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!

 

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.

Hi Jenny,

Today is the day that we sadly have to go back and leave this beautiful country. This trip has taught me a lot, both about history and about myself. This entire experience was life changing to me. The views were unbelievable, looking over Masada at sunrise to being at the top of the Golan Heights. The activities we did brought us together as a group and I can honestly say that I have 44 new best friends including Israeli soldiers. The soldiers surprised me the most because of how close we got despite the differences in our lives. I really became close with one of the soldiers, Adi, and I had the opportunity to meet her family and get a tour of her house as well as getting a nice Israeli home-cooked meal. The energy here is obvious as soon as you walk out the airport. You think to yourself “I have made it to the Holy Land.” For the past thousands of years, our ancestors have been praying for this. I also was lucky enough to become Bat Mitzvah while in Jerusalem. Throughout my life I felt like there was something missing when I thought about my Jewish Identity. I also feel a lot more connected to Israel. I always supported Israel because it was the land of my ancestors. Now that I have friends fighting in the IDF, I am more worried about what is going on in Israel that could seriously effect Adi, Raz, Raz, Shahar, Shay, Omer, and Nof. This experience truly effected me and I will never forget it. When I go home, I want to learn more about our ancestors and the history of our people. I also want to do what I can to help my Jewish community for the present and for the future. Thank you to the donators that allow me and my peers to come to Israel and have this amazing experience. I cannot wait to come back.

Rachel Sausner

Hi Jenny,

I was requested to writer this email on behalf of Karin Lagziel and our entire Young Judea Birthright trip, YJ592, to describe how life changing this whole experience has been. It’s unbelievable to imagine how we were able to travel nearly the entire country and learn about how rich our ancestry and culture is.

We started in the Galilee at Kibbutz Hukuk Balev where much of the group was first introduced to the concept of kibbutzim and the meaning of that lifestyle. Everyone was astonished to hear how Israel is the only country able to sustain this style of living, and it was amazing to hear about first hand from a father, a husband and child from this kibbutz. We explored the Golan Heights and saw Syria from the mountain tops. We hiked on land and through water and we soon discovered how much of a group and a team we were beginning to become.

The charisma and spirituality of two people we met on our trip really set the tone. In Tsfat we toured the streets of mystical art and fine jewelry and schwarma, of course. Then we soon found our way to the steps of an artist named Avraham. His explanation of Kabbalah and passion for his art really touched everyone, and we soon renamed our group Team Avraham instead of Bus YJ592. Another impactful person was Shalom, our guide at the Golan Heights Winery. His love and knowledge of fine wine and the process of growing Israeli wine grapes spoke to everyone. His personality and enthusiasm made our group feel so connected to him, and he stood as a mascot for the rest of our trip. He is even drawn into the design of the shirts we made.

The next night we did some team building activities which we LOVED. We split into small groups and basically played with rope. These obsticle showed us how much we had grown as a group unit. It was fantastic. We went stargazing that night and we all had an opportunity to stop and relax and be at peace, and really had a chance for self reflection. That night we slept in tents- that was for sure an interesting, unforgettable experience (I don’t recommend it).

After touring the north of the country we worked our way down to Bat Yam, a beach town just south of Tel Aviv. We soon met with the half of our family that we were missing, our Israeli soldiers. We met them on the beach and clicked with them immediately. That night we went out in the Florentin district of Tel Aviv.

The next day we started in Jaffa, which is personally my favourite city. It is truly a magical port and I took some of the best scenic pictures I’ve ever taken in my life. Then we did a graffiti tour and it was amazing to see that different side of Israel. We had lunch in the Karmel Shuk and then took a long drive to a camel ride which was just a blast!

What was truly life changing was the next morning where we woke up at 3am to climb Masada. It was crazy to me because at school I’m usually still studying in the library at that time! The hike was hard, but there was Team Avraham encouraging each other and pushing one another to be stronger. Once at the top, the sun started to peak over the distant mountains and watching the sun rise became something magical. Just imagine, something that happens everyday being so so different this one time. We toured the top of the mountain and it was amazing.

Then we worked our way to the Dead Sea which was amazing. We all had a blast! We covered ourselves in mud and took some great pictures, and discovered all the cuts we weren’t previously aware of.

The next day, we finally reached the holy city of Jerusalem. We started walking through Jaffa Gate through the Armenian quarter and then to the Jewish Quarter to go to the Kotel. The wall was so spiritual and symbolic to me and I felt a rush of electricity that I’ve never felt before. I delivered notes from my family members and I felt like I was doing such a mitzvah.

This night was one of my favorites. We split into seven groups and the seven soldiers hosted us in their homes for dinner in Rosh HaAiyin, which is the twin city of New Orleans. It was amazing to meet our soldier Adi’s family, see her home and really get a taste of Israeli life. Her parents were so welcoming and amazing and it was something I’ll never forget. We then went to a jazz festival in the city park, and it was such a great way to relax and enjoy each others company.

