BT: Master of Return Interview

1. First off, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself, and your prior background in theatre?

I am an actor working in theatre, film and commercials. I am also a singer with a musical theatre background.  As a writer, I've worked as a Journalist and freelance writer, wrote a children's book, and wrote/acted in Starting Note Webseries: A New Webseries about a New A Cappella Group. My next project will be writing the libretto for a new musical.

2. So describe to us your show in this year’s festivity, and what was the inspiration behind it?

BT: Master of Return is about a secular Jewish college student who becomes observant while studying abroad in Israel, and the impact that has on her relationships with her non-religious parents and boyfriend.  I was inspired to write it while living in Israel after college.  I grew up in a reform Jewish home in an area where everyone was Jewish but no one was religious. I absolutely loved Hebrew School and Jewish holidays, but had no exposure to religious Jews until college.  It was then that I became completely fascinated with and more strongly connected to Judaism. In Israel, I saw so many people my age (early 20's) who grew up secular like I did suddenly becoming extremely observant.  I imagined how my own family and friends would react if I became observant myself.  I am fortunate to have strong friendships with Jews who identify as Orthodox and are far more observant that I am. It has continuously upset me to hear secular Jews speak about Orthodox Jews as "other" or "strange."  Whether it was my own paranoia or not, I constantly felt judged people who were more observant than I was. Various incidents made me think further about the divide between religious and secular Jews, and it became my mission to bridge the gap between us.  

3. What excites you most about your show being involved in a festival like Planet Connections?

Planet Connections is an eco-friendly and socially-conscious theatre festival that truly walks the walk.  It's amazing to be a part of a festival whose values are in line with mine and my teams.' Its purpose is to invoke the power of art in inspiring social change and community outreach.  I am honored to be a part of a festival that inspires artists to use our platform to make a positive impact. Each production chooses an organization to raise awareness for, and we are proud to be supporting UJA Federation of New York. 

4. Can you tell us a bit about your charity that you are supporting, and why you chose it?

UJA- Federation of New York raises and allocated funds to  “care for people in need, inspire a passion for Jewish life and learning, and strengthen Jewish communities in New York, in Israel, and around the world.”  UJA-Federation provides funding to support a network of community-based organizations that offer services to combat poverty, help the elderly, promote Jewish identity and renewal, strengthen connections between Jews all over the world, care for people with disabilities, and stand in support of the people of Israel. 

I wanted to support an organization rooted in Jewish values that helps all types of people from all types of backgrounds.  They are creating a program specifically for those of us involved with BT: Master of Return to serve the Jewish community.  

5. Can you share with us some of your thoughts on the importance of independent art?

Art is healing and magical. It can change someone's life. It is so so important to create and represent people from different walks of life in all sorts of situations.  

6. What do you hope audiences will come away with, after seeing your show?

After a staged reading in the winter, someone said to me, "I LOVED the (religious) rabbi and rebbetzin characters - they were so lovable and NORMAL!"   .... and that is basically exactly what I want.  

I am hoping audiences will walk away with a different view of secular and observant Jews than they walked in with.

I hope anyone who feels they can do no right by their parents feels understood.

I want people to learn something about Judaism.

I want people to come out being more accepting of those who are different from them.

I hope people will walk out with the courage to pursue something new and seemingly impossible. 

7. After this year’s festivity is done, what are your hopes for the future of this show?

I want BT: Master of Return to have a long life and hope that Planet Connections is only the beginning.  I would love for it to be performed at regional theatres all over the country. I also hope to get it published. 

8. Any other thoughts you’d like to share?

BT: Master of Return is accessible to people of all different backgrounds, not only Jewish people. 

