#especially for people with Israeli friends and family who are not welcome at your community events unless they reject those loved ones | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

jewish-privilege · 6 years ago

Link

I am a lifelong Democrat. I believe the party stands for the principles that reflect Jewish values and will create a brighter future for every American, including American Jews, and for the world—from gay rights to access to health care to racial justice to women’s rights to the fight against poverty and for equal access to a prosperous future. The year I spent working to reelect Barack Obama—dedicating much of that time to outreach to Jewish communities on behalf of the president—was the best of my life. It was the most inclusive, diverse, respectful space I have ever worked, a place where my Judaism was not tolerated—it was celebrated. Together we built strong coalitions across communities and, I believe, a better America for all.

It is with this background and with these beliefs that I issue a warning to my friends and colleagues in the Democratic Party: Nothing in this life is promised.

Jewish-Americans are frightened, angry, and looking for leadership from the party to address a global crisis that hits us close to home. I know because I have been hearing from them, with increasing urgency. They fear that the climate of anti-Semitism in America right now is echoing 1930s Europe. They are remembering the warning signs that their bubbes whispered to them and renewing their passports. It may seem overwrought to you, but Egyptian Jews thought they would always be welcomed in Egypt. German Jews thought they would always be welcomed in Germany. This has been the story of Jews, for centuries and throughout the world.

They are frightened because they have heard silence from people they thought were friends, and worse from those they at least considered allies. They fear the Democrats are abandoning them. They say they plan to stop volunteering and donating, that they are afraid the Democratic Party doesn’t include them anymore, or won’t include them soon. They tell me how unthinkable this was for them even a month ago. But then they tell me the fears started before that. That they’ve faced growing anti-Semitism from various corners of the progressive movement for years, that they’re looking at what’s happening in the U.K. and thinking we are about to be kicked out of one more place in the long history of Jewish exclusion and disenfranchisement.

We need to see Democrats addressing anti-Semitism across the political spectrum, including from within the party and within the progressive movement. Because here is the truth: American Jews could stay home on election day. American Jews could decide their synagogue’s capital campaign for synagogue security needs their money instead. American Jews could decide our feet are tired of canvassing. American Jews are key to turning swing states blue. We are a reliable bloc of voters, donors and volunteers, but we are not promised to Democrats. Every vote needs to be earned. We need to see action, we need to feel respected, we want to be valued by the party we overwhelmingly support. We want your full-throated support during a frightening time.

American Jews need the Democratic Party to stand with us, and we need to stand with the Democratic Party. There is too much at stake.

...Jews have real reason for fear in America right now. We have a white nationalist movement that is growing. There is an undeniable, global rise in anti-Semitism. It is happening in France, in England, in New York City. Hate crimes are rising across the U.S., and rising against Jews at a rapid pace. Blood has already been spilled inside a synagogue.

America is experiencing political instability, and historically that bodes badly for Jews—and we must not lose sight of how we got here. We have a president who dove into the American psyche and embraced our darkest histories and worst hatred. He launched the Muslim ban. He brought extreme anti-gay policy into the mainstream with his VP. He called African countries “shitholes.” He launched campaign ads with Hillary Clinton surrounded by Jewish stars and dollar bills. He excused and endorsed violence against protesters at his rallies—even discussing the possibility of paying legal fees of those in violent confrontations. Trump’s MAGA campaign embraced hate, viscerally and loudly, and has made many historically targeted minority groups in America feel less safe. Hate crimes began to pick up during a racially charged, frightening election season and shot upwards after his election. I know you remember the crushing, paralyzing fear and shock in the days after Charlottesville.

And language has extended to other vulnerable groups, too, and those attacks reverberated back on our community with grave consequences. He created a narrative in which refugees, including children, were somehow an existential threat to America. He claimed that there were terrorists and criminals hiding within the migrant caravan – a claim that was a lie. He spoke at campaign rallies claiming that the Democratic Party was encouraging people to “break into our country.”...

Despite the fact that Trump’s claims of potential violence from refugees was a political tactic, some took it seriously—including, tragically, the shooter who took 11 lives at the Tree of Life synagogue, who believed that because of Jewish support of refugees, especially HIAS, Jews must be killed to protect Americans from the violent threat at our border. Trump created the environment which led to emboldened white supremacists, xenophobic frenzy, and eventual violence—including violence against Jews.

You would think that this sort of behavior would inspire wall-to-wall cohesion among those who oppose the president—a commitment to working together to fight his words and actions. Instead, we have seen a tragic fracturing on the left, with sharp and painful faults opening up around Jews, anti-Semitism, allyship and Israel.

I have been deeply critical of those in the progressive movement who have fallen down on anti-Semitism, but I do not believe the failures of those activist movements are analogous to the Democratic Party. One clear example is the Women’s March. After serious allegations of anti-Semitism among Women’s March leaders were reported, the DNC pulled out of partnership with them—and while some 2020 Democratic candidates participated in local iterations of the march, not a single one attended the March in Washington.

Another is the response to Ilhan Omar’s recent comments about Israel and American Jews. Within 24 hours of her first offensive remark, Omar had been formally reprimanded by Nancy Pelosi and many senior House Democrats. And after she engaged in divisive and frightening rhetoric again one week later, Democrats passed a full-throated condemnation of anti-Semitism, one that additionally reiterated their dedication to fighting against all hatred for a stronger America. That broadening reflects Jewish values of justice and inclusion, and ultimately strengthens the fight against anti-Semitism.

An additional challenge facing us is the Democratic Party’s relationship to Israel. Here’s the reality: There are forces on the left that want to create a divide between Democrats and Israel. There are people who want to see Democrats embrace BDS and anti-Zionism. This movement is small, but it has the potential to grow. Since over 92 percent of Jews consider themselves pro-Israel, this creates an obvious tension. While Rep. Ilhan Omar and Rep Rashida Tlaib have been depicted as the new face of this exciting class of freshman Dems, in actuality, this freshman class is full of Israel supporters. For example, Rep. Max Rose, won a seemingly impossible race in Staten Island, a district that went for Trump by 9 points. Rep. Rose is a veteran of the war in Afghanistan and lists supporting Israel as one of his top priorities in Congress. He is deeply committed to continuing bipartisan support for Israel. Rep. Elaine Luria is another freshman in Congress after unseating incumbent Republican Scott Taylor. She is staunchly pro-Israel and has already taken a bipartisan trip to Israel. She opposes the Iran deal and BDS and supported moving the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem. Former CIA analyst Elissa Slotkin also won her race in the Michigan 8th against Mike Bishop. While serving at the Pentagon, she helped finalize the 10-year Memorandum of Understanding between the U.S. and Israel. These incredible new members of Congress, deeply supportive of Israel, all flipped their districts red to blue. That means they will face fierce 2020 elections when the GOP seeks to regain those seats. They need our support to continue to be strong Jewish pro-Israel voices in Congress. They shouldn’t be punished for others’ mistakes.

Additional pro-Israel freshman Dems include Ayanna Pressley, the first black lawmaker from Massachusetts. She is against BDS and enjoys a “warm and productive relationship” with her local Jewish community and the Boston JCRC. Mikie Sherrill, another veteran who flipped her seat, is also strongly pro-Israel and supports continued military aid for Israel. Beyond freshmen, examine Democratic Party leadership Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer, and Hakeem Jeffries, all boasting impeccable pro-Israel records, to say nothing of Nita Lowey, chair of the powerful Appropriations Committee.

It’s also worth noting that while 92 percent of American Jews define themselves as pro-Israel, 59 percent of American Jews say they are critical of at least some Israeli policies. There should be no appetite for smears, anti-Semitic rhetoric or wholesale condemnation of Zionism, but there is plenty of room for substantive, policy focused debate.

It is true that two freshman members of Congress have chosen to engage in dishonest and ugly rhetoric about the state of Israel. I hope they take meetings with Israeli and American victims of Palestinian terror. I hope they meet with families whose kids were targeted by bomb-filled balloons in Southern Israel, and they hear what it feels like to tell your children to be afraid of balloons. I hope that they hear from Persian Jews who are messaging me telling me how angry they are to hear the country they fled compared to Israel, especially by a fellow refugee. I hope they hear from FSU Jews who are writing me telling me how dual-loyalty charges turned their family into refugees and how frightened talk of allegiances makes them. Talk to Democrats in Congress and tell them stories they have never heard and won’t ever hear without you. Tell them if they want your support, they will need to earn it.

It is true that the party has stumbled to address anti-Semitism within its caucus. It is true that we have been disappointed by many members of the Democratic Party and by their slow or inadequate response to anti-Semitism at home, around the world, and within our own movement.

But the Democratic Party is the political home of 75 percent of American Jews. I believe we can stay in our political home, where our values of justice have always lived, and create a stronger party that learns from the mistakes of the past couple of months.

And the way to do this is how Jews in America have always expressed themselves politically—by engaging those around us, especially those who claim to be our leaders. Schedule an in-district meeting. Go to a town hall. Write a letter to the editor of your local paper. Show up to your local Democratic Party. Call your member of Congress everyday and tell them how you feel. There are actions he or she can take right now to support our community. Tell them to pass the Anti-Semitism Envoy Act and the Domestic Terror Prevention Act—two bills that will help keep our community safer and are ADL legislative priorities. Look to your local party for action as well, especially if you live in one of the five American states with no hate-crime statutes to protect you and other communities.

We should tell them our stories. Members, especially freshmen, genuinely are moved by constituents and their stories all the time. Our stories are worth hearing. We must stand up and fight this. We must involve ourselves more and more deeply in our party—not less. We must run for delegates, vote in primaries and get involved in local party politics, and make our voices heard. Be the Democrats you wish to see in the party. The answer is not to leave—but to fight.

#carly pildis #antisemitism #long post #leftist antisemitism

24 notes · View notes

onceuponamirror · 7 years ago

Note

(1/2) hi there!! I’ve followed you for a long time and im a writer and I’ve been toying with the idea of making one of the main characters (and her family) of an original story of mine Jewish. The story is very family oriented, and though her Jewish identity wouldnt be the center focus (the story is more about womanhood and queerness) it’s definitely important and will constantly come up. Since I know you’re jewish yourself, I was wondering if there’s anything about your Jewish identity you’d li

(2/2) like to be represented or touched on more!! Or if you had any recommendations for resources regarding Jewish identity for women and queer folks. I’ve researched quite a bit about Judaism in the past, so at this point I’m trying to find things to read about Jewish identity and maybe concepts people have a hard time reconciling with their faith, rather than just general information about Judaism. thank you for reading this at all!!

