Israel turns 60 this week. I am originally from Israel, born and raised there until the age of 10. At age 10 my father realized that I am more likely to smoke pot at age 18 than to smoke someone with an AK-47, he moved our family to the U.S.of A.
I have been back to Israel a few times since then. The most recent was with my mother and (suprise) my wife. I was not aware my wife will be there. She had a flight the same day going to Sweden and I to Israel. My father and her (behind my middle-eastern back) decided to have her land in Israel for 2 weeks before going to Sweden.
We explored the country and until this day, with the exception of the was-supposed-to-be-secret-wedding-but-only-lasted-as-a-secret-for-twelve-days that her and I had in Vegas, the trip to Israel comes second place as to the best time of my life. The reason for being the best trip is, well for one, my wife was there. I got to introduce her to things like Falafel, Jerusalem, and give her the "How To Tell If There Is A Terrorist On Your Bus In Under Three Minutes" course. She took a few buses in Tel Aviv. I was very impressed. I also loved my trip to Israel because I got to celebrate my first birthday in Israel since age 10. It has been 17 years since I celebrated my birthday in my homeland and that trip gave me a chance to re-live some of my memories.
My wife and I explored the country in a way I never had a chance to explore it. We drove from the north to the south. From the Kibbutz to Jerusalem to the Dead Sea (before it all dries up soon) to everywhere in between. It was an amazing trip.
So this week Israel celebrates her 60th. My family were some of the O.G. (Original Gafilta-fish eaters). My grandparents were in Israel when she first became a country. They built her with their hands. They been there when everyone else was trying to get them out. 20 years later, my parents enrolled in the army (not by choice) and also fought in plenty of wars defending their family and friends in that country. My father told me stories and until this day its weird to look at my father (who loves Teramisu cake and his Plasma TV) and think "This dude killed people?".
Israel is a beautiful country (once you make it out of the crappy neighborhood the airport is in). People there remind me a lot of New Yorkers. They keep things real. They tell you how it is to your face and at the end of the day, there is a level of respect that brings everyone together because you have been through something tragic (here in NYC it is 9/11...in Israel it's 9/11, 9/12, 9/13, 9/14.....basically, year round).
The country has been through many wars, many bombings, many cuts and bruises. Yet she is still here. So I take today to say "Happy Birthday" to my homeland. My O.G. family in Israel and to the young, 18 year old kids there who have to guard her with semi-automatics instead of taking someone on a date to the roller skate park or playing a nintendo Wii.
Happy Birthday Israel. May you be as beautiful 60 years from now for my grandchildren to enjoy exploring you as much as I have.
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