The First Few Days- Jump Right In!

It was a long last couple of days on the farm and it feels like I’ve been here for weeks. It’s unbelievable how much we’ve done, how much I’ve learned. We started out Thursday with what the staff refers to as “Avodat Lev,” the morning prayer service that combines sections of the prayers with chanting, personal reflections, and sometimes musical instruments. This experience consisted of silent meditation, blindfoldedness, and reciting verses of the traditional prayer, enabling us to connect, appreciate, and express our gratitude to G-d for His creations and the things He has given us. It was emotional and spiritual, and started the day off in a powerful manner.

Thursday was mostly an “introduction” day, with various staff giving us a tour of the campus, talking about our various jobs and “chores” as participants, and reviewing general rules and guidelines while on the program. It was an exhausting day but I came back that day with knowledge about weeding and harvesting vegetables, the location of Beebe Hill- one of the fields where we work, what to do with the compost in the facility that believes strongly in recycling and environmental health and safety, and how to facilitate an Adamah meeting held once a week. It seems our bikes will play an essential role this summer, as it will provide the transportation we need to get to our required destinations whether it be the main campus, Beebe Hill, or gardens belonging to nearby residents to complete work.

Friday began the “chore” responsibilities, a pertinent part of the program where participants must take care of certain tasks throughout the week, whether milking the goats, ensuring there is enough food in the refrigerator, or keeping a clean house in the Beit Adamah, the base location of most Adamah-niks and some of the activities. I went with a fellow participant to collect food from the main cafeteria at the Isabella Freedman and harvest some vegetables for Shabbat meals, ensuring there’s sufficient food for the weekend, when the cafeteria would be closed. We were educated and guided by the kitchen staff about what food we can take from the kitchen and shown where the various dried and frozen goods are kept. From there we went to lunch and then to work in the field. It was pouring, but according to staff, we work rain or shine. We did a lot of similar work from the previous day, but in a different field, a vast area owned by a couple who lived in the area.

The remaining staff drove over to the field in the late afternoon, gathering us for a pre-Shabbat discussion, where we talked about the last couple of days and reviewed scheduling for the following week. They assured us that Shabbat at the Isabella Freedman would be a relaxing and enjoyable experience, enabling us to soak in the beauty of the campus and socialize in a more relaxed atmosphere, without the pressures of chores and the hard work we would be doing during the week. They invited us to a mikveh (traditional Jewish cleansing) ceremony, separate for girls and guys, where some immersed in the surrounded lake water as a pre-Shabbat ritual. It was a strange experience- the slight discomfort was something the staff had said would be present for all of us on same level, while they try to accommodate of different religious levels.

It’s exciting to start this new life that will last for the next 10 weeks- it’s a lot of hard work and responsibility but this, combined with the spirituality of Avodat Lev and Shabbos seems to carve out a short-term experience that will stay with me for a little while.

It’s a special group, these individuals who span from Israel to Chicago to New York to Maryland- I think everyone is searching for something in their lives, whether it involves connecting to Judaism, working on their relationships, or learning skills about farming. It’s a laid-back group of people, open and willing to go out of their way to create a community, a cohesive group working to create something bigger. One fellow makes a dish and invites us to partake, a girl washes the dishes though that particular task was assigned to another participant, another guy sets up a slack line that he had brought for his own entertainment and leaves it up for others to use during the summer. There’s a general sense of courtesy and willingness to share that I hadn’t found often while living in New York City. When I was brought up, I was taught to be kind and generous, and I think these Adamah-niks are similar in personality, with a positive perspective on life and desire to create change and a better community.