Hey, Geoff! How old are you? Where did you go to college?
I’m  Geoffrey Sperling. I am 25 years old, originally from Crown Point, Indiana and I now reside in Austin, Texas. I attended Indiana University and graduated with a degree in Gender Studies with a minor in Sociology and Human Sexuality. I have a boyfriend of three years and two incredibly beautiful chihuahuas. I am a paraprofessional teacher for the New Braunfels ISD in New Braunfels, Texas and a part-time barista at a hipster café in Austin called Pacha.

Awesome. How did you hear about Amirim and decide to come to Israel? Where are you interning? What’s your favorite part?
I went on Birthright in December. It was a deeply moving experience and inspired me to return to Israel. One of my staff members from the trip, Sammi Cutler, works for the Jewish United Fund in Chicago and gave me a lot of information regarding programs that would allow me to intern in Israel. Young Judaea seemed to be the most inclusive of the programs offered, and would allow me to intern in the field of LGBT rights.

My internship placement is with The Gay Center in Tel Aviv-Yafo. I work in the culture department, and do a lot of translating for their social media platforms such as Facebook, their website, Wikipedia, etc. In addition, I speak to outside groups about the center and all of the services and programs they offer. For instance, last week I gave a speech to the Boston Gay Men’s Choir about the center prior to their performance in our courtyard that night.

The benefits of this program far outweigh the bad, and have given me a much richer (deeper) understanding of what it is to live and work in Israel. I have been to shops and clubs, to the north and to the south, to synagogues and the beach. It has truly been a blessing to be here, and I take a second every day to step back and appreciate this experience. I realize just how fortunate I am to have been given this opportunity and I try my hardest to give back and make a difference in the LGBT community here in Israel.

Why do you think it’s important to come to Israel? What have you learned about yourself?
Well, I came to Israel to find out how Judaism is connected to my life, now as an adult. I identify as being more culturally Jewish than religiously, and I felt it was only right to actually explore the culture of the Jewish people here in Israel. What I came to find was so much more than I could have ever dreamt. My own opinion of Israel was based on mostly western propaganda and biased media, but coming to Israel has completely changed my perception of the people and the country to one of overwhelming pride.

I feel more connected with my heritage than ever before in my life. I encourage anyone even curious about Israel to experience it. Being here will change you, and your perception of Israel indefinitely. There is no way, in my opinion, that you can come to Israel and leave the same person you were before coming. I believe that if you had told me this a year ago I would have laughed in disbelief, but it is the truth. There is something truly special and existential about this experience.

Hey Noga! Where are you from?

N: My name is Noga Amiri, I am 18 years old, and I’m from Holland. I’ve lived in New Jersey, Israel (my parents are Israeli, so I have an Israeli passport and speak Hebrew), and Holland. I am going into my first year of college.

How did you find yourself on Amirim? What is your internship placement?

N: I was unsure if I qualified for Birthright or not because I hold an Israeli passport, so I started looking into other options. My cousin did Amirim last year and had a great time, so she highly recommended it. I asked for an internship related to arts and culture, and this is the first year that there was a placement at the Israeli Museum.

I’m currently working on making a digital collection for the museum, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary. I am consolidating past exhibitions, writing translations in Hebrew and English, and putting a nice catalog together that is available to the public. I plan on studying art history in college, but I am not fully sure yet, so this is a really good opportunity for me.

Are you enjoying Amirim?

N: I am having a really good time on Amirim, because it is so different to be here with a group and have a sense of independence here. It’s really different from being here with my family. I am seeing so many things on the day trips, in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and everywhere else that I never would have seen otherwise. Nobody in my group came in knowing each other, so it made bonding with each other easier. I am closer with some participants than others, but for the most part it is a really great group!

What is your name and where are you originally from?

A: My name is Ariel Rosenstein, and I am from Hofit, which is a small town on the Mediterranean coast, just half an hour north of Tel Aviv.

I understand that your parents are from the United States – how did they end up in Israel?

It’s true, my parents are from the United States. They made Aliyah in 1967. My father grew up in Los Angeles, and my mother grew up in Atlanta, Georgia. They were both raised in Zionistic homes, and they were educated about Israel. When they were 18, they both decided to study at Tel Aviv University, and that is where they met. They started their life here, and their siblings and parents followed their footsteps and made Aliyah just a few years after they did.

Do you feel like you are different from other Israelis? You were born here and grew up here, but did you feel different from your peers growing up with American parents?

A: Yes, I feel like I have somewhat of an American cultural identity. I grew up reading children’s books in English and listening to American music, like Simon and Garfunkel, Aretha Franklin, and all of the classics. I think that being the first generation in Israel, whether your parents are from the US or from other places, you are more sensitive to how amazingly special this country is: complicated, difficult, but also essential and unique. So, I think that I grew up with this appreciation that we have Israel to call our home and that we have our own country.

