By Jonathan Marx
After our trip to Har Herzl with Aviv Warshavsky, we continued on to Ammunition Hill to continue our discussions of Israeli military history and culture and the power and motivation behind defending one’s country and one’s beliefs. Here, we were taken through a real-life reenactment of the dramatic 1967 battle - running through the maze of tunnels, evading fake fire, and even learning the processes by which soldiers would pass ammunition and perform medical assistance while stationed in the narrow, tightly-packed bunkers. At the end of the tour, we saw a plaque which listed not only the names of the soldiers who were killed at Ammunition Hill, but also those of all descendants of Ammunition Hill fighters who were killed in action in later conflicts as IDF soldiers.
As Aviv described this moving commemoration, I felt more connected than ever to my family and to the larger “family” of the worldwide Jewish community and the state of Israel. As a member of my small bloodline as well as the Jewish tribe which includes millions of people all around the world, I felt responsible for those others and inspired to defend them and fight for them in any way I could. For many young Americans who come to Israel and feel that urge, the result is a stint as a lone soldier in the IDF - no doubt a courageous and heroic action for the good of the Zionist cause, but perhaps not the best path of action for me.
Instead, I feel empowered to defend the state of Israel and the people Israel in the way I am most capable - as an educator and an advocate. This thought reminded me of the reasons I decided to devote myself to a career in Jewish community in the first place: no group, setting, or experience has ever provided me with as much meaning and joy as the Jewish spaces in my life. As an educator who helps American youth find personal connections to Israel, a lawyer who lobbies for Jewish value-based causes on Capitol Hill, or an executive at a tikkun olam nonprofit, I will be empowered to fight and defend my “home” as a member of the tribe in the way that suits me best.
We concluded our day of learning with a discussion overlooking the Old City from a beautiful viewpoint at Hebrew University. Watching the sun shine bright over the Temple Mount, we explored the clear connection between our present life as students and our future as leaders in the community. Sitting at the university, where we study together and develop the tools to drive our development in the community, and looking towards the ancient walls that symbolize everything we will one day work towards, it became impossible to focus on anything but my goals for the future. Just as the soldiers at Ammunition Hill were willing to spring directly into the line of fire to open up a path for their brethren to follow, we too can be the Nachshon figures, stepping into unknown waters and daring to take action in the Jewish community which no one has ever tried. So long as we keep our tribe and our values in mind, there’s no reason we can’t also emerge victorious.
