In December 2012 I was invited to travel to Israel with two young rabbi’s who would be touring the country visiting old students who had since gone to study in The Holy Land. It was the first time I found myself completely immersed in a religious setting for an extended period of time with
It was the first time I found myself completely immersed in a religious setting for an extended period of time with little connection to the comfort of my secular world. I felt tested both physically and emotionally as I grappled with my own Jewish identity and how it contrasted so significantly by the people I was surrounded by. Hiding behind my camera and at times when it wasn’t permitted, my iPhone’s camera, proved to be the only constant sense of familiarity and comfort as I traversed the country and met new people. At times I felt a sense of belonging to both the physical land and the community but I mostly felt like a stranger.