What do you do in life now? Where and what did you study?

A: Well, the most important thing that I can tell you is that I am getting married in three-and-a-half months. My Bachelors’ Degree is in History and International Relations from Hebrew University, and I am now studying for my Masters’ Degree in Conflict Resolution and Mediation at Tel Aviv University. The whole world of International Relations really intrigues me, and I feel like there is a lot to do, especially when it comes to Israel.

What is your job for Young Judaea?

A: At Young Judaea, I am the coordinator for WUJS, a MASA program with Young Judaea that gives adults between the ages of 21 and 25 the opportunity to come to Israel for five months to intern in all kinds of fields, live in great apartments in the Florentine area, go on trips, and learn Hebrew. It’s a very cool program based on independent living.

What is your favorite part about your job at Young Judaea, and why do you love working for an organization like this?

I love to work with people from all over the world and share my passions and my views on this country, and try to explain how despite the complexity, it is very special. As for this organization, it’s the perfect size: not too big, not too small. I love the atmosphere at YJ; we all work together and help each other out. I also really identify with the ideology of the organization and appreciate how it does not try to sugar coat anything. If you want to travel in Israel and get to know Israel, YJ is a really good platform — it enables you to understand this country in its depth.

When you tour, you learn about the usual things, like Judaism and the conflict, but you also get to learn about the real Israel that you do not hear about in the news: the people and the culture. You really get a genuine feeling about what it is like to live in Israel.

You said that you are getting married. Who’s the lucky lady? What are your wedding plans? Give us the details!

A: I am almost thirty years old, and I met my fiancée, Gan, when I was 17 at a summit for a nature-oriented youth movement. Gan, which means ‘garden’, is a very unique name — there are only about five people with this name in Israel. She studied film, and she writes and directs her own movies. Her parents are both artists, so she is very artistic and communicative through art. She is never boring — she is full of surprises and everyday is an adventure. She shares my love of nature, and may even love it more than I do. We currently live in Tel Aviv, and though it is a really cool city, we hopefully will not be here for much longer. We like to get out of the city to drive around and hike. We often enjoy breathing fresh air, the birds, and the quiet.

As I said, I met Gan at a nature-oriented youth summit when I was 17. The summit at which I met her was for people who wanted to take a year to postpone their army service and do community service. I do still remember the moment when I first saw her, but we went on our own separate paths that both happened to be nature-oriented but in different frameworks. Two years ago, we bumped into each other on Dizengoff Street in Tel Aviv, and to make a long story short, ever since then we are inseparable. I really tried to impress her and I think it worked. Our first date was a hike in the Judean Desert to the Dead Sea, and I took her to a very special overview of this really old monastery on the cliffs and covered her eyes so that she opened them and saw an amazing oasis beneath her.

Alright alright, get to the wedding plans!

In the States, there is a very formal culture with wedding planning… and it is very stressful! Here in Israel, it is much more casual. We have set a date (October 1st) but have not yet decided where the wedding will take place. It is not very organized, but we are really trying, and have been looking for a place to hold the wedding. It is supposed to be a fun process, not a stressful one! Right now, the priority is finding a cool place to get married, and after that we will worry about the food and other aspects.

Anything else you want to share?

A: Israelis usually travel after their service in the army to recount the last two to three years they spent in army service. I have been fortunate enough to have travel and even have lived abroad, and my United States citizenship made it easy for me to live there in three six-month stints. I really enjoyed it, and although I always identified as both American and Israeli, living there made me realize how much I am an Israeli and how much I love living in Israel. I cannot imagine living anywhere else, and plan to raise my children in this culture and society that I love. I would encourage anyone to come and visit and to taste some of what Israel has to offer.

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I am currently working as a Madricha In Training (MIT) at Camp Young Judaea in Hedersonville, North Carolina. Many of my friends are also going on Machon, and we are anxiously awaiting the trip and cannot wait to be in Israel! I hope you could tell from my previous blog post that Israel is a core part of my upbringing, as well as a shaper of my identity; however, I have not had the opportunity to visit Israel since I was a child.
The last time I set foot in Israel, when I was a child, I remember feeling something in my body. The sensation was not easily describable, but rather a feeling of belonging. Through Machon this summer, I want to recapture that intense feeling, while additionally, as a young adult, gaining a greater understanding of the many nuances of Israel, its people, its strengths, and the myriad of challenges it faces. I believe that traveling to Israel with Machon will afford me the opportunity to learn more about and experience unique perspectives about Israel and Judaism that only Young Judaea, as a peer-led, pluralistic and open-minded youth movement, can provide.

