Tucked away on Gordon Street, between the bustling thoroughfares of Dizengoff and Ben Yehuda, the always-packed Cafe Xoho offers patrons a funky and delicious blend of American-Israeli food with a relaxed and brunch-y vibe.

As North Americans transplanted to Israel, we’ve been on the hunt for good bagels and Cafe Xoho did not disappoint! We also tried a great burrito (who could imagine a great burrito in Tel Aviv?) and the chips and guacamole tasted as good as at home. We didn’t get a chance to try the amazing-looking pancakes and baked goods, but there’s an extensive and creative drink menu and we can report that having the option to add haloumi cheese to just about any dish is definitely worth the extra splurge.

With a fair amount of seating inside and out, solid service and decent prices, we’ll be happy to make Cafe Xoho one of our top spots while living in Tel Aviv!

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Cafe Xoho is located at Gordon Street 17 in Tel Aviv, easy walking distance from lots of buses on Ben Yehuda and Dizengoff and nice and close to the beach!

Much has been written concerning the Jewish calendar and the tapestry of meaning it weaves throughout the year, with the months and their festivals calling us to examine the relationships in our lives, each at the opportune time. We now find ourselves in between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, that moment of the year when our relationship with the self is brought to the fore. From the shofar blasts that ring out from the start of Elul, all the way until the end of Yom Kippur, we are urged to shake off the cobwebs of complacency and reset ourselves onto the path of self-actualization. Yet, often we can make resolutions that don’t stick and committing to personal changes that don’t last. There are of course several reasons for these missteps, with many books on how one can create combat.

Two aspects of my life give me the strength to continue on the path of self-improvement at this time of year. The first is living in a country that has shaped itself around the Jewish calendar and its overarching goals. From hearing radio hosts discussing what they felt during the Shofar to listening to two market sellers comparing their slichot service experience, I find myself immersed in a culture that values what this time of year is about. The second comes with my role on Year Course. During the year I have the absolute honor to provide educational experiences for young people who are also on some form of self-discovery. Not only does that journey present opportunities for students to question who they are and what they want to become, but it pushes me to ask myself the same questions.

The dual aspect of living in the Jewish homeland while engaging in a program that compels me to ask and answer the hard questions makes me a better version of me. I hope that by exploring the country and reflecting on the experiences you will have, propels you to become better versions of yourselves. Wishing you all a happy and sweet new year.

Shana Tovah,

Rabbi Adam

Shalom! I’m Joel Srebrenick – lifelong Young Judaean and Tel Aviv Experience Manager for Year Course in Israel. As a Year Course alumnus and former Year Course madrich (counselor), as well as an expert in all things Tel Aviv, I get to employ all of the useful things I’ve learned over the years to make the Tel Aviv semester an amazing four months.

Year Course is divided into two semesters – one primarily volunteering in Tel Aviv, and one mainly educational in Jerusalem, and I’m responsible for the Tel Aviv experience: from overseeing the maintenance and upkeep of Beit Hillel, our dorm-style building in the Montefiore neighborhood, to making sure kids make the most of the city’s many different cultural opportunities, to helping them feel fulfilled in their volunteering and Israel experiences, and so many more things – some planned and even more on the spur of the moment. On an average day, I might visit a chanich at their volunteer placement, help the section’s madrichim plan an activity on Israeli politics in the afternoon, and connect the whole group to the world of social activism in Tel Aviv by facilitating a guest speaker in the evening.

As a longtime Judaean, I bring with me to Tel Aviv the values instilled in me first as a camper at CYJ Sprout Laker and both a camper and staff member at Camp Tel Yehudah, as a Machon summer trip participant, as National Mazkir of the Young Judaea movement, as a Year Courser, a Year Course madrich, and now for the last few years, as Tel Aviv Experience Manager.

Year Coursers’ experience in Tel Aviv is all the more important to me because I live here, too! Having made aliyah in 2016 and becoming a citizen, people often ask why I decided to move to Israel. Is it any surprise that the answer is Year Course? As a madrich, I saw just how incredibly meaningful the volunteering semester was for so many of my chanichim. Having the opportunity to be part of the relationship that young American Jews have with this country – becoming invested in its future, and contributing to the society by helping to build it alongside Israelis – inspired me to make the long-term commitment.

