My Israel story started in 2007 at age 16 when I visited Poland and then Israel for the first time. On Shabbat, we prayed in a historical Jewish synagogue. Jewish teenagers praying freely in Poland before visiting Israel - sometimes the world feels like its on the right course. The beauty and the good, that I felt at the time convinced me to stop cursing and sent me on a path committed to Zionism and a life in Israel. I grew up in Chicago and at age 21 moved to Israel to live on a religious kibbutz near the border with Gaza. I served as an infantry soldier stationed near Gaza during Operation Pillar of Defense in 2012. After the army, I worked on Kibbutz as a farmer in the open fields, including during Operation Protective Edge in 2014,when I was called up as a reserve soldier. At times I lived under attack, but even then, with a sense of security. But, my wife and I decided to raise our family in Jerusalem far from the border with Gaza. My Zionist journey has never been easy, but it has always felt worthwhile. Now, it feels FUCKED and I don’t know what to do. The only thing I really know is that I want to recognize and help the communities near Gaza who have experienced an unimaginable horror and kept the rest of Israel safe.