The next morning we went to Mount Herzel, the military cemetery, which changed my life. At first I was a little hesitant as to why we would start an entire day with a cemetery, and with just a few minutes I found myself already tearing up after seeing 19, 20, 18,and 21 engraved into the tombstones. These young people were children and friends and lovers, and I couldn’t imagine what that type of loss would feel like. Hearing the monologue of the obituaries really made me so emotional. I felt connected to Israel in a way I never imagined possible.

Finally it was Shabbat and we all had some time to just take a breather and relax, which was much needed. The next day we spent time at the Israeli museum. Then we held a bar/bat mitzvah for many of the people on our trip including one Israeli. This was so spiritual and meaningful to the participants as well as those watching the ceremony. We then went out to a fabulous dinner.

The next morning we started at Yad Vashem, which is always difficult for me, as I am the granddaughter of Holocaust survivors and the grand niece of many who perished. It is always really emotional for me and sometimes hard to get all the way through a Holocaust museum. But this time I had friends to walk through with me and ask me questions about my family’s story, and it made it much easier to get through the entire museum.

We sadly soon said goodbye to our beloved soldiers who we probably would have packed in our suitcases if they could fit. But I’m not too worried, I’m sure to see them again.

The birthright mega event that night was so fun. We had dinner and then went to the concert of HaDag Nachash. It was a blast. It couldn’t have been a better way to spend our last night together.

Even though Birthright is an intense and physically difficult program, I feel like I’m leaving with memories that changed my life. I feel more connected than ever to Israel and the Jewish community that I was already so active in.

As a Tulane Jewish leader, I felt the obligation to encourage people to visit Israel, go to Shabbat at Hillel and explore all the Hillel has to offer for us before this trip, but now I feel the passion to do so. After going on this trip, I can’t imagine not going on Birthright again, but this time as a staff member. It was such a privledge to have such an incredible and life changing trip.

Thanks for taking the time to read my experience of this trip,which quickly turned into a short novel because I couldn’t stop typing.

Looking forward to seeing you in the fall.

Regards,
Stephanie Knecht

David and Bailey Lerner, newlyweds from Gainesville, Florida, just spent 10 days on Birthright with Young Judaea. We got the chance to sit down with them and hear the coolest Taglit love story ever.

How did you two meet?

B: We met six years ago playing beach volleyball at the University of Florida. David was very upfront with me about being Jewish from the beginning, which was interesting since I didn’t know many Jewish people growing up. I was raised in a strong Christian family, but hadn’t really felt connected to my Christian identity since high
school.

What happened when you two started dating, then? 

B: I started attending Jewish holidays and Shabbat with David and his family, and immediately felt connected to the religion. Once he and I became serious, we talked about the possibilities of me converting. I decided it was the right decision for me, so we began taking conversion classes together. It was a difficult process, but once it was completed and I officially converted I was so happy. I’m now always trying to find ways of exploring Judaism more, and I’m always discovering new things. I really connect to it all. Being on this trip has only furthered that connection, and I feel even more confirmed that this is who I am.

How did you two end up on Birthright? 

B: Once I learned about what Birthright was, I kept trying to convince David to go. He had never been to Israel before and had a lot of concerns, but he finally agreed.

David, what were your concerns? 

D: There were so many. I was concerned about safety, but more about the food. I’m a really picky eater. I was also worried about taking time off of work, and the fact that I don’t speak more than three words of Hebrew. I was also worried about the mentality here, but it turns out that Israelis are nicer than Americans! It also turns out that the food is great. There is American food here, like McDonalds, and Mediteranian food is also really good. I had no idea. Almost everyone here speaks English, and it was absolutely worth taking the time off of work. It was a great decision.

What do you both do for work? 

D: I’m a financial planner, and I run a tree farm.

B: I just graduated with a Masters in Education from University of Florida. I’m currently job seeking to become a teacher.

What have you taken from this trip? 

D: This trip has been unbelievable. If you’ve never been here and are Jewish, and you look at the history of the Jewish people and everything that’s happened here, just go to Jerusalem and stand in front of the Western Wall. You’ll feel it. Just seeing how much everything has flourished and grown here over the past 2000 years and seeing Israel as a modern state is truly unbelievable.

B: To me when I look at Judaism, the main thing I see is the value of a close-knit community. Being here, I’ve seen that so much. Everyone is trying to help everyone and acts like a family. More than anything, this trip made me feel even more apart of the bigger Jewish community.

As newlyweds, what stands out to you about this trip more than anything else?

D: It makes me compare it to our honeymoon which was six months ago in Hawaii. To pay for a whole trip like that- between the flights, hotels, food, and everything else- it costs a fortune. We came here on Birthright and basically paid nothing. For someone who has just started working in their career and understands how hard it is to make money, to be able to do all of this for free, especially with Bailey, is unreal.

