The Wanderlusting Jew

“Oh hi!” he practically squeeled with delight as he waltzed into the room and spotted me chilling on the lower bunk bed. “What’s your name? Where you from? Are you coming to the full moon party?” he blurted out each question with curious delight in between sips of his beer and post introducing himself (and pretty much supplying me with his life story). When I answered that I’m from Israel he almost wet his pants with glee, exclaiming with an exasperated sigh “oh, Israeli guys are so hot!” and then continuing to discuss his plans for the night ahead at the full moon party, with me all ears – his new (highly entertained) audience member and fellow bunk bed sharer.

That’s just one example of the many personalities I’ve met thus far, on my journey of a lifetime in my post-army travels.

I’ve met people from countries both close and afar, I’ve heard accents and pronunciations that I could not decipher. I’ve shared rooms with a globus of nationalities (or at least that’s how it felt in sixteen room dorm). I can hardly say I’ve seen it all because I’m only at the beginning of my journey abroad, but I’ve come across a tapestry of cultures and religions and nationalities, and it’s been fascinating and exciting, to say the least.

The funniest thing that I’ve thus far encountered is the curious case of the wander(lust)ing Jew.

Strangely enough, though I’ve met incredible people and found friends from nationalities I didn’t know existed, there seems to be some sort of difference in the air when I come across a fellow yid, or Israeli amongst the crowd. It’s almost like seeing a cousin you’ve heard about from your parents but never met before – so that when you suddenly hear Hebrew from across the party, or the girl you’ve been chatting with says her last name is Goldberg, it’s like something clicks and the person before you is no longer a stranger, but a sibling of your religion who you feel an automatic connection to. It’s a bond of history and culture and a sense of brotherhood shared amongst our people that never ceases to amaze me. and while I’m open to meeting and travelling with all walks of life, I can’t help but to appreciate this unique sense of connection that we share in our religion as the yuden of the world.

It’s just some thoughts and reflections on the matter of the wanderlusting Jew, and I’m just gonna give a shout-out of appreciation for the nation I was born into, for the people I feel compelled towards, and for the country that – no matter where I find myself – will always be my own.

That’s all for now okes and folks, much love to the holy land.

Shabbat Shalom.