I related closely to Gary Rosenblatt’s column, “Confessions of a Once-Distant Zionist” (May 5).
As a 13-year-old child of American-born parents studying in public school and afternoon Hebrew school in the Bronx, I thought of Israel as an ancient place where you plant trees and have a Purim parade.
The Six-Day War was a watershed event for me as well. Learning that Israel was a real and modern nation gave me Jewish pride and an awareness of the centrality of Zionism in Judaism. That euphoric victory, and my Cejwin Camps experiences some years later, gave me a new awareness of Judaism which brought me to the decision to be shomer Shabbat at age 16.
Thank you, Gary Rosenblatt, for sharing your personal experiences of that time. It was most meaningful to me.
Riverdale
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