Back in Indiana, Missing Israel

Shalom friends!
It sure feels weird writing a blog post from America. I have been home for a week now and I am still having trouble adjusting to the American lifestyle. I miss Israel very much and I keep reminiscing about the past four months.

The final week of TRY was busy and exciting. Even though it was the final week, I didn't feel like I was going home until I saw my family at baggage claim in O’Hare airport. For our final tiyul, we went up North to the Golan and Galil. It was a gorgeous three days. The first day we went to the Mitzvah Hashalom (Peace Vista) where we had a beautiful view of the Kinneret (Sea of Galilee). It's hard to remember everything we did and every place we went now. But I do remember that we went on a nice walk/hike at the Gilbon Stream Nature Reserve where we saw a gorgeous rainbow in the waterfall. We also got to go shopping at the Naot shoe factory and visit a memorial for the 73 soldiers who were killed in a helicopter collision in 1997. I found our visit to Kibbutz Misgav Am very interesting. The kibbutz shares a perimeter with South Lebanon. From the kibbutz you can easily see the homes from which rockets were fired during the Second Lebanon War. Being so close to the border really makes you realize how close Israel is to its enemies, and how quickly another war could begin. The final day we woke up early to experience the sunrise on Mount Arbel followed by a nice hike. Our last stop we went to a water park on the Kinneret.

When we got back to the Chava Thursday afternoon, we had to start packing and cleaning up the dorms. Thursday evening was the last time to go to Ben Yehuda and hang out. Ben Yehuda became so familiar, it was sad leaving not knowing when I would be going back. It took a looong time to pack, as the dorms were disgusting. Our final Shabbat we spent together on the Chava. On Saturday night we had to finish packing and had the final party. Everyone stayed up most of the night hanging out for the last time. Sunday we had our last day tiyul and went to Mount Herzl, the Kotel, and had a closing ceremony on Mount Scopus - the same place we had our first ceremony.

After the final dinner we headed to the airport for a 1 A.M. flight. The next twenty-four hours were filled with many tears and hugs. I didn’t think I was going to be so upset leaving, but it was very hard saying goodbye to some of my good friends I made, and I am still having a difficult time adjusting to American life. Now I am home and still reminiscing about the past four months. I can’t believe it has been a full semester; everything here is just like when I left. American living is so different than Israel, and I feel so much more comfortable in Israel. While I am stuck here for at least another year, I know Israel will be there for me in the near future. I hope you all enjoyed my blog and learned a little bout Israel at the same time. It is an extraordinary country and I seriously urge each and every one of you to visit the land. As the famous poet Yehuda Halei once wrote, “My heart is in the East, and I am at the ends of the West.”

Shalom until my next journey,

Hannah