Peering up at me, little smiling face awaited to learn about and meet “real Americans”. Being my first time out of the country, I joined eleven other Beth Tfiloh students on a journey to Hungry to visit SSG, a Jewish Hungarian school. Among many programs BT students were asked to lead a game with the third graders at SSG.
Choosing to teach young Hungarians about American culture, specificaI American food, I became excited at the oppurtunity. Although I adore younger children and play with them often, the language barrier I had with these kids made me apprehensive. However, as soon as I opened my mouth I knew although they might not speak the same language as me, they wanted to play and run around just like any other kid. Reaffirming that kids, no matter where in the world they live, love learning, I communicated through pictures, smiles, and highfives, with not a moment of awkwardness, even learning some Hungarian words from them.
Not only did I find that kids around the world are the same, but in that same day I also comprehended that these Hungarian teens, have even more in common with American students than I had recognized before. Relating to Hungarians’ through games, songs, and television shows, I thought that this basic but enjoyable connection would remain this simplistic. However, on Thursday night, as the rain poured down, BT and SSG students, huddled together under the few umbrellas looking at Shoe memorial by the Danube river. Although few words were exchanged my connection with these people living so far away changed and grew even stronger through this experience of remembering their Jewish past. Although I had already known of this Jewish connection, it made me understand that we now have a responsibility to keep this connection, by looking out for each other and continuing our history.
Although I have no ancestors from Hungary, these new ideas of Jewish commitment made the stronger and deeper friendship. These friendships and experiences not only created strong bonds and spread love for Judaism, but also showed me the power of unification and Jews supporting each other. Moreover, it displayed that people no matter where they live, or what language they speak are all human.
