don't feel guilty if you've asked me the above question. a better response when seeing me would be "welcome back." the reality is that israel was great.. i was safe. i had fun. i'm home now. but that question is SO HARD TO ANSWER.
on shabbat the rabbi talked with us about explaining incredible experiences [like birthright]. IT'S SO HARD TO DO. we just sound foolish when we try to put words to experiences that don't deserve words. "it was great. it changed me" blah blah blah. doesn't that sound ridiculous? it sounds so lame. even stale. some experiences in life don't get to be summoned into sentences. they are worth so much more than that.
really i should just say: you won't understand. even if you've been to israel, you didn't do it with me and thirtyfour other jews. you didn't ride on our bus and stay in our hotels and listen to efrat and laugh with alex or at judah or eat the same meals over and over and over again or meet the maxes or sean or share with graham and hear his encouragement or listen to debra so eloquently explain things i didn't know existed or watch eden and shonna prance around the room or see the sites or smell the marketplace or spend days with soldiers- kids who have to give up at least two years of their lives to fight for something they believe in. for me to explain all of this is a waste. neither of us will fully understand.
how about you ask me what i learned. i bet i can [soon] answer that. maybe that will help you understand, too?
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