Editor’s Note: Views expressed in guest columns and letters to the editor reflect the views of the author, not the views of The State News.
As a young Jewish adult, I am granted a free 10-day trip to Israel, called Taglit- Birthright. This program is supported through many philanthropists, the government of Israel and through Jewish organizations and communities.
I chose to take this trip with an open mind. I never understood why Israel always was a target for many of the Middle Eastern countries. I now understand that most of the fighting revolves around land, and I learned how important it is to the Jewish people to have a state of their own.
I feel it is my job to share with everyone all of the wonderful things about this country and the strong people who live there.
Ten days in Israel was hardly enough to get a taste of the country, but it was enough to know that I would travel back in a heartbeat.
We visited Old City of Jerusalem and the Western Wall for the first time on Shabbat. I was in shock to see how many people were praying, singing and dancing by the Wall. Here, Jews could practice their religion without being ridiculed.
I was standing in front of the most sacred sight of the Jewish faith. I had a really incredible experience there and could feel the energy surrounding me.
On this trip, I learned about all of the hardships Jews have endured in the past and what they are still dealing with today.
It’s easy to say Israel is a country that is constantly under attack, but it’s another thing to actually experience it. I learned a lot about the Gaza Strip and its powerful government, Hamas.
Our group was taken to Sderot, a city in Israel, which has been under attack by the Gaza Strip for years.
There, we were informed of the suicide bombers and rockets constantly are bringing terror to the people living in Sderot.
I chose to catch up with the tour guide and ask her why Gaza was doing such a thing. Her answer was simple. She told me Gaza’s main goal is to kill Jews, but if they can’t kill them all, the next best thing is to have them live in fear.
As you can imagine, my next questions were, “Why doesn’t anyone leave?” and “Why doesn’t Israel fight back?” She told me that Israel is a small country, and there isn’t anywhere to run.
She also told me most of the people living in the Gaza Strip are very poor and innocent, and killing innocent lives is against what Israelis believe. So instead, they choose to stand their ground and keep a brave face through all of the terror.
We continued our tour with a view of the Gaza Strip. As I was looking over the country, I saw a huge explosion under a half-mile away from where I was standing.
I couldn’t believe what I saw. I never thought I would witness an attack on my trip, but it showed me how significant the difference between a normal life in Israel and a normal life in the United States is.
One difference between the countries is the requirement by law that each Israeli serves in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) for a few years after high school graduation. I was fortunate enough to spend time with eight soldiers in the IDF and learn about their experiences.
These soldiers have seen so much trauma and yet, they’re still so normal. They have the same dreams as Americans such as traveling the world and getting an education. Taglit gave me the opportunity to make friends with people who live more than 6,000 miles away and with the technology today, I am able to stay in touch with every single one of them.
Israel is an incredible place, but the history behind this country is even more impressive. I learned a lot about Judaism and what it means to me.
As a Jew, I believe in valuing family, traditions and acceptance of others. I think it’s important to recognize that Judaism is a way of choosing how to live your life.
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I don’t think being a Jew is entirely about being religious or attending synagogue. Instead, I think it’s about finding your own identity and being the best person you can be.
Being in Israel gave me pride in my religion and showed me being Jewish is nothing to be ashamed of. Many of my friends have told me I’m the first Jewish person they’ve met, and I tried to think of why that might be.
I’ve come to the conclusion that events in the past have led the Jewish population to deteriorate. I think it’s important for the Jewish community to grow and make up for what was lost in our tragic past.
Marlee Delaney is a guest columnist at The State News and a journalism junior. Reach her at delane62@msu.edu.