————

hi there! happy to help, but know i can only speak for my specific relationship to the culture. contextually: i was raised not with the religious elements as much as i was with the ethnic and cultural components, which in my experience is much more common for american jews.

i think that as i’ve become more connected to my history and my culture, i’ve realized the really latent disparity that comes with diaspora.

as in—in many ways, there’s a lot about american white culture that i don’t relate to or especially feel welcome within, but at the same time, many jews are also beneficiaries of white privilege. it would be wrong to say that i’ve experienced any negative profiling, especially as i personally am fair, green-eyed, and blonde.

(certainly the discussion of white or white adjacent privilege in jews is not universal; i have a friend who is black and jewish and she’s talked to me about the struggle of having both feet in identities that sometimes feel far away from one another. but again—i can’t speak to her own personal relationship with that, nor do i want to try, as it’s not my identity)

but for askenazi american jews in particular, especially recently, there’s a real struggle in where exactly we fit in. the antisemitism is hypocritical and often unconscious on the liberal side, and vicious and veiled on the right wing side.

for example—recently, in chicago dyke march, three jewish women were kicked out of the parade for having a rainbow flag with the star of david on it. this is a jewish symbol before it’s israeli, but they were kicked out because it made people think it was about zionism.

(zionism, for clarification, is the support of israel as a country—a very complicated subject, which i honestly don’t recommend you bringing up in your character if you’re not jewish)

there’s a trend in american liberalism that for jews to be welcome in safe spaces, they must not be “like other jews,” like the bad ones in israel. a progressive american jew must constantly defend themselves against the actions of a country which they possibly have never been to or have no personal relationship towards. here’s an excerpt from an article discussing this:

“By that hierarchy, you might imagine that the Jewish people — enduring yet another wave of anti-Semitism here and abroad — should be registered as victims. Not quite.

Why? Largely because of Israel, the Jewish state, which today’s progressives see only as a vehicle for oppression of the Palestinians […] no matter that progressives hold no other country to the same standard. China may brutalize Buddhists in Tibet and Muslims in Xinjiang, while denying basic rights to the rest of its 1.3 billion citizens, but “woke” activists pushing intersectionality keep mum on all that.”

[x]

(i should note that i personally don’t support the actions and apartheid structure put in place by israel, but the fact that i feel compelled to make that delineation is kind of my point)

other related readings on the subject: 1, 2

and then of course, especially lately, there’s been an overt-but-coded rise of antisemitism on the right. if you ever hear the words “global power” or “global banks” or anything that alludes to some handful of people or families that control all the money in the world and are suppressing working class white people, it’s antisemitic conspiracy that jews somehow are puppeteering the world in domination.

what i fear, as a jewish woman, is not an individual attack on my safety, or profiling, etc—instead it’s about being a person whose entire cultural history is defined by being the scapegoat, or historically the boogeyman for everyone’s economic problems.

throughout all recorded history, the jewish identity is tied to persecution and blame. in fact, one of the reasons why most american jews are eastern european (areas now russian, polish, ukranian, etc) is because although we migrated there and lived there for a long time, we were never considered citizens and thus fled to america as soon as we were able on a mass scale.

similarly, the reason why so many german jews didn’t leave at the start of the holocaust was because they felt as though they were germans; they just didn’t think their neighbors and government would turn on them until it was too late.

so the lesson lingering there for a lot of young american jews is that no matter how comfortable and integrated you may be with the culture of your country, people en masse will still always turn on you and blame you, especially when there’s economic or political elements to it.

it’s a cultural wariness, basically, and that’s what i mean about the disparity of diaspora. we often say never again, but there’s a imprint of don’t get too cozy.

you are, but you aren’t.

it’s not all so wrought, though.

there’s also a lot of warmth and humor and self-deprecation in the jewish identity—the kind of thing necessary to handle the burden of so much historical atonement and loss—and there is, at least in the jewish community in which i grew up, a lot of acceptance and love.

orthodox judaism can be as rigid and sexist and racist as any other orthodox religion, but reform judaism (which is progressive and much more the norm) is super accepting, especially of queerness, at least in my temple.

again, i can’t speak so much to the faith of it, because i ended that relationship with the religion after my bat mitzvah. i can speak more to the themes of the holidays and cultural navigations if you want, though.

a portrayal of jewish characters i loved that might help you: schmidt on new girl, norah from nick & norah’s infinite playlist, jonathan safran foer in everything is illuminated (basically autobiographical/writing himself), shoshana dreyfus in inglorious basterds---actually, the ENTIRE family in the show transparent is an amazing and unflinchingly accurate portrayal of a modern jewish family.

tl;dr, all that being said though, honestly, if you’re not jewish, i don’t know if it’s really your place to speak to the specific current relationship towards diaspora.

i think you can allude to it, certainly, especially if your character isn’t sure where to align themselves in terms of their relationship towards social justice, but it’s a very complicated identity that i personally am still figuring out how to navigate, and i can’t really speak to what narrative you want to explore more specifically than what you asked above.

honestly, a lot of jewish humor is making fun of the sometimes accurately stereotypical things we do, and i’m not sure you, if you’re not jewish, should be doing that. but i think self-deprecation, sarcasm, warmth, respect for contextual history, and adaptability are good cultural traits that would be alright for you to play with!

if you want to send me specific examples, i’d be happy to tell give you a more specific opinion on things. and i think it’s great that you want to tell a story with representation!!!!

let me know if this was what you meant, hopefully this was helpful~

#judaism #social justice #Anonymous

5 notes · View notes

the-record-columns · 5 years ago

Text

Dec. 4, 2019: Columns

A cook book including a couple of recipes for life…

By KEN WELBORN

Record Publisher

Through the good offices of Ben Lane of Wilkesboro, I now have in my possession a fascinating relic from 1946.

No, not Ben, but a fairly well preserved copy of the North Wilkesboro Woman's Club Cook Book. The Woman's Club was established in 1920 and has been a fixture in North Wilkesboro ever since. The cook book had recipes from the members and I am sure some others as well. For me, having grown up on North Wilkesboro in the 50’s, many of the names were familiar.

Some of the ladies who had recipes in the book were folks I delivered the Greensboro Daily News to as an 11-year-old boy. Of them, one of my favorites was Mrs. Fred Hethcock. The Hethcock's were a retired couple who lived on 6th Street in North Wilkesboro, just down the hill a bit and across the street from one of my other favorites, Carl W. Steele. When I would go by on Saturdays to collect my 45 cents for the previous week’s paper, Mrs. Hethcock would always invite me into her kitchen and give me a glass of sweet tea—a treat like no other. She would let me sit at her table and I remember she put lots of lemon in the tea the way I liked it. Her recipe in the cook book was for shrimp sauce.

Another name I saw in the cook book was Mrs. William Marlow, Mary. I was fortunate enough to get to know Bill and Mary Marlow through my association with the Lions Club of North Wilkesboro, and later, as a neighbor down the street from them. They were just the kind of people you are thankful to have known and I can remember my daughter, Jordan, remarking about Mrs. Marlow's wonderful cookies, and the fact that the Marlow's always bought whatever stuff the school system had the kids out selling without complaint. Mary Marlow had her recipe for Dream Bars in the cook book, which I have personally been lucky enough to have enjoyed. I have also had many opportunities to speak with Mary, who had an accent I won't try to describe, except to say it was a wonderful Southern voice which was perfect for the stately lady she was.

There were lots of other familiar names in the cook book, Mrs. W.K. Sturdivant, Madge; Mrs. A.B. Johnston, Ruby; Mrs. Hoyle Hutchens, Virginia; Mrs. Maurice Walsh, Sina; Mrs. Jack Brame, Virginia; just to name a few.

However, it is the two nuggets in the boxes I want to call your attention to. They both caught me completely off guard and I was very pleased to see them. The first is just past the title page and is called "Club Sandwiches," and the second was in the Pickles and Preserves section and is entitled "How to Preserve A Husband."

These gals obviously knew their way around life, as well as the kitchen.

Club Sandwiches

A very special recipe from page 2 of the 1946 North Wilkesboro Woman's Club Cook Book

Take 80 club women, well seasoned by the experience of living--these should be firm, yet tender. Mix well with equal parts of faith and hope. Sprinkle in the spirit of service and add a dash of pep. Stir in a heaping cup of tolerance, and let stand until all arguments have dissolved and the mixture has cooled. Spread between two slices of courage with all crusts removed and wrap in a cloth dampened with the milk of human kindness. This recipe will serve the entire community.

How To Preserve A Husband

Interestingly enough, this piece was in the "Pickles and Preserves" section of the cook book.

Be careful in your selection. Don't choose too young, and take only such as have been reared in good moral atmosphere. Do not go to market for him, as the best are always brought to your door. When once decided upon and selected, let that part remain forever settled and give your entire thought to the preparation for domestic use. Some insist in keeping them in a pickle, while others are constantly getting them in hot water. This only makes them sour, hard and sometimes bitter. Even poor varieties may be made sweet, tender and good by garnishing them with patience, well sweetened with smiles, flavored with kisses to taste. Then wrap them in a mantle of charity; keep warm with a steady fire of domestic devotion, and serve with peaches and cream. When thus prepared, they will keep for years.

‘In A World Where You Can Be Anything, Be Kind’

By HEATHER DEAN

Record Reporter

Note: This was not my planned topic this week but I have many friends either struggling with the loss, or caregivers dealing with serious ailments of loved ones, and wanted to rerun this column from a few years back to remind us all to be kind, and be present.

Tis the season… All the hustle and bustle, rushing here and there, making sure everything is perfect for the gatherings that are getting ready to happen. We sing holly jolly songs, take the kids to see Santa, make plans to see family out of town, and eat enough goodies to stuff a reindeer. We giggle and snort about tacky sweater parties, and maybe we roll our eyes at those that don't share the enthusiasm of the holiday; maybe even muttering "Scrooge" or "Grinch" under our breath.

