I’ve never minded goodbyes before until now. I understand that in life you meet people, you separate
and that’s the end of your relationship, but I felt something different at the end of this trip. As we exited the bus and entered the airport we said our final goodbyes to people we just met less than a week ago. Hugs and tears surrounded me and I wondered how we became so close in such little time. We started the week with the usual questions: name, grade, hobbies, aspirations; but those superficial conversations quickly evolved into much more. We laughed together, told each other our fears, the Hungarians told us why they fear walking down the street with a kippah because they don’t want to be beaten.
Spending the last night together, singing around a campfire, arms around each other, we were united after only 5 days. I didn’t mind goodbyes until I left my Hungarian friends, but now I know what it feels like to miss someone. So until November when we meet again, I will text them every night so that our connections are not lost.
I hope that I have helped them in learning what it means to be Jewish so they can feel more comfortable as a Jew in a Christian country. I hope they continue strengthening their Jewish identities so their identities are not lost to their government. It’s not going to be easy, but I hope they can stay in their own country and live as they have lived and practice religion as they have practiced. The relationships forged this week are important to ensure they can keep their Jewish identities and have the support of us here at Beth Tfiloh. ~ Ethan T.
