Can one person make a difference? Can my presence bring joy and excitement to my peers? I have pondered with these questions over and over since I found out I would be accompanying my school on their fairly new annual trip to Budapest, Hungary.
Around two months ago I was approached with the news that I was chosen to be one of six ambassadors from America to accompany a Jewish youth group I’m involved in, to Frankfurt, Germany. The reason for going was to be a part of a pilot delegation of Americans to Germany for their annual rendition of Eurovision, a singing and dancing competition which they hosted called Jewrovision. One of the only things that I could think of was the frightening thought of being in a country that was known for killing a mass number of Jews during World War II.
Luckily, this experience would come to be a time in my life I would never forget. The strong presence of Jewish life that continues to exist in Germany brought tears to my eyes as I davened alongside 1500 Jewish German Teens. Even though there was a language barrier between the Germans and me, we bonded over the Shabbat opening prayers that we sang together in enjoyment. The welcoming qualities that I was exposed to by the Germans changed the way I felt and thought about the country as a whole.
Now it’s my turn to give the knowledge of Judaism and friendship that I have learned through Beth Tfiloh and my Jewish youth group experiences, and apply it to the relationships I’m about make in Budapest. I hope that I can go into Hungary with open arms and help enrich the Judaism of myself and my soon to be Hungarian Brothers and sisters. ~Louis M.
Beautiful !!