By: Camilla Benzaquen, York University, Hasbara Alumni
Elie Wiesel once said, “Not to transmit an experience is to betray it”. Almost a year after my Hasbara Fellowships program in Israel, I find myself not only wanting to write and give over the many thoughts and feelings I experienced, but think it necessary to express to others as an essential part of the experience itself.
Although this was not my first trip to Israel, I have to say that Hasbara Fellowships was perhaps the most meaningful, eye opening, and intense experiences (emotionally and physically!) I have ever had. As I always tell people, there are very few words to fully encompass just how truly special and cherished every moment was. The people I met, the sights I saw, the stories I heard, the songs I sang, and the friendships I made will certainly last me a lifetime.
I have to admit that I was not the most heavily involved Israel advocate on my university campus prior to Hasbara Fellowships, but I knew that as I neared the end of my time at York University, I absolutely needed to make some type of impact, no matter how small. I needed to fulfill my dream of telling the truth about the miracle that Israel is. Israel is not merely a piece of land surrounded by enemies. It is not a centre of mass oppression or genocide. It is also not just a place where the best of everything can be found. Israel, first and foremost, is an eternal home, it is my home.
My time on Hasbara Fellowships and my year with Hasbara at York (the pro-Israel group at York University in Toronto) as the social media manager has truly opened me up in so many ways, allowing me to grow not only as a fighter for the State of Israel, but as an individual as well. I feel all the opportunities that have been offered to me both during and after my trip are real blessings that have given me the ability to realize my inner potential and continue to follow the path of justice and truth. I have seen the progression I have made in my confidence and have experienced my pool of knowledge widen. I believe to choose just one moment as the greatest would be to minimize all the other amazing memories I have stored. Now that my formal time as a Hasbara Fellow is coming to a close, I look back with joy and appreciation for everything that I have experienced and all the lasting connections I have made with so many people both on and off campus.
Thevery first post I made while on Hasbara Fellowships during my very first day was taken from an important lesson given over by Rabbi Yehuda Weinberg, son of Rabbi Noach Weinberg, founder of Aish HaTorah. At the end of my post I expressed how I hoped this sentiment would resonate with me throughout the rest of my time in Israel and become a part of my advocacy on campus when I returned. Though there will forever be more to work on, I continue to acknowledge this message in all my endeavours as an Israel advocate: “If you care enough about something so fully, nothing and no one can stand in your way”.
I hope for all future fellows that they too use their experiences as a catalyst to inspire others, take every opportunity that comes their way, believe they can make a difference, and always remember what they are fighting for.