But…maybe they have lost their joy for a very valid reason. It's hard sometimes to see the melancholy, past all the glitter and lights. For many people, this is a horrid time of year; reflecting on who won't be home for holidays, especially if it’s the first one without them.

I would like to share with you a song that my friend Brian Brown penned about his daughter, who was the poster child for Christmas, if ever there was one. .She was named "Bria", after her father, was the only daughter, and the baby of the family. Bria suffered from asthma, but that never stopped her from enjoying all things Christmas- singing, playing in the snow, all the fun kid stuff. It was after all, her favorite holiday.

Bria died in February 2015, after suffering an acute asthma attack at the age of 14. Christmas was never the same for Brian and his wife, or the rest of the family.

My Christmas is Gone

Hard to see the blinking lights

Tough to see the twinkling stars

Hearing them bells ring

just opens up all the scars

Happy families holding hands

humming holiday tunes

I'm Scrooge in the corner

wishing it was June

CHORUS

Please don't happy me this

Please don't merry me that

Cause my Christmas is gone

It ain't coming back

Even if Santa's sleigh landed right here

I'd step right over them reindeer tracks he knows my Christmas is gone...it ain't coming back

Yeah my Christmas is gone

It ain't coming back

This was her time of year

Loved decorating the tree

Singing those old Christmas songs; come adore on bended knee.

Everytime the snow fell

Bundling up to go outside

Fingers went numb

From the snowball fights

CHORUS

I got no more silent nights

No more decking the halls

Every day's now to be the same

Behind these four blank walls

There might be joy to the world

It just hasn't found me

My soul's laid bare

As Charlie Brown's Christmas tree

CHORUS

Brian wrote this song, "to find a way out of the dark pit of self pity while still embracing the sadness that is so important for healing.”

So while you’re out there, take a moment to make eye contact with people.

Be aware.

Try to be the comfort in another’s holiday grief.

If you are the one grieving, know you are not alone.

HOTLINE 800-273-TALK (8255)

Israel - The U.S. security net

By AMBASSADOR EARL COX and KATHLEEN COX

Special to The Record

Those who wrongly consider Israel as "illegal occupiers" of land deeded to her by God Himself, are woefully failing to accept the truth which, in plain language, means a Middle East without Israel would be nothing more than a region filled with overwhelming violence and chaos.

In 2005, Israel unilaterally withdrew from the Gaza Strip hoping to receive peace in return. It did not happen. Prior to 2005, Israel vacated a significant portion of Judea and Samaria leaving the West Bank, which includes the Golan Heights, in the hands of Palestinian Arabs who, with the support of Iran, Turkey and North Korea, turned the area into a giant launching pad for missiles and terrorist attacks threatening Israel and every pro-US Arab regime in the region.

In 1967, Israel seized the strategically significant Golan Heights from Syria in a defensive war - a war which she did not instigate. Israel was again attacked by her hostile Arab neighbors without any provocation whatsoever. In only six days and against seemingly impossible odds, Israel emerged the victor. She successfully defended her land and her citizens and even gained land in the process.

Israel's presence on the mountain tops and ridges and in the Golan Heights serves as a sort of security policy for Jordan and others who are friendly to the United States. Having Israeli troops in the Golan is also a kind of security safety net for the U.S. negating the need to send U.S. troops to patrol the Golan Heights as unrest and war rage in Syria, as Iran continues to spread it tentacles in Lebanon and Syria with ambitions to control the land all the way to the Mediterranean Sea, as Turkey's president sets his sights on Syria with expansionist intentions, and as Russia continues to expand its presence in Syria, Lebanon and any other place in the Middle East where there is the slightest opening or where leadership is weak.

Controlling the Golan Heights is important not only to Israel but also to the entire world. Damascus, Syria is less than 50 miles from the Golan. In the Middle East, Damascus is the center for the proliferation of global terrorism and drug trafficking. You might remember that Damascus welcomed Nazi war criminals who fled Germany and Poland following WWII.

Keeping Israel in control of the Golan Heights is essential to maintaining stability in the region. Anyone who thinks otherwise is simply not thinking. Israel's presence is one of deterrence from which the United States, and the world in general, greatly benefits.

It’s a Carolinas Heritage Christmas

By CARL WHITE

Life in the Carolinas

We have been busy elves working on our new Christmas Special.

The 2019 theme is A Carolinas Heritage Christmas. We have been filming on location in historic Gold Hill.

The people of Gold Hill kick off the Holiday celebrations with an annual event they call “The Lighting of the Fall Fires.” The event is always the Saturday before Thanksgiving and is held rain or shine. This year it rained, but that did not seem to dampen the sprits of the attendees.

When people arrive, they exchange their tickets for a bag of gold nuggets (painted gold that is). Once they have their nuggets in hand, they board a trolley that takes guests to their choice of three stops. The nuggets can be exchanged for various food offerings throughout the village.

I met a fellow at the Brunswick Stew station. He so loved the stew that he used three nuggets for three servings. He said it was the best he had ever eaten. Then we met a lady at the chicken and dumpling station who was in line for the second time. She said it brought back great memories.

The village was filled with all sorts of music for people to enjoy as they went from place to place. It was a friendly event with all the charm you might imagine.

Vivian Hopkins at the E. H. Montgomery General Store provided great assistance in our production as well as sharing a look into life in the village. The Montgomery is a popular location during the Holidays and throughout the year with weekly Friday Night Bluegrass gatherings.

There were three fires. We were on location with three cameras at the largest fire when it was set ablaze. As the fire was set, I chatted with Darrius Hedrick and John Yelton who have been part of the event from the very beginning,19 years ago. Darrius said that the event transitions us into the Holiday season. John, now in his 90’s, said we need to be thinking about what we can be thankful for.

We were enjoying our chat as the fire grew, so much so that Darrius looked at me and said with a calm smile, “We better move back a bit before my pants melt.” I suppose I was so caught up in the moment that I did not notice that the ground around us was starting to steam from the mist in the air and the growing heat of the blaze.

It was great talking with Darrius and John as they were both involved in making the Gold Hill Village what it is today. Naturally, there are many people involved; however, at that moment I became very aware that “The Lighting of the Fall Fires” is much more than an event to raise money and awareness for the Gold Hill Historic Preservation Society; it is a celebration of the fact that Gold Hill has significant Carolina history and, most importantly, it stands today as the Historic Gold Hill Village and provides a glimpse into our past and comfort for our future.

We will be back in Gold Hill for more filming during the “Christmas in the Village” celebration which is always the first full weekend in December.

Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas Season! Let’s make some new friends and traditions this year and if we do maybe depression will not be in our stockings during the upcoming months.

Carl White is the executive producer and host of the award-winning syndicated TV show Carl White’s Life In the Carolinas. The weekly show is now in its eleventh year of syndication. For more on the show visit www.lifeinthecarolinas.com and join the free weekly email list. It’s a great way to keep up with the show and things going on in the Carolinas. You can email Carl White at [email protected].

0 notes

cfijerusalem · 6 years ago

Text

METULLA, NORTHERN BORDER OF ISRAEL

“...you also joining in helping us through your prayers, so that thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf for the favor bestowed on us through the prayers of many” (2 Corinthians 1:11).

Metulla, meaning Belle Vue (beautiful view in French). It is a defensive location on Israel’s northern border. It was especially strategic in the 1936-1939 Arab revolt until Israel’s War of Independence in 1948 and is still today. Metulla (Hebrew: מְטֻלָּה) is located between the boundaries of the Biblical cities of Dan and Eyon, bordering Lebanon. The population is approximately 1,600 inhabitants and is the most northern town in Israel. Government officials have long warned of the threat posed by Hamas from Gaza but they pale in comparison to that of Lebanon’s Iran-backed Hezbollah group – which is heavily armed, has combat experience and an arsenal of some 150,000 rockets that can reach nearly every area of Israel. We need to understand the danger that is on Israel’s Lebanon border, and this town of Metulla definitely needs prayer covering. Thank God that Israel did destroy numerous attack tunnels built by Hezbollah in Lebanon that stretched into Israeli territory. Talk of an inevitable war is real. (Information from Israel Today, 2018).

Metulla and mount Hermon, View from “Mitzpe Dado” (CC BY-SA 3.0, by Deror Avi, Wikipedia)

LET US GO TO THE THRONE ROOM OF PRAYER

Prayer is the mightiest weapon we have in the spiritual realm. Praying God’s Will through praying His Word over Israel is the best way to pray. Taking the Sword of the Spirit – our Bibles, in our hands and proclaiming what God has said will come to pass, is not flaky – it is believing God’s Word and reminding God of His Promises. A closer study of God’s Word shows us the love of God for His People, Israel, and that we are to take seriously Genesis 12:3, and be the blessing we always should have been, in the name of Jesus.

Hezbollah of course wishes to occupy large portions of the northern border.

We need to pray that warring angels will be stationed all across the northern border and Hezbollah be defeated by God’s Mighty Hand. Each member of the Wall of Prayer is helping to fortify the borders of God’s Precious Land and People.

Pray no more tunnels will be built, which would be used as attack tunnels upon innocent Israeli civilians and families.

Pray fervently for our Israeli Prime Minister, Bibi Netanyahu, who will try to build and form a unified coalition government. May He turn to God for guidance. “By me kings reign, and princes decree justice” (Proverbs 8:15).

Pray unceasingly that the Amalek spirit so driving the Palestinians and terrorists be cast out and defeated by God, for everyone working against Israel works against the Almighty. “Wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning, but a rod is for the back of one who has no sense” (Proverbs 10:13). “Where there is strife, there is pride, but wisdom is found in those who take advice” (Proverbs 13:10).

Thank the Lord for His Faithful Heart of Love for Israel: Because of all the marvelous abundant rainfall this winter, and some this spring, the land is ablaze with color, the grass everywhere is beautifully green, and flowers and plants and produce are everywhere. The Sea of Galilee has returned to nearly overflowing and His Land is beautiful once again. “He makes grass grow for the cattle, and plants for people to cultivate – bringing forth food from the earth” (Psalm 104:14).