I am particularly excited to experience and immerse into the Israeli culture. I am excited to hear the music, eat the food, and talk to many different Israeli people. In fact, while sitting here writing this blog, I am craving shwarma, Krembo (a chocolate dessert filled with creme and cookie), and an Artic (popsicle). I am also very excited to go sight-seeing and touring. I saw the usual sights – Masada, Dead Sea, Eilat, and Tel Aviv – when I was younger, but I know that this time will be different. Now that I am older, I will have a greater appreciation for and deeper interest in everything that I see. I am especially excited to go back to Masada. I loved hiking up the mountain at a crazy time and watching the sunrise as we arrived at the top of the mountain. I remember that I found it fascinating to think about the people and what they must have been feeling when they lived there hundreds of years ago. I am also excited to go to the shuk (Israeli market) because it is so full of culture, and the clothing, the food, and the people are all so interesting to experience.

I am also really excited to experience Israel with some of my best friends. As I mentioned, I have been going to Young Judaea camp since I was very young, and many of my camp friends are also going on Machon.  These friends include friends who I experienced Chalutzim with two summers ago.  Chalutzim is an Outward Bound program through CJ, where I spent 10 days in the woods hiking (I know it sounds miserable, but not only did I experience this with all of my best friends, but it was also a life changing experience). I am excited to share this next experience in Israel with all of them, including a 4 day Sea to Sea hike, which I know will be similarly challenging but also an incredible experience.  I am excited to have intellectual conversations with my friends and counselors about the current political, social, and economic states of Israel.  Throughout our time in Young Judaea, my friends and I have been learning all about Israel, and as a group, it is finally time for us to experience everything we have been learning about first-hand and to utilize all the knowledge we have gained each summer.

Finally, I believe that now is a critical time for me to visit Israel. As tensions continue to rise on college campuses about Israel, I want to become more informed and personally exposed to the many positive issues as well as the challenges in Israel, so I can be an informed and better advocate when I attend college.  Upon my return, I want to educate others about and advocate for Israel. Although I follow the news about Israel, nothing can substitute first-hand experiences and interactions. Strengthening my bond with and understanding of Israel and the Israeli people will provide me with a broader perspective that will allow me to make a positive impact for both Israel and the Jewish community through the sharing of my experiences and the deeper knowledge I gained during Machon.

I am hoping that this trip will be informative, exciting, and most of all rewarding. Every summer at Young Judaea has continued to improve, and I am positive that this summer is going to be the best one yet. Additionally, I’m glad that you will be there with me through these blogs to experience this wonderful adventure with me!

We got to interview Sophie and Jake Rodgers, cousins from Chicago and Bloomington, Illinois. Sophie is in Israel with her brother, David, and Jake is here with his four siblings, Max, Cole, Payton and Jet. There are seven Rodgers on Young Judaea Birthright, and we couldn’t be more thrilled.

Woah, you guys are a big family. How did you decide to all go on Birthright together?

Jake: My siblings and I talked about going on a trip abroad together, and our parents had always told us about Birthright. They had encouraged us since we were younger. We had talked about it a year or two ago, and realized that if we waited until Payton and Jet (twins) were 18 we could all go on Birthright together. Once we started planning it, we started talking to our cousins, Sophie and David, about it as well because we thought it would be amazing to do it as a whole family.

Sophie: I remember this past Thanksgiving being so special, because it’s rare that we all get to come together to do holidays. This year it was all of the Rodgers cousins celebrating together. At dinner, Jake started telling me about Birthright and the possibility of us all coming on Birthright, which I was so excited about. I had always wanted to do Birthright but had never imagined the possibility of us doing it as a family.

Was it difficult to find a trip that worked for all of your schedules? You’re seven people with very busy lives, I’m sure. What was that like?

Jake: Well, the twins just graduated high school, and Payton will be taking a gap year. The rest of us are in college at different schools across the country, so it was a little difficult to organize. The special part about Young Judaea was that they were so accommodating to our situation and helped us find a that worked for all of us. I didn’t know anything about the different trip organizers in the beginning, so I was just Googling them and seeing what they were all about. What stood out to me was that Young Judaea had a a Family and Friends specialty trip, and that’s why I chose them. Unfortunately, though, the planning was still difficult and their Family and Friends trips didn’t work with all of our schedules. So Young Judaea made a huge effort to find a good trip for all of us, made it really easy for us and ultimately found us the perfect dates.

Sophie: Yeah, Young Judaea really comprised with us, and we’re so fortunate for that. I’m actually a camp counselor at a summer camp that I’ve been working at for five years, so I had to miss staff training to come on Birthright. When I explained to the camp that I was coming to Israel with my family, though, they were very understanding and much more lenient. They understood that this was a once in a lifetime opportunity, and it was absolutely worth missing the staff training for.

