In my opinion, what makes AMHSI so special are the tiyuls we go on. Not only do they allow for more interactive learning, but they allow for the group to become closer. One of my favorite tiyuls we have done so far is Yam Le Yam, which translates to “sea to sea.” Yam Le Yam was definitely an experience I will never forget. We spent four days hiking from the Mediterranean Sea to the Kinneret. This meant no showers and no bathrooms other than the occasional Porta Potty. Before we left, I was a bit overwhelmed about the intensity and length of the upcoming hikes. We began each day of Yam Le Yam with a theme. The first day’s theme was awareness, which is something I have found I need to work on. It is sometimes difficult to be aware of your surroundings while also talking, hiking, and enjoying the beautiful views. The second day’s theme was “togetherness,” which I feel is something we as a group really improved on this trip. Because we were always together during this intense time, struggling together brought us closer as a group. The third day’s theme was responsibility, which is also important on both an individual and group level. When discussing the word, we looked at it in Hebrew: אחריות. Within this word, there are other words which comprise the meaning of responsibility which I found fascinating. Later that day, we also discussed which responsibility we would take on to improve the group dynamic. I declared my responsibility for giving an honest opinion whenever needed. Our last day’s theme was focused on getting to know ourselves individually. We hiked in silence for an hour and a half which I really enjoyed as I was able to think and focus on my beautiful surroundings. Overall, I really enjoyed Yam Le Yam despite its challenges. Obviously, not being to shower, sleeping in tents, and hiking all day was difficult, but for me it was totally worth it. I loved not being on my phone and connecting with my peers. I loved hiking and being surrounded by nature and beautiful views, like the one overlooking Tzfat in the picture attached. I feel like as a group our dynamic improved greatly as we struggled, laughed, and got to know each other all day for four days. So far, Yam Le Yam has been a highlight of my trip and I would do it again any day.