Article I had Published In Israel

   I traveled to Jerusalem to Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Museum.  It prides itself as being the Jewish People’s memorial to the Holocaust as it acclaims the events that occurred during that time and aims to both educate and impart an understanding of the horrific events of the past.  It is the center of world for commemoration of the Holocaust and provides a plethora of information about the rise of anti-Semitism and the Nazi regime all over the world from beginning to end.  The museum’s name comes from the Hebrew words Monument (Yad) and Remembrance (Vashem), and that is exactly what it is.  It contains stories, testimonies, and other detailed accounts of the Holocaust.  Yad Vashem is more than a museum; it’s an emotional experience.  It begins with a video that depicts life before the war on European land containing original footage showing communities, large photographs, and other remnants of the Jewish world.  It shows the normality of Jewish life before the war that turned their worlds upside down. 

      Turn left and there is a stark contrast upon approaching the section titled “The Nazi Rise to Power.”  My heart skipped a beat when I arrived in the room and saw huge swastikas.  Growing up it was always an image that stung.  I anticipated seeing that sign that I hate so deeply and yet when it first hit my eyes it was a shock.  That one symbol, however, was only the beginning to a day in which a series of photos and footage would antagonize me.  The early galleries contain pictures of huge public rallies that spread negative feelings towards the Jews.  Hitler knew there is strength in the masses, and with the public getting together with Nazi flags, anti-Semitic sentiments quickly pervaded country after country.  Astute quotes and questions to ponder are posed in the various exhibits throughout the museum.  One such quote said by a German Jew, Kurt Tocholsky was, “A country is not only what it does but also what it tolerates.”  When he said this he was referring to Germany’s compliance in the Nazi regime and pre-meditated murder, however it can be applied to the countries all over the world involved in such atrocities.  Many Jews throughout the world had to deal with the struggle of identity as a part of their particular nation and that of being a Jew.

      It must be understood that anti-Semitism existed long before Hitler and the Nazis.  I learned about the Christian Church and how they hated the Jews for their rejection of Jesus as the messiah and blamed them for killing him.  In this section, I experienced artwork that depicts Jews as inferior to Christians that exist in paintings, drawings and sculptures.  In these works, Jewish women were portrayed with their heads lowered and covered.  Their eyes were covered as well in order to represent the Jews blindness to what they perceived as the truth: the Christian religion.  Such artworks still exist in certain places in the world.

      Other forms of propaganda existed such as unthinkable things like a board game.  There was one called “Out with the Jews” in which the players follow a figure wearing a “Jewish hat” which looks like a cone.  The objective of the game is to be the first to bring the figurine to the “assembling point” depicted by a man, woman, and child with the caption “Out to Palestine.”  It’s amazing that people could actually make a game out of pre-meditated murder and persecution.  It made me sad to think about the cruelty people are capable of.

      I think the most powerful parts of the museum were the pictures and videos.  It is difficult to read and see the humiliation and abuse used not only on the Jewish people but also gypsies, the mentally ill, and homosexuals.  I viewed pictures of innocents being arrested and shot on the streets, villages burning, synagogues destroyed, giant boxes of civilian’s belongings who were forced to leave their homes, Rabbis being taken from their homes and so much more.  The work of artist Marcel Janco stuck with me.  He depicted the terrible treatment of the Jews in the forms of a Jew under the boot of a Nazi, someone being killed with an axe, and people being held at gunshot.  What affected me the most was seeing the people talk first-hand about their experiences.  One man said he saw the synagogue where he had his bar mitzvah being burned down.  I can’t even imagine witnessing such an atrocity.  And to him, that was the least of it.  From the time he was young, he was beaten for being Jewish. 

Yad Vashem definitely influenced the way I feel living in Israel for the past 4.5 months.  Being here, I have met people from all different parts of the world who have come together to be here in the Jewish State.  I thought about the fact that although the Jews been persecuted and expelled since the beginning of time, they have persevered, continued to flourish, live all over the world, and now have their own nation state.   The museum made me contemplate the idea that the magnitude of the Holocaust would have been lesser if Israel had existed in the 1930’s. The Jews had no homeland, and now they do.  If something like this were to happen again, they would all come here.  It’s a comforting thought and something for which I am grateful.

