Kehillah High Israel Trip 2021 Participant Reflections

Ben Beinart
My favorite thing that we did while on the Kehillah High Israel Trip going to the City of David water tunnels. It was one of the very first things that we did and I found it very interesting how the Israelis knew which way to dig in order to get to the spring water.

I think that visiting Israel has made me become a better Jew – from Orthodox to Reform, all Jews have an impact on Israel. Being a Conservative Jew, I found it very interesting seeing and interacting with Orthodox Jews. Especially at the Kotel, when you go to pray, the men are on one side and the women are on the other side.

Before going on this trip, I was kind of nervous about going because of the recent conflict. But when you go to Israel, you just feel safe. Soldiers are everywhere protecting you.

Also, the best part about my trip was meeting new people and making new friends. We met so many people. I also loved all our amazing staff including the leaders, tour guide, bus driver and security guard. They all made the trip an unforgettable experience!
Courtney Magelssen
Soon after the start of COVID, Kehillah High adapted and created new classes we could take at home. One of these classes was an Israeli cooking class. I did this class with a group of my friends, and we were all hoping to go to Israel in the summer of 2021. This class was so fun and we got to learn how to make so many traditional Israeli foods. The year went on and when summertime came, we found out we were going to Israel.

Being in Israel was one of the most amazing experiences I have ever had. I loved every second there, and I am beyond grateful for the opportunity to go. I learned so much and always will cherish the trip.

One thing I loved about Israel was the food, and it was extra special because I had learned to make some of it in my cooking class. I thought it was so interesting to try authentic Israeli food and compare it to what I had made beforehand.

My favorite foods I ate in Israel were hummus, pita with shawarma and bourekas. I thought the food was to die for and I miss it already. I know that I need to go back to Israel and do a food tour one day.

As a foodie, I always am excited to eat on my trips, so I always was excited to try something new in Israel. I tried a huge variety of foods and I loved every single thing I ate. I could go on and on about how amazing the food was, but there is so much more to talk about regarding the Israel trip. It was truly remarkable and I am beyond grateful I went. I always will remember my Kehillah High cooking class, Israeli cuisine and the Israel trip.
Alexa Schwartz
I didn’t think a lot could happen in three weeks until I went on the inaugural Kehillah High Israel trip. In just 21 days, I was able to learn and experience so much about Israel, my future and myself.

After the many long days and long nights, I can proudly say I am Jewish, I am a Zionist and I love Israel. It’s not like I couldn’t say it before, but it’s different after the trip.

It might sound cheesy, but I did uncover a part of myself by going to Israel. I embraced my roots and made a connection with the land and the people. I hope this connection is never lost and only strengthened over time. I found myself taking value in the little things, thinking about deeper meanings and praying. I have brought home with me these ideas and hope that I continue to connect with my Judaism.

After this trip, I have seen the world through a different lens. I can’t wait to come back and explore more. Thank you to all that made this trip possible. I will forever be grateful.
Sarah Lootens
It’s hard to believe the Kehillah High Israel trip has already come and gone, but the memories will last a lifetime. As a graduated senior about to enter college, the trip had a different impact on me.

I went into the trip ready to learn and bring back my education not only for the Houston Jewish community, but also my college campus community. Although it’s difficult to pick out just one of the incredible moments to share, I am extremely grateful to have seen Israel in ways that average tourists do not.

One of the most significant days was going to Moshav Netiv Haasara, a village dangerously close to the Gaza Strip border. As we approached the moshav, the conflicts we hear and see in the news were brought into reality. It was no longer a picture on a screen.

Upon entering, we went through barbed wire gates, and we saw an IDF balloon that hovered over the border and bomb shelters almost every 30 feet. When we got farther into the moshav, you could see the huge cement wall dividing Israel and Gaza – the wall that protects innocent families from direct Hamas shooting.

We then heard from a mother who lives there. She spoke about times of fear and times of joy. She explained that kindergartens double as shelters, and there is a mere 5 seconds to reach a shelter when the rocket alarm is sounded. The question then arises: Why do you live there?

The answer provided was simply: It is home, and it is our land.

After this experience, I was overcome by a sense of nationality and pride in this country and its people. The families of this moshav are unsung heroes in protecting the State of Israel. This was an impactful and eye-opening experience I will remember and I always will have the border villages and cities in my thoughts and prayers.

At the end of the trip, I did not want to leave. I now want to go back and live there someday. While I’m in the States, though, I’ve been inspired to learn more about the history of Israel, and I hope others go on this trip and leave with a similar motivation.
Paige Nossal
Going to Israel will forever be a turning point in my life. The experience changed me as a person and completely reshaped my mindset towards Israel and Judaism. I cherish the wide variety of knowledge I accumulated throughout our tour, and am so grateful to have had the opportunity to experience so many different things. From visiting an ultra-Orthodox community to shopping in the Machane Yehuda shuk, there was never a moment that wasn’t full of Israeli experience and culture.

One of my most memorable moments in Israel would be visiting Yad Vashem. The emotional impact of the Holocaust museum is something I will never forget. After the tour, I remember looking out at Israel at the end of the museum and realizing I was a Zionist. It was such a profound experience and I truly felt connected to my Jewish roots and ancestors.

I had so much fun exploring the land and participating in all sorts of activities, like visiting the Western Wall, hiking Mt. Masada, wading through underground water tunnels and much more. It was truly the experience of a lifetime and I only wish that I could have stayed longer. I’m sad to be back home and away from the land I connected so much with, but for now I will forever have the beautiful memories from my first trip to the Holy Land all thanks to Kehillah High, RootOne and the many other donors who made this amazing trip happen.
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Hanna Sweeden
Before going on the Israel trip, I had some knowledge of the history of Israel and I felt that my connections to Israel and my Judaism were strong. However, after the Israel trip my connections to both my Judaism and Israel grew a lot more than I thought possible.

One major thing that really changed my perspective on Israel was the Yitzhak Rabin Museum we went to in Tel Aviv. The museum was about his life and how he fought in both the 1948 and Six-Day wars, how he went from being prime minister to resigning to being prime minister again. Overall, the museum showed how the State of Israel was so heavily impacted by decisions he made along with others. The museum gave me a better appreciation for Israel and what they had to fight for.

One activity that helped me connect more to my Judaism was when we visited Yemin Orde, the children’s youth village for at-risk immigrant children coming to Israel from all over the world. The village helps to introduce these kids into Israeli society and get them ready for the future.

The village reminded me of the Hebrew word, kehillah (also the name of our program), which means community. The idea behind kehillah is, as a community, anyone is able to accomplish anything. And, that reminded me of how we, as the Jewish people, through Jewish values and lessons and together as a community, can come together to make change.

Overall, the trip to Israel was an amazing experience, and one that I will take with me to college. I will forever carry with me the moments I had and the experiences I was given.