Reflections on Israel at KESHER Convention

To be honest, I was slightly nervous about Kesher Convention (this past weekend at U of Florida, Gainesville). With only about 40 participants, far fewer than last years 100+ at the Biennial, I was concerned that the conference might lack energy. Back in New York, I am confident that my concern was mostly unwarranted. Actually, the smaller community allowed more one-on-one interaction and discussion and the somewhat absurd faculty to participant ratio of like 1:2 allowed us to get to know our guests better than usual. This was especially significant because a high proportion of these guests were at Convention representing Israel. Israel had a major place at Convention. In addition to the 40 students, 3 shlichim came from Zionist Culture Connection, Liran the ARZA Aliyah Shlicha was there, Alex represented Kibbutz Lotan in the Arava, Maoz Haviv represented Netzer Olami as their director and of course Dotan the KESHER shaliach staffed the event. This means Israelis were basically everywhere and a few American guests also came representing other Zionist causes. Still, Israel's presence was not emphasized by presentations, speakers or workshops but rather in the extra-programatic dialogue shared by our Israeli guests and many of the participants. This is the best kind of Israel exposure. Here's an example that I found to be particularly remarkable.

Adi Blachinsky, a Shlicha from some organization that sends shlichim places (It doesn't really matter because there are a million of them) is your average secular Israeli. In just a couple of weeks she will be returning to Israel and frantically searching for an apartment in Tel Aviv before beginning business classes. This is a scenario not so unlike one we all might face. Her bio and life standing does not seem so impressive. But she is.

Over the BBQ dinner on Sat night, Adi and I spoke for well over an hour about many things. Two stood out. While travelling around Mexico, Central and South America, Adi randomly ran into two German grandaugters of a Nazi soldier. For some weeks, she joined them backpacking here and there and told me of her deep and intimate conversations with them about Israel and her family, how she noticed one of the girls wearing a ring with the SS symbol as if it were trendy and about how they bonded and became friends when other circumstances might find them as foes. Adi remains in touch with her German friends and insists that had the Germans not met her, they would have remained largely ignorant of Israelis and Jews despite their lineage. But this was not all that impressed me about her.

She told me how much she loved her army service. Adi was in an education unit and taught classes on topics ranging from Israeli identity to ethics. She told me of one of her soldier/students whose name I didn't catch so we'll call him Chaim. Adi recalled the day when Chaim ran up to her and embraced her and whispered in her ear, "todah rabah, adi". But why?
Soldiers patrolling in a hostile area which is observing a curfew are taught to fire at anyone out past the curfew who appears to be threatening or holding a weapon. On one patrol, Chaim and his tankmates spotted a man carrying something suspect and moving discreetly through the streets. He was coming closer to the soldier's position. Nervous, Chaim's partners were ready to shoot the imposter but Chaim insisted they wait till he got closer. He came closer and again they were ready to shoot but Chaim wanted to wait just a few seconds longer. The man got close enough and as the soldiers aimed, they saw the man was not carrying a gun or bomb, but instead cradling a baby... for this Chaim credited Adi.
Adi is just 24. Chaim not older than 22. And although Adi told the story in such a matter-of-fact manner as Israelis do, for me it had tremendous power.

I don't think most of us love Israel because some diplomat comes to our campus to speak about the repercussions of the war with Lebanon, I think we love Israel because of Israelis like Adi and stories like the one I documented above.

The presence of so many Israelis at Kesher Convention is tremendous. This is one example of a growing trend towards a more emphatic Israel presence throughout our movement and at its functions. As we continue to raise awareness of and passion for Israel, we better serve Israel by presenting her not as an objective entity of war and peace but rather as Adi's home, moved by Adi's stories and many others like them.