LOS ANGELES 7.7 & 8. 04

We arrived in Los Angeles on Wednesday afternoon after a 4 hour drive from Las Vegas. We took a 3 hour tour of the Simon Weisenthal Museum of Tolerance. This was an interactive and informational experience, which we enjoyed. The tour included a session on child labor, genocide around the world and a Holocaust exhibit. After the museum we went to the Jewish section of town called Pico Robertson. We had dinner at Nathans Hotdogs, a kosher restaurant.
Then we went to Adat Ari-El synagogue where we met up with some local teens and went on an adventurous excursion to the Santa Monica Piers. We got to know the other group really well because they rode on our bus with us. The pier contained a small roller coaster, bumper cars, and other traditional rides. It was a great night.
Thursday started at Venice Beach. Instead of walking along the beach and talking amongst ourselves, we interviewed people who were on the boardwalk and beach. They shared their opinions on political issues and life in general. This was a unique experience because it was genuine. Many of our speakers have been politicians and gave us political answers. These people responded genuinely. Then we had a true California lunch at an In-N-Out burger restaurant. Everyone enjoyed this experience. We then went to Beverly Hills where we had a discussion in a park. Along with our bus driver, Carleton, we talked about racism, discrimination, and hate crime legislation. To see how power is not evenly distributed in Los Angeles we drove around Beverly Hills looking at the houses, walked around Hollywood and then toured South Central where Carlton lived during the Rodney King riots. He talked about those times and his view on why the riots happened. From there we made the short trip to Beit Teshuvah a synagogue led by Rabbi Mark Borovitz and his wife for recovering addicts. The Rabbi moved us with his talk about how each of us is holy, special and good enough. He encouraged us to improve a little every day and how these concepts tied into how and why he became an addict earlier in life. Two young recovering addicts, Rio and Roger, told us their extraordinary tales of getting into drugs, their lives as addicts and their struggles to be drug free. Our wrap up session (where we discuss the day) was one of the most intimate and moving ones we have had. Most of us agreed that our stop at Beit Teshuvah was one of the best experiences on the trip so far.

Daniel Riff

Aaron, Josh and Lisa interviewing a person on Venice Beach

A man who preaches on Venice Beach speaking with us

From sea to shining sea...Etgar 36 at the Pacific Ocean

Carleton speaking about living in South Central LA while showing off the neighborhood

Rabbi Borovitz speaking at Beit Teshuvah

Rio and Roger speaking with Etgar 36 at Beit Teshuvah

LAS VEGAS 7. 5&6.04

After a long ride we had time to relax at our hotel, the Orleans. It is a beautiful hotel with a Mardi Gras feel. Most of us swam at the pool or explored the hotel. After a relaxing walk afternoon, we took a long walk around the Vegas strip. We saw all the fountains, shops and hotels. We were amazed as to how big and tacky everything is in Vegas. We went to see the pirate show outside of Treasure Island as well as the dancing waters at the Bellagio and the volcano explosion at the Mirage. We also went downtown to eat and see the light show of the Fremont Street Experience. Eventually we made it back t our hotels and sunk into the beds.
We woke up late the next morning (11 AM!!) for brunch and then met with Art Dixon of the Nevada NRA. We discussed the right to have guns, gun control and the second amendment with him. It was a heated discussion as a lot of the us are anti-guns. I, myself, enjoyed the conversation as I am pro-guns and like to shoot. After our talk we headed to Hoover Dam. The majority of the group thought it was boring but were amazed at how it was constructed.
After Hoover Dam we came back to Las Vegas and participated in a Vegas tradition…the dinner buffet. We all were extremely full as we ate so much. Then we boarded our bus and went to the MGM Grand hotel to see the comedian Carrot Top. Many of us were skeptical, as we had only seen him on the 1-800-CALL-ATT commercials so we didn’t have high expectations. But we were wrong. It was drop dead hilarious! We couldn’t stop laughing. We returned to our comfy beds once more with a great Vegas experience under our belts!
Alex Moyer

Watching the dancing water at the Bellagio

Downtown at the Freemont Street Experience

Watching the light show

At the top of Hoover Dam

Discussing the 2nd Amendment with Art Dixon from the Nevada NRA

Walking the strip in Vegas

GRAND CANYON 7.4.04

As I indulged myself in some fresh water at the visitors center, I looked over at Daniel Riff as if to gain approval for what I was about to do. Excitement was building inside my head. I drew the deepest breath I could and yelled “ECHO!!”. Heads turned in my direction, stares burned through my body and Lisa promptly told me to shut up. I had managed to wake the dead at the Grand Canyon!
Everyone walked out of the viewing lodge and took in the view of the colossal phenomenon of nature, while I sheepishly took baby steps towards to rest of the group. You know you’ve hot rock bottom (haha) when little children ages 5 & 6 are jumping around having a good time while you are 18 years old and searching the nearest adult to cling to as you walk around the Grand Canyon. However, I eventually overcame my fears as I, and the rest of Etgar 36, trekked along the North rim of the canyon. We stopped at a clearing with 3 large logs capable of supporting our weight. Billy told us to venture out and find our own place to reflect and think. I saw Jenny sitting on the edge of a rock, dangling her legs over the vast openness. Slowly, but surely, I did the same. People who have never been to the Grand Canyon may never realize that aside from it being awe inspiring, it is also thought provoking. The canyon makes you realize how small you are and that no one is larger than life.
When we were done with our hike we participated in a North rim annual 4th of July tradition. A parade with a water fight. It was a lot of fun. That night we returned to our hotel and went swimming and then had a great discussion on America and what it means to us as we celebrated our country’s 228th birthday.

Matt Harmon

Aaron Backer

Alex Moyer

Daniel

At the north rim of the Grand Canyon

Etgar 36 getting wet at the annual Garnd Canyon 4th of July water fight

Josh DeYoung

Lisa Lebovitz & Samantha Hymes

Matt Harmon & Anna Scodel

Hiking the rim

Zion National Park 7.3.04

Today was a nature lovers paradise. This morning we drove from our hotel to Zion National Park. We met up with our tour guide Ilene. She was very nice and knowledgeable about the park, the animals, the rock formations and the vegetation. First we went on a two mile hike that ended in a place called the narrows which is where two sides of the canyon come together. We spoke about water issues and conservation. Then we went on another hike up a steep hill and to a beautiful waterfall. The view was incredible and we took advantage of the photo opportunities. From the park we went to lunch in the town of Springdale where we met a group of Jewish teens from a camp in Detroit that were on a camping trip through the west. Then we went back to our hotel for some down time. Everyone got to have time to themselves to swim, read, sleep or just reflect. This evening we cooked out again and had chicken burritos, watermelon and cookies. After we cleaned up from dinner we went to a nearby mountaintop where we watched some fireworks from a nearby town. Then we went a little higher and laid down to watch the stars. We were away from lights and other city distractions so the sky was very clear and the stars were really bright. We listened to some music from Billy’s IPOD and Josh DeYoung played his guitar. We all saw some satellites and the stars were incredible. On the walk back down the mountain we saw the moon come up from behind a mountain and it was the brightest moon I’ve ever seen. Tonight’s stargazing was an experience I will never forget.

Danielle Ladin

Etgar 36 at Zion National Park

Getting an education on nature, preservation and water issues from the nature guide.

Taking a break during the hike

Matt & Daniel at the end of one of our hikes

Danielle, Josh and Alex resting

Maybe the heat got to them