Metri ON THE Cam' FEDERATION'S A FAMILY ict MIRAC ILEA1 MISSION Rti B'nai Mitzvah Memories Of Israel Home And Home Julie Bleznak Special to the Jewish News im y family and 700 of our newest friends were lucky to be a part of Federation's Family Miracle Mission to Israel. It has been a life-changing experience for me. Here in Jerusalem, I was fortunate to experience a b'nai mitzvah ceremony with all of the young adults from Congregation Shaarey Zedek. With the help of Rabbi Jonathan Berkun and Rabbi Joseph Krakoff, the ceremony was unforgettable. The most special part for me was when the rabbis unrolled the entire Torah and every b'nai mitzvah stood next to their por- tion. We danced the hora while our families and the Torah surrounded us. Beyond the glass dome, we could see the magnificent walls of the ancient city of Jerusalem. I felt a connection to my entire Jewish community. Even though I was so far away from Michigan, I felt at home. I believe the other b'nai mitzvah felt the same, as did their parents and grandparents. You could see smiles and tears on everyone's faces, all at the same time. Like most kids, before I came to Israel I was more focused on the celebration after my bat mitzvah. When I arrived, I realized the joy of being in a place where most of the people believe what I believe. I felt the warmth of being in a place where Shabbat is respected by everyone and celebrated as a country. Being in Israel helped me to focus on the religious ceremony. It helped all of us to appreciate being part of the Jewish com- munity ... not just my Shaarey Zedek com- munity or my Detroit community, but also the Israeli community and the whole world of Jewish people. When I see many of my new friends at home, I know we will have bonded in a spe- cial way. I hope other kids will have the experience I did so that they will be remind- ed what a b'nai mitzvah is all about. ❑ Julia Bleznak, 12, of Bloomfield Hills is in the seventh grade at Cranbrook Kingswood Middle School. She is a member of Congregation Shaarey Zedek and was in Israel with her parents, Mitchell and Michelle, and her brothers Adam, 1Z and David, 15. A Heartfelt Experience Michael Zausmer Special to the Jewish News hen I read from the Torah look- ing out at the Old City with my family, and with my grandfa- ther's tallit over my shoulders, I felt proud to be part of such a beautiful religion full of history, strength and tradition. It was even more exciting to share this moment with my own rabbis from Temple Israel. I made a pointer out of paper to help me follow along in the Torah, and Rabbi Harold Loss used it to help the other kids with their portions. Among my favorite things was shop- liv ping at the shuk (market) in Jerusalem and the excitement of bargaining with the shopkeepers. I loved how all of the shops were close together along the old stone streets. I felt like we were transported back in time. When we climbed Masada and listened to our wonderful Israeli guide Rona tell the sad story of how the Jewish people sacrificed their lives for freedom, I felt proud to be a part of such a strong and courageous people. I loved riding camels in the Negev with the bedouins and seeing life in the desert through their eyes. Visiting an army base and meeting the A Family Miracle Emily Lisner Special to the Jewish News G oing to Israel is a dream of all Jewish people. Whether in present or ancient times, Israel has been con- sidered a very holy and sacred place. I feel so privileged to be able to say that for my bat mitzvah, I was fortunate enough to go to the land of Israel. I feel that celebrating my bat mitzvah in Isfael was the most meaningful way to cele- brate. From the top of Masada, to riding a camel, to digging for artifacts, I felt that I was truly a part of history. Having my bat mitzvah service in Jerusalem will be a part of my Jewish history. Having a bat mitzvah in Michigan also was very meaningful, but having a service in Israel made it that much more complete. In my six years of Hebrew school, my teachers always referred to various places in Israel. When they would talk about them, I soldiers that protect Israel was definitely a highlight of my trip. I was surprised how young the soldiers were. and yet so grown up. Swimming and floating in the Dead Sea, visiting the Ethiopian Jews, digging for artifacts from lost civilizations and going underground at the excavation site of the Western Wall also were some of the many things I loved on this trip. Seeing the people praying at the Wall made me feel so Jewish. The trip was awesome and one that I will never forget. I learned many things about Israel's different landscapes, people, culture and tra- ditions, history and hardships. My home is in Michigan and a part of my heart is still in Israel. I g never really got to plug in any of my own experiences. Now, by going on this trip, I have built memories and experiences that will last a lifetime. One experience that I will never forget was our visit to the Western Wall. Standing next to a wall that was built about 2,500 years ago was so incredible. Another experience that was very meaningful was when we went to visit the Ethiopian Jews that are associated with the PACT program. It was very nice to see where contributions from the Federation go and how it serves families to help them assimi- late to Israeli culture. A lot of people are not aware of hardships that the Ethiopians face when they come to Israel. I am glad I had this experience. I can now say I have lived the dream of going to Israel. Going on Federation's Family Miracle Mission was truly a miracle to my family and me. ❑ Emily Lisner, 13, of Bloomfield Hills is in the seventh grade at Bloomfield Hills Middle School. She is a member of Adat Shalom Synagogue and was in Israel with her parents, Howard and Tracey, and her sister Alexandra, 10, and her grandparents, Seymour and Anita Cywiak of Farmington Hills. can't wait to return again and again and again . ❑ Michael Zausmer, 12, of West Bloomfield is in the seventh grade at Abbott Middle School. He is a member of Temple Israel and was in Israel with his parents, Mark and Laura, and sisters Nicole, 16, and Jessica, 15, and his grandmother Martha Paul of West Bloomfield.