvahs,
any occasion.
Send a check made out to Hebrew
Academy and your requests to Beryl
Fishman. S841 Coatbridge Lane,
Charlotte. N.C. 28212. Phone: 537-
0220.
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