A Poem By Howie Goldsmith

“Riding4Refom”

I'm tired of beige. Everywhere I look

in this city, I see beige.

Beige buildings, beige stores, beige people, beige mountains, beige

Judaism,

beige,

beige,

beige.

At this point in the year, with new

rain, and new cold,

I feel kind of beige.

But then I descend from these mountains, from this Holy Beigeness

through steep mountains covered in

green which give way to the lush plain below.

There is no beige in the valley.

Green, red flowers, blue oceans, purple, yellow wheat, colorful people, colorful stores,

colorful Israel. My

Zionism returns, my

feelings for The Land returns. I'm

inspired by the colorful

Reform Chalutzim who strive to establish a Jewish State

for all Jews,

of all streams,

of all colors. Filled with color I

climb back to Jerusalem

the hidden hues beneath the beige pop...

the possibilities. One day,

we Reform Jews will cover

the beige Judaism of Jerusalem in a

coat of many colors.

- Howie Goldsmith, Jerusalem – 2 April 2006

The Ballad of the Coming of the Messiah

The Ballad of the Coming of the Messiah
By Yotam Avi Zohar
(translated by Ayala Miron)

Mr Messiah wants to come to Jerusalem soon
But he's rather undecided about what type of transportation to use

What do you think about a white donkey?
That's old-fashioned and he is pretty stubborn

Many people use cars, only to get stuck in traffic jams and look for parking spots

Then maybe a bus, that causes pollution, makes noise, and is really not expedient

Then maybe the light train,
But that will only be relevant years after the coming of the messiah

"I want," said the messiah with a twinkle in his eye, "I want in this city a network of bicycle paths; Safely and soundly I will be able to peddle without traffic jams, pollution and noise motos.

So in order to help the messiah come to Yerushalayim,
please help us here to organize some bike paths for ofanayim

Energy Bar Recipes

http://www.recipezaar.com/136892

Homemade Bike Energy Bar Recipe #136892

This is an altered recipe I found online. It's great to have on the ride when you need a snack. Tastes great, healthy and they're much cheaper than store-bought bars

1/4	cup butter, melted or oil
8	large egg whites, beaten
3/4	cup whole-wheat flour
1/4	cup wheat germ
1/2	teaspoon baking powder
1/2	cup nonfat dry milk powder
3/4	cup rolled oats
1	teaspoon salt
3/4	cup brown sugar
2	cups chopped dried fruit
2 1/2	cups nuts, chopped
3/4	cup chocolate chips (optional)
1/4	cup sesame seeds

24 servings 24 bars Change size or US/metric

Change to: bars US Metric

45 minutes 15 mins prep

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease a 9x13 pan.
3. Beat together eggs and oil.
4. Sift together dry ingredients except fruit. Add flour to eggs, combine, then stir in fruit, nuts, and chips.
5. Spread evenly in pan, bake 30 minutes, they are still soft when done.
6. Cool, cut into 24 pieces, wrap in foil and freeze.

Homemade Energy Bars Recipe #2

I found this recipe online at http://www.recumbent-bikes-truth-for-you.com/recipes.html with 15 other homemade energy bar recipes. This is my version of their recipe...

Ingredients:

• 1 cup oatmeal
• ¾ c. wheat germ
• ¼ c. flax seed
• (Can substitute the wheat germ and flax seed with other whole grains or more oatmeal)
• ½ c. raisins
• ½ c. snipped (1/2-inch pieces) pitted prunes
• ½ c dried apples
• ½ c. coarsely chopped (unblanched) almonds
• ¼ c. unsalted sunflower seeds
• ¼ c. pumpkin seeds
• ¾ c. rye flour
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. b. soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 c. olive oil
• 1/2 c. brown sugar
• large egg
• 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 T. vanilla

Directions: Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking pan. In a large bowl, combine the cereal, raisins, prunes, almonds, sunflower seeds, flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, whisk the vegetable oil, brown sugar and egg until blended. Stir in the applesauce and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients, stirring just until blended. Spread the batter in the pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown. Cool until lukewarm on a wire rack before cutting into bars. About 24 bars.

Post-Ride Blogs

From Rabbi Jerry Weider

A Final Thought on the Ride

It was extremely interesting and impressive for me to ride the final two days through the forests around Jerusalem. These are the very same places that I remember being taken to as a teenager in 1963 to plant several trees for the JNF in Israel. Well, now those trees are big and those roads are the ones used for recreational biking and hiking. Now I understand, and have seen for myself, how that little contribution I made (in memory of my grandparents) has created a real forest for us to enjoy and to bike through, and as such, transformed an experience I myself had as part of this Ride for Reform. That was a very special moment.

