Diller Teen Fellows Summer Seminar - Baltimore

July 26th, 2007

We’re finally out of the desert! After arriving at the Yitzhak Rabin Youth hostel in Jerusalem and settling into our rooms, some of us explored Emek R’faim, a street full of restaurants and shopping. Others spent the evening with family and friends. We got off to an early start the next morning visiting the Old City. We began at the Kotel and took a tour of the City of David (“Ir David”), including a visit to the Davidson Center. After learning a bit history, we had time to shop, eat and schmooze in the old city. Hands full of shopping bags and bank accounts empty, we visited a park where we discussed the story of Jacob’s Ladder. That evening we had a big dinner in preparation for Tisha B’Av and then headed to the Haas Promenade (“the Tayelet”) in Jerusalem. Sitting among other Jewish groups, we listened to Eicha, the text traditionally read on Tisha B’Av, and all felt a great sense of spirituality. The following morning, in keeping with the themes of Tisha B’Av, we paid a visit to Yad Vashem, Israel’s Holocaust museum, where we realized that the suffering of the Jewish people did not end with the destruction of the temple. Those of us fasting headed back to the hostel for some much deserved rest, while the rest of the group took a tour of Har Herzl. Many victims of terror, Israeli national war heroes and prominent political figures are buried there. After visiting various grave sites, the group paid their respects to Nir Cohen and Meir Shnur. Nir was the Israeli counselor of a trip to Israel that two Baltimore Diller Teen Fellows (Adam Walters and Jenna Singer) attended last summer. Nir was killed during last year’s war with Hizbollah. Jenna reflected upon her memories of Nir while Adam performed one of Nir’s favorite songs on his guitar. Meiru Shnur, a relative of Baltimore counselor Nadav Berman, died during the Six-Day War fighting in Jerusalem. At Meir’s grave, Nadav shared a moving song written by Meir’s father mourning his son’s tragedy.

- Katie David