Coming Home: Steve Manekin’s Milestone Mission Experience


After all these years, I felt like I was coming home.

I grew up, and still live, in the Pikesville area. I had a Bar Mitzvah but considered myself more of a cultural Jew. I’ve been a CPA for 45 years but have a degree and special interest in history.

Several of my friends and family had already visited Israel, many times in some cases. All these things I read and heard about. And soon I was about to be there and experience myself.

It just so happened that as Israel was celebrating its 75th year of independence, everything lined up so that I could join The Associated on its Milestone Mission to Israel. I was able to take time off work, which as a CPA in the springtime is no small feat and a first for me, and I could finally visit the place that holds so much meaning to me and others around the world.

When we first landed, I felt an immense sense of pride come over me. One of many I felt throughout the trip. I remember walking off the plane and hearing everyone around me speak Hebrew. To me, it felt like being home.

To single out any one moment as my favorite would be a disservice to the rest. Since this was my first time, every moment was a highlight for me in its own way. From touring the Golan Heights to seeing the ancient Roman Encampments in Masada, from seeing the Wailing Wall for the first time to seeing everyone celebrating Pesach. We painted bomb shelters near the Gaza border and learned about ancient history in Tzfat — every part along this journey was special to me and brought me closer and closer to Israel. This is thanks in no small part to the wonderful tour guides who brought each place to life as they guided us through our mission.

But a couple moments do stand out to me. At one point, I had the wonderful opportunity to reconnect with Avia, my neighbor’s shaliach. It had been five years since she was in Baltimore with other young adults as part of the Shinshinim group. I was so excited to catch up with her these years later. One of our tour guides, Shai, was responsible for another moment. We were touring Jerusalem, and Shai took me and a few others to see the Valley of the Communities. We knew it would put a few of us behind on the tour, and we’d be arriving at the next stop late, but Shai knew how important this location was to us. I’ll remember that moment forever.

And I can’t help but remember our time during Yom HaShoah, where we experienced the sirens while meeting with four Holocaust survivors. That was a very powerful moment for me.

I hated leaving, and I would go back in a heartbeat. I made so many wonderful connections with people on the trip and with the people in Israel. I feel connected to Israel. Experiencing the people, the history and the culture — all of it made for an amazing experience I will never forget.

I want to give credit to Michelle Ostroff and the wonderful team at The Associated. Because of them, I knew I was in good hands, and I never had to worry about anything. That made my experience all the better. If someone wants to go to Israel and you can go on a Mission with The Associated — That is the way to go.


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The Associated is a home for everyone in the Baltimore Jewish community. We offer several email lists to help people find a community, engage with their peers and support Jewish journeys around the world.

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