By Ezra Lev Cohen
On the west side of Jerusalem is a mountain – little more than a hill, really – smattered with verdant trees, singing greenfinches, and graves. The mountain is easy to climb, but the well-paved trails and plentiful symbolism belie the epic view from the peak. Directly east from the grassy plateau at the top of the mountain is the new city of Jerusalem. Skyscrapers, cranes aplenty, and signs of modernity abound. Further though, the Ottoman-era walls of the Old City can be seen, and within them, the Temple Mount and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. In the far distance are the mountains of Jordan. To the north is the West Bank; the capital city of Ramallah lies just out of view behind the rolling hills. And to the south, Jerusalem fades into the ancient cities of Bethlehem and Hebron.
Symbolism abounds at the peak of Mt. Herzl. The old of the Old City and the new of modern Jerusalem are viewed at once, creating both a contrast and a connection. The beauty of the lush greenery is dampened by the tears of the mourners who cry at the gravesites. But for Maccabi USA on the second day of its Israel Connect program, this outward symbolism of Mt. Herzl was only the beginning.
Before long, more symbolism emerged. For one, the arrangement of sites on the mountain was done meticulously, as we would learn. Lowest down, hidden among the trees, is Yad Vashem, the world’s largest and most complete Holocaust museum. Higher up are the gravesites of thousands of soldiers who have died fighting for Israel. Above these are the gravestones of Prime Ministers and Members of the Knesset – the politicians and leaders who have built Israel into the country it is today. And at the peak is Theodore Herzl’s tomb. There lies the founder, creator, and executor of political Zionism, overlooking the city he once dreamed would be part of the Jewish homeland.
Not only is this symbolism fascinating to uncover, it also serves a deeper purpose. It solidifies the State of Israel by creating a national narrative. By showing the sacrifices and the moments of deepest national mourning alongside the greatest political and individual success stories, it reminds visitors of how much has been lost and how much has been won. Just as the United States remembers its defeat of the British through memorials and monuments, Mt. Herzl tells the story of Zionism through a purposeful and meaningful layout of sites.
This national narrative appears to have succeeded. Every Israeli soldier visits Mt. Herzl as part of their training. Maccabi USA watched as a young female soldier cried as she circled the graves of the newest victims of war; she found meaning and reflection there. Maccabi USA participants themselves understood the gravity of the moment and its cultural importance. Maccabi participant Michael Liebermann said he thinks the arrangement of Mt. Herzl gives soldiers “a sense of what came before them and what they may be walking into.” Personally, he said the meticulously maintained plots impart the idea that “every life is cared for.”
Even the Israeli holidays and festivals of spring are intentionally arranged in order to build this national narrative. The holidays kick off with Passover, which commemorates the journey of Jews in Egypt from slavery to freedom. Next comes Holocaust Remembrance Day (Yom Ha’Shoah), during which the six million murdered Jews are remembered. A few weeks later is Israel’s somber Memorial Day (Yom Ha’Zikaron), when service members killed in action are honored through a nationwide moment of silence. The very next day is Independence Day (Yom Ha’Atzmaut). Slavery to death, to fighting, to freedom: this is the national narrative so clearly constructed by these holidays. And Mt. Herzl – with its Holocaust museum, gravesite remembrances and political relevance – encompasses this national narrative in its entirety.
Maccabi USA undertook a symbolic journey itself as well. It began its day at Mt. Herzl and Yad Vashem, where participants learned about the darkest depths of the Holocaust and the costs of achieving political freedom. But it ended its day at Ben Yehuda Street and Shuk Machane Yehuda, the bustling, diverse, joyous centers of modern Jerusalem. Teenagers danced in the alleyways alongside vendors shouting and toddlers whining and parents chatting; it was all very normal.
What better ending to a tale of a day.
Portland native Ezra Lev Cohen is currently studying abroad at Hebrew University in Jerusalem and reports for The Press Service of Israel as an intern. He’s a rising senior at Macalester College, majoring in Journalism and Geography. Find him on Instagram at @ezzy_reports and email him at: ezzycohen@icloud.com.