Thanks to all for your support!
A couple notes of reflection towards the end of this part of my summer…
The projects I’ve worked on through the Institute have provided a solid framework for learning more about the environment in the Arava Valley and the nature of transboundary research projects they engage in. At the same time, they’ve also gave me more insight into both the difficulties and the rewards of the work this organization engages in–all together striving to make the world a more peaceful, sustainable place, one ambitious project at a time.
On so many occasions, I found myself hugely inspired by all these folks–their compassion, their humor, and their dedication to sustainability in all its forms.
This summer was a great period of growth, reflection, and personal challenge to myself. I came with many questions, and though I’m leaving with some more well-developed answers in many areas, I also feel that I’m leaving with yet even more questions than when I arrived. That said, I have a hard time imagining a more fortuitous constellation of bright, welcoming, and thought-provoking individuals to have interacted with this summer. I have you–all of you–to thank for allowing that interaction which I found so clarifying to occur at this juncture in my life.
And now, with this chapter drawing to its end, where are the pages to follow going to be written?
+first, a few days at home to spend with family and home friends
+then, back to North Carolina, where I’ll move into my Chapel Hill home and then go on an 4-day outward bound trip with the Executive Branch Officers in the Table Rock Area
+immediately after that, a week of Carolina United staff training and then the retreat itself will ensue
+and then… drumroll… the beginning of a great Senior Year!
July 31, 2009
The original title of this blog, in the form it was given to me, was “serviceblog.”
Before embarking on my summer experience, and throughout the last several months, I’ve been ruminating on the nature of this title and how the relationship it bore and would bear on my own summer.
The overarching question, in my mind, stood to be that of “How do you define service, and how can I be of greatest service to those around me in what I do?”
Having probed this question through various aspects of the NC Fellows program and on my own over the last few years, my current resting point on this question has been: service is the giving of a part of oneself to a cause larger than one’s self. It probably seems to be very standard or general, yet with a topic that can be as tricky as this one; I’ve found it to be my best baseline at the moment.
What about the case of about religious service and military service? Service comes appended to their very names—yet do they throw a wrench in this concept of a service ethic? To me, they still fit the definition, but they can also demonstrate how the notion of service, though traditionally couched in the positive terms, can also be a subjectively “ good” or “bad” deed, depending on the causes you espouse and put your faith in and then who is evaluating those larger causes.
More thoughts on this topic are forthcoming, but for now, I’m leaving the following notes open for exploration and dissection:
- · While on an APPLES (service-learning) trip in Robeson County, NC, last winter, a friend who had also worked in a post-Katrina New Orleans described service as “though sometimes we make it out to be some grand and glamorous thing, many times the most appreciated service is doing the things other people in resource-constrained places don’t have the time or desire to do—sorting papers and organizing files—helping with the organizational pieces that we sometimes see as standard operating practice.”
- · Of greatest service to the world is someone pursuing and acting upon that which they are best at and would, therefore, contribute to others the most.
- · Earlier this year, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said, “This country was built and has endured on a tradition of service. It’s a common thread that binds Americans of all generations together.”
- · Dictionary definition of service: an act of help or assistance; “he did them a service.”
- · Having and raising a family as a form of service—in this instance, one transforms their lives to support and develop the life of another human being.
- “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” -Gandhi
- · Is service truly service if it is mandatory?
- From p 160 in “The Light on the Hill” (about the history of UNC-Chapel Hill): “In his inaugural address of April 1915, EK Graham declared that… researc and classical culture are as deeply and completely service as any vocational service.’ They are ‘too precious to be confined to the cloisters and sufficiently robust to inhabit the walks of man.’ He thought that the ‘wealth of North Carolina should be turned into civic service.’”
July 4, 2009
From a follow-up conversation with another individual prior to leaving:
“Also, in our last discussion, we also had a brief exchange about the future of Israel/Palestine, about which I’d like to clarify what I had stated. I do see incredible difficulty and stubbornness in this region, but I am hopeful that some form of a more socially equitable solution is out there. Pragmatically optimistic is the only thing I think I can be, either… because I think to be pessimistic and resigned would suppress any creative solutions from bubbling up to the surface.
