Hello All, I just published an album of pictures. Hope you enjoy.... http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2114030&id=27710206&l=0c755 All the best, Yohanan Mikhael P.S. Another blog coming soon! [View Full Entry]

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After the two-week soul healing at Livnot, OTZMA went on break. This included the last remaining days of Hannukah and the New Year. I regret that I did not do anything exciting or eventful. Mainly I traveled within “The Center” of Israel. The Center is the triangle between Haifa, Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. Anything outside this triangle is considered the “periphery,” this includes cites like, Tzfat, Kyrat Shemona, Kyrat Gat, Be’er Sheva and the like. However, I would be remise if I did not remark on the happenings I had with Rav Alex! He and I go way back, back to [View Full Entry]

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An Eventful New Beginning Part Two: Livnot U'Lehibanot (To Build and To Be Built): This was a two-week adventure (or program) that took me to Tzfat. The best way to describe Livnot is through a parallel: Livnot is like Chabad House with out the Chabad. In a nutshell, Livnot cultivates young Jews who have very little or no connection to their Judaism. This can come in the form of lacking knowledge of basic prayers, Israeli politics, Torah, Jewish holidays, etc. They provide a welcoming environment and teach through hiking, volunteering, and formal lecture and discussions. When I [View Full Entry]

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An Eventful New Beginning: I apologize for my absence, there has been a lot happening in Israel and OTZMA. I have written out a series of entries. This entry is 1 of 4. These entries cover the months of November through mid-January. A fifth entry has yet to be written, but it will cover the remaining half of January and the events surrounding my birthday. Perhaps the first major event that took place was something called the “GA.” The General Assembly (or GA) is held every year by the United Jewish Communities of North America (or UJC). Every fifth year it [View Full Entry]

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Despite popular belief, Israel is doing fine. While she is under attack, Israelis will remain strong and pull through. Further, we should take a moment and ask ourselves how we can secure access to safe food, water, electricity and health care to the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. If we do not take this moment and then act, each one of us is responsible for the degradation of human rights. No matter what side we take, we should take the side of the advancement of human rights! I will try and update more as I can, with limited access to internet, [View Full Entry]

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Shalom Chevrah: I know it has been some time since we last chatted. Quickly said, I am currently in Tzfat (alternative spellings include, but not limited to Sefad, Tsfat, Zefat, Sfat, etc). On Shabbat I was asked to give "Words of Wisdom." In its most basic objective, the leaders wanted me to pull from traditionally Jewish texts and bring about something profound or powerful. If anyone has known me for more than five minutes, will know, I went in a completely different direction. Instead, I drew from a woman who has influenced my life in many profound ways, Audre Lorde. Below [View Full Entry]

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To those eager readers of my travel log, I apologize for my absence. Since the Chagim (holidays), I have been on the road on a teulim (trips). Let me break down my past adventures since Yom Kippur. Since Yom Kippur: As many of you might have seen, we went to the Temple Mount, the Dome of the Rock and the Church of the Sepulture. This was exciting, informative and well organized. After the tour of the old city, we were let go for Sukkot Break. This is where my adventures began… On Sunday October 12, I made my way from Jerusalem [View Full Entry]

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Hello All, Below is a hyperlink for a new photo album, enjoy. http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2100214&l=2ea80&id=27710206 Respectfully, Yohanan Mikhael [View Full Entry]

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No, Communism was a Red Herring: We knew a few days before that we were going even more north to Tzfat. For those who don’t know, Tzfat is the Bolder of Israel. It is the place to be if you are a Kabbalist. Kabbalah is the mystical side of Judaism (wiki Kabbalah). When I was last in Israel, summer 2003 I fell in love with Tzfat; the culture, the Kabbalistic ideas, the dreadlock rabbi, the smell and taste. Yes, there is a rabbi in Tzfat, who has dreadlocked payot and beard. We went to Tzfat for Selichot. There are varying traditions [View Full Entry]

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Distinctive New Friendships: This past Shabbos I was in Tel Aviv. Holy cow it rocked my socks off, which, as we know is a difficult task. This leads me to a pretty formal conclusion about the rest of my life. I am inevitably growing up to be my father. Checklist of characteristics that resemble your father: a) You have been told from a very young age, “You look just like your father.” b) You have his sense of humor, and you tell jokes as he would. c) At first you fought like two rams, now you compliment each other on any [View Full Entry]

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