My whole life I have been waiting for a chance to go to Israel. I have been learning about Israel ever since I was able to learn and I’ve been studying Hebrew almost as long as I’ve been studying English. Growing up in a Jewish school Israel is large part our identity. Israel to me as someone who has never been seems to be a magical place, the sights, the sounds, and the people all entice me. While I have learned alot about Israel, I expect I will learn miles more than I could have even imagined in the past sixteen years. A textbook could never teach me things like the taste of freshly cooked shawarma or the sound of thousands visiting the the Western Wall to come closer with their Jewish identity and God. Too be able to come face to face with our history and to be able to touch the same things and walk the same paths as our forebears is incredible. This new perspective will, I hope, drastically change my view on Jewish history. I’ve heard the story of Masada countless times but to be able to see and visit what really happened is a blessing.  I can’t wait to form a connection with the land of our ancestors and be only miles away from major events in jewish history, as opposed to half a world away. However, for some of the some of the same reasons I am excited to go to Israel I am also nervous. For example, I have never been before. Therefore, I don’t know what it is like and I am afraid I’ll be disappointed. Maybe Israel won’t live up to the fantasy I’m making it out to be. While I am trying to go in with no major expectations as you could clearly see above I’m not doing a very good job being unbiased. Although, with program I am on I highly doubt I will be anything less than awestruck, but the fear still lingers in me hopefully irrationally. I know for a fact that while I’m learning with the Alexander Muss High School I will have an amazing time. The reason I chose to go with the Alexander Muss High School in Israel is because I’ve heard wonderful things about it from my piers, and was blown away when Jeff Hast came to present at our school. Everyone I’ve talked to about it said they had the time of their lives.  As a fellow I hope to share this opportunity with others from my area and spread the word about the Alexander Muss High School In Israel and Israel as a whole.