Yom Ha’atzmaut 0 5

With Yom Ha’atzmaut upon us, Shane Desiatnik asked students at Jewish schools how important is to their Jewish identity, and why.

Israel is important to me because it is the I have a lot of close family there and only Jewish country in the world, and is Israel feels like a second home – another “where my religion comes from. Israel also place that I belong. To me, Israel is a brings back all the Jewish history, and is unique combination of family, ancient the country where some of my family is roots, cultural experiences and religious from. significance. Chloe McHugh Boaz Simhi ” Year 6, Year 6, Emanuel School

We are a collective bonded by a common history and a common destiny. Since Israel is the culmination of Israel is where my entire family is Jewish history, and today is the homeland of all Jewish from. To me, Judaism is all about people, I find it easy to say that it plays a pertinent role in “family. Whenever I think about any my Jewish identity as a young woman. Israel is the Jewish family holidays, I think about country where my mother and I were born. My safta and Israel and how it connects all the saba made the difficult journey there at a young age to people in my life. make Israel their home. I am proud to call Israel my Nitsan Shavit home, and a place that enriches my Jewish identity. Year” 12, Bialik College Ramona Chrapot Year 12 (school captain), Mount Scopus Memorial College

My identity comes from Israel because it is the place where Hebrew started, where our Jewish My connection to Judaism is made tangible heritage started, the place where Hashem through my connection to Israel. When you go brought us – the Holy Land. There would be “there, everyone around you is Jewish and no Jewish nation without Israel. speaking Hebrew, and you feel like you are a part of a Jewish nation. Joshua Levy Year 6, Mount Scopus Memorial College Zac Weller ”Year 12, Bialik College

I have a strong connection to Israel as I Above all else, I value the sense of community have family who were born and have that exists within Judaism. Israel is a place where lived there for many years. all belong. Its very existence strengthens my “ connection to all other Jews, and in turn their Jake Joffe connection to me. Year 7, Emanuel School ” Raphael Lipshut Year 12 (school captain), Mount Scopus Memorial College

As a Jew living in the Diaspora, I feel very Israel is where I feel most comfortable fortunate that there is always a place that will expressing my Jewish identity and where “offer me and other Jews sanctuary. I am hoping Jews can be themselves, without fear of to visit Israel for the first time at the end of this persecution. year, to experience the special connection with the country and people, that I have heard about Georgia Kahane from so many others. Year 11, Emanuel School Ruby Milner ”Year 10, Masada College

It’s very important to me because Israel is my home country and Hebrew is my mother tongue. I am also the ninth Israel connects me to my history and makes me feel “ connected to the Jewish people. It is so important for generation from Jerusalem, and Israel is very special. I’m proud to call it my me, as it has been part of my whole life, as I’ve studied home even if I live in . it at school and during Sunday school, learned about it at Netzer, and when I was doing bar mitzvah lessons Guy Feinberg at my synagogue. Year 6, Mount Scopus Memorial College ” Ezra Miller Year 11, Masada College