Guest post from Birthrighter Alexa

One year the two big kids came home from day camp loving their bus counselor. She became a great babysitter and (now that she’s in college) my Facebook friend. So when I read that Alexa Wasserman had just come back from a Birthright Israel trip, I asked her to be a guest blogger. And what a fabulous guest blogger to have! She had so many beautiful photos it was hard to pick just three.

It was always assumed that I would go on Birthright in college just as my older brother did before me after his freshman year at NYU. I had heard all about the camel rides and the Dead Sea before and had even seen the sights myself at the age of twelve for a family wedding. At just twelve years old, I was not able to appreciate Israel for all that it is: a country where I will always feel at home amongst my own people.

A trip to the Western Wall is a must

After applying to the trip three times I was finally accepted on the third try (so apply now*). Since the acceptance came as I got the news of a brand new Israeli boy cousin, I was extremely excited for the adventure. The trip was scheduled during the winter break of my junior year at Muhlenberg. This time, I had applied through my school’s Hillel to a program called Kesher, which is run by the Reform organization NFTY (National Federation of Temple Youth). I was looking forward to meeting young Jewish kids from all around the country and also for the amazing opportunity to appreciate Israel, a country I have learned about for most of my life.

Alexa and her new friends

Even after about fifteen years of Hebrew school and Hebrew high school I still was not even close to prepared for what I would find. I have come away from this trip realizing that I just experienced a gift which per person would cost roughly five thousand dollars; Jews around the world believe that it is my right to visit Israel before making some very important decisions in my life and so donated the money for me and my generation to go. I believe that this is a beautiful concept. Not only did I visit the place but also the people, as we were paired with eight incredible soldiers in the Israeli Defense Force for five days of traveling and experiencing.

These people changed my life. I could not believe that they were around my age (20) and while I am at school studying, they are fighting hard for my values, culture, religion and people. Hearing their stories and interacting with them truly enhanced the trip and the programming as well. There was never a dull moment with constant guitar playing, singing and nature. Hiking Masada was a great highlight of the trip. I was proud of myself for accomplishing the route and I even taught a Yoga class to my peers at 5 a.m. on top of the mountain as the sun came up. We visited Sderot, Svat, Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, which was my absolute favorite place for its uniqueness. We also saw the Gaza Strip and Lebanon from across a hilltop. I did not feel in danger and instead felt comfort in knowing that we strive so hard to protect an area that we hold dear to us for it brings the Jewish people together and provides a sense of unification and security for my family and many others as well.

Alexa's trip photos are enough to make you drool.

Five of my friends had a bar and bat mitzvah aliyah at a synagogue in Tel Aviv on our final Shabbat in Israel. They had never received one before and it was incredible to watch as they experienced this at last. I was lucky enough to extend my trip and stay for a total of 22 days, 12 days past the 10-day trip. My parents joined me in Israel and we traveled to El Ad and Eli where my first cousins live. In Eli, I stayed at my cousin Hadassah’s house for Shabbat and had a great time with my four little cousins (including the new baby). They live in a settlement on the West Bank very close to the Arab people. Being with my family in Israel meant a great deal to me. I look back on my trip and think about the wonderful experiences I had, the friends I made and I realize how much I changed. I would highly recommend Birthright to any Jewish citizen of the world who is lost, found or searching for something. I think Israel is an unbelievable place filled with distinctly special people and we can never give up defending what is ours.

*Many tour operators host Birthright trips, so whether you want one that will concentrate on history, culture, outdoorsy-adventure, or just a great all-around tour, look into it! United Jewish Communities of MetroWest hosts a Birthright tour for New Jersey kids (the “kids” being 18-26). Contact Justine Reuben at 973-929-3054 or jreuben@ujcnj.org. – Alia