By Ondria Rees
JERUSALEM — As I understand from most Israelis, there’s a sense of exuberance in the air every Independence Day, but this one crackled with a certain excitement not felt before.
This newfound sense of freedom after a year of lockdowns, quarantine and anxiety gave everyone a reason to celebrate.
But for me, this Independence Day was truly a special one as it marked my very first Yom Haatzmaut as an olah (new immigrant).
First, I’m grateful for Israel’s successful vaccine drive which made it possible for me to experience the holiday to its fullest extent.
Ultimately, though, I believe Yom Haatzmaut is very representative of my journey of becoming an Israeli citizen and what my plans are now that I’m here. As a convert to Judaism, when I was fifteen, who made my first trip to Israel in 2016 with Taglit/Birthright and then enjoyed seven extensive trips to the country subsequently, my dream of making Aliyah was finally complete this year when I embarked on a Nefesh B’Nefesh charter Aliyah flight.
Admittedly, arriving in Ben Gurion Airport without the usual fanfare that greets most Olim flights and then going immediately into quarantine made the experience feel a bit anticlimactic at first. However, being able to finally settle in the Jewish homeland has been nothing short of a miracle.
It’s been magical meeting new people and seeing myself transform into an independent and head-strong person these past nine months. Every time I look back at my journey, I’m so proud of myself – I moved to Israel alone, without knowing many people here, learning a new language, and navigating through all the ups and downs of living in the Middle East.
I’ve gained so much self-confidence and a sense of resilience since my Aliyah.
Next month, I’m finally starting my voluntary army service where I will be aspiring to join a combat unit. My father served in the U.S. military my whole life, so I was raised to be acutely aware of our duty to fight for our home. It seemed natural, then, that I’d want to give back to Israel for all the years she’s been protecting and providing for the Jewish people.
This year, I was most struck by how Israel marks its Yom Hazikaron and Yom Haatzmaut side by side. It’s almost poetic how the country morphs from a somber day of mourning to celebration over the course of 24 hours.
On Yom Hazikaron, I was reminded of Max Steinberg, a fellow lone soldier from Los Angeles. Max lost his life in Operation Protective Edge, and hearing his story of pure heroism along with his yearning for protecting Israel didn’t sound so different from my own.
When I look back on my walk to work on the morning of Yom Hazikaron and the moving moment of standing tall on the bridge of the Azrieli Center Mall, I watched in awe as the cars dutifully stopped in their tracks the moment the siren blared.
During that moment, I thought of Max and of all the other soldiers who sacrificed their lives so we could enjoy everything Israel has to offer. When I enter my service this year, I hope to make him and all those soldiers proud.
It is so fitting to have Yom HaShoah and Yom HaZikaron leading up to Independence Day, because it allows us to reflect on all the obstacles the Jewish people have, and continue to face, in order that we can celebrate the fact we finally have a homeland.
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Ondria Rees made Aliyah from Los Angeles on June 20, 2020. Since 2002, Nefesh B’Nefesh, in cooperation with Israel’s Ministry of Aliyah and Integration, the Jewish Agency for Israel, Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael and JNF-USA, has facilitated the Aliyah of more than 65,000 North Americans to Israel.