Going to Israel on Birthright was a life changer for me. If you’re unaware of what Birthright Israel is, it’s a FREE 10-day trip for people between the ages of 18 and 26 who are Jewish. I highly recommend this trip to any Jewish young adult who is looking to learn more about their religion, visit some amazing places, and meet some amazing people, as well. I don’t want to give away too much about this trip because everyone’s experiences and connections will be different, so I’m just going to simply explain how this trip changed me as a person.
The moment registration for Birthright opened up, I acted quickly and signed up. A few weeks later I would be accepted on the trip and a few months later I would soon be sitting in Miami airport, on the floor due to a three-hour delay to our connecting flight in Germany. This delay sucked and everyone was upset that we had to wait a long five hours in an airport, plus our ten hour flight to Germany and our five hour flight to Israel, but no one was in a bad mood because we all knew it was a great bonding experience in all actuality. After arriving in Germany and frantically running with a group of forty people to our last flight, we finally made it to the Holy Land, exhausted and extremely jet-lagged. Although we were all so tired and had absolutely no phone service, we managed to bond within the first few hours of being together and that’s when I knew this trip would forever change my life.
Israel is an indescribable place. I got to visit and experience so many different places and cultures that I probably would not be able to see if it wasn’t for this trip. Before coming to Israel, I always considered myself to be Jewish, but I only really celebrated the high holidays and Shabbat once in a while. This trip really opened my eyes to how much my religion has to offer. I met some of my best friends on this trip who share similar values with me. It really created a special bond and automatic connection between us. The nights when we should have been sleeping after twelve-hour days were spent connecting with everyone on the trip.
This trip also made me try things out of my comfort zone that I would probably never do on just a regular trip. From zip lining, rafting in the Jordan River, riding a camel, climbing Mount Masada, trying new foods, and to sleeping in a Bedouin tent in the middle of the desert, if you were to ask anyone who knows me well if I would do these things before this trip, they would probably tell you no. I also came home from this trip wanting to continue practicing my religion the way we did for those ten days in Israel. We were lucky enough to celebrate two Shabbats following two Havdalahs, but I knew these wouldn’t be the last time for me. I excitedly told my parents I would want to continue learning more about my religion and also practicing. This trip has truly made an everlasting impact on my life and I recommend this to any Jewish young adult looking to enrich themselves with their religion and Israel.
