Day 1: A Long Journey

Ben Gurion Airport – April 26, 2022

By Amy Shapiro

It’s always a long journey to Israel.

For our ancestors it was 40 years in the desert.

For some it’s hours on a crowded boat or plane fleeing persecution in their country. For us, Cohort X, our journey consisted of 2.5 years of meeting as a group- primarily virtually-and honing our leadership skills, while navigating the global pandemic. After two rescheduled dates, our trip is finally here!

Monday to Tuesday consisted of a 28-hour travel day and two Covid tests upon landing. We are finally in a beautiful hotel in Jerusalem!

It’s always a long journey to Israel. I was squished in between two people on the plane- each leaning in towards me with their arms on both armrests. I was uncomfortable due to wearing a hot kn95 mask, 11 hours of sitting on the flight, and a lack of sleep. That journey to Jerusalem was a piece of cake in comparison to the generations before me. I am here, and the air smelled so sweet stepping out of the airport to board our air-conditioned bus. I am so grateful for this gift and the amazing trip ahead with this special group.