Photo by Debbie Hill
Scott Berlin and Scot JAvicz,
Bloomfield, Miles Ne
oomfield Hills a
Josh Zeman of West B
d share a somber
moment at the Western Wall in Jerusalem before
returning home.
Lebanon War left personal impression on these Detroiters.
Keri Guten Cohen
Story Development Editor
L
ast July, Tammy Betel of
Farmington Hills didn't sleep well
and says she was nervous all the
time. Her daughter, Michelle Budaj, 17,
was one of 214 Detroit-area teens in Israel
on Teen Mission 2006, and by mid-July the
Second Lebanon War was raging.
Having the Teen Mission in Israel dur-
ing the war made the conflict all too real
for many Metro Detroiters.
An unforgettable turning point came
when the teens were staying on the shore of
the Sea of Galilee. Though their location was
supposedly out of range of Hezbollah's rock-
ets, several Katyushas landed in Tiberias
across the lake. A few of the teens saw rock-
ets flying, most heard the explosions.
"Frankly, it was scary knowing she and
the others who were upset couldn't just
jump on a plane and come home Betel
said. But staff of the Jewish Federation of
Metropolitan Detroit, sponsor of the mis-
sion, worked diligently to move the teens
to Jerusalem and secure plane seats home.
"I remember exactly how I was feeling
and how scared I was:' Michelle said. "It
was really scary and I didn't know what
was going on at all. I was ready to come
home; a lot of people wanted to stay, but
I think coming home was the right thing
to do!'
Betel agrees. She said she had many
discussions with Michelle after her return,
but that Michelle didn't want to talk much.
"It just scared me a lot to be in some-
thing like that:' Michelle said. "No, I'm not
ready to go back; I'll wait a couple of years.
Before I go back, I will be more aware!'
Michelle works with many Israelis at
Tamarack Camps, where she is a coun-
selor. "I definitely think I feel a little more
of what they go through:' she said. "And I
worry about their safety because of what I
went through."
Kale Davidoff and Allie Gold, both
17, of West Bloomfield also were on the
Teen Mission that was cut short. They
are in Israel now for three weeks as
part of Federation's yearlong Diller Teen
Fellowship program.
"The events that took place last year
haven't affected my excitement in a nega-
tive way;' Kale said. "In fact, last year being
cut short only amplifies my anticipation
for this next experience. I am unbelievably
excited to be going to Israel for my fourth
time. I don't see how anything could ever
happen to change that sentiment. And don't
think this is my teenage naivete talking.
"I'm sure that anyone who has been
there will tell you that a trip to Israel is
unlike any other experience and that once
you are there any of the fears or uncertain-
Mile Gold
Kale Davidoff
ties that you have will vanish the moment
you step off the plane Kale said.
Allie said, "I am ecstatic I have been
given the opportunity to go back to Israel
just a year after coming home early from
the Teen Mission. Although some of my
friends and family have been worried
about my return while things are still
rough, I feel as if I owe it to myself to go
back, no matter what the current situa-
tion is.
"I have no fears or concerns at all, and
my parents are right there with me. They
have even extended my trip so that I can
meet up with my mother and experience
even more of the country.
"Going on this trip means even more
to me with having the Teen Mission cut
short last year:' she said. "It is a chance to
experience what we were never able to. We
are going up north, and seeing Tel Aviv,
not just through a bus window. It is almost
as if we are able to complete our trip from
last year."
Michelle Budaj
Annette Meskin
Annette Meskin of Sylvan Lake, national
missions chair for Hadassah, was in Israel
on a national Hadassah solidarity mission
during last summer's war, visiting hospi-
tals and bomb shelters in Haifa and tour-
ing shell-shocked Sderot near Gaza. Since
that trip, she's been back to Israel three
more times, including the gala celebration
in Jerusalem for the 40th anniversary of
the reunification of the city.
She was on Ben Yehudah Street as
the sirens sounded on Yom HaZikaron,
commemorating those who have died in
Israel's wars. "It was very solemn; people
were just sobbing during the siren:'
Meskin said. "Then, when the siren ended,
the country came alive again and cel-
ebrated. It blows me away. It's the only way
to live and survive in Israel."
Meskin said the country seems to be
calm, "but it's not a peaceful calm; people
are wondering what's next. They are pre-
paring. Whatever comes, they will be ready
for it."
July 19 • 2007
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