My Final Away Game

I leave my hotel in Tel Aviv to head to the airport in an hour. It’s hard to believe that I’ve been away from home for 17 days by myself. It’s equally hard to believe I plan to be back in the office tomorrow morning! Most importantly, I look forward to reuniting with Abby in Larchmont at her sister’s house the following day.

The last two days in Tel Aviv have been quiet without the camaraderie of my teammates and the anticipation of the next game. I’ve spent my second stint in this “modern” city attempting to reengage with work in the afternoons while my Boston colleagues are in the office and using my mornings to walk around Tel Aviv. I visited the Levinsky and Carmel markets, walked Rothschild Boulevard and strolled the walking path along the beach catching the beautiful sunsets that happen like clockwork each night.

The disappointment of our loss to Canada has begun to fade. I realize that this game was just a sliver of the overall experience I had in Israel. As I’ve said in previous posts, I’ve learned so much about this great country. Before this trip, I definitely didn’t appreciate the complexity and importance of its history, the diversity of its people, and the vibrancy of its cities where the old is blended with the new.

Most Jewish people I spoke with prior to my trip who had been to Israel before told me how invigorating it is to walk around a city where as a Jew (secular or religious) you were in the majority. It certainly was an odd feeling. In Israel, I felt more comfortable and closer to my Jewishness than I ever have before. While I recognize that I will soon revert back to being in the minority in my community back home, at least from a religious and origin perspective, I do know that I will engage and look for my Jewishness more than I did 17 days ago. And because of that, this trip has had extraordinary meaning.

Todah rabah Israel and Maccabi Games. Hope to see you with my family in tow next time! And maybe, again with my hockey gear to finish the job!