At the beginning of this amazing program, I wrote about some goals I want to accomplish here at HSI. While I didn’t spend this entire trip drilling these ideas into my head, I feel as though I have definitely met my expectations. One of the most important goals that I wanted to accomplish was coming out of my comfort zone and meeting new people. When I first got here, I didn’t know anyone. It basically forced me to meet new people and it really showed me how easy and fun it is. It helped me build up my confidence in myself and made me feel more open to people. As a result, I made so many friends from all around the United States. I am way more sociable and I feel way more comfortable around new people. Another one of my main goals was to find my Jewish identity. I personally feel as though Judaism is a greater part of my life after this trip. I feel more comfortable with my religion and want to explore it more. In the end, I learned that it isn't “finding” my Jewish identity. I already had it. For me, it was understanding it and bringing more into my life. I feel as though this trip has opened my understanding of Judaism. Therefore, I feel as though I have reached my goal of understanding my Jewish identity. I still have a long way to go in bringing Judaism completely into my life, but I feel as though I now understand its significance and importance. At the end of this trip, I believe that I have met both of my main goals. This trip has opened many doors for me, and meeting my goals was just one of them.