How My Birthright Trip Gave Me Strength Post-October 7
I never thought I would go on a Birthright trip. As someone who was born in Israel, speaks fluent Hebrew and visits his family there two or three times a year, I thought I knew everything there was to know about Israel.
I started opening up to the idea after coming to college. I gradually became more involved at Maryland Hillel, where I heard from friends and staff about how meaningful their trips were. But I still wasn’t convinced, unsure of how I’d fit in on the trip as an Israeli.
Then October 7 happened, and everything changed.
That night, as we were still witnessing the atrocities in Israel, it seemed like the world was turning its back on my Jewish peers and me. My social media feeds exploded with excuses, justifications, and praise for terrorism against my homeland. Soon after, news outlets reported an unprecedented rise in antisemitism across the country. My close friends who weren’t Jewish stopped talking to me after I declared my support for the country I call home.
I felt like my identity was being attacked. I became increasingly anxious when walking through campus, speaking Hebrew, or wearing my Magen David necklace. Having grown up in a tight-knit Israeli community in Rockville, Maryland, I never before had to deal with the fact that I could be marginalized for who I am.
My time on campus this year made it clear I could no longer take my identity for granted. To find strength, I had to own being Israeli and Jewish. I needed to connect deeply to my roots and the place that anchors me to who I am. So I went to Hillel (now my second home), spoke with our IACT coordinator, and applied for a Birthright trip.
In fact, my trip to Israel with Birthright has been one of the most impactful experiences of my life. Whether it was climbing Masada, driving ATVs by the Sea of Galilee, screaming the song “Tel Aviv” by Omer Adam (on the beach in Tel Aviv), bringing in Shabbat on a kibbutz in the hills of Jerusalem, or wrapping tefillin in the Western Wall, each moment made me feel more connected to my heritage. Better yet, I did it all with people who care about the Jewish state just as I do, and were just as excited and proud to be there.
One of the most significant moments of the trip was our group’s visit to Hostages Square in Tel Aviv, where we got a better sense of the dreadful reality faced by those being held in captivity by Hamas in Gaza. We were able to speak to a relative of one of the hostages, Omer Wenkert. This experience made me understand the importance of continuing to raise my voice back home in support of those kidnapped.
In Jerusalem, we also visited the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial and Mount Herzl, the country’s national cemetery. We learned about our people’s constant struggle for survival and peace, even through the darkest moments we face. That day reminded me of our resilience and strength as a people.
When we visited Shuk Mahaneh Yehudah, also in Jerusalem, we found ourselves in the middle of a huge party on the street. I witnessed the incredible ability of our people to find happiness—even when times are painful and challenging. I was full of renewed hope as we returned to the hotel that evening.
As I spend the rest of my summer here in Tel Aviv working at an internship with Birthright Israel’s Onward program, I feel grateful I can walk through the streets and speak Hebrew openly. I feel fortunate to have met new friends who share my love for this place. I feel proud of my country, of my identity, and of my people.
I’m worried about coming back to campus in the fall. I know our community may continue to face antisemitism, and it won’t be easy. But after my Birthright experience this summer, I also know I’ll never stop being proud of who I am and where I come from. And most importantly, I know my people have my back.
Einav Tsach (@einavtsach) is a rising junior studying journalism and business at the University of Maryland, College Park. As president of Mishelanu, the Israeli-American culture club on campus, he’s highly involved at Maryland Hillel and looks forward to continuing his advocacy as a Jewish student leader.