Claim the Promises in Scripture that “...all Israel will be saved” (Romans 11:26).

Praise the Lord that the spacecraft called “Beresheet” (Hebrew: Beginning/Genesis) made it to the moon to take the Word of God, the Torah to God’s creation, the very Word that called forth the heavens and planets. (Psalm 104:19).

Watch as more of Israel’s God-Given Land, such as Judea and Samaria, (a.k.a. the West Bank) is considered to be annexed and belonging to Israel, which would encourage the Israeli communities settled there because they believe God’s Word. The families there are Godly, raising families by God’s Word and have faith in their hearts to stay put “because God said so.” “For God will save Zion and rebuild the cities of Judah. Then people will settle there and possess it” (Psalm 69:35).

The Power Behind Our Prayers: When we release our faith into the Heavenly realm, through proclaiming God’s Word and believing what we are proclaiming as Watchmen, we connect with the greatest power in the Universe: God Almighty. His responses to intercessors who stepped into the gap of dangerous situations were met with the warmest of welcomes. Faith is being activated and courage met and the Supreme Defender of Israel is pleased to perform miracles for His People. We are His chosen vessels to bless Israel.

Thank you for praying on the wall of prayer.

Until He Comes, Sharon Sanders

Christian Friends of Israel - Jerusalem email: [email protected]

0 notes

healthbolt-blog · 6 years ago

Text

New Post has been published on Health bolt

New Post has been published on https://www.healthbolt.net/cooking/healthy-cooking-oil-high-smoke-point/

Healthy Cooking Oil High Smoke Point

Contents

-month keto meal

6 fatty acids–

Ground beef enchilada zucchini boats

Classic beef enchiladas

Cooking instructor online training

But you want to look for oils that are made mostly of healthy fats … Deep frying calls for oil with a high smoke point. Saf…

Healthy Recipes For Lazy Cooks The actual process of cooking in the blender is extremely easy. I just chucked the ingredients in the blender and let it do t… You’re not the only one who is incredibly lazy during the winter … genius who invented this simple cooking device that helps us eat like human even when we’re lacking time and energy. While many of … Whether you’re sticking to Whole30 or Paleo, these mouthwatering recipes are easy to pull off in minutes with a kiddo on one arm. Lifestyle / Categories. … 9 Clean-Eating Dinners for Lazy Cooks. By. Heath Goldman | Jan. 8, … It’s healthy, delicious and … But we’re here to make the impossible, well, totally easy to pull off. Whether you’re sticking to Whole30 or Paleo or just trying to go gluten-free, these mouthwatering recipes are doable even with a … "cooking" means boiling water for instant ramen. For others, the mere thought of turning on a stove sends them running to the phone to order takeout. If you fall into either group, you’re in the right … Healthy Soy Cooking These 20 healthy air fryer recipes range from meaty mains to nutrient-packed vegetable … The air fryer gives this "roasted" … How To Cook Healthy Vegetable Dishes 39 Perfect Vegetable Side Dishes For Thanksgiving. … Here’s one less thing you have to actually cook on Thanksgiving. Get the … This crazy flavorful vegan dish is a healthy addition to your … Healthy Low Calorie Low Fat … Vegetable Side dishes vegetable side dish recipes browse more than 2,120 vegetable side dish recipes. find recipes for green bean casseroles, sweet potato fries, grilled corn and much, much more. Asparagus Side Dishes … Ah, Cinco de Mayo — the bastion of Mexican-American celebration, an excuse to break out the margaritas and share taquitos with friends. Do you know the history behind the imbibing? In 1862, Mexico owe… Spaghetti squash with sautéed mushrooms, tomato and onion. A low-carb, gluten-free and vegan meal full of vegetables and flavor. Only five main ingredients, plus seasoning! Get the recipe here: Spaghe… So instead of punishing yourself in a dietary straitjacket this year, try pivoting in a healthy direction … protein and veg… Find quick and easy vegetable recipes for dinner, from the food and nutrition experts at EatingWell. How to Make Vegetable Fried Rice Healthy If you love vegetable fried rice, try this healthy fried rice recipe made with brown rice and fresh vegetables. Cooking Haddock Healthy Spray a broiler pan with cooking spray or line it with aluminum foil. Place haddock fillets on the pan. Brush each haddock fillet with olive oil. Olive oil contains healthy fats. Use olive oil instead … Healthy, low-fat and low-calorie foods can help people create a calorie deficit. This recipe for “Smoked Haddock on a Nest of … Healthy Cooking Shows On Food Network Whatever happened to our love for actual cooking shows on the Food Network that take you through … addicting and while no o… Best

avocado oil has the highest smoke point, followed by safflower and high-oleic sunflower. then there’s grapeseed, virgin [not extra] olive oil, and all the others. avocado is pretty pricey, so if you want to save some $$, go for the safflower or sunflower. if allergies are a concern, DEFINITELY skip the corn, peanut & …

Its high smoke point makes it a great option for pan frying meat or veggies, especially if you don’t want the heavy taste of ghee or coconut oil in the dish. Tallow has a very mild flavor and it carries spices well.

How To Cook Collard Greens The Healthy Way Ways To Cook Vegetables Healthy Why Is Boiling A Healthy Method Of Cooking A cooking method gentler than boiling, simmering refers to cooking food in liquid (or cooking just the liquid itself) at a temperature slightly below the boiling point―around 180 to 190 degrees. Healthy Cooking Classes In Columbus Ohio One mission of My Daughter’s Kitchen healthy cooking classes is to get kids cooking and eating … and then sautéing the onions and peppers on the stove. "Oh, yeah, you get in there and sizzle," Katel… Best Way To Cook Carrots Healthy Rub carrots in olive oil and cinnamon, season with sea salt and arrange on the tray. 3. Place in oven to cook for 1 hour … … George Foreman Healthy Cooking Grill Review I love fitness, but I hate cooking … cheap grill has made healthy eating so simple that I’ve eaten a balanced, home-cooked meal (that took 10 minutes to make) every night this week. I don’t want to … george foreman healthy cooking evolve Grill Review September 12, 2010 by Momstart 4 Comments The George Foreman Evolve™ Grill is quite an improvement over the … healthy holiday cooking Tips And with thousands of people gathering around a table for the holidays this month, here are the best steps to ensure safe and … healthy wok cooking recipes healthy cooking Classes Dublin Ingredients For Healthy Cooking When we think about the holidays we often think about all of the great food that we will get to enjoy — your father’s famous … healthy eating cooking Classes Melbourne Tirtza was born in Israel, in a small community (Kibbutz) in which traditional and exotic jewish – israeli cooking was of major importance. A freshly baked cake was always on the table, welcoming the weekend, and it was these things that encouraged Tirtza to explore baking, and soon, a … Best Way To cook chicken healthy carson daly and Al Roker Favorite Holiday Recipes This Christmas … Zoodle Ramen Is The Best Low-Carb Way To Warm Up Again, … Cooking Cheap And Healthy Of course, this is also the time of year when you need to start saving for those holiday gifts, so some affordable recipes come in handy, too. Here are cheap, healthy fall recipes to boost immunity an… 10 easy healthy meals To Cook If you’re thinking about making a list of green resolutions for the New Year, here are 10 … food colors? Making small chang… healthy cooking classes indianapolis indianapolis based associates use their unique techniques to create healthy and easy to make dishes for New … offering an assortment of cooking classes and tasting events to educate and provide customers with knowledge to take … cooking class deals in Indianapolis, IN: 50 to 90% off deals in Indianapolis. Four-hour moroccan cooking class and Wine Tasting for One or Two at Saffron Cafe (Up to 54% Off). Two-, Three-, or Six-month keto meal plan subscriptions from Meals Maker (Up to 76% Off) . $49 Off $65

Trying to find the healthiest cooking oil can be a daunting task. One one hand, you want to cook with an oil that has a high flash (smoke) point, but you also need to use a cooking oil that has a healthy balance of Omega 3 to Omega 6 fatty acids–and even better if the oil is loaded with antioxidants and vitamins!

To say that an oil has a high smoke point means that it can be heated to a relatively high temperature before it starts to smoke. … So in general, fresher oil will have a higher smoke point than oil you’ve been cooking with for a while. Below is a table that shows the smoke points for several of the most common cooking fats and oils. In some …

The smoke point of cooking oils varies widely. In general, the more refined an oil, the higher its smoke point, because refining removes impurities and free fatty acids that can cause the oil to …

Healthy Cooking With Ground Beef Serving this exotically-flavored ground beef dish in cabbage cups makes them healthy and low in carbohydrates. Use a nonstick pan to cook your ground sirloin. break it up with a wooden spoon and seaso… ground beef enchilada zucchini boats – a healthy gluten free version of classic beef enchiladas that you’ll fall in love with! A little over 30 minutes to make but well worth it for the bold flavors and low calorie count of 222 calories a serving! This past Sunday morning I stood in our church … How to make taco salad in just 20 minutes! This easy taco salad recipe is EASY, with common ingredients. And, the whole family will love healthy taco salad with ground beef. Healthy Cooking Courses London Ways To Cook Vegetables Healthy Why Is Boiling A Healthy Method Of Cooking A cooking method gentler than boiling, simmering refers to cooking food in liquid (or cooking just the liquid itself) at a temperature slightly below the boiling point―around 180 to 190 degrees. Healthy Cooking Classes In Columbus Ohio One mission of My Daughter’s Kitchen healthy cooking classes is to get kids cooking and eating … and then sautéing the onions and peppers on the stove. "Oh, yeah, you get in there and sizzle," Katel… Best Way To Cook Carrots Healthy Rub carrots in olive oil and cinnamon, season with sea salt and arrange on the tray. 3. Place in oven to cook for 1 hour … … george foreman healthy cooking grill Review I love fitness, but I hate cooking … cheap grill has made healthy eating so simple that I’ve eaten a balanced, home-cooked meal (that took 10 minutes to make) every night this week. I don’t want to … george foreman healthy cooking evolve Grill Review September 12, 2010 by Momstart 4 Comments The George Foreman Evolve™ Grill is quite an improvement over the … healthy holiday cooking Tips And with thousands of people gathering around a table for the holidays this month, here are the best steps to ensure safe and … healthy wok cooking recipes healthy cooking classes dublin ingredients For Healthy Cooking When we think about the holidays we often think about all of the great food that we will get to enjoy — your father’s famous … healthy eating cooking Classes Melbourne Tirtza was born in Israel, in a small community (Kibbutz) in which traditional and exotic jewish – israeli cooking was of major importance. A freshly baked cake was always on the table, welcoming the weekend, and it was these things that encouraged Tirtza to explore baking, and soon, a … Best Way To cook chicken healthy carson daly and Al Roker Favorite Holiday Recipes This Christmas … Zoodle Ramen Is The Best Low-Carb Way To Warm Up Again, … Cooking Cheap And Healthy Of course, this is also the time of year when you need to start saving for those holiday gifts, so some affordable recipes come in handy, too. Here are cheap, healthy fall recipes

Olive oil Nutrition and cooking experts agree that one of the most versatile and healthy oils to cook with and eat is … canola oil tends to have the least amount of saturated fats. It has a high smo…

Corn oil also has a high smoke point. 8. Pam Non-Stick Cooking Spray: “Pam is a combination of canola … And here I thought vegetables were healthy.

