The Reluctant Sabra

So D2 is scheduled for Birthright, leaving May 8. Birthright is an amazing program funded by billionaire Jews and the Israeli government which seeks to teach Disapora Jews about Israel. Of course, the real purpose of the program is to make sure young Jews gain a strong sense of support for Israel, by visiting and getting to know their ancestral homeland.

The Zionist Indoctrination failed on D1. She took her trip during Winter Break of her freshman year, and was sent to meditate in the Sinai Desert, and to climb Masada. She came home vastly prefering Paris to Tel Aviv.

Fortunately, she DID inherit our Zionist sensibilities (Wifey was born in Israel, and her father fought in the War for Independence), so D1 is strongly pro Israel. She just doesn't see the need to visit there again.

Now it's D2's turn. I have a sense that the trip will be more meaningful for her. Of course, now there's the chance she may have to stay there.

The Birthright folks emailed her and told her to contact the Israeli Consul, which for the Southeastern US, is conveiently in Miami. It seems that in reviewing her papers, they noticed that her mother, Wifey, was born in Israel, and they think that Israeli folks might take that to mean that D2 is ALSO somehow Israeli, and needs to remain to give military service.

I told D2 to go rent "Private Benjamin," and then I sent her a web link about "Women in the IDF (Israel Defense Force)." Like D2, the women are beautiful...

She doesn't see the humor in this like I do, and plans to make certain she won't be kept in Israel longer than the 10 day Birthright trip.

When Wifey was a teenager, her parents sent her to Israel to visit relatives. Sure enough, at the airport, someone noticed her place of birth, and they wouldn't let her leave! Tearful calls to the US prompted a trip to the US Embassy, and Wifey was allowed to return home.

Still, I ponder what may have been...this blog may have been written by a Wifey husband named Ari, or Rahm...

So hopefully D2 will be allowed home, If not, I'd of course go overt there and take on Mossad, if need be...they'd kick my tuches, but somehow I'd get my little girl back.

At D2's suggestion, we made plans to all fly to NY to see her off. We'll have a family vacation, get to meet my partner PAul's new granddaughter Lilly, and then all head to JFK. Wifey, D1, and I will head home; D2 to Israel via Zurich.

And then, if all goes according to plan, we'll fetch a properly energized little Zionist from MIA on May 18.

Otherwise, I guess we'll get photos of a beautiful 19 year old toting an Uzi...