2001 - United Synagogue Youth

ShalhevetThis summer I went with thirty-four otherUSYers to Israel. Being in Israel meant more to usthan the average tourist. Before arriving in TelAviv, we spent a week in Poland. We saw five concentrationand death camps. We visited the WarsawGhetto memorial. We learned about the flourishingJewish communityin pre-war Poland,and saw its feeble attemptsat revival now.After that emotionallytrying week, we couldnot have been moreready to arrive inEretz Yisrael. Thefreedom and immediatesense of belongingwe all felt upon arrivalwas overwhelming. Afew hours after beingyelled at in Polish forsinging in the airportterminal, all thirty-fourof us were dancing, singing, crying, and kissing eachother and the ground in a place that symbolizeslife and rebirth to so many. After witnessing ourpeople’s struggles in Poland, we lived many peoples’dreams who never even lived to see Israel’s birth.Everyday we woke up in Israel, we were thankfulnot to have the shadow one wakes up with in Poland.In Israel you belong.Most of my group had never been to IsraelShabbat on Pilgrimageby Judy Greenbergbefore, and as we gathered on the steps of ouryouth hostel on our first Friday afternoon inJerusalem, voices stopped at the sound of a siren.It was the siren that announces the eighteen minutesbefore Shabbat comes each week. It did notalarm us like an emergency bell, but it slowly,peacefully called to us.Our voices faded and welistened silently. It felt likethe whole world was listening,and slowing downas Shabbat came. ThatShabbat came and went,with a calm feeling ofsubtle celebration behindeverything we did. It wasa wonderful feeling to bein a place where peopleare so much like me.Kabbalat ShabbatPhoto by Josh Rudawitz.prayers held a new meaningfor me as we welcomedour Shabbat inthe North. The evening before, I had heard MuslimSabbath prayers broadcast over the same hillwhere we were standing. I felt a kinship with thesereligious Muslims, often seen as so different fromus. Both Sabbath prayers were beautiful to hearand feel.Shabbat in Israel is an indescribable experience.I feel privileged to have been able to bethere. I hope to return soon.18