Yes, the situation is difficult and complex, and, as you said, there are a lot of intractable issues and personalities at play. But to believe that nothing is possible to resolve this question resigns us to that fate.
There are wars that have lasted hundreds of years; longer than any one person’s lifetime, but even they have achieved an end to conflict. Whether in our lifetime or the next, I do have hope that the issues we now see will find a more stable, equitable, and peaceful equilibrium. Though reaching such a state may not come easily or quickly, sometimes, I think that this level of difficulty makes the issues at stake even the more worthwhile for us to endeavor to solve. Furthermore, I both think and hope that my generation, with the energy, optimism, and creativity pouring out of it, will rise to the challenge to see and encourage peaceful progress to unfold in this area. Maybe it’s naive, but if we are really to focus our attention on achieving peace, I think history will show that we have the critical mass, connectivity, and capacity to make a difference.”
…
and some more updated thoughts:
Though the challenges may be great, the reward of any success in this area would be a tremendous step forward in leading by example to show that many peoples (and I do not say just two peoples, because though we often group Palestine as one and Israel as another, there are yet many other groups within, across, and left out of those two generalizations) can yet live and work together–or at least near each other. The very plural population in this region, without the weight of conflict hanging over it, could tap in the incredible creativity that accompanies the diversity of thought, background, and experience here and perhaps one day devote their creative attention to some of the other major issues in the world (climate change, resource depletion and resource misallocation, etc) instead of conflict.
June 18, 2009
Won the Jerusalem Prize for the Freedom of the Individual in Society earlier this year.
Several groups and organizations throughout the world encouraged him to not accept the award that recognizes the author whose work “best expresses and promotes the idea of the ‘freedom of the individual in society’”, operating in the belief that accepting the award from the Israeli President and the Jerusalem Mayor would be tantamount to condoning the Gaza war that had so recently occurred.
After much thoughtful contemplation, the Japanese author addressed both his critics and supporters with the following words:
Continue Reading June 12, 2009
And I want to particularly say this to young people of every faith, in every country - you, more than anyone, have the ability to remake this world.
All of us share this world for but a brief moment in time. The question is whether we spend that time focused on what pushes us apart, or whether we commit ourselves to an effort - a sustained effort - to find common ground, to focus on the future we seek for our children, and to respect the dignity of all human beings.
It is easier to start wars than to end them. It is easier to blame others than to look inward; to see what is different about someone than to find the things we share. But we should choose the right path, not just the easy path. There is also one rule that lies at the heart of every religion - that we do unto others as we would have them do unto us. This truth transcends nations and peoples - a belief that isn’t new; that isn’t black or white or brown; that isn’t Christian, or Muslim or Jew. It’s a belief that pulsed in the cradle of civilization, and that still beats in the heart of billions. It’s a faith in other people, and it’s what brought me here today.
We have the power to make the world we seek, but only if we have the courage to make a new beginning, keeping in mind what has been written.
The Holy Koran tells us, “O mankind! We have created you male and a female; and we have made you into nations and tribes so that you may know one another.”
The Talmud tells us: “The whole of the Torah is for the purpose of promoting peace.”
The Holy Bible tells us, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.”
The people of the world can live together in peace. We know that is God’s vision. Now, that must be our work here on Earth. Thank you. And may God’s peace be upon you….
Continue Reading Tagged: inspiration, speeches June 4, 2009
“It’s really a wonder that I haven’t dropped all my ideals, because they seem so absurd and impossible to carry out. Yet I keep them, because in spite of everything I still believe that people are really good at heart. I simply can’t build up my hopes on a foundation consisting of confusion, misery, and death. I see the world gradually being turned into a wilderness, I hear the ever approaching thunder. I can feel the sufferings of millions and yet if I look up into the heavens, I think that it will all come right, that this cruelty too will end, and that peace and tranquility will return again. In the meantime, I must hold on to my ideals. Perhaps the day will yet come when I’ll be able to realize them.”
