This week, I would not like to write about the incredible religious and spiritual experience I’ve gotten out of this trip, rather how my hobbies and interests correlated with the trips we have taken over the past seven days. If there is one thing I have ever enjoyed through and through in my life, it would no doubt be the exploration of the past. Put simply, I like history. A lot. And I don’t know what it was, but the past week has really catered to that interest.

We had our second unit test this week on Medieval and Judaism post the destruction of the second beit hamikdash. My last question before completing the last part of the exam asked: Is Judaism as divided today as it was at the time of the Sadducees Pharisees, Zealots, and Essenes?

This weekend for Shabbat, both classes in my session went to Jerusalem! On Friday morning, we took our second unit test on Jewish history, and then we packed really quickly and headed out on our trip. Our first stop was to Machane Yehuda, a very famous (and very busy) marketplace.

The past week by far has been our busiest city so far! We started this amazing week at the tunnels from the Bar Kochba Revolt. Yossi led us as we made our way through the crawlspace. We crawled into the main cave where we could see ash from Roman oil lamps. Yossi instructed us to turn off our flashlights. As we turned them off, we began to sing Henei Ma Tov and it felt absolutely amazing.

Over the quick course of the past week we have studied, in our Core class from the time of the Bar Kochba Revolt and the time of the Rabbis, all the way through the Crusaders period, and the Spanish Inquisition, until the time of Jewish Modernity in the world. At Muss, it is not just about the vast history that we are studying, however, but it is about making Israel our classroom and actually stepping off campus to see these historical fantasies really come to life.

Today is now the 18th day that I have woken up in a place that is not home, and I love it!! Although we all come from different places all with different backgrounds, we have become a loving family of 29.

This past week we went to Jerusalem, the Dead Sea, Bar Kochba caves, Masada, and Kumran.

It is traditional, our core teacher, Benjy said to us, for Israelis to visit Masada four times in their lives. Once as children with their families, once with their school, once with their army platoon, and one final time with their own children. Through each generation, the ancient fortress is perhaps even more fundamental to Israeli culture as the kotel.

Almost 3 weeks into my trip, and I could not be any happier. I am absolutely in love with my core class here. The kids are great, my teacher Yossi is so cool, and we learn without even realizing it.

As my AMHSI experience continues, I couldn’t be happier. The past week has been extremely busy with a tiyul to Jerusalem, hiking Masada and the Dead Sea, as well as an open Shabbat weekend. The tiyul last week started with a visit to the Israel Museum. At the museum we saw an exact replica of Jerusalem when Herod was ruling over it. It was really cool to be able to see all of the little buildings and compare it to the real buildings that we see today.

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.

My stay here and Israel is coming to a close two more days and I’ll be back home in Arizona I had a great time the past six weeks here in Israel and they will be explained through I will remember for the rest of my life.

You know how you never know something is missing until you find it?

It’s Not Goodbye, It’s See You Later