My best Year Course memory is from my year as a chanich, and I’m reminded of the experience every time I help chanichim plan a weekend trip camping or hiking in one of Israel’s many beautiful parks and reserves. It was late December of 2010, and I had traveled to Mizpe Ramon with a group of friends where we spent the weekend at a cool outdoor hostel – sleeping in tents, cooking our own food, and navigating our way around the crater. It was the first time in my life that that I felt truly independent, not only as a young adult, but as a Jewish American in Israel. I understood that in addition to making new friends, getting to know Israel, and having a ton of fun, Year Course was a journey of my own personal growth, one that that influences me even to this very day.

I consider myself truly lucky to make new Year Course memories, and even more lucky that I get to experience my favorite moment of the year not once, but twice. When each section arrives in Tel Aviv, there’s that excited, nervous energy bubbling in the group. If it’s the first semester, the chanichim are embarking upon their first big post-high school experience, stepping out of their comfort zones and becoming independent in a way they’ve never been before. If it’s second semester, the arrival in Tel Aviv, a non-stop, cosmopolitan city, can be a big change from Jerusalem’s quainter atmosphere. At some point in their first few weeks, we all go to the beach together on Saturday for Havdallah, the ceremony marking the end of Shabbat and beginning of a new week. It’s a beautiful and welcoming moment, when I get to see everyone suddenly feel part of the city together as one group, ready to grow and take advantage of all the things that Tel Aviv has to offer.

As we start a new Year Course year, there are all kinds of things to manage: schedules, room assignments, volunteer placements, guest speakers, excursions, educational activities, and, well, everything that goes on behind the scenes. But alongside all of the logistics, I’m also getting ready to share one of the most important values instilled me as a Judaean: to create a better understanding of Israeli society, inviting young and engaged American Jews to be part of the conversation about the future of Israel and what this land will look like in the years to come, to feel empowered with the knowledge and experience gained this year, and maybe, like me, to one day call this country home.

Hi YJ world, my name is Dr. Avi Rose and I am the Director of Academics and Education. Why the double title you ask? Because we at Year Course are doubly committed to learning. On the one hand, many students on YC seek academic credit to get their college careers off to a great start. So, we work with the American Jewish University to give those credits at the highest possible standard, with instructors who are trained and experienced in their field of expertise. On the other hand, we are a movement program, dedicated to our ideals of Judaism, Zionism, Leadership, Social Action and Pluralism. It is my job to create learning  that includes all these elements in a way that is interesting and meaningful. It’s a job I love!

I’m a relative latecomer to YJ, I joined the movement when I joined the YJ team in 2003. I’m pleased to say that ever since, I’ve done my best to bring out the best in our movement. I’ve taught hundreds of students in all those years and I couldn’t be more proud of them and their accomplishments. They are part of a huge network of Judaeans who are doing their part to change the world in large and small ways. Everywhere I go in my professional life, I always end up meeting one of those Judean alumni, they seem to be in almost every field. The one thing they all have in common is a sense of mission and purpose. Almost all of them will tell you that they got this from their YJ upbringing.

I even bought my treasured Mah Jonng set from a Year Course grad who was on the program before I was born. She answered an ad I placed online and we ended up chatting for hours about her YC and how it changed her life. I think of her and her journey every time I play.

I’ve lived in Israel since 2002, after many years of going back and forth between Jerusalem and Canada. After completing my Phd, I decided that it was time to ‘take the plunge’ and fulfill my dream of making Israel my home. A few years later, I met a great British guy and he agreed to build a home with me here in Israel. Today, we live in the capital where we are raising our twin children. Our kids love to meet “Abba’s students” so don’t be surprised if they show up on campus and ask you to play.

In my years at YJ, I’ve loved nothing more than watching students face their challenges. I’ve worked with students who dreamed of achieving educational or professional goals, overcome personal obstacles, or simply try out new directions in life. My greatest joy is meeting these students as they progress through life after YC, in college, as young professionals, parents and sometimes as colleagues.

Year Course is something that sticks with you. It’s a year that really lasts a lifetime, with experiences, learning and friendships that remain part of who you are. It’s a launch pad to a life of independence, community, commitment and exploration. It may sound a bit cliche, but I am truly proud and honored  to play a small role in this very big adventure.

 I look forward to meeting you and having join our unique community, I know you will make it even better!

My Young Judaea pedigree goes back to age 13, when my older sister tricked me into attending a YJ club meeting in Nashua, NH. I was hooked from the start and became active in my club, my region, camp and eventually Israel. After loving my Year Course experience despite a war in the middle of it, I knew I had to get back. Junior year abroad at Hebrew University and then my year as a Year Course madricha solidified my conviction that #ycneverends and I have been on a path towards never leaving ever since.

