In two days, I am going to school in Israel at Alexander Muss High School. I am having a hard time believing that I am leaving so soon, it is almost too good to be true. I am overjoyed to have been given this opportunity for personal growth as well as for the development of my Jewish identity.

Going into this program, I don’t have many expectations for what I want AMHSI to be, I just want to be able to absorb what it is and internalize everything I learn there. That being said, I hope they have really good falafel because a trip to Israel is not complete without a really good falafel place. Additionally, I hope that I will meet some amazing friends in the program. I think who you surround yourself with really impacts your experiences and hope my experiences at Alexander Muss High School will be as incredible and transformative as I envision they will be.

There is something very special about being in a land which is sacred to my religion and walking on the same ground as my ancestors. Yet, I have to admit, I have not taken the time to really understand the history of Israel and its progression into a modern state. That is why I am thrilled to be taking AMHSI’s core class. It teaches Jewish and Israeli history by going to the sites where events took place. This interactive method will allow for an engaging way of learning the history of the land that I love.