This was written in my journal in late 2012. I had just started to discover for myself the wonders of what it means to be Jewish and the strong bond that ties me to Israel. I had just begun to dig up my roots and to uncover parts of my heritage that had long been dormant.

My love of Israel was, quite ironically, sparked by witnessing anti-Israel activity on my campus. I saw Students for Justice in Palestine conducting bigoted protests against the Jewish state. I felt hatred for Israel seeping from the words of my peers. The more frequently I witnessed these events, the more resistant I felt towards this rhetoric. Although I barely knew anything about Israel, it was as though everything in me was fighting against this hostility.

I took this sudden burst of emotion as an opportunity to learn as much as I possibly could about Israel. I traveled to Israel on Birthright. I joined my campus’s pro-Israel group. I interned in Israel during the summer after my Freshman year. I began engaging with organizations such as StandWithUs, Hasbara Fellowships, CAMERA, and the Zionist Organization of America. I participated in marches and gave speeches, and I encountered some of the most incredible activists, scholars, politicians, and journalists. All along, I felt as though I was uncovering my roots, step by step.

Now, I have never felt more grounded in my Jewish identity and in my love for Israel. Every day, through learning more about my ancestry and my people, I have become a stronger advocate for the legacy of the Jews. I have unleashed a pride that permeates every facet of my life, and no matter how I try, no matter where I am, I cannot be quiet about my Zionism. It has become all-consuming and inseparable from my everyday existence. I have confronted much animosity while speaking the truth about Israel, but this has not prevented me from doing so. Standing up for Israel is an unpopular action, and it is therefore often a lonely task, especially on a liberal college campus, but it is one that is existentially essential. Despite the odds that I will inevitably continue to face, I will always call myself a Zionist and I will invariably speak for what is right and true.