•

Learning that
"Remebrance is the secret of redemption."

We walked to the southern area, facing
a canyon. We screamed in unison to
.Special to The Jewish News
hear the echo bounce far away and
return: just like the faith of the Jews. ,
or most Of the Americans,
Two very upbeat people, one a New
Israel, was hoine for five
Yorker soldier, the other a rabbi, told
weeks; For the Israelis with
us their, stories of aliyah. Interestingly,
us,Israel was home for life.
although very differ-
For me, Israel is
ent people, both
home for eternity.
impressed the same
The plane ride to
thing
upon us. Israel
Israel for the Teen
gt's
needs us,. the Jewish
Mission participants
youth. And we, the
was more than a
51,41,b4-41:
Jewish youth, need
bridge between two
frulaisne
Israel.
Countries. It was a
p?iiying
together
As our stay in
bridge between two
tY, ti MrPg1 fig m(14..;,dies,
Israel drew to a close,
worlds. A8 we
and elostom,,
our bus made up a
descended, flying
allifOrg naigfre
pure
list of Remember
over the land of our
overlooidngfmtsalem
When's. For kis the
people, childish
4 moment on film
little things that are
excitement and gid-
simuiiited Evoito,,
most important..
diness took over -
cl*.-epitog
'They
were what
We had arrived in
made
this trip
Eretz Yisrael.
r2;-4. At .P.Ner`
unique ...the
Each arrived with
moments captUred
different hopes and
et.rtr.;fr Fc2)1
on film ... the mem-
expectations, We
:421111:4+:
ories in our minds
had five weeks to
4 711.C.,1 ne4. 17
and hearts forever.
travel; tour, pack and
At the end of the
unpack luggage, hike,
Cres.v,e
five
weeks, - we once
and walk through
0.41:417 fferodion
`again
boarded a
the new and the old
Arnifier otonf
plane
that
took us
of Israel. Through
6'4
•
from
one
world
to
the good and the dif-
Titer:- it
sa$14,1
another.
But
this
ficult, we were in it
1
time, everyone took
,
together.
iappi
something back: the
We pulled tight as
Moment-
.
memories.
a group to accom- ,
. _Words engraved
plish feats we'd never
t-Trr
-
on a black marble
•
imagined and to see:
A moment on
-.stone
at' Yad Y'shem:
sights we'd only
lettt7.1tez-norys
^
"Forgetfullness
dreamed of. Seeing
tti fiiigorlen
leads to exile, while
— physic-Ay stand-
Israel
remembrance is the
ing at the famous
`secret
of redemption
locations rnany had
--
Baal
Shern Toy."
heard of, astounded
Rernemher
the
us.
Holocaust, remember what is to be a
The Kotel ... where notes were pre-
Jew, remember what we gained here in
ciously placed between cracks, Yad
Israel. Some gained friends, some
V'shem •...-where we walked through
gained memories, some gained a
the Holocaust Museurn individually,
home. Israel.
and, of course; Masada.
In the dark, cool air, we struggled
11th grader at
Miriam,:Lieberinan,
through the magical steps, footsteps of
High
School
and
North-Farmington
inour
ears.
Here,
hun-
old pounding
member of Adat Shalom Synagogue, was
dreds of Jews had committed.suicide
on Bus 04.
rather than be captured by Romans.
()rite atop of the famous mountain ,r,.,

MIRIAM LIEBERMAN

•

'

:

8/7
1998

26 Detroit Jewish News

Above: On Jerusalem's
Ammunition Hill, t/1
site of an important
1967 battle. Left to
right (and back to
front): Jeff Fortier,
Aaron Rochlen, Adam
Bloom, Mandy May.

Left: Justin Racklin
and Gillian Sharkey
look through the let-
ters by the soldiers
who died fighting for
Jerusalem.