Connecting the Professional and Personal on Birthright

When a Jew visits Jerusalem for the first time, it is not the first time; it is a homecoming. 
– Elie Wiesel

25 years lies in between my first and second visits to Israel. The second came last summer when I participated in a Birthright Israel trip along with 40 other Jewish young adults from the Bay Area. I always felt a connection to the country through my family, but what had been missing was that personal connection, for which this Birthright trip allowed. I was taken back by the powerful and meaningful moments I had, and I am returning with my own experiences, reflections, memories, and stories that I will cherish forever.

Embracing Israel as a part of one’s Jewish identity can be challenging today, especially for young Jews. Anti-Israel sentiment and the BDS movement on college campuses has deterred some young Jews from being involved in Jewish educational experiences around Israel. While the topic of Israel can be divisive, I returned from my Birthright experience with a deeper connection to my Judaism through Israel.

My grandparents on both sides of my family were Holocaust survivors and moved to Israel where they raised my parents. The country has always been a symbol of safety, refuge, and hope for my family. My family is not religiously observant but provided me with an upbringing rich with Jewish culture, pride, and values. Because of my non-religious upbringing, there have been times where I did not know where I ‘fit’ in with my Jewish community and lacked a certain confidence around being Jewish. Being immersed in an Israel education experience helped me gain clarity around my Jewish identity. I had the realization that I connect to my “Jewishness” through Israel and community.  The sense of community I felt with the other participants on my trip was something I was not expecting. Being around other Jews and having the opportunity to have deep conversations about Jewish identity and Israel made me feel so accepted and empowered. Physically being in Israel was also very powerful for me. It seems impossible to have a strong connection to a land where you have never lived, but many of my fellow participants and I experienced our homecoming in Israel.

My experiential learning has made me realize the importance and place Israel has in our world of Jewish education. My commitment and passion for Jewish life and education is the focus of my work at the Jim Joseph Foundation. Yet now I have an even deeper sense of privilege for being part of an organization that is committed to broadening Jewish learning experiences for young adults. Having been a beneficiary now myself, I also have a greater understanding of what this work looks like on the ground, as the experiential learning occurs. Stepping out of the office and being a part of it myself offered me an entirely new and important perspective. Personally and professionally, I experienced the growth that I’ve read so much about in evaluations and reports. For this, I am especially grateful.

Nicole Levy is the Executive Assistant to the President and CEO at the Jim Joseph Foundation. This is the first in a series of pieces from Foundation professionals sharing their experiences engaging with grantee-partners. Read the second piece here.