The goal of this trip was to get a sense of Israeli society from many different perspectives – social, cultural, religious, etc. On Monday, we got the political perspective. Israel has a parliamentary democracy, and the legislative branch (the parliament) is called the Knesset. There are 120 seats in the parliament, and because it’s a … Continue reading Knesset – Day 9
This was probably the most mind-blowing day of our trip. We met 36-year-old Tzippy Yarom, a woman in the Haredi community. She talked to us about “Haredim Mibifnim,” meaning the “Ultra-Orthodox from Within.” This was an incredible experience because she shattered all my preconceived notions about women in the ultra-orthodox community. Some things about Yarom: … Continue reading Jerusalem – Day 4
On our third day in Israel, we visited Efrat, a Jewish settlement on the West Bank. (It’s within the ‘Gush Etzion,’ a group of settlements south of Jerusalem). We first went to the Lone Tree, a symbolic site for Efrat. We also met Rabbi Alan Haber who told us his experience of living in the … Continue reading Bethlehem – Day 3
Never thought I would be in Israel for spring break… but here I am! I’m taking a journalism trip hosted by the Jerusalem Press Club, with 14 of my classmates from the Newhouse school. Our itinerary stops in almost all corners of the country and immerses us in various aspects of society – political, religious, … Continue reading Old City – Day 1
Rashika Jaipuriar 