Israelis Around the World
While backpacking with Israelis this summer, Anna Beth writes…
“Where is the craziest place you’ve met an Israeli?” This is a question I asked the crowd last summer at the a conference of others involved in Jewish ministry. I was explaining the importance of learning Hebrew for engaging with the Jewish community around the world. People shouted locations like the Bahamas, Oregon, Thailand, the Appalachian trail, South Africa, and the list goes on… The audience’s answers proved my intended point: Israelis are EVERYWHERE! And where they are...We go to connect!!
I want to share with you a bit of why Israelis are generally so well-traveled, what they are searching for, and why it matters to us who love the Jewish people.
Why do Israelis Travel?
I have asked this question to many Israeli friends, and I received many different answers. One reason Israelis travel internationally so much is that their country is so small! Israel, while an incredible place to explore, is only about the size of New Jersey. It is surrounded by mostly hostile nations, so when Israelis travel, they tend to go far from home, even for a weekend trip.
There are also cultural reasons that Israelis are so well-traveled. In Israeli society there is generally a high value placed on education and discovery. Travel is one of the best ways to open oneself up to new experiences, learning and personal growth. In my time living in Israel, I have consistently seen Israelis express a fascination with other cultures and a strong desire to learn and to see life from a different perspective.
I particularly love connecting with Israeli backpackers, usually young adults who finish their mandatory army service (two years for women, three years for men). After release from the army, a large percentage of these young adults throw their belongings into a backpack and trek around the world for six months to a year. They go to adventurous destinations like India, Southeast Asia, and South America. I’ve worked in a hostel in Israel where I got to meet many of these backpackers.
What Are They Searching For?
Israeli backpackers are generally searching for more than just adventure. If you ask an Israeli who has just finished their army service, there are many different reasons that they might choose to travel the world.
Coming out of the army, they have spent years doing only what they were told. They are craving freedom and personal autonomy. They might also be reeling from hardships and trauma experienced in the army that most of us could only imagine. It is difficult to find an Israeli who has not lost someone in war or a terror attack.
Many of these travelers are looking for a deeper purpose in life, experimenting with drugs, New Age and Yoga, etc. About 80% of Jewish people around the world are secular – meaning agnostic, atheist, or “spiritual but not religious.” They are spiritually seeking and hungry.
All people have a deep desire to know God, whether they recognize it or not. It is built into us by our Creator. That desire can manifest as the drive to know their true purpose or calling, or to discover the meaning of life. Most attempt to satisfy it with new experiences or achievements, numb it with pleasure and distraction, or even quiet it through religion or spirituality.
But it is always there under the surface. This principle is critical to remember when sharing our faith with friends, coworkers and strangers: deep down, they are crying out for relationship with God. You never know how God might be working in an individual’s heart to draw them to himself.
Why Should We Care?
This season of pronounced seeking in the lives of Israeli backpackers is an incredible opportunity to step in and share the message of the Messiah. Jesus is the only one who satisfies that deep longing, bringing us into relationship with the Father. Through the Prophet Isaiah, God shared his desire for Israel to come to him and be satisfied:
“Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you who have no money come, buy and eat...Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourself in abundance. Incline your ear and come to me. Listen that you may live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, according to the faithful mercies shown to David.” (Is 55:1-3)
A few hundred years later, Jesus said:
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matt 11:28-30)
We hope to share this light burden of Jesus to young Israelis who are weighed down with the burden of confusion, PTSD, the threat of terrorism, a nation surrounded by enemies, and tension at home. They need the “Water of Life.” They need their burdens to be lightened and carried by their Messiah. Pray for them and for us as we seek to connect with them.