Israel Museum: Middle Ages

On October 22, 2018, the best Jewish History class, Kitat Kinneret, went to the Israel Museum. Shortly after most of us arrived by bus, we were shown the model of the Old City of Jerusalem. Afterwards, we walked inside the museum to look at the different customs relating to Life Cycles. Those Life Cycles were Birth, Marriage, and Death. For Birth, we looked at the double seat from Germany used during a circumcision. The seating was arranged where on the right side the baby was held by his godfather and the left seat was reserved for Elijah. For Marriage, we looked at a Huppah Stone from Germany that was used to break the glass at a wedding. For Death, we talked about a Chevra Kadisha. Chevra Kadisha was an organization of men and women that would sit with the deceased Jews until they are properly buried. Then, we roamed over to glance at another exhibit, which was the Illuminated Manuscripts. These manuscripts were extremely fascinating to look at. It was interesting to think of how old they were and how they were still in such good condition.

Once we finished viewing the manuscripts, we went over to each of the four different synagogues. This was my favorite part of the Israel Musuem tiyul. The first synagogue we learned about was the Horb Synagogue. The Horb Synagogue was from Germany and made out of wood covered in paintings and scriptures. The next synagogue we were taught about was one that was originally located in India. The Kadavumbagam synagogue had beautiful wooden carvings on the ark, which held a Sephardic torah. The third synagogue we looked at was the Vittorio Veneto Synagogue from Italy. This synagogue was the most elegant and decorative out of the four. The Tzedek ve-Shalom Synagogue was the last and my favorite synagogue that we went in. The fourth synagogue was initially located in Suriname, formally known as Dutch Guiana. This synagogue was very simplistic with little decoration and actually had sand on the floor for acoustic reasons. Although, the synagogues were all unique in their own way, they each had an ark for the torah and Hebrew scripture. That showed how every synagogue is connected even in all the different parts of the world.

What was the most interesting thing you saw from Jewish life around the world?

The double seat used for circumcisions

Horb Synagogue from Germany

Kadavumbagam Synagogue from India

Vittorio Veneto Synagogue from Italy 

Learning about the Tzedek ve-Shalom Synagogue from Suriname

Oral Law Aaron

I chose the commandment on line 11 if Leviticus 19 which says, “You shall not steal;you shall not deal deceitfully or falsely with one another...”  because this commandment seems to be dealing with issues of loyalty and trust because how can you trust someone when they deal deceitfully and falsely? How can you consider someone loyal when they steal from you? So this commandment helps keeps trust and loyalty amongst the people which are two things that I value most in people.

There is supposed to be a photo of someone stealing something that isn’t theirs it doesn’t express the mitzvah, but it does express what not to do. And if you know what not to do then you should know what the right thing to do is.

Oral law assignment - Dani

         I chose the commandment, "Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself" because I believe that you should always treat your peers as you wish to be treated. I interpret this mitzvah as, do not try to hurt others or get pay back for something that has happened, treat everyone one with respect. I try to fulfill this mitzvah in my daily life, especially at Heller, even though it may be hard at times. It is human instinct to want to hurt others the way they hurt you, but I am working on forgiveness. This can be a guideline for me as a Jew in the modern world because the world is still filled with anti-semitism and if I follow this commandment I can attempt to rise above that.

        I choose this particular picture because I believe everyone that I am surrounded with in it, is the perfect representation of this commandment. All four of the girls that I am pictured with are the nicest most caring people I have met and they treat everyone around them with respect. They have the ability to forgive quickly but still receive respect because they treat everyone else in the same way. They are the perfect representations of this mitzvah and the perfect model of how I strive to treat others and myself in the future

Oral Law Cecelia

The Mitzvah I chose is Leviticus 19.17 "You shall not hate your kinsfolk in your heart. Reprove your kinsman but incur no guilt because of him". This line explains you can be mad at someone but you cannot actually hate them. You may be mad at someone and not be on good terms with them in the moment but you always know these problems will be resolved and you will be friends with them again. When faced with a conflict like this the best path to take is to speak with them and be mature and civil about the situation. Talking with someone about an issue is always better than it escalating because of a simple miscommunication.

