First off, if you did not know already, GAME OF THRONES SEASON 4 STARTED THIS PAST WEEK!!! It's great to see all my good friends like Arya and Tyrion back at it in the land of Westeros and Essos. I can't wait to see what comes up in the next few episodes (I know what is going to happen from the books, but it is always cool to see how they adapt it to the television show).
Another great show that I'm watching/re-watching is Avatar the Last Airbender. Yes, it's a show for kids, but a great one at that. There is a theory that some of the plot line regarding Avatar has a lot to do with World War II and the Holocaust. For example, the Earth nation is constantly persecuted throughout the show and in an early episode we see Aang -- the last Airbender -- save a group Earthbenders from a concentration-camp-esque facility where they have been trapped and forced to work. Another example is the idea that Sozen's Comet, the big comet that will fall from the sky and end the war, is very similar to the concept of the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. In the case of World War II, the bombs also ended the war just like Sozen's Comet would. If you have not seen Avatar the Last Airbender, I totally recommend it because it is great for all ages -- even if it was made for kids (and of course you already know how I feel about Game of Thrones).
Now let's get to some more Israel-related topics. In the upcoming week, I will be traveling to Kibbutz Urim near Be'er Sheva to visit my family for Passover. I'm really excited to see if there are any major differences in the way a seder is performed in Israel versus America. In addition to that, I will be doing my Yam-Le-Yam (sea-to-sea) hike! It's a four day hike/bike from the Northeast all the way to the Northwest of Israel. I can't wait to experience what is said to be one of the best parts of EIE in the following days!
Early in the week I got to hear some very interesting speakers talk about their different sects of Judaism. It was very captivating to hear the Modern- and Ultra-Orthodox speakers talk about their opinions on certain aspects of the religion and how it plays into society. For example, I asked the Ultra-Orthodox speaker about how he believes that the Messiah will come when religion is being so heavily diluted by the recent advancements in science and technology. His response was simply incredible. He started off by explaining how science may seem to initially disprove religion, but in the end actually ends up just emphasizing how religion is the truth. He then explained the concept in a story:
__________
Once, there were a group of men who wanted to climb a mountain,
It was a very physically and mentally challenging climb,
When they got to the top, they found a few young children running around and playing,
The men asked how they got to the top of the mountain,
The children responded, "We were born here."
__________
The men who hiked are all the scientists while the children at the top are the Jewish people. We are born with the answers, and even though the answer may be right in front of someone's face, they still do not realize it. But sooner or later, they will come back to find that same answer waiting for them.
Later that day, I experienced something that was really amazing to watch and be a part of. My group and I got to go to a music festival in the Old City. At first, I was a little hesitant and did not know what to expect because it was such short notice. But man, I did not imagine it to be as awesome as it was. The thing that I found most important from that night was that I saw all different people singing and dancing together. Coming from a discussion with people who could argue for hours and hours about whose opinion is right and wrong, it was amazing to see that at the end of the day, they were still one people -- Am Yisrael.
Finally, I got to help out my camp directors by talking to the new Mishlachat who will be part of camp this summer. It was really great to be able to try and explain to someone what camp means to me. Plus, I met some cool Israelis, so that was a win as well!
Overall, this week kicked some major boo-tay! I'm exciting to be able to spend a whole other two months in Eretz Yirael! Stay tuned for more twists and turns in the wacky adventures of Aaron Perelman Bosgang!
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