Israel so far, has truly been an amazing experience. We have already done so much that I could not possibly write about it all, but there are a few things that I don't believe any of us will ever forget.
First is beginning Shabbat at the Kotel. I have been to the Wall before but being there on a Friday night is a completely different experience. Both the men's and women's sides are completely packed. It is a sea of Jews from every corner of the world dancing, singing, and praying. Coming from Poland, a place with so few Jews today, to that made me feel so proud to see that our people are still alive and well, but most importantly full of joy and faith.
Yesterday we went to Ammunition Hill. Our guides told us about the critical battle there during the Six Day War that helped in reconquering Jerusalem. After touring the bunkers, the Southern Region was fortunate enough to be the only region of the March to meet with Michael Levin's parents, Harriet and Mark. His lifelong dream was to make Aliyah to Israel, which he did at the age of 19. Michael was a lone soldier in the IDF's paratrooper unit during the attacks from Hezbollah in 2006 who died while on a mission in Lebanon. What struck me most, and I think many of my peers, was how similar his story was to ours. He grew up in a Jewish community in Pittsburg, went to Jewish day school, was imbued from an early age with a love for Israel. We all walked away from it with such a greater appreciation for our fellow American Jews who leave home to fight for our homeland.
The final and most meaningful experience for me has been Yom Hazikaron, which began last night. We attended the Tekes (ceremony) in our partnership city of Akko. Max Glauben, Kelly, and I laid a wreath as part of the ceremony for the Dallas Jewish Federation. We then heard the names of the people who have died for this country, whether through fighting or terror attacks, since The creation of the State of Israel from Akko. They must have read the names for 10 minutes. It really amazed me to hear how many people from just one small city have given their lives for our homeland and have such a great amount of gratitude for them. Today, we continued our day of remembrance. At exactly 11 this morning, the alarm sounded across the country. The bus stopped and we got out and observed a minute of silence. Before leaving for the March my parents told me what an unexplainable feeling it is to hear that sound. They were right. It is so eerie and sad, but at the same time beautiful. In America on Memorial day we shop sales and go to the lake, here everyone takes the day to mourn because everyone has lost someone close. At that moment as the siren blared, I knew the entire country had stopped no matter what they were doing just to remember. I find that today is filled with sadness, but also with pride because we have people willing to die for a Jewish homeland.
I am so grateful to the people who have kept this country alive.
It feels good to be home!
Rachel Goodman
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