We Embrace Dominators, Dome Run and Domer Simposon. Dome de dome, de dome....

Week Two

Each day here is so long. We wake up around 6:00 p.m. and manage to fit so much into one day. Yesterday afternoon, I walked with a group of men from the program, our program leader to an old Arab cistern. It was a short walk to a very narrow hole. We had to lower ourselves below with careful footing and a rope. I was the second to venture down but I panicked at the confined opening. I tried once more and gingerly lowered myself below. It was so dark and cold and wonderful. A beautiful respite place from the hot sun. The cistern was large enough below to hold six or more people. Getting back out proved not so difficult and my fears were assuaged. I have since gone back only one more time but I hope to fit in more trips while the midday period is still scorching hot.

Next was partner yoga on top of the stage over the water tank. Stacking Functions. Once I overcame my trust issues, it was great and I got a deep stretch. Next we scrambled around to get to Tel Aviv. Anna and I left with two boys from our program. We were dropped off at a bus stop where we waited over an hour and half for a bus. After several bus passing us-were they full, ignoring us, should we flag them down! We did not know. All we knew is that we were somewhere on the side of the highway and we did not know how to walk back to the farm. So we splurged on a cab ride to Tel Aviv. Flat rate of course.

This was my urban trip in Israel, and thus a monumental one. We were overwhelmed and so hungry once we got there (10:00 at night or was it even later?) We checked into the first hostel we saw, even though we talked majestically of camping on the beach. We bought gelato and each it ravenously with our fingers and walked aimlessly from restaurant to restaurant. We found good falafel and a red lager and life was good. Then we walk along the shore, sipping our beers. The water was so warm, even at that time of night.

The rest of the night was a wild series of events. We played on the crazy exercise equipment that they place in busy sections of the city. They involve using your own weight as leverage which makes it more interesting. Pictures will follow soon. Next we stumbled upon a swanky nightclub with a view of the ocean where Anna was hit upon by a German who was outraged that her boyfriend is not Jewish. Outraged. We finished the night with a late night dip in the Mediterranean. The current was strong but the water was so wonderfully warm that I could not pull myself away.

That is a sum up of only day in Israel. It helps explain why it is hard to keep up with the blog. Not every day is so action filled, especially days only on the farm. Our daily scheduled consists of morning tea, chores or nature meditation which is then followed by a group breakfast. We then have class for about four hours with Yigal, our permaculture instructor. Next is group lunch under the big tree and then we got a break for a couple of hours. What happens next we never know: maybe it a group sharing circle, Jewish studies or working on our dome gardens. We have a group dinner later and later. In between all these times, there is a lot of music and laughter. Anna plays her violin, E plays his guitar, and maybe someone is playing a drum. Off in the distance, we can sometimes hear the Israeli flute player. Such is life on the farm thus far.

I Compost, You Compost, We All Compost Together

I realize that I have not discussed the farm enough in detail. Our first official day on the farm, the Eco's met with Chaim to talk about the compost toilets. Since then every conversation revolves around them in some form. It really breaks down a lot of personal barriers.

I had some natural fears about using them before I came to the farm. There are about five compost toilets on the farm and two up near our domes. Some of them are made out of mud and straw and are beautifully decorated inside. The Eco toilets are less fancy, since the farm is not allowed to build any more permanent buildings. They are made out of vinyl and wood. They generally work like a normal toilet except there is no water. After each use, we dump a large handful of mulch into the bucket. It is amazing- there really is no smell. And we get to feel smug satisfaction about being so entrenched in this system. Once the buckets are full, we rotate them out and they sit for three months. After that, they are considered compost. However, the Israeli government does not allow the farm to use them on yerakot v perot. Instead we use it only on trees.

I am writing about the compost toilets first, since they embody the whole principle of the farm and permaculture. Nothing is wasted or no excess waste is created. It also strengthens our connection to the farm and local environment. It is such a small act and yet such a large one at the same time. When we go to Tel Aviv, flush toilets now inspire guilt instead of comfort.

Last week, I visited Anna's family in a Tel Aviv highrise building. Her cousin discussed at length the water problem in Israel. He told us about each family having a cap on water usage. Also each family will incur a heavy fee, if they exceed this cap. He finished with, "Well, what else can we do" I answered provocativey" "Compost Toilets." To which, he replied with a laugh, a weird face and immediately changed the subject. Yesterday, I took a shared sheroot from Afula (near where we were camping) to Tel Aviv. A Hasidic Jew from Great Britain sat next to me. Somehow, we got on an environmental conversation and he commented about how much water is wasted each time we flush. I told him excitedly about the compost toilets on the farm. It was such a random moment, but he was really into the conversation. The others on the sheroot, not so much. It was a moment that made me realize how easy it would be to make changes from flush to compost toilets. It is especially relevant in a country such as Israel where we are at the end of the dry season and the water problem is beyond clear.

I wax poetic about our first week...

We have two small mattresses and a low wooden table, a ladder, which we use to hang our dresses. The domes have about 5 or more 6 circular windows to make use of the cross ventilation. Although they are insulated, they are burning hot during the day and frosty at night. Home, sweet dome.

On the first day, new participants popped in and out of the our room. Already it had a festival like atmosphere. We heard storied of tramping across Israel, apple picking and lost underwear along the way.

