This trip so far has had a ton of great experiences. My goal for the rest of this trip is to have more.

Since we are here for just two months to discover Israel completely, I have set some goals for myself to achieve so I can have the full Israel experience!

Learning about something and then it being right in front of you means way more than a textbook, it creates a living memory that grows and ages like you and all the people you shared it with.

Leaving my home wasn’t easy. It takes courage to leave everything you’re comfortable with and used to, and replace it with a country you’ve never been to.

One of the biggest difference between America and Israel is the way the sun shines.

Well, another week has passed and it has been a tiresome one. I’ve learned a lot about Israel. I also celebrated Yom Kippur in Jerusalem. We started off going on the bus with the kids from AHA. That was fun! The bus had USB adapters in the ceiling, so everyone would charge their phones and they would hang from the ceiling. I thought it looked really funny. We arrived at the hostel, a really nice hostel. We go to our rooms and have a couple hours to get settled and get ready for services. I chose to go to the Jerusalem Great Synagogue.

I landed at the NYC airport tired, nervous, excited, and late very late.

I have not been Jewish for very long, only for about 3 years now. I started to actually learn what calling myself “Jewish” meant when I moved in with Second Cousin Billie and her wife Anisa. I had always called myself Jewish, even tho I never knew what it meant.

This Yom Kippur was truly like no other, and I can say that with no doubt in my mind. In Alabama or anywhere in America, for most if not all Jewish holidays pass with little statewide/nationwide recognition and with no tradition to it outside of family/friend traditions. In Israel, especially in Jerusalem, it is the exact opposite. Here, whether you are Jewish or not, your city recognizes Yom Kippur. Israel “shuts down” for around 25 hours during this holiday. You will see little to no cars driven (I saw 2), every store is closed, and everyone is off work. It is nothing like anything I’ve ever seen before.