How far removed are Diaspora Jews from the
Israeli Jewish experience?
An education awash with heavy references
and classes on the Jewish State, its language, history, culture and stereotypes
can only take a Melbourne Jewess so far. A Taglit Birthright holiday creates an
alternate reality – encouraging young Jews to see beyond the negative media and
apathy pervading Jewish youth around the world.
One foot dangling in the waters of Israel,
while the other is still firmly planted in Melbourne.
I made aliyah nearly two years ago to live
my lifelong dream – of being an Israeli. So excited was I to receive my blue ID
card, I showed all my Israeli friends and family, who chuckled or just shrugged
with indifference.
Travelling throughout India, I slapped on a
thick Israeli accent when bargaining with shopkeepers. Once they thought I was
a native Israeli, they gave me their cheapest price, as they knew they couldn’t
get a tougher bargainer than an Israeli.
But my knowledge, my citizenship, my accent
and now even my husband can never bring me an authentic Israeli Jewish
experience. I will be forever ‘from somewhere else’.
