Day 10 and Beyond
We're finally back in the United States, jet-lagged and sorely missing our new Israeli "achim v'achot," and the bonds formed between all the participants. I think everyone can say that they walked away from Taglit-Birthright Israel with not only a new family, but new perspectives on Judaism and Israel. From the Golan to Tel Aviv to Jerusalem to the desert, we now know what our guide Michal meant when she said "Welcome home" in the beginning of the trip. Reunions are already being planned!
A group of participants had lovely bar and bat mitzvahs in two parts, first at the Kotel in Jerusalem and then on top of Masada. The following is the bat mitzvah speech of one of our lovely Israeli soldiers, Shai. Her sentiments sum up the feelings of many of the participants in a really beautiful way:
"'A human being is like a bird, once it finds the right place for fullfilling it's needs, it settles.'
That's what happened to me with you guys. I feel like i have been looking for my right spot all over and I feel that thanks to you I finally found my home: Israel.
I want to take advantage of this opportunity to stand here in front of all of you and G-d and say thank you for everything-- from the smallest and most basic things in life such as waking up in the morning, seeing colors and nature, meeting new people and going through new experiences and even struggles. I want to stop for a moment in this crazy race that's called life, pause and say thank you. It says on one of our prayers: "השמיים שמיים לה׳ והארץ נתן לבני אדם״ which means the sky is for god and the earth is for the people.
By standing here on this ground that's supposedly physical, but yet very spiritual to us as a nation that owns this special holy land, that we finally get to touch after all we've been through and between the sky where God sits and watches us, I couldn't possibly feel any more grateful.
I feel like the sky and the earth are engaged in a way. That through these indescribable 10 days God is trying to say that no matter what we do and where we live- we should never forget that we are all achim- brothers and sisters, and I believe the past 8 days have proved that.
I chose to be here today to celebrate my bat mitzvah again because it seems to have a much deeper meaning than ever before. For me it means connecting to our routs, embracing our identity as Jews and try to pass it along to our next generation."
We'll miss you, Israel!
