My daughter just turned 16 and got her driver’s license. I still introduce her as my 14-year-old because…well…she’s my baby. Sixteen is too grown up. When my wife “suggested” she and a friend’s son travel to Poland, Prague, and Israel this summer on a NFTY trip, I was hesitant. She arrived home last Sunday after five weeks. She looked a bit taller. She sounded a bit wiser. She was definitely more connected to her Jewish heritage. After listening to her recount her experience, I gained a greater appreciation for the impact of teen trips to Israel. I better understood the value of Federation’s “My Israel Journey” financial supplements for San Diego teens to travel to Israel on a trip of their choosing. More on that below.

My daughter has been to Israel to witness both of her brothers become B’nai Mitzvah, viewed primarily from my back at the ages of 5 and 8. So, for all intents and purposes, this journey was her first. In short, she was a bit of a blank sheet of paper, the kind you want when exposed to the incredible stimuli that her visits offered.

I visited Israel numerous times as a youngster, always with my family. As I intuited and observed with my daughter, traveling with peers has a different impact altogether. Free from the cocoon of parental influence, my daughter was liberated to co-experience Auschwitz, Birkenau, and Israel unhindered by our biased perspectives. She was compelled to develop relationships that, upon departure from San Diego, she deemed daunting.

She did not necessarily visit places I have not seen (although I have yet to experience Poland), but she filled me with pride and warmth as she shared her impressions freely and enthusiastically. She recounted her sadness at Auschwitz, Birkenau, and Yad Vashem. She slept uncomfortably under the stars in the Negev and reveled at the sunrise on Masada. She celebrated Shabbat at the Wall and walked the ancient streets of the Old City. She swam in the beautiful waters of Eilat and stood in the bunkers on the Golan Heights. She met with and now better understands the perspectives of Bedouins, Arab Israelis, Jewish Israeli teenagers, and the Ultra-Orthodox. She provided a connection to lone soldiers in the IDF. She fell in love with shawarma and with rugelach from the Shuk. She bought gifts for friends on Ben Yehuda Street and waded into the Dead Sea. She arrived knowing only one other person and left with a host of new lifelong friends. Most importantly, she landed in Israel with no recollection of prior visits and left with immutable memories that will influence her Jewish journey for a lifetime.

As our communities confront the challenges of continuity, creating a strong Jewish connection during the teen years can be foundational. I am fortunate to be able to afford my daughter’s immersive experience. Not everyone has that luxury. “My Israel Journey,” a Federation financial support program for pre-Birthright teens, has been a tremendous success. Last year, we helped send more than 100 teens from San Diego to Israel, investing in our collective future, as studies prove the impact of this type of experience. Supporting Federation so others can realize the fullness of their heritage is integral to ensuring a strong and enduring San Diego Jewish future. My hope is that others will value the mitzvah of facilitating others’ Jewish journeys.  My baby is 16, not 14. After her trip to Poland, Prague, and Israel, and the personal growth she enjoyed in just five weeks, maybe it’s time I accept it. Just maybe.