But you want to look for oils that are made mostly of healthy fats … for oil with a high smoke point. Safflower oil is a go…

Healthy Cooking Courses London Ways To Cook Vegetables Healthy Why Is Boiling A Healthy Method Of Cooking A cooking method gentler than boiling, simmering refers to cooking food in liquid (or cooking just the liquid itself) at a temperature slightly below the boiling point―around 180 to 190 degrees. Healthy Cooking Classes In Columbus Ohio One mission of My Daughter’s Kitchen healthy cooking classes is to get kids cooking and eating … and then sautéing the onions and peppers on the stove. "Oh, yeah, you get in there and sizzle," Katel… Best Way To Cook Carrots Healthy Rub carrots in olive oil and cinnamon, season with sea salt and arrange on the tray. 3. Place in oven to cook for 1 hour … … george foreman healthy cooking grill Review I love fitness, but I hate cooking … cheap grill has made healthy eating so simple that I’ve eaten a balanced, home-cooked meal (that took 10 minutes to make) every night this week. I don’t want to … george foreman healthy cooking evolve Grill Review September 12, 2010 by Momstart 4 Comments The George Foreman Evolve™ Grill is quite an improvement over the … healthy holiday cooking Tips And with thousands of people gathering around a table for the holidays this month, here are the best steps to ensure safe and … healthy wok cooking recipes healthy cooking classes dublin ingredients For Healthy Cooking When we think about the holidays we often think about all of the great food that we will get to enjoy — your father’s famous … healthy eating cooking Classes Melbourne Tirtza was born in Israel, in a small community (Kibbutz) in which traditional and exotic jewish – israeli cooking was of major importance. A freshly baked cake was always on the table, welcoming the weekend, and it was these things that encouraged Tirtza to explore baking, and soon, a … Best Way To cook chicken healthy carson daly and Al Roker Favorite Holiday Recipes This Christmas … Zoodle Ramen Is The Best Low-Carb Way To Warm Up Again, … Cooking Cheap And Healthy Of course, this is also the time of year when you need to start saving for those holiday gifts, so some affordable recipes come in handy, too. Here are cheap, healthy fall recipes to boost immunity an… 10 easy healthy meals To Cook If you’re thinking about making a list of green resolutions for the New Year, here are 10 … food colors? making small chang… healthy cooking classes indianapolis indianapolis based associates use their unique techniques to create healthy and easy to make dishes for New … offering an assortment of cooking classes and tasting events to educate and provide customers with knowledge to take … cooking class deals in Indianapolis, IN: 50 to 90% off deals in Indianapolis. Four-hour moroccan cooking class and Wine Tasting for One or Two at Saffron Cafe (Up to 54% Off). Two-, Three-, or Six-Month keto meal plan subscriptions from Meals Maker (Up to 76% Off) . $49 Off $65

Confused about which oils are heart-healthy and which aren’t … Because of their chemical makeup, different oils have different smoke points. So some oils are better suited for cooking at higher temp…

Healthy Ways To Cook White Fish Keto recipes occupied five out of … Beef, chicken, fish, eggs, turkey, butter, milk, yogurt, and cheese. I’m typically open … 14 Ways to Cook Fish This Summer If … 2 minutes to make everything extra crispy. Frozen white fish fillets sound meh, but with just a few extra ingredients, they’re practically a gourmet meal. Cook … Healthy Ways To Cook Chicken Breast On The Stove Healthy Hands Cooking instructor nov 17, 2017 · Healthy Hands Cooking is a 24/7, patent-pending cooking instructor certification program that you complete at your own pace, from the comfort of your home computer. Discover how you can turn your passion for healthy cooking into a fun career teaching kids and families to cook. Healthy Hands Cooking is a 24/7, patent-pending cooking instructor online training program that you complete at your own pace, from the comfort of your home computer. Our instructors are passionate moms, dads, teachers, nutrition grads, home cooks, entrepreneurs, wellness advocates and more. carbondale — vegan Fusion certified instructor Kathy Ward will host a cooking class from 5 to 8 p.m. Nov. 16 in the Neighborhood Co-op Grocery, 1815 W. Main St., featuring simple, tasty and healthy re… Healthy Cooking Classes In Columbus Ohio One mission of My Daughter’s Kitchen healthy cooking classes is to get kids cooking and eating … and then sautéing the onions and peppers on the stove. "Oh, yeah, you get in there and sizzle," Katel… Best Way To cook carrots healthy rub carrots in olive oil and cinnamon, season with sea salt and arrange on the tray. 3. Place in oven to cook for 1 hour … … George Foreman healthy cooking grill review I love fitness, but I hate cooking … cheap grill has made healthy eating so simple that I’ve eaten a balanced, home-cooked meal (that took 10 minutes to make) every night this week. I don’t want to … george foreman healthy cooking evolve grill review september 12, 2010 by Momstart 4 Comments The George Foreman Evolve™ Grill is quite an improvement over the … healthy holiday cooking tips And with thousands of people gathering around a table for the holidays this month, here are the best steps to ensure safe and … Healthy Wok Cooking Recipes Healthy Cooking Classes Dublin Ingredients For Healthy Cooking When we think about the holidays we often think about all of the great food that we will get to enjoy — your father’s famous … Healthy eating cooking classes melbourne Tirtza was born in Israel, in a small community (Kibbutz) in which traditional and exotic jewish – israeli cooking was of major importance. A freshly baked cake was always on the table, welcoming the weekend, and it was these things that encouraged Tirtza to explore baking, and soon, a … Best Way To cook chicken healthy carson daly and Al Roker Favorite Holiday Recipes This Christmas … Zoodle Ramen Is The Best Low-Carb Way To Warm Up Again, … Cooking Cheap And Healthy Of course, this is also the

0 notes

psotu19 · 7 years ago

Text

People's State of the Union Address Tuesday January 30th, 2018 Light Club Lamp Shop Burlington, Vermont

People’s State of the Union Address

Tuesday January 30th, 2018

Light Club Lamp Shop

Burlington, Vermont

Share a story about an experience that gave you insight into the state of our union

Share a story about a time that you felt a sense of belonging, or the opposite, to this nation or your community

Share a story of an experience that gave you hope in the past year

Hi everyone! Honestly, I’m so happy to be here with everybody today on such an important day. [1:56] My name is Devin Alejandro-Wilder. I’ve lived in Burlington for the past six years and attended at a local liberal arts college for four of those six years. I’m a working artist and I was born queer & disabled and i live in an independent co-op in the Old North End with seven other friends, two kitchens and 3 cats. In this past year, I was fortunate enough that my little sister raised the $5,000 needed to get myself a hearing aid, and it’s been extraordinarily helpful. Let me tell you, hearing footsteps and secrets and whispers has been something that I’ve never been able to experience before. [2:47] While the prosthetic that I use has a lot of faults, my friends certainly don’t, because they always help me keep track of it. It’s really small and black, and it’s meant to be invisible I guess, like myself… But, my buddies see me take it off, and they see me put it on, and turn up the volume and turn down the volume, and they never forget. They repeat questions, sentences, jokes, and punchlines and I don’t have to fake laughter so much anymore. I didn’t used to tell people that I had a disability because I firmly believe that we are told that we’re not supposed to tell people this. We’re just supposed to ‘pass’ and ‘make it work’. But when I did get my prosthetic, there was no more hiding what was going on, because people could see it pretty clearly. Even though it’s small and meant to be invisible, there’s nothing invisible about a piece of robotic technology attached to your my skull (especially when you have weird hair like mine). So, I just want to thank them, constantly, for their patience and understanding and seeming infinite kindness, because while I have employers who look at me differently for my disability, my friends don’t and that gives me hope every single day. Thank you [4:09]

[4:32] Hi, I’m Max Engle-Strike. I moved to Burlington in May at age 29 to become a brewer, because Vermont beer is so good. I moved from across the country, which gave me a unique perspective on seeing anti-trump sentiment on all sides of the country. It also gave me an insight into the state of our union, which is that it is extremely scattered, and shattered, and torn and divided, in that not even people who are against Trump can agree on how to be against Trump. The story I want to share is about my brother, with whom I am extremely close but we disagree often, to the extent that we were talking about policies in the United States vs the Russia probe as it came down to letting Jeff Sessions being in place or getting expelled. He was in favor of making sure the Russian investigation was completed, those responsible are punished, and that Trump is held accountable for soliciting, confusing Facebook ads. I was extremely disturbed by the policies that the attorney general was putting in place, bringing back mandatory minimums, recriminalizing marijuana, bringing back racist and divisive rhetoric in a way that hasn’t been seen in decades (for good reason) [6:00]and it really scared me that to him, it’s more important to take down a figurehead than to remember that these policies are affecting thousands of Americans every day. So, in wondering how to proceed in the next three years, let’s not miss the forest for the trees: let’s not focus on just the figurehead, let’s focus on the community and each other [6:25] Sorry, Benny, but I’m not with you on this one. That’s my story.

