I SHALL RETURN TO THE LAND OF MILK AND HONEY...

ACTUALLY CUCUMBERS AND TOMATOES

Yes, I have a penchant for wearing khakis (Bills Khakis to be exact) and I do favor Ray-Ban aviator sunglasses, but I don't anticipate any wading ashore with a corn-cob pipe clinched in my teeth when we arrive in Israel early next week. But it should be interesting none the less. Now, I am told by a very influential person in the heady realm of Judaic Studies that the milk and honey reference is of a biblical nature. From my experience though: cucumbers and tomatoes seem to capture the essence of modern day Israel more accurately, being that they are served at every meal seven days a week.

I begin this journey with a slight feeling of trepidation. I will miss the witty sarcasm of the SDJA class of 2010, with whom we last visited Israel. There will be no battle cry for Shwarma, the Gyros like pita sandwich sold everywhere in the country, at any and all hours of the day and night. No SDJA athletes flirting (and of course failing miserably) with the young passport control officers at the Tel Aviv airport. I won't get to do my impersonation of a third base coach "sending in the sign" by touching my nose, pulling one ear lobe, taping both forearms, that really meant: "come on!, you're late, get on the bus we're leaving." Memories and smiles.

So, off we go to what promises to be a very interesting ten day conference dealing with Holocaust curriculum. The opportunity for a non-Ph.D holder to attend a conference at Yad Vashem (Israel's Holocaust museum) is an honor for me. Since I'm not a full time history teacher, I guess my work at UNC in Dr. Christopher Browning's class helped seal the deal with the director of the program. Where else but at a Jewish Day School could you be introduced to a visiting director from Yad Vashem while touring our gym, have a long conversation about the academic relevance of studying the systemic murder of six million people by a modern European country and end up being invited to a conference in Israel. Life is never dull.