Anne Frank, on Saturday, 15 July, 1944
May 30, 2009
With more photos to be posted in the future!
May 28, 2009
Before I forget, a few quick notes, to be filled in more later:
–a bit more of last week (post Be’er Sheva), in short: a man from Marda came to discuss permaculture in Palestine with us; brief hike up the Chanukia on Thursday and then a morning hike out into our crazy backyard mountains with a Uni Buffalo grad and Duke Grad on Saturday (that’s the real peace process {actually, she’s wonderful, and I’m quite a fan of her}).
pasta/soccer/poetry dinner at Abby’s (my *wonderful* boss) with Elinor the first (I’m the second);
progress at work;
–this week: discussions about the Naqba among the students–some of whom are Palestinian-Jordanian, some of whom are ’straight-up’ Palestinian, some of whom are Canadian, American, Israeli, and many combinations and permutations of the above (more on this again in future posts). Politics and Newspapers.
Wrapping up the week in rhymed verse (apparently these kibbutzniks do this every week!)
Soccer. Breezy, cooler evenings, Women’s Circle, lemonade in the evenings, visit to the Kibbutz Dairy at dusk.
Today: Presentation + Yot’Vata icecream (open 24 hours a day–a midnight ride is in the works) + a roundtable discussion with 17 Nepalese student sustainable dairy-interested farmers and two environmental engineers (one of whom is my more direct supervisor; the other of whom was with Engineers without Borders. all delightful!) + late night tea and chat
–tomorrow: marine ecology trip. and the beginning Shavuot celebrations (who wouldn’t enjoy a night of learning?).
–this weekend: a visit up north in the works (I hope!)
All in all, I’m nearly bursting at the seams with anticipation.
And, one last quote (somewhat similar to the end of the last post–sorry! but I still really like this one, and I just heard it at tonight’s speaking engagement):
“The here and now is always heavy with possibilities.”
Tagged: summaries May 27, 2009
“It’s sad, you know. You always have to be critical and pointing out what’s wrong and injust, otherwise they [the rest of the world] will think that everything is okay.”
Yesterday I took a trip up to Be’er Sheva with the RSDSC team, where we met with another team member and the ecologist for the project.
Afterwards, I had a great rendezvous with Miri and Noga (friends of friends and family). We met up at a unique cafe with *great* food adjacent to the BGU campus. The cafe, opened by Miri’s husband back in December, is special in that provides jobs for at-risk youth if they agree to meet once a week with a social worker. It aims to provide a greater incentive for youth to stay off the streets by not only giving them something to occupy their time (as a traditional youth center might) but also allowing them a chance to achieve job training (learning valuable skills) and earn money at the same time (decreasing the opportunity cost of doing other things). While on the way back to Miri’s for dinner, I walked with her husband and Haleli (their 9 month old daughter, who was carried by her dad) to hear more about his perspectives on the cafe and the town. He has plans to open up another youth center (his fifth–not including the cafe) in the city before too long, though it may have to wait until Haleli is a bit older.
Also, right before dinner, Miri, Noga, and I were discussing my travel plans back to Ketura. Though we had more or less decided I would take a bus back the next morning, right about the moment we discussed this, Miri got a call from a childhood friend of hers (now a geologist) up north. It just so happened he was on his way from Jerusalem to Kibbutz Ketura, and was hoping to drop by Be’er Sheva to visit her.
Just a little while after the delightful dinner with the crew (including two German electrical equipment engineers accompanying Miri’s childhood friend–they were going to investigate heat flows in the desert nearby Ketura), I joined in the three-hour journey back down south.
The world can be quite small sometimes, though immeasurable in the possibilities it affords.
May 19, 2009
“You should not see the desert simply as some faraway place of little rain. There are many forms of thirst.” -William Langewiesche
Heard of the Red-Dead Water Conveyance Project? This is complexity, amplified yet another step.
This, also, is one of my projects here.
Tagged: work May 17, 2009
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