Ronna Steinback,
June 05 Seminar


I have been home for almost one week now and I am struggling to contain my feelings and emotions about my Seminar experience. Friends, relatives and fellow synagogue congregants have been asking me, "What are your favorite highlights from your trip to Israel?" I think that each time I answer this question, the highlights change. At any given moment, I am affected differently, emotionally and spiritually, about every aspect of the Seminar.

So, at this moment, I will reflect on my favorite moments, or highlights, of the Seminar experience for me: The mezuzah at the Zion Gate to the Kotel; Masada; Tali's "performance" at Independence Hall in Tel Aviv; Shabbat in Jerusalem--the entire city "becomes" Shabbat, very beautiful; hiking/climbing Mt. Arbel; the history and beauty of Tzfat; the Kinneret Cemetery because the people who are buried there saw themselves as the bridge between ancient Jew and new Jew--continuing a line from 3,000 years ago coming back to claim the land; the beauty and majesty of the mountains in the Golan; Yad Vashem--an emotionally draining experience, yet educational beyond my imagination; warm and welcoming dinner at Rena's home with our guests discussing their differing opinions about the Disengagement; and last, but surely not least, our farewell dinner at Darna, which provided us the time and opportunity to sum-up our feelings about our Israel experience and to say "good-bye."

I don't want to forget to include the everyday highlights--the other Meltonians on this trip, who provide support and fun in our everyday journeys, our leader, Judy Kupchan, who led us novices like a nurturing and reassuring mother, and of course, our knowledgeable, entertaining, spiritual leader, friend and guide, Zohar, who made the Israel experience a way more exciting, challenging and spiritually awakening trip than I ever could have imagined!

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