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August 21, 2002
Birthright, the US-based Jewish
organization which brings Jewish teens from all over the world
for solidarity visits to Israel, in August 2002 alone has
brought in 35 teenagers from USA, Ukraine and Russia for a
10-day solidarity visit.
In the first week the children had a lot
of fun as they traveled all over Israel, from Eilat to Hermon.
But Day Eight brought them a more sobering experience. On
August 13th, the visitors met with the parents who had lost
their children at the Dolfi disco, as well as with the Israeli
teens who had been wounded there.
This emotional meeting was moderated by the representatives
of the Michael Cherney Foundation, which has been assisting
the Dolphinarium victims from the very first night of the
attack. The Foundation financed a book and produced a film
about the bombing.
This film was shown in part to the joint
US-Russian-Ukrainian group after they heard the testimony
of the victims. Jewish girls from the States, Ukraine and
Russia were openly crying as they watched. This was followed
by a discussion, and visiting teens volunteered to answer
the hard question: are they ready to make aliyah after what
they have seen. (For most of them it was their first visit
to Israel). Here are some answers.
Lev (Ohio): "One can't help loving
Israel - it's beautiful. Am I ready to make aliyah? No. But
I am ready to donate blood to the Israeli terror victims right
now".
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Olga (Kiev, Ukraine): "I want
to make Aliyah. I want to live in Israel, and to make sure
it doesn't suffer from more terrorists. I think that all the
Jews in the world have to make Aliyah, and together put an
end to terrorism. Only the Jews of the entire world, after
they unite, can put an end to it."
Elvis (New York, US): "Nowhere
in the world have I seen such human warmth and mutual support
like in Israel. As to the security, New York also used to
be a secure place: not any more. So the Aliyah decision shouldn't
be made on the grounds of security. I personally will make
Aliyah in 10 years. However, the Palestinian prioblem won't
be solved by that time. It may take another 100 years, but
eventually they will choose to live in peace. I don't want
to come right now, because now I won't be able to start my
own business here: it's economy, not security".
Boris (Kiev, Ukraine): "I want
all the Jews to be able to come here and live here securely.
For that I am ready to come here and fight in the Israeli
Army. Right now one cannot live in Israel: you can't live
in constant fear. You have to destroy the source of fear:
for that I am ready to join IDF even today".
Vladimir (Kiev, Ukraine): "I
am ready for Aliyah. I am sure that now all the Jews have
to come here, right now it's the time to be with your people,
so that our enemy would see our unity, our strength, and realize
that they cannot win".
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