Not only do we just visit the places, but we get to experience them

Three weeks in Israel have flown by! Alexander Muss has become our home as we continue to have amazing times in our dorms, in the classroom, and on our tiyulim.
A major part of our lives in Israel is experiential learning. After learning about events in Israel’s history in our core Israeli Studies class, we get to go to the place where it happened and learn more about it while we are there.
Not only do we just visit the places, but we get to experience them. For example, when we learned about Hezekiah’s water tunnels we got to actually walk through them rather than simply just talking about it and seeing them. Going on our tiyulim to learn about Israel’s history is so engaging and helps to put us in the shoes of the people who experienced the events we learn about - such as hiking up Masada like the Zealots did hundreds of years ago. Having the exposure to learn both in and outside of the classroom makes living/learning in Israel even more impactful because we know the background of the places we see and their significance. At these sites we also get to study evidence that supports the actuality of what we are studying.
The opportunity to have Israel as our living classroom helps to separate us from being a tourist because we become familiar with the land and its past. Not only are we able to learn about Israel’s history at different sites, but we are also able to learn how to be more independent and responsible through our experiences on tiyulim and living in a dorm. Being able to shop by ourselves in the shuk, manage our time with school work, live with others, and stay organized has taught every single one of us new responsibilities that will help us throughout life. The experiences we have at Muss expand our learning in ways that just sitting in a classroom could not.