We did not originally think we were “gap year in Israel” people. I need to start there, because this is a story about Israel, and not Bermuda or France.
This was a beautifully written story. I thank G-d that your son is safe. Thank you for sharing it. I am not surprised but still enraged that it was turned down by so many places. Thank you Future of Jewish for creating this space! Sending love.
Thank you for sharing your story. I felt every word. Maybe you could see my nodding and hear my sighing along with you? I will be sending this on to others.
Many other students on gap programs especially in the Modern Orthodox world have stayed in Israel.We took a special trip to Israel to mark a special birthday and we saw with our own eyes e we hat Hamas was intent on and still is intent on doing and we were woken up three separate times to go into a bomb shelter You don’t understand what Israel has been going there unless you have seen up close and personal
What struck me while reading this piece was the complete opposite response of many thousands of young Israelis just a few years older than the author’s son - like my son visiting Canada - who were outside the country on Oct 7 and did whatever they needed to return as soon as possible so they could join their army units.
I am never happier that we made Aliyah with four teens than I am today, hearing of Jewish young people’s experiences on college campuses, as well as the malign influence of woke culture and materialism.
Oh yes: this was an amazing line -- "My cousin texted me a photo a century in the making: my son with two generations of Rosenbergs, together for Sukkot for the first time in close to 100 years." A century in the marking. Again, really WOW.
Big exhale as he gets into your friend's car in London, then tears when he collapses "boneless" into your arms. A beautiful piece, essential. I wished you hadn't had to write it but thank you and thank you for sharing it. Shame on those who didn't publish it. I hadn't heard of the Would They Hide Us? game. (I'm only just learning the full picture about my Jewish heritage). Much love to you, your family, and all the families.
I lived the other side of your story/ The daughter of my Auschwitz-survivor Hungarian/Roumantin (the border moved) mother from Marmoros-Sighet, we have lived in Jerusalem over 40 years. We happened to have a gap-year relative staying over for Simchat Torah on October 7. She spent the next 4 or 5 days with us having the same conversations with her parents. There seemed to be peer pressure to snag a side-trip to Europe and kinda make a Grils Just Wanna Have Fun sidebar from the experience. To say there was a maturity gap would be an understatement. During one of the sirens on October 7, our guest slept right through and couldn't wake up, forcing my husband from the safe room to go back and be with her. I re-wrote my generosity default responses after that experience. It's nice you were aware that showing some appreciation was in order, in this case, the family who sent her back a few weeks later, played the entitiled card.
Thank you Hana. What came as glass of ice water in my face is that us non-Jews play "I spy with my little eye....." and my Jewish friends play "Will they hide me?" What a screwed up world we live in. Am Yisrael Chai!
This was amazing. I cried; I laughed; I cried; and I nodded and sighed just like Lisa G. Just wow.
This was a beautifully written story. I thank G-d that your son is safe. Thank you for sharing it. I am not surprised but still enraged that it was turned down by so many places. Thank you Future of Jewish for creating this space! Sending love.
Thank you for sharing your story. I felt every word. Maybe you could see my nodding and hear my sighing along with you? I will be sending this on to others.
Many other students on gap programs especially in the Modern Orthodox world have stayed in Israel.We took a special trip to Israel to mark a special birthday and we saw with our own eyes e we hat Hamas was intent on and still is intent on doing and we were woken up three separate times to go into a bomb shelter You don’t understand what Israel has been going there unless you have seen up close and personal
Another reason why I like your writing so much: "Somehow it seems plausible that someone’s dead father spoke to me in Prospect Park."
C'mon, what a line!
What struck me while reading this piece was the complete opposite response of many thousands of young Israelis just a few years older than the author’s son - like my son visiting Canada - who were outside the country on Oct 7 and did whatever they needed to return as soon as possible so they could join their army units.
I am never happier that we made Aliyah with four teens than I am today, hearing of Jewish young people’s experiences on college campuses, as well as the malign influence of woke culture and materialism.
Oh yes: this was an amazing line -- "My cousin texted me a photo a century in the making: my son with two generations of Rosenbergs, together for Sukkot for the first time in close to 100 years." A century in the marking. Again, really WOW.
Big exhale as he gets into your friend's car in London, then tears when he collapses "boneless" into your arms. A beautiful piece, essential. I wished you hadn't had to write it but thank you and thank you for sharing it. Shame on those who didn't publish it. I hadn't heard of the Would They Hide Us? game. (I'm only just learning the full picture about my Jewish heritage). Much love to you, your family, and all the families.
I lived the other side of your story/ The daughter of my Auschwitz-survivor Hungarian/Roumantin (the border moved) mother from Marmoros-Sighet, we have lived in Jerusalem over 40 years. We happened to have a gap-year relative staying over for Simchat Torah on October 7. She spent the next 4 or 5 days with us having the same conversations with her parents. There seemed to be peer pressure to snag a side-trip to Europe and kinda make a Grils Just Wanna Have Fun sidebar from the experience. To say there was a maturity gap would be an understatement. During one of the sirens on October 7, our guest slept right through and couldn't wake up, forcing my husband from the safe room to go back and be with her. I re-wrote my generosity default responses after that experience. It's nice you were aware that showing some appreciation was in order, in this case, the family who sent her back a few weeks later, played the entitiled card.
Thank you Hana. What came as glass of ice water in my face is that us non-Jews play "I spy with my little eye....." and my Jewish friends play "Will they hide me?" What a screwed up world we live in. Am Yisrael Chai!
Beautifully written. Toda raba 🙏