Aidan B. – Arts & Culture, Summer 2018

“So far I have come to the conclusion that Israel is everything Alaska is not! I have had days where I have walked thirty miles and saw no other human being and here in Jerusalem, I am bombarded with the sound of traffic the minute I walk out my front door. The food, the sights, the music, and especially the environment is very different from anything I grew up with. However, this does not mean I feel out of place here. While there is a small Jewish community in the area that I grew up in, it was very obvious to me that being Jewish gave me the element of being “the other.” Alaska is very diverse and is now home to people from all corners of the Earth which is wonderful and promising, but I have also always yearned to be immersed in a community that shares my ancestry and history. That is why I came here, and so far I love it! Being in Jerusalem and working in the museum has given me a stronger understanding of the history of Israel, and what it means that I along with many other American Jews stand on this ground today. I am here today in Jerusalem basking in all the glory of my people’s hard work and could not feel more fortunate and more welcomed. Thank you Onward Israel for giving me the chance to come here and to have one of the most unique experiences of my life. I already know that this summer will be life-changing and will give me a connection to a land so unlike the one I am from.”