®

for college students by college students

Congratulations

to all members of the

K Class of 2017

More

hailing from the

in

Four.

Metro-Detroit Jewish

commentary

More

Community!

New Perspective

And welcome

HMD’s Israel Fellowship offers
insight into student’s view of Israel.

in a

Lifetime.

®

to the incoming

®

Class of 2021 !

Mazel tov to all!

116

May 25 • 2017

jn

I

never put much thought into
Until this past winter, when I had
Israel’s existence. Since I have
the opportunity to join Hillel of Metro
been alive, Israel has been there,
Detroit’s Israel Fellowship, an oppor-
a homeland for the Jews. It didn’t
tunity that sparked my interest in
occur to me to consider its strug-
Israel and the affairs surrounding it.
gles, its triumphs, its signifi-
We began by learning about
cance, all it stood for.
the history and establish-
Sure, I learned briefly
ment of the state. After
about the state’s history,
learning the different forms
about the wars, the conflict
Zionism could take, I gained
with the Palestinians. I heard
a better understanding of
about the bombings, and I
the concept and began to
knew of the hardships many
form my own ideas of what
faced. I even spent a year
Zionism could mean to me.
there, walked its streets,
Throughout the fellow-
Gila Hennes
interacted with the people
ship,
we heard from many
jewish@edu writer
and happily partook in its
dynamic and knowledge-
delightful cuisine.
able speakers. We also read
To me, it was a beauti-
news articles and opinion
ful place to visit with a rich
pieces that offered differ-
history and so much to offer. As a
ing viewpoints. Topics we covered
Jew, Israel was meaningful to me,
included Israeli innovations and
but it was hard to connect to what
technology, politics, the BDS move-
was going on there. Much of it felt
ment, the ongoing conflict with the
peripheral; nothing truly penetrated
Palestinians, settlements and Israel
me.
support groups.
When I returned home to the U.S.,
I started to get a clearer picture
I missed Israel, but was relieved
of Israel and the important role it
to be back in my comfort zone. I
played in the world. On a personal
cared about Israel, but I was so
level, I developed stronger feelings
far removed from it, physically and
of connection toward the land and a
mentally, that I made no effort to
desire to increase my awareness and
understand or educate myself about
involvement in Israeli matters.
its current state of turmoil. After all,
I am aware Israel is not perfect.
what happened there didn’t affect
Nothing is. While I may not agree
me, did it? And what could I possi-
with everything the country does, I
bly do to make a difference for those believe in its cause, in its very exis-
it did affect?
tence. I now see Israel as something
I didn’t keep up with the news,
to be proud of and something to
so I only knew what was going on
fight for.
when something big happened and
I know there is no one way to
people would mention it. I barely
do this; I can believe in Israel and
knew anything about Israel’s politics, support its cause in my own indi-
economy, technological advances or
vidual way. Hopefully, I will have the
innovations either. At times, I con-
chance to return there with this new-
sidered keeping up with the news
found sense of conviction, and my
and brushing up on my knowledge,
experience will be more meaningful
but having no pressing or compelling because of it. @
reason to do so, it didn’t happen.
Gila Hennes, a senior from Oak Park, is major-
And so, Israel became a distant
ing in dietetics at Wayne State University.
conversation.