Blog
Blog
Comparing NFTY in Israel to Summer Camp
By Kayla Cohen, Bus 7 Participant Having gone to Crane Lake Camp for 7 years, I can without a doubt say that my camp friends are my best friends. But, now being separated from the gates surrounding CLC, NFTY in Israel is providing me with a completely new experience. ...
Landing in Israel
By Jacqueline Herman, Bus 5 Participant Stepping foot on the plane to Israel for the second time, but my first time with friends was such a special feeling. Everyone was having mixed emotions, but mostly excitement. For most of my friends this is their first time...
My Combined Passion for STEM and Judaism
By Meredith Rosenthal, Bus 11 Participant My passions for STEM and my Jewish identity have always been some of the most integral aspects of who I am. Since Israel is a hub for both Judaism and outstanding technology and innovation, being apart of Sci-Tech Israel has...
Harlam in Israel On The Dunes!
Why I Chose Gadna
By Rachael Metzgar, Bus 4 Participant I would like to preface this with the fact that I am insecure. I don’t often find myself overcoming huge challenges - and that’s exactly why I signed up for Gadna. I wanted to push myself and try new things. The first day was by...
Reflections on Auschwitz
By Jacob Schwartz, Bus 6 Participant We started early in the morning, and as we drove through Oswiecim, Poland, we could feel the depressing atmosphere. It was a dreary day, with very gray skies. When we arrived at Birkenau, I was hit with a solemn sense of dread...
Why I wanted to staff NFTY in Israel
By Annie Abramowitz, Bus 5 Staff Working for NFTY in Israel was never really on my mind until last summer. I remember sitting with my campers when one of them turned to me and said, “So, you're going to be our counselor for Israel next summer?” I wasn’t really sure if...
On the Wings of Eagles
By Rabbi Rich Kirschen, Director So much of our trip this summer is dedicated to experiential Jewish learning and Jewish identity formation. NFTY in Israel presents an itinerary that tells the epic, 3,000-year-old, story of the Jewish people; or what Israelis call...
Finding Connections from my Experience in Poland
By Maya Kendall, Bus 7 Participant My earliest memory of learning about the Shoah begins in fourth grade. I was nine years old, sitting in Hebrew School, watching videos of bodies being dragged and tossed onto piles of more dead bodies. I had no idea what I was...