I have finally arrived in Israel, and it is amazing here! The campus is gorgeous and everyone is so welcoming and friendly. We have 30 teens in our group, the April Session 2018, but over 300 people are living on the campus with us. It is really cool seeing all these new people and sharing our new home with them. The people in my group are so nice, and I have made so many new friends already! I am meeting people from all around America like California, Michigan, Chicago, Georgia, etc.  I love my counselors whose names are Bar and Reut, they are both Israeli girls who are working here after their finished service in the IDF. It was a quick adjustment coming here and starting our CORE class right away, but it has been great with all the amazing staff making it as smooth as possible. Our CORE class is the Jewish history and literature class that Muss provides for all students. I have an amazing teacher, Tuvia, and he is so knowledgeable about all different views and sides. All the teachers and staff are so nice and will do anything to help you in anyway possible!

I have definitely thought about my goals for this session and I have a few. I would like to find myself more spiritually, discovering what I believe in and shape my morals and values. I have a direction in which I think I am going in, but I hope to learn so much about this religion and that it will be more clear to me. Tuvia is a rabbi and is very religious, but it is cool because he is so open to new explanations and interpretations of religious beliefs. I want to look deeper in the meaning of different stories and readings to have a better understanding of the torah and life in general. Another goal of mine is to bring all the education and experiences that I have been exposed to in Israel back home to America. I really feel with all my trainings and teachings, I can help make a difference in my synagogue and other synagogues around me. I also want to show people at NFTY things I have learned which will definitely benefit the region. I want to incorporate all the things I experience here in Israel with my home life as well. In addition, another goal for this session is to create life-long friends who are able to connect with me on emotional and intellectual levels. I love having conversations about controversial topics and about things you can’t just have with anyone. These people here are definitely different than people at home, they have strong opinions, they have something to say and something to offer. I think I will be able to soak up everything in this adventure and incorporate this into my everyday life at home. I want these memories to last a lifetime, and I will forever treasure this once in-a-lifetime experience. Lastly, I am also trying to learn as much hebrew as I possibly can while I am here. I think it would be so cool to be able to communicate with all the people who live in my favorite country. I am working hard to take in every word that I hear! I love Israel!!!