During an exercise near the end of the recent Jewish Federation of North America’s Campaign Chairs and Directors Mission to Tbilisi, Georgia, and Israel, we were asked to select a photograph taken during the mission and describe why it was our “aha” moment. After looking through hundreds of photos taken on our journey, I carefully chose one of our group smiling and posing with young, handsome Israeli soldiers at Kibbutz Kfar Aza, near the Gaza border.
The image brought back to me a memory of my first Israel experience — a time that I bonded with other Jewish teens from around the country. {mprestriction ids="1,3"}The year was 1983 and I was traveling through Israel on a six-week BBYO tour. It was a carefree time in life with few real concerns about the world around me.
Fast-forward 32 years. After a somber day spent touring the areas affected by last year’s Operation Protective Edge, we were greeted by smiling IDF soldiers. Upon seeing the soldiers, I immediately recalled my first connection to the land of Israel and saw a photo opportunity. Most members of our group posed proudly with the soldiers while their cell phones clicked away.
A few moments later, I realized that the last time I visited Israel — at age 16 — the soldiers appeared to be grown men. Now, they were the same age as my oldest son — mere children. I recognized that as an adult Jew returning to Israel, I could not view her in the carefree way I did as a teenager. I now have a different responsibility to this country.
But, as on all Jewish Federation missions, there were more surprises around the corner. We were guided into a commons building on the kibbutz for our next program. Upon entering the room, I saw the soldiers — smiles erased — seated among us. I realized those soldiers were not loitering on the kibbutz for our photo-op pleasure, but to share their personal stories from last year’s war. I felt guilty and naive for not understanding sooner why they were there with us on that kibbutz. Israeli soldiers are often considered iconic and heroic to diaspora Jews — rarely do we have the opportunity to hear their stories first-hand.
A young man, Sgt. Itamar Goren, bravely spoke about his experience during Operation Protective Edge — his words delivered in a solemn yet thoughtful manner. Sgt. Goren was among the first to enter the Gaza Strip in response to heavy rocket fire that came out of that area. He talked about the country’s search for the three Israeli teens who were kidnapped on their way home and his own personal accounts of the treacherous search for the tunnels that dominated international headlines. He witnessed a close member of his unit lose his life next to one of those tunnels; others were injured. A little over one year ago, Sgt. Goren saw his life change and become yet another piece of the complex Israeli puzzle.
Politics aside, seeing the strength, courage and resilience of these front-line soldiers was both inspiring and heartbreaking. Hearing Sgt. Goren’s story was my “aha” moment and the call to my obligation toward the land of the Jewish people. I’m no longer able to simply enjoy all that Israel has to offer — as I did in my youth — without making the commitment to study, understand and support her. And, the iconic Israeli soldier — once a man to me — is now a boy; and part of the tragic and inerasable story of the Jewish people.
Lisa Schifman, Women’s Philanthropy Development officer, attended The Campaign Chairs and Directors Mission in July with Kansas Citians Beth Liss, National Young Leadership co-chair; and Amy Shapiro, Women’s Philanthropy Campaign chair; along with other Jewish Federation leaders from across North America.{/mprestriction}