My photo is of our class of Fall 2018. The photo is from the beginning of the semester when we went to Jerusalem for Shabbat. This was a time when we did not know each other very well but we have come quite far compared to where we are today. There might be disagreements and little fights between all of us, but in our hearts we all love each other and are so happy we are here together. At the end of the day we will always be a קהילה קדושה, kehilla kedosha, a holy community. By the end of this four months we will all consider each other even more than just a community, we will see the people around us as family.

Cody's Oral Law

The Mitzvah that I relate the most to is Leviticus 19:33-34."When a stranger resides with you in your land, you shall not wring him. The stranger who resides with you shall be to you as one if your citizens; you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I the Lord am your God." I interpret this Mitzvah as simply be kind to people no matter who they are. Whether they are native to your land, or from the other side of the world, it shouldn't matter because we are all humans, and should be treated as such. Throughout my day I make it a point to ask people how they are doing. Whether I know them or not, I try to be kind. If they need help with something then I try my best to help them, and especially being in Israel where I don't speak the language, I still strive to do the best that I can. I think that if I follow this Mitzvah everyday, then I will be lead to so many amazing people all with their own unique stories that I can share with others as we work to make the whole world a loving and united Kehillah.

This picture is showing people of different cultures and races coming together as a team and interacting with each other peacefully regardless of their differences. I believe that this picture represents this particular Mitzvah really well, because it shows people setting aside their differences and excepting each other for who they are and not judging them by how they look.

Oral Law Assignment - Ally

“You shall not insult the deaf, or place a stumbling block before the blind.” (Leviticus 19.14)

I chose this mitzvah because my entire life I have been around people with disabilities and I believe they should be treated with the same respect as someone without disabilities. I interpret this mitzvah as one should not take advantage of a person with disabilities or mistreat someone with disabilities. I fulfill this mitzvah on a daily basis by recognizing people with special needs and figuring out a way to help them. This can be used as a guideline for myself in the modern world because I know not to discriminate or belittle disabled people.

This picture is of me and my Aunt Pam. My Aunt Pam is mentally and physically disabled. This picture is from a couple of years ago when we were hanging out and I was helping her with her reading. This mitzvah really resonates with me because I hate when people treat my Aunt Pam as if she isn’t on the same level as them. I am extremely close with my aunt and I think about her all the time. She is one of the people I look up to the most in my life because she has always continued to be positive even when life has been so horrible to her. Somehow, she admirably continues to keep an uplifting spirit.

Oral law max

I chose the law stating that you shall not comit avodah zara. That you are to pray and believe in the one god and to not turn to other beliefs and their gods for they are not real and will not help you. I practice this by praying to the one god and do not turn to others for assistance in my life. This mitzvah can be a guideline by giving us one being to turn to, to not question our loyalty to differnt beings and who you shall pray to for help.

This clipart represents that there is not toleration for the belief in false beings. The mutliple colors in the words represent multiple beings while the cross shows that this isnt allowed and wont be tolerated.

Oral Law Blog

The mitzvah I chose was Leviticus 19:3 which says "You shall each revere his mother and his father, and keep My sabbaths." I chose this mitzvah because it is important to love your parents and respect what they have done for you. I believe this mitzvah means that you should always hold a place in your heart for your parents. To fulfill this mitzvah, don't take things for granted and be nice to your parents. Asking them how their day went or helping with things such as errands or chores shows you care. In the modern jewish world, it shows that we have had a tradition of keeping our parents close to us for thousands of years.

Here is a photo of me and my parents outside of a hotel in Jerusalem today. It was the first time I got to see them in over two months, and was also the longest I had ever gone without seeing them. I ran out of the taxi and gave them each a big hug and we talked for awhile about how my time was going and their trip as well. This photo shows me loving my parents genuinely.

The mitzvah I chose was Leviticus 19:3 which says "You shall each revere his mother and his father, and keep My sabbaths." I chose this mitzvah because it is important to love your parents and respect what they have done for you. I believe this mitzvah means that you should always hold a place in your heart for your parents. To fulfill this mitzvah, don't take things for granted and be nice to your parents. Asking them how their day went or helping with things such as errands or chores shows you care. In the modern jewish world, it shows that we have had a tradition of keeping our parents close to us for thousands of years.

