From Rebecca Woods Baum

For a long time I've wanted to come to India and I'm so thankful to be given the chance to see India as the madricha of ten amazing students from Canada and Israel.
Before coming here many people offered advice, warnings and interesting tidbits of information. I thought I knew for the most part what to expect. In many instances those friends and colleagues were right, but even then I was unprepared for the noise, glaring poverty on display, the dirt, the beauty, the kindness and the rich culture and history all around me.
Before leaving a close friend turned to me one day and said "You're going to come back from India changed." She was right. How could I go unaffected by this experience? But I've been affected in a way I didn't quite predict.
Coming to India, knowing that we're volunteering with the exiled Tibetan community I believed I had so much to give them as a "forward thinking" product of the West and also as a diaspora Jew who's community and ancestors have a history of being exiled from their homes- it is ingrained in my Jewish psyche and is commemorated during the Holidays. As is the joy of knowing I do have a Jewish homeland that has the potential to carry on the Jewish people both within and outside Israel. Coming from this background, I relate to the Tibetans, I feel for their plight, I support their cause. Where I was wrong was when I thought the relationship would be one sided; insight and help coming only from me.
The Tibetan culture and history is a rich one, and this I've seen in only a week and a half. A culture and language the people are striving to preserve and protect, and they do so proudly. It is from an outsiders perspective at least, a true "shcuna" of people who care for each other and look out for each other. I think of my own community worldwide and within Israel and I fear that in many cases it is not the same for us Jews. You hear alarming statistics of assimilation in America and while in Canada we are not at that point yet, experts report that we are following the American example. People only identify as Jewish by birth, their is not pride in the culture, in the people, in the language, in the Land. Within Israel I speak to Israelis who turn their back or shun ALL things connected to Judaism and it saddens and scares me. Perhaps we are a people who have become too complacent, our memories of our past fading from importance. From this I believe we have a lot to learn from the Tibetans as an example of celebrating and encouraging one's culture to grow. It is important for us Jews to celebrate our culture too and be proud of it because like the Tibetans we have a rich history and culture. Both peoples have made a positive impact on the world at large.
We can also learn balance from the Tibetans. Balance in our lives, in how we treat others. In the end I know I will take away a lot from the Tibetan people I've met and talked with and I only hope I can give back.
We had a Tibetan activist Tenzin Tsundue come visit us, he is considered a terrorist by the Chinese government, yet he practices the Dalai Lama's middleway non-violent approach and one important thing (among many) he said has really stuck with me when thinking about advocacy, education and activism in my own life. I will paraphrase. It is not only about the goal, but the journey you take to that goal. If the journey is filled with violence and hate what will happen when you finally do reach that goal, will your behaviour really change?

Tashi Delek