Part of my Yale Personal Statement

I knew in my heart that I wanted to be an actor ever since I played Glinda the Good Witch in my camp play at the age of 8.  I knew, even as a young child, that the stage felt like home.  My love for the theatre has only grown stronger as I’ve gotten older, and I feel my best self when I’m performing.  The stage is where I feel the most free, invigorated, and full of joy.  There is nothing more satisfying than bringing a character on a page to life and experiencing who they are.  I relish in the opportunity to express myself and have an experience on stage so the audience can have one as well.  Unlike my 8 year-old self, I now understand that acting takes bravery, awareness, vigilance and discipline.  The theatre isn’t only fun, but moving and powerful for everyone involved.  I love the rehearsal process.  I love taking the time to explore characters, make discoveries, and experiment.  I like to play and make choices, and I enjoy taking risks and pushing myself to be brave.  Acting gives me the opportunity to express myself and sometimes, to reveal the deepest, innermost parts of myself.  It may sound obvious, but as an actor, I love working with other actors.  I find it thrilling to collaborate with other like-minded artists who share my passion for the craft.  There is nothing else I can do in this world that will provide me the personal, professional, and artistic fulfillment that acting will.  I’ve tried.  In college I switched from major to major that I thought I thought I might enjoy that would lead to a stable career, all the while performing in 1-2 shows every semester and performing in an a cappella group. I tried to suppress that theatre was meant to be my life’s work and not a hobby.  I made the decision to pursue my passion while at rehearsal for The American Dream by Edward Albee at Binghamton University.  I never felt so sure and confident in any decision I’ve ever made since that day.
I want to be an actor because it where I feel my best self. It’s where I belong.

The Dead Sea

The Dead Sea is wondrous and exciting.  Its color alone is perfection.  It appears as if the most beautiful shades of blue and green were swirled together with a big spoon and painted gently across the sand.  I get into the water and the sensation is not what I’m used to.  It feels thick and oily unlike the clear, light feeling of the lakes and pools I’m accustomed to.  A small part of my calf begins to sting and I remember that I cut myself shaving yesterday.  I feel this sensation all over in small areas and I realize that I’m all scratched up.  Friends warned me about entering the sea with cuts but it’s not the painful sort of burning I feared.  It’s almost--dare I say-- pleasurable.  The sting subsides quickly and I know the sea is healing me.  

I tread out a little farther and I get some water near my mouth.  “That’s okay,” I think, “just don’t speak to anyone.”  Thirty seconds later I lick my lips out of habit and immediately regret it.  I’m overwhelmed by the harsh, salty taste in my mouth.  It won’t subside and I crave a piece of cinnamon gum.

  The Dead Sea’s salt concentration is incredibly high and consequently, it’s denser than other bodies of water.  This allows people to float and I get on my back to do so.  I yell to my friend to bring me my book and to my surprise she sea-walks over with my copy of “Water for Elephants.”  I start to think about what would happen to an elephant in the Dead Sea and then laugh to myself.  I’m getting giddy.  I open to my page and delight in the fact that I can read and float at the same time.  I feel supported by the water beneath me and the sun beating down takes care of the parts of my body that are not immersed in the water.  One thing that continues to amaze me is how perfect the temperature of the Dead Sea is.  I tend to find water uncomfortably hot or unbearably cold but this salty sea has achieved the perfect balance for my liking.  I can’t believe it’s November.

I bring my book back to shore because, really, I was just being silly.  I go back in the sea and continue to float, feeling childish all the while.  I remember learning somewhere that Cleopatra used to bathe here.  I become overwhelmed with a sense of gratitude and love for life on this glorious earth.  The opportunity to be here at this moment is something for which I am eternally grateful. 