Did you guys have any other concerns before coming on Birthright, besides making it work with your schedules?

Jake: My parents were concerned about safety to a certain extent, but they were more excited and supportive than anything else. I think I was also a little worried about spending so much time with all of my siblings and my cousins, as well. We’re all close, but being together nonstop for these 10 days in a group setting could have been hard. But it hasn’t been at all- it’s been incredible for all of us

We also all identify differently in terms of Judaism, so we weren’t sure how religious or spiritual this trip would be. My concern was that it might make some of us more uncomfortable than others. But we’ve all really bonded over the fact that it’s been very comfortable expressing our different opinions, and it’s brought us closer in a lot of ways to be able to talk about our different beliefs.

What have been your trip highlights so far?

Jake: Actually, a major trip highlight has been getting to know each other better (my family members) and seeing all of us interact and socialize with others. For example, me and my siblings learned on this trip that Sophie and David’s mother is actually Catholic. We never knew that. So we’ve really had an opportunity to open up and learn things we’d never even thought to ask before.

Sophie: For me, the Bedouin tent experience was one of the the most incredible days of my life. We went to the Dead Sea, rode camels, had an incredible meal, and slept in tents. The most amazing part of that day was star gazing in the desert. When I was laying there by myself looking up at the stars, I actually started laughing. I didn’t know how to react in such a moment. I was honestly in disbelief that here I was, in the middle of the desert in Israel, looking up at a clear sky full of stars. It was like nothing i had ever experienced. This is my first trip out of the country, and for this to be my first trip abroad and to be experiencing it with my family is unreal. In that moment, I just couldn’t believe that this was my life right now.

Jake: I agree that the desert experience was unbelievable. Throughout this whole trip I’ve gathered the sense that Israeli people are very welcoming and warm. Everyone I meet tells me “welcome home, this is your home.” both Arabs and Jews here have been so warm and hospitable towards me, and that’s something that I won’t forget.

Sophie: I completely agree with Jake. Everyone keeps reiterating that Israel is our home. I’m from America and have never been outside of America, and for someone to tell me that Israel is my home too, and that I am just as welcome here as anyone else, is such a beautiful feeling.

Do you see yourselves coming back here?

Sophie: I would love to come back here on an extended visit, and to show Israel to my parents and more loved ones. If I get married, I’d love to bring my spouse here, and show Israel as my home away from home. I’m so proud to now call this beautiful country my second home.

Something special about Young Judaea is that they’ve done an incredible job at not making us feel like tourists but a real part of Israel. I’m really making an effort to try and immerse myself as much as I can, so that I can feel even more a part of this country.

Final thoughts you want to share?

Jake: I really want to thank all of the Israelis that we’ve met. Our tour guide is incredible and has taught us so much. The Israeli soldiers have also made such an impact on us and helped us in exploring our own personal interests in this country. I’ve been so impressed by all of them.

Sophie: I completely agree. Every experience we’ve had here has pushed me to ask so many more questions, and i definitely think that my family has appreciated how educational this trip is.

Hi! My name is Leor Rosen, and this fall I will be a senior at Walt Whitman High School in Bethesda, Maryland. In approximately three weeks, I will embark on a four week trip to my homeland, Eretz Yisrael. As a Hadassah Leader for Tomorrow Award recipient, I will be blogging about my experiences throughout the trip.

For my first blog post, I would like to tell you a little bit about myself. To be honest, talking about myself is not one of my favorite things. Seeing as I have to write about a million college essays in the coming year, however, I might as well get used to it.

I grew up in a Young Judaean family.  My mom and dad met at Camp Tel Yehudah as counselors (still crossing my fingers that this will happen to me) and both went on Young Judaea Year Course. My parents instilled a love for Judaism and Israel in me through weekly Shabbats, Jewish Day School and Young Judaea camp, and family trips to Israel. Luckily, many of my parents’ Young Judaea friends live right next to us, so we have a mini Young Judaea community which has been there for me throughout my life and helped me grow up.

I decided to follow the same path that my parents did and have attended Camp Judaea (CJ) in North Carolina since fourth grade and went to Camp Tel Yehudah for the past 2 summers. This summer, I am working at Camp Judaea as a Madricha (counselor) in Training. Going to Young Judaea camp has definitely been one of the best experiences of my entire life. At camp, I have met some of my best friends, learned more about my Jewish Identity, and found a second home. Camp has taught me how important community is and it has shaped my view of being Jewish. Camp has definitely shaped my personality and the person that I am today. A t-shirt I bought when I was in 4th grade definitely describes how CJ and Young Judaea has shaped me. It reads: “Young Judaea making losers cool since 1909.”

