Shalom friends!  The purpose of this post is simply more of an update into the life of Israelis and the world within I am living.  I have a few posts to share with you all, including experiences within the City of David and celebrating Shabbat in Haifa with my family, however there is some work still to be done on them.

Over the past few weeks, there has been a significant amount of violence between both Israelis and Palestinian Arabs.  Since the kidnapping and murder of three Israeli teenagers (Eyal Yifrach 19, Gilad Shaar 16, and Naftali Frenkel 16), the tensions between both peoples have increased significantly.  Without going into much detail, as you can read about in the news, a Palestinian boy was found dead in the Jerusalem Forest a few days ago.

The organizers of Onward Israel have told us not to travel to the Old City in groups or alone because the tensions are very high and is meant more as a precaution.  Additionally, over the past few days the light rail has been destroyed by Palestinians in certain areas (predominantly Arab locations).

From where I am working and living, life in Israel is safe.  I don’t feel a state of danger.  I love working for the JCCA and the fellow staff are wonderful people.  Overall, this summer I have met several incredible people and I look forward to staying in touch with them this coming fall while in Boston, MA.  Although violence has altered the ways in which many Israelis identify and view themselves, the sense of community and togetherness has allowed Israel to push forward and look towards the future.