After making Aliya to Israel, I ran the theatre program at Merkaz Hamagshimim for 9 years, worked at Hebrew College in Boston for 3 and a half years, and found my way back to Year Course in 2009 where I have been happily working my way up to director ever since. As Director of Year Course, I get to navigate the intersection between education and administration of the program and see our students through a 9-month journey of personal growth, grappling with identity, and Israel adventure. My favorite part of the job is that it is always changing. Local, national and international weather, politics, culture and more (of multiple countries), can divert us from our regularly scheduled program and make for exciting challenges of how we stay dynamic and able to react to the world around us without missing out on the things we’ve already planned. It is never boring!

I hope our students are learning how to balance our history with our future. I hope they are allowing the “boring stuff that happened a long time ago” to be relevant as a lens through which they understand who and how they want to contribute to the world around them.

I come from a modern orthodox background, I went to a Jewish day…

By: Zach Mendes, recent Year Course Alumnus

There was a lot of anxiety the week leading up to Marva- my friends and I had been told it was pretty hard. On your first day you go to the center for processing. You are in a room full of people you don’t know, there are commanders asking you questions and yelling at you- it’s shocking, a snap to reality, it puts you in the mindset that this is how it’s going to be for a while. After processing is done you get on a bus and head to your base, where you get new commanders who are new faces to you. They make you stand in a chet where you can’t move or talk for 4.5 hours before you are told which unit you will be in- after all that waiting you finally receive your uniform.  Putting on the uniform was a big relief. I received my rifle on the second day, and I had 48 hours to learn all the safety, rules, and components of the rifle. It’s a huge responsibility.

The first 2 weeks of Marva were the hardest because we weren’t allowed to go off base at all, we were always getting yelled at by our commanders, and you are trying to get to know everybody. The 3rd week was amazing because it was our shavua shetach (field week). We went camping, learned combat skills, and went to a firing range.

During South Week we went to Sderot which has one of the highest rocket attacks in all of Israel because it’s on the Gaza border. While we were walking through the town, people on the porches would stand up, wave to us, and call to us, “Chaim Sheli” and “Ani ohev otcha” (“my life” and “I love you”). It was an amazing experience seeing their faces light up, and we aren’t even real soldiers, we are just kids from around the world coming together to see what it’s like. That showed me that it does have meaning to people and wearing this uniform brings their spirit up. You don’t need to be an actual soldier to fight terror. Just by doing Marva we were fighting terror because it put a smile on people’s faces. That was a really amazing experience.

By Ari Chesterman, Year Course 2014-2015

Feelings of excitement and nervousness mixed in my chest as I set out on my first ever siyur of Young Judaea’s Year Course program.  The more this hot day passed by, the more I began to realize just how much fun this year was going to be.

We traveled as a group to the City of David. I had been there twice before, but this time was different. In the past I had not gone with a tour guide specifically from City of David. I was also surrounded by my peers this time. Over this trip I learned a lesson I hadn’t discovered with my previous visits.  Different is not always bad.  This visit to City of David certainly was different than my previous visits, but was a good thing. Avreimy, our tour guide, made the experience a cross between educational and interesting. Not to mention, ice cream was amazing.

We started off on a bus that took us to a spot a little bit outside City of David and continued on to the main plaza outside of the archeological site. I thought we were meeting was just another tour guide. It became abundantly clear I was wrong. Before we even started the tour he gave us some background about himself, including a story about the importance of names. In fact, Avreimy, born Avraham, was soon given his nickname of Avreimy, which he tried to ditch as a teenager. He came close to going by Max, but it didn’t stick due to a friend’s meddling. As we walked around a little bit I was pleasantly surprised to see how energetic and knowledgeable Avreimy was. His overall demeanor made the tour fun, and his thorough explanations made the tour informative.

 

After his introduction, he took us up a staircase and onto a roof of an old building and from there we could see the most beautiful panoramic view of Jerusalem.  Avreimy used us to represent different locations, like the Temple and other surrounding important historical buildings. Then we continued down to the tunnels. This was my third time going through the tunnels and it was also the best experience I have had walking through the tunnels. We spent the entire walk through knee deep in water, belting out songs, and I truly believe that my class connected as a group. Something about walking in the dark belting out Disney songs helps you bond.

Each location we stopped at held new and valuable information. [just put one thing you learned at each stop and why it proves the Bible happened or didn’t] [conclude with something among the lines that it provides convincing proof of small aspects of the Bible, but doesn’t come close to proving David was the the location]

I learned so many new and exciting facts on this trip, i definitely this that it was a winner. What an amazing start to what is clearly going to be an amazing year

In late September, Rabbi Rob Kahn led his Zionist History class to Mt. Herzl in Jerusalem for a siyur, or trip, into the origins of Modern Zionism.  Below are two reflections from the trip written by two of Rob’s students.

