Kehillah High Israel Trip 2023 Participant Reflections
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Sarah Nitsun
Having the opportunity to experience and learn about the history, diversity, and beauty of Israel with people that would soon become my best friends was something that I never thought I would do. Starting on the first day of our trip we had immersive experiences such as hiking a historic cliff, meeting with members of the Druze community, seeing the Baha’i gardens in Haifa, meeting with Israelis who were the same age as us, and celebrating Shabbat with members of the kibbutz we were staying at, that really amplified the fact that one must come to Israel and see it for themselves rather than just learn about it in the classroom. I am so grateful for this trip and I know that I, as well as the rest of my group cannot wait to take back all that we learned to our community. I hope that every teen in my community can have this experience that strengthens one’s connection to the Jewish people and community. |
Addison Claridge
This summer I had the privilege of participating in the Kehillah High Israel Trip. I can not even begin to express the joy and knowledge I gained from this trip, by becoming closer to teens in the community, accumulating massive amounts of knowledge about the people of Israel, the land of Israel, and the allyship between the United States and Israel. During the 21 days, I had the opportunity to go on amazing Nature Hikes to learn about the country's geography and vast ecosystem, learn about all of the different cultures inside the country, and how everyday life is in Israel—with fun activities planned and the ability to give back to a country made me feel better connected to the people of Israel while being in a different continent. Having this be my first trip to Israel definitely made me sure that I will be going back as many times as I can. |
Ariel Jacobson
This summer was a summer to remember. It was a summer full of new adventures, new experiences, and new friends. This summer I went on the kehillah high 2023 Israel trip. This summer I experienced a new country that I never thought I would experience in the way I did. I spent 21 very impactful days in Israel. From hiking the Arbel cliffs to going through ancient water tunnels in the city of David . From learning about the Palestinian-Israeli conflict to visiting the old city of Tzfat. It was a summer that I will never forget.
Everything was perfect from our tour guide to every single site we saw, learned about, and experienced. We heard from so many different people from lone soldiers to Druzes people living in Israel and the struggles and hardships they face in Israel. We heard so many different people’s stories from soldiers who died fighting for their country and homeland to people living on a kibbutz. This summer I had the chance to really think about how I’m Jewish in American Society today.
At the beginning of our trip we were asked the question, are you an American Jew or are you a Jewish American. Now at the beginning of our trip I didn’t really know what the answer was for me and now I know exactly what my answer is, I’m a Jewish American. Over the past 21 days I learned that being Jewish isn’t just a religion it’s so much more than it's a people hood. I learned that you can be Jewish in so many different ways. Whether that’s you praying every day or being more secular. Judaism is a beautiful people hood with so many different types of people in it. We are a community, we're all family in a way and we all go through different things within each of our Jewish journeys and as we learn more and more about Judaism and as we get older we all make little adjustments to the way we practice Judaism. This summer I saw Israel in a whole new way.
This summer was a summer to remember. It was a summer full of new adventures, new experiences, and new friends. This summer I went on the kehillah high 2023 Israel trip. This summer I experienced a new country that I never thought I would experience in the way I did. I spent 21 very impactful days in Israel. From hiking the Arbel cliffs to going through ancient water tunnels in the city of David . From learning about the Palestinian-Israeli conflict to visiting the old city of Tzfat. It was a summer that I will never forget.
Everything was perfect from our tour guide to every single site we saw, learned about, and experienced. We heard from so many different people from lone soldiers to Druzes people living in Israel and the struggles and hardships they face in Israel. We heard so many different people’s stories from soldiers who died fighting for their country and homeland to people living on a kibbutz. This summer I had the chance to really think about how I’m Jewish in American Society today.
At the beginning of our trip we were asked the question, are you an American Jew or are you a Jewish American. Now at the beginning of our trip I didn’t really know what the answer was for me and now I know exactly what my answer is, I’m a Jewish American. Over the past 21 days I learned that being Jewish isn’t just a religion it’s so much more than it's a people hood. I learned that you can be Jewish in so many different ways. Whether that’s you praying every day or being more secular. Judaism is a beautiful people hood with so many different types of people in it. We are a community, we're all family in a way and we all go through different things within each of our Jewish journeys and as we learn more and more about Judaism and as we get older we all make little adjustments to the way we practice Judaism. This summer I saw Israel in a whole new way.
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Nicholas Richmond-Mendez
This Israel trip that I went on was amazing and life changing. From the Masada hike to the swimming of the Dead Sea, it was all very wondrous and eye-opening. I learned so much about the new culture and about a whole new way of life, including always keeping kosher, celebrating Shabbat with no electronics and with a strong sense of community. It made me completely change what I want to do with my life and the path I want to consider as I get older, that being an IDF soldier and doing aliyah. I never thought that I would want to be a soldier but the strong sense of community and the idea that I would help protect other Jewish people and contribute to the land of Israel is what has me determined to make this reality. I am also wowed by the fact that Israel is so diverse and has so many different types of cultures and even religions including the Baha’i and the Druze. It was inspiring to me when we went on the graffiti tour because in the US graffiti is heavily looked down upon so the fact that it is such a big community and it is more considered art rather than a crime is amazing. I also am in love with the food, I never thought that I would grow to like Israeli food as much as I do but it is so delicious and flavourful. I also love how there are people such as the people at ADI Negev who are being inclusive and helping society as a whole to embrace everyone despite their differences or challenges. |
Blake Cohen
Israel was a perspective changing experience for me. From the sights to the speakers, all of Israel made a lifelong impact on me in so many ways. My favorite part of the trip has to be Tel Aviv. Tel Aviv was the Israeli version of Miami and boy did it not disappoint. Another one of my favorite places was Masada and the desert. The desert brought a new meaning of Israel to me. I was put in a situation to take in the surroundings that Israel had to offer and truly admire the place I was and the place that our ancestors lived and built for us. Overall Israel was a place that changed my Jewish perspective and overall personal perspective on life and the opportunities that were given. Hannah Gorelick
My three-week trip to Israel was an unforgettable experience that left me with a deep sense of cultural enrichment and personal growth. I expanded my Jewish knowledge through cultural and historical experiences. This helped shape my Jewish identity in new and different ways. I established an in-depth understanding of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that you can only get from spending time in Israel. Additionally, I saw awe-inspiring landscapes from many climates, including the desert, the mountains, and the coastline. Every location that we visited was unique and diverse from everything else that we had seen, and it made the trip that much more impactful that every activity was so thoughtfully planned out. Some of my personal favorite moments included rafting down the Jordan River, exploring Tel Saki, hiking the Arbel Cliffs, having a silent disco party at the Mamilla Mall, the Bedouin hospitality tents, and the beautiful beach views from kibbutz shefayim. This trip has left an indelible mark on my summer and my life in general, and I will forever cherish the memories and friendships I gained from this remarkable adventure. |