13th of May 2008 /

Portland teens experience Israel’s 60th birthday

By Leanne Silberberg and Adina Menashe

As Israel prepares to celebrate its 60th birthday, flags wave and words of celebration echo throughout the country.

We remember Israel’s Jubilee birthday. That year, we celebrated Israel’s independence as third graders in Morah Dina’s Hebrew class at Portland Jewish Academy. We performed in Pioneer Courthouse Square where Portland’s Jewish community gathered, dressed in blue and white. Images of people holding hands dancing in the brick square are still with us.

Now, 10 years later, equipped with a stronger Jewish identity and connection to Israel, we are so lucky to be in the heart of the celebration.

Having been in Israel for the past seven months, the idea of leaving in June is hard to grasp. We are two of 19 participants on an intensive gap year program, Kivunim: New Directions. Kivunim is a multi-faceted program comprised of academic, social responsibility and travel components. As members of Kivunim, we live in Jerusalem and learn Hebrew, Arabic, Middle Eastern Studies and about Jewish civilization in the Diaspora.

Each month we focus on the Jewish history of a specific country and after each unit we travel to visit the country of concentration. So far we have traveled to Greece, Morocco, Spain and India. Our next trip is to the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia. While abroad, we visit the synagogues and significant members of the communities that were. Though based on Jewish history, our travels extend to tourist attractions like India’s Taj Mahal and Morocco’s Sahara desert.

People often question the impact of this year on our Israel connection since, unlike traditional Israel programs, we leave the country every month and half. Though this initial hesitation crossed our minds, these reservations prove to be unjustified. It is actually quite the opposite. Because we leave the country so often, each time we return we appreciate Israel even more and do not hesitate to call it home.

One of the most fascinating things about our visits abroad is that regardless of where we travel, the Jews we encounter share the love of Israel that we were first taught as third graders. Our visits are sometimes difficult. Some of the communities that we visit probably won’t exist in a couple of decades. In the cases of India and Morocco, the Jews did not leave because of anti-Semitism, but rather because of Zionist aspirations.

About a month ago, we ate Shabbat lunch at the synagogue in Mumbai. To our right sat an elderly man, Yitzchak, who explained to us that his family had lived in Mumbai for 2,000 years.

“I am a Bene Israel Jew if there ever was such a thing,” he told us with a smile across his face.

When we asked about his family, he told us that like many of the Diaspora youth, his son and daughter had both made Aliyah.

To our left sat an Asian woman from Hong Kong, who kept kosher, kept Shabbat and like us, had spent time in Israel as a young woman.

Crazy. A group of teenagers from the United States, Italy, Russia and Australia eating Shabbat lunch in India—what a diverse group of Jews.

We traveled south to Cochin and while in one of the more famous Kerala synagogues, we said a misheberach (blessing) for peace. As we stood and recited the Hebrew words tourists in all corners of the shul rose from their seats in support and recognition. We walked over to them after the prayer and met Jews from France, England and Uruguay. Even though we were all so far from home (interpret that as you want, Israel or Portland), Israel and Judaism forge a deep connection.

Israel is the homeland for every Jew, and to think that each of the countries that we have visited will be celebrating Israel’s independence inspires us. So this Yom Ha’atzmaut has a greater significance.

We have gotten to know Israel and love it for all of its attributes:good and bad. We have seen the settlements, visited the security fence, met Knesset members, visited coexistence villages and schools, met rabbis and soldiers, and even volunteered for various local causes.

After the recent terrorist attack at the Mercaz HaRav Yeshiva, we saw the country experience the shift from devastation to simcha (for Purim) as it has become so accustomed to. We have seen holidays, museums, cemeteries and weddings. This year, we have seen it all and can’t wait to see what May 8 has in store.

Despite much controversy, Israel is celebrated as a Jewish homeland, a democracy amidst Arab nations and a Zionist’s dream. Open The Oregonian on any day of the week and you can be assured that Israel’s name will be mentioned.

This year we will miss Portland’s celebrations, and we wish you all a happy independence day because it is truly something to celebrate.