By Will Nemoy, NFTY in Israel Participant, Bus 3
Hello, and welcome to Will’s Declassified NFTY in Israel Survival Guide. In this guide, I hope to give a little bit of insight on our experience in Israel, and give advice to survive the trip for anyone considering to participate. To begin, be aware that at any time an Israeli counselor might “volunteer” you into writing a riveting paragraph for the NFTY in Israel blog *cough* Yahelli *cough*. This piece of information is not vital in order to survive the trip, but I thought I would include it for personal reasons.
To begin, remember to enjoy every experience while on the trip. In between the main Israeli attractions like the Dead Sea and Western Wall, you will have much down time to enjoy yourself with the other kids. Although it might not be as glamorous as some of the other activities, these can be some of the most enjoyable portions of the trip. Learn the customs of the NFTY kids, some examples include petting the many disease ridden cats of Israel, listening to Israeli music, and wearing elephant pants. Also, get accustom to the NFTY slang, some terms include, but are not limited to: shluke, XYZ, and trips on hold. Shabbat is also a very enjoyable time to relax and bond with the other kids. Typically, the day includes a recap of the week and a Jewish service lead by the aspiring NFTY leader and feminist, Dolph.
Next, always remember to bring a hat and water bottle to all of the activities. Although you will not be required to do push-ups, as experienced by those who participated in the Israeli military, Tommy will likely reprimand by requiring you to wear a bucket hat, which is frankly much worse.
Thirdly, get to know your Israeli friends and counselors. It is well known that in order to fully embrace a different culture you must get to know the people who live there. Although it might be hard not listening to Taylor Swift and The Backstreet Boys for an entire bus ride, talking to the many Israelis and learning about their lives can be a very enjoyable and fascinating experience.
Fourthly, when you have access to an Israeli restroom, use it. Between the more… let’s say natural restrooms we used in the Negev Desert and the bathrooms that you will have to share with your three other roommates, the Israeli public restrooms are a precious commodity and should be taken seriously.
In all seriousness, the NFTY in Israel trip has been one of the most unique and enjoyable experiences we have ever had. Between the Dead Sea, Israeli markets, and all the fun camp games, we’ve had some in depth explorations of very serious topics. The Israeli military, Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and the Holocaust are just some of the serious and complex issues that have been explored and openly discussed during the trip. Combine this with an excellent group of teens from all over the country and you have an experience that I can genuinely say is the greatest I have ever had. I hope this has helped anyone who is interested in going on the NFTY in Israel trip, and will help you survive the Israel experience.
