Yesterday, I returned from a Birthright Israel trip; this one was very difficult for me, but also quite special.

This year, Boston engaged in a pilot initiative to run "community based" Birthright Israel trips, so everyone on the bus (undergrads and post-grads alike) were from the Boston area.

I could tell you that the trip was terrific, but instead I've taken excerpts from the 25+ emails that have been circulating the group since we returned for you to read (below).

  
Birthright Israel has been one of the most rewarding programs I’ve been a part of, and I hope this will give you a small glimpse into that world. One of our speakers on this trip ended a session with a quote that I’d like to share with you: "we come to the land of Israel to transform it, and in the process, we transform ourselves".

"I can't stop thinking about the last ten days and the experiences we have had. Since I got on the plane to come home until now I have probably looked at my pictures 100 times in an attempt to recapture every moment. I feel like I just woke up from an amazing dream that has changed my life forever and I wanted to thank all of you for truly giving me the experience of a lifetime."

 
"To be honest I signed up for this trip for the chance to do some free traveling. I never expected that after ten days I would have made such amazing friends and learned so much about myself and my history." "

I hope everyone, regardless of your religious dedication, understands that just remembering the many stories, and tombstones, and people, and the ridge with two valleys, each and every time, is a mitzvah in itself."

"We've been infected with the virus that is Israel. And to me, the only remedy is returning."

  
"This whole day, when I should have been focusing at work, I have been anxiously twiddling my thumbs, tapping my feet, glancing out the window, and checking my watch, wondering when I was next going to return to Israel...I want to stop people on the street and spill my beans about Miriam and Independence Hall and Kibbutz Metzer. I want to make my parents understand what it means to be a secular Jew. I want to reach and touch the Western Wall. I want to see the eyes and hear the laughs of all of you, all of us that traveled together. I'm sure many of you share these same feelings, but Israel changed my life. I feel substantially different than I did on May 31. Never before have I felt such a part of a global community and an ancient tradition. Thank you all for your companionship and your smiles."

Adina M. Stein

126 High St.
Boston, MA 02110
617-457-8654

AdinaS@cjp.org

AOL IM: AdinaatCJP