DECEMBER 29 • 2022 | 31
spirituality.
“One of the therapists was a Chasidic
Jew, and he gave me a siddur,” Markowitz
explained. “He told me that I have a Jewish
soul, and God wants to hear from me.”
Markowitz’s journey to recovery and
finding her spirituality really took a turn
when her friend, Hannah, told her about
the life-changing experience.
Unfortunately, due to COVID and
other complications, the trip kept getting
canceled. As time passed, in the spring of
2022, Hannah overdosed and died.
“The day after she passed away, I got the
email that read: ‘Mazel Tov, you’re going to
Israel!’ I know Hannah had a part in that,
and I feel her with me on this journey.”
Markowitz left for her trip in July and
had a magical experience.
“To be around other Jews in recovery,
I didn’t realize how much I was missing
it. We did 12-Step recovery meetings
together;we got to meet the Tel Aviv and
Jerusalem fellowship. It was just incredible
and there was so much support,” she said.
During the trip, Markowitz realized she
wanted to make Israel her home.
“I was at the Western Wall and I wrote
out something called the Third Step
prayer; it’s something from the 12-Step
program. So, I wrote it out at the Western
Wall. And I wrote to Hashem, ‘Love,
Sarah,’ and I put it in the Wall. Then, when
I touched the Wall, I felt Hashem with
me in every way. I had this experience of
God’s will for me is to move to Israel and
to become Orthodox.”
Markowitz officially made the
announcement to make aliyah on the trip
where she had the opportunity to have
another bat mitzvah, and she had to pick a
mitzvah.
“I said my mitzvah is to make aliyah. I’m
moving to Israel.”
Following the 10-day trip, Markowitz
didn’t waste any time in applying to make
aliyah.
“When Sarah came back and said, ‘I
need your help. I want to go back again,
’”
Sharon Darack said. “I’m like, really? I
know everyone wants to go back. And then
she made it happen. I was so impressed that
she was able to do this and turn it around
and connect with organizations. And I did
whatever I could to help.
”
Just one week after Markowitz returned
from Birthright, she got a call asking
her to join the Masa Cohort, a teaching
program aimed to advance Israeli students’
English skills, starting Aug. 22. Markowitz
thought it was too quick of a turnaround
time and wasn’t sure if she would be able
to make it work.
“Every bump that I was expecting to
hold me back, God just took care of it. So,
it’s really been quite an easy and peaceful
process for me.”
Markowitz booked her one-way ticket to
Israel on Aug. 21.
“I’ll be staying in Mitzpe Ramon for 10
months teaching English. I get to work
two days a week at a religious school and
then two days a week at a secular school.
Then after the 10 months with the Masa
fellowship, I would really like to move to
Jerusalem and stay and make aliyah.”
LIFE IN ISRAEL
After a few months Markowitz says she’s
happily living in Mitzpe Ramon, Israel and
enjoys teaching so much more than she
expected.
“The community has welcomed me
with open arms and hearts. I have never
felt more free or closer to Hashem. I am
so excited to continue this journey and
have maintained my new religious path. I
have also made wonderful lifelong friends
through the Jerusalem fellowship, which I
am so grateful for.”
Markowitz says the Masa Israel Teaching
Fellowship has taken away the pressures of
life and has given her a chance to give back
and reconnect with her Judaism.
“The point of the Masa Israel Teaching
Fellowship is to take away those pressures,
providing us with necessities like rent,
Hebrew classes, bus fare and a monthly
stipend for food or whatever else we
need,” Markowitz explained. “Now I have
the time to focus on my Judaism and
ask myself questions like, how can I get
in touch with my Judaism today? What
am I doing for the Jewish community?
How can I grow spiritually, professionally,
personally? I am taking this gap year to
find myself and learn about who I want to
be and how I’m going to give back to the
Jewish community.”
Markowitz says Detroit will always be
in her heart, but she finally feels at home.
She encourages others who are in recovery
to learn more about Israel Free Spirit,
because it could change their lives, too.
“Being around people who understood
me for the first time in spirituality and
religion is such a big part of being in
recovery from addiction. I felt like I could
be my authentic, genuine self. It was the
most magical experience, and I encourage
anyone who’s eligible for Israel Free Spirit
to check it out.”
To learn more about Israel Free Spirit and its next
trip in July 2023, visit www.israelfreespirit.com/trip/
recovery.
LEFT TO RIGHT: Sarah at Kotel (the Western Wall) in Jerusalem. Sarah and E after climbing Masada. Sarah teaching students English.