Wow. Today marks the third week since we’ve been in Israel. Time has been flying by. Every week is filled with trips and learning, there are hardly ever any breaks. At times it can be a little overwhelming; you can feel like you don’t have enough time to do anything, and some days you can be in class until 6:15, which is crazy. I’ve never had a school day that long before.

These past few weeks have been really great. I love staying in the hostels over Shabbat. So far we’ve stayed in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and Haifa. It’s a great time to get to know new people, interact with the Israelis around you, and the food there is always really good. Every week we do Kabbalat Shabbat, which I really enjoy; it makes me feel like I’m back at camp. Our group could work a little bit on our tunes, but it’s always really enjoyable.

Shabbat allows for a time to unplug. During the week we’re on our phones a lot, anyone can admit that. I like that on Shabbat we get a chance to disconnect from the screens. My dad always says, “Be with the people that you’re with”. Shabbat lets us spend time just face-to-face, interacting with each other.

Last week we went on our first hike, Gilboa. It was pretty challenging, considering it was 103 degrees outside and took about three hours. It helped me feel closer to the people that I was hiking with though; we all had a great feeling of accomplishment once we got down and back onto the bus. The best part came after the hike. There are natural springs that form below the mountain, and it was so refreshing to just dive in and relax after the hike.

This past Sunday was Rosh Hashanah. I really enjoyed staying with my host family and seeing Israelis celebrate the holiday. One of the main differences is that everyone here is Jewish and are celebrating. I live in Miami, which is a fairly Jewish area, but it doesn’t always feel like a holiday, whereas in Israel, you can just tell. Everyone wishes each other a chag sameach in the street, and you can feel the sense of community whether you’re walking to synagogue or just having dinner with everyone.                                                                                                                  

I’ve noticed a few other differences as well. For starters, in America we have squirrels, while in Israel they have cats. The cats are everywhere, and it’s so hard not to pet them. Also, Israelis are very upfront, unlike Americans who are more superficial. If an Israeli has a problem with you, they will tell you. The food here is also way better. There’s much more flavor in all the food and there’s also just so much food. Israel has really taken on the “breakfast is the most important meal”. In the mornings there are salads, pastries, vegetables, cakes; basically an all you can eat buffet. When I’m back home I usually don’t even eat breakfast.

I really enjoy being in Israel, experiencing the culture here and getting to work on my Hebrew. I can’t believe we still have three more months here. I’m looking forward to all the trips and experiences to come. Wednesday is Yom Kippur and we will be celebrating in Jerusalem. I’m really excited to get to experience such an important holiday in such an important place to the Jewish people.