Growing up in a multicultural household, I have learned to juggle and navigate the feeling of not having a clear cultural identity. My life has been split into two identities: Israeli and American. In Israel, being Jewish and speaking Hebrew is the norm. I never felt the need to hide my Jewish identity, and everyone around me shared that identity. However, when my family and I moved to America, this changed. Suddenly, I felt like I was different from those around me. Not having strong American routes meant that, on many occasions, I couldn't relate to a local tradition, leaving me feeling distant from the new home I had. 

In the Fall of 2021, my eighth-grade year, I discovered BBYO. At first, I was hesitant to join as, again, I worried that I wouldn't fit in. I had little understanding of what BBYO was or how significant of a journey it would begin in my life. As soon as I joined BBYO, I was accepted into a community that would become crucial to me. BBYO gave me a space where I did not feel different or alone. 

Over the past few years, I have connected to my Jewish heritage and my Israeli identity through the community that is BBYO. Moreover, I adopted new traditions and experiences that are unique to the US, and I would have never lived in Israel. I have learned that there is a difference between feeling unique and feeling out of place or like I don’t belong. I know that I am different from those around me, but I have learned that there is no reason to hide this. I now know that I have a place to go where my differences are celebrated. In BBYO, every person you meet throughout your journey is different, and that is what makes this experience so special.

BBYO has given me a safe space that celebrates not only my differences but also my connection to those around me. I have never felt closer to my Jewish identity here in America than I have in BBYO. Whether it is the friends I joined BBYO with or the ones I have met along the way, I know that we all share one thing that ties us together: our Judaism. 

BBYO is a space where I do not feel like my American and Israeli identity is disconnected. I always feel like I belong, and I know that there are others out there in a similar situation to mine. Whenever I am feeling just a bit more disconnected from my Israeli identity, I know that I can turn to BBYO and find people who will celebrate and accept all sides of me. Although I might sometimes still feel like I am not distinctly Israeli or American, I know that I at least have a space where I do not need to be only one thing. 

Now more than ever, after such a hard and painful year for the Israeli nation and the Jewish people, I understand the importance of having a community. There is no better feeling than knowing that you are not alone in your sadness or even in your joy. We as a people are stronger together, and that is why I know that BBYO is crucial to my journey.