My most recent connection to Israel was through my parents, who participated in Kesher 2.0. Kesher is a program supported by The Associated’s Baltimore-Ashkelon Partnership, designed for adults ages 45+ interested in establishing meaningful relationships and a greater understanding of their sense of Jewish peoplehood by building a living bridge between the partner cities of Baltimore and Ashkelon. When my parents first shared details of their experiences, I became jealous of the time they spent in Israel. Naturally, I wanted to return myself. Then, after the start of the war, it became even more important to me. 

As part of Diller, the Israel trip was a particularly memorable experience for me, especially the time spent in our partner city, Ashkelon. In fact, every single one of my trips to Israel has included at least one day in Ashkelon. Whether to visit my own friends from Diller or on this most recent trip, getting to spend Shabbat with my parents’ new connections from Kesher, it always feels special to be a part of The Associated’s Baltimore-Ashkelon Partnership.

The volunteer work that was central to this Onward Volunteer experience was quite impactful. We woke up in the very early morning to pick fruits. First, we picked strawberries, and the owner of the strawberry field told us how meaningful it was to him to see people come all the way from America just to work in his field. He said that the strawberries that we were picking were packaged and sent to grocery stores around the country the same evening. Without us he would not have been able to deliver! 

It was without a doubt an incredible and impactful week in Israel, and I strongly recommend anyone considering an opportunity like this to take it! Am Yisrael Chai!