To start, thank you for providing my entire bus and I the trip of a lifetime. I certainly had my expectations... everyone did... but this trip far exceeded those by light years. I had taken a trip to Israel with my family when I was about 5 years old; well before I could appreciate what this special place had to offer. This trip not only deepened my connection to my religion and my jewish roots, but further, allowed me to connect with roughly 50 people, some whom I knew very well prior to the trip, and some whom I met for the first time upon my arrival to the holy land.
The magic of birthright is evident, yet it is intangible. Indescribable, perhaps. That same feeling I got when I approached the Kotel for the first time - those who have been on birthright understand the physical energy that radiates off of the Wall - is the same feeling that comes over me when I reflect on what could be the greatest 10 days of my life. From visiting Misgav-Am, the kibbutz at the Lebanon border, to floating in The Dead Sea, to celebrating Shabbat in Jerusalem, I will remember it all.
Thank you to those that make this trip possible. In my particular case, it was the perfect way for me to end the chapter in my life titled, "The College Years." Though the trip focused on educating the jewish "youth" to deepen our appreciation for the religion, itself, and what our people have endured over the years (and it definitely did), it also acted as the perfect way for me to sit back and think about my four years at The University of Texas at Austin. What had I learned? What skills would I carry with me into the real world? What did I want my next four (or more) years to look like? Birthright oddly helped answer all of these questions because it grounded me.
I will repeat it, again. Thank you to those that made this trip possible. It was truly humbling!
Sincerely,
Matthew Feigin