From high school into the frying pan

June 30, 2009 - 1:39 PM by David · 3 Comments
Filed under: A New Reality, General, Israeliness, Life

mortar High school graduations are a unique creature in Israel. They’re nothing like the solemn mortar board and cape graduation, and rented tux prom that I experienced growing up in the US. And thank God for that.

It’s almost like going to a musical. My daughter’s event took place last night at a posh events hall in downtown Jerusalem, equipped with a comfortable auditorium complete with state of the art sound and video systems.

And the show was dazzling. Because there’s no prom in Israel, the girls wore their slinky dresses, and even the boys tended to not wear t-shirts.

Some of the kids had travelled to Tel Aviv last week to lay down vocal tracks at a recording studio for musical extravaganzas they performed in between the speeches and awards. A professional director and producer helped the graduating class script and rehearse a 45-minute play that – within its humorous framework replete with cutting principal and teacher imitations – touched on national issues of tolerance, freedom of expression, and the schism within Israeli society as personified by the extremes of gay pride and haredi devoutness.

And then there was the de rigueur professionally made video recapping the year, including the class trips, the volleyball games, and the the events that make up senior year. And of course, the diplomas and special awards (my tear ducts started leaking when the daughter was singled out for an award for Excellence in Sports Achievement).

At the same time, I had to laugh at the background music someone chose to play while each student in the 5 classes of 35 kids was called up. Israelis usually ignore the lyrics of English songs, preferring to make their choose on the musical vibe. So, as our kids were receiving their certificates, we were treated to a Nina Simone soundalike performing easy listening cocktail jazz versions of songs like “Pride (In the Name of Love” by U2 with its lyrics “Shots rang out in the Memphis night,” and The Police’s “Roxanne” about a prosititute.

No matter, the evening was a grand success, and even though it lasted well over three hours, it remained engaging throughout. At midnight, a bus pulled up to take the graduates to a well-deserved all-night beach party at Nitznanim.

My lasting impression though, was watching the whole class hug and dance onstage after the grand finale in a show of elation. 99% of the graduates will be entering the IDF within the next year, the principal had announced earlier in the evening. Looking out at the boys and girls turned into men and women, there was more than a touch of sadness, knowing that this would be the last time they would all be together, that they were awaiting an unknown and potentially dangerous immediate future. High school is over – here’s your gun. Let’s hope they’re all around for their 25th high school reunion.

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