January 3, 2005 - February 14, 2005
A group of 'almost 12th graders' from Capetown visit Israel and realize they have come HOME.
On the second last night the 2005 Encounter group was sitting on the floor of the activity room in the hotel in Jerusalem. Despite the cold outside, the room was warm - warm with people, warm with feelings and warm with a love towards Israel. We asked the participants - the future grade 12s from Herzlia School and other schools in South Africa that joined our group - what the most meaningful experience was for them during their 10 days in Israel. At first there was silence, but slowly they started to talk about their experiences. Each person had a turn to speak and, after finishing, a candle was lit. They spoke about the Kotel and how amazing it was to participate for the first time in a communal service, for some it was the first time in their lives they had laid teffilin and had visited the Dead Sea - the laughs and the great joy it brought to be able to float with friends on the salty water.
One of the most amazing experiences was time shared with Israeli youth on a cold night in a Bedouin tent in the desert - a meeting which not only created friendships, but also the understanding that we are all the same - sharing the same dreams, problems and joys. While listening to each other's stories, we sat in a room filled with candles and excitement. They spoke about their Jewish identities that had strengthened by being in Israel. One mentioned the fact that he had began the tour with a negative attitude after years of Jewish education at school. But then arriving in Israel, he realized that he was part of something bigger, a feeling he experienced for the first time in his life, what it means to be a Jew. Others related to the Hall of Independence in Tel Aviv, the place where the State of Israel "was created", a place that at first seemed so simple to all of us .But as we stood together - 300 people - Jews from all around the world, we felt so proud to sing Hatikva, to be in Israel and proud to be Jewish and now more than ever, proud to wear our new Magen David necklaces.
Others in the circle spoke about going back to Israel, to visit all the places they did not have a chance to see, but also to stay in Israel for a longer period of time in order to experience Israeli life and be part of that life. They spoke about the different options in Israel short and long term programmes that would allow them to investigate Israel in their future. Others discussed making Aliyah and living in Israel, they got the feeling that this was their real home.
As we sat in the circle there were so many stories to share. It was a moment when all of us understood that this circle of people, this group was the beginning of a new understanding in our lives - a group that traveled together, laughed together and became united in all the specials moments in Israel. Many of them walked through the ancient Kotel tunnels, drank Bedouin coffee, climbed Massada and watched the beautiful sunrise at 4 o'clock in the morning, tried to understand all the political stickers on the cars, walked between the candles in the children's room at Yad Vashem, stood next to the grave of the great leader Yitzhak Rabin, enjoyed Israeli food, cried when the plane was delayed , hugged each other and their parents on arriving back in South Africa and last, but not least, understanding that far away there was another real and beautiful home for all of us ... ISRAEL
The Israel Encounter tour is a 10 day tour to Israel organized for children entering Grade 12. It is organized every year by the Israel Centre, on behalf of the Jewish Agency, in conjunction with the South African Board of Jewish Education, Western Province Zionist Council and IUA/UCF. The Cape Town tour is organized under the auspices of the United Herzlia School.
We wish thank all those concerned. We are deeply indebted to them for affording our youth this amazing opportunity and memorable experience.