OPINION

Teen Mission 2 Israel:
It Was A Dream 'Come True

young people and let them dream
il hen I arrived in Detroit
together of a better Jewish future. No
a year ago, I knew that
classroom, no Hollywood feature
one of the main reasons
movie, no pictures in another's album
• I was sent here was to
could teach this, only their personal
bring as many teens as possible to
experience.
Israel and to help create experiences
Each an every day was busy and
that would change their
tiring. Soon after waking,
lives.
staff was on the job, mak-
For months, the Teen
ing sure that everything
Mission 2 Israel was a plan
would run smoothly so our
on paper put together by
teens could experience
Federation, congregations,
another unforgettable day
the Jewish Agency, The Jew-
in Israel. But when I finally
ish News, and many other
met them in the evenings,
partners. We dreamed
whether it was in Tel Aviv
together of landing in Israel,
or on Lake Kinneret,
my beautiful and extraordi-
YAEL WAX1VIAN whether Americans or
nary country, hoping to
Israelis, I heard them say
Special to
transfer the dream to 216
over and over again, "This
The Jewish News
young Americans and 31
is the best experience of our
Israelis.
lives; we love everything
On June 25, waiting at
about Israel."
Detroit Metro Airport, looking out
I saw them at Yad Vashem in
the window and seeing the El Al
Jerusalem, grieving for the victims of
plane waiting for us to board, I was
the Holocaust; I saw them at the
overwhelmed by an indescribable
Western Wall, their eyes filled with
feeling that would remain with me
tears; I saw them at the Jerusalem
for the next five weeks.
Disco, dancing with the laughter and
At Ben-Gurion, r could almost
joy of youth.
hear each and every heartbeat,
This experience - could never have
including my own. I was finally
happened without the Jewish Federa-
going to share my Israel with all these
tion, which ensured that not one teen
outstanding teens. I was going to
would be denied a place for lack of
show them what Israel was all about:
funds. The mission could not have
Why a nation that could hardly be
happened without the counsel and
noticed on the map is a miracle, why
commitment of chairman Allan
Israel is so central to the lives of the
Nachman or our rabbis who, with
Jewish community of the United
their 24-hour-a-day support and
States, why Israel is the homeland for
guidance, taught our Israeli teens that
Jews all over the world and why Israel
tolerance and understanding are the
should bee - a major part of their exis-
only way for Jewish continuity. Our
tence.
•
Israeli and American counselors
We began in Jerusalem, joined by
played major roles; and our scholar-
our 31 Israeli friends, our counter-
tour guides, from the archaeological
parts from our Partnership 2000
seminars in Jerusalem, were insepara-
region in the Central Galilee, whom
ble from the whole experience.
we all knew from their visit to
Before I was able to absorb that I
Detroit a few months earlier. We
was home in my native Israel, I
hadn't seen each other since April and
found myself hugging and kissing our
yet we immediately felt as though
Israeli teens and counselors goodbye
part of our family had just joined us.
in Neve Ilan, outside Jerusalem,
As expected, we started with our
where we had our farewell party.
history. Each stone in the Old City
The evening of our departure,
told the story of the past 2,000 years;
when fireworks filled the beautiful
each of our young Israeli companions
Israeli summer night, I took a step
reflected the present. Every day of
backward and looked at the teens. I
our mission was imbued with history
saw a group no longer separated as
and victory, emphasizing why it is
Israelis or Americans. Dancing, talk-
essential to bring American Jewish
ing and laughing, they were as one. I
teens to Israel. We help them under-
saw the future.
stand the past, connect them to the
To the Jewish community of
present through the eyes of Israeli
Detroit, I extend sincere gratitude for
enabling me and 216 young people
Yael Waxman is community shlicha
and director of the Michigan/Israel Con-
to experience a summer that we will
nection of the Jewish Federation of Met-
never forget. ❑

W

M

MILLENNIUM

THE

INSIDE

SOLUTION

May the coming year be filled with
health, happiness and prosperity
for all of our
Families, Friends and Customers

THE SALLAN FAMILY

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9/18
1998

Detroit Jewish News

41

