Picture this: a group of 18 teens from Ohio with sweat dripping down their foreheads, having just spent hours in the scorching sun traveling through the Old City. They hop off the tour bus to see a modern wooden dome with multiple abstract art pieces hanging from the ceiling, letting out a sigh of relief when they saw that they would be spending the next two hours in the shade surrounded by families with bright smiles on their faces.
This was us this afternoon at the Hebrew Book Festival, where we were divided into small groups and sent off to find strangers to interview with the following questions:
- What do you like the most about Israel?
- If you can change one thing about Israel, what would it be?
- What is your vision for Israel in the next 70 years?
For question one, we received answers ranging from from “the floor”, to the Kotel, the security and the fact that it is a Jewish state where you can feel at home. For the second question, some talked about the price of goods and lack of manners, while others yearn for peace. The third question got mostly the same response: a united country where we all can live as one.
While there was so much love for Israel in that pavilion, yet we saw that that is not always the case, as was shown by one 18 year old Russian immigrant. The following are his responses:
- I don’t like Israel
- I don’t know, I don’t like it here. The people are annoying.
- I don’t have hope for Israel.
Picture this: a group of 18 well rested teens from Ohio, enlightened by the experience they just had, learning that, while there is no shortage in love that people have for Israel, they’re also aware of what can be improved-and that some people have no love for the country at all.