Tagging Along on Other Peoples' Vacation

This afternoon Jon got to have lunch at school with his parents, as the English-speaking Senior Educators were invited to talk with the gathered Melton staff in the Faculty Club, which has a great view of Jerusalem and a fantastic fleishig buffet. Jon was worried that he spent too much time talking to the 'rents and too little time talking about the program, but a quick look around the room showed that he was talking about the S.E.P. about as much as anyone else.

After lunch Jon and his mother caught a bus to Yad VaShem to see the new exhibit. The concrete, steel, and glass building is shaped like a prism, with the sharp angles of the exterior mirrored by angled walkways within. The theme of the museum is a microcosmic look at the Holocaust, and how it affected individual communities in Europe from the prosperous pre-war era through to the founding of the State of Israel. There is very little freedom to roam though the space, as you must follow a strictly defined path - there is a definite feel of inexorable movement toward some end (the establishment of Israel and the rise of Jews as a physical power). The museum is well arranged, making good use of design, media, artifacts, and the printed word, and closes with a breathtaking Hall of Names, which contains millions of names and bits of biographical data about the Holocaust's Jewish victims, as well as a three story sculpture that integrates photographs, lighting, and a limestone well. In the 90 minutes they had in the exhibit, the Parkers got through only about a third of the space, and would gladly (weird word choice, we know) go back again.

The museum was followed by some wandering around Ben Yehuda (which had only recently re-opened after the President's thoughtless visit there) while waiting for Abba and Rina. All four of us eventually met up at El Goucho for dinner, to enjoy some Argentine cuisine. We don't think that the South American country has discovered vegetables yet, as none appeared on the menu, but we won't complain. From the enchiladas and carpaccio (raw meat!) eaten as appetizers to the 2.2 pounds of steak eaten as an entree, all was magically delicious. Not too healthy, though, but that is what other peoples' vacations are all about.