ATID is the Jewish Federation of Greater Indianapolis advanced leadership program. Part of every ATID class is a trip to Israel. These are accounts from the partcipants of ATID IV, who are traveling through Israel in February 2016.

Post written by Laurence Bolotin

The closing Havdalah said it all. Locking arms in a circle singing over a beautiful scene while making eye contact with everyone who made the week so special. I originally chose the last blogging spot so I could procrastinate but now feel pressured to end it perfectly for everyone. People develop relationships through the sharing of common experiences and the experiences we shared today and for the last nine days were special and unique to each of us. The Torah study, the walking tour, and the sharing circle today were reflective of our time together. Sharing this experience with more than 20 other amazingly talented, passionate, and sincere people is something we will cherish for many years to come. Seeing sights that further connected us to our individual and collective identity while learning more about each other is what this land is all about. For me personally, this experience was transformational. The opportunity to be bar-mitzvah’ d at the Western Wall surrounded by people I am now fortunate enough to call not only my friends but also additions to my Indianapolis family was a true once-in-a-lifetime experience. Every single day was better than the one before and left us all energized to see what the next day would hold. People and experiences come into our lives for a reason. While the future will always be unclear, I am certain that what we experienced together will serve as a guide for us as we continue to look for ways to make an impact within the Jewish community. We are stronger together.            

Until next time Israel.  We will be back.