Israel and how I've changed

My Jewish identity has always been a huge part of my life but now that I have been on EIE I can truly say that it has evolved into something else, something more personal. In my Jewish History class I was able to enrich my knowledge about my past. Learning about the past and present of my people have truly given me and new understanding of what it means to be Jewish. Not only that but learning Hebrew has given  me a new level of understanding because being able to speak with Israelis makes it that much more meaningful. Now at first this wasn’t easy for me but being in Israel for four months made the Hebrew learning process that much easier. Also being able to live here for four months made it feel like I completed my journey to at least spend some time in Israel. After being here I now believe a Jewish person should experience this place atleast once in their life. Without coming here and learning about the past you can’t really understand the importance of why Israel needs to exist. After everything we’ve been through, all the struggles, we deserve to have this place to call our home. 

When I look at myself now I see a proud American Jew. From this trip I have gain confidence not only in my Jewish identity but myself too. With all of the experiences I have a had through this trip I have learned to be more comfortable with myself. For example during Gadna I realized that it didn't matter what I looked like. Even though my clothes looked ridiculous I started to just focus on other things and forget about what I felt like. I think this idea of focusing on other things have translated into other aspects of my life. I realized that problems I have don't matter because I can't change them and that I should just be happy with myself. Thank you EIE for giving me the strength to be a little bit more comfortable with myself.

What in means to be a part of Am Israel

For me it's a Khela Kadosha. The community that all of the Jews share together. At the end of the day no matter what anyone says we are all part of Am Israel and it is our job to never forget that. We must understand what it means to be a part of this amazing nation. After being in Israel for 3 and half months I think I understand what it means to be a part of Am Israel. It doesn't matter if you live in  Israel or all the way across the world in the US. We were born into this community and whether we like it or not we can't leave. But I don't know why anyone would want to leave this. This Am gives us a home, a family that we can always go too. We all share the heavy burden of carrying on our past and from being in Israel I now understand my past a little bit more. We must educate ourselves on what we've been through because as many people say the past will foresee the future. There's so many aspects of this nation that I love and I'm so proud to be Jewish.

FIFA and the Israeli- Palestinian Conflict

The whole of this article is that the Palestinian Authority is trying to stop the Israeli national team from playing because the Palestinian team is restricted when moving. This conflict is greater than just the land they both want. It seeps into every part of society now a days. For example, sports, which should usually be an outlet for kids is now becoming a topic of controversy. This is topic of Israel-Palestine takes on so many levels and affects every part of people lives. In Israel this decision is going to determine the fate of what happens to the Jewish State. Will it survive or will Jews be forced out? A huge tactic that the Palestinians use is PR and the utilize it a lot. This for example could be just another PR stunt to make Israel look worse.

On the other hand the Palestinians could point out the fact that Israel restricts a lot of the freedom they have and this one thing should be allowed for the Palestinians. They would point out the fact that this could give some of their kids outlets to get away from the poverty in the West Bank. The could also say that they deserve the basic right to have their team play in the nationals league like any other country. Either way this just another example of the Palestinians and Israelis getting into a confrontation. It's sad but it seems like what ever we do somehow the Palestinians always have a problem with it.

A kid in my class

Back home I have a Palestinian kid in my class and we have had multiple conversations about Israel. Sadly I've never been able to give him a real reason on why Israel acts the way it does. He talked to me about how just because his last name was Muslim he got pulled aside at the Israeli airport. I wasn't able to give him a good reason on why that happened. But now I know why, if you have the last name of a religion that has people attacking their own of course their going to stop them. Even if its unfair Israel can't take chances. He also told me that he doesn't believe that Israel is going to last and I said I agree with him. I'm so disappointed in myself that I said that. I now know and have experienced that Israel is here to stay. I don't care what anyone has to say, Israel has a right to be here and will be here. No ones going to take this place away from us. We have worked to hard for this place and if we have to will fight for it. always.

Should the Ultra- Orthodox join the army?

After having the conversation of should the orthodox join the army I thought a lot about the two sides. I've decided to write down both sides not for those who are reading this but to try and understand it better. From a secular and not religious view, Haredi Jews should join the army. They get payed from the government to just sit and pray all day while people are putting their lives on the line. Some people even say that they just fool around all day and don't even pray( Baruch.) Not only that but they force there opinions onto others. Aaron, my Jewish History teacher isn't even Jewish because his grandmother on his mother's side wasn't. (correct me if I'm wrong on that.) Even though he was brought up Jewish and identifies as such. Another aspect they enforce on people is the split between man and women at the Kotel. Yet they still don't think they have to join the army. It doesn't even have to be on the front lines but anything having to do with army would really benefit this country. But instead they decide to stay in there Bet Knesset and take the governments money.

Now the Orthodox side would say that they don't need to join the army because they are taking a different route to keeping this country safe- the spiritual side. They believe that they are protecting the country by devoting everyday of their lives to Judaism. And when people tell them that people are dieing while they sit in their synagogues they say that they devote every second of everyday to Judaism. And when people say that they enforce their beliefs on other people they counter the argument with the fact that they are already very lenient at the Kotel. One of my class mates, Lea, pointed out that the Kotel is very different compared to a synagogue. Overall they would say that there has always been a small population of Jews who spend there life devoted to prayer and they would argue that they are just trying to keep that tradition alive.

Options to come back

After visiting the IDC and after Netzel visiting us today I’ve come to the realization that coming back to Israel could be a reality for me. These two programs don’t seem to fit me the best but I bet there is a program out there that I could really see myself doing. Maybe something like what my friends brother is doing, going to college for a semester in Israel or maybe I could take a gap year with my buddies and see what happens. Either way I think the chances of me coming back to Israel are pretty great and that makes me excited.  I don’t want to make Aliyah but I do have a connection to this place and I will strengthen that connection as I visit Israel more and more through my life.