dear future cyrus,
Tomorrow, I embark on the adventure of a lifetime, and I can hardly wait. I'm going to Israel with dad. We'll be staying with Great-Uncle Jacob in Tel Aviv, and he'll be taking us to Jerusalem to see all the sites. It's going to be great to put my prayer in the Wailing Wall and see where the great temple once stood. Plus, we'll be going to a synagogue in Jerusalem for Shabbat, and I'll get to use all of the Hebrew I've been learning. I'll also get to put flowers on great-grandpa and grandma's grave. If I'm lucky, maybe I'll find out why they left their perfect life in America for the challenges of the homeland. I'm sure Israel is amazing, but America is home—for me at least.
I've been to Israel before, but going when you're four hardly counts when all you remember is the street where your great-grandparents lived. Dad says it's time to reconnect with my roots, but I'm not sure I ever lost touch of them to be honest. I go to the synagogue on Friday and Hebrew school on Wednesday, and it's a Jewish face that stares at me in the mirror. Jokes aside, I know that being Jewish has nothing to do with my nose, last name, or traditions. It's who I am and never could not be. I don't know how Dad thinks I'm not Jewish enough when he's the one who always comments on my tenacity and survival instinct. If that's not Jewish, I'm not sure what is. Maybe I'll find out in Israel?
Best of luck,
Twelve year old Cyrus