Day 2: Monday, September 1

One of the best things about The Fellowship's Alaska Cruise has been the chance it affords participants to get to know their fellow friends of Israel and to spend time with Rabbi Eckstein. Yesterday morning we did just that, as the Rabbi gave us a chance to discuss a wide-ranging variety of topics, including world affairs, during a lively question and answer session.

The session began with a question about Iran, whose president has pledged to destroy the Jewish state. In response to a question by Maria Michelis of Cleveland, Rabbi Eckstein said, "When Iran is talking about wiping Israel off the map, you have to take the threat seriously. But I am one of those who is very concerned not just for Israel, and its 6.5 million Jews, but for America. Iran is a threat to the survival of the Jews, a threat to Israel, a threat to Western Civilization, and a threat to the United States."

Rabbi Eckstein went on to say that the Iran issue points to the problem of evil, one of the world's oldest and one each generation must face. The Judeo-Christian tradition, and the biblical truths on which it is based, provides us with the proper perspective: "God doesn't create evil, but God gives each of us a choice: life vs. death, good vs. evil, light vs. darkness, " he said. "When I take a look at the world, my starting point is the Bible. There are those who look at the world and events through their own philosophy and then try to fit God into it. I look at life through a prism of divine calling."

Recalling the story of how God worked through Esther, the founder of The Fellowship stressed that God is still choosing people for such a time as this(Esther 4:14). "Each of us," he explained, "needs to look at the world, to look at its failings, to look at the pain and ask, ‘Is God calling me to do something? ‘" He also reminded us that God relies on people to do his work in the world, work that is carried out by a variety of people in a variety of different situations. When we are helping someone - a family member, a child, a co-worker, or a stranger - or even when we are standing up for what is right by writing letters to newspapers or government officials on behalf of worthy causes, we can be sure that we are doing God's work.

Later, we were all able to marvel at the beauties of God's creation. Tuesday afternoon was filled with glorious views of Glacier Bay National Park, located west of Juneau in southeast Alaska and accessible only by boat or plane. Our ship, the ms Westerdam, cruised along shorelines completely covered by ice just 200 years ago and past 12 glaciers that are remnants of a general ice advance - the Little Ice Age - that began about 4,000 years ago.

A park ranger boarded the cruise to explain the world of whales, highlighting Orca (also known as killer whales) and Humpback, both common in the Glacier Bay area. Each whale sighting drew a crowd on deck, with passengers frantically trying to capture their once-in-a-lifetime moment on film.

The cruise continues on to Juneau. Some participants have chosen to take part in optional excursions including a salmon bake, whale and sea otter watching, dog sledding, sea kayaking, sightseeing by helicopter or floatplane, gold panning, salmon and halibut fishing, ,canoeing, hiking, and dry suit snorkeling.