Holding the Peace Together
by Erin Kopelow

Yitzhak Rabin Yitzhak Rabin Memorial Medallion "Holding the Peace Together."

The founding fathers of Israel promised a Constitution, "adopted by the Elected Constituent Assembly no later than 1st October, 1948."  To this day Israel still does not have a constitution. With the flurry of MAP events I attended this past month, this fact kept rising to the surface of my internal deliberation.  The consequence of Israel lacking such a presumed essential document became particularly apparent to me during MAP's Israeli Democracy Forum at the Rabin Center, where we analyzed the extent to which the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin shocked Israeli society with the brutal understanding of the schisms within its own national identity.  A constitution, in my North American-bent mind, is the backbone to national understanding and self-perception; answering crucial questions concerning the nature of the state while clarifying societal, governmental, and judiciary boundaries.

With the 60th anniversary of Israel fast approaching, new attempts have been initiated to introduce a proposed constitution in Israel. Haaretz recently reported that on the opening of the winter Knesset session, "the prime minister announced that the best gift the Knesset could give the country for its 60th year of independence was an agreed-upon proposal for a constitution."  When I first read that statement I thought, "wow, a constitution within a year, that's so ambitious!"  An Israeli friend of mine, however, did not share my glee. "It will never happen."  She flatly exclaimed. I deflated like a balloon.  I thought of all people she, as a law student, would be equally excited. "How can you say that!"  I demanded.  "Don't you think Israel needs one?" "No.  We've done fine without one so far." I blinked.  Done fine?  Is she kidding?  The more I'm here, the more I feel that in as much as Israel is threatened from outside, it is the internal divisions that most scare me when contemplating the future of this country.  "Without a constitution the divisions today will rip us apart tomorrow." I pressed.  "We need clarification. We need direction. We need answers!" She looked at me and said simply, "Attempting to officially answer those questions, that's what will rip us apart." Although I often think I fit better into Israeli society than to that of my birth, this was a moment when I felt the extent of my foreignness.  My friend and I had brains with fundamentally different wiring. Having been here just over two years, I am only beginning to be able to put a finger on the tempo of this country.

Upcoming MAP Events Israeli Author Night Exclusive MAP Event December 20/07 For event & registration information click here Movements within Judaism MASA Shabbaton December 14-15 2007 For event & registration information click here Israeli Culture: Music & Dance MASA Forum November 13, 2007 For event & registration information click here

Although I must admit I am afraid the internal divisions here will become too much for the society as a whole to handle, I have faith that as a people who always had one more opinion in the room than individuals, we will be able to, in the end, hold the peace together. Erin, MAP Particpant Coordinator& Footprints Editor To meet Erin click here

	Israel Culture & Resource Guide
	Guide to Israeli Body Language
	Map Calendar of Events

In this Edition

Inside MASA Grants & Scholarships An inside look into the grant and scholarship process of MASA, an explanation for why there have been delays in grant distribution, and a sneak peak of the improvements to come.  HaDag Nachash Get a inside look into MASA MAP's exclusive HaDag Nachash concert See Pictures! Fighting for Freedom and Recognition SIACH participant Lucy Newman is currently in the middle of her internship at Mavoi Satum, a political organization, fighting for the rights of women denied a Get (divorce) by their husbands.  Because all marriages in Israel are conducted under the Rabbinate Court, a divorce is not final until the Get has been awarded.  Without a Get, a woman cannot remarry.  Participant Profile: Matt Bar and Bible Rap Through the combination of business, creative and educational exposure at the PresentTense Institute for Creative Judaism and the Pardes Institute for Jewish Studies, Matt Bar's Bible Rap Project has the potential to become an educational enterprise in Hebrew school classrooms around the world. Jewish Autonomous Region, in Russia? Holon Institute of Technology participant Maria Ginzburg is from the Jewish Autonomous Region (JAR) in Russia, the first territorial region allocated to Jews a full 20 years before the establishment of Israel. Bulding Future Leadership Seminar Series Get an inside look into the BFL, a series that examines the concepts of leadership while providing participants with operative tools for developing and leading educational-social programs and projects both in Israel and in Jewish communities around the world.   Meet the participants!! MAP's Leadership Forum OTZMA participant Anne Alexander took part in MASA's Leadership Forum, a unique opportunity exposing her to the skills of public speaking, negotiation, personal presentation, as well the number one public speaker in Israel.

Shout Outs

To all those little moments that make each day unique and oh so worthwhile. SO to the tellers in super markets.  I still don't know why I'm always standing in line for 20 minutes when there's only one person in front of me, but I appreciate the time it gives me to contemplate the little things in life. Submitted October 8th, 2007 SO to the bus security guards who use their security chats to ask for my phone number.  Good to know you're monitoring the situation closely. Submitted October 13th, 2007 ASO (anti-shout out) to my bus driver who made me fly out of my seat face first into the middle isle.  Let me remind you, you drive a BUS in Jerusalem full of many many people, not a Ferrari in Italy with one hot girl beside you.  Give up the macho maneuvers already. Submitted October 21st, 2007 SO to the Israeli who asked for my phone number but warned he couldn’t call me until after his mission to Gaza. Puts things in perspective. Submitted November 5th, 2007 SO to my madrich who gets, like, 20 phone calls a minute from participants.  I am truly amazed he can still answer the phone like a normal person rather than throw it across the room into the wall.  Patience truly is a virtue my friend. Submitted October 17th, 2007 SO to the break-dancer at the HaDag Nachash concert who wasn't part of the break dance crew.  You tore it up better than any of them and can bend farther backwards than any other person I have ever seen. Submitted November 5th, 2007 SO to the girl dancing at the HaDag Nachash concert with the pre-performance band outside, with the pre-performance band inside, the people dressed up in costumes inside, and crowd during the show with so much vigor.  You alone tied all those extras together into one cohesive unit.  Nice work. Submitted November 3rd, 2007

Israel CornerThe space dedicated to you & your experiences

Picture of the Month: My Beer Sheva "My more musically oriented friends and I went into a 20 foot high dome that resonated incredibly well and invented an unlikely-to-be famous opera.  Just outside  was a spot that overlooks Be’er Sheva." Experience Be'er Sheva through the eyes of OTZMA Participant Josh Blatman. Click Here

Moment of the Month: Deborah Frenkel describes her experience at the "other wall." "...this was another wall: not quite as old as the other one, with fewer red-string vendors and a little less atmosphere, perhaps, but probably just as symbolically potent." Read Full Experience

Keith's Tracks

TASP participant Keith Marks captures his travels in a style all his own. Click Here

News & Events

Society for Protection of Nature in Israel (SPNI) is recruiting for its first ever Birthright Trips Help us help nature in Israel Recruit & come back as a guide!! Summer 2008! For more information contact barak@israelnature.com Facebook : SPNI BIRTHRIGHT http://www.israelnature.com

Takes place from November 8-24 through in select theaters in Jerusalem. Includes such performers as David Broza, Barry Sakharov, and a diversity of Israeli and Arab artists.  Show times and ticket information at Bimot, 8 Shamai St in Jerusalem. Call 02-623-7000 or visit the website https://www.tickets-online.co.il/bimot/default.asp

Need to find an internship? Unhappy with your present internship? Your internship stopped calling you back? Contact Binyamin Rose Project Shinui The Merkaz Hamagshimim Hadassah shinui@themerkaz.org Finding you an internship that works for you is his job. http://www.themerkaz.org