Maddie D: Murano 

Today, we began the day with a boat ride to the Murano glass factory. In the factory, they gave a demonstration to us of the glass artistry, showing us the process of making a glass cat figurine and a vase. Each piece is one-of-a-kind and the tradition of glass making is passed through generations from fathers to sons. As someone who is especially artsy and creative, watching this incredible process of making the coolest pieces (with material so hot that it was glowing orange!), was breathtaking and so impressive. I think art is one of the most vital forms of self expression and cultural tradition. The fact that the tradition of glassmaking was passed down from generation to generation (l’dor v’dor), brings me so much joy. To see that an art is not only being so appreciated but shared throughout this huge cultural family is amazing. In Judaism, we have embroidery on tallits, or ceramic designs on mezuzot, or architecture in synagogues and on arks; it was wonderful to recognize the arts in our culture relating to this experience, and learn about the unique elements of Italians’ culture and tradition.

Gabi L. & Aviva L.: Wandering on Burano

After a long boat ride, we got to get off on the most beautiful island I have ever seen, Burano. There were colorful buildings, old towers, and many glass shops. We got to see so many pretty new things that you don’t see in Chicago. We learned so much about the island and its history. We stopped at cute stores and boutiques to peek at clothes and bracelets. It was nice to spend time with our teachers as people, rather than teachers. We got to spend quality time doing something we both enjoyed with our teachers. Another meaningful experience was seeing a Jewish flag at a restaurant. Our group stumbled across a small Jewish flag while shopping. It felt good to see a little part of our culture represented even in a not-so-Jewish area. Overall, this day of shopping was truly an amazing experience for us. 

Hannah K.: Travel by Boat

Traveling in Venice is super cool. In the sea there are “roads” they use which are wooden poles in the sea that help direct the boats. There are also faster “roads” and slower “roads” that the boats take.  Amazon delivery boats, ambulance boats, and police boats all travel in the water to get between the islands. Just like cars, there is still parking on the weekends, and when it is busy it will be hard to park your boat!

David A.: Kosher Pizza

On my Tiyul, I’ve gotten to try all kinds of delicacies, but one that stood out was Kosher pizza in the Venice ghetto. We had been walking for a while, so the thought of food, let alone pizza, caught everyone’s attention. It was even better than we expected. While we were eating, a Jewish musician walked up to us and started playing Jewish music. A local rabbi helped us put on tefillin, and another local rabbi gave us a speech about Judaism. It made me feel a connection to Judaism that I’ve never felt before. 

Shayna R.: Jewish Venice

In Venice we toured the Jewish Ghetto and we got to see the synagogues there. Because Venice is surrounded by water there can only be so many buildings covering space so when the people needed to add new spaces they built above the already existing buildings. The synagogues are not very obvious but you can tell it is a synagogue because it has five big windows representing the five books of the Torah. We were able to go inside of the Winter and Summer synagogues inside of the ghetto. They have two synagogues because in the summer when there are lots of tourists they get a bigger crowd. It was really cool to see the Sephardic style synagogue where the ark is on one side and the bima is on the other. Also, all of the synagogues inside of the ghetto are orthodox so there the men and women sit on different sides. Being inside of the ghetto helped me feel the energy of the Jewish people and the Jewish life that thrives in the space.