In addition, the concept of “going up” to Jerusalem……. “Aliyat regel” that each Jew was asked to do each year in Biblical times has now become a reality for me. Riding up those hills took all my effort and determination, but upon reaching Jerusalem I was energized by the accomplishment and connected to our Biblical roots. I can now truly appreciate what it meant for a Jew to walk up to Jerusalem to fulfill the mitzvah of building the city and participating in the Jewish life of Biblical times.

On this motzei Shabbat after the ride, as I reflect on the entire five days of riding, I am amazed at the entire span of events that made up this ride. The connections to the land, the connections to other chevrah on the ride, and the connections to the IMPJ will now last a lifetime. I am honored to be a part of this experience and I hope to be able to participate again next year.

From Howie Goldsmith
I couldn't have imagined such a great ride!!

The people, the terrain, the cause, the organization... everything came together to make for a wonderful experience. My legs are sore, my butt is sore, but I know that I've done a good thing for the State of Israel.

To be honest, I'd gotten a bit sick of living here but this ride has renergized me. Not only has it renergized my feelings about being here for another month and a half, it has reinvigorated my Zionism. First, I feel that way because I've seen just how beautiful so much of the land is. Second, and more importantly, there is still so much to do to make this land a State for all Jews and for all kinds of Jewish experession. The work of the Israel Movement for Progressive Judaism is vital to realizing that goal and this ride allowed me to be a part of that work if only for a short time.

I will do this ride again. When? I'm not sure. But I will be back.

To all my fellow riders, thank you!

Love and Blessings,

Howie

From Jean Eglinton

Eagles and kingfishers and all sorts of other birds and wildflowers EVERYWHERE. Israel in the spring is especially gorgeous. It's much easier to see these things from a bike than from a tour bus. Also, we rode by many places I'd visited before - Yad Kennedy, the Sorek Caves, Jaffo, Tel Aviv. Covering the ground between them on my own power seemed to make them all fit together in the landscape in my mind.

It was a wonderful experience, and in spite of my frozen shoulder and thence inability to train properly beforehand, I made it through to the end. Even up and down the hills leading into Jerusalem (via Mevassaret Zion) and up, up, up... the final ascent into the city and to HUC. I am very grateful to all the people from home who sent checks to support the Israel Movement for Progressive Judaism through this ride. Next year, I hope some of you can come.

From Karen Perolman
It's 7:34am the day after the ride. I'm awake because I went to bed at 9pm. I went to bed at 9pm because I was so physically exhausted that I was starting to get grumpy and whiney. So I went to bed. And now its 7:34 and I'm awake. Fabulous.

What hurts:
-my calves
-my stupid sunburned lips
-everything below my bellybutton
-my neck and shoulders
-my nose (stuffy)
-my throat (sore)
-my ears (just hurts)

What I need to do today:
-take my laundry in
-get a massage (12:15)
-get my hair cut (1:30)
-finish writing my thank you notes and buy stamps
-get all the work I missed
-and on and on

How am I feeling NOT physically?
-exhilarated
-"the highest high I'll ever need" -me after going down the biggest hill
-SO SO SO proud of myself
-kind of amazed that I did it all. Some walking. NO riding the bus. Mostly biking. I rode myself all over Israel and most of the time I had a smile on my face.
-like I met some really amazing people-- from my classmates who I bonded with on a totally new level, to my classmates who I didn't really know before, to my future colleagues to the men and women who inspired me, motivated me and kept me going when the going got tough.
-my muscles ache, but I feel really really good physically and know that I'll feel even better physically when I'm recovered a bit.
-I climbed up that road in that picture. Yes, that tiny one in the distance. I still can't believe it.

The last day [bum bum bum bum BUM-- appropriate theme music]
So I had heard over and over and over again how tough the last day was going to be. How the climb into Jerusalem was going to be like anything I had ever done before. Blah blah blah. After Thursday afternoon I was pretty sure that I could handle anything they put before me. Ok, that works...until I saw the climb. It was a very very long hill...that just kept going and going and going. It didn't want to end. I rode most of the way with Neil and Claire who were *amazing* biking buddies. Finally, after the "main" climb, we had to ride up another big hill that almost seemed like it was going to be the end of me. Finally (after about 4 1/2 hours of riding) we got to Mivaseret Zion, the congregation outside of Jerusalem where we had lunch and heard about their community. One of our riders, Michael is a member there and told us all about it including their amazing Rabbi Mya who won a Supreme Court case to buy land from the government to build a building. Now their building (which I visited earlier in the semester) is built, but isn't finished yet.

