My own personal Israel story

Throwaway account for this as I’m not comfortable having this on my main.<br><br>It was the summer of 2016. I had just graduated college, and I was in the process of moving to New York City, so I decided to take a quick trip to Israel before settling into my new life. I had never been before, and figured it would be a great chance to visit before I started my career.<br><br>My family always kept our Jewish faith in our lives, but were never particularly active. Shabbat dinner every Friday at my grandparents was a staple, but that was about it.<br><br><br>All I knew about Israel was what I learned in Sunday school as a kid, and what I heard through the grapevine from family and friends. I had always been told how special of a place it was, how beautiful the country is, and what an important part of Jewish history it played.<br><br><br>So, here’s my story. I drove from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, and stopped at a local restaurant in a small town along the way to grab some lunch. I walked into the shop, and the first thing I saw was a couple of IDF soldiers eating their lunch at the counter. I was amazed. I was never in a country before where you could see an active duty soldier walking the streets, armed, and just living their day to day lives.<br><br><br>So I got my food, and I sat down at the counter, and the soldiers started talking to me. One of them was in school to be a doctor, and the other was in school to be a lawyer. Both of them had been on active duty for a few years already, and were still in school. They were probably 22-23 years old at the time. We just had a nice conversation about life, our futures, and just shot the shit for a while.<br><br><br>After they left, I just thought about how crazy this was. I just had a casual conversation with soldiers who were serving their country. There was no fear of them, no animosity, it was just a normal conversation. It was so strange for me coming from the United States where this was unheard of. I couldn’t tell you how eye opening this was for me- it really just changes your mindset about how countries can function without active hatred for the government in the hearts of its citizens.<br><br><br>As I continued driving, I got to Jerusalem, and I was blown away by the beauty of the city. The first thing I noticed was how modern the city was, it was like walking through any major city in the United States. But then when you walked through certain parts of the city, you had ancient buildings from thousands of years ago. Being able to walk through something like King Davids Tunnels, and imagine history unfolding there thousands of years ago was truly an honor.<br><br><br>I remember walking to the Western Wall before Shabbat started that Friday, and I was overcome by emotion. I had never cried in public before, and I like to keep my emotions to myself, but I was overcome. I just felt a sense of pride, a sense of being home, a sense of honor, and a sense of what a special place this was. I spent hours at the wall praying, writing notes, and absorbing the moment.<br><br><br>On Shabbat morning, I went to the Great Synagogue to pray. The synagogue is massive, seating thousands of people, and the amount of men, women, and children there was truly humbling. Shabbat dinner that night was perfect. I was able to find a family to have dinner with, and I will never forget their graciousness. They didn’t know me, they just took me in like I was part of the family, and treated me like one of their own.<br><br>My trip continued in Tel Aviv, and was able to visit some of the neighboring cities. The food, the music, the markets, were all just so wonderful.<br><br><br>I left Israel on a Sunday, and cried on my way back to the airport. This country had a hold on me. I felt like a big part of me was missing when I left.<br><br><br>I tell everyone how great Israel is. From a cultural standpoint, religious standpoint, and just an overall standpoint, it is a perfect place to visit. From that day forward, I felt a connection to Israel that I never had before. I can’t wait until I can go back again.<br><br><br>This trip changed my perspective on everything, and I feel like I am a better person because of it. The values that the people and the country have will always stick with me and give me the strength to succeed in life.<br><br><br>I hope anyone reading this has their own personal Israel story. For those who have not had that opportunity yet, I am jealous. Your time to visit Israel will come, and I hope you will experience the same things I did.<br><br><br>Thank you- Shalom.