Written by: Haley Seppa & Daniel Solomon
Imagine living your life in a constant state of conscious and unconscious fear and having to always be looking over your shoulder and wondering if you are safe to just be you. This is what it is like for most people who do not identify solely with the heterosexual lifestyle. Even in places where our communities thrive there is always a looming unknown threat and need to be on guard.
Now imagine being put into a completely safe and taken care of space where all of those concerns and baggage are stripped away. Where you can be you in a way you have never experienced before. In the truest sense of the word, it is FREEDOM.
Welcome to our 10 days in Israel…
Top 7 Lessons from our 10 day trip – Summer 2013:
1) Eat things you wouldn’t normally eat. By the end of the trip you will hope you never see, smell, or taste hummus or shawarma or falafel again… Until you get off the plane and you can’t find it as fresh or delicious anywhere.
2) Be present and in the moment. No matter what is going in back home or in other places. Do your best to just be there and be present. You will regret missing the little moments.
3) Be Jewish. Whatever that means to you. It’s easy to assume that everyone will be Orthodox and religious but being jewish means something different for all Jews, even (and maybe especially so) in Israel.
4) Always put the meter on in the taxi. No matter what. Because you will get a flat rate and overpay for a ride that if you had just put the meter on would have been 30 shekels cheaper.
5) Take the time to get to know as many people as you can.
This is a big one. When you first meet your group you will likely wonder how you are all going to make it 10 days together. By the end of those 10 days you will wonder how you ever lived without these people in your life. They will be family.
6) Take as many photos and videos as you can. Being able to look back at photos and videos after you are back and separated from each other is the closest you will get to being able to feel the way you felt while there. Which you will absolutely want to do.
(please put to at least 720p)
7) Don’t be afraid to fall in love. Open yourself up completely to the experience, the people, the culture that will undoubtedly suck you in like a rip tide. This is where the magic happens, so go ahead… jump in heart first!