 Is Israel living up to Herzl’s dream?

by Naomi Solkowitz

As a Judaean I have spent a lot of time learning about Theodore Herzl by reading the Zionist idea, visiting Har Herzl on Machon (Young Judaea’s Summer Program in Israel), but today, after visiting Har Herzl I started to wonder whether Israel is truly living up to Herzl’s dream.

Herzl’s plan was to give the Jews sovereignty and create a state for the Jews. This is where the first issue comes up. Is Israel a “State for the Jews” or a “Jewish State”? Israel is a Jewish State. Israeli law is based on Jewish law and Jewish values and Jewish holidays are national holidays. Restaurants are kosher, buses do not run on Shabbat and Ben Gurion airport closes on Yom Kippur. Of course these are all generalizations, but they are all little things that make Israel a Jewish State.

In Herzl’s writing when approached with the question about language he says “We cannot converse with one another in Hebrew.” Herzl wanted a common language to be spoken. Herzl wanted “those miserable stunted jargons” to be lost. Herzl’s idea of Political Zionism included Israel being a great, exemplary nation that would be able to work with other countries, but he did not think Israel could be that nation if they spoke a dead language. Furthermore, Hebrew is another example of how Israel is a Jewish State, and not a State for the Jews. The Jewish People in Israel brought back Hebrew to revive their religion and culture.

Getting to the big question, Herzl’s goal in his Zionist idea was to get rid of Anti-Semitism, “if we only begin to carry out the plans, Anti-Semitism would stop at once and for ever. For it is the conclusion of peace.” Look at what is happening in Europe, more specifically in England and France. Of course Israel is always a safe haven for people to escape Anti-Semitism, but the creation of the State of Israel absolutely did not stop Anti-Semitism. In that sense Israel was a failure to the Jewish Question.

Although there are many things that Israel does not fulfill according to Herzl’s dream, Jews have their sovereignty and have a place to go to escape Anti-Semintism. Israel, while it has many flaws, is still an exemplary country with many Start Ups and achievements in the world.

Herzl and Ahad Ha’am: Contrasting Visions

By Dana Little

The second siyur that Rob Kahn’s Zionism class went on was to Mount Herzl. This was convenient being that Herzl was the founding father of Zionism. An outline of the day was: visited Herzl’s grave, read inserts of Herzl’s plan to establish the state of Israel, toured the Herzl museum, answered questions about Herzl, read about Asher Ginsberg (Ahad Ha’am), compared and contrasted his plan of establishing Israel to that of Herzl’s and said our closing words around the grave of Herzl.

I learned a lot on this trip both about Herzl and the establishment of the state of Israel. Herzl was not the first person to call for the creation of a Jewish state, however he created a movement that marked out a path exactly how to do so. He led the Zionist movement from 1897 until his death in 1904. He wrote down specifically what he envisioned the state of Israel, the Jewish homeland, in Der Judenstaat. He believed that with the establishment of the Jewish state, people could come together in an environment free of racial Anti-Semitism. He was the founder of political Zionism.

I found the Herzl museum very interesting, informative and effective. It was a very unique museum for it was a motion picture telling the story of an actor rehearsing for his role as Herzl. After the museum, we read an insert of Ahad Ha’am. We learned that Ahad Ha’am did not agree with much of what Herzl recommended, rather he criticized most of it and thought differently. He believed that with the creation of small Jewish settlements, that would lead to a state. Also, with the state of Israel, it would help reinforce Jewish life in the Diaspora.

Ahad Ha’am was the founder of cultural Zionism. Together as a class, we charted the differences between Herzl and Ahad Ha’am. They contrasted in certain ways such as Herzl said the language of the Jewish state would be the majority of what the people were speaking, however Ahad Ha’am said Hebrew. Herzl said the location of the Jewish state was less important than the fact of its existence, while Ahad Ha’am insisted that it be in Israel. By contrasting the two leaders, we were able to make some conclusions about which parts of Israel were influenced by which leader. The last moments of the siyur, we watched as groups of soldiers paid homage to Herzl’s grave. As a class, we then surrounded his grave and said some last words. This siyur helped me connect to Israel in a way that I was proud. I was proud for what Israel, as a state, had accomplished. Even though Herzl was not alive to witness the establishment of Israel in 1948, his dreams for a Jewish state ultimately came true. This gives me a good feeling