Before, but definitely after, my Birthright trip my
understanding and use of the word changed.
Defining myself as a Zionist became more important, but it also became a
very important question of “What does it mean to be a Zionist?”
Yesterday I found my answer.
To start this story I should say that yesterday was exactly why I came here. It started
with a quick stroll through the Shuk (market) for some juice and to buy Challah
for Shabbat. I then went to Ulpan
(Hebrew classes), followed by a very cheap lunch in the Shuk (8 shekels, about
$2.25). After that the group met and we
took a tour along the almost 2 mile walk to the old city. Our tour guide was amazing, and she was deeply
passionate and knowledgeable, showing us new places that are rarely visited,
and certainly not in the short time frame most people have in Jerusalem.
I know I haven’t introduced my fellow group members but they
are all great people, and wonderful to be around. After the tour we had dinner together, and a
group of us hung out and just talked for a few hours. I think we laughed as much as we talked during dinner and after, which has made the trip all that much better. I know that gets me ahead of my story, but
this seemed like as good a place as any.
After finishing our tour in the old city we walked down to the Kotel (the Western Wall) for Kabbalat Shabbat. This is a joyful service full of song, welcoming Shabbat before the evening prayer service.
On our way to the old city we passed the home of Eliezer Ben Yehuda, who is the father of modern Hebrew, and we talked about the first neighborhoods to be built outside the city. 150 years ago no one lived outside the walls of the old city and no one spoke Hebrew in their day to day lives, 50 years ago none of us could have worshiped at this place. And yet there we were in the midst of a large city, worshiping freely.
After I was done, and was slowly making my way through the crowd and out of the main area of the Kotel I saw a huge group, probably 3 or 4 very large circles within each other, of soldiers holding their own service, singing, enjoying the beginning of Shabbat. There were a few hundred members of the IDF there last night, apparently in the city for Shabbat while getting trained to become the Israeli equivalent of NCOs.
On our way to the old city we passed the home of Eliezer Ben Yehuda, who is the father of modern Hebrew, and we talked about the first neighborhoods to be built outside the city. 150 years ago no one lived outside the walls of the old city and no one spoke Hebrew in their day to day lives, 50 years ago none of us could have worshiped at this place. And yet there we were in the midst of a large city, worshiping freely.
After I was done, and was slowly making my way through the crowd and out of the main area of the Kotel I saw a huge group, probably 3 or 4 very large circles within each other, of soldiers holding their own service, singing, enjoying the beginning of Shabbat. There were a few hundred members of the IDF there last night, apparently in the city for Shabbat while getting trained to become the Israeli equivalent of NCOs.
And then in the midst of their service they all started dancing and singing “Am Yisrael Chai” or “The
People of Israel Live [or ‘are still Living!’]”.
To be there, in that moment, with thousands of Jews praying
in a place where we weren’t allowed for centuries after the Romans tried to
destroy us while a group of soldiers sang such powerful words with such joy was
my first truly Zionist moment. That joy,
which quite literally brought tears to my eyes twice, was one of the happiest
moments in my life. It seems so small,
that one group of people saying such a simple phrase, but I can now say without
a doubt that I understand what it is to be a Zionist. Not in an academic way with specific things I
do or do not believe, but in my heart.
Am Yisrael Chai
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