Here is a photo of me and my parents outside of a hotel in Jerusalem today. It was the first time I got to see them in over two months, and was also the longest I had ever gone without seeing them. I ran out of the taxi and gave them each a big hug and we talked for awhile about how my time was going and their trip as well. This photo shows me loving my parents genuinely.

Layla Oral Law

The verse that I most relate to is Leviticus Chapter 19  "You shall not render an unfair decision: do not favor the poor or show deference to the rich; judge your kinsman fairly." This mitzvah relates to both criminal punishment and having a fair justice system, as well as simply resolving conflict with a neighbor. A fair justice system helps to make sure that there is no cruel or unusual punishment given to a person who has committed a crime or a sin. By not favoring the poor— most likely out of pity— may not allow them to receive proper punishment for their crimes. By not showing deference to the rich, they may also be punished for crimes without the fear of disrespecting the criminal. Resolving civil conflict is a problem that is more common than having to use the justice system in most of our lives. By using similar tactics as the justice system, one can resolve quarrels in a respectful manner that allows everyone to be treated equally. I fulfill this mitzvah in my life by treating everyone who I fight or argue with in the way that corresponds with their actions. In the modern world, this mitzvah can be a guideline that helps me and others deal with people's negative actions that require resolution. 

I chose this picture that I took when I visited the Kinesset two years ago. It represents justice because it deals with their legislative branch of government. With government there is justice and order. Laws and governments are created to protect citizens, and by doing so they help punish criminals properly. A court is unbiased and a jury is of the defendant's peers, which correspond with the stated mitzvah.

Oral Law Ellie

I chose the Mitzvah in Leviticus 19:17, “You shall not hate your kinsfolk in your heart. Reprove your

kinsfolk but incur no guilt because of him”. To me, this means that loving your family is one of
the most important things that you can do. It also is saying that since you can’t change your
family it is necessary to help each other be better people, yet not in a degrading or
condescending way. For me personally, friends and people come and go but my family is
forever and they mean the world to me. My parents, my brother, and I are all very close and we
are constantly supporting each other and helping one another. If one of us thinks that we
know what’s best for another one of us, we don’t take it negatively and we all understand that
we all have each other's best interests in mind. I fulfill this Mitzvah in my daily life by calling
my parents and brother more days than not, even when I’m more than 6,000 miles away. We
all check up on each other because with me in Israel, and my brother away at college we won’t
all be together for a long time and so we make sure to still be close with each other. This is a
guideline for me as a Jew in the modern world because even when I become frustrated with my
family I can think back to my Jewish values and remember that I love them and that they love me.

This is a picture of my parents, my brother, and I at my brother's graduation party. This represents my Mitzvah because it is a reminder of the people who mean the most to me and that I can't forget about them or fall out of touch with them. I have it as my phone lock screen to remember that they are the most important people in my life and being connected to them needs to always be one of my top priorities.

Oral Law Blog

• Please open the Tanach to ויקרא י"ט (Leviticus 19). Please read the wide range of mitzvot here and choose one mitzvah (commandment) to which you can relate.
• Please explain why you chose this Mitzvah or pasuk (verse) and build a fence around it. How do you interpret this Mitzvah? How do you or can you fulfill this mitzvah in your daily life? How can it be a guideline for you as a Jew in the modern world?
• Using a digital camera/phone, please take a photograph that in some way expresses the verse you selected (or use an existing photo). The photo can be a place, a person, something you’ve created, an object in nature, etc… Be creative! The image may only have meaning for you!
• Write a concluding paragraph explaining how this photograph expresses the Jewish mitzvah/ value you selected.

This assignment must be constructed of 2 paragraphs and a picture. 

 The mitzvah that I choose is Leviticus 19:17 "Do not hate a fellow Israelite in your heart. Rebuke your neighbor frankly so you will not share in their guilt." I chose this commandment because I believe it has a lot to do with current issues. We were talking to Rabbi Rick Jacobs today about the Reform movement and it's struggles with the Orthodox movement. He discussed how Orthodox leaders don't treat other citizens and sects of Jews equally. These actions go directly against the commandment Leviticus 19:17. However, the commandment also adds that it is important to debate other views and have a friendly argument. This relates to my daily life because throughout my experiences with Israelis, I have often had debates about religious and political issues, but I always make sure I respect their ideas. I believe it can be a guideline to me because even though I disagree with a lot of people in Israel I have to learn to respect them.

