The Last Birthright Blog Post

Birthright Parents and Friends,

 

I never got to say goodbye or post one last blog entry.  Upon returning to the United States, I immediately went to DC for a Hillel Leadership conference that kept me tied up for the better part of the next week.  This is literally the first minute I have had to breath since our wheels touched the JFK tarmac and I wanted to share some thoughts with all of you.

 

You have my gratitude.  Your students were WONDERFUL people and an absolute pleasure to know.  They were attentive, polite, engaged, and thoughtful.  I was so proud of the way they represented themselves.  This is a reflection on YOU, their family and friends.  These students were raised right.  They were prepared to connect with the state of Israel and explore their own Judaism.  Thank YOU for giving me the opportunity to get to share Israel and Judaism with them and trusting us with their health and safety.

 

The trip is not over, though, yet.  No doubt they have told you all about their experiences, showed you pictures, and maybe even brought you valuable souvenirs.  I would challenge you, though, to talk to your students about the trip on a deeper level.  What connections does your family have with the state of Israel?  Share how YOU felt about your student going to Israel with them.  Or, maybe you can tell them about YOUR first experience in Israel.  Become a part of the post-experience dialogue that encourages students to process the trip and reflect on their time in Israel in a deeper and more meaningful way.

 

Also, please consider partnering with Hillel at Syracuse University.  Without your generous support, we cannot afford to offer quality immersion experience, like Birthright, to your students.  If you are interested in making a contribution to Hillel that will sustain our Birthright recruiting and engagement efforts and retain our amazing staff, please contact me via the information below, or go to our website, http://www.suhillel.org/Giving_to_Hillel.aspx.  Remember, over 90% of our funding comes from the support of Hillel friends and family like you.

 

As I told your students on the last evening if the trip, Hillel at Syracuse University is always here for them.  Specifically, I am always here for them, if they need anything.  My offer extends to you, the families for the participants, as well.

Thank you,

Brian

One last night in Jerusalem

Our Bnai Mitzvah celebration - Mazal Tov!

This morning we listened to Avram Infeld speak about the importance of finding and retaining our Jewish identity. He emphasized that JEWISH IS NOT A RELIGION. It is more of a way of life, a home, something that is chaotic and always changing, and whatever you can make of it. He described the Jewish people as being a family all around the world that holds unconditional love for one another, no matter how "good" of a Jew you may be. He talked of the five legs of Judaism, which include memory, family, Mount Sinai, the land and state of Israel, and the Hebrew language. He suggested that to in some way feel connected to three of these things would lead to everyone that is Jewish to feel connected. To me this meant you don't need to be a pro at all things Jewish to be a good Jew. But if you can find a few things about Judaism that sit well with you, that is great in and of itself. I have never felt more connected to the Jewish people than I did this morning listening to Avram speak. 

We then walked over to Yad Vashem and spent about four hours there listening to personal testimonies of the Holocaust, touring the museum with an awesome tour guide, and walking through the children's memorial. The children's memorial surprised me in its simplicity yet vastness. It was as if we were walking into a cave as we sloped a bit downwards into darkness before reaching a room surrounded with mirrors and lit with an indefinite amount of tiny lights. Names, ages, and places of origin of kids that were murdered in the Holocaust were slowly recited from somewhere above us. It was a painful, beautiful, enlightening reflection.

We then headed over to the Shuk at Machaneh Yehuda. It was packed with tons of souvenirs and an unlimited amount of food. We are now back at the hotel waiting for the start of our last Shabbat together. 

Dori

Learning with our Yad Vashem tour guide, Natalie