On Thursday, we went to Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Remembrance Museum. We learned all about the history of the buildup of Nazism and how the Jews were treated during the Holocaust. Reading about the different stories and seeing videos of the bodies and clothes being moved affected everyone. I know that I will remember that video forever.

We also talked with a Holocaust survivor about her experience, which was very moving. She told us how she had to hide in an attic while she was in the ghetto when her parents were away. The survivor explained that she pretended to be a boy because if she were a girl, the Nazis would view her as useless. She was the only survivor in her family.

On Friday and Saturday, we relaxed on campus. We played laser tag, then learned circus tricks like juggling and spinning plates, all of which were fun. Mini-mester and semester went to a park and played tennis and basketball.

Monday night, some friends and I went to the Maccabi Basketball Game, which was a great experience I wasn't expecting to have here.

On Tuesday, we headed to the Be’er Sheva campus. That morning, we went to a farm and had a great time, helping with a growing project where Israeli students can learn and work on a farm all in a day. Every student there said that they loved it. We worked on the grape vines, which they use to make wine. There were many dogs, and I enjoyed playing with them, which was the highlight of the week for me. In the afternoon, we went shopping at a mall and looked for Purim gifts and costumes. We spent the night on the Be’er Sheva campus, which was really nice.

Micah Smith is a 15-year-old student attending Hoover High School in Birmingham, Alabama.