MAP Forum: One day educational sessions dedicated to a certain topic relative to Israel and/or Judaism.  All MASA participants are welcome to sign up by contacting Yael Barkan at yael.barkan@gmail.com.  Space is limited.   MAP Shabbaton: Three day educational sessions over a Shabbat dedicated to a certain topic relative to Israel and/or Judaism.  Sessions include tours, lectures, workshops and other various activities.  All MASA participants are welcome to sign up by contacting Yael Barkan at yael.barkan@gmail.com.  Space is limited.  MASA Leadership - MAP Forum October 16, 2007 Throughout the year, MASA participants meet with senior donors, government members, agencies and journalists. The "MASA Hasbara training" course was created to prepare MASA participants for such encounters as well as to provide tools for such encounters in their professional futures.  The day opened with a lecture by MASA director, Dr. Ilan Ezrachi, concerning the values, goals, educational and historical background that lead to the foundation of the MASA project. Later on, participants acquired professional tools for project presentation, message deliverance, and interpersonal skill strategies through a fascinating lecture and workshop by Ariel Halevi, the former number one speaker in Israel and the co-founder of the Debate company.  Participants also participated in a workshop dealing with "processing my personal Jewish experience in Israel". Participants also heard a lecture about "fund raising in the Jewish world" by Miss. Diana Ginsburg. 23 participants took part in the course from 11 different programs, such as Bnei Akiva, Career, Nativ, Otzma, Pardes, Young Judaea, FZY, etc.  These participants were chosen by their program to attend the MASA Forum, and therefore the programs themselves need to be applauded, for all chose the appropriate participants and helped create an excellent, motivated group of participants to represent their programs and Project MASA in front of donors, VIP conferences and other such audiences. To read participant Anne Alexander's experience click here Security Shabbaton – MAP Shabbaton October 19-20, 2007 First Shabbaton of the MAP 2007/8 year and had more than 150 participants from over 25 programs.  The Shabbaton opened with a tour of the security fence, followed by a lecture from the senior journalist Amos Harel.  After a creative Kabbalat Shabbat the participants enjoyed a lecture by Dr. Motti Keidar – a senior researcher of Iran studies and graduate of 25 years in the Israeli intelligence service. Group workshops entitled "Entebbe operation", "the ethical code", and "security issues and ethical dilemmas" were led by the Shabbaton staff throughout the weekend. Participants had the unique opportunity to take part in a combat soldier's panel and hear a lecture by Anthony Chabash – a Palestinian peace activist, member of the Children without Boundaries non profit organization. The seminar was concluded with Ministry of Foreign Affairs representative, Ilan Shtulman, lecturing about "Israel's presentation in world media". To read participant Deborah Frenkel's experience on visiting the "other wall" click here Issues Concerning Israeli Democracy - MAP Forum October 21, 2007 In preparation to Yitzchak Rabin's Memorial Day we invited MASA participants to join a study-day in the Rabin Center for Israel research, established in 1997 and located in Tel Aviv. The day opened with a personal conversation with Mr. Yuval Rabin, the son of the late Prime Minister, who answered participant's questions about his feelings toward Israeli society, the peace process and his father's legacy. The conversation was followed by a lecture on "The Influences of Rabin's Assassination on Israeli society" by Professor Perry, head of the communication school in Tel Aviv University, who authored a book concerning this subject. The lecture provided participants with the sociological background to the assassination and resulting implications Rabin's death had on Israeli society. Participants then participated in workshops with Rabin Center staff, which focused on the various conflicts within Israeli society as well as the country's democratic identity.  The day concluded with a tour to Rabin's square and the monument in his memory. Exclusive MAP Concert: HaDag Nachash November 1, 2007 For Pictures click here Participant Perspective: Rachel Schneider  Before I even entered the Jerusalem Theater it was already clear that the night was going to be as entertaining and as crazy as a circus.  Literally.  I walked into the courtyard to find hundreds of people hanging out around cotton candy vendors and fire-throwing performers.  As my friends and I  stopped and took pictures, a man riding an “elephant” told us to go inside the theater.  Saying that I was confused would be a misuse of the word because the real confusion set in once I entered the building.  I was immediately engulfed by a crowd which not only included MASA participants, but clowns, break-dancers, a performer dressed as a tree, and masked men on stilts.  This was clearly going to be an impressive evening.   The night was a great opportunity to talk with my friends on other Israel programs.  I was also able to meet new people and start playing a whole new round of everyone’s favorite game: Jewish Geography.  We made our way upstairs and into the theater only after one of my friends had been accosted by a caveman and I had posed for a picture with a fruit tree. When the lights in the theater finally began to flash I took a seat with my fellow Nativers.  The audience grew quiet as we were welcomed to the first cultural MASA event of the year.  Being in the same room as almost a thousand people from all over the world was both incredible and thought provoking.  All of us at the concert were there to have a good time.  More importantly, though, all of us are in Israel this year because we have the same passion and love for our homeland.  When the lights dimmed and the band came out I ran all the way down to the front.  As the first song began I somehow managed to get to the edge of the stage with my friends.  HaDag Nachash started with “Mah SheBah Bah” and the crowd went wild.  The mass of people surrounding me was already dancing and singing like crazy before the band played their second song, “LaZuz”. The energy in the theater only increased as the night progressed.  I was lucky to be standing in such a great spot right in front of the stage.  This was the first concert I had been to where my height (or lack thereof) was not an issue!  When I took time to look around I realized that everyone at the event was having a terrific time.  All of a sudden big white balloons appeared around the stage and the band began playing one of their newer songs, “California”.  The irregularly large balloons led me to think yet again of the circus… HaDag Nachash finally started playing their most famous song, “Shirat HaSticker”.  The audiences knew the song so well that the band pulled back from the microphones and let us sing along.  Everyone was so pumped when the song ended that they missed hearing that the next song, “Mah Naaseh”, would be the last.  As soon as the band started leaving the stage the audience began to chant “Ode Echad!” over and over again.  Of course HaDag Nachash came back out to play two of their most popular songs, “Lo M’Vater” and “Hinei Ani Bah”, ending the concert on an extremely high note. Much to their fans’ delight the band stuck around onstage to take pictures and give autographs.  After taking some pictures, my friends and I stood in the lobby talking as the theater cleared out.  The concert was over and the circus of activity had ended, but I was still feeling the energy I had seen and heard that night.  Rachel Schneider is from Cincinnati, Ohio, and is currently a participant in the Nativ program sponsored by United Synagogue of America.   Israeli Culture: Music and Dance - MAP Forum November 13, 2007 MASA participants visited two significant assets of Israeli culture: The Kibbutz Dance Group and the Music School in Maalot-Tarshicha. The day began with participants observing a Kibbutz Dance Group rehearsal in Kibbutz Gaaton in order to get a feel for the amount of skill and effort devoted to each performance. The rehearsal was followed by a lecture from Rami Beer, the groups' art director, concerning "Israeli Culture and Dance" after which participants took part in a Hip-Hop dance workshop lead by professional instructors. The participants then visited the music school in Maalot-Tarshicha, a unique facility operating in cooperation with both Jews and Arabs as a center for peace through music. Participants where privileged to watch both musical performances as well as partake in a Muslim-Christian-Jewish panel discussion with students from the Music school concerning their experiences in such a unique environment.