Last week, my NFTY in Israel journey has been eye opening in so many ways. As we entered Jerusalem, a million emotions were going through my head, as well as many of my friends.

We live in a complicated time in a complicated world. It only takes a glance at the day’s headlines, a listen to the news on television or radio, or even a passing glance at one’s social media feed to capture the vibe. And, at least from how I hear and witness it, it’s not a good one.

We had finally left the desert and moved to a much more modern society, Jerusalem. Often times, this the most looked forward to part of the trip because of its huge influence in our religion as a whole, but also it’s culture and history.