My grandmother, mom, sister, and I are all lifelong members of Hadassah (my grandmother made me a life member for my Bat Mitzvah).  My parents have always inspired me to be independent and not let any societal constraints dictate my life.  One of my largest passions is women’s issues. At Camp Tel Yehudah last summer, I participated in the Hadracha leadership program and was part of the domestic violence social action group. As part of this amazing program, we lobbied Congress about important domestic violence issue. After that experience, I knew that I wanted to do more.  This past year, I was an intern at the National Women’s Law Center. At the NWLC, I was exposed to the many nuances of women’s issues. I am also part of my school’s feminist club. I plan to continue to pursue my passion and, after hopefully going on Young Judaea Year Course, hopefully study women’s issues in college.

In addition to my passion for women’s issues, I am a dedicated leader and passionate about my work in BBYO. I am currently the president of my chapter and have held previous positions such as Vice President, President of Membership, and Head of Communications. My work with BBYO has helped me to grow as a leader and a person.  I have learned how to better interact with others, design and lead meaningful programming, and much more.

I also love to write.  This past year I was a news writer for my school’s newspaper, The Black & White, and I am now serving as the paper’s social media director. I have always loved being able to express myself through writing, so writing these blogs this summer will definitely be a fun thing!

As a young Jewish woman, I believe it is important to be a leader and inspire other young women to stand up for what they believe in.  I truly think that women can make a great impact on the world.  That is why I am so excited to go on Machon in a few weeks. I am looking forward to reconnecting with my homeland (I haven’t been since I was 10), to learning new things about Israel and myself, and to becoming a better and more informed advocate for Israel and on the issues that are important to me and my community.

Now that you know a little about me, I hope these blogs will become more personal. I want you to feel as if you are going on this trip right with me. I cannot wait to start this journey, and I cannot wait to bring you along!

Alyssa Harstein is our Onward Israel intern at Young Judaea Israel

Hi there! My name is Alyssa Hartstein and I am a rising junior at the University of Delaware, originally from Scotch Plains, New Jersey. This summer, I am a participant in the Northern New Jersey delegation of the Onward Israel program, a two-month internship experience that allows me to immerse into the day-to-day life of an Israeli.

This program is a joint-venture between the Jewish Federation of Northern New Jersey and Young Judaea, and I am so thankful to be a part of it! From the first moment I was told that this internship program existed, I knew that it was perfect for me. I had been to Israel twice before- once on a three-week BBYO leadership program in summer 2012, and the other on Birthright this past January. These experiences were similar yet different, both giving me only “tastes” of Israel and leaving me craving more experiences in this incredible country. My wishes came true, and here I am living in Bat Yam with three other Northern New Jersey girls, working four days a week for Young Judaea’s marketing department, and exploring Tel Aviv and greater Israel for nearly two months.

I have always been torn between two career paths: one in a Jewish nonprofit organization, where I would work directly with people in the community everyday, or social media marketing. When speaking with Young Judaea’s fabulous internship coordinator, Dafna, I told her I would be perfectly happy in either type of setting. Dafna, who is the incredible tailor of YJ’s specialized internships, found the perfect internship for me that meshed both the communal Jewish aspect and social media. It happened to be right next to her office, in the marketing department of Young Judaea.

The entire office has welcomed me in with open arms, and these people have taught me so much in the short amount of time that I have been here. It is so incredible to be working for the organization that brought me to Israel this summer in the first place. I have already gone to Tel Aviv to interview Birthright participants with intriguing background stories, been a part of an amazing social media strategy meeting, edited many documents, and I am only looking forward to seeing what other cool things I get to do these next six weeks!

The great thing about this program is that though I am the only intern for Young Judaea, I am not alone in the experience. There are twenty people my age from my area who are here to live, learn, and explore by my side, and an incredible madrich to address all of our questions, concerns, and neuroses. We all have different day-to-day experiences in regards to the workplace, yet at the end of the day we all go home to our apartments with fellow participants. Another great part of this program is that the internships are only four days per week, and on Tuesdays we take day trips around the country.

Last Tuesday, we went to Jerusalem for a three-religion tour. In addition to seeing The Kotel, we got to see the Christian church and the Dome of the Rock, which is an incredibly beautiful mosque with that gold dome that you see from pretty much anywhere in Jerusalem. It is a rare, amazing experience to see it if you are not Muslim, and I am so glad I got to have it. We also get a lot of time to explore Tel Aviv on our own, so I have taken advantage of my two favorite hobbies: eating and shopping. Eating-wise, I made a bucket list of restaurants I HAD to go to while here, and have already crossed off three: Cafe Xoho, Tamara Yogurt, and Dr. Shakshuka. As for shopping… Well, if I want to not be strapped for cash for the next six weeks, I need to stop doing that.

