To be in a place that is so old, that has so much history, that means so much to so many people was unlike anything I've ever experienced. And I realized that if I could trace my family tree back 2,000 or 3,000 years I would discover that somewhere down the line my family was from this place. I felt viscerally and emotionally connected to Israel from my first day in Jerusalem. It's amazing to me because of how disconnected I was to Judaism before going on Birthright. I would even go so far as to say that before my trip to Israel, I disliked Judaism and what I understood it to be. But my impression on what it means to be Jewish has been drastically changed for the better. I now wear my Jewish star necklace with pride and my Hamsa ring, which allows me to bring Israel with me wherever I go.
Yes, I am proud to be Jewish. I am part of a people that don't give up. Throughout history we have been hated, attacked, threatened, and murdered over and over again. Yet we continue to live and be proud of who we are. How many ancient civilizations were destroyed by one war? The Jewish people continue to thrive. I say thrive not because we are growing in number but because of the attitude we have about ourselves. Because of this amazing thing called Birthright which gives young Jewish people the opportunity to connect and reconnect to Israel. I say thrive because of the many ways in which one can feel that he or she is Jewish. I am not religious and I don't believe in god. Yet I still consider myself a proud Jew because of my culture, my history, my love for the holiday celebrations, and my moral values. Judaism doesn't exclude people and that is a beautiful thing.
The pride that Israelis have for their country is inspiring. It makes me love the place more. One Israeli soldier told me that if I love Israel, Israel will love me too. Other Israeli soldiers told me that I am always welcome back to Israel, that Israel will always be there for me and will always want me to come back. I've never felt so welcome or wanted by a place before. Like it really matters that I return and remember the love I found for this beautiful country. I will go back one day. I would love to study theater there and to connect on an even deeper level to the country and the people. But for now it's up to me to remember. It's hard to talk to people about my journey because it's impossible to describe to someone who's never been. They can't understand how I feel and it leaves me dissatisfied.
