It been a crazy week here in Oxford as far as weather goes. We went from forty degree weather into a winter wonderland with snow and ice on the ground everywhere. Last blog entry we promised to bring you some personal memoirs and experiences of some of the Miami Students who were privileged to travel to Israel on a Birthright trip this winter. Please enjoy some writing supplements by Miami students, Seth Vander and Jason Roden below.
My Israel Experience
By Jason Roden
I finally got to go! After all these years of learning about it in Jewish school, hearing about it on the news, praying for it, celebrating it, I finally got to go to Israel. Rather than give a summary of the places I visited, (It’s a beautiful country!) I thought I would share with you my overall learning experience. The president of Hillel, Avraham Infeld, spoke in front of all of us who went to Israel with Hillel. One of the topics he discussed was the idea that Judaism is not a religion…That’s right…He said and I quote, “Judaism is not a religion!” He then went on to explain that rather than a religion, we are a family. Now initially, I did not agree with what he was saying and even now, I don’t agree 100%. However, I think what he was trying to say was that we don’t have to pray 3 times a day and keep strict Shabbos in order to identify as being Jewish. He went on to explain how there are all different types of Jews (Reform, Conservative, Orthodox, etc.) who are all Jewish all the same. Now, I personally do not like to associate myself with any distinct movement. I like to think of myself as “just Jewish.” In reality though, the Jewish people are divided and do not quite see eye to eye on all issues. Infeld proposed a solution to this problem. He compared the values of the Jewish people to a 5 legged table. Each leg represents a characteristic of the ideal Jewish people. The first leg is Jewish memory, which he explained is basically the classic idea that we apply the past experiences of the Jewish people to our lives in the present. The second leg is the idea that the Jewish people are a family. The third is the Hebrew language. The fourth is the Land of Israel and the State of Israel. He made a distinction between the two in the sense that the Land of Israel is what connects us via Jewish memory and the State of Israel is what gives us a Jewish homeland. And the fifth is the Jewish Law. He basically explained that the Jewish Law was given to us at Mount Sinai and it is an essential part of our family’s Jewish memory. Now obviously, not every Jew these days is going to possess all 5 legs. So Infeld suggested that we at least try to incorporate 3 of the 5 legs because as long as there are at least 3, the table will still be able to stand. I feel that this is a very important idea to incorporate into our lives. We, the Jewish people, have managed to prevail against all odds throughout history. Half the Jewish holidays are about people trying to destroy us. But here we are…celebrating them today. Passover, Purim, Chanukah…All of these holidays required us to unite as a people in order to prevail. Even in the last century we have defied the odds. While in Israel, we went to a movie theater and watched a movie about the Yom Kippur War. It specifically focused on the Syrian invasion of Golan Heights. According to the movie, Israel had less than 200 tanks and Syria had nearly 700, not to mention superior infrared technology. Syria also had the element of surprise in its favor. After all, it was Yom Kippur. To make a long story short, the Israelis held off the Syrians in Golan Heights. This, to me, was a miracle just as much as the story of Chanukah. How did we do it? How are we still here? Well if there’s one thing our tour guide tried to drill into our head it was the idea that the Jewish people do not give up. No matter how bad the odds are against us, we will persevere as a people. This is why Israel exists today and it will continue to exist if we continue to unify. And If you haven’t taken advantage of Birthright yet I would definitely suggest doing so. We really didn’t feel any effects of the war in Gaza. (Yet, another modern day example of the unity and perseverance of the Jewish people.) I’ll end with a Jewish quote that my mother always tells me. “G-d helps those who help themselves.” May G-d help the Jewish people unify and bring peace to the world.
The Holy Land
By: Seth Vander
Going over to Israel was one of the greatest experiences of my life. Being over there alone fulfilled a dream, even with all of the chaos, I felt safe because I was surrounded by people who cared. I was able to meet many new people and soldiers who shared the same faith as I did. Alone with these people, I was able learn more about myself as a person and define my Jewish identity. I was able to see many historical sights, such as, Masada, The Western Wall, and The Dead Sea. All of these events will remain in my memory forever. I suggest to any Jewish boy or girl, to take advantage of this opportunity. You seriously do not know what you are missing out on until you have seen it in person. The experience consists of gaining lifetime friendships with people from America and Israel, traveling to the holiest place on Earth, and allows you to recognize your home away from home. The trip to Israel made me extremely happy and brightened my future. For me, the journey has just begun.
Thanks
Seth
Thank you to Seth and Jason for sharing your personal experiences with us. If you are interested in travelling to Israel on this Springs Birthright trip or even the summer session, please don't hesitate to contact Miami's Hillel.
We look forward to seeing you around Hillel soon.
Best,
Dan Albert
Hillel Engagement Intern
Miamihillel@gmail.com