I decide to go back to shore so I can rub mud on myself I like I saw all the other kids do.  The mud looks like a bar of soap.  I take it out of the plastic and rub it all over my body.  The first time around it’s not thick enough so I get some more and make a mud paste.  I put it everywhere- my face, my arms, my chest, my belly- I am covered from head to toe. I step back into the sea and rub the water all over my muddy body.  I’m careful when I put the water near my face; I know the burning won’t be pleasurable if it’s in my eyes.  When I clean off the mud on my body with the saltwater my skin is unbelievably soft.  I want to touch it forever.

I know that you’re not meant to linger in the sea for too long so I go to shore and walk along the beach.  The weather is perfect and I’m not cold at all.  I notice that there are so many different groups enjoying this land.  Grown men and young children alike are buying mud, rubbing it on their bodies, and enjoying their soft skin.

A place so unique and interesting makes me forget that I’m in a land surrounded by hate and terror.  The Dead Sea made me feel more soft, warm, and peaceful than anyplace else in the world.

Being An Observant Jew In A College Environment: What It's Really Like

Being a college student presents many challenges socially and academically.  Fitting in and finding one’s niche can be difficult, especially when religious limitations are in play.  They can’t go out on Friday nights. They can’t meet up for group projects on Saturdays.  Some of them can’t eat out.  But what is it really like to be an observant Jew in a college setting?

Observance comes in many forms, but one thing that is consistent among observant Jews is that they are Shomer Shabbat.  Shomer literally means “to guard” and Shabbat is the Sabbath, which refers to the seventh day of the week and the day of rest in Judaism.  This stems from the book of Genesis which states God created Heaven and Earth in six days and rested on the seventh. People who are Shomer Shabbat follow the teachings of the Ten Commandments in Deuteronomy which include activities that are prohibited on Shabbat.  

One of the most notable laws regarding Shabbat is that it is the day that Jews are freed from the regular labors of everyday life so that they are able to spend time with family and reflect upon the spirituality of life and Judaism.  Activities prohibited on Shabbat include driving, using electricity including lights, or using electronic devices.   

Weekends, notably Fridays and Saturday nights are common nights for college students to go out and party or stay in and watch movies.  Since students are busy during the week with their classes and studies, Saturday becomes a day to run errands such as grocery shopping.  It’s a day that students spend in the library to get work done that is due at the beginning of the week or get ahead for the following week- but not for an observant Jew.

Junior Jewish Studies major Jessica Applebaum said that one of the major challenges of being an observant Jew at college is that there are times when holidays and observances conflict with classes as well as her workload.  She finds that it is difficult to juggle time in which she can’t work or go to classes because she can’t be in synagogue.  Jessica doesn’t feel that she is missing out, but said, “There are clubs that I would have liked to join but they have meetings during Shabbat so it didn’t work out.”  

She loves keeping Shabbat because, as she says, “A mandatory day of rest, what could be better?”  She values the time that she knows will be allotted to relaxation and spending times with friends or family.  While sometimes she finds it stressful to not be able to do work if she has a test or paper coming up, she does like having time designated for herself.  “I often spend nine hours at a time doing work on campus, so it’s nice to get a break.” 

Jessica lives with two non-Jews and one Jewish girl who is not observant, so some things are harder than others.  She has set guidelines for herself; mostly in the kitchen she shares with her other apartment-mates.  

“Because I keep kosher, I will not use the dishwasher or the oven. I will, however, use the stove with my own pots and pans.”  

Jessica said that she always needs to make sure that her things stay separate. She will use microwave, but covers her food when it’s in it, and she keeps all of her kosher food dishes and silverware separate from everyone else's.

Jessica hasn’t had a problem with the lights, as she keep her bathroom light on throughout Shabbat and doesn’t mind if the lights or off in the common areas.  Only once has she had to ask one of her non-Jewish roommates to turn on the lights for her, because it is forbidden for another Jew, even one who does not observe the Sabbath themselves, to turn on lights for somebody Shomer Shabbat.  Jessica feels that being an observant Jew has helped her make a very close group of friends with similar values, and she feels that any religious center on campus, be that Hillel or Chabad, will give someone the same experience.

