www.jewishlouisville.org August 23, 2013 17 ELUL 5773 Community B1 Communit■ ■ y FRIDAY VOL. 38, NO. 12 17 ELUL 5773 AUGUST 23, 2013 SECTION B About this Section This year, many Louisvillians trav- BBYO, NFTY, Camp Livingston and eled to Israel. There were teens who traveled with their camp or youth group friends, young adults who went Beber Camp sent groups to Israel on Taglit-Birthright Israel trips or to spend time studying, an adult who made a trip to Belarus and Israel for BBYO trip adds leadership training to Israel trip professional development and fam- ilies who enjoyed the Israel experi- by Holly Hinson rael,” the teen said. ence together. Each trip was unique Special to Community Indeed, Maggie has been and the experiences and stories the heavily involved in BBYO since participants brought back with them or Maggie Rosen, going to Israel her freshman year, serving on were different. this July was the culmination of the Regional Board KIO and In this special section, Community a long-held and much-anticipated holding the offices of both chap- brings you many different facets of Is- F dream. ter communications officer and rael as seen through the eyes of people The 17 year old, a senior at Kentucky chapter president in 2012. In who have been there recently, as well Country Day, had been hearing about addition to the Cantor Award, as some stories with strong Louisville the trip for years. As the recipient of the Maggie also received the BBYO’s and Kentucky connections from our Ellen and Milton Cantor Israel Schol- Ellen Faye Garmon Award and Partnership with Israel region, the arship Fund Award from the Jewish was one of seven teens from the Western Galilee and a company that Foundation of Louisville in May, Maggie KIO (Kentucky-Indiana-Ohio) manufactures lifesaving backbacks. knew she was going on the BBYO ILSI region participating in the three We hope you enjoy this special sec- (B’nai Brith Youth Organization Inter- week Israel trip, including Lou- tion of Community. Additional photos national Leadership Seminar Israel) trip isvillian Natania Lipp (See story, can be found at www.jewishlouis- and had been eagerly awaiting the day of this page). Maggie also joined Maggie and the rest of the Kentucky Indiana Ohio delegation of ville.org. departure on July 2. approximately 100 other youth BBYO on Shabbat. “Since I was a freshman, older girls from around the world on the have known and talked about this trip. It trip that was for high school juniors, se- tourist spots and she knew the focus combined two of the things I love most niors and college freshmen. of the trip would be on leadership. The – BBYO and the opportunity to go to Is- Maggie said she expected to see the journey exceeded her expectations. “It was so inspiring. Every place we visited was so rich with history. We were really immersed in Judaism. We saw land- Lipp discovers new sense of community marks where my ancestors were 3,000 years ago, and they’re still standing,” she Editor’s note: For most of the teens fea- from mixing my Israel journey with my said. tured in this section, this summer’s trip BBYO one. I knew the story of Masada, “I always knew the importance of was the first time they went to Israel. A and I recognized how pretty the land Israel and my Jewish identity, but to few had been before, but for short periods was. But the connection between the im- make that personal connection with our of time. Natania Lipp has spent a lot of portance of the land and the importance homeland really made me feel closer to time there and speaks Hebrew fluently. of the Jewish people living in it didn’t my faith,” she added. She’s also an excellent writer and wanted resonate with me until I went through it The Israel trip also afforded the teen to tell her own story. So, even though she again with my peers. I was able to walk the opportunity to exercise her leader- and Maggie Rosen (see story, this page) the same steps but see different things, ship skills – and learn new ones. “We traveled together on the same trip, their to hear the same words but hear them had a real community experience and stories are presented separately here. in new ways. got to plan and lead Shabbat services. Surrounded by 100 of my newfound We connected our Jewish roots to our by Natania Lipp friends, all of my low expectations of leadership theme and Torah readings. It Israel used to be a vacation spot. I the land I had already been to disap- was exciting,” Maggie said. felt at home because I could speak the peared. The energy at the top of Masada Learning about the differences in the language and many of the restaurants was contagious. People had waited their Maggie Rosen and Natania Lipp atop Masada practice of Judaism in Israel and Amer- were kosher. I felt comfortable because whole lives to set foot on this land and ica was another aspect of the trip that we would stay there for months at a time being there was a dream come true for Maggie found interesting. and I’d grown accustomed to playing so many that I couldn’t help but feel the them into it. In Israel, Judaism just IS “We learned how they do things dif- at the playground nearby. Israel was a same way. relevant. It’s a part of their daily lives. ferently,” she said. “The Jewish tradi- home for me, but it wasn’t yet a home for As we did services at the top of Mas- From the discussions we had every tions are just a huge part of their culture. all of the Jewish people. ada, I realized that the connection I felt night, to the passionate and opinionated They say Shema every night and don’t Israel was simply an experience I had to my friends and the connection I felt speakers we heard, to the long treks we drive during Shabbat. They keep kosher. already discovered. I had eaten the food, towards Israel had come together to took through endless desserts, I was able Everything revolves around their reli- spoken the language, and even gone on make both stronger. Finally, my Israel to shape my own identity around the gion. After Israel, these things seem even tours. So when I signed up for ILSI (In- journey and my BBYO one had inter- land I was re-discovering. more important now – to see it first-hand ternational Leadership Seminar in Is- twined to strengthen my respect for the Before this trip, I was expected to be and bring it back home. I feel a greater rael) I figured it would be a fun place for holy land. an advocate of Israel. The idea of a Jew- responsibility to lead other Jewish teens me to meet new friends in BBYO. Being able to share my experience ish state sounded like a good idea and so to make that deeper connection.” In my Jewish youth group, BBYO, I with other teenagers was what made I supported it. One outing that Maggie said she am the Sh’licha of my region, meaning Masada so special. The mood that they After experiencing the sense of com- found very moving and educational was part of my job is to incorporate Judaism set made me realize the true magic of Is- munity first hand, and being educated the group’s trip to Masada, particularly and Social Action into the programs rael. Our history shapes the present in a on the past and present status of Israel once she learned the landmark’s pow- along with promoting Israel advocacy. way that makes everyone feel at home. as a Jewish state, I am now a proud ad- erful history. “We got up very early in By going to Israel with leaders from In BBYO, I interpret a big part of my vocate for Israel, remembering that it’s the morning to climb and they told us the same organization, I hoped to bring job to be making Judaism relevant with- always relevant. about how years ago the Jews were un- some of my knowledge back to the Ken- out force. I want members to be proud The best part of Israel was finding a der the rule of the Roman Empire. They tucky-Indiana-Ohio Region. Meanwhile, of their religion because it’s what shapes sense of community inside and outside couldn’t rebel and decided their only I expected to discover a little more of my our values, and because the traditions of my group. The Jewish people are at freedom was death, so they committed Jewish identity along the way and gain a will stick with us forever, and because home whenever they are together, but mass suicide on top of the mountain. new appreciation for Israel. the holidays are fun and create memo- Israel is the only place where our past, When I was standing there, I realized I It wasn’t until I climbed Masada with ries. present and future can all be recognized was seeing the same sights the Romans my group at the end of my first week that It’s difficult to try to get people to ap- at once. must have seen all those years ago, and I discovered the true benefits I would get preciate their religion without forcing see BBYO page 2 B2 Community August 23, 2013 17 ELUL 5773 Beber Camp friends, old and new, explored Israel together by Cynthia Canada “it was something I had really looked Special to Community forward to.” That’s where the strength of community hit home for him, sur- hree high school students from rounded by hundreds of other worship- Louisville experienced Israel ers, both friends and strangers, all of this summer from a new per- them praying.