The first weekend, my group traveled to Rosh Hanikra, Akko, and Nahariya. Since we were all exhausted from the first week, some of us still jet-lagged, almost none of us were interested in taking this trip. However, when we saw the breathtaking views from Rosh Hanikra, our first stop, I think some of us changed our minds about not wanting to be on this trip. Our expectations were only further proven wrong when we arrived to the hostel in Akko; let me just say that I have never been so upset to leave a hostel. It was brand new, clean, and amazingly comfortable. That night our group went to get drinks at the beach together, and it was incredible to have a glass of wine so close to the water.

Our time in Akko then came to a end and we had to go take a “short water hike” (I am not going to elaborate on this, because I do not want my readers to think I’m angry) and spend Shabbat with host families we did not know in Nahariya… Thrilling. I was paired with a family I did not know with a girl in the group I barely knew. However, the experience ended up being very nice as I was fed a great meal, slept in an amazingly comfortable full size bed, and spent a relaxing Shabbat at the beach. The second weekend was spent in Tel Aviv, and I spent Thursday and Saturday nights out, Thursday with an old friend and Saturday with my roommates, and on Friday went to Dr. Shakshuka (overhyped, but good) and Nachalat Binyamin artists’ market. Saturday was spent walking along the beach, which was a relaxing end to the week.

If you come to Israel and do not randomly run into anyone that you know, are you really Jewish? I’m two weeks into this experience and my count is eight people between the flight, Birthright trips, and camp friends. It is great to see old friends while you are halfway around the world, and that is what I love about Israel. On the one hand, I cannot believe I have already been here two weeks, and on the other I feel like I have been here forever. In the coming weeks, I am excited to see how my Hebrew language skills continue to improve, how my internship continues to inspire me, and what amazing brunches await! Talk to you soon, or in Hebrew, ‘l’hitraot’!

Hi! My name is Maille Biederman. Before I introduce you to my crazy, wonderful life, I would like to thank Hadassah, Young Judaea, and especially Sue Beller, Alecia Sachs, Lena Elkins, and Alex Corona for this award. I am thrilled with the amount of support and love from everyone.

As for who I am, I am a rising senior at the Beacon School in Manhattan. By living in this melting pot and being surrounded by the plethora of cultures, I have become the person I am today. It has allowed me to see things and analyze them from a much broader perspective. I am open-minded: conservative in practice, liberal in thought and attitude.

Next month I will be traveling and experiencing two of the most interesting places in the world, Greece and Israel. I am particularly excited for this adventure because I am invested in both nations. Being a Jew has given me ties to the motherland, the place where we began our incredible journey always striving to be that “light unto the nations” from antiquity. Similar to every nation on earth, Israel is imperfect (as Jews, we support healthy dialogue for the advancement of society and humanity, including our own), but I am constantly in awe of the advancements the nation has made and the obstacles the country has overcome.

When I was young, I stumbled upon Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson series. Perhaps a bit of a juvenile read, I loved it nonetheless. I was enticed by Greek mythology, and still am! (More recently, I read Sophocles’ Antigone to feed this passion) Since my introduction to early Greece, I have been collecting ancient Greek coins, a hobby that my dad and I share. With my dad, a fanatic for American coins, and me, the seeker of ancient Greek coins, we are constantly on the hunt for something to put in our pockets. Every year, my father and I attend the New York International Numismatic Convention, held at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel. We meet people from all over the world. Ironically, I have never met numismatists from Israel or Greece (I guess I’ll have to change that on my trip!). This convention, practically in my backyard, is another of the many reasons I love New York.

I was born in downtown NYC at Beth Israel Hospital (my cousin, Hannah, is a resident doctor there now). I am an only child, which always gave my parents good reason to spoil me. Though I don’t have a very large family, we more than make up for it through personality (and pets). My dad is a veterinarian. He’s a bit (more like a big, but I don’t want to embarrass him) of a nerd, but if being a vet doesn’t scream selfless, I don’t know what does.. He’s frankly just a 10-year-old boy trapped in a middle-aged man’s body. He loves roller coasters and all things chocolate (but then again, who doesn’t). Honestly, if it weren’t for my mom he would be bouncing off the walls.