Allison Greenberg, a senior Child Studies major who more recently became observant, finds that becoming Shomer Shabbat has created more of a challenge for her in certain ways, but she does not regret her decision.  She says she wouldn’t do it unless she wanted to.  Still, she is sometimes disappointed when she can’t go to concerts or shows on Friday nights and feels like she is missing out.  But she is also thankful for the spiritual experiences that she has herself.  

The most stressful thing for Allison is not being able to do homework for 25 hours.  “However, what always helps me is to remember that I can work during the day on Friday and I can on Saturday night also so I am not missing too much time for work.”  

In terms of not using her phone or computer, she loves it.  “I love being disconnected from the world.  It gives me a free feeling not having to think about my phone.”  She finds it amazing that she is able to have so much more conversation when there are no other electronic distractions.  

“When I go to Hayes, which is a place where observant Jews hang out on Friday nights, I notice that I can’t check my phone and I’m not constantly look for it.  It is a wonderful feeling.”  Allison’s family is not Shomer Shabbat, so she checks her phone on Friday nights before bed and once or twice during the day on Saturday to see if she missed any calls from her family.  

“I know that if I missed more than 2 calls from my family that is an emergency and I call back, but I never read my e-mails or texts.  It makes me feel secure knowing that if something happened I could be there for them.”

Allison has found that it is easier to be friends with Jews because it is more convenient, since they practice the same things that she does.  However, she loves and appreciates her non-Jewish friends.

“I love being friends with non-Jews because they are sometimes more respectful than other Jews. My freshmen year I lived with a girl who was not Jewish and she was so respectful. She asked questions when she did not understand something and she was genuinely interested in finding out why I did certain things.”

Jamie Goldman, senior Biology major finds that the biggest challenge in being an observant Jew is being different.  She is thankful that it allows her have her own identity in an environment when people really do look to do what everyone else looks to do, but sometimes she feels isolated and different.  

“I am proud of myself and the way I live my life but it gets a little hard having to explain myself sometimes.  But the pros definitely outweigh the cons.  I know who I am and what matters to me and I feel good about that.” 

 She doesn’t feel that she is missing out too much on Friday nights because of her observance.  

“Maybe a concert or two, but in the bigger picture, they aren’t things that I am going to miss even a week later.”  

Jamie practices daily rituals that separate her from others but says she “wouldn’t give them up for anything.”   She prays every morning as soon as she wakes up and says blessing throughout the day before she goes to the bathroom or eats anything.  In addition, she washes her hands in the morning to remove any impurities from when she was sleeping and thanks God every day when she opens her eyes for giving her another day. 

 “I incorporate God and religion in every part of my day and everything I do.”

Jamie chose a unique practice in Judiasm two years ago called Shomer Negiah, which literally means “observant of touch.”  The term refers to someone who refrains from physical contact with members of the opposite sex, excluding one’s immediate family.  

For Jamie, though, becoming Shomer Negiah was the best decision she has ever made.  She explained that in high school she was very different and much more lenient when it came to guys.  She doesn’t feel that she would have been as happy with herself she hadn’t created this extra fence for herself.  

“People are really understanding about it, a little confused at first, but more interested in it than anything. I have no problem shaking a hand or hugging someone the first time I meet them… I will not initiate it but I will not embarrass the person or make them feel uncomfortable.”

 If there is someone she continuously comes into contact with, she will eventually let them know if it reaches a point where she begins to feel uncomfortable.

“I think people respect me more for it and don’t pressure me to change, if anything, when I get down about it or question it, my friends (guys and girls) are amazing support systems.”  

Jamie feels that she has been lucky in terms of getting teachers that are understanding of her observance.  Even when she has had to miss class for a holiday or hand in paper later due because of Shabbat, no faculty has ever given her any trouble. 

