birthright israel…One Year Later

By Jessica Danon
University of Judaism

What is the catch to this birthright israel trip thing? It really is a serious question that needs to be answered. The birthright israel international people will tell you that there is no gimmick, catch or trick to this trip but I’m determined and bound to prove them wrong.

During my first year of college someone mentioned the trip to me. I applied and was denied to due a lack of space. My second application met the same fate a year later. I was feeling pretty rejected and didn’t understand why it was so hard to get a spot on this trip.

I was raised in a non-observant mixed marriage household. I waited to choose Judaism and became Bat Mitzvah at the age of 16, so I was just a bit behind. Most of you couldn’t imagine growing up without Hebrew School, USY, summer camp and the whole Jewish upbringing. I didn’t imagine it -- I lived it. One year, my mom decided it was time to convert to Judaism. Anyhow, never having been raised in a religiously observant household, I became religious that third year, and I can’t explain why.

However, there were some contributing factors to this phenomenon. I’d somehow gotten roped into a job as the USY Advisor/Youth Director for another local synagogue. When I mentioned to the rabbi that I had applied for a birthright israel trip twice before and had been denied, he was appalled. He convinced me to apply a third time. He asked me to apply through the Conservative Movement’s KOACH. I applied, and finally after three years, was accepted. My family was a skeptical of the "free" trip and said that there had to be a catch.

After all this time, I was on my way to Israel. (Although, I was truly convinced that El Al security wasn’t going to let me on the plane!!) Meeting my group, boarding our plane, hanging out with my new friends, and landing in Eretz Yisrael all outdid one another. The first thing I did upon landing was to kiss the ground at Ben Gurion Airport. It sounds ridiculous, but I felt like I was home. For someone with little Jewish upbringing, this was all extremely overwhelming. Our KOACH group davvened 3x a day, something I had never done before, let alone ever thought I would be shown how to lead. By the 2^nd day I was looking forward to getting up at 6am after going to bed at 2 or 3am to davven with my group.

I can talk for days about the experiences we saw and explored and fell in love with, but in a nutshell, here goes. Kosher Chinese food in Zikhron Yaakov rules. Masada at dawn after not thinking I’d ever make it to the top was awe-inspiring. The Dead Sea is the cure for all ailments, except shaving cuts.… The bravery and humility of Jews will never cease to amaze me. Singing Israeli songs in the places they were written in our about was both heartwarming and heartbreaking at times. Overlooking Jerusalem for the first time will always be burnt into my memory. Most importantly I have JEWISH friendships that will live on forever. There are so many feelings and things I want share with anyone who will listen but I don’t have words for many of those feelings.

I mentioned that there had to be a "catch" to this FREE trip earlier. All of the birthright israel organizers and 99% of us who’ve been on b.i. will tell you that there is no "catch," "gimmick" or even that it sounds too good to be true. The only "catch" that I’ve figured out so far is that you won’t want to leave, you won’t not want to go back, and you’ll never be the same emotionally, physically, mentally, spiritually, or religiously ever again. You’ll feel different every time you hear a Hebrew word, your heart will stop every time you hear of unrest in Israel, prayer becomes more meaningful, putting on a kipah or tallit will never feel mundane, and family and friends will never quite understand you the same way again. (Even if they thought they understood you before you left and even if they’ve been to Israel themselves.)

There’s not a day that goes by now where I don’t yearn to be Home. Before, Israel was just words in a prayer and a place over near Egypt. Going there barely ever crossed my mind; now I just can’t ever seem to get enough. Every time I look around something reminds me of Israel. The baby trees remind me of my tree on Hill 16, planted upon our arrival. My 2-year-old niece singing and screaming "par-par" (butterfly,) reminds me of Inbal, our guard, who helped me read and translate my Hebrew children’s books. The mountains and valleys bring me back to the Galilee. Singing Eliyahu Hanavi takes me back to Havdalah on the beach, with the candle going out and the wax dripping down and burning our fingers. Niggunim take me back to our Shabbat meals. "Salaam" takes me back to the songs we sang on Bus 11, and "O Canada" takes me to our bus ride to Ben Gurion to go home. (PLEASE PLEASE, Don’t ask me to explain that one!!!!!) I remember that bus ride and the feeling I had at that time clearly. I had to get on a plane and face the feeling of leaving MY HOME to go back to MY HOME.

If you don’t like change and can’t tolerate your life never being the same again please don’t apply. But if you can handle the only "catch" that this trip will throw at you, this is for you. My life will never ever be the same, and for that I am truly grateful.

[Posted 1/22/04]