A Herzl Reunion at Sde Boker, Israel
April 25, 2010 by Herzl Camp Admin, under Herzl, Beyond Webster.
By Tali Minsberg
This is a story for our grandchildren.
After joining the Israeli army and making it into Oketz, one of the most prestigious units in the army, especially for female soldiers, it was time for a Tekes Hashbah (Israeli Army “Swearing In Ceremony”) for my friend Katja Edelman.
The night before Katja’s Tekes, I got an e-mail from Katja’s parents saying that they missed their flight to Israel due to a flight delay out of Kansas. Despite the fact that their flight would land just 90 minutes before the ceremony, I had a feeling that somehow they would make it on time.
You could say I’m optimistic.
After meeting with two of Katja’s friends, taking 3 buses, and hitchhiking the final 6 kilometers, we arrived at Ben Gurion’s grave at Sde Boker to see Katja’s family. Thanks some extreme team work, determination, and a helicopter too, Katja had a whole cheering section as she swore into the Israeli army. What is pretty unbelievable is that I’ve known Katja since I was 10 … when we were
pink-soffee-wearing Ha’atid campers at Herzl Camp in Webster, Wisconsin.
Ten years later, I was standing over Ben Gurion’s grave, looking at the picturesque view of the Negev, watching a fellow ’06 Ozo swear into the Israeli army.
Not only that, but as I stood in awe of the view over the dessert, someone tapped me on the shoulder. I turn around only to find that it was an Israeli saliach that worked at Herzl in 2007. (I couldn’t have made that part up, believe me.)
So there we were, (get it?!) three Herzl kids standing in the Negev, thousands of miles away from Webster, Wisconsin but
all bonded by Shabbatot in white and chugim in the sports field.
Back in Jerusalem, Anna Allen, Georgia Flaum, and Emma Peck-Block, three fellow Herzl campers and staff, were eager to hear all about Katja’s tekes. You’ve heard it a million times: friendships you make at Herzl camp are ones that will last a lifetime.
I am not surprised that those friendships all make their way to Israel.