Thoughts on Holidays

This past weekend was the start of the Jewish New Year. For most of us, our families have often been scattered in the wind to many different corners of the earth. Most of us make valiant efforts to be together. Holidays are a magnet for what in the travel business we call VFR-"visiting friends and relatives". It is not the most profitable of markets, since often it is just a car trip and "camping out" at someone's house, eating communal meals and sharing family and religious customs. For many of us, this was our first time we really got to "travel". It did not have to be far, but it was certainly more exciting if we got to bring along a suitcase with pyjamas and party clothes. It truly was about the experience, and not the destination.

Preparing for a family holiday is often mixed with great anticipation and as we get older, sometimes with dread. It is similar to how we we travel, we happily carry(on) our current baggage, yet how we often do we also shlep along our overweight, blown-out-of- proportion childhood perceptions and misconceptions.

Tonight, in reflecting on what this Rosh Hashana meant to me, it really struck me how we use the same word, "holiday" spelled the same way, for two seemingly different experiences, but are they really that different? On first blush, they are opposite..going on holiday, on vacation, means getting away from everything. That often includes work, school, and responsibility. however, celebrating a holiday, a "holy day" whether it is religious or not, implies the same thing. A break from life's routine and most often, it means travelling with (or to) friends or family. We also hope for the same result-a renewal, a fresh perspective, taking time to participate in activities that are meaningful to you-whether it means praying, sleeping till noon,building a school in Nepal or volunteering your skills to improve the lives of others.

The time between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur is traditionally a time of reflection on what we accomplished in the past year, and what we are intending to accomplish in the coming year. We ask for forgiveness and we are expected to forgive. In the past few months, and in the past few years especially, I have been fortunate to have travelled to many corners of the world. I have seen great joy from people living in abject poverty and some of the most unfulfilled people sitting in the midst of great wealth. My eyes and heart have filled with tears of sorrow, having witnessed the aftermath of the useless and senseless destruction of life, property and freedom. They have also overflowed with love and kindness, gratitude and joy in appreciating the simple determination of good people who want to do good things, because they know it is the only thing to do.

When we travel, not as tourists, but as VFR-visiting potential family and friends, means we are making every day a holi-day. Isn't that what life is really all about?

I wish you all a happy, healthy, peaceful and prosperous New Year, and that we should all be inscribed in the book of life.

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So You Want to be a Reporter At the Olympics? I have just the ticket!

Hi everyone,

I am always thrilled when I have an INSIDER opportunity to share and this is ONE OF THEM BIG TIME! This weekend, Sept 18-20th, get a HUGE jump start to get yourselves not just to the Olympics, but be a REPORTER for the OLYMPICS!

Kris is working on a website for Samsung a sponsor of the Winter Olympics in Whistler/Vancouver and they have come up with a concept where they are searching for a few reporters to report back to the rest of us all the fun and interesting stuff going on around the Olympics. Because they want the site to have content at launch they want to seed the site with user generated videos showcasing real users pitching why they should be selected. The details for the campaign are below and if you or anyone you know...(no age or preconditions here..so anyone can enter as long as they follow the rules below) are interested, please keep forwarding this email on to them, and let me know. Kris will be coming up to Vancouver for Friday morning and will have my camera in hand to help anyone that wants to create a video for the site. Read below and let me know if you are interested me shooting your video this Friday, Saturday and or Sunday. .... What is in it for you? Read below.


Do you have a gift for creative storytelling using online content such as videos, blogs and social media? Then grab a friend, enter the Samsung Mobile Explorers Contest and show us your skills. You could win a free twenty-day trip to Vancouver to capture the most exciting moments of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.


How do I enter?

First, find a friend – all submissions must come from a team of two. Now put your heads together to create a video submission that will blow us away with your ability to tell a story in a fresh, original way using cutting edge online media and technology. We’ll review your video within 48 hours and then post it to this site (as long as it meets the submission guidelines).


How will winners be chosen?

Once you submit your video, democracy takes over, and the audience will have until a specified date to vote for their favorite entries. The five teams with the highest-rated submissions will head directly to Vancouver to cover the Olympic Winter Games as Samsung Mobile Explorers. For twenty days, these intrepid Mobile Explorers will follow the action from the frontlines and post daily updates to this site in the form of videos, photos and text.


Throughout the games, our panel of judges will be watching your work and judging based on:

Originality
Overall quality
Number of views on this site
The stories you report


At the end, they’ll choose one Grand Prize Winner team, who will be contacted.



What could I win?

The Grand Prize Winner will receive $5,000 CDN and a Samsung prize pack with a retail value of about $10,000 CDN. Not to mention a trip to the Olympic Games for the opportunity of a lifetime.


If you, or anyone you know are interested, please email me to randi@passionatetravel.com Links or postings will also be on my website www.passionatetravel.com my blog, www.passionatetravel.blogspot.com and on twitter www.twitter.com/randiwinter

After the 20th of September, look for more instructions on how you will be able to enter on MSN....

Ah yes, you don't have to be in Vancouver or Whistler to enter this competition when it is on line...

Please in the email include your phone number and email, but no calls after 4pm on Friday. If you want to do it without Kris and the dev team, that is great too, just send your info and they will let you know how to get the video footage to them,

Using lots of brain cells today

Today was the day...I FINALLY have dedicated myself to updating and improving my Passionate Travel website...it has taken many hours of frustration and semi heartbreak, but I am now able to offer you all of the publications from Virtuoso as fully readable ebooks. They are all listed under Travel Resources, Virtuoso Publications... Best of the Best, Virtuoso Life, Virtuoso Insights....all there for your reading pleasure and inspiration. Look for some amazing new exclusive opportunities on the Big Island of Hawaii-including honeymoons, anniversaries, spiritual and wellness experiences, relaxation, grounding and blessings. You too can receive special blessings from President Obama's kahuna. Ask me about opportunities to meet one of the kahunas during the upcoming months here in North America.

