Virtual Israel Experience

Allison Khaskelis

This summer, a generous grant from the Jewish Foundation of Cincinnati sent many Jewish teenagers to explore their roots in their spiritual homeland--Eretz Israel. Out of the numerous available programs, I chose Young Judaea's Israel Discovery Ma'apilim, which is geared to educate participants about the history of the Jewish people in Rome and later, the plight of illegal immigrants seeking shelter in Israel after WWII.

We started our cultural experience in Rome, examining Jewish history there from the days of the Roman destruction of the Second Temple and the enslavement and exile of Jews until the Days of WWII and the tragic murders there. We learned that even masterpieces of Roman culture, such as the Coliseum and the Titus gate, bare Jewish influence, for only because of the backbreaking toil of the Jewish slaves did the Coliseum appear. In addition, the interior portion of the Titus gate contains an engraving of Jewish people driven out of their homeland, carrying with them the sacred parts of the Holy Temple, even the priceless Menorah, for Roman looting. Titus built this gate to congratulate and honor himself for conquering the Jewish people and destroying their Holy Temple. From the beauty of Europe's first synagogue to the heart breaking suffering of our ancestors in the Jewish Ghetto, we learned about the significance of Jews in Rome's history and could truly sympathize with them as they bravely survived exploitation, discrimination, and extermination.

After spending four days in Rome, we flew to Cyprus, where we boarded a large ship, "Russ," and began the most significant three-day portion of our trip, the simulation of Exodus. After WWII, the European Jewry that survived the Holocaust were faced with a horrible problem; while it was clear that they could not remain in Europe, no other country in the world was willing to accept the Jewish people. Jewish property was taken over by the former soldiers, and Jews were forced to live in placement camps. Realizing that assimilation can never again be a way of life for the Jewish people, the former concentration camp prisoners decided that only Eretz Israel, the Promised Land for the Jews, could be a homeland to them. However, the state of Israel had not yet been established, and Palestine, as it was then known, was under strict British mandate. The British forbade mass Jewish immigration into Palestine, and carefully guarded its shores. On board with us were several American men who volunteered to become crewmembers of the ship Exodus and lead thousands of European Jews to Israel. Paul Kaye and Frank Lavine, both members of Masad-Hagannah, the Jewish underground force, described to us how dangerous their mission was, how America supported Great Britain and refused to help, and how only through the secret efforts of the American Jewish communities could enough funds be raised to purchase the ship. They told us about the several unsuccessful attempts of other ships to penetrate British guard and enter Palestine, which resulted in the imprisonment of many Jews in Cyprus. In 1947, Exodus, the most famous of such ships, set sail to deliver the Jewish refugees to the only place they could now call home. Twelve kilometers away from the holy shores, the British discovered the boat. The Jews bravely defended themselves to the best of their ability, yet the British opened fire and killed three Jewish men and wounded over 100. After getting control of the ship, the British decided to teach the Jewish "rebels" a brutal lesson and sent the ship with 4500 passengers not to Cyprus, but back to Europe. Upon their arrival to France, the Jews refused to leave the ship and were sent to Germany, the country that set out to murder every Jew in Europe. The poor refugees along with the members of Masad-Hagannah were forced off the ship and were put into placement camps once again. This cruel action by the British caused a surge of Zionism and sympathy for the Jews to emerge, and the issue of creating a Jewish state in Palestine was brought up before the UN. A year later, Eretz Israel was established.

Seeing the port of Haifa from the decks of "Russ," we ourselves felt like illegal immigrants, impatiently hoping and waiting to enter the Land of Milk and Honey, the spiritual, historical, and cultural homeland for every Jew. Suddenly, each and every one of us understood the undeniable importance of sharing this experience with Jewish teenagers from all over the world. Not only are we learning about our heritage, but we are also creating a bond between Jewish people everywhere, for as the history of Exodus teaches us, Jews have only each other to rely on. No matter where we all live, we must always keep this bond strong and support each other in every way possible. Israel now became not only an interesting place to visit, but also a home for each and every one of us. The phrase with which we conclude every Passover Seder "Next year in Jerusalem" took on a magical significance.

In conclusion, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to the Jewish Foundation of Cincinnati and to Gary and Gail Schottenstein and their children for helping me learn about this program and make this trip possible for me.

Copyright 2008 The American-Israeli Cooperative Enterprise