Not just anyone has the guts to stand up from their everyday life and move halfway around the world, alone, to study abroad. It definitely takes a specific, open-minded type of person to do a program like this to study abroad in High School. Personally, the minute I found out about this opportunity to come to Israel for a semester or half a semester, I knew I needed to do it. A representative from Heller High, formerly known as EIE, came to my sleepaway camp to speak to us the summer before ninth grade. They told our unit about their program and what they did and how to sign up. I immediately wrote a letter to my parents telling them about this program and how I want to do it so badly. Both of my parents said no and it completely crushed me, but it did not stop me from doing extensive research on High School in Israel programs. I had kept this idea in the back of my head for the next two years. Then, last February my camp friend, Izzy Cutler, went on AMHSI and I saw all of her Instagram posts, and I was immediately envious of the experience she was having. After seeing her posts for two months, I needed to know what this program was and how I could be a part of it. She told me it was called Alexander Muss High School in Israel, and I urgently got in contact with Dana Klein.

I have been to Israel a couple times before, and there is just always this pull that I feel bringing me back as frequently as possible. I always want to know when I am coming back. This program was my answer to when my next time being in my happy place would be. I believe that you don’t have to have been in Israel before to spend 8 weeks here. Many people on my program have never been before, and they are experiencing Israel for the first time. This country is just amazing and anyone who has the love and want to come to this country should totally do it.

As I said before, Israel is where I am the best me. I didn’t do this program to leave school for 8 weeks, I did it because it is in Israel! Yes, it is true that I was extremely sick of my school at home, so it was just a benefit that I would be learning my school curriculum in a different place. A big factor for why I love Israel so much, is my family here. I have the most loving cousins who care for me as if I were part of their Israeli family! I am close with all of them who live here and I am so thankful when they open their home to me to stay with them. A part of AMHSI is that we have open weekends, meaning we get to see family or friends who live in Israel for Shabbat. I was so happy to be able to spend many weekends with my cousins, and a weekend with my Israeli friends! AMHSI wants you to experience Israeli culture for yourself and see what’s it’s like to live here.

All of these amazing components put together created the perfect program for both me and my parents. We all got on board because they knew how much I wanted this, I got offered the Fellowship from JNF, and I was ready to spend 8 full weeks in Israel with a group I knew would become my best friends.

This is the most incredible experience I have EVER had, and I am so thankful that my school, parents, and JNF helped me out along the way to get me to this point. I am so, so happy with this program and I hope I inspire other people to go to AMHSI too!