Many of my tiulim experiences here have included some of my best memories in HSI overall. The trips here genuinely stuck out in my mind because of how unique they are in the way they are planned out. Although all of the trips have been meaningful to me, the one that has made the greatest impression on me has to be the first trip to Jerusalem. Not only was it the first overnight trip of HSI but it also happened to be my first time in Jerusalem that wasn’t for family. Being in Jerusalem with an educational program really opened my eyes up to the intense religious history of the city. Each and every building in the old city of Jerusalem is part of something so much larger and has its own historical value which is what makes the city so interesting. Also, this Jerusalem trip meant a lot to me because it has been five years since I have last been to the Kotel. While I may not be very religious there is something about the Kotel’s powerful energy that makes me believe that there is something more out there. My last time at the Kotel I was with family and we were praying for my grandpa who was going through heart surgery. Five years later my grandpa is fully recovered and doing better than ever and that realization has really stayed with me throughout HSI. The trip also really helped me connect to my spiritual side in a way that I am really grateful for. I feel as though I’ve been more connected to a part of myself that I’ve never really explored before. I can say with validation that the Jerusalem trip changed me as a person and my views on religion and spirituality in the best way possible.