Finding history and home in Israel
By Julie Hirshan | gargoyle@flagler.edu
Photo Contributed
PHOTO CREDIT: Julie Hirshan went to Israel to explore her Jewish heritage. “We learned about life in Israel during World War II by visiting a concentration camp, the Holocaust museum and cemetery. I learned a lot about myself while I was there, and took away the knowledge that I am welcome back anytime.”
As I prepared to travel to Israel this summer, I had no idea what to expect.
I did my research and found out the basic information about the country. It’s the size of the state of New Jersey. It borders Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Egypt.
While the country is primarily Jewish, it is also considered the holy land for the Christian and Muslim religions. The diverse landscape offers deserts, mountains, farmland, cities and rural communities. None of these facts prepared me for what I was about to experience.
I was with a group of 30 young Jewish people from all around the country.