[6:47] My name is Jane, I’m a graduate student here in Burlington. I’ve been here for six years (I moved here from Boston) and I’m 23 years old. I think that, back in 2016, when everything changed in a really big way, I became very disheartened and sort of felt unempowered about being involved in politics. It wasn’t until really this year that I started looking for pieces of hope and wisdom in my local community, and recognizing that there’s tremendous potential for us to organize in really small ways. Really, the personal is political, the local is global, and so by us meeting here today and actually having these conversations, we are setting an example for people all over the country to do the same thing. [7:45] So, while the conversations that you have with your neighbors or in your classrooms or with your friends and family may feel insignificant, they are part of a greater dialogue, and we really do have the potential to change things. Thank you all for being here.

I’m Hallie Berksengold. I’ve been in Burlington for almost nine years now. [8:28] I’m originally from the New York City area, and it’s actually kind of become a little joke in my identity about how I’m a Vermonter in a group of New Yorkers and a New Yorker in a group of Vermonters, and that dichotomy almost rules how I look at things and approach the world a lot of the time. So, I’ve been up here for a long time (oh, by the way, I’m 26). I grew up in a—I wouldn’t call it a super religious, but relatively, comparatively observant—Jewish household. I was raised not quite as religious as a lot of other New York Jews that I knew (and I know a lot), but we followed every major holiday, and every somewhat-major holiday. When I moved up to Vermont, I initially didn’t find any Jewish communities that really resonated with me, and I tapered off that a bit. [9:58] It’s been interesting because for a long time, that tapering off was kind of accidental, but then it became very intentional as I became way more disillusioned with Israeli politics over the coming years. Looking back on this now, it seemed really silly that I ever really thought this way, but I did, up until about a year ago, felt like I was literally the only Jewish person who was upset about how Palestinians and African Jews were being treated. None of my original Jewish circles that I had grown up with really either seemed to care or seemed to want to confront the hypocrisy between “healing the world”—"Tikkun olam"—and social justice, and yet there was this very glaring problem in our midst. I came across an organization (totally by accident) and this happened a little bit after the election in 2016, and it was totally by accident because by that point I had sworn off of any Jewish spaces, but this was one was one where young adult Jews primarily were coming together to oppose Israeli occupation. And I was floored; I was like “Wow, there’s a whole group of Jews specifically who do this!”. I was definitely really vocal about my opinions up here, because I felt this need to prove to other people who are predominantly not Jewish up here that, “Hey, guess what? Not all Jews support this”. So I went down to New York last year and went to a training and then, pretty shortly after that, we did a major action in D.C. against the American-Israel public affairs committee by shutting down and blockading the front and side doors. I did take appropriate time off work because this hit me in a rather personal way. I remember just locking down with other people and looking out at the giant crowd of all different kinds of people and feeling wildly at peace in that moment, whatever happened later. Thank you. [13:07]

[13:14] My name is Ali, my pronouns are ‘they’ and ‘them’. I’m here from San Francisco—I’m on tour for a show—it’s my second night in Burlington, thanks for welcoming me. I live in San Francisco’s oldest housing cooperative. It was founded in 1957 by a group of beatniks, and we just celebrated our 60th anniversary. I grew up in a very conservative family, predominantly Trump supporters. I’ve been a community organizer and activist for 10+ years, ranging from "lets do nice sweet fundraisers” to really militant direct action, so quite a range there. My story is about the first prompt in the State of the Union: I’d been going to and showing up for racial justice meetings starting in September 2016. In San Francisco, the core organizing group fluctuated between like 10, 15 people, sometimes 20. The Bay Area chapter is a lot bigger, but the San Francisco one was just starting. I like to call Trump “Mussolini Kardashian” because I feel like that’s the best way to describe our fascist reality star, and in the meeting after Mussolini Kardashian was elected, we had like 100+ people there. People were there in this visceral state of panic almost, and it actually really pissed me off. I was so happy to see so many people and see people mobilized. We went around and did this big check-in, and people were so utterly panicked, and the reason it bothered me was this: Under President Obama, there were almost 2 million people deported. The U.S. was at war with eight different countries. The Dakota Access Pipeline all progressed under Obama. Michael Brown was killed under Obama. Kalief Browder hung himself under Obama. All of these things were happening in that era. There’s a way in which Trump’s particular brand of being heinous and viscious and brutal is so in-your-face, but then I look at George W. Bush and I look at the invasion of Iraq, and I look at Andrew Jackson and the Indian Removal Act, and I look at this historical amnesia that makes Trump into this exceptionalized boogey man, when the history of our country is genocide, theft, and slavery. There’s this aspect of the contemporary zeitgeist of panic around his behavior as if it’s different from the rest of America’s history, and I look at this too with some of the campaigns that target and attack the Confederate flag, and I’m like “what about the U.S. flag?!” Like, if we need a symbol of heinous, viscous, barbaric actions, that flag really wins the cake. So there’s this aspect for me of certain types and kinds of panic, and the reality star aspect of it for me is important because it’s this flashy, showy, outlandish in-your-face version, but the quiet and subtle aspects of white supremacist, capitalist, patriarchy has been going on and will continue to go on. I feel like there’s a fireworks to the current thing that really is blinding us, in a way, from the history of it all. Thanks. [16:53]

My name is Laurie. I am 56 years old, and I was born and raised in Burlington, Vermont. I’m a Burlington, Vermont native. Well, I’ve got kind of mixed feelings about Donald Trump and his actions. Even during his campaign, I always felt that he’s gonna be contradicting, he’s gonna do a lot of firing, and hiring, and the one’s he’s hiring are not staying in, as far as the Senate is concerned. I’m afraid for our country. What I understand is that he’s got so much money, but he ain’t got no brains to use it, so that’s my perspective. I didn’t want him to be our president. I actually wanted Bernie Sanders to be our president. I figured he was more down to earth with us, and he was the better choice. Anyway, I just really was upset when Donald Trump was elected, and I still to this very day wonder, “why did all these people elect him?” My sense of hope in my community is that we can get Trump out, and get somebody else in who knows how to run the country a lot better than it is right now.

[18:56] My name is Chai Gang. I was born during a depression, and we had people sleeping on our floor every night, and nobody ever said the word homeless. They said, “I can’t find a job". “Homeless" was not a word yet. When I heard Trump talking about how he’s going to get everybody a job, and people voted for him for that reason, I have no respect for those people. I wouldn’t want a man running my country the way he runs this country because he promised me a job. When I was in the Occupy movement, I met a woman who had her mother living with her, and her mother babysat while she went to work. The mother was kicked out of the apartment because she wasn’t on the lease, and the woman lost her job because she didn’t have a babysitter anymore. I met another woman who had her grandfather living with her, and he was in a wheelchair, and he was kicked out because he wasn’t on the lease. So he was homeless. Well, in the old days, no landlord would kick anybody out if the rent was paid and if the place was being taken care of decently. So I’m disgusted and angry, and I feel Trump is supposed to be President, because it’s time for a change, and the change is going to be horrible. What can we hope for? I want to say ‘except that we die’… I don’t want to be here anymore, for what’s coming. And yet, when I think of dying, somebody has to fight. Somebody has to go against what’s coming, so maybe I’m one of them. [21:32]

My name is David. I lived in Burlington and the Williston area for 56 years. I’m 56 years old now. 29 years ago, I started a career as a taxi driver, which I had for 25 years. I was pretty lucky because I did a lot of runs in Burlington, a lot of runs around Vermont, runs into Canada and all over the U.S. It used to be pretty mild conversations about “Yeah, things are going okay, my job is okay" and the longer I continued, the more I saw old problems just kinda got shoved under the rug, and the people that voted for Trump, there’s a lot of these issues that happened before Trump. Trump is just kind of a beacon of what had been going wrong for a very long time. About four years ago, I lost my house, and I lost my job, and so I ended up being homeless. Luckily, about four years ago, and I moved into a housing complex here for seniors and people with disabilities, both learning and other forms. I’ve learned in where I live that all our differences are making us stronger, and I think all this pressure from the top is finally getting to the point where we’re all starting to organize. More in the last year, we’re all starting to understand that we don’t want this anymore. Let’s go back to caring about each other, getting rid of the power and the money. Let us—the residents and the folks with jobs that are merely making a living—let us take over and head in the right direction. Thank you. [24:10]

My name is Jen. I’ am a resident of Burlington for three and a half years. I’m a teacher, a community organizer and an artist, and.. I was the one who said that you wouldn’t not have a story, so I have an opening, we’ll see how it goes: So in 2008, when Obama was elected—it was right after the Bush years, which doesn’t seem quite as terrible anymore—I was at Nectar’s when the election results came in, and I was part of a crowd of hundreds and hundreds of people that literally took to the streets and flocked all over Burlington and celebrated this huge victory. It was the first and maybe the only time I’ve ever been that excited about a presidential election. That being said, shortly after that we went right back to the politics and it was kind of a similar but different national thing was happening in D.C., and a friend of mine was doing a local one, and it was this whole idea that we get hope from people, not from presidents. I was really happy to participate in this visual art event. So when I saw that this was happening, I got really excited because something that I always believe very strongly is that we are the power and we can make change. We are living in—I wouldn’t say an unprecedented time, because it’s happened before (before I was around, I think)—but how I’ve seen it affect my friends and my community in ways that I wasn’t expecting. But particularly, I remember—so, I teach college at CCV and up until this semester my classes have always been on Tuesdays—we were talking about the election, talking about it the whole semester, and so, we talked about it all day, told people “If you’re eligible to vote, go vote”, and I felt like we had covered all the bases about who was eligible and everything. So we left and I felt really, really confident that I was going to come into class the next day and I had already planned out how we would talk about what it meant to have our first female president. So I went out with my friends that night, I went down to Nectar’s and we watched, and we went to the OP and we watched, and then we came here, and I sat right there with my friend. As it was close to midnight, and it became clearer and clearer that things weren’t going in the direction that we thought they were going to go, we started losing words, we started having tears, and we started getting fearful. So, when I decided to do this event, we were brainstorming where to do it, and I thought, “let me call Lee, and see if the Lamp Shop is open”, and he said “Yes!”. For me personally, how really hard it is to have this event with people talking about what’s going on, in the same exact place where I felt like I personally got this initial wound, it’s really important, and to be here with people tonight is super helpful. So, thanks for coming and for listening.

