As an American Reform Jew who never took the religion very seriously, living in Israel for four months has really changed me. I never thought anywhere, even Israel, would change my views on Judaism so drastically. I’m not saying the second I get back I will start attending weekly services or physically practice it anymore than I have been, no. But my pride and my knowledge about my Jewish history and identity has really prompted me to think more about what it means to me to be a Jew. Throughout countless experiences scaling from just a normal day at school to traveling across Israel and learning it’s historical importance and even spending a week in Poland, it has all opened my mind to different aspects of Judaism and how different people conform to them. But what I really want to bring back home after my semester is over is that now that I identity myself much more strongly as a Jew, I can share with my non-Jewish friends and family and even my Jewish friends and family about my experiences here in Israel and more importantly my Jewish journey I went through here.

It is also really useful now that I know so much about the conflicts in the Middle East because so many people don’t get the full picture and through Muss I have a much deeper understanding of the factors that are making the area so complex. With this information I feel that it is much easier to stand up for Judaism and the land of Israel and it has also made me very proud and honored to be a Jew and to now have the power to know what I’m fighting for in Israel. Although I believe that the current political situation is super interesting and something I will continue to follow when I return, other things like the Shoah and Torah study will be things that I bring back home as well. With all the studying of the Tanakh I will be able to compare and contrast it to my Christian friends and discuss my options on it. This is special to me because often my friends will reference something from the Bible and I’ve never studied any holy scriptures and could not contribute to any Jewish points of view. And as for the Shoah I had only broken the surface of the immensity of it. After the section at Muss and especially the trip to Poland I have so much more emotions towards it and I can teach others who don’t know as much about. All in all Israel has taught me so many things about myself and my Judaism. I am so excited to return to Washington and share what I’ve learned in this unforgettable semester.