MY ISRAEL STORY  

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I want to share my path to learning about my Judaism.  
From the beginning of my experiences being in Israel, since the age of 15 when I visited for 1 month and then again for a month when I was 17, I didn't understand much of Israel and what it stood for. 
After going on Taglit (birthright), touring around on my own, and ULTIMATELY learning a great deal of Jewish history in the holy city of Yerushalyim, I then saw the awesomeness of Israel.

It has been some time I've pondered, what makes jews special. why are jews skilled, wealthy, smart, blessed .... where does this all come from? The question that the birthright tour guide asked in the airport before taking off too Israel, was what everyone is expecting out of this trip. I responded with (which was right to know), what makes jews so special? What makes them more luminous amongst other people.

 

Where did my questioning start? There were a few incidences that sparked my interest in knowing more about what's so special about Israel. The first one was going to a Apartment Owners Association convention. I used to sell real estate notes and I was at this conference to sell from my real estate portfolio, while in the meantime I was looking around the other things in the convention and I saw a water heater that was using solar energy and I asked where it was made? and they said Israel .... and in my mind I'm thinking, of all places???? how is this made in Israel of all places in the world the smallest country with not that many resources like America or other countries how is it being in there and I asked him really Israel and he told me of course there's many technologies that are being produced by Israel. 
I used to grow plants indoors hydroponically, which is super phenomenal hobby of mine. I was very fascinated with different types of hydroponic systems and how plants grow in all kinds of environments. I remember the system that I used for one grow operation was called the ein gedi system. It was one of the most sophisticated hydroponic system and used like a bucket and air bubbling with air tube and it was called the Ein Gedi system I looked up any system is online and it said ein gedi is a place in ISRAEL and I started to think well as this one and this is also another invention that was made in Israel based on how plants are irrigated in Ein Gedi. This was another odd surprise to me, being that you know Israel, making up such a small portion of the earth, coming up with such an amazing way of watering plants. 
Another event that I had came by, was when I was seeking out potential investors for a Online Marketing company. I find a rich prospect. I tell my affiliate in the company, "I have a prospect, he is a jewish guy (knowing he likes jews), he has money..." cutting me off saying "of course he has money man! He's Jewish!! If jewish people didn't have money, NOBODY would have money man!!!" 
So I had this question in the back of mind for an amount of time.. what is it with us jews that's special?
I realized being here for some time, some sense of spiritual attraction, that i couldn't define ... that made me feel welcome. 
Being in Yeshiva truly enlightened me. And I stayed there for about 8 months, enjoying the energy of Jerusalem and being in joy and bliss from what I was learning about the torah. Also, learning the torah with Jews from all over the world, who were also new to learning, it was so much bliss and fun, living with this consciousness. Consciousness that I'm in an area of this amazing history, I'm just all caught up in the awesomeness of it all. I remember reading about how Abraham went to beer sheva, and I was thinking ... beer Sheva??? I was just THEIR! the central bus station of beer Sheva... I'm like thinking, woooaaaaaww .... seriously!! No oooooooo ... OK this is getting super real super quick. All in all this is insanely awesome. 
From such a real connection to the history, I felt so much more grounded. More grounded than I ever felt, I had found solid truth, that i connect to extremely, internally. It went down to my heart. Now all I want to do is radiate it throughout my whole lifestyle and knowing of life.

People ask me, "You made Alyia(Ascended the heights of the holy land)?"  And I say "yea ..." and they say "GREAT. Awsome!" and show me so much great level of respect.  I'm thinking, woh woh what did i do to receive respect????? All this time I have been in Israel has been me RECEIVING in Israel, not doing (yet).  I learned Torah in a Yeshiva, without cost.  They welcomed me with pleasure to live, eat, and learn jewish wisdom, answering all my questions.  I am so grateful, and have so much respect for how great Israel is, I feel so blessed.  Then I realized, how IMPORTANT, this is.. For a person to know who they are, and how to connect to themselves, their spirit.  

What respect do I deserve.  What did I do so great.  Besides sticking it out in the US for so long without knowing my history, and then come back in appreciation and good faith.  

I must do whats right.  I must keep my heritage, and I shall spread my knowledge to others. for I have paid alot in efforts to create shallow meaning in my life.  Punk rock.  Trying to be a professional tennis player, professional skater, getting straight A in school.  Although I did learn alot about myself and the hunger for my soul; I learned alot about the world, along the way.  but nothing that filled me up more, and mirrored me inside, than my own Israel heritage.