Red Hot Chili Peppers!

For the first time ever, the Red Hot Chili Peppers came on tour to Israel this week. In front of 50,000 people, the Chili Peppers delivered a concert that will surely never be forgotten by anyone in attendance. My two friends and I were lucky enough to be among those 50,000 people that night at Yarkon Park in Tel Aviv. The concert was an incredible experience and I am so grateful that I was able to have the freedom to go to this concert. While we ended our night with thousands of Israelis screaming to “Californication” and “Can’t Stop”, we began our day at a much different spot in Israel.

We started our day traveling to Hebrew University and Mount of Olives learning about the history of Israel. We traveled to the cemetery and saw the glistening city of Jerusalem from many different angles and perspectives. We learned all about the history of Israel and one thing always seemed the same; Israelites always stick together. From the beginning of the history of Jerusalem to the Red Hot Chili Peppers concert, all Israelis stick together. Sometimes at the concert a little too close together…There were definitely times were I got stepped on or elbowed by the person next to me. Standing next to random people, starting chants as we waited for the Chili Peppers to come on was an experience of its own. It didn’t matter who we stood next to or spoke to at the concert, just being together in Israel, we instantly formed a connection to anyone we spoke to. Whether it was an Israeli, an American, a Canadian or anyone else, there was always that connection to being in Israel and sticking together, not only as Chili Pepper fans but also as a country.

 I began my day learning about Jews in Israel thousands of years ago and ended my day spending time with thousands of Jews at a Red Hot Chili Peppers concert in Israel. None of this would have been possible if there had not been the incredible Jewish state of Israel. If Israel didn’t exist, I would not be here. I would not have been able to have the most amazing experience of my life. Not been able to meet all these Israelis with some incredible stories.

                The concert, which was dedicated to the late Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist Hillel Slovak, a Haifa native, who sadly passed away in 1988, was one of the most incredible experiences I’ve ever witnessed. Not only was it an incredible concert, but the fact that we were in Israel, made the concert that much more special. Taking pictures with random Israelis around, moshing with anyone who was nearby us, no one cared about anything but the music. Obviously, the music was incredible also. With every song we would sway or jump to the beat, hanging around 50,000 other Israeli Chili Pepper fans. There was nothing that could have made that night any better. Having the freedom on Year Course to have these experiences is what is going to make these 9 months the most incredible 9 months of my life. Already I have met so many amazing people from Israel and other countries, spent a Shabbat in Jerusalem, attended a crazy Friday night service, a Red Hot Chili Peppers concert, and just today an Israeli National Soccer game. These experiences are what make my time here so special. Being not only a tourist but having the freedom to be part of the Israeli culture makes this trip so much more meaningful for me. These experiences are teaching me what it means to be Jewish and what it means to be a Zionist. These past 2 weeks have been an incredible experience for me, I can’t wait to see what these next 8 ½ months have in store for me.