Messages From a
Lost Israeli #1

During this coming year, I intend to send a weekly message consisting of a d'var torah with a hint of life in Israel, specifically my experiences on Nativ. It is my small way of bringing Israel to North America. I hope to bring Torah and Eretz Moladetainu, our homeland, to you every Shabbat.

Our adventure began in New York this past Monday morning. Imagine 51 eighteen year-olds preparing to go to Israel for the year of our lives - for the year that would change us forever. It began with an orientation, icebreakers, and then we ventured off to Kennedy Airport. We land in Ben Gurion Airport some 15 hours later, and we hear of a bombing in Tel Aviv. A minor scare, but nothing that could faze us - it is too distant, we are too excited.

We drive 45 minutes to Yerushalayim Shel Zahav, the Beautiful City of Gold, Jerusalem. We sit on the outskirts of the city, and take in all of its beauty. We are finally here, in our homeland - we are finally in Israel.

After hanging out for what seems like months, tragedy strikes - only a few blocks away, there is a piguah, a bombing. It occurs at 11 p.m. on Emek Refaim, a popular street no further than a 20 minute walk. Beyond that, it is incredibly close to the old dormitory of Nativ, our program. This is a greater scare for me, as it is one of my favourite hangouts in the country. While I have been here three times since the beginning of the matzav, this attack is the scariest for me. It was so close, in a neighbourhood I know so well - and I worry that someone I know may have been injured.

Everyone I know is all right. A friend of a friend is injured, and that is the worst of it. Tragically, the Head Doctor of the Trauma Department at Shaarey Tzedek Hospital is killed with his daughter at the coffee shop. They were there relaxing the night before her wedding. What could drive someone to kill those who just wish to spend time with their daughter who is about to become a kalah (bride)?

As terrible as this is, I am not scared. Our group is not afraid. The Nativ office was completely aware that the area was at risk that night, and therefore would not allow us to head there. They were aware that this could potentially occur, through information from the Jewish Agency and Ministry of Defence, and they prevented of us from going there. Despite this, did I make the right decision to be in Israel? Is it worth it to be here, rather than already starting university? Yes, I made the right choice, and there is nothing more worthwhile.

In a previous message on USY's website, I quoted Professor Dumbledore in J.K. Rowling's second Harry Potter book, The Chamber of Secrets, when he inspires Harry: "It is our choices... that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities". Dumbledore motivates him, telling him that beyond our talents, it is ultimately the decisions we make that form human character. At various USY events this year, I have typically spoken about this theme, focussing on the importance of choices. Sefer D'varim, the Book of Deuteronemy, is filled with verses that relate to this topic.

We learn in Parshat Re'eh: "See, this day I set before you blessing and curse". In a few weeks, at the end of parshat Nitzavim, we see a famous quotation in the Torah, stating Chapter 30, Verse 19: "I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day: I have put before you life and death, blessing and curse. Choose life - if you and your offspring would live".

God and Moshe are explaining that we have free will. We learn that God is leaving us a choice: to reject his commandments or dedicate ourselves in a path of morality and Jewish law. Moshe is advising the people, not commanding, but advising the people that they have the ability to choose, unlike the generation before them who were slaves in Egypt. Moshe is informing the nation that they all have the potential to make choices, between blessing and curse, life and death: and it is upon them to choose for themselves in order to be freed from an internal slavery. While we continually hear about free will in these verses, there is a minimal focus on the outcome of our decisions. We typically hear that we will either live or die. The furthest we hear is the recommendation to choose life so that we continue the generations. And yet in this week' parsha, Ki Tavo, there is a whole set of blessings and curses that we will receive dependent on our decisions.

Chapter 28, verses 1 and 2 begins: "Now if you obey the Lord your God... All these blessings shall come upon you". This statement is followed by numerous blessings, ending with Chapter 28, verse 6: "Blessed shall you be in your comings and blessed shall be you in your goings".

Following this, from verses 15 to 20, we see the other outcome of our choices: "But if you do not obey the Lord your God... all these curses shall come upon you"... "Cursed shall you be in your comings and cursed shall you be in your goings".

Along with the 50 other Nativers, I made a critical decision - to go to Israel for a year, to learn, teach, and return as a better leader within the Conservative Movement. I have seen the bravery of Jewish teenagers and Israeli citizens over this week.

As Professor Dumbledore states, "It is our choices... that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities". We made the right choice, for we are already having an amazing experience. At a bonfire on Wednesday night, we sang and danced for over an hour at USY's Hill 16. The beautiful words "Ani ma'amin be'emunah sh'laymah" - I believe with complete faith" - resounded outside the walls of Jerusalem. The next morning, singing the Ve'yerushalayim section of the Amidah carried new meaning. WE ARE IN JERUSALEM! And concluding the Shemoneh Esreh with "Oseh shalom", the hope for peace, resonates more beautifully in this country than anywhere else in the world. We made the right choice, for now we are all truly home.

We sadly remember the events of two years ago, when terror was brought over the ocean to North America. The world saw an attempt to destroy the infrastructure of a democratic society - and yet we prevailed. As we can see today, American life continues despite a giant setback. Have people moved from New York, for fear from another attack? No. Rather they stand together on this day, as a united people, remembering their fellow brothers and sisters who perished in the hands of evil.

It is exactly the same in Israel. At times it is scary, and yet, we are here, standing together. For we will not allow terrorists to succeed in their goals - of preventing a democratic society and her people from continuing their daily lives.

Every morning when we wake up, my friend Rebecca and I exchange some change, and we are shlichot mitzvah, messengers for a mitzvah. We give each other American, Canadian, or Israeli currency. We carry it around with us all day, and then that night we put it in our tzedakah box, which we will bring back to International Convention in December. This will keep us safe. This simple act is a symbol that we will not allow terrorists scare us.

A pop Israeli song states: "lo kalah hee, lo kalah darkaynu, lo telchee levadech, ani eheye sham eetach" - It is not easy, our path is not easy; do not walk alone, I will be there with you". When we stand together, representing a democratic people against terrorism, we will overcome the difficult paths in our lives. However, we must take the initiative, we must make the choice, to stand as one.

As all of us enter the new year, and as my fellow Nativers enter this new experience, I pray: "Blessed shall you be in your comings and blessed shall be you in your goings".