My mom is unique, but always means well. And despite having a high tolerance for things (especially hot sauce, she loves hot sauce), she is very thoughtful and puts others before herself. I think I get my love for helping others from her. She’s also really smart. (I don’t know what happened, but I think that my parents’ ‘smart genes’ went ‘poof’ and I only got their good looks. Beggars can’t be choosers, I suppose.) My mom is also a vegetarian. I, too, am a vegetarian, and we both believe vegetarianism is the healthier and more humane option. Between my dad being a veterinarian, and my mom and I being vegetarians, we love animals. We have one dog, Little Man, a human trapped in a 20 pound mutt’s body, and two cats, Alice Alaska, and Nina Simone. Little Man and Nina love everyone, but Alice only likes me. My mom thinks Alice is a bully. Despite my pleas, my parents restrict pet adoptions, so I volunteer at the Wild Bird Fund which is a nonprofit that rehabilitates injured or orphaned wildlife and releases them back into the urban jungle (or just Central Park). I work the reception area and care for two lovely doves who are our “display” doves, some turtles, and register the public and their injured or sick animals they bring to us. (Unfortunately, the doves were released at a wedding and got lost. The birds have no survival instincts having lived in a shed for all their lives.) I also volunteer at my local synagogue, Habonim. I work with second and third graders in the synagogue’s Hebrew School, assisting the teachers. When I am not volunteering, I am either dancing Isadora Duncan, which I have done since the toddler years, or debating with my school’s Model UN team. I am also Founder and President of my school’s Children’s Education Foundation Vietnam Club, an organization providing education, tuition, and life skills for underprivileged girls.

My efforts to help better my community on a local and international scale have allowed me to become a part of my school’s Community Service Leadership Team and Student Leadership Team. On this team, I lead underclassmen to help better my school’s community. Additionally, I recently attended the United States Naval Academy’s Summer Seminar for prospective applicants, a rigorous six-day introduction to life as a midshipman.. I loved my time there, and I was nominated during Blue and Gold for my spirit and team motivation, though I took a fall and fractured my clavicle during sea trials. I am determined that I will one day become a Naval Officer in my continuing pursuit of service and leadership. I will be partaking in Gadna (Israeli army training) during my trip to Israel next month, hoping to get a taste of how Israel protects its nation. Wow, I am so excited – and yes, I am already packed!

By  Year Course 14-15 participant, Sarah Silverstein 

Do the things you believe in. Because what we believe in makes up who we are. We often underestimate the extent to which the choices we make today affect us tomorrow. We don’t immediately realize how the people we meet and friends we make inspire and teach us. Conversations I have had this year, both inside the classroom and even more so outside it, have impacted my worldview.  They have strengthened some of my beliefs and challenged others.  That is one thing that Year Course, that choosing Year Course, did for me.

We know we’re growing but we usually can’t notice a difference until we have to look back in order to move forward. Picture yourself nine months ago and remember the fears you may have had about this year. Now, think about where you are at this moment. Do the fears you once had feel small? Do they feel far away? I can remember counting down the number of sleeps I had left in my room every night. I remember feeling like once I packed up and hit the road things would never be the same. Fast forward to now: I have learned that the feelings I had those nights weren’t so far off from the truth. One of the most difficult things that I have been fortunate to learn can be summed up by this quote ‘you will never be completely at home again, because part of your heart will always be elsewhere. That is the price you pay for the richness of loving and knowing people in more than one place.’ Over the past few weeks I’ve found myself counting the nights left here in Israel just as I had done nine months ago in New York. Fear is something inevitable within ourselves but sometimes the ideas and actions that scare us the most can lead us to our greatest accomplishments.

When I signed up for Year Course I didn’t know anyone else that was coming on the program.  I was a little worried about that but decided to make it a fun adventure.  It didn’t take much time to notice that many people already knew each other from Young Judaea. Introducing myself to a group of people who already know each other wasn’t so easy.  It felt awkward but everyone tried their best to say hi and meet everyone else.  About a month later, the dynamic of the group was changing. We were moving from strangers, to friends, to family. I think most of us would agree that the first impressions we had of each other began to fade away. The friend who had described themselves as shy was transforming into a social butterfly and the person who originally didn’t know where they stood on so many issues started screaming their ideas and opinions. So many of us have jumped out of our comfort levels, whether it be to help a friend or help ourselves, we have done it.  9 months ago I didn’t know who would bike the Kineret, who would hike the country, who would travel the world, who would challenge my opinions and who would agree with them, who would be lazy and who would be crazy, who would stop me from making mistakes and who would be my partners in crime when, inevitably, we all made mistakes. I didn’t know who I would be to each of you, or who you would be to me.  And now I gladly pay the price for the richness of loving and knowing people in more than one place.