 

“Coming with my sister Brooklyn and cousins Lydia and Cameron on Young Judaea Birthright was the most important thing to us because our bubbe (grandma) has been bringing this up for so many years. We all go to colleges across the country, so we don’t get to see each other often. We have a lot of family members who were definitely concerned about us going to Israel. They thought we would be in areas where we might be in danger, but it has been the complete opposite of that. It’s my first time ever out of the country (I got a passport for this trip!), so it’s amazing for this to be my first trip abroad, especially with my family. I’m so grateful that our bubbe pushed us to do it. Before the trip, I personally wasn’t completely sure what the point was, but it’s been the most incredible opportunity. The fact that we’re in Israel for free is hard for me to even put into words. I feel much more connected now to my ancestry, and was surprised how disconnected it is from religion. I was really concerned that this place was only about religion and for religious people, but that hasn’t been my experience at all. This has been a chance for me to become closer to my ancestry and proud of the fact that I’m Jewish. That’s such a cool part of my identity now.”

You can’t.

I’m sorry if that title led you on. Get use to it though because that’s all people seem to do in this world. Lead you on. It’s pretty funny actually. No, actually, it’s horrible.

Well, that’s not the point of this post. The point of my story today is to talk about my experience learning Hebrew. Yes, I’ve lived in Israel for a month now, and I’ve made a commitment to myself to become conversational in Hebrew by July. Now when I say conversational, I don’t mean full on philosophical debates with professors at Tel Aviv University. I just want to be able to do some basic things, like order food, and talk to cab drivers, and come up with neat pick up lines that win over everyone’s hearts. The pick up lines will be the easiest for me because I’m already so suave.

So I am determined. I am on a mission, and I cannot be stopped. And let me tell you something, it’s a very frustrating journey to embark on. This isn’t like learning Spanish. I use to live an hour away from Miami, so I heard Spanish all the time. Ask me how many times I heard people speaking Hebrew throughout my life. I don’t know, on Birthright for ten days? This is all so new to me. So picking up on the words, and the accent has been a struggle. Another part of the struggle was that I missed the first week of my Hebrew classes, or my Ulpan.  So not only did I just jump in; I jumped in a week behind with no experience. And I’ll tell you something, it was overwhelming.

Ironically though, jumping in is the best advice I can give to someone trying to learn a new language. You need to just go for it. You need to be overwhelmed and put on the spot. If you’re not, then you don’t grow. When you’re forced to understand and respond in a language you barely understand, your mind works differently. And eventually, you start picking things up. It’s a process, but it happens.

And when you finally start catching on, you need to just speak it. When you remember a word, use it. I don’t know many, but anytime I can use a Hebrew word or phrase instead of English, I do it. And eventually, it all starts coming together. It’s kind of creepy actually. But also rewarding.

A fun strategy that I have used to pick up on the new vocabulary is making stories out of words. Let me give you an example. The word excellent, in Hebrew, is mitzuyan. Well, that’s what it sounds like using english letters, but you get the point. I wanted to retain this word, but simply saying it 25 times was not helping me out much. So I decided to see what it reminded me of. I broke the word into three parts: mitt, zoo, and yan. Now, obviously, zoos are just excellent, so my story had to take place in one. Then, I thought of Mitt Romney, who is not excellent, but hey, it works.

I imagine myself walking through the excellent zoo and looking at all the animals. It’s a bright sunny day filled with cotton candy and happiness. Then, suddenly, I come across a very gloomy exhibit. Inside the cage, is an animal that goes by only one name: the Mitt Romney. And the Mitt Romney is literally just sitting in the middle, doing nothing exciting. 47% of me wants to walk away, but I decide to stay and watch. And as I do, I can’t help myself from yawning. Yan sounds like yawn, right?

So I put Mitt, the zoo, and yawning together, and there’s my word, mitzuyan. And you might ask, do I have to think about Mitt Romney every time I want to use the word excellent? Thankfully, no. Now, it just comes naturally. But that story helped my brain retain it. And the more you make stories, the easier they become to make. The more imagery and comedy you use, the easier the vocabulary is to remember. And it’s pretty entertaining to do it this way too. Just ask me my story for how I remember the word for paper towels. Due to explicitly, I will save that story for another time.

If you want to learn a new language, you need to have a passion for it. You can’t learn it because you need the credits to graduate. You can’t learn it because it will make you more marketable for a brand new job. Those are all secondary, and while you can pick things up with that motivation, you will never fully grasp it. The reason that I am picking up on Hebrew so fast is because I have a passion to communicate. That passion can take you a long way.

Have passion, have fun, and don’t make it like a class. You are not learning a language. You are becoming one with a new way of life. This is not like studying calculus. This is building a foundation to communicate with a whole new array of people. Think of it like this, and suddenly, the task does not seem as daunting anymore.