Lots more to come, but so is company, and I will have to continue this tomorrow.

Take advantage of the long weekend...and be the change that you seek.

If you are in Vancouver Monday September 7th, and would like to meet some amazing young people who have come immigrated to Israel from Ethiopia to spend a month as legal interns here...this will be fascinating. From my experiences with Former israeli Ambassador to Ethiopia in 1991 during Operation Solomon, and from reading his book, I know that this will be quite the evening.

Please come to meet Mr. Erez Jegenau Naga and Ms. Jerus “Sigal” Trunech, two Israeli law students born in Ethiopia who are approaching the end of a month-long internship with Blake Cassels, a Vancouver law firm. They’ll be at 2644 Manitoba Street in Vancouver on Monday evening, September 7, from 7:30.


Erez was five years old when he was among the first group of Ethiopian Jews airlifted to Israel in 1985. At age 5, he left his village in Ethiopia and trekked for three months into Sudan. Growing up in Israel, he joined the IDF and served in a special combat unit.

Jerus came to Israel at age 10 considerably later than Erez.

Both are first-year law students at Ono Academic College in a program supported in part by the Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver. You can read more about that program below and you can get a bit of a glimpse into Erez and Jerus’ visit here at http://tesfayesjourney.blogspot.com/. Meeting and talking with Erez and Jerus is an opportunity to learn firsthand about the experiences in Israel of Jews from Ethiopia and their personal perspectives on living in Israel.

Everyone is welcomed to attend. Please share this invitation with anyone who would be interested.

This evening is part of the PROJECT FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF ETHIOPIAN BORN IMMIGRANTS TO ISRAEL FOR HIGHER EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP

Ono Academic College (OAC), together with the Jewish Agency and in fulfillment of our mission of social responsibility, actively recruits Ethiopian-born Israelis who participate in the Higher Education and Community Leadership project. The project is currently in its fourth year and has gained recognition both in Israel and abroad for its success.

They aim to develop a cadre of young professional leaders by teaching academic degree programs in prestigious, lucrative professions able to make a huge impact on Israeli society. The first generation of children born in Ethiopia, but mostly raised in Israel, is just reaching the age of higher education. This is the generation which will make the changeover and become an integral part of Israeli society.

They are committed to provide personal attention, welcoming environment and extra support in studies provided at OAC enable the students to flourish and succeed.

Presently OAC provides scholarships for over 50% of the tuition for each student. The Ministry of Absorption's Student Authority provides tuition scholarships for the remainder. A token tuition of NIS 1,200 is paid by each student. We continue to seek partners for matching scholarships in order to maintain the growth of the number of students in this successful program.

The Jewish Agency, UIA Canada and UJC join OAC in funding the system of academic support, enrichment and leadership training courses for the students with Annual Campaign funds. The Israel Department of the Jewish Agency grants an annual stipend for living expenses to each student.

GOALS

The program goal is the achievement of a prestigious academic degree in high demand professions along with personal and leadership skills, leading to the strengthening of the family and social fabric of the Ethiopian Jewish community in Israel. This generation of Ethiopians has the opportunity to break the glass ceiling, and sever the chain of poverty of this community in Israel. Specifically, there are less than a dozen Ethiopian born lawyers in Israel today and just as few businesspersons. We need to believe in the strength of numbers and know that this group of students has the power to create positive social change.

PROFILE OF THE STUDENTS

OAC is proud to have 142 Ethiopian-born students this year. Their Ethiopian-born students come literally from all over Israel. Most live at home and a few live in Jewish Agency dormitories at the Kfar Saba Absorption Center.

Almost all of the students volunteer in one or more community projects, the majority within the Ethiopian community. Many of the projects originated in the Leadership course and are a direct result of plans drawn up in this course. Most of them are carried out in the students' home towns.

The volunteer projects include mentoring and homework assistance, participation in the Ethiopian National Project and other organizations for the Ethiopian community, preparation for the army for Ethiopian youth, empowerment for Ethiopian women, free legal aid, translation and preparation of documents for various authorities, and a unique project in which Ethiopian born students connect with Ethiopian soldiers in military jails to provide them with information and support, and facilitate their return to the army. Five of their students were elected to the Ethiopian Student Union, as Chairman, Vice Chairman, Spokesperson and board members.

Many of their students come from extremely difficult socioeconomic backgrounds. A majority of the students come from large families with four or more children. Most of the students' parents do not have skills which enable them to be employed in Israel, and subsist below the poverty level. On the whole the Ethiopian students must support themselves financially by working part time jobs, while also fulfilling volunteer requirements necessary to receive financial aid from the Ministry of Absorption. Four of their students are orphaned from both parents, and raise younger siblings.

They invite scholarship participation in carrying out this most important project. So even if you cannot make it Monday night, think of helping out. The trip I have been planning is now closed. This group often hosts missions to Israel, during which time you, as guests, will have the opportunity to personally meet the students.

For more information, go to http://www.ono.ac.il/?CategoryID=381&ArticleID=210

If you are interested, go to Amazon and look for a used copy of Asher Naim's "Saving the Lost Tribe: The Rescue and Redemption of the Ethiopian Jews" or contact me and I can lend you a copy...