Hillel Blog

By Marci Fiedler

Just a few weeks ago, I was walking through the Har Herzl Military Cemetery in Jerusalem. No site in Israel speaks more powerfully to Israelis and visitors alike than to visualize the courage, honor – and sacrifice – that has been required over the years to protect and defend this tiny country.

That morning, my visit to the cemetery was all the more powerful as I led a group of Chicago-area college students on the final day of their Taglit-Birthright Israel trip, a free 10-day visit provided by the Birthright Israel Foundation, the Government of Israel, and Jewish Federations across North America, organized by JUF and other groups.

As we passed by the graves of 19, 20, and 21-year old soldiers who had given their lives in defense of the State of Israel, Amanda, one of the participants approached me, overcome by the gravity of a realization that was unfolding before her. The responsibilities confronting young Israelis, she declared, were far weightier than any problems she had ever faced. She felt she had to come back.

Amanda is one of over 500 college students and young adults from the Chicago area to experience Israel this winter season on a trip that connects young adults to the country, celebrating the beauty, excitement, and significance of Israel. Before leaving for my trip, I was overjoyed by the expectation that I'd be able to share with my bus all that I knew and loved about the country. I knew I'd be excited to talk to them about day-to-day life in Jerusalem; that I'd be thrilled to cheer them on as they climbed Masada at 5 am; that I'd feel that spark of emotion as they wrote notes at the Western Wall. But I could never have predicted the intensity of that "Ah ha!" moment as I realized the extent to which I had facilitated in a young adult's connection to Israel, her desire to return, and her sense of responsibility to the Jewish community.

Only a few days after we arrived in Chicago, Amanda expressed her desire to get back to Israel as soon as possible. She is now planning to return to Israel for a semester of study abroad this coming fall. I have no doubt that the experiences she will have and the relationships she will establish will leave a lasting impression on her commitment to the Jewish community.

By: Rachel Borgman

 
Photo Credit: Zach Dalin

Birthright is a great opportunity for Jews of all different denominations to connect with their roots by visiting their homeland. Unfortunately, at schools with smaller numbers of Jewish students, not many Jews are aware of the opportunities that are out there for them. The Hillel at Bradley University is trying to tackle that problem head-on by educating Jewish students at a special "Birthright Shabbat." Last week, Bradley Hillel welcomed students to hear about the wonderful experiences they had on Birthright and how they too could take part in the Birthright experience. Not only did these students talk about how much fun it was to just be on the trip, but a common theme of the discussion was how close they felt to their Jewish roots and their desire to continue to explore their Jewish identity when they returned home.

 Zach Dalin, the president of Bradley's Hillel said, "Birthright showed me Israel in a much different way than I had seen it before. We saw the sights and got to bond together, but more importantly, I was inspired to do more with my Judaism." Continuing to express his desire to share his experience with others, Dalin discussed how he planned to bring some of that Israeli culture back home with him. "I want to bring Israeli culture to Hillel programming and I also got inspired to do new songs as the song leader at camp this summer." 

Dalin was not the only student to express his delight with his experience. Becca Turoff, a senior at Bradley and former student board member, described the trip as "opening her eyes to our homeland," saying that she immediately "fell in love with Israel." With so much positive response, the new Hillel Director, Rabbi Daniel Bogard is even trying to organize a birthright trip specifically for Bradley students in the near future.

MASA Israel Journey offers graduates and young professionals a range of transformative career development, internship, community service and graduate academic experiences in Israel. Become immersed in the culture of another country and add a valuable dimension to your professional and academic experience.

Choose from a variety of internship opportunities and gain the knowledge, skills and experience you need to be competitive in today's economy. Take action through community service and develop skills as you explore your passions in a place where 3,000 years of history come together with global leadership in technology, business, green energy, scientific research and the environment. Plus, receive up to $7,500 in grants and scholarships!

For more information, visit MASA's Facebook page or contact Marci Fiedler, Chicago MASA Representative at marcif@masaisrael.org / (312) 357-4965.