A Powerful Beginning at Muss

My first week at Muss has been nothing short of powerful. I’ve met so many amazing people from all over America (and Canada), and I’ve already made so many meaningful memories. I'm learning a lot about myself and the history of my people in my Israel Studies course.

The most exciting part of the program, in my opinion, are the Tiyulim (trips). The one that has been most meaningful to me so far was our visit to the Nova Festival Memorial. Back in Texas, I would hear about everything happening in Israel, but being here—visiting these places and being properly educated on what’s going on—has helped me connect more deeply with my identity. Experiencing the Nova Festival Memorial in person made the situation in Israel feel all the more real to me.

Hearing my teachers say that we were looking at memorials of their friends or listening to a mother say that she had hoped her daughter had been taken hostage—because that would mean there was still a chance she could come home—absolutely broke me and opened my eyes to the world around me.

Overall, my time here has been incredibly meaningful, and I can’t wait to experience more with the amazing friends I’ve already made.