Mixing puzzles

Religion is a family heritage. By the time you are able to talk and express opinions, normally your parents have already decided for you about your traditions, believes and Gods. But when you are half Catholic and half Jewish, things are different.

I grew up in a Catholic context, so I spent part of my childhood learning about Jesus, Holy Mary, Churches, Priests and Nuns. I haven't been really interested, so I never tried to do more of what mom and friends expected from me as a Catholic.

Since my dad didn't care that much about believes (and also passed away when I was 7 years old), I haven't even had the chance to strengthen my Jewish roots. I didn't know about the meaning of their holidays, their symbols and their traditions, but I couldn't care less. Until last year.

Travelling by my own during last winter season, I meet some family members living in Denver, CO, USA. They introduced me into Jewish holidays, therefore this motivation I started seeking for information about my past. Because of them I discovered there was a chance to explore Israel, and their culture, for a couple of weeks.

As I am extremely curious, I decided to go and see what this exotic country has to show me and teach me. Just one month after my return to Buenos Aires, Argentina, one flight took me to Tel Aviv.

I landed in a small country, extremely far away from home, with no money, no expectations and almost no Information about the place. Of course, Hebrew was impossible for me to understand and even more to speak.

I was smart enough to arrange my trip with a small group, so they were waiting for me at the Airport (Is not a place were you can just travel by hitch hiking). Also, during those 10 days in Israel, a bunch of soldiers come with us to every place we visited.

Besides the energy you feel inside the Holy Land, and how the synagogues commanded respect, there are no enough words to describe the feeling of watching three different religions living in such a small town, sharing only what is impossible to divide.

The most amazing experiences I had there, despite what I was looking for, weren't related to Religion. Were about culture.

-Walking through the streets during a Friday night (Shabbat), were is prohibited to use cars,
-Having a conversation with a Soldier your same age , teaching you about careing only about important things;
-Staying one night in a Bedouin tent in the middle of Negev desert, surrounded with camels and donkeys, eating handmade bread, sitting on the floor and trying to sleep in a dirty wool mattress, as they do every day.

I crossed half of the earth to discover myself as a Jew, but it was then when I realized I don't care that much about the names People gives to God, I just believe in Him.