My Semester in Israel (Cira Orvitz, High School Intern)
My name is Cira and I did a four-month program to Israel, called Tichon Ramah Yerushalayim (TRY). High school students from all around the US and Canada went on it to Israel to study for a semester and find their Jewish identity in their own ways. I participated in TRY for two months and I now have a much deeper connection to the land of Israel. Unfortunately, I had to return home early due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Going to Israel, I was scared. Scared of the news that I had heard. Terrorists stabbing, bombing, and shooting innocent citizens and travellers. Thankfully I felt safe in the program I was on as they took our safety as a priority. One of our trips was going to be going to the Western Wall, which is considered one of the holiest spots to pray and be close to G-d in Judaism. Unfortunately, our trip was cut short due to multiple terrorist attacks happening in the city. Being there, experiencing these struggles Israelis go through on a daily basis, gave me a new perspective. These terrorist attacks kill and injure hundreds of innocent people just trying to live their lives in this beautiful land. I was so lucky to experience many different activities in Israel such as hiking up Masada to see a beautiful sunrise over the Negev desert, floating in the Dead Sea and mudding with all my friends, and riding camels through the sandy mountains of the Negev and I’m excited to do so much more!! Israel is such a beautiful land and doesn’t deserve the negative media bias it gets. We are just people trying to live our lives close to G-d in this beautiful land. I find the most beautiful part of Israel is how it combines ancient history with modern innovation, creating a beautiful Israeli culture. I encourage anyone who can to come to visit Israel to see how amazing this land is for yourself. I am looking forward to returning home to Israel as soon as I can with my entire family to experience the holy land again.