Alex Friedman, an undecided sophomore and Jordan Weissman, a sophomore business major, have also chosen to become Shomer Negiah.  Jordan said that sometimes it is awkward when a woman goes to shake his hand and he has to pull back and explain that he doesn’t do that.  He will only shake a women’s hand if it is for an interview.  

Alex, like Jamie, said that he would rather not embarrass a woman so he shakes a woman’s hand in any instance.  But he draws the line at hugs.  Alex admitted that some of his female friends get annoyed with him at times that he won’t hug them, but he said, “Hey, what can I do?  This is what I’ve chosen.”  

Jordan and Alex are both in an a cappella group and said that one thing they had to deal with was choreography.  

“In one of our songs,” Jordan said, “the group puts their arms around each other.  Alex and I had to remind the group that we do not touch women, so we had to have men on either side of us.”  

Alex said that the most annoying thing about being observant is not being able to go to non-Kosher restaurants.  

“Whenever my less observant friends go out to dinner, I go so that I don’t miss out on the social activity, but I can’t eat.  And when there’s food all around you, you want to eat!  But I grew up Kosher.  My family never ate out.  So I just suck it up and try to eat beforehand.”

Jordan has had professors who get frustrated with him when he asks to hand in papers early, but it hasn’t ever affected any of his final grades.  He’s also found that when meeting for group projects, students often want to meet on Saturdays.  

“I feel bad inconveniencing people, he said, “but observance is the most important thing in my life and it comes before schoolwork.”  

Elyssa's Guide to Madrid

 Madrid

You HAVE to go to the Prado Museum. It's so huge that it's overwhelming so I'd recommend either spending an entire day or going twice. I also went to the Reina Sofia which is a contemporary art museum and it's REALLY cool. I preferred it to the Prado, actually, because I'm more into that than religious art. Make sure you go to the Prado on a Sunday because it's free. But if you go on another day it's still very reasonable for students... like 6 euros or something.

La Puerta Sol is a really beautiful and famous square and is right by another famous square called Plaza Mayor. These are places where you can just walk around and get a really cool feel of the city and culture. Be prepared for really ridiculous gypsies in the form of dogs, babies, silver men, etc.

El Jardín Botánico is right next to The Prado and it's beautiful botanical gardens. With your student i.d. it's just 1.30 euro and you can walk through it in less than an hour.

Buen Retiro Park is a really huge and beautiful park. Things to see there: 1) Rosaleda, which is a rose garden and it's soo precious! 2) The Palacio de Cristal, which is literally a glass palace. 3) The Palacio de Velazquez 4) there's a boating lake and around it there are always shows going on and street theater.

El Rastro, the flea market. It's open on Sundays and holidays and you can get anything under the sun.

Palacio de Aranjuez- Castle and Gardens. It's basically the Spanish version of Versailles. It's ornate like that. It's a little bit far... about 45 minutes on the metro but I definitely recommend it. The gardens and fountains are exquisite.

El Mercado de San Miguel- it's a really great market in a glass building with kiosks of many different types of food. I really liked the olives and paella there. They are incredible! Go there hungry because there are so many options!

Fuencarral & Hortaleza- Hipster/trendy area of Madrid with fun shopping.

CLUBS & BARS:

 The nightlife in Madrid is CRAZY

1-    Kapital is a 7 floor epic club. It's really cool.


2-    2- Joy

The Metro

The metro in Madrid is really easy to navigate. You'll figure it out in no-time. Make sure you keep your ticket stub because you need to have it when you get out.
  BE CAREFUL TO NOT GET PICK-POCKETED. One of my friends got pick-pocketed on the metro when she was texting. We were all standing together in a group of 4 and didn't notice.  In Spain they are so skilled and slick, so always hold your purse close to you, especially when you're on the metro.

