About a year and a half ago, I packed my bags and left my home in Philadelphia to move to a Kibbutz in the North of Israel with a group of 50 Israelis for a full year. My friends all said I was crazy, but I had a feeling that this choice was the right one for me.
Being an American surrounded by Israelis was scary at first. I made a lot of mistakes in my Hebrew and many times, felt like I didn’t understand certain things. I didn’t have my parents or any friends to go home to on the weekends, all I had was Mechina. I soon learned to embrace my situation and realized that people did not see me as just an American. All my friends and their families were so supportive and helped me every chance they had. Being American in Mechina gave me a new sense of confidence in who I am.
Another one of the most meaningful things I gained from being American in Mechina was a connection to Israel and to my extended family. Growing up in America with Israeli parents, I heard so many stories of what it was like to grow up in Israel. Biking on Yom Kippur, celebrating Purim at school, and hiking across the dessert was something that as a kid, I longed to experience. In Mechina, I traveled across Israel with my friends, celebrated holidays with my cousins, and finally got to fulfill all of the things I imagined as a kid. Coming to Israel on my own for a year filled the missing gap in my American-Israeli identity, and gave me my own personal connection to the country that I so strongly identify myself with.
Every single day in Mechina was a new adventure. Every bus ride, meal and interaction felt so new and exciting. In one short year, I got to experience things I never could have imagined. I hiked, slept outside, met Israelis from all parts of Israel, reflected, engaged in conversations, worked out, volunteered, took responsibility, created lifelong friendships, and most of all learned so much about myself.
Today, I am back in my Philadelphia home, starting my first year at the University of Pennsylvania. I am going into this year with so much new knowledge and perspective on myself and the world. Looking back on my crazy year in Mechina, I know I made the right choice and would not trade it for anything.
Roni Itkin-Ofer, Philadelphia, PA
