Why Israel? Why Otzma? Why Now?

The past couple of weeks, I feel like I have been asked the same questions over and over again. I thought I would just talk a little (or a lot) about why what I will be doing over the next year is so important.
I was born an American Jew in the year 1982. This means several things. First, I never experienced the same kind of anti-Semitism that my grandparents or mother did growing up. Being born two-generations beyond the Holocaust supposedly meant that the world had "woken up" and that anti-Semitism would no longer be a problem I would have to face. The Jews had suffered the worst atrocity possible, and the world would not forget that. I would say for the most part, that is how I felt growing up as an American Jew. I never hid the fact that I was a Jew, even though I was the only Jew in my school until middle school. It was a challenge catching up on homework that I missed yearly for the High Holidays, but other than that I felt my childhood was an easy, positive experience for me. The fact that I was born in 1982 also means that I have never lived in a world without the State of Israel. I think many Jews, as I did, take that for granted. We have no idea what the consequences would be if we did not have a State to turn to in our time of need, should it ever arise. We have no idea the fight that took place to establish Israel, nor did we ever experience first-hand the wars that this young country has been through in its nascent existence.
However, in college, I faced a different form of anti-semitism. I watched as professors and administration supported anti-Israel speeches, classes, lectures, and organized groups on campus condemning my country for whatever was on their agenda for that day. I didn't have the knowledge or the tools to start arguing back, or fight what needed to be fought, so I became an observer. I just reacted emotionally at these talks, and became more interested in finding out more. I was not as passionate then as I am now.
AIPAC became a driving force in my quest for knowledge and understanding of Israel. I was exposed to news stories where I read first-hand, every single day, the anti-Israel bias that appears sometimes very subtlely in many newspaper articles. I read about the divestments of churches from Israel because they don't believe Israel has a right to defend herself however she deems necessary. I read about our detractors, of whom are many, and began to understand how truly outnumbered we as Jews are in this world. I feel like I have only scratched the surface of what actually is out there, but I can say that this exposure caused me to wake up. Unfortunately, I am not as optimistic as I once was about the future of Jews anywhere in the world. Actually, I need to revise that. I don't feel confident about the future of Jews in anywhere, except Israel. Israel is there for Jews everywhere in the world. Currently, Israel is bringing in Jews who have been persecuted all over Ethiopia and giving them a safe place to live and prosper. The same goes for the Soviet Jews. Israel exists so we have a place to go and live in peace and prosperity.
This brings me to why I am going for at least a year. I am lucky that I have passion streaming through my veins about Israel. I am unlike the majority of Jews, I am sorry to say. However, it is one thing to articulate how passionate I am, but another to actually act on it. I am spending next year in Israel because of my Zionistic ideals. I want to make a tangible difference in the lives of Israelis, and hopefully help better the country by doing so. I don't want to be a person that has never acted on her passion or ideals, and I need to be a part of Israel's history. I hope that in some way, when I have children, I can say to them that I helped build a school, or built up a community, in Israel and that we are lucky that Israel exists for us. I don't want to just talk the talk, I want to walk the walk and be an example to those around me.
Through Otzma, I will be able to learn about the country and participate in community service projects that will put me in touch with Israelis and Israeli culture. I feel fortunate to have found a program such as this, and will fully utilize all it has to offer me while I am there.
Finally, I am going now because the time in my life is right. I also know how incredibly important it is for me to be in Israel now. I have spend all week watching the settlers disengage from Gaza, and how steadfast the soldiers have been while carrying out this terribly painful process. I am proud of my country. I feel like we have handled this awful situation as best as possible, and can now begin the healing process. I hope that somehow, and I honestly have no idea how, I can be a source of comfort to these people. I feel deep down within me that I need to be there in Israel's time of need, and feel fortunate to have the opportunity to go.