tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19044851527313988732011-04-21T16:48:12.826-07:00Rabbi Ari Koretzkynoreply@blogger.comBlogger111100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1904485152731398873.post-45850861220848701742008-01-10T08:56:00.000-08:002008-01-10T09:11:16.665-08:00

Sitting back here in my kitchen in Silver Spring, MD, it’s hard to believe that our whirlwind trip experience has ended. Just a few days ago, we were bathing in the holiness and mystique of Jerusalem; now, a 12-hour flight and 5-hour drive later, we (at least those who returned on the group flight) are back to the pedestrian, hum-drum rhythms of American life. I did not have a chance to blog

Rabbi Ari Koretzkynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1904485152731398873.post-66253531432168155072008-01-05T16:36:00.000-08:002008-01-05T16:54:38.421-08:00

What an exciting day! This morning the men visited a yeshiva in the neighborhood of Har Nof by the name of Machon Yaakov. We arrived only a little late and had some delicious home-made chocolate cake before we began our study sessions. We proceeded to break up into little chevrutah study partners in order to further ponder the in’s and out’s of deception. As our partners we were privileged enough

Rabbi Ari Koretzkynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1904485152731398873.post-1141408269403366572008-01-02T11:56:00.002-08:002008-01-02T12:06:59.729-08:00

Each time you visit a place you take away something different. Different aspects and stories affect each student in an individual way, and learning Israel’s history while standing in the place it occurred has the ability to bring ideas into reality and put them into perspective. Since Tuesday we have visited Mount Herzel, toured the Old City, spent time with the Bedouins, climbed Masada,

Rabbi Ari Koretzkynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1904485152731398873.post-65844744517536262682008-01-01T13:31:00.000-08:002008-01-01T13:38:05.024-08:00

So I’m sitting at a gas station somewhere in Israel, typing away at a computer. Headed to the desert for the night, I have no idea where we are at the moment. I see city lights in the distance. Jerusalem? Probably not-I’ve been asleep since we left J-town a few hours ago. The truth is, I have no idea where we are. But it doesn’t really matter. I’m back in Israel, and that’s all I really

Rabbi Ari Koretzkynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1904485152731398873.post-28841567725620842242008-01-01T08:49:00.001-08:002008-01-01T08:57:04.245-08:00

Gedaya necklace? Check. Red string from the Kotel? Check again. Hundreds of amazing pictures? You’d better believe it. On my first trip to Israel last winter with Taglit Birthright, I successfully obtained all of these essential tourist souvenirs. But now, on my second visit to the country, I was ready to take my experiences in Israel to the next level, by developing my knowledge and

Rabbi Ari Koretzkynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1904485152731398873.post-35991404884028480722007-12-31T13:09:00.000-08:002007-12-31T13:10:49.809-08:00

Following a morning of riveting – and at times controversial – Jewish classes and discussions, we embarked on an afternoon of sadness and perspective. Any visit to Mt. Herzl, Israel’s national military cemetery, evokes sadness mixed with appreciation for the country’s fallen heroes. However, it is much more powerful and personal when one of those heroes is a young American who made aliyah to join

Rabbi Ari Koretzkynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1904485152731398873.post-59248452338927613292007-12-31T13:07:00.000-08:002007-12-31T13:09:26.720-08:00

These last four days have been a whirlwind of activity. As a result (and thanks to my both of my computer batteries dying on the long bus ride back from the north), I have not been able to blog since beginning our northern excursion late last week. Friday morning (as I detailed from the bus) we left to Tzfat, the “mystical city.” We first had a class on Jewish Mysticim by Rabbi Feldheim, a

Rabbi Ari Koretzkynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1904485152731398873.post-8535836465748526182007-12-27T21:58:00.001-08:002007-12-27T22:54:53.215-08:00

Wake up this morning was at 6am, allowing us to get an early start on our travels up north. As I type these words, at around 8:00, we have departed Jerusalem via Highway 1, the main connector between the capital and Tel Aviv. Shortly we will turn off on to Highway 6 and begin our ascent towards Tzfat and the specific northern region we will be visiting. But before we get too far, I haven't yet

Rabbi Ari Koretzkynoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1904485152731398873.post-65880221712421978932007-12-26T12:08:00.000-08:002007-12-26T14:11:48.561-08:00

This morning we finally commenced with our much-awaited learning program. Both the men and women were treated to an assembly of classes dealing with a diverse range of topics. Rabbi Gershenfeld, Meor National director, spoke about the danger of filtering Torah words and concepts through the "wrong color glasses." For example, he pointed out to students that the "Ten Commandments" actually contain

Rabbi Ari Koretzkynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1904485152731398873.post-77867422243844870572007-12-25T14:57:00.000-08:002007-12-25T15:17:19.970-08:00

“Israel.” The mere mention of the word – much less visit to the Land – evokes so many varied but pronounced emotional reactions. Landing here, everyone claims a strong initial impression, whether they’ve been here once or one hundred times, or perhaps never before. I know how I feel, but that’s somewhat irrelevant. This blog – although I am authoring it – intends to serve as a window in to the

Rabbi Ari Koretzkynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1904485152731398873.post-53050124881532900432007-12-12T19:18:00.000-08:002007-12-12T20:39:46.388-08:00

Hello all new and future readers, Welcome to the Meor-MJX Winter 2007-8 Israel Trip Blog! If you are a student, you are just two weeks away from the most amazing Israel journey known to the organized Jewish world. If you are a parent, you will be able to follow this journey - in picture and prose - through the humble efforts of this rabbi-blogger. (If students tire of my incessant

Rabbi Ari Koretzkynoreply@blogger.com0