under space and matter

[starfrosting]

1) I'm really tired. Today I came home from work with a peacock eye bobbing emerald and cobalt above my crown-- no, really-- and a lady outside the adventist church said, "Only one!? Where's the other one?" I told her I was working on my collection; really it's an offering/gift for T.

2) Sometimes I think I could make myself a Butchies mixtape and be happy any time of year.

3) I think I want to do Birthright before it's too late but I'm also kind of terrified at the prospect (of going to Israel, under those auspices, etc). On the other hand if my only real plan B is the rabbinate then I should really at least get over there and see/hear Hebrew. And it would be a great jumping off point to *Greece which I've been missing terribly and Turkey too. It would be awesome to be able to go through ALEPH (the Jewish Renewal organization).

Comments

[wnb.livejournal.com]

do it! (birthright, that is).
i was one of the accompanying soldiers on one of those trips when i was in the service (they have idf soldiers just hanging out with the kids on the trip for half of the trip so that the soldiers can tell them about how great it is to immigrate to israel and join the idf or some bs like that). it was hard not to be super cynical about the whole thing, but it was still an interesting experience. plus, free trip, so, whatevs.

[magnolienbaum.livejournal.com]

birthright unplugged is a good alternative

[starfrosting.livejournal.com]

have you done it?

[magnolienbaum.livejournal.com]

no, but i know people who have, and they've said really good things. it's a great way to get plugged into international solidarity work with palestinians. the thing is, you have to pay - it's notion is taking issue with the very idea of "birthright" and its zionist framework. how can jews in the diaspora have a birthright when palestinians are cut out from their own land?

[starfrosting.livejournal.com]

right. I actually researched it and it seems like a great program, but of course there's the financial aspect. of course birthright is crazy in the way you mentioned, but without those zionist funds I don't know that a trip over there would be feasible. (and yes, only the weird zionist idea that i'm somehow 'entitled' to go to israel has even planted the possibility of going in my head, I know. ugh. that's why I'd love to find a progressive group to go with that still has access to the taglit-birthright funds, if that exists.)

[magnolienbaum.livejournal.com]

yeah, i get the money thing, but i don't think you're going to find something that uses birthright funds *and* does palestinian solidarity work, if that's part of what you mean by progressive. i hope you find some way to make a trip that makes sense to you. i mean, if you go to rabbinic school you'll have to go for a year anyway, which is a different thing all together.

[starfrosting.livejournal.com]

I think you're totally right-- I don't think I'll be able to find a group doing the exact same kind of work the Unplugged group is doing, but my hope is to find something which at least has aspects oriented toward those kinds of commitments (hence my interest in Aleph)...

And of course the rabbinic school thing is such a farflung "if and only if, and then I'd have to learn Hebrew, and..."--- Anyway, thanks for giving me some perspective on all of this.

[magnolienbaum.livejournal.com]

good luck! and, totally.
oh hebrew learning. i'm doing it on-and-off on my own right now, and oy.

[taxishoes.livejournal.com]

I'd still try to do Birthright with you if you want to go.

I am almost too old but I refuse to go on my own with a bunch of straight people.

[starfrosting.livejournal.com]

Omg I know the prospect is terrifying.
Well, I just sent an email to the people at Aleph asking about when the next trip is...I don't really know who else to coordinate with. Do you know of any good organizations? I want something with some kind of political consciousness I can get behind while doing this totally weird thing, and also spiritually grounded, and also not totally straight if we have a choice. It would be awesome to go together. I'd also love to rope my brother along for the ride but you know how it can be hard to make plans with him sometimes...

[dancingwolfgrrl.livejournal.com]

Try Birthright. If you love it, you can go back. You don't have to drink the Koolaid!