When I was a kid, I was part of an Israeli dance troupe. Our costumes were exactly what you might imagine - blue and white with silver embellishments. I suppose at the time I didn’t view it differently than my gymnastics class or soccer practice, but in retrospect, this was a physical, embodied Zionism.
I learned some of the classics of Israeli music, like Naomi Shemer’s Od Lo Ahavti Dai. I was creating a love of an activity based on the Hebrew language, Israeli music, and a fun piece of our culture. Israel wasn’t just a far-away land that we talked about in school or saw pictures of, it was a place whose culture and language permeated who I was.
When I went to Camp Ramah each summer growing up and through my early twenties, I danced these dances and new ones I’d learn each summer on the kikar, the grassy area in the middle of camp. We danced with the Israeli shlichim who visited camp every summer, feeling connected to personalities of Israel and not just the culture.
As I grew up, I developed more sophisticated and nuanced elements to my understanding of Israel; I know that Israeli dancing is not a sophisticated form Zionism. However, it instilled me an affinity for the Hebrew language and a form of movement that was unique to Israel. I was raised with a deep love for Israel, and this has been the bedrock of my relationship with our homeland. That love that I have is the basis for wanting to visit Israel, it is the basis from which I engage with news stories, and the love I have is what fuels my desire for Israel to be the best she can.
It’s a blessing to be able to celebrate 70 years of the dream of Israel, and I await what the next 70 years of Israel will bring to the Jewish people and the world.
