Ryan Mauro's Trip to Israel

Ryan Mauro spent almost two weeks in Israel and has recently returned to the U.S.

Go here to read his blogs.

This is from his final day in Israel: Leaving Yad Vashem, I realize the cost of even relatively light anti-Semitism and bigotry is too high and ignoring it is too risky. Any remaining vestige of this plague and any sign of its resurfacing must be immediately stamped out, not only because of the consequences for the future but because it’s the best way of apologizing to those we abandoned in the past.

We owe it to the victims to make sure their sacrifice at least prevents the suffering of others. And when I walked out of Yad Vashem to a beautiful view of Jerusalem, it really hit me why we must stand with Israel. A sort of conviction arises that I think few people can relate to. Israel is the beauty that arose out of this tragedy - and walking out of the last dark room of books of names of Holocaust victims, Israel’s light shone brighter than at any moment during the trip.

Leaving Israel, I feel like I’m leaving a big part of me there, and bringing a small part of Israel to the U.S. Everything I love about my country, my culture, and my beliefs is embodied in Israel. I stand for peace. I stand for democracy and freedom. I stand for righting history’s wrongs. I stand for human rights and tolerance. I stand with Israel.

Some video from the trip:

http://www.youtube.com/mytrip#p/u/6/I_pwv0xV7xU

http://www.youtube.com/mytrip#p/u/3/Bq7W0px-LeE

http://www.youtube.com/mytrip#p/u/2/KNrJ7wEATVI

http://www.youtube.com/mytrip#p/u/0/lhFbLcUlmvA

http://www.youtube.com/user/oyvagoy#p/a/u/0/DBdd2UXFFnM