Shalom, Shorashim: A Final Post
June 09, 2010
I don’t think that most people start their day at 3:30 A.M. and prepare to climb a mountain, but that’s what I did this morning. I’ve always wanted to climb Masada, and I’d been looking forward to it for so long. But that morning, after we had all shuffled in half-asleep to get some coffee and cake, I couldn’t help but feel some hesitation. When you’ve been waiting for something all your life and it finally comes, it’s like there’s this moment of truth where you have to see if you’re actually ready to take it on. When I started climbing Masada, I was feeling great and was keeping up. But shortly after the half-way point, I found I was falling behind. This was partly due to the physical toll it was taking on my legs and lungs but it was also psychological. Knowing the history of Masada and what it means for the Jews made it harder for me to climb. I had heard from some of my friends that climbing Masada was one of the most meaningful experiences they had in Israel, and yet I had heard from others that being the site of a mass suicide, it was the biggest embarrassment in Jewish history. So I was thinking about this all while climbing and trying to figure out how I felt about it, which really psyched me out. But after finally getting to the top and watching the sun rise, I felt so proud that I was able to accomplish this physically and mentally draining task and reclaim this mountain in memory of the Jews who had died on that spot hundreds of years before.
After Masada, we went back to the Kotel where four of our participants became Bar and Bat Mitzvahs, which was so exciting and I’m so glad I got to be a part of such a beautiful and meaningful experience. And I loved standing at the Kotel and pressing my hands against the wall that represents both the oppression of Jews and their resilience throughout history. And after whispering my own silent prayer, I took a look around and saw how many other people were praying and weeping and even though none of us knew each other, we were all connected because we shared that moment at one of the holiest places in Israel.
For me, both of the aforementioned experiences were intensely spiritual and impacted me in a way that made me feel more connected to the Jewish community all over the world and all throughout history.
June 10, 2010
This morning, we went to Har Herzl where the great leaders of Israel and Israeli soldiers are buried. Our Israelis shared stories of their experiences with loss in the army while we passed graves and walked through. Being with Israelis and hearing their firsthand experiences made Har Herzl so much more personal and meaningful. Otherwise, as much as I would have wanted to walk through and feel something, if I had no connection to the cemetery, I would have walked through and felt a distant emptiness. But because we had our friends sharing a part of their lives with us, I walked through, and had an idea of the weight that they carried with them when they lost a loved one.
After that, we headed to Ben Yehuda street for some MAJOR retail therapy. The shops were beautiful and I got to practice some of my new bargaining skills. As the trip wound down, we reflected on our experiences as a group.
This trip far exceeded my expectations. I was convinced that Israel would be a desert where everyone rode camels and dressed like Moses. But it is not. Israel is a nation of contradictions and an incredibly diverse population. And it is in the Jewish homeland that I have experienced so many differences, places, sights, smells, tastes and sounds. I have made an amazing group of friends and I cannot and will not forget the memories I have made nor the feeling I get when I think about Israel. This has been the most meaningful and invaluable experience in terms of my Judaism, my college experience, and my life.