I chose a photo of the western wall because there are many altercations between Jews that happen there. Whether it's when women of the wall hold protests and Orthodox men spit on them, or the separation of women and men at the wall. Based on Leviticus 19:17 this needs to stop. However, the Western Wall is also a place for Jews to unite and have friendly conversations. This is why this photo represents the commandment.

Melanie Oral Law

I chose the mitzvah “You shall not pick your vineyard bare, or gather the fallen fruit
of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the poor and the stranger.” I interpret it to
mean that not only do we need to give to the needy, but we need to incorporate it into
our daily lives by donating part of the fruits of our labor. In my daily life, I can follow
this rule by giving a portion of my earnings to charity, and giving the extra things
that I don’t need, like clothes I’ve grown out of, to people that need them. This
mitzvot can create a guideline for me as a Jew in the modern world by encouraging
community service and taking the time to help the less fortunate in my community.
Also, it teaches us to be kind to the stranger, which in today's times can be interpreted
to mean we should advocate for immigrants escaping bad situations and refugees.

I chose a picture of a soup kitchen because it represents helping the stranger and
the poor to get food that they need to survive. This picture shows volunteers who
cooked food and are giving it to people that need it. Additionally, in the mitzvah,
by leaving parts of the vineyard for strangers, you are giving them food so they can
survive. This photograph also represents the Jewish value of this mitzvah of giving
up something to help someone in need, since in the photo the volunteers are giving
up their time to help someone who needs it get food and in the commandment, the
farmers give up some profit for the benefit of the stranger.

Adam Oral Law

I strongly connect to the mitzot of 32 “‘Stand up in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God. I am the Lord. Personally, I have always felt a very strong connection to my family members of older generations. My great uncle passed away this past year, whom I was very close with. He was a very musical person with a lot of connections to a musical world. His contribution to my life was enormous. Also as someone who was very learned, he taught me how to play chess and learn the game with a passion. He will always be remembered by me and my family as well as for his music. Today, I can honor him and this commandment by talking to my grandparents, hanging out with them, which is something I do often, and interacting and being a part of their lives as much as possible. Respecting those who came before us and their contribution to our lives is very important to maintaining the Jewish tradition and this mitzvot specifically.

This is a video of my Uncle Herby, who passed away, and my then 3 year old brother Henry. This video was made by my uncle while he was documenting Herby's music. There are a bunch of other videos on his YouTube page of my great uncle singing and playing originals,covers, and more. We have kept the memory of Herby and his music alive through sharing his memory and his work. My cousin Marc now plays music at the level of Herby, composing and making his impact. By remembering Herby's impact on our family, we can continue to respect him and the Jewish commandment. 

Cyle Oral law

I relate to the mitzvah in Leviticus 19:33-34. These verses say, “When a foreigner
resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. The foreigner residing among you must
be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am
the Lord your God.” I think this mitzvah can be interpreted in two very distinct ways. In the
large scale, this mitzvah can be interpreted through the lens0 of the refugee crisis. I think it
speaks to the idea of taking people in and caring for them no matter where they’re from. The
second way, the small scale, is to try to be inclusive and accepting of all people.

I think that this picture, taken at a march that one of my friends attended, represents
both interpretations of the mitzvah. The people in the picture are marching for refugee rights
and many of them had never met the people they were marching with. The front row is
filled with people of all different ages and creeds who accepted each other. I think that we
should, as Jews and as people, should accept people because we too were slaves in the land of
Egypt.

Noa Oral Law

Noa Dubin
10.21.2018



I chose this Mitzvah because I think it is something everyone needs to hear every once in while. I think that this Mitvah can be fulfilled daily by people thinking about their actions and what they say to other people. I think that this can e a guide in the modern world as a reminder that women are people and not objects.

Women are strong and this Mitzvah is telling women; to not allow themselves to be degraded, not to degrade their daughters, sister, mothers, and to give them the opportunity to shine. Women and girls have to e allowed to reach their full potential and they can't do that if they are being sold into the ideals and expectation of prostitution and sexualization of the body they were given.