Where we venture to is determined by the information that we are learning.

Learning and being in Israel is one of the coolest opportunities I have ever gotten. It is effective, engaging, and so enjoyable, especially when paired with incredible core teachers who do such an amazing job at showing off and teaching about the land. Our tiyul are when I would say I spend the majority of my time outside of campus, enjoying Israel and using it as my classroom. Therefore, where we venture to is determined by the information that we are learning.

It is so difficult to explain the incredible feeling of learning about the destruction of the second temple in 70 CE and knowing that tomorrow you are going there to see its ruins. Hearing about the 2 steps and a break pattern that occurred going up to the temple, which was in place so that worshipers would appreciate the time it took them to reach the doors of the temple and learning that our very ancestors walked these stairs to get to the temple to pray was already so cool. Then we, descendants of these people, got to go there and walk up those same steps that our ancestors did. This feeling adds a whole new dimension to your connection and understanding of the topic and the land you are on, and it is something that you are unable to replicate and something truly special that MUSS brings.

Along with this, learning in a typical classroom can get boring, and a lot of people do not enjoy this, including me. However, on tiyuls I am far from distracted and completely engaged in what my teacher is saying! If we are learning about the Bar Kochba revolt when people had to go into hiding into caves, we were  able to sit in the caves and learn about the very event that took place there. It is such a captivating and memorable experience, and there is never a dull moment!

Along with this, I love how Israel gets a whole new meaning when we use it as our classroom. At home, learning outside is just an excuse to get some fresh air out of the classroom to hopefully wake me up and make the class more exciting. Although this stays true for here in Israel, the feeling that I get after is so different. I come back from tiyuls with an understanding of the layers and layers of history that are found in the country. It is truly one of the most incredible experiences I have ever experienced, and I cannot wait to go on more tiyuls and learn more about Israel.