21/04/2024
Suits are not usually my thing. Unless I get to be a part of a delegation to the States. Then I’ll wear a suit.
A few months ago, an opportunity arose for me to join a delegation to the US, led by the Tavor organization. The delegation's main purpose was to learn more about Jewish communities in the States, familiarize ourselves with the challenges they’re facing, and gain a deeper understanding of the Differing views Americans have on Israel. Now, with everything going on in Israel, I’m not really looking for vacations abroad (unless it's to do with Taylor Swift.) But when an opportunity like this introduces itself, you don’t just let it go by.
So I packed a suitcase, put on a suit and hopped on a flight.
And let me tell you, that was quite the timing. At Harvard University, we were welcomed by Apartheid week. Our visit to NYC coincided exactly with the 6-month mark since the war started. And in DC, the very first person we saw held a Free Palestine sign. This is a time when anything and everything is a political statement, when some people treat "Zionist" as an insult while others view it as a compliment, and Jewish students at Columbia University don’t feel safe mentioning they are meeting with “IDF veterans" – that is, pretty much any Jewish Israeli citizens.
But all that complexity? That just made it more meaningful. The need to fight antisemitism, internal US politics that nonetheless affect the state of Israel, diaspora-Jewish identity that becomes both blurrier and sharper at the same time, the generational differences, and the echoing question - where is this all going?
I can’t say I came back with all the answers. Rather, I returned with a lot of photos – and a lot of thoughts. What’s my part in all of this? Are Israel's efforts at communication efficient? How can I empower the young people I’m meeting to be proud of who they are? Where should we do more?
And beyond all these questions, a realization: how much the state of Israel truly means to Jews all over the world.
Oh and now I have lots of suits, any idea what should I do with them?