A word about the food so far. Food has become a more sacred affair and we practice a moment of silence before each meal. Every meal has been delicious with some misfire dishes along the way. Breakfast is usually fairly simple: toasted oats with raisins or apples, goat’s milk (if we are lucky) Turkish coffee, teas from our garden and perhaps something random like fried sweet potatoes. I have been eating peanut butter on bread with Ceylon (date honey. Lunch is shared with the entire farm under a large tree. Dinner is held near our domes, generally under our Zula, which was built by the last generation of eco participants.

Our first night the entire group left the farm and walked along the fence to a lone fig tree. This quick trip changed my view of the landscape. When I first arrived I thought it ugly and barren. Than landscape here does not overwhelm you, but is beauty has a starkness and a simplicity. Think ugly beauty.

Sept. 10

Today I woke up at 5:30 am. and taught a small yoga class. We practice on a large wooden platform while the farm comes alive. While stretching we hear the donkeys braying, a rooster squawking and most importantly we watch the sun slowly rise before us. Sometimes the farm dogs come on stage and do a downward dog stretch next to us (one time but it funny).

On this day, we were still participating in group bonding exercises. We hiked towards Petya Modi’in where our teacher Nadav showed us the map of Israel on E’s body. We tasted our first sabra fruit off the cactus and we learned how to pluck them without getting hurt.

I wrote this journal entry form my front porch. I never get tired of the view. I get to incorporate sentences into my vocabulary like: “Today I showered outdoors beneath a pine tree, while someone was serenading me from the zula. Today I journaled from my porch while like looking at craggy hills. And most importantly today I learned tahina can be eaten with any meal, any dish.”

9-12

Last night celebrated Shabbat dinner as a group. First we discussed the menu at length on Thursday. I lost track of the number of dishes. Friday morning was late start (7:00!) Anna and I scrambled to make breakfast which was fairly informal. Afterwards we scattered to prepare for dinner. I harvested basil for the pesto. Then I went to a challah workshop. There were some negotiations , a lack of eggs and much scrambling around. I helped prepare the dough while some people sang and played on their guitars. I was reminded of the book/movie "Like Water for Chocolate" Oh what a happy challah it will grow up to be.

It was my first time participating in a Shabbat dinner preparation. Our group had fun with it, since everything was still so new to us and overall cooperation was easy. For me, the meal was special. It was held in large dome in order to accomodate 20 or more people. Something about it being held in a ten where I could watch the sun set on the craggy landscape, the rituals really came alive.

While everyone was singing, I was watching their faces. There was such a range of emotions from bored to complete apathy to exaltation and joy. I wonder what my expression betrayed to the group as I held scraps of Hebrew songs; curiosity, confusion and then maybe a hint of understanding. The significance of it and some of the singing was beautiful. For the first time I learned why the Shabbat dinner is referred to in the feminine. Our permaculture teacher shared a story of the myth of creation: there are 6 days of masculine driven energy where we work and then one day of feminine energy where we relax.

After dinner, a group of gathered on the zula where we shared drunken storied. So much laughter. Such a funny group.

Got through the first week. Much more to come on the actual farm itself.

Grow, Plant Poop: The Story of the Jews of Domeville

Today marks two weeks into my journey in Israel. So much has happened within this time period, which makes me wish that I started the chronicling of this journey earlier. However, this two week space can also function as time of processing and reflection. Yesterday was my birthday so today can symbolize a new beginning.

Let’s start at the beginning. There were two girls from different backgrounds who met at work. One day, Anna shared her intention to visit Israel for five months and work on an organic farm. The details were fuzzy at best. I was at a transitional phase in my life, so I immediately jumped at the opportunity for an extended adventure.

I had studied food policies, both international and domestic at Tufts University but I had not focused on agriculture. I saw this opportunity two ways. One, to obtain a background in agriculture (which may complete my studies-but also take me in a different direction) and to explore my Jewish side. For me there was conflict with both areas. I have strong political opinions about the state of Israel and I was concerned about the nature of my visit, specifically where it aligned me politically.

I will say this much. There have been many times in my life where I have been unsure of my actions, where I have hemmed and hawed, where I have stumbled down a fear based path. My graduate studies comes to mind. The Eco-Israel program is the sole time where I did not prevaricate. I knew from the beginning that I wanted to go down this path, even though I had only a vague sense of what lay before me.

Anna and I met up at the Tel Aviv airport at 5:00 a.m. on September 8th. When I got through customs I was so relieved and wired, relying on some unknown source of energy, which was highly unsustainable. When we arrived at the farm, the official program staff were not on site yet. We were greeted by two Australians who were former Eco participants. I am so drugged with lack of sleep that I had no idea who they were. Anna and I sat on a swing in a low mud structure while we munched on granola and fruit. It was a singular moment which characterized the whole of my experiences thus far. All the previous stress and hectic planning seemed so remote in this environment (and alien). But I had gone through all those previous stressful moments to come to this one moment of bliss. A moment of sweetness and a promise of beginnings.

The first day was a blur of sleeping and meeting new participants one by one as they trudged in, dazed and overwhelmed by the farm. There are nine of, formerly ten but one left early to pursue other interests but hopes to remain connected to the farm and our lessons here. We live in about 8 wooden domes, which resemble yurts. They are simple in their inside beauty. On the outside they rise awkwardly like octagonal white structures on the landscape. They are surprisingly larger that I expected. They were sparsely decorated with tapestries and dried herbs. We have two small mattresses and a low wooden table...

Blog interrupted for a class on Yom Kippur. Shalom.