March in Israel

by Rebecca Cushman

Broome Global Ambassador

Hello again! Studying abroad in Jerusalem has continued to be an absolutely incredible, enriching experience. I’ve had so many wonderful experiences this past month that honestly, it’s difficult to even know where to begin!

Well, let’s see. One of the classes I’m taking here is about the architecture of Jerusalem. Since we’re learning about Jerusalem, and are actually here in Jerusalem, we take a field trip almost every week, which is a really fantastic opportunity! One of the best trips that we went on this month was to Hezekiah’s Tunnel. For a bit of history, Hezekiah’s Tunnel was built in the 8th century BCE, and it was constructed with the purpose of suppling water to the city of Jerusalem. It’s really a great experience to walk through it - although not one that I would recommend for those who are closterphobic!

This month, I also went to Tel Aviv, which was amazing!! I spent the day there, and the highlight of the trip was a museum that I went to called, The Design Museum Holon. The exhibit on display there was called “Decode” and it was almost all digital art, and very interactive. For example, one exhibit was called “Tree” which showed a digital image of a tree, with leaves, on a screen. The branches on the tree are programmed to sway in response to the actual wind outside the art museum! And, to add to that, it is programmed so that as visitors walk past this digital tree, the leaves fall and you see the images of the fallen leaves on the floor. So cool!! This was just one among many incredible exhibits, but I hope it paints a picture of the type of modern, digital artwork that was on display!

Perhaps the best experience, though, in March, was the celebration of the Jewish holiday, Purim! There are many customs of this holiday, one of which is to dress up in costume. It was really cool to see the streets taken over by people, of all ages, dressed in costume, dancing and singing with such joy. Purim is really a celebration of the survival of the Jewish people in Persia, during the reign of King Achashverosh. And, believe me, the celebration can be felt throughout the streets! It is customary on Purim to eat hamentashen, which are triangular shaped cookies with different fillings in the middle, such as chocolate, apricot, poppy seeds, etc. They are really delicious and there was certainly no shortage of them here in Jerusalem! Also, on Purim, it is a custom to give Mishloach Manot. Essentially, people make gift baskets, most often with candy and other food, and they give the baskets to charity or to their frends and family. It is a beautiful tradition, and I really love that while the holiday is about dressing up in costume and celebrating, it’s also about taking the time to think about others and to show that you care.

The experiences here are endless, and the best part is that every day is a new adventure! So, to conclude, as always...here are some pictures from my adventures in Jerusalem! Enjoy!