We had lunch and then got back on the road so we would arrive at HUC exactly at 3:30 for the welcoming and closing ceremony. We had a police escort all the way into town and even though the final hour was tough and my body was hurting including my knees (which was a common problem since Claire and Rachael already had taped knees) I kept going-- adrenalin or just plain excitement- I don't know which. And then suddenly, we were done. We came through the tunnel and then were on Betzalel, then King George, then Hillel then Yaffo then King David and then 13 King David Street. Home. We ended up being a few minutes early so we got to hang out and hug each other before cutting the ribbon and running into the courtyard. Rachel and Bekah were playing "Heveinu Shalom Alecheim" and "Simin Tov U'Mazel Tov" and everyone was singing. From there it was kind of a blur but at one point all the HUC riders who had been away from their significant others for the week were kissing- I hope someone got a picture of it. It was priceless. Everyone also got roses and flags from the kids at the gan who were also waiting for us.

Anyway, after all the hugging we sat down for the closing ceremony and everyone who spoke on the first day spoke today. Michael Marmur told jewish biking jokes (the "chain" of tradition," and that the month of Nissan was named after a Japanese car company!). We got all received certificates and had our names called so people could cheer for us. Then there was cake (with a biker on it) and then a group picture up at Mercaz Shimshon. Then I got my stuff and went home where I laid on my bed for about an hour before moving again.

Day 2-3 blog - Daniel Schwartz

The past two days have been packed with exciting rides and activities. Since it is already late and I am ready for bed, here are some of my highlights:

Day 2 – Riding through the streets of Bat Yam, Jaffe and Tel Aviv along the seashore. We had a beautiful view of the sea, the old buildings, the Tel Aviv skyscrapers and even a number of weddings. In fact, one groom was so excited that he jumped into the middle of our group to have his picture taken.

Day 2 – Walking down to the Mediterranean Sea after a long day of riding for a nice swim with other some other riders. The water, which we were told would be too cold, was actually very nice. It was getting out of the water in the cool evening air that made us shiver.

Day 2 – Meeting with members of Beit Daniel, the largest of the 25 progressive congregations in Israel. They had a wonderful reception waiting for us at their synagogue. We ate, drank, learned about the synagogue and their programs and got to know members of the congregation. The evening ended with a tour of their building and an impromptu question and answer session.

Day 2 – Walking around Tel Aviv with Brian and then meeting up with Noah and Jonathan at an outdoor café on the Mediterranean Sea.

Day 3 – The beautiful ride along the Yarkon River. As I’m sure you will see in other writers’ blogs, today is election day. Therefore, many places of business are closed so that people are free to go and vote. Many of these people also made their way to the paths along the river and also to their boat houses so that they could take their kayaks out on the river. It was great to see some many people out and enjoying the beautiful weather we had.

Day 3 – The fantastic lunch we had that was prepared by Limonada, the company one of the riders (Eyal) from the past two years. Unfortunately, we were a little late in arriving and were unable to see some of the members of B’vat Ayin, the progressive congregation of Rosh HaAyin. Fortunately, a few were able to remain and tell us about the congregation and the history of the area (There are biblical references in I and II Samuel and in modern times it was an important strategic location because of the natural resources available).

Day 3 – A wonderful dinner at “Loculus” with members of Kehilat Natan-Ya -- the progressive congregation of Netanya. At the restaurant, we heard about the congregation and were able to hear some of the stories of the different members of the different congregations. After dinner, some of us joined Rabbi Mira Raz for a tour of the synagogue. Since the space is rented and they are hoping to get their own building soon, their space had been converted into a polling place. In addition to the wonderful tour by Rabbi Raz, some of the election officials also explained the Israeli election system.

Finally, a contest for my NFTY OVites who are reading this: The first five send me an e-mail (dschwartz@urj.org) with correct answers to the following will win a prize from Israel.

1) The name of the party that received the most votes in today’s election.

2) The order of the following cities through which we traveled if we were going from South to North (Bat Yam, Hod HaSharon, Jaffe, K’far Saba, Netanya, Shefayim and Tel Aviv).

3) Fill in the blanks: “There’s more than ____ _____ to be ______.” [From the Israel Movement for Progressive Judaism website: http://www.reform.org.il/english/]

Looking forward to another two wonderful days of riding…