My coastal journey continued from Boston to Seattle last weekend. This time I departed for the Fall Kallah of NFTY Northwest, a region which I had wanted to see for a long time. I chose it as one of my two travel regions, so as to get the chance to see a city I had never seen before, as well as to get to see a region that I had only heard about, never experienced, to that point.
Upon arrival at the Seattle-Tacoma airport, I had the chance to meet up with Melissa, my advisor, who was joining me on the trip. It was good to know I went to the event with her, as I felt as though she knew much more about the region than I; plus, spending a little extra time with her was a blessing that I got to experience.
To get to the event, it was necessary to drive onto a ferry, and get across the Sound. Again this was a first, having never experienced a ferry ride. I was utterly breathless as I looked over the side of the boat to view to skyline and the water. The whole area seemed to be one of the most beautiful places I had ever been, and I cherished the opportunity to see it. If it were not for my NFTY travels, I would most definitely not have had the opportunity to travel to this part of the world.
When I finally arrived at the actual event, I was instantly impressed by the region. It seemed as though the community that they had built was one that totally required the checking of all ego and discrimination. Although we ideally strive for total equality and love amongst our participants in NFTY, it can often be harder said than done. In NFTY-NW, there seemed to be no social classes; everyone seemed to get along and, at the very least, respect on another. This was strikingly beautiful to find in a community, and I was very pleased that I had gotten the chance to see it.
Over the course of the weekend, I experienced programming, services, and social action that was very well thought-out, planned, and executed. I was very delighted to see the amount of preparation and enthusiasm with which the regional board attacked each and every aspect of the weekend.
One of my biggest concerns going into the weekend was the question of how I would interact with participants. I know from past experience that there were times when North American board members hung out more with the adult staff and leadership, rather than the teens, and seemed to take an aloof leadership angle to the event. On the other hand, I had also heard of instances where board members had spent much of their time as “active participants,” going through the same experience as any other member of the community. It was from this angle that I chose to experience my event, and was greatly rewarded in my experience. I had the opportunity to meet people who I would otherwise have never met. Deeply committed NFTYites who were just as in love with our movement as I was came up to me throughout the weekend, and I got the chance to interact with almost everyone within the group. When those times when it was necessary for me to stand in front of the group and present something, the group was appropriately respectful, yet when I was trying to blend in with everyone else, I was able to have just as much fun because they treated me as a peer.
Upon my arrival home in Chicago, I had more friend requests than I had experienced since Convention in February. I can say that I most definitely made the right choice in going to an event in NFTY-NW, as I got to experience a region of the country I had never seen, featuring programming that was fascinatingly intriguing, filled with participants who were ecstatic to be there. Overall, for someone who doesn’t go to nearly enough regional events anymore, I’m glad NFTY-NW was the one I got to experience.
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