Hello, my name is Zohar Steinmetz, and I am only 4 days away from the best experience of my life! I will be entering my sophomore year and I can't believe I have been given the opportunity to study abroad. Although I don't go to a Jewish school I am part of many youth groups including NCSY, SNFTY, BBYO, and Tzofim. Being a part of all of these groups helps me feel connected to Israel and my Judaism. 

The more I hear about HSI, the better it sounds to me. I love the idea of going to a new school in a new country. It's like getting a whole new start. I seriously can't wait to meet new friends and learn new things like how to write a good blog or produce a podcast.

To be honest, I am a little nervous about this upcoming school year. My mind is going crazy thinking of what I need to pack or what if I forget something. I am super excited to go to Israel, meet new people, and learn new things, but it is scary to be put in a completely different situation than what I'm used to. Luckily for me, I applied for this scholarship with my best friend and now we both get to go to Israel for a whole semester. Another thing that kind of scares me is this, these blogs. Even though I get good grades in my writing/reading classes, I find it hard for me to compose my thoughts in order and in a way that the reader can understand. The food is one thing that I don't exactly have high hopes for, I am somewhat of a picky eater so I'm not exactly sure how good it will be there. I have been on a couple of trips and sleep away camps, where they didn't exactly serve the best or tastiest food. Even with these small concerns, I know that I will have an amazing time there.