By Jared Sloan, Mitzvah Corps Israel Participant, Bus 11
Every time I told someone that I was going to Israel this summer, they invariably told me how much I was going to love it and how special it was going to feel to be in the land of my ancestors, and I believed it. I was totally ready to have a really deep spiritual connection to Israel and it was going to be awesome. But then, when I stepped out of the airport and into the land of Israel, nothing. It didn’t feel any different than America, except maybe a little hotter and drier. And I was somewhat disappointed, I felt like there was something I was missing, like my trip wouldn’t be complete without this connection. So I just told myself to wait, and it would come. So I waited, and I waited, and I waited some more, but it never came.
I still haven’t felt any real connection with G-d or the Jewish people as a whole. What I have felt however, is a really special connection with the land itself. Starting with the plane ride here, when I was lucky enough to get to witness the sun rising over the Atlantic, seeing the horizon explode with brilliant reds and oranges as the sky turns from black, to dark blue, to the clearest light blue you’ve ever seen. In that moment, I was absolutely in awe of the wonders of the natural world, and felt a sort of inner peace that I really can’t describe and don’t think I’ve ever felt before. Throughout this trip, I have absolutely fallen in love with this land. From the dry, rolling hills of the Golan, to the absolutely stunning grottos at Rosh HaNikra, to the endless expanses of sand in the desert. I’ve taken hundreds of pictures of just the gorgeous landscapes we pass by each day on the bus. When we went to the Kotel, I didn’t feel anything standing there at the Wall and praying. But, on the drive back to the hotel that night, I was struck by the beauty of the lights from the neighborhoods near the road. Even though is hasn’t necessarily been what I expected, this trip has dramatically changed the way I see Israel. Before the trip, Israel was mostly a political abstraction. Now I know that Israel is a rich and diverse place full of people trying to change the world. Whether it’s sustainable agriculture in the desert or teenagers building connections across lines of faith in Jerusalem, there are incredible people doing incredible things in all parts of the country.