Article I Had Published in Israel

      I traveled to Jerusalem to Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Museum.  It prides itself as being the Jewish People’s memorial to the Holocaust as it acclaims the events that occurred during that time and aims to both educate and impart an understanding of the horrific events of the past.  It is the center of world for commemoration of the Holocaust and provides a plethora of information about the rise of anti-Semitism and the Nazi regime all over the world from beginning to end.  The museum’s name comes from the Hebrew words Monument (Yad) and Remembrance (Vashem), and that is exactly what it is.  It contains stories, testimonies, and other detailed accounts of the Holocaust.  Yad Vashem is more than a museum; it’s an emotional experience.  It begins with a video that depicts life before the war on European land containing original footage showing communities, large photographs, and other remnants of the Jewish world.  It shows the normality of Jewish life before the war that turned their worlds upside down. 

      Turn left and there is a stark contrast upon approaching the section titled “The Nazi Rise to Power.”  My heart skipped a beat when I arrived in the room and saw huge swastikas.  Growing up it was always an image that stung.  I anticipated seeing that sign that I hate so deeply and yet when it first hit my eyes it was a shock.  That one symbol, however, was only the beginning to a day in which a series of photos and footage would antagonize me.  The early galleries contain pictures of huge public rallies that spread negative feelings towards the Jews.  Hitler knew there is strength in the masses, and with the public getting together with Nazi flags, anti-Semitic sentiments quickly pervaded country after country.  Astute quotes and questions to ponder are posed in the various exhibits throughout the museum.  One such quote said by a German Jew, Kurt Tocholsky was, “A country is not only what it does but also what it tolerates.”  When he said this he was referring to Germany’s compliance in the Nazi regime and pre-meditated murder, however it can be applied to the countries all over the world involved in such atrocities.  Many Jews throughout the world had to deal with the struggle of identity as a part of their particular nation and that of being a Jew.

      It must be understood that anti-Semitism existed long before Hitler and the Nazis.  I learned about the Christian Church and how they hated the Jews for their rejection of Jesus as the messiah and blamed them for killing him.  In this section, I experienced artwork that depicts Jews as inferior to Christians that exist in paintings, drawings and sculptures.  In these works, Jewish women were portrayed with their heads lowered and covered.  Their eyes were covered as well in order to represent the Jews blindness to what they perceived as the truth: the Christian religion.  Such artworks still exist in certain places in the world.

      Other forms of propaganda existed such as unthinkable things like a board game.  There was one called “Out with the Jews” in which the players follow a figure wearing a “Jewish hat” which looks like a cone.  The objective of the game is to be the first to bring the figurine to the “assembling point” depicted by a man, woman, and child with the caption “Out to Palestine.”  It’s amazing that people could actually make a game out of pre-meditated murder and persecution.  It made me sad to think about the cruelty people are capable of.

      I think the most powerful parts of the museum were the pictures and videos.  It is difficult to read and see the humiliation and abuse used not only on the Jewish people but also gypsies, the mentally ill, and homosexuals.  I viewed pictures of innocents being arrested and shot on the streets, villages burning, synagogues destroyed, giant boxes of civilian’s belongings who were forced to leave their homes, Rabbis being taken from their homes and so much more.  The work of artist Marcel Janco stuck with me.  He depicted the terrible treatment of the Jews in the forms of a Jew under the boot of a Nazi, someone being killed with an axe, and people being held at gunshot.  What affected me the most was seeing the people talk first-hand about their experiences.  One man said he saw the synagogue where he had his bar mitzvah being burned down.  I can’t even imagine witnessing such an atrocity.  And to him, that was the least of it.  From the time he was young, he was beaten for being Jewish. 

Yad Vashem definitely influenced the way I feel living in Israel for the past 4.5 months.  Being here, I have met people from all different parts of the world who have come together to be here in the Jewish State.  I thought about the fact that although the Jews been persecuted and expelled since the beginning of time, they have persevered, continued to flourish, live all over the world, and now have their own nation state.   The museum made me contemplate the idea that the magnitude of the Holocaust would have been lesser if Israel had existed in the 1930’s. The Jews had no homeland, and now they do.  If something like this were to happen again, they would all come here.  It’s a comforting thought and something for which I am grateful.