I started by saying do the things you believe in, because when you believe in what you do you believe in yourself. You believe that even alone you can create, give, help and succeed. We are all, thank god, alive and capable of imaginable and unimaginable things. We are the only people who control our capabilities. If each of us can reflect on this year and say that we sucked the juice out of the fruit entirely, kol hakavod, don’t stop. Take Year Course with you as a reminder wherever you go that you not only tried, you succeeded.  For those of us who may feel like we didn’t get as much as we could have, start taking and giving and doing more. It is not too late to take the lessons of Year Course forward, to take matters into our own hands, to create meaning, to try something different and new, to repair the world, on whatever scale we can manage.  Take the recipes, the crazy stories, the almost accidents and new friendships with you wherever you go.

Year Course, for me, has been a year to figure out what I believe in and I’m sure this pursuit will follow me into my next chapter in life. Part of me hopes that this pursuit follows you too because life isn’t black and white and only we can decide how to color the pages.

 

In 2014, 21 million students in the United States went to college. We chose Year Course. While our friends lived in dorms across the country, we lived in Israel. While they learned from textbooks and course packets, we learned from lived experience, we learned more than we could have ever imagined. Some of us chose Year Course because a parent or a sibling did it, some of us chose it because of our Jewish summer camp and movement or our Zionism, some of us chose it to find ourselves. Yet we all chose Year Course and for all of us, it’s made a difference.

 Over these past nine months, I’ve learned lessons that will be carried with me for the rest of my life. I’ve made memories that will be treasured forever, and I’ve made friends who have become family. While each of us has had different experiences this year, we’ve all shared the same, life-changing program together. Of all the valuable lessons I’ve learned, here are the nine that stand out to me most:

Live everyday like it’s the last day of Year Course. How can nine months have gone by so quickly? It feels like just yesterday we were getting off the plane, eager for the year to begin. Hopefully, all of us were able to experience everything Israel has to offer and have no regrets. For me, Year Course was all about spontaneous adventure. Even when I was stranded and stuck in the rain, lost in a city or forced into awkward situations with friends, I was able to create fun and make the most of each day. Year Course taught me that. While exploring Israel was one of my favorite parts, sometimes having a lazy day is needed, meaning lots of Netflix. This also taught me that although you can watch Netflix in Israel, you shouldn’t, especially when you have so much to do at your fingertips.

Always bring toilet paper, especially on hikes.

20 Shekels can buy more than you think.  Budgeting this year may have been the hardest part for me. Buying groceries with 13 other girls is not an easy task, but it really taught me how to manage money. Picking and choosing what to buy each month was challenging and taught me how to make choices and compromises. What was more important: going clubbing and buying alcohol or going out to dinner with friends and traveling?

Both sections can hang, and should hang together. There was some competition between the two sections of who had more fun, who was a more unified group, who could live down, or live up to the section reputation. Well, in my opinion, both sections can have fun and could have had even more fun together. Those times that the sections were intermingled it was always a ton of fun. Whether Young Judaea planned it or we were doing our own shenanigans, it was always a great time.

Friends are family.  Without my group of girls, Year Course would have been extremely different. The friendships made were just as important to me as the trips we took, the classes we sat in and the seminars attended. Zionism class wasn’t the activity that got me to leave my apartment to go out and explore and volunteering wasn’t the activity that helped me solve day to day problems. For that, I am forever grateful for my tight group of friends. Last month, my mom attended her 38th year course reunion in Texas and flew from Florida with her two best friends. I can’t imagine where we will all be then, but I hope to be doing exactly what she did for my 38th year course reunion.

If you have no underwear, do laundry.

Use it or lose it.  

Yes. In 9 months you will speak fluently.

Shalom

HaKol beseder

Slicha

Efshar heschbon bevakasha?

Toda

Or not. However, if you practice every day with native speakers, learning a foreign language could be a lot easier.

Don’t take Israel for granted. You can travel, try new foods, meet new people, go on spontaneous adventures – the possibilities are endless. This year, Israel has given me so much: a new language, friends, opportunities and it is so crazy to say that tomorrow I will be leaving my home for the past 9 months. But it doesn’t mean goodbye. I got the chance to do and see a lot, but Israel has so much more to offer and I am so excited to come back and visit again.

The IDF. College. Internships. In a few hours/a day, all of us are going to be headed in different directions. In a day/a few days, most of us will be back home, reconnecting with friends and family. In a few days, we will all be preparing for the next adventure in our life. In a few days, we will be back in the “real world.” I have no clue what going back into the “real world” is going to be like, but Year Course, and living in Israel, have fully prepared us to take on multiple tasks at once, to know that work and school are just as important as having a good time and traveling, that volunteering and giving back to the community should be a way of life and that being true to yourself is the only way to be.

Wherever life takes us all next, we need to remember our lessons learned here and remember that we all can make a difference. We chose not to be one of those 21 million students for a reason.