[28:01] Alright, I got one for ya. My name is Luc Arseneau. The first thing about me I guess I tell everybody seems to be—I don’t know how people aren’t bored of it now—I had chronic night terrors since I was a little kid: sleep paralysis, all that shit, for years. I was told to draw them in order to get them to go out, and eventually I did, and eventually I got good at drawing, and then eventually went away. Now I’m a lucid dreamer, and I take those same drawings and I put them up in stories so I can put out something that isn’t taxing on me. So, there you go, there’s a lot of things out there. So, that being said, I got something that I think might be the third one, was it ‘hope’? Yeah, I’ve got ‘hope’ for ya. You can be the judge or whether or not it is, but I’ll leave that up to you. It was the summertime, it must’ve been two years ago maybe, and I was walking across the blue bridge. You know, you might not know but it’s called the blue bridge by anybody who walks across it, it’s railroad tracks. I was going down there, and I live now at the place I was crashing at then, so I had this big backpack, it was my grandfather’s, and I’d used duct taped on the strap on the side to keep it from falling off. So I go down, and I noticed one thing about the bridge was that somebody shot out the streetlights above it again, so I can’t see anything other than, you know, this one lone light, ‘cause the other ones are broken. So I go up to the edge of the bridge and I think I hear a sound, but I don’t stop, because I’m counting the next wooden beam that it takes to get across. I can’t see them, but I know they’re there, so I count them. One, two, three, four, five… and I go across. I hear a sound behind me but I still don’t turn, because I don’t want to break my pace. In the middle of the bridge, I decide to stop, because I hear footsteps. I turn around, and I see a tall figure walking towards me. So I turn forward and go. One thing I didn’t mention is, having night terrors (not that anybody would know) makes you very paranoid, for no logical reason, so you insert logic into it. So I figured, “oh, it’s just a guy going by”. My hand still goes into my pocket, to where my knife is, just there. I hear “hey, boy! Hey man! Hey yo! Slow down, hey hey!” Well, I keep going, and I hear “hey man! Yo yo yo! Stop stop stop!” So I said, “Hey, what dyou want?“ 'cause I’m an idiot. ‘Cause I’m curious. Being curious makes you an idiot. I’m full of idiocy (not as much as our President though, I’ll say that. I’m not curious about what happens there). So I turn around and I say, “Hey man, what dyou want?” and he says “Yo, yo, d’you got a light, man?” I make it clear that my hand’s in my pocket, jingling around the loose change that’s in there and say, “Yeah if all you want is a light”. I realized that for some reason, at that point, I had said something that was very important. I didn’t know why, but I had said something that changed the air. He stops, and he says, “Well yeah, you know”. I realize from the shadow of the light shining past him at me that he’s got his hand in his pocket too. So I said “Yeah, well, yeah, alright I’ve got a light” and I take out some matches, and I give them to him. Then I started talking with him. He was a kid, probably 19 or 18, had a Four Loko, flat brim hat, and we just start to talk. As we start getting into talking, one of the things I notice is that he’s as drunk as I am, he wasn’t certain, he was just trying to light his cigarette. As we’re getting into this conversation I realize he’s not that bad of a guy, and I was like, “I gotta tell you man, I had my hand on my knife in my pocket, ‘cause I thought you were gonna try and mug me” and he’s like, “Yo dude! I didn’t know who you were, I had my hand on my knife too!” And I was like, “Shit, well hey, d’you want some rum?“ ‘Cause it’s 3 in the morning, it’s dark, we’re alone on a bridge, of course I’m gonna, well, you know, who cares… And he goes “No, I’ve got my Four Loko!” and I was like “Oh I’m not touchin’ that”. So we sit down, and we get to talking for about 3 hours, and I learned about his life. He was from Somalia. He got shipped off somewhere else. He was a child soldier for about a year, and then he got free somehow (I don’t know, it was broken English). But one thing he told me, I remember, was talking about how, if you were caught with a beer in his hometown, they cut off one of your hands. I said “Fuck, I’ve heard stories about that, but I never knew…”, and he says “Well, now you know”. So I was like, “Well how nice is it to be in harmony, now, to be in peace?” and he said “What’s harmony, what’s peace?”. And I was like “you know, peace”. I tried to explain to him whats harmony is, and I realized, fuck. That’s the same thing as me asking him, “if all you want’s a light”: yeah, that’s what he asked for. But the thing that we’re not certain about is whether or not we say what we mean, and whether or not somebody understands what we mean when we say it. And that’s all I have to say. [34:08]

[Lee] As an American, I feel like there is enormous potential with the people that I share nationality with to take this country over. Living in Vermont, living in this little tiny city in this little tiny state has enormous influence to take this fucking country over, and the first thing we have to do is take over our city and start leading by this example. By being an example city, people look at Burlington, Vermont already, with 40,000 people, to lead. Because people like Bernie, and people like things that are happening here. Even though people are like “Oh fuck, they’re building a mall, oh fuck, they’re doing this”, it’s still a really fucking awesome city with a small population. Given the size of the population, we have the ability to take it over and rule this small city, to give an example to the state. People look to the State of Vermont for an example, and we can lead the world if we just take it over. I think Bernie should become the governor, and we should just be like— he has so much popularity, he could get sweeping agendas done. Vermont’s a little green splitting wedge pointing its way at Washington, D.C., and I totally believe that the revolution starts in this city, now. [35:36]

[37:20] [Chai Gang] The two fantasies I have are: A hundred people marching down Church Street, and one fantasy is that they’re holding signs that say how they were evicted, or how somebody they knew was evicted; the other fantasy is everybody playing music and singing ‘What’s Going On?’, the Marvin Gaye song. Everything I try to get going never happens, so I’m putting this out there and hoping somebody will make it happen.

Friendship and strength for us all [David]

[38:20] Reset, ready… hope? Yeah, there’s hope, totally. Hope. [Jen]

Vehemence, precognition, adverse, and doubting doubts [Luc]

Invincible, in the sense that we break social, economic, racial, physical barriers, 'cause these are things that hold us together, instead of things that keep us apart. So I really hope that this movement breaks generations and bodies and spirits. I think there’s a lot more that we have in common than in difference, so, that’s cool. [Devin] [39:33]

Confusion and kinship [Max]

[40:24] [Phinn] Your story kind of resonated a little more, 'cause I do a lot of photography in my spare time, and it often leads me into very desolate places where I’m completely alone and not expecting to see other people. So basically, there’s this abandoned Cold War era radar base in eastern Vermont. It’s on the top of a mountain, it’s in the middle of nowhere, and it’s a place that I go to kind of be alone, ‘cause there’s no one around, and there’s no one up there, ever. A few months ago, I decided to go up there in the winter time. As I was walking up, I spotted someone ahead of me on the trail up. You know, I was a little hesitant, seeing this guy walking in front of me, but I just kept walking. I was walking significantly faster than him, so I eventually caught up. As I got closer, I could see he was holding onto something in front of him that looked like a gun, and so I got a little bit.. hesitant. As I got closer, I realized it definitely was a gun: he was walking with a gun on a hip and a rifle slung across his chest. So I was a little scared to be walking in the middle of the woods with no cell service past someone with a gun. I had no idea why he would also be up here, you know, out in the middle of nowhere. But, as I got closer—and I had a knife too on my chest and I had a knife on my side—I kind of just slid my hand down along my side as I walked past him, because I was just not sure what was gonna happen. As I walked past, I kind of turned and said “Hello”. He said it back, and then he asked me what I was doing up there. I explained I was taking pictures and he was like, “Oh, well I’m just going target shooting”. We began to talk, and I learned that his name was George and he had grown up in the area, and he was simply this guy going out for a hike, but I had had this heightened sense of urgency of there being any kind of issue with this person, because of an uncertainty of people. Something that I generally hadn’t been feeling, but it was because of the state of the environment that we were in. And now with the state of our country, there’s a little more uncertainty of other people, something I really haven’t felt before and hadn’t felt in Vermont especially, as a generally safe place, somewhere I’ve never really felt unsafe. But it was this moment of second-guessing this person, who also was just out there exploring this place. So I think that was something that really resonated with me, this kind of uncertainty. [43:22]

[Phinn] Hope is a good one. It’s very wonderful to see everyone from a range of ages and occupations. The wide range is just very good to see. I really appreciate not seeing just a really select group of people talking.

[Jane] Apprehension, and excitement. And gratitude!

[Hallie] Improvisation, and connections, and empathy.

[Ali] Pessimism, cynicism, and optimism.

[Laurie] I am hopeful and I’m positive (or at least I try to stay positive!)

[Chai] I’m happy to be here.

#PSOTU2018 #belonging #hope #activism #community #submission #vermont

0 notes

wemustbearwitness-blog · 7 years ago

Text

Day 1 and 2: Krakow, Poland on Yom Kippur

Well friends, I have yet again found myself traveling to Europe to learn about the Holocaust. Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Boston and the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial Foundation have given be the incredible opportunity to come to Poland for a 3 day conference at Auschwitz-Birkenau entitled, Auschwitz-- History, Memory and Responsibility. In order to get the most out of my trip, I opted to stay a few days in Krakow on my own to see the city.

