The Torah of Rochelle Zell
Israel and Me After our senior Israel trip, we were asked to write about our connection to Israel. In spirit of Yom Ha’atzmaut, I would like to share what Israel means to me. My Israel is home. My connection to Israel goes beyond words. It is more of a feeling, a longing to be in Israel. I love the physical landscape. The ability to wander the desert, bargain in a crowded shuk, and inhale the lush greenery of seemingly endless forests in a few hours of each other leaves me in awe. How can a country with so little land have so much to offer? My love does not end with the physicality of the landscape. The ability to feel loved and cared for by strangers on the street is something nonexistent in other places. The ability to feel safer walking alone at night in Bat Yam than I do in Chicago draws me to return to Israel. The ability to see my faith become stronger and more clear with every visit amazes me. The warmth of Israeli culture embraces me more than the cool nature of Americans. In my recent preparation meeting for my IDF service, the question of feeling more Israeli than American was raised. See Bledsoe, next page 18
Arielle Bledsoe, RZJHS 2020
