Monday, July 14, 2014

Presence is everything

I don't think one can fully comprehend what is going on in Israel today, if he is not in the state of Israel currently. I believe this is because you cannot empathize with someone if you do not observe with your own eyes the pain, suffering, and perseverance of those whose home is Israel.
Three weeks. That's how long it has taken me to understand certain aspects of Israel that prior to this trip I did not understand. In about 4 hours, I will be leaving the kibbutz I have been staying at for the past 5 days. I will soon be on the bus on my way to the Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv. Sitting down now in the reception room at noon, I am very emotional.
Whether it be the murder of the three teenage boys, the hundreds of missiles sent from the Gaza Strip daily, the IDF who are tirelessly defending the state of Israel from terror, and all those residing in Israel who are courageously combating terror, I am distraught. Being in Israel currently has certainly changed me. As the situation in Israel escalates, so does my frustration and confusion. Why does Hamas send hundreds of missiles a day, sending thousands of Israelis sprinting to the nearest bomb shelters? Why does defending the state of Israel negatively reflect upon the IDF? Why does Hamas use Palestinian civilians as human shields? And on a happier note, how is the iron dome so miraculously effective in intercepting hundreds of rockets over Israel? It is apparent that these questions have been swimming inside of my head, and have been struggling to find an answer. Throughout the entirety of I Speak Israel, something has been bothering me. Initially, I could not quite grasp what the itching thing was, but as I depart Israel in a couple of hours I have acknowledged the hardest part of leaving. Israeli citizens must endure through this difficult period. Those especially who reside in southern communities, must remain in bomb shelters throughout the day. They must accept this reality currently.

 Their summer, their vacations have been interfered with. Even though I hold an Israeli citizenship, I currently do not live in Israel. I know that I can leave the state of Israel and return to America. The millions of Jews who live in Israel, on the other hand cannot. This pains me. I know I have a way out, while they do not. Though, many citizens do not mind this. It still continues to amaze me the way the atmosphere of the state has not changed entirely for the worse. Malls, boutiques, yogurt shops remain open with vibrant customers entering throughout the day. If I could take away one thing from the several experiences and encounters I had on I Speak Israel, I would say that one cannot advocate for Israel, criticize Israel, and make decisions for Israel without ever paying a visit to the special country. That is the lesson I learned. I believe it is imperative for Jews in the Diaspora and leading politicians of the world to come to Israel. Only then, can one truly observe the courage all Israelis have in the face of terror. Israel- remain strong and know that in the future, peace is possible and will be achieved.
---Ilana Stein

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