I left for Krakow on Thursday night at 9:45pm to travel to Zurich where I had a short layover before flying to Krakow. Unfortunately, I am suffering from a cold so the trip was somewhat difficult. I had a lot of pain in my ear because of the altitude and sinus pressure so when I was in the Zurich airport I had to find a pharmacy and buy a decongestant. Luckily, I was successful and had it for the flight to Krakow. Regardless, I landed in Krakow with little ability to hear out of my right ear. Additionally, the cell phone service that I had organized the day before wasn’t working. Seeing as my plan was to UBER to my Air BnB, I was in a bit of a situation. Once I was able to find my bag, I exchanged about $100 UDS for Polish Zlote. That my friends, was my first mistake. What I didn’t know then but I know now is that 3 Zlote is equal to about 1USD and most things in Poland are extremely inexpensive. Generally, the cost of living is much less here than it is in the states, so I ended up with way too much cash. For example, my bus ticket to Auschwitz (an hour and a half trip) is going to cost 10 zlote which is about $3. My pastry from a bakery was $0.83. My hot chocolate with a shot of honey vodka was the equivalent of $4. Another fun fact I learned is that alcohol in Krakow is super inexpensive so people come here often for Bachelor and Bachelorette parties. Anyway, back to the trip. So I was able to log into the wifi at Krakow airport and call an UBER and eventually flag that UBER down (which took awhile) once my wifi disconnected as I exited the airport. I eventually arrive at my AirBnB which is this super nice flat on Monte Cassino street right next to the River Wisla (pronounced Visla) and caddy-corner from the Zamek Królewski na Wawelu (the Castle of Krakow).

The question you may or may not yet have asked yourself is what did you do about your cell service? Well, what does any capable young woman do when she’s in a pickle? ...She calls her mommy. Dr. Robin came to the rescue via FaceTime to navigate at&t and solve the problem. As it turns out, the fellow who was supposed to set up my international calling plan never actually set it up. Although he did have no problem reminding how unsafe it was as a young woman to be traveling alone in Europe. I mean, common, haven’t I seen the movie Taken?! After arriving at my AirBnB I met my fabulous host Nina who is a photography student here in Krakow. She is Polish and speaks fantastic English. I didn’t have much time to settle in because I RSVPd to a before the fast dinner at the Krakow JCC.

The Krakow JCC is right in the heart of the Old Jewish Quarter in Krakow. The area is called Kazimierz. Interestingly, Kazimierz used to be its own town separate from Krakow divided from Krakow via the Vistula River but it was filled in at some point and now Kazimierz is just considered a neighborhood. So the Old Jewish Quarter infrastructure in Krakow largely wasn’t destroyed by the war or by communist rule, despite the horrible destruction of the life that was once inside the neighborhood. All of the Synagogues, of which there are at least seven, are all still standing. In many, the arcs and bemahs were pillaged by the Nazis, but the artwork on the walls (old, faded Jewish scripture) and the building structure are still in tact. On some of the doorposts, I am told, you can still see the outline of where the Mezuzot once hung (I looked for this marking on some buildings and did not see it). Interestingly today, the Old Jewish Quarter is known for its hip restaurants and cafes aside from its rich history. The Krakow JCC welcomed me in for a pre fast meal and Yom Kippur Services. When I arrived at the JCC, I saw a part of what is a vibrant Jewish community in Krakow. There’s two myths I am here to bust. 1) Poland is anti-Semetic, 2) Poland is unsafe for Jews. Both, from both my experience and the testimony of Jews living in the Old Jewish Quarter who daven there regularly, are untrue. I will elaborate more on this later. Dinner was a delicious meal of stuffed red peppers, chicken, hummus, salads, fruit, vegetables, and more. The room was filled with families, children, young adults, college students, elderly and Holocaust survivors. There were Americans, Poles, Israelis and more. It was difficult to find a place to sit. The Krakow JCC was started 8 years ago and was initially funded by Prince Charles of Wales and its mission is to bring Jewish life back to Krakow. They have since been quite successful. After the fall of the Soviet Union, Polish people were free to practice religion once again. Not all of Soviet Rule was anti-Judaism but there were periods when freedom of religion was tolerated, and times when it was not. As a result, many survivors after the war never told their families that they were Jewish and it was not until they died or after that some Polish people realized they had Jewish heritage. As a result, you have a lot of parents here who grew up with no Jewish identity who want their children to explore Judaism once realizing their true connection. The Krakow JCC provides all kinds of community engagement including a Jewish preschool, a senior club, student club, JCC choir, a gym, yoga classes, Israeli dance classes, and more. Just tomorrow, they will build their sukkah with the community from scratch (it’s BYOT-- bring your own tools). The senior club is especially cool I think. The JCC will pick up 15-20 seniors everyday who wish to come and spend the day at the JCC. They will then provide them with kosher meals and a space to spend time together throughout the day. They even have access to their own kitchen should they wish to cook themselves. Many of these seniors include Holocaust survivors who still live in Krakow. The JCC is connected to two active Synagogues in Krakow. One is the Krakow Progressive Synagogue (a Reform-like shul) and another is the Isaak Synagogue which is Orthodox and connected to Chabad. I prayed in the Isaak Synagogue on Friday night and throughout Saturday. The Isaak Synagogue was built in 1644 and founded by a man named Izaak Jakubowicz.

The tale they say about the synagogue goes as follows: "The founder of the synagogue is the hero of a well-known legend deriving from the Tales of 1001 Nights. Ayzik Jakubowicz, a pious but poor Jew, dreamed that there was treasure hidden under the old bridge in Prague. Without delay, he made his way there. On arrival, it turned out the bridge was guarded by a squad of soldiers and that digging was out of the question. Ayzik told the officer about his dream, promising him half of the booty. The officer retorted, "Only fools like Polish Jews can possibly believe in dreams. For several nights now I have been dreaming that in the Jewish town of Kazimierz there is hidden treasure in the oven of the home of the poor Jew Ayzik Jakubowicz. Do you think I am so stupid as to go all the way to Cracow and look for the house of this Isaac the son of Jacob?". Ayzik returned home immediately, took the oven apart, found the treasure and became rich. After this it was said: 'There are some things which you can look for the world over, only to find them in your own home. Before you realise this, however, you very often have to go on along journey and search far and wide.'"

Who knows if the tale is true, but it’s a nice story that the tour guides of the Old Jewish Quarter love to tell. The interior walls are embellished with painted prayers, visible after conservation removed covering layers of paint. The vaulted ceiling is embellished with baroque plasterwork wreaths and garlands. The ceiling is so high that long wires hang down to make the lights low enough to be effective. The building is cold, as if there is no heat. I and others wore my coat the entire time. The synagogue is run in a very traditional Orthodox fashion. The mehitzah was so high that you could not see the bemah at all or anything beyond the women’s section. The Chabad Rabbi davened so quickly and in such a mumbled fashion that it was extremely difficult to follow along. It was as traditionally Ashkenazi as a synagogue could be. While a deeply educational experience, it was not an extremely spiritual one. The melody of the cantor though was so beautiful and loud that his voice echoed through the walls of the synagogue. You could hear the prayer from the outside and throughout the Jewish Quarter. It was a surreal experience to daven, once again, in a synagogue pillaged by the Nazis; a synagogue who’s torah scrolls were burned by the Nazis. A synagogue that served as many other venues before it was once again restored to the Jewish community in 1989. Poland, the most vibrantly Jewish country before the Holocaust, is now re-rooting in Kazimierz. It’s a beautiful thing.

After almost falling asleep in Friday night services because I was so tired, I walked home and went to sleep. The next morning, I arrived at services around 10pm for Yom Kippur Davening at the Issak Synagogue. During Yiskor, I walked over to the Progressive Synagogue with Jonathan Ornstein (the head of the JCC in Krakow), his wife Kasha, and Jenny (the current fellow at the JCC in Krakow). As a side note, Jenny is from Newton, MA (just a 15 minute ride from BU) and went to Shechter Day School in MA. Her father is a Harvard Professor and she just graduated from Yale. She is currently spending a year in Krakow volunteering with the JCC while they pay for her housing and a stipend for working here. The Progressive Synagogue is a somewhat work in progress. It is housed at the Tempel Synagogue dating back to 1862. The Progressive Service is so progressive it exceeded a typical reform service. There were about four people attending for Yom Kippur. It seems that a lot of the Jewish community in Krakow is still looking for a suitable prayer option. There’s currently two extremes-- the Chabad synagogue where you need an advanced rabbinic degree to understand or the Progressive synagogue where most of the service is in English. Keep in mind that the Rabbi at the Progressive synagogue was a visiting rabbinic leader so it is possible that the services change depending on who is leading. I believe that the Progressive synagogue is currently looking to hire a full time Rabbi.

After davening, Jenny and I walked around Krakow a bit seeing the famous town square and the Zamek Królewski na Wawelu. We didn't enter the Castle because it was Yom Kippur and didn’t want to buy a ticket but we did walk around the grounds and entered the Wawel Cathedral (I understand the irony). The cathedral was completed in the 11th century and is the Polish national sanctuary. It traditionally has served as coronation site of the Polish monarchs as well as the Cathedral of the Archdiocese of Kraków. The current, Gothic cathedral (the one I saw) is the third on this site: the first was constructed and destroyed in the 11th century; the second one, constructed in the 12th century, was destroyed by a fire in 1305. The construction of the current one began in the 14th century on the orders of bishop Nanker. The Castle itself is pretty cool because each time the city of Krakow was conquered a new wing has been added. The oldest wing dates back to Medieval times. There is one, of course, that was built by the Nazis. Jonathan’s wife, Kasha, even lived in that wing at one point because she had an old boyfriend who’s grandfather worked there and so he inherited the apartment. To learn more about the history of the Castle, read the short history section of the Wikipedia page.

After our walk, we both went back to take a nap before davening again before break fast. Jenny invited me to break fast with her, Jonathan, Kasha, and others at this amazing pizza place called Pizza Garden. It’s a brick oven pizzeria started by a New Yorker in Poland. It’s some of the best Pizza I’ve had. Jonathan helped put them on the map when he realized how fantastic they were and earned himself his own pizza which was on the menu for some time entitled: the Jonathan. They were packed to the brim but luckily we got a table. After Jonathan kindly paid for all of us at break fast, Jenny and I parted ways with the group and went for some hot chocolate. It’s currently 45 degrees outside in Krakow. We were recommended this fantastic little cafe and bar in Kazimierz with fantastic hot chocolate of all different kinds. I got hot chocolate with honey vodka in it. The hot chocolate here is thick like melted chocolate bars in a cup. It was delicious and the atmosphere at the place was very cozy. There was almost all Polish people in it. I noticed that Kazimierz has fewer tourists than the city center although you can catch tours around the Old Jewish Quarter during the day time.

Tomorrow I am doing a 2 hour free walking tour around the city before heading over to Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial Site around 4pm.

0 notes