My Birthright Experience: A Message To A Generation

Few experiences in life can profoundly influence the mind of a stubborn 26 year old; Birthright Israel was one of those for me. I am the grandson of Holocaust survivors, a birthright in itself, and my exposure to the atrocities that occurred 70 years earlier have shaped my core values and beliefs. As a child I attended Yeshiva, however through the years I became less observant and until recently began to lose touch with my Jewish heritage.

On June 2, 2009, I embarked on a 10-day journey through Israel that changed my perspective on Judaism and my identity as a Jew forever. I will turn 27 in November and had it not been for a dear friend, I never would have been notified of a last minute cancellation and opportunity to travel on the trip of a lifetime.

Birthright Israel was established 10 years ago and in that timeframe they have taken more than 220,000 Jews, ages 18-26, to Israel from countries including America, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, India and others. Most participants learn a great deal about their heritage, but I am still not convinced how much they retain and implement once they return back home.

Throughout the course of my 10-day trip, it was fascinating to see the diversity amongst our group and the variation in Jewish backgrounds all participants displayed.

Most people identified strongly with the more famous sites including the Wailing Wall, Masada, Dead Sea, Golan Heights and probably Tzfat because Madonna has preached Kabbala for many years. However, it was the small images that left the greatest impact for me. I recall sitting on El Al Airlines, gazing out the window only to see the Star of David imprinted on the wing flying full steam ahead. It was an incredible feeling to see an airline with the symbolism of Judaism flying at will after six thousand years of Jewish persecution.

I also found it remarkable to track the in-flight GPS satellite system and see Syria, Lebanon, Iran, Jordan and Egypt all surrounding Israel as our flight began to descend. Thank God we did not have to make an emergency landing! It was the simple thoughts during my trip that caught my eye and gave me a greater appreciation for the Jewish homeland and the state Israeli’s fight for every single day.

I remember telling my aunt who lives in Israel how great it must be to live in this beautiful country, only to have her respond, “life in Israel is not so easy. On the surface it appears simple, but every day is a struggle.” I specifically recall her telling me that through the years, everybody knows of someone who was a victim of a mindless suicide attack. This is no way to live and certainly not a normal way of life.

Those who think the struggle for our homeland is only in the past and not the present are wrong. Each and every day, the State of Israel fights for Jewish people all across the world. Since the inception of our homeland, every United States President who takes oath tries to make peace in the region and that day has yet to come. Lives are lost, animosity builds and a new generation of hatred breeds every single day.

Regardless of our affiliations within Judaism, it is critical to understand that Hitler did not care whether Jewish people were Reform, Conservative or Orthodox. Prior to World War II, there were 18 million Jews. During the Holocaust, six million were killed and today that number remains roughly the same more than 70 years later. This is an alarming number especially since there are an estimated 1.8 billion Muslims in the world and they are rapidly growing. By 2025, the Arab population in Israel will surpass the number of Jews in our homeland and, with a single nuclear missile sent by the Iranians, half the Jewish population could be wiped out.

If you look at a map of the Middle East you will find dozens of large Arab nations with ample land enough for a dozen more countries. All the Jewish people seek is one tiny state the size of New Jersey, and we must fight everyday for those nations to recognize our existence. If the Arab nations ever co-existed instead of spewing hatred at each other, there may not be a State of Israel.

I urge all members of my generation regardless of observance to realize how important the land of Israel is to the survival of the Jewish people. American Jews must stand up for our existence and never forget the atrocities the Jewish people have faced as recently as May when Swastikas were painted on two Brooklyn synagogues. Acts of anti-Semitism are rapidly on the rise throughout the world and if we, American Jews, think for one minute that we are isolated from these threats, we must think again.

Amazingly and tragically, the Jewish population has barely increased from 12 million people in 70 years and part of that starts with marrying within our own religion. Frighteningly, the Jewish race is one more round of hatred from being permanently removed. The threats of the modern world are very real and history can certainly repeat itself as the world turns a blind eye. In the next 20 years, there will be no more living Holocaust survivors. It is the responsibility of the third generation to finally come of age and fight for what thousands of years of Jews have fought for - our existence.