Return to the Holy Land - the Promised Land

I am often told that I cannot sit still for too long. I must agree that it true. I cannot sit still. It does not matter what way I am going as long as I am moving in the process. That is why I travel and when an opportunity arose to spend an extended time in Israel, I could hardly pass it up. However, the unfortunate reality is that this is a very controversial place and to make an honest reflection is very difficult and even risky. The problem as I understand it is that there are many sides to the argument, not just two sides. It is not in my interest nor is it my desire to make anyone angry. I am a traveler and a young writer. My job is to explore new (and old) places, meet new people, eat great food, have honest dialogue, and write my thoughts and reflections. So far in this travel blog I have written about Poland, South Africa, and El Paso. None of my posts changed any facts on the ground. My writings did not end antisemitism in Poland, poverty in South Africa, or the crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border. However, they did something special. They revealed stories and information to people who had not been much exposed to these topics. My goal is to continue sharing stories and information and for the next 5 months, I will be writing about the Holy Land.

What comes to mind now is a small experience I had on the plane ride to El Paso. I was struck with motion sickness and went to airplane lavatory. A stewardess heard me vomit and when I got out of the lavatory, she made a comment that I am a "loud vomiter" (as if anyone can vomit quietly). She asked me why I was going to El Paso and I told her I was going to learn about the complexities of the U.S.-Mexico border. She asked me if I was going to approach the topic in an unbiased way. I told her I would try.

This memory comes to mind because I expect people will want me to try and keep my biases out. That is certainly a fair request but in a way, that would go against what I am trying to do here. Much has been written on the conflict and there are many great books out there to read from and learn about the conflict. My goal is to write my own thoughts and reflections about what I see and hear so inherently, my biases will be presented in my writings.

So then, if all you know about the Holy Land is what I write about, you will be missing many big pieces of this complicated puzzle. I believe I have a voice to add, but I certainly do not have the only voice that should be listened to. I want that you take what I write and include it the wider range of stories and discussions about the Holy Land. I will write about my experiences and judging based off of what is in my itinerary, it will make some people uncomfortable (probably to say the least of it) but I do not believe in hiding stories so I will share them the best I can in the best of hopes and intentions. I am leaving the comments section open and I encourage questions and thoughts. These can help me write and reflect more clearly. 

So you know where I am coming from, please allow me to provide some background. I am an American Jew. I am the first person in my family to be born in the U.S. Most of my family members live in Israel (and other countries because I have an exciting family with a complicated past). Since I have graduated from university, I have read plenty of books on Judaism, Israel, Palestine, and I plan to continue doing so. I am greatly invested in what happens in the Holy Land. Because of my background, I have a worldview that is shaped by 3,000+ years of peoplehood, religion, trauma, and stories. I consider myself a Zionist. I am a Zionist because I believe in my people’s deep connection to the Land of Israel. I almost a Zionist because I am aware of my people’s history - a history of wandering and displacement - but always facing towards Jerusalem praying to someday return home. I am a Zionist because I know my own familial history. If you want to know a little bit about that, I suggest you read my post on Auschwitz-Birkenau (a hyperlink is below the blogpost). I had family murdered there and it isn’t lost on me that I am so very fortunate to have the opportunity to even exist and this is not a fact I take lightly. I believe that for Jews to live in safety, there has to be a state for the Jews. Part of having safety then would be to have peace with the Palestinians. What that will look like I do not know but what is clear is that neither Israelis or Palestinians are erasable so I support a peace that acknowledges the dignity and rights of both people. As we see a rise in antisemitism across the world, the importance of a state for the Jews has become increasingly more important and I hope that one day, Jews and Palestinians can live in peace and I would be so honored if this blog even slightly contributes to that. 

"You shall neither take revenge from nor bear a grudge against the members of your people; you shall love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord. (Leviticus 19:18)."

I try to live up to this command in Leviticus.

In my attempt to live up to this, I will try to gain a deeper understanding of the Holy Land. In doing so, I will have the difficult task of stepping outside of myself and seeing the complexities in other people’s shoes. That is the hard part. But here is an easier task I will complete. I will sit down and break bread with any person who is willing to speak with me.

For those of you who will be following my journey, I ask that you have patience and understanding. I am not writing to convince you of any form of nationalism. I am writing in hopes of bringing some clarity. I will share my stories as well as the stories of others. Some stories might make you uncomfortable. Discomfort is a part of life and I ask that you stick around. To say this again, I will leave the comments section open and I strongly encourage that you ask questions, leave thoughts, prayers, and comments. I will seek to answer them. Questions help in clarifying the situation.

So please, take my hand and let us go on this journey together - in peace.

Noah Goldman

Personal Reflection of my Visit to Auschwitz-h